Texts 1.1

GEORGE CAVENDISH
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF CARDINAL WOLSEY

EDITED BY

Ian Lancashire, assisted by Robert Whalen

© 1994 the Editor

From The Life and Death of Cardinal Wolsey, ed. Richard S. Sylvester, Early English Text Society No. 243 (London: Oxford University Press, 1959). Copytext: British Library Egerton 2402.

All rights reserved. This publication, however, may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted electronically or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the editor as long as the text has not been changed in any way.

ISBN 1-896016-00-6
MADE IN CANADA

 [Page 1]  Thomas Wolsey late Cardinall,
his lyffe and deathe,

Written by
George Cauendishe,
his gentleman Vsshar.
 [Page 2] 
To write the life and doynges of this Cardinal,
it were a great worke.
(Hall, Chronicle)
 [Page 3] 
THE PROLOGE

Me Semes it Were no Wisdom to creadit every light tale,
blazed by the blasphemous mowthes of rude commonalty, for
we dayly here how with there blasphemous trompe they spred
abrode innvmerable lyes, without ether shame or honestye
(which prima facie) sheweth forth a vysage of trwthe, as
thowghe it weare a perfet veritie, & matter in deede. where in
there is notheng more vntrwe, And amonge the wyse sorte so it
is esteemed, with whome these bablinges be of small force &
effect/ fforsothe I have redd thexclamations of divers woorthy
& notable authors made agaynste suche false Rumors & fonde
opinions of the fantasticall comonaltye, who delytith notheng
more then to here strainge thinges, And to see new alterations
of authorites, reioyseng somtyme in suche new fantises w^che
afterwarde geveth them more occasion of repentans then of
Ioyfulnes. Thus maye all men of wisdom & discretion vnder­
stande the temerous madnes of the rvde commonaltye & not
geveng to them to hastie credite of every sodayne rumor, vntill
the trwthe bee perfetly knowene by the reporte of some
approved & credible person, þ^t owght to have there of trwe
intelligence/

I have harde & also sene sett forthe in divers printed bookes
some vntrue imaginations after the death of divers parsons, w^che
in there lyffe, were of great estimation, that weare inventyd
rather to bringe there honest names into infamie & perpetuall
slander of the common mvltitude then otherwyse/

The occasyon thereof þ^t maketh me to reherse all these thinges,
is this, That for az miche az I intende God willing, to wryt
heare some parte of the procedings of the said
 [Fol. 4] Legat & Cardynall Wolsey Archebysshope of yorke/ and
of hys assendyng & dissendyng/ to & frome honorous estate/
wherof some parte shalbe of myn owen knowlege And some of
other persons Informacion/ fforsothe this Cardynall was my
 [Page 4]  lord & Mr whome in his lyve I seruyd/ and so remayned w^t
hyme/ after hys fall contynually duryng the terme of all his
troble vntill he died/ as well in the Sowthe as in the Northe
parties/ And noted all hys demeanor & vsage in all that tyme/
As also in his welthy tryhumphe & gloryous estate/ And synce
his deathe/ I haue hard dyuers sondry surmysis & Imagyned tales
made of his procedynges & doynges w^che I my selfe haue
perfightly knowen/ to be most vntrewe vnto the w^che I cowld
haue sufficyently answered accordyng to the trouthe/ but as me
semyth than/ it was myche better for me to suffer and dissimull
the matter and the same to remayn styll as lyes/ than to replie
ayenst ther vntrouthe of whome I myght for my boldnes soner
haue kyndeled a great flame of displeasures than to quenche
oon sparke of ther malycious ontrowthe/ Therfore I commyt the
treuthe to hyme that knowyth all trouthe/ ffor what so euer/
any man hath conceyved in hyme whan he lyued or synce his
dethe/ thus myche I dare be bold to say w^tout displeasure to
any person or of affeccion/ that in my Iugeme^t I neuer sawe thys
realme/ in better order quyotnes & obedyence/ than it was in
the tyme of his auctoryte & Rule/ ne Iustice better mynestred
w^t indifferencye/ As I could euydently prove/ If I shold not be
accused of to myche affeccion or elles that I setforthe more than
trouthe/ I wyll therfore here desist to speke any more in his
commendacion/ And proced fyrst to his orygynall begynnyng
assendyng by fortunes fauour to highe honours/ dignyties/
promocions/ and riches//


ffinis. q^d. G. C.

 [Fol. 5]  Trewthe it ys/ Cardynall wolsey somtyme Archebisshope/
of york/ was an honest poore mans Sonne borne in Ipsewiche
w^t in the Countie of Suffolk/ And beyng but a child was very
Apte to learnyng/ by means wherof his parentes or his good
ffrendes and maysters conveyed hyme to the vnyuersitie of
Oxford/ where he prospered so in learnyng that (As he told me
 [Page 5]  his owen person) he was called the (boye) bacheler for as myche
as he was made bacheler of art at xv^en yeres of age/ w^che was a
rare thyng And seldome seen/

Thus prosperyng And encreasyng in learnyng, was made fellowe
of Magdaleyn Collage/ And after appoynted (for his learnyng)
to be Schole Mr there// At w^che tyme the lord Marques Dorsett
had iij^re of his sonnes At scole there w^t hyme/ Commyttyng
As well vnto hyme there vertuous Educasion as ther lnstruccion
and learnyng/ Yt pleased the seyd Marques Ayenst A Cristmas
season to send as well for the Scole Mr As for his childerne home
to hys howsse for ther recreacion in that pleasaunt & honorable
feast/ They beyng then there/ My lord ther father perceyved
them to be right well employed in learnyng for ther tyme w^che
contentyd hyme so well/ that he haueng a benefice in his gyft
beyng at that tyme voyde/ gave the same to the Scole Mr in
reward for hys diligence/ At his departyng after Cristmas vppon
his retourne to the vnyuersitie/ And havyng the presentacion
therof repayred to the Ordynarie for his Institucion And
Induccion/ than beyng fully ffurnysshed of all necessarie
Instrume^tes at the Ordinaris handes for his preferment/ made
spede w^tout any fferther delay to the seyd benefice to take
therof possession/ And beyng there for that entent Oon sir Amys
Pawlett knyght dwelling in that Contrie there Abought toke an
occasion of displeasure Ayenst hyme/ Vppon what ground I
knowe not/ But sir by yo^r leave he was so bold to sett the Scole
Mr by the feete duryng hys pleasure/ The w^che was afterward
nother forgotten ne forgevyn ffor whan the Scole Mr mountyd
the dignytie to be Chauncelour of Englond he was not oblivyous
of the old displeasure mynystred vnto hyme by Mr Pawlett/ but
sent for hyme And after many sharpe & heynous wordes enioyned
hyme to attend vppon the Councell vntill he ware by them
dismyssed/ And not to departe w^tout licence vppon an vrgent
payn & forfiture/ So that he contynued w^tin the Middell temple
the space of .v. or vj yeres or more/ whos logyng there was in
the Gathowsse next the strett/ the w^che he reedefied very
sumptiously garnysshyng the same on the owtsyde therof w^t
 [Page 6]  Cardynalles hattes And Armez bagges And Cognysaunces of the
Cardynalles w^t dyuers other devisis in so gloryous a sort that he
thought therby to appese his old onkynd displeasure/

Nowe may thys be a good example And precedent to men in
Auctoritie/ (w^che woll sometyme worke ther wyll w^tout wytt)
to remember in ther Auctoritie/ howe Auctoritye may dekaye/
And whome they punysshe of wyll more than of Iustice may
after be Advaunced in the publyke wele to highe dignytes And
gouernaunce/ And they based as lowe/ who wyll than seke the
means to be revenged of old wronges susteyned wrongfully
byfore/ who wold haue thought than that whan sir Amys
Pawlett punysshed this poor Scoler that euer he shold haue
attayned to be Chauncelour of Englond consideryng his base­
nes in euery condicion/ Thes be wonderfull workes of god And
ffortune/ Therfore I wold wysshe All men in Auctorytie &
dignytie to knowe and feare god in all ther tryhumphes & glory
consideryng  [Fol. 6]  in all ther doynges that Auctorytes be not
permanent but may slide And vanyssh as prynces pleasures do
Alter & chaynge/

Than as all lyvyng thynges must of very necessitie pay the
dewe dett of natur w^che no earthely creature can resist Yt
chaunced the lord Marques to depart owt of this present lyfe/
After whos deathe/ The Scole Mr consideryng than w^t hym self
to be but a small beneficed man/ And to haue lost his ffelowe­
shype in the College (ffor as I vnderstand if a fellowe of that
College be oons promoted to a benyfice he shall by the Rewles
of the howsse be dismyssed of his ffellowshipe)/ And perseyvyng
hyme self to be also destitute of his syngular good lord/ thought
not to be long onprovided of some other Socours or stafe to
defend hyme frome all suche Stormes as he lately susteyned/
And in hys travell there Abought/ he fill in acquayntaunce w^t
oon sir Iohn Nanfant A very grave & auncyaunt knyght who
had a great rome in Calice vnder kyng herre the vij^th/ This
knyght he serued & behaued hym so discretly and Iustly that he
opteyned thespecyall fauour of his seyd Mr/ in so myche that
for his wytt, gravite & Iust behauour/ he commytted all the
 [Page 7]  charge of his office vnto his Chapleyn/ And as I vnderstand the
Office was the Treasorshipe of Calice/ who was in Consideracion
of his great age discharged of his chargeable Rome/ And
retorned agayn in to England entendyng to lyve at more quyett/
And thoroughe his Instant labor And especyall fauor his
chapleyn was promoted to the kynges seruyce and made his
Chapleyn/ And whan he had oons cast anker in the port of
promocion howe he wrought I shall somewhat declare/
he hauyng than a Iust occasion to be in present sight of the kyng
daylye by reason he attendyd and seyd Masse byfore his grace
in his privye closett/ And that done he spent not the day forthe
in vayn Idelnes but gave his attendaunce vppon thos whome he
thought to bere most rewle in the Councell and to be most in
fauour w^t the kyng/ the w^che at that tyme ware Doctor ffoxe
bysshope of wynchester than Secretory and lord privye Seale/
And also sir Thomas lovell knyght a very sage Councellour &
witty beyng Mr of the kynges wardes and Constable of the
Tower/ Thes auncyent and grave Councellours in processe of
tyme after often resort perceyved this Chapleyn to haue a very
ffyne wytt/ And what wysdome was pact in his hede thought a
mete & an apte person to be preferred to wytty affayers/ Yt
chaunced at a certyn season that the kyng had an vrgent
Occasion to send an ambassette vnto the Emprour Maxymylian/
who lay at that present in the lowe Contrie of fflaunders not
ferre from Calice/ The bysshope of wynchester and sir Thomas
lovell/ whome the kyng most highly estemed as cheaffe among
his Councellours/ the kyng consultyng and debatyng w^t them
vppon this ambassett/ Sawe that they hade a convenyent occasion
to preferre the kynges Chapleyn/ Whos excellent wytt Eloquence
and learnyng they highly commendyd to the kyng/ The kyng
gevyng eare vnto theme/ And beyng a prynce of an excellent
Iugeme^t And Modestie/ commaundyd to bryng his Chapleyn
(whome they so myche commendyd) byfore his grace presence
to prove the wytt of his chapleyn/ At whos repayer the kyng fill
in Commynycacion w^t hyme in matters of waytie gravitie/ And
perceyvyng his wytt to be very fynne/ thought hyme sufficient
 [Page 8]  to be put in auctorytie & trust w^t this ambassett commaundyd
hyme there vppon to prepare hyme self to this enterpriced
Iourney/ And for his depeche to repayer to his grace and his
trusty Councellours aforseyd/  [Fol. 7]  Of whome he shold receyve
his commyssion and Instruccions by means wherof he had than
a dewe occasion to repayer frome tyme to tyme in to the kynges
presence/ Who perceyved hyme more & more to be a very wyse
man and of good entendeme^t /

And havyng his depeche toke his leave of the kyng at Riche­
mond abought none and so came to london w^t spede where than
the Barge of Graveshend was redy to launche forthe bothe w^t a
prosperous tyde and wynd/ w^tout any further abode he entred
the barge and so passed forthe/ his happye spede was suche that
he arryved at Gravesend w^tin littill more than iij^re howers/
where he taried no lenger than his post horssis ware providyd
And travellyng so spedely w^t post horssys that he came to Dover
the next mornyng erely where as the passengers ware redy vnder
sayle displayed to sayle to Calice/ In to w^che passenger w^tout any
ferther aboode he entred and sayeled forthe w^t them that he
arryved at Calice w^tin iij^re howers & havyng there post horsis in
a redynes departyd Incontynent makyng suche hasty spede that
he was that nyght w^t the Emprour/ who hauyng vnderstandyng
of the Commyng of the kynges of Englondes Ambassitor wold
in no wyse deferre the tyme but sent incontynent for hyme (his
affeccion vnto kyng herry the vijþ was suche that he reioysed
whan he had an occasion to showe hyme pleasure) The
ambassitor hauyng opportunyte disclosed the Somme of his
ambassett vnto the Emprour/ of whome he desired spedy
expedycion/ the w^che was grauntyd So that the next day he was
clearely dispeched w^t all the kynges requestes fully accom­
plesshed/ at w^che tyme he made no further taryaunce but w^t post
horsis rood incontynent that nyght toward Calice agayn/
conducted thether w^t suche nomber of horsmen as themprour
had appoynted and at the opynyng of the Gattes there
where the passengers ware as redy to retourne into Englond as
they ware byfore in his avauncyng in so myche that he arryved
 [Page 9]  at Dover by fore x^en of cloke byfore none/ And hauyng post
horsis in a redynes came to the Court at Richemond that nyght
where he takyng his rest for that tyme vntill the mornyng/ at
w^che tyme after he was redy repayred to the kyng at his first
commyng owt of his graces bedchamber toward his closett to here
masse/ Whome whan he sawe chekked hyme for that he was not
past on hys Iourney/ Sir q^d he if it may stand w^t yo^r highnes
pleasure I haue all redy byn w^t themprour And dispeched yo^r
affayers (I trust) to yo^r graces contentacione/ And w^t that
delyuerd vnto the kyng themprours letters of credence/ The
kyng beyng in a great confuse & wonder of his hasty spede/ w^t
redy furnyture of all hys procedynges/ Dissymbled all his
Imagynacion & wonder in that matter And demaundyd of hyme
whether he encountered w^t his purseuaunt the w^che he sent vnto
hyme (supposyng hyme not to be skantly owt of london) w^t
letters concernyng a very necessary cause neclected in his com­
myssion & Instruccions/ the w^che the kyng Coueted myche to be
sped/ yes forsothe sir/ q^d he/ I encounterd hyme yester day by
the way/ And hauyng vnderstandyng by yo^r graces letters of
yo^r pleasure therin/ haue notw^tstandyng byn so bold vppon myn
owen discression (perceyveyng that matter to be very necessarye
in that behalf) to dispeche the same/ And for as myche as I haue
excedyd yo^r graces commyssion I most humbly requyer yo^r
gracious remyssion & pardon/ The kyng Reioysyng inwardly
not a littill sayd agayn/ we do not oonly pardon you therof but
also geve you our pryncely thankes bothe for the procedyng
therin and also for yo^r good spedy exployt/ commaundyng hyme
for that tyme to take hys rest and to repayer agayn after dyner for
the ferther relacion of his ambassett/

 [Fol. 8] The kyng than went to masse/ And after at convenyent tyme
he went to dynner/ it is not to be doughted but that this
ambassitor hathe byn synce hys retourne w^t his great ffrendes
the bysshope of wynchester And sir Thomas lovell to whome he
hathe declared theffect of all his spedy progresse/ Nor yet what
Ioy they conceyved therof/ And after his departure frome the
kyng in the mornyng his highnes sent for the bysshope and sir
 [Page 10]  Thomas lovell to whome he declared the wonderfull expedicion
of his ambassitor commendyng therw^t his excellent wytt/ and in
especyall the Invencion and avauncyng of the matter left owt of
hys commyssion and Instruccions/ the kynges wordes reioysed
thes worthy councellours not a littill/ ffor as myche as he was of
ther preferment///

Than whan/ this ambassitor remembred the kynges Com­
maundeme^t and sawe the tyme drawe fast on of his repayer
before the kyng and his councell/ prepared hyme in a redynes
and resorted vnto the place assigned by the kyng/ to declare his
ambassett/ w^tout all dowght he reported theffect of all his
affayers and procedynges so exactly w^t suche gravitie and
eloquence/ that all the Councell that hard hyme cowld do no
lesse but commend hyme estemyng his expedicion to be
allmost by yond the Capacitie of man/ the kyng of his mere
mocion and gracious concideracion gave hyme at that tyme for
his diligent & faythfull seruyce the Deanry of lyncolne w^che at
that tyme was oon of the worthiest Sperytuall promocions that
he gave vnder the degree/ of a bysshoperyke and thus
frome thence forward he grewe more & more in to estimacion
And auctorytie and after promoted by the kyng to be his
almener/ Here may all men/ note the chaunces of ffortune/
that folowyth/ some/ whome she lystithe to promote/ And evyn
so to Somme hyr fauour is contrary thoughe they shold travell
neuer so myche w^t vrgent diligence/ & paynfull studye that they
could device or Imagyn/ wherof for my part I haue tasted of
thexperience Nowe ye shall vnderstand that all this tale that I
haue declared of his good expedicion in the kynges Ambassett/
I receyved it of his owen mowthe and report/ after his ffall lyeng
at that tyme in the great parke of Richemond I beyng than there
attendyng vppon hyme takyng an occasion vppon dyuers
commynycacions to tell me this Iourney w^t all the Circum­
staunce as I haue here byfore rehersed///

Whan deathe that favoryth non Estate kyng or Cayser, had
taken that prudent prynce kyng herre the vij^th owt of this
present lyfe (on whos sowle Iesu haue mercy) who for his
 [Page 11]  inestymable wysdome was noted and called in euery Cristian
Region the Second Salomon what practysis, Invencions, and
compasis ware than vsed abought that yong Prynce kyng herre
the viij^th his oonly Sonne/ And the great provicion made for the
ffuneralles of theon/ And the costly devisis for the Coronacions
of thother w^t that vertuous Quene katheren than the kynges
wyfe newely maried/ I Omyt and leave the circumstaunce therof
to historygraffers of Cronycles of prynces/ the w^che is no part
myn entendement// After all thes Solempnytes and Costly
tryhumphes fynesshed/ And that our naturall yong, lusty, And
Coragious prynce/ And  [Fol. 9]  souerayn lord kyng herre the viij^th
entreng in to the flower of pleasaunt youthe had taken vppon
hyme the Regall Septour and themperyall Dyademe of this
fertill and plentifull Realme of Englond/ w^che at that tyme
florysshed in all aboundaunce of welthe & Riches/ wherof he
was inestymably garnysshid & furnyshed/ called than the
golden world/ suche grace of plenty Raygned than w^t in this
Realme

Nowe lett vs retorne agayn vnto the Almosyner (of whome I
haue taken vppon me to wright) whos hed was full of subtyll
wytt and pollecy/ perceyveng a playn pathe to walke in towardes
promocion handelled hyme self so politykly that he found the
means to be oon of the kynges Councell and to growe in good
estymacion & favour w^t the kyng to whome the kyng gave an
howsse at Bridwell in fflet strett sometyme sir Richard Emsons
where he kepte howsse for his ffamely/ And he dayly attendyd
vppon the kyng in the Court beyng in his especyall grace &
fauour/ who had than great sewte made vnto hyme as Coun­
cellours most comenly haue that be in fauour/ his Sentences and
wytty perswasions in the Councell chamber was allwayes so
pithye that they allwayes as occasion moved them/ assigned hym
for his filed tong and ornat eloquence to be ther expositer vnto
the kynges ma^tie in all ther procedynges/ In whome the kyng
conceyved suche a lovyng fantzy/ especyally for that he was
most earnest and Redyest among all the Councell to avaunce
 [Page 12]  the kynges oonly wyll & pleasure w^tout any respect to the Case/
The kyng therfore perceyved hyme to be a mete Instrume^t for
the accomplyssheme^t of his devysed wyll & pleasure called
hyme more nere vnto hyme and estemed hyme so highly that
his estymacion and fauour put all other auncyent councellours
owt of ther accustumed fauour that they ware in byfore/ In so
myche as the kyng commytted all his wyll & pleasure vnto
his disposicion and order/ who wrought so all his matters that
all his endevour was oonly to satisfie the kynges mynd/ knowyng
rightwell that it was the very vayn and right Cours to bryng
hyme to highe promocion/ The kyng was yong and lusty,
disposed all to myrthe & pleasure and to followe his desier &
appetyte no thyng myndyng to travell in the busy affayers of
this Realme/ the w^che the Almosyner perseyved very well/ toke
vppon hyme therfore to disborden the kyng of so waytie a
charge & troblesome busynes puttyng the kyng in Comfort that
he shall not nede to spare any tyme of his pleasure for any busynes
that shold necessary happen in the Councell as long as he beyng
there hauyng the kynges auctorytie & commaundeme^t doughted
not to se all thynges sufficiently furnysshed & perfected the
w^che wold first make the kyng privye of all suche matters (as
shold passe thoroughe ther handes) byfore he wold procede to
the fynyssheng or determynyng of the same/ whos mynd &
pleasure/ he wold fullfyll & folowe to the vttermost wherw^t the
kyng was wonderly pleased/ And where as thother Auncyent
Councellours wold (accordyng to the office of good Councellers)
dyuers tymes perswade the kyng to haue sometyme an enter­
cours in to the Councell/ there to here what was don in waytye
matters the w^che pleased the kyng no thyng at all for he loved no
thyng worse than to be constrayned to do any thyng contrary
to his Royall wyll & pleasure/ And that knewe the Almosyner
very well hauyng a secrett Intellygence of the kynges naturall
Inclynacion/ And so fast as thother Councellers advised the
kyng to leave hys pleasure/ and to attend to the affayers of his
Realme/ So busylie did the Almosyner perswade hyme to the
Contrary w^che delyghted hyme myche and caused hyme to haue
 [Page 13]  the greatter affeccion and love to the Almosyner/ Thus the
Almosyner rewled all them that byfore rewled hyme/ suche did
his pollecy and wytt bryng to passe/ Who was nowe  [Fol. 10]  in
highe favoure but Mr Almosyner/ who had all the Sewte but Mr
Almosyner And who ruled all vnder the kyng but Mr Almosyner/
Thus he perceuered still in fauour/ at last in came presentes,
gyftes, and rewardes so plentifully that (I dare sey) he lakked no
thyng that myght other please his fantzy or enriche his Coffers/
ffortune smyled so vppon hyme/ but to what end she brought
hyme/ ye shall here after/ Therfore lett all men to whome
ffortune extendythe hir grace not to trust to myche to hir fikkyll
fauor and plesaunt promysis vnder Colour wherof she Cariethe
venemous galle/ ffor whan she seyth hir seruaunt in most
highest Auctorytie And that he assuryth hyme self most
assuredly in hir fauour/ than tournythe she hir visage And
plesaunt countenaunce vnto a frownyng chere And vtterly
forsakyth hyme/ suche assuraunce is in hir inconstaunt fauour
and Sewgerd promyse/ whos disseytfull behauour hathe not byn
hyd among the wyse sort of famous Clarkes that hathe exclamed
hir And written vehemently ayenst hir dissymulacion and
fayned fauour warnyng all men therby the lesse to regard hir/
And to haue hir in small estymacion of any trust or ffaythfulnes/
Thys/ Almosyner/ clymmyng thus hastely vppe fortunes whele
that no man was of that estymacion w^t the kyng as he was for his
Wysdome And other witty qualites/ he hade a specyall gyft of
naturall eloquence w^t a fyled tong to pronunce the same that he
was able w^t the same to perswade/ And allure all men to his
purpose/ Procedyng thus in ffortunes blysfulnes/ Yt chaunced
that the warres bytwen the Realmes of Englond & ffraunce to be
opyn but vppon what occasion I knowe not/ In so myche as the
kyng beyng fully perswaded and resolued in his most Royall
person to envade his forrayn ennemyes w^t a peusaunt
Army to delay ther hault bragges w^t in ther owen terretory
Wherfore it was thought very necessary that this Royall enter­
price shold be spedely provyded and plentifully ffurnysshed in
 [Page 14]  euery degree of thynges apte and convenyent for the same/
Thexpedycion wherof the kynges highnes thought no oon mans
wytt so mete for pollecy and paynfull travayll as his welbeloved
Almosyner was/ To whome therfore he commytted his hole
affiaunce and trust ther in/ And he beyng no thyng Scripulous
in any thyng that the kyng would commaund hyme to do/ and
althoughe it semyd to other very deficyll/ yet toke he vppon
hyme the hole charge & bourden of all this busynes/ And
procedyd so ther in that he brought all thynges to a good passe
& purpose in a right decent order as of all maner of victualles,
provisions, and other necessaryes convenyent for so nobyll a
voyage & pieusaunt Armye/

All thynges beyng by hym perfected and furnesshed/ The kyng
not myndyng to delay or neclecte the tyme appoynted/ but w^t
noble and valyaunt Corage avaunced to his Royall enterprice/
passed the sees bytwen Douer and Calice/ where he prosper­
ously arryved and after some abode there of his grace as well
for the arryvall of his pieusaunt Army Royall, provision and
Munycions/ as to consult abought his pryncely affayers/
Marched forward in good order of battayll thorowghe the lowe
Contrie vntill he came to the strong towen of Teurwyn/ to the
w^che he layed his assault/ and assaylled it so fercely w^t contynuall
assultes that w^tin short space/ he caused them w^t in to yeld the
towen/ Vnto w^che place the Emprour Maximylian repayred vnto
the king our Souerayn lord/ w^t a pieusaunt army lyke a myghty
& frendly prynce/ takyng of the kyng his graces wages as well
for his owen person as for his retynewe/ The w^che ys a rare thyng
seldome seen, hard, or red that an Emprour to  [Fol. 11]  take wages
and to fight vnder a kynges banner/ Thus after the kyng had
opteyned the possession of this pieusaunt fort and sett all
thynges in dewe order for the defence & preseruacion of the
same to his highnes vse/ he departed frome thence and marched
toward the Citie of Tourney and there agayn layed his sege/ to
the w^che he gave so ferce and sharpe assaultes that they w^t in
 [Page 15]  ware constrayned of fynforce to yeld vppe the Town vnto his
victoryous maiestie/ At w^che tyme he gave the Almosyner the
bysshopryke of the same see/ for some part of recommpence of
his paynnes susteyned in that Iourney/ And whan the kyng had
establysshed all thynges there aggreable to his pryncely pleasure/
And furnysshed the same w^t noble valyaunt Capteynnes and
men of warre for the savegard of the town ayenst his ennemyes/
he retourned agayn in to Englond taking w^t hyme dyuers worthy
prisoners of the peeres of fraunce As the Duke of longvyle/ the
Countie Clermount and dyuers other taken there in asskyr­
mouche most victoryously/ After whos retourne Immedyatly
the See of lyncolne fyll voyde by the dethe of Doctour Smythe
late bysshope of that dignytie/ the w^che Benefice & promocion
his grace gave vnto his Almosyner/ bysshope elect of Tourney/
Who was not neclygent to take possession therof And made all the
spede he cowld for his consecracion/ the Solempnyzacion wherof
endyd he found the means to gett the possession of all his pre­
dicessors gooddes in to his handes wherof I haue seen dyuers
tymes some part therof furnyshe his howsse/ Yt was not long after
that Doctor Baynbryge/ Archebysshope of yorke dyed at Roome
beyng ther the kynges ambassitor vnto pope Iulius/ vnto w^che
benyfice the kyng presented his newe bysshope of lyncolne So
that he had iij^re bysshoprykes in oon yere gevyn hyme/
Than prepared he agayn of newe As fast for his translacion
from the See of lyncolne vnto the see of yorke/ After w^che
Solempnyzacion don and he beyng in possession of the Arche­
bisshoprike of yorke/ And/ primas Anglie/ thought hyme
sufficient to compare w^t Caunterburye/ And there vppon erected
his crosse in the Court and in euery other place as well in the
presence of the bysshope of Caunterbury and in the precyncte of
his Iurysdiccon as elles where/ And for as myche as Caunterbury
claymyth superyorytie & obedyence of yorke as he dothe of all
other bysshoppes w^tin this realme/ for as myche as he is primas
tocius anglie/ And therfore claymyth as a tokyn of an Auncient
 [Page 16]  obedyence of yorke to abate the avauncyng of hys crosse in the
presence of the Crosse of Caunterbury Notw^tstandyng yorke
no thyng myndyng to desist frome beryng of his crosse in maner
as is seyd before/ Caused his Crosse to be auaunced and borne
byfore hym/ as well in the presence of Caunterbury as elles
where/ Wherfore Caunterbure beyng moved therw^t gave yorke
a certyn cheke for his presumcyon/ by reason wherof there
engendred some grudge bytwen Caunterburye & yorke/ And
yorke perceyveng the obedyence that Caunterbury claymed to
haue of yorke entendyd to provyde some suche means that he
wold rather be superiour in dignytie to Caunterbury than to be
other obedient or equall to hyme/ Wherfore he opteyned first to
be made preest Cardynall and legatus de latere vnto whome the
Pope sent a Cardynalles hatt w^t certyn bulles for his auctorytie
in that behalf/ Yet by the way of Commynycacion/ ye shall
vnderstand that the Pope sent this hatt as a worthy Ioyell of his
honor, dygnitie, and auctorytie the w^che was conveyed hether in
a verlettes bugett/ who semyd to all men to be but a person of
small estymacion/ Wherof yorke beyng aduertised of the bassnes
of the messanger and of the peoples oppynyon and rumor/
thought it for his honour/ mete/ that so highe a Ioyell shold not
be conveyed by so symple a messenger/ Wherfore he caused
hyme to be stayed by the way Immedyatly after his arryvall in
Englond/ where he was newely furnysshed  [Fol. 12]  in all maner
of apparell w^t all kynd of costly sylkes w^che semyd decent for
suche an highe ambassitor/ And that don he was encountred
vppon blakhethe And there receyved w^t a great assemble of
prelattes & lusty gallaunt gentilmen/ And frome thence con­
ducted and conveyed thoroughe london w^t great tryhumphe/
Than was great and spedy provision & preparacion made in
Westminster Abbey for the confirmacion of his highe dignytie/
the w^che was executed by all the bisshopes and Abbottes nyghe or
abought london in riche myters And Coopes and other costly
ornamentes/ w^che was don in so solompne a wyse as I haue not
seen the lyke oonless it had byn at the coronacion of a myghti
prynce or kyng///
 [Page 17]  Opptaynyng/ thys/ dygnyte/ thought hyme self mete to
encounter w^t Caunterbury in his highe Iurysdiccion byfore
expressed And that also he was as mete to beare auctoryte
among the temporall powers as a mong the sperytuall Iuris­
diccions wherfore remembryng/ as well the tauntes & chekkes
byfore susteyned of Caunterbury (w^che he entendyd to redresse)
hauyng a respecte to the auaunceme^t of worldly honour,
promocion, And great benefites/ ffound the means w^t the kyng
that he was made Chauncelour of Englond/ And Caunterbury
therof dismyssed/ who had contynued in that honorable rome
and office synce long byfore the deathe of kyng herry the vij^th/
Nowe he beyng in possession of the Chauncellourshipe
endowed w^t the promocion of an archebysshop and Cardynall/
legatte allso de latere/ thought hyme self fully furnysshed w^t
suche auctoryties And dygnyties that he was able to surmount
Caunterbury in all ecclesiasticall Iurysdiccions havyng power
to convocatt Caunterbury and other bysshopes w^tin his provynce
to assemble at his convocacion in any place w^t in this realme
where he wold assigne/ takyng vppon hyme the Coreccion of
all matters in euery Dyoces hauyng there thorough all
the realme all maner of sperytuall mynysters As commyssaryes,
Scribbes, Apparitours, And all other officers to furnysshe his
Courtes/ visited also all sprituall howsis/ and presentyd by
prevencyon whome he listed to ther benyfices/ And to the
avauncyng of hys legantyn honour & Iurisdiccion he had
maysters of his ffaculties/ and maysters Cerimoniarum and
suche other lyke officers to the gloryfieng of his dygnyte/ Than
hade he ij great Crossis of Syluer where of oon of them was for
his archebysshopriche/ And the other for his legacye/ borne
alwayes byfore hyme whether so euer he went or rode/ by ij of
the most tallest and comlyest prestes that he cowld gett w^tin all
this realme/ And to thencreas of his gaynnes he had also the
bysshopryche of Duresme And the Abbey of seynt Albons in
Commendam/ howbeit after whan bysshope ffoxe of wyncester
 [Page 18]  dyed he Surrendred Duresme in to the kynges handes/ and in
lieu therof toke the bysshopriche of wynchester/ Than he had
also as it ware in ferme/ bothe bathe, & worcester and hereford
bycause thencombentes therof ware Strayngers borne owt of
thys realme contynuyng allwayes be yond the sees in ther owen
natife Contries or elles at Rome frome whence they ware sent
by the pope in legacion in to Englond to the kyng And for ther
reward at ther departure the prudent kyng herre the vij^th
thought it better to reward them w^t that thyng he hyme self
could not kepe than to defray or disburse any thyng of his
treasure/ And than they beyng but Strayngers thought it more
mete for ther assuraunce And to haue ther Iurisdiccions conserued
and Iustly vsed to permyt the Cardynall to haue ther benyfices
for a convenyent yerely Somme of mony to be payed them by
eschaunce in ther Contries/ than to be trobled or burdened w^t
the conveyaunce therof vnto them/ So that all ther sperytuall
promocyons and Iurysdiccions of ther bysshopperiches ware
clearely in his demayns & disposicion to preferre or promote
whome he listed vnto them/ he hade also a great nomber dayly
attendyng vppon hyme bothe of noble men and worthy  [Fol. 13] 
gentilmen of great estymacion and possessions w^t no small
nomber of the tallest yomen that he Could gett in all this
Realme/ In so myche that well was that noble man or
gentilman that myght preferre any tall & comly yoman vnto his
seruyce/

Nowe to speke of the order of his howsse & officers/ I thynke
it necessarie heare to be remembred/ ffirst ye shall vnderstand
that he had in his hall dayly iij^re especyall tables furnesshed w^t
iij^re pryncypall officers that is to sey A Steward/ w^che was
allwayes a Docter or a preste/ A Treasorer a knyght/ A Con­
troller a esquyer/ w^che bare allwayes w^tin his house ther whight
Staves/ Than hade he a Cofferer/ iij^re Marshalles/ ij yomen
Vsshers/ ij Gromes and an Almosyner/ he hade also in the hall
kytchen ij Clarkes of his kytchen/ A Clarke Controller/ A
surveyour of the Dressor/ A Clarke of his Spicery/ Also there in
 [Page 19]  his hall kytchen he hade ij Mr Cookes/ And xij^th of other
laborers & childern as theye called theme/ A Yoman of his
Scollery/ w^t ij other in his syluer Scollery/ ij yomen of his pastery,
and ij Groomes/ Nowe in his privy kytchen he had a Mr Cooke
who went dayly in Dammaske, Satten or velvett w^t a chayn of
gold abought his nekke/ And ij Gromes w^t vj laborers &
childerne to serue in that place/ In the larder there a yoman and
a Grome/ In the Skaldyng howsse a yoman & ij Gromes/ In the
Scollery there ij persons/ In the Buttery ij yomen and ij Gromes
w^t ij other pages/ In the pantrie ij yomen/ ij Gromes and ij pages/
And in the Ewrie lykewyse/ in the seller iij yomen ij Gromes &
ij pages/ besides a gentilman for the mouthe/ In the Chaundrye
iij persons/ In the wafery ij/ In his Garderobbe of Beddes a Mr
and x^en other persons/ in the laundry a yoman a Grome and iij
pages/ Of purvyours ij and oon Grome/ In the bakhowsse
a yoman & ij Gromes/ In the woodyerd a yoman & a
Grome/ In the Garner j In the Garden a yoman & ij laborers/
Nowe at the Gate he had of porters ij tall yomen and ij Gromes/
a yoman of his Barge// In the Stabyll/ he hade a Mr of his
horsses/ A Clarke of the Stable/ A yoman of the same/ A Sadler/
A fferrour/ Ayoman of his Charyot/ A Sompter man/ A yoman
of his Stirrope/ A Mewlytor/ xvj^en Gromes of hys stable euery
of them kepyng iiij^or great Geldynges/ In the Almosory a
yoman & a Grome//

Nowe wyll I declare to you the Officers of his Chappell and
Syngyng men of the same/ ffirst he hade there A Dean who was
allwayes a great clarke & a devyn/ A Subdean/ A Repetor of the
Quyer/ A Gospeller/ A Pystoler/ And xij Syngyng prestes/ Of
seculers he had first a Mr of his childern/ xij syngyng Childerne/
xvj^en syngyng men/ a seruaunt to attend vppon the seyd
Childerne/ In the revestrie a yoman & ij Gromes/ Than ware
there dyuers Reteynours of connyng syngyng men that came at
dyuers sondrie pryncypall feastes/ But to speke of the ffurnyture
of his Chappell/ passithe my Capasitie to declare the nomber of
the costly ornamentes And riche Ioyelles that ware occupied in
the same contynually/ I haue seen there in a procession worne
 [Page 20]  xliiij^ti Coopes of oon sewte very riche besides the Somptious
Crossis, Candyllstykes, and other necessary orname^tes to the
comly furnature of the same/ Nowe shall ye vnderstand that
he had ij Crosberers & ij Pillers berers/ And in his chamber/ All
thes persons that is to sey/ his highe Chamberlayn/ his Vice­
Chamberlayn/ xij Gentilmen vsshers dayly wayters, beside ij
in his privye Chamber/ And of Gentillmen wayters in his
privye chamber he had vj^th/ And also he had of lordes ix^en or
x^en/ who had eche of them allowed ij seruauntes/ And the Erle
of Derby had allowed v^e men/ Than had he of gentilmen/ As
Cupberers/ kervers/ Sewers/ And gentilmen dayley wayters
xl^ti persons/ Of yomen vsshers he had vj/ Of Gromes in his
chamber he had viij^th/ Of yomen of his chamber he had xlvj^ti
dayly to attend vppon his person/ he had also a prest there
 [Fol. 14]  w^che was his Almosyner to attend vppon his tabell/ at
dynner/ Of doctors & chapplens attendyng in his Closett to sey
dayly masse byfore hyme/ he had xvj^en persons/ A Clarke/ of his
Closett/ Also he had ij Secretorys/ And ij Clarkes of his signett/
And iiij^or Councellours learned in the lawes of this realme/ And
for as myche as he was Chauncelor of England yt was necessary
for hyme to haue dyuers Officers of the Chauncery to attend
dayly vppon hyme for the better ffurnyture of the same/ that is
to say/ he had a Clarke of the Crowne/ A ridyng Clarke/ A Clarke
of the hamper/ A Chaffer of waxe/ Than had he A Clarke of the
Chekke as well to chekke his Chappleyns as hys yomen of the
Chamber/ he had also iiij^or ffootmen w^che ware apparelled in
riche Runnyng Cootes whan so euer he rode any Iourney/ Than
had he an harrold at Armez/ Also a Seriaunt at Armez/
A Phisicion/ A Pottecarye/ iiij^or Mynstrelles/ A keper of his
Tentes/ An Armorer/ And Instructer of his wardes/ ij yomen in
his Garderobbes/ And a keper of his Chamber in the Court/ he
had also dayly in his howsse the Surveyour of yorke/ And a
Clarke of the Grean clothe/ and an Audytor All this nomber of
 [Page 21]  persons ware daylye attendaunt vppon hyme in hys howsse,
down lyeng And vppe risyng/ And at meales/ There was con­
tynually in his chamber a bord kept for his Chamberlayns and
gentilmen vsshers/ hauyng w^t theme a messe of the yong lordes
And an other for gentilmen/ besides all this there was neuer an
officer and gentilman or any other worthye person in his howesse
but he was allowed some iij some ij seruauntes And all other
(oon) at the least w^che amounted to a great nomber of persons//
Nowe haue I shewed you the order of his howsse/ And what
officers & seruauntes he had accordyng to his Chekker Rolle
attendyng dayly vppon hyme besides hys reteynors and other
persons beyng Sewters that most Comenly ware fedde in his
hall And whan so euer we shall se any more suche Subiectes
w^tin thys realme that shall maynteyn any suche estat & howshold
I ame content he be auaunced above hyme in honour & esty­
macion therfore here I make an end of his howsshold/
wherof the nomber ware abought the Somme of fyve hundred
parsons accordyng to his chekker rolle//

