MarginaliaAnno. 1552. This Letter by name was directed to Syr Henrye Amcottes knyght Lorde Maior, to Syr Rouland Hyll knyght, Maior electe, and to the Aldermen and common Counsayle of the Citie of London. The day and date of the Letter was the sixt of October, in the thirde yeare of his raigne, beyng assigned with the hand of the Kyng, and of the Lord Protectour, the contentes of whiche letter, for the satisfaction of the reader, are here to be seene in maner and forme as foloweth.

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MarginaliaThe copye of the kinges letter sent to the L. Maior, Aldermen and Citizens of London, in the behalfe of the Lord Protectour.  

T Rustye and welbeloued we greete you wel. We charge and commaunde you most earnestly to geue order with all speede for the defence and preseruation of that our citie of London for vs, and to leuie out of hande, and to put in order as many as conueniently you maye, well weapened and arrayed, keeping good watche at the gates, and to send vs hyther for the defence of our person, one thousand of that our citie of trusty and faithfull men to attende vpon vs & our most entirely beloued vncle Edw. Duke of Somerset, Gouernour of our person, and Protectour of our Realmes, dominions, and subiectes, well harnessed, and with good and conuenient weapon: so that they doo make their repayre hyther vnto vs this night, if it be possible, or at the least to morowe before noone, and in the meane time to do what as apperteyneth vnto your duetie for ours and our sayde vncles defence agaynste all suche as attempt any conspiracie or enterprise of violēce against vs or our said vncle, and as you knowe best for our preseruation and defence at this present. Yeuen vnder our Signet at our honour of Hampton Court, the sixt of October the thirde yeare of our raigne.

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You shall farther geue credite to our trusty and welbeloued Owen Cleydon the bearer hereof, in al such things as he shal further declare vnto you on the behalfe of vs and our said vncle the Lord Protectour.

Edward Somerset.

This letter of the kyng and of the Lord Protectour was not so secretely deuised, nor so speedyly sente, but the Lordes keepyng at London, had knowledge immediately thereof (by the meanes, as some suppose, of the Lord Paget, who was then with the Kyng and the Protectour, but the truth the Lorde knoweth) beyng there ready furnished with their owne bandes of seruyng men, and other souldiers and men of Armes.

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Who forthwith vpon the same addressed their letters in semblable wise to the sayde Lord Maior and Aldermen, in the kinges name, not onely for supportation of armed men to serue their purposes, and for a sufficient watche to fortifie their citie, but also that they should not obey any suche letters, proclamations, or Iniunctions sent to them from the Duke. Which letter of the Lordes at the same instante came likewise to the Lord Maior and his brethren, the sixt day of the said moneth of Octob. The tenour and copie of which letter here ensueth.

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MarginaliaThe Letter of the Lords sent to the L. Maior and Counsel of London, agaynst the Lord Protectour. A Fter our right hartye  

commendations vnto your good Lordship: knowing your hartye fauour and earnest zeales to the preseruation of the person of the kinges maiestie and of this Realme, and other his Maiesties Realmes and dominions, we haue thought good to aduertise you, that notwithstandyng all the good aduise and counsell that we could geue to the Duke of Somerset, to stay hym selfe within reasonable limites, and to vse his gouernment nowe in the tender age of his Maiestie, in suche sorte as might tend to his highnes suretie, to the conseruation of his estate, and to his owne honour: the sayde Duke neuerthelesse styll continuyng in his pride, couetousnesse, and ambition: ceaseth not dayly by all the wayes and meanes he can deuise, to enriche hym self without measure, and to impouerish his maiestie.

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MarginaliaCrimes layd to the Lord Protectour by the Lordes. He buildeth in foure or fiue places most sumptuously, and leaueth the poore souldiers vnpayde of their wages, vnuictualled, and in all thinges so vnfurnished, as the losses lately susteyned, to the greatest dishonour that euer came to the kyng and this Realme, doo declare. He soweth dayly diuision betweene the Nobles and Gentlemen, and the Commons. He rewardeth and enterteyneth a number of those that were Captaines of the Commons in these late insurrections: and finally in such wise subuerteth al lawes, iustice, and good order (as it is euident) that putting his trust in the Commons, and perceiuyng that the Nobles and Gentlemen shoulde be an impediment to hym in his deuilishe purposes, he laboureth first to haue them destroyed, and thinketh after easily enough to atchieue his desire, whiche it appeareth plainely is to occupye the kinges maiesties place: For his doynges, who soeuer lyst to beholde them, doe manifestly declare, that he mindeth neuer to render account to his maiestie of his proceedinges.

