MarginaliaAnno. 1553.ration politike, or what soeuer thing els hath moued you thereto, yet doubt you not my Lordes, but we can take all these your doinges in gratious part, being also right ready to remit and fully pardon the same, with that freely to eschewe bloudshed and vengeance against all those that can or wyl intende the same: trusting also assuredly you wyll take and accept this grace and vertue in good part as apperteineth, and that we shal not be inforced to vse the seruice of other our true subiectes and frendes which in this our iust and right cause, God in whom our whole affiaunce is, shal send vs. Wherfore my Lordes we require you and charge you, and euery of you, that euery of you, of your allegeance which you ow to God and vs, and to none other, for our honour and the suretie of our pardon, onely employ your selues, and forthwith vpon receite hereof, cause our right and title to the Crowne and gouernement of this Realme to be proclaymed in our citie of London, and such other places as to your wisedomes shal seeme good, and as to this case apperteineth, not failing hereof, as our very trust is in you. And thus our letter signed with our hand, shalbe your sufficient warrant in this behalfe. Yeuen vnder our Signet, at our Manor of Kenyngal, the 9. of Iuly. 1553.

To this letter of the Ladye Mary, the Lordes of the Counsaile make answeare againe, as foloweth.

MarginaliaA letter of the Counsaile aunswering agayne to the Lady Mary.MAdame, we haue receyued your letters the ninth of this instant, declaring your supposed title, which you iudge your selfe to haue to the Imperial crowne of this Realme, and all the dominions thereunto belonging. For answeare whereof, this is to aduertise you, that for asmuch as our soueraigne Lady Queene Iane is after the death of our soueraigne Lorde Edward the sixt, a Prince of moste noble memorie inuested and possessed with the iust and right title in the Imperial Crowne of this Realme, MarginaliaLady Iane inuested in possession of the crowne, by K. Edwardes will and assent of the whole Counsaile.not only by good order of olde auncient lawes of this Realme, but also by our late soueragine Lords letters patents signed with his owne hand, and sealed with the great Seale of Englande in presence of the most part of the Nobles, Counsaylors, Iudges, with diuers other graue and sage personages, assenting and subscribing to the same: We must therfore as of most boūd duetie and allegeaunce assent vnto her saide grace, and to none other, except we should (which faithful subiectes can not) fal into greeuous and vnspeakeable enormities. Wherfore we cā no lesse do, but for the quiet both of the realme and you also, to aduertise you, that for as muche as the diuorce made betwene the king of famous memory K. Henry the eight, and the Lady Katherine your mother, was necessary to be had both by the euerlasting lawes of God, and also by the Ecclesiastical lawes, and by the most part of the noble and learned Vniuersities of Christendome, and confirmed also by the sundry actes of Parlamentes remayning yet in their force, MarginaliaLady Mary recounted illegitimate.and thereby you iustly made illegitimate and vnheritable to the Crowne Imperiall of this Realme, and the rules, dominions, and possessions of the same: you wil vpon iust consideration hereof, and of diuers other causes lawful to be alleged for the same, and for the iust inheritance of the right lyne and godly orders taken by the late kyng our soueraigne Lord kyng Edward the sixt, and agreed vpon by the Nobles and greatest personages aforesayd, surcease by any pretence to vexe and molest any of our soueraigne Lady Queene Iane her subiectes frō their true faith and allegeance due vnto her grace: assuring you, that if you wyl for respect shewe your selfe quiet and obedient (as you ought) you shal finde vs al and seueral ready to do you any seruice that we with duety may, and be glad with your quietnes to preserue the cōmon state of this Realme: wherin you may be otherwise greeuous vnto vs, to your selfe, and to them. And thus we byd you most hartily wel to fare, from the Tower of London, this. 9. of Iuly. 1553.

Your Ladyships frendes, shewing
your selfe an obedient subiect,

Al these aforesaid, except onely the Duke of Northumberland and sir Iohn Gates, afterward were either by especial fauor or special or general pardon discharged.

After this answeare receyued, and the myndes of the Lordes perceyued, MarginaliaLady Mary keepeth her self frō the Citie of London.Lady Mary speedeth her selfe secretely away farre from the citie, hoping chiefly vpon the good wyll of the Commons, and yet (perchaunce) not destitute altogether of the secrete aduertisements of some of the Nobles. When the Counsaile heard of her sodaine departure, and perceiued her stoutnes, and that al came not to passe as they supposed, they gathered speedily a power of men together, appoynting an army, and first assigned that the Duke of Suffolk should take that enterprise in hand, and so haue the leading of the bande. But afterwarde altering their myndes, MarginaliaThe Duke of Northumberland sent forth agaynst Lady Mary.they thought it best to sende foorth the Duke of Northumberlande, with certaine other Lordes and Gentlemen, and that the Duke of Suffolke should keepe the Tower, where the Lord Gilford and the Lady Iane the same tyme were lodged.

