known that vsed such lewde practises why quoth Master Drake you are suspected to be one of the number wyth hye words he denied it desiring wher how of whoÌ„ he had bin so touched In generalitie maister Drake told him the opinion of many his own iudgemeÌ„t withal Hinc illae â—â—â—brima maister Halles speeches to him here before recited yet that he had small cause to deeme euil of him forasmuch as he had deliuered theÌ„ in so good sort as he did Two days after being y tenth of March Mallerie came to Hal in Poules and within my hearing charged him very hotely that he had reported him too be a Cousiner of folkes at Mawe Hals answeare was thys Maister George Freuel a geÌ„tlemaÌ„ of my lord of Susser his being by M. Mallerye I neuer sayde so beleue mee for I desire not to haue to do in your causes in any respect I went to Toyes shoppe a Stationer at the signe of the Helmet supposing this matâ—er had bin ended where I sawe togyther Hal Mallerye Freuel and as it were with theÌ„ Maister Robert Audeley a gentlemaÌ„ and fellow to maister Freuel perceiuing theÌ„ to cluster togither like Iohn Grayes birde vt dicitur who always loued company I inclined to vnderstande some more of thâ— matter Mallery vouched that Drake woulde veryfie that Hal had saide as much as hee had charged him with in Poules â–ª wherewith M Hal tolde him that he was assured so much of Master Drakes honestly as he would neuer do it also that he desired Mallery to choose some body else out to shew himselfe on rather than on him for that he desired quietnesse of al meÌ„ wold haue no question with him as froÌ„ whom he could purchase no reputatioÌ„ The same after noone it was my chaÌ„ce to be at Iohn Crokes where there is a bowling alley of the half bowle whether doth repaire many Merchants sundry geÌ„tlemen in a Chamber aboue diuers were at play ther was standing by M. Hal Maister Drake Maister Richarde Rich. M. Mallery and foure or fiue Londoners Mallery called Hal aside tolde that now Maister Drake was there who would to his face affirme what he had giuen out to him of his worde in Poules they two wente to him he tolde Mallerye he had done him and M. Hal wroÌ„g for he neuer reported Hals spéeches in such sort nether could iustly do but that M. Hal did not only giue iudgement of him in euil part but rather semed to excuse or at the least leaue in suspence the euil conceiued opinioÌ„ of him M Hal was patient tho M. Mallery wer hoate and wente his wayes not seeming to heare harde wordes which Mallerie sent after him So teÌ„perate an end was much maruelled at of manye and M. Hal being demaunded what he ment by so much suffraunce answered he was forced to be quiet for as I vnderstode after he was then bound to the peace in no smal summes for troubles in his owne shire wherwith I haue nothing to doe it touches not thys matter Tyl the last of Iune 1574. following nothing happened that I can learne worth the registering betwéene the parties but euil wordes in corners one of another small to the reputioÌ„ of him whoÌ„ they were reported of lesse to him who was the reporter The same day at one Wormes who kept a table beside Fléete bridge in the late house of Courtely curteous Gilbert Walker at dinner time being there present my lord Cromewel M Thomas Farmer Master Finchame Master Boother M. Sidnam Maister Thomas Fisher and others M. Mallerie verye warmely beganne to play with M Hall if such rough pastime may be couÌ„ted play reporting him to be a knaue a foole and a boy and Maister Farmer like himselfe hearing these wordes sayde hee meruayled that Hall should be such a man hardly beleeuing the same bycause hée knewe him aswel as any other present Mallerie followed againe and prayed him to deliuer too Hal hys wordes for quoth he a knaue he is in denying his wordes he vttered of mee to Drake a foole for that the last Parliamente he vsed in the house such spéeches as he craued pardon with protestation abandoning theÌ„ and confessing his folly a boy for that he durst not goe into the fielde with mee Maister Finchame much misliking such extraordinary table talke and that of one absent tho Maister Farmer were appointed to do Malleries message yet did hee determine to giue M. Hall knowledge of the same and comming into Paules â–ª met wyth hym walking there to whom he declared the fore recited spéeches of Mallerie wherewith Hal fetching as it were a great gronâ— sayd Maister Fynchman I am greatly beholding vnto you for this your curtesie and wherin I am able you shal finde me ready to pleasure you But what an vnhappy man am I too haue any question with such a one as he is whose companyâ— I haue alwaies as I might auoyded what iniury is thys to bâ— thus spoken of in open place where I am not to answered but be you wyth indifferent eares iudge what vnkinde dealing this is As for the first part wherein he charges mee to be a knaue for reporting him vntruly to maister Drake and then denying the same I haue witnesse enough how Drake himselfe did in al pointes discharge me to his face of all sinister dealings therein For that I am a foole for matters paste in Parliament I meane no disputations you haue hearde enough thereof But howe fondlye so euer I did behaue my selfe there I suppose it not a fit coÌ„munication for an ordinary table A boy forsooth I am for so it pleaseth M. Mallerie to terme me for not accepting his offer to deale in quarel wyth hym Assuredly on my fidelity hee neuer himself or by other moued any such thing to me if he had I would haue kepte my selfe from the same I trust you take it not for feare but if any gentlemanne of accompte wil accepte the quarell I will so deale as belongs to mee or else confesse M. Mallerye hath wel reported so ending with thankes to Maister FinchmaÌ„ they departed M. Halles stomacke beganne to boyle as some cause he had and more if al had béene true and presently he wente to Maister Farmers lodging whiche was harde by Worms desirous to enquire more exactly of the matter tho Maister Finchams honestie and credite is suche as no doubt were to be made of his report in a farre greater cause Not finding Master Farmer he went into Wormes desirous either to méete with him or M. Mallerye the one for small good will the other for friendship In the dyning roome he founde maister Edwarde Gryuell and maister Butcher and saluting them he demaunded for Farmer thoughe hys errand were as muche to Mallerye they made aunswere he had bin there but now was gone wherewith maister Hall spying thorowe the glasse window my Lord Souche talking with another and supposing it hadde bene M. Mallerie in some hast went into the
hetherto he hath done to hym Also spending more tyme in sportes and following the same than is any way commendable and the lesse bycause I warrant you Non friget ludus for it is â—ine lucro the summes be great are dealte for Thus muche for the firste persone of this Tragedie Now as touching the other whiche was Master Melchisedech Mallerie I neede spende no great time aboute him and that for two causes one for that you knew him in FlauÌ„ders of late time as I could put you in remembraunce by good tokens if I woulde The other for asmuch as God hath taken him and therefore as De absentibus nil nisi bonum so De mortuis nil nisi optimum he was as you know of a good spryte ready tongue in audacitie forwarde what else he was disposed to this needelesse for the causes before recited as I haue partly sayd before Some wise meÌ„ wil meruayle if this come to their handes that I spende my time to wryte to you so long a treatise of so small a matter as of the vnkindnesse or quarel of two so meane Gentlemen therefore thinke I haue litle to do or lesse witte â–ª I haue meruayled oft what the wryters meant to put to our readings the Rounde table knights Beuis of Hampton the Knight of the Swanne the foure sonnes of Amon Amadis Orlando furioso Espandion il Caualleire del sole Valentine and Orson the Greekes Olgarden the Dane a thousand more such tryfling Fables yet do I see many men of iudgement read them some for the tongue and some for the matter reape benefite of both likewise I may not so wholly condemne this my trauell wherein onely truth is reported Durus est sermo some will thinke assuredly no falsifying of any matter of substance neither is my conscience in minimis but as casually men may fault but that a man may profite himselfe in one of the two partes that is for the matter whiche if he well consider he shall finde more than perhap is looked for in so simple a Title there is not so euill a floure but the Bee may gather hony of it Who so desires to be delighted with Eloquence let him spend his time in other store houses for here he shal but loose his labour If you will keepe to your selfe this Letter or rather missiâ—e Pamphlet I shal be assured to auoyde the diuerse verdites of manyfolde iudgements and I am well pleased that you deeme therof as best shal like you See the fruyte of play In the yere 1573. there was one Robert Phillipson who in Lothbery in London kepte a table of xij pence a meale for Gentlemen where the xvj of December the 〈◊〉 ere M. Hall M. Mallorie M Edward Cordall M. 〈◊〉 house my self and diuerse honest Marchants of the towne supped supper ended the dice was throwen on the borde who must pleasure the good man of the house by paying the â—oxe and displease the whole companie by occasions dayly guinitye to so good an exercise the sporte lasted not the throwing oute of euerye bodyes hande aboute the bourde and yet al the companye dyd not playe but M. Mallerie gaue the lye wyth harde wordes in heate to one of the players who either for quietnesse sake or for other cause made smal replye wherevppon M. Mallerie followed as he began I canne yéelde you no reason neither yet if I could wold I for I am reporter now of the truth in al partes and not a declarer of my opinion as a iudge M. Hal séemed to take the matter in hand a thankelesse office for speaking before hee was féed and sayde I maruaile M. Mallerie that where there is suche company which séeme honest you will to the preiudice of their smal reputations vse such vnséemly wordes Mallery made chalenge that he would say so who so euer durst be his contrary Whervpon Hal tickled sware as he wil not sticke to lende you an othe or twoo that for hys gallant challenge it were a good déede being no greater a man for he was but little as you know to throw him oute at the window Here Etna smoked daggers were a drawing one rose from his place the other walked vp and downe they woulde haue gone together but as god would they went not the goodman lamented the case for the slaunder that a quarel should be in his house the rest of the company wished quietnesse and for my parte I found the parties themselues reasonably wel disposed to friendshippe The matter was ended for this fitte with commemoration how