After this, sir Henrie went vp into a chamber, where was appointed for hir grace a chaire, two cu|shions, and a foot carpet verie faire and princelike, wherein presumptuouslie he sat, and called one Bar|wike his man to pull off his boots. Which as soone as it was knowen among the ladies and gentles, euerie one mused thereat, & laughed him to scorne, obseruing his vndiscréet maners in that behalfe, as they might verie well. When supper was doone, he called my lord, and willed him that all the gentle|men and ladies should withdraw themselues euerie one to his lodging, maruelling much that he would permit there such a companie, considering so great a charge committed to him. Sir Henrie (quoth my lord) content your selfe, all shall be voided, your men and all. Nay my soldiors (quoth sir Henrie) shall watch all night. The lord of Tame answered, It shall not need. Well said he, Néed or néed not, they shall so doo: mistrusting belike the companie, which God knoweth was without cause.

The next daie hir grace tooke hir iournie from thense to Woodstocke, where she was inclosed,Ladie Eliza|beth garded and warded for starting a|waie. as before in the tower of London, the souldiors gar|ding and warding both within & without the wals, euerie daie to the number of thrée score, and in the night without the wals fortie, during the time of hir imprisonment there. At length she had gardens ap|pointed for hir walke, which was verie comfortable to hir grace. But alwaies when she did recreat hir selfe therein, the doores were fast locked vp, in as strict maner as they were in the tower, being at the least fiue or six locks betwéene hir lodging and hir walks: sir Henrie himselfe kéeping the keies, and trusting no man therewith. Wherevpon she called him hir gailor: and he knéeling downe, desi|red hir grace not to call him so, for he was appoin|ted there to be one of hir officers. From such offi|cers (quoth she) good Lord deliuer me. And now by the way as digressing, or rather refreshing the rea|der, if it be lawfull in so serious a storie to recite a matter incident, & yet not impertinent to the same: occasion heere mooueth, or rather inforceth me to touch briefelie what happened in the same place and time by a certeine merie conceited man,A merie storie concerning the strict kée|ping of the la|die Elizabeth. being then about hir grace: who noting the strict & strange kée|ping of his ladie & mistres by the said sir Henrie Be|nefield, with so manie locks & dores, with such watch and ward about hir, as was strange and woonder|full, spied a goat in the ward where hir grace was. And whether to refresh hir oppressed mind, or to noti|fie hir strict handling by sir Henrie, either else both; he tooke it vp on his necke, and followed hir grace therewith as she was going into hir lodging. Which when she saw, she asked him what he would doo with it, willing to let it alone. Unto whome the said par|tie answered: No by saint Marie (if it like your grace) will I not: for I can not tell whether he be one of the quéens friends or no. I will carie him to sir Henrie Benefield (God willing) to know what he is. So leauing hir grace, he went with the goat on his necke, and caried it to sir Henrie Benefield. Who when he saw him comming with it, asked him halfe angerlie what he had there. Unto whome the partie answered, saieng: Sir (quoth he) I can not tell what he is, I pray you examine him,The strictnes of sir Henrie Benefield merilie noted. for I found him in the place where my ladies grace was wal|king, and what talke they had I can not tell. For I vnderstand him not, but he should séeme to me to be some stranger, & I thinke verelie a Welshman, for he hath a white fréese coat on his backe. And forso|much as I being the quéens subiect, and perceiuing the strict charge committed to you of hir kéeping, that no stranger should haue accesse to hir without EEBO page image 1157 sufficient licence, I haue here found a stranger (what he is I can not tell) in place where hir grace was walking: and therefore for the necessarie discharge of my dutie, I thought it good to bring the said stran|ger to you, to examine as you sée cause: and so he set him downe. At which his words sir Henrie séemed much displeased, and said: Well, well, you will ne|uer leaue this geare I sée: and so they departed.

Now to returne to the matter from whence we haue digressed. After hir grace had bene there a time she made sute to the councell that she might be suffe|red to write to the queene, which at last was permit|ted. So that sir Henrie Benefield brought hir pen, inke, and paper; and standing by hir while she wrote (which he strictlie obserued) alwaies she being wea|rie, he would carie awaie hir letters, and bring them againe when she called for them. In the finishing therof, he would haue béene messenger to the quéene of the same. Whose request hir grace denied, saieng one of hir owne men should carie them, and that she would neither trust him nor none of his therein. Then he answering againe said; None of them durst be so bold (he trowed) to carie hir letters, being in that case. Yes (quoth she) I am assured I haue none so dishonest that would denie my request in that be|halfe, but will be as willing to serue me now as be|fore. Well (said he) my commission is to the con|trarie,The cruell dealing of sir Henrie Bene|field to the ladie Eliza|beth reproo|ued. and I maie not so suffer it. Hir grace repli|eng againe said; You charge me verie often with your commission, I praie God you maie iustlie an|swer the cruell dealing you vse towards me.