MarginaliaAn. 1552.of the kinges Maiestye, in such force and power as you may, to shew the part of a true Gentleman, and of a very friend: the which thing wee trust God shall rewarde and the kinges Maiesty in time to come, and we shal neuer bee vnmyndfull of it to. We are sure you shall haue other letters from them, but as ye tender your dutye to the kinges Maiesty, we require you to make no stay, but immediately repayre with suche force as ye haue, to hys hyghnes in his Castell of Wyndsore, and cause the rest of such force as ye may make, to follow you. And so we bid you right hartely farewell. From Hampton court, the syxt of Octob.

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Your Lordships assured louing frend
Edward Somerset.

MarginaliaThe effecte of the Lorde Russelles letter aunswering to the L. Protector.To this letter of the Lord Protectour sent the vj. of Octob. the Lord Russell returnyng aūswere again vpō the viij of the sayd moneth,  

first lamenteth the heauy dissension fallen betwene the nobilitie and hym, which he taketh for such a plage, as a greater could not be sent of almighty God vpon this realme, being the next way (saith he) to make vs of conquerous, slaues, and like to induce vpon the whole Realme an vniuersall calamitie and thraldome, vnlesse the mercifull goodnes of the Lord do helpe, and some wise order be taken in staying these great extremities. And as touching the Dukes request in his letters, for as much as hee heard before of this broyle of the Lordes, and feared lest some conspiracie had bene ment agaynst the kynges person, he hasted forward with such comapny as he could make, for the suretie of the king, as to him apperteined. Now perceauyng by the Lordes letters sent vnto hym the same vj. day of Octob. these tumultes to ryse vpon priuate causes betwen him and them, he therfore thought it expedient that a conuenient power should be leuyed, to be in readynes to withstand the worst (what perils soeuer might ensue) for the preseruation both of the kyng, and state of the Realme from the inuasion of foreine enemies, and also for the staying of bloudshed, if any such thyng should be intēded betwixt the partes in the heate of this faction. And this he thynkyng best for discharge of his alleageaunce, humbly besecheth hys grace to haue the same also in speciall regard and consideration, first that the Kynges Maiestie be put in no feare, & that if there be any such thyng wherin he hath giuen iust cause to them thus to procede, he will so conforme him selfe, as no such priuate quarels de redound to the publicke disturbance of the Realme: certifying moreouer the Duke, that if it were true which hee vnderstādeth by þ^e letters of þ^e Lordes, that he should send about proclamations and letters for raysing vp of the commons, he liked not the same. Notwithstandyng he trusted wel, that his wisedome would take such a way, as no effusion of bloud should folow.

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MarginaliaThe cōtentes of the second aūswere of the Lord Rußell, to the Lord Protectour.And thus much beyng conteined in his former letters of the viij. of Octob. in his next letters again written the xj. day of Octob. the sayd Lord Russell  

reioysing to heare of the most reasonable offers of the Lord Protector made to the Lordes, writeth vnto him & promiseth to do, what in the vttermost power of him (and likewise of sir W. Harbert ioyned together with him) did lie, to worke some honorable reconciliation betwen him and them: so as his sayd offers beyng accepted & satisfied, some good conclusiō might insue, accordyng to their good hope and expectation: Signifiyng moreouer that as touchyng the leauyng of mē, they had resolued to haue the same in readynes for the benefite of the Realme, to occurre all inconueniences, what soeuer either by foreine inuasion or otherwise might happen, and so hauyng their power at hand, to drawe neare, MarginaliaThe good Lord Russell a sollicitor for peace betwene the Lord Protectour and the Lordes.whereby they might haue the better oportunitie to bee sollicitors and a meanes for this reformation on both parties &c. And thus much for aunswere of the Lord Russell to the Lord Protectours letters.

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MarginaliaThe Lordes of the Coūsell assembled agaynst the L. Protector.But now to the matter agayne of the Lordes, who together with the Earle of Warwicke (vpon what occasion God knoweth) being assēbled at London, as ye heard, against the L. Protector: when þ^e kyng with hisCounsell at Hampton Court heard therof, first Secretary Peter with þ^e kynges message was sent vnto thē, whom the Lordes notwithstandyng deteined still with them, makyng as yet no aunswere to the message. Wherupon the Lord Protector writeth to them in this maner as foloweth.

