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.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Maister Arden & his man comming on their waie earlie in the morning towards Shornelan, where sir Thomas Cheinie laie: as they were almost come to the broome close,Note here the force of feare and a troubled conscience. his man alwaies fearing that blacke Will would kill him with his maister, feined that he had lost his pursse; Why said his maister, thou foolish knaue, couldst thou not looke to thy pursse but loose it? What was in it? Thrée pounds said he. Why then go thy waies backe againe like a knaue (said his maister) and séeke it, for being so earlie as it is, there is no man stirring, and therefore thou maist be sure to find it, and then come and ouertake me at the ferrie. But neuerthelesse, by reason that blacke Will lost his way, maister Arden escaped yet once againe. At that time, blacke Will yet thought hée should haue beene sure to haue met him homewards: but whether that some of the lord wardens men accom|panied him backe to Feuersham, or that being in doubt,Blacke Will yet againe disappointed. for that it was late to go through the broome close, and therfore tooke another waie, blacke Will was disappointed then also.