some time present) & also before þ^e cheefe Iudges & iustices of this realme, and þ^t the matter being by thē throughly examined & perceayed to be much bolstered and borne withall by the clergie, was agayne wholy remitted vnto their determination and endyng: they found by good proofe and sufficient euidence,MarginaliaD Horsey Chauncelor, Charles Ioseph and Spaldyng murderers of Richard Hunne. that Doctour Horsey the Chauncelour, Charles Ioseph the Sumner, and Iohn Spaldyng the Belrynger had priuily & maliciously committed this murther, and therefore indicted them all three as wylfull murtherers. Howbeit, through the earnest sute of the Bishop of London, vnto Cardinall Woolsey (as appeareth by his letters hereafter mentioned) meanes was founde, þ^t at the next Sessions of Gayle deliuery, the kynges Attorney pronounced the indictement agaynst D. Horsey to be false and vntrue: and hym not to be gyltie of the murther. Who being then thereby deliuered in body, hauyng yet in hym selfe a gyltie conscience, gat hym vnto Exceter, and durst neuer after for shame come agayne vnto London. But now that the truth of all this matter maye seeme more manifest and playne vnto al mens eyes, here shal folowe word by worde, the whole inquirie and verdict of the inquest, exhibited by them vnto the Crowner of Londō, so geuen vp and signed with his owne hande.

MarginaliaThe verdct of the inquest. THe fift and the sixt day of December, in the sixt yeare of the raigne of our soueraigne lord king Henry the eight, William Barnewel Crowner of London, the day and yeare abouesaid, within the warde of Castelbaynerd of London assembled a quest, whose names afterward do appeare, and hath sworne them truely to inquire of the death of one Richard Hunne, which lately was founde Dead in the Lollardes tower within Paules church of London: wherupon all we of the inquest together went vp into the sayde tower, where we founde the body of the sayd Hunne, hangyng vpon a staple of yron in a gyrdell of silke, with fayre countenaunce, his head fayre kemmed, and his bonet right sittyng vpon his head, with his eyen and mouth fayre closed, without any staryng, gapyng, or frownyng, also without any driueling or spurgyng in any place of his body, whereupon by one assent all we agreed to take downe the dead body of the said Hunne, and as soone as we began to heaue the body, it was loose, whereby by good aduisement we perceyued that the gyrdle had no knot about the staple, but it was double cast, and the lynkes of an yron chayne which dyd hang on the same staple, were layd vpon the same girdle wherby he dyd hang: Also the knot of the gyrdle that went about his necke, stoode vnder his left eare, which caused his head to leane towardes his right shoulder. Notwithstandyng there came out of his nostrels two small streames of bloud, to the quantitie of foure droppes. Saue onely these foure droppes of bloud, the face, lippes, chinne, doublet, coller, and shyrt of the sayde Hunne, was cleane from any bloud. Also we finde that the skinne both of his necke and throte beneath the gyrdle of sylke, was freat and faled away, with that thyng whiche the murtherers had broken his necke withal. Also the handes of the said Hun were wroung in the wristes, wherby we perceyued that his handes had bene bound. Moreouer we finde that within the said prison was no meane wherby any mā might hang hym selfe, but onely a stoole, whiche stoole stoode vpon a bolster of a bed, so tickle, that any man or beast myght not touch it so litle, but it was ready to fal. Whereby we perceyued that it was not possible that Hunne myght hang hym selfe, the stoole so standyng. Also all the gyrdle from the staple to his necke, as wel as the part which went about his necke, was too litle for his head to come out there at. Also it was not possible that the soft silken gyrdle should breake his necke or skinne beneath the gyrdle. Also we finde in a corner somewhat beyounde the place where he dyd hang, a great parcel of bloud. Also we finde vpon the left side of Hunnes Iacket from the brest downeward, two great streames of bloud. Also within the flap of the left side of his Iacket, we finde a great cluster of bloud, and the Iacket folden downe thereupon: whiche thyng the sayde Hunne could neuer fold nor do after he was hāged. Wherby it appeareth plainely to vs all, that the necke of Hunne was broken, and the great plentie of bloud was shed before he was hanged. Wherfore all we finde by God and all our consciences that Richard Hunne was murthered. Also wee acquite the sayd Richard Hunne of his onwe death.

