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.

The next daie following,Lord William Howard gen|tle and fauou|rable to ladie Elisabeth. hir grace entred Hamp|ton court on the back [...]side, into the princes lodging, the doores being shut to hir: and she garded with sol|diors, as before, laie there a fortnight at the least, yer euer anie had recourse vnto hir. At length came the lord William Howard, who maruellous honoura|blie vsed hir grace. Wherat she tooke much comfort, & requested him to be a meane that she might speake with some of the councell. To whome (not long after) came the bishop of Winchester, the lord of Arundell, the lord of S [...]rewesburie, and secretarie Peter, who with great humilitie humbled themselues vnto hir grace. She againe likewise saluting them, said: My lords (quoth she) I am glad to sée you for me thinke I haue béene kept a great while from you desolatelie alone. Wherefore I would desire you to be a meane to the king and quéenes maiesties, that I maie be deliuered from prison, wherein I haue beene kept a long space, as to you my lords it is not vnknowne.