with intent to make sedition and discorde betweene the King and his Nobles 24 That at diuers times and places he said the Lords of the counsell at London intend to kill mee but if I dye the King shall dye and if they famish mee they shall famish him 25 That of his owne head he remoued the King so sodainly from Hampton courte to Windsore without any prouision there made that he was thereby not only in great feare but cast into a dangerous disease 26 That by his letters he caused the Kings people to assemble in great numbers in Armor after the manner of warre to his aide and defence 27 That he caused his seruants and friends at Hampton court Windesore to be apparelled in the Kings armor when the Kings seruants and guarde went vnarmed 28 That he intended to fly to Iernsey and Wales and laid posthorses and men and a boat to that purpose Now albeit there is little doubt but that some of these articles were meerely deuised others enlarged or wrâ—…sted or otherwise inforced by odious interpretation yet the Duke being of base golde and fearing the touch subscribed with his owne hand that he did acknowledge his offences contained in them and humbly vpon his knees submitted himselfe to the Kings mercy That in like manner he entreated the Lords to be a meanes to the King that he would conceiue that his offences did proceede rather from negligence rashnes or other indiscretion then from any malitious thought tending to treason and also that he would take some gratious way with him his wife and children not according to extremity of lawes but after his great elemency and mercy Written with my owne hand 23 December Anno 3 o Edw. Regis To this I make no other defence but intreat the reader not to condemne him for perishing so weakly and for that he who should haue lost his life to preserue his honour cast away both his life and honour together Assuredly he was a man of a feeble stomacke vnable to concoct any great fortune prosperous or aduerse But as the iudgement of God and malice of a man concurre often in one act although it be easie to discerne betweene them so is it little to be maruailed that he who thirsted after his brothers blood should finde others to thirst after his Notwithstanding for that present his blood was respited but hee was stripped of his great offices of being Proteâ—…tor Treasurer and Marshall lost all his goods and neere 2000 lande in which estate if he had continued the longer he had liued the more punishment he should endure herewith it was sâ—…ossingly said that he had eaten the kings goose and did then regorge the feathers After this he sent letters to the Lords of the counsaile wherein he acknowledged himselfe much fâ—…oured by them in that they had brought his cause to be fineable which although it was to him impoâ—…able yet as hee did neuer intend to contend with them nor any action to iustifie himselfe as well for that he was none of the wisest and might easily erre as for that it is scarce possible for any man in great place so to beare himselfe that all his actions in the eye of iustice shall be blamelesse so hee did then submit himselfe wholly to the Kings mercy and their discretions for some moderation desiring them to conceiue that what he did amisse was rather through rudenes and for want of iudgement then from any malitious meaning and that he was therefore ready both to doe and suffer what they would appoint Finally hee did againe most humbly vpon his knees entreat pardon and fauour and they should euer finde him so lowly to their honours and obedient to their orders as hee would thereby make amends for his former follies These subiections obiections deiections of the Duke made a heauenly harmony in his enimies eares But they wrought such compassion with the King that forthwith he was released out of the Tower his fines discharged his goods and lands restored except such as had beene giuen away either the malice of the Lords being somewhat appeased or their credit not of sufficient strength to resist within a short time after he was entertained and feasted by the King with great shew of fauour and sworne againe of the priuy counsaile at which time betweene him and the Lords perfect amity was made or else a dissembling hate And that all might appeare to be knit vp in a comicall conclusion the Dukes daughter was afterwards ioined in marriage to the Lord Lâ—…sle sonne and heire to the Earle of Warwick and the Earle also was made Lord Admirall of England yet many doubted whether the Earle retained not some secret offence against the Duke which if hee did it was most cunningly suppressed doubtlesse of all his vertues he made best vice of dissimulation And as this friendship was drawen together by feare on both sides so it was not like to be more durable then was the feare And thus the second act ended of the tragedie of the Duke the third shall follow in the proper