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fortune his grace to entre in to warrya, which yet hangyd (as
far as I know) in doubte. And ferther I requiryd of theym to
shew who wer they that counsellyd or moved thaym at that
tyme so to assemble; and they aunswerd forsothe, povertie only,
amrmyng that many of thaym, and specyally of thair naybors
that tarryd at home, lackyd bothe mete and money; and sayd
ferther uppon thair othe, that no creature lyving counsellyd
thaym in this behalf, but their own myndes, one complaynyng
to an other of theyr poverties. Albeyt I was enformed that
some usyd the office of somners in that behalf, of whom I
wold have made inquisition, or this tyme which I have refrayned
to do hitherto, bycause I wold gyve noo maner occasionne
to incense the yncertayne and wavering braynes of the
said multitude. For commonly in a multitude the more parte
lack both wytt and discretion, and yet the same more part woll
take upon theym to rule the wisor. Over this I rehersyd unto
thaym that abought two yeres passed they made a lyke assembly,
and came to me in lyke maner, and for the same cause of
the loone money, wt the which unlaufull assembly the Kinges
grace was than not a lytle displeasyd, and howe the Kinges
grace and his moost honorable counsell wold take this new
assemble I shewyd thaym I could not tell. They aunswerd
that they trustyd verely that the Kinges grace wold take noo
displeasure for the asking of the said loone, inasmoch as they
wer his true subjectes and woll lyve and dye in his cause,
trustyng that the Kinges grace woll have pietie and compassion
uppon theyr poverties. Than I askyd thaym why they
came to me for this matier rather than to other of the
commissioners.
They aunswered, bycause I was one of the chief of
the commissioners, and one that chiefely practysed the loone wt thaym that so
assemblyd. And theruppon they humbly beseched
me to be meane to declar thair povertie to the Kinges
grace, and to speke for the having agayne of thair loone. Fynally,
I shewyd that if they absteynyng from suche unlawfull
assembles, wold make thayr petytyon discretely in writing, I
wold be contentyd to offer yt up to the Kinges grace wt the
furtheraunce of my good worde, for I saide to thaym that apon
thayr wordes I wold make no relation or suyt for thayme to the
Kinges grace, lest percas I shuld say more or lesse in thayr
cause than they wold be contentyd wtall. Wherunto they
aunswerd that they had lytlo wyt to make suche a supplication, |