1THE MODERNIZATIONS GIVEN IN ROUND BRACKETS IN THE
2EDITION ARE CODED AS 'EDITOR'S COMMENTS'.
3
4    

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5Thys done, I
6layed me downe apone my bed, and slepte untyl v a clocke yn the
7mornynge; and than my kepar came and opynyd the dore, bade me
8good morowe, and askyd me and I were redye. "Wherunto?"
9sayed I. "To suffer deathe," sayd the keapar. "Whate kyend of
10deathe?" sayed I, "and whan shall yt be." "Your tyme ys neare
11at hand, (sayed he,) and that ys to be hangyd and drawne as a
12trayetor, and burnde as an herytyke; and thys muste be done even
13this foorenoone. Loke well to yourselve, therfore, and saye that yow
14be frendly usyd." "Your frendshyp, mr. Charlys, ys but hard and
15scares, yn gyvynge me thys Scharborowe warnynge ; but gyve me

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16leave, I praye yow frendly, to talke with you, and be not offendyd
17with whate I shall saye unto yow. Thys tale that yow have tolde
18me, ys yt trwe yn ded?" "Ye, (sayed he,) and that yow are lyke
19for to knowe. Dyspache therfor, I praye yow with speed." "Contentyd
20I hame with all my harte so to doo. Where ys the wryte
21of execusyon? let me see yt, I praye yow." "I have none, (sayed
22he;) thys ys moore and nydyes, for I hame to be trustyd and yt
23were for a greater mater then thys." "Syr, I praye yow be contentyd;
24for yn thys thing I will not truste yow, bycawse yt ys a
25matter of lyve and deathe; it standythe me apon. Is the hye
26shyryffe sir Olyver Leadar come yn the towne to see the execusyon?"
27"No," sayed he. "Ys the undere shryffe hys debytye here to
28see yt?" "No," sayed he. "Is there anye probate comawndemente
29come from the queenes counsell? or eles anye leteres sent of
30late for that porpose? "No, (sayed he;) but yow doo all thys for
31no cawse eles then to prolonge the tyme." "No, (sayed I,) as I
32ham borne to dye, contentyd I ham so to doo whan God wyll; but
33to be made awaye after sowche slyghte, I wolde be verye lothe; and
34therfor, yfe that yow have nothynge to showe for your dyscharge,
35acordynge as I have requyryd of yow, I tel yow trwe that I wyll not
36dye. Take yow good heed therfor to your selve, and loke that I
37myscary not, for yfe that awghte come unto me but good, yow and
38yours are lyke to knowe the pryse of yt, be yow well assuryd therof.
39Whan dyd yow ever see anye man put to deathe, before he was condemnyd
40to dye?" "That ys trwe, (sayd he;) and are yow not condemnyd?"
41"No, (sayd I,) that I ham not, nether was yet ever araynyd

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42at anye sesyones." "Than, (sayed he,) I have been greatly myseynformyd.
43I crye yow marsy; for I hade thowghte that yow had
44been bothe araynyd, and also condemnyd to dye, beynge sent hether
45for to suffer yn thys plase, bycawse that yow were here agaynste the
46quene with the ducke of Northethomeberland." "Well, (sayed I,)
47thoos materes hathe bene alredye suffysyently answeryd before your
48betteres; but I praye yow, syr, and a man myghte aske yow, whoos
49man are yow, or to whome doo yow belonge?" "Marye! (sayd he,)
50I ham not ashamyd of my maister, I wolde thow showldest knowe yt,
51as thow arte. My lorde chaunsler of Ingland ys my master, and I
52ham hys man." "I thoughte sowche a mater; the olde proverbe ys
53trewe, I persave, for soche a master, suche a sarvante ; and ys thys my
54lord of Wynchesteres lyvere that yow were nowe?" "Ye," sayed
55he. "And ys thys the beeste servys that yow can doo my lorde
56your master? Fye, for shame, fye! wyl you folowe now the bludye
57stepes of that wyckyd man your master! whoo ys unworthye, before
58God I speake yt, bothe of the name and place that he hathe and ys
59calyd unto. What sholde moufe yow for to handyll me after thys
60sharpe sorte as yow have done, so spytefullye, beynge here not yet
61iij dayes under your kepyng? Wyl yow become a tormentor of
62Godys people and prophetes? wyl yow now seas from kyllynge of
63bolokes, calvys, and shepe, which ys your ockapasyon (being a
64bucher), and to gyve over your selfe moste crwellye to sarve your
65mastares tourne in sheddynge of ynnosente blode? O man, with
66what an avaye heavy harte maye yow laye your selve down to
67slepe at nyghte, yf that God of hys great marsy doo suffer yow to
68lyve so long yn thys your so wycked atempte and enterpryse! I
69speake not thys of anye hatryd that I bare unto yow, as God
70knowethe my harte, but I speake yt of good wyll, to thys end that
71yow myghte be callyd yn to a beter rememberance and knowlege
72of your duetye bothe towardys God and your chrysteyan brother.
73Let yt therfore repente yow, deare brother kepar, and knowe howe
74dangerus a thyng yt ys for a man to falle ynto the handys of the
75lyvynge God; and howe yt ys sayed that blud reqyryth blude. And

