IT happenend that after the receipt of our commission aforesaide , we consulted betweene our selues , what way were best to take first , for we were vtterly ignorant , where or in what place certainely to find out the said Campion , or his compéeres . And our consultation was shortly determined , for the greatest part of our trauell and dealings in this seruice , did lie chiefly vpon mine owne determination , by reason of mine acquaintance and knowledge of diuers of like sect . It then presently came to my remembrance of certains acquaintan●e whiche I once had with one Thomas Cowper a Cooke , who in Nouember was ●wo yéeres , serued M. Thomas Roope● of Kent , where at that time I in like maner serued , and both of vs aboute the same moneth departed the saide ▪ Maister Rooper his seruice , I into Essex , and the saide Cowper to Lyforde in Barkeshire , to one maister Yates , from whence within one halfe yéere after , I was aduertised in Essex that the saide Cooke was placed in seruice , and that the saide maister Yates was a very earnest Papist , & one that gaue great entertainement to any of that sect : which tale being tolde mee in Essex two yéeres before wée entred this iourney , by Gods great goodnesse came to my memory , but euen the day before wée set foorth . Héereof I enformed the saide Dauid Jenckins being my fellow in Commission , & tolde him it would bée our best way to go thythee first , for that it was not meant that wée shoulde goe to any place , but where in déede I either had ▪ acquaintance , or by some meanes possible in our iourney , coulde get acquaintance , and tolde him wée woulde dispose of our iourney in such sort as wée might come to the saide maister-Yates vpon the Sunday about eight of the clocke in the morning , where , saide I , if wée finde the saide Cooke , and that there bée any Masse to bée saide there that day or any massing Priest in the house , the Cooke for olde acquaintance , & for that hée supposeth mée to bée a Papiste will bring mée to the sight thereof . And vpon this determination , wée set front London the xiiii . day of July last , and came to the saide Maister Yates house the xvi . of the same moneth being Sunday , aboutes the houre aforesaid , where without the gates of the same house we espied one of the seruants of the house , who most likely séemed by reason of his lying aloofe , to bée as it were a scout watcher , that they within might accomplishe their secrete matters more safely . I called the saide seruant , and inquired of him for the saide Thomas Cowper the Cooke , who answered that hée could not well tell , whether he were within or not . I prayed him that hée woulde friende mée so muche as to sée , and tolde him my name , the saide seruant did so ( it séemed ) for the Cooke came foorth presently vnto vs , wher we sate still vpon Horsebacke , and after a fewe suche spéeches as betwixt friende and friende when they haue béene long as under were passed , still sitting vppon our Horses , I tolde him that I had longed to sée him , and that I was then trauelling into Darbiesheire to see my friendes , and came so farre out of my way to sée him , and said I , Now I haue séene you , my mind is well satisfied , and so fare , you well , No , saith he , that shal you not doe before dinner . I made the matter very earnest to bée gone , & he more earnest & importune to stay mée . ( But in truth I was as willing to stay as hée to haue me . ) And so perforce there was no remedie but stay wée must , and hauing lighted from Horsebacke , and being by him brought ▪ into the house , and so into the Buttery , and there caused to drink : presently after , the said Cooke came and whispered with mée , and asked whether my friende ( meaning the said Jenckins ) were within the Church or not , therein meaning whether he were a papist or no , to which I answered , he was not , but yet ( saide I ) hée is a verie honest man and one that wisheth well that way . Then saide the Cooke to mée will you goe vp , by which speeche , I knewe hée woulde bring mée to a Masse , and I answered him , and saide , yea for Gods sake , that let mée doe , for séeing I must néedes tarry , Some men blame me for dissembling the matter as I did but to doe my Prince & countrie seruice , I hold it lawfull to vse any reasonable pollicie . For the field is not alwayes woone by strength . let mée take some thing with mée , that is good . And so wée left Jenckins in the Buttery , and I was brought by the Cooke through the hall , the dinening Parlour , and two or thrée other odde roomes , and then into a faire large chamber , where there was at the same instant one Priest called ▪ Satwell saying Masse ; two other Priestes knéeling by , whereof one was Campion , and the other called Peters alias Collington , thrée Nunnes , and xxxvii . other people . When Satwell had finished his Masse , then Campion hée inuested himselfe to say Masse , and so hée did , and at the ende thereof , made holy breade and deliuered it to the people there , to euery one some , togeather with holy water , whereof hée gaue to mée parte also . And then was there a chayre set in the chamber some thing beneath the Aulter , wherein the saide