Compare 1577 edition: 1 In the Lent season,George Fer|rers a burges of the parle|ment arrested, and what mis|chiefe insued. whilest the parlement yet con|tinued, one George Ferrers gentleman, seruant to the king, being elected a burgesse for the towne of Plimmouth in the countie of Deuonshire, in going to the parlement house, was arrested in London by a processe out of the Kings bench, at the sute of one White, for the sum of two hundred markes or there|abouts, wherein he was late afore condemned, as a suertie for the debt of one Weldon of Salisburie: which arrest being signified to sir Thomas Moile knight, then speaker of the parlement, and to the knights and burgesses there, order was taken, that the sargeant of the parlement, called S. Iohn, should foorthwith repaire to the counter in Bredstréet (whi|ther the said Ferrers was caried) and there demand deliuerie of the prisoner.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The sargeant (as he had in charge) went to the counter, and declared to the clearks there what he had in commandement. But they and other officers of the citie were so farre from obeieng the said com|mandement, as after manie stout words they forci|blie resisted the said sargeant, whereof insued a fraie within the counter gates, betwéene the said Fer|rers and the said officers, not without hurt of either part: so that the said sargeant was driuen to defend himselfe with his mace of armes, & had the crowne thereof broken by bearing off a stroke, and his man striken downe. During this brall, the shiriffes of London, called Rowland Hill, and Henrie Suc|kliffe came thither,The shiriffes and officers denie the deli|uerie of the burgesse. to whome the sargeant complai|ned of this iniurie, and required of them the deliue|rie of the said burgesse, as afore. But they bearing with their officers, made little accompt either of his complaint or of his message, reiecting the same con|temptuouslie, with much proud language, so as the sargeant was forced to returne without the priso|ner, wheras if they had obeied authoritie, and shewed the seruice necessarilie required in their office and person, they might by their discretion haue appeased EEBO page image 956 all the broile, for wisedome assuageth the outrage & vnrestreinable furiousnes of war, as the poet saith:

Instrumenta feri vincit sapientia belli.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 The sargeant thus hardlie intreated, made returne to the parlement house, and finding the speaker, and all the burgesses set in their places, declared vnto them the whole case as it fell, who tooke the same in so ill part, that they altogither (of whome there were not a few, as well of the kings priuie councell, as al|so of his priuie chamber) would sit no longer without their burges, but rose vp wholie, and repaired to the vpper house, where the whole case was declared by the mouth of the speaker,The speaker of the parle|ment decla|reth all the matter to the lords. before sir Thomas Aud|leie knight then lord chancellor of England, and all the lords and iudges there assembled, who iudging the contempt to be verie great, referred the punishment thereof to the order of the common house. They re|turning to their places againe, vpon new debate of the case, tooke order, that their sargeant should eft|soones repaire to the shiriffe of London, and require deliuerie of the said burgesse, without anie writ or warrant had for the same, but onelie as afore.