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76yow wyl not beleve me, set that teryble example of cursyd Cayen
77before your eyes, whoo slewe hys owne deare brother Abell, moste
78unnaturallye lyk a beastely man, and afterwarde wanderyd up and
79downe lyke a wacabound on the face of the earthe, seakynge reste,
80peece, and quyetnes, and cowlde never atayne unto yt, so that at the
81laste with mooste desperate wordys he burste forthe and sayde, 'O
82wreche that I ham, I sayed unto the Lorde, whan he callyd me to
83acownte for my brother's deathe, I answeryd that I was not hys
84keapar, but shortlye after I parsavyd that the shedynge hys blud
85cryed unto God for vengeanes to falle apon me for so doinge, and
86now I parsave that my synes be greater then the mersye of God ys
87able to forgyve.' Yf thys wyl not move your harde and stonye
88harte to repentaunce, than thynke of that trayetor Judas, which for
89lucare sake betrayed hys owne master, as he confessyd hym selve whan
90the worme of consyenes troublyd hyme, sayenge to the hye prestes,
91'I have betrayed the ynnosent blude; take, there ys your monye,
92for I wyll non of yt', and that was too late; so to shortyne hys owne
93dayes, he moste desperately wente and honge hym selve, so that he
94burste asunder yn the mydyste, hys bwellys hangynge abowte hys
95helys heels . O moste terryble examples, lefte wrytyn yn the holy
96scryptures, that wee therby myghte take hede and beware never to
97do the lyke, lest we sped yn reward as they dyd. From the which
98God defend us, for Jesus Chrystes sake!" "Amen! (sayed the
99kepar with wepynge teares,) and, syr, I beseche yow onenes once
100agayne, even for Godys sake, to forgyve me, and I aske God hartelly
101mersy for the great myschyffe that I porposyd yn my harte agaynste
102yow. I parsave that yow, and soche other, that yow be other
103maner of men than we and our beteres take yow to be; I parsave
104that the blynd dothe eate manye a flye . God, and yt be hys blyssyd
105wylle, make me one of your sorte! and loke, what that I can
106doo for yow, yow shalbe assueryd of yt. Come downe with me, I
107praye yow, ynto the yard." So I wente with hym, and when we

