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relent.* ° " write my mind to my Lord Chancellor, or to some other
" of the Council, whom I would, and they would deliver it
" with speed : and if that you wil so do, we wil send one of
" our company to cary the same, and we wil tary here stil,
" while that he bring word again what the Council's plea-
His con- « sure i s# To whom I answered, I thank you for your
stancy. 1 m x • i • «i
V good wil. I intend never to write unto any of the Coun-

" cil, while I live, for this matter. And therefore, I pray

" you, content yourselves, and cease your suite so often

" attempted, for you do but strive against the stream : for

" I se that you are not with Christ, but against Christ.

" You savour of earthly things, and not of heavenly. You

" go about to hinder my health and salvation laid up in

" Christ, and to pluck down what God hath builded. You

" know not what you do : and therefore once again I pray

" you heartily, leave off, and take in good part what I have

" said already, and so judge al to the best. Wei, sayd

" they one to another, it were good that my Lord Chancel-

" lor did know al his sayings. One of us must tel him by

" word as wel as we can. They were not yet agreed then who

" should tel the tale. Then desired they me to go up to

" my lodging ; where there was a great fire made ready

" against I came, and al other things very sweet and clean.

" So, in the name of God, to bed I went : and al they six

" watched me that night at the doors, being fast locked

187" upon me, and they keeping the keys themselves. They

" might go out, but no man could come in to them without

"- their leave.

Leade^th " * n ^ e morning they called me very early, and willed

high sheriff," me with speed to make me ready to horseback: for, said

into'custo- " the y> we must ride to the Hi S h Sheriff's to dinner. Who
dy. " is that, said I, and where doth he dwel? Eight miles
" beyond Huntington, said they, and his name is Sir Oliver
" Leader, a man of much worship, and one that keepeth a

UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 297

" good house. The poor shal fair the better therby, said I. CHAP.

" So when we came to Huntington, they made me to drink ; _!___

"and we came to the Sheriff's house even as the tables Anao 1554 -

" were covered. Then they hearing the prisoner was come
" from London, there was no smal ado. Word was caryed
" to the church where Sir Oliver was at mass : and it was
" no need to entreat him to come ; for, with speed, both he
" and my lady his wife departed out of the church, and the
" parish followed them like a sort of sheep, staring and
" wondering at me. The Sheriff gently took me by the
" hand, and led me into a fair parlar, desiring me to stand
" to the fire, and to warm me : for we were al thorow wet
" with raine, snow, and hayle. Then to dinner we went,
" and great cheer I had, with many welcomes, and often-
" times drank to, both by the Sheriff himself, and the rest,
" his friends.
" When dinner was done, into the parlar I was called ; His great

" and a great sort of gentlemen being there set on the one j^ ' y

" side, and gentlewomen on the other side, with my lady

" the Sheriffs wife, then Mr. Sheriff said unto the Knight

" Marshal's men, Where is the writ that you have brought as

" touching the receit of this prisoner ? Here it is, Sir, said

" one of them. So he received it : and when he had read

" it, he took me by the hand again, and said, that I was

u welcome. I thanked him for his gentle friendship. Then

" called he for a pair of indentures. So they were brought

" in and read. That don, one of them was given to the

" Knight Marshal's man, and the other the Sheriff kept.

" Then the Knight Marshal's man took me by the hand, The Mar-

" and said to the Sheriff, Sir, I do here, in the presence oft a te thef"

" al these people, deliver this prisoner unto you, and your le . ave of

" mastership from henceforth to stand charged with him :

" and my master, Sir Thomas Holdcroft, the knight mar-

" shal, doth acquit himself of the said prisoner, called Tho-

" mas Mountain. And with that he delivered him both me

" and the indenture. Then the Sheriff said unto him, I do

" here receive that same prisoner so called, and discharge your

" master of him ; and so took me by the hand, and deli-

298 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. " vered unto him his indenture. All this was done with
XXIII
" great solemnity. Then was there a cup of wine called

