SInce my laste letters set vnto you ; of the newes in these parties ( Because I wyll kepe my fyrst promes , for enterchaunge of lettres ) I haue chaunsed of matter worthye aduertisment & some leasure to aduertyse the same , so that I could not with honestye , but satisfye your desyre , to knowe our newes , as I my self am verie desirouse of yours . By my former letters you vnderstode the dysordre and dystoyall , vprores of the Deuonshyremen , whyche at the begynnyng semyng to me , to haue proceded but of some wyldenes of theyr braynes , or of some ignocance lackynge teachynge , I thought wolde sone haue bynne tamed wyth authoryte , and reformed wyth instruction , as I vnderstande the lyke ende hath wel happened of al the disquiet assemblyes , in the other partes of the Realme . But the matters of Deuonshyre nowe shewes furthe the rotes of treason , the buddes of rebellion , and the fructe of fylthye poperye , leauyng now pretenses of treason , and auowynge hyghe treason , leauynge nowe colour of Relygion , and reiectyng all trewe religion , nowe come to verye madnes , whyche before were but droncke , and cared not , for the name of rebelles , whych before were angry to be called trespassers , thys crafte hath the deuyll to encrease hys swarme . He taughte the Priestes and theyr Captaynes to cal the people together to defende theyr olde fayth , and therin vsed the name and aucthoryte of the kynges mayestye , hauyng no waye so ready , to assemble them to gether , whyche vsuallye is the trompet , that good subiectes followeth , two good begynninges , Ye see the deuil vsedthe name of God , and of the Kyng , and in dede , dyrectlye agaynste God and the Kynge . Wel , nowe was it tyme for hym to worke , he sawe the assemblye dayly encrease . One part was assured his owne , the Romysh priestes and the sturdy vacabundes . Wyth them he neded not vse craft , but rather taught them howe to vse it with others . The other parte were symple ignoraunt people , easelye disceyued , and quicklye made the partakers of euyll . Thus the deuyl hauyng made hys bandes ( parte of hys owne olde seruauntes , parte of a new retynewe ) beganne to send forth hys embassages ( the same beyng certen requestes , as he termed them ) to remedye the grieffes of the Deuonshirmen , to the which the Kynges maiesty , made a verye princely and reasonable answere . Of the whych I receyued syxe Copies in printe from you , by M. Mohan , at his last comming from the Court to my Lord pryuey seale . And for the same I thanke you , prayng you , yf any suche lyke thynges come fourth in printe , I may haue some sent me wyth the fyrst , & yf you wyll speake to the Kynges Prynter in my name , I dare say , he wyll not denye you . But nowe to my matter . By these embassages of his he thought to haue encreased hys power , thynkyng in dede that all they ( whyche gathered them selues together in other partes of the Realme , for pluekynge downe enclosures , & enlargyng of commens ) would haue entered in to hys seruice and taken hys quarell : but after hys articles were confounded by the kynge , and certen knoweledge came in to Deuonshyre , by theyr currours abroad , that the Kentysh Essex , Suffolke , and speciallye Hampshire , hauing byene within the iurisdiccyon of the stoute Prelate of Wynchester , vtterly dyffyed and abhorred the Deuonshyremen , protestyng euen in theyr moste disorder , that they wolde spende theyr lyues against all suche rancke rebelles traytours & papistes . It was maruell to se the newe deuyses and inuencyons of the pryestes and vagabunde Captaynes , for the furtheraunce of theyr first purposes . Then beganne they to perswade theyr people , that they had all gone to farre to shrinke , and that nothinge now shoulde helpe them , but stoutnes & courage , eyther wolde they now be Lordes , or els haue nothynge , eyther rule , or els not lyue , eyther make a Kynge , or haue no Kynge , no meane thynge might content them . Theyr fyrst botye ( they thought ) shoulde be the cytye of Excetter , the next , the spoyle of theyr owne countreye , and so consequently all other partes of the Realme , for Excetter they gape , but they catche nothynge sauing gonne shot , wherof God geues them plentye . Theyr owne countrey they haue so spoyled , & so disordered , that it is myserable to heare . The sonne robbeth the father , the doughter is rauished before the mother , he hathe nothing at night , that had most in the morninge , & he hath moste , whiche ought to haue nothing . And how longe he shal haue it , there is noo warrant . Two maner of men go to wrack amongest them . Good true subiectes , & wel thie . And other two , be daile promoted , traitours , and vile vaga boundes . The viler man , of more aucthorite , the honester of more scruitude . Byeng and selling sea seth amonges them , in place whereof is come Robbynge , and reauynge , If hell be in earth , it is amonges them . And the pristes there , be the deuils . And the traytours be the tormentours , & the reste of the people forgetting of their King , be as it were soules tormented . Alas howe shall I be wayle them ? shall I pray to God that they may perishe ? or that they may amend ? The one they haue deserued , the other me thinkes I dare not aske of god . For settig a syde their robberies , their murders , theyr raueshynges , their spoyle of the countrey , and the losse of it for many yeres , howe haue they offended their Kyng & soueraigne Lorde ? How haue they dispysed hys name and