Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	baron_n	bench_n	king_n	2,708	5	3.7733	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45326	The life & death of that renowned John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester comprising the highest and hidden transactions of church and state, in the reign of King Henry the 8th, with divers morall, historicall and political animadversions upon Cardinall Wolsey, Sir Thomas Moor, Martin Luther : with a full relation of Qu. Katharines divorce / carefully selected from severall ancient records by Tho. Baily ...	Hall, Richard, 1535 or 6-1604.; Henry VIII, King of England, 1491-1547. Testamentum.; Bayly, Thomas, d. 1657?	1655 (1655)	Wing H424; ESTC R230	97,933	254

it was his secret place of Prayer This Coffer thus fenced about and in so private a place and close unto him every man beleived verily that some great Treasure had been stored up in that same Coffer wherefore because no indirect dealing might be used in defrauding the King in a matter of so great cons●quence a● this was thought to be wherefore witnesses were solemnly called to be present so the Coffer was broken up before them and much paines was taken in ●breaking up th● Coffer but when it was open they found within it instead of gold and silver which they looked for a shirt of haire and two or three whips wherwith he used full often to punish himself as some of his Chaplaine● and Servants have often reported that were neere about him and curiously marked his doings and other treasure than that found they none at all But when report was made to him in his prison of the opening of that coff●r he was very sorry for it and said that if hast had not made him forget that and many things else ●●ose things had not been to be found there at that time After this good B●shop was recovered to some better strength by the help of his Physitians and that he was more able to be carried abroad he was on Thursday the 17. of Iune brought to the Kings Bench at Westminster from the Tower with a huge number of Holberts Bills and other weapons about him and the Ax of the Tower born before him with the edge from him as the manner is and because he was not yet so well recovered that he was able to walk by land all the way on foot he rode part of the way on horseback in a black cloth gown the rest he was carried by water for that he was not well able to ride thorough for weaknesse As soon as he was come to Westminster he was there pres●nted at the Barre before the said Commissioners being all set ready in their places against his coming whose names were these Sir Thomas Audely Knight Lord Chancellor of England Charles Duke of Suffolk H●nry Earle of Comberland Thomas Earle of Wiltshire Thomas Cromwell Secretary Sir Iohn Fitz. Iames Chief Iustice of England Sir Iohn Baldwin Chief Justice of the Common-pleas Sir William Pawlet Sir Richard Lyster Chief Baron of the Exchequer Sir Iohn Port Sir Iohn Spilman and Sir Walter late Justices of the Kings Bench and Sir Anthony Fitzherbert one of the Justices of the Common-pleas Being thus presented before these Commissi●ners he was commanded by the name of Iohn Fisher late of Rochester Clerk otherwise called Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester to hold up his hand which he did with a most cheerfull countenance and rare constancy then was his Indictment read which was very long and full of words but the effect of it was thus that he maliciously treacherously fals●ly had said these words The King our soveraigne Lord is not Supreme head in the earth of the Church of England and b●ing read to the end it was asked him whether he was guilty of this Treason or no whereunto he pleaded Not guilty Then was a Jury of twelve men being Free-holders of Middlesex called to try this Issue whose names were these Sir Hugh Vaughan Knight Sir Walter Langford Knight Thomas Burbage Iohn Nudygate William Browne Iohn Hewes Iasper Leak Iohn Palmer Richard Henry Young Henry Lodisman Iohn Elrington and George Heveningham Esquires These twelve men being sworne to trie whether the prisoner were guilty of this Treason or no at last came forth to g●ve evidence against him Mr Rich the secret and close Messenger that passed between the King and him as ye have read before who openly in the presence of the Judges and all the people there assembled deposed and swore that he heard the Prisoner say in plaine words within the Tower of London that he believed in his conscience and by his learning he assuredly knew that the King neither was nor by right could be Supreme head in earth of the Church of Engl. When this blessed Father heard the accusations of this most wretched false person contrary to his former oath promise he was not a little astonied thereat wherefore he said to him in this menner Mr. R●ch I cannot but mervaile to hear