xx. nobles, considering the costome in and owte. And further I thinke that c.M' of his pore Sugetes shuld be benefite takers of their retorns whither it wara in money or in ware. And also the yeres beynge expired, it wold qwyken well agane one of the commodities of his realme that nowe is ded, whiche is the Myndesb of his leade. Yt may ples you to consider that and yf other owtward prynces wold take apon theym to redres their idell, fayned religiouse Howses, as the Kinges Highnes hath done, as I mystrust not but and their powers war accordinge as the Kings was and is they wolde so do, and than shall they have suche abundance of lead of suche like howses that they woll than sett litell by ours. Besechinge your lordship for my follyshe oppynyon, so boldlye to you to write of, that ye wold take with me no displeasure. And thus From Lowthe the xth day

I

remayn your pore man.

of May.

Yours

JOHN FREMAN.

To the right honorable and his singuler good Lord my Lord Prevy Seale, be this yeven.

LETTER CXXXV.

Robert Warner to Robert Ratcliff Lord Fitzwalter: a Letter of Intelligence from Court.

[MS. COTTON. TIB. B. I. fol. 140. Orig.]

Henry Courtney marquis of Exeter, Henry Pole lord Montacute, and Sir Edward Nevil brother to the lord Abergavenny, mentioned in the first part of the following Letter, were arrested on November the 3". 1538; and are stated to have been accused of treason by Sir Geoffrey Pole the brother of the lord Montacute, who had confederated with them. They were indicted for devising to maintain, promote, and advance Reginald Pole the younger brother of Sir Geoffrey, afterwards known as Cardinal Pole, and to deprive the King. The continuator of Dr. Henry's History conjectures that they were suspected of a design to raise Reginald Pole to the throne by a marriage with the Princess Mary, for which, he says, they would have easily obtained a dispensation from the Pope.

On the last of December 1538, the marquis of Exeter and the Lord Montacute were arraigned at Westminster; three days after which Sir Edward Nevil and Sir Geoffrey Pole were arraigned, with some inferior

persons. All were condemned. The Marquis of Exeter, Lord Monta

cute, and Sir Edward Nevil were beheaded on Tower hill January 9th. 1539. Sir Geoffrey Pole was pardoned.

Margaret Countess of Salisbury, and Gertrude marchioness of Exeter, stated to be already in prison in the Letter, were attainted by Parliament April 28th, 1539. Upon this condemnation only, the Countess of Salisbury was beheaded in the Tower, with circumstances of peculiar cruelty, May 27th, 1541. The marchioness of Exeter was not executed. Her attainder was reversed in the 1st of Queen Mary, as was Reginald Pole's in the 1 & 2 Phil. and Mary.

AFTER my duty remembred to your good lordshipe, this shalbe to advertyse yow of suche newes as be now at London. Whiche ys that upon Monday was fornyght ther was hade, to the Tower of London, the lorde Marques of Exceter, the lorde Montagwe, and the next day after whas hade thether Sir Edwarde

Newella; and as the voyse goythe they are all lyke to suffer deth; and also Sir Geffery Polle who was in the Tower beffore, as I do perceve yt shuldbe for my lorde Montagwes brother, whiche ys beyonde the see with the bysshoppe of Rome, and ys a harrant traytor to the Kyngs heynes: and be some words that I here spokyn they wolde a made a fowle worke in Inglonde as ever whas herd of. My lady Marques ys in the tower, and my lady of Salysbery ys in holde, as I herde my lorde say, but where I cann not tell: but ther ys lyke to be a fowle worke among them.

Leve we of that matter, and to shew yow of the Kyngs Grace, who remowyde from Westminster the Twysday the xixth day of November, and, thankyd to be God, was never meryer. And the Wedynsday beffore, he made a bankett to certayn Lordes and Ladyes, whiche was fyrst the Ducke of Suffolke and my lady hys wyff, my lorde my maister and my lady, the Erle of Herthfforde and hys wyff, and my lady Lylle, wyth other, mayds, whiche were the Quenes women; and ther they leye all nyght in the cort, and ther chambers gorgeously drest, and every one hade banketts in there chambers, and the Kyng's servants to wayte upon them: and the next day they taryed ther dyner, and after the Kyng shewyd them all the pleasurs of hys howse whiche duryd tyll yt was fower of the cloke; and then they departyde and whent ther

■ Nevil.

VOL. II.

have made.

e Lisle.

H

waye. Thus they left the King for that tyme; and the Monday next after, the Kyng's Grace made all the Lords of hys Prevy Councell to dyne with hym in hys bankatyng chamber, and was very mery amonge them; and, as I sayde, the next day after he went to Hampton Court, and ther wyll remayne tyll within a lettel of Crystmas, and so come to Grenwyche and kepe his Crystmas ther. And, my Lorde, to wryt of any Quene, ther ys smale spekyng of any; but that ther ys a voyce that yt shulde be the Duchys of Myllayn. But ye shall take yt as a wynde. But yett I thynke yt shalbe an outlandyshe woman, whom so ever yt shall happyn, whiche I thynke shalbe about the spryng of the lefe.

*

Yo' pore bedman

Att London the

xxj. day of November.

To the Ryght honorable lorde the Lorde Fitzwater

this be delyvorde.

ROBERT WARNER.

LETTER CXXXVI.

John Lord Russell, to Lord Cromwell, respecting the trial and execution of the Abbat and two Monks of Glastonbury.

[MS. COTTON. CLEOP. E. IV. fol. 99 b. Orig.]

RIGHT honourable and my verry good Lorde, pleasyth youre lordeshipp to be advertised, that I have re

ceyved youre Lettres dated the xijh daye of this present; and understond by the same youre lordeshipps greate goodnes towardes my friende the Abbott off Peterborough, for whome I have ben ofte bold to wryte unto youre good lordeshippa; moste hartely thankynge yo' lordeshipp for that and all other youre goodnes that I have founde at youre good lordeshipps handes: even so, desiering you my lorde longe to contynew in the same. My lorde thies shalbe to asserteyne, that on Thursdaye the xiiijth daye of this present moneth the Abbott of Glastonburye was arrayned, and the next daye putt to execucyon with ij. other of his monkes, for the robbyng of Glastonburye Churche, on the torre hyll next unto the towne of Glaston; the seyde Abbotts body beyng devyded in fower parts, and heed stryken off, whereof oone quarter stondythe at Welles, a nother at bathe, and at Ylchester and Brigewater the rest. And his hedd uppon the Abbey gate at Glaston. And as concernyng the rape and burglary commytted, those parties are all condempned, and fower of theym putt to execucyon at the place of the act don, whiche is called the were; and there adjudged to hange styll in chaynes to th’ensample of others. As for Capon, oone of the seyde offenders condempned, I have repried according to yo' Lordeshipp's letters; of whome I shall further show unto you at my next repayre unto the Courte.

And

John Barowe, or Burgh, alias Chambers, was the last Abbat and first Bishop of

Peterborough.