Compare 1577 edition: 1 And bicause they doubted least the king might stirre the citie of London against them,The lords séeke the fa|uour of the Londoners. they deter|mined first to aduertise the maior and the citie, how their comming was onlie to reforme certeine great enormities, which they set downe in writing, & sent it to the maior and citizens, beseeching them of their fauour and counsell therin. This doone, they determi|ned yet to kéepe their daie on the sundaie following, to appeare before the kings presence: but this was not got of them, till that the lord chancellor, with di|uerse other noblemen of good credit, had vndertaken vpon their oths for the kings behalfe, Thom. Wals. that no fraud nor deceipt, no perill nor euill pretense should be put in practise against the lords, wherby they might come to losse either of life, limme, or goods, or otherwise, through the kings means; but that if he should go a|bout anie such things, the said lord chancellor, and o|ther the mediators should forwarne the lords therof.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 When therefore the lords were readie, according to couenant, to come vnto Westminster,An ambush at Mewes. they were secretlie aduertised, that there was an ambush laid in a place called the Mewes, and so they staied, and came not at the appointed houre. Wherevpon, when the king demanded, how it fortuned that the lords kept not promise, the bishop of Elie lord Chancellor made him this answer;
Bicause saith he, there is an ambush of a thousand armed men or more laid in such a place (and named it) contrarie to couenant, and therefore they neither come nor hold you for faithfull of your word.The king hearing this, was astonied, and said with an oth, that he knew of no such thing, & withall sent to the shiriffes of London, commanding them to go to the Mewes, and (vpon search made) if they found anie force of men there assembled, to take and kill all such as they could laie hands vpon. But sir Thomas Triuet, and sir Nitholas Brambre, knight, that had in déed assembled such a number of men, when they vnderstood what order the king had giuen therein, they sent their men backe to London.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 The lords, after this, receiuing a safe conduct from the king, and perceiuing all to be safe and cleare, came vnto Westminster with a strong power of men about them. The king, when he heard they were come, apparelled himselfe in his kinglie robes, and with his scepter in hand came into the great hall at Westminster.The lords come before the kings pre|sence in West|minster hall. The lords as soone as they had sight of him, made to him their humble obeisance, & went foorth till they came to the nether steps, going vp to the kings seat of state, where they made their second obeisance; & then the king gaue them countenance to come néerer to him, & they so did, kneeling downe before him, & foorthwith he rose from his place, and lo|uinglie welcomming them, tooke each of them by the hand, and that doone sate him downe againe. Here|with the bishop of Elie lord chancellor, as mouth to the king, declared vnto these lords in effect as fol|loweth.
My lords (said he) our souereigne lord the king,The lord chã|celor speaketh for the king to the lords. hearing that you were assembled in Haringie parke, in other maner than was conuenient, would not foorthwith run vpon you with force to destroie you, as he might easilie haue doone, if he had not wi|shed your safetie; for no man doubteth, but if his plea|sure had béene to gather an armie, he might haue had more people than you could haue got to haue ta|ken part with you against him, and so happilie much bloud might haue béene spilt, which thing certeinlie our souereigne lord the king vtterlie abhorreth: and therefore vsing patience and mildnesse, he hath ra|ther chosen to talke with you in peaceable wise, that he may vnderstand the cause whie yée haue assembled so great a number of people togither.