MarginaliaAn. 1556. Iuly.because it is of certain credite and came to our handes, therfore we are the more bold to auouch it for a truth.

MarginaliaIulius Palmer forced to depart the towne of Reading.Thus then was this sely  

yoūg man, for the safegard of hys lyfe, forced to depart vpon a sodeyne from Readyng, leauyng behynd hym in the handes of hys enemyes, hys stuffe and one quarters stypend. And so he tooke hys iourney toward Eusham, where his mother then dwelt, hopyng to obtayne at her handes, certaine legacies due to hym by hys fathers last will, which he should haue receaued foure yeares before. His mother vnderstandyng hys state and errand by hys brother (whom he had sent before to intreate for him) as soone as she beheld hym on hys knees askyng her blessyng, as hee had bene accustomed to do: MarginaliaVnnaturall wordes of a mother.thou shalt (sayth she) haue CHRISTES curse & mine, where so euer thou go.

[Back to Top]

He pausing a litle, as one amased at so heauy a greetyng, at length sayd: MarginaliaMothers may geue their owne curse: but Gods curse they can not geue: much lesse can the Pope.O mother, your owne curse you may giue me, which (God knoweth) I neuer deserued. But Gods curse ye can not giue me. For he hath already blessed me. Nay, sayth she, thou wentest from Gods blessyng into a warme sonne, whē þ^u wast banished for an hereticke, out of that worshipful house in Oxford, & now for þ^e lyke knauery art driuen out of Readyng to.

[Back to Top]

Alas mother (saith he) ye haue bene mysseinformed I was neither expelled nor driuen away, but freely resigned of myne own accord. And hereticke I am none: For I stand not stubburnely agaynst true doctrine, but defend it to my power. And ye may be sure they vse not to expell nor banishe, but to burne heretickes. Well (quoth she) MarginaliaThe father shall be deuided agaynst the sonne, the mother agaynst the daughter, and daughter agaynst the mother. Luke. 12.I am sure, thou doest not beleue, as thy father and I, and al our forefathers haue done: but as we were taught by the new law in kyng Edwardes dayes, which is damnable heresie.

[Back to Top]

In deede I confesse (sayth he) that I beleue that doctrine which was taught in king Edwardes time which is not heresie, but truth, neither is it new, but as old as CHRIST, and his Apostles. If thou be at that point (sayth she) I require thee depart from my house, & out of my sight, and neuer take me for thy mother hereafter. As for money & goods I haue none of thyne, thy father bequethed nought to heretickes. Fagots I haue to burne thee, more thou gettest not at my handes.

[Back to Top]

Mother (sayth he) whereas ye haue cursed me, I agayne pray God to blesse you, and prosper you all your life long, and with like soft talke, sweete wordes, and aboundance of teares tricklyng downe his cheekes, MarginaliaIul. Palmer driuen from hys mother.he departed from her, wherwith he so mollified her stony harte, that she hurled an old Aungell after him, and sayd, take that to keepe thee a true man.

[Back to Top]

Thus poore Palmer, beyng destitute of worldly frēdshyp, and cruelly repelled of her, whom he tooke to haue bene his surest frend, wiste not which way to turne his face. Soone after, when he had bethought him selfe, it came to his mind to returne secretly to Magd. College, vpon the assured trust & affiance that he had on a priuie frend or two in þ^e house, where by þ^e sute of one Alane Cope,MarginaliaAlane Cope a helper and supporter to Iul. Palmer. thē felow of the house, he obteined letters commendatorie from M. Cole the President, for his prefermēt to a schole in Glocestershyre: so he getteth hym away, committed by hys frendes, to Gods diuine protection, which Cope accompanied him as farre as Eusham Ferry.