place In the meane time the Earle of Warwicke for what mischeiuous contriuance it was not certainly knowne but conceiued to be against the Duke ioined to him the Earle of Arundâ—…ll late Lord Chamberlaine and the Earle of Southhampton sometimes Lord Chancellor men of their owne nature circumspect and slow but at the time discountenanced and discontent whom therefore the Earle of Warwicke singled as fittest for his purpose Many secret conferences they had at their seuerall houses which often held the greatest part of the night But they accustomed to afford at other times either silence or shorte assent to what he did propose did then fall off and forsake him procuring thereby danger to themselues without doing good to any other For when the Earle of Warwicke could by no meanes draw them to his desires hee found means that both of them were discharged from the counsell and commanded to their houses Against the Earle of Arundell obiections were framed that he tooke away bolts and locks at Westminster and gaue away the Kings stuffe Hee was fined at 12000 l to be paid 1000 l yeerely But doubtlesse the Earle of Warwicke had good reason to suspect that they who had the honesty not to approue his purpose would not want the heart to oppose against it During these combats among the nobility many popular insurrections were assayled One Bell was put to death at Tyborne for mouing a new rebellion in Suffolke and in Essex hee was a man nittily needy and therefore aduentrous esteemed but an idle fellow vntill he found opportunity to shew his rashnesse Diuers like attempts were made in other places but the authors were not so readily followed by the people as others had done before Partly because multitudes doe not easily moue but chifly because misaduentures of others in like attempts had taught them to be more warily aduised About this time a Parliament was held at
and maintained the sâ—…cond to be cured and relecued and the third to be chastised and reduced to good order When this was 〈◊〉 to the King he gauâ—… to the Citie for education and maintenance of the first sort of poore the Gray-Friers Church neere Newgate-market with all the reuenues there to belonging for cure and releefe of the second â—…ort he gaue Saint Bartholomewes neere 〈◊〉 for correction of the third hee appoinâ—…ed his house at Brideâ—…ell the ancient Mansion of many English Kingâ—… and which not long before had beene repaired and beautified by Henry the â—…ighth for the entertainment of the great Emperour Charles the fifth for increase of 〈◊〉 of their places together with the new re-edified Hospitall of Saint Thomas in Southwork the King gaue seuen hundred and fifty markes yearely out of the rents of the Hospitall of Saint Iohn Baptist or the Sauoy with all the bedding and furniture at that time belonging to that place and when the charter of this gift was prâ—…sented vnto him with a blanke space for lands to be afterwards receiued in Mortmâ—…ine to a yearly valew without further licence the King presently with his owne hand filled vp the void space with these words foure thousand markes by yeare this done with reuerenâ—… gesture and speech he thanked God for prolonging his life to finish that businesse and so hee was the first Founder of those three pious workes which by many additions are now growne to be the most absolute and famous of that kinde in Europe The Kings sicknesse daily increased and so did the Duke of Northumberlands diligence about him for he was little absent from the King and had alwayes some well assured to espie how the state of his health changed euery houre and the more ioyfull hee was at the heart the more sorrowfull appearance did he outwardly make whether any tokens of poyson did appeare reports are various certainly his Physitians discerned an inuincible malignitie in his disease and the suspition did the more increase for that the complaint being chiefly from the lights a part as of no quicke sense so no seat for any sharpe disease yet his sicknesse towards the end grew highly extreme but the Duke regarded not much the muttering multitude knowing right well that rumours grow stale and vanish with time and yet somewhat either to abate or delay them for the present hee caused speeches to be spread abroad that the King was well recouered in health which was readily beleeued as most desired to be true Hereupon all persons expressed ioy in their countenance and speech which they inlarged by telling the newes to others whom they incountred who haply had heard it often before and as the report increased so there with increased also the ioy Thus whilest euery men beleeued and no man knew it was made more credible by religious persons who openly in Churches gaue publike thankes for the Kings recouery But when the speech of his danger was againe reuiued and as in newe it happeneth the more stopped the more