The second course at the marriage of a King is given unto the bearers; I mean the meat, but not the dishes, for they were of gold.
It was my chance to carry a great pasty of a red deer in a great charger, very delicately baked; which, for the weight thereof, divers refused [i.e., to carry]. The which pasty I sent unto London, to my wife and her brother; who cheered therewith many of their friends.
I will not take upon me, to write the manner of the marriage, of the feast, nor of the dancing of the Spaniards, that day; who were greatly out of countenance, specially King Philip dancing with the Queen, when they did see my Lord Bray, Master Carew, and others so far exceed them; but will leave it unto the learned, as it behoveth him to be, that shall write a Story of so great a Triumph.
Which being ended, their repair was to London. Where, shortly after, began the cruel persecution of the Preachers and earnest professors and followers of the Gospel; and searching of men's houses for their books. Wherefore I got old Henry Daunce, the bricklayer of Whitechapel; who used to preach the Gospel in his garden, every holiday, where I have seen a thousand people: he did inclose my books in a brick wall by the chimney's side in my chamber; where they were preserved from moulding or mice, until the first year of our most gracious Queen Elizabeth, &c.
Notwithstanding that, I removed from thence, and went unto Coventry; and got me a house a mile out of that city in a wood side. But before I removed from the said house [in Wood Street] in London; I had two children born there, a wench [i.e., a girl, his fifth daughter, Anne, born 4th January, 1554], and a boy [his second son, Edward, born 10th February, 1555].
It was a great grief to me, to see so much innocent blood shed for the Verity. I was also threatened by John Avales and Beard: which I understood by Master Luke [Shepherd], my very friend, of Coleman Street, physician; who was great with some that kept them company, and yet were honest men. Whom I caused to let them understand, that "If they did attempt to take me, except they had a warrant signed with four or five of the Council's hands, I would go further with them than Peter did, who strake off but the ear of Malchus; but I would surely strike off head and all." Which was declared unto them; so that I oftentimes met them, but they would not meddle with me. So mightily the merciful LORD defended me; as also from being present at that blasphemous Mass, in all the time of Queen Mary.
This Luke [Shepherd] wrote many proper books against the Papists, for the which he was imprisoned in the Fleet; especially a book called John Bon and mast. Person, who reasoned together of the natural presence in the Sacrament [see pp. [101]-[111]]. Which book he wrote in the time of King Edward; wherewith the Papists were sore grieved, specially Sir John Gresham, then being Mayor [i.e., October 1547-October 1548; but the true date of Allen's arrest would appear, from p. [87], to have been in 1551; when Sir Andrew Judde was Lord Mayor].
John Day did print the same book [? in 1551]; whom the Mayor sent for, to know the maker [author] thereof saying "He should also go to prison, for printing the same."
It was my chance to come in the same time; for that I had found out where [Robert] Allen the Prophesier, had a chamber; through whom there was a bruit in the city, that the King was dead: which I declared to the Mayor, requiring him to have an Officer to apprehend him.