you come in and beare witnesse against me of these words knowing in what secret manner you came to me but suppose I so said unto you yet in that saying I commited no Treason for upon what occasion and for what cause it might be said your self doth know right well and therefore being now urged said he by this occasion to open somewhat of this matter I shall desire my Lords and others here to take a little patience in hearing what I shall say for my self This man meaning Mr. Rich came to me from the King as he said on a secret message with commendations from his Grace declaring at large what a good opinion his Majesty had of me and how sorry he was of my trouble with many more words than are here needfull to be recited because they tended so much to my praise as I was not onely ashamed to hear them but also knew right well that I could no way deserve them at last he broke with me of the matter of the Kings Supremacy lately granted unto him by Act of Parliament to the which he said although all the Bishops in the Realme have consented except your selfe alone and also the whole Court of Parliament both spirituall and temporall except a very few yet he told me that the King for better satisfaction of his owne conscience had sent him unto me in this s●cret manner to know my full opinion in the matter for the great aff●●nce he had in me more than any other he ad●ed further that if I would herein frankly and freely advertise his Maj. my knowledge that upon certificate of my misliking he was very like to retract much of his former doings and make satisfaction for the same in case I should so advertise him when I had heard all his message and considered a little upon his words I put him in minde of the new Act of Parliament which standing in force as it doth against all them that shall di●●ctly say or do any thing that is against it might thereby ●ndanger me very much in case I should utter unto him any thing that were offensive against the Law to that he told me that the King willed him to assure me on his honour and in the word of a King that whatever I should say unto him by this his secret messenger I should abide no danger no perill for it neither that any advntage should be taken against me for the same no although my words were never so directly against the Statutes seeing it was but a declaration of my minde secretly to him as to his owne person and for the messenger himselfe he gave me his faithfull promise that he would never utter

place and to promise mountaines of Gold to procure their suffrages in his behalfe and in case they could not prevaile but that the Cardinalls were likely to choose some such man as was not likely to further the Ki●gs designes that they should take up what summes of money they could upon the Kings credit and therewith to raise a presidie as it is termed both in the King Cardinals letters or power of men and taking with them such Cardinals as could be brought to favour their purposes to depart out of the City into some out-place not farre off and there to make a Schisme in the behalf of the Cardinal But there was no need of that advise for the Pope recovered health and lived to finish the businesse though contrary to the Kings expec●●tion wherefore CHAP. IX 1. Cardinall Camp●ius is sent Legate into England to determine the business of Divorce 2. The Embassadours are returned 3. Cardinall Wolsey joyned in Commission with the other Cardinall 4. The Court sits 5. Couns●ll is assigned to both the parties 6. Queen Catharine's speech in her own defence TH Embassadours finding the Pope to be the same man for slownesse as he was when he was tyed by the leg Requested of his Holinesse that he would be pleased to send a Legate into England with full authority to heare and determine the businesse there according to right as he should see cause which was granted and accordingly one Laurence Campeius a well learned man and of undaunted courage to whom the King about ten yeares before had given the Bishoprick of Bath at his being in England upon another occasion was appointed for that negotiation The Embassadours thus returning with a conclusion of a new b●ginning the Kings patience must now rest satisfied with the expectation of the Legates coming which after long expectation he arrived here in England who coming to Lond. was lodged in his own Palace then called B●th-house but before his arrivall a new Comm ssion from the Pope overtooke him at Callis wherein the Cardinall of York was joyned with him in Commiss●on and this was procured by the King wh●reby as he thought his businesse should be ●a●e to meet with the fewer rubber The Cardinals met Audience was given the Commssion was opened the Place assigned the assignement was at the Dominick F●●yers in Lon●on the King and Queene were to be close by at their lodgings at Bridewell The learned