Chronicle of Gregory 1450. 1450. Ande at Rochester [Map] ix [11] men were be-heddyd at that same tyme, and hyr heddys were sende unto London by the kyngys commaundement, and sette uppon London Brygge [Map] alle at one tyme; and xij [12] heddys at a nothyr tyme were brought unto London at a sette uppe undyr the same forme, as hys^a was commaundyd by the kyng. Men calle hyt in Kente the Harvyste of Hedys. Will^b

Note a. So in MS.

Note b. The Christian name "Will." is added by a somewhat later hand. The date " 1451 " is also added in the margin in a hand decidedly more modern.

From Apr 1450 to Jun 1450 Jack Cade's Rebellion was a popular revolt against the government of England which took place the south-east. Their leader Jack Cade led an army of men to London to force reform. When in the London the rebels, against the order of their leader, looted the city resulting in the citizens of London forcing them out culminating in a battle on London Bridge. Robert Poynings (age 31) joined the rebellion.

Polydore Vergil. Apr 1450. But when they perceived that the Kentishmen had turned to looting the city, they feared for their lives and thought they could not wait no longer to see how this fury turned out. But while the Kentishmen raged against the city like madmen, nobody dared resist them before they beheaded the Lord High Treasurer John Saye (age 55) and several noblemen.

Chronicle of Gregory 1450. Apr 1450. Ande aftyr that the comyns of Kent a rosse with certayne othyr schyrys, and they chesse hem a captayne, the whyche captayne compellyd alle the gentellys to a-rysse why the hem. Ande at the ende of the Parlyment they come whythe a grete myght and a stronge oste unto the Blackehethe [Map], be syde Grene wyche, the nomber of xlvj M [46000]; and there they made a fylde, dykyd and stakyde welle a-bowt, as hyt ben in the londe of warre, save only they kepte ordyr among them, for als goode was Jacke Robyn as John at the Noke, for alle were as hyghe as pygysfete, unto the tyme that they shulde comyn and speke with suche statys and massyngerys as were sende unto hem; thenne they put alle hyr pouer unto the man that namyd hym captayne of alle hyr oste. And there they a-bode certayne days too the comyng of the kynge (age 28) fro the Parlymentte at Leyceter. Ande thenne the kyng (age 28) send unto the captayne dyvers lordys bothe spyrytualle and temporalle, to wytte and to have knowleche of that grette assembelynge and gaderyng of that grete a[n]d mysavysyd feleschyppe. The captayne of hem sendyng worde agayne unto the kynge (age 28), that hyt was for the wele of hym oure soverayne lorde, and of alle the realme, and for to dystrye the traytours beyng a-boute hym, whythe othyr dyvers poyntys that they wolde see that hyt were in schorte tyme a-mendyde. Uppon whyche answere that the kyng, a thedyr sent by hys lordys, dyd make a crye in the kyngys name of Engelonde that alle the kyngys lege men of Engelonde shulde a-voyde the fylde. And a-pon the nyght aftyr they were alle voydyd and a-goo.

Chronicle of Gregory 1450. Jun 1450. The morne aftyr, the kynge (age 28) rode armyd at alle pecys from Syn Johnys be-syde Clerkynwelle [Map] thoroughe London; and whythe hym the moste party of temporalle lordys of thys londe of Engelond in there a beste raye. Aftyr that they were every lorde whythe hys retenowe, to the nombyr of x M [10000] personys, redy as they alle shulde have gon to batayle in to any londe of Crystyn-dome, whythe bendys a-bove hyr harnys that every lorde schulde be knowe from othyr.

Chronicle of Gregory 1450. 01 Jul 1450. Ande aftyr that, uppon the fyrste day of Juylle, the same captayne come agayne, as the Kenttysche men sayde, but hyt was a-nothyr that namyd hymselfe the captayne, and he come to the Blacke Hethe [Map]. And uppon the morowe he come whythe a grette hoste yn to Sowtheworke [Map], and at the Whythe Herte he toke his loggynge.

Chronicle of Gregory 1450. 02 Jul 1450. And a-pon the morowe, that was the Fryday, a gayn evyn, they smote a sondyr the ropys of the draught brygge and faught sore a manly, and many a man was mortheryde and kylde in that conflycte, I wot not what [to] a name hyt for the multytude of ryffe raffe. And thenne they enteryde in to the cytte of London as men that hadde ben halfe be-syde hyr wytte; and in that furynys they wente, as they sayde, for the comyn wele of the realme of Ingelonde, evyn strayght unto a marchaunte ys place i-namyd Phylyppe Malpas of London. Yf hyt were trewe as they surmysyd aftyr ther doyng, I remytte me to ynke and pauper - Deus scit et ego non [God knows and I am not]. But welle I wote that every ylle begynnynge moste comynly hathe an ylle endyng, and every goode begynnyng hathe the wery goode endyng. Proverbium: - Felix principium finem facit esse beatum [A happy beginning makes an end happy]. And that Phylyppe Malpas was aldyrman, and they spoylydhym ande bare a-way moche goode of hys, and in specyalle moche mony, bothe of sylvyr and golde, the valowe of a notabylle som, and in specyalle of marchaundys, as of tynne, woode, madyr, and alym, whythe grette quantyte of wollyn clothe and many ryche jewellys, why the othyr notabylle stuffe of fedyr beddys, beddyng, napery, and many a ryche clothe of arys, to the vale we of a notabylle sum - nescio, set Deus omnia scit [I don't know, but God knows all things].

