MarginaliaAn. 1555. February.the Lord Chauncellour and other hys fellow Bishops, caused the Image of Thomas Becket, that old Romish traytor, to be set vp ouer the Mercers Chappel doore in in Cheapside in London, in the forme and shape of a Byshop, with Miter and Crosier.  

MarginaliaTho. Beckets Image set vp at Mercers Chappell. Howbeit within two dayes after this his erection, his two blessing fingers were first broken away, and on the next day (being the MarginaliaFebruary. 17.17. of February) his head was also strickē of: wherupon arose great trouble, and many were suspected: among whom one MarginaliaM. Iohn Barnes troubled for Beckets Image.M. Iohn Barnes Mercer, dwellyng ouer agaynst the same Chappell, was vehemently (by the Lord Chaūcellour) charged withall, as the doer therof, and the rather, for that he was a professor of the truth. Wherefore he and three of his seruauntes were committed to prison: and at his deliuery (although it could not be proued vppon him) he was bound in a great some of money, aswell to build it vp agayne as often as it should be broken downe, as also to watch and keepe the same. And therfore at this hys compelled charges the Image was agayne set vp the second day of March, then next insuyng, but (for lacke, belike, of carefull watchyng) the xiiij. day of the same moneth in the night, MarginaliaBeckets Image agayne broken downe.the head of that daūgerous beast (ouer whom there was such a charge geuen) was agayne the second tyme broken of: which thyng was so heynously taken, that the next day (beyng the xv. day) there was a proclamation made in London, that who soeuer would tell who did strike of this head (though he were of counsell, and not the principall doer) he should haue not onely his pardon, but also one hūdreth crownes of gold, with harty thankes. But it was not knowen who did it.

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MarginaliaFebruary. 18. MarginaliaQueene Mary answereth to the king of Denmarkes letters, touching Maister Couerdale.The xviij. day of February Queene Mary at length after long delay, made full aunswere to the kyng of Denmarkes letters, who had written before two letters to the sayd Queene, in the behalfe of M. Couerdale, for his deliueraunce   who at that time went vnder Sureties, and was in great daunger, had he not bene rescued by the great suite & letters of the sayd kyng of Denmarke.

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The matter and copy of which his suite and letters, as they came to our hādes, we haue here set forth and exprest, wherby the singular loue of this good kyng towardes the truth of Gods word, and the professours therof might the better appeare to the world.

First this vertuous and godly kyng Christianus, hearing of the captiuity of Miles Couerdale, of whom he had had some knowledge before (beyng there in Denmarke in kyng Henry the eight his tyme) and lamentyng his daungerous case, and partely through the intercessiō of M. Machabæus Superintēdent in Denmarke, who was partly of *Marginalia* This M. Machabæus, and Maister Couerdale maryed two sisters. kinne to M. Couerdales wife,  

made intercession by letters to Q. Mary, desiryng and requestyng the sayd Miles Couerdale to bee sent vnto him. The date of which his first letters, was about the Calēdes of May. An. D. 1554. the copy wherof here foloweth.

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MarginaliaThe epistle of the king of Denmarke to Queene Mary, for the deliuerance of M. Couerdale.SErenissima princeps, consanguinea charissima, pro necessitudine mutua ac coniunctione, non solum regij nominis inter nos, sed etiam sanguinis, maximè vero vtrinq; inter hæc regna nostra a vetustissimis vsq̀ temporibus propagata ac seruata, non modo commertiorum, sed omnium officiorum vicissitudine & fide, facere non potuimus quin pietatis & doctrinæ excellentis commendatione, verè reuerendi viri Ioannis Machabæi, sacræ Theologiæ doctoris & professoris præstantiss. subditi ac Ministri nostri imprimis dilecti, supplicibus grauissimisq̀ precibus commoti, ad Serenitatem vestram has literas daremus. Exposuit is nobis, in hac recenti perturbatione ac motu regni Angliæ (quem ex animo euenisse dolemus, & nunc indies in melius verti speramus) quendā nomine Milonem Couerdalum, nuper Diœcesis Exoniēsis, piæ laudatissimæq; memoriæ proximi Regis Serenitatis vestræ fra-