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108came downe, al the yarde was full of people. "Whate meanythe
109thys people?" sayd I to the keapar. "Al thes are come (sayde he,) to
110see yow suffer deathe; there ys some here that ys come as farre as
111Lyengkecon Lincoln , but I truste ther commynge shal be yn
112vayne. Be yow of good cheare." "Than goo your waye, (sayd
113I,) and gentlye dysyere them for to departe, and tell them yt ys no
114reason that anye man sholde suffer deathe before that he be condemnyd,
115and so yow shall eslye awoyed them, and I wyll goo up
116agayn tyl yow have don."
117    Whan theye were all gone, the kepar callyd me downe, to dyne with
118hym at hys owne table, and, dynnar beynge endyd, we fele yn talke
119agayne, and so, from tyme to tyme, had moche conferences together,
120and I began to growe yn greate credite with hym, insomuche
121that whansoever he ryd forthe aboughte anye busynes, he comytyd
122all the charge of hys hole house unto me, prysonares and all, and
123laboryd unto the hye shyryfe for me that I myght be delyveryd.
124    Notwithstandinge, I remaynyd ther prysonar halve a yeare, yn
125moche myserye, havynge some tyme meate and some tyme none,
126yea and manye tymes glad whan that I myghte gete a penye loffe and
127my glasse full of fayere water up to my lodgynge, beynge faste lockte
128up every nyghte, and at mydnyghte alwaye whan they searched the
129prysonars' iornys irons than one shold come and knock at my dore
130and aske me yf I were withyn. To home I answeryd alwaye thus,
131"Here I ham, mr. kepar." "Good nyghte, than," sayed he; and so
132wold goo their wayes.
133    Now on a sartayne daye, beynge merye, he browghte home with
134hym to see me dyveres honeste men of the towne; amonge home there
135was one that I never sawe before, nor he me, callyd mr. Segare a

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136berebruar, dwelynge at Madelyn bryge, whose harte God oppynyd
137above the reste to showe marsy unto me, for he knewe that the
138keapar wold doo muche at hys requeste, so that or ever he wente
139awaye he promysyd hyme payemante for my dyette, dyssyerynge
140hym to showe me favore for hys sake, "and I wyll be bound for
141hyme, that he shal be trwe prysonar." Al thys plesyd Charlys the
142kepar well, and yt was no greffe at all to me, to here thys bargayne
143made betwen them, "for otherwyse, (sayd I,) yt was not unlyke but
144that I sholde have here a peryshed for lacke of comforde. And her
145ys not to be forgotyn of my parte the myghtye and fatherlye provydence
146of God, who never fayellethe any man that trwelye putes
147hys truste yn hyme. Who can kylle hym, mr. Charlys, whome God
148wyll kepe alyve? maye I saye nowe, and who can dellyver hym
149whom God wyl destrowe? His greate powere delyveryd me ones
150owte of the lyones deen as he dyd hys holy prophet Danyell; so I
151truste that he wyll delyver me here owt of all my troubles, yf he so
152see yt good. Yf not, hys wyl be done!" And thus we partyd for
153that tyme, my kepare beynge glad of thys hys good assurance, I
154takynge pasyently myne yndwerance, and my suertye hopynge for
155my dellyverance.
156    After thys, withyn short tyme, the hye shyryffe sent for me
157home to hys howse beyond Huntyngton, to see whether I woold
158relente or no; tellynge me that he hade wrytyn up to the counsell
159for me, and that yt was their plesure that I shoulde be delyveryd
160yf that I wolde be a confyrmable man to the quenes prosedynges,
161and forsake herysy, or eles to remayne yn pryson untyll the nexte
162sessyons of gale delyvery. "For your good wyl, I doo thanke
163your mastership moste hartelye, and well contentyd I hame so
164to remayn as a prysonar, and rather than to gyve over my faythe

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165for thys vayne lyfe which ys but shorte." "Wel! (sayde he,) I
166parsave than that yow are no chanlyng; yow shall therfore retorne
167to the place from whence yow came, and there abyed your
168tryall."
169    So wee toke our leve of hyme, and came our wayes bake agayne to
170Huntyngeton, and there we laye al that nyghte, I havynge apon one
171of myne armys a greate braslete of yeron iiij fingers brode, faste loked
172one, and a fyne chayne of iij yardys longe joynyd therunto; and
173beynge bed to supar of one Thomas Whype, marchante of London,
174with otheres, my keper was dyssyeryd to ease me for the tyme, and
175they wold be bound for me, and he to be well recompensyd for so
176doynge. Thys dyssyer of my frendyes was schares scarce well
177lyked of my keapar, bycawse they were Londoneres, and grawnte
178yt he wold not yn no wyse. So, when suppar was done, to our
179chamber wee wente, and anon comyse yn a smythe with a hammer
180and a greate stapyle. "Make yow redye, (sayd he,) I pray yow, and
181goo to bed." So I layed me downe apon my bed. Than he calde the
182smythe unto hym, and sayed, "Make faste the staple and the cheyne
183together, and dryffe them faste ynto some parte of the bedstead; for I
184have harde say, (saythe he,) faste byend, faste fyend ." Than he loked
185looked behyend all the payentyd clothes to see yf there were anye
186mo doores ynto the chamber than one. That done, he locked the
187dore and caste the keye owte of the wyndow, to the goodman of the
188house, dyssyeryng him to kepe yt save wylle the mornynge. Smale
189reste I toke that nyghte, I was so sore wronge aboughte my wreste
190that the blud was redy to spyn owte at my fyngeres endyes. So,
191early yn the mornynge we rys and toke our horse, and came to
192Cambrydge castelle to dynner, and then my braslete was taken of
193myne arme.
194    Yn Awguste followinge was the sessyones; unto the which there
195came my lorde chyffe justyes of Ingland, one that before was
196recordare of London and callyd mr. Broke; with hym ther sate syr

