The historie of Wyates rebellion with the order and maner of resisting the same, wherunto in the ende is added an earnest conference with the degenerate and sedicious rebelles for the serche of the cause of their daily disorder. Made and compyled by John Proctor.

¶ wyates rebellion, with the ordre and maner of resisting the same.

WHAT a restlesse euil heresie is,The daūgerous nature of heresy • euer trauailing to bring furth mischeif, neuer ceasing to protrude all those, in whose hertes • he is receiued to confusion: by what plausible allurementes at her entrie she catcheth fauourable intertainement, with what waies of craft and subteltie she dilateth her dominion, & finally howe of course she toyleth to be supported by faction, sedition, & rebellion, to the great perell of subuersion of that state where as a plague she happeneth to fynde habitation, aswell the lamentable historie of the Bohemians & Germaines, with al other treating of like enterprises by heretikes, as also Wyates late conspiracie practised with open force, doth plentuously declare.Heresy the s • eciall grounde of Wyates rebellion. Who as it should euidētly seme by the trade of his life and the late disclosing of him selfe, was so feruently affected to heresie (although he labored by false persuasion otherwise to haue coulored it) that burning inwardly with a prepensed treason in his brest, for the cōtinuāce of the same within the realme, he persuaded to him selfe suche an impossibilitie therein (the Quenes highnesse prospering & bearing ye scepter of high gouernaunce) as could by no meanes be brought aboute without rebellion,Rebellion the only refuge of heretikes • the onely refuge as I saied that indurate heretikes haue alwaies sought for maintenaunce of their heresie, liuing vnder a Catholike prince.Wyat • ersuaded that the quene & heresy could not raigne together. He therfore beyng thus inflamed could no lenger conteine, but immediatly vpon the beginning of the Quenes most happy reigne forsaking his habitation in the countrey, went to Lōdon,Wyates repayre to Lō • dō to styrre other to 〈◊〉 rebellion. of purpose to stirre the duke of Suffolk & his brethren, with others of power in further countreis, whom he knewe to be like affected to heresies, and cōsequently to burne in semblable desire for continuaunce of the same: Leauing neuerthelesse suche behind him in Kent to solicite his and theirs vnhappie case, whom he knew so much addicted thervnto as in his absēce for their diligence in such a ministerie neded no ouerseer. He remayned in London, tyll he thought hym selfe throughlye furnyshed euerye waye, and euery where wyth in the realme to attempte his determined enterprise, when apte time shoulde serue. Whiche done, he retourned into Kent,Wyates retourne into Kent. not of purpose then to procede: But vnderstāding his strength practised there by his agētes to set thinges in order, and so to returne to London, abidynge the time appoynted therefore by hym and his complices. But so it befell in the meane time, that at his beynge in the countrey, the counsell committed a gentleman of that shyre to warde, one to Wyat aboue all other moste deare, wherby the common brute grewe, that he suspectynge his secretes to be reueled (and vpon that occasion to be sent for by the coūsel) felt hym selfe, as it were for hys owne suretie, compelled to anticipate his time.Wya • preuented the tyme. But whether that were the cause or no, doubtfull it is. But certayne it was, that Wyat thē proceding in his detestable purpose, armed him selfe, and as many as he coulde: And geuinge intelligence of his determination to his complices, as well at London as els where, the Thursday after at Maydstone in the market time,The firste day of Wyates styrte at Maydstone. beiynge the .xxv. daye of Ianuarye, in the fyrste yere of the Queenes raygne by proclamation in writyng, published his deuillishe pretence.

The cause why Wyat made not religion the outwarde pretence of his rebelliō And considerynge with him selfe, that to make the pretence of his rebellion, to be the restoring or continuaūce of the new and newelye forged religion was neither agreable to the nature of heresie (whiche alwaye defendeth it selfe by the name and countenaunce of other matter more plausible) neyther so apte to further his wicked purpose, beyng not a case so general to allure al sortes to take parte with him: he determined to speake no worde of religion, but to make the colour of hys commotion,The colour of Wyates rebellion. onely to withstand straungers, and to auaunce libertie. For as he made his full recknynge that suche as accorded with him in religion, would whollye ioyne with him in that rebellion: So he trusted that the Catholikes for the moste parte, woulde gladl • e imbrace that quarel agaynst the straungers, whose name he tooke to become odible to all sortes, by the sedicious and malicious reporte, whiche he and hys had maliciously imagined and blowen abrode agaynst that nation, as a preparatiue to theyr abhominable treason. His proclamation therefore published at Maydstone,Wyates preparatiue to his rebelliō and so in other places, perswaded that quarell to be taken in hande only in the defense of the realme from ouer runnynge by straungers, and for thaduauncement of libertie. Where in very dede, hys onely and very matter was the continuaunce of heresye, as by hys owne wordes at sundrie times shall hereafter appeare.

And to thende the people should not thinke that he alone with a fewe other meane gentlemen, had taken that traytorous enterprise in hande without cōfort & ayde of higher powers, he vntruly & maliciouslye added further to his proclamation,Wiates vntrue persuacions to further his rebellion • by persuasion to the people, that all the nobilitie of the realme, and the wholle counsell (one or two onely except) were agreable to his pretenced treason, & woulde with all theyr power & strength further ye same which he found most vntrue to his subuersion. And yt the lorde Aburgaueny, the lorde Warden, syr Robert Southwell, high shyreffe with al other gentlemen wold ioyne with him in this enterprise, & set theyr fote by his to repell the straungers.

This proclamation, and such annexed persuasions made at Maydstone on the market day, and in other partes of the shire, had so wrought in the heartes of the people,How Wyates vntrue persuasiōs abused the people. that diuers which before hated him, and he them, were nowe as it seemed vpon this occasion, mutually reconciled, and sayd vnto hym. Syr, is your quarell onely to defend vs from ouerrunning by straū • gers, and to aduaunce libertie, and not agaynst the Queene? No, quod Wyat, we mynde no thynge lesse, than anye wise to touche her grace:The nature of an heretike is to sai one thinge and thinke another. but to serue her, and honour her accordynge to our duties. Well quod they, geue vs then your hande, we wyll sticke to you to deathe in this quarell. That done, there came to hym one other of good wealthe, saying: Syr quod he, they saye I loue potage well, I wyll sell all my spones, and all the plate in my house, rather than your purpose shall quayle, and suppe my potage with my mouthe. I trust, quod he, you wyll restore the right religion agayne. Whiste quod Wyat, you may not so much as name religion, for that wil withdraw from vs the heartes of manye:Wyates owne wordes to proue heresy to be the ground of his rebellion. you must only make your quarrell for ouerrunnyng by straungers. And yet to thee be it sayd in counsell, as vnto my frende, we mynde only the restitution of Gods word. But no wordes. By these his wordes it appeared, that his principall intent was not to kepe out straūgers, whiche commonlye doe not inuade to oure hinderaunce, but by rebellion amongest our selues: nor to aduaunce libertye, whiche euer decayeth through treason: but to aduaunce heresye, the Lady regent of his life and doinges. This same thursday as Wyat, Thomas Isleye, and others were occupied at Maydstone with proclamations to styrre the people, & suche lyke: so were others his confederates occupied in like maner by proclamacions at Mylton, Ashforde, & other townes in the East partes of the shyre. Through whose allurementes the multitude were growen so earnestlye affected to Wyates purpose, that they suffred maister Christopher Roper (a man of good wurshyppe, and so estemed of thē) to be taken of Wyates ministers,Thapprehē • sion of master Christopher Roper by ye rebels. and caried out of the market place, withoute any maner of rescue, for that he hauinge his heart and eye full fixt vpon the Queene, not onelye withstode the readinge of Wyates traiterous proclamation at Milton, but also in ye same place proclaymed him, and all hys traytours. And beynge roughlye charged therewith by Wyat and other his galauntes, when he was broughte to Rochester, he answered:master Christopher Ropers words to Wyat. this tonge spake it, and doeth now auowe it. They suffred maister Tucke also, & maister Dorrel of Calehyll being gentle men of good wurshyppe,Thapprehē • sion of maister Tucke and maister Dorell. and Iustices of peace, to be taken oute of theyr houses by the rebelles and conueyed withoute anye maner of rescue, in the daye tyme to Rochester, beinge twentye miles distant, where they wyth maister Roper were kepte as prisoners, in greate daunger of life. In lyke maner syr Henrye Isleye, Antonye Kneuet, William Kneuet with others, were at Tunbrige, Seuenocke, and other townes in the West partes of the shyre, styrrynge the people by alarummes, drummes and praclamations.

Nowe ye shal vnderstād that the euening afore the publishing his pretence at Maydestone,How Wyat wrote to the sheriffe of his entēt to styrre. Wyat sent a letter by one Thomas Monde (a man of muche honestie) to sir Robert Southwell beyng Shreif of the shyre, vnto whom long afore, as I can vnderstāde, he had neither spokē nor writtē other thē in defiaūce, they beyng in contencion for maters of religion, as it was saied. Neuerthelesse to serue his purpose, dissembling his great malice and haut courage, he wrote a letter to him of suche effect as foloweth.

The effect of Wyates letter to sir Robert Southwell Shreif of Kent.

After heartie commendations, there hath been betwene you and me many quarelles and grudges, and I euer the sufferer, and yet haue you sought the ende whiche is nowe frendlye offered vnto you, if you bee willing to receiue it. But whatsoeuer priuate quarell you haue to me, I doubte not but youre wysdome is to muche, seyng so manye perilles at hand to vs both (this pretensed mariage taking effect) to dissent from vs in so necessarie a purpose, as wherin we nowe determine to entre for the common wealthe of the whole realme. And that you may the better vnderstand our pretence, I send you the copy of our proclamation comprehending the somme and effect of our meaning • whervnto if the commen wealth shal fynde you an enemie, saye not hereafter but that you were frēdly warned • we forbeare to write to the lorde Aburgaueny, for what you may do with him, if you list, we know.

The style of wyates proclamation. A proclamation agreed vnto by Thomas Wyat, George Harper, Henrye Isleye,Wyates fals • presumption of the best of the shyre. knightes, and by diuers of the best of the shyre, sent vnto the commons of the same.

FOrasmuche as it is now spred abrode, & certainly pronounced by the lorde Chauncelour and other of the counsell, of the Qnenes determinate pleasure to marry wt a straūger: &ce. we therfore write vnto you, because you bee oure neighbours, because you be our frendes,Because. and because you be Englishemen, that you wyll ioyne with vs, as we wil with you vnto death in this behalfe, protestyng vnto you before God, that no other yearthly cause could moue vs vnto this enterprise, but this alone, wherein we seke no harme to the quene, but better counsel & coūselours,Such coū selours he meaneth a • woulde fauour heresy &.ce. which also we would haue forborne in all other thinges saue onely in this. For herein lieth the helth & welth of vs al. For trial herof & manyfest profe of this intended purpose: Lo now euen at hand,Lo loud lie Spaniardes be nowe already ariued at Douer, at one passage to the nombre of an hundreth passing vpwarde to London, in companies of ten, foure and vi. with harnes, harquebusses and morrians with match light, the formest company wherof be already at Rochester. We shall require you therfore to repaire to such places as the bearers hereof shal pronoūce vnto you, there to assemble & determine what may be best for ye aduauncement of libertie and commen wealth in this behalfe, & to bryng with you suche ayde as you may.

The ende of Wyates proclamation.

The messenger that brought the letter with the proclamatiō from Wyat to the Shreif being not preuie to ye contentes therof and hauing charge vpon his life to returne an answere with all spede, importuned the Shreife so muche therfore (although he saw hī greatly busied in geuing aduertisement throughout the shyre of Wyates trayterous determinatiō) as he neuerthelesse to satisfie the messenger, whom he knowe to bee a right honest man (notwithstanding his diligence was abused in so leude a message) made him aunswere out of hand as foloweth.

The Shreifes answere to the messenger that brought Wyates letter.

NEyghbour Monde, rather to satisfie your importunitie, thē to answer Wyates letter, whom in this case I disdaine to answere, or to speake with you apart cōming from a traytour, you may say vnto him that as in dede I haue been desierous of his frendship for neighbourhoodes sake, so haue I muche more desired his reformation in diuers pointes of great disordre, wherby he certainly knew aswell by my spech to him selfe, as other meanes cōming to his knowledge, that I haue sithens the beginning of the Quenes reigne holden him and some of his coleges in this cōspiracie vehemently suspected for like matters as nowe they haue attempted. Wherein seyng he hath not deceiued me, but by opening him self hath manifestly verified myne opinion conceiued of him, I purpose not to purchase his frendship so deare, as for the gaine of him to lose my self & my posteritie in perpetual infamye. And if suche thinges whiche his fonde headde hath wayed for perilles, to the condempnation of the whole wisedome of the realme (thei allowing the same for good) had been in dede as perillous, as he with others, for want of due consideration, demeth them, his duetie had been to haue opened his opinion therein as an humble & reuerent peticioner to the Quenes highnes, or to some of her graces counsell. But to presse his soueraigne in any suite or vpon any occasion with weapon & armour by sturring her subiectes to rebelliō, that is and alwaies hath been accompted the parte of most arrogant and presumptuous traytours, and so do I note him and his mates as you may tell them, & shall God willing prouide for thē accordingly. Nowe goodman Monde it shalbe in your choyse whether you will carie this message or no. But as your frende I shall aduise you to seeke out better company. The messenger excusing himselfe by ignoraunce, departed to Wyat with answere. And sone after returned to the • hire •• vnder whome he serued the quene very faithfully.

