The fridaie before Palmesundaie,Ladie Eliza|beth charged with sir Tho|mas Wiats conspiracie. the bishop of Winchester, with nineteene others of the councell (who shall be here namelesse) came vnto hir grace from the quéenes maiestie, and burdened hir with Wiats conspiracie: which she vtterlie denied,Ladie Eliza|beth charged with the busi|nesse of Peter Carew. affir|ming that she was altogither giltlesse therein. They being not contented with this, charged hir grace with businesse made by sir Peter Carew, and the rest of the gentlemen of the west countrie: which also EEBO page image 1153 she vtterlie denieng, cleared hir innocencie therein. In conclusion, after long debating of matters, they declared vnto hir,Ladie Eliza|beth threatned to go to the tower. that it was the quéenes will and pleasure that she should go vnto the tower, while the matter were further tried and examined. Whereat she being agast, said, that she trusted the quéenes ma|iestie would be more gratious ladie vnto hir, and that hir highnesse would not otherwise conceiue of hir, but that she was a true woman: declaring fur|thermore to the lords,Ladie Eliza|beth purgeth hir selfe to the lords. that she was innocent in all those matters wherin they had burdened hir; and de|sired them therefore to be a further meane to the quéene hir sister, that she being a true woman in thought, word, and déed towards hir maiestie, might not be committed to so notorious & dolefull a place: protesting that she would request no mercie at hir hand, if she should be prooued to haue consented vnto anie such kind of matter, as they had laid vnto hir charge: and therefore in fine desired their lordships to thinke of hir what she was, and that she might not so extremelie be dealt withall for hir truth.
Whervnto the
lords answered againe, that there was no remedie, for that the quéenes maiestie was fullie determined that
she should go vnto the tower. Wherewith the lords departed, with their caps hang|ing ouer their eies. But
not long after, within the space of an houre or little more, came foure of the foresaid lords of the
councell, which were the lord treasuror, the bishop of Winchester, the lord steward, the earle of Sussex,
with the gard, who warding the next chamber to hir,
Ladie Eliza|beths seruãts remoued from hir. The quéenes men, and wai|ting women attendant vpõ ladie Eliza|beth.
Upon saturdaie following, two lords of the coun|cell (the one was the earle of Sussex, the other shall be namelesse) came and certified hir grace, that forth|with she must go vnto the tower, the barge being prepared for hir, and the tide now readie, which tarieth for no bodie. In heauie mood hir grace requested the lords that she might tarie another tide, trusting that the next would be better and more comfortable. But one of the lords replied, that nether tide nor time was to be delaied. And when hir grace requested him that she might be suffered to write to the quéenes maie|stie,The hard dea|ling of a cer|teine lord with the ladie Elizabeth. The earle of Sussex gentle to the ladie Elizabeth. Ladie Eliza|beth writeth to the quéene but it would not seru [...]. he answered, that he durst not permit that: ad|ding that in his iudgement it would rather hurt, than profit hir grace in so dooing. But the other lord, more courteous and fauorable (who was the earle of Sussex) knéeling downe, said she should haue liber|tie to write; and as he was a true man, he would de|liuer it to the quéenes highnesse, & bring an answer of the same, what soeuer came thereof. Wherevpon she wrote, albeit she could in no case be suffered to speake with the queene to hir great discomfort, being no offendor against the queenes maiestie.