Then he knéeling downe, desired hir grace to thinke and consider how he was a seruant, and put in trust there by the quéene to serue hir maiestie, pro|testing that if the case were hirs, he would as wil|linglie serue hir grace, as now he did the quéenes highnesse. For the which his answer hir grace than|ked him, desiring God that she might neuer haue need of such seruants as he was; declaring further to him, that his dooings towards hir were not good nor answerable, but more than all the friends he had would stand by. To whom sir Henrie replied & said; that there was no remedie but his dooings must be answered,The letters of the ladie Elizabeth sent to the quéene. and so they should, trusting to make good account thereof. The cause which mooued hir grace so to saie, was for that he would not permit hir letters to be caried foure or fiue daies after the writing thereof. But in fine he was content to send for hir gentleman from the towne of Woodstocke, demanding of him whether he durst enterprise the ca|riage of hir graces letters to the quéene or no. And he answered; Yea sir, that I dare, and will with all my hart. Wherevpon sir Henrie halfe against his stomach tooke them vnto him.Doctor Owen and doctor Wendie quéen Maries phy|sicians sent to the ladie Elizabeth. Then about the eight of Iune came downe doctor Owen & doctor Wen|die, sent by the quéene to hir grace, for that she was sicklie; who ministring to hir, and letting hir bloud, tarried there and attended on hir grace fiue or six daies. Then she being well amended, they returned againe to the court, making their good report to the quéene and the councell of hir graces behauior and humblenesse towards the quéenes highnesse. Which hir maiestie hearing,The popish prelats repi|ned against the ladie Elizabeth. tooke verie thankfullie: but the bishops thereat repined, looked blacke in the mouth, and told the quéene, they maruelled that she submit|ted not hir selfe to hir maiesties mercie, considering that she had offended hir highnesse.

About this time hir grace was requested by a se|cret friend, to submit hir selfe to the quéenes maie|stie,Ladie Eliza|beth requested to submit hir selfe to the quéene. which would be verie well taken, and to hir great quiet and commoditie. Unto whome she an|swered, that she would neuer submit hir selfe to them whome she neuer offended. For (quoth shée) if I haue offended and am guiltie, I then craue no mercie, but the law, which I am certeine (quoth she) I should haue had yer this, if it could be prooued by me. For I know my selfe (I thanke God) to be out of the danger thereof, wishing that I were as cleare out of the perill of mine enimies, & then I am assured I should not so be locked and bolted vp within wals and doores as I am. God giue them a better mind when it pleaseth him. About this time was there a great consulting among the bishops and gentlemen touching a marriage for hir grace,Counsell of the papists to marrie the ladie Eliza|beth to a Spaniard. which some of the Spaniards wished to be with some stranger, that she might go out of the realme with hir portion; some saieng one thing, and some another.

A lord (who shall be here namelesse) being there at last said,Wicked coun|sell giuen of the Lord Pa|get against the ladie Eliza|beth. that the king should neuer haue anie quiet common wealth in England, vnlesse hir head were stricken from the shoulders. Wherevnto the Spaniards answered saieng; God forbid that the king and maister should haue that mind to consent to such a mischéefe.Spaniards more fauoura|ble to ladie Elizabeth than some Englishmen. This was the courteous answer of the Spaniards to the Englishmen, speaking after that sort against their owne countrie. From that daie the Spaniards neuer left off their good persuasi|ons to the king, that the like honor he should neuer obteine, as he should in deliuering the ladie Eliza|beths grace out of prison; whereby at length she was happilie released from the same. Here is a plaine and euident example of the good clemencie and na|ture of the king and his councellors towards hir grace (praised be God therefore) who mooued their harts therein. Then herevpon she was sent for shortlie after to come to Hampton court.