The Shreif being made preuie (as ye haue heard) by Wyat to his trayterous pretence the night before he stirred, and wanting no good wy •• as it should seme, with the helpe of the lord Aburgaueny, who was as forw • rd as he to haue resisted the reading of Wyat • s proclamatiō at Maydestone the day folowing, and to disparse his force, sent for gentlemen and yeomen in all hast to ye ende. But afore he could gather power mete to attempt the repressing of • uche a force (sundrye of hys neighbours of greatest possessions, & townes moste populus, whiche should haue ben his cheife aide, being cōtrarie bent) Wyat accō • panied wt a force well armed & weponed marched to Rochester

The same Thursdaye Harper and other metynge hym in the waye, where fortifiyng the East partes of the towne, and breaking vp the bridge towardes the West, he abode the comming of his appointed strēgth, sufferynge all Passengers to passe quietly through the towne to London, or to the sea, taking nothinge from them but onl • e theyr weapon. And beyng the Fridaye all daye at Rocheste • , and not hearinge from Isleye, the tow • e of Tunbridge, and other his cō • urates of the West parte of the shyre, he adressed an earnest letter the Saterdaye mornynge to Isleye, the Kneuetes, and other, wyth the towne of Tunbridge, requiringe them to accellerate their comming vnto him. According wherevnto Isleye, the Kneuetes, with other, beinge newlye retourned from Penshurste,The rifflīg of syr Henry Sidneye where they riffled Syr Henry Sydneye hys armourie (he beynge attendaunt vppon the Queenes highnes as a faithfull subiecte) perceyuyng Wyat to longe for their comminge, resolued to obserue theyr promise, & marche forwardes that night towardes Wyat. But vnderstandinge that the Lorde Aburga • eny, the Shriffe, and George Clerke hadde nowe gathered a force, and were prest to encountre them, first or they departed out of ye towne, thought it good by some kinde of proclamation to alienate the peoples heartes from them, as they dyd in maner folowyng.

The copie of the praclamation made at Tunbridge by syr Henry Isleye • Antony Kneuet, and his brother with others.

YOu shal vnderstand that Henry Lord Aburgauenye, Robert Southwell knight, George Clerke gentleman, haue most traitrouslye to the disturbance of the common wealth, styrred and raysed vp the Queenes most louing subiectes of this realme, to defend the most wicked & deuilishe enterprise, of certen of ye wicked and peruerse coūselours, to the vtter confusion of this her graces realme, and the perpetuall seruitude of all the Queenes most louynge subiectes. In consideration wherof, we syr Thomas Wyat knight, syr George Harper knight, syr Henry Isleye knight, Anthony Kneuet Esqu • er, with all the faithfull Gentlemen of Kent, and trusty commons of the same, do pronounce the sayde Henry Lorde Aburgaueny, Robert Southwell, and George Clerke gentlemā, to be traytours to God, the crowne, and the common • ealthe.

This done, with all spede calling their company together by the noyes of drummes, and lea • inge theyr directe waye to Rochester, for that they would not come vnder the wing of the Lorde Aburgauenye and the shireffe, thei marched that night to Seuenocke. Takinge order with suche as were left behinde in the towne, that they shoulde be in a readines to come when so euer they shoulde be sent for by Wyat, & that by no wayes they shoulde beleue any tales. For quod they, the counsell will nowe sende abrode fliynge lies and tales, to discredit vs, and discomforte you, for it is their policie. Antony Kneuet after he was leapt to his horse, toke one by the hande, and said: fare you well. And if you happe to heare that I am taken, neuer beleue it, for vndoubtedlye I wyll eyther die in the felde, or achiue my purpose. But within .xxiiij. houres he brake his promise, and ranne awaye no faster then hys legges could carye hym.

Well, I shal now leaue them marchyng to Seuenocke, and returne to Wyat at Rochester.The Herauldes cō minge to Rochester. This present saterday came vnto him frō the quenes highnes an Herauld and a trumpetour. Wyat at the • ounde of the trumpette came to the brydge, where the Herauld was with his cote armour cariyng the armes of Englād on his back. But Wyat without vsing any reuerence to him, either for his cote or office, would not suffre him to come in to the towne to declare his mes • age, and pressyng to come in he offered to stricke him: whervpō the Herauld staied & did his message there, so that onely Wyat with a fewe with him heard it. Which as men could gather by • eport of them that herd it, was promise of pardone to as many as would retire to their houses within .xxiiij. houres after the proclamation, & become good subiectes. But Wyat woulde not suffer his souldiours in any wise to heare it, nor anye other proclamation comminge from the queene. In the meane time also syr Thomas Cheynie lorde Warden,The lorde wardens greetyng to Wya • . beinge a moste faithfull and noble subiecte, had sent him suche salutacions as of honour oughte to be vsed to a traitour. And beinge verie desirous to be doing with him, and to pr • ue on his bodie what in wordes of greetinge he had affirmed, felt yet by his discretion and long experience great causes of staye. For Wyat desired nothing more then his comminge furth, persuadinge that he wanted no frendes about • him, nor any other that woulde take in hande to represse hym wyth force gathered in that shire. And vndoubtedly doubtfull were the heartes of the people, and merueylouslye bent to fauour Wyat and his purpose, as by daylye euentes appeared. The lorde Aburgaueny and the shireff, who the Saterdaye next after Wyates styrre were at Malling in the waye towardes Rochester (where Wyat lay) hauing with them a companye of well appoynted subiectes, in whome not withstanding for the more part they had good opinion of trustines and honestie, yet hauing the generall case of the peoples dispotion in theyr eye, and not without cause, suspectinge in theyr bande amongest so many faithful & good some suche to be, vpon trust of whose trustles and britell ayde, it were no good pollicie to aduenture farre, ponderynge therewith that this illusion of the people whereby they were so farre drawen from their righte course and duetie • grewe chieflye by suche craftye and false persuasions as Wyat and his mates had set • e furth in sundrie partes of the shyre, by waye of proclamation in writinge, wherin amonge other grosse lies they hadde set furth also matters of vntrueth to discredit the lorde Aburgaueny and the shyreffe, as Wyat in his persuasions, that they woulde ioyne with him. And Isleye in his proclamation, that thei had traiterously assembled the Queenes louing subiectes against her grace & the realme. It semed vnto thē very good & necessarye to spende some time at Malling in aduisinge and lesso ••• g the multitude, and by waye of exhortatiō to impugne those traiterous proclamatiōs, and refell suche grosse and false lies therein conteigned, and finally to disuade ye people (which • hat day being the market daie were assembled to a great nū bre of al sortes) frō the traitors and their wicked attemptes. And accordingly the shireffe had penned an exhor • ation to yt purpose, which was pro • ūced out of writīg in Malling, & sent after by him into other partes. The hearīg wherof, did vndoubt • dly much moue the people, as after shall appeare. I shall report the same in substāce truelye: howe be it not fully ī the same forme & maner, as I foūde it, & as it was penned & pr ••• nced by the shireffe. Who in thutte • aūce & settinge furth therof, spared not to speake plainly & touch sha • ply as thē the present tyme and case •• ployed vehement occasion.

An exhortation made by syr Robert Southwel knigh • shireffe of Kent, at Malling the Sat • rday, being the xxvii. day of Ianuary, and market day there to a great ass • mble of people, refelling and cōfu • ing wyat and his complices traiterous proclamations, wyat being at Rochester iiij. miles distaunt.

LOuinge neighbours & frendes, where of late there hathe been most pestilent & trayterous proclamations, as ye haue hearde set furth by Thomas Wyat, George Harper, Henry Isley, & others, as most arrant traitors to the quene & the realme, some of thē the quenes aūciēt enemies afore time, & double traitors, yet notwithstāding, accōpting thē selues to be the best of the shire in their proclamatiōs, & in the samere puting & pronūcing other as traitors, whō ye all can witnes to haue been frō time to time, true & faithful subiects to the quene & this our cōmon weale: as the L. • burgaueny here present, my self & other gentlemen now prest & readie with you, accordīg to our duetie, to serue our noble quene: I shal nede to spēd the lesse tyme to declare vnto you, howe euil thei be, or howe euil their enterprise is, that thei haue takē in hand: for asmuch as this their arrogāt presūption & presūptuous pride in aduaūcing thē selfes so far frō al trueth, & in deprauīg of other so maliciously for executing their boūden duetie, ought abūdātly to persuade what they be to al of consideration without further circumstance. But for as much as in their proclamations, thei fil ye eares of y• quenes liege people with grosse & manifest lies to styrre thē against her grace, in thutteraūce wherof thei vse this demonstration, lo, signifiyng some notable thing neare at hand for credit worthie impression in their memorie, as lo, a great nūbre of strāgers be now arriued at Douer in harnes, with harquebusses, moriās & matchlight I say vnto you neighbors & frēdes vpō paine to be torne in peces with your hādes, that it is vntrue & a manifest lie, inuented by thē to prouoke & irritate the quenes simple people to ioine with thē in their traiterous enterprise. And therfore I haue perfect hope, that you being afore time abused with their craftie & deceitful treasō, wil not now ones againe hauing experience of their former euil be trapped for any persuasiō ī so haiinous a snare as this most vile & horrible crime of treasō. Do you not see & note y• as in the beginninge of the quenes most gracious raigne, some of thē sought to depriue her grace of her princely estate & rightful dignitie, minding to aduaūce thervnto y• ladye Iane doughter to the duke of Suff. so are thei & others newly con •• edered wt the duke & his brethrē, being ī armes at this presēt for ye same purpose, & daili lokīg for aid of these traitors & other of their cōspiracie as by the quenes most gracious letters signed wt her owne hād & redie to be read here, may plainly apeare vnto you? And wil you now neuertheles ayde thē any waies, or sit stil whiles they go about thus wrongfully & traiterously to depose their & our most gracious soueraigne lady & quene, the cōfort of vs al, the staye of vs al, thonly sauegard of vs al, to whō can no displeasure or daunger chance, but the same must double redoūde to all & euery of vs? No frendes & neighbours, I trust neuer to liue to se you so far abused. Thei go aboute to bleare you wt matters of strāgers, as though thei shuld come to ouerūn you & vs also. He semeth very blinde and willynglye blinded that will haue his sight dīmed with such a fond mist. For if they ment to resist strāgers, as thei mind nothing lesse: thei wolde thē prepare to go to the sea coastes, & not to the quenes most roial person with such a cōpany in armes & weapō. Ye can cōsider I trust, this noble gētlemā the lord Aburgaueny here presēt being of an aūciēt & great parētage, born amōg you, & such other gentlemē as you se here, which be no strāgers vnto you my selfe also (although a pore gētlemā, who I trust at no time hath abused you) hath sōwhat to lose aswel as thei, & wold be as loth to be ouer run with stāgers as thei, if any such thing were ment. But for that we know most certēly that ther is ment no maner of euil to vs by those strā • gers, but rather aide, profit & cōfort against other strangers our aūcient enemies, with whō they as most arrāt & degenerate traitors do in dede vnkindly & vnnaturally ioine: we in her graces defēse wil spēde both life & what we haue beside to the vtter most peny against thē. Wel, I can no more now sai vnto you, but vnderstāding ye quenes highnes as a most merciful prīcesse to be ones again determined to pardon as many as by their traiterous & deceitfull proclamatiōs, & other illusiōs wer allured to this last treasō, so they repaire to their habitations within xxiiii. houres after her graces proclamation read, & become true subiectes to her gra • e, to aduise such as hath taken part with those traitours, or haue withdrawē them selues cōtrary to their allegiaūce, frō the aiding & seruing of their soueraigne, accordīg to their duties against her enemies, thākefullye to accept & imbrace her most gracious pardō, & vse meanes of thē selues to apprehend those arrant and principall traitours, and & make a present of them to the quenes highnes, or leaue thē to thē selfes as most detestable traitors: who beīg once so graciously & mercifully forgeuē could not but cary the clem •• cie of the same in their hartes to the furtherance of all obedience whiles thei liued, if ther had been any spark of grace in thē. And further I haue to say vnto you, yt as these traitors by their proclamatiōs wtout authoritie haue moued you to styr against the quene your soueraigne, & apointed you placꝭ, wher to mete & cōsult for ye furtherāce of their traiterous purpose, & to brīg with you such aid as you cā, so shal I require you, & in her graces name charge you that be here present, not to come there, but that you & such as be absent taking knowledge herby, repair to such places as I the quenes shireffe & officer shal appoint you, with such ayde as you can bring for the better seruice of the quene & the shyre, where you shalbe assured to receyue comforte, thankes, and honestie to thende of your liues and your posteritie. And thother waye but endles shame and vtter vndoinge to you and yours, whiche shall be worste to your selues, and yet a greate griefe to vs your neyghbours, whose aduise in al other your priuate causes you haue been content to folowe, & nowe in this waightiest that hathe or maye happen to you, wyll refuse vs and folow them that hathe euer abused you to your and thei vtter confusion.

At Mallynge the seuen and twenteth daye of Ianuarye. Anno Mariae primo.

God saue Queene Marye and all her well wyllers.

The shiriffe reading this exhortation caused one Barrham a gentilman and seruaunt to the lord Aburgau • ny to pronounce it as he reed it, so loude and soo distinctlie as the people assembled rounde aboute him to a verie great nomber in maner of a ring mighte easlie here and vnderstand euerie word proceding frō Barrham, who of his owne head cried out vnto, them: You maye not so muche as lyfte vp your finger against your kinge or quene. And after the people had heard the Shiriffes exhortation & cried God saue quene Marie, whiche they did moost hertely, spending therin a conuenient tyme, the shiriffe vsed these wordes vnto them. Maisters quod he, althoughe I alone did speake vnto you, yet what wordes were spoken too you by me were also spoken to you by the lorde Aburgauenye and all the gentilmen here present,The sh • riffes spech to the multitude. in whose persons I then spake and now require at your handes a plaine and resolute aunswere. Will you nowe therfore ioyne with suche as you s • e euidentlie to be arrāt traitors, orels with the lorde Aburgauenie and suche gentilmen as you see here present, that wil lyue & dye with you in defense of oure rightfull quene againste these traitors? The people with one voice defied Wyat and his complices,The peoples āswee • to the sheriffe. as arrant traitours, and saied that they nowe well espied they hadde but abused them. Wherfore in defense of quene Marie they woulde dye vpon them, expressinge their mindes with suche earnest shoutes and cries as shewed to procede vnfainedly frō their hartes, which after was confirmed by a better experience the day folowing as ye shall anone here. But by the waye ye shall vnderstande that Wyat heringe of this proclamation, saied: I knowe that Barram well,Wyates promise of barrams rewarde. but yet I neuer tooke him to haue so wyde a throte, if I lyue I maye happen to make him crowe a higher note in a nother place. What trowe ye should then haue become of the authour? In the Sundaye followinge the lorde Aburgaueny the shiriffe and the rest of the gentilmen were determined to haue merched in the morninge earelye towardes Rochester to haue aided the duke of Norfolke and sir Henrye Gerningham captain of the garde then being at Grauesend towardes Wyat with a certain bande of whitecotes to the nomber of .vi.C. sent vnto them frō London,The duke of Norf, & sir Henrye Gernīghās comminge to Grauesende. wherof Breet and others were their captaines.Roger Ap • ulton and Thom • s Swa • • rustie gētilmē. Roger Appulton gentilman was also at Grauesende with the duke attendant to serue where in lykewyse was Thomas Swan gentilman.