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197Thomas James Dyer, syr Clement Hyham, syr Olyver Leadare
198hy shyryffe, mr. Gryffyn the quenes sollysyter, mr. Burgone, with
199a number of jentellmen mo. Nowe, when they were come to the
200sessyones hall and there set, the kepar was commandyd to brynge yn
201hys prysonares. I, beynge fyrste callyd for by name, then on wente
202my braslet agayne, and there a preste callyd John Wllyard, vycar
203o' Babram, he was faste loked unto me. We tayne twain went
204formoste, and stod at the bare. Than sayed my lord cheffe justyes
205unto me, "Syr, whate make yow here? are you not a Londynar?"
206"Yes, and yt lyke your lordshyp." "Howe longe have yow be
207here prysonar?" "Halve a yeare, my lorde." "Who sent yow
208hether?" "Forsothe, my lorde, that dyd the counsel." Than
209sayd the hye shyryffe, "My lorde, thys ys the man that I tolde
210your lordshyp of; I beseeche yow be good lord unto hyme, for
211he hathe bene as quyete a prysonar as ever came within thys
212gayell, and hathe usyd hymselve as honestly toward hys keapar."
213"Yow speake wel for hym," sayd my lorde; "stand asyed a whyell
214tyl yow be called." Yn the meane tyme mr. Gryffyn had a caste at
215me, sayenge thus, "Thou arte bothe a traytor and a herytyke."

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216"No, and yt lyke your worshup, I ham nother of bothe." "Ys
217not thy name Mowntayne?" "Yes, forsothe, I wyll never deny yt."
218"And art not thow he that my lorde chansler sent hether with a
219wryte?" "I am the same man." "Wel! (sayed he,) and thow be
220not hangyd I have marvell. Thow wylte scape narrowly, I beleve."
221"Syr, I parsave that yow are my hevy freend. I besyche yow be
222good master unto me. I have lyen thys iij yeare yn pryson yn
223yerons. Never was there anye man that layed anye thynge to my
224charge." Than he calde for the wryte. To home the hye shyryffe
225sayd that he had forgotyn to brynge yt with hyme. "O wel!
226(sayed he ,) syr Olyver, yow are a good man I warant yow; thys
227man was not sent hether for byeldynge of churchys, I dare saye, nor
228yet for sayenge of our lady sawter. Yn dede, sir, these be thynges
229that I can not wel stylof stifle ."
230    Than my lord cheffe justyce callyd me to the bare agayne, and
231cawsyd proclamasyon to be made, that whosoever colde laye awghte
232to my charge to come yn, and he shulde he hard, or elys else the
233prysonar to stand at hys dellyverance. Thys was done thryse, and
234no man came yn to gyve evydence agaynste me. Than sayed my lord
235cheef justyes unto the hole benche, "I see no cawse whye but that
236thys man maye be dellyveryd upon suertyes to be bound to apeare
237at the nexte sessyones here holdyn of gayell dellyverye; for yow see
238that there ys no man comythe yn to laye anye thynge to hys charge.
239Wee cannot but by the lawe dellyver hym, proclamacyon beynge
240ones made, and no man comynge yn agaynste hym. Whate saye
241yow, mr. Mowntayne, can yow put yn suertyes here, before the
242quenes justyssys, to apere before us here at the nexte sesyones? And
243yf that yow can so doo, paye your chargys of the howsse, and God

