II.

BOOK "These (as he concluded) are the griefs of mind which "continually assault me. Wherefore I most humbly beAnno 1577.❝ seech your honour, that for pity sake it will please you, "to impart to her majesty and the rest of her council, this

He goes into the

service

of

don John;

who puts

him to death.

66

66

my wretched state; and to procure of her majesty that "there may be some speedy order taken for me. Wherein your honour shall do a work of great honour and charity, "as knoweth the Almighty, who preserve your honour, &c. "From the Tower, the 6th of May, 1577."

And accordingly he went abroad; and out of need perhaps put himself into the service of don John of Austria: but so miserable and unfortunate he was, that upon some accusation, as though he and some other English were entered into a plot to murder that governor of Flanders, was executed the next year, though he denied it to the last: beCamd. Eliz. ing taken in the camp at Namur, with one Gray, (the same, I suppose, mentioned above, his friend,) and that he was set at liberty for that purpose, and encouraged therein by secretary Walsingham: very improbable, by what appears in his own letters, and that little countenance he had with the queen; and her refusal of his service.

p. 226.

His protestations to be em

service of

What his necessities were, being abroad, and what protestations he made, and methods he used for favour, may ployed in be collected from a letter or two, written by him in the the queen. years 1574 and 1575. For this poor unhappy rebel, weary of rambling up and down out of his native country, and become poor, was very desirous of coming home two or three years ago; and was soliciting then the lord treasurer 497 for her majesty's gracious pardon for that purpose: attri buting his distress to his youthful heat and ignorance, (but not a word of another cause, his zeal for religion.) Insisting very much in those his letters upon his desire to shew his loyalty to the queen, if she would employ him in some service for her; and vowing himself entirely at his lordship's devotion; and expressing such like protestations. Whether any just suspicions might be gathered hence of his guilt, and that he was put to death justly, I leave others to judge.

Thus in the year 1574 he addressed himself to the afore- CHAP. said lord from Antwerp: January 28. "If fortune would

66

VIII.

so hallilye him, as to send him means by some acceptable Anno 1577. "service, to let his lordship see the earnest desire he had "to be found grateful to his honour for the great favour it "had pleased him to shew him; although it were with the "hazard of his life, yet surely he would attribute it to one "of the greatest felicities that could chance unto him, &c. “And that although his poor service should never be able "to attain to the merit of his honour's great courtesy, yet "he affied so much in his lordship's virtue and good nature, that he would esteem it no less than our Saviour ❝ did the mite of the poor widow: protesting to Almighty "God, that he offered himself entirely at his lordship's "command with no less devotion. He added, that he had "received divers advertisements from one Avery Philips, "that at his lordship's earnest suit it had pleased her ma'jesty to pardon his former offence made to her. [But it "seems Avery's information was not true.] But which of"fence he would assuredly repair by a dutiful allegiance all “his life, faithfully and truly, in all services he should be "employed in."

66

His brother, the earl, also was highly displeased with him. That he might be reconciled to him, he begged the lord treasurer likewise to procure it. "That he would be "a means to my lord, his brother, that he would pardon "his offence: which, God knew, proceeded of youth and "ignorance, not of malice. The fault was committed, and "he could but be sorry for it, and ready to make any satis"faction he should be able, or that it would please his lord

ship to command him: which he would most willingly "do. And so humbly beseeched his lordship, even for "God's sake, to deal with his brother in it. For that, if he "persevered still in his indignation against him, he knew it "would be his destruction, &c. And so humbly desiring "his lordship to consider his extreme poverty, which, as "God was his judge, as he added, he was utterly unable to

BOOK" abide any longer." The king of Spain's pension, it seems, now grew but low.

II.

Anno 1577.

Solicits

queen to

pardon him.

66

About half a year after we have this fugitive gentleman again the gone to Bruges. And thence in the month of August he continueth his solicitation to the said lord Burghley. Which was to this tenor; That, not daring to presume to write to "her majesty, his lordship's virtuous inclinations did em"bolden him to move him to stand his good lord, in being "a means to her majesty for him: that it would please her, "of her accustomable clemency, to pardon those faults, by "which, through ignorant youth, and not of malice, (God was his judge,) he had offended her majesty. Which "now riper understanding and further grace did cause "him to be most heartily sorry for; and prostrate at her "majesty's feet, humbly craved pardon for the same: hop"ing her majesty's pitiful nature would follow the precept 498" of our Saviour Christ, who willeth no forgiveness to be "refused to him, who with humility and repentance craveth "it. For which most gracious benefit he promised to God " and her majesty, his life should be ready at all times to “be yielded in any service it should please her majesty to employ him; as well to repair his former fault, as also to "win of her majesty a degree of credit. And he hoped "these few years of tribulation had taught him to know

Words be

in Spain about the queen.

good from evil, and increased his ability to serve his "prince and country: which above all things he most de"sired."

