Page:The Queens of England.djvu/431

MARY THE FIRM. ^ / suspected, and at daybreak was at Knightsbridge, whence he marched in order of battle towards St. James's Fields. But here his hopes were foiled, for the Earl of Pembroke, with a considerable force, had taken possession of this spot, and Wy- att turned down a lane leading towards St. James's and, ad- vancing in the direction of Charing Cross, perceived not that Pembroke's troops had fallen on the rear of his, cutting off the possibility of their rejoining them. Wyatt reached Charing Cross, notwithstanding that his passage to it was opposed by cannon, which played on him, without, however, much dam- aging his men, three only of whom were killed but found re- sistance there which might have prevented his further ad- vance had not the Kentish soldiers by rushing violently into the streets, forced the lord chamberlain and Sir John Gage into the gates of Whitehall, which were instantly closed. Wyatt turned his course through Fleet street, but found Ludgate closed against him and defended by the citizens. The followers who had been separated from Wyatt came before the gates at Whitehall, and shot their arrows into the garden and win- dows of the palace, but making no impression, they attempted to follow Wyatt to the city, but were stopped at Charing Cross by Sir Henry Jerningham, captain of the guard, Sir Edward Bray, master of the ordnance, and Sir Philip Paris, knight, sent there by the Earl of Pembroke with a branch of archers and certain field pieces to protect the court. Here both parties fought manfully for some time, but at length the rebels were put to flight. . Wyatt, defeated and dispirited, surrendered himself to Sir Maurice Buckley, and, with Sir Thomas Cob- ham and Thomas Knevet, was committed to the Tower ; to which, the following day, several more of the leaders of the reb- els were sent, and no less than four hundred persons were marched through the city to Westminster, with halters round their necks ; but these last the queen pardoned, pronouncing their pardon in person from the gallery in the Tiltyard. The personal bravery of Mary during the conflict, a considerable portion of which she witnessed from a balcony of the palace overlooking the scene of action, should not be passed by with- out notice. She encouraged her defenders by words and ges» tures, showing more anxiety for them than for her own safety, and when her cause was most desperate, she descended from her balcony, and placing herself by the side of the soldiers, by her presence and her exhortations animated their corrage.