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Marginalia[illegible text] These thinges, with many moe too long to recite, considered, we pōdered with our selues, that eyther we must trauaile for some reformation, or we muste in effecte as it were consent with him to the destructiō of our soueraigne Lorde and countrey. Whereupon laying apart all respectes, and resting onely vpon our dueties, we ioyned in counsell, and thought quietly to haue treated the matter with hym. Who perceiuyng that we ioyned for the kyng, and woulde haue such order as might be for the suretie of his maiesties person, and the common wealth, strayte put hym selfe in force, and resteth at playne poynt (as it appeareth) eyther to goe through with his detestable purpose, in sorte as he hath done, or to trye it by the sworde. Now for asmuch as we see presently, that vnlesse there be a reformation, the person of the kynges maiestie is in most certaine danger and this Realme our natural countrey like to be destroied with all our posterities, like as we haue agayne fully resolued with Gods helpe, either to deliuer the kynges maiestie and the Realme from this extreme ruine and destruction, or to spende our lyues for the declaration of our faythfull hartes and dueties: so knowing your harty good wylles and trouth to his maiestie, & therefore nothyng doubting of your readynes to ioyne with vs in our godly purpose, we thought good to let you know the very trouth of our enterprise, and in the kinges maiesties behalfe to require you, not only to put good and substantial order for watche and ward, but also to haue an earnest continuall regarde to the preseruation within your citie, of all harneys, weapons, and munitions, so as none be suffered to be conueyed to the said Duke, nor any others attendyng about hym: and besides that, you from henceforth obey no letters, proclamations, nor other commaundementes to be sent from the said Duke. And thus we byd your Lordship most hartily fare well. From London, the sixt of October.

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Your Lordships assured louyng frendes

Will. Saint Iohn.	William Peter.
W. Northampt.	Edward North
Iohn Warwike.	Iohn Gage.
Arundell.	Rich. Southwel.
Th. Southampton.

MarginaliaThe Citie of London vrged with two contrary letters at one instant. After the receiuyng of these two letters aboue mentioned, the one from the kyng, the other from the Lordes, whiche came both at one instaunt, with contrarye commaundement to the Lord Maior and Citizens of London, the case seemed harde to them, and verye doubtfull (as it was in deede) what way to take, and what were best for the Citizens to doo. On the one side the name and authoritie of the kyng was much, on the other side the power & garrisons of the Lordes, lying thē in London, was not litle, whiche seemed then to be suche as woulde haue no repulse.MarginaliaThe Recorder speaketh for the Lordes. The case thus standyng perplexedly, first by þ^e mouth of the Recorder it was requested that the Citizens would graunt their ayde rather vnto the Lords, for that the Protectour had abused both the kinges maiestie, and the whole Realme, and that without he were taken from the kyng & made to vnderstande his follie, this Realme was in greate hazard, and therfore required that the citizens would wyllingly assent to ayde the Lordes with fiue hundred men.

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Hereunto of a great part of the Common Counsayle was no no other answeare made but silence.MarginaliaM. Broke Recorder then of London. But the Recorder (who at that tyme was M. Broke) styl cryed vppon them for answeare. At the last stepped vp a wise & a good Citizen named George Stadlowe, and sayd:

MarginaliaThe graue Oration of a discrete Citizen speaking for the king, whose name was George Stadlow a Parliament man. In this case, it is good for vs to thinke of thinges past to auoyde the daunger of thinges to come. I remember (saith he) in a storie written in Fabians Chronicle, of the warre betweene the king and his Barons, which was in the tyme of king Henry the third & the same time the Barons (as our Lordes do now) demaunded aide of the Maior and citie of London, and that in a rightfull cause for the common weale, which was for the execution of diuers good lawes against the king, which would not suffer those lawes to be put in execution: and the citie did aide thē,MarginaliaDiuision betwene the Lordes and K. Henry. 3. Of this read before pag. 537. and it came to an open battel, & the Lordes preuailed against the king & tooke the king & sonne prisoners, & vpon certaine conditions the Lordes restored the king and his sonne agayne to their

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