the most part his own servants; and after the earl and Master Walshe
had taken the keys of all my lord's coffers from him, they gave the
charge and custody of my lord's person unto these gentlemen. [And
then] they departed, and went about the house to set all things in
order that night against the next morning, intending then to depart
from thence (being Saturday) with my lord; the which they deferred
until Sunday, because all things could not be brought to pass as they
would have it. They went busily about to convey Doctor Augustine away
to London-ward, with as much speed as they could, sending with him
divers honest persons to conduct him, who was tied under the horse's
belly. And this done, when it was night, the commissioners assigned two
grooms of my lord's to attend upon him in his chamber that night where
they lay; and the most part of the rest of the earl's gentlemen and
servants watched in the next chamber and about the house continually
until the morrow, and the porter kept the gates, so that no man could
go in or out until the next morning. At which time my lord rose up,
supposing that he should have departed that day, howbeit he was kept
close secretly in his chamber, expecting continually his departure
from thence. Then the earl sent for me into his own chamber, and
being there he commanded me to go in to my lord, and there to give
attendance upon him, and charged me upon an oath that I should observe
certain articles. And going away from him, toward my lord, I met with
Mr. Walshe in the court, who called me unto him, and led me into his
chamber, and there showed me that the king's highness bare towards me
his princely favour, for my diligent and true service that I daily
ministered towards my lord and master. "Wherefore," quoth he, "the
king's pleasure is, that ye shall be about your master as most chiefest
person, in whom his highness putteth great confidence and assured
trust; whose pleasure is therefore, that ye shall be sworn unto his
majesty to observe certain articles, in writing, the which I will
deliver you." "Sir," quoth I, "my Lord of Northumberland hath already
sworn me to divers articles." "Yea," quoth he, "but my lord could
not deliver you the articles in writing, as I am commanded specially
to do. Therefore, I deliver you this bill with these articles, the
which ye shall be sworn to fulfil." "Sir," then quoth I, "I pray
you to give me leave to peruse them, or ever I be sworn, to see if
I be able to perform them." "With a right good will," quoth he. And
when I had perused them, and understood that they were but reasonable
and tolerable, I answered, that I was contented to obey the king's
pleasure, and to be sworn to the performance of them. And so he gave
me a new oath: and then I resorted to my lord, where he was in his
chamber sitting in a chair, the tables being covered for him ready to
go to dinner. But as soon as he perceived me coming in, he fell into
such a woful lamentation, with such rueful terms and watery eyes, that
it would have caused the flintiest heart to have relented and burst
for sorrow. And as I and other could, [we] comforted him; but it would
not be. "For," quoth he, "now that I see this gentleman (meaning me)
how faithful, how diligent, and how painful since the beginning of my
trouble he hath served me, abandoning his own country, his wife, and
children; his house and family, his rest and quietness, only to serve
me, and remembering with myself that I have nothing to reward him for
his honest merits grieveth me not a little. And also the sight of
him putteth me in remembrance of the number of my faithful servants,
that I have here remaining with me in this house; whom I did intend
to have preferred and advanced, to the best of my power, from time
to time, as occasion should serve. But now, alas! I am prevented, and
have nothing left me here to reward them; for all is deprived me, and
I am left here their desolate and miserable master, bare and wretched,
without help or succour, but of God alone. Howbeit," quoth he to me
(calling me by my name), "I am a true man, and therefore ye shall never
receive shame of me for your service." I, perceiving his heaviness and
lamentable words, said thus unto him: "My lord, I nothing mistrust your
truth: and for the same I dare and will be sworn before the king's
person and his honourable council. Wherefore, (kneeling upon my knees
before him, I said,) my lord, comfort yourself, and be of good cheer.