Anno 1554. " for, and the Sheriff began unto me, and willed me to

" drink to the Marshal's men ; and so I did. Then they
" took their leave of the Sheriff, and so went their ways ;
" bidding me farewel ; saying unto me, There is remedy
" enough yet, Mr. Mountain, if that you will take heed in
" time. God be with you al, said I, and I thank you : have
" me commended, I pray you, unto your master, and to
" the rest of al my friends. And so we parted.
Sent by the « Then the Sheriff caused four or five horse to be made
riff to Cam-" ready. In the mean time he caused one of his men to
bridge a ma k e ready the warrant to the keeper of Cambridge
castle. J \ °
" castel. Nevertheles, my lady his wife laboured very

" earnestly to her husband for me, that I might not go to

" Cambridge castel, being so vile a prison, but that I might

188 " remain in their own house, as a prisoner. Madam, said

" he, I pray you be contented. If I should so do, I know

" not how it would be taken. You know not so much as I

" do in this matter. But what friendship I can shew him,

" he shal surely have it for your sake, and for his own too ;

" for I have known him long, and am very sory for his

" trouble. So I thanked him for his gentlenes. By this

" time al things were in a readiness. Then he himself, and

" my lady, brought me to the utter gate : he willed me to

" be set on his own gelding ; gave me a cup of wine ; took

" me by the hand, and bad me farewel, desiring me to be

" of good cheer.

Comes to " So to Cambridge I came : and at the town's end there

am n ge. 44 mgt ^ ong Kenrick, who a little before had been a pri-

" soner in the Marshalsea, as I my self was. But our causes

" not like : his was plain felony, and so proved ; and mine

" was treason and heresy, as they called it. O ! Mr.

" Mountain, sayd he, with a lowd voice, what makes you

" here ? I perceive now that it is true that I have heard

" What is that ? said I. Truly, said he, that you be come

" hither to be burned. This is a sharp salutation, Mr. Ken-

" rick, said I, and it is more than I do know of: and if it

UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 299

" be so, God strengthen me in his truth, and his wil bo CHAP.
" done upon me, for I trust that I am his. Then rid we
" into the town to an inn called the Griffin, because the AaD °i 55 4.
" keeper was not at home : where I alighted, and went up
" to a chamber, my head being than somewhat troubled
" with Kenrick's sodain salutation afore mentioned. I called pP ects to
be burned.
" Mr. Sheriff's men, and said unto them, Avoyd the peo-

" pie, I pray you, out of the chamber, and lock the doors,

" for I have somewhat to say unto you. When this was

" done, I sat down, and said unto them, Dear friends, a

" question I have here to move unto you, wherein I shal

" desire you to be plain with me, and not to dissemble,

" even as you wil answer afore God at the last day ; afore

" whom both you and I shal stand, and there to render up

" our accounts. Tel me therfore, I pray you, what order

" hath Mr. Sheriff taken with you, as touching the day and

" time when I shall suffer, and what kind of death it

" is that I shal die : and in so doing, you shall much

" pleasure me, and cause me to be in a great readiness

" whensoever I shall be called. Then one of them, whose

" name was Calton, said unto me, Sir, you need not to

" fear ; for if there were any such thing, you should

" have knowledg of it, as meet it were : but our master

" willed us, and also commaunded us, that we should

" gently use you, and also commaunded the keeper to do

" the same.

