MarginaliaAn. 1558.of the Countrey men there more fiercely agaynst M. Bertie, as afterward it proued. For as he was motioned by his wife to saue him selfe by the swiftnes of his horse, and to recouer some towne there by for his reskue, he so doyng was in worse case then before, for the townesmen and the Captaynes brother supposing no lesse but that the Captayne had bene slayne, pressed so egerly vpō him, that he had bene there taken and murthered among them, had not he (as God would) spying a ladder leaning to a window, by the same got vp into the house, and so gone vp into a garret in the toppe of the house, where he with his dagge and rapyre defended hymselfe for a space: but at length the Burghmaster comming thether with an other Magistrate, which could speake latin, he was counselled to submit hym selfe to the order of the law. Master Bertie knowing hym selfe cleare, and the captayne to be aliue, was the more bolder to submitte hym selfe to the iudgement of the law, vpon condition that the Magistrate would receaue hym vnder safeconduct, and defend hym from the rage of the multitude. Which beyng promised, M. Bertie putteth hymselfe and hys weapon in the Magistrates hand, and so was committed to safe custody, while the truth of his cause should be tryed. Then Master Bertie writyng hys letters to the Lantgraue and to the Earle of Erbagh, the next day early in the mornyng the Earle of Erbagh dwellyng within eight miles, came to the towne, whether the Duchesse was brought wyth her wagon, Master Bertie also beyng in the same towne vnder custody. The Earle, who had some intelligēce of the Duchesse before, after he was come, and had shewed such curtisie as he thought to her estate was seemely, the townsmen perceauing the Earle to behaue himselfe so humbly vnto her, began to consider more of the matter, and further vnderstanding the captayne to be aliue, both they and especially the authors of the sturre shrunke away, and made all the frendes they coulde to Master Bertie and hys wyfe, not to report their doynges after the worst sort.

And thus Master Bertie and hys wife escaping that daunger, proceded in their iourney toward Poleland,MarginaliaM. Bertie with the Duchesse honourably entertained of the king of Poole. where in conclusion they were quietly entertayned of the king, & placed honorably in þ^e Earldome of the said king of Poles in Sanogelia, called Crozan, where M. Bertie wyth the Duchesse hauing the kings absolute power of gouernment ouer the sayd Earldome, continued both in great quietnes and honour, till the death of Queene Mary.

MarginaliaA story of Thomas Horton, Minister.AS ye haue heard of the daungerous truobles of the Duchesse of Suffolke in tyme of her exile for religion sake, whom notwithstanding the Lordes present protection still deliuered in all distresses, as well from her enemyes in England, as in Dutchland from the Launceknightes there: so haue we no lesse to behold and magnify the Lords mercifull goodnes in preseruing of Thomas Horton from the like perills of the same countrey. Which Thomas Horton, what a profitable instrument he was to the Church of Christ in Queene Maryes tyme, all our English men almost beyond the seas then, did both know and feele.

This good Thomas Horton, as he vsed oftentymes to trauyale betwene Germany and England, for the behoofe and sustenaunce of the poore Englishe exiles there: so he iourneying vppon a tyme betwene Mastricke and Collen, chaunced to be taken there by certayne Rouers, and so beyng led by them away, was in no litle daunger: and yet this daunger of hys was not so great, but the present helpe of the Lord was greater to ayde and deliuer hym out of the same.

¶ Thomas Sprat of Kent, Tanner.  

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Accounts of Robert Harrington, Lady Elizabeth Fane, Sir Nicholas Throgmorton and Thomas Musgrave were printed here on p. 1703 in the 1563 edition. The account of Elizabeth Fane was updated and appended to the account of Lady Anne Knevet. The account of Throgmorton was probablydropped because the refusal of a jury to convict him of treason provided a dangerous precedent for the Elizabethan authorities; it is unclear why the accounts Harrington and Musgrave were omitted.

