MarginaliaAnno 1552.After the foresaide Proclamation was Proclaimed, the Lordes or the most parte of them continuing and lying in London, came þ^e next day to the Guild hal,MarginaliaThe Lordes comming into the Guild hall. during the time that the Lord Maior and their brethren sate in their Court or inner chamber, and entred and communed a long while with the Maior, and at the last the Maior and his brethren came foorth vnto the common Counsaile, where was read the kings letter sent to the Maior and citizens, commaunding them to aid him with a thousand wel appoynted men out of their citie, and to send the same with all speede to his Castle at Windsore.

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Thys Letter by name was directed to Syr Henrye Amcottes knighte Lord Maior, to Syr Roulande Hyll knight, Maior electe, and to the Aldermen and common Counsaile of the Citie of London. The daye and Date of the Letter, was the sixte of October, in the thirde yeare of his raigne, being assigned with the hand of the King, and of the Lorde Protectour, the contentes of which letter, for the satisfaction of the reader, are heere to be seene in maner and forme as followeth.

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MarginaliaThe Copy of the kinges letter sent to the L. Maior, Aldermen and Citizens of Lōdon, in the behalfe of the L. Protectour.  

TRustie and welbeloued, we greete you wel. Wee charge and commaunde you most earnestly to geue order with all speede for the defence and preseruation of that our citie of London for vs, and to leuy out of hande, and to put in order as many as conueniently you maye, well weaponed and arraied, keeping good watch at the gates, and to sende vs hither for the defence of oure person, one thousand of that our Cittie, of trustie and faithfull men to attend vpon vs and our most entirely beloued vncle, Edward Duke of Somerset, Gouernour of our person, and Protector of our Realmes, dominions, and subiects, well harnessed, and with good and conuenient weapon: so that they do make their repaire hither vnto vs this night, if it be possible, or at the least to morow before noone, and in the meane time to doe what as appertaineth vnto your duetie for ours and our sayd vncles defence against all such as attempt any conspiracie or enterprise of violence against vs our sayd Vncle, & as you knowe best for our preseruation and defence at thys present. Geuen vnder our Signet at our Honor of Hampton Court, the sixte of October the thirde yeare of oure raigne.

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You shall farther geue credite to our trustie and welbeloued Owen Cleydon, the bearer heereof, in all such things as hee shall further declare vnto you on the behalfe of vs and our said vncle the Lord Protectour.

Edward Somerset.

This Letter of the king and of the Lorde Protectoure was not so secretely deuised, nor so speedily sente, but the Lordes keeping at London, had knowledge immediately thereof (by the meanes, as some suppose, of the Lorde Paget, who was then with the King and the Protectour, but the truth the Lorde knoweth) being there ready furnished with their owne bandes of seruing men, and other souldiours and men of armes.

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Who forthwith vpon the same addressed their letters in semblable wise to the sayd Lorde Maior and Aldermen, in the kings name, not onely for supportation of armed men to serue their purposes, and for a sufficient watche to fortifie their Citie, but also that they should not obey any suche letters, Proclamations, or Iniunctions sent to them from the Duke. Which letter of the Lordes at the same instante came likewise to the Lorde Maior and his brethren, the 6. day of the sayde moneth of Octob. The tenour and copie of which letter heere ensueth.

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MarginaliaThe letter of the Lordes sent to the L. Maior & Coūcell of London, agaynst the Lord Protector.AFter our right hearty  

commendations vnto your good Lordshippe: knowing your heartie fauour and earnest zeales to the preseruation of the person of the kings Maiestie & of this realme, and other his maiesties realmes and dominions, we haue thought good to aduertise you, that notwithstanding all the good aduice aod Counsell that wee coulde geue to the Duke of Somerset, to staye him selfe wythin reasonable limites, and to vse hys gouernement nowe in the tender age of hys Maiestie, in suche sorte as myght tende to his highnesse suretie, to the conseruation of hys estate, and to his honour: the sayde Duke neuerthelesse still continuing in his pride, couetousnes, and ambition: ceaseth not daily by all the waies and meanes he can deuise, to enriche him selfe without measure, and to impouerish his Maiestie.