In the which expedition the Gard also, albeit they wer much vnwilling at the first therunto, yet notwithstanding through the vehement perswasions of the lord Treasurer, master Chomley, and other, they were induced to assist the Duke, and to set forward with hym.  

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One instance where Foxe did obtain new information was concerning the Duke of Suffolk's holding the Tower and the reluctance of Northumberland's soldiers to take the field against Mary (see textual variant 3). Probably this came to Foxe from an oral source.

These thinges thus agreed vpon, and the Duke nowe being set forwarde after the best array out of London, hauyng notwithstanding his tymes prescribed, and his iourneys appoynted by the Counsaile, to the entent he woulde not seeme to do any thing but vpon warrant, Mary in the meane while tossed with much trauaile vp and downe, to worke the surest way for her best aduauntage, withdrewe her selfe into the quarters of Northfolke and Suffolke, MarginaliaPolicie of the Lady Mary.where shee vnderstood the Dukes name to be had in much hatred, for the seruice that had bene done there of late vnder king Edward, in subduing the rebels: and there gathering to her suche ayde of the Commons on euery side as shee might, keepeth her selfe close for a space within Fremingham Castle.MarginaliaThe Lady Mary taketh Fremingham castle. To whō first of al resorted the Suffolke men: who being alwayes forward in promoting þ^e proceedings of the Gospell, promised her their ayde and helpe,MarginaliaThe Suffolke men gather to the Lady Maryes side. so that shee would not attempt the alteration of the religion which her brother king Edward had before established by lawes and orders publikely enacted and receyued by the consent of the whole Realme in that behalfe.

To make the matter short, vnto this condition she eftsoones agreed, with such promise made vnto them, MarginaliaThe Lady Mary promiseth faithfully that shee would not alter religion.that no innouation should be made of religiō, as that no man would or could then haue misdoubted her. Which promise, if shee had as constantly kept, as they did willingly preserue her with their bodyes and weapons, shee had done a dede both worthy her bloud, and had also made her raigne more stable to her selfe through former  

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The word 'former' was 'firmer' in 1563 (p. 902) and 1570 (p. 1568). The word was changed in 1576 (p. 1337); undoubtedly this was a typographical error. It is worth noting as one of a number of errors arising from careless typesetting in the 1576 edition which were perpetuated in subsequent editions.

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Thus Mary being garded with the power of the gospellers, did vanquishe the Duke, and al those that came against her. In consideration wherof, it was (me thinkes) an heauy worde that shee answeared to the Suffolke men afterwards, which did make supplication vnto her grace to performe her promise: MarginaliaQ. Maryes aunswere to the Suffolke men and one M. Dobbe punished.For so much (saith shee) as you beyng but members, desire to rule your head, you shal one day well perceiue that members must obey their head, and not looke to beare rule ouer the same. And not onely that, but also to cause the more terror vnto other, a certaine Gentleman named master Dobbe, dwelling about Wyndam side, for the same cause, that is, for aduertising her by humble request, of her promise, was punished, being three sundrye tymes set on the pillory to be a gasing stocke vnto all men. Diuers other deliuered her bookes and supplications made out of the Scripture, to exhort her to continue in the true doctrine then stablished, and for their good willes were sent to prison. But such is the cōdition of mans nature (as here you see) that we are for the most part more ready alway to seeke frendship whē we stād in neede of helpe, thē ready to requite a benefite once past & receiued. MarginaliaPerfect fidelitie shut out of the doores yet is to be found in heauen.Howbeit against al this, one shooteanker we haue, which may be a sure cōfort to all miserable creatures, þ^t equitie & fidelitie are euer perfect and certainely founde with the Lord aboue, though the same being shut out of doores in this world, be not to be founde here among men. But seeyng our entente is to write a storie, not to treate of office, let vs lay Suffolke men aside for a while, whose desertes for their readines and diligence with the Queene, I wyl not here stand vpon. What shee performed on her part, the thing it selfe, and the whole storye of this persecution doth testifie, as hereafter more plainely wyl appeare.