This satterdaye at night the lorde Aburgaueny suspectinge that Wyat and hys complices liynge within foure myles of them, and beinge so muche prouoked in that they were in the day so rightly set forthe in their coloures at Malling would for reuēge worke some anoyaūce to thē or his bande yt nighte, either by a cāmasado or by some other meane, did therfore to preuent the same set a strong watche in in the market place at Malling and other partes of entrie into the towne:The lorde Aburgaueny set the watch ī persone. and gaue the watch word him selfe before he would take any rest. But betwene one & two of the clocke in the night when euerie bodye was taken to rest sauing the watche, there happened a larom,A larom at Malling. sundry cryeng: treason, treason, we are all betraied, in such a sort that such as were in their beddes or newlye rissen thought verely that either Wyat with his band had been in the towne, or verie nere: The thing was so soden & happened in suche a tyme as men not acquainted wt like matters were so amased, that some of them knewe not well what to do, and yet in thend it proued to nothing: for it grewe by a messenger that came verie late in the night desiringe too speake with the lorde Aburgaueny or maister shiriffe to giue them certaine aduertismēt that sir Henrie Isleie, the twoo Kneuetes and certaine other with .v.C. weldishe menne were at Seuenocke, and would merche in the morning from thence earlye towardes Rochester, for the aide of Wyat againste the duke of Norff. and in theire way burne and destroy the house of George Clarke aforesaied.A meaning of ye rebels to burne maister George Clarkes house. Wherupon the lorde Aburgaueny and the sheriffe by thaduice of the gentilmē afore named, for that the saied Clarke had bene a painful and seruisable gentilman, chaū ged their purposed iourney frō Rochester, to incounter with Isley and his bande, to cutte them from Wyat & saue Clarke from spoyle. And so in the morninge earely beinge sundaye The lorde Aburgaueny the shiriffe,The merching of the lord Aburgaueny and the shiriffe too incounter Isleye. Warram, Sentleger, Richarde Couert, Thomas Roydon, Anthony Weldon, Henrye Barnei, George Clarke, Iohan Dodge, Tho. Watton, Heughe Catlyn, Thomas Henley, Christopher Dorrell, Heughe Cartwright, Iohan Sybyll Esquiers, Thomas Chapman, Iames Barram, Iasper Iden, Iohan Lambe, Walter Heronden, Walter Taylor, Iohan Raynoldes, Thomas Tuttesham, Iohan Allen, and Thomas Holdiche gentilmen with yomen to the nomber of .vi.C. or ther aboute merched oute of Malling in order till they came to Wrotham heath where they mought easely here the sounde of the traitours drommes,Wrotham heathe • and so makinge hast pursued them till they came to a place called Barrow grene,Barrowe grene. thorough which laye the right and redye waye that the traitours shoulde take merching from Seuenocke towardes maister Clarke. The lord Aburgaueny beynge verye glad that he had preuented them in winning the grene, sent out spialles to vnderstand their nerenesse, and to discriue their numbre, reposinge them selues there tyl the retourne of his spialles, who at their comminge, saide that he neded not to take further paynes to pursue them. For thei were at hand commynge towardes him as fast as they could marche, whiche was glad tidinges to the Lorde Aburgauenye and hys bande. And taking order furthwith to sette his men in a raye, he determined to abyde theyr commminge, aud there to take or geue the ouerthrow. Whiche the traytours vnderstandyng, whether it was for yt they misliked the matche, or the place to fight, whiles the lord Aburgaueny and his band were busye in placing them selues,The s • rinkyn • of the rebelles. they shrancke as secretlye as they coulde by a bye way. And were so farre gone before the Lorde Aburgaueny vnderstode therof by his spialles, as for doubte of ouertaking them afore their comming to Rochester, he was driwen to make suche haste for the ouertakinge of them, as diuers of his fote m • n were farre behinde at the onset geuing. The first sighte that the Lorde Aburgaueny coulde haue of thē after they forsoke their purposed way, was as they ascended Wrotham hyll directlye ouer Yaldam, Maister Peckams house, where they thinkinge to haue great aduauntage by the winning of ye hil, displaied their ensignes brauelye,The displa •• yng of the rebell is ensignes. semynge to be in great ruffe. But it was not longe after or theyr corage was abated. For the lord Aburgaueny, the shyreffe, and the rest of the gentlemen, with such other of the queenes true and faythfull subiectes, as with great paynes takinge to clyme the hyll, and to holde waye with the horsemen,The rebels ouertaken. ouertoke the rebelles at a fielde called Blackesoll fielde in the parishe of Wrotham a mile distant frō the very top of the hyll,Blackesol • fielde. where the lorde Aburgaueny, the shyreffe, the gentlemen aforenamed, and other the quenes true and faithfull subiectes handled them so hotte & so fiersly, yt after a smale shot wt longe bowes by the traytours,The skyrmishe. & a fierse bragge shewed by some of the horsemen, they tooke their flighte away as fast as they coulde. Yet of them were taken prisoners aboue thre skore. In this conflict Warram Sentleger (who brought with him a good company of souldiours, & alwaies a seruisable gentlemā) also George Clarke, Anthony Weldon, and Richarde Clarke wt others did very honestly behaue thē selues. Williā Sentleger hearing of a fraie towardes, betwene the Queenes true Subiectes and the traitours, came to the lord Aburgauenie into the field with all haste, not an houre before the skirmishe, who with the rest of the gentlemen, with certaine of the Lorde Aburgauenyes and Shireffes • eruauntes, beinge all well horsed serued faithfullie, and from • hence chased the horsemen till thei came to a woode called Hartlei woode foure miles distant from the place where the onset beganne.The chase 〈◊〉 the horse •• n. The Queenes true subiectes did so much abhorre their treason, and had the traitours in suche detestation, as with greate difficultie anye escaped with life that were taken prisoners, and yet were thei al verie wel armed & weaponed and had also great aduantage by the place of fight. Sir Henrie I • sleye laye al that night in the woode and fleed after into Hāpshire. The two Kneuettes being wel horsed were so hastely pnrsued, as thei were driuen to leaue theyr horse, and crepe into the woode, and for haste to rippe their bootes from their legges, and runne awaie in th • vampage of their hose. The chase continued so longe as nighte came on before it was full finished. Thus was I •• ey, the Kneuetes and their bande ouerthrowen by the faithfull seruice of diuers gentlemen and yomen seruinge vnder the lord Aburgaueny and the shyreffe, whose forwardnesse, corage, and wisedome, in this trayterous broyle, no doubt was verye muche prayse worthie, as wel for theyr spedie acceleration of their strength, which (consideryng how they were euery way compassed with the traitours) was no small matter in so litle space, and for their wise and politike handlinge also in kepinge them together from Wyat, who merueylouslye and by sundrye wayes soughte to allure them away. For had not they in their owne personne to the incouraginge of their companye aduentured farre, and by theyr wisdome, discretion, and greate charge, politikelye hādled the matter, some thinke that Wyat had been at London before he was loked for by anye good man, with no smale trayne: whose iouruey was greatly hyndered and his companye very muche discomfited by this repulse geuen to Isleye and his band. Where amongest other thinges Gods secret hād was greatly felt to ye great comfort & present ayd of true subiectes against the traitours, who hauinge suche aduauntage of the place (as in dede thei hadde) were lyke rather to giue then receiue so foule an ouerthrowe. But this it is (you see) to serue in a true cause, and her whome God so fauoureth, that he wyll • ot suffer the malice and rage of her enemies at anye tyme to preu • ile against her: to whome he hath giuen so many • otable victories and soo miraculous • that her enemies mighte seme rather to haue ben ouerthrow • Spiritu Dei • then vanqueshed huma • o robore. The lorde Aburga • eny the shiriffe and the gentilmen with them,Thanke • geuen too GOD fo • victorie. after they had geuen humble thankes to God for the victorie (whiche they did verie reuerentlie in the fielde) & taken ordre for the prisoners, were driuē to deuide thē sel • es for want of harboroughe, and vitta • le for the souldiours that had well deserued bothe. The lorde Aburgaueny and certen with him went to Wrotham. The shiriffe & certen with him to Otforde, where they hadde muche to doo to get vittaile for ••• ir souldiours. The lorde Aburgaueny and the shiriffe su • pec •• ng that some of those gen •• lmen lately discō •• ted in this •• irmishe woulde not longe tarie in the realme but make shift to passe the seas, yea, and by sp •• all vnderstandinge. Wyat him selfe with some of his company therunto bent, deuised to lay • the countree aboute that they mought not escape. And considering that they woulde not do it at Douer nor in that coste, they knowing the lorde Warden to haue suche watche vnto them, but rather for sundrie respectes at Rye or more southward, and hauinge greate proufe of Thomas Dorrell the yonger his fidelitie,Thomas Dorrell of Scotney ȳe yonger. he retorned the same Dorrel being newly come vnto him with .ixxx. men well appointed into Sussex, geuing him streight charge that con • ulting with sir Iohan Guyldforde, they should both day and night: s • t sure watche for the passinge of a • y that waie to the sea co • t, & further to take suche ordre as no m •• it • d, fishe, wine or other vitaile comming out of those partes should passe to the rele • f of the traitors. Anthony Kneuet, notwithstanding great and streight watche layed roūde about the countree by the shiriffe for thapprehension of him and other that fled, arriued that sundaye at nighte late at Rochester, where his newes were so ioyful,Harpers running a • aye from Wyat. that Harper furthwith found the meane to ridde him selfe out of their cō • pany without any leaue taking. and ran to the duke of Norff. to whome he semed so greatly • to lament his treason, that the duke peteinge his case (the rather for the longe acquaintaūc • betwe • e them in tymes paste) receiued him too grace. But within a day after he ran from the duke and retourned to hys olde mate, as hereafter shal appere. Wyat hearing of Isleye his ouerthrowe, and vndertandinge by the proceding at Mallinge the day before that those thinges sette furthe in his proclamations, wherby he thought his strength at home to be most surely knit vnto him, were now become rather a weakenninge then otherwise: the people there being redie to fall from him for his so abusinge of them, he fell into so great extreme anguishe and sorowe, as writing a letter of expostulation to some of his familiars abrode, in reprehension of theire infidelitie, in that they sticked not to him soo fast as they promised,Wyats bewai • ing his case with teares. he bedewed the paper wherupon he wrotte with teares issuing so abundātlye from his eyes, as it woulde beare no inke, and so leauing to write, calling for a preuie cote that he had quilted with angels not longe afore,Wyatscote of fēce quilted with aungelles. which mought serue bothe for his defense and refuge for his necessitie being in a nother countree, he practised with suche as were nere vnto him where they mought haue redie passage and most for their suretie to take the sea.Wyates practise to flye by sea. For Englande saied he is no place for vs to rest in: His company also shranke frō him as fast as they could deuise meanes to escape: wherunto Thomas Isleye and others hadde a greater respecte thē him selfe, he seming to take care for nothinge, but howe he mought safely • conuey him selfe beinge well frended, as it was thought with some of the shipmaisters.

Wyat mated.Thus was Wyat so mated by the lorde Aburgaueny, the shiriffe and their bande, as he was at his wittes ende, as ye haue heard, and cheifely by kepynge him from that, whiche by spiall about him they afterwarde vnderstode him specially to desire, whiche was offer of battaile: he and his beinge fully persuaded that there coulde be no greate force raised against him in the shire, whereof the moost parte should not be his when it should come to the shewe. Wherin although he mought be deceiued, as in dede he was, yet his quarrell with the disposition of the people therunto well considered, with the end of his traueil, whiche coulde be but spoyle and rauen redye meanes and lures to drawe the careles multitude vnto him: It semed to the lorde Aburgaueny & suche as serued with him better pollicie to werie Wyat and weaken him by the cutting away of his strēgth from him, then to offer him battaile til the duke of Norffolkes comminge: whome the lorde Aburgaueny & the shiriffe knewe to be at hande towardes Wyat: vnto whom thei and all the gentilmen of their band after their skirmishe with Isley, made the haste possible they myghte. But before their comminge the case was wonderfully chaūged to the great descomforte of all the quenes true subiectes: and that came to passe that of al mē was lest feared. For who was it that suspected suche cruell & malitious disposition to remaine in any Englishe heart towardes his countree, in anye sub • ectes thought towarde his Soueraygne, that receyuyng her graces armoure, weapon, and moneye, woulde haue plaied so traiterous a part as these captaynes did with their band • It is so straunge a case as the world neuer saw. It is so malicious a part, as the Iew would not haue done the like, hauynge receyued hys hyre to serue.