aucthorite . And ( as much as lyeth in them ) deminyshed his credit and renoume . Shal I say merely ? Euery honest man amonges them , may repent him self of his good lyuing . And euery euil man ( I thinke ) is sory : he was no more wretched , & yet no euilnes nor wretchednes , alloweth any man ( yf he wyl not be a ranck traytour ) onelye that profession maketh rulers . And because they vnderstand that seruynge men be comenly brought vp in such ciuylite that hardely they be made traytours , Yt is a common Prouerbe , that trust seruynge man , trust gentyll man , 〈◊〉 now no place is left but for traytours , all other sciences goeth 〈◊〉 beggynge with them , and yet I doubt not , but theyr facultye wyll haue the price of the market whiche is a halter and a tre . Thus farre after my accustomed maner I haue entreated generallytees , and yet such as my harte is ful of , and where myght I better discharge my sorowe then wyth one , which wyll take parte thereof , I coulde not tell ? But you wyl say , ye can lamente the thynges as much as I , but for the matter of my Letter , you wolde desyre some particular newes , or at the leaste my Iudgement , what I thoughte wolde folowe . For newes , as I ●●omysed you in my former letters to sende you theyr Articles , 〈◊〉 I do nowe here include them , ●he whiche I coulde not well performe before , because they ●aunged them so often , and de●●ysed so many , somtyme hauing ●ome reasonable , an other tyme . ●ot one tollerable , suche diuer●●tees of heades there was amonges them , that for euerye kynde of brayne there was one ●aner of Article , the priestes , ●●ey harped all vpon a playne ●●nge of Rome , certen traytours ●oulde halow home Cardinall ●●le , a nombre of vagabon●es wolde haue no Iustice , a ●●nde of theues , wolde haue 〈◊〉 State of anye Gentlemen and yet to put al in one bagge , 〈◊〉 sorte of traytours wolde haue nother king nor good subiectes . And so euery varlet ( abounded in hys owne sense ) At the laste , they concluded vpon these Articles , and set to their names as ye shal see in the copie therof . As for other newes ( vntil my Lord Priuey seale shal haue the power come to hym , which he daily loketh for ) I can not haue to write . For my Lord lieth wyth the kinges power , here at a place called Honnyton . Who ( I assure you ) hath so gouerned these parties here , by hys contynuall labour , and wisdome , that hyther to , the ennemyes dare not come forth out of their dennes ( for so wold ye cal them ) yf ye saw the lanes , the hilles , the woodes & straight passages , betwyxt vs and them , They lye stil nere Exceter as I wrote in my last Letters . And withstandynge , the twyse burhyng of the gates , yet hyther to can they not preuayll . A greate part of them continueth with their fyrst Captain called vndethyl , a taylour of Sāpforde courtney . I thinke they kepe hym styl , because they can not fynde hys match , a Captaine wel chosen by the deuil at the first . This is for the newes . For my opinion , I dare be bolde wyth you and yet therin I wyll vse few woordes , because yf I erre , I wil not erre to long a time , I assure you , nothyng more encouraged them , then that they loked all other people being sturred vp in other parties for enclosures and such lyke grieffe wolde haue taken theyr quarell in hande , so nowe nothynge hath so muche decayed theyr courage as that they heare and knowe the contrarye . Theyr boldenes beyng nowe of theyr owne stoore , without hope of partakynge , more desperate then myghtye and lesse for theyr purpose , then for theyr nombre , very many beynge there assembled with them , by force against theyr wyll , and manye dayle by repentaunce , reacknoweledgīge theyr dutyes and Subieccyon . And in dede , the very ordre and maner of quyetynge of all other countreys putteth them clerelye from hope to styrre agayne , for they be not ignoraunt that the more parte of the requestes of them were such , as bycause they could not reasonable be reiected , being for reformacion of diuers abuses in the comūe wealth ( not for the bringing in of the Romish aucthoryte agaynst the Kyng , & hys Royall Croune ) they be for the most parte graunted , in such sorte as the people haue receyued mercye , and be departed home wyth good contentacyon , lyke good Subiectes . The Kinges Maiestye sustayned no dishonoure , hauyng ruled , his people , bothe wyth Iustyce & mercy , proporcyonallye , and finally the thynges whiche were euyll vsed in the comon wealthe , very lyke to be reformed , part , presently by Commission , parte , by Parliament , to the comen profyte of the whole Realme , of so good an ende oure rebelles here haue been moste sorye wisshing that the other people had leaped from hedge breakinge , to house robbing , from dere huntyng , to horse hunting , from wantonnes , to starke madnes , as they haue here from robberies to rape , from rape to murder , from murder to treason & popery , & so to the deuil , whereas I fear they wil continue . And in dede yf I maye presume ( as I dare do much with you my freind ) to alow the Cousels dede , me thinketh , the matters haue byne very wel ordered ( as it is reported here amonges vs ) for although by Iustice euery man deserueth death , which ryseth againste his prince , yea though he haue moche griefe , & that the kinges Maiesty might of Iustice make slaughter of his people , yet yf there be any place for mercy , it was in this case for the Kinge to shewe it , vpon hys owne people , vpon people