There was commandment it should not hang in a string over the altar; and then, they set it upon the altar.
For this act, the Justice's wife with the women of the town, conspired to have murdered me; which one of them gave me warning of, whose good will to the Gospel was not unknown unto the rest. Thus the Lord preserved me from them, and many other dangers more; but specially from hell fire, but that, of His mercy, He called me from the company of the wicked.
This Banbery, aforesaid, was the spy for Stepney parish; as John Avales, Beard, and such others were for London: who [i.e., Banbery]caused my friend and neighbour Master Ive to be sent unto the Marshalsea, but the LORD shortly delivered him. Wherefore I thought it best to avoid [leave]; because my not coming to the church there, should by him be marked and presented.
Then took I a little house in a secret corner, at the nether [lower] end of Wood Street; where I might better shift the matter.
Sir Humphrey Ratcliffe was the Lieutenant of the Pensioners, and always favoured the Gospel; by whose means I had my wages still paid me [70 marks a year = £46 13s. 4d. = about £500 now; besides a free diet].
When [Sir Thomas] Wyatt was come to Southwark [6th February, 1554] the Pensioners were commanded to watch in armour that night, at the Court: which I hearing of, thought it best, in like sort, to be there; lest by my absence I might have some quarrel piked unto [picked with] me; or, at the least, be stricken out of the book for receiving any more wages.
After supper, I put on my armour as the rest did; for we were appointed to watch all the night.
So, being all armed, we came up into the Chamber of Presence, with our pole-axes in our hands. Wherewith the Ladies were very fearful. Some lamenting, crying, and wringing their hands, said, "Alas, there is some great mischief toward! We shall all be destroyed this night! What a sight is this! to see the Queen's Chamber full of armed men. The like was never seen, nor heard of!"
The Master [John] Norris, who was a Gentleman Usher of the Utter [Outer] Chamber in King Henry VIII.'s time, and all King Edward's time; always a rank Papist, and therefore was now Chief Usher of Queen Mary's Privy Chamber: he was appointed to call the Watch, and see if any were lacking. Unto whom, Moore, the Clerk of our Cheque, delivered the book of our names; which he perused before he would call them at the cupboard. And when he came to my name, "What!" said he, "what doth he here?"