increased to the worse then as if the second time he had beene lost the people did immoderatly breake forth into passions complaining that for this cause his two Vncles had beene taken away for this cause the most faithfull of his Nobilitie and of his Councell were disgraced and remoued from Court this was the reason that such were placed next his person who were most assuredly disposed either to commit or permit any mischiefe that then it did appeare that it was not vainly coniectured some yeares before by men of iudgement and fore-sight that after Somersets death the King should not long enioy his life To qualifie these and some broader speeches it was thought conuenient that the King sometimes should shew himselfe abroad albeit little either with his pleasure or for his health yet a thing which in long consuming sicknesses euen to the last period of life men are often able to doe Whilest the King remained thus grieuously sicke diuers notable mariages were solemnized at once in Durham place The Lord Guldford fourth sonne to the Duke of Northumberland married Lady Iane the Duke of Suffolkes eldest daughter by Frances daughter to Mary second sister to King Henry the eighth also the Earle of Pembrokes eldest sonne married the Lady Katherine the Duke of Suffolkes eldest daughter by the said Lady Frances who then was liuing and Martin Kayes Gentleman Porter married Marie the third daughter of the Duke of Suffolke by the said Lady Frances lastly the Lord Hastings sonne to the Earle of Huntington tooke to wife Katherine youngest daughter to the Duke of Northumberland hereupon the common people vpon a disposition to interpret all Northumberlands actions to the worst left nothing vnspoken which might serue to stâ—…rre their hatred against the Duke or pitie towards the King but the Duke was nothing moued herear for being equally obstinate both in purpose and desire and mounting his hopes aboue the pitch of reason he resolued then to dissemble no longer but began openly to play his game For albeit the Lady Iane married to his fourth sonne had not right to the succession of the Crowne for that shee was excluded first by the two Ladies Mary and Elizabeth daughters of King Henry the eighth next by the issue of Lady Margret married into Scotland eldest sister to King Henry the eighth lastly by her owne mother the Ladie Frances who then was liuing yet Northumberland sottishly mad with ouer great fortune procured the King by his Letters Patents vnder the great Seale of England to appoint the Lady Iane to succeed him in the inheritance of the Crowne in this contriuance he vsed the aduice of two especially Lord chiefe Iustice Montague who drew the Letters Patents and Secretary Cecil these furnished the Patent with diuers reasons whereof some were of Law and some of policie in State The pretensions of Law were these that albeit the Crowne of the Realme by an Act of the fiue and thirtieth of King Henry the eighth was in default of his issue of his body and of the body of Edward his sonne lawfully begotten limited to remaine to the Lady Mary his eldest daughter and to the heires of her body lawfully begotten and in default of such issue the remainder thereof to the Lady Elizabeth his second daughter and to the heires of her body lawfully begotten vnder such conditions as should be limited by the said King vnder his Letters Patents vnder the great Seale or by his last Will in writing signed with his hand yet because the said limitations were made to persons illegitimate both the marriages betweene King Henry the eighth and their seuerall mothers being vndone by sentences of diuorce and the seuerall diuorcements ratified by authoritie of Parliament in the eight and thirtieth yeare of King Henry the eighth which Act remained then in force both the Lady Mary and the Lady Elizabeth were thereby disabled to claime the Crowne or any honours or hereditaments as heires
might both discourage his peope and bring diâ—…reputation to himselfe forbad any report to be made not only of the euent but of the iourney After this the French King leuied an army by lande wherewith marching towards Bulloine he tooke Blackenesse and Newhauen two fortes of the English neere vnto Bulloine This he did effect chiefly by the treason of one Sturton a bastard sonne of Lord Sturtons and by reuolt of diuers Almaines who serued in the garrisons who being meerely mercenarie did easily encline to the strongest From whence the French King marched towardes Bullaine vpon whose approach S t Nicholas Arnault captaine of Bullingberge holding the place not of strength to be held withdrew all the ordinance matters of worth into high Boullaine and with gunpowder blew vp the Forte So the French Kinge brought his armie before Boulline but because the plague raged amongst his souldiers the weather was vnseasonable by reason of much fall of raine he