his man, having a watch at Greenwich of twenty weaponed men to resist, if he had been arrested; and this confessed both Partridge and Palmer. He answered, that when he levied men at his house he meant no such thing, but only to defend himself. The rest very barely answered. After debating of the matter from nine c'clock to three, the lords went together, and there weighing the matter, seemed only to touch their lives, although afterward more inconvenience might have followed, and that men might think they did it of malice, acquitted him of high treason, and condemned him of felony, which he seemed to have confessed. He, hearing the judgment, fell down on his knees, and thanked them for his open trial. After he asked pardon of the duke of Northumberland, the marquis, &c., whom he confessed he meant to destroy, although before he swore vehemently to the contrary. The next day after, he confessed how he had promised Bartiville to deliver him out of prison, if he would kill the duke of Northumberland.

The muster was of one thousand men of arms, the 7th of this present. They had no pages, questrells,

1 The peers pronounced Somerset guilty of having conspired to seize and imprison the earl of Warwick, one of the privy councillors, an offence which had been made by act of parliament felony, without benefit of clergy. When Somerset was acquitted of the capital charge of high treason, the axe which had been carried before him to the place of trial was withdrawn, much to the satisfaction of the assembled multitude, to whom he was endeared by many acts of benevolence and kindness, and who hailed his supposed liberation with loud plaudits. The account of Somerset's trial, given by Edward in this letter, is very interesting, and of course, of high authority.

nor demilances; but all well armed, and so horsed as was never seen, I dare say, so many good horses, and so well-armed men. We think you shall see in France none like. Thus fare you well.

From Westminster, the 20th of December, in the year of our Lord 1551.

King Edward VI. "to our well-beloved servant Barnaby Fitzpatrick, one of the gentlemen of the Privy Chamber." 2

25th January, 155.

We have received your letters of the 28th of December, whereby we perceive your constancy both in avoiding all kind of vices, and also in following all things of activity, or otherwise, that be honest and meet for gentlemen, of the which we are not a little glad, nothing doubting your continuance therein. We understand also, by certain letters you sent to the earl of Pembroke and Mr. Vice-Chamberlain, that you have some lack of mulettis, and that ye desire to have sent you some of ours. Whereupon we have considered that our mulettis, being old and lame, will do you but little service, and at least less than good ones bought there; for which cause we have willed Bartholomew Campagne to deliver you three hundred crowns, by exchange, for the buying of you two mulettis, over and besides your former allowance. Here we have little news at this present, but only

1

1 Questrels, or kestrels, were persons who carried the arms of knights, or superior officers; demilances were light horsemen, armed with lances. 2 Strawberry Hill Collection, 1772.

that the challenge that ye heard of before your going was very well accomplished. At tilt there came eighteen defendants; at tournay twenty; at barriers they fought eight to eight, on Twelfth Night. This last Christmas hath been well and merrily passed.' Afterward there was run a match at tilt, six to six, which was very well run.

Also, because of the lord Rich's sickness, the bishop of Ely was made chancellor of England during the parliament.

Of late here hath been such a tide here, as hath overflown all meadows and marshes,2 all the isle of Dogs, all Plumstead Marsh, all Sheppy, Foulness, in Essex; and the sea coast was quite drowned. We hear that it hath done no less harm in Flanders, Holland, Zealand, but much more, for towns and cities have been there drowned.

3

We are advertised out of Almaine, that duke Morris

1 Somerset was executed on the 22nd of January; and it is supposed that during his imprisonment preceding that event, the mind of the king was purposely kept from reflecting on the wretched condition of that nobleman, by the series of amusements which are alluded to in this letter. There is scarcely sufficient evidence for such a conjecture to be well founded. At that period amusement was invariably the order of the court at Christmas, and in this instance the sports did not commence till some time after Somerset's condemnation.

2 The following account of this tide is taken from an early MS. chronicle of London, in MS. Rawl. Bodleian Library :-This year, likewise, there fortuned a wonderful tide of the Thames, which came nearly as far as Gravesend, and overflew the banks, doing great hurt, especially in the parts opposite Greenwich; and many poor people were nigh ruined, and all their goods lost. About the same time a great fish, called a dolphin, was taken at Queenborough, and was carried to London, and shown as a great marvel to many. Some say the winds made the tides contrarious all over the world. Certain it is that many marvels happened by reason thereof." 3 Germany.

is turned from the emperor, and he with the Protestants levieth them to deliver the old duke of Saxony and the landgrave out of prison.

The cause of our slowness in writing this letter hath been lack of messengers, as we had written before time.

Now, shortly, we will prove how ye have profited in the French tongue, for within a while we shall write to you in French. Thus we make an end, wishing you as much good as ourself.

At Westminster, the 25th of January, 1551.

I have since received your letters of the 19th of this instant, assuring you that I am the gladder the oftener I hear from you.1

Edward VI.'s letter concerning the Hatchments of the Duke of Somerset.2

Trusty and well-beloved, we greet you well, letting you wit, that whereas the hatchments of the late duke of Somerset, attainted and put to execution duly for his offence, do remain yet within our chapel of Windsor untaken down; our pleasure is, in respect of his said offence, through the which his hatchments deserve not to be in so honourable a place among the rest of the

1 The address, or the direction, is in the king's writing. On the outside of the letter, in another hand, is this-"25th of January, 1551. From the king's majesty."

2 Rawlinson MSS. Somerset had been executed about a fortnight previous to the penning of this letter or warrant, and it would seem to have been the ordinary custom to refuse the raising of the hatchments of those who had suffered on the block. I have not met with any other notice of the circumstance here alluded to.

knights of our order: you shall repair to Windsor immediately upon the receipt of these our letters, and in your presence cause the said hatchment of the said late duke to be taken down in such sort as others in like cases have been, whereof fail you not.

Given under our signet, at our Palace of Westminster, the 8th of February, in the sixth year of our reign. [8th February, 1552.]

Edward VI. to our well-beloved servant Barnaby
Fitzpatrick.'

We have received letters, dated at Paris the 12th of this instant, and also Mr. Pickering's letter, written to our trusty and well-beloved cousin the duke of Northumberland on your behalf, whereby we perceive both the great preparation for the wars which the French king now maketh, and also how you are diminished of all things needful to go such a journey, so that it seemeth that your costs will not be borne under three hundred pounds; whereupon we have given order to Bartholomew Campaigne for to deliver you, in Paris, eight hundred French crowns, over and besides all moneys sent to you heretofore, and besides your diet. Also, whereas you seem to find a lack for the mulettis; there was appointed to you three hundred French crowns for the buying of the same, because they could not well be transported; also order is given for your horses to be carried over to you with diligence, which we trust shall like you well.

1 Letters of King Edward VI., Strawberry Hill MSS.