well one loued an other as many times of euil beginnings comes worsse ends so now againe on the other side honest and friendly dealings wel ment settes the Towe on fire for in Februarye following Master Rich. Drake a gentleman well bearing himselfe alwayes thou attending vpon my L. of Leicester but now the Quéenes maiestyes seruaunte in ordinarye aduised M. Hall as his friende to take héede to himselfe in playe forasmuch as he had some waies vnderstoode of indirect dealings touching the same and specially for the giuing signes of hys game at Mawe a play at cardes growne out of the country from the meanest into credite at the courte with the greatest Hal toke his friendship in good parte as he had good cause craued withal to shewe whom he mistrusted who as one not making tales on his fingers endes named Melchisedech Mallery as a maÌ„ to be doubted off In troth quoth Hal yesternight he trode on my foote I being at Maw at Mistresse AruÌ„dels the old honorable ordinary table as I may terme it of EnglaÌ„d but what he ment therby I know not I thinke no euil The eight of March after there was at supper at one Iohn Crokes who kept an ordinary table in White crosse streate of twelue pence a meale Maister William Daunsey Maister Drake before named Maister Nicholas Gorge Maister Frauncis Woodhouse M. Hal M. Mallerye aâ—d one or two Marchauntes some of them had bin at oâ—â— sporte some at an other as I hearde theÌ„selues repoâ—t and some shewed openly what cuÌ„ning might be vsed at plâ—â— in the talking wherof I met them coÌ„ming out of the â—ore about ten of the clocke at night Hal being passed not aboue twenty yardes before the rest in the streate homewardes to his lodging discoursing one with an other of the premisses Master Drake detesting such vngentlemanly shifts began to condemne such practises and withal recited what reports went of some noâ— naming any who kept company with the vsual best gentlemen in the town condemning their degenerate kind professing theÌ„selues of the breede in yéelding to so base so abiect shamelesse an occupation as to take the worst parte of al parts of the play in haÌ„d which was to giue by secrete signes notice of his cardes and playe whose good meaning would haue truste a horsekeper with a greater matter At these wordes or such like M. Mallery replyed and sayd that it were good he were
done who determined to go to my lord himself at the rising of the house and so he did My Lorde desired certayne words more to be put in the warrant which the speaker saâ— he would put too in the after noone The Speaker deliuers Dyster the warrant which being broughte to my L. keeper his lordship presently directed two letters one to the Cursitaries of the Chancerie an other to the â—x Clerks The xxvij of the same month for these actions froÌ„ day to day and dayly for the most part now continued The Speaker declared to the whole house what hee had done and the Clerkes of the Chaunceries answer to the L. keper how there was no president to be founde among them in that case wherewith Hall found himselfe grieued in his mans behalfe saying the Attâ—rney of the Dutchie who was a committee to searche the Recordes before knew that well inough and that the Speaker did determine that cause wherby the delayâ— was greate the Speaker replyed and sayde It was not well done so to charge hym for he didde nothyng but what was determined by the house which Hall denyed Master Nidigate wished the liberties to be preserued â–ª Sir Francis Knolles Treasorer of hir Maiesties housholde maister Comptroller and Sir Water Mylde may agreed as muche yet aduisyng recompense to bee hadde Maister Popham and mayster Norton could not brooke that executions should be dispensed withall â–ª Sir Henry Kneuet vnripped parte of maister Malleries behauiour to maister Hall 〈◊〉 consideration to be thought 〈◊〉 for that Mallerie dydâ—â— touche Hall for speeches in that house as you haue hearde before place not meete to be tabbered of the execution he â—huft beâ—â— continue with the sergeant til further deliberation Accordingly he was brought to the barre but not by the sheriffes for they seemed to good to execute that office two sergeaÌ„ts serued the turne and as you haue heard it decreed so was it done M Recorder ran harde on that string that Smalley should yelde himself that he should cautelously deale indirectly with that place praying breathing in the matter and tho they had passed in the cause as is recited yet they shold not doubt vpon good occasion to reuerse the iudgement they had past producing a president hapned in a Parliament wherin he was which fel out in a bil for the Uintners of London It was so that they labored for a statute to passe touching wines whiche was to be red argued in the after noon on the Saterday Many of the Parliament were that day at diner feasted by them Their good chere ended to counsell they goe Bacchus spake in the parliament as the sequele doth declare for his ministers the Uintners what more the lawe had free passage It was but a dare betweene as master Recorder said a Monday morning they found a fault with their Saterdays after noone work and made no bones aduisedly to dash that which 〈◊〉 Uinteners good chere had vnadâ—â—sedly caused them to 〈◊〉 late a satâ—rday this tale and 〈…〉 no 〈◊〉 CoÌ„mittees were appointed for the examination of the maâ—ter and recompeÌ„ce to be had to Mallerie The whole counsell of the house â–ª who were Maister Treasorer M. Comptroller sir Thomas Smith and maister Frauncis Walsingham Secretaries â—ir Raulâ—e Sadler Chauncellor of the Dutchie of Lancaster 〈◊〉 Walter Mildmaye my Lorde Russel â–ª sir Henry 〈◊〉 also with them Mayster Hatton Mayster Louelace their place of meeting was the Checker Chamber the time the seconde of the next Monethe whiche was the Wednesdaye after The Speaker by 〈…〉 we not 〈◊〉 of the house 〈…〉 he deliuered from the Sergeant vpon M. Halles words for his foorth comming wheÌ„ he shuld be required it 〈◊〉 conseÌ„ted to Tha. â—â— of March in the 〈…〉 by what meanes 〈…〉 I haue enquired of who wer sir Owen HoptoÌ„ sir Nic. Arnold sir Wil. Winter M. doctor WilsoÌ„ master of the requests M. PophaÌ„ M. Colby M. Croke M. Norton In the aâ—ter noon in the escheker chaÌ„ber came togither maister Tresorer M. Mildmay M. Hatton Sir Henry Kneuet sir Nic. Arnold sir Owen HoptoÌ„ sir Wil. Winter M. Louelace M. Wilson M. PophaÌ„ M. Colby M. Croke M. Norton toward the euening M. Comptroller Hal declared vnto theÌ„ that he marueled to see so many coÌ„mittees in the cause wherin he was a partie they to be named without his coÌ„sent he specially toke exceptioÌ„s to M. Norton who was wel plesed to depart But M. Mildmay told M. Hal ther was none there wold be ruled by him wher vpoÌ„ he kept his place In the beginning of Hals spech to the coÌ„mittees for the appoyntyng of them one with some choler saide hespake not truly A hard word you know among some precise gaâ—ders in forain places sufficient as you haue seen it to make Hal far forget himself but proceding he declared the occurreÌ„ts betwene M. Melchise 〈◊〉 Mallerie and him whiche he did but lightly passe ouer bâ—cause he was dead so coÌ„ming to the dealings since he deliuered theÌ„ as you haue herd theÌ„ mentioned therfore I think it nedlesse to repete theÌ„ again M. Andrew Mallerie folowed vrging his brothers hurt his charges his arestings his death denying part of Halles allegations protesting Smalley was arested agoinst his wil forcing cautele fraud at lest to be in him if not also in his master at whom he glanced diners times with terms might wel haue bin left as M. Mildmay M. Wilson did aduise him The Secondaries of the two CouÌ„ters M. Mosley M. Christoffer were examined vpon their 〈◊〉 apart some of the sergeaÌ„ts Mosleis men others also Smaley who vpon the interrogatories confessed he knew Kertleton that he was his masters scholemaster 〈◊〉 he was willing inough to be arested bicause he wold haue his sureties discharged he was demaunded whether M. Hal was priuie to the Scholemaisters doings his or no in 〈◊〉 wherto he asked whether they wold haue hym accuse his mayster answer of sufficient importance to bring suspition of hym whether hee had bene a partener in the 〈…〉 Mildmays and some others verye honorably coÌ„fessed it should be extraordinary proceeding and therefore dealt no further therein beyng very late aboute seuen of the clocke are they rose they deferde theyr finall resolution what they would awarde Mallerie till the next morning which they would agrée on in the Treasury chamber at theyr rising Hal was very inquisitiue of some of the Comittees who were most his friendes and contraries in the matter and was certified more than I would he had bene and more than I will put in wryting Tho nothing were done but with wise and graue consideration the vnkindnesse was and may be conceiued can do no good I saw him enter into the chamber the CoÌ„mittees vpon earnest talke from whome some wordes were ouer harde which might be wrested to be spoken of great affection against him he followed M Hatton to the Courte shewyng him that he gathered there were
cockpitte yarde too him and séeing my Lorde putting off his cappe lefte him and stil restlesse in hys minde he retournes to Poules where hee méetes Maister Farmer of whoÌ„ he receiues as much as Maister FinchaÌ„ deliuered and so much more as it is straunge that any man shoulde haue the disposition to vtter At Maister Frauncis Woodehouse lying in Charter house Churche yarde at a lodging of my Lorde Pagettes and there mette that nyght at supper maister George Cheworth maister Farmer maister Fincheam and maister Roberte Bale where Malleries wordes were againe recited Supper ended Hall went forthe in some soddaine being required earnestlye to tarye but hee promising partly to retourne departed and finding three of his men at the dore as in very deede he hathe kepte more than his abilitie as it is thoughte is able thoughe he had more in the Towne who were slacker in attendaunce with them whose names were Edward Smalley Iohn Nicholas Henry Woodward he went to Wormes found in the place Maister Butcher Maister Fisher and others and at tables M Mallerie playing wyth Mayster Iohn Spenser sonne and heire to sir Iohn Spenser and drawing his dagger mente as hee saith too haue stroke M. Mallerie therewith on the face thoughâ— his backe were towarde him Mallerie hauyng a glaunce of hys hande bowed downe hys heade crying oute wherewith M. Hall beeing readye too haue followed wyth an other blowe he was helde the house growyng full as with my Lorde Souche many Gentlemen and other by the noise of the struggeling and Malleries crye in whiche time so recouering hymselfe drue his dagger and mighte as easilie haue slayne M. Hall beeing in handes as hee hadde pleased but what was his staye god onelye knowes M. Hall