" Then called they for meat and wine; and when we Committed

" had wel refreshed us, we went up to the castel, where

" they called for the keeper ; but he was not within. Then

" delivered they the warrant unto the keeper's wife, saying

" thus, Goodwife Charlys, my master hath sent your hus-

" band a prisoner here, and his pleasure is, that you should

" entreat him wel, and se that he lack nothing, and also to

" have the liberty of the yard. And so took they their

" leave of me, and went their ways. Then the keeper's

" wife led me up through the sessions hal, and there she

" locked me up under four or five locks : and at night, very

" late, the keeper came home, and up he came unto me, I

300 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. " being in bed, and said unto me, Sir, you are welcome

XXIII • ¦

" hither : are you come to be nursed ? To whom I said, I

Anno 1554." am sen t hither unto this jayl by the Queen's Council;

between* " anc * wnat y ou are > * know not as yet : I think that you
him and the" be the keeper. So I am indeed, said he, and that shal
per ' " you know or it be long. Wei, I trust, Mr. Keeper, to
" " find favour at your hand ; and I beseech you be good
" unto me, for I have lain long in prison. What is your
" name? said he. My name is Thomas Mountain, said I.
" Nay, said he, you have another name. Not that I do
" know of, said I. Then he looked in my purse what mony
" I had, and took it with him ; also my coat, my boots,
" and spurs ; and so bad me good night. And I said, Good
" night, mine host. I am content, said he, to be your host
" to night, to morrow you shal have a new.
Rises and " Here I called to my remembrance the salutations given
prays. J &
" unto me at the town's end by the aforenamed Kenrick.

" So I rise up, cast my cloke about me, and kneeled down,

" crying out unto Almighty God, desiring him of his great

" infinite mercy and goodness, for Jesus Christ's sake, to

" comfort me with his holy Spirit in that agony, and not

" to forsake me in mine old age, being so sore assaulted of

" the subtil devil, flattering world, and the weak flesh, that

" I had wel nigh slipt, as David the holy prophet said.

" And when the dead time of the night came, nature re-

" quiring rest, and I feeling in my self in short time so

" great quietnes, through the mighty mercies of my Lord

" God, who had sent me so sweet a calm after so cruel and

" stormy a tempest, said thus, Soli Deo honor et gloria:

" the Lord's name be praised, from the rising up of the sun

" until the going down of the same ; and into thy merciful

" hands do I commend my soul, trusting not to dy, but to

" live for ever in the land of the living. For thy Spirit, O

" Lord, hath so certified me, that whether I live or dy,

" stand or fal, that I am thine; and therfore thy blessed

" wil be don upon me. This don, I layd me down upon

" my bed, and slept until five a clock in the morning.

The next " And then the keeper came and opened the door, bad

morning the

UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 301

" me good morrow, and asked me, And I were ready ? c H A P.

" Wherunto? said I. To suffer death, said the keeper. XXI11 -

" What kind of death, said I, and when shal it be ? Your Anno 1554.

" time is neer at hand, said he ; and that is to be drawn and p olei " blds

him prepare
" hanged as a traitor, and burnt as an heretic : and this to suffer.
" must be don even this foornoon. Look wel to your self
" therfore, and say that you be friendly used. Your friend-
" ship, Mr. Charlys, is but hard and scarce, in giving me
" this Scarborow warning : but give me leave, I pray you,
" friendly to talk with you, and be not offended with what
" I shal say unto you. This tale that you have told me, is
" it true indeed ? Yea, said he, and that you are like for
" to know: dispatch therfore, I pray you, with speed.
" Contented I am with al my heart so to do. Where is the The gaoler
" writ of execution ? let me se it, I pray you. I have none, e™" 1 ^^ 6
" said he: this is more than needs; for I am to be trusted, him without
" and it were for a greater matter than this. Sir, I pray
" you, be contented, for in this thing I will not trust you,
" because it is a matter of life and death it standeth me
" upon. Is the High Sheriff, Sir Oliver Leader, come in
" the town to se execution ? No, said he. Is the Under-
" Sheriff, his deputy, here to se it ? No, said he. Is there any
" private commandment come from the Queen's Council,
" or els any letters sent of late for that purpose ? No, said
" he: but you do al this for no cause els than to prolong
" the time. No, said I : as I am born to dy, contented I
" am so to do, when God wil ; but to be made away after
" such slight, I would be very loth. And therefore, if that 1 90
" you have nothing to show for your discharge, according
" as I have required of you, I tel you true that I will not
" dy. Take you good heed therfore to your self, and look
" that I miscary not : for if that ought come unto me but
" good, you and yours are like to know the price of it ; be
" you wel assured thereof. When did you se any man put
" to death before he was condemned to dy ? That is true,
" said he; and are you not condemned? . No, said I, that
" am I not, neither yet ever arraigned at any sessions.

