[Sidenote: The king repenting him goeth backe to the sea side.]
[Sidenote: He goeth to the sea the 15 of Julie, as some authors haue.]
The lords and other that were dismissed, tooke it verie euill, considering the great preparation that had béene made for that iournie. But speciallie the mariners were sore offended, cursing the archbishop and the said earle of Penbroke, that were knowne to be authors of so naughtie counsell as they tooke this to be. It was thought there was neuer so manie ships gotten togither at one time before, as were at that present, to haue attended the king: for (as writers haue recorded) there were to the number of fourtéene thousand mariners that had brought their ships thither for that purpose. But as the breaking vp of this voiage gréeued others, so it pinched the king so néere the heart, that he being come backe from the sea side to Winchester, repented so much that he had not gone forward with his iournie, that the next daie he returned againe to the coast, and at Portesmouth entring the sea with his ships, on the fiftéenth of Julie he sailed to the Ile of Wight, and wafted vp and downe for the space of two daies togither, till by aduice of his fréends he was persuaded not to aduenture to passe ouer, sith his armie was dismissed and gone home, and so he returned backe to the shore againe, arriuing at Scotland, néere vnto Warham, the third daie after his setting foorth: yet such as were behind, and hasted after him, thought verelie he had béene gone ouer, and such a brute was spread ouer all, till at length in time the truth was knowne.
At his comming backe (as some write) he charged certeine of the Nobilitie with treason, bicause they did not follow him: wherevpon shortlie after he punished them verie gréeuuouslie, and peraduenture not without some ground of iust cause. For likelie it is that some greater matter forced him to breake vp his iournie, than appeareth in our writers, although Rafe Cogheshall setteth downe some reasons alledged by the archbishop Hubert, and earle Marshall, to persuade him not to depart the realme. But peraduenture other causes there were also of farre more importance that constreined him so greatlie against his mind & full resolution, both at the first, and now at this second time to returne. ¶ Verelie to vtter my coniecture, it may be that vpon his last determination to go ouer, he gaue new commandement to his lords to follow him, and they peraduenture vsed not such diligence in accomplishing his pleasure therein, as he looked they should haue doone: or it may be, when the armie was once discharged, the souldiers made such hast homewards, ech man towards his countrie, that it was no easie matter to bring them backe againe in any conuenient time. But howsoeuer it was, as it had béene vpon a change of purpose, he came backe againe (as before yée haue heard.)