seeing himselfe in this daunger and his dagger also in that moment wrested out of his handes wyth greate furis saide wil you holde me while I am murdered â–ª with that his three men not knowing any part of the quarrel came in of the which Iohn Nicholas hauing his dagger drawen stroke ouer his Maisters head to haue hit Mallerie hee stouping downe before M. Hal scaped the blowe sauing a smal cut in the backe part of his skul with the pointe the hilts light on his Maisters pate with the part of the blade next y same cutte his forehead M. Mallerie would haue runne out of the doore but Woodward hauing his sword drawen knew not whoÌ„ to strike made hym doubt The bloud fel faâ—â— in M. Hals eyes so that with the company and the want he was quiet yet wiping the same out as fast as he could he had a sight of M. Mallerie and taking one of his mens daggers â—â—oÌ„ theÌ„ was pressing to Mallerie who with a great shreke ranne with al speede out of the doores vp a paire of Stayres there alofte vsed moste harde wordes againste M. Hal as are before recited moreouer auouching he was a traytor in déede left nothing out which might almost be to the preiudice of any honest mans good fame and that in the bearing of Sir Iohn Conway Worme the good man of the house others My lord Souche vsed some hote spéeche too M. Hal as hee was a dressing for y he vsed such disquietnes in his lodging but sir Iohn Conway did very worshipfully satisfie my Lorde so that no matter grew therof Among the reste I remember that M. Hal smarting in being drest aduised the surgion to vse him wel saying he was beholding to his hornes that the wound was not greate there was that remembred the olde prouerbe that it was not good iesting with edge tooles The nexte day being the firste of Iuly M. Mallerie was at dinner at Wormes and therfore his hurt was not very great where maister FinchaÌ„ was c. there he gaue it out that he carryed a reuenging mind would be reuenged on Maister Hal if he could take him at any aduantage To veryfie such meaning Master Edward RaÌ„dal of London sente M. Hal worde that M. Mallerie hadde affirmed that he would shew him an Italian tricke intending therby to do him some secret vnloked for mischiefe Til the sixth of this month M. Hal lay at Maister Frauncis Woodhouse his house not being fit to goe abroade for his hurte but with a mufle in maner halfe ouer his face yet vpon busines he had in the countrie of Lincolneshire where he dwels he toke hys iorney thitherward that same day hiring post horses taking with him one Roger Moore seruaÌ„t to master Wodhouse wâ—â— was very fiâ— in a maner acquainted with the dressing of such hurts as M. Hals was In his absence M. Mallerie reported that he was gone out of the towne disguised toke none of his owne men with him bycause he wolde not be knowne howe hymselfe lay to meete him by the waye as indéede he did mist the knowledge of him and in diuerse open places offred teÌ„ pounde to any man could bring him into the fielde that hée might try the cause The 22. of Iuly M. Hal came to London where hee hadde knowledge of many of M. Malleries defamations of him yet that time so serued for it it had pleased their noble good mindes my lords the Erle of Sâ—ssex and Leicester to accept in matching at shoting M. Hal that he directed himselfe to attend on their honors the time of the progresse to perfourme the matches set downe betweene theÌ„ and therefore with asmuch spéede as as he could he dispatched his businesse to that purpose which soner he had done wyth fulfilling of his duty if his forehead had bin ful hoale The second of August he went to the Courtward at Sudley the house of the Lord Shaundoys late disceased now that old Ladies ioynture he found hir maiestie so remained til his highnesse came to Winchester where leauing the courte the 14 of SepteÌ„ber he came to his own home into the couÌ„try At Mychelmasse terme following he came vp to London and so continued M. Mallerie and he many tims in sight one of another and no harme done but fatum is ineuitabile else Troy perhap had stoode so it might haue bin this stage shewe had not made so many laugh Of all dayes in the yeare it was the 29. of Nouember M. Hal dyned at Iames Lumelius in Bishops gate streate the son as it is sayde of old M. Dominicke borne at Genoa of the losse of whose nose there goes diuers tales but tho he waÌ„ted a piece there he waÌ„ted nether honesty nor sensible good iudgement And coÌ„ming by master Arundels lying in his way to his lodging for the men who owe money in Cheapside like not alwaies to be pluckte by the sleue and therfore toke Sainte Martines the next way from Bishops gate to Pater noster Row he found at dice master Anthony Rush master Drake master Iasper More master Beniamin Hanam and master Rich. Gréene and fel to do as the rest hauing tryed the pastime a while
together master Drake left the rest continued in which time came M. Mallerye vppe and pressed nere M. Hall who was throwing the dice who seing his hawâ—â—e gate couÌ„tenaÌ„ce pluckt off his gowne froÌ„ his right arme hauing a short gowne of veluet on threw his chauÌ„ce out Mallerie went thorow the rowme out of the vpper dore as he had had to do with some Gentleman in his chamber in the house wherewith Maister Drake came to Hal and sayde you stande in doubte of him he answered no but least he strike when I am otherwise occupied quoth he tende your play mistrust not that I will minde him He had no sooner spoken the worde but Mallerie returned Hall styl throwing the dyce with his hande on his dagger pressed forward Master Drake stoode betweene them both whiche Mallorie perceyuing or whether he woulde not disquiet the companie went to the ende of the borde it being square and vsed the same behauiour and then with the countenance he entred the house he departed M. Hall assoone as he had ended his throw left play and commyng into the hall met Smaley his man to whom he saide Iesus can you not knocke the boyes head and the wall together sith he runnes a bragging thus Smaley made answere he had not seene him with this Iohn Nicholas who had hurte Hal his Master as you haue heard began somwhat to be sory that he had not done asmuch as was spoken of and swore he should haue it Wherevpon M. Hal charged them in any case not to hurte him with any weapon but if he sought any matter to cuffe him aboute the eares saying for the rest I my selfe will take order To Powels M. Hal comes finding in the Churche M. Roger Townesende M. Thomas Farmer and Master Frauncis Woodhouse with whom walking he declared M. Malleries behauiour at Arundels in the midst of whose speech Mallorie entred the Church and passing twice or thryse by Hal with great lookes and extraordinarie rubbing him on the elbowes with spurnyng three or foure times a Spaniel of M. Woodhouses following his maister and maister Hal Iohn Nicholas went out of the Churche at the weste dore and so did a pretie while after him into the Churchyarde M. Townesende and M Woodhouse who both entred a bookesellers shoppe to looke on Bookes M. Mallerie with his maÌ„ after him went out at the same dore Nycholas spying Mallerie past him â–ª hasted after ere he came to the two stoupes as ye goe to Ludgate stept before him wherwith Mallerie drew his rapier and bad his man take him to his sworde and buckler whiche both were done Nycholas his sworde not yet being out a fewe blowes they dealt togither they two vpon Hals man who they put in such daunger might haue done more if they had wel set themselues to it as M. Townesende Woodhouse were aboute to will same of their men to goe to his reskew but at the instant Edward Smalley drewe to his fellow and strikyng at M. Mallerie cut him downe the chéeke and so the play was marde Also after Smalley came one Iames Chamber a seruaunt of M. Hals who likewise drew his sworde and his Maister charging hym therewith he did proteste he did it to saue M. Mallerie froÌ„ more hurte and to part the busines Smalley returnes into Poules and laughing came to his Master telling how he had giuen him a boyes marke â–ª wherewith M. Hal was greatly offended beshrewyng hym very earnestly Iohn Nycholas was taken by the Conestable and M. Hyggins the Seriuener being bouÌ„d for him he was deliuered After supper M. Hal came to Mistres Arundels where Master George Scot toke him aside and demaunded of him whether he were pryuie to M. Malleries hurte he answeared of his fidelitie and credite no but was more sory for it yet withall that he had ought him a worsâ—e turne but not to haue bene in that â—orte yet quoth he what is done cannot be vndone therfore now it must be borne off with the head and shoulders And that if any Gentleman will defend his cause I will so answeare hym as shal be accepted of and tho my men haue done that which with all my hart I wishe vndone yet may I not refuse them nether will withall he told M. Scotte much of M. Malleries dealings to him warde with offer to proue them by men of worship and credite so that M. Scotte seemed satisfied very friendly aduised M. Hal to take heede to himself whom he greatly thanked for his good warning tho he answered he mistrusted no harme The first of DeceÌ„ber M. Mallerie for his hurt had the aduise of M. Silua a Piemontois a practiser in Physicke Surgerie to whom he vttered such thoÌ„dering spéeches against M. Hal such heauie threates that M. Silua mistrusted some great coÌ„sequent would folow being very often with the L. Katherine Dutchesse of Suffolke where diuerse of M. Hals name kinred be many times coÌ„uersant some attendant on hir as a bountyfull wel wisher to the whole family declared to hir the danger he conceyued was contriued against M. Hal she very honorably gaue him notice thereof yet in part did condemne the hurting of M. Mallerie for that some vntruthes touching the same had sounded in hir eares The iij. of December M. Hal late in the euenyng being at M. Howe 's house a goldsmith in Cheapeside his men atteÌ„ding at the dore Smalley was arrested at M. Malleries suyte of an action of the case the damages a thousand markes for his hurt his Master desired M. Henry Gilbert a Goldsmith next by M. How to stande bounde for him which most willingly they did as persones to whome not onely at this time but at al other occasions M. Hal had greatly bene beholding During this pastime M Hal had great warning to haue respect to himself wheras he was oft to passe betweene LoÌ„don his house in the Countrie the iiij â–ª of December M. Drake very frieÌ„dly told him he had heard speeches which were that he should hardly recouer his owne home when he should returne for such as lay in the way for him The next day after M. WilliaÌ„ Hill one Walter seruant to Worme gaue M. Hal to vnderstand how M. Mallerie had with great protestation vowed to slea him Tho these parces must needes be disquietnesse to the persone of whose death so many determinations were giuen out yet surely I found M. Hal made vertue of necessitie what soeuer he thought he shewed he bare the mater light The xviij of December the Courte being at Hampton maister Hal supt at maister Comptrollers Sir Iames Croftes then and now holding the office where was my L. Talbote my L. Northe Sir Henry Sidney now Lord deputie of Irelande M. Gilbert Talbot M. Henry Grey and M. Thomas Cornwallis with others as my selfe c. After supper the Comptroller and the Lordes going to the presence M. Corwallis in the court where the Conduyte