302 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. " Then, said he, I have been greatly misenformed. I cry

" you mercy ; for I had thought that you had been both

Anno 1554. « arraigned and also condemned to dy, being sent hither

" for to suffer in this place, because that you were here

" against the Queen with the Duke of Northumberland.

" Wei, said I, those matters have been already sufficiently

" answered before your betters.

Winchester, " But I pray you, Sir, and a man might ask you, whose

master! Per S " man are y ou > or to whom do you belong ? Mary, said

" he, I am not ashamed of my master : I would thou

" shouldst know it, as thou art. My Lord Chancellor of

" England is my master, and I am his man. I thought

" such a matter, said I. The old proverbe is true, I per-

" ceive ; for Such a master, such a servant. And is this

" my Lord of Winchester's livery that you wear now ?

" Yea, said he. And is this the best service you can do

" my Lord your master ? Fy, for shame ! Fy ! Wil you

" follow now the bloudy steps of that wicked man your

" master ; who is unworthy, before God I speak it, both of

" the name and place that he hath, and is called unto?

" What should move you for to handle me after this sharp

" sort, as you have don ; so spitefully, being here not yet

" three days under your keeping? Wil you become a tor-

" mentor of God's people and prophets? Wil you now

The keeper " cease from killing of bullocks, calves, and sheep, which is

a u c ei - u y OUr occupation, being a butcher, and give over your self

" most cruelly to serve your master's turn in shedding of

" innocent bloud ? O man ! with what a heavy heart may

" you lay yourself to sleep at night, if that God of his

" great mercy do suffer you to live so long, in this your

" so wicked attempt and enterprize ! I speak not this of

" any hatred that I bear unto you, as God knoweth my

" heart ; but I speak it of good wil, that you might be

" called unto a better remembrance and knowledge of your

" duty, both towards God and your Christian brother.

Expostu- " Let it therfore repent you, dear brother keeper, and

hb keeper. " know how dangerous a thing it is for a man to fal into

UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 303

" the hands of the living God, and how it is said, that CHAP.

" bloud requireth bloud. And if you wil not believe me,

" set that terrible example of cursed Cain before your eyes, Anno 1554.

" who slew his own dear brother Abel most unnaturally,
" like a beastly man ; and afterward wandred up and down
" like a vagabond on the face of the earth, seeking rest,
" peace, and quietnes, and could never attain unto it : so
" that at the last, in most desperate words, he burst forth
" and said, O ! wretch that I am ! I said unto the Lord,
" when he called me to account for my brother's death, and
" answered, that I was not his keeper. But shortly after
" I perceived that the shedding his bloud cryed to God
" for vengeance to fal upon me for so doing : and now I
" perceive that my sins be greater than the mercy of God
" is able to forgive. If this wil not move your hard and
" stony heart to repentance, then think of that traitor Ju- l^l
" das, which, for lucre sake, betrayed his own master, as
" he confessed himself, when the worm of conscience trou-
" bled him, saying to the high priest, / have betrayed the
" innocent bloud, take, there is money, for I will none of it.
" And then it was too late : so to shorten his own days, he
" most desperately went and hung himself; so that he
" burst asunder in the midst, his bowels hanging about his
" belly. O most terrible examples ! left written in the holy
" Scriptures, that we therby might take heed and beware
" never to do the like, lest we speed in reward as they did.
" From the which God defend us, for Jesus Christ's sake.
" Amen, said the keeper, with weeping tears. And, Sir, Converts

" I beseech you once again, even for God's sake, to forgive 1S eeper '