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244be with yow! Yfe not, than muste yow nedyes remayne here styll,
245untyll the next sesyones. Whate saye yow? have you anye
246suertyes redye?" "No, and that lyke your lordshype I have none
247redy; but yf yt please yow to be so good lorde unto me as to gyve
248me leve, I truste yn God to fyend suertyes." "Well! (sayd my
249lorde,) goo your ways; make as good speed as yow can, for wee
250muste awaye." Than he commaundyd the kepar to stryke of myne
251yerones.
252    That done, I was turned owte of the gate to seake my venter,
253without anye kepar at all, go where I wolde; and whan I came
254abrode I was so sore amasyd that I knew not where to be come.
255At laste, I toke the waye to the towne, and there I mete a man
256unknowen to me, whoo was not a lytle joyfull whan he see me at
257lybartye, sayeyng unto me, "Are yow clene dyschargyd from your
258bondys?" "No, (sayd I,) I lake ij shuertys." "Trwely, (sayd he,)
259I wyll be one, God wyllynge; and I wyll see yf that I can gete
260another to be bownd with me." So wee mete with another honest
261man callyd mr. Blunte; and havynge these tayne twain I gave
262thankes to God for them, and with speed returnyde bake agayne to
263the castell; and as I wente, there mete me ij Essex men which came to
264seake me, offrynge themselves to enter ynto bondys for me. I gave
265them moste hartye thankes for their jentil offer, and tolde them that
266God had raysyd up a couple for me alredy, "We are glad of yt,
267(sayed they;) yet we wyll goo with yow, lest yow doo lake;" and as
268I entryd ynto the castell yarde, the judgys were a rysynge, and they,
269seynge me comynge, sat downe agayne. Than sayed my lord chyffe
270justys, "Have you browghte yn your swertyes?" "Ye, and lyke
271your lordship here they be." "Let me see them," sayd he.
272Then they all iiij stood forthe, and shewyd themselves unto
273my lord: hoo sayed unto them, "Are yow contentyd to enter
274ynto bondys for thys man?" "Ye, my lord, (sayed they,) yf yt
275please yow to take us." "Well! (sayed he,) ij of yow shall sarve."
276There were standynge by ij bretheryn, and they, herynge my lord
277say that ij wolde sarve, went with sped to hym that wryt the band,

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278and cawsyd hym to put in ther names in the fyne iijs. iiijd.
279for each of them , sayenge thus the one to the other, "Let us not
280onelye balle hym owte of bowndys; but also releve hyme with soche
281parte as God hathe lente us;" and so they dyd, I prayse God for yt.
282And whan the people sawe and understode that I was clearlye dyscharchyd
283owte of boundys, there was a greate showte made amonge
284them, suche joye and gladnes was yn their hartys, as myghte ryghte
285well apeare, for my dellyverance.
286    Than came mr. Segar, of whome I have spoken a lytell afore, and
287he payed all maner of charges that cowlde be dyssyerd of the keapar
288for the tyme of my beynge there; and, that done, he hade me home
289to hys owne howse, where as I had good yntertaynemente; and, after
290that I had remayned there a fortenight, I toke my leafe, and so came
291to London.
292    And withyn shorte tyme after, I, standynge yn Cheapesyed, sawe
293these iiij ryed throwe Chepe, (that ys to saye,) kynge Phyllype,
294quene Marye, cardynall Poole, and Steven Gardynar chawnseller of
295Ingeland. Thys bushope ryde on the one syed before kynge
296Phyllyp, and the greate seall afore hyme; and on the other syede
297there ryde the quene, and the cardnall afore her, with a crose
298caryed afore hyme, he beynge all yn skarlette and blyssynge the
299people as he ryde throwe the syttye; for the wyche he was greatly
300laugyd to skorne, and Gardnar beynge sore offendyd on the other
301syed, becawse the people dyd not pute off their capys, and make
302cursye to the croose that was caryed afore the cardnall, sayenge to
303hys sarvantes, "Marke that howse," "Take thys knave, and have
304hyme to the cownter," "Suche a sorte of herytykes ho ever sawe,
305that wyll nother reverence the croose of Chryste, nor yet ones saye so