departed from his army and left Chastilion gouernor in his steed Chastilion bent his siege against the Pierre which was erected in Boulline haven and after batterie of 20000 shot or more the breach was thought reasonable and therevpon the assault was giuen But the same was so well encountred by the valour of the defendants helped with advantage of place that the obstinacy of the assailaÌ„ts did nothing but increase their losse so as the first fury being broken and spent The French resolued to attempt the peice no more by assault notwithstanding they continued the seige presented diuers skermishes false attempts but they spent both their labour shot without putting the defendants in any feare Then they planted their artillery against the mouth of the hauen to impeach supply of victualls to the towne Yet the English victualers surceased not at the Kings adventure to bring all things necessary vntill the end the souldiers of the towne set vpon the French suddainly by night slue many of them and dismounted their pieces Then the French applied their batterie againe wherein they sometimes spent 1500 shot in one day But finding this to be a fruitlesse fury they afterwards vsed it more sparingly and rather vpon a shew of hostility then vpon any hope thereby to prevaile In the meane season they charged a galley with grauel and stones and prepared to sinke it in the middest of the hauen But the English tooke the galley before it sunke and drew it to the shoare and vsed the stones to reenforce the Pierre After this they made faggots of light matter mixed with pitch tarre tallow rosin powder and wildfire with intention to fire the ships in the hauen but that enterprise was defeated by the Bullenois and their fagots taken from the French During these enterfeits diverse skirmishes passed betweene the English and the French about the frontires of Calleis which as they were but light so most of them ended with disadvantage to the French And now if all these troubles had not beene sufficient to trauaile the realme of England at once a great diuision fell among the nobility so much the more dangerous by how much the spirits were more actiue and high And albeit the heat thereof was much appeased for a timâ—… by the great iudgement and moderation of the King yeâ—… did it breake forth in the end to tragicall euents not vpon particular persons only but did much ouerslow and 〈◊〉 ouerwhelme the whole realme with disquiet and here of the most apparent originall was this The King had two vnkles brothers to Queene Iaue his deceased mother Edward D. of Somerset Lord Protector Thomas Lord Seymer Baron of Sudley high Admirall of England as the Duke was elder in yeares so was hee more staied in behauiour The Lord Sudley was fierce in courage courtly in fashion in personage stately in voice magnificent but somewhat empty of matter both were so faithfully affected to the King that the one might well bee termed his sword the other his target The Duke was greatest in fauour with the people the Lord Sudley most respected by the nobility both highly esteemed by the King both fortunate alike in their advancements both ruined alike by their owne vanity and folly whilest these two brothers held in amity they were like two armes the one defending the other and both of them the King but many things did moue together to dissolue their loue and bring them to ruine First their contrary disposition the one being tractable and milde the other stiffe and impatient of a superior whereby they liued but in cunning concord as brothers glued together but not vnited in graine then much secret enuy was borne against them for that their new lustre did dimme the light of men honoured with ancient nobility Lastly they where openly minded as hasty and soone moued so vncircumspect and easy to be minded By these the knot not only of loue but of nature between them was dissolued so much the more pitty for that the first cause proceeded from the pride the haughty hate the vnquiet vanity of a mannish or rather of a diuelish woman For the Lord Sudley had taken to wife Katharine Parre Queene Dowager last wife to King Henry the 8 th A woman beautified with many excellent vertues especially with humility the beauty of all other vertues The Duke had taken to wife Anne Stanhope a woman for many imperfections intollerable but for pride monstrous she was exceeding both subtle and violent in accomplishing her ends for which she spurned ouer all respects both of conscience and of shame This woman did beare such invincible hate first against the Q. Dowager for light causes and womans quarrells especially for that she had precedency of place before her being wife to the greatest Peere in the land then to the Lord Sudley for her sake That albeit the Q. Dowager dyed by childbirth yet would not her malice either dye or decrease But continually she rubbed into the