[662] Strype, Ecclesiastical Memorials. Sir William Paget to the Lord Protector, July 7, 1549: “The king’s subjects are out of all discipline, out of all obedience, caring neither for Protector nor King. And what is the cause? Your own lenity ... the foot taketh upon him the part of the head, and commons is become king, a king appointing conditions and laws to the governors, saying, 'Grant this and that and we will go home.' ... What then is the matter, troweth your grace?... By my faith, Sir, even that which I said to your grace.... Liberty, Liberty.... In Germany, when the very like tumult to this began first, it might have been appeased with the loss of 20 men, and after with the loss of 100 or 200. But it was thought nothing and might easily be appeased, and also some spiced consciences taking pity of the poor ... thought it a sore matter to lose so many of their country folk, saying they were simple folk.... It cost, ere it was appeased, they say, 1000 or 2000 men.”
[663] Appendix to Miss Lamond’s introduction to The Commonweal, &c., pp. xli. and lii. But of course there was no such thing as collective responsibility for policy in the sixteenth century.
[664] Russel, Ket’s Rebellion in Norfolk, p. 202.
[666] Acts of the Privy Council, New Series, vol. ii. pp. 294–296.
[667] Strype, Ecclesiastical Memorials.
[668] Somerset’s execution took place on January 22, 1552, more than two years after he had been deposed from the Protectorate, for supposed complicity in a plot to overthrow the Government. The evidence for the existence of a conspiracy appears to be feeble. See Pollard, The Political History of England, 1547–1603, pp. 61–65.
[669] Acts of the Privy Council, New Series, vol. iii. pp. 181–182 and 247 and 252. “Mr. Grenewaie was this day before the Counsaill and rebuked sore for his attemptate in causeng Raf Lees hedges to be broaken up; nevertheless considering his long service [as gentleman usher] he was borne withall, and for this tyme without further punishment he was commaunded to make up those hedges again.”
[670] 3 and 4 Edward VI. c. 3.
[671] Acts of the Privy Council, New Series, vol. xi. pp. 191–192. A letter to the Lord President of Wales that whereas upon complaints exhibited to their lordships by the tenants of the Forest of Fakenham against Sir John Throgmorton, and one Mr. William Bell his stuarde, concerning an inclosure by him made of certen commons ... encroachment upon their copieholds ... it was by them ordered that the suite against the tenants commenced at the Common Lawe in respect of their commons and copieholds should surcease and the matters in controversy abyde triall before their lordships ... and untill the matter should be heard and determined they enjoyned to proceed no further in the inclosure of the said Common ... forasmuch as the tenants do now again complaine that since their lordships' said order Sir John and the said William Bell have inclosed more of the said common ... but hath also caused Bell to proceed against the tenants by ejectione firmæ at the Common Lawe, he is therefore required ... to will and command the said Sir John and William Bell to forbear their inclosures of the said Common ... untill the same shall be ... determined by their lordships according to their lordships' form and order.”