MarginaliaAnno. 1556. Iuly.house. At what tyme, by the suite of one Alane Cope,MarginaliaAlane Cope a helper, and supporter to Iul. Palmer. then fellowe of the house, he obtained letters commendatorie, from M. Cole President there, for his preferment to a schole in Glocester shiere. So he getteth hym awaie, committed by his frendes, to Gods diuine protection, of whom some accompanied hym as farre as Eusam Ferrie, and some to Burforde.

Afterwarde as he went alone musyng, and ponderyng of matters, it came in his heade (as he writeth in an Epistle, to one of his friendes) to leaue his appointed iourney, and to returne closely to Redyng, trustyng there by the helpe of freindes, to receiue his Quarters stipende, and conueigh his stuffe to the custodie of some trustie body. To Redyng he commeth, and taketh vp his lodging at the Cardinall hatte, desiring his hostes instantly, to assigne hym a close chamber, where he might bee alone, from all resorte of companie. He came not so closely, but that this Viperous generation had knowledge thereof. Wherefore without delaye, they laied their heades together, and consulted, what waye they might moste safely procede againste hym, to bryng their old cankered malice to passe. And sone it was cōcluded, that one M. HamptonMarginaliaHampton of Redyng, a dissemblyng Hypocrite, and a false witnesse. (whiche then bare twoo faces in one hoode, and vnder the colour of a brother, plaied the parte of a dissemblyng hypocrite) should resorte to hym, vnder the pretence of frendshyp, to feele, and fishe out the cause of his repaire to Redyng.

Palmer as he was a manne simple, and without all wrinckels of cloked collusion, opened to him his whole intent. But Hampton earnestly perswaded hym to the contrary, declaryng what daunger might ensue, if this were attempted. Against his counsaile Palmer replied verie muche, and as they waxed hote in talke, Hamptō flange awaie in a furie, and saied: as he had fished, so should he should foule for hym. Palmer not yet suspectyng suche pretensed, and deuised mischief, as by this crooked, and pestiferous generation, was now in brewyng againste hym, called for his supper, and went quietly to bedde. But quietly he could not long reste there. MarginaliaPalmer betrayed, and apprehended.For within short space after, the officers, and their retinue, came rushyng in with Lanternes and billes, requiryng hym in the Kyng and Queenes names, to make readie hymself, and quietly to departe with them. So this seely yonge manne, perceiuyng that he was thus Iudasly betraied (without openyng his lippes) was lead awaie as a Lambe to the slaughter, and was committed to warde, whom the keper as a rauenyng Wolue gredie of his praie, MarginaliaPalmer miserably vsed in prison.brought doune into a vile stincking, and blinde dungeon, prepared for theeues, and murderers, and there he lefte hym for a tyme, hangyng by the handes and feete, in a paire of stockes, so high, that well nere no parte of his bodie touched the grounde,

In this caue, or dungeon, he remained about tenne daies, vnder the tyrannie of this vnmercifull keper.

MarginaliaThe firste examination of Iul. Palmer.AFter this, hee was brought before the Maior, and there by the procurement of a false brother, one Thomas Thackham (which had then obteined the preferment of the schole for him, and his assignes) he had diuerse grieuous, and enormious crimes, laide to his charge. For this Thackam (fearyng leste Palmer by the vertue of his former Patent, would remoue him from teaching the schole) takyng on him the office of an accuser, had suborned. iij. false witnesses, to wit: MarginaliaCoxe, Cately, Downer, three false persecutyng accusers.Cox, Cateley, and Downer, whiche men vnder the name of brethren, had bene conuersant with Palmer, and robbed his studie, as is aforesaid. These burdened him with no lesse then treason, sedition, surmised murther, and adulterie.

To whom Palmer aunswered, that if suche horrible, and hainous crimes might be proued against him, he would patiently submit hymself, to all kinde of tormentes that could bee deuised. But O ye cruell bloudsuckers (saieth he) ye followe the olde practises of your progenitours, the Viperous and Woluishe generatiō of Pharisies and Papistes: but be ye well assured, that GOD alreadie seeth your subtill deuises, and craftie packyng, and will not suffer the outragious furie of your venemous tongues, and fierie harts to escape vnpunished. All this while no mention was made of Heresie, or Hereticall writynges.