Dukes dull capacity that the Lord Sudley dissenting from him in opinion of religion sought nothing more then to take away his life as well in regard of the common cause of Religion as thereby happely to attaine his place Many other things she boldly fained being assured of easie beliefe in her heedlesse hearer alwaies fearfull and suspitious as of feeble spirit but then more then euer by reason of some late opposition against him Her perswasions she cunningly intermixed with teares affirming that she would depart from him as willing rather to heare both of his disgraces and dangers then either to see the one or participate of the other The Duke embracing this womans counsaile a womans counsaile indeede and nothing the better yeelded himselfe both to aduise and deuise for destruction of his brother The Earle of Warwicke had his finger in the businesse and drew others also to giue either furtherance or way to her violent desires Being well content she should haue her minde so as the Duke might thereby incurre infamy
haue lost their heads and that the Earle of Arundell was made acquainted with the practise by S r Michaell Stanhope and that it had bin done but that the greatnesse of the enterprise caused delaies and sometimes diuersity of aduice and further said that the Duke of Somerset once faining himselfe to be sicke went to London to assay what friends he could procure This Crane was a man who hauing consumed his owne estate had armed himselfe to any mischiefe Hamonde confessed that the Duke of Somersets chamber had beene strongly watched at Greenwich by night All these were sworne before the counsaile and the greatest part of the nobility of the realme that their confessions were true and as fauourably set downe in behalfe of the Duke as with a safe conscience they could and forthwith vpon the information of Crane the Earle of Arundell and the Lord Paget were sent to the Tower so were Stradley and S t Albones seruants to the Earle of Arundell the Lord Strange voluntarily enformed how the Duke desired him to moue the King to take to wise his third daughter the Ladie ◅ane and that he would be his especiall about the King to aduertise him when any of the counsaile spake priuatly with him and to acquaint him what they said Herevpon to giue some publique satisfaction to the people the Lord Chancellor who had words at will wit enough to apply them declared openly in the starre chamber all these accusations against the Duke of Somerset letters were allso published to all Emperors Kings Embassadors chiefe men in any state wherein these matters were comprised By other letters the muster of the Gendarmorie was deferred for certaine moneths other letters were directed to Sir Arthur Darcy to take charge of the tower and to discharge Sir Arthur Markham For that without acquainting any of the Lords of the counsaile he suffered the Duke of Somerset to walke abroad and permit entercourses of letters betweene Dauid Seymor and M rs Poynes Whilest these matters were in trauerse messengers arriued from Duke Mauris◅ of Saxony the Duke of Mickleburge and Iohn Marques of Brandenburge Princes of the religion in Germanie to vnderstand the Kings minde whether he would agree to aide them with 400000 dollars in case any necessity should assaile them they consenting to doe the like to him in case he should be ouercharged with warre the King gaue them an vncertaine answere but gentle and full of faire hopes that because their message was only to know the Kings inclination and not to conclude he could giue them no other answere then this that he was well enclined to ioyne in amity with them whom he knew to agree with him in religion but first he was desirous to know whether they could procure such aide from other Princes as might enable them to maintaine their warres and to assist him if need should require and therefore he willed them to breake this matter to the Duke of Prussia and other Princes about them and to procure the good will of Hamborough Lubecke and Breme then he desired that the matter of religion should be plainly set downe least vnder pretence thereof warres should be made for other quarrells lastly he willed that they should furnish themselues with more ample instructions from their Lords to commune and conclude of all circumstances pertaining to that businesse The Kings answere was framed with these vncertainties and delaies least if the King had assured his consent at the first it might haue beene taken as breach of league with the Emperor afterwards they and other Princes of Germany made a league offensiue and defensiue with the French King against the Emperor into the which the French King desired the King of England to come but because the French K. was the chiefe of the league the King did plainly perceiue that the warre was not for the cause of religion wherefore he answered that he could