The Battle of Woodbury Common, which took place on 4 August 1549, was part of the
Prayer Book Rebellion. Reinforcements in the form of Italian mercenaries and German
Landsknechts under the command of
Lord William Grey arrived on 2 August to assist the king's troops under
John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford., who was charged with defeating a large force of rebelling men from
Cornwall and
Devon. The next day, the king's army of some 5,000 men began a march from
Honiton to relieve
Exeter, which was under siege at the time, but instead of taking the heavily barricaded highway, Russell went westward, across the downs. Russell's scouts found their way barred by 2,000 men at
Alfington and sent in Captain Travers to clear the road. In the words of
Edward VI's chronicler,
John Hayward, those Cornishmen who were disarmed in this assault were "slain like beasts". Russell's advance continued onto Woodbury Common, where he pitched camp at a windmill. Here, Paulo Batista Spinola, the Italian commander, kept his men awake all night, fearing a night attack. This actually occurred at dawn the next day, on 4 August, when
Devonian and
Cornish forces defending
Clyst St Mary came out to confront the larger force at the windmill. The difference in numbers and force of arms did nothing to deter them and the second battle of the uprising began. There were heavy losses on both sides and the result was inconclusive but Russell's army took many prisoners, 900 of whom were executed the next day in the
Clyst Heath massacre. This number was confirmed by John Hayward. ==References==