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306muche as, God save the kynge and quene! I wyll teache them
307to doo bothe and I lyve." Thys dyd I here hym saye, I standynge
308at Sopar layne ende. And whan all thys syghte was paste, I wente
309my ways; for as yet I durste not goo home to my owne howse; and
310at nyghte, whan the bushope came home, one of hys spyallyes tolde
311hyme, that he sawe me stand yn Chepsyede whan the quene ryd
312throwe the sytye. Here he fell ynto suche a greate rage, as was
313tolde me by one of hys owne men, as was unsemyng for a bushop,
314and with great spede sent for the knyghte marshall; and whan
315he came he sayed unto hym, "Mr. Holcroffet, howe have yow
316handlyd yourselfe yn your offyse? dyd not I send unto yow one
317Mowntayne that was both a traytor and a herytyke, to thys ende
318that he shulde have sufferyd deathe? and thys daye the vylayne
319knave was not ashamyd to stand opynly yn the strete, lokynge the
320prence yn the ffasce. Myne owne men see hym. I wolde consell
321yow to loke hym upe, and that there be dyllygent searche made for
322hym thys nyghte, yn the sytye, as yow wyll answer afore the counsell."
323"All thys shal be done and yt lyke your honnor, and I
324truste there shal be no fawte fownd yn me." "Away than, (sayed
325the bushop,) abowte your bessyness." Than came one that was
326secrytorye unto the knyghte marshall, who wylled me with spede
327to departe owte of the sytye, "for thys nyghte (sayth he,) shal the
328sytye be searchyd for yow, and yf yow be taken, suerly ye dye for
329yt. Thus fayer yow well! God delyver yow out of their handys,
330and yt be hys wyll!"
331    Than wente I over ynto Sowthewarke, and there laye all nyghte.
332Yn the mornyng I roose up early, toke a bote and wente to Lymehouse,
333and so from thence to Colchester, and there toke shypynge,
334thynkynge to have gone ynto Seland, and so up ynto the hye countrye;
335but we were so whether-beatyn that of force we were glad to
336returne bake agayn; and thys vyage was tryshe trice attemptyd and
337always was pute bake; and at the laste tyme we were caste a land at
338sent Towhys, wheras I durste not longe tary, bycawse of my lord

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339Darsy, whoo laye there, havynge a strayte comysyon sent unto
340hym from quene Marye, to make dyllygent searche for one beynge
341callyd Trowge over the worlde , and for all souche lyke begars as he was.
342So that I was fayne to flye to a lytle paryshe callyd Hemsted,
343thynkynge ther for to have had some reste, but the schearch was so
344strayte, that at mydnyghte, I havynge almost to too shorte
345warnynge, was fayne with gret speed to flye unto Dedam heathe,
346and to take my cote yn my necke, havynge an noneste man with
347me, whoo had a foreste byll on hys bake, and with the same he cute
348downe a greate sorte of brakes, and that was my beed for a tyme,
349and whansoever I myghte geate ynto an haye-loffet, I thowghte
350myselve hapy and well to be logyd. At the laste I was howsyd, I
351thanke God, with an noneste man, and the same havynge a wycked
352sarvante, not lovynge the gospelle, went and complaynyd of hys
353master to the baylye and cownstablys; sayeyng unto them, that
354there was an herytyke yn hys mastares parler. "Howe knowe
355yow that? (sayd theye,) take hed whate thow sayeste; thy master ys
356an noneste man, and thow seaste howe trublesome tyme yt ys, and yf
357we apon thy report sholde goo searche hys howse, and not fyend yt so,
358whate arte thow worthye to have for sclawnderynge thy master?"
359"Inofe, (saythe he,) I am suere yt ys so; for the howse ys never
360without one or other, and moste chyfly whan ther ys a fyer in the
361parler; and therfore I knowe by the smooke that there ys one
362yndeed." So the ofysars wyllyd hym to goo abowghte hys busynes,
363and to saye nothynge, "for (sayed they) we wold prove yt at
364nyghte." Yn the meane tyme they did hys master to understand
365whate hys man had sayed unto them, and frendly bad hym to take
366head, for they wolde searche hys howse that nyghte; and so they
367dyd yndeed, but the byrdes were flone. The nexte daye, the offysares
368toke hys man, and set hyme yn the stocks, to teach him to