Counsell on both sides were appointed The King b●cause he would seeme ind●fferent willed the Q●eene to chuse her Cou●sell the Q●eene would chuse none at all as suspect●ng the indifterency of such as were his owne subjects Wherefore for fashion sake these Counsellours were assigned her Iohn Fisher B●shop of Rochester Henry Staindish Bishop of St. Alaph Thomas Abel Richard Fetherstor Edward Powell all Doctors in Divinity and of C●vili●ns and Canonists William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury Cuthbert Tunstall Bishop of London Nichol●s West Bish of Ely and Iohn Clerk Bishop of Bath for at Campeius his arivall he was translated to the Bishoprick of Salisbury on the Kings part the like number of profound and learned Doctors as well Divines as Civilians and Canonists Silence being proclaimed in the Court and the Commission read the Bishop of Rochester presented the two Legates with a Booke which he had compiled in defence of the Marriage making therewith a grave and learned Oration wherein he desired them to take good heed to what they did in so weighty a businesse putting them in minde of the great and manifold dangers and inconveniences which were ready to ensue thereupon not onely to this Realm but to the whole state of Christendome After this Oration was ended the King was called by name who answered HERE After that the Queen who made no answer but rose immediately out of her chaire and coming about the Court she kneeled downe before ●●he King openly in the sight of both the Legates and the whole Court and spake as followeth Sir I beseech you do me justice and right and take some pity upon me for I am a simple woman and a stranger born out of your dominions and have no friend but you who now b●ing become my adversary Alas what friendship or assurance of indifterency in ●●y counsel can I find hope to amongst your subjects What have I done Wh●rein have I off●nded you How have I given you any occasion of displeasure Why will you put me from you in this sort I take God to my judge I have bin a true humble faithful wife unto you alwaies conformable to your will and pleasure Wherein did I ever contradict or gainsay whatever you said When was I discontented at the thing that pleased you Whom did I love but those whom you loved whether I had cause or not I have been your wife this twenty yeares you have had divers Children by me when you took me first into your B●d I take God to be my witnesse I was a Virgin and whether that be true or no I put it to your conscience N●w if there be any just cau●e that you can alleadge against me either of dishouesty or the l●ke I am contented to depart the Realm and you with sh●me and insamy but if there be no such cause then I pray you let me have justice at your hands The King your Father was in his time of such an excellent wit as that for his wi●domes sake he was accounted a second Solomon and Ferdinand my Father was reckoned to be one of the wisest Princes that reigned in Spaine for many yeares before his daies These being both so wise P●ince● it is not to b● doubted but they had gathered unto them as w●se Counsellours of both Realmes as they in their wisdomes thought most meet and as I take it there were in those dayes as wise and learned men in both kingdomes as there are now to be found in these our times who thought the M●rriage between you and I to be good and la●full but for this I may thank you my Lord C●rdinall of York then her best friend though she knew it not or perhaps was secretly advised to be thus b●tter against him who having sought to make this di●sention betweene my Lord the King and me because have so often f●und f●ule with your pompous v●nity and aspring minde yet I doe not think that this your malice proceeds from you meerly in respect of my self but your chief displeasure is against my Nephew the Emperour because you could not at his hands attaine unto the B●th ●p●ick of Toledo which greedily you desired and after that was by his meanes put by the chief and high Bishoprick of Rom● 〈◊〉 you most ambitiously aspired whereat being sore offended and yet not able to revenge your quarrel upon him the heavy burden of your indignation must be laid upon a female weakness for no other reason but because sh● is his Aunt And these are the manly wayes you take to ease your minde