So it was that the noble Duke beinge an auncient and worthy captayne, & yet by long imprysonment so diswonted from the knowledge of our malicious world, & the iniquitie of our tyme, as he suspectinge nothinge lesse than that whiche folowed, but iudgynge euerye man to accorde with him in defier to serue truelye, marched furthe the Mondaye aboute tenne of the clocke in the mornynge from Grauesende to strowde towardes Rochester, and aboute foure of the clocke in the after noone of the same day, he arriued at strowde nere vnto Rochester,The dukes marchinge frō strowde to Rochest. hauinge wyth him the captayne of the garde, Griffith Morgan nowe bishop of Rochester,The names of the gentlemen seruing vnder the duke. Sir Edwarde Braye, syr Iohn Fogge knightes, Iohn Couerte, Roger Appulton esquiers, and Thomas Swan gentleman, with certayne of the garde, and other to the numbre of CC. or there aboute, besides Bret and other fiue captaynes,Bret chiefe captain of ye whitcotes. who with theyr bande beinge sixe hundred all in whight cotes taryed behinde at a hyll called Spittell hyll, 〈◊〉 vnto strowde, whiles the Duke went to strowde to see the planting of the ordinaunce. Whiche beinge readye charged and bent vpon the towne of Rochester, and perceyuynge Wyat and the other traytours by hangynge out of theyr flagges vpon the bridge wall, to be in great brauerie • whiche consideryng the miserable state they were in the nyght before coulde not be (hadde they not receyued some newe comforte by some trayterous meane,) the Duke commaunded one of the peces to be fired for shotte into Rochester. And as the gunner was fyeringe the piece, syr Edwarde Braies eldest sonne came in all the hast to the duke saying. Sir did not I tell your grace this morninge • hat yonde • false wretches wold de •• iue you • How knowe you that quod the Duke. why syr ( que Braye) you maye see them as false trayrours bent against you. And immediatly Bret and other captaines of the whitcoates with their bande beinge vpon the hyll and at the backe of the Duke, made greate and loude shoutes sundrie times criynge:The reuolt of the captaines to ye whight cotes & theyr bande. we are all Englishe men, we are al Englishe men, fashionynge them selues in araye readie bent with their weapons to set vpon the Duke if he had made any resistaunce. Wherevpon the Duke and the Captaine of the Garde commaunded the pieces that were bent vpon the towne, to be tourned vpon Bret and hys • ande. But vpon further consi ••• ation the shotte was spa •• d • And the Dukes grace with the c • ptayne of • he garde syr Hen •• e Ge •• ingham consideri • g not without bleding hear •• s their • hiefe strengthe thus ••• ened vppon them, so that they were now inuironed both behind • an • before with t • ayterous enemies, sh • fted t • em selues awaye, as did als • their •• mpa • ie. After whose departure Wyat accompanied with 〈◊〉 or th •• and not many moe, came o • t of Rochester halfe a mile from the towne a • the left, to m • te the sixe captaines of the whyt coat • s. Amongest whome was Harper,Harper retourned to his olde mate. notwithstandinge his crouchynge and knelinge before the Duke, and faire pr • mises that he would • vndertake that Wyat shoulde haue yelded. Who f • tinge afore the other captaynes, with his sworde drawen, sayde to Wyat. I promised you a good tourne, and saye not now • but I haue pa •• ed it. Who had s • en the imbra • ynge, • •• ippynge and congratula • i • n v • ed at thi • metynge, from traytour to traytour, might • iustlye wonder therat. Shortly after they had wel clawe • one another, they went together like them selues into Rochester: When this of all other mos • e infortunate channce came to the knowledge of the Lorde Aburgauenye • the sh • reffe & their frendes, they we • e not a lytle troubled with the straungenes of the case, much • doubtinge that the people whi ••• before seemed to be brought to good frame, woulde be impa •• ed by this alteration, and suche as were afore euill disposed • oulde not be greatlye am •• ded thereby.

The shireffe beinge the same night at Maydstone,The shireffes being at Maydston. that had come the • ame daye from O • • orde fourtene myles distaunt • o mete with Thomas Guils •• de, Steuen Dorrell, Ed ••• d Horden, Iohn Robartes and Iohn Finche Esquiers, to matche towardes the Duke, and in the mornynge so farre from any mistrust of that whiche folowed the same day • at Rochester, as hauinge no sure place to conueye the prisoners taken the dai before in the skirmishe with Isleye. He left the chiefest and trustiest of his seruauntes and frendes, bothe gentlemen and yomen of al his bande at Malling for the sauegarde of the prisoners, where also laye the Lorde Aburgauenye and his bande, doubtinge that Isleye and the rest that escaped woulde haue made some meane that night to haue recouered the prisoners, sundrye of them being men of good welth and well frended, and liynge within foure miles of Wyat.The sheriffes secrete returne to Mallinge. Upon these newes whether it were for the absence of the lord Aburgaueny and his strength, or mistrusting false measure in the towne, or moued with example of the reuolte of the whitcotes, he thought (it shuld seeme, Maydston no me • e place for him to make any abode, nor yet good policie, al partes cōsidered, to disclose the time of his remouynge, but iudginge playnly him selfe thonly marke of these partes, whereat the traitours shotte, or falling any wayes into their handes, so newly after the case of the duke, one part of ye tragedie to be thē ended: he retourned to his strength, geuing knowledge to the gentlemen remayninge in Maydstone to repaire to his house for consultation, what was to be done for the redubbinge of that vnhappie chaunce. In whiche consultation there did rise so manye different opinions, some saying they would to the Queene, and some to the Earle of Penbroke being her graces Leuetenaūt, that ye shiriffe without further debatinge, intreating the lorde Aburgaueny and certen gentilmen to remaine and entertaine suche of their bandes as they coulde holde till his retourne, whiche he promised shoulde bee without delay, went to the coū sell for knowledge of their pleasure: where he taried vneth two houres but retourned in post ye same night. And at his cōming the lord Aburgaueny and he assembled as many of their force as they could call together.

The traitours and their frendes were growen as men reuiued from deathe to life, flattering them selues that a thynge so farre aboue mennes expectation coulde not haue happened to them so fortunatlye, but by Gods miraculous prouision, as fauouring greatly their case: & so blewe it abrode as well by winde as by writinge, the more parte of the people being ready to beleue it, as the case in the heades of the multitudes was wōderfully chaunged bothe for strength and opinion.

Wyat aduertised by his letter the duke of Suffolke of his victorie by Gods prouision (as he termed it).Wya • 〈…〉 • o the 〈◊〉 of Suff. Whose letter was intercepted in Essex, as the messenger passed the ferie, by a seruaunte of sir Robert Southwels, and brought to the counsell. He wrote also to the duke of Norffo. but in another stile, his letters being open & importing suche matter as foloweth. Be it knowen to al men, and speciallye to the duke of Norffolke that I haue taken nothing in hand, Wyats letter to the Duke of Norffolke. but that I will maintaine with the exspense of my life: which before it departe out of my body, shalbe folde full dere. et ce.

An inuictiue against ye neuters.Such of those partes as honge in the wind, as neuters, wherof were no small nomber that had lurked in caues al the tempest, watching but where shold become the victorie: that for example of the euill were nothing inferiour to the arrantest traytours, but rather for a number of respectes muche worse, began to appeere verie cherefull, geuing them selues great thankes for handling the matter so finely, that conueing thē selues out of the waie by their pollicie, could auoide charge and perell so wittely. And as they met wt suche as had serued faiethfully (with whō they durst be frāke) thei spared not to opē their mouthes largely, powring out such language as coulde be but lamentable, or rather odible to euerie true eare, tunderstande any subiecte so farre peruerted from his allegiaūce and duetie, that for gaine or securitie of their owne persones, would reioyce in sittinge still as indifferent, where the crown is a •• rtie: or to persuade securitie to them selues be they neuer in so stronge a holde, where their soueraigne is in perill. Which (all thinges rightly weyed) semed a straunge, persuasion taccompte either gaine or sauinge in sparing some parte of the accidentes by sitting still, to aduenture the losse of the principal, whervpon life & the wholle depēdeth: or by affecting a litle corruption inordinatly, to lose bothe honest fame and good opinion of his countree, whiche euerie honest man oughte to seke to preserue as tenderly as the wel doinge of him selfe and his wholle posteritie. Thus maye we euidentlye se the diuers effectes of diuers inclinations accordinge to trueth & vntrueth of perfite obedience preuailing in mennes heartes. These neuters or coū terfetes that woulde be neither open foes, nor aduēturous frendes, but as wyly vultures houeringe in the winde to catch and gripe some parte of the pray, althoughe they would no parte of the fray, persuaded them selues to saue that whiche in their opinion the true heartie subiecte should lose by geuing suche aduenture: that was securitie of bodie & goodes (whiche graunt they saued) yet in the iust iudgemente of the honest they deserued therby the same blotte of infamie that is due to the open enemies. On thother side the true and faiethful, whose hartes and handes such dimme colour of vnthankefull policie coulde not witholde frō the vtteraunce of nedefull seruice in such generall case of daunger, thought it rather a gaine to aduenture bodye and goodes, wherby either to preserue the heade and the wholle, which was cruelly pursued, or at least by defense of the same to purchace vnto them & their names the honest opinion of vnspotted membres, and the imortalitie of good fame, wherwith trueth alwaies rewardeth vnfained seruice. For such an in comparable vertue is faiethfull loyaltie, so muche abhorring all corruptible allurementes, that whose hartes shee hathe in gouernaunce, with suche neither sauour of gaine, nor hope of securitie, neyther persuasion of frendeshippe, ne other intisement can so muche preuaile, as for any respect they wil digresse from the right course of true seruice. Where the contrarie wanting that perfection, to tast the gaine of fortunes corruptible membres, wherafter they gape to obtaine quiet to the restyue carcase and lucre to thē selues, the thinge they onlye seke, are easly drawen to Runne a cleane contrarie race.

This naughtie broode therefore of counterfetes, of al other not tollerable in a common weale, are speciallye to be loked to in their beginninge, leaste their euill example by long sufferaunce growe to suche a president at the last, that the common saiynge, Good to slepe in a whole skinne, beinge espied to escape without daunger or reprehension, be taken vp for a pollicye,A consultation of the rebels after the reuolte by the whit cotes. and thereby outeweye the iuste p • ize of bounden duetye.

After this moste vnhappye chaunce, the traytours wyth their newe adiunctes, fell to a great and solemne counsel that same nyghte at Rochester, for their procedinge in their pretensed treason. In discourse whereof proceded suche vnsittinge talke as well towardes the Queenes highnes, as her honorable counsell, tendyng to the alteratiō of the whol state, as abhorred the eares of some of the selfe traytours, that vnderstandynge by that talke the ende of their purpose, whereof before they were ignoraunte, wished them selues vnder the earthe, for beynge so vnhappy as to be so much as acquainted with so damnable an enterprise. Such an opiniō had thei, as they demed very fewe counsellers or officers of authoritie or of nobilty within the realme worthie the place wherevnto they were called. And persuadinge great choyse to be amongest them selues for the suppliynge of that want, suche ouerweninge had they o • them selues, and made so sure a rekeninge of the victorye, as they disposed the honourable offices of the realme amōg thē selues. Wyat thought him selfe now so sure of the victory, as seing him that offered to sell his spones and all the plate he had, rather then his purpose should quaile, and suppe his potage with hys mouth, warranted him that he shoulde eate hys potage wyth siluer as he did. England when good couns • ll shoulde stande it in moste auaylable stede, neded no better counselours then such as they were, yf they had halfe the witte they thought them selues to haue, coupled with grace and honestie. But what they had in dede, their actes declare playnly to their owne confusiō, as it hath alwaies, & euer herafter shall to as many as be of like disposition. One of them that had some witte in dede, althoughe he wanted grace, perceyuing by theyr talke in what fonde frensie they were entred, to interrupte them therein, he sayde, that suche matters were good to be treated of at further oportunitie. But for the present, it were mete to diuise vpon their nexte iourneye, and whether it shoulde be good policie in them mindyng to march towardes London, to leaue the Lorde Aburgauenye and the shireffe at libertie, that annoyed their frendes, & by al likelyhode woulde not so ceasse, as they maye or dare at theyr blacke beinge left at large. One of them takinge vpon him firste to answere, thought nothinge more necessarie then their sequestration. And if his aduise myght haue ben heard in ye beginning, the shireffe should haue been in hold (as I haue heard) before any thing shuld haue been attēpted.A deuise to apprehende the shyreffe. But the captaynes to the whitcotes mete coūselours for suche an enterprise, hauyng the spoyle of London in theyr eyes • woulde not dispute that was paste: but for the present they persuaded cleane contrarye to the former opinion: saiyng that their goynge aboute thapprehension of the shireffe shoulde be but a losse of time. For London sayde they, longed soore for theyr commynge,The misrekening of ye rebels vpō London. whyche they coulde by no meane protracte without bredynge great peryll and w • ikenes to them selues. And hauing London at their commaundement, wherof they wer in no maner of doubt, yf it were not loste by their slouth, their reuenge to the lord Aburgaueny, the shireffe, with other their enemies wold easly folow. Wyat sauoring ful well their disposition, & vnderstanding their meaing by their arg •• mentes, and knowing also that without his assentynge therevnto, he coulde not longe haue 〈◊〉 companye, yelded to their co • nsell. And so beyng out of m • asure exalted into hault corage and pryde by the reuolt of the white cotes, he marched the daye after beyng Twesday in great pompe and glory, cariyng with him vi. pieces of ordinaūce (whiche they had gotten of the quenes) besides their owne, to Cowling castle, a holde of the Lorde Cobhams, foure myles distant from Rochester, and not much out of their way towards London, where the lord Cobhā was. Wyat at his comming to Cowling castle, bent his ordinaunce against the gate, & with great and sundry shottes & fyre • rake and burned vppe a waye • hrough the gate. The Lorde Cobham defended his castle as stoutly as any man might do, hauing so fewe against so great a numbre and so litle munition, him selfe discharging his gunne at suche as approched the g • te right hardely. And in that assault two of his own men were slaine. After this assault & talk with the lorde Cobham, Wyat marched to Grauesende where he reposed that night.

