Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 These prisoners vpon their examination, confessed, that for a great summe of monie which they had re|ceiued of the French king, they intended verelie ei|ther to haue deliuered the king aliue into the hands of his enimies, or else to haue murthered him before he should arriue in the duchie of Normandie. When king Henrie had heard all things opened, which he desired to know, Hall. he caused all his nobilitie to come before his presence, before whome he caused to be brought the offendors also, and to them said.

Hauing thus conspired the death and destruction of me, which am the head of the realme and gouernour of the peo|ple,King Henries words to the traitours. it maie be (no doubt) but that you likewise haue sworne the confusion of all that are here with me, and also the desolation of your owne countrie. To what horror (O lord) for any true English hart to con|sider, that such an execrable iniquitie should euer so bewrap you, as for pleasing of a forren enimie to imbrue your hands in your bloud, and to ruine your owne natiue soile. Reuenge herein touching my per|son, though I séeke not; yet for the safegard of you my déere fréends, & for due preseruation of all sorts, I am by office to cause example to be shewed. Get ye hence therefore ye poore miserable wretches to the re|ceiuing of your iust reward, wherein Gods maiestie giue you grace of his mercie and repentance of your heinous offenses. And so immediatlie they were had to execution.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 This doone,The earle of Cambridge and the other traitors exe|cuted. the king calling his lords againe afore him, said in words few and with good grace. Of his enterprises he recounted the honor and glorie, where|of they with him were to be partakers, the great confidence he had in their noble minds, which could not but remember them of the famous feats that their ancestors aforetime in France had atchiued, whereof the due report for euer recorded remained yet in register. The great mercie of God that had so gratiouslie reuealed vnto him the treason at hand, whereby the true harts of those afore him made so e|minent & apparant in his eie, as they might be right sure he would neuer forget it. The doubt of danger to be nothing in respect of the certeintie of honor that they should acquire, wherein himselfe (as they saw) in person would be lord and leader through Gods grace. To whose maiestie as chéeflie was knowne the equitie of his demand: euen so to his mercie did he onelie recommend the successe of his trauels. When the king had said, all the noble men knéeled downe, & promised faithfullie to serue him, dulie to obeie him, and rather to die than to suffer him to fall into the hands of his enimies.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 This doone, the king thought that suerlie all treason and conspiracie had beene vtterlie extinct: not suspec|ting the fire which was newlie kindled, and ceassed not to increase, till at length it burst out into such a flame, that catching the beames of his house and fa|milie, his line and stocke was cleane consumed to ashes. ¶ Diuerse write that Richard earle of Cam|bridge did not conspire with the lord Scroope & Tho|mas Graie for the murthering of king Henrie to EEBO page image 549 please the French king withall, but onelie to the in|tent to exalt to the crowne his brother in law Ed|mund earle of March as heire to Lionell duke of Clarence: after the death of which earle of March, for diuerse secret impediments, not able to haue issue, the earle of Cambridge was sure that the crowne should come to him by his wife, and to his children, of hir begotten. And therefore (as was thought) he ra|ther confessed himselfe for need of monie to be corrup|ted by the French king, than he would declare his inward mind, and open his verie intent and secret purpose, which if it were espied, he saw plainlie that the earle of March should haue tasted of the same cuppe that he had drunken, and what should haue come to his owne children he much doubted. There|fore destitute of comfort & in despaire of life to saue his children, he feined that tale, desiring rather to saue his succession than himselfe, which he did in déed: for his sonne Richard duke of Yorke not priuilie but openlie claimed the crowne, and Edward his sonne both claimed it, & gained it, as after it shall appeare. Which thing if king Henrie had at this time either doubted, or foreséene, had neuer béene like to haue come to passe, as Hall saith.