prisoner and discharge thy suerties Chambers hastely answeared no that he should not whereat M. Mosley was offended and therewith followed Smalley and sayde he would not so do M. Mosley perswaded him to sue to Mallerie for agreâ—ment â—e answeared he had so done and caused it to be broken to the Iudges and that they did make no ende Mosley then coÌ„maunded the Sergeant to the arrest bidding him shew his mace the Sergeant demaunded wherefore M. Mosley gaue him the warrant and read it which done and Smalley arrested Mosley tolde him he was now in a good case to rotte in pryson and loose his eares The Iudges were this afternone to heare what was done touching the laste proceedings and therefore Smalley as a prysoner was had in Guyldhall to attend the comming of them M. Hal came also thether and tolde Mosley that he had done his man wrong to arrest him he beyng of the Parliament who séeming sory therefore excused him self by ignorance and that hee woulde not haue so done for I can not tell howe muche if hee had had notyce thereof M. Hall alledged that he had sente to the Counter to declare the same one of his owne menne beyng in the office when it was done and one Thomas Ulmes an officer also He perswaded talke to be had betweene the Malleries and M. Hall they beyng in the place but greate harte woulde not suffer the parties to meete for betweene curtesie who shoulde beginne prowde menne looked one on an othâ—r till the Iudges came who sette the prysoner was brought in M. Mosley declaryng the exceptions Hal tooke that his man was arrested and desired some ende bycause he was lothe to haue the matter brought in question in the house confessing that Smalley did not willingly yeelde him selfe the administratour was demaunded for by M. Harper who not appearing Andrew Mallerie answeared he had his Atturney and him selfe was he M. Harper asked whether he woulde take execution or no breathing a whyle he sayde if he shoulde refuse it he had no remedie and therefore he must accept it M. Manhoode moued some ende betwéene the parties alledging that the cause was motioned to them bothe before this for that purpose M. Hall sayde that he remayned the man he was and did condiscende thereto so that they woulde very shortly deale therein M. Mallerie also agreed prouided that Hall shoulde not proceede touching the liberties of the Parliament in the meane tyme The next day was appointed for the hearing in Sergeants Inne in Chancerie Lane of all matters touching this question and were compromitted to M. Iustice Harper and M. Iustice Manhood Smalley tooke vp his lodging in the Counter in Woodstreat accordyng to appoyntment the parties mette in M. Sergeant Harpers chamber Andrew Mallerie bringyng with him his brother Richard where M. Hall laying for himselfe the excessiue damages the Iurie gaâ—e and the benefite of the Parliament whiche he meant to trie withall the meane estate of his man the partie also being dead perswaded consideration to be had and the inconsiderate largesse of the liberall Iurie to be mitigated by the iust and conscionable dome of so graue vmpeers M. Andrewe Mallerie did aggrauate the hurting of his brother his often molâ—station by arrestes his charges in the suyte the great delayes therein the daunger Smalley and his fellowes stoode in for the Inditement the aduantage was had for the breach of the recognisance not omitting the question might be made for the death of his brother who died within the yeare after his hurt many speeches paste what woulde be giuen and what accepted M. Hal came to a hundred poundes for the ending of all controuersies tho for the death of Mallerie he made no recâ—ening neyther yet tooke any care for the Inditement The Iustices moued M. Hal to a 〈◊〉 and twentie pounde and woulde willingly haue had him 〈◊〉 to a hundred and ten pounde which he refused laying therfore that the whole condemnation was but a huÌ„dred foure pound and two shillings Thus time spent and nothing done the Chamber court brake vp till the 〈◊〉 M. Hall looked whether his offer would be accepted that mornyng brake the matter of arrest to M. Robert â—el the speaker before he weÌ„t in who willed him to moâ—â— the house thereof which at his comming in he did It was agreed he â—houlde way till the companie were ful shortly after M. Hal tooke this master in hande declaring as much 〈…〉 wherewith 〈…〉 Grant the sergeant and Huyt should 〈…〉 before them the nexte morow According to 〈…〉 Sergeant attended but the other not M. 〈…〉 that the Sergeant was 〈◊〉 〈…〉 had arrested Smalley by Mosleys commaundement declaring worde for word the whole matter at the couÌ„ter and in Mosleys house as ye haue hearde There were appointed by the house sir Nicholas Arnold sir Owen Hopton and Sergeant Louelace committées to examine and searche out the whole dealings of the cause After dinner the two knightes came to Maister Louelace his chaÌ„ber in Chancerie lane at SergeaÌ„ts Iâ—ne the place apointed for the conference wyth whome was also Maister Hall. The speaker sente to the Committées praying them to come to his chamber whiche they did in the Temple there they founde hymselfe Sir Wyllyam Winter mayster Popham a Lawyer and mayster Roberte Snagge maister Mosley confessed hee had caused Smalley to bee arrested and layde nothing for himselfe but that hee knewe not M. Hal to be of the house it was answered him he ought to take notice thereof hymselfe it was proued thereby Thomas Ulmes one of the Counter that Iames Chambers had before the arrest giuen knowledge at the Counter of the same Mosley forced muche that Smalley yelded himselfe yet was it proued that he demaunding him the same question hee aunswered he would not bycause there was some speeche of cantelous dealyng in the matter and that not wholy clearyng M. Hal to suche as are more curious to spye a moate in an other mans eye than a greate blocke in their owne and will not sticke to spende greate time to defame men with vntruthes and no peece of an houre to consider their owne wantes M. Hall declared to the Committées howe hee hadde sente to the Counter worde of his beeing a member of Parliament had caused Smalley to repaire with his letter to the Clerk of the house for a writte of priuiledge howe after the arreste hee was content to put the matter to comprimise and offered a hundred poundes where the whole condempnation was but C.iiij pounde .ii. â— how six pound more had whisht all how after hee staied from the .xi. of the moneth wherein no order was taken till the .xv. of the same aspecting some good ende and giuing the Malleries tyme to breathe sufficiently The Speaker and maister Louelace verye desyrous the matter shoulde be talked of againe the next daye and the rather by cause the Malleries were not nowe there but shoulde haue warning against that time and probâ—e shoulde be
made for agreement tho vnwillingly maister Hall agreed thereto Accordingly in the Speakers chamber where met M. Hopton no more of the committees there were M. Popham M Dalton M. Ploden who was no parliament man Master Andrew Mallerie and his brother was moued to agreement The speaker offeryng him fiftye pounde but not hearing on that syde with determination to declare to the house their doings the next morning the company seuered In the morning in the voyd place before the ParliameÌ„t dore M. Hopton M. Arnold M. Louelace called M. Mallerie to theÌ„ who would haue no lesse than a hundred pounds for the execution and the other matters to determine as law might Hal wold none of that to the committees laboring in vaine deferre the cause to the iudgement of the house yet such billes were in hand as there was no conuenient time to make the report The .20 day M. Louelace declared directly to the house their whole doing touching the arrest whervpon M. Hal folowed crauing consideration of the cause alledging that if the Queenes ordinarie seruants souldiors in garrison men with protections granted from the Prince had greate freedome from arrestes whiche no man coulde denye howe muche more shoulde â—he members of that house haue priuiledge And wheras it was vrged of some that it was against lawe to deliuer a man of an execution and therfore the partie therin coulde not be deliuered but that the playntife shoulde be punished by imprisonment Hal declared that that was no sufficient mendes saying that one might make a letter of attâ—rney to an abiect in respect of the arresting of diuers knights and burgesses of the house vpon statutes which are executions of themselues to which they must obey leane their countrey vnserued and the worker therof to bee imprisoned a small penance for so greate a fault no recouerie to the partie wronged by the offence nor sufficient punishment to the carelesse preferrer of his owne priuate profite before the whole and vniuersall benefite of the Common wealth Maister Comptroller sir Iames Crofte repugâ—â—d Halles speeche M. Recorder in verie auncient presidents whâ—riâ— he is â—el seen hauing red much stoode fast for the liberties of the house maister Frauncis Alford master Sentpoole masâ—er Binbâ—â—g Maister Nidigale soundly followed on What moued him I know not onlesse some report brought him M. Hall should vse of a neere mere frende of his whiche as I haue heard Hall protest most assuredly hee neuer thoughte of so are they better ouerslipped than put in writing M. Speaker desired leaue to shewe his opinion which graunted he aduised the house to haue regard to their doing and not to proceede to the discharging of an execution against law which if they should doe the Iudges would rule them ouer which he shuld be loth to see M. Bricket replyed to him saying that they wer not to be ruled â—uer by any in those cases but others to be directed by theÌ„ The speaker wold haue had the matter deferred which would not be theÌ„ he moued whether M. Hal shuld depart the house bicause he seemed to be a partie the most were of opinion yea and so he went forth The question was put whether Smalley should be deliuered of his execution or no the yea was the greater yet must the house be deuided and so was it found In the afternoon M. Hal went to the speaker to the TeÌ„ple with whome he found no body but 〈◊〉 Hal his man and among other talk praying