wyates marchīg to Dartforde.From Grauesende he & his bande marched the wednesday nexte after to Dartford, where he reposed that night: whether came sir Edwarde Hastinges maister of the Quenes horse, and sir Thomas Cornewalles knightes,The comming of the maister of the horse & sir Thomas Cornewalles to Wyat. both of her graces honorable preuie counsell, sent frō the qnene to Wyat, tunderstand the cause of his commotion, and • lso (as it was sayde) finding any repentant submissiō in him to promise pardon, or at the lest great hope therof. Wyat vnderstāding their cōming, & taking with him certen of his bād, wēt to the weast ende of the towne where he had planted his ordinaūce, & at the lighting of maister Hastinges & sir Thomas Cornewalles frō their horsse, Wyat hauing a parte sin in hys hād aduanced him selfe sōwhat afore suche gentlemen as were with him,Prid •• & vsing but litle reuerence due frō a subiect to coūselours traced nere them, to whō the maister of the horsse spake in substaunce as foloweth. The quenes maiestie requireth to vnderstand the very cause, wherfore you haue thus gathered together in armes her liege people, whiche is the part of a traitour, and yet in your proclamations and persuasions you call your selfe a true subiecte, which can not stande together. I am no traitor quod Wyat, & the cause wherfore I haue gathered the people, is to defend the realme frō ouerūning by straungers, whiche muste folowe, this mariage takinge place. why ꝙ the queenes agentes, there be no strangers yet come whome eyther for power or nū bre ye nede to suspect. But if this be your only quarrell, because ye mislike the mariage: wyl ye come to communication touching that case, and the quene of her gracious goodnes is content ye shalbe hearde. Wyates arrogant aun • ••••• To whom Wyat shaped 〈…〉 declare his malicious entent & traiterous heart to the quenes owne person and royall estate. I yelde therto quod Wyat, but for my suertie I wyl rather be trusted then trust. And therfore I demaunde the custodie of the tower, & her grace in the tower the displacing of certen coūsellers, and placing other in their rowmes as to me shall seeme best. Upon this leude answere, long & stout cōference was betwene them. In so muche that the maister of the horsse said vnto him with a s • out corage. wyat before thou shalt haue that thy traiterous demaūde graūted thou shalt die and xx. M. with thee. Shortly after the maister of ye horsie, with maister Cornewalles finding him an arrant traitour, & desperatly set to al mischiefe, retour • ed to the quenes maiestie. The cōmō people being with him & calling to their remēbrance how Wyat in al apparance made his whol matter of styr, for strāgers, & no waies against the quene, & perceiuing how vnreuerently he vsed him selfe aswel to y• quenes harrold at Rochester, as to y• priuie coū sel at Dartford, & cōsidering wt thē selues also that he wold suffer none of the quenes proclamatiōs to be read amōg them: their heartes began to rise against him. And among thē selues sūdrie of thē much murmured, wisshinge with the losse of al thei had, thei had neuer been acquainted with Wyat nor his doinges: and in dede sought as • any waies as thei could to be rid of him. Whiche perceiued by •• at and his mates, they deuis • d a brute to be sounded in his hande, that the lorde Abur • aueny,A craftie policie. & the shireffe did cause to be hanged as many as they c •• lde take coming frō Wyates •• nde. Wherewith the people s •••• ing in a great mase what t • do, were wonderfullye per •••• ed. The queene vnderstan •••• by the master of the horsse, • nd sir Thomas Cornewalles, the arr • gancie of Wyat, and • otwithstanding that she perceyued her merciful inclination rather to prouoke him then otherwise, yet semed she nothing willinge euen then by violence and force (as she easly mought) t • suppresse him. But yet a longer time to suffer and abide, & by delay and mercy, her enemy mought be wonne to reconciliation. The nobilitie whiche wer • at that time with her grace,The suit of the nobles to the quene pe •• ceiuinge such surmounting mercie, rather to increase then any • wayes to abate courage & malice in the insolent and proud • heart of th • traytours, and further vnderstandinge that the traitours demed the con • ation or forbearing to procede rathe • of debilitie & feare, then o • mercye, and clemencye, counselled with her grace, that wi •• her gracious leaue and licence, they mought se • vpon him, and his bāde, before he should pass • Blacke heath: declaring that to suffre suche an arrogant traytour, beinge but a meane •• m • er to approche thus contemp ••• uslye so nere her royall per • on (as it were in defiaunce of • er grace, & her true subiectes) • houlde greatlye redounde to their dishonours in the opinion of all faithfull men, thoroughout the world.The Quenes answer to the nobles. The quene gaue them all moste heartie and louing thankes, sayinge that she nothinge doubted of their true heartes towarde her. Yet was she lothe to make anye profe or triall therof, in suche quarell as shoulde be with losse of bloude. For to represse them with violence, and subdue them by the sworde, coulde not haue so happie successe, but manye of my pore subiectes (quod she) should derelye bye it, with the losse of their liues. Wherfore she determined to suffer as longe as she mought, and to forbeare that practise, tyl there were no other hope, ne remedie. For albeit, in the capitall traytours, ther • coulde be but great default, yet in the multitude, she was persuaded to be no malice, but onlye misled by their captaynes, and rather seduced by ignoraunce, then vpon any euyl purpose ment to her grace. Wherfore she desired them to be contented: for she was fully determined to continue her mercifull sufferaunce, and other her gentle meanes soo longe as shee mought, and vanquish her enemies without the sword, if any spar • le of obedience, or naturall zeale remaine in their heartes. Notwithstanding she required 〈◊〉 to prepare and retayne 〈◊〉 force in a readines, if their •••• e heartes should driue her 〈◊〉 vse extremitie.

But her highnes doubtynge 〈◊〉 London beinge her chamber, and a citie holden of dere price in her princelye hearte, • ight by Wyat and suche Ruf • ens as were with him, bee in daunger of spoyle to the vtter ruyne of the same: her highnes therefore, as a moste tender and louinge gouernesse, went the same daye in her royall person to the guilde halle, to forsee those perylles: where amonge other matters procedinge from her incomparable wisedome,The Quenes spe • he in the guild halle in London. her grace declared how she had sent that day, two of her priuie counsell to the traitour Wyat, desireous rather to quiet thy • tumulte by mercie, then by iustice of the sword to vanquishe, whose most godly heart fraight with all mercie & clemencie, abhorred frō al effusion of bloud. Her highnes also, there shewed the insolent and proud answere retourned from Wyat. Wherat the faithful citezens wer much offended, and in playne termes defied him as a most ranke traitour, with all his coniurates. And touching the mariage her highnes affirmed, that nothing was done therin, by her selfe alone, but with consent and aduisement of the whole counsell, vpon deliberate consultation, that this coniunction and seconde mariage shoulde greatly aduaunce this realme (where • nto she was firste maried) to much honour, quiet, and gaine. For (quod her grace) I am alreadie maried to this commonw • ale, and ye faythful membres of the same, the spousall rynge whereof I haue on my fynger, which neuer hitherto was nor shal hereafter be leaft of. Protes • inge vnto you nothinge to be more acceptable to my hart, nor more aunswereable to my wyl, then youre aduauncement in w • alth and welfare, with th • ••• theraunce of Gods glorye. • nd to declare her tender and princely heart towardes them, • he promised constantlye not to d • part from them, although by her counsell she had been muche •• ued to the contrarye, but woulde r • maine nere & prest, to aduenture the spense of her royall bloude in defense of them. Suche matter passed from her besides, as did so wonderfullye •• amour the heartes of the hea • ers, as it was a world to heare with what shoutes they exalted the honour and magnanimitie of Queene Mary.

This done her grace retourned towardes white hall, and passinge thorowe the streates, beinge full of people, pressynge to beholde her grace, wherein they hadde singular delite, and pleasure: One amongest all moste im • udent of all others, stepped fourth sayinge:A male part artificer. youre grace maye doe well to make youre forewarde in battayll of your Byshoppes and Priestes, for they be trusty and, wyll not ••• eyue you. For whiche wordes he was commaunded to • ewgate, who deserued to be •• nged at the nexte boughe for • xample of all other, so impudentlye and arrogantlye to assaulte hys Soueraygne and Queene, with suche seditious and trayterous language.

The voyce went yt he was an hosier, out of al doubte he was a traitour & an heretike, whose • eart was whollye in Wyates bosome, althoughe hys bodye was absēt • For it was not possible any faithful subiect or true christian to vtter suche shamelesse speche to his liege Ladye and Princesse as he dyd then. But suche is the fruite of heresie, contempt of God and man, as by dayly experience is seene.

The Thursdaye nexte after Wyat hauing xliij. ensignes in his bande,Wyates marchinge to Detford strande. and not paste foure thousande men, although they were accompted of a far greater numbre, marched to Detforde strande, eight miles from Dartforde, and within foure miles of London. Where vpon suche aduer • isement as he receyued by spiall of the queenes beinge in the Guilde hall, and the order of the people to her, he remained that night and the next whole daye: diuerse of his owne companye doubtinge by his longer tar • ynge there then he did in other places, with other presūptions, that he wolde haue passed the water in to Essex. His prisoners as ma ••• er Christopher Roper, George Dorrel of Calehil, Iohn Tucke Esquiers,The departing of maister Christopher Rop. and maister Dorrel frō Wyat. who were kepte verye straitlye beinge sickelye, and hauinge within the towne no conuenient harborowe or attendaunce, were licensed by Wyat vpon promisse of theyr wurshyppe to bee trewe prisoners, to prouide for them selues out • rom the towne where they best might. But they thinking no part of their worshyppe stained in breakīg promise with a traitour, soughte wayes to escape, & came no more at him.

On the Saterdaye folowinge verye earlye,Wyates marchinge to So • thwarke. Wyat marched to Southwarke, wher approchinge the gate at London bridge fote, called for the openinge of the same: whiche he founde not so readie as he loked for. After he had been a litle while in Southwarke, diuerse of the souldiers wente to Winchester place, where one of them beinge a gentleman, beganne to shewe hys game before all the cardes were full dealed: I meane to riff • e and spoyle, whiche in dede was the determinate ende of theyr purpose, but the time was not yet come, not thei come to the place where they shoulde beginne it. Whervnto Wyat hauynge further respecte then the younge gentleman hadde, shewed hym selfe with sterne and fiery visage so muche to bee offended with his doinges, that he made diuers beleue that he woulde haue hanged him vppon the wharffe.

Whiche wherof it grewe, eyther of hatred to the euill, or of pollicie to purchace credite to a further mischeif, as wel the nature and course of rebellion, as also Wyates owne wordes may easly let vs tunderstand. Who the mondaye nexte afore his sturre deuising with two of his frēdes for the execution of his pretended purpose, one of thē at lēgth, said vnto him: I haue no doubt but you shalbe able to assemble a great force, but howe you shal be able to continue the same with you, hauing not sufficient treasure and monye, the onlye baite wherwith the multitude is holdē, I stand much in doubt. what then quod Wyat • Marye saied the other, me thinketh a good waye for your prouision therof, after youre force is once gathered, that ye apprehend the lorde Warden, the lorde Aburgaueny, sir Robert Southwel, sir Thomas Moyle, with other of whose heartes and affection towarde you and your case you stande in doubt: wherby ye shal not onlye haue them in saftie, whiche are most like within the shire to withstande your enterprise, but also prouide you bothe treasure and money (which they wante not) for the relief of your bande. Ah quod Wyat, is this the best counsell ye can geue? If we pretende to kepe out straū gers, & begyn our quarel with the spoile of our owne countreymē, what wil the whole realme trowe ye then deme of vs? Nay your aduice is nought, & youre waye the nexte waye to accelerate our confusion. For if we will go forwarde in our matter, and make the best of it to our purpose: spoile, and tirannye may not be our guides. We must by all meanes deuise, and al litle inoughe, to cōtinue good opinion in the heades of the multitude of some plausible ende to succede by our sturre: otherwise we vndoe our selues. For perceiuinge at our entrie yt our myndes runne of spoile, who wil not rather resist vs, & abide the aduēture of that, wherof we beare them in hande, then to be in certeine to be spoyled by vs? And I see no cause whye you shoulde doubte of want of money, seinge ye knowe that suche gentlemen as are confedered with vs keping appointment, their souldiours shall come redie furnished to beare theire owne charges for .ix. dayes, and our happe shall be verie harde if we be not at London shortlye after we stirre, and that with so great a company as shalbe oute of daunger to be stopped by any of the shire vpon suche a soden, or letted of entrie into London finding halfe the frindes there as we thinke to haue.Wyates rekening of ye spoile of the tower and London. And being ones in London, & hauinge the tower in our hādes, I trust you thinke we shall not lacke money longe after, if any be to be had there, or in the Aldermens coffers: To that saied the other, that hadde spoken as yet neuer a worde: I knowe commoners in London that haue more redy money then some of the Aldermenne. Softe quod Wyat, I praye you in any wyse forbeare all suche talke till we come to ye place wher we would be. In mean time let vs worke secretly, and by all tokens and signes, shewe our selues to fauoure and mainteine oure pretence of straungers only. Such and the lyke cōmunication was betwene Wyat and two other, the mondaye before his rysing. Wherby is euident, that theire finall entent was to aduaunce them selues by spoyle of other men • es goodes, although they pretended otherwise. And to coloure the same, Wyat so fell out with this gētelman for riffling the lorde Chauncelours house, that he made a number beleue he woulde haue hanged him out of hande, had not Bret and other entreated for him.

When thei had lien in Southwarke a day or two, and foūde them selues deceiued in Londō, whiche by the greate diligence and politike handlinge of that worthye and faiethfull knighte the lorde William Haward Admiral of England,The Lorde Williā Haward admiral of Englande. that had the speciall charge therof with the aide of sir Iohn Whight knight maiour of Londō, his brethern and citezens was so well preserued, as the traitours therby were disappointed of that they loked moost certenly for. Wyat as a man desperate, and setting all the sixe and seuen, aduenturing the breaking downe of a wall out of an house ioyning to the gate at the bridge foote,Wyates cō • minge into the porters lodge at ye bridge fote. wherby he moughte enter into the leades ouer the gate, came downe into the lodge aboute a leauen of the clocke in the night: where he founde the porter in a slomber,Care away and his wife with other wakinge watchinge a cole. But seing Wyat, they began sodenly to start as greatly amased. Whist, quod Wyat, as you loue your lyues, sit you still, you shal haue no hurt. Gladde were they of that warrant, pardye. What should they do, people better accustomed with ye tankerd of beere, to passe furth the night then acquainted with target, and speare to indure to fight? Wyat & a fewe with him went furthe as farre as the drawe bridge: on the further side wherof he sawe the lorde Admirall, the lorde Maiour, sir Andrewe Iudde, and one or two other, in consultation for ordering of the bridge, wherunto he gaue diligent eare a good time and not seene. At length conceiued by their talke moore then he could digest, & perceauinge the great ordinaunce there bent, retorned saiynge to his mates: this place is to hotte for vs. And when he was come to his colleges and declaringe vppon this exployte what he had hearde and seene, they then altogether fell to a newe counsell what was to be done.The rebels at their wittes ende. Some woulde then retourne to Grenewiche, and so passe by water into Eliex, wherby their company as • hey thought, shoulde encrease, and inter into London by Algate. And some woulde to Kingston vpon Teames, and so further West. And some, of the whiche Wyat him selfe was chiefe, wold retourne into Kent, to me • te with the Lorde Aburgauen • e, the Lorde Warden, the shyreffe, sir Thomas Moyle, sir Thomas Kēpe, sir Thomas Finch, that were at Rochester cōming on Wyates backe wt a great cō • pany wel appoynted: falsly persuading him selfe yt he shuld find amonge them mo frendes then enemies. But whether his desyre to returne into Kent grew vpon hope he hadde to fynde ayd there, or whether it was to shifte him selfe awaye, it was much doubted of his owne companye. And some of them that knewe him well, excepte they were muche deceyued, reported not longe before their execution, that his desier to retire into Kent was onelye to shyfte hym selfe ouer the sea.

