In the middest of this great adoo, there was a simple man (this I speake but vpon information) dwelling within foure miles of Barwike, that neuer had béene before halfe waie to London, which said concerning the bonefires made for quéene Maries child; Here is a ioifull triumph, but at length all will not proue woorth a messe of pottage,Q. Maries child would not come. as in déed it came to passe: for in the end all prooued cleane con|trarie, and the ioy & expectations of men were much deceiued. For the people were certified, that the quéene neither was as then deliuered, nor after was in hope to haue anie child. At this time manie talked diuerslie. Some said this rumour of the quéenes con|ception was spread for a policie: some other affirmed that she was deceiued by a timpanie or some other like disease,What became of Q. Maries child no man can tell. to thinke hirselfe with child, and was not: some thought shée was with child, and that it did by some chance miscarie, or else that she was bewit|ched: but what was the truth therof, the Lord know|eth, to whome nothing is secret. One thing of mine owne hearing and séeing I cannot passe ouer vn|witnessed.
There came to me, whome I did both heare and sée, one Isabell Malt, a woman dwelling in Alders|gate stréet in Horne allie, not farre from the house where this present booke was printed, who before wit|nesse made this declaration vnto vs, that she being deliuered of a man-child vpon Whitsundaie in the morning, which was the eleuenth daie of Iune Anno 1555, there came to hir the lord North, and another lord to hir vnknowne, dwelling then about old Fish|stréet, demanding of hir if she would part with hir child, and would sweare that she neuer knew nor had no such child. Which if she would, hir sonne (they said) should be well prouided for, she should take no care for it, with manie faire offers if she would part with the child.
After that came other women also, of whome one (she said) should haue beene the rocker: but she in no wise would let go hir sonne, who at the writing here|of being aliue and called Timothie Malt, was of the age of thirtéene yeares and vpward. Thus much (I saie) I heard of the woman hir selfe. What credit is to be giuen to hir relation, Ex testimonio e|iusdem puerpe|rae Londinensis. I deale not withall, but leaue it to the libertie of the reader, to beleeue it they that list: to them that list not, I haue no further war|rant to assure them. Among manie other great pre|parations made for the quéenes deliuerance of child,The yoong princes cradle there was a cradle verie sumptuouslie and gorgeous|lie trimmed, on the which cradle for the child appoin|ted, these verses were written, both in Latine and in English, as they are set downe here in record:
Quam Maria sobolem Deus optime summe dedisti,Anglis incolumem redde, tuere, rege.The child which thou to Marie,Uerses vpon the cradle. ô Lord of might hast send,To Englands ioie in healthpreserue, keepe and defend.