Yow have hard of the order & Officers of his howsse/ nowe do
I entend to proced forthe vnto other of his procedynges/ ffor
after he was thus ffurnysshid in maner as I haue byfore rehersed
vnto you he was twyse sent in Ambassett vnto themprour
Charles the 5 that nowe reygnyth and nowe ffather vnto kyng
Phillipe our Souerayn lord/ for as myche as the old Emprour
Maximylian was deade/ And for dyuers vrgent causys touchyng
the kynges ma{tie} yt was thought good that in so waytie a matter/
And to so noble a prince that the Cardynall was most meate to
be sent on so worthy an Ambassett/ wherfore he beyng redy to
take vppon hyme the charge therof/ was ffurnysshed in all
degrees and purposys most lykest A great prynce w^che was
myche to the highe honour of the kynges ma{tie} and of this
realme/ ffor first in his procedyng he was furnysshed lyke a
Cardynall of highe estimacion/ havyng all thyng therto corre­
spondent & agreable/ his gentilmen beyng in nomber very many
clothed in lyuere Coottes of Crymmosyn velvett of the most
 [Page 22]  purest Colour that myght be Invented/ w^t chaynnes of gold
abought ther nekkes/ And all his yomen And other mean officers
ware in Cottes of ffynne Skarlett garded w^t blake velvett an hand
brode/ he beyng thus furnysshid in thys maner was twyse sent
vnto themprour in to fflaunders Themprour lyeng than in
Brugges who entertayned our Ambassitor very highly/ dis­
chargyng hyme and all his trayn of ther charges/ ffor ther was
no howsse w^tin all bruges wherin any gentilman of the lord
ambassitors lay or had recourse/ but that the owners of the
howses ware commaunded by themprours officers that they
vppon payn of ther lyves shold take no mony for any thyng that
the Cardynalles seruauntes shold take or dispend in victualles/
ne allthoughe they ware disposed to make any costly bankettes/
fferthermore commaundyng ther seyd hostes to se that they
lakked no suche thynges as they desired or requyred to haue for
ther pleasures  [Fol. 15]  Also themperours Officers euery nyght
went thoroughe the towen frome howsse to howsse where as any
Englysshemen lay & resorted/ And there serued lyueres for all
nyght w^che was don after this maner// ffirste/ the Emprors
Officers brought in to the howsse a Cast of fynne manchett
brede/ ij great Siluer pottes w^t wynne and a pound of fynne
Sewger/ Whight lightes And yelowe/ A bolle or goblett of Syluer
to drynke in And euery nyght a staffe torche/ this was thorder
of ther lyueres euery nyght/ And than in the mornyng whan the
Officers came to fetche a way ther stuffe than wold they
Accompte w^t the host for the gentillmens costes spent in that
nyght & day byfore/ Thus themprerour entertayned the
Cardynall & all hys trayn for the tyme of his Ambassett there/
And that don he retourned home agayn in to Englond w^t great
tryhumphe beyng no lesse in estymacion w^t the kyng than he
was byfore but rather myche more///

Now wyll I declare vnto you his order in goyng to westmynster
hall dayly in the tearme season/ ffirst byfore hys commyng owt of
hys pryvy chamber he hard most comenly euery day ij massis
in his privye closett/ And there than seyd his dayly seruyce w^t
his chapleyn (And as I hard his chapleyn say beyng a man of
 [Page 23]  credence/ and of excellent learnyng) that the Cardynall what
busynes or waytie matters so euer he had in the day he neuer
went to his bed w^t any part of his devyn seruyce onsayd/ yea not
so myche as oon Collect/ wherin I dought not but he disseyved
the oppynyon of dyuers persons/ And after masse he wold
retourne in his privye chameber agayn and beyng aduertised of
the furnyture of his chambers w^tout w^t noble men and gentil­
men/ w^t other persons wold issue owt in to theme apparelled
all in red in the habytt of a Cardynall w^che was other of fynne
skarlett or elles of crymmosyn Satten/ Taffeta Dammaske/ or
Caffa/ the best that he could gett for mony/ and vppon hys hed a
round pyllion w^t a nekke of blake velvett set to the same
in the Inner side/ he had also a tippett of fynne Sables a bought
his nekke/ holdyng in his hand a very fayer Orrynge wherof the
mete or substaunce w^t in was taken owt and fylled vppe agayn
w^t the part of a Sponge wherin was vyneger and other con­
feccions agaynst the pestylente Ayers to the w^che he most
commenly smelt vnto/ passyng among the prease or elles whan
he was pesterd w^t many Sewters/ There was also borne byfore
hyme first the great Seale of Englond/ And than his Cardynalles
hatt by a noble man or some worthy Gentilman right Solemply
barehedyd/ And as Sone as he was entered in to hys chamber of
presence where was attendyng his Commyng to awayt vppon
hyme to westminster hall as welle noble men and other worthy
gentilmen/ as noble men & gentilmen of his owen famely/ thus
passyng forthe w^t ij great Crossis of Syluer borne byfore hyme
w^t also ij great pillers of syluer/ And his seriaunt at Armez w^t a
great mase of syluer gylt/ Than his gentilmen vsshers cried and
sayd/ on my lordes & maysters/ make way for my lordes grace/
thus passed he down frome his chambers thoroughe the hall/
And whan he came to the hall doore ther was attendaunt for
hyme his mewle trapped all to gether in Crymmosyn velvett and
gylt Stirroppes/ whan he was mounted/ w^t his crosse berers/
and Piller berers also/ vppon great horsis trapped w^t red skarlett
 [Page 24]  Than marched he forward w^t his trayn & furnyture in maner as
I haue declared/ hauyng abought hyme iiij^or footmen w^t gylt
pollaxes in ther handes/ And thus he went vntill he came to
westminster hall doore/ And there lighted and went after this
maner vppe thoroughe the hall in to the Chauncery/ howebeit
he wold most commynly stay a while at a barre made for hyme
a littill benethe the chauncery And there Commyn some tyme
w^t the Iuges and somtyme w^t other persons/ And that don he
wold repayer in to the Chauncery/ And sittyng there vntill
xj^en of the clocke heryng Sewters and determynyng of dyuers
matters/ And frome thence he wold dyuers tymes goo in to the
sterrechamber as occasion dyd serue/ where he spared nother
highe nor lowe but Iuged euery estate accordyng to ther
merites and desertes/ he vsed euery Sonday to repayer to the
Court beyng than for the  [Fol. 16]  most part at Grenwyche in the
terme/ w^t all his former order takyng his barge at his pryvy
stayers furnyished w^t tall yomen standyng vppon the baylles
And all gentilmen beyng w^tin w^t hyme/ And londed at the
Crane in the vyntrie And frome thence he rode vppon hys mule
w^t his Crossis/ his pillers/ his hatt/ And the great Seale,
thoroughe temmes strette vntill he came to Byllyngesgate or
there aboughtes And there toke his barge agayn and rowed to
Grenwyche/ where he was noblly recevyed of the lordes and
cheafe officers of the kynges howsse/ As the Treasorer and
Controllers w^t other and conveyed vnto the kynges Chamber/
his Crosses commonly standyng (for the tyme of hys aboode in
the Court) on the oon syde of the kynges clothe of estate/ he
beyng thus in the Court/ yt was wonderly furnysshed w^t noble
men and gentilmen myche otherwyse than it was byfore hys
commyng/ And after Dynner among the lordes hauyng some
consultacion w^t the kyng or w^t the councell he wold departe
homeward w^t lyke sorte/ And thys order he vsed contynually as
opportunyte dyd serue//
 [Page 25]  Thus in greate honour/ tryhumphe & glorye he raygned a long
season Rewlyng all thyng w^t in thys Realme appurteynyng vnto
the kyng by his wysdome/ And also all other waytie matters of
fforrayn Regions w^t whome the kyng & this Realme had any
occasion to entermeddell/ All Ambassitors of fforrayn potentates
ware allway dispeched by hys discression/ to whome they had
allwayes accesse for ther dispeche/ his howsse was also allwayes
resorted and furnesshed w^t noble men/ gentilmen, & other
persons w^t goyng & commyng in and owt/ ffeastyng & bankatyng
all Ambassitors dyuers tymes and other Strayngers right nobly/
And whan it pleased the kynges mat{ie} for his recreacion to
repayer vnto the Cardynalles howsse (as he dyd dyuers tymes
in the yere) at w^che tyme there wanted no preparacions or
goodly furnyture w^t vyaundes of the fynnest Sort that myght be
provided for mony or frendshippe/ Suche pleasures ware than
devysed for the kynges comfort & consolacion as myght be
Invented or by mans wytt Imagyned/ the bankettes ware sett
forthe w^t Maskes and Mumerreys in so gorges a sort
and Costly maner that it was an hevyn to behold/ ther wanted
no dames or damselles meate or apte to daunce w^t the maskers
or to garnysshe the place for the tyme/ w^t other goodly disportes/
than was there all kynd of musyke and armonye setforthe w^t
excellent voyces bothe of men and Childerne/ I haue seen the
kyng sodenly come in thether in a maske w^t a dosyn of other
maskars all in garmentes lyke Shepherdes made of fynne
Clothe of gold and fyn Crymosyn Satten paned and Cappes
of the same w^t visors of good proporcion of visonamy, ther
heares & beardes other of fynne gold wyers or elles of syluer/
And Some beyng of blake sylke/ havyng xvj^en torches berers
besides Dromes And other persons attendyng vppon them w^t
visors & clothed all in Satten of the same Colours/ and at his
commyng & byfore he came in to the hall ye shall vnderstand
that he came by water to the water gate w^tout any noys where
ayenst his commyng was layed charged many chambers/ At whos
londyng they ware all Shot of w^che made suche a Romble in the
Ayer that it was lyke thonder it made all the noble men ladys
& gentilwomen to muse what it shold mean commyng so
sodenly they syttyng quyotly at a solempne bankett vnder this
 [Page 26]  sort/ ffirst ye shall perceyve that the tables ware sett in the
Chamber of presence/ Bankett wyse couered/ my lord Cardynall
syttyng vnder the clothe of estat/ And there hauyng all his
seruyce all alone/ And than was there sett a lady and an noble
man or a gentilman and a gentilwoman thorougheowt all the
tables in the Chamber on the oon syde w^che was made & Ioyned
as it ware but oon table/ All w^che order & device was don and
devysed by the lord Sandes lord Chamberlayn w^t the kyng/ And
also by sir herry Gwyldford controller w^t the kyng/ Than
Immedyatly after this great shott of Gonnes/ the Cardynall
desired the seyd lord Chamberleyn & Controller to loke what
this soden shot shold mean (As thoughe he knewe no thyng of
the matter) They thervppon lokyng owt of the wyndowe in to
Temmes retorned agayn & shewed hyme that it Semed to them
that there shold be some noble men & strayngers arryved at his
brygge As Ambassitors frome some fforrayn prynce/ W^T that q^d
the Cardynall/ I shall desier you bycause ye can speke ffrenche
to take the paynnes to goo down in to the hall to encounter and
to receyve them accordyng to  [Fol. 17]  ther estates And to con­
ducte them in to thys Chamber/ where they shall se vs and all
thes noble personages syttyng merely at our Bankett desyryng
them to sitt down w^t vs and to take part of our fare & pastyme/
They went incontynent down in to the hall/ where they receyved
them w^t xx^ti newe torches And conveyed theme vppe in to the
Chamber w^t suche a nomber of Dromes and fyves as I haue
seldome seen together at oon tyme in any Maske/ At ther
arryvall in to the chamber ij & ij together they went directly
byfore the Cardynall where he satt/ Salutyng hyme very
reuerently to whome the lord Chamberlayn (for them) sayd/
Syr for as myche as they be strayngers And can speke no
Englysshe thay haue desired me to declare vnto yo^r grace thus/
They havyng vnderstandyng of thys yo^r tryhumphant bankett
where was assembled suche nomber of excellent fayer dames/
cowld do no lesse vnder the supportacion of yo^r grace but to
 [Page 27]  repayer hether to vewe as well ther incomperable beawtie as for
to accompany them at Mume chaunce And than After to daunce
w^t them/ And so to haue of them acquayntaunce And sir they
furthermore requyer of yo^r grace lycence to accomplesshe the
cause of ther repayer/ to whome the Cardynall answered that
he was very well contentyd they shold so do/ Then the Maskars
went first and saluted all the Dames as they sat and than
retorned to the most worthyest and there opyned a Cuppe full
of gold w^t Crowns & other peces of coyn to whome they sett
dyuers peces to cast at/ thus in this maner pervsyng all the
ladys & gentilwomen/ And to some they lost And of some they
won/ And this don they retourned vnto the Cardynall w^t great
reuerence poryng down all the Crownes in the Cuppe w^che was
abought ij^c Crownes/ at all q^d the Cardynall and so cast the
dyse And wane them all at a Cast/ where at was great Ioy made/
Than q^d the Cardynall to my lord Chamberlayn/ I pray you q^d
he shewe them that it semys me howe there shold be among
theme some noble man/ whome I suppose to be myche more
worthy of honor to sitt and occupie this rome & place than I/ to
whome I wold most gladly (yf I knewe hyme) surrender
my place accordyng to my dewtie/ than spake my lord Chamber­
layn vnto them in ffrenche declaryng my lorde cardynalles
mynd And they Roundyng hyme agayn in the eare/ my lord
Chamberlayn seyd to my lord Cardynall/ Sir they confesse q^d
he that among them there is suche a noble personage/ Among
whome if yo^r grace can appoynt hyme frome the other he is
contented to discloos hyme self And to accepte yo^r place most
worthely/ w^t that the Cardynall takyng a good advyseme^t among
them/ at the last/ q^d he/ me Semys the gentilman w^t the blake
beard shold be evyn he/ And w^t that he arrose owt of hys
chayer and offered the same to the gentilman in the blake beard
(w^t his Cappe in his hand) The person to whome he offered than
his Chayer/ was sir Edward Neveyll A comly knyght of a
goodly personage that myche more resembled the kynges person
in that Maske than any other/ The kyng heryng & perceyvyng
 [Page 28]  the Cardynall so disseyved in his estymacion and choys cowld
not forbeare lawyng/ but plukked down his visare & Mr Neveylles
& dasht owt w^t suche a pleasaunt Countenaunce & cheare/ that
all noble estates there assembled seyng the kyng to be there
amoong them reioysed very myche/ the Cardynall eftsons
desired hys highnes to take the place of estate/ to whome the
kyng answered that he wold goo first & shyfte hys apparell and
so departed/ and went strayt to my lordes bed Chamber where
was a great fier made & prepared for hyme/ And there newe
apparelled hyme w^t riche & pryncely garmentes/ And in the
tyme of the kynges absence/ the disshes of the bankett ware
clean taken vppe and the table spred agayn w^t newe & swett
perfumed clothes euery man syttyng still vntill the kyng & his
maskers came in among theme agayn euery man beyng newly
apparelled/ Than the kyng toke his seate vnder the clothe of
estate comaundyng no man to remove but sit still as they dyd
byfore/ Than/ In came a newe bankett byfore the kynges mat{ie}
and to all the rest thorough the tables/ wherin I suppose was
serued ij^cc disshes or above of wonderouse costly meates &
devysys subtilly devysed/ thus passed  [Fol. 18]  they fforthe the
hole nyght w^t banketyng, dauncyng & other tryhumphant
devyses to the great comfort of the kyng and plesaunt regard of
the nobylitie there assembled// All this matter I haue declared
at large bycause ye shall vnderstand what Ioy & delight the
Cardynall had to se his prynce and souerayn lord in his howsse
so nobley entertayned and pleased w^che was Allwayes his oonly
study to devise thynges to his commfort not passyng of the
charges or expences/ yt delighted hyme so myche the kynges
plesaunt pryncely presence/ that no thyng was to hyme more
delectable than to cheare his souerayn lord to whome he owght
so myche obedyence and loyaltie/ as reason requyred no lesse/
All thynges well considered/

Thus/ passed the Cardynall hys lyfe & tyme frome day to day
And yere to yere in suche great welthe, Ioy tryhumphe/ & glory
hauyng allwayes on his syde the kynges especyall fauour/ vntill
ffortune (of whos fauour no man is lenger assured than she is
 [Page 29]  dysposed) began to wexe some thyng wrothe w^t his prosperous
estate// thought she wold devyse a mean to abate his hyghe port
wherfor she procured Venus the Insaciat goddesse to be hir
Instrument to worke hir purpose/ She brought the kyng in love
w^t a gentillwoman that after she perceyved and felt the kynges
good wyll towardes hir And howe dilygent he was bothe to please
hir And to graunt all hir requestes she wrought the Cardynall
myche displeasure as hereafter shalbe more at large declared/
This gentilwoman the doughter of sir Thomas Bolayn beyng at
that tyme but oonly a bacheler knyght the w^che after for the love
of his dowghter was promoted to higher dignytes/ he bare at
dyuers seuerall tymes for the most part all the Romes of
estimacion in the kynges howsse as/ controller/Treasorer/ vice
Chamberleyn/ and lord Chamberlayn/ than was he made
Viscount Rocheford/ And at the last created Erle of wyltshere/
& knyght of the noble order of the Garter/ And for his more
encrease of gayn & honour he was made lord pryvye seale and
most chefest of the kynges privye Councell/ Contynuyng therin
vntill his Sonne & doughter did encurre the kynges Indignacion
and displeasure/ The kyng fantazed so myche his doughter Anne
that allmost euery thyng began to growe owt of fframe & good
order/

To tell you/ howe the kynges love began to take place/ And
what folowed therof/ I will do evyn as myche as in me lyeth
declare you/ This gentillwoman Mrs Anne Boleyn beyng very
yong was sent in to the realme of ffraunce/ And there made oon
of the ffrenche Quens women contynuyng there vntill the
ffrenche Quene dyed/ And than was she sent for home agayn/
And beyng agayn w^t hir ffather he made suche means that she
was admytted to be oon of Quene katheryns maydes/ Among
whome for hir excellent gesture & behauour dyd excell all other
in so myche/ As the kyng began to kyndell the brond of Amours/
w^che was not knowen to any person ne skantly to hir owen
person/ In so myche my lord Percye the Sonne & heyer of the
Erle of Northumberland who than attendyd vppon the lord
 [Page 30]  Cardynall/ And was allso hys seruyture/ And whan it chaunced
the lord Cardynall at any tyme to repayer to the Courte/ The
lord Percye wold than resort for his pastyme vnto the Quens
chamber/ And there wold fall in dalyaunce among the quens
maydens beyng at the last more conuersaunt w^t Mrs Anne
Bolleyn than w^t any other so that there grewe suche a secrett
love bytwen them/ that at lengthe they ware ensured together
entendyng to marye/ the w^che thyng came to the kynges know­
lege/ who was than myche offendyd/ wherfore he cowld hyde no
lenger his secrett affeccion but revealed his secrett entendement
vnto my lord Cardynall in that behalf/ And consultyd w^t hyme to
enfrynge the precontracte bytwen them/ In so myche that after
my lord Cardynall was departyd frome the Court & retourned
home vnto his place at westminster/ not forgetyng the kynges
request & Councell/ beyng in his Gallery/ called there byfore
hyme the seyd lord Percye/ vnto his presence/ And byfore vs
his seruauntes of his chamber sayeng thus vnto hyme/ I mervell
not a littill/ q^d he/ of thy pevysshe follye that thou woldest
tangle and ensuer thy self w^t a folysshe gyrlle yonder in the
Court/ I mean Anne Bolloyn/ dost thou not consider thestate that
god hathe called the vnto in this world/ ffor after the deathe of
thy noble ffather thou art most lyke to enherite & possesse oon
of the most worthyest Erldomes of thys Realme/ therfore it had
byn most meate & convenyent for the to haue sewed for the
concent of thy ffather/  [Fol. 19]  in that behalfe And to haue also
made the kynges highnes privye therto requeryng than his
pryncely favor submyttyng all thy hole procedyng in all suche
matters vnto his highnes/ who wold not oonly accepte thank­
fully yo^r submyssion/ but wold I assure the/ provyde so for yo^r
purpose therin that he wold auaunce you myche more nobly
And haue matched you accordyng to yo^r estat & honour/
wherby ye myght haue growen so by yo^r wysdome & honorable
behauour in to the kynges highe estymacion that it shold haue
byn myche to yo^r encrease of honor/ But nowe behold what ye
haue don thorowghe yo^r wyllfullnes/ ye haue not oonly
offendyd yo^r naturall father but also yo^r most gracious souerayn
 [Page 31]  lord And matched yo^r selfe w^t oon suche as nother the kyng ne
yet yo^r ffather wilbe agreable w^t the matter/ And herof I put you
owt of dought/ that I wolle send for yo^r ffather/ And at his
Commyng he shall other breke this onadvysed contracte or
elles disinherit the for euer/ The kynges mat{ie} hyme self woll
complayn to thy ffather on the/ And requyer no lesse at his
handes than I haue seyd/ whos highnes entendyd to haue
preferred hir/ vnto an other person/ w^t whome the kyng hathe
travelled allredye/ and beyng allmost at a poynt w^t the same
person (allthoughe she knowyth it not) yet hathe the kyng most
lyke a polityke & a prudent prynce/ conveyed the matter in
suche sort that she vppon the kynges mocyon wilbe (I dought
not) right glad & agreable to the same/ Syr/ q^d the lord Percye
(all wepyng) I knewe no thyng of the kynges pleasure therin (for
whos displeasure I ame very sory) I considered that I was of
good yeres and thought my selfe sufficient to provyd me of a
convenyent wyfe where as my ffantzy serued me best (not
doughtyng) but that my lord my father wold haue byn right
Well perswadyd/ And thoughe she be a symple mayde & hauyng
but a knyght to hir father yet is she dissendyd of right noble
parentage/ as by hyr mother she is nyghe of the Norffolk
bloode/ And of hyr ffather side lynyally dissendyd of the Erle
of Ormond he beyng oon of the Erles heyers generall/ wye shold
I than (sir) be any thyng scrypolous to matche w^t hir whos
estate of dissent is equyvolent w^t myn/ whan I shalbe in most
dygnytie/ Therfore I most humbly requyer yo^r grace of yo^r
especyall fauour herin/ And also to entret the kynges most royall
mat{ie} most lowly on my behalf for his pryncely benyvolence in
thys matter the w^che I cannot deny or forsake// Loo sirs/ q^d the
Cardynall ye may se what conformytie or wysdome is in this
wylfull boys hed/ I thought that whan thou hardest me declare
the kynges entendyd pleasure & travell herein thou woldest
haue relented and holy submytted thy self and all thy wyllfull
and onadvysed fact to the kynges Royall wyll & prudent pleasure
to be fully disposed & ordered by his graces disposicion as his
highnes shold seme good
 [Page 32] 

Sir so I wold q^d the lord Percye/ but in this matter I haue goon
so ferre byfore so many worthy witnesses that I knowe not howe
to avoyde my self nor to discharge my Concyence/ Wye thynkest
thou q^d the Cardynall/ that the kyng And I/ knowe not what we
haue to do in as waytie a matter As this/ yes q^d he/ I warraunt
the/ howbeit I can se in the no submyssion to the purpose/
ffor sothe my lord/ q^d my lord Percye if it please yo^r grace I
wyll submytt my self holy to the kynges mat{ie} & grace in thys
matter my consience beyng discharged of the waytie burden of
my precontract/ Well than q^d the Cardynall/ I wyll send for yo^r
ffather owt of the Northe parties/ And he and we shall take
suche order for the avoydyng of thys thy hasty folly as shalbe
by the kyng thought most expedyent/ And in the mean season/
I charge the & in the kynges name commaund the that thou
presume not oons to resort in to hir Company as thou entendest
to avoyde the kynges highe indygnacion/ And this sayed he
roose vppe & went in to his Chamber/

Than was/ the Erle of Norhumberland sent for in all hast in the
kynges name/ who vppon knowlege of the kynges pleasure made
quyke spede to the Court/ And at his first Commyng owt of the
Northe he made his first  [Fol. 20]  repayer vnto my lord Cardynall/
at whos mouthe he was advertysed in the cause of his hasty
sendyng for/ beyng in my lorde Cardynalles gallerye w^t hyme in
secrett commynycacion a long whyle/ And after ther long talke
my lord Cardynall Called for a Cuppe w^t wynne/ And drynkyng
together they brake vppe/ and so departed the Erle vppon
whome we ware commaunded to wayte & to convey hyme to hys
seruauntes/ And in his goyng a way whan he came to the Gal­
leryes ende he satt hyme down vppon a fforme/ that stode there
for the wayters some tyme to take ther ease/ And beyng there
sett/ Called hys Sonne the lord Percye vnto hyme And sayed in
our presence/ thus in effect/ Sone q^d he/ thou hast allwayes
byn a prowde, presumpcious, disdaynfull, And a very onthryfte
waster/ And evyn so hast thou nowe declared thy self/ Therfore
 [Page 33]  what Ioy,/ what Comfort/ what pleasure/ or solace shold I
conceyve in the/ that thus w^tout discression & advisement hast
mysused thy self/ havyng no maner of regard to me thy naturall
father ne inespecyall vnto thy souerayn lord/ to whome all
honest And loyall subiectes berythe faythfull & humble
obedyence/ ne yet to the welthe of thyn owen estate But hathe
so onadvysedly ensured thy self to hir for whome thou hast
purchased the/ the kynges displeasure intollerable for any
subiecte to susteyn/ but that his grace of his mere wysdome
dothe consider the lightnes of thy hed and wilfull qualites of
thy person/ his displeasure and Indignacion ware sufficient to
cast me and all my posterytie in to vtter subuercion & dysso­
lacion/ but he beyng my especyall & syngular good lord and
fauorable prynce/ And my lord Cardynall my good lord/ hathe
and dothe clearely excuse me in thy lowd facte/ And dothe
Rather lament thy lightnes, than malyng the same/ And hathe
devysed an order to be taken for the/ to whome bothe thou & I
be more bound than we be able well to consider/ I pray to god
that this may be to the a sufficient monycion & warnyng to vse
thy self more wittier hereafter for thus I assure the yf thou dost
not amend thy prodigalitie thou wylt be the last Erle of our
howsse/ ffor of thy naturall Inclynacion thou art disposed
to be wastfull prodegall And to consume all that thy
progenytors hathe w^t great travell gathered to gether And kept
w^t honour/ But hauyng the kynges mat{ie} my syngular good &
gracious lord I entend (god wyllyng) so to dispose my succession
that ye shall consume therof but a littill/ for I do not purpose
(I assure the) to make the myn heyer (ffor prayses be to god)
I haue more choyes of Boyes who I trust wyll prove them selfes
myche better And vse them more lyke vnto nobilitie/ among
whome I woll chos & take the best & most lykelyest to succed
me/ Nowe maysters & good gentilmen q^d he vnto vs/ yt may be
yo^r chaunces herafter whan I ame deade to se the prove of thes
 [Page 34]  thynges that I haue spoken to my Sonne prove as true as I haue
spoken them/ yeat in the mean season I desier you all to be his
frend and to tell hyme hys fault whan he dothe amys wherein
ye shall shewe yo^r selfes to be myche his frendes/ And w^t that
he toke hys leave of vs/ And sayed to his sonne thus/ goo yo^r
wayes And attend vppon my lordes grace yo^r mayster/ And se
that you do yo^r dewtie/ And so departyd and went his ways
down thoroughe the hall in to his barge/ Than after long
debatyng and consultacion vppon the lorde Percyes assuraunce/
yt was devysed that the same shold be enfrynged and dissolued/
And that the lord Percye shold mary w^t oon of the Erle of
Shrewesburyes doughters/ As he dyd after/ By means whereof
the former contracte was clearely ondon/ wherew^t m{rs} Anne
Bolloyn was greatly offendyd/ Sayeng that if it lay euer in hir
power she wold worke the Cardynall as myche displeasure (As
she dyd in dede after) And yet was he nothyng to blame/ ffor he
practised no thyng in that matter but it was the kynges oonly
devyse/ And evyn as my lord Percye was commandyd to avoyd
hir Company/ Evyn so was she commaundyd to avoyde the
Court/ And she sent home agayn to hir ffather for a season/
where at she smoked for all this while she knewe no thyng of the
kynges entendyd purpose/ But ye/ may se whan ffortune
begynnythe to lower howe she can compasse a matter to worke
displeasure by a farre fetche/ ffor nowe marke good reder the
grudge howe it began that in processe burst owt to the vtter
ondoyng of the Cardynall/ O lord what a god art thou that
workest thy secrettes so wondersly w^che be not  [Fol. 21]  perceyved
vntill they be brought to passe and ffynysshed/ marke thys
history folowyng/ good reder/ And note euery circumstaunce/
And thou shall espie at thyn eye the wonderfull workes of god
agaynst suche persons as forgettithe god and his great benefites/
Marke I say/ marke them well/

After that all thes troblesome matters of my lord Percys was
brougthe to a good staye/ And all thynges ffynesshed that was
byfore devysed/ Mrs Anne Bolloyn was revoked vnto the Court
where she florisshed after in great estimacion And ffauour/
 [Page 35]  havyng allwayes a privye Indygnacion vnto the Cardynall for
brekyng of the precontract made bytwen my lord Percye & hir
supposyng that it had byn his owen devyse & wyll and non
other/ not yet beyng privye to the kynges secrett mynd all­
thoughe that he hade a great affeccion vnto hir/ howbeit after
she knewe the kynges pleasure and the great love that he bare hir
in the bottome of his stomake/ Than began she to loke very
hault and stowt hauyng all maner of Ioyelles or riche apparell
that myght be gotten w^t mony/ yt was therfore Iuged by and by
thoroughe all the Court of euery man that she beyng in suche
fauour w^t the kyng myght worke maystres w^t the kyng And
opteyn any sewte of hyme for hir ffrend/ And all this while she
beyng in this estymacion in all places/ yt is no dought but good
Quen katheren hauyng this gentillwoman dayly attendyng vppon
hir/ bothe hard by report/ And perceyved byfore hir eyes the
matter howe it framed ayenst hir (good lady) allthoughe she
shewed (to m{rs} Anne/ ne vnto the kyng) any sparke or kynd of
grudge or displeasure/ but toke and accepted all thynges in good
part And w^t wysdome and great pacience dissimuled the same/
hauyng Mrs Anne in more estymacion for the kynges sake than
she had byfore/ declaryng hir self therby to be a perfect
Grysheld/ as hir pacient actes shall hereafter more evidently to
all men be declared/ The kyng waxed so ferre in amours w^t this
gentilwoman/ that he knewe not howe myche he might avaunce
hir/ This perceyveng the great lordes of the Councell beryng a
secrett grudge ayenst the Cardynall because that they could not
rewle in the Comenwell (for hyme) as they wold/ who kept them
lowe and rewled theme as well as other meane subiectes/ where
at they caught an occasion to Invent a mean to bryng
hyme owt of the kynges highe fauour and them in to more
auctorytie of Rewle & Cyvell gouernance/ after long and secrett
consultacion among them selfes howe to bryng ther malice to
effect ayenst the Cardynall/ They knewe right well that it was
very deficyll for them to do any thyng directly of them selfes
 [Page 36]  wherfore they perceyvyng the great affeccion that the kyng bare
lovyngly vnto Mrs Anne Bolleyn ffantazyng in ther heddes that
she shold be for them a suffycyent & an Apte Instrument to
bryng ther maliciouse purpose to passe/ w^t whome they often
consulted in this matter/ And she hauyng bothe a very good
wytt and also an Inward desier to be revenged of the Cardynall/
was as aggreable to ther requestes as they ware them selfes/
wherfore ther was no more to do but oonly to Imagyn some
pretenced circumstaunce to Induce ther malicious accusacion/
In so myche that there was Imagyned & Invented among them
dyuers Imagynacions and subtill devysis howe this matter shold
be brought abought/ the enterprice therof was so dayngerous
that thoughe they wold fayn haue often attempted the matter w^t
the kyng/ yet they durst not/ for they knewe the great lovyng
affeccion and thespecyall fauour that the kyng bare to the
Cardynall/ And also they feared the wonder wytt of the
Cardynall/ for thys they vnderstode very well/ that if ther
matter that they shold propone ayenst hyme ware not grounded
vppon a Iust and an vrgent cause the kynges fauor beyng suche
towardes hyme and his wytt suche that he wold w^t pollecye van­
quyshe all ther purpose & travayll and than lye in a waytte to
worke them an vtter distruccion and subuercion wherfore they
ware compelled all thynges considered to forbere ther enterprice
vntill they myght espie a more convenyent tyme & occasion/
And yet the Cardynall espieng the great zeale that the kyng had
conceyved in this Gentill woman/ Ordered hym self to please as
well the kyng as hyr/ Dissimulyng the matter that laye hyd in his
brest/ And prepared great Bankettes And solempne feastes to
entertayn them bothe/ at his owen howsse/ And thus the world
began to growe in to wonderfull Invencions not hard of byfore
in this Realme/ the love bytwen the kyng & this gorgious lady
grewe to suche a perfeccion that dyuers Imagynacions ware
Imagyned/ wherof I leve to speke vntill I come to the place where
I may haue more occasion/  [Fol. 22] 
 [Page 37] 

Than began/ a Certeyn Grodge to arise betwen the ffrenche
kyng and the Duke of Burbon/ in so myche as the Duke beyng
vassayll to the howsse of ffraunce was constrayned for the
savegard of his person to ffle his domynion and to forsake his
terretory & Contrie dowghtyng the kynges great malice and
Indignacion/ The Cardynall havyng therof Intelligence/
Compased in his hed that if the kyng our souerayn lord (havyng
an occasion of warres w^t the Realme of ffraunce) myght Retayn
the Duke to be his generall in his warres there in as myche as
the Duke was ffled vnto the Emprour to Invyte hyme also to stere
warres ayenst the ffrenche kyng/ The Cardynall hauyng all this
Imagynacion in his hed/ thought it good to move the kyng in this
matter And after the kyng was oons aduertised herof/ And
conceyved the Cardynalles Imagynacion & Invencion/ he
dremed of this matter more & more vntill at the last it came in
question among the Councell in consultacion So that it was
there fynally concludyd that an Ambassett shold be sent to the
Emprour abought this matter/ w^t whome it was concludyd that
the kyng and the Emperour shold Ioyn in thes warres ayenst the
ffrenche kyng And that the Duke of Burbon shold be our
Souerayn lordes Champion & generall in the feld/ who had
appoynted hyme a great nomber of good Souldiors ouer &
besides the Emperours army w^che was not small/ and led by oon
of his owen noble men/ and also that the kyng shold pay the
Duke his wages & his retynewe monthly/ In so myche as sir
Iohn Russell (w^che was after Erle of Beddford) lay contynually
by yond the sees in a secrett place assigned bothe for to receyve
the kynges mony and to paye the same monthly to the Duke/ So
that the Duke began fierce warre w^t the ffrenche kyng in his
owen terretory & Dukdome/ w^che the ffrenche kyng had
confiscatt and seased in to his handes/ yet not knowen to the
dukes ennemyes that he had any Ayed of the kyng our souerayn
lord/ And thus he wrought the ffrenche kyng moche troble &
displeasure/ In so myche as the ffrenche kyng was compelled of
 [Page 38]  fyne force to put harnoys on his bake & to prepare a pieusaunt
army Royall and in his own person to auaunce to defend and
resist the Dukes power and malice/ the duke hauyng vnder­
standyng of the kynges avaunceme^t was compelled of
force to take Pavya a strong town in Itally w^t his host for ther
securitie where as the kyng beseged hyme & encamped hyme
wonderouse strongly entendyng to enclose the Duke w^t in thys
towen that he shold not Issewe/ yet notw^tstandyng the Duke
wold & did many tymes Issewe and escramoche w^t the kynges
army/ Nowe lett vs leave the kyng in his Campe byfore Pavya
And retourne to the lord Cardynall/ who Semed to be more
ffrenche than Emperyall/ but howe it came to passe I cannot
declare you/ but the kyng lyeng in hys Campe sent secretly in to
Englond a pryvy person a very wytty to treatte of a peace
bytwen hyme and the kyng our souerayn lord whos name was
Iohn Iokyn/ he was kept as secrett as myght be that no man had
Intelligence of his repayer for he was no ffrenche man but an
Itallion borne a man byfore of no estymacyon in ffraunce/ or
knowen to be in fauour w^t hys Mr, but to be a merchaunt, and for
his subtill wytt elected to entreat of suche affayers as the kyng
had Commaundyd hyme by ambassett/ This Iokyn after his
arryvall here in England was secrettly conveyed vnto the kynges
manour of Richemond and there remayned vntill wytsontyd at
w^che tyme the Cardynall resortyd thether and kept there the seyd
feast very Solomply/ In w^che season my lord Caused thys Ioken
dyuers tymes to dyne w^t hyme/ whos talke & behauour semed
to be wytty, sober & wonderouse discrett who contynued in
Englond long after vntyll he had (as it semed) brought his
purposed ambassett to passe w^che he had in commyssion// ffor
after this there was sent owt Immedyatly a restraynt vnto sir Iohn
Russell in to thos parties where he made his abydyng by yond
the sees that he shold retayne and kepe bake that monythe
wages still in hys handes w^che shold haue byn payed vnto the
Duke of Burbon (vntyll the kynges pleasure ware to hyme
further knowen) ffor want of w^che mony at the day appoynted of
 [Page 39]  payment/ The Duke & his retynewe ware greatly dismayd and
sore disapoynted/ And whan they sawe that ther mony was not
brought vnto them as it was wont to be/ And beyng in so
dayngerous a case for want of victualles w^che was wonderouse
skant & deare there was many Imagynacions what shold be the
cause of the lett therof/ Some sayd this & some sayd they wyst
neuer what/ So that they mystrusted no  [Fol. 23]  thyng lesse than
the very Cause therof/ In so myche at the last what for want of
victuall and other necessaryes w^che could not be gotten w^t in the
town The Capteyns & Sowldiours began to grudge and Mutter
And at the last for lake of victuall ware lyke all to perysshe/ they
beyng in this extremytie came byfore the Duke of Burbon ther
Capteyn/ And sayd/ Sir we must be of very force and necessitie
compelled to yeld vs in to the daynger of our ennemyes and
better it ware for vs so to do then here to sterve lyke dogges/
whan the Duke hard ther lamentacions and vnderstode the­
extremytie that they ware brought vnto for lake of mony (sayd
agayn) vnto theme/ Sirs q^d he ye are bothe valyaunt men and of
noble Corage who hathe seruyd here vnder me right worthely
and for yo^r necessitie wherof I ame particypant I do not a littill
lament/ howbeit I shall desier you as you are noble in hartes and
Corage so to take pacience for a day or twayn/ And if Socoure
come not than frome the kyng of Englond (as I dought no
thyng) that he wyll dissayve vs/ I woll well agree that we shall all
put our selfes and all our lyfes vnto the mercy of our ennemyes/
wher w^t they ware all agreable And expectyng the Commyng of
the kynges mony the space of iij^re dayes (the w^che dayes past) the
Duke seyng no remedye/ called his noble men & Capteyns And
Sowldiours byfore hyme/ And all wepyng sayd/ O ye noble
Capteyns and valyaunt men, my gentill Companyons/ I se no
remedye in this necessitie but other we must yeld vs vnto our
ennemyes or elles ffamysshe/ And to yeld the town and our
selfes I knowe not the mercye of our ennemyes/ And as for my
part I passe not of ther Cruelties/ ffor I knowe very well that I
shall suffer most cruell deathe if I come oons in to ther handes/
 [Page 40]  yt is not for my selfe therfore that I do lame^t but it is for yo^r
sakes, yt is for yo^r lyfes/ yt is also for the saluegard of yo^r persons
ffor so that ye myght escape the daynger of yo^r ennemyes handes
I wold most gladly suffer deathe/ Therfore good Companyons
and noble Sowldyours I shall requyer yow all/ consideryng the
dayngerous mysery and Calamytie/ that we stand in at this
present to sell our lyves most derely rather then to be murdered
lyke beastes/ yf ye wyll folowe my Councel we woll take vppon
vs this nyght to geve our ennemyes an assault to ther Campe and
by that means we may other escape or elles geve them
an ouerthrowe/ And thus it ware better to dye in the feld lyke
men than to lyve in captivytie and mysery as prisoners/ To the
w^che they all agreed/ Then q^d the Duke/ ye perceyve that our
ennemyes hathe encamped vs w^t a strong Campe And that there
is no way to enter but oon w^che is so plantyd w^t great ordynaunce
And force of men that it is not possible to enter that wayes to
fight w^t our ennemyes w^tout great daynger/ And also ye se that
nowe of late they haue hade small dought of vs In so myche as
they haue kepte but slender watche/ therfore my pollecye &
devyse shall be this/ that abought the deade tyme of the nyght
whan our ennemyes be most quyot at rest/ shall Issue frome vs a
nomber of the most delyuerest sowldyours to assault ther
Campe who shall geve the assaulte right fercely evyn dyrectly
ayenst the entre of the Campe w^che is all most Invyncyble/ yo^r
ferce & sharpe assault shalbe to them in the Campe so dought­
full that they shalbe compelled to torne the strengthe of ther
entre that lyethe ouer ayenst yo^r assault to beate you frome the
assaulte than wyll I issue owt at the posterne and come to the
place of ther strenthe newlie torned And there or they beware
woll I entere and fight w^t them at the same place where ther
gonnes & strengthe lay byfore And so come to the rescue of you
of the sault/ And wynnyng ther ordynaunce w^che they haue
torned And beat them w^t ther owen peces/ And than we
Ioynyng together in the feld I trust we shall haue a fayer hand
of theme/ This devyse pleased them wonderouse well/ than
 [Page 41]  prepared they all that day for the purposed devyse And kept
them secrett & cloose w^tout Any noyse or shott of Peces w^tin
the town w^che gave ther ennemyes the lesse feare of any troble
that nyght but euery man went to ther rest/ w^tin ther Tentes &
lodgynges quyotly no thyng mystrustyng that after ensued/
Then whan all the kynges host was at rest/ the assaylauntes
issued owt of the town w^t owt any noyce accordyng to the
former appoyntme^t And gave a ferce & cruell assault at the
place appoynted/ that they w^t in the Campe had as myche a do to
defend as was possible to resist/ And evyn as the Duke had
byfore declared to his sowldyours  [Fol. 24]  they w^tin ware com­
pelled to torne ther shott that lay at ther entre ayenst the
assayllauntes/ w^t that Issued the duke and w^t hyme abought
xv^en or xvj^en thousand men or more/ And secrettly in the nyght
his ennemyes beyng not privey of his Commyng vntill he was
entred the fyld and at his first entre he was Mr of all the
ordynaunce that lay there and slewe the gonners and charged
the seyd peces & bent them ayenst his ennemyes whome he
slewe wondersly a great nomber/ he Cut down Tentes and
Pavylions and murdred them w^t in them or they wyst of ther
Commyng/ Suspectyng/ no thyng lesse than The dukes entre/
So that he whan the feld or euer the kyng could aryse to the
rescue/ who was taken in hys lodgyng or euer he was armed/
And whan the Duke had opteyned the fyld & the ffrenche kyng
taken prisoner, his men slayn And his tentes Robbed & spoyled
w^che was wonderous Riche And in the spoyle sercheng of the
kynges treasour in his Coffers/ there was found among them
the leage newely concludyd bytwen the kyng of Englond & the
ffrenche kyng vnder the great seale of Englond/ w^che oons by
hyme perceyved he began to smell the Impedyme^t of his mony
w^che shold haue come to hyme frome the kyng/ havyng (vppon
dewe serche of this matter) further Intellygence that all this
matter & his vtter vndoyng was concludyd & devysed by the
Cardynall of Englond/ And the Duke conceyvyng suche an
 [Page 42]  Indygnacion herevppon ayenst the Cardynall/ that after he hade
establysshed all thynges there in good order & securitie/ he went
Incontynent vnto Rome entendyng ther to sakke the town And
to haue taken the Pope prisoner/ where at his first assault of the
walles he was the first man that was there slayn (yet not­
w^tstandyng) his Capteyns contynued there the assault And in
conclusion wane the town And the Pope fled vnto Castell
Ayngell/ where he contynued long after in great Calamyte/
I have writtyn thus thys history at large bycause it was thought
that the Cardynall gave the chefe occasion of all thys myschefe/
ye may perceyve what thyng so euer a man purposithe
be he prynce or prelate yet notw^tstandyng god disposithe all
thynges at his wyll & pleasure/ wherfore it is great foly for any
wyse man to take any waytie enterprice of hyme self trustyng
all together to his owen wyll not callyng for grace to assist hyme
in all his procedynges/ I haue knowen & seen in my dayes that
prynces And great men wold other assemble at any Parliament or
in any other great busynes first wold most reuerently call to god
for his gracious assistaunce therin And nowe I se the contrary/
wherfore me semys that they trust more in ther owen wisdomes
& Imagynacions than they do to goddes helpe & disposicion
And therfore often they spede therafter and ther matters take
suche successe/ Therfore not oonly in this history but in
dyuers others ye may perceyve right evydent examples And yet
I se no man in auctorytie or highe estate Allmost regard or haue
any respect to the same (the greatter is the pitie and the more
to be lamented/ Nowe wyll I desist frome this matter/ and
procede to other)

