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the saide packet, being directed aswell to his highnes as to BOOK me. And after his highnes had with me perused the hole contents thoroughlie of your saide letters, perceyving not onelie the lykelyhood of the not repairee into Fraunce of Philip Melanchthon, but also your communications had with the Frensh king, upon your demaunde made of the king's highnes pencions, with also your discrete answers and replications made in that behalf; for the which his majestee gyveth unto you his hertie and condigne thanks. Ye shall understande, that his highnes comaunded me to make you answer in this wise folowing. First, as touching the king's money, his highnes doubtith not, but seeing both the French king, and also the grete mayster, have promised you it shall be depeched; ye will, as the case shall requyre, not cease to call uppon them till it be depeched. And ferther considering, that the said French king, upon youre saide demaunde of the saide pensions, so sodaynelye fell into communication with you, aswell of his frendeship and humanyte shewed to the king's highnes; alledging, that he at all tymes hathe answered for the king's highnes, specially being last at Marcells with pope Clement, with other thyngs, as in your saide letters appereth. As also concernyng the executions lately done here within this realme, the king's highnes not a little mervaileth thereat, and thinketh it good, that as of your self ye take some occasion at convenyent tyme and opertunyte to renovate the said communication, both with the French king, or at the leest with the grete maister; saying unto them, that where the saide French king alledgeth, that he hathe at all tymes answered for the kyng's highnes in his cause; and specially to the saide pope Clement at Marcells; affirmyng his procedyngs to be just and upright concernyng the matrymony, as ye do wryte in that. Albeit the king's highnes procedings, in all his affaires within this realme, being of such equyte and justnes of themself as they be, nedeth not any defence or assistence ayenst pope Clement, or any other foreyn power, having Goddes worde and lawes only sufficient to defende him; yet in that that the saide French kyng hathe, as he sayeth, answered

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PART at all tymes on the king's parte, he hathe don nothing but the parte of a brother, in justefieng and verefyeng the trueth; and so continuyng, shall do as apperteyneth to a prynce of honour, which the king's highnes doubtith not he hath, and will doe only in respecte to the veryte and trewth, besid the amyte betwixt them both justlye requyryng the same. And concerning thexecutions don within this realme, ye shall sey to the saide French kyng, that the same were not so marvelous extreme, as he alledgeth. For, touhing Mr. More, and the bishop of Rochester, with suche others as were executed here, their treasons, conspiracies and practises secretely practisyd, aswell within the realme as without, to move and styrre discension, and to sowe sedicyon within the realme, intending thereby not onelye the distruction of the kyng, but also the whole subversion of his highnes realme, being explained and declared, and so manifestly proved afore them, that they could not avoyde nor denye it: and they thereof openly detected, and lawfully convicted, adjudged and condempned of high treason, by the due order of the lawes of this realme, it shall and may well appere to all the worlde, that they having such malice roted in their herts agenst their prynce and sovereigne, and the totall distruction of the comen weale of this realme, were well woerthie, if they had had a thousand lyves, to have suffered ten tymes a more terrible deth and execution then any of them did suffer. And touchinge suche wordes as the saide French king spake unto you, concerning how Mr. More dyed, and what he saide to his daughter going to his judgement, and also what exhortations he should gyve unto the kyng's subjects, to be trew and obedient to his grace; assuring you that there was no such thing, whereof the grete master promysed you a double at length in that the king's pleasure is, that ye shall not onelie procure the said double, and sende it hither, but alsoe sey unto the saide French king, that the king's highnes cannot otherwise take it but verye unkyndly, that the saide French king, or any of his counsaile, at whose hands he hathe so moche meryted, and to whom he hathe mynystered so many grete benefits, pleasures and commodytees, shoulde so lightly

