[1] But the king vnderstanding their cloaked drift, deuised (by what meanes he might) to quiet and ap|pease the commons, and deface their contriued for|geries, and therefore he wrote an answer to their li|bels,The kings answer to the Persies libell. that he maruelled much, sith the earle of Nor|thumberland, and the lord Henrie Persie his sonne, had receiued the most part of the summes of monie granted to him by the cleargie and communaltie, for defense of the marches, as he could euidentlie prooue what should mooue them to complaine and raise such manifest slanders. And whereas he vnderstood, that the earles of Northumberland and Worcester, and the lord Persie had by their letters signified to their freends abroad, that by reason of the slanderous re|ports of their enimies, they durst not appeare in his presence, without the mediation of the prelats and nobles of the realme, so as they required pledges, whereby they might safelie come afore him, to de|clare and alledge what they had to saie in proofe of their innocencie, he protested by letters sent foorth vnder his seale, that they might safelie come and go, without all danger, or anie manner of indamage|ment to be offered to their persons.