Marginalia1556. Ianuary.amongest them on the other side of the seas, that the Queene was dead. Wherunto M. Greene aunswered simply, & as the truth then was, that she was not dead.  

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Green's activities were not as innocuous as Foxe makes them appear. He was apparently involved in circulating a broadside, smuggled into London from Danzig, which denounced Philip and Mary and which advocated Elizabeth's claim to the throne. Information about Green's role in smuggling and disseminating seditious literature, as well as his incautious remark about Mary, are what led to his arrest for treason (P. M. Took, 'The Government and the Printing Trade, 1540-1560,'unpublished PhD thesis, University of London, 1978, pp. 279-81).

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MarginaliaOccasion of apprehending of M. Grene, came by letters intercepted.These letters with many other, written to diuers of the godly exiles by their frendes here in England, being deliuered to a messenger to cary ouer, came by the apprehension of the said bearer, vnto the handes of the King & Queenes Coūsell. Who at their conueniēt leasures (which in those dayes by some of thē was quickly foūd out for such matters) perused the whole nōber of the said letters, & amōgest them espied this letter of M. Greenes, written vnto his frend Christopher Goodman, in the contentes wherof (amongest other newes and priuate matters) they found these wordes: The Queene is not yet dead. Which wordes were onely written as an aunswere, to certifie M. Goodman of the truth of his former demaund. Howbeit (to some of the Counsell) they semed very hainous wordes, yea treason they would haue made thē if the law would haue suffred. Which when they coulde not doe (and beyng yet very loth to let any such depart freely, whom they suspected to be a fauourer of the Gospell) they then examined him vpon his fayth in religion, MarginaliaM. Grene examined by the Counsell of his fayth.but vpon what pointes, it is not certainly knowen.

Neuertheles (as it seemeth) his aūswers were such, as litle pleased them (especially the anoynted sort) and therfore after they had long detained him in prison, as well in the Tower of London, as els where, they sent him at last vnto Boner Byshop of London, to be ordered accordyng to his Ecclesiasticall law: as appeareth by their letters sent vnto the Bishop, with þ^e sayd prisoner also: wherin it may appeare that Sir Ioh. Bourne (then Secretary to the Queene) was a chief styrrer in such cases,MarginaliaIohn Bourne a styrer of persecutiō. yea and an entiser of others of the Coūsell: who otherwise (if for feare they durst) would haue ben content to haue let such matters alone. The Lord forgeue them their weakenes (if it be his good pleasure) and geue them true repentaunce, Amen.

¶ A letter sent vnto Boner Byshop of London, by the Queenes Counsell, dated the xi. day of Nouember. 1555. but not deliuered vntill the 17. of the same moneth.  

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This letter was almost certainly copied from a now missing court book of Bishop Bonner's.

MarginaliaA letter from the Counsel to Boner.AFter our right harty commendations to your good Lordshyp, we send to the same herewith, the body of one Bartlet Greene, who hath of good time remained in þ^e Tower for his obstinate standyng in matters agaynst the Catholicke Religiō, whom the Kyng and Queenes Maiesties pleasures are (because hee is of your Lordshyps Dioces) ye shall cause to bee ordred accordyng to the lawes in such cases prouided. And thus we byd your goodshyp hartly farewell. From S. Iames the. xj. of Nouember. 1555.

Your good Lordshyps louyng frendes.

MarginaliaPost script.I Syr Iohn Bourne will wayt vpon your Lordshyp, and signifie further of the King and Queenes Maiesties pleasures herein.

Now that ye may the better vnderstand the certeintie of his handlyng after this hys commyng vnto Boners custody, I haue thought it good to put forth his owne letter, containyng at large the discourse of the same. Which letter he wrote & did meane to haue sent vnto M. Philpot, but was preuented, belike either by Philpots death or els (and rather) by the wyly watchyng of his keeper: for it came (by what meanes I know not certeinly) vnto the Bishops handes, & beyng deliuered vnto his Register, was found in one of his bookes of record. The copy wherof here foloweth.