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gyve eare, faith and credence to any such vayne brutes and BOOK fleeng tales; not havyng first knowlege or advertisement from the king's highnes here, and his counsaile, of the veryte and trewth; affirming it to be the office of a freinde, hering any suche tales of so noble a prynce, rather to have compressed the bruters thereof to sylence, or at the leest not permitted to have dyvulged the same, untill such tyme as the king's majestee being so dere a frende had ben advertesed thereof, and the trewth knowen, before he shoulde so lightly beleve or alledge any suche reporte. Which ingrate and unkynde demeanure of the saide French king, used in this behalf, argueth playnly not to remayn in his brest such integryte of herte, and syncere amyte towards the king's highnes, and his proceedings, as his highnes alwayes heretofore hathe expected and loked for: which thing ye may propone and alledge unto the said French king, and the grete master, or to one of them, with suche modestie and sobrenes, as ye thinke they maye perceyve that the king's highnes hathe good and just cause in this parte, somewhat to take their light credence unkyndly. And whereas the saide French king sayeth, that touching such lawes as the king's holynes hathe made, he will not medle withall; alledging it not to be mete, that one prynce shoulde desire another to chaunge his lawes; sayeing, that his be too olde to be chaunged. To that ye shall say, That such lawes as the king's highnes hath made here, be not made without substauncyall grounds, by grete and mature advise, counsaile and deliberation, of the hole polycie of this realme, and are in dede no new lawes, but of grete antiquyte, and many yeres passed, were made and executed within this realme, as now they be renovate and renewed onlie in respecte to the comen weale of the same. And it is not a little to his highnes mervule, that the saide French king ever would counsaile or advise him, if in case hereafter any such like offenders should happen to be in this realme, that he should rather banysh them, than in such wise execute them. And specyallie considering, that the saide French king himself, in commonyng with you at the VOL. III. P. 3.

PART tyme, not only confessed the extreme execucyons and grete bruyllie, of late don in his realme, but also that he now intendeth to withdraw the same, and to revoke and call home agayn suche as be out of his realme: the king's highnes, therefore, the more straungely taketh his saide advise and counsaile, supposing it to be neither thoffice of a frend, nor of a brother, that he wold determyn himself to call home into his realme agayn his subjects being out of the same, for speking agenst the bishop of Rome's usurped auctorite, and counsaile the kings highnes to banyshe his traytours into straunge parts, where they myght have good occasion, tyme, place, and oportunyte to wourke their feats of treason and conspiracie the better agaynst the kings highnes and this his realme: in whiche parte ye shall somewhat engreve the matier after suche sorte as it may well appere to the saide French king, that not only the kings highnes might take those his counsailes and communications, both straungely and unkyndely, thinking the same not to procede of mere amyte and friendship, but also using such polycie and austeryte in proponyng the same with the said French king, and the grete maister, taking such tyme and oportunyte as may best serve for the same, as they may well perceyve the kings highnes proceedings here within the realme, both concerning the saide execucyons, and all other things to be onely grounded uppon justice and the equyte of his lawes, which be no new lawes, but auncyet lawes made and established of many yeres, passed within this realme, and now renovate and renewed as it is aforsaide, for the better order, weale, and suretie of the same. And ye may ferther say, that if the French king and his counsaile well consyder, as they ought to do, that it were moch better to advaunce the punyshment of traytours and rebells, for their offences, then to ponyshe such as do speke agenst the usurped auctoryte of the bishop of Rome, who daylie goeth about to suppresse and subdue kyngs and princes, and their auctoritee gyven to them by Goddes worde; all which matiers the kinges pleasure is, that ye shall take tyme and occasion, as ye talkkyng agayn with the French king, or the grete maister may

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declare your mynd, as before is prescribed unto you: add- BOOK ing thereunto such matier, with such reasons, after your accustomed dexteryte and discression, as ye shall thinke most expedient, and to serve best for the kings purpose, defence of his proceedings, and the profe of the French kings ingratitude, shewed in this behalf; not doubting in your wisdom, good industrie, and discrete circumspection, for thordering and well-handelling of the same accordinglie. And touching Melanchton, considering there is no likelehood of his repayree into Fraunce, as I have well perceved by your letters; the kings highnes therfore hathe appointed Cristofer Mount, indelaiedlie to take his journey where Melanchton is: and if he can, to prevente mounsieur de Langie in suche wise, as the said Melanchton his repayree into Fraunce, may be stayed and dyverted into England, not doubting but the same shall take effecte accordinglie.

And as to Mr. Heynes, the king's pleasure is, that he shall go to Parys, there to lerne and dissiphre the oppynyons of the lerned men, and their inclinations and affections aswell towards the kyngs highnes procedings, as to the bishop of Rome his usurped power and auctoryte, after such sorte as the kings saide highnes hathe now wrytten to hym, by his gracious letters addressed both to him, and the saide Cristofer Mount; dyrecting them what they shall do in all things comytted to their charge at this tyme, as I doubt not, they will put there unto their devoires for the accomplishment of the kings pleasure as apperteyneth. And thus makyng an ende, prayeng you to use your discression in the proponing of the premisses to the French king, and the grete master, or the one or both of them, using the same as a medecyn, and after such sorte, that as nere as ye can, it be not moch displeasantly taken, advertesing the kings highnes from tyme to tyme of the successes therof; and of all other occurraunts as the case shall require. I shall for this tyme bid you most hertelie farewell, &c.

Thornebery the 23d day of August.