About the time of this mischance, the same verie daie and season, maister Walsh tooke his horsse at the court as nigh as could be iudged. Now the appoin|ted time drew neere of his installation, and sitting at dinner vpon the fridaie next before the mondaie on the which daie he intended to be installed at Yorke, the earle of Northumberland and maister Walsh, with a great companie of gentlemen of the earles house, & of the countrie,The earle of Northumber|land aresteth the cardinall. whome he had gathered togi|ther in the kings name, came to the hall at Cawood, the officers being at dinner, and the cardinall not fullie dined, being then in his fruits. The first thing that the earle did after he had set order in the hall, he commanded the porter at the gates to deliuer him the keies thereof. Who would in no wise obeie his commandement, though he were roughlie threate|ned, and streictlie commanded in the kings name to make deliuerie of them to one of the earles ser|uants.
Sir (quoth he) seeing that yee doo but intend to set one of your seruants in my place to kéepe the gates,The porters words to the earle. I know no seruant that yée haue but I am as able as he to doo it, and kéepe the gates to your purpose (whatsoeuer it be) also the keies were deliuered me by my lord and maister, wherfore I praie you to par|don me, for whatsoeuer yée shall command me to doo in the ministration of mine office, I shall doo it with a good will. With that (quoth the earle) hold him a booke (& commanding him to laie his hand thereon:) Thou shalt sweare (quoth he) that thou shalt well and trulie kéepe the gates to the kings vse, and to doo all such things as we shall command: and that yée shall let passe neither in nor out at these gates, but such as yée be commanded by vs. And with this oth he recei|ued the keies at the earles hands.
Of all these doings knew the cardinall nothing, for they stopped the staires,The cardinall maruelleth at the earls sud|den comming. so that none went vp to the cardinals chamber, and they that came downe could no more go vp againe. At the last one escaped, who shewed the cardinall that the earle was in the hall. Whereat the cardinall maruelled, and would not be|léeue him, but commanded a gentleman to bring him the truth, who going downe the staires, saw the earle of Northumberland, and returned, and said it was verie he. Then (quoth the cardinall) I am sorie that we haue dined, for I feare our officers be not prouided of anie store of good fish to make him some honorable chéere, let the table stand (quoth he.) With that he rose vp, and going downe the staires, he en|countered the earle comming vp with all his taile. And as soone as the cardinall espied the earle, he put off his cap, and said, My lord ye be most hartilie wel|come, and so imbraced each other.