his man might be deliuered he told him that he meruailed that he delt so extraordinarily against him as to craue leaue to speake in the preiudice of the priuiledge he semed to be moued therwith and said he had done no more thaÌ„ he might which he wold do and that M. Hall did not well so to take exceptions to him â–ª He aunswered he had not seene the like before and therfore toke it vnkindlye With this M. Bowyer the Sergeant came in and had M. speakers man goe out M. Speaker affirmed that M. Louelace had fauorably reported the matter and not as it was whyche if it hadde faln out for hym to doe the consequente woulde haue ben other wyse In â—he he could take no order for the deliuerance of Smalley forasmuch as the maner how he shuld be discharged was not determined in the house but aduised Maister Hall to moue the Parliament of it and he should be heard confessing that Mallerie for his wilfulnesse hadde well deserued to loose his execution if it had ben muche more Hall offeryng hym so largely The nexte day Hall called vpon his mans busynesse there were appointed maister Saint Poole mayster Recorder maister Sackford maister of the Requestes maister Bromley Atturney of the Dutchie and master Roberte Snagge to meete at the Rolles in the after noone and to make searche howe the iudgement of the house shoulde be executed whether by writte or by the mace wyth the Sergeant Accordingly maister Bromley made reporte of their trauayle alledging they coulde fynde no president where any were deliuered by writte vppon an execution but vppon arrestes dyuers It was agreed the Speaker should directe a warraunt to my Lorde keeper of the great seale Sir Nicholas Bacon to make a writte for the enlarging of the prisoner and that maister Hall should goe to my Lorde and bee sworne that Smalley was his man After diner he attended at Suffolke place where my Lorde laye of whome my Lorde demaunded what his mannes name was who was in execution Hall aunswered Edward Smalley the booke being held my Lord asked hym whether he knewe Edwarde Smalley or no which he did whether he were his man or no whiche hee was Howe long Three or foure yeares whether he was attached before the Sessions of the Parliament or since Since was sworne My Lorde very honorably vsed maister Hall and hade him farewel who presently repaired to the Speakers chamber at the Temple whom he found at Supper and with him maister Sandes mayster Norton Parliament men maister Onsley the Clerk master Câ—nisby Hall told the Speaker he was sworn whervpon he directed master Onsley to make a warrant to be sent to the Chancerie for the writ to discharge the arrest Onsley required master Hal to send him a note of the procedings therin by the which he might the more particularly pen it The notice giueÌ„ to the chaÌ„cerie for this writ Hall sent by Iames Chambers his seruant to master Diâ—ters office who denied he had any president in the like case yet with him repaired to master Garth also a Chauncerie officer to whome this matter was french not beeing acquainted at any tyme with the like he sought out maister Couper who durst not deale in so extraordinarie a cause To my Lord keper he goes who answered he was not to receiue messages from the house by any body but by the speaker and willed that he shoulde come to him The next morning Hall made relation to maister Speaker what had bin
some difference shoulde be had and lighter hande layed on hym than the seruaunt whose faulte was not venyable M. Comptroller with no lesse grauitie than good conscience and as muche experience as yeares coulde giue aduised no further procéeding the more to perswade he brought foorth the dealings of considerate Princes who hauing what is conuenient to be obtayned be not to scrupulous of needelesse consequences he had no sooner done but with the reste of the Councell Master Hatton and others of the house hee departed to White hall to the Lordes aboute a Commitee At whiche tyme M. Hatton wisshed M. Hall to procure the cause to be stayed till theyr returnes Sir Henry Kneuet was very full whose good minde might not broke as he tooke it suche harde measure he dealt not as a changelyng one day in one sorte and the nexte in an other but as you haue hearde denied punishment of the Seruaunt and much lesse of the Maister in the beginnyng of his speeche The Speaker woulde needes put a question whether Hall shoulde auoyde the house or no away hee muste lette hym hereafter take heede of speakyng agaynst London minstrelles Master Harrington and M. Leyton dyd hym no good staying the vtteryng of what he meante to speake as you hearde for after he neuer had conuenient occasion for the purpose M. Winter had not bene at Anticyra hys choller and melancholie was not purged the fayling of his voyce was shewe sufficient of the affection of hys minde many woordes to aggrauate the matter some ordinary as in suche cases but some otherwise auouchyng that Hall as the day before in the afternone was at Arundels at dyce and therfore the house abused in that it was there reported hee was sicke whiche as hee had of heare say as him selfe confessed so did he roue at randone Further comming to bryng in question how Mallerie was hurte by Halles man he wisshed the Maister alwayes not to commaunde that acte to be done by his seruaunt whiche him selfe durste not doe Durus sermo and specially of his mouth who as he is knowen to be of sufficient courage so ought not to coÌ„dâ—mne a Gentleman of pusillanimity who he neuer trâ—ed for his wordes can no lesse importe M. Fraunces Alforde whome M. Winter had touched in parte of his tale for saying M. Hall was sicke the day before desired the answearing of him in whose speech M Snagge did somewhat intermeddle but as M. Alforde lackes no sufficiency in his arguments he deales with so hath he audacitie answeareable to deliuer his opinion maugre interruption He charged M. Winter that his spéech did declare his affected minde him selfe also for the zeale to equity and fauour to his friende M. Hâ—ll did offende in the same kinde by his owne open confessioÌ„ he disswaded the punishment he aduised al men to suppose that one Gentleman durst do asmuch as an other that of all others M. Hal was not to be touched for any collation laying downe his large offers and direct vsages his man as little in séeking to discharge his suerties a parte deseruyng prayse rather than misdéeming that the officers should themselues haue looked not to touche any belongyng to that assembly that the administrator should worthely lose his execution for volenti non fit iniuria if any wrong was done he was the cause of it M Norton and many others were of contrary minde perswading the punishment of the Scholemaister who is named heretofore M. Sentpoole M. Digges M. Dannet M. Iohn Talbot others followed M. Alforde especially for cléeryng M. Hall and the Scholemaster and also left not that parte of M. Winters tale vnansweared wherein he made mention of the hurting of Mallerie M. Beale tooke of his coÌ„science Hal was guilty of the fault before they came to the question it grew very late and darke being past seuen of the clocke many would haue departed the dore was kepte by commandement of the Speaker Sir Owen Hopton M. Bricket and M. Dalton moued eyther an ende to be made of al those causes sith the money should be payde or els to deferre the whole till the house was full they would not be hearde wherefore they all standing with more disorder than I must touch so graue a Councell with the Speaker presents two questions the first whether Smalley should to the Tower thether must he the secoÌ„d whether Kertleton the Scholemaister must drinke of the same cup or no the iudgement was doubtfull the diuisioÌ„ of the house was desired but whether latenesse lacke or wil was the cause I know not with many disconteÌ„ted minds it is ruled ouer that the yea was the greater I am sure the Clarke coulde not see to enter iudgemeÌ„t diuers of M. Hals friends came to him he beyng without at the dore finding themselues greatly grieued with the euents and at theyr wits endes what direction to appoynt wherewith I shall not forget him he repeted two verses vsed by Aeneas in great extremitie the one Troy al in flame and past hope of recouery and the other in extreeme hunger and misery happened in his search of Italie Vna salus victis nullam sperare salutem that is quoth he for me For you Durate vosmet rebus seruate secundis He yeelded them great thankes whose fauors so liberally vsed toward him did answeare more contentement thaÌ„ the aduerse hap misliking he was aduised to make vertue of necessitie to yeelde when as there was no other remedy he first lamented to be euill spoken of in that auditory hauing by his large offers shewed sufficieÌ„tly the small regarde he had to a hundred pound to be iniured by the deceased Mallerie and that in so hie a degree his man wounding hym to be so deepely condemned considering the euidence the debt grew of nothing disbursed to be payde to an administrator whereby no penny to Malleries creditors should be answeared that being discharged of the execution by the house and consenting to pay a hundred pound for the quieting of al causes his two men should be coÌ„mitted to the Tower that he and others requesting but time to haue the company full coulde not obtayne so reasonable a sute that the dore was kepte that the house might not be deuided beyng desired and that as he sayde it might be termed opâ—s tenebrâ—rum being in the afternone waÌ„ting time to enter the decree These spâ—eches passed from him with great heate saying he would dryue out one extremitie with an other he seemed to be touched at the quicke protesting he was not able to beare the opprobrie his contâ—aries woulde in corners spreade abroade he séemed to make light of ten times the value of the money tho it were not his ease to pay it so great accompt of the recited premisses as it was told him by them that wished him well that a Princes hart with a poore mans habilitie was an ill medley that coÌ„tinuall kicking wil make the backe ake many enemies bréede disquietnes takyng leaue one of
