The Holinshed Texts (1587, Volume 6, p. 1158)

On the next daie the bishop of Winchester came againe vnto hir grace, and knéeling downe,

Talke againe betweene Winchester & ladie Elisa|beth.

Ladie Elisa|beth denied to confesse anie fault doone to the quéene.

decla|red that the quéene maruelled that she would so stout|lie vse hir selfe, not confessing to haue offended: so that it should séeme the quéenes maiestie wrongful|lie to haue imprisoned hir grace. Naie (quoth the la|die Elisabeth) it pleaseth hir to punish me as she thin|keth good. Well quoth Gardiner, hir maiestie willeth me to tell you, that you must tell an other tale yer that you be set libertie. Hir grace answered, that she had as léefe be in prison with honestie and truth, as to be abroad suspected of hir maiestie: and this that I haue said, I will (said she) stand vnto, for I will ne|uer béelie my selfe. Winchester againe knéeled down and said: Then your grace hath the vantage of me and other the lords for your long and wrong impri|sonment. What vantage I haue (quoth she) you know, taking God to record I seeke no vantage at your hands for your so dealing with me, but God forgiue you and me also. With that the rest kneeled, desiring hir grace that all might be forgotten, and so departed, she being fast locked vp againe. A seauen nights after, the quéene sent for hir grace at ten of the clocke in the night to speake with hir:Ladie Elisa|beth sent for to the quéene. Ladie Elisa|beth brought to the quéenes bedchamber. for she had not séene hir in two yeares before. Yet for all that she was amazed at the sudden sending for, thinking it had béene woorse than afterwards it prooued, and desired hir gentlemen and gentlewomen to praie for hir, for that she could not tell whether euer she should sée them againe or no.

At which time sir Henrie Benefield with mistresse Clarencius comming in, hir grace was brought in|to the garden vnto a staires foot that went into the EEBO page image 1159 queenes lodging, hir graces gentlewomen waiting vpon hir, hir gentleman vsher and hir groomes go|ing before with torches, where hir gentlemen and gentlewomen being commanded to staie all sauing one woman, mistresse Clarencius conducted hir to the queenes bedchamber where hir maiestie was. At the sight of whome hir grace knéeled downe, and de|sired God to preserue hir maiestie, not mistrusting but that she should trie hir selfe as true a subiect to|wards hir maiestie, as euer did anie, and desired hir maiestie euen so to iudge of hir: and said that she should not find hir to the contrarie, whatsoeuer re|port otherwise had gone of hir.Talke be|twéene the quéene and ladie Elisa|beth. To whome the quéene answered: You will not confesse your offense, but stand stoutlie to your truth: I praie God it maie so fall out. If it dooth not, quoth the ladie Elisabeth, I request neither fauour nor pardon at your maiesties hands. Well said the quéene, you stiflie still perseuere in your truth. Belike you will not confesse but that you haue béene wrongfullie punished. I must not saie so (if it please your maiestie) to you.

Why then (said the queene) belike you will to o|thers. No, if it please your maiestie (quoth she) I haue borne the burthen, and must beare it; I humblie be|séech your maiestie to haue a good opinion of me,Small com|fort at the quéenes hand toward hir si|ster. and to thinke me to be your true subiect, not onelie from the beginning hitherto, but for euer, as long as life lasteth: and so they departed with verie few comfor|table words of the queene, in English: but what she said in Spanish, God knoweth. It is thought that king Philip was there behind a cloth,

King Philip thought to be a friend to ladie Elisa|beth.

Ladie Elisa|beth by Gods prouidence set at libertie. Sir Henrie Benefield discharged.

and not séene, and that he shewed himselfe a verie friend in that matter, &c. Thus hir grace departing, went vnto hir lodging againe, and the seauenth night after was released of sir Henrie Benefield hir gailor (as she tearmed him) and his soldiors, and so hir grace being set at libertie from imprisonment, went into the countrie, and had appointed to go with hir sir Tho|mas pope, one of quéene Maries councellors, and one of hir gentlemen vshers, master Gage, and thus strictlie was she looked vnto all quéene Maries time. And this is the discourse of hir highnesse imprison|ment.