Compare 1577 edition: 1 But now saint Ualentines faire being at hand, the conspirators thought to dispatch their diuelish in|tention at that time.A pr [...]pens [...]d quarel against Arden by the conspirators. Mosbie minded to picke some quarrell to maister Arden at the faire to fight with him; for he said he could not find in his heart to mur|ther a gentleman in that sort as his wife wished: al|though she had made a solemne promise to him, and he againe to hir, to be in all points as man and wife togither, and therevpon they both receiued the sacra|ment on a sundaie at London, openlie in a church there. But this deuise to fight with him would not serue, for maister Arden both then and at other times had beene greatlie prouoked by Mosbie to fight with him, but he would not. Now Mosbie had a sister that dwelt in a tenement of maister Ardens néere to his house in Feuersham: and on the faire éeuen,Ardens wi [...]e, blacke Will, & the knot of vilans meet and conclude vpon their for|mer prepensed mischiefe. blacke Will was sent for to come thither, and Gréene brin|ging him thither, met there with mistresse Arden, ac|companied with Michaell hir man, and one of hir maids. There were also Mosbie and George Shake|bag, and there they deuised to haue killed him in ma|ner as afterwards he was. But yet Mosbie at the first would not agree to that cowardlie murthering of him, but in a furie floong awaie, and went vp the abbeie stréet toward the flower de lice, the house of the aforenamed Adam Foule, where he did often host. But before he came thither now at this time, a messenger ouertooke him, that was sent from mi|stres Arden, desiring him of all loues to come backe againe to helpe to accomplish the mater he knew of. Herevpon he returned to hi [...] againe, and at his com|ming backe, she fell downe vpon hir knées to him,O importu|nate & blou|die minded strumpet! and besought him to go through with the matter, as if he loued hir he would be content to doo, sith as shee had diuerse times told him, he néeded not to doubt, for there was not anie that would care for his death, nor make anie great inquirie for them that should dispatch him.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Thus she being earnest with him, at length hee was contented to agree vnto that horrible deuise, and therevpon they conueied blacke Will into mai|ster Ardens house, putting him into a closet at the end of his parlour. Before this, they had sent out of the house all the seruants, those excepted which were priuie to the deuised murther. Then went Mosbie to the doore,The practise to kill Arden is now set abroch. and there stood in a night gowne of silke gir|ded about him, and this was betwixt six and seuen of the clocke at night. Master Arden hauing béene at a neighbors house of his, named Dumpkin, & hauing cleared certeine reckonings betwixt them, came home: and finding Mosbie standing at the doore, as|ked him if it were supper time? I thinke not (quoth Mosbie) it is not yet readie. Then let vs go and plaie a game at the tables in the meane season, said mai|ster Arden. And so they went streight into the parlor: and as they came by through the hall, his wife was walking there, and maister Arden said; How now mistresse Ales? But she made small answer to him. In the meane time one cheined the wicket doore of the entrie. When they came into the parlor,Here the con|federats w [...]ne their practises Mosbie sat downe on the bench, hauing his face toward the place where blacke Will stood. Then Michaell mai|ster Ardens man stood at his masters backe, holding a candle in his hand, to shadow blacke Will, that Arden might by no meanes perceiue him comming foorth. In their plaie Mosbie said thus (which séemed to be the watchword for blacke Wils comming foorth) Now maie I take you sir if I will.The watch|word to the principall murtherer. Take me (quoth maister Arden) which waie? With that blacke Will stept foorth, and cast a towell about his necke, so to stop his breath and strangle him. Then Mosbie hauing at his girdle a pressing iron of fourtéene pounds weight, stroke him on the hed with the same, so that he fell downe, and gaue a great grone, inso|much that they thought he had béene killed.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 Then they bare him awaie, to laie him in the coun|ting house, & as they were about to laie him downe, the pangs of death comming on him,Arden [...]lain [...] outright. he gaue a great grone, and stretched himselfe, and then blacke Will gaue him a great gash in the face, and so kil|led EEBO page image 1065 him out of hand, laid him along, tooke the monie out of his pursse, and the rings from his fingers, and then comming out of the counting house, said; Now the feat is doone, giue me my monie. So mistres Arden gaue him ten pounds: [...]lacke will r [...]ueth ten pounds for h [...]s reward of Ardens wife, [...] murdering [...] husband. and he comming to Gréene, had a horsse of him, and so rode his waies. After that blacke Will was gone, mistresse Arden came into the counting house, and with a knife gaue him seuen or eight picks into the brest. Then they made cleene the parlor, tooke a clout, and wiped where it was bloudie, and strewed againe the rushes that were shuffled with strugling, and cast the clout with which they wiped the bloud, and the knife that was bloudie, wherewith she had wounded hir husband, into a tub by the wels side; where afterwards both the same clout and knife were found. Thus this wic|ked woman, with hir complices, most shamefullie murdered hir owne husband, who most entirelie lo|ued hir all his life time. Then she sent for two Lon|doners to supper, the one named Prune, and the o|ther Cole, that were grosers, which before the mur|der was committed, were bidden to supper. When they came, she said: I maruell where maister Ar|den is; we will not tarie for him, come ye and sit downe, for he will not be long. Then Mosbies sister was sent for, she came and sat downe, and so they were merie.