Vppon the takyng of the ffrenche kyng many Consultacions
And dyuers oppynyons ware than in argument among the
Councell here in England/ wherof Some hild oppynyon/ that if
the kyng wold Invade the realme of ffraunce in propir person w^t
a pieusaunt Army Royall he myght easely conquere the same
consideryng that the ffrenche kyng and the most part of the
noble pieers of ffraunce ware than prisoners w^t the Emproure/
 [Page 43]  Some agayn sayed/ howe that ware no honour for the kyng our
souerayn lord (the kyng beyng in Captiuyte) But some sayed that
the ffrenche kyng owght by the lawe of Armez to be the kynges
prisoner/ for as myche as he was taken by the kynges Capteyn
Generall (the Duke of Burbon) and not by the Emprours so that
some moved the kyng to take warre thervppon w^t the Emprour/
onles he wold delyuer the ffrenche kyng owt of his handes and
possession/ w^t dyuers many other Imagynacions and Invencions
evyn as euery mans ffantazys seruyd theme to long here to be
rehersed the w^che I leave to the writers of Cronycles/ Thus
contynuyng  [Fol. 25]  long in debatyng vppon this matter/ and
euery man in the Court had there talke as wyll w^tout wyt led
ther fantazis/ At the last it was devysed by means of dyuers
ambassettes sent in to Englond owt of the Realme of ffraunce
desyryng the kyng our souerayn lord to take order w^t the
Emprour for the ffrenche kynges delyuere as his Royall wysdome
shold seme good/ wherin the Cardynall bare the stroke/ So that
After long delyberacion And Advyse taken in this matter it was
thought good by the Cardynall that the Emprour shold
redelyuer owt of his ward the ffrenche kyng vppon sufficyent
pledges/ And that the kynges too Sonnes (that is to say) the
Dolphyn and the Duke of Orlyaunce shold be delyuerd in hos­
tiage for the kyng ther ffather w^che was in conclusion brought to
passe/ Than after the kynges delyuere owtt frome themprours
vse & the kynges our souerayn lordes securitie for the recom­
pence of all suche demaundes and restitucions as shold be
demaundyd of the ffrenche kyng/ The Cardynall lamentyng the
ffrenche kynges Calamytie/ And the Popes great aduersitie
w^che yet remayned in Castell ayngell) owther as a prisoner or
elles for his defence & savegard (I cannot tell whether) Travelled
all that he could w^t the kyng & his Councell to take order as well
for the delyuere of the oon, as for the quyotnes of thother/ At
last as ye haue hard here tofore/ howe dyuers of the great
estates/ & lordes of the Councell lay in a wayt w^t my lady Anne
 [Page 44]  Bulloyn to espie a convenyent tyme & occasion to take the
Cardynall in a brake/ thought it than that nowe is the tyme come
that we haue expected supposyng it best to cause hyme to take
vppon hyme the kynges Commyssion and to travell by yond the
sees in this matter/ Sayeng (to encorage hyme therto) that it
ware more mete for his highe discression, wytt & auctorytie to
compasse & bryng to passe a perfight peace among thes great &
most myghty prynces of the world than any other w^t in this
Realme or elles where/ Ther ententes & purpose was oonly but
to gett hyme owt of the kynges dayly presence/ And to convey
hyme owt of the Realme that they myght haue convenyent
laysor and opportunytie to Aduenture ther long desired
enterprice/ And by the ayde of ther Cheafe m{rs} (my lady Anne)
to deprave hyme so vnto the kyng in his absence that he shold
be rather in his hyghe displeasure than in his accustumed
fauour/ or at the lest to be in lesse estymacion w^t his ma^tie/ well
what wyll you haue more/ Thys matter was so handeled
that the Cardynall was commaundyd to prepare hymself to this
Iourney the w^che he was fayn to take vppon hyme/ but wether
it was w^t his good wyll or no I ame not well able to tell you/ but
this I knewe that he made a short abode after the determynat
resolucyon therof but caused all thynges to be prepared onward
toward his Iourney And euery oon of his seruauntes ware
appoynted that shold attend vppon hyme in the same/

Whan all thynges was fully concludyd And for thys noble
ambassett provyded and furnysshed than was no lett but
auaunce forwardes in the name of good/ my lord Cardynall had
w^t hyme suche of the lordes & bysshopes and other worthy
persons as ware not privye of the Conspiracye/ Than marched
he forward owt of his owen howsse at westminster passyng
thoroughe all london ouer london brydge/ hauyng byfore hyme
of gentillmen a great nomber iij^re in a ranke in blake veluett
lyuere Cottes and the most part of them w^t great chayns of gold
abought ther neckes/ And all his yomen w^t noble men &
gentilmens seruauntes folowyng hyme in ffrenche tauny lyuere
Coottes hauyng enbrodered vppon ther bakes & brestes of the
 [Page 45]  same Coottes thes letters/ T & C/ vnder the Cardynalles hatte/
his Sompter Mewlles w^che ware xx^ti in nomber & moore w^t his
Cartes & other Cariages of his trayn ware passed on by fore/
conducted & garded w^t a great nomber of bowes & speres/ he
Roode lyke a Cardynall very soumptiously on a mewle/ trapped
w^t Crymmesyn veluett vppon veluett and his stirropes of Copper
& gylt And his spare mewle folowyng hyme w^t lyke apparrell/
And byfore hyme he hade his ij great Crossys of siluer/ ij great
pillers of Syluer/ the great seale of England/ his Cardynalles hatt/
And a gentilman that Caried his valaunce otherwyse called a
clooke bage w^che was made all to gether of ffynne Scarlett clothe
enbrodered ouer & ouer w^t clothe of gold very richely hauyng in
hit a Clooke of fynne Scarlett/ thus passed he thoroughe london
and all the way of his Iourney/ hauyng his harbergers passyng
byfore to provyde lodgynges for his trayn/ The first Iourney he
made to Dertford in kent vnto sir Richard wyltchers howsse
w^che is too myles beyond Dertford where all his trayn ware
lodged that nyght & in the Contrie there abought/ The next day
he roode to Rochester and lodged in the bysshopes palice there
and the rest of his trayn in the Cytie & in Strode on this side the
bryge  [Fol. 26]  The iij^de day/ he Rode frome thence to ffeuersham/
And there was lodged in the Abbey and his trayn in the town
and some in the Contrie/ there aboughtes/ The iiij^th day he Rode
to Caunterbury where he was encountered w^t the worshipfullest
of the town and Contrye and loged in the Abbey of Crystes
churche in the Prours lodgyng/ And all his trayn in the Citie/
where he contynued iij^re or iiij^or dayes in w^che tyme ther was the
great Iubely And a fayer in honour of the feast of Seynt Thomas
ther patrone/ In w^che day of the seyd feast w^tin the abbey there
was made a Solompne procession and my lord Cardynall
presently in the same Appareled in his legantyn ornamentes w^t
his Cardynalles hatt on hys hed/ who commaundyd the monkes
and all ther quyer to syng the littany after thys sort Sancta maria
ora pro papa nostro Clemente And so pervsed the litteny
 [Page 46]  thoroughe/ my lord Cardynall knelyng at the quyer doore at a
forme couered w^t Carpettes and Cusshons The monkes & all
the quyer standyng all that while in the myddes of the bodye of
the chirche/ At w^che tyme I sawe the Cardynall wepe very
tenderly w^che was as we supposed for hevynes that the pope was
at that present in suche Calamytie & great daynger of the
launceknyghtes/ The next day I was sent w^t letters frome my
lord Cardynall vnto Calice by emposte In so myche as I was that
same nyght in Calice/ And at my landyng I found standyng
vppon the peere w^tout lanterne Gate all the Councell of the
towne to whome I delyuerd and dispeched my message &
letters or euer I entred the town/ where as I lay ij dayes after or
my lord came thether/ who arryved in the havyn there ij day
aftyr my commyng abought viij^th of the Cloke in the mornyng/
where he was receyved in procession w^t all the worshipfullest
persons of the town in most Solomplest wyse And in the lantern
gate was sett for hyme a forme w^t Carpettes & Cusshons/ where
att he kneled & made hys prayers byfore his entre any further in
the town and there he was senced w^t ij great Sencers of Syluer
and sprynkylled w^t halewater/ That don he arrose vppe &
passed on w^t all that assemble byfore hyme syngeng vnto Seynt
Maris churche/ where he standyng at the highe Aulter tornyng
hyme self to the people gave them his benediccion & clean
remyssion/ And than they conducted hyme frome thence vnto
an howsse called the Chekker/ where he lay & kepte his
howse as long as he abode in the town (goyng Immedyatly to his
naked bed by cause he was somewat trobled w^t syknes in his
passage vppon the Sees that nyght) vnto this place of the
Chekker resorted to hyme Monsur de Bees Captayn of Bolloyn
w^t a nomber of gallaunt gentilmen, who dyned w^t hyme/ And­
after some consultacion w^t the Cardynall/ he w^t the rest of the
gentilmen departid agayn to Bolloyn Thus the Cardynall was
dayly visited w^t oon or other of the ffrenche nobilitie/ Than whan
all his trayn & Cariages ware londed at Calice And euery thyng
prepared in a redynes for his Iourney/ he called byfore hyme all
 [Page 47]  his noble men and gentilmen in to his privye chamber/ where
they beyng assembled sayd vnto them in thys wyse in effect/
I haue (q^d he) called you hether to thys entent to declare vnto
you/ that I consideryng the dyligence that ye mynyster vnto me/
And the good wyll that I bere you agayn for the same entendyng
to remember yo^r dyligent seruyce here after in place where ye
shall receyve condygn thankes & rewardes/ And also I wold shewe
you ferther what Auctorytie I haue receyved directly frome the
kynges highnes/ And to enstruct you somwhat of the nature of
the ffrenche men/ And then to enforme you what reuerence ye
shall vse vnto me for the highe honour of the kynges ma{tie}/ And
also howe ye shall entertayn the ffrenchemen whan so euer ye
shall mete at any tyme/ ffyrste/ ye shall vnderstand that the
kynges ma{tie} vppon certyn waytie consideracions hathe for the
more avaunceme^t of his Royall dignytie assigned me in this
Iourney to be his lieutenaunt generall/ And what reuerence
belongythe to the same I wyll tell you/ That for my part I must
by vertue of my commyssion of leutenauntshipe Assume & take
vppon me in all honour and degrees to haue all suche seruyce &
reuerence as to his hyghnes presence is mete & dewe/ And
nothyng therof to be neclected or omytted by me that to his
Royall estat is appurtenaunt/ And for my part ye shall se me that
I will not omyt oon Iote/ therof/ Therfore bycause ye shall not
be Ignoraunt in that behalf/ ys oon of thespecyall causis of this
yo^r assemble wyllyng and commaund you as ye entend my
fauour/ not to forgett the same in tyme & place but euery of you
do obserue thys enformacion & Instruccion/ as ye woll at my
retorne avoyd the kynges Indignacion but to opteyn his highnes
thankes the w^che I wyll further for you as ye shall deserue
 [Fol. 27]  Nowe to the poynt of the frenche mens nature/ ye shall
vnderstand that ther disposicion is suche/ that they wylbe at the
first metyng as ffamylier w^t you as they had byn acquayntyd w^t
you long byfore and commyn w^t you in the frenche tong as
thoughe ye vnderstode euery word they spoke/ therfore in lyke
maner/ and be ye as famylier w^t them agayn as they be w^t you/
yf they speke to you in the ffrenche tong speke you to them in the
 [Page 48]  Englysshe tong for if you vnderstand not them/ they shall no
more vnderstand you/ And my lord spekyng merely to oon of the
gentilmen there (beyng a welsheman) sayd Rice/ q^d he/ speke
thou welshe to hyme/ And I ame well assured that thy welshe
shall be more defuse to hyme/ than his frenche shall be to the/
And than/ q^d he agayn to vs all/ lett all yo^r entertaynme^t &
behauor be accordyng to all gentilnes & humanytie/ that it may
be reportyd after yo^r departure frome thence/ that ye be
gentilmen of right good hauour And of myche gentilnes/ And
that ye be men that knowyth yo^r dewtie to yo^r souerayn lord
& to yo^r mayster/ Allowyng myche yo^r great Reuerence/ Thus
shall ye nott oonly optayn to yo^r selfes great commendacion &
prayce for the same/ but also auaunce the honour of yo^r prynce
& contrie/ Nowe goo yo^r wayes admonysshed of all thes poyntes/
And prepare yo^r selfes ayenst to morowe/ ffor than we entend
(god wyllyng) to sett forward/ And thus we beyng by hyme
Instructed & enformed departed to our lodgynges makyng all
thynges in a redynes ayenst the next day/ to avaunce forthe w^t
my lord/

The next morowe beyng Marie Magdalens day all thynges
beyng ffurnysshed my lord Cardynall Roode owt of Calice w^t
suche a nomber of blake veluett Coottes as hathe not byn seen
w^t an Ambassitor/ All the speres of Calice, Gynnes, and hamnes
ware there attendyng vppon hyme in this Iourney in blake
veluett Cootes many great & massy Chaynnes of gold ware
worne there/ thus passed he forthe w^t iij^re Gentilmen in a ranke
w^che occupied the lengthe of iij^re quarters of a myle or more/
hauyng all his accustumed and gloryous furnyture caried
byfore hyme evyn as I before haue rehersed excepte the brode
seale the w^che was left w^t doctor Tayllour in Calice than Mr of
the Rolles vntill his retorne/ passyng thus on his way And beyng
skant a myle of his Iourney it began to rayn so vehemently that
I haue not seen the lyke for the tyme/ that endured vntill we
came to Bulloyn/ And or we came to Sandyngfeld/ the Cardynall
 [Page 49]  of lorrayn a goodly yong gentilman encountered my lord And
receyved hyme w^t great reuerence & Ioy And so passed forthe
together vntill they came to Sandyngfeld w^che is a place of
Religion standyng bytwen the frenche Englyshe & themprors
domynyons beyng newter holdyng of nether of theme/ And
beyng come thether/ met w^t hyme there le Countie Brian
Capteyn of Pykardy w^t a great nomber of men of Armez as
Stradiates and Arbanoys w^t other standyng in array in a great
pece of Oates all in harnoys vppon light horsis passyng w^t my
lord as it ware in a wyng all his Iourney thoroughe Pykkardy/
ffor my lord Somewhat doughted the Emprour lest he wold lay
an Ambusshe to betray hyme/ ffor w^che cause the frenche kyng
commaundyd theme to awayte vppon my lord for the
Assuraunce of hys person owt of the daynger of his ennemyes/
Thus Roode he accompanyd vntill he came to the town of
Bolleyn/ where he was encountered w^tin a myle therof w^t the
worshypfullest Citezyns of the Town hauyng among them a
learned man that made to hyme an Oracion in latten/ vnto the
w^che my lord made answere semblably in latten/ And that don
Monsur de Bees Capteyn of Bolloyn w^t the Retynewe there of
gentilmen mett hyme on horsebake w^che conveyed hyme in to
the towen w^t all this assemble vntill he came to the Abbey gate
where he lighted and went directly in to the Churche and made
hys prayers byfore the Image of our lady to whome he made
his offeryng/ And that don he gave there his blessyng to the
people w^t certyn dayes of pardon/ than went he in to the abbey
where he was lodged and hys trayn ware lodged in the highe &
basse towns//  [Fol. 28]  The next mornyng/ after he hard masse
he rode vnto Muterell sur la mere where he was encountered in
lyke case as he was the day byfore w^t the worshypfullest of the
town all in oon lyuere hauyng oon learned that made an oracion
byfore hyme in laten whome he answered in lyke maner in laten
And as he entred in to the town there was a Canapie of sylke
enbrodred w^t the letters & hatte that was on ther seruauntes
Cottes borne ouer hyme w^t the most persons of estymacion w^t
 [Page 50]  in the town/ And whan he was alighted his footmen seased the
same as a ffee dewe to ther office/ nowe was there made dyuers
paiauntes for Ioy of hys Commyng/ who was called there and in
all other places w^t in the Realme of ffraunce as he travelled/ (le
Cardynall pacyfike) And in laten (Cardynallis pacificus) who
was accompaned all that nyght w^t dyuers worthy gentilmen of
the Contrie there abought/ The next day he Roode towardes
Abvyle/ where he was encountred w^t dyuers gentilmen of the
Town & Contrie And so conveyed vnto the town where he was
most honorably receyved w^t paiauntes of dyuers kyndes
wyttely & Costly Invented standyng in euery Corner of the
strettes as he roode thoroughe the town/ hauyng a lyke Cannapie
borne ouer hyme beyng of more richer sort than the other at
Mutterell or at bolleyn was/ They brought hyme to hys
lodgyng w^che was as it semed a very fayer howsse newly bylt w^t
brykke/ At w^che howsse kyng lowice maried my lady mary kyng
herre the viij^th Sister w^che was after maried to the Duke of
Suffolk Charles Brandon/ And beyng w^tin yt was in maner of a
Gallery/ yet notw^tstandyng it was very necessary/ In thys
howsse my lord remayned other viij^th or x^en dayes/ to whome
resorted daly dyuers of the Councell of ffraunce/ feastyng theme
& other noble men & gentilmen that accompaned the Councell
bothe at Dyners and Soppers/ Than whan the tyme came that
he shuld depart frome thence he roode to a Castell beyond the
water of Somme called Pynkney castell adioynyng vnto the seyd
watter standyng vppon a great rokke or hyll w^tin the w^che was a
goodly Collage of prestes the Cituacion wherof was most
lyke vnto the Castell of wyndesore in Englond And there he was
receyved w^t a Solompne procession conveyng hyme fyrst in to
the Chirche/ And after vnto his logyng w^tin the Castell/
At thys castell kyng Edward the iiij^th met w^t the ffrenche kyng
vppon the bryge that goyth ouer the water of Somme/ as ye may
red in the Cronycles of Englond/ whan my lord was settilled
w^tin his logyng/ it was reported vnto me that the ffrenche kyng
shold come that day in to Amyens w^che was w^tin vj^th Englysshe
 [Page 51]  myles of Pynkkney Castell/ And beyng desirous to se his first
commyng in to the town Axed licence And toke w^t me oon or
too gentilmen of my lordes And rood in contynent thether/ As
well to provyde me of a necessary lodgyng as to se the kyng/ And
whan we came thether beyng but strayngers toke vppe our Inne
(for the tyme) at the signe of the Ayngell dyrectly ayenst the
west doore of the Cathederall Churche de notre dame saynt
Marye/ And after we had dyned there and tarieng vntill iij^re or
iiij^or of cloke expectyng the kynges Commyng/ In came Madame
Regent (the kynges mother) Ridyng in a very riche Charyott and
in the same w^t hir was hir doughter the Quene of Naver fur­
nysshed w^t an C^th ladys or gentilwomen or more folowyng/
ridyng vppon whight Palfrayes ouer & besides dyuers other
ladys & gentillwomen that roode some in riche chariottes and
Some in horsse litters/ who lighted at the west doore w^t all this
trayn accompaned w^t many other noble men & gentilmen
besides hir gard w^che was not small in nomber/ than w^t in ij
howers after the kyng came in to the town w^t a great shott of
Gonnys/ And dyuers paiauntes made for the nons at the kynges
(byen venewe) hauyng abought his person bothe byfore hyme and
byhynd hyme/ beside the wonderfull nomber of nobyll men &
gentilmen iij^re great Gardes dyuersly apparelled/ the first was of
Souches and Burgonyons/ w^t Gonnes & halfe hakkes/ The
second was of ffrenche men some w^t bowes and Arrowes/ and
some w^t bylles/ The iij^de Gard was pur le corps w^che was of tall
Scottes myche moore comlier persons than all the rest/ The
ffrenche gard & the Scottes had all oon lyuere w^che ware riche
Coottes of fynne wyght clothe w^t a gard of Syluer bullyons
enbrodred an handfull brode/  [Fol. 29]  The kyng Came Ridyng
vppon a goodly Genett/ And lighted at the west doore of the
sayd Chirche and so conveyed in to the Chirche vppe to the
highe Aulter where he made his prayers vppon his knees And
than conveyed in to the bysshoppes palleyes where he was
lodged and also his mother/ The next mornyng I roode agayn to
Pynkney to attend vppon my lord at w^che tyme my lord was
redy to take hys mule towardes Amyens/ And passyng on his
 [Page 52]  Iourney thetherward he was encontered frome place to place
w^t dyuers noble & worthy personages makyng to hyme dyuers
oracions in latten/ to whome he made answere agayn ex tempore/
At whos excellent learnyng & pregnant witt they wondred very
myche///

Than was word brought my lord that the kyng was commyng
to encounter hyme/ w^t that he hauyng none other shifte
was compelled to allyght in an old Chappell (that stode by
the highe way) and there newly apparelled hyme in to more
Richer apparell/ And than mounted vppon a newe Mewle very
richely trapped w^t a foote clothe & trapper of Crymmesyn
veluett vppon veluett pirld w^t gold and ffrynged abought w^t a
depe frynge of gold very costly his stirropes of siluer and gylt
the bosses & chekes of his brydell of the same/ And be that tyme
that he was mounted agayn after this most gorgious sort/ the
kyng was come very nere/ w^t in lesse than a quarter of a myle
englysshe/ mustryng vppon an hill side his gard standyng in a
ray along the same/ expectyng my lordes Commyng/ To whome
my lord made as myche hast as convenyently it became hyme
vntill he came w^t in a payer of butt lengthes/ And there he
stayed a whyle/ the kyng perceyvyng that stoode still & hauyng
ij worthy gentilmen yong & lusty beyng bothe brethern and
brethern to the Duke of lorrayn & to the Cardynall of lorrayn/
wherof oon of theme was called monsur de Gwees and thother
monsur Vademount/ they ware bothe apparelled lyke the kyng
in Purpull veluett lyned w^t clothe of Syluer and ther
Cottes cutt/ the kyng caused mounsur vademount to issue
frome hyme And to ride vnto my lord to knowe the cause of his
tractyng who roode vppon a fayer Courser takyng his race in a
full gallope evyn vntill he came vnto my lord And there cawsed
his horsse to come a loft oons or twyse so nye my lordes mewle
that he was in dowght of his horsse/ And w^t that he lighted
frome his Courser And doyng his message to my lord w^t
humble reuerence/ w^che don he mounted agayn And caused his
horsse to do the same at his departyng As he did byfore And so
repayred agayn to the kyng/ And after his answere made/ the
 [Page 53]  kyng auaunced forward/ that seyng my lord did the lyke/ And
in the mydway they mett enbracyng eche other on horsbake w^t
most amyable countenaunce entertaynyng eche other right
nobly/ then drewe in to the place all noble men & gentilmen on
bothe sides w^t wonderfull chere made oon to an other as they
had byn of an old acquayntaunce/ the prece was suche and
thyke that dyuers had ther legges hurt w^t horsysse/ Than the
kynges officers cried/ marche/ marche devaunt/ Ale devaunt/
And the kyng & my lord Cardynall (on his right hand) Roode
together to Amyens euery Englysshe gentilman accompanyd
w^t an other of ffraunce/ The trayn of ffrenche & Englysshe
endured ij long myles/ that is to sey/ frome the place of ther
encounter vnto Amyens/ where they ware very nobly receyved
w^t shott of Gonnes and Costly paiauntes vntill the kyng had
brought my lord to his logyng and there departed a sonder for
that nyght/ the kyng beyng lodged in the bysshoppes palice/ The
next day after dynner my lord w^t a great trayn of noble men &
gentillmen of Englond rode vnto the kynges Court at w^che tyme
the kyng kept his bed beyng somwhat disseased/ yet not­
w^tstandyng my lord came in to his bed Chamber/ where satt on
theon side of his bed his mother madam Regent/ And on thother
sid the Cardynall of lorrayn w^t dyuers other noblemen of
ffraunce/ And after a short commynycacion and drynkyng of a
Cuppe of wyn w^t the kynges mother/ my lord departed agayn
to hys lodgyng accompanyd w^t dyuers gentilmen & noble men
of ffraunce who supped w^t hyme/ Thus contynued the kyng & my
lord in Amyens the space of ij wekes & more consultyng &
feastyng eche other dyuers tymes  [Fol. 30]  And in the feast of the
Assumpcion of our ladye my lord Roose betymes & went to the
Cathederall chirche/ de noster dame/ and there byfore my lady
regent and the quen of Naver in our lady chappell he sayd his
seruyce & masse and after masse he hymself mynystred the
Sacreme^t vnto bothe my lady Regent & to the quene of Naver/
And that don the kyng resortyd vnto the chirche and was
 [Page 54]  conveyed in to a riche Travers At the highe Aulters end and
dyrectly ayenst hyme on the other side of the Aulter sat my lord
Cardynall in an other Riche trauers iij^re gresis hyer than the
kynges And At the aulter byfore theme bothe a bysshope sang
hye masse And at the ffraccion of the host the same bysshope
devyded the Sacrame^t bytwen the kyng and the Cardynall for
the performance of the peace concludyd bytwen theme/ w^che
masse was song solompnly by the kynges Chappell hauyng
among theme Cornettes and Sakbuttes And after masse was
don the Troppeters blewe in the Roodeloft vntill the kyng was
past inward to his lodgyng owt of the chirche And at his
commyng in to the bysshoppes palice where he entendyd to dyne
w^t my lord Cardynall/ there satt w^t in a Closter abought ij^c
parsons deseased w^t the kynges evyll (vppon ther knees) And
the kyng or euer he went to dynner pervsed euery of theme w^t
robbyng and blessyng them w^t his bare handes beyng barehedyd
all the while/ after whome folowed his Almosyner distributyng of
mony vnto the persons disseased/ & that done he sayd certyn
prayers ouer theme and than whasht his handes & so came vppe
into his Chamber to dynner/ where as my lord dyned w^t hyme///
Than yt was determyned that the kyng and my lord shold
remove owt of Amyens/ And so they did to a towne or Citie
called Compygne w^che was more than xx^ti Englisshe myles
frome thence/ vnto w^che towen I was sent to prepare my lordes
lodgyng/ And so as I rode on my Iourney beyng vppon a ffriday
my horse chaunced to cast a shoo in a littill village where stode
a fayer Castell/ and as it chaunced ther dwelte a smythe to
whome I commaundyd my seruaunt to carry my horsse to shoo
and standyng by hyme while my horsse was a shoyng there
came to me oon of the seruauntes of the Castell per­
ceyvyng me to be the Cardynalles seruaunt and an Englysheman/
who requyred me to goo w^t hyme in to the Castell to my lord
his Mr/ whome he thought wold be very glad of my commyng
 [Page 55]  & company/ to whose request I grauntyd by cause that I was
allwayes desirous to se and be acquaynted w^t strayngers
inespecyall w^t men in honour and Auctorytie/ So I went w^t hyme/
who conducted me vnto the Castell And beyng entred in the
first ward/ the watchemen of that ward beyng very honest tall
men came & saluted me most reuerently/ And knowyng the
cause of my commyng/ desired me to stay a littill while vntill they
had aduertised my lord ther Mr/ of my beyng there/ And so I
dyd/ And incontynent the lord of the Castell came owt to me/
who was called monsur Creekey a noble man borne and very
nyghe of bloode to kyng lowice the last kyng that raygned byfore
this kyng ffraunces/ And at his first commyng he enbraced me/
Sayeng that I was right hartely welcome/ And thanked me that
I so gently wold visit hyme & his Castell/ sayeng furthermore
that he was preparyng to encounter the kyng & my lord to desier
them most humbly the next day to take his castell in the way/ if
he could so entret theme And trewe it is that he was redy to ride
in a Coote of veluett w^t a payer of veluett Armyng shoos on his
ffeete and a payer of gilt sporres on his heles/ Than he toke me
by the hand and most gentlye led me in to his Castell thoroughe
an other ward/ And beyng oons entred in to the base Court of the
Castell I sawe all his ffamely and howshold seruauntes standyng
in goodly order in blake Cootes and Gownnes lyke morners
who led me in to the hall w^che was hanged w^t handgonnes as
thyke as oon cowld hang by an other vppon the walles/ And in
the hall stode also an haukes perke wheron stode iij^re or iiij^or
fayer goshalkes/ than went we in to the parlour w^che was hanged
w^t fynne old Arras/ And beyng there but a while commonyng
together of my lorde of Suffolk howe he was there to haue
beseged the same/ his seruauntes brought to hyme brede & wynne
of dyuers sortes/ wherof he caused me to drynke/ And after/ q^d
he/ I will shewe you the strengthe of my howsse howe herd it
wold haue byn for my lord of Suffolk to haue wonne it/ than
led he me vppon  [Fol. 31]  the walles w^che was very strong more
than xv^en foote thyke/ And as well garnysshed w^t batere peces
 [Page 56]  of ordynaunce redy charged to shoot of/ ayenst the kyng
and my lordes Commyng/ whan he had shewed me all the
walles & bulwarkes Abought the Castell/ he dissendyd frome the
walles and came down in to a fayer Inner Court where his Genyt
stoode for to mount vppon w^t xij^th other Genettes the most
fayrest bestes that euer I sawe/ And in especyall his owen w^che
was a mare genett/ he shewed me that he myght haue had for hir
iiij^c Crownnes/ but vppon the other xij^th genettes ware mounted
xij goodly yong gentilmen called pages of honor all bare hedyd
in Coottes of Clothe of gold & blake veluett clokked and on ther
legges bootes of red Spaynysshe lether And spurres parcell
gylt/ Then he toke his leave of me commaundyng his Steward
& other his gentilmen to attend vppon me/ And conducte me
vnto my lady his wyfe to dynner/ And that don he mounted
vppon his genett/ And toke his Iourney forthe owt of his
castell And than the Steward w^t the rest of the gentilmen led me
vppe in to a tower in the gathowsse where than my lady ther
mastresse lay for the tyme that the kyng & my lord shold tary
there/ I beyng in A fayer great dynyng chamber where the table
was Couered to dynner/ And there I attendyng my lades
Commyng/ And after she came thether owt of hir owen chamber
she receyved me most gently lyke an noble estate hauyng a
trayn of xij gentilwomen/ And whan she w^t hir trayn came all
owt/ she sayd to me/ ffor as myche/ q^d she/ as ye be an Englysshe
man whos Custume^t is in yo^r Contrie to kys all ladyes and
gentilwomen w^tout offence/ And althoughe it be not so here in
this Realme/ yet woll I be so bold to kys you & so shall all my
maydens/ by means wherof I kyst my lady & all hir women/ then
went she to hir dynner beyng as nobly serued/ as I haue seen
any of hir estat here in Englond/ hauyng all the dynner tyme
w^t me pleasaunt commynycacion w^che was of the vsage &
behauour of our gentilwomen & gentilmen of Englond/ And
comendyd myche the behauour of them right ex­
cellently/ ffor she was w^t the kyng at Arde when the great
encounter & meatyng was betwen the ffrenche kyng & the kyng
 [Page 57]  our souerayn lord at w^che tyme she was bothe for hir person &
goodly hauour appoynted to company w^t the ladys of Englond/
And to be short after dynner/ pausyng a littill I toke my leave
of hir & so departed & roode on my Iourney//

I passyd so forthe/ on my Iourney/ by reason of my tractyng of
tyme in Chastell de Crykkey that I was constrayned that nyght
to lye in a town by the way called Montdedyer/ the Suburbes
wherof my lord of Suffolk hade lately burnd/ And in the next
mornyng I toke my Iourney and came to Compign vppon the
Saturday than beyng there the markett day/ And at my first
Commyng I toke my Inne in the myddes of the market place
and beyng there sett at dynner in a fayer Chamber that had a
fayer wyndowe lokyng in to the streett I hard a great Rumour
and clatteryng of bylles/ w^t that I loked owt in to the strett/ And
there I espied where the officers of the town brought a prysoner
to execucion/ whos hed they strak of w^t a sword/ And whan I
demaunded the cause of his offence/ yt was answered me/ that
it was for kyllyng of a rede dere in the fforrest thereby the
punyshement wherof is but deathe/ Incontynent they had sett
vppe the poore mans hed vppon a pole in the markett place
bytwen the stagges hornes/ and his quarters in iiij^or partes of the
fforrest/ Than went I abought to prepare my lordes lodgyng &
to se it furnysshed w^che was there in the great Castell of the
town/ wherof to my lord was assigned theon halfe and thether
half was reserued for the kyng/ and in lyke wyse there was a long
Gallery devyded bytwen theme/ wherin was made in the
myddes therof a strong wall w^t a doore & wyndowe/ And there
the kyng & my lord wold many tymes mete at the same wyndowe
and secretly talke togethers & dyuers tymes they wold goo
theon to the tother at the seyd doore/ Nowe was there lodged
also madame Regent the kynges mother and all hir trayn of
ladys & gentillwomen/ vnto w^che place the Chauncelor of
ffraunce came (a very witty man) w^t all the kynges grave
 [Page 58]  councellers/ who toke great paynnes dayly in Consultacion/ In
so myche as I hard my lord Cardynall fall owt w^t the Chauncelor
layeng vnto his charge that he went abought  [Fol. 32]  to hynder the
leage w^che my sayd lord Cardynall hade byfore his commyng
concludyd bytwen the king our souerayn lord & the ffrenche
kyng his Mr In so myche that my lord stomaked the matter very
stoutly/ And told hyme that it shold not lie in his power to dis­
solue the amyable ffidelitie bytwen them/ And if his mayster the
kyng beyng there present forsake his promyse & followe his
Councell he shold not fayle/ after his retourne in to Englond/ to
feale the smarte/ and what a thyng it is to breake promys w^t the
kyng of Englond/ wherof he shold be well assured/ and ther w^t
all he arose & went in to his owen lodgyng wondersly offendyd/
So that his stowte Countenaunce and bold wordes made them all
in dowght howe to pacyefie hys despleasure & revoke hyme
agayn to the Councell who was then departyd in a furye/ there
was sendyng/ there was commyng/ there was also entreatyng/
And there was great submyssion made to hyme to reduce hyme
to his former frendly commynycacion/ who wold in no wyse
relent/ vntill madame Regent came hir self/ who handelled the
matter so discretly & wittely that she reconsild hyme to his
former commynycacion/ And by that means he brought ther
matters to passe that byfore he cowld not atteyne nor cause the
Councell to graunt/ w^che was more for feare than for any
affeccion to the matter/ he hade the hedes of all the Councell so
vnder his gyrdell that he myght ruell them all there as well as he
myght the Councell of Englond/ the next mornyng after this
conflycte he roose earely in the mornyng abought iiij^or of the
Clocke/ syttyng down to wright letters in to England vnto the
kyng commaundyng oon of his Chapleyns to prepare hyme to
masse/ so myche that his seyd chapleyn stode reuested vntill
iiij^or of the Clocke at after none/ All w^che season my lorde neuer
roose oons to pis/ ne yet to eate any meate but contynually wrott
his letters w^t his owen handes/ hauyng all that tyme his nyght
 [Page 59]  Cappe & keuerchefe on his hed/ And abought iiij^or of the Clocke
at after none he made an end of writtyng Commaundyng oon
Cristofer Gonner the kynges seruaunt to prepare hyme w^tout
delay to ride empost in to Englond w^t his letters/ whome he
dispeched a way or euer he dranke/ And that don he went
to masse/ and sayd his other dyvyn seruyce w^t his Chappelleyn
as he was accustumed to do/ and than went strayt in to a garden/
and after he had walked the space of an hower or more And
there sayed his evyn song/ he went to dynner & Sopper all at
oons/ And makyng a small repast/ he went to his bed to take his
rest for that nyght/ The next nyght folowyng he caused a great
Supper to be provyded for madame Regent and the quen of
Naverne and other great estates of ladyes & noble women/ there
was also madam Reigne/ oon of the doughters of kyng lewyce
whos Syster kyng ffraunces had maried (latly deade) thes sisters
ware by ther mother enheritrices of the duchye of Bryttayn/
And for as myche as the kyng had maried oon of the Systers by
whome he had the moytie of the sayd Duchie And to attayn
thother moytie/ And to be lord of the hole/ he kepte the sayd
lady Reygnye w^tout mariage entendyng that she hauyng non
Issue that the hole duchye myght dissend to hyme or to his
succession after hir deathe for want of yssue of hir body/ But
nowe lett vs retorne agayn to the Supper or rather a Solompne
bankett/ where all thes nobyll persons ware hyghly feasted/ And
in the myddes of ther tryhumphe the ffrenche kyng w^t the kyng
of Naverne came sodenly in vppon them onknowen/ who toke
ther places at the nether end of the table/ there was not oonly
plenty of ffynne meates/ but also myche myrthe and Solace/ as
well in commynycacion as in instrumentes of musyke setforthe
w^t my lordes mynstrelles/ who played there so Connyngly &
dulce all that nyght that the kyng toke therin great pleasure/ In
so myche that he desired my lord to lend theme vnto hyme the
next nyght/ And after Supper & bankett ffynysshed the ladys &
gentilwomen went to dauncyng/ Among whome oon madame
ffountayn a mayd had the price/ And thus passed they the nyght
 [Page 60]  in plesaunt myrthe & Ioye/ the next day the kyng toke my
lordes mynstrelles and Roode vnto a noble mans howsse where
was some goodly Image that he had avowed a Pilgrymage vnto/
to performe his devocion whan he came there he daunced &
other w^t hyme the most part of that nyght my lordes mynstrelles
played there so excellently all that nyght that the Shalme
(whether it ware w^t extreme labor of blowyng or w^t poysonyng
(as some Iuged) by cause they ware more commendyd &
accepted w^t the kyng than his owen) I cannot tell but he that
played the Shame (an excellent man in that art) died w^t in a day
or twayn after  [Fol. 33] 