The malice of your uncharitable enemies, nor their untruth, shall
never prevail against your truth and faithfulness, for I doubt not but
coming to your answer, my hope is such, that ye shall so acquit and
clear yourself of all their surmised and feigned accusations, that
it shall be to the king's contentation, and much to your advancement
and restitution of your former dignity and estate." "Yea," quoth he,
"if I may come to mine answer, I fear no man alive; for he liveth not
upon the earth that shall look upon this face (pointing to his own
face), shall be able to accuse me of any untruth; and that knoweth mine
enemies full well, which will be an occasion that I shall not have
indifferent justice, but they will rather seek some other sinister
ways to destroy me." "Sir," quoth I, "ye need not therein doubt, the
king being so much your good lord, as he hath always showed himself
to be, in all your troubles." With that came up my lord's meat; and
so we left our communication, I gave him water, and sat him down to
dinner; with whom sat divers of the earl's gentlemen, notwithstanding
my lord did eat very little meat, but would many times burst out
suddenly in tears, with the most sorrowfullest words that hath been
heard of any woful creature. And at the last he fetched a great sigh
from the bottom of his heart, saying these words of scripture[190],
"_O constantia Martirum laudabilis! O charitas inextinguibilis! O
pacientia invincibilis, quæ licet inter pressuras persequentium visa
sit despicabilis, invenietur in laudem et gloriam ac honorem in
tempore tribulationis._" And thus passed he forth his dinner in great
lamentation and heaviness, who was more fed and moistened with sorrow
and tears than with either pleasant meats or delicate drinks. I suppose
there was not a dry eye among all the gentlemen sitting at the table
with him. And when the table was taken up, it was showed my lord, that
he could not remove that night, (who expected none other all that day),
quoth he, "Even when it shall seem my lord of Northumberland good."
The next day, being Sunday, my lord prepared himself to ride when he
should be commanded; and after dinner, by that time that the earl had
appointed all things in good order within the castle, it drew fast
to night. There was assigned to attend upon him five of us, his own
servants, and no more; that is to say I, one chaplain, his barber, and
two grooms of his chamber, and when he should go down the stairs out
of the great chamber, my lord demanded for the rest of his servants;
the earl answered, that they were not far; the which he had inclosed
within the chapel, because they should not disquiet his departure.
"Sir, I pray you," quoth my lord, "let me see them or ever I depart,
or else I will never go out of this house." "Alack, my lord," quoth
the earl, "they should trouble you; therefore I beseech you to content
yourself." "Well," quoth my lord, "then will I not depart out of this
house, but I will see them, and take my leave of them in this chamber."
And his servants being inclosed in the chapel, having understanding of
my lord's departing away, and that they should not see him before his
departure, began to grudge, and to make such a rueful noise, that the
commissioners doubted some tumult or inconvenience to arise by reason
thereof, thought it good to let them pass out to my lord, and that done
they came to him into the great chamber where he was, and there they
kneeled down before him; among whom was not one dry eye, but pitifully
lamented their master's fall and trouble. To whom my lord gave
comfortable words and worthy praises for their diligent faithfulness
and honest truth towards him, assuring them, that what chance soever
should happen unto him, that he was a true man and a just to his
sovereign lord. And thus with a lamentable manner, shaking each of them
by the hands, was fain to depart, the night drew so fast upon them.
My lord's mule and our horses were ready brought into the inner court;
where we mounted, and coming to the gate which was shut, the porter
opened the same to let us pass, where was ready attending a great
number of gentlemen with their servants, such as the earl assigned to
conduct and attend upon his person that night to Pomfret, and so forth,
as ye shall hear hereafter. But to tell you of the number of people
of the country that were assembled at the gates which lamented his
departing was wondrous, which was about the number of three thousand
persons; who at the opening of the gates, after they had a sight of his
person, cried all with a loud voice, "God save your grace, God save
your grace! The foul evil take all them that hath thus taken you from
us! we pray God that a very vengeance may light upon them!" Thus they
ran crying after him through the town of Cawood, they loved him so
well. For surely they had a great loss of him, both the poor and the
rich: for the poor had of him great relief; and the rich lacked his
counsel in any business that they had to do, which caused him to have
such love among them in the country.
Then rode he with his conductors towards Pomfret; and by the way
as he rode, he asked me if I had any familiar acquaintance among
the gentlemen that rode with him. "Yea, sir," said I, "what is your
pleasure?" "Marry," quoth he, "I have left a thing behind me which I
would fain have." "Sir," said I, "if I knew what it were, I would send
for it out of hand." "Then," said he, "let the messenger go to my Lord
of Northumberland, and desire him to send me the red buckram bag, lying
in my almonry in my chamber, sealed with my seal." With that I departed
from him, and went straight unto one Sir Roger Lassels, knight, who
was then steward to the Earl of Northumberland (being among the rout
of horsemen as one of the chiefest rulers), whom I desired to send
some of his servants back unto the earl his master for that purpose;
[who] granted most gently my request, and sent incontinent one of his
servants unto my lord to Cawood for the said bag; who did so honestly
his message, that he brought the same to my lord immediately after he
was in his chamber within the abbey of Pomfret; where he lay all night.