forget full , not obstynate , traytours by construccyon of Law , not by offence of harte , where the fault of the mooste parte of them was in dede vnlawfull Assemblyes , but wythoute open robberyes , inurder or spoyles , referrynge theyr grieffes as Sutours , not Orderars , cryeng for mercye as offendours ; not Challengers . And on the other syde , the Iustice shewed , was ryght ne●●ssa●●e , beyng extended , vpon such as ●●ther lacked cause to complayne , 〈◊〉 lacked grace to seke for the kin●s mercy , and to say my mynde ●s one nether of Court nor Coūple , yf the Kynges sworde ●●ghte shorte vpon anye , it was vpon two kinde of people , tanke Popish priestes , repynynge agaynst the kynges holsome doctrine , or vpon the common runnegates , seedmen of sedicion , of the which we haue plentye here , agaynste whome . If the martiall law were executed , and were currante quoyne in euery shyre , as I here say , there is a Proclamation for the same ( which I haue not yet sene , but by youre nexte letters trust to receiue ) I thinke there wolde be as fewe runners abrode , as now there be many . You must geue me leaue to talk a litle more after my wounted maner , which is to sai my mynd frankly vnto you without offence . Nowe me thinketh the ende is such of your matters there , as euery state of people wil be content therwith , and so the mooste trouble wil rest with these traytours . For with you , the kinges people which deserued death , be by mercy preserued , & the thynges euell vsed ( as in dede disceases there be in the common wealth ) shal be now wel ordered by Parliament . And if the common people shal be eased of their griefes , the gentelmen shall also be relieued of them , for se how much the fermour crieth oute of hys rent , so may the gentelman wel crye out of the market , the one as muche greued as the other , & one remedye I trust shal serue both . For me thinketh it is no more difference for me , to haue . xx . pound , spendyng . xx . pound , then to haue xx . marke , spendinge . xx . marke , so that my estate be kept like with both , you wyll thynke I wryte now at my wyl , because yf ye remeber the last y●re in the parke at Wynsour when the Court was there , thys question made great argument betwyxre you and me , whether for the amendement of thinges in the common wealth the fermour should fyrst abate hys pryce , and then the Landed man his rent , or in contrary order , at whyche tyme , I remembre you stode vpon one poynte , whych I could not d●nye , that the Gentylman by deere byeng , was dryu on to let deere , and I vpon an other poynte ( not al vntrewe ) that the deere hyrynge made deere fellynge , But where the fault fyrst beganne , neyther of vs woulde graunt to the other , neuerthelesse , so wayghty a matter it is , as no wayes to be diseussed but by Parliament . Where when the argument is at an ende , it may be citablyshed by a lawe , wherof there was neuer more wkelyhood , because the ameudement therof , wyl helpe so many as well Lordes and Gentilme , as al other Commoners , no man hauyng eause to repyne agaynst it , but suche as gather , not to spende and improue their lyuinges not For their charges , as many Geutilmen haue done , but for their coffers , So that to conclude , improuemet alone maketh no man ryche , but improuement and sparynge . But what ●edle I wyth thys matter and yet what dare I net to you my fryende , by Sayncte G●orge I saye to you merely out of bourde , no one thinge maketh me more angry with these rebelles then one article , which toucheth me on the quicke , and I beleue , there be few in the realme , but it will make them smart , to forgoe his Abbey & Chauntrye landes wherin I for my part am so heated , that if I should fight wyth those traitours , I wold for euery two strokes to be stricken for treason strike on to kepe my lande , the which I bought to suerlye , to deliuer it at a papistes appoyntement . Thus I haue exceded in woordes , & yet you shal counte it littel , because the matter is large , & therby you muste measure me , & not by my lynes , One thing I wil ye shal marke and then I ende , the matter of Cardynal Pole ( as in this case ) of greate importaunce , lyke as I am sure my Lord Protectour is aduertised , for emonges these rebelles , the chiefe Captayne of all , sauinge one , was the Marques of Excetters man , and setteth forth the matter of the Cardinall so much , as in dede , he maketh no other matter . Hys name is Berry , one of them which sub scrybed the Articles . Yf ye can conuenientlye sende me a Dagg when the Kynges Maiestyes ordynance commeth doune . Ye shall receyue moneye for the same of my Brother Henry . Ye shall take payne to do my humble commendacyons to myne olde Mayster ( good Syr Anthonye Dennye knyght ) and especyally to my Coosyn Mayster John Peres of the Garde , who I woulde were here with one or two hūoreth of the Garde , to knecke these knaues wyth theyr Halo●r●●s . Thus f●re ye mo●●e h●r●elye wel , and pr●●● you , as I do , that 〈◊〉 maye mete merclye .

FYrst we wyll haue all the general counsell & holy decrees of our for fathers obserued , kept and performed , and who so euer shal agayne saye them , we holde them as Heretikes .

¶ Item we will haue the Lawes of our Souerayne Lord kyng Henry the. vin , concernynge the syxe articles , to be in vse again , as in hys tyme they were .

¶ Item we will haue the make in Latten , as was before , & celebrated by the Pryest wythoute any man or woman cōmunycaryng wyth hym .