Then the kyng Retorned agayn vnto Compigne/ And caused a
wyld boore to be lodgyd for hyme in the fforrest/ there whether
my lord Roode w^t the kyng to the huntyng of the wyld Swyne
w^tin a Toyle where the lady Regent stode in Charyottes or
waggans lokyng ouer the toylle on the owtsyde therof accom­
panyd w^t many ladyes & dameselles/ among whome my lord
stode by the lady Regent to regard & behold the pastyme/ &
maner of huntyng/ there was w^tin the toyle dyuers goodly
gentillmen w^t the kyng redy garnysshed to this hyghe enterprice
and dayngerous huntyng of the perellous wylld Swyne/ the
kyng beyng in his dublett & hosyn oonly w^tout any other
garme^tes all of shepes Colour clothe his hosyn frome the kne
vppward was alltogether thrommed w^t sylke very thyke of the
same Colour havyng in a slipe a fayer brace of grette wyhight
greyhoundes Armed as the maner is to arme ther greyhoundes
frome the violence of the boores tuskes/ And all the rest of the
kynges gentilmen beyng appoynted to hunt this boore ware
lykewyse in ther dublettes & hosyn holdyng eche of them in ther
handes a very sharpe boores spere/ the kyng beyng thus
furnesshed commaunded the huntes to oncouche the boore/ And
that euery other person shold goo to a standyng/ among whome
ware dyuers gentilmen & yomen of Englond/ And incontynent
the boore issued owt of his denne/ chaced w^t an hound in to the
playn/ And beyng there/ stalled a while gasyng vppon the
 [Page 61]  people/ And incontynent/ beyng forced by the hound he espied
a littill busse standyng vppon a banke ouer a diche vnder the
w^che lay ij gentilmen of ffraunce/ And thether fleed the boore to
defend hyme thrustyng his hede snoffyng in to the same bushe
where thes ij gentilmen lay/ who fled w^t suche spede as men do
frome the daynger of deathe/ Than was the boore by violence &
pursewt of the hound & huntes dryvyn frome thence And ran
strayt to oon of my lordes footmen a very comly person & an
hardy who hild in his hand an Englysshe Iavelen w^t the w^che he
was fayn to defend hymeself frome the fierce assault of the
boore/ who foyned at hyme contynually w^t his great tuskes/
wherby he was compelled at the last to pytche his Iavelen/
in the Grownd bytwen hyme & the boore/ the w^che the boore
breke w^t his force of foynyng/ And w^t that the yoman drewe his
sword And stode at defence/ And w^t that the huntes came to the
rescue/ And put hyme oons agayn to flight/ w^t that he fled & ran
to an other yong gentylman of England Called Mr Ratclyfe
Sonne & heyer to the lord ffitzwalter and after Erle of Sussex/
who by chaunce had borowed of a ffrenche gentilman a fynne
boore spere very sharpe/ vppon whome (the boore beyng sore
chaffed) began to assault very egerly/ And the yong gentilman
delyuerly Avoyded his strokkes and in tornyng abought/ he
stroke the boore w^t suche violence w^t the same speere (that he
had borowed) vppon the howghes/ that he cutt the Senowes of
bothe his legges at oon stroke that the boore was constrayned to
sitt down vppon his haunches and defend hyme self for he
cowld goo no more/ thys gentilman perceyvyng than his most
aduauntage/ thrust his speere in to the boore vnder the sholder
vppe to the hart/ And thus he slewe the great boore/
wherfore among the noble men of ffraunce it was reputed to be
oon of the noblest enterprices that a man myght do/ (As
thoughe he had slayn a man of Armez)/ And thus our mr
Ratclyfe bare than a way the price of that feacte of huntyng this
dayngerous & Royall pastyme in kyllyng of the wyld boore/
whoos tuskes the ffrenche men dothe most comenly dowght
 [Page 62]  above all other dayngers as it semed to vs englyshe men than
beyng present/

In thys tyme of my lordes beyng in ffraunce ouer & besides
his noble entertaynment w^t the kyng & nobles/ he susteyned
dyuers displeasures of the ffrenche slaves/ that devised a certyn
boke w^che was setforthe in dyuers articles vppon the causis of my
lordes beyng there/ w^che shold be as they surmysed/ that my
lord was come thether to conclude too mariages/ theon bytwen
the kyng our souerayn lord And madame Reygne of whome I
spake hertofore/ And an other bytwen the prynces than of
England (Nowe beyng quene of this reallme my lady marye/ the
kynges doughter/) And the frenche kynges second Sonne the
duke of Orlyaunce who ys at this present kyng  [Fol. 34]  of ffraunce/
w^t dyuers other conclusions and agrementes touchyng the same/
of thes bokes many ware Imprynted & conveyed in to Englond
vnknowen to my lord beyng than in fraunce/ to the great
slaunder of the Realme of Englond & of my lord Cardynall/
but whether they ware devysed of pollecy to pacefie the mut­
teryng of the people w^che had dyuers Commynycacions and
Imagynacions of my lordes beyng there/ or whether it ware
devysed of some malicious person as the disposicion of the
Comen people are accustumed to do vppon suche secrett con­
sultacions I knowe not/ but what so euer the occasion or cause
was the Auctor hathe settforthe suche bokes/ this I ame well
assured that after my lord was therof aduertised/ And had
pervsed oon of the same bokes/ he was not a littill offendyd/ And
assembled all the pryvye Councell of ffraunce together to
whome he spake hys mynd thus/ sayeng that it was not oonly a
suspecyon in them but also a great rebuke and a diffamacion to
the kynges honour to se & knowe any suche sedicius ontrewthe
opynly devoulged and setforthe by any malicious & subtyll
traytor of this Realme/ sayeng furthermore that if the lyke had
byn attempted w^tin the realme of Englond he doughted not but
to se it punysshed accordyng to the trayterous demeanour &
desertes/ Notw^tstandyng I sawe but small redresse/ So this was
 [Page 63]  oon of the displeasures that the ffrenche men shewed hyme for
all his paynnes and travell that he toke for qualefieng of ther
kynges Raumsome/ Allso another displeasure was this/ there
was mo place where he was lodged after he entred the terretorye
of ffraunce but that he was robbed in his privye chamber other
of oon thynge or other/ And at Compigne he lost his standysshe
of Syluer & gylt/ And there it was espied & the partie taken
w^che was but a littill boy of xij^th or xiij^en yere of age a ruffians
page of Paris w^che haunted my lordes lodgyng w^tout any sus­
picion vntill he was taken lyeng vnder my lordes privye stayers/
vppon w^che occasion he was apprehendyd and examyned And
incontynent confessed all thynges that was myst w^che he stale
and brought to his Mr the ruffian who receyved the same &
procured hyme so to do/ After the spyall of thys boye/
my lord revelled the same vnto the Councell/ by means wherof
the Ruffian/ the boys master was apprehendyd/ and set on the
pillorye/ in the myddest of the markett place (A goodly recom­
pence for suche an haynous offence) Also an other displeasure
was/ Some lewd person (who so euer it was) had engraved in
the great Chamber wyndowe where my lord lay vppon the
leanyng stone there a Cardynalles hatte w^t a payer of Galhowsse
ouer it in derision of my lord w^t dyuers other onkynd de­
meanors/ the w^che I leave heare to wright they be matters so
slaunderous//

Thus/ passyng dyuers dayes in consultacion expectyng the
retourne of Crystopher Gunner w^che was sent in to Englond w^t
letters vnto the kyng as it is rehersed hertofore by empost/ who
at last retorned agayn w^t other letters/ vppon receypt wherof my
lord Cardynall mad hast to retorne in to Englond/ In the
mornyng that my lord shold depart And remove beyng than at
masse in his Closett he consecrated the Chauncelour of ffraunce
A Cardynall And put vppon hyme the habyt dewe to that order/
And than toke his Iourney in to Englond ward makyng suche
necessary expedycion that he came to Gwynnes where he was
nobley receyved of my lord Sandes Capteyn there w^t all the
 [Page 64]  retynewe therof/ And frome thence he roode to Calice/ where he
taried the shyppyng of his stuffe, horsses, & trayn And in the
mean tyme he establysshed there a marte to be kept for all
nacions (but howe long indewred and in what sort it was vsed
I knowe not) for I neuer hard of any great good that it dide/ or
of any worthie assemble there of marchauntes or marchantdice/
that was brought thether for the furnyture of so waytie a matter/
Thes thynges fynysshed and others for the weale of the town/
he toke shippyng And Arryved at Douer/ ffrome wence he
roode to the kyng (beyng than in his progresse at sir harre
wyates howsse in kent) supposyd among vs his seruauntes that
he shold be Ioyfully receyved at his home Commyng as well of
the kyng as of all other noble men but we ware dissayved in our
expectacion/ notw^tstandyng he went Immedyatly after his Com­
myng to the kyng w^t whome he had long talke and contynued
there in the Court ij or iij^re dayes and than retorned to hys
howsse at Westminster where he remayned  [Fol. 35]  vntill
myhelmas terme w^che was w^t in a fourthnyght after/ And vsyng
his Rome of Chauncellorshipe as he was wont to do/ At w^che
tyme he caused an assemble to be made in the starre Chamber
of all the noble men, Iuges, and Iustices of the peace of euery
shere that was at that present in westminster hall/ And there
made to theme a long Oracion declaryng vnto them the cause of
his ambassett in to ffraunce And of his procedynges there/
Among the w^che he sayd that he had concludyd suche an
amytie And ffrendshipe as neuer was hard of in this Realme in
our tyme byfore/ As well bytwen the Emprour and vs as bytwen
the ffrenche kyng and our souerayn lord concludyng a perpetuall
peace w^che shall be confirmed in writyng alternatly sealed w^t the
broode seales of bothe the Realmes graved in fynne gold/
Affirmyng ferthermore that the kyng shold receyve yerely his
tribute (by that name) for the Duchye of Normandye w^t all
 [Page 65]  other costes w^che he hathe susteyned in the warres And where
there was a restraynt made in fraunce of the ffrenche quens
dower (whome the Duke of Suffolk had maried) for dyuers
yeres/ dewryng the warres/ yt ys fully concludyd that she shall
not oonly receyve the same yerely agayn but also the arrerages
beyng onpayed duryng the restraynt/ All w^che thynges sholld be
perfected at the commyng of the great ambassett owt of ffraunce/
in the w^che shalbe a great nomber of noble men and gentilmen
for the conclusion of the same/ as hathe not byn seen repayer
hether owt of oon Realme in an Ambassett/ This peace thus
concludyd there shalbe suche an Amytie bytwen gentilmen of
eche realme/ And entercourse of marchauntes w^t marchandyse,
that it shall seme to all men the terretorys to be but oon
monarche/ Gentillmen may travell quyotly frome oon contrie
to an other for ther recreacion and pastyme/ And marchauntes
beyng arryved in eche contrie shalbe assured to travell abought
ther affayers in peace & tranquylite So that this Realme shall
Ioy & prospere for euer/ wherfore it shalbe well don for all
trewe Englisshemen to auaunce & setforthe this perpetuall
peace/ bothe in Countenaunce & gesture w^t suche entertaynme^t
as it may be a Iust occasion vnto the ffrenche men to accept the
same in good part/ And also to vse you w^t the semblable/ And
make of the same an noble report in ther contries Nowe
good my lordes & gentilmen/ I most entierly requyer you in the
kynges behalfe that ye wyll shewe yo^r selfes herin very lovyng &
obedyent subiectes wher in the kyng woll myche reioyce yo^r
towardnes and geve to euery man his pryncely thankes for suche
liberalitie & gentilnes as ye or any of you shall mynester/ vnto
theme/ And here he endyd his perswacion and so departyd in to
the dynyng chamber there and dyned among the lordes of the
Councell///

Thys greate amhabsett/ long loked for was nowe come ouer
w^che ware in nomber above iiij^xx persons of the most noblest &
worthiest gentilmen in all the Court of ffraunce/ who ware
right honorably receyved frome place to place after ther
 [Page 66]  arryvall/ And so conveyed thoroughe london vnto the bysshoppes
palice in powlles chirche yerd/ where they ware lodged/ To
whome dyuers noble men resortyd/ And gave theme dyuers
goodly presentes/ And in especyall the mayer & Citie of london/
As wyne, Suger, waxe, Capons, wyldfowle, beafes, mottons, and
other necessaries in great aboundaunce for the expences of ther
howsse/ Then the next Sonday after ther resort to london they
repayred to the Court at Grenwyche/ And there by the kynges
ma{tie} most highely receyved & entertayned/ they had a specyall
commyssion to creat & stalle the kynges ma{tie} in the Royall
order of ffraunce/ ffor w^che purposely they brought w^t theme a
Colour of fyne gold of the order w^t a myhell hankyng ther at and
Robbes to the same appurtenaunt the w^che was wonderous
costly & comly of purpull veluet richely embrodered/ I sawe the
kyng in all this apparell & habytt passyng thoroughe the chamber
of presence vnto his Closett & offered in the same habytt at
masse benethe in the Chappell/ And to gratefie the ffrenche kyng
w^t lyke honour sent incontynent vnto the frenche kyng the lyke
order of Englond by an noble man (the Erle of wyltshere)
purposly for that entent to Creat hyme oon of the same order
of England/ accompaned w^t Garter the harold/ w^t all robys Garter
& other abyllmentes to the same belongeng as Costly in euery
degree as thother was of the ffrenche kynges the w^che was don
byfore the retourne of the great ambassett and for the perform­
aunce of this noble & perpetuall peace/ it was concludyd & deter­
myned that a Solompne masse shold be song in the Cathederall
chirche of powlles by the Cardynall/ ayenst w^che tyme there was
prepared a Gallerye  [Fol. 36]  made frome the west doore of the
Chirche of powlles vnto the quyer doore Raylled on euery syde
vppon the w^che stode vessels full of Parfeumes bornyng/ Then
the kyng & my lord Cardynall & all the ffrenche w^t all other
noble men & gentilmen ware conveyed vppon this Gallery vnto
the highe Aulter in to ther trauersys/ than my lord Cardynall
prepared hymeself to masse assocyatted w^t xxiiij^ti myters of
bysshoppes and Abbottes attendyng vppon hyme & to serue
 [Page 67]  hyme in suche ceromynyes as to hyme (by vertue of his
legantyn prerogatyfe) was dewe/ And after the last Agnus the
kyng Roose owt of his trauers And kneled vppon a Cusshon &
carpett at the highe Aulter/ And the Graund Mr of ffraunce the
cheafe Ambassitore that represented the kyng his Mrs person
kneled by the kynges ma{tie}/ bytwen whome my lord devydyd the
sacrame^t as a firme oathe & assuraunce of this perpetuall peace/
that don the kyng resortyd agayn vnto his trauers And the
graund Mr in lyke wyse to his/ this masse fynysshed (w^che was
song w^t the kynges chapell & the quyer of powles) my lord
Cardynall toke the Instrument of this perpetuall peace &
amytie And rede the same opynly byfore the kyng and the
assemble bothe of Englisshe & frenche/ to the w^che the kyng
subscribed w^t hys owen hand and the Graund Mr for the frenche
kyng in lyke wyse/ the w^che was sealed w^t seales of fynne gold
engraven and delyuerd to eche other as ther firme deades/ And
all thys don & fynysshed they departed/ the kyng rode home to
the Cardynalles howse at westminster to dynner w^t whome
dyned all the ffrenche men/ passyng all day after in Consultacion
in waytie matters touchyng the conclusion of thys peace &
amytie// that don the kyng went agayn by water to Grenw^che/
at whos departyng it was determyned by the kynges devyse that
the ffrenche gentilmen shold resort vnto Richemond to hunt
there in euery of the parkes/ And frome thence to hampton
Court And there in lyke wyse to hunt/ And there my lord
Cardynall to make for theme a Supper & lodge theme there that
nyght/ And frome thence they shold ride to wyndesore/ And
there to hunt/ And after ther retourne to london they shold
resort to the Court where as the kyng wold bankett theme/ And
this perfectly determyned the kyng & the frenche departyd////

Then was there no moore to do but to make provysion at
hampton Court for thys assemble/ ayenst the day appoynted/
my lord called for his pryncypall officers of hys howsse as his
 [Page 68]  steward/ Controller And the Clarkes of his kytchen whome he
commaundyd to prepare for this bankett at hampton Court And
nother to spare for expences or travell to make them suche
tryhumphant chere as they may not oonly wonder at hit here
but also make a gloryous report in ther Contrie to the kynges
honour & of this Realme/ his pleasure oons knowen to accom­
plysshe his commaundeme^t they sent forthe all ther Cators/
purveyours & other persons to prepare of the fynnest vyandes
that they cowld gett other for mony or frendshyppe among my
lordes frendes/ Also they sent for all the expertest Cookes
besydes my lordes that they could gett in all Englond where they
myght be gotten to serue to garnysshe this feast/ The pur­
vyours brought and sent In suche plenty of Costly provysion as
ye wold wonder at the same/ The Cookes wrought bothe nyght
& day in dyuers subtiltes and many crafty devisis/ where lakked
nother gold, Syluer ne any other costly thyng meate for ther
purpose/ The yomen And Gromes of the ward Robbes ware
busied in hangyng of the Chambers w^t costly hangynges And
furnysshyng the same w^t Beddes of sylke and other furnyture
apte for the same in euery degree/ Than my lord Cardynall sent
me beyng gentilman vssher w^t ij other of my ffellowes to
hampton Court to fforsee all thynges touchyng our Romes/ to be
noblely garnysshed accordyngly/ ower paynnes ware not small
or lyght/ but travellyng dayly frome Chamber to Chamber/ Than
the Carpenters, the Ioynors, the Masons, the paynters, And all
other Artificers necessary to glorefie the howsse & feast ware
sett a worke/ there was cariage & recariage of plate, stuffe, and
other riche Impleme^tes/ So that there was no thyng lakkyng or
to be Imagyned or dwvysed for the purpose/ There was also
xiiij^xx beddes providyd and furnysshed w^t all maner of ffurny­
ture to them belongyng to long partuculerly here to reherse/ but
to all wysmen it suffisithe to Imagyn that knowyth what
 [Page 69]  belongythe to the ffurnyture of suche a tryhumphant feast or
bankett///  [Fol. 37] 

The day was come/ that to the ffrenchemen was assigned and
they redy assembled at hampton Court (some thyng byfore the
hower of ther appoyntment)/ wherfore the Officers caused them
to Ride to hanworthe a place & parke of the kynges w^tin ij or
iij^re mylles there to hunt & spend the tyme vntill nyght/ At
w^che tyme they retorned agayn to hampton Court/ And euery
of them conveyed to hys Chamber seuerally havyng in them
great fiers and wynne redy to refresshe theme remaynyng there
vntill ther Supper was redy And the Chambers where they
shold suppe ware ordered in dewe forme/ The first waytyng
chamber was hanged w^t fynne Arras And so was all the rest oon
better than an other furnysshed w^t talle yomen/ there was sett
tables round abought the Chamber bankett wyse all couered w^t
fynne clothes of dyaper/ A Cup bord w^t plate of parcell gylt/
havyng also in the same chamber to geve the more lyght iiij^or
plates of syluer sett w^t lightes vppon them/ a great fier in the
Chymney/ The next chamber beyng the Chamber of presence
hanged w^t very riche arras/ wherin was a gorgious & a precyous
clothe of estate hanged vppe/ replenysshed w^t many goodly
gentilmen redy to serue/ the bordes ware sett as thother bordes
ware in the other chamber byfore/ save that the highe table was
sett & removed benethe the clothe of estate towardes the myddes
of the chamber couered w^t fynne lynnen clothes of dammaske
worke swetly perfumed/ there was a Cupboard made (for the
tyme) in lengthe of the bredthe of the nether end of the same
chamber of vj^th deskes highe/ full of gilt plate very somptious &
of the most newest facions/ and vppon the nether most deske
garnysshed all w^t plate of clean gold hauyng ij great Candylstykes
of syluer & gylt most Curiously wrought the worke manshype
wherof w^t the syluer cost iij^c markes and lightes of waxe as bygge
as torches burnyng vppon the same/ this Cupbord was barred
in round abought that no man myght come nyghe it/ ffor there
 [Page 70]  was none of the same plate occupied or sterred duryng this
feast for ther was sufficient besides// the plattes that hong on the
walles to geve lightes in the chamber ware of syluer & gylt w^t
lightes burnyng in them and a great fier in the chymney/ And all
other thynges necessary for the furnyture of so noble a feast///

Nowe was all thinges in a redynes and Supper tyme at hand/
My lordes Officers caused the Truppettes to blowe to warne to
Supper And the seyd Officers went right discretly in dewe
order And conducted thes nobyll personages frome ther
Chambers vnto the Chamber of presence where they shold
Suppe/ And they beyng there caused them to sytt down/ ther
seruyce was brought vppe in suche order & Aboundaunce bothe
Costly & full of subtilties w^t suche a pleasaunt noyce of dyuers
Instrumentes of musyke/ that the ffrenche men (as it semyd)
ware rapte in to an hevynly paradice/ ye must vnderstand that
my lord was not there ne yet come/ but they beyng mery and
plesaunt w^t ther fare/ devysyng and wonderyng vppon the
subtilties/ byfore the second Course/ my lord Cardynall came In
among them, booted & sporred (all sodenly) And bad them
proface/ At whos commyng they wold haue risyn & gyve place/
w^t myche Ioye/ whome my lord commaundyd to sitt still & kepe
ther Romes/ And strayt way (beyng not shifted of his ridyng
apparell) called for a Chayer/ And satt hyme self down in the
myddes of the table/ lawghyng & beyng as mery as euer I sawe
hyme in all my lyfe/ Anon came vppe the Second Course w^t so
many disshes, subtilties, & curious devysis w^che ware above an
C^th in nomber of so goodly proporcion and Costly/ that I
suppose the ffrenchemen neuer sawe the lyke/ the wonder was no
lesse than it was worthy in deade/ there ware Castelles w^t
Images in the same/ powlles Chirche & steple in proporcion for
the quantitie as well counte^rfeited as the paynter shold haue
paynted it vppon a clothe or wall/ There ware, beastes, byrdes,
fowles of dyuers kyndes And personages most lyvely made &
counterfet in dysshes/ some fightyng (as it ware) w^t swordes/
some w^t Gonnes and Crosebowes/ Some vaughtyng & leapyng/
 [Page 71]  Some dauncyng w^t ladyes/ Some in complett harnes Iustyng w^t
speres/ And w^t many more devysis than I ame able w^t my wytt
to discribbe/ Among all oon I noted/ there was a Chesse bord
subtilly made of spiced plate/  [Fol. 38]  w^t men to the same/ And
for the good proporcyon bycause that frenche men be very
experte in that play/ my lord gave the same to a gentilman of
fraunce commaundyng that a Case shold be made for the same/
in all hast to preserue it frome perysshyng in the conveyaunce
therof in to hys Contrie/ Then my lord toke a boll of gold (w^che
was estemed at the valewe of .V.^Cth markes) And fillyd w^t
Ipocras (wherof there was plentie) putyng of his Cappe sayed/
I drynke to the kyng my souerayn lord & Mr/ and the kyng yo^r
mayster/ And ther w^t dranke a good draught/ And whan he had
don, he desired the graund Mr to plege hyme cuppe & all/ the
w^che Cuppe he gave hyme/ And so caused all thother lordes &
gentilmen in other Cuppes to plege thes ij Royall prynces/ then
went Cuppes meryly abought that many of the ffrenche men
were fayn to be led to ther beddes/ Than went my lord (levyng
theme syttyng still) in to hys privye Chamber to shyft hyme And
makyng there a very short sopper or rather a small repast
retorned Agayn among theme in to the chamber of presence/
vsing them so nobly w^t so lovyng & famylier Countenaunce &
entertaynment that they cowld not commend hyme to myche/
And whillest they ware in Commynycacion And other pastymes/
all ther lyueres ware serued to ther chambers/ Euery chamber
had a bason & an yewer of siluer & some clean gylt & some
parcell gylt and some ij great pottes of siluere in lyke maner
And oon pott at the least w^t wyne & beare/ A boll or Coblett/
And a siluer pott to drynk bere/ a siluer kandyllstyke or ij/ bothe
w^t whight lyghtes & yelewe lightes of iij^re Cisis of waxe/ and a
staffe torche/ a fynne maynchett & a cheete love of brede/ thus
 [Page 72]  was euery chamber ffurnysshed thoroughe owt the howsse And
yet the ij Cupbordes in the too bankettyng Chambers not oons
towched/ Than beyng past mydnyght as tyme serued they ware
conveyed to ther lodgynges to take ther rest for that nyght/ In
the mornyng of the next day (not early) they rose & hard masse
& dyned w^t my lord/ And so departed toward wyndesore
and there hunted delightyng myche of the Castell & Collage and
in the order of the Garter/ they beyng departed frome hampton
Court/ my lord retourned agayn to westminster bycause it was
in the myddes of the terme/ Yt is not to be doughted but that
the kyng was privye of all this worthy feast/ who entendyd ferre
to exced the same/ whome I leave vntill the retourne of the
frenche men who gave a specyall commaundement to all his
Officers to devyse a farre Sumptioser bankett for thes strayngers
otherwyse than they had at hampton Court w^che was not nec­
lectyd but most spedely put in execucion w^t great delygence//

After the retorne of thes Strayngers frome wyndesore/ w^che
place w^t the goodly order therof/ they myche Commendyd/ The
day Approched that they ware invited to the Court at Grenw^che/
where first they dyned/ And after long consultacion of the
Sagest w^t our Councellours/ dauncyng of the rest & other
pastyme the tyme of Supper came on/ Than was the bankettyng
Chamber in the Tyltyerd furnysshed for thentertaynme^t of thes
estrayngers/ to the w^che place they ware conveyed by the noblest
persones beyng than in the Court/ where they bothe Supped &
banketted/ But to discrybe the disshes, the subtylltes, the many
straynge devysis/ & order in the same/I do bothe lake wytt in
my grosse old hed & Cunnyng in my bowelles to declare the
wonderfull and Curious Imagynacions in the same Inventyd &
devysed/ yet this ye shall vnderstand that allthoughe it was at
hampton Court marvelous Sumptious/ yet dyd thys bankett
ferre exced the same as fynne gold dothe siluer/ in waytt &
valewe/ And for my part I must nedes confesse (w^che sawe
them bothe) that I neuer sawe the lyke or rede in any story
 [Page 73]  or cronycle of any suche feast// In the myddes of this bankett
ther was tornyng at the barriers (evyn in the Chamber) w^t lusty
gentilmen in gorgious complett harnoys on foote/ Than was
there the lyke on horssebake/ And after all this there was the
most goodlyest disguysyng or enterlude made in latten &
frenche/ whos apparell was of suche excedyng riches that it
passithe my capacitie to expound/ this don than came in suche a
nomber of fayer ladys & gentilwomen that bare any brute or fame
of beawtie in all this realme/ in the most richest apparell and
devysied in dyuers goodly facions that all the connyngest
tayllours could devyse to shape or Cut to sett forthe ther
beawtie, geesture, & the goodly proporcion of ther bodyes/ who
semyd to all men more Ayngelyke than yerthely made of flesshe
& bone/ (Sewerly to me Symple sowle) it semyd
Inestymable to be discribed/ And so I thynke it was to other of a
more higher Iugeme^t/ w^t whome thes Gentilmen of ffraunce
daunced vntill an other maske cam In of noble Gentilmen/ who
daunced & masked w^t thes fayer ladyes & gentillwomen euery
man as hys ffantazy serued theme/ this don and the maskers
departed/ there came in an other maske of ladyes so gorgiously
apparelled in costly garmentes that I dare not presume to take
vppon me to make therof any declaracion lest I shold retther
deface than beawtifie them therfore I leave it ontouched/ Thes
ladys maskeresses toke eche of theme a frenche gentilman/ to
daunce & maske w^t theme/ ye shall vnderstand that thes lady
maskers spake good ffrenche w^che delighted myche thes gentil­
men to here thes ladyes speke to theme in ther owen tong/ thus
was thys nyght occupied & consumed frome .v. of the cloke vntill
ij or iij after mydnyght at w^che tyme it was convenyent for all
estattes to drawe to ther rest/ And thus euery man departed/
whether as they had most releave//

Than as nothyng/ other helthe wealthe or pleasure can
allwayes endure So endyd this tryhumphant bankett/ the w^che
 [Page 74]  in the next mornyng semyd to all the beholders but as a ffantas­
ticall dreame/ After all this solompne chere at a day appoynted
they prepared them to retourne w^t bagg & baggage/ than as
to the office of all honorable persons dothe appurteyn/ they
resorted in good order to the Court to take ther leave of the kyng
and other noble men than beyng there/ to whome the kyng
commytted his pryncely commendacions to the kyng ther Mr/
And thanked theme of ther paynnes & travell And after long
commynycacion w^t the most honorable of that ambassett/ he
bad theme adewe/ who was assigned by the Councell to repayer
vnto my lord Cardynall for to receyve the kynges most noble
reward/ wherfore they repayred to my lord & takyng of ther
leave/ they receyved euery man the kynges reward/ after this
sort euery honorable person in estymacion had most comenly
plate to the valewe of iij^re or iiij^cii & some more & some lesse
besides other great gyftes receyved at the kynges handes byfore/
as riche gownes, horsses or goodly geldynges/ of great valewe &
goodnes/ and some had waytie chaynnes of fynne gold w^t dyuers
other gyftes w^che I cannot nowe call to my remembraunce/ but
this I knowe that the lest of them all had a Somme of
Crownes of gold/ the worst page among them had xx^ti Crownnes
for his part/ and thus they (nobley rewardyd) departed And my
lord after humble commendacions had to the ffrenche kyng he
bade them a dewe/ And the next day they conveyed all ther
stuffe & furnyture vnto the sees side/ accompanied w^t lusty
yong gentilmen of Englond/ but what prayse or commendacions
they made in ther Countrie at ther retorne in good faythe I
cannot tell you for I neuer hard any thyng therof

Than began other matters to brewe & take place/ that occupied
all mens hedes w^t dyuers Imagynacions/ whos stomakes ware
therw^t fulfilled w^tout any perfect disgestion/ The long hyd &
secrett love bytwen the kyng and m{rs} Anne Boloyn began to
breke owt in to euery mans eares/ the matter was than by the
kyng disclosed to my lord Cardenall/ whos perswasion to the
 [Page 75]  contrarie made to the kyng vppon his knees cowld not effect/ the
kyng was so amorously affeccionate/ that wyll bare place/ and
highe discression banysshed for the tyme/ My lord provoked by
the kyng to declare his wyse oppynyon in thys matter for the
furtheraunce of his desired affecte/ who thought it not mete for
hyme alone to wade to ferre to geve his hasty Iugeme^t or advyse
in so waytie a matter desiered of the kyng licence to axe the
Councell of men of Auncyent study & of ffamous learnyng
bothe in the lawes dyvyn & Civell (that opteyned) he by his
legantyne Auctorytie sent owt his commyssion vnto all the
bysshoppes of this realme and for other that was exactly owther
learned in any of the seyd lawes/ or elles had in any estymacion
for ther prudent Councell & Iugeme^t in pryncely affayers of
long experyence/ Than assembled these prelattes byfore my
lord Cardynall at his place in westminster w^t many other famous
& notable Clarkes of bothe the vnyuersites/ Oxford & Cambryge/
and also owt of dyuers Colleges & cathederall chirches of this
realme renommed & allowed learned & of wytty discression
in the determynacion of doughtfull questions// Than was the
matter of the kynges Case debated, reasonyd & Argued
Consultyng frome day to day & tyme to tyme/ that it was to men
learned a goodly heryng/ but in Conclusion it semyd me by the
departure of the Auncyent fathers of the lawes/ that they
departed w^t oon Iugement contrary to thexpectacion of the
princypall parties/ I hard the oppynyon of Somme of the most
famous persons among that sort report/ that the kynges case was
so obscure & doughtfull for any learned man to  [Fol. 40]  discus/
the poyntes therin ware so darke to be credyttyd that it was very
hard to haue any true vnderstandyng or Intellygence/ And
therfore they departed w^tout any resolucion or Iugeme^t/ Than
in this assemble of bysshoppes it was thought most expedyent
that the kyng shold fyrst send owt his commyssioners in to all
the vnyuersites of Cristendome/ As well here in Englond as in
to fforreyn Contries and regions/ to haue among them his
 [Page 76]  graces case Argued substancyally And to bryng w^t them frome
thence the very defynycion of ther oppynyoons in the same/
vnder the sealles of euery seuerall vnyuersitie/ thus was ther
determynacion for thys tyme/ And thervppon agreed that
Commyssioners ware Incontynent appoynted and sent forthe
abought this matter in to seuerall vnyuersites/ as some to
Oxford Some to Cambryge/ some to lovayn/ Some to Paris/
Some to Orlyaunce/ some to bononye/ And some to Padwaye/
And some to other/ Allthough thes Commyssioners had the
traveylle/ yet was the charges the kynges the w^che was no small
sommes of mony/ And all went owt of the kynges Coffers in to
fforrayn Regions/ ffor as I hard it reported of credyble persons
(as it semed in dead) that besides the great charges of the
Commyssioners ther was in estimable Sommes of mony gevyn
to the ffamous Clarkes to choke theme/ and in especyall to
suche as hade the gouernaunce & custody of ther vnyuersite
sealles/ In so myche as they agreed not oonly in oppynyons but
also opteyned of theme the vnyuersites sealles (the w^che atteyned)
they retourned home agayn furnesshed for ther purpose at whos
retorne ther was no small Ioy made of the pryncypall parties/
In so myche as the Commyssioners ware not oonly euer in great
estymacion but also most liberally auaunced & rewardyd/ fferre
beyond ther worthy desertes/ Notw^tstandyng they prospered/
And the matter went still forward/ hauyng than as they thought
a sewer foundacion to ground them vppon/ thes procedynges
beyng oons declared to my lord Cardynall/ Sent agayn for all
the bysshoppes whome he made privye of thexpedicion of the
commyssioners and for the very profe therof he shewed theme
the oppynyons of the seuerall vnyuersites in writyng vnder ther
vnyuersities sealles/ Thes matters beyng thus brought to passe/
they went oons agayn to consultacion/ howe thes matters shold
be ordered/ to the purpose/ Yt was than thought good &
concludyd by the Advyse of them all that the kyng shold (to
avoyd all ambyguyties) send vnto the pope a legacion w^t the
 [Page 77]  Instrume^t declaryng the oppynyons of the vnyuersites vnder ther
sealles To the w^che it was thought good that all thes prelattes in
this assemble shold Ioyn w^t the kyng in thys legacion makyng
intersession & sewte to the pope for advyse & Iugement in this
great & waytie matter/ And if the pope wold not dyrectly
consent to the same request that than the Ambassitors shold
further requyer of hyme a Commyssion to be dirrected vnder
leade/ to establysshe a court Iudicyall in England (ac vice
tantum) directed to my lord Cardynall & vnto the Cardynall
Campagious w^che was than bysshope of Bathe/ (Althoughe he
ware a straynger) w^che the kyng gave hyme at suche tyme as he
was the Popes ambassitorie here in Englond/ to here & determyn
accordyng to the Iust Iugementes of ther concyence/ The w^che
after long & great sewt they oppteyned of the pope his com­
mysson/ this don and atchyved they made retorne in to Englond
makeng report vnto the kyng of ther expedicion/ trustyng that
hys graces pleasure & purpose shold nowe perfectly be brought
to passe/ consideryng the estate of the Iuges who ware the
Cardynall of Englond & of Campagious beyng bothe hys hignes
subiectes in effecte/

Long was the desier & greatter was the hoppe/ on all sides
expectyng the Commyng of the lagacion & Commyssion frome
Rome yet at lengthe yt came/ And after the arryvall of the legat
Campasious (w^t thys solompne commyssion) in England/ he
beyng sore vexed w^t the gowtte was constrayned by force
therof to make a long Iourney or euer he came to london/ who
shold haue byn most solompnly receyved at Blak hethe/ And so
w^t great tryhumphe conveyed to london but his glory was suche/
that he wold in no wyse be entertayned w^t any suche pompe or
vaynglory/ who suddenly came by water in a wyry to his owen
howsse w^tout Temple barre called than Bathe place w^che was
furnysshed for hyme w^t all maner of Stuffe & Impleme^tes of my
lordes provysion/ where he contynued & lodged duryng his abode
here in Englond/ Than after some delyberacion/ his commyssion
 [Fol. 41]  vnderstandyd, rede, & perceyved/ yt was by the councell
 [Page 78]  determyned that the kyng & the Quene his wyfe shold be
lodged at Bridewell/ And that in the blake ffriers a certyn place
shold be appoynted where as the kyng & the Quene myght most
convenyently repaire to the Court there to be erected & kepte
for the disputacion & determynacion of the kynges case/ where
as thes ij legattes sat In Iugeme^t as notable Iuges/ byfore whome
the kyng & the Quene ware dewly Cited and Sommoned to
appere/ w^che was the strayngest & newest sight & devyse that
euer was rede or hard in any history or Cronycle in any Region/
That a kyng and a quene/ to be convented and constrayned by
processe compellatory to appere in any Court (as comen persons)
w^t in ther owen Realme or domynyon to abyde the Iugeme^t &
decrees of ther owen subiectes/ havyng the dyadem & preroga­
tyfe therof Ys it not a world to consider the desier of wylfull
prynces whan they fully be bent and Inclyned to fullfyll ther
voluptious Appetytes/ Ayenst the w^che no reasonable per­
swasions wyll suffice/ littill or no thyng wayeng or regardyng the
dayngerous sequelles that dothe ensue as well to them selfes as
to ther Realme & subiectes/ And Above all thynges ther is no
oon thyng that causithe theme to be more wylfull than Carnall
desier & voluptious affeccion of folyshe love/ thexperyence is
playn in this case bothe manyfest & evydent/ ffor what surmysed
Invencions hathe byn Invented/, what lawes hathe byn enacted/,
what noble and auncyent monastorys ouerthrowen & defaced/
what dyuersites of religious oppynyons hathe rissyn/ what
execucions hathe byn commytted/ howe many famous &
notable Clarkes hathe suffered deathe/ what charitable founda­
cions ware peruertyd frome the releafe of the poore vnto
prophan vsis/ And what alteracions of good and holsome
auncyent lawes & custumes hathe byn tossed by wyll & wyllfull
desier of the prynce/ almost to the subuercyon and desolacion of
this noble Realme/ all men may vnderstand what hathe chaunced
to this reegion/ The prove ther of hathe taught all vs Englisshe­
men a comen experyence/ the more is the pitie/ & to all good
 [Page 79]  men very lamentable to be considered/ yf eyes be not blynd men
may se/ if eares be not stopped they may here/ And if pitie be not
inordynat/ Carnall love/ the plage wherof is not seased
(allthoughe this love lasted but a whyle) w^che our lord quenche/
And take frome vs his Indygnacion/ Quia peccauimus cum
Patribus nostris et Iniuste egimus/ &ce/

