At first, it seemed as if the insurgents must be speedily routed; but though the arquebusiers did great damage in the early part of the fray, they were completely discomfited in the end, most of their horses being killed under them.
During the fight, all the leaders of the outbreak distinguished themselves by their bravery. Osbert Clinton threw himself into the thickest of the fight, encouraged his followers by word and deed, struck down three of the horsemen, and mainly contributed to the victory eventually gained by the insurgents. In little more than a quarter of an hour after the commencement of the conflict, the arquebusiers were dismounted and discomfited, and the Romanists driven off.
The alarm-bell, which had ceased during the raging of the conflict, began to ring again more violently than ever.
A brief consultation was then held among the leaders of the outbreak as to the course that should next be pursued, when it was agreed that they should march on past Charing Cross and along the Strand, and if they received sufficient accession to their forces, should break down Temple Bar, enter the City, liberate the prisoners for religion from Newgate and the Marshalsea, and march on to the Tower.
“I will lead on this party,” said Stafford.
“I will set free the prisoners from the Gate House here at Westminster,” said Sir Henry Dudley.
“I will crave to be allowed to pass over to Lambeth Palace,” said Osbert, “and set free Constance Tyrrell and Derrick Carver. This done, I will cross London-bridge and join you. Let me have fifty men for the enterprise.”
“Take double that number,” said Stafford. “We shall find plenty of others as we march along. Harkye, my masters!” he called out to the crowd. “I want a hundred men to go to Lambeth Palace.”
“What to do?” demanded a burly citizen. “Not to harm Cardinal Pole. He is a just man, and against persecution. We will hang Bonner and Gardiner, and the rest of the Romish prelates, but we won’t hurt a hair of the good Cardinal’s head.”
“Right, Master Rufford, we won’t hurt Cardinal Pole,” cried a man near him.