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369speak good of hys master, and not to acwyse him, and bring
370the smoke for a wytnes agaynst hym.
371    Nowe, wyl I was seakynge a corner to hyd my hed yn, justyes
372Browne, that dwellyth bysyed Bornte wood, comys me downe to
373Colchester, and there played to dyvell, by the counsell of one
374mr. Tyryll, and mr. Cossyne inn holder of the same towne, and
375Gylbart the lawer, whoo cawsyd dyvers honeste men to be sent for,
376before the sayed justys, and sworne upon a boke to bryng yn the
377namys of all those that were suspectyd of heresy, as he termed yt,
378and also gave unto the offysars a great charge, that from tyme to
379tyme dylygent search shoulde be made yn every howse for all strangers,
380and to take them and brynge them before a justyes; "for thys
381towne (sayed he) ys a harboror of all herytykes, and ever was." So
382whan he had bownd them all yn recounysanse, he wylyd them to
383departe, every man home to hys howse.
384    Than, apon ther returne, with speed was I convayed awaye to
385London warde forthewith, and whan I came there, I wente over
386ynto Sothewarke agayne, and there laye ij dayes and too nyghtys;
387and the thyrd nyghte, whan yt was somewhate darke, I entryd
388ynto shyp of Andwarpe, and so went downe to Graveseend. Ther
389they caste ankeer, and went al a lande, and lefte me aborde with a
390man and a boye. I, ferynge the sarchars, that they wold have hade
391me to shoore, and there beynge so well knowyn as I was, I knewe yt

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392was the next waye to brynge me before a justys to be examyned,
393and so to be returnyd bake agayne to London, and than suer I ham
394that I had dyed for yt, I loked yn my purse and there was iij pystolets.
395I toke one of them, and gave yt unto the man that was
396abord with me, and dysyeryd hym to goo ashore to the master of
397the shype, and he to be a meane unto the searchares for me whan
398they came a shypbord to searche; and trwely yt pleasyd God so
399to worke yn their hartys that I fownd greate favor at their
400handys, for when one of them had examynyd me, and that very
401straytly, he asked of me whate my name was. "Thomas Mowntayne
402ys my name, (sayed I,) I wyll never denye yt, nor never dyd, I
403prays God for yt." "Naye, (sayd he,) that ys not your name, for
404I knewe hym wel inoughe; his father and I were sarvantes to kyng
405Harye the viij. and also to kynge Edwarde, and I hame swere that
406Rychard Mowntaynes son was bornte, sence thys quene Marye came
407yn." "Syr, credyt me, I praye yow, for I ham the verye same
408man that nowe talkethe with yow. Yn dede God hathe myghtyllye
409delte with me, and most marsyfullye hathe dellyveryd me from the
410cruell handes of bludye men; and nowe beholde my lyffe ys yn your
411handys. I maye not ressyste yow, nor wyl not; but jentely submytynge
412myselve unto yow, dysyerynge your lawfull favore that I
413maye pase thys porte; and God I truste, that ys the hye searcher
414above, and knowethe the secrettes of all men's hearts , shall one
415daye reward yow openlye, accordynge as he hathe promysyd.
416    Than begane he to water hys plantes, sayenge unto me, "Syr, I
417thowghte once never to have seene yow agayne; yow are grown
418owte of my knolledge; and, seynge that yt ys the wyll of God that
419yow shold not dye by ther crwelty, I truste that your blud shal
420never be requyryd at my handys. I wyl not molleste yow; but
421thys I warne yow of, yn anye wyse, that yow keep yourselve as
422cloose as yow can, for here ys one of the promotars, that goythe
423yn the same shyp that yow goo yn." "Whoo ys that?" sayed I.