The Lorde Warden beynge nowe come to Rochester as ye hearde,The Lorde Wardens beinge at Rochester towardes Wyat. and verye honourably furnished with horse and men well appoynted to no smale nū bre, enteringe in consultation with suche gentlemen as were there, for the better procedynge in their seruice, shewed a great desier to accelerate the onset vpon the traitours: least malice shuld impute both his former & present staye, rather to want of forwardnesse then to good policie. Wherefore he desyred to pursue after them with all expeditiō. Whervnto ye gentlemen then being in armes with him, sayde. As for your Lordshyps contation hetherto, it shalbe weyed, not as fooles by fansye & malice deme, but as wyse mē shall measure it by theyr discretion of wisdom. We see not but vnaduised hardinesse & preproperous haste in moste matters haue these two cōpanions: Errour in the beginning, & Repe • taūce in ye end. And for this our case, who so vnderstandeth the same, can not but confesse your lordships deliberate forbearing to haue proceded of great wysdome, as wherin hast coulde litel preuayle. And wheras your lordshippe is so d • sirous to pursue after Wyat and his bande, you see howe they haue lyen in Southworke and within four miles of London these foure dayes • and yet not medled with by the queenes armie beyng so nere. Which is neither for want of men, nor of forwardnesse in that noble gentleman the earle of Penbroke the queenes leiuetenant,The earle of Penbroke the quenes leuetenaunt. but vpon greate policie & further respecte, no doubt then we seeme to conceyue. Wherfore your lordshippe may doe better to pause, and fyrst to aduertise the queenes maiestie and the lord leiuetenaunt both what your lordeshyppe vpon graue and depe consideration hath conceyued in this doubtfull time, and also in what readinesse your lordshippe is and other gentlemen with you, whose pleasures knowen, we maye then happelye procede in seruice bothe with good conte •• tacion to them aboue, and best suertie for our selues. Otherwise if fortune shoulde not fauour our iourneye, ther may be thought in vs more impotent wyll to haste, then prouident policie to spede. And daunger hereby can none folowe, our enemies liynge betwene her graces armye and vs, consyderynge withall, that London is so wel furnished and so willing to resist their entrie. Wherevpon the Lorde Warden went in poste to the Queene, leauynge the Lorde Aburgauenye and the rest of the gentlemen with his and their bande vntyll hys retourne, whiche was verye shortlye after. Who accordynge • o hys firste purpose with th • r • st of the gentlemen marched furthe towardes Wyat. Which who had seene so well appoynted, and with what willynge heartes they went, and hadde knowen withall the faythfull dealinge of sundrie gentlemen besydes in other partes of the shire, oughte to saye, that not wythstandinge there were manye euyll, yet were there many worthie gentlemen and honest faythsull yeomen in Kent free frō Wyates conspiracie: & that the same receyued some iniurie at his hande, that taking vpon him to set furthe anye Cronicle, shoulde name onelye foure gentlemen of this shire to be workers against Wyat. For although euery man pursued him not in the beginninge, manye 〈◊〉 them dwelling farre from him: yet were they aswell occupied where they were, and asmuche t • wardes Wiates confusion, by •• ayinge and witholding great force throughe their ernest persuasions and labour, that elles woulde haue been with Wyat.

Nowe to retourne to Wyat, whom in this meane tyme Bret & thother captaines espiyng to haue a desier to be gone, dissemblynge the knowledge thereof, wrought al the secrete meanes they coulde deuise, to staye hys going, as hauing the weight of their liues depending vpō this enterprise as well as he. One of them by agrement in their consultation sayde to him. You see (quod he) wt what difficultie • ou kepe your soldiers here not wtstandinge they be in a towne where they are in a maner as pent in, & thereby the more vneasie to get away, being so narowly loked to. And now if you shal leaue the town & retire int • Kent, as some of your cōpany suspect you wyll, wherby bothe thei and al other shal iudge you to be in dispaire of the ayde of London (the hope wherof hath been hitherto ye greatest occasion of stay of such as be alreadie here, & the comfort for the comming of other to the increase of your power) you maye assure your selfe, that suche as be here will not tarye longe after with you findinge time to escape, as they shal easly ynough being at large, nor such as be absent will haue haste to repayre vnto yo • , when they shal perceaue you to be in dispaire of London: and so shall you weaken your selfe to the comforte of your enemies, and discomfort of your frendes. Bret vnder colour of singular affection to Wyat deuisynge an apte occasion to auoyde suspicion, whiche wanted not among them, required to speake with him aparte, and hauynge him alone,Bretes wordes to Wyat. sayde: It shal not be amisse that for your owne suretie you haue in remembraunce the effecte of the seuerall proclamations made at Dartford, the one by master Williā Roper wherin you were betraytered • the other by maister Appulton whiche as I here, was also made at London and in other partes of the realme, wherein is promised the inheritaunce of an hundred pounde lande to suche as can apprehende and present you to the queene. Now what fātasies may grow in the heades of your owne felowes for the sauegarde of thē selues, of whom you haue had alreadie some experiēce, it is to be douted. Or what may grow in the heades of youre souldiours, when faylinge of the ayde of London they shalbe in dispayre of your enterprise, it is also to be doubted. On the other parte, when suche of Kent on whō it semeth you repose some truste, shall here of your retire, theyr disposition perhaps wyll be muche chaunged. And therfore it standeth you in hande to ••• ke to the matter substaun ••• llye.

Wyat hauing the same confi • ence in Bret,Trustles traytours. that Bret would Wyat to haue had in other, remembring his moste deceytfull • reason to the Quene, contrarie to the trust reposed in him for the conduct of the whitecotes, And fealing his greife doubled, and his desier to conuay himself • waye, so muche the more increased by Brettes secrete talke with him (as the striken deare) wandreth asyde, all alone complaining with him selfe his most vnhappy fate. And soone after •• lling Thomas Isley vnto him, sayd: Ah cosyn Isley in what extreme miserye are we? The reuolte of these captaynes with y• whitcotes semed a benefite in ye beginning, & as a thin • sēt by God for our good, and to cōfort vs forward in our enterprise, whiche I nowe fele to our confusion. Ah cosyn, this it is to enter suche a quarrel, which •• t withstanding we nowe se mu •• haue a ruthful end, yet of necessitee we must prosecute ye sam ••

Wyat as desperate finding other to accorde with Brette • opinion vpō his conferēce with them, by whom for direction of his trayterous iourney he was cheifely aduised (althoughe for his shyfting awaye there were other whom he better trusted) marched the tewesdaye beyng Shrouetewsday out of South • wer • e to Kyngston vpon Thames,Wyates marchinge to Kingston. ten myles distaunt, where 〈◊〉 arriued about iiij. of ye clock 〈◊〉 the afternoone. And findyng • xx • foote or there aboute of the •• dge taken awaye sauing the •• stes yt were left standing, practised wt two mariners to swim •• er to conueye a barge vnto 〈◊〉 . Which the mariners (tēpted with great promises of pre ••• ment) did. Wherein Wyat & ••• taine with him were conuai •• ouer:Wyates passage at Kingston. who in the tyme that the numbre of the souldiours • ay • ed in the towne, caused the ••• dge to be trimmed with lad •• rs, planckes and beames, the s • me tyed together with ropes and bourdes, as by ten of the •• ocke in the night was in suche • lighte, that both his ordinaūce • nd band of men mought passe ouer without perill. And so about xi • of the clocke in the same nyght • Wyat wt his bande without either resistēce or peril marched ouer the bridge towardes London, hauyng such a louyng heart in his bodie to ye quen • , as before day he ment to haue been at ye court gate. Which he could neuer haue atēpted hauing any spa • c • e of that good zeale in his brest to the quenes suer • y as to further his treasō 〈◊〉 outwardly pretēded to the world • cōsidering the daūger yt mought haue growen by y• feare therof to her grace. But as god wold partly by werines of hys souldiours, & partly by breache of the wheles that caryed his ordinaunce, i • was nine of the clo • ke of the day folowing, beinge Ashe wednesday before he came so far as •• de parke. Where his courage (being to fore as ye haue hearde • ot very lusty) begā now vtterl • to die, beholdynge as it were b • fore his face the presēt bane & •• nfusion, wherevnto his mali ••• us entent was shaped. Yet desperatiō being his leude guyde, • e marcheth forward & cōmeth within the power of sir Williā • erberd earle of Penbroke being that daye the queenes leiuet • uant generall in y• fie • de. Who yet with diuers other noble mē and faithfull subiectes (beynge t • en in armes with him, prest and readie to receaue so impudent a race of traytourous rebels to their deserued breakef • st) vnderstandinge partlye by • ure spiall, partly by their owne vewe, that the rebels exceded not the numbre of foure thousande, and most of them naked, voyde of al policie and skyl, considering with al, that thei could not set vpō Wyat & his whole band but great effusiō of bloud shoulde folowe, the queenes armie beinge so gredie to be reuē ged, & the other so impotent to • esist, determined rather by pollicie to atcheue the victorie, then by bloude shedde to confounde the rebels. Wherin they shoulde please God, aunswere the quenes mercifull expectation, and pur • hase vnto thē selues moste renowne and honour of that dayes seruice. Upon these resolutions they permitted Wyat with the fore part of his bande to passe quietlye alonge, and throughe betwene the queenes maiesties horsmen, the lord Clynton being marshall of the •• e • de and captayne of the bar • ed horses and dimilaunces on the South side, Iacke of Musgraue beinge captayne of the • ighte horsemen on the Northe side: The great ordinaunce be •• ge charged to shute full vpon the breast of the rebels cōming •• stwarde: The earle of Penbro • e with the maine battell of fotemen aswel for handgunnes morishe pikes, bowes and byls, standyng in goodly aray on the • ortheast syde, behind the sayd •• eat ordinaunces, ready to set vpon the rebels in the face com •• ing towardes Holborne: Wy •• comminge in the forefront of his bande perceiuinge that he was thus beset with horsemen on bothe sides, the great ordinaūces and the fotemen before his face Northeastward, so that he could no wayes escape, but necessarilye muste fall into their handes, althoughe for pollicie he was suffered, and a greate part of his men to passe so farre quietlye and with out resistaūce through the horsmen, he sodenlye forsooke hys waye intended thorowe Holborne, & with might & maine as faste as they coulde, he and his mates ranne down vnderneth the parke wal of bricke, adioyninge to the Queenes manour house called sainte Iames. The lorde Clinton obseruinge his time, firste with hys dimylaunces brake their araye, & deuided Wyates bande in .ii. partes. Then came • he light horsemen who so hardly persued the tayle of his bāde, t • at they slewe many, hurte more, and toke moost of them. Whiles the sayd horsmen were •• us in fyght with the • aile of his bande, Wyat him selfe and v.C. men or there aboute peked on still all alonge vnder sainte I • mes parke wall, vntill he •• me to Charinge crosse, where d •• ers of the queenes houshold s • ruauntes and others fought w • th them, and in the ende killed .xvi, of the rebelles. Neuert • elesse Wyat hauinge escaped with a part of his company merc • inge a longe in battaile raye •• tred into Fletstrete, and came 〈◊〉 Flete brigge toward Ludg • te. And althoughe noman res ••• ed his passage throughe the •• r • etes thus farre, yet when at length he per • eiued that he had no helpe of frendes in London, and the suburbes as he loked for, lefte his men standinge still in battail araye, and rode backe as • arre as the tēple barre gate, with a naked sword in his hāde the hiltes vpwarde (as some report) at whiche gate he woulde haue gone throughe towardes Charinge crosse to the residue of his mē, but he was then stopped by force of the queenes true subiectes, who wolde not suffer him to passe with out tēple bar. At the length came one sir Morryce barkley knight vnto him, & requ •• ed him to consider that he coulde not preuaile in thys wicked pourpose, and that hys men weare all taken and slayne in the filde, and therfore willed him to cease of frō any further oc • asion of bloude shed, exhor • ing him to yelde him selfe prisoner, & to stande to the queenes m • rcie. Whiche to doe Wyat refused, and saied that he woulde rather be slain then yelde to any • an. And yet neuerthelesse (as it chaunced) there came a Harrold of armes immediatlye ryding in the quenes coote Armor to this place: to whose cote shortlye after Wyat submitted hym selfe prisoner, & so went to the court at West minster, and ther was brought before the priuye Counsell, & shortlye after with in one houre sent from thense to the Tower of Londō prisoner.