not doe it with breach of his league with the Emperor against whom hauing no pretence of hostility he was not so desirous of warres as without iust cause of his owne to pull them vpon him About the same time the Lord admirall was sent into France as the Kings deputie to be Godfather at the baptisme of the French Kings sonne also a French man who had committed a murther at Diepe and fled into England was remitted into France and deliuered vpon the borders to receiue iustice by the same lawes against which he had offended And now the Duke of Northumberland being impatient of long working wickednesse the 4 th act of the Duke of Somersets tragedie must not be delaied least thereby feare abating as being false it could not be durable either the Kings gentle disposition or the loue which he had formerly borne to his vnkle might happily returne to their naturall working So the Duke of Somerset after a short aboad in the tower was brought to his triall at Westminster The Lord William Paulet Marques of Winchester and Lord treasurer sate as high Steward of England vnder a cloath of estate on a bench moūted three degrees the Peeres to the number of 27 sate on a bench one step lower These were the Duke of Suffolke and of Northumberland the Marques of Northampton the Earles of Darby Bedforde Huntington Rutland Bath Sussex Worcester Pembrooke and Here◅orde The Barons Abergauenny Aud◅ly Wharton Euers Latimer Borough Louch Stafford Wentworth Darcie Sturton Windesore Cromwell Cobham and Bray First the inditements were read in number 5 containing a charge of raising men in the north parts of the realme at his house of assembling men to kill the Duke of Northumberland of resisting his attachment of killing the Gendarmorie of raising London of assaulting the Lords and deuising their deaths when the prisoner had pleaded not guilty and put himselfe vpon triall of his Peeres the examinations before mentioned were read and by the Kings learned counsaile pressed against him Hereto albeit he was both vnskilfull and much appalled causes sufficient to driue him out of matters yet after a short entreaty that words either idly or angerly spoken might not be enforced to any high crew to the points obiected he answered That he neuer intended to raise the north parts of the realme but vpon some brutes he apprehended a scare which moued him to send to S r William Herbert to remaine his friend That he determined not to kill the Duke of Northumberland or any other Lord but spake of it only and determined the contrary That it had beene a mad enterprise with his 100 men to assaile the Gendarmory consisting of 900 when in case he had preuailed it would nothing haue auailed the pretended purpose and therefore this being senselesse and absurd must needs dis◅redid other matters which otherwise might haue beene belieued That at London he neuer proiected any stirre but euer held it a good place for his surety That for hauing men in his chamber at Greenwich it was manifest he meant no harme
because when he might haue done it he did not and further against the persons of them whose examinations had beene read against him he obiected many things desiring they might be brought to his face which in regard he was a person of dignity and estate he claimed to be reasonable especially against S r Thomas Palmer he spake much euill and yet in opinion of many farre short of the truth Hereto no answere was made but that the worse they were the fitter they were to be his instruments fit instruments indeed said he but rather for others then for me The fast being made the Kings learned counsaile auouched the law to be to assemble men with intent to kill the Duke of Northumberland was treason by a statute of the 3 4 th or K. Edward then raigning made against vnlawfull assemblies that to raise London or the North parts of the realme was treason that to minde resisting his attachment was felony that to assault the Lords and to devise their deaths was felony But vnder fauour of their iudgement the statute alleaged bears no such sense either for treason or for felony indeed by a statute of K. Henry 7 it is felony for inferior persons to contriue the death of a Lord of the counsaile but Lordes are therein expresly excepted The Lordes went together and first the Duke of Suffolke nobly said that he held it not reasonable that this being but a contention betweene priuate subiect vnder pretention thereof any meane action should to draw to intention of treason The Duke of Northumberland in countenance bearing shew of sadnesse but in truth stifly obstinate denyed that he would euer consent that any practise against him should be either imputed or reputed to be treason yet this was not taken to proceede from modesty as he expected but for that he could not with his honour or with reason so enforce it The Marques of Northampton was crossed and contentious