" me ; and I ask God heartily mercy for the great mischief

" that I purposed in my heart against you. I perceive that

" you, and such other as you, be other maner of men than

" we and our betters take you to be. I perceive that the

" blind doth eat many a fly. God, and it be his blessed

" will, make me one of your sort ; and look that what I can

" do for you, you shall be assured of it. Come down with

" me, I pray you, into the yard. So I went with him ; and

" when he came down, al the yard was ful of people. What

304 MEMORIALS ECCLESIASTICAL

CHAP. " mcaneth this people? said I to the keeper. Al these arc

xxiii •
" come, said he, to se you suffer death. There be some

Anno 1554. " here that are come as far as Hengston ; but I trust their

tose/hhn " coming shal be in vain : be you of good cheer. Then go
die. " your way, said I, and gently desire them for to depart,
" and tel them, it is no reason any man should suffer death
" before that he be condemned ; and so you shall easily
" avoyd them, and I wil go up again til you have done.
withthe 1 " " When tne y were ^ g on > tne keeper called me down to
gaoler. " dine with him at his own table. And dinner being ended,
" we fell in talk again ; and so, from time to time, had
" many conferences together ; and I began to grow in great
" credit with him ; insomuch, that whensoever he rid forth
" about any business, he committed al the charge of the
" whole house unto me, prisoners and al ; and laboured
" unto the High Sheriff for me, that I might be delivered.
" Notwithstanding, I remained there prisoner half a year
" in much misery, having sometime meat, and sometime
" none : yea, and many times glad, when I might get a
" peny loaf and my glas ful of fair water up to my lodging,
" being fast locked up every night. And at midnight al-
" way, when they searched the prisoners 1 rooms, then one
" should come and knock at my door, and ask me, if I were
" within. To whom I answered always, Here I am, Mr.
" Keeper. Good night then, said he: and so they would
" go their ways.
The gra- " Now on a certain day, being mery, he brought home
cious provi- . , , . vi * /» i
dence of wltn him to se me divers honest men of the town ; among
God to- a whom there was one that I never saw before, nor he me,
wards him. ' '
" called Mr. Segar, a beer-brewer, dwelling at Magdalen-

" bridg ; whose heart God had opened above the rest to

" shew mercy unto me : for he knew that the keeper would

" do much at his request. So that, or ever he went away,

" he promised him payment for my diet, desiring him to

" shew me favour for his sake, and I wil be bound for him

" he shal be true prisoner. Al this pleased Charlys the

" keeper wel : and it was no grief at al to me, to hear this

" bargain made between them : for otherwise, said I, it was

UNDER QUEEN MARY I. 305

" not unlike, but that I should have perished here for lack CHAP.
" of comfort. And here is not to be forgotten of my part, XXI]1 -
" the mighty and fatherly providence of God, who never Anno 1554.
" faileth any man that truly puts his trust in him. Who 192
" can kil him, Mr. Charlys, whom God wil keep alive ?
" may I say now : and who can deliver him whom God wil
" destroy ? His great power delivered me once out of the
" lions 1 den, as he did his holy prophet Daniel : so I trust
" that he wil deliver me here out of al my troubles, if he so
" se it good ; if not, his wil be don. And thus we parted
" for that time ; my keeper being glad of these good as-
" surances; I taking patiently mine indurance and my
" surety, hoping for my deliverance.
" After this, within short time, the High Sheriff sent for The Coun-

" me home to his house beyond Huntington, to se whether Clls order

J o ' concerning
" I would relent or no ; telling me, that he had written up him.
" to the Council for me, and that it was their pleasure that
" I should be delivered, if that I would be a conformable The Sheriff
" man to the Queen's procedings, and forsake heresy, ornberty/ifhe
" els to remain in prison until the next sessions of gaol de-™ 11001 ^^
" livery. For your good-will do I thank your mastership
" most heartily ; and wel contented I am so to remain as a
" prisoner, rather than to give over my faith for this vain
" life, which is but short. Wel, said he, I perceive that
" you are no changeling : you shal therfore return to the