w late in her excuse, is taken a matter
worthy to be sent into France; for I have the copy
of it in the French Ambassador's packet. I will
know what can be done in the decyphering, and
to-morrow remit that I cannot do unto
you."--Gardiner to Petre: _MS. Mary, Domestic_,
State Paper Office.]

Meantime the herald had not been admitted into Rochester. He had read
the queen's message on the bridge (January 27), and, being answered by
Wyatt's followers that they required no pardon, for they had done no
wrong, he retired. Sir George {p.095} Harper, who was joint
commander with Wyatt, stole away the same evening to Gravesend, and
presented himself to Norfolk. The rebels, he said, were discontented
and irresolute; for himself he desired to accept the queen's pardon,
which he was ready to earn by doing service against them; if the duke
would advance without delay, he would find no resistance, and Wyatt
would fall into his hands.

The London bands arrived the following afternoon (January 28), and
Norfolk determined to take Harper's advice. The weather was "very
terrible." On Monday morning it blew so hard that no boat could live;
Wyatt, therefore, would be unable to escape by the river, and an
immediate advance was resolved upon. Sir Thomas Cheyne was coming up
from Dover; Lord William Howard was looked for hourly, and Abergavenny
was again exerting himself: Lord Cobham had urged the duke to wait a
few days, and had told him that he had certain knowledge from Wyatt
himself that "the Londoners would not fight:"[223] but Norfolk was
confident; the men had assured him of their loyalty; and at four
o'clock on Monday afternoon he was on the sloping ground facing
towards Rochester, within cannon-shot of the bridge. The duke was
himself in front, with Ormond, Jerningham, and eight "field-pieces,"
which he had brought with him. A group of insurgents were in sight
across the water, a gun was placed in position to bear upon them; and
the gunner was blowing his match, when Sir Edward Bray galloped up,
crying out that the "white coats," as the London men were called, were
changing sides. The duke had fallen into a trap which Harper had laid
for him. Turning round, he saw Brett, the London captain, with all his
men, and with Harper at his side, advancing and shouting, "A Wyatt! a
Wyatt! we are all Englishmen!" The first impulse