Cardinall Wolsey either ignorant or forgetfull of this priviledge or perhaps thinking he might doe any thing without the Kings consent or procu●ement procured of and for himselfe the Power legantine from the Pope that then was but though the Cardinall had exercised that authority for the space of divers yeares without the Kings consent or privity yet at the length perceiving his own errour and the danger he was in if the Kings favour which was no inheritance should chance to sl●ck its sailes and perhaps how merrily the whe●le of fortune began to turn about he so wrought formerly with the King that he procured a confi●mation thereof under the great Seal of England as well for that which was past as that which was to come which the King full well remembring thought the Cardinall too hard for him howsoever he was resolved he would be too hard for the Cardin●ll and knowing that nothing stood between him and the mark he aimed a● but the reduction of this Cardinall to the statuquo wherein he had him once safe enough he so deales with a servant then belonging to the Cardinall and in great truth about him that by his meanes he regained the foresaid ratification under the great Seal into his own hands and then to work he went And Accordingly he summoned another Parliament to beg●n upon the 16. day of February in the year of our Lord God 1530. in which Pa●liament divers heinous matters were propounded against the ●lergy as a praeludiū of the winds to the ensuing tempest then an account was given up in Parliament of 100000 l. charges which the King had been at to obtain so many inst●uments from forraign Universities concerning the businesse of the Divorce All which expences they said the King had been at through the falshood and dissimulation of the Cardinall and certain others of the chief of the Clergie all which was demanded of the Clergie that they should make all good unto the King but when this business began to be propounded to the Convocation of Divin●s it was there opposed especially by the Lord B. of Roche●ster who said u●to the Kings Orators that it was not their faults as they were there the body representative of the Clergie that the King had been at any charges at all concerning that businesse for to his knowledge the Clergie were generally against it that any such matter should at all be brought in question and that if any such faulty persons were amongst them it is fit they should be questioned and compelled to give his Majesty satisfaction Whereupon they all sl●tly denied upon any such score to make any restitution at all Then the King more ●urio●sly than ever called the whole Clergie into the Kings Bench and sued the Cardinall together with the whole Clergie in a praemunire for receiving and acknowledging the power L●gan●ine of the Cardinal which objection whiles th● Card thought with as easie a grace to w●sh off of him as the proud Swan to sl●de so much water off of his back like the bastard Eagle called Hali●t●●s he was drowned under the waves because like the true Eagle he poized not his prey before he offered to carry it by catching after a Fish which was heavier than he could carry and so they were all condemned upon the Statute of King Richard the second in a praemunire Thu● the K. was put into a capacity of imprisoning whom or as many of them as he pleased or to enter into or upon what goods or possessions of theirs he had a minde unto whereupon the Clergie first fallen under the Kings heavie displeasure and now not being willing to abide the further danger of his displeasure under his justice sued unto him for mercy declaring unto him their willingnes● to pay the 100000 l. upon his indemnity which the King promised unto them excepting the Cardinall and some others But The businesse of the Divorce s●uck so indig●stedly in the Kings stomach that before he wo●ld either divorce them from their feares or marry them to their former securities he wished them all to repair unto their house of Convocation and there he would propound unto them a businesse which if they would condescend unto then they should finde that he would be unto them a gracious Prince which when they were assembled in the place ●ppointed such a business was propounded to them as never was propounded by men since there was a congregation of mankinde viz. that they should acknowl●dge the King to be the Supreme Head of the Church which was propounded chi●fly by Mr. Thomas Audel●y who after Sir Thomas Moore had given over his place was created Lord Chanc●lour of England and that with such mix●ure of faire promises and threatni●g● together that many of the Convocation thought themselves in a capacity neither of refusing any thing that shou●d be demanded of them by the King nor of consul●ing of what was or was not to be granted whereupon divers of the Convocation upon ●canning of the businesse were in a readinesse to promote the Kings designe and few there were that durst open their mouthes to speak their mind● freely Wher●upon the Athanasius of the Clergie this ●●out Prelate of whom we treat thus took the busi●esse into consideration My Lords it is true we are all under the Kings lash and stan● in need of the Kings good favour and clemency yet this argues not that we should therefore doe that which will render us both ri●iculous and contempti●le to all the Christian world and ●issed out from the society