Also ther was an end of a waxe candle, which as Iohn Belrynger sayth, he left in the prison burning with Hunne that same Sonday at night that Hunne was murthered, whiche waxe candle we founde stickyng vpon the stockes fayre put out, about seuen or eyght foote from the place where Hunne was hanged, which candle after our opinion was neuer put out by hym, for manye likelihoodes whiche we haue perceyued. Also at the going vp of maister Chanceller into the Lollardes tower, we haue good proofe that there lay on the stockes a gowne either of Murrey or Crimosin in graine furred with shankes. Whose gowne it was we coulde neuer proue, neither who bare it away. All we find that maister William Horsey Chaunceller to my lord of London, hath had at his commaundement both the rule and guidyng of the said prisoner. Moreouer, al we find that the sayd maister Horsey Chaūcelour hath put Charles Ioseph out of his office, as the said Charles hath cōfessed, because he would not deale and vse the said prisoner so cruelly, and do to him as the Chauncelour would haue had him to do. Notwithstanding the deliuerance of the keyes to the Chauncelour by Charles on the Saterday at night before Hunnes death, and Charles riding out of the town on that sonday in the morning ensuing, was but a conuention made betwixt Charles and the Chauncelour for to colour the murther. For the same sonday that Charles rode foorth, he came againe to the towne at night, and kylled Richarde Hunne, as in the depositions of Iulian Littel, Thomas Chicheley, Thomas Simondes, and Peter turney do appeare.

After colouryng of the murther betwixt Charles and the Chauncelour conspired, the Chaunceler called to him one Iohn Spaldyng Belringer of Paules, and deliuered to the same Belrynger the keyes of the Lollardes tower, geuyng to the said Belringer a great charge, saying, I charge thee to keepe Hunne more straytely that he hath ben kept, and let hym haue but one meale a day. Moreouer I charge thee, let no body come to him without my licence, neither to bring him shirt, cap, kerchife, or any other thing, but that I see it before it come to him. Also before Hunne was caryed to Fulham, the Chauncelour commaunded to be put vpon Hunnes necke a great coller of yron with a great chayne, which is too heauy for any man or beast to weare, and long to endure.

MarginaliaProufes of Hunnes death Moreouer, it is well proued, that before Hunnes death, the said Chauncelour came vp into the said Lollardes tower, & kneeled down before Hunne, holding vp his handes to hym, praying him of forgeeuenesse of all that he had done to him, and must do to hym. And on sonday folowing the Chauncelour commaunded the Penitensarie of Paules to go vp to hym and say a Gospel, and make for hym holy water and holy bread, and geue it to him, which so dyd. & also the Chauncelour commaunded that Hunne shoulde haue his dynner. And the same dynner tyme Charles boye was shut in prison with Hūne, which was neuer so before: and after dynner when the Belringer fet out the boye, the Belringer said to the same boy, Come no more hither with meate for hym vntyll to morowe at noone, for my maister Chauncelour hath commaunded that he shal haue but one meale a day: and the same night folowing Richard Hunne was murthered: which murder could not haue bene done without consent and licence of the Chauncelour, and also by the witting and knowledge of Iohn Spaldyng Belrynger: for there coulde no man come into the prison, but by the keyes beyng in Iohn Belryngers keeping. Also as by my lord of Londons booke doth appeare, Iohn Belringer is a poore innocent man. Wherfore al we do perceiue that this murther could not be done, but by the commaundement of the Chauncelour, and by the witting and knowing of Iohn Belrynger.

MarginaliaWitnes of Charles Ioseph Sumner. Charles Ioseph within the tower of Lond. of his owne free wyl and vnconstrained said, that maister Chauncelour deuised and wrote with his owne hand, al such heresies as were laid to Hunnes charge, record Iohn God, Iohn True, Iohn Pasmer, Richard Gibson, with many other. Also Charles Ioseph saith, that whē Richard Hunne was slaine, Iohn Belrynger bare vp the steyre into the Lollards tower a waxe candle, hauing the keyes of the doore hangyng on his arme, & I Charles went next to him, & maister Chauncelour came vp last: and when all we came vp, we founde Hunne lying on his bed: and then maister Chaunceler said, Lay handes on the theefe, and so all we murthered Hunne: and thē I Charles put the gyrdle about Hunnes necke and then Iohn Belringer and I Charles dyd heue vp Hunne, and Maister Chaunceler pulled the gyrdile ouer the staple & so Hunne was hanged.