21.1. An answer to the lord protectors letter.
An answer to the lord protectors letter.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 _TO this letter of the lord protectors sent the sixt of October,The effect of the lord Rus|sels letter an|swering the lord protector. the lord Russell re|turning answer againe vpon the eight of the said moneth, first lamented the heauie dissention fallen betweene the nobilitie and him, which he tooke for such a plague, as a greater could not be sent of almightie God vpon this realme being the next waie (said he) to make vs of conque|rors, slaues; and like to induce vpon the whole realme an vniuersall thraldome and calamitie, vnlesse the mercifull goodnesse of the Lord doo helpe, and some wise order be taken in staieng these great extremi|ties. And as touching the dukes request in his let|ters, forsomuch as he had heard before of the broile of the lords, and feared least some conspiracie had beene meant against the kings person, he hasted forward with such companie as he could make, for the suertie of the king as to him apperteined. Now perceiuing by the lords letters sent vnto him the same sixt daie of October, these tumults to rise vpon priuat causes betwéene him and them, he therefore thought it expe|dient, that a conuenient power should be leuied, to be in a readinesse to withstand the woorst (what perils soeuer might insue) for the preseruation both of the king and state of the realme from inuasion of forren enimies, and also for the staieng of bloudshed, if anie such thing should be intended betwixt the parties in the heat of this faction. And this he thinking best for the discharge of his allegiance, humblie besought his grace to haue the same also in speciall regard and consideration; first, that the kings maiestie be put in no feare; and that if there be anie such thing, wherein he hath giuen iust cause to them thus to procéed, he would so conforme himselfe, as no such priuat quar|rels doo redound to the publike disturbance of the realme: certifieng moreouer the duke, that if it were true which he vnderstood by the letters of the lords, that he should send about proclamations and letters for raising vp of the commons, he liked not the same. Notwithstanding he trusted well that his wisedome would take such a waie, as no effusion of bloud should follow.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 And thus much being conteined in his former let|ters the eight of October,The contents of the second answer of the lord Russell to the lord pro|tector. in his next letters againe written the eleuenth of October, the said lord Russell reioising to heare of the most reasonable offers of the lord protector made to the lords, wrote vnto him EEBO page image 1058 and promised to doo, what in the vttermost power of him (and likewise of sir William Herbert ioined togither with him) did lie, to worke some honorable reconciliation betwéene him & them: so as his said offers being accepted and satisfied, some good con|clusion might insue, according to their good hope and expectation:The good lord Russell a soli|citor for peace betwéene the lord protector and the lords. signifieng moreouer, that as touching the leuieng of men, they had resolued to haue the same in readinesse for the benefit of the realme, to oc|curre all inconueniences whatsoeuer, that either by forren inuasion or otherwise might happen: & so ha|uing their power at hand to draw néere, wherby they might haue the better oportunitie to be solicitors and meanes for this reformation on both parts, &c. And thus much for the answer of the lord Russell to the lord protectors letters.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 The lords of the councell assembled a|gainst the lord protector.But now to procéed and go forward with the matter of the lords, who togither with the earle of Warwike (vpon what occasion God knoweth) were assembled at London (as ye haue heard) against the lord protector. When the king with his councell at Hampton court heard therof, first secretarie Pe|ter with the kings message was sent vnto them, whome the lords notwithstanding deteined still with them, making as yet no answer to the message. Wherevpon the lord protector wrote as followeth.
21.1. A letter of the lord protectors to the councell at London.
A letter of the lord protectors to the councell at London.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 The protec|tors letter to the lords._MY lords we commend vs heartilie vnto you. And wheras the kings maiestie was informed that you were assembled in such sort as you doo, and now remaine, and was aduised by vs and such other of his councell as were then here about his person, to send master secretarie Peter vnto you with such a message, as whereby might haue insued the suertie of his maie|sties person, with the preseruation of his realme and subiects, and the quiet both of vs and your selues, as master secretarie can well declare to you: his maie|stie and we of his councell here doo not a little mar|uell, that you staie still with you the said master se|cretarie, & haue not as it were vouchsafed to send an|swer to his maiestie, neither by him nor yet by anie other. And for our selues we doo much more maruell and are sorie, as both we and you haue good cause to be, to see the maner of your dooings bent with force of violence, to bring the kings maiestie & vs to these extremities.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 No word hi|therto sent from the lords to the lord protector what they re|quired of him to doo.Which as we intend, if you will take no other waie but violence, to defend (as nature and allegiance dooth bind vs) to extremitie of death, and to put all to Gods hand, who giueth victorie as it pleaseth him: so if that anie reasonable conditions & offers would take place (as hitherto none hath béene signified vn|to vs from you, nor we doo not vnderstand, what you doo require or séeke, or what you doo meane) and that you doo séeke no hurt to the kings maiesties person, as touching all other priuat matters, to auoid the ef|fusion of christian bloud, and to preserue the kings maiesties person, his realme and subiects, you shall find vs agréeable vnto anie reasonable conditions that you will require. For we doo estéeme the kings wealth and tranquillitie of the realme more than all other worldlie things, yea than our owne life. Thus praieng you to send vs your determinate answer herein by master secretarie Peter, or if you will not let him go, by this bearer, we beséech God to giue both you and vs grace to determinate this matter, as maie be to Gods honor, the preseruation of the king, and the quiet of vs all: which maie be, if the fault be not in you. And so we bid you most hartilie farewell. From the kings maiesties castell of Windsor the seuenth of October, 1549.
Your lordships louing friend Edward Summerset.
Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 After the receipt of these letters,The lords continue in their intended purpose a|gainst the lord protector. the lords séeming not greatlie to regard the offers conteined therein, persisted in their intended purpose; and continuing still in London conferred with the maior of London and his brethren, first willing them to cause a good and substantiall watch by night, and a good ward by daie to be kept for the safegard of the citie, and the ports and gates thereof: which was consented vnto, and the companie. [...] London in their turnes war|ned to watch and [...] accordinglie. Then the said lords and councellors demanded of the lord maior and his brethren fiue hundred men to aid them, to fetch the lord protector out of Windsor from the king. But therevnto the maior answered, that he could grant no aid without the assent of the common councell of the citie: whervpon the next daie a common councell was summoned to the Guildhall in London. But in this meane time the said lords of the councell as|sembled themselues at the lord maiors house in Lon|don, who was then sir Henrie Amcotes fishmonger, and Iohn Yorke and Richard Turke shiriffes of the said citie. And there the said councell agréed and pub|lished foorthwith a proclamation against the lord pro|tector,A proclamati|on published against the lord protec|tor. the effect of which proclamation was as fol|loweth.