Ye shall vnderstand/ As I sayd before/ that there was a
Courte erected in the blake ffriers in london/ where thes ij
Cardynalles satt for Iuges/ Nowe wyll I set you owte the maner
& order of the Court there/ ffirst there was a Court placed w^t
tabylles, benches, & barres, lyke a consistory a place Iudicyall
for the Iuges to sytt on/ there was also a clothe of estate vnder
the w^che sate the kyng/ & the Quene sat some distaunce benethe
the kyng/ vnder the Iuges feet sat the officers of the Court/ the
chefe Scribbe there/ was than Doctor Stephens (w^che was after
bysshope of wynchester) the apparitor was oon Cooke (most
comenly called Cooke of wynchester) Than satt there w^t in the
seyd Court directly byfore the kyng & Iuges/ the Archebisshope
of Caunterbure (Doctor warham) and all the other bysshoppes/
than At bothe thendes w^t a barre made for them/ the councelles
on bothe sydes/ the doctors for the kyng was Doctor Sampson
w^che was after bysshope of Chichester/ And Doctor Bell w^che
after was bysshope of worcetor/ w^t dyuers other/ the proctors on
the kynges part was doctor Peter/ w^che was after made the kynges
chefe secretory/ And Doctor Tregonell/ And dyuers other/
Nowe on thother side stode the Councell for the quene/ Doctor
ffissher Bisshope of Rochester/ And Doctor Standysshe Some­
tyme a gray ffreer and than bysshope of Saynt Assa^ph in wales/
ij notable Clarkes in dyvynytie and in especyall the bysshoppe
of Rochester/ a very godly man and a devout person/ who after
sufferd deathe at Tower hyll the w^che was greatly lamented
thoroughe all the forrayn vnyuersites of cristendom/ ther was
also an other auncyent doctor called (as I do remember) doctor
 [Page 80]  Rydley a very small person in stature/ but sewerly a great & an
excellent Clarke in dyvynytie/ The Court beyng thus ffurnysshed
& ordered/ The Iuges commaundyd the Crier to commaund
Scylence/ than was the Iuges Commyssion w^che they had of the
pope publysshed & red opynly byfore all the Audyence there
assembled/ that don/ the Crier called the kyng by the name of
kyng herre of Englond come in to the Court/ &ce/ w^t that the
kyng answered & sayd (here my lordes) than he called also the
quene/ by the name of katheren quen of Englond come in to the
Court/ &ce/ who made no answere to the same/ but rose vppe
incontynent  [Fol. 42]  owt of hir chayer where as she satt/ And
bycause she cowld not come dyrectly to the kyng/ for the
distaunce w^che seuered theme/ she toke payn to goo abought
vnto the kyng knelyng down at his feete/ in the sight of all the
Courte & assemble/ To whome she sayd in effect/ in broken
Englysshe as folowyth/

Syr/ q^d she/ I beseche you for all the loves that hathe byn
bytwen vs And for the love of god/ lett me haue Iustice & right/
take of me some pitie & compassion/ for I ame a poore woman
and a Straynger borne owte of yo^r domynyon/ I haue here no
assured frendes/ And muche lesse Indifferent Councell/ I flee
to you as to the hed of Iustice w^t in thys realme/ Alas sir where
In haue I offendyd you/ or what occasion of displeasure haue
1 deserued ayenst yo^r wyll or pleasure/ entendyng (as I perceyve)
to put me frome you/ I take god & all the world to wytnes that
I haue byn to you a trewe humble and obedyent wyfe/ euer
confirmable to yo^r wyll and pleasure that neuer sayed or dyd
any thyng to the contrarye therof/ beyng allwayes well pleased
& contented w^t all thynges wherin ye had any delight or
dalyaunce/ whether it ware in littill or myche/ I neuer grudged
in word or countenaunce or shewed a vysage or sparke of
discontentacion/ I loved all thos whome ye loved/ oonly for yo^r
sake/ whether I had cause or no/ and whether they ware my
ffrendes or my ennemyes/ this xx^ti yeres I haue byn yo^r true
 [Page 81]  wyfe (or more) and by me ye haue had dyuers childerne/
Allthoughe it hathe pleased god to call theme owt of this
world/ w^che hathe byn no default in me/ And whan ye had me
at the ffirst (I take god to be my Iuge) I was a true mayed w^towt
touche of man/ And whether it be true or no I put it to yo^r
concyence/ Yf there be any Iust cause by the lawe that ye can
allegge ayenst me other of dishonestie or any other Impedyme^t
to banysshe & put me frome you/ I ame well content to departe
to my great shame & dishonour/ And if there be none/ than here
I most lowly beseche you lett me remayn in my former estate
And to receyve Iustice at yo^r pryncely handes/ The kyng yo^r
ffather was in the tyme of his Reyn of suche estymacion
thoroughe the world for his excellent wysdome that he was
accompted and called of all men/ the second Salamon/ And my
ffather fferdynando kyng of spayn who was estemed to be oon
of the wyttiest Prynces that Reygned in Spayn many yeres
byfore/ Who ware bothe wyse & excellent kynges in wysdome &
pryncely behauour/ yt is not therfore to be doughted but that
they elected & gathered as wyse Councellers abought theme as
to ther highe discressions was thought mete/ Also as me semyth
ther was in thos dayes/ as wyse, as well learned men/ And men
of as good Iugeme^t as be at this present in bothe Realmes/ Who
thought than the mariage bytwen you And me good & lawfull/
Therfore it is a wonder to me/ what newe Invencions are nowe
Invented ayenst me/ that neuer entendyd but honestie/ And
cause me to stand to the order & Iugeme^t of this newe Court/
wherin ye may do me myche wrong if ye entend any Cruel­
tie/ ffor ye may condempne me for lake of sufficyent Answere/
hauyng no Indifferent Councell/ but suche as be assigned me/
w^t whos wysdome & learnyng I ame not acquaynted/ ye must
Consider that they cannot be Indifferent councellers for my
parte/ w^che be yo^r subiectes & taken owt of yo^r owen councell
byfore wherin they be made pryvye/ And dare not for yo^r
displeasure disobey yo^r wyll & entent/ beyng oons made privye
 [Page 82]  ther to/ ther for I most humbly requyer you in the way of
charitie and for the love of god (who is the Iuste Iuge) to spare
thextremytye of thys newe Court vntill I may be aduertised
what way & order my frendes in Spayn woll advyse me to take/
And if ye wyll not extend to me so myche Indifferent ffauour/
your pleasure than be fullfilled/ And to god I commyt my case/
And evyn w^t that she rose vppe makyng lowe curtosye to the
kyng/ And so departed frome thence/ Supposed that she wold
haue resortyd agayn to hir former place/ but she toke hir direct
way owt of the howsse/ leanyng (as she was wont allwayes to
do/) vppon the arme of hir Generall receyvour called mr
Griffithe/ And the kyng beyng aduertysed of hir departure
commaundyd the Crier to call hir agayn/ who called hir by the
name of katheren quen of Englond come in to the Court// &ce/
w^t that q^d Gryffyth/ madame ye be called agayn/ on on/ q^d she/ it
 [Fol. 43]  makes no matter/ for it is no Indifferent Court for me/
therfore I wyll not tary/ goo on yo^r wayes/ And thus she
departyd owt of that Court w^t out any further Answere at that
tyme or at any other nor wold neuer appere in any Court after/

The kyng perceyveng/ that she was departed in suche sort
callyng to his graces memory all hir lamentable wordes that she
had pronuncyd byfore hyme & all the Audyence/ sayd thus in
effect/ ffor as myche/ q^d he/ as the quen is goon I wyll in hir
absence/ declare vnto you all my lordes here presently assembled/
She hathe byne to me as true obedyent & as confirmable a wyfe
as I cowld in my fantzy wyshe or desier/ She hathe all the
vertuouse qualities that owght to be in a woman of hir dignytie
or in any other of basser estate/ Sewerly/ she is also a noble
woman borne/ if nothyng ware in hir but oonly hir condicyons
woll well declare the same/ w^t that q^d my lord Cardynall sir I
most humbly beseche yo^r highnes to declare me byfore all this
Audyence/ whether I haue byn the cheafe Inventor or first
mover of this matter vnto yo^r maiestie/ for I ame greatly sus­
pected of all men herein// My lord Cardynall/ q^d the kyng/ I can
well excuse you herin/ mary indeade ye haue byn rather ayenst
 [Page 83]  me in attemptyng or settyngforthe ther of/ And to put you all
owt of dought I wyll declare vnto you thespecyall cause that
moved me herevnto/ yt was a certyn Scripulositie that prykked
my concyence vppon dyuers wordes that ware spoken at a
certyn tyme by the Bysshope of Biean the frenche kynges
Ambassitor/ who had lyen here long vppon the debatyng for the
conclusion of a mariage to be concludyd bytwen the prynces our
doughter Marye/ and the yong duke of Orlyaunce the ffrenche
kynges second Sonne/ And vppon the resolucyon & deter­
mynacion therof he desired respight to aduertise the kyng his
mr therof/ whether our doughter Marie shold be legittimate/ in
respect of the mariage w^che was somtyme bytwen the Quene here
& my brother late prynce Arthure/ thes wordes ware so con­
ceyved w^t in my scripulous concyence/ that it brede a doughtfull
prike w^t in my brest w^che dought prykked vexed & trobled so
my mynd And so disquyoted me that I was in great
dowght of goddes Indignacion (w^che as semyd me) appered right
well/ myche the rather for that he hathe not sent me any Issue
male/ ffor all suche issue males as I haue receyved of the
quene died incontynent after they ware borne/ so that I dought
the punysshement of god in that behalf/ Thus/ beyng trobled in
waves of a scripulos concience/ And partly in dispayer of any
Issue male by hir/ it drave me at last to consider thestate of this
Realme/ And the daynger it stode in for lake of Issue male/ to
succed me in this Emperyall dignyte/ I thought it good therfore
in the releafe of the waytie borden of scrypulous concience/ And
the quyet estate of this noble Realme/ to attempte the lawe ther
in And wether I myght take an other wyfe/ in case that my first
copulacion w^t this gentilwoman ware not lawfull/ w^che I entend
not for any carnall concupisence, ne for any displeasure or
myslyke of the quens person or age/ w^t whome I could be as well
content to contynewe duryng my lyfe/ if our mariage may stand
w^t godes lawes as w^t any woman alyve/ in w^che poynt consistithe
all this dought that we goo nowe abought to trie by the learned
 [Page 84]  wysdome & Iugeme^tes of you our prelates & pastures of this
realme here assembled for that purpose to whos concyence and
Iugeme^t / I haue commytted the charge accordyng to the w^che
(god wyllyng) we will be Right well contentyd to submyt our
selfe to obbey the same for my part/ wherin after I oons per­
ceyved my concyence wondyd w^t the doughtfull case herin/ I
moved first this matter in confession to you my lord of lyncolne
(my gostly father)/ And for as myche as than your self ware in
some dought to geve me councell/ moved me to axe ferther
councell of all you my lordes/ wherin I moved you first my lord
of Caunterbury axyng yo^r lycence (for as myche as you ware our
Metropolytan) to put this matter in question/ And so I dyd of all
you my lordes/ to the w^che ye haue all graunted by writyng vnder
all yo^r seales/ the w^che I haue here to be shewed/ That is truthe
yf it please yo^r highnes (q^d the bysshope of Caunterbury) I
dought not but all my bretherne here present woll affirme the
same/ No sir not I/ q^d the bysshoppe of Rochester ye haue not
my consent therto/ no hathe/ q^d the kyng/ loke here vppon this
is not this yo^r hand & seale/ and shewed hyme the Instrument/
 [Fol. 44]  w^t Sealles/ No forsothe sir q^d the bysshope of Rochester
it is not my hand nor seale/ to that q^d the kyng to my lord of
Canterbury/ Sir howe say ye/ is it not his hand & seale/ yes sir
q^d he/ that is not so q^d the bysshope of Rochester/ for in dead
you ware in hand w^t me/ to haue bothe my hand & seale/ as other
of my lordes hathe all redy don/ but than I sayed to you that I
wold neuer consent to no suche acte for it ware myche agaynst
my concyence nor my hand & seale shold neuer be seen at any
suche Instrument (god wyllyng) w^t myche more matter touchyng
the same commynycacion bytwen vs/ you say truthe/ q^d the
bysshope of Canterbury suche wordes ye had vnto me/ but at the
last ye ware fully perswadid that I shold for you subscribe yo^r
 [Page 85]  name and put to a seale my selfe and ye wold allowe the same/
all w^che wordes & matter q^d the bysshope of Rochester vnder
yo^r correccion my lord & supportacion of this noble audyence/
ther is no thyng more ontrewe// well well/ q^d the kyng it shall
make no matter we woll not stand w^t you in argume^t here in for
you are but oon man/ And w^t that the Court was aiourned vntill
the next day of ther Session/

The next court day the Cardynalles satte there agayn/ At w^che
tyme the Councelles on bothe sydes ware there present/ The
kynges Councell alledged the mariage not good frome the
begynnyng by cause of the Carnall knowlege commytted
bytwen prynce Arthure hir first hosbond the kynges brother/
and hir/ thys matter beyng very sore touched & mayntened by
the kynges Councell/ and the contrary defendyd by suche as
toke vppon them to be on that other part w^t the good quene/
And to prove the same carnall copulacion they alleged many
colored reasons and symulitudes of trouthe/ it was answared
agayn negatifely on the other side by w^che it semed that all ther
former allegacions to be very doughtfull to be tried/ so that it
was sayd that no man cowld knowe the trowthe/ yes q^d the
bysshope of Rochester/ Ego nosco veritatem howe knowe ye the
trouthe/ q^d my lord Cardynall/ for sothe/ q^d he/ Ego sum
professor veritatis/ I knowe that god is truthe it self nor he neuer
spake but truthe/ w^che sayd/ Q^D deus coniunxit homo non
separet/ And for as myche as this mariage/ was mad and
Ioyned by god to a good entent I say that I knowe the trouthe/
the w^che cannot be broken or losed by the power of man vppon
no on fayned occasyon/ So myche dothe all faythfull men
knowe/ q^d my lord Cardynall/ as well as you/ yet this reason is
not sufficent in this case/ ffor the kynges Councell dothe allege
dyuers presumcyons to prove the mariage not good at the
begynnyng/ ergo/ say they/ it was not Ioyned by god at the
 [Page 86]  begynnyng & therfore it is not lawfull/ for god ordynyth nor
Ioynyth nothyng w^tout a Iust order therfore it is not to be
doughted but that ther presumcyons must be treu as yt playnly
apperys/ And no thyng can be more true/ in case ther allagacions
cannot be avoyded/ therfore to say that the matremony was
Ioyned of god/ ye must prove it ferther than by that texte w^che
ye haue alleged for yo^r matter/ for ye muste first avoyd ther
presumcyons/ Than q^d oon doctor Rydley/ Yt is a shame & a
great dishonor to this honorable persons that any suche pre­
sumpcyons shold be alledged in this opyn Court w^che be to all
good & honest men most detestable to be rehersed/ what q^d my
lord Cardynall/ Domine Doctor/ Magis reuerenter/ no no my
lord/ q^d he/ ther belongyth no reuerence to be gevyn to this
abhomynable presumcyons ffor an vnreuerent tale wold be
onreuerently answered/ And there they left & procedyd no
further at that tyme/

Thus thys court/ passed frome Cession to Session and day to
day/ In so myche that a certyn day the kyng sent for my lord at
the brekyng vppe oon day of the Court to come to hyme in to
Brydwell/ And to accomplysshe his commaundeme^t he went
vnto hyme/ And beyng there w^t hyme in commynycacion/ in his
graces privye chamber frome xj^en vnto xij^th of the cloke and past
at none/ my lord came owte & departed frome the kyng and
toke his barge at the blake ffriers steyers and so went to hys
howisse at westminster/ the bysshope of Carelyle beyng w^t
hyme in his barge sayd vnto hyme wypyng the swett frome his
face/ sir q^d he it is a very hot day/ yea q^d my lord Cardynall/ yf
ye had byn as well chaffed as I haue byn w^tin this hower/ ye wold
say it ware very hott/ And asson as he came home to his howesse
at westminster/ he went incontynent to his naked bed where he
 [Page 87]  had not lyen ffully the space of ij howers but that my lord of
wyltchere came to speke w^t hyme of a messwage frome the
kyng/ my lord hauyng vnderstandyng of his commyng caused
hyme to be brought  [Fol. 45]  vnto his beddes side/ And he beyng
there shewed that the kynges pleasure was that he shold
incontynent (accompaned w^t thother Cardynall) repayer vnto
the quene at Bridwell in to hir chamber/ to perswade hir by ther
wysdomes Advysyng hir to surrender the hole matter in to the
kynges handes by hir owen wyll & consent w^che shold be myche
better to hyr honor/ than to stand to the triall of the lawe/ and to
be condempned w^che shold be myche to hir slaunder & de­
famacion/ To fullfyll the kynges pleasure/ q^d my lord he was
redy and wold prepare hyme to goo thether owt of hand/ sayeng
further to my lord of wyltshere/ ye and other of my lordes of the
Councell w^che be nere vnto the kyng/ are not a littill to blame &
mysadvysed to put any suche ffantazis in to his hed wherby ye
are the causers of great troble to all this realme/ And at lengthe
gett you but small thankes owther of god or of the world/ w^t
many other veheme^t wordes & sentences that was lyke to ensewe
of thys matter/ w^che wordes caused my lord of wyltshere to
water his eyes knelyng all this while bye my lordes beddes syde
and in conclusion departed/ And than my lord Roose vppe &
made hyme redy takyng his barge And went strayt to bathe
place to the other Cardynall And so went to gether vnto
Bridwell/ dyrectly to the quenes lodgyng/ And they beyng in
hir Chamber of presence/ shewed to the gentilman vssher that
they came to speke w^t the quenes grace/ the gentilman vssher
Aduertised the quene ther of/ Incontynent w^t that she came
owt of hir privye Chamber w^t a skayn of whight thred abought
hir neke in to the chamber of presence/ where the Cardynalles
ware gevyng of attendaunce vppon hir Commyng/ At whos
commyng/ q^d she/ Alake my lordes I ame sory to cause you to
attend vppon me/ what is yo^r pleasure w^t me/ if it please you/
q^d my lord Cardynall/ to goo in to yo^r chamber/ we woll shewe
 [Page 88]  you the cause of our Commyng/ my lord/ q^d she/ Yf ye haue
any thyng to say speke it opynly byfore all thes folkes ffor
I feare no thyng that ye can sey or allege ayenst me/ but that
I wold all the world shold bothe here & se it/ therfor I pray you
speke yo^r mynd opynly/ Than began my lord to speake/ to hir
in latten// Nay good my lord/ q^d she/ speke to me in Englysshe
I beseche you/ allthoughe I vnderstand latten/ ffor sothe than/
q^d my lord/ Madame if it please yo^r grace we come bothe to
knowe yo^r mynd howe ye be disposed to do in thys
matter bytwen the kyng & you and also to declare secretly our
oppynyons & our Councell vnto w^che we haue entendyd of very
zele/ and obedyence that we beare to yo^r grace/ My lordes
I thanke you than q^d she/ of yo^r good wylles/ but to make
answare to yo^r request/ I cannot so sodenly for I was sett among
my maydens at worke thynkyng full littill of any suche matter/
wherin there nedyth a lenger deliberacion and a better hed than
myn to make answere to so noble wyse men as ye be/ I had nede
of good Councell in this case w^che touchethe me so nere/ And
for any Councell or frendshype that I can fynd in England are
nothyng to my purpose or profette/ thynke you (I pray you my
lordes) wyll any Englishe man councell or be frendly vnto me
ayenst the kynges pleasure they beyng his subiectes (nay for
sothe my lordes)/ And for my councell in whome I do entend to
put my trust be not here/ they be in Spayn in my natife
Countrie/ Alas my lordes I ame a poore woman lakkyng bothe
wytt & vnderstandyng sufficyently to answere suche approved
wyse men as ye be bothe in so waytie a matter/ I pray you to
extend yo^r good & indifferent myndes in yo^r auctorytie/ vnto me
for I ame a symple woman destitut & barrayn of frendshype and
Councell here in a forreyn Region/ And as for yo^r Councell
I woll not refuse but be glad to here/ And w^t that she toke my
lord by the hand and led hyme in to hyr privye chamber w^t
thother Cardynall/ where they ware in long Commynycacion/
we in the other Chamber myght some tyme here the quene speke
 [Page 89]  very lowde but what it was we could not vnderstand/ Ther
Commynycacion endyd the Cardynalles departed and went
directly to the kyng makyng to hyme relacion of ther talke w^t
the quene/ And after resortyd home to ther howsses to supper//
Thus went thys straynge Case forward frome Court day to
Court day/ vntill it came to Iugeme^t/ So that euery man expected
the Iugeme^t to be gevyn vppon the case at the next Court day/
At w^che day the kyng came thether and sat w^t in a gallery ayenst
the doore of the same that loked vnto the Iuges where they satt
whome he myght se & here speke/ to here what Iugement they
woold geve/ in his sewte/ At w^che tyme all ther procedynges ware
first opynly red in latten/ And that don the kynges learned
Councell  [Fol. 46]  At the barre called fast for Iugeme^t/ w^t that q^d
the Cardynall Campagious I wyll geve no Iugement herin vntill
I haue made relacion vnto the Pope of all our procedynges/
whos Councell & commaundeme^t in thys highe case I wyll
obserue/ the case is to hyghe (& notable knowen thoroughe all
the world) for vs to geve any hasty Iugeme^t/ consideryng the
highenes of the persons and the doughtfull allegacions/ And
also whos Commyssioners we be/ vnder whos auctorytie we sitt
here/ yt ware therfore reason that we shold make our cheafe hed
a councell in the same byfore we procede in to Iugeme^t defyny­
tyfe/ I come not so ferre to please any man for ffere, mede, or
fauour/ be he kyng or any other potentate/ I haue no suche
respect to the persons that I woll offend my consience/ I woll
not for fauour or displeasure of any highe estat or myghty prynce/
do that thyng that shold be ayenst the lawe of god/ I ame an old
man bothe syke & Impotent lokyng dayly for deathe/ what shold
it than avaylle me to put my sowlle in the daynger of goddes
displeasure to my vtter dampnacion for the fauour of any prynce
or hyghe estate in this world/ my commyng & beyng here is
oonly to se Iustice mynystred accordyng to my Concyence/ As
I thoughte therby the matter other good or bade/ And for as
myche as I do vnderstand and hauyng perceueraunce/ by the
 [Page 90]  allegacions And negacions in this matter layed for bothe the
parties that the truthe in this Case is very doughtfull to be
knowen/ and also that the partye defendaunt woll make no
answere ther vnto/ dothe rather Appell frome vs supposyng that
we be not Indifferent/ consideryng the kynges highe dignytie
And Auctorytie w^t in thys his owen realme/ w^che he hathe ouer
hys owen subiectes And we beyng his subiectes and hauyng our
lyvynges & dignytes in the same/ she thynkythe that we cannot
mynester true & Indifferent Iustice for feare of his displeasure/
Therfore to avoyd all thes Ambyguytes and obscure doughtes
I entend not to dampne my sowle for no prynce or potentate
alyfe/ I wold therfore (god wyllyng) wade no further in this
matter onles I haue the Iust oppynyon & Iugement w^t the
assent of the Pope/ And suche other of his councell as hathe
more experyence And better learnyng in suche doughtfull
lawes than I haue/ Wherfore I woll adiourne this Court
for this tyme accordyng to the order of the Court in Rome frome
whence this Court & Iurisdiccon is derevyed/ And if we shold
goo further than our commyssion dothe warraunt vs it ware folly
& vayn And myche to our slaunder & blames and myght be for
the same accompted brekers of the orders of the hygher Court
frome whence we haue (as I sayd) our orygynall Auctorytes/ w^t
that the Court was desolued/ And no more plee holden/ w^t that/
stept forthe the Duke of Suffolk frome the kyng And by his
commaundeme^t spake thes wordes w^t a stought & hault
countenaunce/ Yt was neuer (q^d he) mery in Englond whilest
we had Cardynalles among vs w^che wordes ware setforthe w^t
suche a vehement Countenaunce that all men marvelled what
he entendyd/ to whome no man made Answere/ The Duke
agayn spake thos wordes in great dispight/ to the w^che wordes
my lord Cardynall (perceyvyng his vehemency) soberly made
answere And sayd Sir of all men w^tin this Realme ye haue lest
cause to disprase or be offendyd w^t Cardynalles/ ffor if I symple
Cardynall had not byn/ ye shold haue had at this present no hed
vppon yo^r sholders wherin ye shold haue a tong to make any
suche report in dispight of vs who entendyd you no maner of
 [Page 91]  displeasure nor we haue geven you any occasion w^t suche
dispight to be revenged w^t yo^r hault wordes/ I wold ye knewe
it my lord that I and my brother here entendyd the kyng and his
realme as myche honour welthe & quyotnes as ye or any other
of what estat or degree so euer he be w^t in this realme/ And wold
as gladly accomplysshe his lawfull desier As the poorest subiect
he hathe// But my lord I pray shewe me/ what wold ye do if ye
ware the kynges Commyssioner in a fforrayn Region/ hauyng a
waytie matter to treate vppon And the conclusion beyng
doughtfull therof wold ye not Aduertise the kynges ma{tie} or
euer ye went thoroughe w^t the same/ yes, yes, my lord I dought
not/ Therfor I wold ye shold banysshe yo^r hastie malice &
dispight owt of yo^r hart/ And consider that we be but com­
myssioners for a tyme/ And can ne may not bye vertue of our
commyssion procede to Iugeme^t w^tout the knowlege & concent
of the chefe hed of our auctoritie/  [Fol. 47]  & havyng his concent
to the same w^che is the pope/ therfore we do no lesse ne other
wyse than our warraunt wyll beare vs/ And if any man wyll be
offendyd w^t vs therfore he is an vnwyse man/ wherfore my lord
hold yo^r peace/ and pacefie yo^r self and frame yo^r tong lyke a
man of honour & of wysdome/ And not to speke so quykly or so
reprochefully by yo^r frendes ffor ye knowe best what frendshype
ye haue receyved at my handes/ the w^che yet I neuer reveled to
no person alyve byfore nowe/ nowther to my glory ne to yo^r
dishonour/ And therw^t the Duke gave ouer the matter w^tout any
wordes to replie and so departed and folowed after the kyng
w^che was goon In to Bridwell at the begynnyng of the Dukes
first wordes//

Thys matter contynued long thus/ And my lord Cardynall
was in displeasure w^t the kyng for that the matter in his sewte
toke no better Successe/ the fault wherof was ascribed myche to
my lord/ notw^tstandyng my lord excused hyme allwayes by his
Commyssion w^che gave hyme no fferther auctoryte to proced in
Iugeme^t w^tout knowlege of the pope/ who reserued the same to
 [Page 92]  hyme self/ At the last they ware aduertised by ther post that the
pope wold take delyberacion in respeyght of Iugeme^t/ vntill his
Courtes ware opyned/ w^che shold not be a fore Bartholmewetyd
next/ The kyng consideryng the tyme to be very long or the
matter shold be determyned thought it good to send an newe
ambassett to the pope to perswade hyme to shewe suche
honorable favoure vnto his grace that the matter myght be soner
endyd than it was lykly to be/ or elles at the next Court in Rome
to ruell the matter ouer accordyng to the kynges request/ To this
ambassett was appoynted Doctor Stephyns than Secretory that
after was made Bysshope of wynchester/ who went thether and
there taried vntill the latter end of Sommer/ as ye shall here
after/ The kyng commaundyd the Quene to be removed owt of
the Court And sent vnto an other place/ and his hyghnes roode
in his progresse w^t Mrs Anne Boleyn in his company all the
grece season/ Yt was so that the Cardynall Campagious made
Sewte to be discharged that he myght retourne agayn to
Rome/ And yt chaunced that the Secretory w^che was the kynges
Ambassitor to the Pope was retorned frome Rome/ whervppon
it was determyned that the Cardynall Campagious shold resort
to the kyng at Grafton in Northamton shere and that my lord
Cardynall shold accompanye hyme thether/ where Campagious
shold take hys leave of the kyng/ And so they toke ther Iourney
thether ward frome the More and came to Grafton vppon the
Sonday in the mornyng/ byfore whos commyng ther rose in the
Court dyuers oppynyons that the kyng wold not speke w^t my
lord Cardynall and ther vppon ware layed many great wagers/
Thes ij prelattes beyng come to the Gattes of the Court where
they alyghted frome ther horssys/ Supposyng that they shold
haue byn receyved by the hed officers of the howsse (as they
ware wont to be) yet for as myche as Cardynall Campagious was­
but a straynger in effect/ the seyd Officers receyved them and
conveyed hyme to a lodgyng w^tin the Court w^che was prepared
for hyme oonly/ And after my lord had brought hyme thus to
his lodgyng/ he left hyme ther & departed supposyng to haue
 [Page 93]  goon directly lyke wyse to his Chamber (as he was accustumed
to do) and by the way as he was goyng it was told hyme that he
had no lodgyng appoynted for hyme in the Court and beyng ther
w^t astonyed/ Sir herre Norreys grome of the stole w^t the kyng
came vnto hyme (but wether it was by the kynges commaunde­
me^t or no I knowe not) and most humbly offered hyme hys
Chamber for the tyme vntill an other myght some where be
provyded for hyme/ ffor sir I assure you (q^d he) here is very
littill Rome in this howsse skantly sufficient for the kyng/ therfor
I beseche yo^r grace to accept myn for the season/ whome my
lord thanked for his gentill offer/ And went strayt to his
chamber/ where as my lord shyfted his ridyng apparell/ And
beyng thus in this Chamber/ dyuers noble persons & gentilmen
beyng his lovyng ffrendes came to visit hyme and to wellcome
hyme to the Court/ by whome my hed was aduertised of all
thynges touchyng the kynges displeasure towardes hyme w^che
dyd hyme no small pleasure/ & caused hyme to be the more
redyly provyded of sufficyent excusys for his defence/ Than was
my lord aduertysed by Mr Norres that he shold  [Fol. 48]  prepare
hyme self to geve attendaunce in the Chamber of presence ayenst
the kynges commyng thether/ who was disposed there to talke
w^t hyme and w^t the other Cardynall/ who came to my lordes
Chamber and they to gether went in to the seyd Chamber of
presence where the lordes of the Councell stode in a Rowe/ in
order a long the Chamber/ my lord puttyng of his Cappe to
euery of theme most gently/ And so did they no lesse to hyme/
at w^che tyme the Chamber was so ffurnysshed w^t noble men,
gentilmen, and other worthy persons that oonly expected the
meatyng & the countenaunce of the kyng & hyme/ & what
entertaynme^t the kyng made hyme/ Than Immedyatly after
came the kyng in to the Chamber/ and standyng there vnder the
Clothe of estate/ my lord kneled down byfore hyme who toke
my lord by the hand (and so he dyd the other Cardynall) than he
 [Page 94]  toke my lord vppe by bothe Armez & caused hyme to stand
vppe/ whome the kyng receyved w^t as amyable a chere as euer he
dyd/ & called hyme a side and led hyme by the hand to a
great wyndowe where he talked w^t hyme And caused hyme to
be Couered/ Than to behold the countenaunce of thos that had
made ther wagers to the contrarye/ yt wold haue made you to
smyle and thus ware they all dyssayved (as well worthy for ther
presumpcyon) the kyng was in long and ernest commynycacion
w^t hyme In so myche as I hard the kyng say/ howe can that be/
is not this yo^r owen hand/ and plukked owt frome hys bosome a
letter or writyng and shewed hyme the same/ and as I perceyved
that it was answerd so by my lord that the kyng had no more to
say/ in that matter but sayd to hyme/ my lord goo to yo^r dynner
and all my lordes here wyll kepe you company/ And after dynner
I wyll resort to you agayn/ and than we woll commen further w^t
you in this matter/ and so departed/ the kyng dynned that same
day w^t m{rs} Anne Boleyn in hir chamber (who kept there an
estate more lyke a quen than a symple mayd) than was a table
sett vppe in the chamber of presence for my lord & other lordes
of the Councell where they all dyned together/ and sittyng thus
at dynner commenyng of dyuers matters/ q^d my lord/ it
ware well don if the kyng wold send his chaplayns and bysshoppes
to ther Cures and benyfices/ yea mary q^d my lord of Norffolk/
ye say very well/ And so it ware for you to/ I cowld be contentyd
therw^t very well/ q^d my lord/ if it ware the kynges pleasure to
graunt me lycence w^t his fauour to goo to my benefice of
Wynchester/ Nay q^d my lord of Norffolk/ to yo^r benefice of
yorke where consistithe your greattest honour and charge/Evyn
as it shall please the kyng/ q^d my lord/ and so fill in to other
commynycacion/ ffor the lordes ware very lothe to haue hyme
planted so nyghe the kyng as to be at wynchester/ Immedyatly
after dynner they fill in secrett talke vntill the wayters had
dynned/ And as I hard it reported by them that wayted vppon
the kyng at dynner that Mrs Anne Bolleyn was myche offendyd
 [Page 95]  w^t the kyng/ as ferre as she durst/ that he so gentilly entertayned
my lord/ sayeng as she satt w^t the kyng at dynner in com­
mynycacion of hyme/ Sir/ q^d she/ is it not a marvelous thyng to
consider what debt & daynger the Cardynall hathe brought you
in w^t all yo^r subiectes/ howe so swett hart/ q^d the kyng/ ffor sothe/
sir/ q^d she/ there is not a man w^t in all yo^r realme worthe.v.^li
but he hathe endettyd you vnto hyme by hys means (meanyng
by a lone that the kyng had but late of hys subiectes) well, well,
q^d the kyng/ as for that ther is in hyme no blame/ ffor I knowe
that matter better than you or any other/ Nay sir/ q^d she/ besides
all that what thynges hathe he wrought w^tin this realme to yo^r
great slaunder & dishonor/ there is neuer an noble man w^t in
this realme that if he had don but half so myche as he hathe don
but he ware well worthy to lease his hed/ Yf my lord of Norffolk/
my lord of Suffolk/ my lord my father/ or any other noble person
w^t in yo^r realme had don myche lesse than he but they shold haue
lost ther hedes or thys/ whye than I perceyve/ q^d the kyng ye are
not the Cardynalles frend/ fforsothe sir than/ q^d she/ I haue no
cause nor any other man that lovythe yo^r grace/ no more haue
yo^r grace if ye consider well his doynges// at thys tyme the
wayters had taken vppe the table And so they endyd ther
commynycacion

Nowe ye may perceyve the old malice begynnyth to breake
owt and newely to kyndell the brand that after proved to a great
ffier/ w^che was as myche procured by his secrett ennemyes
(touched some thyng byfore) as of hir self/ After all this com­
mynycacion the dynner thus endyd/ the kyng Rose vppe & went
Incontynent in to the Chamber of presence where as my lord
& other of the lordes ware attendyng his commyng/ to whome
he called my lord/ in to the great  [Fol. 49]  wyndowe/ and talked
w^t hyme there a while very secretly/ And at the last the kyng
toke my lord by the hand and led hyme in to his privye Chamber
syttyng there in Consultacion w^t hyme all a lone/ w^tout any other
of the lordes of the Councell vntill it was nyght/ the w^che blanked
hys ennemyes very sore/ And made them to stere the Coles
 [Page 96]  beyng in dowght what this matter wold growe onto/ havyng
nowe non other refuge to trust to/ but to Mrs Anne in whome
was all ther hole & firme trust/ and affiaunce/ w^tout whome they
doughted all ther enterprice but frustrate & voyde/ Nowe/ was
I fayn beyng warned that my lord had no lodgyng in the Court/
to ride in to the contrie to provyde for my lord a lodgyng/ So
that I provyded a lodgyng for hyme at an howsse of Mr Empsons
Called Eston iij^re myles frome Grafton/ whether my lord came
by torche lyght/ it was so late or the kyng & he departyd at whos
departyng the kyng commaundyd hyme to resort agayn erley
in the mornyng to thentent they myght fynysshe ther talke w^che
they had than begon & not concludyd/ After ther departyng my
lord cam to the seyd howsse at Eston to his lodgyng/ where he
had to supper w^t hyme dyuers of his ffrendes of the Court/ And
syttyng at Supper in came to hyme Doctor Stephyns the
Secretory late Ambassiter vnto Rome (but to what entent he
came I knowe not) howebeit my lord toke it that he came bothe
to dissembell a certyn obedyence & love towardes hyme or elles
to espie hys behauor and to here his Commynycacion at Supper/
Not w^tstandyng my lord bad hyme wellcome/ And commaundyd
hyme to sytt down at the table to supper/ w^t whome my lord had
thys commynycacion w^t hyme vnder thys maner/ Mr Secretory
q^d my lord ye be welcome home owt of Itally whan came ye
frome Rome/ fforsothe/ q^d he/ I came home allmost a monethe
agoo/ and where/ q^d my lord/ hathe ye byn euer sence/ fforsothe/
q^d he/ folowyng the Court this progresse/ Than haue ye hunted
& had good game/ & pastyme/ fforsothe sir/ q^d he/ and so I haue/
I thanke the kynges ma^tie// what good greyhoundes haue ye q^d
my lord/ I haue some sir/ q^d he/ And thus in huntyng & lyke
disportes passed they all ther commynycacion at Supper/
And after Supper my lord and he talked Secretly together vntill
it was mydnyght or they departed/ The next mornyng my lord
Rose earely And rode strayt to the Court At whos commyng the
kyng was redy to ride wyllyng my lord to resort to the councell
w^t the lordes in his absence And seyd he cowld not tary w^t hyme
 [Page 97]  commaundyng hyme to retorne w^t Cardynall Campagious who
hade taken hys leave of the kyng/ where vppon my lord was
constrayned to take hys leave also of the kyng/ w^t whome the
kyng departyd amyably in the syght of all men/ the kynges
soden departyng in the mornyng was bye the specyall labor of
m{rs} Anne/ who rode w^t hyme oonly to leade hyme abought
bycause he shold not retorne vntill the Cardynalles ware goon
the w^che departyd after dynner retornyng agayn towardes the
more/ the kyng Rode that mornyng to vewe a ground for a
newe parke w^che is calld at thys day hartwell parke where m{rs}
Anne had made provysion for the kynges dynner fearyng his
retorne or the Cardynalles ware goon/ Than rode my lord &
thother Cardynall after dynner on ther way homward/ And so
came to the monastory of Seynt Albons/ wherof he hyme self
was Commendatory/ And there lay oon hole day/ And the next
day they rode to the More/ And frome thence the Cardynall
Campagious toke his Iourney towardes Rome w^t the kynges
reward (what it was I ame incerteyn)/ Neuerthelesse after his
departure the kyng was enformed that he Caried w^t hyme great
treasures of my lordes conveyed in great Tonnes notable
Sommes of gold & syluer to Rome/ whether they Surmysed my
lord wold secretly convey hyme self owt of thys realme// In so
myche that a post was sent spedely after the Cardynall to serche
hyme/ whome they ouertoke at Calice/ where he was stayed
vntill serche was made/ there was not so myche mony found as
he receyved of the kynges reward/ And so he was dismyssed
And went his way  [Fol. 50] 