And that he had been in Spain likewise it appears by what tween him he addeth; "That what had passed between Stewkly and "him in Spain in defence of her majesty's honour, for that " he spoke most villainous words of her majesty, his lord"ship had, he thought, already heard. And that he minded "to take no entertainment of any prince in the world, be"fore he knew her majesty's pleasure: whose favour he "esteemed more than any worldly preferment. If he did "not, he assured his lordship on his faith, he could have very sufficiently to maintain him there, according to his

VIII.

"calling, as it was well known to many. And so waiting CHAP. "her majesty's resolution, to be by his lordship's favour "known, &c. Dated August 18. from Bruges in Flan- Anno 1577. "ders."

from Calais.

What fair hopes the next message from England brought His letter him, I know not, but it produced this letter from him now at Calais, the next year, 1575, as though ready to come for England: "That if small benefits did bind good naturės, "how much ought he to think himself bound unto his honour, since by his only friendship he had recovered grace "at her majesty's hands, and good liking of my lord his "brother. Which, God was his judge, he esteemed more "than his life: as he trusted to give sufficient testimony by "his faithful service in all it should please her majesty to “employ him. And that undoubtedly his lordship might assure himself of his service, during his life, with no less "fidelity and affection, than if he were his own child. "besought his honour to continue so; and so by his good "lordship's favour to intercede with his brother, that he

He

was sure he would at his request support him with suffi"cient maintenance, until such time as it should please her "highness to license him to come home. And for fear he "should ignorantly offend, he humbly craved of his lord❝ship, that he might have some place appointed him, where ❝he should serve. And if it should not displease her ma“jesty, he should be glad to go against the Turk, where "he thought he should see best service." And he trusted his endeavours should be such, as neither her majesty, nor my lord his brother, nor his honour should mislike it. This was dated from Calais, March the 25th, 1575.

without

lowed.

The next tidings we hear of him was, that he was come Comes over over into England with a merchant: and with protestations leave. of his duty repaired to the lord Burghley, in order to that What follord's recommending him to the queen. Of his access to him, he sends word to secretary Walsingham. The queen understanding his coming and request, shewed herself displeased, and orders Walsingham to tell that lord," that he

II.

499"

66

BOOK "should, as of himself, advise Radcliff to slip away; for "that he understood secretly from his friends in court, that Anno 1577.❝ her majesty was greatly displeased with his presumptuous manner of coming over. And that otherwise (as Walsingham proceeded in relating the queen's commands, "that he should say) he doubted, her majesty, as in justice "she was bound, should be driven, for example sake, to ex"tend the punishment towards him, that for his former of"fences was due." And for that the queen was doubtful of his lingering in the realm, whatsoever promises he had made to him, [the lord Burghley,] her pleasure was, that he should so offer the matter, that Reins, the merchant, with whom he came over, should see him embarked: whereby she might be assured that he was departed the realm. But not taking this seasonable warning, he was committed prisoner to the Tower. And what befell him afterwards in another land was related before. But this is enough to have remembered of this unfortunate gentleman and penitent rebel, but of a turbulent spirit, Egremond Radcliff.

CHAP. IX.

The queen's progress. The lord treasurer, and others of the court, at Buxton Well. The earl of Leicester at Chatsworth, entertained there. The queen's letter of thanks to the earl of Shrewsbury upon that entertainment. The mortality at Oxford. The plague breaks out. The diligence of Fleetwood, the recorder at London. Sessions at Newgate. An intention of robbing the lord treasurer's house. A privy search in Smithfield. Cozeners and cheats, &c. Phaer a notable coiner. His offer; to discover all the coiners, and such as practised magic. AND now let us turn our eyes to more domestic matters. The queen's The queen this summer took her progress into Kent, this year. Surrey, Sussex. Where, according to her custom, she re

progress