Most noble and redoubted lord, this pale|nesse of visage and deadlie looke dooth prognosticate the time of my death to approach and be at hand, which if it had chanced to me before this daie, I assure you, it had much lesse hurt me. For then had I not beene reserued to féele the dolorous pangs and sorowfull sighings, which a fact by you doone (that I thoug [...] EEBO page image 701 [...] EEBO page image 702 impossible to be obteined) hath printed in my stomach and in my heart deeplie grauen: so that I well per|ceiue, that either I shall lose my life, or else liue in perpetuall distresse and continuall miserie.
For you my singular good lord, by your vertuous acts and noble feats, haue gotten to you in manner an immortall fame, which in euerie mans mouth is extolled & aduanced aboue the high clouds. But alas me séemeth (I praie you pardon me my rudenesse) that now that you haue obteined so high praise and glorie, you nothing lesse regard than to kéepe and preserue the same inuiolate, considering that you, forgetting your faith and faithfull promise made to Henrie earle of Richmond, haue deliuered the most innocent yoong gentleman to the cruell tor|mentors, to be afflicted, rent in péeces, and slaine. Wherefore all such as loue you, of the which number I am one, cannot choose but lament & be sorie, when they sée openlie the fame and glorie of your most re|nowmed name, by such a disloialtie and vntruth a|gainst promise, to be both blotted and stained with a perpetuall note of slander and infamie. Peace mine owne good Iohn (quoth the duke) I praie thée, beléeue me there is no such thing like to happen to the earle of Richmond: for king Edward hath sent for him, to make of him, being his suspected enimie, his good and faire sonne in law.
Well well (quoth Iohn) my redoubted lord, giue credence vnto me: the earle Henrie is at the ve|rie brinke to perish, whome if you permit once to set but one foot out of your power and dominion, there is no mortall creature able héereafter to deliuer him from death.
The duke being mooued with the persuasi|ons of Iohn Cheulet, which either little beleeued, or smallie suspected king Edward, to desire the earle for anie fraud or deceipt, or else seduced by blind aua|rice and loue of monie, more than honestie, fidelitie, or wisedome would require, did not consider what he vnaduisedlie did, or what he aduisedlie should haue doone. Wherefore, with all diligence he sent foorth Pe|ter Landoise his cheefe treasuror, commanding him to intercept and staie the earle of Richmond, in all hast possible, as before you haue heard.]
Abr. Fl. ex I.S. pag. 752. [...] Iohn [...]rosbie his [...] to the [...].¶In this yeare deceassed sir Iohn Crosbie knight, (not long before this, maior of London) and was bu|ried in the parish church of saint Helen in Bishops gate stréet, vnto the reparing of which parish church he gaue fiue hundred marks, and thirtie pounds to be distributed to poore housholders in the ward of Bi|shops gate: to the reparing of the parish church at Heneworth in Middlesex fortie pounds: to the repai|ring of London wall one hundred pounds: toward the making of a new tower of stone at the south|end of London bridge, if the same were begun by the maior and communaltie within ten yeares next af|ter his deceasse, one hundred pounds: to the repara|tions of Rochester bridge ten pounds: to euerie the prisons in and about London liberallie. Also he gaue to the wardens and communaltie of the gro|cers in London two large pots of siluer chased halfe guilt, weieng thirtéene pounds and fiue ounces of Treie weight, to be occupied in their common hall, and elsewhere, at their discretions.