Robert Knolles and sir Perducas d'Albret, well accompanied, and divers
of the aldermen of London, and with them a six hundred men in harness,
and a puissant man of the city, who was the king's draper,[5] called
Nicholas Bramber, and he brought with him a great company; and ever as
they came, they ranged them afoot in order of battle: and on the other
part these unhappy people were ready ranged, making semblance to give
battle, and they had with them divers of the king's banners. There the
king made three knights, the one the mayor of London sir Nicholas
Walworth, sir John Standish and sir Nicholas Bramber. Then the lords
said among themselves: 'What shall we do? We see here our enemies, who
would gladly slay us, if they might have the better hand of us.' Sir
Robert Knolles counselled to go and fight with them and slay them all;
yet the king would not consent thereto, but said: 'Nay, I will not so:
I will send to them commanding them to send me again my banners and
thereby we shall see what they will do. Howbeit, other by fairness or
otherwise, I will have them.' 'That is well said, sir,' quoth the earl
of Salisbury. Then these new knights were sent to them, and these
knights made token to them not to shoot at them, and when they came so
near them that their speech might be heard, they said: 'Sirs, the king
commandeth you to send to him again his banners, and we think he will
have mercy of you.' And incontinent they delivered again the banners
and sent them to the king. Also they were commanded on pain of their
heads, that all such as had letters of the king to bring them forth
and to send them again to the king; and so many of them delivered
their letters, but not all. Then the king made them to be all to torn
in their presence; and as soon as the king's banners were delivered
again, these unhappy people kept none array, but the most part of them
did cast down their bows, and so brake their array and returned into
London. Sir Robert Knolles was sore displeased in that he might not go
to slay them all: but the king would not consent thereto, but said he