[Back to Top]

Afterward as he went alone, musing and ponderyng of matters, it came in his head to leaue his appointed iourney, and to returne closely to Readyng, trusting by the helpe of frendes, to receiue his quarters stipend, and cōuey his stuffe, to the custody of some trusty body. To Readyng he commeth, and taketh vp hys lodgyng, at the Cardinalls hat, desiryng his hostys instātly, to assigne hym a close chamber, where he might be alone from all resorte of company. He came not so closely, but that this viperous generation had knowledge therof. Wherfore without delay, they layd their heades together, and consulted, what way they might most safely procede agaynst hym, to bryng theyr old cākered malice to passe. And soone it was concluded, that

[Back to Top]

one M. HamtonMarginaliaHampton of Reading a dissembling hypocrite, and a false iudge. (whiche then bare two faces in one hoode, and vnder the coulour of a brother, played the part of a dissemblyng hypocrite) should resorte to hym, and vnder the pretence of frendshyp, should feele and fishe out the cause of his repayre to Readyng.

[Back to Top]

Palmer as he was a man simple, and without all wrincles of cloked collusiō, opened to him his whole intent. But Hamton earnestly persuaded hym to the cōtrary, declaryng what daunger might ensue, if this were attempted. Agaynst his counsell, Palmer replyed very much: and as they waxed hoate in talke, Hamton flange away in a furie, and sayd: As he had fished, so he should foule for hym. Palmer not yet suspectyng such prepensed and deuised mischief as by this crooked and pestiferous generation was now in bruyng agaynst hym, called for hys supper, and went quietly to bed. But quietly he could not long rest there: MarginaliaPalmer betrayed and apprehended.For forthwith the officers and their retinue came rushyng in, with Lanternes and Billes and required hym in the Kyng and Queenes names, to make ready hym selfe, & quietly to departe with them. So the selly young man perceiuyng that he was thus Iudasly betrayed, without openyng his lyppes, was led away as a lambe to the slaughter, and was committed to ward, whom the keeper as a rauenyng wolfe gredy of his pray, MarginaliaPalmer miserably vsed in prison.brought downe into a vyle stinkyng and blynd doungeon, prepared for theeues & murtherers, and there he left him hangyng by the legges and feete in a payre of stockes, so hygh, that no part of his body touched the ground.

[Back to Top]

In this prison he remained ten dayes vnder the tyranny of this vnmercyfull keeper.

MarginaliaThe first examination of Iulius Palmer.AFter this, he was brought before the Maior, and there by the procurement of a false brother, one Thomas Thackam (not M. Thackā of Dursley in Glocestershyre, but an other of the same name yet alyue, and no kyn to hym) which had then obtained the preferment of the schole, for hym and his assignes, he had diuers greuous & enormious crimes laid to his charge. For this Thackā takyng on hym þ^e office of an accuser, had suborned three false witnesses: to wit, MarginaliaCoxe, Gateley, Downer, three false persecuting accusers.Cox, Gateley, and Downer, which men vnder the name of brethren, had bene conuersaunt with him, and robbed his study, as is aforesayd. These burdened hym with treason, sedition, surmised murther, and adulterie.

[Back to Top]

To whom Palmer aunswered, that if such horrible and heynous crimes, might be proued agaynst hym, he would paciently submit hym selfe to all kynde of tormentes, that could be deuised. But O ye cruell bludsuckers (sayth he) ye folow the old practises of your progenitours the woluish generation of Phariseis and Papistes: but be ye well assured, that God already seeth your subtile deuises, and craftie packyng, and will not suffer this outragious furie of your venemous toūges & firie hartes to escape vnpunished. All this while, no mencion was made of heresie or hereticall writinges.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaEuidence put vp agaynst Palmer.FIrst, that Palmer sayd, the Queenes sword was not put in her hand to execute tyranny, and to kill & murther the true seruantes of God.

Item, that her sword was to blūte towardes the Papistes, but towardes þ^e true Christians, it was to sharpe.

MarginaliaNote the worshipful proufes of these quarreling Papistes.Itē, that certaine seruauntes of Syr Fraūces Knowles, and others, resortyng to hys lectures, fell out among thē selues, and were lyke to haue committed murther: and therefore he was a sowre of sedition, and a procurer of vnlawfull assembles.

Item, that his hostys had written a letter vnto hym, which they had intercepted, wherein she request hym to returne to Readyng, and sent her commendations, by the token that the knife lay hyd vnder the beame. Wherby they gathered, that she had cōspired with him to murther her husband.

Item, that they found him alone with his hostys, by the fiers side, the doore beyng shut to them.