[1] But as he thus continued in prison, closelie kept, so that none of his fréends might haue accesse vnto him, as in such cases it often happeneth, when men be in miserie, some will euer pitie their state,The earle of Kent conspi|reth to deliuer his brother. there were diuerse of the nobilitie (of whome the earle of Kent was chéefe) began to deuise means by secret confe|rence had togither, how they might restore him to libertie, discommending greatlie both quéene Isa|bell, and such other as were appointed gouernours to the yoong king, for his fathers streict imprisonment. The queene and other the gouernours vnderstanding this conspiracie of the earle of Kent, and of his bro|ther, durst not yet in that new and greene world go about to punish it, but rather thought good to take a|waie from them the occasion of accomplishing their purpose. And herevpon the queene and the bishop of Hereford wrote sharpe letters vnto his keepers, blaming them greatlie, for that they dealt so gentlie with him, and kept him no streictlier, but suffered him to haue such libertie, that he aduertised some of his freends abroad how and in what manner he was vsed, and withall the bishop of Hereford vnder a so|phisticall forme of words signified to them by his let|ters, that they should dispatch him out of the waie, the tenor whereof wrapped in obscuritie ran thus:

Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est:

To kill Edward will not to feare it is good.