In which bag was no other thing enclosed but three shirts of hair,
which he delivered to the chaplain, his ghostly father, very secretly.
Furthermore, as we rode toward Pomfret, my lord demanded of me, whither
they would lead him that night. "Forsooth, sir," quoth I, "but to
Pomfret." "Alas," quoth he, "shall I go to the castle, and lie there,
and die like a beast?" "Sir, I can tell you no more what they do
intend; but I will enquire here among these gentlemen of a special
friend of mine who is chief of all their counsel."
With that I repaired unto the said Sir Roger Lassels, knight, desiring
him most earnestly that he would vouchsafe to show me, whither my lord
should go to be lodged that night; who answered me again that my lord
should be lodged within the abbey of Pomfret, and in none other place;
and so I reported to my lord, who was glad thereof; so that within
night we came to Pomfret Abbey, and there lodged.
And the earl remained still all that night in Cawood Castle, to see
the despatch of the household, and to establish all the stuff in some
surety within the same.
The next day they removed with my lord towards Doncaster, desiring
that he might come thither by night, because the people followed him
weeping and lamenting, and so they did nevertheless although he came in
by torchlight, crying, "God save your grace, God save your grace, my
good lord cardinal," running before him with candles in their hands,
who caused me therefore to ride hard by his mule to shadow him from the
people, and yet they perceived him, cursing his enemies. And thus they
brought him to the Blackfriars, within the which they lodged him that
night.
And the next day we removed to Sheffield Park, where the Earl of
Shrewsbury lay within the lodge, and all the way thitherward the people
cried and lamented as they did in all places as we rode before. And
when we came into the park of Sheffield, nigh to the lodge, my Lord of
Shrewsbury, with my lady his wife, a train of gentlewomen, and all my
lord's gentlemen and yeomen standing without the gates of the lodge to
attend my lord's coming, to receive him with much honour; whom the
earl embraced, saying these words, "My lord," quoth he, "your grace is
most heartily welcome unto me, and [I am] glad to see you in my poor
lodge, the which I have often desired; and [should have been] much more
gladder, if you had come after another sort." "Ah, my gentle lord of
Shrewsbury," quoth my lord, "I heartily thank you: and although I have
no cause to rejoice, yet, as a sorrowful heart may joy, I rejoice,
my chance which is so good to come unto the hands and custody of so
noble a person, whose approved honour and wisdom hath been always
right well known to all noble estates. And, sir, howsoever my ungentle
accusers have used their accusations against me, yet I assure you,
and so before your lordship, and all the world, I do protest, that my
demeanour and proceedings hath been just and loyal towards my sovereign
and liege lord; of whose behaviour and doings your lordship hath had
good experience; and even according to my truth and faithfulness so
I beseech God to help me in this my calamity." "I doubt nothing of
your truth," quoth the earl, "therefore, my lord, I beseech you, be of
good cheer, and fear not; for I have received letters from the king
of his own hand in your favour and entertaining, the which you shall
see. Sir, I am nothing sorry, but that I have not wherewith worthily
to receive you, and to entertain you, according to your honour and my
good will; but such as I have, ye are most heartily welcome thereto,
desiring you to accept my good will accordingly, for I will not receive
you as a prisoner, but as my good lord, and the king's true faithful
subject; and here is my wife come to salute you." Whom my lord kissed
bareheaded, and all her gentlewomen; and took my lord's servants by
the hands, as well gentlemen and yeomen as other. Then these two lords
went arm and arm into the lodge, conducting my lord into a fair chamber
at the end of a goodly gallery, within a new tower where my lord was
lodged. There was also in the midst of the same gallery a traverse of
sarsenet drawn; so that the one part was preserved for my lord, and the
other part for the earl.
Then departed all the great number of gentlemen and other that
conducted my lord to the earl of Shrewsbury's. And my lord being there,
continued there eighteen days after; upon whom the earl appointed
divers gentlemen of his servants to serve my lord, forasmuch as he had
a small number of servants there to serve; and also to see that he
lacked nothing that he would desire, being served in his own chamber at
dinner and supper, as honourably, and with as many dainty dishes, as he
had most commonly in his own house being at liberty. And once every
day the earl would resort unto him, and sit with him communing upon
a bench in a great window in the gallery. And though the earl would
right heartily comfort him, yet would he lament so piteously, that it
would make the earl very sorry and heavy for his grief. "Sir," said he,
"I have, and daily do receive letters from the king, commanding me to
entertain you as one that he loveth, and highly favoureth; whereby I
perceive ye do lament without any great cause much more than ye need
to do. And though ye be accused (as I think in good faith unjustly),
yet the king can do no less but put you to your trial, the which is
more for the satisfying of some persons, than for any mistrust that
he hath in your doings." "Alas!" quoth my lord to the earl, "is it
not a piteous case, that any man should so wrongfully accuse me unto
the king's person, and not to come to mine answer before his majesty?
