After all this, she tooke hir barge with the two fore|said lords, thrée of the quéenes gentlewomen,Ladie Eliza|beth sent to the tower. and thrée of hir owne, hir gentleman vsher, and two of hir groomes, lieng & houering vpon the water a cer|teine space, for that they could not shoot the bridge, the bargemen being verie vnwilling to shoot the same so soone as they bad, bicause of the danger ther|of: for the sterne of the boat stroke vpon the ground, the fall was so big, and the water was so shallow, that the boat being vnder the bridge, there staied a|gaine a while. At landing, she first staied, and denied to land at those staires where all traitors and offen|dors customablie vsed to land, neither well could she vnlesse she should go ouer hir shoo. The lords were gone out of the boat before, and asked why she came not. One of the lords went backe againe to hir, and brought word she would not come. Then said one of the lords which shall be namelesse, that she should not choose: and bicause it did then raine, he offered to hir his cloke, which she (putting it backe with hir hand with a good dash) refused. So she comming out, ha|uing one foot vpon the staire, said;The words of ladie Eliza|beth entring the tower. Here landeth as true a subiect being prisoner, as euer landed at these staires: and before thée O God I speake it, hauing none other fréends but thee alone.

To whome the same lord answered againe, that if it were so, it was the better for hir. At hir landing there was a great multitude of their seruants and warders standing in their order; What néeded all this said she? It is the vse (said some) so to be when a|nie prisoner came thither. And if it be (quoth she) for my cause, I beséech you that they may be dismissed. Wherat the poore men kneeled downe, and with one voice desired God to preserue hir grace, who the next daie were released of their cold coats. After this pas|sing a little further, she sat downe vpon a cold stone, and there rested hir selfe. To whom the lieute|nant then being, said; Madame, you were best to come out of the raine, for you sit vnwholesomelie. She then replieng, answered againe: Better sitting here thanin a worse place, for God knoweth, I know not whither you will bring me. With that hir gen|tleman vsher wept: she demanding of him what he meant so vncomfortablie to vse hir, seeing she tooke him to be hir comforter, and not to dismaie hir, espe|ciallie for that she knew hir truth to be such, that no man should haue cause to wéepe for hir. But forth she went into the prison.

The dores were locked and bolted vpon hir: which did not a little discomfort and dismaie hir grace.The christian praier of ladi [...] Elizabeth. At what time she called to hir gentlewoman for hir bóoke, desiring God not to suffer hir to build hir foun|dation vpon the sands but vpon the rocke, whereby all the blasts of blustering weather should haue no power against hir. The doores being thus locked, and she close shut vp, the lords had great conference how to kéepe ward and watch, euerie man declaring his opinion in that behalfe, agreeing strictlie and cir|cumspectlie to kéepe hir. Then one of them,The lord of Sussex spea|keth for ladie Elizabeth. which was the lord of Sussex swearing, said: My lords, let vs take héed, and doo no more than our commission will beare vs, what soeuer shall happen hereafter. And further, let vs consider that she was the king our maisters daughter, and therefore let vs vse such EEBO page image 1154 dealing, that we may answer vnto it hereafter, if it shall so happen, for iust dealing (quoth he) is alwaies answerable. Wherevnto the other lords agréed that it was well said of him, and therevpon departed. Be|ing in the tower, within two daies, commandement was that she should haue masse within hir house. One maister Yoong was then hir chapleine: and bi|cause there was none of hir men so well learned to helpe the priest to saie masse, the masse staied for that daie.