Item in Nouember followyng Iames Skinner Iustice, gaue out a straite precept to apprehend Iohn Kempe: whereupon the first of this moneth, one Ownsted Constable, with twoo other Constables, associate with Iohn Wood, who had maried Kemps sister, also diuers other persons, beset the said Kemps house, searched it, and euery house within twoo myles where they might suspect him to be, for that he had appointed the same day to come thether, which he did to one Ridleys house of Lingefeild, there readyng & praiyng with certayne of the Godly assembled, to whiche house, as they were commyng, the said persecutyng Officers met with an old papist, named Iohn Tetherton, and tould hym whether they were goyng for Iohn Kempe, to whom the saide Papist aunswered, that Kempe was not at Ridleys house, for I hard Ridley saye þ^t he was at the Brideale, from whence I now come, vppon which information they turned backe to Kemps house, there takyng a Sister of hys of xv. yeares of age, and caried her with them, threatenyng her with prison, but she beyng constant, was reuyled and beaten by her brother in lawe Iohn Wood, and by hym sent home againe. The same day at night, Kempe was certified that hys seruauntes, and neighbours which feared GOD, and went not that day with him, were caried to the Iustice, vpon which information, he determined with hym selfe to meete them before the Iustice, the next mornyng, by no meanes perswaded to the contary: to whom George Steuen (afterwarde Martyre) saide: If you will no otherwise chuse but go, I will surely beare you company, come what will. Thus they came together by the backe side to the said Kemps house, where they purposed to lodge that night, for that they heard before that al was wel, & entred on a bridge that goeth into a little Courte before his doore, where sodenly it came into Kemps mind, that there were in the house that watched for hym, and so staied: thereupon Steuen asked hym what he lacked, he aunswered M. Man was afrayde that some did watch for hym in the house, and therefore is loth to goe in, but by the grace of God I will make him to go in with violence. Yet through the perswasion of his companion he forsooke the doore, and returned to the ende of his house ouer a Pale, where his mayde seruantes did lodge, and knocked at the window with his staffe. His Sister aunswered, and asked who was there, Kempe bade her arise and open the doore. At the whiche noyse the Constable, and other Watchmen in the house, stert vp, and said, he is come, so that they takyng their weapons in hand, went to the doore to haue taken hym, but hearyng no more noyce stayed there a while, then said one of them named Robert Bedell, it is not hee, but it is his Maydens that bee at Prayer. Wherupon they went in and sate downe againe. But Kempe seyng that his Maides did not rise, knocked again, and spake with a louder voyce, so that they knew him, and came to the window, his Sister with teares speakyng these words: alas brother what doe you here? for here is the Constable, William Launder, Robert Bedell, and Iohn Picknutte watchyng purposely for you. Kempe asked her for his men and Neighbours, whē he vnderstoode that none was taken, or caried to the Iustices as before was reported, hee willed his Horse, Bootes, Cloke, and Swerde to be sent by Laūder his man the next day to one Coles house, at which talke the Constable with his Watche issued out, but Kempe tooke him to his heeles and so escaped. Thus he traueled to Horsome, Aufold, Gylford, Hedgate, frō whence at his departing, he promised to visite them againe at Christenmas ensuyng. Of whiche promise the Iustices hauyng intelligence, both in Surrey & Sussex, M. Couate directed a Precept to the Constable of Horsom to searche straitly for Iohn Kēpe: also master Iames Skinner directed his warrauntes to Aufolde, and to the Constable of Hedgate to the same ende.

