Then we have the examination of Frances Goldwell.[129] “She sayeth that one Robert Leonard, a servant of the L. Chamberlens, came from my Lady Mary, ‘to her coming from the cellar’ to ask her to come to her, and so she did finding her in a chamber next the Counsell Chamber, which was somewhat dark. Lady Mary told her that she must go with her to her own chamber, but instead she went by the gallery by the L. Chamberlain’s chamber, down by the winding stair, and so to a chamber which she knew not [this was evidently the room over the Water-gate], and there was eleven other people with the Sergeant Porter, one of them being in a black cloke read from a book, but what about she knoweth not. And they tarried not there past an quarter of an hower.
“She sayeth, moreover, the Sergeant Porter came with her as she remembered into the gallery before them and no further.
“The Lady Mary willed her to say that if she should be asked where she had been, she should say she had been with her in her chamber. She sayeth at her return to the Counsell Chamber that Lady Mary willed her to return to my Lady Howard’s chamber, but whither the Lady Mary herself went she knoweth not, unless it were into the Privy Chamber.” [She probably returned to Keyes’s room.]
As may be well imagined, the sagacious Mrs. Goldwell’s master and mistress, the Lord and Lady William Howard, were in a desperate state of mind when they discovered the nature of the business in which their “gentlewoman” had meddled. They therefore immediately addressed the following letter to Cecil:—[130]
“Mr. Secretary,
“This daie being the xxth of this present, I receaved your letter of the xixth whereby I understand of a very fond and lewde [i.e. ‘silly and ill-advised’] matter fallen out betwixt my Lady Mary and the Sergeante-Porter, mencionyng a marriage to be made between them that daye, in the evening that my Cousyn Knowles was married. I am not a little sory to here of hit, bothe for their sakes and moche more, that the Quenes Maty shuld have such occasion to troble her. And to you I write playnely. It greveth me to see (and hathe of longe tyme don) that men be in so little feare of the Prince [ss], that they dare think to enterprise so great a matter I dowt not hit wil be so ponished, as hit maie give suche a terror to all her Mates subjectes, that they maie ever hereafter beware howe to enter in any kinde of matter that maye in any case stounde against their bounde[n] dutye of allegiance. And where you signifie to me in your letter, that the Quenes Mates pleasure is, that I shoulde examine Ffrances my wyffes woman touching her knowledge in this matter: I have so don, and have sent you her confession hereinclosed, which is to small effect, and also the woman whom I thinke you shall find very symple, as one that hath ben allwaies brought upe in the countrey and of little knowledge, but synce she cam to my wief (being put to her by my Lady Mary) (and daughter as I here [hear] to my Ladie Maries Nurse) hath used her honestly and soberly, as my wief hath liked her for the tyme very well. And thus I bid you hartely farewell ffrom my house at Rigate the xxth of Auguste 1565.
“Yo^r most assured loving friend,
“W. Howard.”
(Addressed)
“To my loving friend Sir William Cycell, Knight.”