These doubts with all the circumstances being well weied and considered, the Maior Nicholas Exton, and certeine of the chiefe men in the citie, went foorth to the lords, and offered them to lodge in the citie at their pleasure, with all things necessarie as they should deuise. The Maior caused also wine, ale, bread, and chéese, to be distributed among the armie, so as ech one had part, which courtesie turned greatlie afterwards to the commoditie of the citie. The lords vpon search made, perceiuing that there was no guile meant by laieng of men in ambushes within the citie to intrappe them, or otherwise, but that all was sure inough and cleare without anie such euill meaning, they entred the citie and there abode quietlie. Then went the archbishop of Canturburie and others betwixt |792| the king and the lords to make peace betwixt them. But the king at the first seemed little to estéeme the matter, saieng to the archbishop; Well let them lie here with their great multitude of people hardlie till they haue spent all they haue, and then I trust they will returne poore inough and néedie, and then I doubt not but I shall talke with them, and vse the matter so as iustice maie require.
The lords refuse to come into ye Tower but after search made they come thither to the kings presence.
The lords being informed hereof, were maruelouslie mooued, and sware that they would not depart till they had spoken with him face to face, and foorthwith they sent part of their companies to watch the Thames, for feare the king should scape their hands, and then laugh them to scorne. When the king then perceiued himselfe to be inclosed on ech side, he talked eftsoones with the archbishop and his associats that were messengers betwixt him and the lords, willing them to declare to the lords that he would be contented to treat with them in reasonable order; wherevpon they required that he should on the morow next insuing come vnto Westminster, where he should vnderstand their demands. When the king heard that, he refused to come vnto Westminster, but willed that they should come to him there in the Tower. The lords sent him word againe, that the Tower was a place to be suspected, for that they might there be surprised by some guilefull practise deuised to intrap them. The king herevnto made answer, that they might send some two hundred men, or so manie as they should thinke good, to make a through search, whether they néeded to feare anie such thing; and this accordinglie was doone: they hauing the keies of the gates and of all the strong chambers, turrets, and places within the Tower sent vnto them.
R. Grafton.
Thom. Wals.
The lords open their gréefes to the king.
On the fridaie, the duke of Glocester, the earls of Derbie, and Notingham, came to the king, where he was set in a pauillion richlie arraied; and after their humble salutations done, and some talke had betwixt them, they went at the kings request with him into his chamber, where they recited vnto him the conspiracie of their aduersaries, through which they had béen indicted. They also shewed forth the letters which he had sent to the duke of Ireland, to leauie an armie vnto their destruction. Likewise the letters, which the French king had written to him, conteining a safe conduct for him to come into France, there to confirme things to the diminishing of his honor, to the decaie of his power, & losse of his fame. ¶ During the time of this communication also, the earle of Derbie desired the king to behold the people that were assembled in sight before the Tower, for the preseruation of him and his realme: which he did, and maruelling to sée such a goodlie armie and strength, as he declared to them no lesse, the duke of Glocester said vnto him; Sir this is not the tenth part of your willing subjects that haue risen to destroie those false traitors, that haue misled you with their wicked and naughtie counsell.
R. Grafton.
Tho. Walsing.
The incōstancie of the king.