For I am well assured, my lord, that there is no man alive or dead
that looketh in this face of mine, [who] is able to accuse me of any
disloyalty toward the king. Oh! how much it grieveth me that the king
should have any suspicious opinion in me, to think that I would be
false or conspire any evil to his royal person; who may well consider,
that I have no assured friend in all the world in whom I put my trust
but only in his grace; for if I should go about to betray my sovereign
lord and prince, in whom is all my trust and confidence before all
other persons, all men might justly think and report, that I lacked
not only grace, but also both wit and discretion. Nay, nay, my lord,
I would rather adventure to shed my heart's blood in his defence,
as I am bound to do, by mine allegiance and also for the safeguard
of myself, than to imagine his destruction; for he is my staff that
supporteth me, and the wall that defendeth me against my malignant
enemies, and all other: who knoweth best my truth before all men, and
hath had thereof best and longest experience. Therefore to conclude, it
is not to be thought that ever I would go about or intend maliciously
or traitorously to travel or wish any prejudice or damage to his royal
person or imperial dignity; but, as I said, defend it with the shedding
of my heart blood, and procure all men so to do, and it were but only
for the defence of mine own person and simple estate, the which mine
enemies think I do so much esteem; having none other refuge to flee
to for defence or succour, in all adversity, but under the shadow of
his majesty's wing. Alas! my lord, I was in a good estate now, and in
case of a quiet living right well content therewith: but the enemy that
never sleepeth, but studieth and continually imagineth, both sleeping
and waking, my utter destruction, perceiving the contentation of my
mind, doubted that their malicious and cruel dealings would at length
grow to their shame and rebuke, goeth about therefore to prevent the
same with shedding of my blood. But from God, that knoweth the secrets
of their hearts and of all others, it cannot be hid, ne yet unrewarded,
when he shall see opportunity. For, my good lord, if you will show
yourself so much my good friend as to require the king's majesty, by
your letters, that my accusers may come before my face in his presence,
and there that I may make answer, I doubt not but ye shall see me
acquit myself of all their malicious accusations, and utterly confound
them; for they shall never be able to prove, by any due probations,
that ever I offended the king in will, thought, and deed. Therefore
I desire you and most heartily require your good lordship, to be a
mean for me, that I may answer unto my accusers before the king's
majesty. The case is his; and if their accusations should be true, then
should it touch no man but him most earnestly; wherefore it were most
convenient that he should hear it himself in proper person. But I fear
me, that they do intend rather to dispatch me than I should come before
him in his presence; for they be well assured, and very certain, that
my truth should vanquish all their untruth and surmised accusations;
which is the special cause that moveth me so earnestly to desire to
make mine answer before the king's majesty. The loss of goods, the
slander of my name, ne yet all my trouble, grieveth me nothing so much
as the loss of the king's favour, and that he should have in me such an
opinion, without desert, of untruth, that have with such travail and
pains served his highness so justly, so painfully, and with so faithful
a heart, to his profit and honour at all times. And also again, the
truth of my doings against their unjust accusations proved most just
and loyal should be much to my honesty, and do me more good than to
attain great treasure; as I doubt not but it will, if [the case] might
be indifferently heard. Now, my good lord, weigh ye my reasonable
request, and let charity and truth move your noble heart with pity,
to help me in all this my truth, wherein ye shall take no manner of
slander or rebuke, by the grace of God." "Well then," quoth my Lord
of Shrewsbury, "I will write to the king's majesty in your behalf,
declaring to him by my letters how grievously ye lament his displeasure
and indignation; and what request ye make for the trial of your truth
towards his highness." Thus after these communications, and divers
others, as between them daily was accustomed, they departed asunder.