Chronicle of Gregory 1450. 03 Jul 1450. Ande in the evenynge they went why the hyr sympylle captayne to hys loggynge; botte a certayne of hys sympylle and rude mayny a-bode there alle the nyght, weny[n]ge to them that they hadde wytte and wysdome for to have gydyde or put in gydyng alle Ingelonde, alsosone at they hadde gote the cytte of London by a mysse happe of cuttynge of ij sory cordys that no we be alteryde, and made ij stronge schynys of yryn unto the draught brygge of London. But they hadde othyr men with hem, as welle of London as of there owne party. And by hem of on parte and of that othyr parte they lefte noo thyng unsoffethe, a and they serchyd alle that nyght.

Chronicle of Gregory 1450. 04 Jul 1450. Ande in the morne he come yn a-gayne, that sory and sympylle and rebellyus captayne why the hys mayny; that was Satyrday, and hyt was also a Synt Martyn ys day¹, the dedycacyon of Synt Martynys in the Vyntry [Map], the iiij day of Juylle. And thenne dyvers questys were i-sompnyd at the Gylhalle [Map]; and ther Robert Home beynge alderman was a-restydeand brought in to Newegate. And that same day Wylliam Crowemere (age 34), squyer, and Scheryffe of Kentt, was be-heddyde in the fylde whythe owte Algate at the mylys ende be-syde Clopton ys Place. And a nothyr man that was namyde John Bayle was be-heddyd at the Whytte Chapylle. And the same day aftyr-non was be-heddyd in Cheppe a-fore the Standard [Map], Syr Jamys Fynes (age 55), beyng that tyme the Lorde Saye and Grrette Treserer of Ingelonde, the whyche was brought oute of the Toure of London [Map] unto the Gylde Halle [Map], and there of dyvers tresons he was exampnyd, of whyche he knowlachyd of the dethe of that notabylle and famos prynce the Duke of Glouceter. And thenne they brought hym unto the Standard in Cheppe [Map], and there he ressayvyd hys jewys and hys dethe. And so forthe alle the iij [3] heddys that day smetyn of were sette uppon the Brygge of London [Map], and the ij othyr heddys takyn downe that stode a-pon the London Brygge by-fore. And at the comyng of the camptayne yn to Sowtheworke, he lete smyte of the hedde of a strong theff that was namyd Haywardyn.

Note 1. The Translation of St. Martin of Tours.

Chronicle of Gregory 1450. 05 Jul 1450. And uppon the morowe the Sonday at hyghe mas tyme a lette to be heddyd a man of Hampton, a squyer, the whyche was namyd Thomas Mayne. And that same evyn Londyn dyd a rysse and cam owte uppon hem at x [of] a the belle, beyng that tyme hyr captaynys the goode olde lorde Schalys (age 53) and Mathewe Goughe. Ande from that tyme unto the morowe viij of belle they were ever fyghtynge uppon London Brygge [Map], ande many a man was slayne and caste in Temys, harnys, body, and alle; and monge the presse was slayne Mathewe Goughe and John Sutton aldyrman. And the same nyght, a-non aftyr mydnyght, the Captayneof Kentte dyde fyre the draught brygge of London; and be-fore that tyme he breke bothe Kyngys Bynche [Map] ande the Marchelsy [Map], and lete owte alle the presoners that were yn them.

Chronicle of Gregory 1450. 06 Jul 1450. And uppon the morowe by tymys came my lorde the Cardynalle of Yorke (age 70), and my Lorde of Cauntyrbury, and the Byschoppe of Winchester (age 52), and they tretyde by twyne the Lorde Schalys (age 53) and that captayne, that the sore conflycte and skarmasche was sessyde, ande gaffe the captayne and hys mayne a generalle chartoure for hym and for alle hys company in hys name, callyng hym selfe John Mortymere, and thoroughe that mene they were i-voydyde the moste partye. And the vj day aftyr that, the Satyr-daye at evyn 3 the iij heddys were takyn downe of London Brygge, that ys to say, the Lorde Say (deceased) ys hedde, Crowmers (deceased), and the Bayleyes, and the othyr ij [2] heddys sette uppe a-yenne that stode a-pon London Brygge be-fore, and the body whythe hedde were i-burydde at the Gray Fryers at London.

On 12 Jul 1450 Jack Cade was captured at which time he was wounded and died of his wounds.

Chronicle of Gregory 1450. 12 Jul 1450. And uppon the xij day of Juylle, the yere a-fore sayde, the sayde camptayne was cryde and proclaymyd traytoure, by the name of John Cade, in dyvers placys of London, and also in Sowtheworke, whythe many moo, that what man myght or wolde bryng the sayde John Cade to the kyng, qwyke or dede, shulde have of the kynge a thousande marke. Also who som evyr myght brynge or wolde brynge any of hys chyffe counsellourys, or of afynyte, that kepte any state or rewle or governansse undyr the sayd fals captayne John Cade, he schulde have to hys rewarde of the kynge v. c. [500] marke. And that day was that fals traytoure the Captayne of Kentte i-take and slayne in the Welde in the countre of Sowsex, and uppon the morowe he was brought in a .earre alle nakyd, and at the Herte in Sowetheworke there the carre was made stonde sty lie, the wyffe of the howse myght se hym yf hyt were the same man or no that was namyd the Captayne of Kente, for he was loggyd whythe yn hyr howse in hys pevys tyme of hys mys rewylie and rysynge. And thenne he was hadde in to the Kyngys Bynche [Map], and there he lay from Monday at evyn unto the Thursseday nexte folowynge at evyn; and whythe yn the Kynges Benehe [Map] the sayde captayne was be-heddyde and quarteryde; and the same day i-d[r]awe a-pon a hyrdylle in pecys whythe the hedde by-twyne hys breste from the Kyngys Benehe thoroughe owte Sowthewerke, and thenne ovyr Londyn Brygge, and thenne thoroughe London unto Newegate, and thenne hys hedde was takyn and sette uppon London Brygge.