[1] The king receiuing such answer in these words, or other to the like effect, was nothing contented therewith, and so commanded his standards eftsoones to aduance. But yet before he came neere to the place where they were incamped, the said lords wrote to him a letter in their owne excuse,A letter from the lords to the king. protesting they meant no harme in the world against his person, as by their demeanors and proceedings it might well appeare, who had euer fled & withdrawne themselues from place to place, from towne to towne, from vil|lage to village, and from countie to countie. Which might serue for an euident token, that they sought for nothing but onelie their owne safegards & quiet|nesse of the realme, with so much fauour, as in good and safe suertie they might come to his presence, to declare certeine things which in their opinions might turne to the wealth of the realme: and further to make answer to all things that had béene obiected a|gainst them. And now (said they) we are here remai|ning in the vttermost parts of the land (that is) in the marches towards Wales, not farre from Lud|low, not vpon anie presumptuous meaning, but ra|ther in all humble lowlinesse of mind and bodie to a|bide his graces comming: which they besought of God might be in some peaceable maner and fauou|rable in their behalfes.