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.

Another time one of the priuie chamber,Another conspiracie of murther a|gainst ladie Elizabeth. a great man about the queene, and chiefe darling of Stephan Gardiner, named maister Iames Basset came to Blandenbrige a mile from Woodstocke; with twen|tie or thirtie priuie cotes, and sent for sir Henrie Be|nefield to come and speake with him. But as God would, which disposed all things after the purpose of his owne will; so it happened, that a little before the said sir Henrie Benefield was sent for by post to the councell, leauing strict word behind him with his bro|ther, that no man whatsoeuer he were, though com|ming with a bill of the queenes hand, or anie other warrant, should haue accesse to hir before his re|turne againe. By reason whereof it so fell out, that maister Benefields brother comming to him at the bridge, would suffer him in no case approch in, who otherwise (as is supposed) was appointed violentlie to murther the innocent ladie. In the life of Ste|phan Gardiner we declared before, pag. 1787,Ladie Eliza|beth preserued by the lords prouidence from execu|tion in the tower. how that the ladie Elizabeth, being in the tower, a writ came downe subscribed with certeine hands of the councell for hir execution. Which if it were certeine (as it is reported) Winchester (no dout) was deuiser of that mischéefous drift. And doubtlesse the same EEBO page image 1158 Achitophell had broght his impious purpose that day to passe, had not the fatherlie prouidence of almigh|tie God (who is euer stronger than the diuell) stirred vp master Bridges lieutenant at that time of the to|wer, to come in hast to the quéene, to giue certificat therof, & to know further hir consent touching hir si|sters death.Winchesters platforme [...]uerthrowne: wherof read before pa. 1787 Whervpon it folowed, that all that deuise was disappointed, & Winchesters diuelish platforme which he said he had cast, thorough the Lords great goodnes came to no effect. Where moreouer is to be noted, that during the prisonment of this ladie and princesse, one maister Edmund Tremaine was on the racke, and maister Smithwike, and diuerse o|ther in the tower were examined, and diuerse offers made to them to accuse the giltlesse ladie, being in hir captiuitie. Howbeit all that notwithstanding, no matter could be prooued by all examinations, as she the same time lieng at Woodstocke had certeine intelligence, by the meanes of one Iohn Gaier, who vnder a colorable pretense of a letter vnto mistresse Cleue from hir father, was let in, and so gaue them secretlie to vnderstand of all this matter Where|vpon the ladie Elizabeth at hir departing out from Woodstocke, wrote these verses with hir diamond in a glasse window verie legiblie as here followeth:

Much suspected by me,

Nothing prooued can be:U [...]ses writ|ten vp ladie Elisabeth in the glas [...]e window.

Quoth Elizabeth prisoner.