After cardynall/ Campagious was thus departed And goon/
Mihelmas terme drewe nere Ayenst the w^che my lord retourned
vnto hys howsse at Westminster And whan the terme began he
went to the hall in suche lyke sort and Iesture As he was wont
most comenly to do/ And sat in the Chauncery beyng chaun­
celour/ After w^che day he neuer sat there more/ the next day he
taried at home expectyng the commyng of the ij Dukes of
 [Page 98]  Suffolk & Norffolk w^che came not that day/ but the next day
they Came vnto hyme to whome they declared/ how the kynges
pleasure was that he shold surrender and delyuer vppe the great
Seale in to ther handes And to depart symplely vnto Assher
an howsse (cytuat nyghe hampton Court) belongyng to the
bysshope of wynchester/ my lord vnderstandyng ther messwage
demaundyd of them what commyssion they haue to geve hyme
any suche commaundeme^t who answered hyme agayn/ that they
ware sufficyent commyssioners in that behalf hauyng the kynges
commaundeme^t by his mouthe so to do/ yet/ q^d he/ that is not
sufficyent for me/ w^tout a ferther commaundeme^t of the kynges
pleasure/ for the great seale of Englond was delyuerd me by the
kynges owen person to enioy dewryng my lyfe w^t the mynys­
tracion of the office & highe Roome of Chauncellershype of
England ffor my sewertie wherof/ I haue the kynges letters
patentes to shewe/ w^che matter was greatly debated bytwen the
Dukes & hyme/ w^t many stowt wordes bytwen them/ whos
wordes & chekkes he toke in pacience for the tyme/ In so myche
that the Dukes ware fayn to departe agayn w^tout ther purpose
at that present And retorned agayn vnto wyndesore to the kyng/
And what report they made I cannot tell howbeit the next day
they came agayn frome the kyng bryngyng w^t theme the kynges
letters/ After the receypte & redyng of the same/ by my lord
w^che was don w^t myche reuerence/ he delyuerd vnto them the
great Sealle/ contentyd to obey the kynges highe commaundeme^t/
And seyng that the kynges pleasure was to take hys howsse w^t
the contentes/ was well pleased sympley to depart to Assher
takyng no thyng but only some provysion for his howsse/ And
after long talke bytwen the Dukes & hyme/ they departed w^t
the great Seale/ of Englond to wyndesore vnto the kyng/
Than went my lord and Called all officers in euery office
in his howsse byfore hyme to take accompte of all suche stuffe
as they had in charge/ And in his Gallery there was sett dyuers
tables where vppon a great nomber of Riche stuffe of sylke in
 [Page 99]  hole peces of all Colours/ as veluett/ Satten/ Damaske/ Caffa/
Taffata/ Grograyn/ Sarcenet/ And of other not in my remem­
braunce/ Also there lay a M^l peces of fynne holand Clothe/
wherof as I hard hyme say after ward ther was V^Cth peces therof
conveyed bothe frome the kyng & hyme/ ffurthermore ther was
also the walles of the gallery hanged w^t clothes of gold & tissue
of dyuers makynges and clothe of syluer in lykewyse/ on bothe
the sydes and riche clothes of Baudkyn of dyuers Colours/ ther
hong also the richest Sewtes of Coopes of his owen provysion
w^che he caused to be made for his Colleges of Oxford & Ipsew^che/
that euer I sawe in Englond/ Than had he in ij Chambers adioyn­
yng to the Gallery/ thoon called the gylt Chamber/ and thother
called most Comenly the Councell chamber/ wherin ware sett in
eche ij brode & long tables vppon trestelles where vppon was
sett suche a nomber of plate of all sortes/ as ware all most
Incredyble/ In the gylt Chamber was sett owt vppon the tables
nothyng but all gylt plate/ And vppon a Cupbord standyng vnder
a wyndowe/ was garnysshed all holy w^t plate of cleane gold
wherof Somme was sett w^t peerle & riche stones/ And in the
Councell chamber was sett all wyght plate & parcell gylt/ And
vnder the tables in bothe the Chambers ware sett baskettes w^t
old plate w^che was not estemed but for broken plate & old not
worthy to be occupied/ And bokes conteynyng the valewe &
wayte of euery parcell layed by them/ redy to be sen/ And so was
also bokes sett by all maner of Stuffe conteynyng the contentes
of euery thynge/ Thus euery thyng beyng brought in good order
& furnysshed he gave the charge of the delyuere therof (vnto the
kyng) to euery officer w^t in his office/ of suche stuffe as they had
byfore in charge/ by Indenture/ of euery parcell/ ffor the order
of his howsse was suche as that euery Officer was charged by
Indenture w^t all suche parcelles as belonged to ther office  [Fol. 51] 

Than all thyng/ beyng ordered as it is byfore rehersed my lord
prepared hyme to depart by water/ And byfore his departyng
 [Page 100]  he commaundyd sir |wm| Gascoyn his treasorer to se thos thynges
byfore remembred delyuerd savely to the kyng at his repayer/
that don the seyd sir willam seyd vnto my lord/ Sir I ame sory
for yo^r grace/ for I vnderstand ye shall goo strayt way to the
tower// Ys this the good Comfort and councell q^d my lord/ that
ye can geve yo^r Mr in aduersitie/ yt hathe byn allwayes yo^r
naturall Inclynacion to be very light of Credytt and myche more
lighter in reportyng of falce newes/ I wold ye shold knowe sir
w{m} and all other suche blasfemers that it is no thyng more falce
than that/ ffor I neuer (thankes be to god) deserued by no wayes
to come there/ vnder any arrest/ allthoughe it hathe pleased the
kyng to take my howse redy furnysshed for his pleasure at this
tyme/ I wold all the world knewe and so I confesse to haue no
thyng other riches, honour, or dignyty that hathe not growen of
hyme & by hyme therfore it is my very dewtie to surrender the
same to hyme agayn as his very owen w^t all my hart/ or elles
I ware an onkynd seruaunt/ therfore goo yo^r wayes & geve good
attendaunce vnto your charge that no thyng be embeselled/ And
therw^tall he made hyme redy to departe w^t all his gentilmen &
yomen w^che was no small nombre/ And toke his barge at his
privye stayers And so went by water vnto Putney where all his
horsys wayted his Commyng/ And at the takyng of his barge ther
was no lesse than a M^l bottes full of men & women of the Citie
of london waffetyng vppe & down in temmes expectyng my
lordes departyng/ supposyng that he shold haue goon directly
frome thence to the tower/ where at they reioysed/ And I dare
be bold to sey that the most part neuer receyved dammage at his
handes// O waueryng/ and newfangled multitude ys it not a
wonder to consider the inconstant mutabilitie/ of thys oncertyn
world/ the comen peple allwayes desireng alteracions & newel­
ties of thynges for the strayngenes of the case/ w^che after
tournyth them to small profett & commodytie/ ffor if the sequell
of this matter be well considered & digested ye shall vnderstand
that they had small cause to tryhumphe at his fall/ what hathe
 [Page 101]  succedyd all wyse men dothe knowe/ And the Comen sort of them
hathe felt/ Therfore to grudge or wonder at it/ suerly ware
but folly/ To study a redresse/ I se not howe it can be holpen/
ffor the Inclynacion and the naturall disposicion of Englisshe­
men/ is & hathe allways ben to desier alteracion of officers w^che
hathe byn thorougly fed w^t long contynuaunce in ther romes/
wt sufficyent riches & possessions/ And they beyng putt owt/
than commythe an other hongery and a leane officer in his place
that byttythe nerer the bone than the old/ So the pepill be euer
pild & pold w^t hongery dogges/ thoroughe ther owen desier of
chaynge of newe officers/ nature hathe so wrought in the people
that it woll not be redressed/ wherfore I cannot se but allways
men in auctorytie be disdayned w^t the comen sort of men/ And
suche most of all/ that Iustly mynestrethe equytie to all men
Indifferently/ ffor where they please some oon w^che receyveth
the benefit of the lawe at his handes accordyng to Iustice/ there
dothe they In lykewyse displease the contrary partie who
supposith to sustayn great wrong/ where they haue equyte &
right/ Thus all good Iusticers be allwayes in contempte w^t some/
for executyng of Indifferentcye/ and yet suche mynysters must
be/ ffor if there shold be no mynysters of Iustice/ the world
shold rone full of error and Abhomynacion and no good order
kept ne quyotnes among the people/ there is no good man but
he wyll commend suche Iusticers as dealyth vpp rightly in ther
romes and reioyse at ther contynuaunce & not at ther fall/ And
whether this be true or no/ I put me to the Iugeme^t of all discret
persons// nowe lett vs leave & begyn agayn where we left//

Whan he was/ w^t all his trayn arryved & londed at Putnethe he
toke his mewle and euery man his horsse/ And settyng forthe
not past the lengthe of a payer of Garden buttes he aspied a man
come ridyng empost down the hyll in Putnethe town/ de­
maundyng of his ffootmen who they thought it shold be/ And
they answered agayn and sayd/ that they supposed it shold be
sir herre Norres/  [Fol. 52]  And by & by he came to my lord &
 [Page 102]  salutyd hyme and sayd that the kynges ma{tie} had hyme com­
mendyd to his grace/ and willyd hyme in any wyse to be of good
chere/ for he was as myche in his highenes fauor as euer he was/
And so shalbe/ and in tokyn therof/ he delyuerd hyme a ryng of
gold w^t a riche stone w^che ryng he knewe very well for it was
allwayes the prevye tokyn bytwen the kyng & hyme whan so
euer the kyng wold haue any specyall matter dispatched At his
handes/ And seyd ferthermore that the kyng commaundyd hyme
to be of good chere & take no thought for he shold not lake/ And
allthoughe the kyng hathe delt w^t you onkyndly as ye supposse/
he saythe that it is for no displeasure that he beryth you/ but
oonly to sattysfie more the myndes of some (w^che he knowyth be
not yo^r frendes)/ than for any indygnacion/ And also ye knowe
right well that he is able to recompence you w^t twyse as myche
as yo^r goodes amountithe vnto/ and all this he bad me that I
shold shewe you/ therfore sir take pacience/ And for my part
I trust to se you in better estate than euer ye ware/ But whan he
hard Mr Norres reherce all the good & comfortable wordes of the
kyng/ he quykly lyghted frome hys mewle/ all alone as thoughe
he had byn the yongest person among vs/ And in contynent
kneled down in the dyrte/ vppon bothe his knes holdyng vppe
his handes for Ioye/ Mr Norres perceyvyng hyme so quykly
frome his mewle vppon the ground mused & was astoned
therw^t and therw^t he allyghted also and kneled by hyme en­
bracyng hyme in his armez & axed hyme howe he dyd callyng
vppon hyme to Credyt his messwage/ Mr Norres/ q^d he/ whan
I consider yo^rcomfortable & Ioyfull newes I can do no lesse
than to reioyse/ ffor the sodden Ioy surmounted my memory
haueng no respect nowther to the place or tyme/ but thought it
my very bounden dewtie to render thankes to god my maker
and to the kyng my souerayn lord & Mr/ who hathe sent me
suche comfort/ in the very place where I receyved the same/ and
talkyng w^t Mr Norres vppon his knees in the myer/ he wold haue
pulled of his vnder Cappe of veluett but he cowld not
 [Page 103]  vndo the knott vnder his chyne/ wherfore w^t violence/ he rent
the laces & pulled it frome his hed and so kneled barehedyd/
And that don he couered agayn his hed and aroose & wold haue
mounted his mewle but he cowld not mount agayn w^t suche
agilitie as he lighted byfore where his footmen had as myche a
do to sett hyme in his saddell as they could haue/ Than roode he
forthe vppe the hill in the town talkyng w^t Mr Norres/ And
whane he came vppon Putnethe hethe/ Mr Norres toke hys
leave & wold haue departed/ than/ q^d my lord/ vnto hyme/
Gentill Norres if I ware lord of a realme thoon half therof ware
insufficient a reward to geve you for yo^rpaynnes and good
comfortable newes/ But good Mr Norres consider w^t me that
I haue no thyng left me but my clothes on my baccke/ therfore
I desier you to take this small reward of my handes (the w^che was
a littyll chayn of gold made lyke a bottell chayn) w^t a crosse of
gold hangyng there at/ wherin was a pece of the holy crosse
(w^che he ware contynually abought hys necke next his skyn) And
sayd further more/ I assure you Mr Norres/ that whan I was in
prosperytye/ allthoughe it seme but small in valewe/ yet I wold
not gladly haue departid w^t it for the valewe of a M^{l li}/ Therfore
I beseche you take it in gree and where it abought yo^rnecke for
my sake/ And as often as ye shall happen to loke vppon it/ haue
me in remembraunce vnto the kynges ma^tie as opportunytie
shall serue you/ vnto whos highnes and Clemencye I desyer you
to haue me most lowely commendyd/ ffor whos Charitable
disposicion towardes me I can do no thyng but oonly mynyster
my prayer vnto god for the preseruacion of his Royall estate
long to reygn in honour helthe & quyot lyfe/ I ame hys obedyent,
subiect, vassayle, & poore chapleyn And so do entend (god
willyng) to be/ duryng my lyfe/ Accomptyng that of my selfe
I ame of no estymacion nor of no substaunce but oonly by hyme
& of hyme/ whome I love better than my self/ and hathe Iustly
& truly serued to the best of my grosse wytt/ And w^t that he toke
Mr Norres by the hand and bad hyme farewell/ And beyng not
 [Page 104]  goon but a small distaunce/ he retourned & called Mr Norres
agayn/ And whan he was retorned (he sayd vnto hyme) I ame
sory q^d he/ that I haue no condygn token to send to the kyng/
but if ye wold at this my request present the kyng w^t this poore
foole/ I trust hys hyghnes wold accept  [Fol. 53]  hyme well/ suerly
for a noble mans pleasure he is worthe a M^{l li}/ so Mr Norres
toke the ffoole w^t hyme/ w^t whome my lord was fayn to send vj
of tall yomen w^t hyme to conduct & convey the foole to the
Court/ ffor the poore foole toke on & fired so in suche a rage
whan he sawe that he must nedes departe frome my lord/ yet
notw^tstandyng they conveyed hyme w^t Mr Norres to the Court
where the kyng receyved hyme most gladly///

After the departure/ of Mr Norres w^t hys token to the kyng
my lord Roode strayt to Assher an howsse appurteynyng vnto
the bysshopriche of wynchester/ Cituat w^t in the Countie of
Surrey not ferre frome hampton Court/ where my lord and his
ffamely contynued the space of iij^re or iiij^or wekes w^tout beddes/
shetes table clothes/ Cuppes/ and disshes to eate our meate/ or
to lye in/ howbeit there was good provision of all kynd of
victualles and of drynk bothe bere & wyn wherof ther was
sufficient & plentie// My lord was of necessite compelled to
borowe of the bysshope of Carlylle and of sir Thomas Arundell
bothe disshes to eate hys meate in And plate to drynke in and
also lynnyn clothes/ to occupie/ And thus contynued he in thys
straynge estate vntill the feast of alhaloutyd was past/ Yt
chaunced me vppon alhalou day in the mornyng to come
there in to the great chamber to geve myn attendaunce where
I found master Cromwell leanyng in the great wyndowe w^t a
prymer in his hand sayeng of our lady mattens (w^che had byn
synce a very straynge syght) he prayed not more earnestly/ than
the teares distilled frome his eyes/ whome I bad god morowe/
And w^t that I perceyved the teares vppon his chekes/ to whome
I seyd/ wye Mr Cromwell what meanyth all this yo^rsorowe// ys
 [Page 105]  my lord in any daynger for whome ye lament thus/ or is it for
any losse that ye haue susteyned by any mysadventure/ Nay,
nay/ q^d he/ it is my onhappie Adventure/ w^che ame lyke to losse
all that I haue travelled for all the dayes of my lyfe for doyng of
my mayster trwe & dyligent seruyce/ why sir/ q^d I/
I trust ye be to wyse to commyt any thyng by my lordes com­
maundeme^t other wyse than ye owght to do of right wherof ye
haue any cause to dought/ of losse of yo^rgoodes/ well, well, q^d
he/ I cannot tell but all thynges (I se byfore myn eyes) is as it is
taken/ And thys I vnderstand right well/ that I ame in disdayn
w^t most men/ for my Mr sake and suerly w^tout Iust cause/ how­
beit an yll name oons gotten wyll not lightly be put a way/ I
neuer had any promocyon by my lord to thencrease of my
lyvyng/ And thus myche wyll I say to you/ that I do entend (god
wyllyng) this after none whan my lord hathe dyned to ride to
london and so to the Court/ where I wyll other make or marre or
I come agayn/ I wyll put my self in the prese to se what any man
is Able to lay to my charge of ontrouthe or mysdemeanor/
Mary sir/ q^d I/ In so doyng/ in my conceyt ye shall do very well
& wysely (besechyng god to be yo^rgwyde & send you good luke)
evyn as I wold my self and w^t that I was called in to the Closett
to se & prepare all thyng redy for my lord/ who entendyd that
day to sey masse there hymeself And so I dyd/ And than my lord
came thether w^t his Chapleyn/ oon doctor Marshall sayeng first
his mattens & herd ij masses on his knees/ And than after he was
confessed he hyme self seyd masse/ And whan he had ffynesshed
masse & all his dyvyn seruyce/ retorned in to his chamber/ where
he dynned among dyuers of his doctors where as Mr Cromwell
dynned also/ And sittyng at dynner it chaunced that my lord
commendyd the true & faythfull seruyce of his gentilmen &
yomen wher vppon Mr Cromwell toke an occasion to say to my
lord that in concyence he owght to consider ther treuthe & loyall
seruyce/ that they dide hyme in this his present necessitie w^che
neuer forsakyth hyme in all his troble/ yt shall be well don
 [Page 106]  therfore sayd he/ for yo^r grace to caulle theme byfore you/ all
thes yo^rmost worthy gentilmen & right honest yomen/ And lett
them vnderstand that ye right well consider ther pacience,
treuthe & faythfulness/ and than geve them yo^rcommendacion
w^t good wordes & thankes w^che shalbe to them great  [Fol. 54] 
corage to sustayn yo^rmyshape in pacient mysery And to spend
ther lyfe And substaunce in yo^rseruyce/ Alas Thomas/ q^d my
lord/ vnto hyme ye knowe I haue no thyng to geve theme/ And
wordes w^tout deades be not often well taken ffor if I had as I
haue had of late/ I wold depart w^t them so ffrankly As they
shold be well content but no thyng hathe no savour And I ame
a shamed and also sory that I ame not able to requyte ther
faythfull seruyce/ And allthoughe I haue cause to reioyse con­
syderyng the ffidelite that I perceyve in the nomber of my
seruauntes who wyll not departe frome me in my myserable
estate but be as dyligent, obedyent And seruysable abought me
as they ware in my great tryhumphant glorye yet do I lament
agayn the want of substaunce/ to distribut among them/ why sir
q^d Mr Cromwell/ haue ye not here a nomber of chapleyns to
whome ye haue departed very liberally w^t sperytuall promo­
cions/ In so myche as Somme may dispend by yo^rgraces prefer­
ment A M^l markes by the yere And Some .V.^Cth markes And
some more and some lesse/ ye haue no oon chapleyn w^t in all
yo^rhowsse or belongyng vnto you but he may dispend at the
least well by yo^rprocureme^t or preferment/ iij^c markes/ yerely
who had all the profettes and avuntages at yo^rhandes And thes
yo^rseruauntes non at all And yet hathe yo^rpoor seruauntes taken
myche more payn for you in oon day than all yo^rIdell chapleyns
hathe don in a yere/ therfore if they woll not freely and frankeley
consider yo^rliberalitie/ And depart w^t you of the same goodes
gotten in yo^rseruyce/ nowe in yo^rgreat Indygence & necessitie/
it is pitie that they lyve/ And all the world woll haue them in
Indignacion & hatred for ther abhomynable Ingratytude to ther
Mr & lord/ I thynke no lesse/ Thomas/ q^d my lord/ wherfore
 [Page 107]  cause all my seruauntes to be callyd & to assemble w^tout in my
great chamber After dynner and se them stand in order/ And
I wyll declare vnto them my mynd accordyng to yoo{r} advise/
After that the bordes end was taken vppe Mr Cromewell came to
me & sayd/ hard ye not what my lord sayd evyn nowe/
yes sir/ q^d I/ that I dyd/ well than/ q^d he/ assemble all my
lordes seruauntes vppe in to the great chamber/ And so I did
and whan they ware all there assembled I assigned all the
gentilmen to stand on the right side of the chamber/ And the
yomen on the lyft side/ And at the last my lord came thether
apparelled in a whyht rochett vppon a violett gown of clothe
lyke a bysshope who went strayt in to the great wyndowe/
Standyng there/ a while and his chapleyns abought hyme
beholdyng the nomber of his seruauntes devydyd in ij partes
cowld not speke vnto them for tendernes of his hart the floode of
teares that distilled frome his eyes declared no lesse/ the w^che
perceyved by his seruauntes caused the fountayns of water to
Gushe owt of ther faythefull hartes down ther chekes in suche
aboundaunce/ as it wold cause a Cruell hart to lament/ at the last
after he had torned his face to the wall & wyped his eyes w^t his
hand kercheffe he spake to them after this sort in effect/// Most/
faythfull gentilmen/ and trewe hartyd yomen/ I do not oonly
lament yo^r personal presence abought me/ but I do lament my
necligent Ingratitude towardes you all/ on my behalf/ In whome
hathe byn a great default that in my prosperytie hathe not don
for you/ as I myght haue don other in word or deade w^che was
than in my power to do/ But than I knewe not my Ioyelles &
specyall treasures that I had of you (my faythfull seruauntes) in
my howsse but nowe approved experience/ hathe taught me/
and w^t the eyes of my discression (w^che byfore ware hyd) do
perceyve full well the same/ there was neuer thyng that repen­
tythe me more that euer I dyd than dothe the remembraunce
 [Page 108]  of my oblyvyous necligence & ongentilnes that I haue
not promoted or preferred you to condygn Romes & prefer­
mentes accordyng to yo^rdemerites/ howebeit it is not onknowen
vnto you all that I was not so well furnysshed of temperall
avaunceme^tes as I was of sperytuall prefermentes/ And if I shold
haue promoted you to any of the kynges offices & Romes/ than
shold I haue encurred the Indignacion of the kynges seruauntes/
who wold not  [Fol. 55]  myche lett to report in euery place behynd
my bake that there cowld no office or rome of the kynges gyft
eskape the Cardynall & his seruauntes/ And thus shold I incurre
the obloquye & slaunder byfore all the hole world/ But nowe it
is come to this passe that it hathe pleased the kyng to take all
that euer I haue in to his possession/ So that I haue no thyng
laft me but my bare clothes vppon my bake the w^che be but
symple in comparyson to thos that ye haue seen me haue or this/
howebet if they may do you any good or pleasure/ I wold not
stykke to devyde them among you/ yea/ and the skyne of my
bake if it myght countervaylle any thyng in valewe among you/
but good gentilmen & yomen my trusty & faythefull seruauntes/
of whome no prynce hathe the lyke/ in my oppynyon/ I most
hartely requyer you to take w^t me some pacience a littill whyle/
ffor I dought not but that the kyng consideryng the offence
suggested ayenst me by my mortall ennemyes to be of small
effect woll shortly I dought not restore me agayn to my lyvynges
so that I shall be more able to devyd some part therof yerely
among you/ wherof ye shalbe well assured/ ffor the surplusage
of my revenues what so euer shall remayn at the determynacion
of my accomptes/ shalbe (god wyllyng) distributed among you/
ffor I woll neuer hereafter esteme the goodes & riches of this
oncertyn world but as a vayn thyng/ more than shalbe sufficient
for the mayntenaunce of myn estate & dignytie that god hathe
or shall call me vnto in this world duryng my lyfe/ And if the
kyng do not thus shortly restore me/ than woll I se you bestowed
accordyng to yo^rowen requestes/ and wright for you owther to
the kyng or to any other noble person w^t in this Realme to
reteyn you in to seruyce/ for I dought not but that the kyng or
 [Page 109]  any noble man or worthy gentilman of this Realme woll credytt
my letter in yo^r commendacion/ Therfore in the meane tyme/
myn advyse is that ye repayer home to yo^rwyfes (suche as hathe
any) And suche among you as hathe none to take thys tyme to
visett yo^rparentes and frendes in the Contrie/ Ther is none of
you all but oons in a yere wold requyer licence/ to visit
yo^r wyfes & other of yo^rfrendes/ take this tyme (I pray you) in
respect therof/ And at yo^rretourne I wyll not refuse you if I
shold begge w^t you/ I consider that the seruyce of my howsse
hathe byn suche and of suche a sort that ye be not meate or apte
to serue no man vnder the degree of a kyng/ Therfore I wold
whishe you to serue no man but the kyng/ who I ame suer wyll
not reiect you/ Therfore I desier you to take yo^rpleasures for a
monyth and than ye may come agayn vnto me/ And I trust by
that tyme the kyng ma{tie} wyll extend hys clemency vppon me/
Sir q^d Mr Cromwell/ there is dyuers of thes your yomen that
wold be glad to se ther ffrendes but they lake mony/ therfore
here is dyuers of yo^rChaplens/ who hathe receyved at yo^r
handes great benefices & highe dignytes/ lett them therfore nowe
shewe them selfes vnto you as they are bound by all humanytie
to do/ I thynke ther honestie & charite ys not so slender and
voyed of grace that they wold not se you lake where they may
helpe to refresshe you/ And for my part Allthoughe I haue not
receyved of yo^rgraces gyft any oon penny towardes thencrese of
rny yerely lyvyng yet wyll I departe w^t you this towardes the
dispetche of yo^rseruauntes (And delyuerd hyme vⁱⁱ in gold)
And nowe lett vs se what yo^rchapleyns wyll do/ I thynke they
wyll departe w^t you myche more than I haue don/ who be more
able to geve you a pound than I oon penny/ Goo to maysters q^d
he to the Chapleyns/ In so myche as some gave hyme/ x^li/ Some
x^en marc/ Some C^s/ And so some more and Some lesse as at that
tyme ther powers did extend/ wherby my lord Receyved among
theme as myche mony of ther liberalitie as he gave to eche of his
yomen a quarters wages & bord wages for a monyth/ And they
 [Page 110]  departed down in to the hall/ where some determyned to goo to
ther frendes/ And some sayd that they wold not departe frome
my lord vntill they myght se hyme in better estate/ My lord
retorned in to his chamber lamentyng the departure frome his
seruauntes makyng his mone vnto Mr Cromwell who comforted
hyme the best he cowld/ And desired my lord to geve hyme
leave to goo to london where he wold other make or marre or he
came agayn (w^che was allwayes his comen sayeng) than after long
Commynycacion w^t my lord in secret he departed  [Fol. 56]  and
toke his horsse and Rode to london at whos departyng I was bye/
whome he bade farewell/ And sayd/ ye shall here shortly of me
And if I spede well I wyll not fayle to be here agayn w^t in thes ij
dayes/ And so I toke my leave of hyme/ And he rode forthe on
his Iourney/ Sir Rafe Sadler (nowe knyght) was than his Clarke/
and rode w^t hyme//

After that my lord had Supped that nyght (beyng allhalou
day at nyght) And all men goon to bed/ yt chaunced so abought
mydnyght/ that oon of the Porters came vnto my chamber doore
And there knokked/ And wakyng of me perceyved who it was/
Axed hyme what he wold haue/ that tyme of the nyght/ sir q^d
the porter/ there is a great nomber of horsse men at the gate
that wold come In/ sayeng to me that it is sir Iohn Russhell/
And so it apperys to me by his voyce/ what is yo^rpleasure that
I shall doo/ Mary q^d I/ goo down agayn And make a great fier
in yo^rlodge ayenst I come to drye them/ for it rayned all that
nyght the sorest that it dyd all that yere byfore/ than I Roose and
put on my nyght gown/ And came to the gattes And asked who
was there/ w^t that Mr Russell spake whome I knewe by his
voyce/ And than I caused the porters to opyn the gattes and lett
them all In/ who ware wette to the skyn desyryng Mr Russell to
goo in to the loge to the fier/ And he shewed me that he wase
come frome the kyng/ vnto my lord in messwage w^t whome he
requyred me to speke/ Sir/ q^d I/ I trust yo^rnewes be good/ yea
I promyse you on my fidelitie/ q^d he/ And so I pray you showe
hyme/ I haue brought hyme suche newes that wyll please hyme
 [Page 111]  right well/ Than will I goo q^d I/ and wake hyme/ And cause
hyme to rise/ I went Incontynent to my lordes chamber doore/
and waked my lord who asked me what I wold haue/Sir sayd I/
to shewe you that sir Iohn Russell is come frome the kyng who
is desirous to speke w^t you/ And than he called vppe oon of his
gromes to lett me In/ And beyng w^t in/ I told hyme what a
Iourney Mr Russell had that nyght/ I pray god/ q^d he/ all be for
the best/ yes sir q^d I/ he shewed me/ And so bad me tell
you that he had brought you suche newes as ye woll greatly
reioyse there at/ well than/ q^d he/ god be praysed and wellcome
be his grace/ goo ye and fetche hyme vnto me/ And be that tyme
I woll be redy to talke w^t hyme/ than I retorned frome hyme to
the logge/ And brought Mr Russhell frome thence to my lord/
who had cast on his nyght gown And whan Mr Russell was come
in to his presence/ he most humbly Reuerencyd hyme vppon his
knee/ whome my lord bowed down and toke hyme vppe and
bad hyme welcome/ Sir q^d he the kyng commendyth hyme vnto
you/ And delyuerd hyme a great Ryng of gold w^t a Turkkas for
a tokyn/ And willyd you to be of good chere/ who lovythe you
as well as euer he dide/ and is not a littill disquyoted for yo^r
troble/ whos mynd is full of yo^r remembraunce/ In so myche as
his grace byfore he satt to Supper called me vnto hyme/ And
commaundyd me to take this Iourney secretly to visit you to yo^r
comfort the best of my power/ And sir if it please yo^rgrace I
haue hade this nyght the sorest Iourney for so littill a way that
euer I had to my remembraunce/ My lord thanked hyme for his
paynnes and good newes/ And demaundyd of hyme if he had
Supped/ And he seyd nay/ well than q^d my lord to me/ Cause
the Cookes to provyd some mete for hyme/ And cause a
chamber w^t a good ffier to be mad redy for hyme that he may
take hys rest a while vppon a bed/ all w^che commaundeme^t I
fulfylled/ And in the mean tyme my lord & Mr Russell ware in
very secrett commynycacion/ And in fynne/ Mr Russell went
 [Page 112]  to his chamber takyng his leave of my lord for all nyght/ And
sayd he wold not tary but a while for he wold (god wyllyng) be
at the Court at Grenew^che agayn byfore day/ ffor he wold not
for any thyng that it ware knowen his beyng w^t my lord that
night/ And so beyng in his chamber havyng a small repast/
Rested hyme a while vppon a bedd whillest his seruauntes
Supped & dried them selfes by the ffier/  [Fol. 57]  And than
incontynent he roode a waye w^t spede to the Court/ And shortly
after hys beyng there/ my lord was restored agayn vnto plenty of
howsshold stuff, vessell and plate/ And of all thynges necessary
some part so that he was indifferently ffurnysshed muche better
than he was of latte/ And yet not so aboundauntly as the
kynges pleasure was/ the default wherof was in the officers &
in suche as had the ouer sight of the delyuere therof/ And
yet my lord reioysed in that littill in comparison to that he had
byfore///

Nowe lett vs retourne agayn to Mr Cromwell to se howe he
hathe sped sence his departure last frome my lord/ The case
stode so that ther shold begyn shortly after Allhaloutyd the
parlyament/ And beyng w^t in london devised w^t hyme self/ to be
oon of the Burgious of the parliament/ And chaunced to mete w^t
oon sir Thomas Russhe knyght (a specyall frend of his) whos
Sonne was appoynted to be oon of the Burgious of that parlia­
ment/ of whome he opteyned his rome/ And by that means put
his foote in to the parliament howsse/ Than w^t in ij or iij^re dayes
after his entre in to the parliame^t/ he came vnto my lord to
Assher/ w^t a myche pleasaunter Countenaunce/ than he had at
his departure/ And meatyng w^t me byfore he came to my lord
sayd vnto me/ that he had oons adventured to put in his foote
where he trusted shortly to be better regardyd or all ware don/
And whan he was come to my lord they talked to gether in
secrett maner And that don he roode owt of hand agayn that
nyght to london/ because he wold not be absent frome the
parliament the next mornyng/ There cowld no thyng be spoken
 [Page 113]  ageynst my lord in the parliament howsse but he wold answer
it incontynent or elles take day vntill the next day/ ayenst w^che
tyme he wold resorte to my lord to knowe what Answere he shold
make in his behalf/ In so myche that there was no matter alleged
ayenst my lord but that he was euer redy furnysshed w^t an
sufficient Answere/ So that at lengthe for his honest behauour in
his m{rs} case he grewe in to suche estymacion in euery mans
oppynyon that he was estymed to be the most faythe­
fullest seruaunt to his Mr of all other/ wherin he was of all men
greatly commendyd/ Than was there brought a byll of Articles
in to the parliament howsse to haue my lord condempned of
treason/ Ayenst w^che byll Mr Cromwell enveyed so discretly, w^t
suche wytty perswacions & depe reasons that the same byll
cowld take there no effect/ than ware hys ennemyes compelled
to endyght hyme in a Premunire/ And all was don oonly to the
entent to entitill the kyng to all his goodes & possessions the
w^che he had gathered together and purchased for his Colleges
in Oxford & Ipsew^che/ And for the mayntenaunce of the same
(w^che was than abyldyng in most Somptious wyse) wherin whan
he was demaundyd by the Iugges (w^che ware sent hyme purposly
to examyn hyme what answere he wold make to the same) he
seyd/ The kynges highnes knowyth right well wether I haue
offendyd hys ma{tie} & his lawes or no/ in vsyng of my prerogatife
legantyn for the w^che ye haue me endighted/ Notw^tstandyng I
haue the kynges lycence in my Coffers vnder his hand & broode
seale/ for excersisyng and vsyng the auctorytie therof in the
largest wyse w^tin his highenes domynyons/ the w^che remaynyth
nowe in the handes of my Ennemyes/ therfor bycause I woll not
stand in question or triall w^t the kyng in his owen case/ I ame
content here of myn owen ffranke wyll & mynd in yo^rpresence
to confesse the offence in the indyghtment/ And put me holly
in the mercy & grace/ of the kyng/ hauyng no doughtes in his
godly disposicion & charitable concience/ whome I knowe hathe
an highe discression to concyder the trouthe and my humble
submyssion & obedyence/ And allthoughe I myght Iustly stand
 [Page 114]  in the tryall w^t hyme ther in/ yet I ame content to submyt my
self to his clementsye/ And thus myche ye may say to hyme in
my behalf/ that I ame Intierly his obedyencer/ and do entend
(god wyllyng) to obey & fulfyll all his pryncely pleasure in euery
thyng that he will commaund me to do/ whos wyll & pleasure I
neuer yet disobeyed or repugned/ but was allwayes contentyd
& glade to accomplysshe his desier & commaundement (byfore
god) whome I owght most rathest to haue obeyed/ the w^che
necligence nowe greatly repentithe me/ Notw^tstandyng  [Fol. 58] 
I most hartely requyer you/ to haue me most humbly to hys
Royall ma^tie/ commendyd for whome I do & wyll pray for the
preseruacion of his Royall person long to rayn in honour,
prosperyte & quyotnes and to haue the victory ouer his mortall
& kankard ennemyes/ And they toke ther leave of hyme &
departyd/ Shortly after the kyng sent the Duke of Norffolk vnto
hyme in message/ (but what it was I ame not certeyn) But my
lord beyng Aduertised that the Duke was commyng evyn at
hand/ he caused all his gentilmen to wayt vppon hyme down
thoroughe the hall in to the base Court to receyve the Duke at
the entre of the gattes and commaundyd all his yomen to stand
still in the hall in order/ And he and his gentilmen went to the
gattes/ where he encountred w^t my lord of Norffolk whome he
receyved/ bare hedyd/ who embraced eche other/ And so led
hyme by the Arme thoroughe the hall in to his chamber/ And as
the Duke passed thoroughe the hall/ at the vpper end therof he
torned agayn his visage down the hall Regardyng the nomber of
the tall yomen/ that stode in order/ there/ & sayd/ Sirs/ q^d he/
yo^rdiligent & faythefull seruaunce vnto my lord here (yo^r Mr) in
this tyme of his Calamyte hathe purchased for yo^rself/ of all noble
men/ myche honestie/ In so myche as the kyng commaundyd me
to say to you in his graces name/ that for yo^rtrewe & lovyng
seruyce that ye haue don to yo^rMr/ his highnes woll se you all
furnysshed at all tymes w^t seruyce accordyng to yo^rdemerittes/
w^t that my lord Cardynall put of hys cappe/ And sayd to my
 [Page 115]  lord of Norffolk/ Sir/ q^d he/ thes men be all approved men
wherfore it ware pitie they shold want other seruyce or
lyvynges/ And beyng sorrey that I ame not able to do for them
as my hart dothe whisshe/ Do therfore requyer you my good
lord to be good lord vnto theme/ and extend yo^rgood word for
theme when ye shall se opportunytie/ at any tyme hereafter/ And
that ye wyll preferre ther dyligent & faythfull seruyce to the
kyng/ Dought ye not therof/ q^d my lord of Norffolk/ but I wyll
do for them the best of my power/ and when I shall se cause I
wylbe an earnest sewter for them to the kyng/ And Some of you
I wyll Retayn myself in seruyce for yo^r honestes sake/
And as ye haue begon/ so contynewe and remayn here still w^t
my lord vntill ye here more of the kynges pleasure/ goddes
blessyng & myn be w^t you// And so went vppe in to the great
chamber to dynner/ whome my lord Cardynall thanked & sayed
vnto hyme yet my lord of all other nobyll men I haue most
cause to thanke you/ for yo^rnoble hart & gentill nature w^che ye
haue shewed me behynd my bakke/ as my seruaunt Thomas
Cromwell hathe made report vnto me/ but evyn as ye are a noble
man in deade so haue ye shewed yo^rself no lesse to All men in
Calamytie/ And in especyall to me/ And evyn as ye haue abated
my glory & highe estate and brought it full lowe/ so haue ye
extendyd yo^rhonorable fauour most charitably vnto me beyng
prostrate byfore ye/ forsothe sir ye do Right well deserue to
bere in yo^r armez the noble & gentill lion/ whos naturall
Inclinacion is that whan he hathe vanqiesshed Any best And
seyth hyme yelded lyeng prostrate byfore hyme at his foote/
than wyll he shewe most clemency vnto his vanquysht & do
hyme no more harme/ ne suffer any other devouryng beste to
dammage hyme/ whos nature and qualitie ye do ensewe/
therfore thes verses may be Ascribed to yo^rlordshyppe/ w^che be
thes/

Parcere prostratis/ Scit nobilis Ira leonis/
Tu quoque fac Simile/ quisquis regnabis in orbem/