of Gods holy Cath●lique Church for what good will that be to us to k●●p the p●ss●ssion of our Houses Cloysters and Covents to lose the Society of the Christian world to preserve our Goods and lose our Consciences Wherefore my Lords I pray let us consider what we doe and what it is we are to grant the dangers and inconvenien●●s that will ensue thereupon or whether it lies in our powers to grant what the King requireth at our hands or whether the King be an apt person to receive this power that so we may go groundedly to work and not like men that had lost all honesty and wit together with their worldly fo●tune As con●erning the first point v●z what the Supremacy of the Church is which we are to give unto the King it is to exercise the spirituall Government of the Church in chief which according to all that ever I have learned both in the Gospel and th●ough the whole cou●se of Divinity mainly consists in these two points 1. In loosing and binding sinners according to that which our Saviour sai● unto St. Peter when he ordained him head of his Church viz. to thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven Now my Lords can we say unto the King tibi to thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven If you say I where is your wa●rant if you say no then you have answered your selves that you cannot put

my words in this matter to any man living but to the King alone Now therefore my Lords quoth he seeing it pleased the Kings Majesty to send to me thus secretly under the pr●tence of plaine and true meaning to know my poore advice and opinion in these his weighty and great affaires which I most gladly w●● and ever will be willing to send him in meth●nks it is very hard in justice to heare the m●ssengers Accusation and to allow the same as a sufficie●● testimony against me in case f Treason ●o this the messenger made no direct answer but neither denying his words as false nor confessing them as true said that whatever he had said unto him on the K●●gs behalf he said no more than his Maj●ty commanded and said he if I had said to you in such sor● as you have d●clared I would gladly know what discharge this is to you in Law against his Majesty for so directly speaking against the Statute whereat some of the Judges taking quick hold one after another said that this message or promise from the King to him ne●ther could nor did by rigour of the Law discharge him but in 〈…〉 claring of his minde and conscience agai●●● the Supremacy yea though it were at the Kings own commandment or request he committed Treason by the Statute and nothing can discharge him from death but the Kings pardon This good Father perceiving the small account made of his words and the favourable credit given to his accuser might then easily ●inde in which doore the wind blew wherefore directing his speeches to the Lords his Judges he said yet I pray you my Lords consider that by all equ●ty justice worldly honesty and courteous dealing I cannot as the ●ase standeth be directly charged therewith as with Treason though I had spoken the words indeed the same being not spoken maliciously but in the way of advice and counsell when it was requested of me by the King himself and that favour the very words of the Statute do give me being made onely against such as shall maliciously gainsay the Kings Supremacy and none other wherefore although by r●gour of Law you may take occasion thus to condemn me yet I hope you cannot finde Law except you adde rigour to th●● law to cast me downe which herein I hope I have not deserved To which it was answered by some of the Judges that the word m●l●ciously is but a supe●●●●ous and void wo●d for if a man speak against the Kings Supremacy by any manner of meanes t●a● sp●ak●ng●● to be understood and taken in Law as 〈◊〉 My Lords said he if the Law be so understood then it is a hard exposition and as I take it contrary to the meaning of the● that made the Law But then l●t me demand this question whether a single testimony of one man may be admitted as sufficient to prove me guilty of treason for speaking these words or no and whether my answer Negatively may not be accepted against his Affirmative to my availe and benefit or no To that the Judges and Lawyers answered that being the Kings case it rested much in conscience and di●ecretion of the Jury and as they upon the evidence given before them shall finde it you are either to be acquitted or else by ju●gement to be condemned The Jury having heard all this s●●ple Evidence d●parted according to the order into a secret place there to agree upon the Verdict 〈◊〉 ●ore they w●nt from the place the case was so aggravated to them by my Lord 〈◊〉 making it so hainous and dang●rous a treason that they easily perceived what verdict they must returne others heap such danger upon their owne heads as none of them were