[1] And thus much for these troubles of the lord pro|tector, and articles against him obiected; to the end (as was doubted) that the same should haue cost him his life. But such was the pleasure of almightie God, disposing mens hearts as séemeth to him best, that at length, to wit, the sixt of Februarie next, he was de|liuered; and that night he supped at sir Iohn Yorks one of the shiriffes of London, also the proclamation before set foorth against him was reuoked & called in. And thus being againe restored, though not to his former office, yet vnto libertie, he continued therein for the space of two yeares and two daies, till new troubles (as after shall appeare) chanced to him, which as they were too heauie for him either to cast off, or carrie awaie; so were his loders more readie to ag|grauate his burthen, than willing to ease him anie waie of the weight. So that this his exaltation & rai|sing to dignitie, in respect of the short continuance thereof, as also for the enuie wherewith it was assai|led, had béene better not to haue happened, than with such infelicitie in so short a time to haue ended. But this fall from honor & aduancement with losse of life (than the which nothing more pretious, nothing more delicious) gréeued him the lesse: bicause he might perceiue (as some suspected) that rather of enuie than otherwise (reseruing the course of Gods iudgement and vengeance to the secrecie of his owne counsels) the same was deuised, prosecuted, & finallie practised:

Nam quo quisque magis pius est, studiosior aequi,

Charior & regi, & quo quisque potentior extat,

Sentiet à prauis se tanto odiosius iri

Dente Theonino rosum, quod fortè latenter

Fiet & occultè, linguae ne sentiatictum

Laethalem, donec stamen trux Atropos occet,

Et vi Parcarum coenum voluatur in imum.]