 [Page 116]  w^t that the water was brought them to wasshe byfore dynner/
to the w^che my lord called my lord of Norffolk to washe w^t
hyme/ but he refused of Curtesy/ And desired to haue hyme
excused/ And sayed that it became hyme not to presume to
wasshe w^t hyme any more now than yt dyd byfore in his glory/
yes forsothe q^d my lord Cardynall ffor my Auctory & dignyte
legantyn is goon wherin consisted all my highe honour/ A
Strawe q^d my lord of Norffolk for yo^rlegacye/ I neuer estemed
yo^rhonour/ the more or higher for that/ but I regarded yo^r
honour for that ye ware Archebysshope of yorke and a Cardynall/
whos  [Fol. 59]  estate of honor surmountythe any duke nowe
beyng w^t in this realme/ And so wyll I honor you/ And acknow­
loge the same And beare you reuerence accordyngly therfore I
beseche you content yo^rself for I woll not presume/ to wasshe
w^t you/ And therfore I pray you hold me excused/ than was my
lord Cardynall constrayned to washe alone/ And my lord of
Norffolk all alon also/ whan he had don/ And whan he had don
my lord Cardynall wold fayn haue had my lord of Norffolk to
sytt down in the chayer in the Inner side of the table/ but suerly
he refused the same also w^t myche humblenes/ than was there
sett an other chayer for my lord of Norffolk ouer ayenst my
lord Cardynall/ on the owt side/ of the table/ the w^che was by my
lord of Norffolk based some thyng benethe my lord/ And duryng
the dynner all ther commynycacion was of the dyligent seruyce
of the gentilmen w^che remayned w^t my lord there/ attendyng
vppon hyme there at dynner/ And howe myche the kyng and all
other noble men dothe esteme theme/ w^t worthy commendacions
for so doyng And at thys tyme howe littill they be estemed in
the Court that are come to the kynges seruyce/ and forsaken
ther Mr in his necessitie/ wherof some he blamed by name/ and
w^t this Commynycacion the dynner beyng endyd/ they roose
frome the table and went together in to my lordes bedd
Chamber/ where they contynued in Consultacion a certyn
season/ And beyng there/ yt chaunced Mr Shelley the Iuge to
 [Page 117]  come thether sent frome the kyng/ wherof Relacion was made
to my lord/ w^che caused the Duke & hyme to breke vppe ther
commynycacion/ And the Duke desired to goo in to some
chamber to repose hyme for a season/ And as he was commyng
owt of my lordes chamber he mete w^t Mr Shelley to whome Mr
Shelley made Relacion of the cause of hys commyng/ And
desierd/ the duke to tary & assist hyme in doyng of hys mess­
wage/ whome he denyed and sayd/ I haue no thyng to do w^t
yo^r messwage wherin I woll not meddell And so departed in to
a Chamber where he toke his rest for an hower or ij And
in the mean tyme my lord issued owt of hys chamber/ And came
to Mr Shelley to knowe his message/ who declared vnto hyme
(after dewe salutacion) That the kynges pleasure was to haue
his howesse at westminster (than Called yorke place) belongyng
to his bysshopriche of yorke/ entendyng to make of that howsse
a palice Royall/ And to possesse the same accordyng to the
lawes of thys hys graces realme/ his highnes hathe therfore sent
for all the Iugges and for all his learned Councell to knowe ther
oppynyons in the assuraunce therof/ In whos determynacions it
was fully resolued that yo^rgrace shold recognyse byfore a Iugge
the right therof to be in the kyng & his Successors/ And so his
hyghnes shalbe assured therof/ Wherfore it hathe pleased his
ma{tie} to appoynt me by his commaundeme^t to come hether
to take of you this recognysaunce/ who hathe in you suche
Affiaunce/ that ye will not refuse so to do accordyngly/ Therfore
I shall desier yo^rgrace to knowe yo^rgood will therin/ Mr
Shelley/ q^d my lord/ I knowe that the kyng of his owen nature
is of a Royall stomake/ and yet not wyllyng more than Iustice
shall leede hyme vnto by the lawe/ And therfore I councell you
& all other fathers of the lawe & learned men of his Councell to
put no more in to his hed than the lawe may stand w^t good
concience/ ffor whan ye tell hyme (this is the lawe) it ware well
done ye shold tell hyme also/ that allthoughe thys be the lawe/
yet this is concyence/ ffor lawe w^t out concyence is not good to
 [Page 118]  be gevyn vnto a kyng in councell to vse for a lawfull right/ but
allwayes to haue a respect to Concyence/ byfore the rigor of the
comen lawe/ ffor (laus est facere q^d decet/ non q^d
licett)/ the
kyng owght of his Royall dignytie and prerogatife to mytigat
the Rigor of the lawe where concyence hathe the most force/
tharfore in his Royall place of equall Iustice/ he hathe constitute
a Chauncelour/ an officer to excecut Iustice w^t clemencye/ where
concyence is oppressed by the Rigor of the lawe/ And therfore the
Court of Chauncery hathe byn heretofore  [Fol. 60]  comenly called
the Court of concyence/ by cause it hade Iurysdiccion to com­
maund the highe mynysters of the Comen lawe to spare
execucion & Iugeme^t where concience had most effecte/ ther­
fore I say to you in this case allthoughe you and other of yor
profession perceyve by yo^r learnyng that the kyng may by an
order of yo^rlawes lawfully do that thyng w^che ye demaund of
me/ howe say you Mr Shelley may I do it w^t Iustice & concyence/
to geve that thyng away frome me & my Successors w^che is non
of myn/ if this be lawe w^t concience/ shewe me yo^r oppynyon/
I pray you/ fforsothe my lord/ q^d he/ there is some concyence in
this case/ but hauyng regard to the kynges highe power/ And to
be employed to a better vse & purpose/ it may the better be
suffred w^t concyence/ who is sufficient to make recompence/ to
the chirche of yorke w^t doble the valewe/ That I knowe well/ q^d
my lord/ but here is no suche condicion/ nother promysed ne
agreed/ but oonly a bare & symple departure w^t an others right
for euer/ And if euery bysshope may do the lyke/ than myght
euery prelate/ geve away the patremony of ther chirches w^che is
non of thers And so in processe of tyme leve no thyng for ther
Successors/ to mantayn ther Dignytes/ w^che all thynges con­
sydered shold be but small to the kynges honour/ Sir I do not
entend to stand in termes w^t you in this matter/ but lett me se
yo^rcommyssion/ to whome Mr Shelley shewed hyme the same/
And that seen and perceyved by hyme sayed agayn/ thus/ Mr
Shelley/ q^d he/ ye shall make report to the kynges highnes/ that
I ame his obedyent subiect & faythfull chapleyn & bedman whos
 [Page 119]  Royall commaundeme^t & request I wyll in no wyse disobey but
most gladly fulfill & accomplysshe his pryncely will & pleasure
in all thynges and in especyall in this matter in as myche as ye
the ffathers of the lawes say that I may lawfully do it/ therfore
I charge yo^r conciences & dischargethe myn/ howbeit I pray you
shewe his ma^tie frome me/ that I most humbly desier his
highenes to call to his most gracious remembraunce/ that there
is bothe hevyn & hell/ And there w^t the Clarke was
called who wrott my lord recognysaunce/ And after some secret
talke/ Mr Shelley departed/ Than Roose my lord of Norffolk
frome his repose/ And after Somme comynycacion w^t my lord/
he departed/

Thus/ contynued my lord at Assher who receyved dayly
messwages/ frome the Court/ wherof some ware not so good as
some ware badd/ but yet myche more evyll than good/ ffor his
ennemyes perceyvyng the great affeccon that the kyng bare
allwayes toward hyme/ devysed a mean to disquyot & disturbe
his pacience thynkyng therbye to geve hyme an occasion to frett
& chafe that deathe shold rather ensewe than encreace of
helthe or lyfe the w^che they most desired/ They feared hyme
more after his fall than they did before in his prosperytie/
doughtyng myche hys readopcion in to auctorytie by reason
that the kynges fauour remayned still towardes hyme in suche
sorte/ wherby they myght rather be in daynger of ther estates
than in any assuraunce/ ffor ther cruelltie mynesterd by ther
malicious Invencions surmysed & brought to passe ayenst hyme//
Therfore they toke this order among theme in ther matters/ that
dayly they wold send hyme some thyng or do some thyng ayenst
hyme wherin they thought that they myght geve hyme a cause of
hevenes or lamentacion/ As some day they wold cause the kyng
to send for iiij^or or v of hys gentilmen/ frome hyme to serue the
kyng/ And some other day they wold lay matters newly Invented
ayenst hyme/ An other day they wold take frome hyme some of
 [Page 120]  hys promocions or of ther promocions whome he preferred
byfore/ than wold they fetche frome hyme some of his yomen/ in
so myche as the kyng toke in to seruyce xvj^en of theme at oons
and at oon tyme/ put them in to his gard/ this order of lyfe he
led contynually/ that there was no oon day, but or euer he went
to bed he had an occasion greatly to chafe or frette the hart owt
of his bellye/ but that he was a wyse man and bare all ther
malice in pacyence/ At Cristmas he fill sore syke that he was
lykly to dye/ Wherof the kyng beyng aduertysed was very sory
therfore/ And sent doctor buttes his graces phecision vnto hyme
to se in what estate he was/ Doctor Buttes  [Fol. 61]  came vnto
hyme and fyndyng hyme very syke lyeng in his bedd and
perceyvyng the daynger he was in/ repayred agayn vnto the
kyng/ of whome the kyng demaundyd sayeng/ howe dothe
yonder man haue you seen hyme/ yea sir q^d he/ howe do ye lyke
hyme/ q^d the kyng/ fforsothe/ sir q^d he/ yf you wold haue hyme
deade/ I warraunt yo^rgrace/ he wyll be deade w^t in this iiij^or
dayes (if he receyve no comfort frome you shortly and m{rs} Anne/
Mary (q^d the kyng) (God forbod) that he shold dye)/ I pray yo^r
good Mr Buttes goo agayn vnto hyme And do yo^r cure appon
hyme/ ffor I wold not loose hyme for xx M^{l li}/ Than must yo^r
grace/ q^d Mr Buttes/ send hyme first some comfortable message/
as shortly as is possible/ Evyn so wyll I/ q^d the kyng/ by you/
And therfore make sped to hyme agayn/ And ye shall delyuer
hyme frome me thys Rynge/ for a tokyn of our good wyll and
fauor towardes hyme (in the w^che ryng was engraved the kynges
visage w^t in a Rubye as lyvely counterfeyt as was possible to be
devysed) thys Ryng he knowyth very well for he gave me the
same/ And tell hyme that I ame not offendyd w^t hyme in my
hart no thyng At All/ And that he shall perceyve (and god send
hyme) lyfe very shortly/ Therfore byd hyme be of good cheare
and pluke vppe his hart & take no dispayer/ And I charge you
come not frome hyme vntill ye haue brought hyme owt of all
 [Page 121]  daynger of deathe/ And than he spake to m{rs} Anne sayeng/
Good swett hart I pray you at this my instaunce (as ye love vs)
to send the Cardynall a token w^t comfortable wordes/ And in so
doyng ye shall do vs a lovyng pleasure/ She beyng not mynded
to disobey the kynges earnest request (what so euer she
entendyd in hyr hart towardes the Cardynall) toke incontynent
hir tablett of gold hangyng at hir girdell And delyuerd it to Mr
Buttes w^t very gentill & comfortable wordes/ in commendacion
to the Cardynall/ And thus Mr Buttes departed and made spedy
retorne to Assher to my lord Cardynall/ After whome the kyng
sent Doctor Clement/ Doctor Wotten/ & doctor Cromer the
scott/ to consult and assist Mr Buttes for my lordes helthe/ After
that Mr Buttes had byn w^t my lord and delyuerd the kynges
& m{rs} Annes tokens vnto hyme/ w^t the most comfortablest
wordes he cowld devyse on ther behalf/ wherat he
reioysed not a littill/ aduauncyng hyme a littill in his bedd And
receyved thes tokens most Ioyfully thankyng Mr Buttes for his
comfortable newes & paynnes/ Mr Buttes shewed hyme further
more that the kynges pleasure was that he shold mynester vnto
hyme for hys helthe/ And for the most assured and brefe wayes
to be had for the same/ hathe sent Doctor wotten/ Doctor
Clement/ And Doctor Cromer/ to Ioyn w^t hyme in counsell &
mynystracion/ Therfore my lord/ q^d he/ it ware well don that
they shold be called in to visett yo^rperson & estate/ wherin
I wold be glad to here ther oppynyons/ trustyng in allmyghty
god that thoroughe his grace and assistaunce we shall ease you
of yo^rpaynnes and rid you clean frome yo^rdissease and
Infirmytie/ wherw^t my lord was well pleased & contented to
here ther Iugeme^tes/ ffor in deade he trust more to the Scottysshe
doctor than he did to any of thother/ by cause he was the very
occasion that he inhabytid here in Englond/ and byfore he gave
hyme partly his exebicion/ in Paris/ than whan they ware come
in to hys chamber and had talked w^t hyme/ he toke vppon hyme
to debate his dessease learnedly among theme/ So that they
 [Page 122]  myght vnderstand that he was seen in that art// After they had
taken order for mynystracion it was not long or they brought
hyme owt of all daynger & feare of dethe/ And w^tin iiij^or dayes
they sett hyme on his feete/ And gott hyme a good stomake to his
meate/ thys don/ And he in a good estate of amendeme^t/ they
toke there leave/ to departe/ to whome my lord offered his
reward/ the w^che they refused seyeng that the kyng gave them in
specyall commaundeme^t to take no thyng of hyme for ther
paynnes and mynystracion/ ffor at ther retourne/ his highnes
seyd that he wold reward theme of his owen costes/ And thus
w^t great thankes they departid frome my lord/ whome they lefte
in good estate of recouere//

After thys tyme my lord dayly amendyd/ and so contynued still
at Assher vntill Candyllmas/ ayenst w^che ffeast the kyng caused
to be sent hyme iij^re or iiij^or Cartloodes of stuffe/ And most parte
therof was lok ked in great standerdes (excepte beddes & kytchyn
stuffe) wherin was bothe plate  [Fol. 62]  and Riche hangynges/ And
chappell stuffe/ Than my lord beyng thus ffurnysshed was
therw^t well contented/ Allthoughe/ they whome the kyng
assigned did not delyuer hyme so good ne so riche stuffe as the
kynges pleasure was/ yet was he Ioyous therof And rendred
most humble thankes to the kyng/ And to theme that appoynted
the seyd stuffe for hyme/ Sayeng to vs his seruauntes At the
openyng of the same stuffe in the standerdes/ the w^che we
thought and sayd it myght haue byn better if it had pleased
them that appoynted it/ Nay sirs q^d my lord/ to vs/ he that hathe
no thyng is glad of somwhat thoughe it be neuer so littill/ And
allthoughe it be not in comparison halfe so myche & good as we
had byfore/ yet we reioyse more of this littill than we dyd byfore
of the great aboundaunce that we than hade/ And thanked the
kyng very myche for the same/ trustyng after thys to haue
myche moore/ therfore lett vs all reioyse & be glade that god &
the kyng hathe so graciously remembred to restore vs to some
 [Page 123]  thynges to mayntayn our estate lyke a noble person/ Than
commaunded he Mr Cromwell beyng w^t hyme to make sewt to
the kynges ma^tie that he myght remove thence to some other
place/ ffor he was wery of that howsse of Assher/ for w^t con­
tynuall vse therof the howsse waxed onsavery/ supposyng that if
he myght remove frome thence he shold myche soner recouer
his helthe/ And also the Councell had putt in to the kynges hed
that the newe gallery at Assher (w^che my lord hade late byfore his
fall newly sett vppe/) shold be very necessary for the kyng to
take down & sett it vppe agayn at westminster/ w^che was don
accordyngly/ And standes at this present day there/ the takyng
a way therof byfore my lordes face was to hyme a Corrysife/
w^che was Invented by hys ennemyes oonly to torment hyme/ the
w^che in dede discoraged hyme very sore to tary any lenger there/
Nowe Mr Cromwell thought it but vayn & myche folly
to move any of the kynges Councell to assist & preferre hys sewte
to the kyng (among whome rested the nomber of hys mortall
ennemyes) for they wold owther hynder his removyng or elles
remove hyme ferder frome the kyng than to haue holpen hyme
to any place nyghe the kynges comen trade/ Wherfore he
refused any sewte to theme & made oonly sewte to the kynges
owen person/ whos sewte the kyng gracyously hard And thought
it very convenyent to be graunted And thoroughe the specyall
mocyon of Mr Cromwell the kyng was well contentyd that he
shold remove to Rychemond w^che place my lord had a littill
byfore repayred to his great cost & charge/ ffor the kyng had
made an exchaunge therof w^t hyme for hampton Court/ all this
his removyng was don w^t out the knowlege of the kynges
Councell/ for if they myght haue had any Intelligence therof
byfore/ than wold they haue perswaded the kyng to the contrary/
but whan they ware aduertised of the kynges graunt & pleasure/
they dissimuled ther countenaunces in the kynges presence/ ffor
 [Page 124]  they ware greatly affrayed of hyme/ lest his nyghe beyng to the
kyng myght at lengthe some oon tyme resort to hyme and so
call hyme home agayn/ consideryng the great affeccion & love
that the kyng dayly shewe towardes hyme/ Wherfore they
doughted hys risyng agayn if they found not a mean to remove
hyme shortly frome the kyng/ In so myche that they thought it
convenyent for ther purpose to enforme the kyng vppon certeyn
consideracions w^che they Invented/ that it ware very necessary
that my lord shold goo down in to the Northe/ vnto his benefice
of yorke/ where he shold be a good staye for the Contree/ to the
w^che (the kyng supposyng that they had ment no lesse than good
faythe) grauntyd and condyssendyd to ther suggestion w^che was
fferced w^t so wonderfull Imagyned consideracions/ that the kyng
(vnderstandyng no thyng of ther Intent) was lightly perswaded
to the same/ Whervppon the Duke of Norffolk commaundyd
Mr Crommwell (who had dayly accesse vnto hyme) to say to my
lord that it is the kynges pleasure that he shold w^t spede goo to
his benefice where lyethe his cure/ and looke to that accordyng
to his dewtie/ Mr Cromwell at his next repayer to my lord
declared vnto hyme what my lord of Norffolk sayd/ who lay
 [Fol. 63]  than at Richemonde/ howe it was determyned that he
shold goo to his benefice/ Well than Thomas/ q^d my lord/ seyng
ther is non other remedy I do entend to go to my benyfice of
wynchester/ And I pray you Thomas so shewe my lord of
Norffolk/ contentyd sir/ q^d Mr Cromwell/ And Accordyng to hys
commaundeme^t dyd so/ to the w^che my lord of Norffolk answerd/
and seyd what wyll he do there/ Nay/ q^d he/ lett hyme goo in to
his provynce of yorke/ wherof he hathe receyved his honor/ and
there lyethe the sperytuall borden & charge of his concyence/ as
he owght to do/ and so shewe hyme/ The lordes who ware not
all his ffrendes/ hauyng intelligence/ of his entent/ thought to
w^tdrawe his appetite ffrome wynchester/ wold in no wyse per­
mytt hyme to plant hyme self so nyghe the kyng/ Movyd therfore
the kyng to geve my lord but a pencion owt of wynchester
 [Page 125]  and to distribut all the rest among the nobilitie & other of
his worthy seruauntes And in lyke wyse to do the same w^t the
revenues of Seynt Albons and of the revenues of his Colleges in
Oxford & Ipswhiche/ the w^che the kyng toke in to his owen
handes/ Wherof Mr Cromwell had the receypte & gouernaunce
a fore be my lordes assigneme^t/ In consideracion therof it was
thought most convenyent that he shold haue so styll/ Not­
w^tstandyng owt of the reveneus of wynchester & seynt Albons
the kyng gave to some oon noble man iij^c markes & to some C^li
And to some more & to some lesse accordyng to the kynges
royall pleasure/ Nowe Mr Cromwell executed his office the
w^che he had ouer the londes of the colleges so Iustly and exactly
that he was had in great estimacion/ for his wytty behauor
therin/ And also for the treu, faythfull & dyligent seruyce
extendyd towardes my lord his Mr/ That it came at lengthe so to
passe that thos to whome the kynges ma^tie hade gevyn any
Annuites or ffees for terme of lyfe by patent/ owte of the
fornamed Revenewes/ cowld not be good but duryng my lordes
lyfe/ for as myche as the kyng had no lenger estate or title
therin/ w^che came to hyme by reason of my lordes attendure in
the premunire/ And to make ther estates good & sufficient
accordyng to ther patentes/ it was thought necessary to haue my
lordes confirmacion vnto ther grauntes/ And this to be brought
abought there was non other mean but to make sewte to
Mr Cromwell to atteyn ther confirmacion/ at my lordes handes/
whome they thought myght best/ opteyn the same/ Then began
bothe noble man & other who had any patentes of the kyng owte
other of Wynchester or Seynt Albons/ to make earnest sewte to
Mr Cromwell for to Solicite ther causes to my lord to gett of
hyme his confirmacions/ And for his paynnes therin susteyned/
they promysed euery man not oonly worthely to reward hyme
but also to shewe hyme suche pleasures as shold at all tymes lye
in ther seuerall powers/ Wherof they assured hyme/ Wherin
Mr Cromwell perceyvyng an occasion and a tyme gevyn hyme/
 [Page 126]  to worke for hyme selfe And to bryng the thyng to passe w^che
he long wysshed for/ Entendyd to worke so in thes matters to
serue ther desiers/ that he myght the soner bryng his owen
enterprice to purpose/ Than at his next resort to my lord he
moved hyme privyely in this matter to haue his councell and hys
advyse/ And so by ther wytty hedes it was devysed that they
shold worke to gether by oon lyne to bryng by ther pollecyes
Mr Cromwell in place & estate where he myght do hymeself
good and my lord myche profett///

Nowe began matters/ to worke to brynge Mr Cromwell in to
estymacion in suche sort as was afterward myche to his
encrease of dygnyte And thus euery man hauyng an occasion to
sewe for my lordes confirmacion made nowe earnest travell to
Mr Cromwell for thes purposes/ who refused non to make
promyse that he wold do hys best in that case/ And havyng a
great occasion of accesse to the kyng for the disposicion of
dyuers londes wherof he had the order & gouernaunce/ by
means wherof and by his witty demeanor/ he grewe contynually
in to the kynges favor/ as ye shall here after in this history/ But
first lett vs resorte to the great busynes abought the assuraunce
of all thes patentes w^che the kyng hathe gevyn to dyuers noble
men & other of his seruauntes wherin Mr Cromwell made a
countenaunce of great sewte to my lord for the same that in
processe of tyme he serued all ther tornes so that they had ther
purposes/ And he ther good wylles/ thus roose hys name &
frendly acceptaunce w^t all men/ the fame of his honestie
& wisdome sounded so in the kynges eares that  [Fol. 64]  by reason
of his accesse to the kyng he perceyved to be in hyme no lesse
wysdome than ffame had made of hyme report/ for as myche as
he had the gouernaunce & receyptes of thos londes w^che I
shewed you byfore/ And the conference that he had w^t the kyng
therin enforced the kyng to reput hyme a very wyse man and a
meate Instrume^t to serue his grace/ As it after came to passe/
Sir nowe the lordes thought long to remove hyme ferther
 [Page 127]  frome the kyng and owte of hys comen trade/ Wherfore (among
other of the lordes) my lord of Norffolk seyd to Mr Cromwell/
Sir/ q^d he/ me thynkythe/ that the Cardynall yo^rMr/ makythe
no hast northeward/ shewe hyme that if he goo not a way
shortly/ I woll rather then he shold tary still/ teare hyme w^t my
teathe/ Therfore I wold advyse hyme to prepare hyme a waye/
as shortly as he can/ or elles he shalbe sent forward/ Thes
wordes Mr Cromwell reported to my lord at his next repayer to
hyme/ who than had a Iust occasion to resort to hyme for the
depeche of the noble mens & others patentes/ And here I wyll
leave of this matter & shewe you of my lordes beyng at
Richemond

My lord havyng licence of the kyng to repayer & remove to
Richemond wherfore my lord made hast to prepare hyme
thetherward And so he came and lodged w^tin the great parke
there/ w^che was a very pritty howsse & a nett/ lakyng no neces­
sarie Romes that to so small a howsse was conuenyent &
necessary where was to the same a proper garden garnysshed w^t
dyuers plesaunt walkes & alies/ my lord contynued in thys loge
frome the tyme that he came thether shortly after Candylmas
vntyll it was lent w^t a privye nomber of seruauntes by cause of
the smalnes of the howsse/ And the rest of hys famely went to
bord wages/ I wyll tell you a certyn tale/ by the way of Com­
mynycasion Sir as my lord was accustumed towardes nyght
to walke in the garden there to sey his seruyce/ it was my
chaunce than to wayt vppon hyme there/ and standyng still in an
alie/ wyllest he in an other walked w^t his chapleyn
sayeng of his seruice/ And as I stode I aspied certyn Images of
beastes counterfeit in tymber standyng in a corner vnder the
loge wall/ to the w^che I repayred to behold/ Among whome I
sawe there a Dwn Cowe/ wheron I mused most by cause it semed
me to be the most lyvelyest entaylled among all the rest/ My
lord beyng (as I sayd) walkyng on the other side/ of the Garden/
perseyved me/ came sodenly apon me at my bake onwares
 [Page 128]  sayd what haue ye espied here that ye so attentyfely looke
vppon/ fforsothe if it please yo^r grace/ q^d I/ here I do behold thes
entaylled Images the w^che I suppose ware ordened for to be sett
vppe w^t in some place/ abowght the kynges place howbeit sir
among them all I haue most considered the Dwn Cowe/ the
w^che as it semyth me/ the worke man hathe most apertly shewed
hys Connyng/ yea marye sir/ q^d my lord/vppon thys dwn Cowe
dependyth a certyn prophesy/ the w^che I woll shewe you for
paraduenture ye neuer hard of it byfore/ Ther is a sayeng/ q^d
he/ that whan this Cowe ridyth the bull/ than prest beware thy
skull/ w^che prophecye nother my lord that declared it ne I that
hard it/ vnderstod theffect of thys prophecye/ allthoughe that
evyn than it was a workyng to be brought to passe/ ffor this
Cowe the kyng gave as oon of his beastes appurteynyng of
antiquytie vnto his Ereldome of Richemond w^che was his
auncyent enheritaunce/ this prophecy was after expoundyd in
this wyse/ This doon Cowe (because it was the kynges beast)
betokened the kyng/ And the bull bytokened Mrs Anne Bulloyn
(w^che was after Quene & the kynges wyfe)/ bycause hyr ffather
Sir Thomas Bulloyn gave the same best in his cognysaunce/ So
that whan the kyng had maried hyr (the w^che was than onknowen
to my lord/ or to any other at that tyme/) Than was thys
prophecy thought of all men to be ffulfilled// ffor what a nomber
of prestes bothe religious & seculer lost ther heddes for offendyng
of suche lawes as was than made to bryng this prophecye to
effect yt is not onknowen to all the world//

Therfor it was Iuged of all men that this prophecy was than
ffulfyll whan the kyng & she ware Ioyned in mariage/ Nowe howe
darke & obscure ridelles and prophecyes be/ you may behold in
thys same/ ffor byfore it was brought to passe/ there was not the
wysest prophicier cowd perfectly discus it/ as it is nowe come to
effect & purpose/ Trust therfore (be myn advyse) to no kynd of
darke Riddelles & prophecyes/ where ye may (as many hathe
byn) be disseyved and brought to distruccion/ And many tymes
 [Page 129]  the Imagynacions & travelous busynes to avoyd suche darke &
straynge prophecyes hathe byn the very occasion to bryng the
same the soner to effect & perfeccion/ therfore lett men beware
to devyn or assure them selfes to expound any suche prophecyes/
ffor who so doyth/ shal first dissayve them selfes/ And secondly
bryng many in to errour/ thexperience hathe byn lately
experyenced (the more pitie) But if men woll nedes thynke them
selfes so wyse to be assured of suche blynd prophecyes/ And
wyll worke ther wylles therin/ owther in avoydyng or in ffulfil­
lyng the same/ god send hyme well to sped/ for he may as well
and myche more soner take dammage/ than to avoyd the daynger
therof/ lett prophecyes alone a goddes name/ Applie yo^rvocacion
And commytt thexposicion of suche darke riddelles And obscure
prophecyes to god that disposyth theme as his devyn plesure shall
see cause/ to allter & chaynge all yo^renterprices & Imagynacions
to nothyng & disceyve all yo^rexpectacions and cause you to
repent yo^rgreat folly/ the w^che whan ye feale the smert wyll yo^r
self confesse the same/ to be bothe great foly & myche more
madnes/ to trust in any suche ffantazes/ lett god therfore dispose
theme/ who gwerdenythe and punysshethe/ accordyng to mens
desertes & not to all mens Iugementes///

You have hard here byfore what wordes the Duke of Norffolk
had to Mr Cromwell towchyng my lordes goyng in to the northe
to his benyfice of yorke/ at suche tyme as Mr Cromwell declared
the same to my lord/ to whome my lord answered in thys wyse/
Marie Thomas/ q^d he/ than it is tyme to be goyng if my lord of
Norffolk take it so/ Therfore I pray you goo to the kyng and
move his highnes in my behalf and sey that I wold w^t all my
hart goo to my benefice in yorke but for want of mony/
desyryng his grace to assist me w^t some mony towardes my
Iourney ffor ye may sey that the last monye that I receyved of
his ma{tie} hathe byn to littyll to pay my debtes/ compelled by his
Councell so to do/ therfore to constrayne me to the payment
therof/ & his highenes hauyng all my goodes hathe byn to
 [Page 130]  myche extremyte/ wherin I trust hys grace wyll haue a charitable
respecte/ ye may sey also to my lord of Norffolk and other of the
councell that I wold departe if I had mony/ Sir q^d Mr Cromwell
I wyll do my best and after other Commynycacion he departed
agayn & went to london// My lord than in the begynnyng of
lent removed owt of the loge in to the Charterhowsse of
Richemond/ where he lay in a lodgyng (w^che Doctor Collett
(sometyme dean of powlles) hade made for hyme self) vntill he
removed northeward w^che was in the passion weke/ after/ And he
had to the same howsse a secrett gallery w^che went owt of his
Chamber in to the Charterhowsse chirche/ whether he resortyd
euery day to ther seruyce/ And at after nones he wold sytt in
contemplacion w^t oon or other of the most auncyent ffathers of
that howsse in his sell/ who among theme & by ther councell
perswadyd frome the vaynglory of thys world/ And gave hyme
dyuers shirtes of heare the w^che he often ware after ward (wherof
I ame certyn) And thus he perceuered for the tyme of his abode
there in godly contemplacion/ Nowe whan Mr Cromwell came
to the Court he chaunced to move my lord of Norffolk that my
lord wold gladly depart northeward but for lake of mony wherin
he desyred his assistaunce to the kyng/ Then went they bothe
Ioyntly to the kyng/ to whome My lord of Norffolk declared how
my lord wold gladly depart northeward if he wanted not mony
to bryng hyme thether/ The kyng thervppon referred the
assigneme^t therof to the Councell/ where vppon they ware in
dyuers oppynyons/ some sayed he shold haue none for he had
sufficient but late delyuerd hyme/ Some wold he shold  [Fol. 66] 
haue sufficient & anowghe/ And some contrarywyse wold he
shold haue but a small Somme/ And some thought it myche
ayenst the Councelles honor/ and myche more ayenst the
kynges highe dignyte/ to se hyme want the mayntenaunce of
his estate w^che the kyng had gevyn hyme in this Realme and
also hathe byn in suche estymacon w^t the kyng and in great
auctorytie/ vnder hyme in this realme/ yt shold be rathe a great
 [Page 131]  slaunder (in forrayn Realmes) to the kyng & his hole councell
to se hyme want that latly had so myche/ and nowe so lyttill/
therfore rather than he shold lake (q^d oon among theme) that
rather than he shold lake/ allthoughe he neuer did me good or
any pleasure yet wold I lay my plate to Gagge for hyme for a
M^{l li} Rather than he shold depart so symply as some wold
haue hyme for to do/ lett vs do to hyme as we wold be don vnto
consideryng his small offence and his in estymable Substaunce
that he oonly hathe departyd w^t all for the same oonly for
satisfieng of the kynges pleasure Rather then he wold stand in
defence w^t the kyng in defendyng of hys case/ As he myght Iustly
haue don as all ye knowe/ lett not malice cloke thys matter
wherby that pitie & mercy may take no place/ ye haue all yo^r
pleasures fulfillyd w^che ye haue long desired/ And nowe suffer
concyence to mynester vnto hyme some liberalitie/ the day may
come that some of vs may be in the same case/ ye haue suche
alteracions in persons as well assured as ye suppose yo^rselfes to
be and to stand vppon as suer a ground/ And what hangythe
ouer our heddes we knowe not/ I can say no more nowe do as ye
lyst/ Than after all this they began agayn to consult in this
matter/ And after long debatyng and reasonyng abought the
same/ yt was concludyd that he shold haue by the way of prest
a M^l marces/ owt of wynchester bysshopriche byfore hand of
his pencion w^che the kyng had graunted hyme owt of the same/
for the kyng had resumed the hole revenues of the bysshopriche/
of wynchester in to his owen handes/ yet the kyng owt of the
same had grauntyd dyuers great pencyons vnto dyuers noble
men & vnto other of his Councell So that I do suppose/
all thynges Accompted hys part was the lest So that whan thys
determynacion was fully concludyd they declared the same to
the kyng/ who strayt wayes commaunded that M^l marces to be
delyuerd owt of hand to Mr Cromewell and so it was/ The kyng
callyng Mr Cromwell to hyme secretly/ bad hyme to resort to
hyme agayn whan he had receyved the seyd Somme of mony/
And accordyng to the same commaundeme^t/ he repayred agayn
to the kyng/ to whome the kyng sayd shewe my lord yo^r Mr
 [Page 132]  allthoughe our Councell hathe not assigned any sufficient
Somme of mony to beare hys charges/ yet ye shall shewe hyme
in my behalf that I woll send hyme a M|l li| of my benyvolence/
And tell hyme that he shall not lake/ And byd hyme to be of good
chere/ Mr Cromewell vppon his knee most humbly thanked the
kyng (on my lordes behalf) for his great benyvolence & noble
hart towardes my lord/ whos comfortable wordes/ q^d he/ of yo^r
grace/ shall reioyse hyme more than iij^re tymes the valewe of
yo^rnoble reward/ And therw^t departed frome the kyng and
came to my lord directly to richemond/ To whome he delyuerd
the mony and shewed hyme all the argume^t in the councell
w^che ye haue hard byfore w^t the progresse of the same/ & of
what mony it was & wherof it was levyed w^che the Councell sent
hyme And of the mony w^che the kyng sent hyme And of his
comfortable wordes/ wherof my lord reioysed not a littill &
greatly comforted/ And after the receypt of this mony my lord
consultyd w^t Mr Cromwell abought his departure & of his
Iourney w^t the order therof//

Than my lord prepared all thynges w^t spede for his Iourney
in to the northe/ Sent to london for lyuere clothes for his
seruauntes that shold ride w^t hyme thether/ Some he refused
suche as he thought ware not mete to serue/ And some agayn of
ther owen mynd desired hyme of his fauour to tary still here in
the Sowthe/ beyng very lothe to enbandon ther natife contrie/
ther parentes/ wyfes & childerne/ wherw^t he most gladly
licenced w^t his good wyll & fauour And rendered vnto theme his
hartie thankes for ther paynfull seruyce & long tariaunce w^t
hyme in his troblesome dekay & ouerthrowe/ So that nowe/
 [Fol. 67]  all thynges beyng ffurnysshed towardes this Iourney
w^che he toke in the begynnyng/ of the passion weke/ byfore Ester/
And so rode to a place than the Abbottes of westminster called
hendon/ And the next day he removed to a place called the Rye
where my lady Parre lay/ the next day he roode to Royston and
lodged in the monastory there/ And the next he removed to
 [Page 133]  huntyngdon/ And there lodged in the Abbey/ And frome thence
he removed to Peterboroughe And there lodged also w^tin the
Abbey beyng than Palmesonday where he made hys abode
vntyll the thursday in Ester weke/ w^tall his trayn/ wherof the
most part went to bord wages in the town havyng xij^th Cartes
to carry his stuffe of his owen w^che came frome his collage in
Oxford where he had lx|ore| Cartes to Cary suche necessaryes as
belonged to his byldynges there// Vppon Palmesonday he went
in procession/ w^t the monkes beryng his Palme/ settyng forthe
godes seruyce right honorably w^t such syngyng men as he than
had remaynyng w^t hyme/ And vppon maundy Thursday he
made his maundy in our ladys Chappell/ hauyng lix^ti poomen
whos feet he than wasshed wyped & kyssed/ eche of thes poore
men had xij^d in mony iij elles of Canvas to make theme shirtes/
a payer of newe shoes/ A Cast of Brede/ iij^re red herynges/ and
iij^re whight herynges and the ode person had ij^s/ Vppon Esterday
in the mornyng he rode to the resurreccion/ And that day he
went in procession in his vesture Cardynall w^t his hatt & hode
vppon his hed/ And he hymeself sang there the highe masse
very devoutly/ And graunted cleane remyssion to all the herers
and there contynued there all the holledayes//

My lord contynuyng/ at Peterboroughe after this maner
entendyng to remove frome thence sent me to sir willam
ffitzwillam a knyght w^che dwelt w^t in iij^re or iiij^or mylles of
Peterboroughe to provyde hyme there a lodgyng vntill monday
next folowyng on his Iourney northeward/ And beyng w^t hyme/
to whome I declared my lordes request/ and he beyng therof
very glad/ reioysed not a littill that it wold please my lord to vysit
his howsse in his waye/ sayeng that he shold be (the
kyng ma{tie} excepted) most hartilest welcome to hyme of any
man a lyve/ And that he shold not nede to discharge the cariage
of any of hys stuffe for his owen vse duryng the tyme of his
beyng there but haue all thynges furnysshed redy ayenst hys
commyng/ to occupie (his owen bedd excepted) Thus vppon my
 [Page 134]  report made to my lord at my retorne/ he reioysed of my
messwage/ comaundyng me ther^wt to geve warnyng to all his
officers & seruauntes to prepare them selfes to remove frome
Peterboroughe vppon Thursday next/ than euery man made all
thynges in suche redynes as was convenyent payeng in the town
for all thynges as they had taken of any person for ther owen
vse/ ffor w^che cause my lord caused a proclamacion to be made
in the town/ that if any person or persons in the town or contrie
there ware offendyd or greved ayenst any of my lordes
seruauntes/ that they shold resort to my lordes officers of
whome they shold haue redresse/ and truly answered/ as the
case Iustly requered/ So that all thynges beyng ffurnysshed my
lord toke his Iourney frome Peterboroughe vppon the Thursday
in Ester weke/ to Mr ffitzwillam where he was Ioyously receyved
and had right worthy & honorable entertaynme^t at the oonly
charges & expences of the seyd Mr ffitzwillam/ all his tyme
beyng there/ The occasion that moved Mr ffitzw|illam| thus to reioyse
of my lordes beyng in his howsse/ was that he some tyme beyng
a merchaunt of london and shereve there fill in debate w^t the
Citie of london vppon a Grudge bytwen the Aldermen of the
benche and hyme vppon a newe corporacion that he wold
erected there of a newe mystery called merchaunt tayllours con­
trarye to the oppynyon of dyuers of the benche of aldermen/ of
the Citie of london/ w^che caused hyme to geve & surrender his
Clooke/ and departed frome london & inhabyted w^t in the
Countrie/ And ayenst the malice of all the seyd aldermen and
other rewlers in the Comen wele/ of the Citie/ my lord defendyd
hyme/ and reteyned hyme in to seruyce/ whome he made first
his Treasorer of his howsse/ & than after his highe Chamberlayn/
And in conclusion (for his wysdome/ gravytie/ port/ and
eloquens/ beyng a gentilman of a comly stature)/ made hyme
oon of the kynges Councell/ and so contynued all his lyfe after
ward/ Therfor in  [Fol. 65]  consideracion of all thes gratitudes
receyved at my lordes handes as well in his trobyll as in his
 [Page 135]  preferment/ was most gladest (lyke a faythfull frend of good
remembraunce) to requyt hyme w^t semblable gratuytie and
right Ioyous/ that he had any occasion to mynyster some
pleasure suche as lay than in his power to do/ Thus my lord
contynued there vntill the monday next/ where lakked no good
chere of costly vyandes bothe of wyn and other goodly enter­
tayneme^t/ So that vppon the seyd monday my lord departed
frome thence vnto Stampford where he lay all that nyght/ and
the next day he removed frome thence vnto Grantham and was
lodged in a gentilmans howsse called/ Mr hall/ and the next day
he rode to Newarke/ & lodged in the Castell all that nyght/ The
next day he roode to Southewell a place of my lordes w^t in iij^re
or iiij^r myles of Newarke/ where he entendyd to contynewe all
that Somer/ as he dyd after// here I must declare to you a
notable tale of commynycacion/ (w^che was don at Mr ffitzw|illam|
byfore his departyng frome thence) bytwen hyme & me/ the
w^che was this/ Sir my lord beyng in the Garden at Mr ffitzw|illam|
walkyng and sayeng of his evynsong w^t hys Chapleyn/ I beyng
there gevyng attendaunce vppon hyme/ his Evynsong fynesshed
commaundyd his Chapleyn that bare vppe the trayn of his
gown wyllest he walked/ to delyuer me the same and he to goo
aside whan he had don/ And after hys chapleyn was goon a good
distaunce owt of any heryng/ he sayd vnto me/ in this wyse ye
have q^d he/ byn late at london/ fforsothe my lord/ q^d I/ not late/
sence that I was there to bye yo^r lyueres for yo^rseruauntes/ And
what newes q^d he/ was there than hard ye no commynycacion
ther of me/ I pray you tell me/ Than perceyvyng that I had a
good occasion to talke my mynd playnly vnto hyme/ sayd/ Sir if
it please yo^rgrace/ it was my chaunce to be at a Dynner in a
certyn place w^t in the Citie/ where I among dyuers other honest
& worshipfull gentillmen/ happed to sitt w^che ware
for the most part of my old famylier acquayntaunce/ wherfore
they ware the more bolder to enter in commynycacion w^t
 [Page 136]  me/ vnderstandyng that I was still yo^rgraces seruaunt/ Axid me
a questyon w^che I cowld not well assoyll theme/ what was that/
q^d my lord/ fforsothe sir/ q^d I/ ffirst they axid me howe ye dyd
And howe ye accepted yo^raduersitie & troble & the losse of yo^r
goodes/ to the w^che I answered that ye ware in helthe (thankes
be to god) And toke all thyng in good part/ And sir it semed me
that they ware all yo^rIndifferent frendes lamentyng yo^rdekay
& losse of yo^rRome & goodes/ doughtyng myche that the
sequell therof cowld not be good in the Comen welthe/ ffor
often chayngeng of suche officers w^che be ffate fed in to the
handes of suche as be lean and hongerd for riches woll suer
travell by all means to gett aboundaunce & so the poore Comens
be pillyd & extorted for gready lucre of Riches & treasure/ they
sayd that ye ware full fed and entendyd nowe myche to the
auaunceme^t of the kynges honor & the comen welthe/ Also they
marvelled myche that ye beyng of so excellent a wytt and highe
discression wold so symply confesse yo^rself gyltie in the
premunyre/ wherin/ ye myght full well haue stand in the triall of
yo^rcase/ ffor they vnderstod by the report of some of the kynges
Councell learned that in yo^rcase (well considered)/ ye had great
wrong/ to the w^che I cowld make (as me thought) no sufficient
Answere but sayd that I dought not but that yo^r so doyng was
vppon some greatter consideracion than my wytt cowld vnder­
stand/ ys this/ q^d he/ the oppynyon of wyse men/ yea forsothe
my lord/ q^d I/ and allmost of all other men// Well then/ q^d he/
I se that ther wysdomes perceyve not the ground of the matter
that moved me so to do ffor I considered that my ennemyes had
brought the matter so to passe ayenst me/ and conveyed it so
that they made it the kynges case/ and caused the kyng to take
the matter in to his owen handes & quarell/ And after that he
had vppon occasion therof seased all my goodes & possession in
 [Page 137]  to his demayns/ And than the quarell to be his/ he wold rather
than yeld or take a foyell in the lawe/ and therby restore  [Fol. 69] 
to me all my goodes agan/ wold soner (by the procureme^t of my
ennemyes and evyll wyllers) Imagyn my vtter vndoyng &
distruccion/ Wherof the most ease therin had byn for me
perpetuall Imprisonme^t/ And rather then I wold Ieopard so
ferre/ or put my lyfe in any suche hasard/ yet had I most levest
to yeld & confesse the matter commyttyng the hole some therof
as I did vnto the kynges Clemency & mercy and lyve at large
lyke a poore vykare/ than to lye in prison w^t all the goodes &
honour that I hade/ And therfore it was most best way for me
(all thynges consideryd) to do as I haue don/ than to stand in
triall w^t the kyng ffor he wold haue byn lothe to haue byn noted
a wrong doer/ And in my submyssion the kyng (I dought not)
had a great remorse of concyence/ wherin he wold rather pitie me
than malygne me/ And also there was a contynuall serpentyn
ennemye abought the kyng that wolld I ame well assured if I had
byn found styfe necked/ called contynually vppon the kyng in his
eare (I mean the nyght Crowe)//// w^t suche a vehemencye/ that
I shold (w^t the helpe of hir assistaunce) have opteyned soner the
kynges indignacion/ than his lawfull fauour and his ffauor oons
lost (w^che I trust at this present I haue) wold neuer haue byn by
me recouered/ therfore I thought it better for me to kepe still
his lovyng favour/ w^t losse of my goodes & dignytyes than to
wynne my goodes & substaunce w^t the losse of hys love &
pryncely fauour/ w^che is but oonly deathe// Quia indignacio prin­
cipis mors est/ And thys was the specyall ground and cause that
I yelded my self gyltie in the premunire/ w^che I perceyve all
men knewe not/ wherin sence/ I vnderstand the kyng hathe
conceyved a certyn pryke of concyence/ who toke secretly to
hyme self the matter more grevous in his secrett stomake than all
men knewe/ for he knewe wether I did offend hyme ther in so
 [Page 138]  grevously (as it was made) or no/ To whos concyence I do
commytt my cause/ trowthe/ & equytie// And thus we left the
substaunce of all this commynycacion/ allthoughe we had myche
more talke/ yet is this sufficient to cause you to vnderstand as
well the cause of his confession in his offence/ as also the cause
of the losse of all his goodes & treasure///

