Compare 1577 edition: 1 Doctor Storie and other were appointed by the car|dinall,

This Storie [...] executed [...] quéen El [...]zabeths [...]

The death of Stephan Gardiner [...]shop of [...]inchester.

At length, about foure of the clocke commeth his seruant posting in all possible spéed from Oxford, bringing intelligence to the bishop what he had heard and séene: of whom the said bishop diligentlie inqui|ring the truth of the matter, & hearing by his man, that fire most certeinlie was set vnto them, com|meth out reioising to the duke: Now saith he, let vs go to dinner. Wherevpon, they being set downe, meat immediatlie was brought, and the bishop be|gan merilie to eate:G [...]di [...]er [...] with [...] sudden [...] of God. but what followed? The bloud|die tyrant had not eaten a few bits, but the sudden stroke of God his terrible hand fell vpon him in such sort, as immediatlie he was taken from the table, & so brought to his bed, where he continued the space of fiftéene daies, in such intollerable anguish and tor|ments, that all that meane while, during those fif|teene daies, he could not auoid by order of vrine, or otherwise, any thing that he receiued: whereby his bodie being miserablie inflamed within (who had in|flamed so manie good martyrs before) was brought to a wretched end. And thereof no doubt, as most like it is, came the thrusting out of his toong from his mouth so swolne & blacke, with the inflammation of his bodie. A spectacle worthie to be noted and behol|den of all such bloudie burning persecutors.

But whatsoeuer he was, séeing he is now gone, I referre him to his iudge, to whom he shall stand or fall. As concerning his death and maner thereof, I would they which were present thereat, would testi|fie to vs what they saw. This we haue all to thinke, that his death happened so opportunelie, that Eng|land hath a mightie cause to giue thanks to the Lord therfore: not so much for the great hurt he had doone in times past in peruerting his princesse, in bringing in the six articles, in murthering Gods saints,Stephan Gardiner especiallie hunteth for the life of ladie Elizabeth. Q. Elizabeth preserued. in de|facing Christs sincere religion, &c: as also especiallie for that he had thought to haue brought to passe in murthering also our noble quéene that now is. For whatsoeuer danger it was of death that she was in, it did (no doubt) procéed from that bloudie bishop, who was the cause thereof. And if it be certeine which we haue heard, that hir highnesse being in the to|wer, a writ came downe from certeine of the coun|cell for hir execution, it is out of controuersie, that wilie Winchester was the onelie Dedalus and fra|mer of that engine. Who (no doubt) in that one daie had brought this whole realme into wofull ruine, had not the lords most gratious councell,M. Bridges lieu [...]nant the Lords organ in sauing the ladie Eliza|beths life. thorough maister Bridges then the lieutenant, comming in hast to the quéene, certified hir of the matter, and pre|uented Achitophels bloudie deuises. For the which, thanks be to the same our Lord and Sauiour, in the congregation of all English churches, Amen.]