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MarginaliaThe story of Tho. Sprat and Will. Porrege.VNto these afore rehearsed examples of Gods blessed prouidence toward his seruauntes, may also be

added the happy deliueraunce of Thomas Sprat and Wiliam Porrege his companion, now Minister. Whose story briefly to course ouer, is this. This Tho. Sprat had bene seruaunt sometymes to one M. BrentMarginaliaM. Brent Iustice in Kent, a persecutor. a Iustice, and a heauy persecutor, and therfore forsaking his maister for Religion sake, he went to Calyce, from whence he vsed often with the sayd W. Porrege for theyr necessary affayres, to haue recourse into England. It so happened about the fourth yeare of Queene Maries reigne, that they landyng vppon a tyme at Douer, and takyng their iourney together toward Sandwich, sodeinly vpon the way within three myles of Douer, met with the foresayd M. Brent,MarginaliaThe two Blachendens in Kent, persecutors. the two Blachendens, and other gentlemen moe, with their seruantes, to the number of x. or xij. horses. Of the which two Blachendens, beyng both haters and enemies of Gods word and people, the one had perfect knowledge of W. Porrege, the other had not sene him, but onely had heard of his name before.

Thus they beyng in the way where this Iustice with his mates should meete them directly in the face, Thomas Sprat first espying M. Brent, was sore dismayde, saying to his companion: yonder is M. Brent, W. Porrege: God haue mercy vpon vs. Well, quoth the other, seyng now there is no remedy, let vs go on our way. And so thinkyng to passe by them, they kept thē selues a loufe, as it were a score of from thē, Thomas Sprat also shadowing his face with his cloke. MarginaliaTho. Sprat almost taken in the way by the Iustice.Notwithstandyng, one of M. Brentes seruauntes aduising him better then his Master did: yonder, sayd he to hys Master, is Thomas Sprat. At which wordes they all rayned theyr horses, and called for Thomas Sprat to come to them. They call you, sayd W. Porrege. Now here is no remedy but we are taken: and so persuaded hym to go to them beyng called, for that there was no escapyng from so many horsemen in those playnes and downes, where was no wood neare them by a mile, nor hedge neither, but onely one, which was a byrdbolt shot of.

MarginaliaTho. Sprat called of the Iustice, but would not come.All this notwithstandyng, Sprat stayd and would not go. Then they called agayne, sittyng still on horsebacke. Ah sirrha, quoth þ^e Iustice? why come yet not hether? And still his companion moued him to go, seyng there was no other shift to flye away. Nay, sayd Sprat, I will not go to them, and therwithall tooke his legges, running to the hedge that was next to hym. They seing that set spurres to their horse, thinking by & by to haue him, and that it was vnpossible for him to escape their handes, as it was in deede, they beyng on horsebacke and he on foote, MarginaliaGod alwayes stronger then the deuill.had not the Lord miraculously deliuered his seely seruaunt from the gaping mouth of the Lion ready to deuour him.

For as God would, so it fell out that he had got ouer the hedge, skrawlyng through the bushes, when as they were euen at his heeles, striking at him with their swordes, one of the Blachendens crying cruelly: cut of one of his legges.

MarginaliaTho. Sprat getteth ouer the hedge frō hys persecutours.Thus Sprat had scarsely recouered the hedge from his enemies, when one of M. Brentes seruauntes, which had bene felow sometymes in house with him, followed him in his bootes: and certeine rode vp at one side of the hedge, and certaine at þ^e other, to meete him at the vpper end. Now, while they were followyng the chase after Thomas Sprat, onely one remained with W. Porrege (who was one of þ^e Blachendens, not hee which knew him, but the other) who began to questiō with him: not askyng what was his name (as God would) for then he had bene knowen and taken: but from whence he came, and how he came into Sprats company, and whether he went? Vnto whom he aunswered and sayd: from Calyce, and that Sprat came ouer with him in the passage boate, and they two were goyng to Sandwich: and so without any more questions he let him depart. Anone as he kept along þ^e hedge one of the horsemen which rode after Sprat, retur-