While doctor Sands and master Bradford were thus in close prison togither nine and twentie wéeks, one Iohn Bowler was their keeper, a verie peruerse papist, yet by often persuading of him, for he would giue eare, and by the gentle vsing of him, at length he began to mislike poperie,Bowler of a p [...]uerse pa|pist becõmeth reformed in true religion. and to fauour the gospell, and so persuaded in true religion, that on a sundaie when they had masse in the chappell, he bringeth vp a seruice booke, a manchet and a glasse of wine, and there doctor Sands ministred the communion to Bradford and to Bowler. Thus Bowler was their sonne begotten in bonds when Wiat was in armes, & the old duke of Norffolke sent foorth with a power of men to apprehend him, that roome might be made in the tower for him and other his complices. Doctor Cranmer, doctor Ridleie, and master Bradford were cast into one prison,D. Sands remoued to the Mar|shalsea. & doctor Sands with nine other preachers were sent into the Marshalsea.

The kéeper of the Marshalsea appointed to euerie preacher a man to lead him in the stréet, he caused them go farre before, and he and doctor Sands came behind, whome he would not lead, but walked famili|arlie with him. Yet doctor Sands was knowne, and the people euerie where praied to God to comfort him, & to strengthen him in the truth. By that time the peoples minds were altered, poperie began to be vnsauerie. After they passed the bridge, the kéeper Thomas Waie said to doctor Sands: I perceiue the vaine people would set you forward to the fire, you are as vaine as they, if you being a yoong man will stand in your own conceit,Thomas Waie the kée|per preten|deth to per|suade doctor Sands to poperie. & prefer your own know|ledge before the iudgement of so manie worthie pre|lats, ancient, learned, and graue men, as be in this relme. If you so doo, you shal find me as strict a kéeper as one that vtterlie misliketh your religion. Doctor Sands answered; I know my yeares yoong, and my learning small, it is inough to know Christ cruci|fied, and he hath learned nothing that séeth not the great blasphemie that is in poperie, I will yeeld vn|to God and not vnto man: I haue read in the scrip|tures of manie godlie and courteous kéepers, God may make you one; if not, I trust he will giue me strength and patience to beare your hard dealing with me. Saith Thomas Waie; Doo you then mind to stand to your religion? Yea saith doctor Sands, by Gods grace. Trulie saith the keeper, I loue you the better, I did but tempt you. What fauor I can shew you, you shall be sure of, and I shall thinke my selfe happie if I may die at the stake with you.The frendship that doctor Sands found at his keepers hands. The said kéeper shewed doctor Sands euer after all friendship: he trusted him to go into the fields alone, and there met with maister Bradford, who then was remoued into the Bench, and there found like fauor of his kéeper. He laid him in the best chamber in the house: he would not suffer the knight marshals men to laie fetters on him, as others had. And at his re|quest, he put maister Sands in to him, to be his bed|fellow, and sundrie times suffered his wife, who was maister Sands daughter of Essex, a gentlewoman, beautifull both in bodie & soule to resort to him. There was great resort vnto doctor Sands, and maister Sanders: they had much monie offered them, but they would receiue none. They had the communion there thrée or foure times, and a great sort of com|municants. Doctor Sands gaue such exhortation to the people, for at that time being yoong, he was thought verie eloquent, that he mooued manie tears and made the people abhorre the masse, and defie all poperie.

When Wiat with his armie came into South|worke,Wiats mes|sage to doctor Sands, and his answer re|uersed. he sent two gentlemen into the Marshalsea to doctor Sands: saieng, that maister Wiat would be glad of his companie and aduise, & that the gates should be set open for all the prisoners. He answe|red: Tell maister Wiat, if this his rising be of God it will take place: if not, it will fall. For my part I was committed hither by order, I will be dischar|ged by like order, or I will neuer depart hence. So answered maister Sanders, and the rest of the prea|chers being there prisoners. After that doctor Sands had béene nine wéekes prisoner in the Marshalsea,Doctor Sands set at libertie by the meanes of sir Thomas H [...]l|croft. by the mediation of sir Thomas Holcroft then knight marshall he was set at libertie. Sir Thomas sued earnestlie to the bishop of Winchester, doctor Gardiner for his deliuerance after manie repulses, except doctor Sands would be one of their sect, and then he could want nothing. He wroong out of him, that if the queene could like of his deliuerance, he would not be against it: for that was sir Thomas his last request. In the meane time he had procured two ladies of the priuie chamber to mooue the quéene in it: who was contented, if the bishop of Winche|ster could like of it. The next time that the bishop went into the priuie chamber to speake with the quéene, maister Holcroft followed, and had his war|rant for doctor Sands remission readie, and praied the two ladies, when as the bishop should take his leaue, to put the quéene in mind of doctor Sands. So they did. And the queene said: Winchester,How quéene Marie is dis|posed to set doctor Sands at large, and sealeth hir warrant for his libertie. what thinke you by doctor Sands, is he not sufficientlie punished? As it please your maiestie, saith Winche|ster. That he spake, remembring his former pro|mise to maister Holcroft, that he would not be a|gainst Sands, if the quéene should like to discharge him. Saith the quéene: Then trulie, we would that he were set at libertie. Immediatlie maister Hol|croft offered the quéene the warrant, who subscri|bed the same, and called Winchester to put to his hand, and so he did. The warrant was giuen to the EEBO page image 1148 knight marshall againe, sir Thomas Holcroft. As the bishop went foorth of the priuie chamber doore, he called maister Holcroft to him: commanding him not to set doctor Sands at libertie, vntill he had ta|ken suerties of two gentlemen of his countrie with him, euerie one bound in fiue hundred pounds, that doctor Sands should not depart out of the realme without licence. Maister Holcroft immediatlie af|ter met with two gentlemen of the north, friends & cousins to doctor Sands, who offered to be bound in bodie, goods and lands for him.