Amongest other thinges this is to be remēbred, that whiles the saied Wyat, and certein of his men (as afore saied) were cominge thus towardes Flerestrete, a certein Captayne of the said rebelles with diuers of his souldiers retourned from Charinge crosse, downe to the court gate at white halle, and gaue a larme before the gate, and shorte diuers arrowes into the saied courte the gate being open, in so muche that one maister Nicolas Rockewood being a gentilman of Lyncolnes inne, and in armour at the said court gate, was shorte throughe his nose with an arrowe by the rebelles. For the comminge of the said rebelles was not loked for that way: but thought that the Queenes Armye shoulde haue ioyned battell with them in the 〈◊〉 acc • rding to promise mad • 〈◊〉 thē sayd Wyat on this hehalf, 〈◊〉 promised that he would 〈◊〉 to the quenes fotebattel, & 〈◊〉 with thē pyke against pyke 〈◊〉 mā to man. Which when it 〈◊〉 to the verie point, he refu •• d • shranke a bye way by sai • t •• mes parke walle for his re •• ge as you haue heard before, where many of them were slain 〈◊〉 horsemen, so that they came • ot •• e the quenes power of the 〈◊〉 battel. Which increased some •• sperate boldnes in the despai • ing rebelles, not without great dis • ō • e • ure to all the court, & the •• tie of London, perceiuing that he was himselfe and so many rebeles with him come through the 〈◊〉 armye thus farre: wheru • ō • rewe great admiration amōgest 〈1 page〉 who will not deceaue me. And 〈◊〉 dede shortlye after newes 〈◊〉 all of victorie, howe that • yat was taken.

Th • s daye the Iudges in the •• men Place at Westminster 〈◊〉 in armoure. The Maiour, • ldermen, and the housholders 〈◊〉 the Citie by .iiij. of the clocke 〈◊〉 the morning, were in armor: The lorde Wyllyam Hawarde, •• ghe Admirall being emongest 〈◊〉 Who (as I haue tofore said) •• s by the Quenes maiestie •• pointed Captaine generall & • iuetenaunt for the time, to cō ••• re in counsell, and ioyne in •• ecution with the lorde Maiour, & his brethren for the sure and spedie gardinge, and warding of the Citie, to the pre • er •• tion whereof the Queenes 〈1 page〉〈◊〉 & ensigne of God: wh •• 〈◊〉 • ede alone gaue this victo •• and alone with out pollycie 〈◊〉 might of man ouerthrewe her •• nemies. Yet so, that he therwt •••• ared his special fauor & plea • ••• e towardes his seruaūt that •• ble knight the Erle of Pen ••• ke, in appointing him cheife ••• mpion this daye to defende 〈◊〉 chosen and electe virgin, • hose faieth hath not bene. wa •• ring in this catholike religion, nor his truth & seruice dought •• ll at any time towardes hys prince. Wyat, as is said, was cō • mitted to the Tower. So were diuers other gentlemen, as sone • fter was Henrye Graye duke of Suffolke & his .ii. bretherne: the duke being so hardly pursued by the lord Hastinges erle ••• tingdon was by him appr •• hended in Leycetershire:The duke of Suffolkes apprehension by the Erle of Hūtīgdon. wherby he declared him selfe as wel in honour and vnspotted loyaltie, as in parentage, & patrimonie to suc • ede his great grandfather ye lord Hastinges: whose fidelite and stedfast trueth towardes kinge Edwarde the fourthe, and his chyldren, the Cronicles reporte, to his immortall hon • ure. Of the common people there were suche a numbre taken in the chase by the Earle of Penbroke, that besides the vsuall gailes sundrie chur • hes in Lon • don were made places for their sau • garde, tyl order was taken for their enlargement.

The duke was arrayned by his Perres, and by verdit foūde ••• tie of tre • son before the du •• 〈◊〉 Norff. beinge lorde Cunsta ••• , and that daye his Iudge. 〈◊〉 he and his brother Tho •• s, at seuerall dayes made 〈◊〉 ende at Tower hyll by 〈◊〉 of their heades. Sundrie 〈◊〉 of Wyates complices be •• ge arrained and condemne • 〈◊〉 their confession of trea ••• suffered in diuer • partes of 〈◊〉 • hyre: a • Hen • ye 〈◊〉 ••• ghte, Thomas I • leye hys 〈◊〉 and Water Mantel at 〈◊〉 , where Wyat firste 〈◊〉 his s • anderde, 〈◊〉 •• eue • , William his bro ••• r with another of the 〈◊〉 • t Seuenockes Bret, at 〈◊〉 ha •• inge in • haynes • 〈◊〉 of the common sorte, verye 〈◊〉 were executed, saue onely 〈1 page〉〈◊〉 he •• slyked the sa • e, and 〈◊〉 howe • enitent and s • row •••• he was therfore.

Certayne wordes proceding from Wyat at hys arraynem •• t.

My Lordes, I muste confesse my selfe giltie, as in the ende trueth must •• forse me to saye, and that I 〈◊〉 iustly plagued for my sīnes, 〈◊〉 m • st greuouslye I haue 〈◊〉 agayn • t God, who 〈◊〉 suffe • ed me to fal into this beastlye bruti • h • nesse and horri •• e offense of treason. And loe in me the like ende, as all sorthe that haue attēpted like enterprises from the beginning haue 〈◊〉 . For peruse the Cronicles throughout, and you shal finde 〈◊〉 rebelliō neuer from the beginning 〈1 page〉〈◊〉 • nder •• andyng the gre •• 〈◊〉 , •• nour, and suerty, 〈◊〉 this realm • shall receyue 〈◊〉 ma ••• ge, if it shal please 〈◊〉 Que • n • to be mercyfull to 〈◊〉 , • h • re is no man liuing th •• 〈◊〉 more trustie, and sayth ••••• 〈◊〉 •• rue her grace, no no • 〈◊〉 r •• die to die at her high •••• • ote • what so euer the qu • ••• 〈◊〉 .

• hus •• rre touchinge Wy •• s wordes at his arrayne ••• t, I thought not super •• u ••• hereto reporte, to the ende th • t all other blindly fallen int • • he •••• e errour, woulde by the example of Wyat, 〈◊〉 also •• th • im to repentaunce, aswel •••• ss • nge to the worlde with •• en voyce their detestable misc ••• fe, as also from the ver • e 〈1 page〉〈1 page〉〈1 page〉 •• rge suche as were in prison in 〈◊〉 countrey for that offense, •• inge of no smale numbre, but • nd to compou • de by their dis ••• tion with the offenders accordinge to the qualitie of their offenses. Which maner of order •• ing not hard of in y• like case, or at the lea • t verye rarelye, declared a singular clemencie and • enignitie in the queene, that • eing folowed so cruelly, wolde y • t be so moued with pitie as t • vouchsafe to answere them with suche lenitie, in the executinge of so fewe in comparison to so great a nūbre & so large a • ause, beinge all in her graces mercy to dispose at her plesure, • beside suffre the rest to escape with so smale abashement of • heir countenaunce after so hainous • ffense. 〈◊〉 th • t shall peruse this storye diligentlye, and co • sider al partes therof exactlye with remembraunce of thinges past, sithence the beginning of the queenes moste happye raygne, must of force recogni • e of what condition so euer he be, the magnificence, mercie, and fortitude of this moste noble princesse, as from time to time with such pacience to indure so great malice of her owne subiectes, with suche lenitie to forbeare the reuenge of so intollerable outrage, with suche mercie in the ende to pardon and remit • o haynous and great offendours. Happie was it wt those haynous offendours, that her graces moste worthie and honourable counsell were so agreable to her vertuous inclination, as inclined rather to pursue mercifull pardon for continuaunce of life, then to prosecute reuenge by • xecution of death. It is to be w •• hed by all good men with one assent, that prouoked with so great clemencie these degenerates reforme thē selues, and forbeare thus to attempt so gracious a princesse, vnto whom by gods authoritie the sworde is not vaynly committed, leste thereby they procure to thē selues damnation in sekinge by suche outrage theyr owne deathe and confusion. From the desier wherof we see by a numbre of euident argumentes, the queenes highnes and her honourable counsell to be so farre as (by all meanes they can imagine) they seeke t • e •• hewe that they by moste wylfull and malicious meanes folowe to their subuersion.

¶An earnest conference with the degenerates and sedicious, for the searche of the cause of their greate disorder.

HEre I purpose to shut vp this tragicall treatise touchinge the displayinge of Wyat and hys aduenture, and yet not to ende my trauel concerninge the same, but shall gladlye debate and conferre with thee louinge countreeman, suche speciall and necessarie matter, as further riseth therof, tending as well to our mutual comfort presently, as also to a generall doctrine to indure to oure posteritie, not without presente terror to the wicked race: whose hertes broile in desire to rebel. Al which pointes this present storie doeth plē teouslye performe to him that listeth to learne. Wherby first y• good and godly may be comforted, as by this experimente, to consider howe God alwayes defendethe his chosen and electe vessell, our moost gracious and mercifull princesse, against the malitious and cruell assaultes of her ennemies, be they neuer so craftie, neuer so stronge. And secondlye a generall doctrine therewith taughte, or rather by newe experience renued, so many times taughte before, that the ineuitable end of rebellion is certein confusion to the rebel. Of these two ye thirde necessarely springeth, as a terrible prohibition in the heartes of the •• cked neuer after to attempte •• e lyke villanie against Gods •• noynted, wherof they can at • o tyme skamble other part thē small confusion, linked to perpetuall infamie. And to make perfite impression herof in your • eartes you degenerates, that • annot satisfie your selfes with so vertuous a prīcesse, but thus • rom time to time, moleste her highnes wt seditious rumours, vprores, and rebellion, I here • ppeale to you chiefly, & require you to enter into the secrete clo • et of your owne heart, and to • onder with me in egall ballaunce of due consideration the incomparable vertue, mercie, and benignitie of this most worthy princesse oure queene, with your owne mischiefe, crueltie, and intollerable malice. And then let truth giue sentence, whether this disorder groweth of • lack in ye head, or of a malicious corruptiō ī the mēbres. Can • e imagine any thinge to be required of God, to be in a princelye Magistrate, either for the aduaūcemēt of his publike weale, wherof he is accompted the lyuing soule, or for the contentation or commoditie of the politike body his people, wherof he is reputed the principal heade, whiche is not plenteously foūde in this our moost gracious maistres • Can you wish her to haue any thinge touchinge vertue, or vertuous ornament worthy her royall person, whiche she alredy ha • he not? Whose honorable n • me for the singular vertues, •• d rare qualities, naturallye •• afte in her most royall person •• en from the cradell, as well 〈◊〉 ample theater of the whole w • rlde hathe in admiration, as also malice, and enuye it selfe in such veneration, as neuer durst •• se any sinister, or cōtrarie report of her vertuous life to thꝭ • ai. Is ther any thing on the other side, yt ye can wishe to haue 〈◊〉 your own cōmoditie that by • er you inioy not? Hath ther ben 〈◊〉 any tyme, any prince in the •• der of his publike regimente more carefull for the aduauncement of his subiectes to welth, or for the preseruation of them in trāquillitie and suretie, then her grace is? Can you doubte of this, that haue had experience & tr • al therof, so many waies? Haue you not seene euen in the verie beginning of her most happie raigne, all suche bloudie and laqueous lawes, by her royall assent repealed, and the rigoure of those taken awaye, as hau • or hereaft • r might decaye, and weaken the noble and faiethfull membres of her realme? Coulde you require greater prouffe of incomparable clemencie, fauor, & loue towardes her people ingeneral, thē this? Haue you not sene he • fre repaire of many noble houses by her graces liberal restitution, or rather giftes o • statly Castelles, Honours, Manou • s, and Lor • shippes, which by her lawes without offens • of iustice her highnes moughte haue reteined, ye same being inues • ed in her graces noble pro •••• tours, by the due order of 〈◊〉 lawes? Can you require any •• eater token of princelye pitie • hen this? Haue you not sene her •• ghnes not onely forborne all demaundes of Subsidies or •• xes, but also frely dispence •• th great paimentes of money • ue to her by former graunt to h • r predecessours, notwithstanding the large and diuers occa •• ons her highnes hadde to re •• ire aide, as well for the grea • debt she founde this realme in, 〈◊〉 for large expenses she hathe •••• eined in resisting the rebell •• n of her owne people? Could • 〈◊〉 haue a greater euiden • e of loue towardes her • ubiectes thē this • Haue you not seene & daily may see diuers eskape by pardō ••• cif • llye remitted, and suffered to liue in their accustomed wealth and pleasures that deserued once • twise to dye, as open ennemies and traytours? Coul • ye desire g • eater mercie & le • itie in her grace, then this? Haue ye forgot howe her grace at the beginning of her happie •• igne did, and still daylye doth call vppon all and singular her magistrates hauinge any iudicial a • cthoritie, to se the lawes so egally distributed thoroughe out her realme & dominions, wt out respecte to the persons, that none mought haue iuste cause to complaine of wrongful vexa • ion, or oppression? Could ye desire play • er demonstration of her highnes equite & iustice thē this • What haue you then to allege for your excuse yt practise s • che malice and spite againste so gracious, so mercifull, so liberall, so iuste, and so louinge a princesse? What shoulde moue you thus vnkindlye & vnnaturally to raise rebellion againste her grace, to the molestation of her royall personne, and perturbation of the whole realme, and finallye to your owne confusion? What fault finde you in her, whome the wholle worlde iudgeth to be moste perfite and • ounde? Can you not loue her, whome the whole world hathe in admiration for her vertues? Can you not forbeare forcyblie and trayterouslye to molest her whome euery good and godlye man findeth him selfe bound in conscience with expense of bodi • • nd goodes to defende?

What esteeme you her grace to be? Is she not youre lawefull queene, whome Gods expresse cōmaundement bindeth you to honour and obey for conscience sake? Hath she no • in her handes full authoritie to commaunde, and power to compell? What esteeme you youre selues to be • Are ye not subiectes by the like commaundement of God boūde to serue, loue, and obeye?