another in the Palace he plucking his hatte about his eares mumbling the olde wiues Pater noster departed M. Hal had scarcely entred his owne lodging in litle Woodstreate but the Sergeants man was there to summon him Smalley and Kertleton tomorrow to be at the house to whom answere was made they were not Domi Hal gaue commaundement to his folkes to denie his being at home if any came to enquire for him the next day in the afternone the same case was againe argued wherin M. Comptroller Sir Henry Kneuet M. Hatton others fauorably moued for M. Hall and his people â–ª it was sette downe Smalley the Scholemaster must to the Tower but shortly to be deliuered that the SergeaÌ„t should leaue worde at Hals house for the bringyng in of the parties if he neglected the same to proceede with further consultation accordingly SoÌ„monance were giuen the day folowing no man appearing from Hal they tooke in very euill parte among whome M. Louelace thought he was much abused declaring how long he wayted for him to acknowledge the recognizaunce and to see the order of the house performed betweene the Malleries and him 500 markes fine by his consent is litle inough to be set on his head for this contempt A great cantell to be cut out of so small a lose as Halles is that he should by Parliament be disabled for euer to be of that Councell â–ª a harde Censure but motions be no lawes if they had bene nether would the losses haue bene irrecouerable nor the wounde past helpe of surgery Agreed it was that once againe warning should be left for these hiders of themselues and if they woulde not be seene the house should proceede to iudgement The day after M. Hall was perswaded by many of his very good frendes to procurâ— Smalleys appearance which in no case he would be brought to till he was charged that he gaue his worde for his forth-coÌ„ming at al times when he should be demauÌ„ded also that his imprisoÌ„ment should be no loÌ„ger thaÌ„ during the ParliameÌ„t he stoode too wilful in his own determination yet answering those two poynts that he vndertooke for Smalleys appearance So the vij of this moneth at which time iudgemeÌ„t was giuen against him vpon the Sergeants notice he brought him to the house there attended the rising thereof And for his short imprysonment he doubted as the sequele declared he had good cause affirming he would neuer haue condescended to the Awarde of 100 pound but for the shutting vp of al questioÌ„s In the morning M. Recorder brought a bil into the house wherein it should haue bene enacted that Hal should pay the 100. pound to be turned out for a wrangler for euer beâ—ng member of that assemble But multa cadunt inter poculum supremaque labra for at that very instant worde was brought Smaley was at the dore Yea quoth M. Recorder I thought of some suche matter for I gaue knowledge to Mistres Hall of this geare this morning I doubted not but she would sende hir maÌ„ I marâ—ell how he could hit so right but as women be vaineglorious so can they not abide such an infamy to fall to theyr husbandes he doubted not but that M. Hal was as some wiser men than he are content many times to be aduised by theyr wiues Smalley brought from his Master a letter to the house which being deliuered to the Speaker he brake vp red to him self after openly well taken saying he had thought the direction had bene to him I cannot thinke the Speaker so vnaduised but somewhat he meant thereby whiche I know not the Copy therof followeth worde for worde To the Parliament house the seuenth of February 1575. RIght honorable and worshipful my duty mâ—st humbly remembred toward you al I â—am right sory being a member of you who â—aue bent my poore good will towarde the â—ruice of my country among you in all â—outh and plainenesse that vpon opinion â—ceued of me otherwise than I haue giueÌ„â—ause in knowledge of my selfe haue proceeded against me as a â—tranger and not with that fauour as a member of such a body might in good eqâ—itie haue loked for which hath forced me sore to my great discoÌ„tentation to withdraw my self till a time of better fauour assâ—ring your honors and worships al that if my cause hâ—â— hiâ— heard and iudged in a fâ—l courte in the presence of the chiefe of the committees who were absent I should haue abidden your vttermost sentence euen to the losse of al that I had Had I vnderstande that euery sâ—nal error of mine is made an heynâ—us offence as the exceptioÌ„ against certain of the coÌ„mittees for waÌ„t of their good wils towards me is accompted a derogation to the aucthoritie of the house and mâ—ch impayring to their worships and credâ—tâ— an expositioÌ„ truly very harde and in trouth coÌ„trary to my meaning And wheras by the entreaty for the deliuery of my man I am growen in suspition among you and by some in apparant speeches made pertaker of his frauâ— iâ— procuring his owne execution what so euer is conceiued of me I assure you al it is without cause as both my offer may wâ—l declare before I moued the house for his priuiledge which was a hundred pound wherof are witnesses master Iustice Harper and MaÌ„hoode is wel is knowne to Master Sergeant Louelace as also my willingnesse since to submit my selfe to your orders for the parties satisfactioÌ„ of absenting my selfe I pray you consider no otherwise than as of one who is much greeued of your offence conceiued of him and as one that can not endure the continuâ—l herd speeches brought to mine eares much sounding to my discredite as also to see the imprisonmeÌ„t of my seruauntes for whose liberties I would haue bin contented too haue paide so deare I might iustly haue loked for some consideration in respect of the great iniurie offred too my name and credit whereof the quarel first grew as on the other side for a blow giueÌ„ without my knowledge god is my iudge sore against my will. But in al I submit my selfe to your honors wisdomes as one who is most desirous of your good opinions and fauours and wish you good successe in al honorable proceedings VVritten this seuenth of Februarie 1575. Your honours and worshippes to commaund Arthur Hall. THe messenger was called in was committed to the Tower there to lie a moneth then to be deliuered if his Master did in the meane time enter boÌ„d for the paymeÌ„t of the 100 pouÌ„d if not there to remaine til the money were payd if the day expired when it should be answered or the bonde not acknowledged before also M. Hal must pay the Sergeant M. Bowyer 40. shillings for his paines aboute these affayres Here some of M. Hals frends touching this imprisonmeÌ„t reckened without theyr hostes which he forgot not to lay to theyr charges swearing by no beggers that if he had
c. the thirde yeare of king Edwarde the fourth after the conquest diuers statutes c. By the aduise and assent of his Lordes spiritual and temporal the commons of the same Parliament assembled and by auctority of the same were made c. During which Sessions he had granted him by statute the tonnage and pondage of wines and wayres not for a yeare or two but during hys naturall life In his second yeare he had liberally yeelded him large summes vpon his priuy Seales he had also diuers fifteenes Loanes and beneuolences In his first Parliament Charters priuiledges and liberties were coÌ„firmed But I sée no stoare of generall pardons in hys time although it was and had byn a busye age by meanes of the quarel betwene the two great houses of Yorke and Lancaster His brother Richard by that vnkinde making away of his nephewes ruled the rost two yeres two moneths a day whose statutes are enacted as before at the requeste of the commons of the same â—â—â—lme yet sought hee by all the fauourable wayes hee coulde too purchase hym selfe naturall subiectes though he vnnaturally came to the kingdome Henrie the seuenth after him obtained the Crowne in the beginning as it were by force next confirmed by the marryage of Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edwarde the fourth who called diuers Parliaments and in them al takes this course of auctority for enacting of the statutes of the same The King our soueraigne lord Henry the seventh c. in the first yere of his raigne to the honor of god and holy church for the coÌ„mon profite of the Realme by the assent of the Lords spiritual and temporal and the commons in the same Parliamente assembled by auctority of the same Parliament hath done to be made certaine statutes c. He had sundry exactions subsidies and beneuolences wherof ensued some daÌ„gerous and troublesome ciuil warres besides the putting in execution of many penal statutes more profitable to him than welcome to those who payde for them If you loke Maister Hal the Cronycler you shal finde more than enough touching the same and specially so broadely to touch Councellours for doing their princes commaundement in matters lawful tho in deede I must confesse odious to the people King Henrie being not like to recouer a sickenesse had taken him either by remorse of conscience or by other occasion it pleased him to conceiue did pardon those matters for the which he could not chose but heare the grieuous repining and murmure of his subiectes Henrie the eighte followed him in whose time were made a Bible of statutes and till the two and twentith of his raigne hâ—â—ad the very same wordes as his father vsed in the beginning of his Parliamentes and tho then the same still followed not in course yet the Parliamentes were held of the estates wherein the commons were one What subsidies and aides of money he had and what and howe many enacted pardons hee gaue nowe to repeate is but losse of time sith we are come thus farre To go thorow with king Edward queene Marie king Philip and our most gracious Princesse hir maiestie that now is as I haue with the rest were burning of daylight Sith we haue hetherto brought the Parliament nowe let vs shortely gather what wee can of these Collections touching the original Antiquitie and the manner thereof First Brute in the yeare of the worlde 2855. before the yeare of grace 1108. began the Empire of this I le Hee founde it without laws he made some Mulmutius 441. yeres before christ added more Gurguintus put a litle to Marcia that noble Quéene about the 360. yeare before Christ confirmed many and so remayned this lande gouerned I suppose without our forme of Parliament for I cannot perceiue there was any state of nobility The greate Cities and Borowes were long a building some 300.400.500 yeares one after another and more The Shires nether deuided nor inhabited a nation liuing in ciuil warres thefte and rauyne barbarous often for want of foresight and lawe so dispeopled as hardely there remayned sufficient to manure their landes and lesse too defende their Territories The yeare 51. before our sauyour toke flesh Iulius Caesar the Romaine made conquest of this region and anexed it to the Romayne auctority who had tribute tho sometime it were denyed and gouerned by their Captaynes and Emperors toke the defence of the same vpon theÌ„ as their often hither coÌ„ming with armies building of walles betwene the Scottes Pictes and Britons doth wel witnesse til the 443. yeare of Christes Natiuity at whiche time they neglected the matter not willing as it seemed to buy a trifle too deare nor dayly to be troubled to come from Rome but a steppe to defende them who had no ability to holde their owne féete nor as it is to be feared woulde learne And although in this time somewhat is indited by Eleutherius the Bishop of Rome to Lucius who is accepted the first Christened