MarginaliaAnno. 1556. December.would rather be couered in silence and obliuion. Only to note a word or twoo of a fewe thinges to the present story most principally appertainyng, it shall suffice.

MarginaliaA brief declaration of Master Cheekes recantation.First M. Cheeke beyng in the countrey of Germany out of all daunger of persecution, with many mo of his owne countreymen and acquaintance, was not onely in safetie, but also with reputation accordingly estemed among the Germanes, and also well placed in the Citie of Strausbourgh. Where if he had contented himselfe to haue remained, rather giuing place to tyme, then to presume vpon aduentures, peraduenture it had beene better with hym. But what fatall instigation wrought in his mind, I know not. In the ende so it fell, that he would nedes take his iourney with sir Peter Carewe from hie Germany vnto Bruxels, and that (as I haue credibly heard of them which knew somwhat) not without the forecastyng of his aduentured iourney by the constellation of starres and disposition of the heauens aboue. For as he was a man famously expert & trauayled in the knowledge of sundry artes and sciences: so was he a litle to muche addicted to the curious practising of this stardiuinitie, which we cal astrologie.MarginaliaAstrologie.But how soeuer it was, or whatsoeuer it was that the starres did promise him, truth was, that men here in earth kept litle promise with him. For hauing (as it is said) K. Philips safeconduct to passe & repasse, & that by the meanes (as I find) of the lord Paget & sir Iohn Mas. pledging for his safegard K. Philips fidelitie, he came to Bruxels to see the Quenes Ambassadours, and hauyng brought the Lorde Paget on his waie towarde England,MarginaliaM. Cheeke, and sir Peter Carew apprehended in their iourney to Antwarpe.in the returne betwene Bruxels & Antwarpe was taken with sir Peter Carew by the prouest Marshall, spoyled of their Horses, and clapped into a carte, their legs, armes, and bodies tied with halters to the body of the cart, and so shipped, beyng blyndfield vnder the hatches, and so brought to the Tower of London.  

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For a discussion of Cheke's arrest and the legal issues involved see D. M. Loades, 'The Press under the Early Tudors,' Transactions of the Cambridge Bibliographical Society 4 (1964), 40-41.

Thus the good man being intrapped, & in the hands now of his enemies, had but one of these two waies to take, either to chaunge his religion, or to chaunge hys life. Other remedy with those holy Catholickes there was none. Neither could his conscience excuse hym, nor truth defend hym, nor learnyng helpe hym.

MarginaliaM. Fecknam speaketh for M. Cheeke.Albeit M. Fecknham, whether by the Queene suborned, or vpon his owne deuotion and frendship toward his olde acquaintaunce, tooke vpon him the defence and commendatiō of M. Cheke, speaking in his behalf: yet no mercy could be had with the Queene, but he must nedes recant, and so did he. The copy of whose recantation prescribed vnto him, because it is knowne and in the handes of diuers, it needeth not here to bee expressed.  

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It is rather surprising that Cheke's recantation was never printed as Northumberland's had been; this comment suggests that manuscript copies were circulated.

Then after his recantation, hee was thorough the craftie handlyng of the catholikes, allured first to dine and company with them, at length drawen vnwares to sit in place, where the pore Martyrs were brought before Boner and other Bishops to bee condemned,  

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Cheeke was condemned on 4 October 1556.

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Cheke died on 13 September 1557.

¶ The ende of the xj. Booke.