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MarginaliaThe Lorde Protectors letter to the Lords of the Coūsaile at London.MY Lordes, we commend  

vs most hartely vnto you, and whereas the Kynges Maiestie was informed that you were assembled in such sort as you do and now remayne, and was aduised by vs and such other of hys Counsell as were then here about his person, to send Master Secretary Peter vnto you with such a message as whereby might haue insued the surety of hys Maiesties person, with preseruation of hys Reale and subiectes, and the quyet both of vs and your selues, as Master Secretary can well declare to you: his Maiestie and we of his Counsell here do not a litle maruell that you stay still with you the sayd maister Secretary and haue not, as it were, vouchsaued to send aūswere to his maiestie, neither by him nor yet any other. And for our selues we do much more maruel and are right sory, as both we and you haue good cause to bee, to see the maner of your doynges bent with force of violence, to bryng the kyngs Maiestie and vs to these extremities. Which as we doe intend if you will take no other way but violence, to defend (as nature and our allegeāce doth bynd vs) to extremitie of death, and to put all to Gods hand, who geueth victory as it pleaseth him: MarginaliaNo worde hetherto sent from the Lordes to the Lord Protector, what they required of hym to do.so if that any reasonable cōditiōs & offers would take place (as hetherto none hath bene signified vnto vs from you, nor we do not vnderstād what you do require or seke or what you do meane) and that you do seeke no hurt to the Kynges Maiestie person: as touchyng all other priuate matters, to auoyde the effusion of Christian bloud, & to preserue the Kynges Maiesties person, hys Realme and subiectes, MarginaliaReasonable conditions offered by the lord Protector.you shall finde vs agreable to any reasonable conditions that you will require. For we do esteme the Kynges wealth and tranquilitie of the Realme, more then all other worldly things, yea thē our own lyfe. Thys praying you to send vs your determinate aūswere herein by maister Secretary Peter, or if you will not let hym go, by this bearer: we besech God to giue both you and vs grace to determine this matter, as may be to Gods honor, þ^e preseruation of the kyng, and the quyet of vs all: which may bee if the fault be not in you. And so we bid you most hartely fare well. Form the Kynges Maiesties Castell of Wyndsore the vij. of October. 1549.

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Your Lordshyppes louyng frend E. Somerset.

After these letters receaued and the reasonable conditions of the Lord Protectour offered, & yet not much regarded of the Lordes,  

they persistyng still in their intended purpose, tooke this aduise: first to keepe them selues in the Citie of London, as strong as they might: MarginaliaA solemne watch cōmaunded for London.and therfore callyng vppon the Maior and the Aldermen, they willed thē in any case to prouide a good & substanciall watch by night, and a good warde by day, for the safegarde of their Citie, and the portes and gates therof: which was consented vnto, and the Companies of London in their turnes warned to watch and warde accordingly.

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MarginaliaThe Citie of London pressed with 500. mē to fetch the Lorde Protector.Then the sayde Lordes and Counsaylers demaunded of the Lord Maior and his brethren. v. hundred men to ayde them to fetch the Lorde Protector out of Winsore from the King: MarginaliaThe aunswer of the L. Maior to the Lordes.but thereunto the Maior aunswered that he could graunt none ayde without the assent of the common Counsaile of the Citie. Wherupon the nexte day a common counsayle was warned.  

MarginaliaThe lordes assembled in the Lord Maiors house.But in this meane time the sayde Lordes of the Counsayle assembled them selues at the Lord Maiors house of London, who then was Syr Henry Amcottes Fishmonger, and William Lock Mercer, and Syr Iohn Aileph Sheriffes of the sayde Citye, and there the sayd Counsayle dyd agree and publish a Proclamation forthwyth agaynst the Lord Protector, the effect of which proclamation was as followeth.

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First that the Protector by his malitious and euyll gouernment, was the occasion of all the sedition that of