Campion did sit downe , and there made a Sermon very nigh an houre long , the effect of his text being as I remember , That Christe wept ouer Ierusalem , &c. And so applied the same to this our I had once my commission in my hand to haue delt with them my self alone in the chamber . If I had , I pray you iudge what had happened vnto mee . Countrie of England , for that the Pope his authoritie and doctrine did not so floorishe héere as the saide Campion desired . At the ende of which Sermon I gat downe vnto the saide Jenckins so soone as I coulde . ( For during the time that the masses & Sermon was made , Jenckins remained still beneath in the Butterie or Hall , not knowing of any such matter , vntill I gaue him some intelligence ▪ what I had séene ) and so wée departed with as conuenient expedition as we might , and came to one Maister Fettiplace a Justice of peace in the saide Countrie , whome we made priuie of our doings therein , and required him , that according to the tenour of our commission , hée woulde take sufficient power , and goe with vs thither . Wherevpon the saide Justice of peace , within one quarter of an houre put himselfe in a readinesse with fortie or fiftie men very well weaponed , who went in great hast together , with the saide Maister Fettyplace and vs to the saide M. Yates his house . Where at our comming vpon the sodeine , being aboutes one of the clocke in the afternoone of the same day , before wée knocked at the gates ( which was then ) as before it was continually accustomed to bée fast shut , the house being moted rounde about , within which Mete was great store of fruite-trées and other trées , with thicke hedge rowes , so that the danger for feare of loosing of the saide Campion and his associates was the more doubted ) . Wée beset the house with our men rounde about without the Mote in the best sorte wée coulde deuise , and then knocked at the gates , and were presently heard and espied , but kept out by the space of halfe an houre ( In which time as it seemeth , they had hidden Campion ▪ and the other two priests in a very secrete place with : in the saide house , and had made reasonable purueiance for him as héereafter is mentioned ) and then they let vs into the house , where came presently to our sightes mystrys Yates ▪ the goodwife of the house , fiue Gentlemen , one Gentlewoman , & thrée Nunnes , ( the Nunnes being then disguised in Gentlewomans One Nunne got away in country maides apparrell . apparrell not like vnto that they hearde Masse in ) All which I well remembred to haue séene the same morning at the Masses and Sermon aforesaid , yet euery one of thē a great while denied it , & especially the said Mystrys Yates , who could Mystris Yates proffered vs a good some of money to haue giuen ouer our search . not be content only to make a plaine deniall of the said Masses , and the priests , but with great and horrible othes forsware the same , betaking herselfe to the Diuell if any such were there , in suche sorte , as if I had not séene them with mine owne eyes , I shoulde haue beléeued Maister Yates was then as he is still in prison in Reading for papistrie . her . But knowing certenly that these were but bare excuses , and that we shoulde finde the saide Campion and his compéeres if wée made narrowe search , I estsoones put Maister Fettyplace in remembrance of our Commission , and so hée , my selfe , and the saide Jenckins her Maiesties messenger , went to searching the house where wée founde many secrete corners , continuing the search ( although with no small toyle ) in the Orchardes , hedges , and ditches , within the Mote and diuers other places , & at the last founde out Maister Edward Yates , brother to the goodman of the house , and two Countriemen called Weblin and Maunsfielde , fast locked togeather in a pidgeon house , but wée coulde not finde at that time Campion and the other two Priestes , whome wée specially soughte for . It drewe then something towards euening , and doubting least wée were not strong enough , wee sent our Commission to one maister Foster high sheiriffe of Barkeshiere , and to one maister Wisemen a Justice of peace within the same Countie , for some further ayde at their handes . The saide maister Wiseman came with very good spéed vnto vs the same euening with ten or twelue of his owne men , very able men and well appointed . But the saide maister Foster coulde not bée founde as the messenger that went for him returned vs answere . And so the saide house was beset the same night with ( at the leaste ) threescore men well weaponed , who watched the same very diligently . And the next day being Munday , in the morning very early , came one Maister Christopher Lydcot & Justice of Peace of the same sheire , with a great 〈◇〉 ? his owne men all very well appointed , whom togeather with his m●n , shewed suche earnest , loyall , and forwarde seruice in those affaires , as was no small comfort and encouragement to all those , which were present , and did beare true hearts and good willes to her Maiestie . The same morning began a freshe search for the saide Priests which continues with very great labour , vntill aboutes ten of the clocke in