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tris, consanguinei itidem nostri chariss. authoritate constitutum Episcopum, nunc in tristiss. calamitates, carcerem, ac periculum vitæ, nulla atrocioris delicti culpa, sed illa fatali temporum ruina incidisse. Quæ quidem hic Machabæus noster, quod ei affinitate (& quod grauius est) pietatis, eruditionis, ac morum similitudine, tanquam frater deuinctus sit, non minus ad se pertinere existimat. Itaq̀ nostram opem implorat, vt quam ipse gratiam & fauorem apud nos meretur, hominis innocētis calamitati ac periculo (quod ipse non minus suum putat) accommodemus. Mouemur profecto non temere, illius viri (cui suo merito imprimis bene volumus) commiseratione, eiusq̀ maximè testimonio de captiui Antistitis innocētia atq̀ integritate: de qua quidem est vt eo melius speremus, quod multis iā morte mulctatis fontibus, de ipso integrū adhuc Deus esse voluit. Proinde non dubitauimus Serenitatem vestram quanta possimus diligentia atq̀ animi propensione rogare, vt nostra causa captiui illius D. Milonis rationem clementer habere dignetur, eumq̀ vt a sceleris, ita a pœnæ etiam acrocitate alienum esse velit, & temporū offēsam, qua ipsum quoq; affligi verisimile est, nobis nostræq̀ amicitiæ regiæ & precibus, præsertim hoc primo aditu, benignè condonare, saltem èatenus, vt si forte hoc rerum statu grauis eius præsentia sit, incolumis ad nos cum suis dimittatur. Id nobis summi benificij loco, & Serenitati vestræ inflorētiss. regni auspicijs (quæ augusta, fausta, ac fortunata Serenitati vestræ ex animo optamus) ad clemētiæ laudem honorificum erit: & nos dabimus operam, vt cum amicitiæ nostræ habitam rationem intellexerimus, eo maiore studio in mutuam vicem gratitudinis omniumq̀ officiorum erga Serenitatē vestram eiusq̀ vniuersum regnum & subditos incumbamus. Deum optimū maximum precamur, vt Serenitati vestræ ad gloriam sui nominis & publicam salutem fœlices omnium rerum successus & incolumitatem diuturnā largiatur. Datæ ex arce nostra Coldingen. septimo Calendas Maij. Anno. 1554.

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Vester consanguineus, frater, &
amicus Christianus Rex.

MarginaliaQ. Maryes slender answere to the kynges first letter.To these letters of the king, Queene Mary aunswering againe, declared that the sayd Miles Couerdale was in no such captiuitie for any religion, but for certaine debt:  

so neither plainly graunting, nor expressely denying his request, but vsing a colourable excuse for shifting of the matter, as appeareth by hys second letter sent to the Queene, dated the. 24. day of Septemb. as followeth.

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MarginaliaThe secōd epistle of the king of Dēmarke to Queene Mary, for the deliuerance of Maister Couerdale.REdditæ sunt nobis literæ Serenitatis vestræ, quibus benignè admodum ad deprecationem nostrā, qua pro D. Milonis Couerdali ecclesiæ Exon. nuper nominati Episcopi incolumitate vsi sumus, respōdetur: ita vt intelligamus, licet alterius causæ quā nobis innotuetat, periculum sustineat, tamen Serenitatem vestram nostræ intercessionis eam rationem habituram esse, vt illam sibi profuisse ipse Couerdalus sentiat. Cui quidem promissioni regiæ cū tantum meritò tribuamus, vt ea freti non dubitauerimus eius captiui propinquos (nobis inprimis charos) a mærore ac sollicitudine ad spē atq̀ expectationem certæ salutis vocare: facere nō potuimus, quin & gratias Serenitati vestræ pro tam prompta ac benigna voluntate, non modo huius beneficij, sed etiam perpetuæ inter nos ac regna nostra conseruandæ ac colendæ amicitiæ ageremus, & quantū in nobis esset, quod ad amplectenda persequendaq̀ hæc auspicata initia pertineret, nihil prætermitteremus. Neq; verò nobis de clementia ac moderatione Serenitatis vestræ vnquā dubiū fuit, quā deus opt. max. ad gloriā sui nominis & fructum pub. vtilitatis vt magis ac magis efflorescere velit, ex animo optamus. Proinde cum ob rationes ærarias, neq̀ aliud grauius delictū D. Couerdalū teneri Serenitas vestra scribat, est sanè vt ipsius causa lætemur, eoq̀ minus ambigamus liberationem incolumitatemq̀ eius nostris precibus liberaliter donari. Nā & accepimus ipsum Episcopatu, cuius nomine ærario obstrictus fuerat, cessisse, vt inde satisfactio peteretur: maximè cum neq̀ diu eo potitus fuisse, neq̀ tantum emolumēti inde percepisse dicatur. Quinetiam si qua rationum perplexitas, aut alia forte causa reperiri posset, tamen sollitudinem ac dubitationem nobis Serenitatis vestræ tam amicè atq̀ officiose defenrentes literæ omnem exemerunt: vt existimemus Serenitatis vestræ, quoad eius

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