willing to undergo some other of the Co●●●ssioners charged this most reverend man with obstinacy and s●●gula●ity alledging that he being but one man did presumptuously stand against that which was in the gre●t Cou●cell of Parliament ag●●d upon and finally was consented unto by al the B●sh●ps of this Realme saving hims●lfe alone But to that he answered that indeed he might well be accounted singular if he alone should stand in this matter as they said but having on his part the rest of the B●shops in Chr●ttendorme far surmounting the number of the Bishops of Engl. he said they could not justly account him singular And having on his part all the Catholicks and Bishops of the world from Christ's Ascention till now joyned with the whole consent of Christs univer●all Church I must needs said he account mine own part farre the surer and as for O●stin●cy which is likewise obje●●●● 〈◊〉 me I have no way to cleare my self thereof but my owne solemne word and promise to the contrary if ye please to beli●ve it or 〈◊〉 if that will not serve I am 〈…〉 the same by my oath Thus in effect he answered their obj●ctions though with many 〈◊〉 words both wisely and profound●y uttered and that with a mervailous couragious and rare constancy insomuch as many of his hearers yea some of his Judges lamented so grievously that their inward sorrow in all sides was expressed by the outward ●eares in their eyes to perceive such a famous and rever●nd man in danger to be condemned to cruell death upon so weak ●vidence given by such an accuser contrary to all faith and promise of the King himself But all pity mercy ●nd righ● being set aside ugour cruelty and malice took place for the twelve men being shor●ly returned from their consu●tation Verdict was given that he was 〈◊〉 of the ●reason which although they thus did upon the menacing threatning words of the Commissioners the Kings learned Councell yet was it no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●ore against their conscience as some o● them would after report to their dying daies onely for safety of their goods and liv●s which they were we●l ●ssured to lose in case they had acquitted him After the Verdict thus given by the twelve m●n the Lord Chancellour commanding 〈◊〉 to be kept said unto the Prisoner in this ●ort My Lord of Roch●ster you have been here arraigned of high ●reason and putting your selfe to the triall of twelv●men you have pleaded not guilty an● 〈◊〉 notwithstanding have found you guilty in their 〈◊〉 wherefore if you have any more to say for your self you are now to be 〈…〉 Iudgement according to the 〈◊〉 and course of Law Then said this blessed Fa●her againe Truly my Lord if that which I have before spoken be not sufficient I have no more to say but onely to desire Almighty God to forgive them that have thus condemned me for I think they know not what they have done Then my L Chancellour framing himselfe to a solemnity in countenance proclaimed sentence of death upon him in manner and forme following You shall be led to the place from whence you came and from thence shall be drawn through the city to the place of execution at Tyborne where your body shall be hanged by the neck

half alive you shall be cut downe and throwne to the ground your bowels to he taken out of your body before you being alive your head to be smitten off and your body to be divided into four quarters and after your head and quarters to be set up where the King shall apoint And God have mercy upon your soule After the pronouncing of this cruell sertence the Lieutenant of the Tower with his band of men stood ready to receive and carry him back again to his prison Be●ore his departure he desired audience of the Commissioners for a few words which being granted he said thus in effect My Lords I am here condemned before you of high Treason for deniall of the Kings Supremacy over the Church of England but by what order of Iustice I l●ave to God who is the search●r both of the Kings Majesty's conscience and yours Neverthelesse being found guilty as it is termed I am and must be consented with all that God shall send to whose will I wholly referre and submit my self And now to tell you more plainly my minde touching this matter of the Kings Supremacy I think indeed and alwaies have thought and do now lastly affirm that his Grace cannot justly claime any such Supremacy over the Church of God as he now taketh upon him neither hath it ever been seen or heard of that any temporall Prince before his daies hath presumed to that dignity wherefore if the King will now adventure himself in proceeding in this strange and unwonted case no doubt but he shall deeply incurre the gri●vous displeasure of Almighty God to the great dammage of his owne soule and of many others and to the utter ruine of this Realme committed to his charge whereof will ensu● some