Compare 1577 edition: 1 After this, maister Arden laie at a certeine par|sonage which he held in London, and therefore his man Michaell and Gréene agréed, that blacke Will should come in the night to the parsonage, where he should find the doores left open, that he might como in and murther maister Arden. This Michaell ha|uing his maister to bed, left open the doores accor|ding to the appointment. His maister then being in bed, asked him if he had shut fast the doores, and hée said yea: but yet afterwards, fearing least blacke Will would kill him as well as his maister,One murthe|ring mind mistrusting a|nother, doo hinder the ac|tion where|about they agréed. after he was in bed himselfe, he rose againe and shut the doores, bolting them fast. So that blacke Will com|ming thither, and finding the doores shut, departed, being disappointed at that time. The next daie blacke Will came to Gréene in a great chafe, swearing and staring bicause he was so deceiued, and with manie terrible oths threatened to kill maister Ardens man first, wheresoeuer he met him. No (said Gréene) doo not so, I will first know the cause of shutting the doores.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Then Greene met and talked with Ardens man, and asked of him, why he did not leaue open the doors, according to his promise? Marie (said Michaell) I EEBO page image 1064 will shew you the cause. My maister yesternight did that he neuer did before: for after I was in bed, hée rose vp and shut the doores, and in the morning rated me for leauing them vnshut. And herewith Gréene & blacke Will were pacified. Arden being redie to go homewards,The fourth attempt to make Arden awaie disap|pointed. his maid came to Gréene & said; This night will my maister go downe. Whervpon it was agréed that blacke Will should kill him on Reinam downe. When maister Arden came to Rochester, his man still fearing that blacke Will would kill him with his maister, pricked his horsse of purpose, and made him to halt, to the end he might protract the time, and tarie behind. His maister asked him whie his horsse halted, he said, I know not. Well (quoth his maister) when ye come at the smith here before (betwéene Rochester and the hill foot ouer against Chee [...]am) remooue his shoo, and search him, and then come after me. So maister Arden rode on: and yer he came at the place where blacke Will laie in wait for him, there ouertooke him diuerse gentlemen of his acquaintance,Blacke Will misseth his purpose. who kept him companie: so that blacke Will mist here also of his purpose.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 After that maister Arden was come home, hee sent (as he vsuallie did) his man to Shepeie to sir Tho|mas Cheinie, then lord warden of the cinque ports, about certeine businesse, and at his comming awaie, he had a letter deliuered sent by sir Thomas Cheinie to his maister. When he came home, his mist resse tooke the letter and kept it, willing hir man to tell his maister, that he had a letter deliuered him by sir Thomas Cheinie, and that he had lost it; adding that he thought it best that his maister should go the next morning to sir Thomas, bicause he knew not the matter: he said he would, and therefore he willed his man to be stirring betimes. In this meane while, blacke Will,Ardens wife visiteth, suc|coureth, em|bold [...]eth, and directeth black Will &c: how to accomplish his bloudie purpose. and one George Shake bag his compa|nion, were kept in a storehouse of sir Anthonie A|gers at Preston, by Greenes appointment: and thi|ther came mistresse Arden to sée him, bringing and sending him meat and drinke manie times. He ther|fore lurking there, and watching some opportunitie for his purpose, was willed in anie wise to be vp earlie in the morning, to lie in wait for maister Ar|den in a certeine broome close, betwixt Feuersham & the ferrie (which close he must néeds passe) there to doo his feat. Now blacke Will stirred in the morning be|times, but mist the waie, & taried in a wrong place.