Where my lord continued the space after of a fortnight, having goodly
and honourable entertainment, whom the earl would often require to
kill a doe or two there in the park, who always refused all manner of
earthly pleasures and disports either in hunting or in other games, but
applied his prayers continually very devoutly; so that it came to pass
at [a] certain season sitting at dinner in his own chamber, having at
his board's end that same day, as he divers times had to accompany him,
a mess of the earl's gentlemen and chaplains, and eating of roasted
wardens at the end of his dinner, before whom I stood at the table,
dressing of those wardens for him: beholding of him [I] perceived his
colour often to change, and alter divers times, whereby I judged him
not to be in health. Which caused me to lean over the table, saying
unto him softly, "Sir, me seemeth your grace is not well at ease." He
answered again and said, "Forsooth, no more I am; for I am," quoth he,
"suddenly taken about my stomach, with a thing that lieth overthwart my
breast as cold as a whetstone; the which is but wind; therefore I pray
you take up the cloth, and make ye a short dinner, and resort shortly
again unto me." And after that the table was taken up, I went and sat
the waiters to dinner, without in the gallery, and resorted again to
my lord, where I found him still sitting where I left him very ill
at ease; notwithstanding he was in communication with the gentlemen
sitting at the board's end. And as soon as I was entered the chamber,
he desired me to go down to the apothecary, and to inquire of him
whether he had any thing that would break wind upward, and according
to his commandment I went my way towards the apothecary. And by the
way I remembered one article of mine oath before made unto Master
Walshe, which caused me first to go to the earl, and showed him both
what estate he was in, and also what he desired at the apothecary's
hand for his relief. With that the earl caused the apothecary to be
called incontinent before him; of whom he demanded whether he had any
thing to break wind that troubleth one in his breast; and he answered
that he had such gear. "Then," quoth the earl, "fetch me some hither."
The which the apothecary brought in a white paper, a certain white
confection unto the earl, who commanded me to give the assay thereof to
the apothecary, and so I did before him. And then I departed therewith
bringing it to my lord, before whom I took also the assay thereof, and
delivered the same to my lord, who received the same wholly altogether
at once. And immediately after he had received the same, surely he
avoided exceeding much wind upward. "Lo," quoth he, "now you may see
that it was but wind; but by the means of this receipt I am, I thank
God, well eased and so he rose from the table, and went to his prayers,
as he accustomedly did after dinner. And being at his prayers, there
came upon him such a laske, that it caused him to go to his stool; and
being there the earl sent for me, and at my coming he said, "Forasmuch
as I have always perceived you to be a man, in whom my lord your
master hath great affiance; and for my experience, knowing you to be
an honest man" (with many more words of commendation than need here to
be rehearsed), said, "It is so, that my lord, your lamentable master,
hath often desired me to write to the king's majesty that he might
come unto his presence, to make answer to his accusations; and even
so have I done; for this day have I received letters from his grace,
by Sir William Kingston, knight, whereby I do perceive that the king
hath in him a very good opinion; and upon my often request, he hath
sent for him, by the said Sir William, to come up to answer, according
to his own desire; who is in his chamber. Wherefore now is the time
come that my lord hath often desired to try himself and his truth, as
I trust much to his honour; and I put no doubt in so doing, that it
shall be for him the best journey that ever he made in all his life.
Therefore now would I have you to play the part of a wise man, to
break first this matter unto him so wittily, and in such sort, that he
might take it quietly in good part: for he is ever so full of sorrow
and dolor in my company, that I fear me he will take it in evil part,
and then he doth not well: for I assure you, and so show him that the
king is his good lord, and hath given me the most worthy thanks for his
entertainment, desiring and commanding me so to continue, not doubting
but that he will right nobly acquit himself towards his highness.
Therefore, go your ways to him, and so persuade with him that I may
find him in good quiet at my coming, for I will not tarry long after
you." "Sir," quoth I, "I shall, if it please your lordship, endeavour
me to accomplish your commandment to the best of my power. But, sir, I
doubt one thing, that when I shall name Sir William Kingston, he will
mistrust that all is not well; because he is constable of the tower,
and captain of the guard, having twenty-four of the guard to attend
upon him." "Marry it is truth;" quoth the earl, "what thereof, though
he be constable of the tower? yet he is the most meetest man for his
wisdom and discretion to be sent about any such message. And for the
guard, it is for none other purpose but only to defend him against all
them that would intend him any evil, either in word or deed; and also
they be all, or for the most part, such of his old servants as the king
took of late into his service, to the intent that they should attend
upon him most justly, and doth know best how to serve him." "Well,
sir," said I, "I will do what I can," and so departed toward my lord.