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Hee buildeth in foure or fiue places moste sumptuously, and leaueth the poore souldiours vnpaide of their wages, vnuictual-led,MarginaliaCrimes layd to the Lord Protectour by the Lordes. and in all things so vnfurnished, as the losses lately susteined, to the greatest dishonor that euer came to the king & this realme, doe declare. Hee soweth daily diuision betweene the Nobles and Gentlemen, and the Commons. Hee rewardeth and entertaineth a number of those that were Captaines of the Commons in these late insurrections: and finally in suche wise subuerteth all lawes, iustice, and good order (as it is euident) that putting hys trust in the Commons, and perceiuing that the Nobles and Gentlemen shoulde be an impediment to him in his deuilish purposes, hee laboureth first to haue them destroyed, and thinketh after easily enough to atchieue his desire, which it appeareth plainly, is to occupie the kings Maiesties place: For his doings, who soeuer list to beholde them, doe manifestly declare, that hee mindeth neuer to render account to his Maiestie of his proceedings.

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MarginaliaIuste iudicate filij hominum.These thinges, with many moe too long to recite, considered, wee pondered wyth our selues, that either wee muste trauaile for some reformation, or wee must in effecte as it were consent with him to the destruction of oure soueraigne Lorde and Countrey. Whereuppon laying apart all respectes, and resting onely vppon our dueties, wee ioyned in Counsell, and thought quietly to haue treated the matter with him. Who perceiuing that we ioyned for the king, and woulde haue suche order as might be for the suertie of his Maiesties persone, and the common wealth, straite put him selfe in force,and resteth at plaine poynt (as it appeareth) eyther to goe through with his detestable purpose, in sorte as hee hathe done, or to trie it by the sworde.

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Nowe, for as much as we see presently, that vnlesse there be a reformation, the personne of the kings Maiestie is in moste certaine daunger, and this Realme our naturall Countrey lyke to be destroyed wyth all our posterities, like as we haue againe fully resolued wyth Gods helpe, eyther to deliuer the kings Maiestie and the realme from this extreeme ruine and destruction, or to spend our liues for the declaration of our faithfull hearts and dueties: so knowing your heartie good willes and trouth to his Maiestie, and therefore nothing doubting of your readinesse to ioyne with vs in our godly purpose, wee thoughte it good to lette you knowe the very trouth of our enterprise, and in the kings Maiesties behalfe to require you, not onely to putte good and substantiall order for watche and warde, but also to haue an earnest continuall regarde to the preseruation within your City, of all harneis, weapons, and munitions, so as none be suffered to be conueyed to the sayde Duke, nor any others attending about him: and besides that, you from hencefoorth obey no letters, proclamations, nor other commandements to be sent from the sayd Duke. And thus we bid your Lordship most heartily fare well. From London, the sixt of October.

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Your Lordships assured
louing frendes.

MarginaliaThe City of London vrged with two contrary letters at one instant.After the receiuinge of these two Letters aboue mentioned, the one from the King, the other from the Lordes, whych came both at one instaunte, with contrarye commaundement to the Lorde Maior and Citizens of London, the case seemed harde to them, and very doubtfull (as it was in deede) what waye to take, and what were best for the Citizens to doe. On the one side the name and authority of the king was much, on the other side the power and garrisons of the Lordes, lyinge then in London, was not little, which seemed then to be suche, as would haue no repulse.

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MarginaliaThe Recorder speaketh for the Lordes.The case thus standing perplexedly, first by the mouth of the Recorder it was requested, that the Citizens would graunt their aide rather vnto the Lords, for that the Protectour had abused both the kings maiestie, and the whole Realme, & that without he were taken from the king, and made to vnderstande his follie, this Realme was in great hazard, and therfore required that the citizens would willingly assent to ayd the Lordes with 500. men.

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Hereunto of a great parte of the Common Counsaile, was no other answeare made but silence. But the Recorder (who at that time was M. Brooke) still cryed vppon them for aunswere. At the last stepped vp a wise and a good Citizen named George Stadlowe, and sayde:

MarginaliaThe graue Oration of a discrete Citizen speaking for the king whose name was George Sradlow a Parliament man.In thys case, it is good for vs to thinke of things past, to auoyde the daunger of thynges to come. I remember (sayeth he) in a storie wrytten in Fabians Chronicle, of the warre betweene the King and his Barons, which was in the time of king Henry the thirde,MarginaliaDeuision betweene the Lordes and K. Henry 3. & the same time the Barons (as our Lordes do now) demaunded aide of the Maior and citie of London, and that in a rightful cause for the common weale, which was for þ^e execution of diuers good lawes against þ^e king, which would not suffer those lawes

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