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424"Yt ys one mr. Bearde, (sayd he,) dwellynge yn Flet stret, a marchante
425tayeler." "I knowe hyme wel, (sayd I,) and he me."
426"Wel! (sayd he,) God be with yow! for yonder he commythe, and
427all the passyngeres with hym."
428    So we partyd, and I wente ynto the mastares cabbone, and there I
429laye tyl that wee were enteryd the mayne sease. Than came I forthe
430to refreche myselve, and Bearde seyenge me, began to blushe, saynge
431unto me, "Ser, whate make yow here?" "Trwely, (sayd I,) I
432hame of the same myend that yow are off." "Yow knowe not my
433myend," sayd he. "Whatesoever youres ys, I mean to goo to
434Andwarpe, God wyllynge, (sayd I,) and so doo yow I trowe."
435"Whate wyll yow doo there? (sayed he,) yow are no marchante
436man as I hame, and the reste that be here." "Mr. Bearde, whate
437the rest ys that be here, I knowe not; but as for your marchawntryes
438and myne, yn some poyntes I thynke they be mouche alyke; but
439whan that yow and I shall meet yn the Ingleshe burse together,
440yow shall see whate cheare that I can make yow. Yn the meane
441tyme, let us as frendys be mery together, I pray yow." "Naye,
442(sayd he,) I wolde I had mete yow at Gravysend, that I myghte
443have made yow some good chere there; but yt was not my fortone
444so to doo, and I ham verye sory for yt, beleve me and yow wyll."
445"Syr, I thanke God, yt ys better as yt ys. I knowe your cheare
446wel inowghte, and Jhon Avayellyes to." With that he wente
447downe under the hachys, and told all the pasyngars what an ranke
448herytyke I was, "for yt ys marvel (sayd he) that the shype dothe
449not synke, havynge so wyked a man yn yt as he ys; and therefore,
450good jentelmen, I praye yow hartely take heed and beware of hym.
451I hade rather than my welffete cote that he and I were at Grafsend
452agayn." Than came the marchawntes up to me, and callyd for
453meate and wyne, havynge good store there of their owne provysyon,
454and they made me great chere, bydynge me yn anye wyse to take
455head of Beard. These were marchantes of Danske, and hade to doo

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456here yn London with moste of the aldermen, unto home they gave
457a good reporte. Now I, thynkynge to prevente Beard of further
458trouble that by hym and hys procuremente myght hape unto me
459apon my aryvall at Andwarp, whysperyd the master yn the eare,
460and dysyeryd hym hartely to land us at Dounkerke, "for I wyll ryde
461the rest by waggon, God wyllynge, and so shall I be ryde of mr.
462Beardes companye." I ham content, (saythe the master of the shype,)
463for I ham werye alredye (saythe he,) of hys companye. The worson
464pape shall come no more yn myne sckepe!"
465    So to Downekerke we came, and Beard wente fyrste alande, and
466bade us all welcome, "for (sayd he) I wyll be our stuard, and we
467wyll fayer well and ther be anye good chear yn the towne." Than
468came we to our hoste's howse and supte altogether. That beynge
469done, we wente to our lodgyng, and so yt fel owte that Beard
470and I sholde lye togeather, and so dyd; but before he wente to bed,
471he knellyd hyme down at the bedsyed, and made apon hys bodye, as
472I thynke, xl. crossys, sayenge as manye Ave Marya's , but nother
473Crede nor Pater noster. Than he shewyd us whate monye he had:
474ther was bothe golde and sylver, and that plentye. At mydnyghte
475the master of the shype toke hys tyed, and wente hys waye.
476Mr. Beard, upe yn the mornynge by tyme, went downe to the
477water syed to loke for the shype; and when he sawe yt was goone,
478he came and tolde us, swerynge and chaffynge lyke a made man,
479sayeing that kyng Phyllyp shold knowe of yt, howe he was usyd.
480Than sente he all abowghte, to knowe yf anye wente at the nexte
481tyed folowynge. Yn the meane tyme, I toke my waggon and
482wente my wayes, and that was the laste tyme that ever I sawe hym;
483but afterward I was ynformyd by credable parsones that he had
484spente all hys monye, bothe hys velffete cote and also hys lyvere
485cote that he had of quene Mary, and so came home poore and bare,

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486beynge verye syke and weake, and yn Holborne dyed moste myserably,
487full of lyse. Beholde hys end! God graunte he dyed hys
488sarvante. Amen!