Kempe accordyng to his promse came in the twelue dayes to Horsome, accompanied with one Iohn Clemant, Robert Cockes, and an other, to a Sythsmithes house, to whom he vsed sometime to resort. Where hee standyng after supper by the fier, with a little Bible in his hand that he vsed to cary, and talkyng to the company present out of the same booke, sodainly came the Constable with his Search and knocked at the doore. Then said the Smith, what shift wil you make, for the Searche is come againe, as before twoo nightes together, what souer the matter is, to whom Kempe answered, for my selfe I care not, but onely for you and

this company. Why should you care for mee, quoth the Smith? because saith Kempe the lawe is such, as if I be taken in your house, you shall loose your goodes. I feare not that quoth the Smith, and therefore care not for mee, but go aside your selfe if you will. But he refused the counsell, and stoode still lookyng vppon the Constables men and Bayleiffes in the face, who being entred, enquired of the Smith what gestes he had: you may see here quoth the Smith, and you know this man Maister Constable, pointyng to Kempe, as also you knowe him Master Kempe pointyng to the Cōstable. Then said Kempe I know hym not, but beyng put in mind of him by a token thā readely geuen of the smith, Kempe desired the Constable to pardon his forgetfull head, addyng, that he was glad to see him, thankyng God and hym for his last company, trustyng also that as god had then geuen hym attētiue eares to heare his woorde, so nowe hee had geuen a harte to beleue, and a mynd to followe that whiche he hard. The Constable sighing and chaunging countenance said, I pray God I may, askyng fiue or sixe tymes if there were anie other in the house, and at euery time hee profered as hee would depart, but turned againe, his countenaunce often chaunging, yet in the ende departed quietly, afterwarde debatyng with the Bayleiffe what was to bee done, for that man is that Kempe whom we doe seeke, why saith the Baileiffe, we haue no remedy but to take hym, not so quod the Constable, for my Precept reacheth to search for hym, not to take hym. Which his talke he himself reported, at Ridleys of Lingfeld the weke followyng. The next mornyng Kempe went out into the towne and was watched by the constable, who counselled the Smith to persuade Kempe to depart, certifiyng that in his purposed iorney, there were writs and men ready in watch to apprehend him. Kempe notwithstandyng proceeded in his iourney, nothing persuading the contrary, and in the Parish of Hedgate, went three seuerall times, in seuerall daies by the Constables dore, not knowing that there was any precept to attache him in that place. Yet the next mornyng he was pursued by the constable and his assistaunt almost two miles, to a riuer where they could not passe for that the water was risen, but Kempe was gayded another way, and so by Gods prouidence deliuered.

After this, about shroftide, Kempe, three of his seruaunts, and other of his neighbours, about the nombre of xv. were serued with a Processe to appeare before the Ordinary at Sainte Mary Oueris in London, where beeyng conuented, Simon Launder, George Steuens, George Barker, mother Steuen and others desired Kempe for Christes sake not to appeare, lest it might turne to their greater daunger, where otherwise they might escape. Kempe condescended to their whole consent, & departed, the rest appeared, of whom Kempes seruauntes, Thomas Laūder, Agnis Kempe, and Elizabeth Godfray were sent to Prison by Doctour Lewis, þ^e other went home again. Thus Kempe beyng cleane driuen from his House, trauailed to Bristowe Faire. An. 1555. where he bought Freyses, and brought them to Bartelmew faire in London, there to sel them by retaile, his lodging in London was within on Master Stiell, his house in Heywharfe lane, where beyng at supper with his frendes on Bartelmew daye at late night, Iohn Auales came to the house, & made a shakyng on the window to find the house, Wherfore vpon the perswasion of his frend hee went to lodge at Bosse Alley, but beyng disapointed, came backe againe with his wife and frendes, & would haue lodged in his foresaid chambre of master Stiell, but he was not permitted, for there were in that place Iohn Auales, the constable, the Aldermans Deputie with other, searchyng for hym, but not beyng found, they caried to prison M. Stiel, George Roberts, and his wife. Kempe notwithstanding sould his Freyse the next day by retaile in the Faier: In the meane tyme Doctor Story and Doctor Martin promised releasement to Master Stiell, if he would conduct the officers to Kempes standyng in the Faire. Which Master Stiell promised so to doe, who notwithstandyng sent a watchword priuely to Kempe for to escape. But Kempe refused so to doe, till suche time as the officers laid their hand vpon the standyng, and the cloth, demaundyng for Kempe, whereupon immediatly he slipped backe among the people and escaped, willyng Roger Holland to bribe the officers with good cheare, and in the meane tyme to port awaye the Freyse into some one Bothe next, desiryng the Master