king yet if you wey the matter wel you shal finde that wil not doâ— About the yeare 450. the Saxons and Angles being senâ—e for entred and loke howe many kingdomes they erected how long in warres before how they continued how they were brought to one Monarchie and the sequele then and you shall finde there was no leysure for Parliaments In reading I haue gathered many floures out of Maister VVilliam Lamberts garden a gentleman after my verdict tho vnknowne to mee for hys payneful rare and learned Collection worthy to bee knowne and then no doubt of all wel disposed too learning and knowledge of the antique customes of our Country to be greatly honored I coulde make many Nosegayes for you oute of his wel set plantes but you are yong enough to gather them your selfe I will yelde that to Caesar which is Caesars due tho perhaps I wold be glad to be worthy to be Caesar my selfe Yet thus much I wil put you in minde what you shal haue in Maister LaÌ„bert for the seasons of the SaxoÌ„s and Angles kingdomes They deuided the Shires the worlde is theirâ— they parted into hundreds and weapon-taxes the speeche is olde English Folkmoot and Sheremote was appointed by them compounded SaxoÌ„ words of the which there were two vses in the Saxons time for there were two sortes therof one in the same nature that we haue le Countie Courte the other le Turne del Vicont S. Edward in his lawes appointed also two kinds of Folkmotes which were giuen notice of by the ringing of belles in olde Englishe called Mothel The first was when any vnaccustomed peril or daunger was doubted to the common wealth And then were the hundreds and Weapontackes within the Shriualties gathered together And also wythin them selues the Burgesses of Cities walled Borowes and fortresses of strength to the which liberties and priuiledges were graunted bicause their force was better able to keepe together and defende the people in the tyme of
they are sente So that it is playne that you haue your auâ—thority of the greatest in number the mightiest de se in force and by whome the Prince is maintained the country from age to age manured and peopled and the Lordes remaine Lords whose rentes and seruices coulde not be due without them Now thinke with your selfe what confidence these persons haue in you â–ª when they appointe you in this Rome of enacting or disaâ—nulling Your number of Parliament men you sée in your house are fewe to the huge multitude of theÌ„ whose consents are bounde by your agreemente What thinke they when they chose you Firste that you are religious wherein is comprised many parts as to feare God to be charitable And thâ— there be many other points which particularly might be recited touching religion yet in the loue and feare of god and the Charity towardes a mans neighbour I conceiue al other braunches to hang next that you do entirely fauor your Country and tender the welth therof thirdely that they are perswaded of your wisedome graue iudgement experience and diligent consideration fourthly that you wil not be abused with fayre words terrified with threatnings corrupted with brybes of the great ones fiftly not wrested by giftes of equals nor moued with the affection of the frendship of them sixtly not frette with the Canker of malice and enuy nor subiect too sodain fury the ouerthrower of al good procedings which wil procure you carelesse of your trust Seuenthly not expecting coÌ„mendatioÌ„ by eloquence and Oratory words rather than by substance of direct matter reason truth but aboue al things wholely and onely hoyse vp your sayles to serue in all respectes that body wherof you are a member They coÌ„mit vnto your coÌ„siderations their libertyes noâ— only of person but of liuing their goods their lands their liues their attainders of bloud al that they haue shal haue or caÌ„ haue their wiues childreÌ„ alredy borne their posterity to come whose inheritaunce to accrew by discente honor from auncient predecessors too bee inuested with they yeelde into your hands and not only to binde them hereafter to stand to your doome and decree from time to come to allowe of your possitiue direction not alreadye passed but also submit themselues and all before recited vnto what you shall dispose of it with a loking backe consideration whereby you may nerely touche them the confidence placed in you is so grat trust Iterum iterumque Cunctando as Quintus Fabius Max. did to be thought of in this case Now let vs sée by what meanes you shall discharge this trust without the indignation of the Prince and misliking of the nobility First touching the nobility prince Qui vadit planè vadit sanè Take this matter in hande Uirginlike in the simplenesse of your minde and well meaning of all things Take heede of two faces in one hoode deale with reuerence to the prince with duty of betternesse to the Lords and with waking care with your fellowes I may not deny but perchaunce some Prince may be willing to procure the passing of a law more beneficiall in particular to him selfe than pleasaunt to those who are represented in your house And also the nobility may do the like in their own causes may you not duetifully repugne such demaundes may you not argue the inconuenience is like to ensue may you not diswade may you not boldely yeelde your no Yes assuredly and incur no displeasure at al. And although you may bee frowned on by the Prince and others yet they will knowe you well enough commende you in secrete gladde to win you to imploy in seruice iudge you wise honest and one worthy to be trusted and not a Butterfly a sixe weekes Birde Wheras if you follow their humors if their turnes be serued if you play the hireling they perhap wil smyle vpon you for the time neuer trust you but in the ende shake you off Princes be glad of traytours of their enemies subiectes Yet what Prince would haue any of his owne people so or will trust the others in any action but to serue a present turne As Demades aunswered the Ephores very well who moued him to commit the leading of certaine Souldiers to a traytor you shal pardon me quoth he for trusting hym with mine who hath betrayed his owne If you wil sooth and iuggle you shal haue Iohn seruingmans rewarde yea at the princes hand the nobilities Altho possibly you haue hearde the tale of this wel shotten Iohn yet thus it was A gentleman not best experienced stoode well in hys own conceyte for iudgemente as commonly the simplest do his chaunce was to entertayne a seruaunte wiser in deed than the maister but too playne a dealer to profit himself and therefore no worldely Doctor Thys Gentleman taking his opinions conceiued always to be infallible wold breake them with his man not so much to conferre for his aduise as to set out the ripenesse of his owne capacitye who perce iuing his Maister was in a manner alwayes in a wrong Boxe and building Castels in the ayre or catching Hares with Tabers coulde not sooth such vnlikely toyes whereby he must seeke him a newe habitation who woulde kepe such a contrarying Knaue reporte goes this man is out of seruice and why forsooth the cause is recited Maister Iohn a currifauour meaning to thriue where the other coulde not among hys Emes and kindred taken a proper nurtured hynd sekes out this gentleman with very low cursey gyues his wor the time of the day demaundes if his wor wants a seruant and worship and Maistership hath much adoe with him This cleane speeched manne is entertained the maister confers nothing wyth Iohn but Iohn playes the Iohn he highly commends his Maisters deuises he prayses hys iudgements what so he speakes be it neuer so fonde Iohn sweres doth procede of a good wit. As Stephen the foole of Huntington was wonte so saye time teacheth experience far he goes that neuer returnes and very simple he is that dayly swalloweth flies and wil not learne to keepe hys lippes together This gentleman began to finde that Iohn did guyle with him whome too proue he brought into a very fayre meadowe and as it were out of a great study demaunded of Iohn how to most proâ—it he might employ the same Iohn musing what to answere his Maister followed now quoth he can I tel how to reape greate benefit hereof Salt is at a high price I wil sowe the Meadowe therewith if God sende me a good croppe I shal be a made man Iohn hereat clappes his handes on his thighes Iesus Maister saith he you shall drinke before mee for I thought vppon the like matter Here is flattering Iohn taken by whom by a simple man by one who delighted in his musicke he pluckes his Coate ouer his eares he knaues Maister Iohn and tournes him out of the doores like a Rascal marchaÌ„t If you play Iohns parte with Princes
whose experience and wisedome of themselues is great and much by councel do you thinke to auoyde Iohns rewarde If you Iohn it with the nobility do you deeme them children will not nobility followe in deede the noblenesse of bloud to abhorre and detest suche shamelesse shifting Iackeryes yes assuredly to your vtter infamy and ouerthrowe But take the other course and truth may be blamed but it will neuer be shamed It may be loked bigge on but it wyl not be out of countenaunce it may bee shut out of the dore but it wyll bee sente for in againe and set at the table with the best when Curteous Maister Iohn shal be glad to take the leauing of the Pages and hereof assuredly perswade your selfe vnlesse your minde be so far possessed with mischiefe too thinke the Falcons can feed of carrion or Dolphyns delight in puddels which as by nature they do abhorre so do Princes nobility by long succession norished and bredde in honour reiecte and contempne all suche seruile disceyte and treasonable shifting Now are we come to consider howe to answere the office your trusters put you in not for any perticular profit but for the whole common good Hoc opus hic labor est But if those good parts be in you which they perswade are as is recited the burden is soone discharged to all your commendations welch quietnesse ▪ First they accompt of you as one religious c. and after as you haue heard As touching that part I presume not to deale bicause the Cobler may not passe the shoo but with feare I will reuerently with all good meaning embrace the sounde and perfecte opinion of the Learned which for the two parts the one duty to god and the other to a mans neighbour lies open to all menne by Deuines the latchets of whose shooes I counte not my selfe woorthy to vnloose Marcus Tullius Cicero let me remember you of and of his treatise de Amicitia which being a boy as Scollers do I did vnwillingly acquaint my selfe with He maks not as I take it aboue foure payre of friendes whose names being so common to repeate again were but spending of inke and paper He cōmends whē men would so far as I may terme it beleue in other for friendship sake as they drew cuts who should go to the