the forenoone of the same day , but the saide Priestes could not bee founde , and euery man almost persuaded that they were not there . Yet still searching ( although in 〈…〉 void of any hope for finding of them ) the said Dauid Jenckins by Gods great goodnesse , espied a certaine secrete place , which hée quickly founde to bée hollow , and with a p●●●e of yron which hée had in his hande , much like vnto an harro●tine , hée foorthwith did breake a hole into Maister Lydcot was then hard by . the saide place , where then presently hée perceiued the saide Priests , lying all close togeather vpon a bed , of purpose there ▪ laide for them , where they had breade , meate , and drinke , sufficient to haue relieued them , thrée or foure dayes togeather . The saide Jenckins then called very lowdly , and saide , I haue founde the Traitours , and presently companie enough was with him , who there sawe the saide Priestes , ( when there was no remedie for them , but no : lens volens ) courteously yéelde themselues . Shortly after came one maister First my selfe rode post to the court . And after me the said messenger . Reade an other Justice of peace of the saide sheire to bée assistaunt in these affayres . Of all which matters newes was immediately carried in great haste to the Lordes of the Priuie Councell , who gaue further Commission , that the saide Priestes and certaine other their associates , shoulde bée brought to the Court vnder the conduction of my selfe and the saide Jenckins , with commandement to the sheirife to deliuer vs sufficient ayde foorth of his sheire , for the safe bringing vp of the saide people . After that the rumor and noyse for the finding out of the saide Campion , Satwell & Peters alias Collington , was in the saide house some thing assuaged , and that the sight of them was to the people ther no great noueltie . Then was the said high sheirife sent for once again , who all that while had not been séene in this seruice , and but then came and receiued into his charge the saide Priestes & certaine Anthonie Manday saith , the sherife and his men gaue him instructions for the setting out of the said vntrue booke . others from that day vntill Thursday following . The fourth Prieste whiche was by vs brought vp to the Tower , whose name is William Fylbye was not taken with the saide Campion & the rest in the saide house , but was apprehended & taken in our watch by chaunce in comming to the saide house to speake with the saide Peters as hée saide , and thereupon deliuered likewise in charge to the sheirife with the rest . Uppon Thursday the xx . day of July last , wée set forwardes from the saide Maister Yates his house towards the court , with our saide charge , being assisted by the saide Maister Lydcot and Maister Wiseman , and a great sort of their men , who neuer left vs vntill wée came to the Tower of London . There were besides that guarded vs thither fiftie or thréescore ●orsemen , very able men and wel appointed , which wée receiued by the saide sheirife his appointment . Wée went that day to Henly vpon Thames , where wée lodged that night , & about midnight wée were put into great feare by reason of a very great crie and noyse that the saide Fylbye made in his sleepe , which wakenend the moste that were that night in the house , and that in such sorte that euery man almost , thought that some of the prisoners had béene broken from vs and escaped , although there was in and abouts the same house a very strong watch appointed and charged for the same . The foresaid Maister Lydcot was the first that came vnto them , and when the matter was examined , it was founde no more , but that the saide Fylbye was in a dreame , and as hée saide , he verity thought one to be a ripping downe his bodie , and taking out his bowels .

The next day being Friday , wée set forwarde from Henly , and by the way receiued commaundement by a purse●●unt from the Lordes of the priuie Councell , that wée shoulde stay that night at Colbrooke , and the next day after being ▪ Saterday to bring them through the Citie of London vnto the Towre , and there to deliuer them vnto the charge of sir ▪ O win Hopton , Knight , her Maiesties Leyuetenant of the same , which accordingly wée did . And this in effect is the true discourse ▪ that was vsed in the apprehension of the sayde Campion ▪ and his associates .

Some men may maruaile that I woulde bee silent so long for the setting out of the manner of their takinges , considering I finde my selfe agréeued with the same vntrue reporte set out before by the saide A. M. In good faith I meante nothing lesse , then to take any suche matter in hande , if so great an vutruth had not béen published against vs , that were doers in those affayres , and besides hytherto diuers other waightier busines haue partly hindered mée therein .

But now at the last , although very late , I haue rudely set downe the veritie in this matter , thinking it , better to tell a true tale by leasure , then a lye in hashe , as the sayde A. M. by his former booke hath doone to his owne discredite , the deluding of her Maiesties liege people , and the slander of some which haue intermedled in the saide cause .