His prisoners, as Master Christopher Roper, George Dorrel of Calehill [and] John Tucke Esquires, who were kept very straitly, The departure of Master Christopher Roper and Master Dorrel from Wyat. being sickly and having within the town no convenient harborough or attendance, were licensed by Wyat, upon promise of their worship to be true prisoners, to provide for themselves out from the town, where they best might. But they, thinking no part of their worship stained in breaking promise with a traitor, sought ways to escape; and came no more at him.
Wyat's marching to Southwark.
On the Saturday following [3rd February 1554], very early, Wyat marched to Southwark: where approaching the Gate at London Bridge foot, [he] called for the opening of the same; which he found not so ready as he looked for.
After he had been a little while in Southwark, divers of the soldiers went to Winchester Place [the town residence of the Bishop of Winchester]. Where one of them, being a Gentleman, began to shew his game before all the cards were full[y] dealed; I mean, to rifle and spoil: which indeed was the determinate end of their purpose; but the time was not yet come, nor they come to the place, where they should begin it.
Whereunto Wyat, having further respect than the young Gentleman had, shewed himself, with stern and fiery visage, so much to be offended with his doings that he made divers believe that he would have hanged him upon the wharf. Which whereof it grew, either of hatred to the evil, or of policy to purchase credit for a further mischief, as well the nature and course of rebellion, as also Wyat's own words, may easily let us understand.
Who, the Monday [22nd January 1554] next afore this stir, devising with two of his friends for the execution of his pretensed [intended] purpose; one of them at length said unto him, "I have no doubt but you shall be able to assemble a great force: but how you shall be able to continue the same with you, having not sufficient treasure and money, the only bait wherewith the multitude is holden, I stand much in doubt."
"What then?" quod Wyat.
"Marry," said the other, "methinketh a good way for your provision thereof, after your force is once gathered, that ye apprehend [Sir John Cheyney] the Lord Warden, the Lord Abergavenny, Sir Robert Southwell, Sir Thomas Moyle, with others; of whose hearts and affections towards you and your case you stand in doubt: whereby ye shall not only have them in safety which are most like[ly] within the Shire to withstand your enterprise; but also provide you both treasure and money, which they want not, for the relief of your Band."
"Ah," quod Wyat, "is this the best counsel ye can give? If we pretend to keep out Strangers, and begin our quarrel with the spoil of our own country [County] men; what will the whole realm, trow ye, then deem of us? Nay, your advice is naught; and your way, the next way to accelerate our confusion. For if we will go forwards in our matter and make the best of it to our purpose, Spoil and Tyranny may not be our guides. We must, by all means, devise, and all little enough, to continue good opinion in the heads of the multitude of some plausible [praiseworthy] end to succeed by our stir: otherwise we undo ourselves. For perceiving at our entry that our minds run of spoil: who will not rather resist us, and abide the adventure of that whereof we bear them in hand; than to be in certain to be spoiled by us? And I see no cause why you should doubt of money; seeing ye know that such Gentlemen as are confedered with us, keeping appointment; their soldiers shall come ready furnished to bear their own charges for nine days: and our hap shall be very hard if we be not at London shortly after we stir; and that with so great a company as shall be out of danger to be stopped by any of the Shire upon such a sudden, or letted [hindered] of entry into London finding half the Wyat's reckoning of the spoil of the Tower and London. friends there as we think to have. And being once in London, and having the Tower in our hands; I trust you think we shall not lack money long after if any be to be had there, or in the Aldermen's coffers."