hacke first and not so onely but the one would face down a lye to be tormented to saue the other Tulli sayde true for he saide it Historically I am sory the Paganisme may cast in our noses foure rare examples and we not able to afourde them one such coupple If you had such a one your selfe as Eurialus was to Nisus Damon to Pythias Orestes to Pylades and Theseus to Perithous were one to another you coulde not but make of such a Iewel And if you would beguile him who should haue the losse your selfe only in respecte of all extremity among the best by whō I meane the vertuous not the Turks Bassaes for why ingratitude shold rather deserue quartering thā clipping of coine This frendship for such affiance trust betwene party party is rare is commendable is not to be found and yet dependeth vpon particular action betwene two it is determyned betwene them that is at the death or absence of either of both and then so far as wel wishing may extend But sée what the commons of Englande put in your handes when you are chosen a spokesman for them They end not with their liues that make you a Parliament mā but with the perticulars and al in al that I named before Wyl you haue more than all giuen you of him that demes well of you you cannot Do they store vp in you by trust conceiued what depends vpon thē as it is recited it semeth so iudge your selfe Wil you go to Law of nature to the Law of God to the Law of Princes too the Law of Confederats wil not al condemne you if you iugle I haue found it so Although in very deede some men accept iuggling for an English word in good part yet I neuer vnderstoode it in Chaucer or olde English neyther in the conscience of the professors of Charity or well dealing part the wordes at your pleasure enter too Ethnickes or too Christianes Here is the warre here is the daunger here is both your credits that is the electors theirs and yours vpon a mum chaunce pardon me if I offend in words I haue playde at the dice If you discharge your truste wel they are in your debt they wel may vaunte of the perfection of your executiō not more that you haue done a thing cōmendable in general thā that they haue chosen in perticular so sufficiēt a member in so great a cause here is a good Harmonie the wel true singing of which sōg makes al mē merry at midnight at al times in al things alwayes not now only present but to come yea those who neuer smelt of the matter if you go a trewāting if you play Legerdemayn if you wil be bridled if you gape for ambitiō if you play y Mongrel if fayre words abuse you if carelesnes make you hold no hand of your doings if fury make you dronk if affectiō blinde you hereof wil procéede not only to your trusters theirs now borne vnborne I vse the word stil bycause I knowe not how so rightly too hit the minde of your choosers who commit trust in you Ploratus and Stridor dentium but the same to you and yours in like predicament although some present outward shew may make you thinke the cōtrary And therfore what I haue gathered of others for Praeter auditum nihil habeo I wil follow which and God graunt you may receive as much benefit thereof as I desire if you want from me the faulte is not mine you haue the best I can vpon the maner of wryting of letters I perswade wyth my selfe you cannot possibly play the spider wyth these my barren flowers tho it were in May or Iune If you make any hony of them I wil be the gladder to go to my graue in consummatione aetatis mei for that to you and to my country two parts of my greatest care I shal be assured some benefit will redowne by the reliques of my collections whiche I neuer tended for my owne prefermente ▪ so muche as for the aduauncemente of the common wealth as is to be gathered by my beggery which perhaps I might better haue withstoode if I could haue giuen my selfe Adulari and Sycophantari Your countryes welfare must alwayes be your onely and greatest care The florishing whereof is the Princes strength and toylity the nobilities quietnesse and greatnesse For as a King cannot King it without people nor Lordes Lord it without Tenauntes no more can nations liue in commōwelths without the higher aucthority The musicke of which thrée ioyned and agreing in one doth make the olde onelegged man hop for ioy and the
for affection you stretch a string you cannot be excused for tho it carry some shew to beare with your friende yet is it none indede for your Country is the only marke you must shoote at As for particulars they are not incidente to the cause Aristides termed the Iust was so precise in the time of hys gouernement of Athens that hee auoyded the amity and familiarity almost of all bycause he would not be entreated by any to do vniustly Cleon whē he toke the charge of the common wealth vppon him called al his friendes renounced their friendships alledging that amytie was a stop many times to the right course of Iustice he renounced affection he cryed out of enuy he detested too wel standing in hys owne conceite Another waye Sir Thomas Androwes a worshipfull Knighte of Northampton Shire was by a yeomanly man his neyghbour thoughte to be sometime to much affectioned to the matter he liked wel to whom he brought a great Brawne the seruaunt letting his maister the knight vnderstand of thys present retourned him to knowe the giuers name which hearing he coulde not cal to remembrance any suche but forth he comes the presenter doth hys errand prayes his maistership to take in good part this poore pigge and with very lowe cursey wishes it better Sir Thomas sawe the Swyne was good with mustarde accepted the gifte demaunding his neighbour why hee was at that coste with hym sith he neither knew him nor euer had done him any pleasure True it is quoth he with a long leg in his hose neither will I require you too doe mee any But I bestowe thys hog on your worship that you shall do mee no harme Here is a new kind of Brybery which this country man was driuen to as he thought by the parcial affection he feared in Sir Thomas The like in effecte fell out betwene an Essex farmer and maister Anthonie Browne in Q. Maries time a whyle chiefe iustice of the Common pleyes a man of good spirite and wel read who hauing vsed the helpe of his neighbours towards hys building besides Burnedwood till they were weary and denyed further supply the house must vp my Lords Balife wil haue carts for loue or money and so he offers largely both the tourne is serued my friendes Carters must al dine out comes the stewarde willing such as bounded for good wil to come feed in the parlor and the mony people too hinde it in the Hall my farmer at the Oyes went and walked his stations abroade being demanded whether he woulde be a gentleman or a yomen he saide neither in thys respect for quoth he for good wil I do it not for I owe him none nether for money for I force not of so much but for feare and therefore I see no rome for me I pray you aunsweare mee if you had a matter in lawe before any iudge in Englande and hee shoulde either by corruption or blindefelde affection wreste a pin againste you and ouerthrowe you contrary to iustice woulde you not iudge hanging too good for suche a coyfe manne yes assuredly Then in the parliament where you sitte to make Laws wherby Master Iudge himself al the rest are to be gouerned if you be brybed w pelfe or led by liking of a perticular to beguile your trusters to bynde and poll innocents to wrong the righteous and to set the welfare of your cuntry at nought If Cambises pluckte the skinne ouer Sisamnes eares for lewde iudgement in particular causes what fleying and torment is not too good for the corrupt lawmaker who is supra iudicem If malice and enuie shall so reigne in you as to disgrace the holsome aduices of your countrey you wil refuse the matter bicause you fansie not the man and cauill without cause not onely to haue the motion reiected but also the partie deseruing well vnsemely to be barked at not only by your self but by other pupsies of your own heare the like detryment as before shall happen too your country Yea and more infamy if more may be shal lyghte on you if it so were that vnkindnesse or rather implacable wrath yea the Northern deadely fude were betwene you some other ye ought to come to the Parliament counsell lincked in amity sounde in fidelity and perfect in sincerity one with an other and as a teame of horses must draw all togither so muste you wholly ioyne too your businesse There are many times vnruely Iades vnagréeing and lāching one at another being out of their gares but in the carte they fal to as they should else he that loyters most or playes to much the gallāt is wel lambde for his labor cōmes home as weary as the rest is vp in Royles stable if he sooner mende not his manners Maister Miller must haue him who will coole hys courage with halfe a dosen Sackes on his backe and he on the top The weight shall make him amble and manerly tread and sooner he shal be laide on for groning than for kicking so if malice and displeasure to others shal make you to stomack them abrode yet in counsel for your country draw together else wil you be ready for the Miller who wil lay harde hande on you I meane the honest and wise meaning gentleman not by batting but by condēning your vnruled apetite and lamēting your mayme The serpent for so are all venimous things named that crepes on the Earth when for breede sake at the water side he séekes out the Lamprey hee firste puts forth hys poyson and as nature hath taught calles to whom the Lamprey as willing comes forth The acte of their kinde performed she to the flud he to the Earth taking vp againe his venom returnes which if perhap hee finde not present death ensues Here do you see that of all creatures the vylest and most accursed doth in daunger of hys life put aside the whole substance of the same by purenesse and cleanenesse to associate hym self with that Creature whom he wel knowes doth not holde of his mixture and wil rather venture his owne vndoing than hinder that which naturally is appointed If the Serpent doth thys following but onely a course by kinde and is allowed of How much more is a Parliament man who by nature by the commaundement of God by the profit redownding to hymselfe the duty to his Prince and country bounde too vomit vp and to bury in the greatest déepes that consuming pestiferous canker of Malice by the which so many mischiefes light vppon the Lampreys good soules that thinke no harme This Serpent is venimous from the beginning the lacke wherof is his ende Man by the first fall proceeding by the delusion of the Serpent is subiect to intemperate choler hate despite enuy many weaknesses more yet this subiection brings no such necessity y malice is so incorporate in a man as the poyson in the Serpent for the one cannot haue being without venome the other most quiet and