sharp punishment at his hand wherefore I pray God his Grace may remember himself in time and hearken to good counsell for the preserva●ion of himselfe and his Realme and the quietnesse of all Christendome Which words being ended he was conveyed back againe to the Tower of London part on foot and part on horseback with a number of men bearing holberts and other weapons about him as was before at his coming to raignment And when he was come to the Tow●r 〈◊〉 he turned him back to all his tra●●● 〈◊〉 had thus conducted him forward and 〈◊〉 and said unto them My Master● I thank you all for the great labour and paines 〈…〉 with me this day I am not able to give you any thing in recompence for I have nothing left and therefore I pray you accept in good part my hearty thanks And this he 〈◊〉 with so lu●ty a courag● so amiable a countenance and with so fresh and lively a colour as he seemed rather ●o have come from some great feast or banquet than from his arraignment shewing by all his gesture and outward countenance nothing else but joy and gladnesse Thus being after his condemnation the space of three or four daies in his prison he occupi●d himselfe in continuall p●ayer most fervently and although he looked daily for death yet could ye not have perceived him one whit dismayed thereat neither in word nor countenance but still continued his former trade of constancy and patience and that rather with a more joyfull cheere and free minde than ever he had done before which appeared well by this chance that I will tell you There hapned a false rumour to rise sodainely among the people that he should b● brought to his execution by a certain day whereupon his Cook that was wont to dres● his dinner and carry it daily unto him hearing among others of this Ex●cution dressed him no dinner at all that day wherefore at the ●●ook's next repaire unto him he demanded the cause why he b●ought him not his dinner as he was wont to doe Sir said the Cook it was commonly talked all the towne over that you should have died that day and therefore I thought it but in vaine to dresse any thing for you Well said he merrily unto him againe for all that report thou seest me yet alive and therefore whatsoever newes thou shalt heare of me hereafter let me no more lack my dinner but make it ready as thou art wont to do and if thou see me dead when thou comest then eat it thy selfe but I promise thee if I be alive I minde by Gods grace to eat never a bit the lesse Thus while this blessed B●shop lay daily expecting the houre of h●s death the King who no lesse desired his death than himself looked for it caused at last a writ of Execution to be made and brought to Sir Edmond Walsingham Lieutenant of the Tower Bu● where by his Judgement at Westminster he was condemned as ye have read before to Drawing Hanging and Quartering as Traitors alwaies use to be yet was he spared from that cruell execution wherefore order was taken that he should be led no further than Tower-Hill and there to have his Head struck off After the Lieutenant had received this bloody writ he called unto him certaine persons whose service and presence was to be used in that businesse commanding them to be ready against the next day in the morning and because that was very late in the night and the Prisoner asleep he was loath to disease him of his rest for that time and so in the morning before five of the clock he came to him in his chamber in the Bell tower finding him yet asl●ep in his bed and waked him sh●wing him that he was come to him on a message from the King and after some circumstance used with perswasion that he should remember himself to be an old man and that for age he could not by course of Nature live long he told him at last that he was come to signifie unto him that the Kings pleasure was he should suffer death that forenoone Well quoth this blessed Father if this be your errand you bring me no great newes for I have long time looked for this message I most humbly thank his Majesty that it pleaseth him to rid me from all this worldly businesse and I thank you also for your tidings But I pray you Mr. Li●utenant said he when is mine houre that I must go hence your houre said the Lieutenant must be nine of the clock and what houre is it now said he it is now about five said the Lieutenant Well then said he let me by your patience sleep an houre or two for I have slept very little this night And yet to tell you the truth not for any feare of Death I thank God but by reason of my great infirmity and weaknesse The Kings further pleasure is said the Lieutenant that you should use as little speech as may be especially any thing touching his Maj●sty whereby the people should have any cause to think of him or his proceedings otherwise than well For that said he you shall see me order my self as by Gods grace neither the King