These doubts with all the circumstances being well weied and
considered, the Maior Nicholas Exton, and certeine of the chiefe men
in the citie, went foorth to the lords, and offered them to lodge in
the citie at their pleasure, with all things necessarie as they should
deuise. The Maior caused also wine, ale, bread, and chéese, to be
distributed among the armie, so as ech one had part, which courtesie
turned greatlie afterwards to the commoditie of the citie. The lords
vpon search made, perceiuing that there was no guile meant by laieng
of men in ambushes within the citie to intrappe them, or otherwise,
but that all was sure inough and cleare without anie such euill
meaning, they entred the citie and there abode quietlie. Then went the
archbishop of Canturburie and others betwixt |792| the king and the
lords to make peace betwixt them. But the king at the first seemed
little to estéeme the matter, saieng to the archbishop; Well let them
lie here with their great multitude of people hardlie till they haue
spent all they haue, and then I trust they will returne poore inough
and néedie, and then I doubt not but I shall talke with them, and vse
the matter so as iustice maie require.
[Sidenote: The lords refuse to come into y^e Tower but after search
made they come thither to the kings presence.]
The lords being informed hereof, were maruelouslie mooued, and sware
that they would not depart till they had spoken with him face to face,
and foorthwith they sent part of their companies to watch the Thames,
for feare the king should scape their hands, and then laugh them to
scorne. When the king then perceiued himselfe to be inclosed on ech
side, he talked eftsoones with the archbishop and his associats that
were messengers betwixt him and the lords, willing them to declare to
the lords that he would be contented to treat with them in reasonable
order; wherevpon they required that he should on the morow next insuing
come vnto Westminster, where he should vnderstand their demands. When
the king heard that, he refused to come vnto Westminster, but willed
that they should come to him there in the Tower. The lords sent him
word againe, that the Tower was a place to be suspected, for that
they might there be surprised by some guilefull practise deuised to
intrap them. The king herevnto made answer, that they might send some
two hundred men, or so manie as they should thinke good, to make a
through search, whether they néeded to feare anie such thing; and this
accordinglie was doone: they hauing the keies of the gates and of all
the strong chambers, turrets, and places within the Tower sent vnto
them.
[Sidenote: _R. Grafton._
_Thom. Wals._