with many but neuer replied to any answere a manifest marke of no strong spirit Some of the rest plainly brake forth that they held it vnfit that the Duke of Northumberland the Marques of Northampton and the Earle of Pembrooke should be of the triall because the prisoner was chiefly charged with practises intended against them But hereto answere was made that a Peere of the Realme might not be challenged After much variation of opinions the prisoner at the barre was acquit of treason but by most voices most fauouring the Duke of Northumberland he was sound guilty of felony Hereupon iudgement followed that he should be hanged but this would neuer haue gone so hard had they not prosecuted all vnder pretence of treason The Duke of Somerset might haue craued his clerge but he suffered iudgement to passe thanked the Lords for his gentle triall craued pardon of the Duke of Northumberland the Marques of Northampton and the Earle of Pembrooke for his ill meaning against them and made suit for his life in pitty to his wife children and seruants and in regard of paiment of his debts As he departed because he was acquit of treason the axe of the tower was not openly carried whereupon the people supposing that he was altogether acquit shooted halfe a dozed times so loud that they were heard beyond Charing Crosse. It is certaine the people fauoured him the more because they saw that there was much secret hate borne against him But as this immoderate fauour of the multitude did him no good so will it vndoe so many as shall trust vnto it It was told the King that after the Dukes returne to the tower he acknowledged to certaine Lords that he had hired Bartuile to make them away that Bartuile confessed so much and that Hamond was not ignorant thereof which whether it were true or whether deuised to make the King more estranged from him of iudgement could not hold themselues assured About this time Cuthbert Tonstall Bishop of Durham a man famous in those times for learning and integrity of life was sent to the tower for concealement of I know not what treason written to him I know not by whom and not discouered vntill what shall I call the party did reueale it But the Lord Chancellor Rich hauing built a faire estate and perceiuing what nimble ears were borne to listen after treason also for that a parliament was towards wherein he was doubtfull what questions might arise made suit to the King that in regard of the infirmities of his body he might be discharged of his office giuing good example to men sometimes by their owne moderation to auoid disgrace So he deliuered the seale at his house in great S t Bartholomewes to the Duke of Northumberland the Earle of Pembrooke sent by the King with commission to receiue it The same seale was forthwith deliuered to D r Godricke Bishop of Ely a man if happily able to discharg the place assuredly no more It was first deliuered vnto him only during the sicknesse of the Lord Rich but in short time after he was sworne Lord Chancellor because as keeper of the seale he could not then execute such matters as were to be dispatched in parliament And now after iudgement against Somerset the Lords were not negligent to entertaine the King with all delights they could deuise partly to winne his fauour but especially to conuert his thoughts from his condemned Vnkle to this end they often presented him with stately masques braue challenges at title and at barriers and whatsoeuer exercises or disports they could coniecture to be best pleasing to him then also he first began to keepe hall and the Christmas time was passed ouer with banquetings masques plaies and much other variety of mirth Often they would call him to serious affaires wherein he tooke especiall pleasure Sometimes they would remember him how dangerous the Duke of Somerset was who hauing made away his only brother contriued the death of the chiefe of the nobility And where say they would his mischiefe haue rested Would it haue raged against all and left the King only vntouched Verily hauing beene alwaies both cruell and false there would haue beene no end of his mischiefe and all his submissions must now be taken for counterfeit and dissembled But his auarice and ambition once remoued the way will be laid open to vertue and merit So about two moneths after his iudgement the 5 th and last act of his tragedie was brought vpon the stage When being so often exposed to fortunes mercy before he was placed by a strong guard vpon a seaffold at tower hill about eight of the clocke in the morning to suffer death albeit straight charge had beene giuen the day before to euery housholder in the citty not to permit any to depart out of their houses before ten of the clocke that day yet the people the more vnruly by this restraint by such thick throngs swarmed to the place that before seauen of the clocke the hill was couered and