At Malling, the 27th of January [1554], anno Mariæ primo.
GOD save Queen Mary and all her well willers!"
The Sheriff reading this Exhortation, caused one Barram, a Gentleman and servant to the Lord Abergavenny, to pronounce it, as he read it, so loud and so distinctly as the people assembled round about him, to a very great number, in manner of a ring, might easily hear and understand every word proceeding from Barram: who of his own head cried out unto them, "You may not so much as lift up your finger against your King or Queen!"
And after the people had heard the Sheriff's Exhortation; and cried "GOD save Queen Mary!" which they did most heartily, spending therein a convenient time; the Sheriff used these words unto them:
The Sheriff's speech to the multitude.
"Masters," quod he, "although I alone did speak unto you; yet what words were spoken to you by me were also spoken to you by the Lord Abergavenny and all the Gentlemen here present: in whose persons I then spake; and now require at your hands a plain and resolute answer. Will you now therefore join with such as you see evidently to be arrant traitors; or else with the Lord Abergavenny and such Gentlemen as you see here present, that will live and die with you in defence of our rightful Queen against these traitors?"
The people's answer to the Sheriff.
The people with one voice defied Wyat and his complices as arrant traitors, and said that they now well espied they had but abused them. Wherefore in defence of Queen Mary, they would die upon them: expressing their minds with such earnest shouts and cries as shewed to proceed unfeignedly from their hearts; which after was confirmed by a better experience the day following, as ye shall anon hear.
Wyat's promise of Barram's reward.
But by the way ye shall understand that Wyat hearing of this Proclamation, said, "I know that Barram well; but yet I never took him to have so wide a throat. If I live, I may happen to make him crow a higher note in another place." What trow you should then have become of the author?