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.

And thus much touching the troubles of ladie E|lisabeth at Woodstocke. Wherevnto this is more to be added, that during the same time, the lord of Tame had labored to the quéene, and became suretie for hir, to haue hir from Woodstocke to his house, and had obteined grant thereof.Ladie Eli|sabeth not suffered to come to the lord of Tames house. Wherevpon preparati|on was made accordinglie, and all things readie in expectation of hir comming. But through the pro|curement either of maister Benefield, or by the dooing of Winchester hir mortall enimie, letters came ouer night to the contrarie: whereby hir iornie was stopped. Thus this woorthie ladie oppressed with continuall sorrow, could not be permitted to haue re|course to anie friends she had; but still in the hands of hir enimies was left desolate, and vtterlie desti|tute of all that might refresh a dolfull hart, fraught full of terror and thraldome. Wherevpon no mar|uell, if she hearing vpon a time out of hir garden at Woodstocke,Ladie Eli|sabeth wish|eth hir selfe to be a milke|maid. a certeine milkmaid singing pleasant|lie, wished hir selfe to be a milkemaid as she was, saieng that hir case was better, and life more meri|er than was hirs in that state as she was.

Now after these things thus declared, to pro|céed further where we left before, sir Henrie Be|nefield and his soldiors, with the lord of Tame, and sir Rafe Chamberleine, garding and waiting vpon hir, the first night from Woodstocke she came to Ricot. In which iourneie such a mightie wind did blow,Ladie Eli|sabeth remoo|ued from Woodstocke to Hampton court. that hir seruants were faine to hold down hir clothes about hir: in so much that hir hood was twise or thrise blowen from hir head. Wherevpon she desirous to returne to a certeine gentlemans house there néere, could not be suffered by sir Hen|rie Benefield so to doo: but was constreined vnder an hedge to trim hir head as well as she could. After this, the next night they iourneied to maister Dor|mers, & so to Colbrooke, where she laie all that night at the George: and by the waie comming to Col|brooke, certeine of hir graces gentlemen and yeo|men met hir to the number of three score, much to all their comforts, which had not séene hir grace of long season before: not withstanding they were comman|ded in the quéenes name immediatlie to depart the towne, to both their and hir graces no little heaui|nesse, who could not be suffered once to speake with them. So that night all hir men were taken from hir sauing hir gentleman vsher, thrée gentlewomen, two groomes, and one of hir wardrobe, the soldiors watching and warding about the house, and she close shut vp within hir prison.