Nowe lett vs/ retorne were we left/ My lord beyng in the
Castell of Newarke/ entendyng to ride to Southwell w^che was
iiij^r myles frome thence/ toke nowe his Iourney thetherward
ayenst Supper/ where he was fayn for lake of reparacion of the
bysshopes place/ w^che appurteyned to the see of yorke/ to be
lodgyd in a prebendaries howsse ayenst the seyd place/ And
there kepte howsse vntill wytsontyd next ayenst w^che tyme he
removed in to the place newely amendyd & repayred/ And there
contynued the most part of the Somer/ Sewerly not w^tout great
resort of the most worshipfullest gentilmen of the Contrie/ And
dyuers other/ of whome they ware most gladly entertayned &
had of hyme the best chere he could devyse for theme whos
gentill & famylier behauour w^t theme caused hyme to be greatly
beloved & estemed/ thoroughe the hole contrie there aboughtes/
he kept an noble howsse and plentie bothe of meate & drynke/
for all commers bothe for riche & Poore/ And myche almes gevyn
at his gate/ he vsed myche charite & pite/ among his poore
tenauntes & other/ allthoughe the fame therof was no pleasaunt
sownd in the eares of his ennemyes and of suche as bare hyme no
good wyll/ howebeit the Comen people woll report as they fynd
cause/ ffor he was myche more famylier among all persons than
he was accustumed/ And most gladdest whan he had an occasion
to do them good/ he made many agrementes and concordes
betwen gentillman & gentillman/ And bytwen some gentillmen
& ther wyfes that had byn long a Sonder and in great troble/ and
dyuers other agrementes bytwen other persons/ makyng great
assembles for the same purpose and feastyng of them not
sparyng for any costes where he myght make a peace/ and
amytie/ w^che purchased hyme myche love & frendshipe in the
 [Page 139]  Contrie// yt chaunced that vppon Corpus xpi Eve after supper
he commaundyd me to prepare all thyng for hyme in a redynes/
ayenst the next day/ for he entendyd to syng highe masse in the
mynstre/ that day And I not forgettyng his commaundeme^t/
gave lyke warnyng to all his officers of hys howsse & other of my
ffellowes/ to forse that all thynges appurteynyng to ther romes
ware fully furnysshed to my lordes honor/  [Fol. 70] This don I went
to my bed/ where I was skantly a slepe & warme but that oon of
the porters came to my chamber doore/ callyng vppon me/ and
sayd there was ij gentillmen/ at the gat that wold gladly speke
w^t my lord frome the kyng/ w^t that I arose vppe and went
incontynent vnto the gate w^t the porter/ demaundyng what they
ware that so ffayn wold come In/ they seyd vnto me that ther was
Mr Breerton/ oon of the gentilmen of the kynges privye chamber/
And Mr Wrothesley w^che ware come frome the kyng empost/ to
speke w^t my lord/ than hauyng vnderstandyng what they ware
caused the Porter to lett them In/ And after ther entre they
desired me to speke w^t my lord w^tout delay for they myght not
tary/ at whos request I repayred to my lordes chamber & waked
hyme that was a slepe/ but whan he hard me speke/ he de­
maundyd of me what I wold haue/ Sir q^d I/ ther be bynethe in
the porters loge Mr Breerton gentilman of the kynges pryvye
Chamber/ and Mr writhesley come frome the kyng to speke wt
you/ they wyll not tary therfore they beseche yo^rgrace to speke
w^t you owt of hand/ well than q^d my lord byd them come vppe
in to my dynyng chamber/ and I wyll prepare my self to come
to theme/ than I resorted to them agayn/ And shewed them that
my lord desired them to come vppe vnto hyme & he woll talke
w^t theme w^t a right good wyll/ they thanked me & went w^t me
vnto my lord and assone as they perceyved hyme beyng in his
nyght apparell dyd to hyme humble reuerence/ whome my lord
toke by the handes demaundyng of theme howe the kyng his
souerayn lord did/ sir seyd they/ right well in helthe & mery/
 [Page 140]  (thankes be vnto our lord)// Sir q^d they/ we must desier you to
talke w^t you a part/ w^t a right good wyll/ q^d my lord/ who drewe
them a side in to a great wyndowe/ and there talked w^t theme
secretly/ and after long talke they toke owt of a male/ a certyn
Coffer couered w^t grean veluett/ and bound w^t barres of siluer
& gylt/ w^t a looke of the same/ hauyng a key w^che was gylt w^t the
w^che they opened the same chest/ owt of the w^che they toke a
certyn Instrume^t or writyng conteynyng more then oon skyn of
parchement/ havyng many great Seales hangyng at yt/
where vnto they put more waxe for my lordes Seale/ the w^che
my lord Sealed w^t his owen seale & subscrybed his name to the
same/ And that don they wold nedes departe/ And for as myche
as it was after mydnyght/ my lord desired them to tarye & take a
bed/ they thanked hyme/ And seyd they myght in no wyse tary
for they wold w^t all spede to the Erle of Shrewesburys directly
w^tout lett by cause they wold be there or euer he stered in the
mornyng/ And my lord perceyvyng ther hasty spede/ caused
them to eate suche cold meate as ther was in store w^tin the
howsse and to drynke a coppe or ij of wyne/ And that don he
gaue eche of theme iiij^or old Souerayns of gold desiryng them
to take it in gree sayeng that if he had byn of greatter abyllitie/
ther reward shold haue byn better/ And so takyng ther leave/
they departyd/ and after they ware departed/ as I hard sey they
ware not contentid w^t ther reward/ In deade they ware not none
of his indifferent ffrendes w^che caused them to accept it so
disdaynously howebeit if they knewe what littill stoore of mony
he had at that present they wold I ame suere (beyng but his
Indyfferent frendes) they wold haue gevyn hyme harty thankes/
But no thyng is more lost or cast a way/ than is suche thynges
w^che is gevyn to suche Ingrate persons/ My lord went agayn to
bed And yet all his watche & disturbaunce that he had that
nyght notw^tstandyng/ he song hyghemasse the next day as he
appoynted byfore/ There was none in all his howsse that knewe
of the commyng or goyng of thes ij gentilmen and yet there lay
w^t in the seyd howsse many worshipfull strayngers//
After thys sort/ and maner my lord contynued at Southewell
 [Page 141]  vntill the latter end of Grease tyme/ at w^che tyme he entendyd to
remove to Scrobye/ w^che was an other howsse/ of the bysshop­
riche of yorke/ and ayenst the day of his removyng he caused all
his officers to prepare as well for provysion to be made for hyme
there as also for cariage of his stuffe and other matters con­
cernyng his estate/ his removyng and entent was not so secrett/
but that it was  [Fol. 71]  knowen/ abrode in Contrie/ w^che was
lamentable to all his neyghbors/ abought Southwell/ and as it
was lamentable vnto them/ so was yt as myche Ioy to his neygh­
bors abought Scrobye/ Ayenst the day of his removyng dyuers
knyghtes & other gentilmen of worshype in the Contrie/ came
to hyme to Sowthewell entendyng to accompany & attend vppon
hyme in that Iourney the next day And to conducte hyme
thoroughe the fforest vnto Scrobye/ but he beyng of ther
purpose aduertised howe they did entend to haue lodged a
great stagg or tweyn for hyme by the waye/ purposly to shewe
hyme all pleasure & disporte they cowld devyse and havyng
(as I seyd) therof Intelligence was very lothe to receyve any
suche honor & disport at ther handes not knowyng howe the
kyng wold take it and beyng well assured that his ennemyes
wold reioyse myche to vnderstand that he wold take vppon
hyme any suche presumpcyon/ wherby they myght fynd an
occasion to enforme the kyng howe sonpmtyous & pleasaunt he
was notw^tstandyng his aduersite and ouerthrowe/ And so to
bryng the kyng in to a wrong oppynyon of small hope/ in hyme
of reconsilme^t/ but rather that he sowght a mean to opteyn the
fauour of the Contrie/ to w^tstand the kynges procedynges w^t
dyuers suche Imagynacions wherin he myght soner catche
displeasure than fauour & honour/ And also he was lothe to
make the worshipfull gentilmen privye to this his Imaginacion
lest parauenture that they shold conceyve some toye or fantzy
in ther hedes by means therof and so to eschewe ther accustumed
accesse and absent theme selfes frome hyme/ w^che shold be as
myche to hys greve/ as the other was to his comfort/ therfore he
 [Page 142]  devysed this meane way/ (as hereafter folowyth) w^che shold
rather be taken for a laughyng disport than other wyse/ ffirst
he called me vnto hyme secretly at nyght goyng to his rest/ And
commaundyd me in any wyse most secretly that nyght to cause
.vj.^th or .vij^en horsses besides his mewle for his owen person to
be made redy by the breke of the day for hyme/ and for suche
persons as he appoynted to ride w^t hyme to an Abbey called
welbeke/ where he entendyd to logge by the way to Scrobye/
wyllynge me to be also in a redynes/ to ride w^t hyme/
And to call hyme so early that he myght be on horssebake after
he had hard masse by the brekyng of day/ Sir/ what wyll you
more/ All thynges beyng accomplisshed accordyng to his
commaundeme^t And the same fynysshed & don/ he w^t a small
nomber byfore appoynted mounted vppon his mewle settyng
forthe by the brekyng of the day towardes welbeke w^che is
abuught xvj^en mylles frome thence/ whether my lord & we came
byfore vj^th of the cloke in the mornyng and he went strayt to his
bed levyng all the gentilmen strayngers in ther beddes at
Sowthewell no thyng privye of my lordes secrett departure/ who
expectyd his vppe risyng vntill it was viij^th of the Clocke/ but
after it was knowen to theme/ and to all the rest there remaynyng
behynd hyme/ than euery man went to horsbake/ gallopeng after
supposyng to ouertake hyme/ but he was at his rest in welbeke
or euer they roose owt of ther beddes in Sowthewell/ And so
ther cheafe huntyng and Coursyng of the great Stagge was
disapoynted & dassht/ but at ther thether resort to my lord
syttyng at dynner the matter was gested & laughed owte/
merylye/ and all the matter well taken/ My lord the next day
removed frome thence/ to whome resortyd dyuers gentillmen of
my lord therle of Shrewsburys seruauntes to desier my lord in
ther Mrs name to hunt in a parke/ of therles called worsoppe
parke/ the w^che was w^t in a myle of welbeke/ and the very best
& next waye for my lord to travell thorowghe on his Iourney
where myche plenty of game was layed in a redynes to shewe
 [Page 143]  hyme pleasure/ howbeit he thanked my lord ther Mr for his
gentilnes and theme for ther paynnes/ sayeng that he was no
meate man for any suche pastyme/ beyng a man other wyse
disposed/ suche pastyme & pleasure ware meate for suche noble
men as delight therin/ Neuerthelesse/ he cowld do no lesse than
to accompte my lord of Shrewsbury to be myche his frend in
whome he found suche gentilnes & noblenes in his honorable
offer/ to whome he rendered his most lowly thankes/ but in no
wyse they cowld entreat hyme to hunt allthoughe the worshipfull
gentilmen beyng in his company provoked him all that they
cowld do therto/ yet he wold not consent desyryng theme to be
contented/ sayeng that he came not in to the Contrye to
frequent or folowe any suche pleasures or pastymes/ but oonly
to attend to a greatter Care that he had in hand w^che was his
dewtie, study & pleasure And w^t suche reasons & perswasions he
pacified them for that tyme/ howbeit yet as he rode thoroughe
the parke bothe my lord of Shrewsburys seruauntes And also
the foreseyd gentilmen moved hyme/ oons agayn byfore whome
the dere lay very fayer for all pleasaunt/ huntyng and Coursyng/
but it wold not be/ but made as myche sped to ride thorowghe
the parke/ as he cowld/ And at the issue owte of the parke/ he
callyd therles gentilmen & the kepers vnto hyme/ desiryng
theme to haue hyme commendyd to my lord ther Mr/ thankyng
hyme for hys most honorable offer & good wyll/ trustyng
shortly to visit hyme at his owen howsse/ And gave the kepers
xl^s for ther payns & diligence/ who conducted hyme thoroughe
the parke And so rode to an other abbey called Rofford Abbey/
And after he rode to blythe Abbey/ where he lay all nyght/ And
the next day to Scrobye where he contynued vntill after
Michelmas mynystryng many deades of charitie/ Most Comenly
euery Sonday (if the whether did serue) he wold travell vnto
some paryshe chirche/ there abought and there wold say hys
devyn seruyce And other here or say masse hyme self/ causyng
some oon of hys Chaplyns to preche vnto the people/ And that
don he wold dynne/ in some honest howsse/ of that town/ where
 [Page 144]  shold be distributed to the poore a great almes/ as well of mete
& drynke/ as of monye/ to supplye the want of sufficient
mete/ if the nombor of the poore did so exced of necessitie/ And
thus w^t other good deades practasyng & excercisyng duryng his
abode at Scrobye as makyng of love dayes and aggreme^tes
bytwen partie & partie/ beyng than at varyaunce/ he/ dayly
frequentyng hyme self abought suche busynes/ & deades of
honest charitie//

Than abought/ the feast of Seynt Michell next ensuyng my
lord toke his Iourney towardes Cawood Castell/ the w^che is
w^tin vij^en myles of yorke/ And passyng thether he lay ij nyghtes
and a day at Seynt Oswaldes Abbeye where he hymeself con­
firmed Childerne in the Chyrche frome viij^th of Clocke in the
naornyng vntyll xj^en of the clocke at none/ And makyng a short
dynner resortyd agayn to the chirche at oon of the cloke/ And
there began agayn to confirme moo childern vntill iiij^or of the
cloke/ where he was at the last constrayned for werynes to sitt
down in a chayer/ the nomber of the childerne was suche/ that
don he sayd his Evynsong and than went to Sopper/ And rested
hyme there all that nyght/ And the next mornyng he applied
hyme self to departe towardes Cawood and or euer he departed
he confirmed all most an C^th childerne more And than rude on
his Iourney/ And by the way ther ware assembled at a stone
Crosse standyng vppon a greane w^t in a quart|er| of a myle of
fferyebrigg abought the nomber of CC^th childerne to confirme/
where he allighted and never removed hys foote vntill he had
confirmed theme all/ And than toke his mewle/ agayn and roode
to Cawood where he lay long after w^t myche honour and love
of the Contrie/ bothe of the worshipefull and of the symple/
excercysyng hyme self in good deades of charitie/ And kepte
there an honorable & plentifull howsse/ for all commers/ And
also bylt & repayred the Castell w^che was than greatly dekayed
hauyng a great multitude of artifycers and laborers/ above the
nomber of CCC^th persons dayly in wages/ And lyeng there he
had Intelligence/ by the gentilmen of the Contrie/ that vsid to
 [Page 145]  repayer vnto hyme/ that there was sprong a great varyaunce &
deadly hate/ bytwen sir Richard Tempest & Mr Bryan hastynges
than but a squyer w^che was after made knyght/ bytwen whome
was lyke to ensue great murder onlesse some good mean myght
be found to redresse the Inconvenyence that was most lyklyest
to ensue/ my lord beyng therof aduertised laymentyng the case
made suche means by his wysdome & letters w^t other per­
swasions that thes ij gentilmen ware content to resort to my
lord to Cawood/ and there to abyde his order/ hyghe & lowe/
than was there a day  [Fol. 73]  Appoynted of there assembly byfore
my lord/ At w^che day they Came/ not w^tout great number on
eche partie/ wherfore ayenst w^che day my lord had requyred
many worshipfull gentilmen to be there present to assist hyme
w^t ther wysdomes to appease thes ij worthy gentilmen/ beyng
at deadly foode/ and to se the kynges peace kepte/ com­
maundyng no more of ther nomber to enter in to the Castell w^t
thes ij gentilmen than vj persons of eche of ther menyall
seruauntes and all the rest to remayn w^tout in the town or where
they listed to repayer/ And my lord hyme self issuyng owte of
the gattes callyng the nomber of bothe parties byfore hyme
strayntly chargeng them most earnestly to obserue & kepe the
kynges peace/ in the kynges name/ vppon ther parelles w^tout
owther braggyng or quarellyng eyther w^t other and caused
theme to haue bothe beare and wynne sent theme in to the
town/ And than retourned agayn in to the Castell beyng abought
ix^en of the cloke/ And bycause he wold haue thes gentilmen to
dyne w^t hyme at his owen table/ thought it good/ in avoydyng of
further Inconvenyence/ to appeace ther rancore byfore/ where
vppon he called theme in to his Chappell/ And there w^t the
assystence/ of the other gentilmen he fill in to commynycacion
w^t the matter/ declaryng vnto theme the dayngers & myschefes
that thoroughe ther wylfulnes & foly ware most lyklyest to
enswe/ w^t dyuers other good exhortacions/ Notw^tstandyng the
parties layeng And allegyng many thynges for there defence/
 [Page 146]  Sometyme Addeng eche to other stout & dispyghtfull wordes of
diffyaunce the w^che my lord & the other gentilmen had myche a
do to qualifie/ ther malices was so greate/ howbeit at lengethe/
w^t long contynuaunce// wyse argume^tes & depe perswasions
made by my lord they ware aggreed & fynally accordyd abought
iiij^or of the cloke at after none/ And so made theme ffrendes/ And
as it semed they bothe reioysed & ware right well contentyd
therw^t/ to the great comfort of all the other worshipfull
gentilmen/ causyng theme to shake handes and to go arme in
Arme to dynner/ And so went to dynner/ thoughe it was very
late/ to dynne/ yet notw^tstandyng they dyned together
w^t thother gentilmen at my lordes table where they dranke
lovyngly eche to other w^t countenaunce of great Amytie/ After
dynner my lord caused them to discharge ther rowtes & assemble
that remayned in the town and to retayn w^t theme no mo
seruauntes than they ware accustumed most comenly to ride
w^t/ And that don/ thes gentillmen ffulfillyng his commaundeme^t
taried at Cawood and lay there all nyght whome my lord
entertayned in suche sort that they accepted his noble hart in
great worthynes trustyng to haue of hyme a specyall Ioyell in
ther contrie/ hauyng hyme in great estymacion & fauour/ as it
appered after ward by ther behauor & dymeanor towardes
hyme//

Yt ys not/ to be/ doughted but that the worshipefull persons As
doctors and prebendaries of the cloos of yorke/ wold & did
resort vnto hyme accordyng to ther dewties as vnto ther father
& patron of ther sperytuall dignyties/ beyng at his first commyng
in to the contrie/ ther chirche of yorke beyng w^tin vij^en myles/
wherfore ye shall vnderstand that Doctor hikden Deane of the
chirche of yorke w^t the treasorer and dyuers other hed officers
of the same repayred to my lord welcommyng hyme most
Ioyously in to the contrie sayeng that it was to theme no small
comfort to se hyme among theme as ther cheafe hed w^che hathe
byn so long absent frome theme/ beyng all that while lyke
 [Page 147]  ffatherlesse childerne & comfortles trustyng shortly to se hyme
among them/ in his owen chirche/ yt is/ q^d he/ the especyall
cause of all my travell in to this Contrie not oonly to be among
you for a tyme but also to spend my lyfe w^t you as a very father
and a mutuall brother/ Sir than/ q^d they/ ye must vnderstand
that the ordenarie Ruelles of our chirche hathe byn of an
auncyent Custume/ wherof allthoughe ye be hed & chefe
gouernor yet be ye not so well acquaynted w^t theme as we be/
therfore we shall vnder the supportacion of yo^r grace/ declare
some part therof to you/ as well of our auncyent Custumes As of
the lawse & vsage/ of the same/ Therfore ye shall vnderstand that
where ye do entend to repayer vnto vs/ the old lawe & custume
of our chirche hathe byn that the archebisshope beyng our chefe
hed & pasture as your grace nowe be/ myght ne owght not to
come above the quyer doore nor haue any stalle in the quyer/
vntill  [Fol. 74]  he by dewe order ware there stalled/ ffor if ye shold
happen to dye byfore yo^r stallacion ye shold not be buried above
in the quyer but in the body of the same chirche benethe/
therfore we shall (vna voce) requyer yo^r grace/ in the name of
all other our brotherne/ that you wold vouchesalve to do herin
as yo^r noble predecessors & honorable fathers hathe don/ And
that ye wyll not infrynge or violate any of our laudable ordy­
naunces & constitucions of our chirche/ to the obseruaunce &
preseruacion wherof we be obliged by vertue of an othe at our
first admyttaunce to se them obserued & fulfilled to the vtter­
most of our powers/ w^t dyuers other matters remaynyng of
Record in our treasory howsse/ among other thynges// Thos
recordes/ q^d my lord/ wold I gladly se/ And thos seen & digested/
I shall than shewe you further of my mynd/ And thus of thys
matter they ceassed commynycacion and passed forthe in other
matters/ So that my lord assigned theme a day to bryng in ther
recordes/ at w^che day they brought w^t them ther reiester boke
of record/ wherin was writtyn ther constitucions and auncyent
Rewles whervnto all the fathers & mynesters of the chirche of
yorke ware most cheafely bound bothe to se it don & performed
 [Page 148]  and also to performe & obserue the same them selfes/ And whan
my lord had seen/ rede/ & considered theffect of ther recerdes
And debated w^t theme substancyally therin/ he determyned to
be stalled there in the mynstere the next monday after Alhalou­
day/ Ayenst w^che day there was made necessarye preparacion/
for the furniture therof/ but not in so sumptious a wyse as his
predecessors did byfore hyme/ ne yet in suche a sort as the
comen fame was blowen a brode of hyme/ to his great slaunder/
and to the reporters myche more dishonestie to forge suche
lyes & blasfemous reportes wherin ther is no thyng more
ontrewe/ The trowthe wherof I perfectly knowe/ for I was made
pryvye to the same/ And sent to yorke to forse all thyng to pre­
pare accordyng for the same/ w^che shold haue byn myche more
meane & basse than all other of his predicessors hertofore hathe
don/ yt came so to passe that vppon hallhalouday oon of the hed
officers of the chyrche w^che shold (by vertue of his office) haue
most doynges in this stallacion came to dynne w^t my lord at
Cawood and sittyng at dynner they fill in commynycacion
for the order of his stallacion/ who sayd to my lord that
he owght to goo vppon clothe frome seynt Iames chapell
(standyng w^tout the gattes of the Citie of yorke) vnto the
mynster the w^che shold be distributed among the poore/ My
lord heryng this made answere to the same in this wyse/
Allthoughe/ q^d he/ that our predycessors went vppon clothe
right Somptiously/ we do entend (god willyng) to goo a foote
frome thence w^tout any suche glory/ in the vamppes of my
hosyn/ for I take god to be my very Iuge that I presume not to
goo thether for any tryhumphe or vaynglory/ but oonly to fulfyll
the obseruaunces & Rewles of the chirche to the w^che (as ye say)
I ame bound/ And therfore I shall desier you all to hold you
contentyd w^t my symplycyte/ And also I commaund all my
seruauntes to goo as humbly w^tout any other sumptyous apparell
than they be costumably vsed & that is comly & decent to were/
ffor I do assure you I do entend to come to yorke vppon Sonday
 [Page 149]  at nyght and lodge there in the Deans howsse and vppon
monday to be stalled & there to make a dynner for you of the
cloose and for other worshipfull gentylmen/ that shall chaunce
to come to me at that tyme/ And the next day to dynne w^t the
Mayor and so retorne home agayn to Cawood that nyght/ And
thus to fynysshe/ the same wherby I may at all tymes resort to
yorke mynster w^tout other scripulosite or offence to any of you/
This day cowld not be onknowen to all the Contrie but that some
must nedes haue knowlege therof/ wherby that notice was gevyn
vnto the gentillmen of the Contrie/ And they beyng therof as
well aduertised as Abbottes/ Priors & other of the day of this
solemnyzacyon/ sent in suche provision of dayntie victualles that
it is allmost Incredyble/ wherfore I omyt to declare vnto you
the certyntie therof/ As of great & fatt beafes/ muttons/ wyld­
fowle/ and venyson bothe red & falowe and dyuers other dayntie
meates suche as the tyme of the yere dyd serue/ sufficyent to
furnysshe a great & somptious feast/ all w^che thynges ware
onknowen to my lord/ for as myche as he beyng preventyd and
disapoynted of his reasonable purposed entent/ by cause he was
arrestyd as ye shall here hereafter/ So that  [Fol. 75]  the most part
of this provision was sent to yorke/ that same day that he was
arrested and the next day folowyng/ ffor his arrest was kept as
cloose & secrett frome the contrie as it cowld be/ by cause they
doughted the people w^che had hyme in great love & estymacion/
for his accustumed charitie/ & liberalitie vsed daylye among
theme w^t famylier gesture & countenaunce/ w^che be the very
means to allewer the love & hartes of the people in the northe
parties/ Or euer I wad any ferther in this matter I do entend
to declare vnto you what chaunced hyme byfore this his last
troble at Cawood as a sygne or token gevyn by god what shold
folowe of his end or of troble w^che did shortly ensue/ the sequell
wherof was of no man (than present) owther premedytate or
Imagyned/ therfor for as myche as it is a notable thyng to be
considered I wyll (god wyllyng) declare it as truly as it chaunced
 [Page 150]  accordyng to my symple remembraunce/ at the w^che I my self
was present//

My lordes accustumed Ennemyes in the Court abought the
kyng had nowe my lord in more dowght than they had byfore
hys fall/ consideryng the contynuall fauour that the kyng bare
hyme/ thought that at lengthe the kyng myght caulle hyme home
agayn/ And if he so did/ they supposed that he wold rather
Imagyn ayenst theme/ than to remytt or forgett ther Crueltie
w^che they most oniustly Imagened ayenst hyme// warfore they
compased in ther hedes that they wold owther by some means
dispatche hyme by some synester Accusacion of treason/ or to
bryng hyme in to the kynges highe indignacion by some other
wayes/ this was ther dayly Imagynacion & studye/ hauyng as
many spyalles and as many eyes to attend vppon his doynges (as
the poettes fayn Argos to haue)/ So that he cowld nother worke/
or do any thyng but that his ennemyes had knowlege therof
shortly after/ Nowe at the last they espied a tyme wherin they
caught an occasion/ to bryng ther purpose to passe thynkyng
therbye to haue of hyme a great avauntage/ ffor the matter beyng
oons disclosed vnto the kyng in suche a vehemencye as they
purposed/ they thought the kyng wold be moved ayenst hyme w^t
great displeasure/ And that by them executyd & don/
the kyng vppon ther Informacion/ thought it good that he shold
come vppe to stand to his triall/ w^che they lyked no thyng at
all/ Notw^tstandyng he was sent for after thys sort/ ffirst they
devysed that he shold come vppe apon arest in ward the w^che
they knewe right well wold so sore greve hyme that he myght be
the weker to come in to the kynges presence to make answere/
wherfore they sent sir walter welshe knyght (oon of the
gentilmen of the kynges privye chamber)/ down in to the
Contrie vnto the Erle of Northehumberland (who was brought
vppe in my lordes howsse) w^t a Commyssion/ And they twayn
beyng in commyssion/ Ioyntly to arrest my lord of haulte treason/
thys conclusion fully resolued/ they caused Mr walsshe to
prepare hyme selfe to thys Iourney w^t this commyssion and
 [Page 151]  Certyn Instruccions annexed to the same/ who made hyme redy
to ride and toke his horsse at the Court gate Abought oon of the
clocke at none vppon halhalou day/ towardes the Northe/ Nowe
ame I come to the place where I wyll declare the thyng that I
promysed you byfore of a certyn token of my lordes troble w^che
was thys/ My lord syttyng at dynner vppon Alhalou day in
Cawood castell hauyng at his bordes end dyuers of his most
worthiest chapleyns syttyng at dynner to kepe hyme company
for lake of Strayngers/ ye shall vnderstand that my lordes great
crosse of Syluer accustumably stode in the corner at the tables
end leanyng ayenst the tappett or hangyng of the chamber/ And
whan the tables end was taken vppe/ & a convenyent tyme for
theme to arryse/ And in arryssyng frome the tabyll/ oon doctor
Augusteyn/ the phisicion beyng a venycian borne/ hauyng a
boystors gown of blake veluett vppon hyme/ As he wold haue
come owt at the tables end his gown ouerthrewe the crosse that
stode there in the corner/ And the Crosse raylyng down along
the tappett it chaunced to fall vppon doctor Bonners hed w^che
stod among other by the tappett makyng of Curtesy to my lord
and w^t oon of the poyntz of the  [Fol. 76]  crosse Raced hys hed a
littill that the blode ran down/ the company standyng there
ware greatly astoned w^t the chaunce (my lord syttyng in his
chayer) lokyng vppon them perceyved the chaunce/ demaundyd
of me beyng next hyme what the matter ment of ther soden
abassheme^t/ I shewed hyme howe the Crosse fyll vppon doctor
Bonners hed/ hathe it/ q^d he/ drawen any bloode/ yea forsothe
my lord/ q^d I/ as it semythe me/ w^t that he cast down hys hed
lokyng very soberly vppon me a good while w^tout any word
spekyng/ at the last/ q^d he/ shakyng of hys hed/ Malum Omen/
And therw^t sayd grace/ and rose frome the table/ And went in to
his bed chamber there lamentyng makyng his prayers/ Nowe
marke the sygnyficacion howe my lord expoundyd this matter
vnto me after ward at Pountfrett Abbey/ ffirst ye shall vnderstand
that by the Crosse w^che belonged to the dygnytie of yorke/ he
 [Page 152]  vnderstode to be hymeself/ And by Augusteyn he vnderstode
that ouerthrewe the Crosse to be he that shold accuse hyme/ by
means wherof he shold be ouerthrowen/ the fallyng vppon Mr
Bonners hed (who was Mr of my lordes faculties & sperytuall
Iurisdiccions) w^che was dampnefied by the ouerthroweng of the
crosse by the phisicion/ And by the drawyng of blode betokned
deathe/ w^che shortly after came to pas/ Abought the same very
tyme of the day of thys myschaunce Mr walshe toke hys horsse
at the Court gate/ as nyghe as it cowld be Iuged/ And thus my
lord toke it for a very sygne or token of that w^che after enswed if
the circumstaunce be equally considered & noted/ Allthoughe
no man was there present at that tyme that had any knowlege of
Mr walshes commyng down/ or what shold followe/ wherfore as
it was supposed that god shewed hyme more secrett knowlege
of his lattere dayes & end of his troble than all men supposed/
w^che appered right well by dyuers talkes (that he had w^t me at
dyuers tymes) of his last end/ And nowe that I haue declared
vnto you theffect of this prodegye and sygn/ I wold retorne
agayn to my matter////

The tyme drawyng nyghe of his stallacion sittyng at dynner
vppon the ffriday next byfore mondiy on the w^che he entendyd
to be stalled at yorke/ the Erle of Northumberland and Mr walshe
w^t a great company of gentilmen/ as well of therles seruauntes
as of the Contrie w^che he had gathered together to accompany
hyme in the kynges name (not knowyng to what purpose or to
what entent) came in to the hall at Cawood (the officers sittyng
at dynner/ and my lord not fully dyned) but beyng at his
freuctes/ nothyng knowyng of therles beyng in his hall/ The first
thyng that therle dyd after he came in to the Castell com­
munded the Porter to delyuer hyme the kayes of the gattes who
wold in no wyse delyuer hyme the kayes/ allthoughe he ware
very roughly commaundyd in the kynges name to delyuer theme/
to oon of therles seruauntes/ Seyeng vnto therle/ Sir ye do entend
to delyuer them to oon of yo^r seruauntes to kepe theme & the
 [Page 153]  gattes and to plant an other in my rome/ I knowe no cause whye
ye shold so do/ and this I assure you that yo^r lordshipe hathe
no oon seruaunte but that I ame as able to kepe theme as he/ to
what purpose so euer it be/ And also the keyes ware delyuerd
me by my lord my Mr w^t a charge bothe by othe & by other
preceptes & commaundeme^tes therfore I beseche yo^r lordshipe
to pardon me/ thowghe I refuse yo^r commaundeme^t ffor what
so euer ye shall commaunde me to do that belongyth to my
office/ I shall do it w^t a right good wyll as Iustly as any other of
yo^r seruauntes/ w^t that q^d the gentilmen there present vnto
therle (heryng hyme speke so stoutly lyke a man & w^t so good
reason) Sir/ q^d they/ he is a good ffellowe & spekythe lyke a
faythfull seruaunt vnto his Mr/ and lyke an honest man/ therfore
geve hyme yo^r charge and lett hyme kepe still the gattes/ who we
dought not wyll be obedyent to yo^r lordshipes commaundeme^t/
Well than/ q^d therle/ hold hyme a boke and commaund hyme to
lay his hand vppon the boke/ where at the porter made some
dought/ but beyng perswadyd by the gentilmen there present/
was contentid/ and layed his hand vppon the boke/ to whome/
q^d therle/ thou shall swere to kepe well & truly thes gattes to the
kynges our souerayn lordes vse and to do all suche thynges as
we shall commaund the in the kynges name beyng his hyghnes
commyssioners and as it shall seme to vs at all tymes good as
long as we shalbe here in the Castell/ And that  [Fol. 77]  ye shall
not lett in nor owte at thes gattes but suche as ye shalbe
maundyd/ by vs frome tyme to tyme/ And vppon this othe he
receyved the kayes at therles and Mr walshes handes/ of all thes
doynges knewe my lord no thyng/ for they stopped the stayers
that went vppe in to my lordes chamber where he sate/ so that
no man cowld passe vppe agayn that was come down/ At the last
oon of my lordes seruauntes chaunced to loke down in to the
hall at a loope that was vppon the stayers and retorned to my
lord that shewed hyme that my lord of Northumbeland was in
the hall/ where at my lord marvelled and wold not beleve hyme
at the fyrst but commaundyd a gentilman/ beyng his gentilman
 [Page 154]  vssher to goe down & bryng hyme perfight word/ Who goyng
down the stayers lokyng down at the loope/ where he sawe therle/
who than retorned to my lord & shewed hyme that it was very
he/ than/ q^d my lord/ I ame sory that we haue dyned for I feare
that our officers be not stored of any plenty of good ffysshe/ to
make hyme suche honorable chere/ as to hys estate ys con­
venyent/ Notw^tstandyng he shall haue suche as we haue/ w^t a
right good wyll and lovyng hart/ lett the table be standyng still
and we woll goo down and meate hyme/ and bryng hyme vppe
and than he shall se howe ferreforthe we be at our dynner/ w^t
that he put the table frome hyme/ and rose vppe/ goyng down
he encountred therle vppon the myddes of the stayers/ commyng
vppe/ w^t all hys men abought hyme/ And as sone as my lord
espied therle he put of hys cappe/ and sayd to hyme/ my lord ye
be most hartely welcome (And therw^t they enbraced eche other)
Althoughe my lord/ q^d he/ that I haue often desired and wysshed
in my hart to se you in my howsse/ yet if ye had lovyd me as I
do you/ ye wold haue sent me word byfore of yo^r commyng to
thentent that I myght haue receyved you accordyng to yo^r
honor & myn/ Notw^tstandyng ye shall haue suche cheare as I
ame able to make you w^t a right good wyll/ trustyng that ye wyll
accepte the same of me as of yo^r very old & lovyng frend/ hopyng
hereafter to se you oftener whan I shalbe more able and better
provydyd to receyve you/ w^t better fare/ And than my
lord toke my lord of Northeumberland by the hand & led hyme
vppe in to the Chamber/ whome folowed all therles seruauntes
where the table stode in thestate that my lord left it whan he
rose/ sayeng vnto therle/ Sir nowe ye may perceyve howe
ferforthe we ware at our dynner/ my lord led therle to the fier
sayng my lord ye shall goo in to my bed chamber where is a
good fier made for you/ and there ye may shyfte yo^r apparell
vntill yo^r chamber be made redy therfore lett yo^r male be
brought vppe and or euer I goo I pray you geve me leave to take
thes gentilmen yo^r seruauntes by the handes/ And whan he had
 [Page 155]  taken theme all by the handes/ he retourned to therle & sayed
Ah my lord I perceyve well that ye haue obserued my old
preceptes & Instruccions w^che I gave you whan ye ware abydyng
w^t me in yo^r youthe/ w^che was to cheryshe yo^r fathers old
seruauntes wherof I se here present w^t you a great nomber/
sewerly my lord ye do therin very well and nobly and lyke a wyse
gentilman/ ffor thes be they that will not oonly serue & love you/
but they wyll also lyve & die w^t you/ and be treu & faythfull
seruauntes to you/ And glade to se you prosper in honor/ the
w^che I beseche god send you w^t long lyve///