MarginaliaEuidence put vp againste Palmer.FIrste, that Palmer saied, the Queenes sworde was not put in her hande to execute tyrannie, and to kille

and murther the true seruauntes of God.

Item, that her sword was to blunt toward the Papiste, but toward the true Christians it was to sharpe.

MarginaliaNote the worshipfull profes of the quarelyng Papistes.Item, that certaine seruauntes of Sir Fraunces Knowles, and others, resortyng to his lectures, had fallen out among them selues, and were like to haue committed murther, and therefore he was a sower of sedition, and a procurer of vnlawfull assembles.

Item, that his Ostes had written a letter vnto him (which they had intercepted) wherein she required him to retourne to Redyng, and sent hym her commendations by the token: that the knife lay hid vnder the beam, wherby they gathered that she had conspired with him, to murther her housebande.

Item, that they founde hym alone, with his Ostes by the fire side in the halle, the doore beyng shut to them forsothe. Whē this euidence was geuen vp, the Maior dismissed them, and went to dinner, commaūdyng Palmer to the Cage, to make hym an open Spectacle of ignominie to the eyes of the worlde. And Thackham, the better to couer his owne shame, caused it to be bruted, that he was so punished for his euill life, and wickednesse alreadie proued against hym.

MarginaliaPalmer clereth hym self.In the after noone Palmer came to his aunswere, and did so mightely and clearely deface their euidence, and defend his owne innocencie, prouing also, that the saied letters were by thē selues forged:MarginaliaNote here, the fruite of Romishe religion. that the Maior himself was so muche ashamed, that he had giuen suche credite vnto them, and so muche borne with them, so that he sought meanes, how they might conueigh hym out of the countrey priuely.

But here among other thynges, this is not with silence to bee passed ouer, that one Iohn GalanteMarginaliaGalante a zealous professor. a zealous professour of the Gospell, a little after this, came to the prison, and founde hym somewhat better intreated then before. When he behelde hym, O Palmer (saieth he) thou haste deceiued diuers mennes expectation: for wee heare that you suffer not for righteousnes sake: but for your owne demerites. O brother Galante (saieth he) these bee the old practises of that Sathanicall broode. But be you will assured, and God be praised for it, I haue so pourged my self, and detected their falshode, that from henceforthe I shall be no more molested therewith. And there hauyng penne and ynke he did write somewhat whereby part of his storie, here rehearsed is well confirmed. But nowe to these bloudie aduersaries.

After this, when they sawe the matter frame so ill fauoredly, fearyng that if he should escape secretely, their doynges would tende no lesse to their shame, and daunger: then to the Maiors dishonesty, they deuised a new pollicie, to bring to passe their long hidden, and festered malice againste hym: whiche was their extreme refuge. For where as before they were partly ashamed to accuse hym of heresie, seeyng they had beene counted earnest brethren themselues: and partly afraid, because they had broken vp his studie, and committed theft: MarginaliaNew pollicie deuised against Iul. Palmer.yet nowe leste their iniquitie should haue bene reuealed to the world, they put both feare, and shame aside, and began to refricate and rippe vp the olde soare, the scarre whereof, had bene but superficially cured, as you haue hearde, and so to colour their former practises, with the pretence of his reformation in religion, they charged hym, with the writinges that they had stolen out of his studie.

MarginaliaPalmer called before the Maior of Redyng, Burde the Officiall, and two Iustices.Thus Palmer was once againe called out of the prison to appeare before the Maior, and Burde the officiall, and twoo other Iustices, to render an account of his faithe before them: To aunswere to suche Articles and informations, as were laied against him. And when they had gathered of his owne mouthe sufficient matter to entrappe hym, they deuised a Certificate, or Bill of Instructions against hym, to be directed to D. Ieffrey,MarginaliaD. Ieffery the bishops Chaūcellour of Sarum. who had determined to holde hys Visitation, the next Tuesday at Newberie, whiche was the xvi of Iuly. And thus were the false witnesses, & bloudy accusers winked at, and the Innocent deliuered to the Lyon to be deuoured. When it was thereforeconcluded, that Palmer should be sent ouer to Newbery, the said Letters testimoniall were conueied ouer together with hym, the contentes whereof shall partly appeare hereafter. In the meane tyme, I thinke it good here to rehearse one example among other, bothe of charitable affection towarde hym, and of his modestie correspondent to the same.

Master Rider of Reding a faithfull witnes of Gods