About this time hir grace was requested by a se|cret friend, to submit hir selfe to the quéenes maie|stie,Ladie Eliza|beth requested to submit hir selfe to the quéene. which would be verie well taken, and to hir great quiet and commoditie. Unto whome she an|swered, that she would neuer submit hir selfe to them whome she neuer offended. For (quoth shée) if I haue offended and am guiltie, I then craue no mercie, but the law, which I am certeine (quoth she) I should haue had yer this, if it could be prooued by me. For I know my selfe (I thanke God) to be out of the danger thereof, wishing that I were as cleare out of the perill of mine enimies, & then I am assured I should not so be locked and bolted vp within wals and doores as I am. God giue them a better mind when it pleaseth him. About this time was there a great consulting among the bishops and gentlemen touching a marriage for hir grace,Counsell of the papists to marrie the ladie Eliza|beth to a Spaniard. which some of the Spaniards wished to be with some stranger, that she might go out of the realme with hir portion; some saieng one thing, and some another.

A lord (who shall be here namelesse) being there at last said,Wicked coun|sell giuen of the Lord Pa|get against the ladie Eliza|beth. that the king should neuer haue anie quiet common wealth in England, vnlesse hir head were stricken from the shoulders. Wherevnto the Spaniards answered saieng; God forbid that the king and maister should haue that mind to consent to such a mischéefe.Spaniards more fauoura|ble to ladie Elizabeth than some Englishmen. This was the courteous answer of the Spaniards to the Englishmen, speaking after that sort against their owne countrie. From that daie the Spaniards neuer left off their good persuasi|ons to the king, that the like honor he should neuer obteine, as he should in deliuering the ladie Eliza|beths grace out of prison; whereby at length she was happilie released from the same. Here is a plaine and euident example of the good clemencie and na|ture of the king and his councellors towards hir grace (praised be God therefore) who mooued their harts therein. Then herevpon she was sent for shortlie after to come to Hampton court.

But before hir remoouing awaie from Wood|stocke,Ladie Eliza|beth in dan|ger of fire. we will a little staie to declare in what dan|gers hir life was during this time she there remai|ned. First thorough fire, which began to kindle be|twéene the boords & séeling vnder the chamber where she laie, whether by a sparke of fire, gotten into a cranie, or whether of purpose by some that meant hir no good, the Lord dooth know. Neuerthelesse a worshipfull knight of Oxfordshire, which was there ioined the same time with sir Henrie Benefield in kéeping that ladie (who then tooke vp the boords and quenched the fire) verelie supposed it to be doone of purpose. Furthermore it is thought,Ladie Elizabeth in danger of killing. and also affir|med (if it be true) of one Paule Penie a keeper of Woodstocke, a notorious ruffian and a butcherlie wretch, that he was appointed to kill the said ladie Elizabeth, who both saw, the man being often in hir sight, and also knew thereof.