Finally, is not her grace such a one in whome God by sundrie tokens and dayly experimentes declareth him selfe to delite and to be well pleased, thus continuallye protectinge and def • ndinge her with the ouerthrowe and shame of her enemies • Alas countr • y men, what wicked spirite possesseth your entrayles, that can not be satisfied with suche a gouernesse, worthie all duetie and reuerence? What euill ghost hath plunged your heartes in suche straunge malice, that notwithstandinge so manye and great benefites employed by her, and receaued by you, you can fynde in youre heartes to assaulte her with re • ellion, or in any wise suffer any one euyll motion to enter into your thoughtes against her? If you can not denye but she dayly and hourely careth for you and yours, as a most carefull princ • sse why then shoulde you not • nswere her princely zeale with f • yth • and duetie, as it becommeth trew subiectes? God say • th, you shall not resist youre prince, if you doe, you resist me (sayeth he) with present peryll to your soules. Man saieth, you can not rebell against your souerayg • e, but my lawes muste condemne you for traytours. Experience proueth vtter confusion & perpetual infamie to be the fatall & ineuitable end of rebelliō. What advantage thē are you in hope anye waye to finde by rebellion, when thereby you haue heaped the coles of vengeaūce vpō your heades at Gods hand, you haue receaued mans iudgement to your perpetuall shame and reproche, and in the ende you are assured by infallible experience, confusion to bee youre guerdon? Maye not you of all other thinke youre selues most infortunate to enuie this noble Queene for her vertue, whose fame reacheth so farre • Or are you so fonde to thynke that you can obscure the same by rebellion, whiche is illustrated and set furth by your malicious attemptes, no otherwise then golde is tried by fier? No, the whole worlde muste of necessitie wonder at you for your intollerable euill and restles malice, and extoll her grace, for her incomparable pacience & endles mercie. What, can you not like her noble mariage? Is the mislyking thereof, the cause of this youre degenerate misorder? Mighty God, do you chalenge such singular knowledge in Gods worde, suche speciall influence of the holy spirite, demynge all other in respecte of you & youre colleges, to be blinded, voide of al trueth: and thus directly agaynst knowledge, against gods expresse trueth, against ye suggestion of the good sprite rebelliously styrre against your natural princesse, faining yt your quarrel which you your selues knowe to be against God & nature, as to bridell your soueraigne in the frācke choise of mariage, ye fredom wherof was neuer denied to ye meanest subiect in the world? Alas countrey mē, hathe blinde malice so bleared the eyes of your commō senses, that you see not howe manifestlye you bewraye aswel the bru • ishnes of your heartes, as also the hoped fruite of your religiō? In hope of your reconciliation, I coulde finde in my hearte to debate further with you of this weyghtie matter. But as you • e iustly condemned of arrogancie in faininge a quarrell in the person of the realme, for that which the wisdome of the same by common consent, for the manifolde commodities growen therby hath allowed for a benefite, so shoulde not I auoide the note of muche folie, if I would take in hande to defende by argumentes (as a doubtfull matter) that so manye wise men haue allowed. If then your soueraygne ought without your interruption to enioye that you can not endure to be denied to youre selues (I meane the free choise of mariage,) if also the same be confirmed by them, vnto whome for their authoritie you are bounde to geue place: It followeth that as this ought not to be the cause of youre vnnaturall outrage, euen so it can not be otherwise, but that (accordinge to the vniuersall sentence and opinion of other christian realmes cōceaued of you) the inordinate desire to reteine false religion, so farre abuseth you, that you forget duetie to God, your prince, and your coū trie. O blinde and malicious ignoraunce, do you not see how by youre vnlawfull practise it plainlye appeareth bothe what you be, and from whome this goodly Iewell (for the whiche you do so striue) commeth? Can you be thought any other then ingrate, arrogant, degenerat, & deuilish, hauing a disposition to rebell? Wherein you followe the Deuil authour of malice, strife, and diuision, and forsake God who is delited in peace, sufferaunce, and obedience? Can your i • religion be thought other then a mere illusion proceding from the Deuil, whiche the authours and followers haue euer sithēce sought to support with falsehode, sedicious rumours, rebellion, and tira • nye? Merueill it is that any man wylbe so wylfully blinde, or so sottishe as to beleue that to be of God, which neuer by integrite of life entre • : neither by pacience, and tolleration was persuaded: ne yet by miracle confirmed. Did Christe him selfe at anye tyme rebell to stablishe his religion? Yea did he not patiently suffer moste pite • ull death rather then he would resist? And yet you must graunt me, that beinge God & man, he lacked not power to haue ouerthrowen whom he liked. But it was contrarie to the nature & vertue of his true religiō, which by much paciēce, & not with violence, by tolleratiō, & not rebellion was first persuaded & established. Did any of the apostels the folowers of Christe and his true religion, notwithstanding manye times, & in many places they were refused with theire doctrine, persecuted, and cruelly pursued, did they at anye tyme rebell? What then shall I esteme you that be open rebels, or what geare shal I mesure your religion to be, whiche alwayes is not otherwise supported then by rebellion, treason, and tyrannye? Will you here of me what your • elues are ashamed to discouer? Came not this your religion by a fleshly and carnal meane into this realme? Wer not the fruites that c • me in: therewith manyfest contempte of magistrates, licentious and dissolute liuing, oppressiō or rather open robery of the poore, dissolution & breath of godly order, lawes, and ceremonies, w • e • by the people were kepte in due f • a • e, and lo • e towardes God and man? Further was it • not here settelled and maintein • d by manifest tiran • y in the innocent • loude of many wise learned Martyrs, and nowe in the ende; by yo • defended with open rebellion against your natural & lawefull quene? Merciful God howe cometh it to passe, that anye man hauinge the vse of his commen senses shoulde not perceiue what thys illusion is, and whence it came? Nowe as you haue hadde your eares open to here me in this discourse, open also your mouthes and saye to me, whether this religion thus groūded vppon suche foundation as you knowe, expressed in fleshely lyuing, continued with suche bloudye practise, defēded with suche malicious and vngodly rebellion is to be indured in any Christian region, or in anye wyse to be thought to procede from god. Giue sentēce your selfe of what degre so euer you be, I seke noo other iudge.

O Englande Englande, if thou hadest wordes to speake, as thou hast greife to cōplayne. If thou couldest as well strike our eares with thy lamentable voice, as thou doest perce oure heartes with thy great and incomparable sorowes, wouldest thou not, if sobbinge teares letted not thie vtteraunce, speake in this sorte and these wordes?

A Prosopey of Englande vnto the dege • erat Englishe.

O You seditious and degenerat, know you what you doe, when you thus moleste and vexe her to whome I wholy am owne and due: and you of duetie bounden to obeye and serue? Can ye eyther purge your selfes before God, who plagueth suche disobedience with eternall damnation, or excuse you before mā whose lawes adiudge rebelliō to shamful death? Are ye so disperate that you feare not to o • fend thē for their power, whose sharpe punishmentes ye can not auoyde? Be you so farre from al humanitie, that you can not honour, loue & obey her, for her knowē vertues the brandishing beames wherof, mighte melte the rage of the forren ennemies? Be you so vnwise to thinke that your malice towardes her toucheth onelye her person, and not me, onelye molesteth her & not me? O you wicked children, if I may nowe call you children: Is this the fruit of the new professiō • Doth the suggestion and influence of this your newly imbraced learning worke suche vngodly motions in your brestes thus sedi • iously, and rebelliouslye to disturbe her, whom duetie bindeth eche godlie subiect to obey: thus vnnaturally to vexe, & hassarde me, whome nature stirreth eche natural borne child to preserue? Be you content to haue the fruition • f my • ommodites, to repe the fruites of my pleasures, and thus to vexe me, thus to molest me, thus to indaunger my condition in her, whose careful studie is onely to reforme both you and me, to bringe vs bothe to that auncient and blisfull state whiche thoroughe you, and the lyke was loste & brought to extremitie? Suppose you to haue your comodities by me, when I by you am made bonde, and seruile? Thinke you to escape miserable seruitude, when I by your disorder & seditiō am made thral to forrē enemies? Be you so mad to iudge youre selfes to be in suertie when youre seditious riot hathe wrought my confusion? Am I not the common parente out of whose bowelles you wer born: In whose lappe you were receiued: with whose sustenaūce you were norished: In whose armes you were fostred? Haue you any continuaunce of welth quiet, honoure, or dignitie, that by me was not receiued, through me is not mainteined, and in me finallye continued? Was not I carefull for you or you were borne, to prouide clothes to couer your naked membres: to produce sustenaūce and foode to drawe furth life begon • n you: To preserue frendes vnto you: and reserue habilitie to them that might attende, companye, and comforte you? What haue you but by me? And what are you in hope to haue without me? And wyll you thus requite my tender loue and kindnesse, with suche hatefull rebellion? What so euer I haue done for you, I haue done the same for your progenitours • frendes and kinsmen. And can neither theyr cause styrre you, nor your owne case moue you to be good to me, by whome you all stande? You haue been the occasion, at the least, the mischiefe, whiche you with mischiefe striue nowe to defende, that these manye yeres I haue lost manye and diuerse of my liuelye and • ounde membres, being cruelly cut from my politike bodie, and haue also susteyned the great contempt and breache of godlye and wise orders deuised for preseruation of mine estate, and conseruation of my membres in their dewe and ordinarie course. Whereby how odible I haue sithence been to my selfe, and hateful to all christian realmes, aswell the general voice of all forren countries daylye strikinge your deafe eares doeth witnesse, as also the playne speache vttred not longe ago by a moste faithfull & true membre of my sister Scotland the earle of Huntley confirmed.The earle of Huntley Who beinge here, and hearynge some here either for bragge or • rayse, tellinge howe manye Scottes in Scotland English souldiours hadde slaine: What great maistrie haue you done, quod then that good Scottishe earle, when with armie royalye come into Scotland • & ther kyl a fewe Scottes, and one abiect Scotte without armes or pollicie commeth home to youre owne houses and distroyeth ten thousande Englishe people in a daye both bodie and soule with heresie? The same beinge afterwarde moued to become E • glish, and to be sworne to me and my lawes: No, quod he, I am a trew christian Scotte bor • e, and so I wyll remayne. For as I am I knowe no enemie but the Englishe man, but beynge once sworne Englishe, where shoulde I assure me of one sure frende, that haue nowe but one knowen enemye? For be you out of doubt, although ye Englishe men haue not warre with all forren princes christian, yet assure your selues to be in perfite peace with none: but when time shall serue, to haue the whole worlde in armes against you, if ye procede as yet ye doe, rather like to be come Turkes then to continue Christians, whose religion ye dayly refuse, and sette furth heresye. In the meane time, the whole worlde wondereth at your blindnesse, that you see not your own madnes and impietie. I speake thus in this sorte not as a Scotte to an Englishe man, but forgetting al priuate quarrels as one christian to another, lamenting in my heart to behold the wret • hed condition and present face of this your realme, whereof I heard muche or I came here, and here I finde trewe muche more then I heard.

O frendlye, wise and moste trewe saying, ful of counsel and witte, yet spoken to suche in whose stonie heartes it coulde make no impression, whereby hath followed not onelye subuersion and shameful confusion to diuerse of them to whome it was spoken, but also my daunger euer sithēce more and more encreased.

And nowe that it hath pleased the highe God of his vnspeakable mercie tappointe so vertuous a gouernesse ouer me, at the sounde of whose heauenlye and manifolde vertues, as he hathe hitherto compounded my quarrels abrode, and as it were holden forren handes backe, beinge willinge to pursue me, and to make example of me by shameful e • de, as I was example to the whole worlde of all disorder, impietie, and heresie: so now by her ministery and authoritie, he meaneth mercyfully to cure and heale my mangled bodye, to repayre myne abased state, to restore my good and wholsome lawes, to reforme my disordered membres. Whiche her noble grace accordinglye pursuinge with all her might and authoritie, findinge also like disposition in my principall membres her highnesse • onourable and noble subiec •• s, nowe you, onelye you, I •• ye, sporne agaynste Goddes • ercifull worke, and as moste ennemyes to my prosperous estate, cease not to hinder, what God hathe ment to me, & what his chosen instrument, this most ver • uous lady doeth attempte to compasse for me: deuisinge daye by day sedicious, false and traiterours brutes, rumours, & tales to molest and trouble her, to confounde and destroye me. And rather then ye wyll be reduced from erroure to trueth, and refourmed from disorder to better gouernaunce, by the calling and persuasion of gods true instrument and chosen ministresse, ye wyll beleue what that most vile and deuelishe rable of Antichristes ministers by their pestilent bokes teache you in corners, as that by gods law ye maye rebell againste youre head. O cursed and hellishe generation • I beseche you consider bothe me aud youre selues. You haue been the cause of my great griefes, and yet you en • ie me the remedie. You knowe if I perishe you can not florish, yet disdaine you to be refourmed, that I maye bee confirmed in myne auncient and blisfull state. You resiste to be subiect to good gouernaunce, that my benefites might be perfourmed in you, to youre great furtheraunce: and contrarye to your allegeaunce, contrarye to nature, wil thus vexe and trouble me. Yea, by youre dede, although not by your wil perhaps deliuer me into the hādes of thē • hat be my fooes, but in dede moste ennemies to your selues. I saye no more but referre you to consider what I haue sayed, and to way with your selfes in what case I stande, and wherunto I was brought by this •• lusion, whiche hathe so deformed me, and bewitched you. And further by my sister Boheme, consider what I maye come to, and am like to be if you cease not this your willfull and desperat outrage. Finallye doe not forget the straung diseases, sundrie plagues, great dearthe, whiche I haue longe suffered, as clere tokens of Goddes vengeaunce to be bente ouer you and me, and the blessing of hys mer • ifull handes to bee taken from vs. So now ponder with your eares my wordes, that I haue spoken, that my sorowe may reache your heart. And if you thinke me worthie whome you shoulde vtterly destroy and bring to hateful confusion, then maye you lawefully mainteine that you haue taken. Ponder I beseche you louinge countreemen, what our commen parent and natiue countree Englande hathe saied. Call therewith to your remembraunce what shee myghte saye in waye of iuste complainte: and then see if by anye meanes you can either excuse your selues as not acquainted wt the cause of her greiffes, or accuse her, as causeles complayning afore she hathe nede. • suppose you not to bee so 〈◊〉 and so blind, that you see • ot your disorder: nor so impudent and shameles, that you ac • nowledge not your knowen malice, nor yet so desperate and • o vtterlye destitute of grace, • hat you wyll not hereafter refourme your selues, partly dis •• forted by the manifolde euils • olowinge such vnnatural prac • ises, partly allured by the high merites and incomparable mercie of so gracious a princesse as God hathe appointed nowe to • ouerne ouer vs. I here wyll end, as one pitiyng your former case, and yet not despairinge your better gouernaunce here after.

FINIS.