¶ A letter of Barthelet Greene, written vnto Iohn Philpot, containing besides other particular matter betwixt him and M. Philpot, a brief rehearsall of his handlyng, and certaine his conferences with Boner and others, as hys first commyng to the Byshops.  

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Philpot was receiving reports on Green's behaviour while the latter was in Bonner's custody. Obviously, Philpot had received reports that Green was about to backslide and he wrote reproving him. This letter is Green's response to Philpot's admonishment.

THat which was lackyng in talke (through my default) at your beyng here, I haue supplied by wri-

tyng in your absēce, now at þ^e lēgth getting some oportunity & leasure. The 17. day of Nouēb. being brought hether by two of the clocke at after noone, MarginaliaM. Grene presēted before B. Boner.I was presented before my Lord of London and other two Byshops, Master Deane, M. Roper, M. Welch, Doct. Harpsfield Archdeacon of London, and other two or three, all sittyng at one table. There were also present Doct. Dale, M. George Mordāt, and M. Dee. Then, after the Bishop of London had red vnto him selfe the letter that came from the Counsell, he spake with mo wordes, but (as I remember) to this effect: that the cause of their assemblie was, to heare mine examination, whereunto he had authoritie by þ^e Counsell, & had prouided M. Welch & an other, whose name I know not (but well I remember, though he obteined it not, yet desired he my Lord, that I might heare the Counsels letters) to be there if any matters of the common law should arise, to discusse them, he intreated my Lord to determine all controuersies of Scriptures: and as for the Ciuill law, he and Doct. Dale should take it on them.

Wherfore he demaunded of me the cause of myne imprisonment. I sayd that the occasion of mine apprehension was a letter which I wrote to one Christofer Goodman, wherin (certifying hym of such newes as happened here) amongest the rest, I wrote that there were certaine printed papers of question scattered abroad. Wherupon, being suspected to be priuy vnto the deuising or publishyng of the same, MarginaliaM. Greene committed first to the Fleete and vpon what occasion.I was committed to the Fleete: but sithens heard I nothing therof, after the Commissioners had receaued my submission. The sūme whereof was: that as I was sure there neither could be any true witnes, nor probable coniecture agaynst me in that behalfe: so refused I no punishment, if they of their consciēces would iudge me priuy to the deuising, printing, or publishyng of those questiōs. But my Lord affirmyng that there was an other cause of mine imprisonment sithens, demaunded if I had not after, sith I was committed vnto the Fleete, spoken or written somewhat agaynst the naturall presence of CHRIST in the Sacrament of the aultar.

Then desired I his Lordshyp to bee good vnto me, trustyng that he would put me to aunswere to no new matters, except I were first discharged of the old. And when I stode long on that, M. Welch aunswered that it was procured that I should so do, right well. For albeit I were imprisoned for treason, if duryng the tyme of endurance I had maintained heresie, that were no sufficiēt allegation against the Ordinary: neither, whether I were before him acquitted or cōdemned, should it take away the former fault. Thē my Lord affirmyng that I was not brought before him but for heresie, and the other Gentleman saying that doubtles I was discharged of my former matter, my desire was, that I might be charged accordyng to the order of the law, to heare my accusers.

Then Doct. Chadsey was sent for, MarginaliaD. Chadsey witnesseth agaynst M. Grene.who reported that in the presence of M. Mosley and the Lieutenant of the Tower, I spake agaynst the reall presence and the sacrifice of þ^e Masse, and that I affirmed that their Church was the Church of Antichrist.

MarginaliaTalke betwen M. Grene and the Commissioners.Is not this true, quoth my Lord? I sayd yea. Will you continue therin, quoth he? Yea sayd I. Wilt thou thē maintaine it by learning, said he? Therin, quoth I, I shoulde shewe my selfe to haue litle witte, knowyng myne owne youth and ignoraunce, if I would take on me to maintayne any controuersie agaynst so many graue and learned men. But my conscience was satisfied in the truth, which was sufficient to my saluation.

Roper. Conscience (quoth M. Roper) so shall euery Iew and Turke be saued.

We had hereafter much talke to no purpose, and especicially on my part, who felt in my selfe, through colde and open ayre much dulnes of wit and memory. At the length, I was asked what conscience was: and