The Bp. my Lord in his greate rage for Charles hath lett fall these wordes in his Chamber, that whosoever doth live a moneth to an end shall see a rufull and straunge mutation here & that these dealinges shall not be thus carryed away, uttering such stomack against the State as might shewe some matter in hand, & grownd to that ripenes as should presently revenge his Action./
Also Mackinson reported to John Poole uppon the brute that Charles was racked, that it should rue divers the racking of him alone, using extreme sobbes & teares mixed with threates as though in the person[fol. 72r] person of one Charles the hassard of hap of all theire buisenes consisted, and so did they generally in the B. house / As certainly those of his Nation that I have dealt with are omino praecipitosi either in good hap or ill, lavish if they trust & not able to temper themselves yf they be incountred with any contrary /
Robinson another of the B: men mett with the keeper of the prison, affirming that Charles had beene seene brought to the Rack & at his returne was scarse able to goe, discoloured as pale as ashes, provoking by a certen manner some speeche of me, who said, I was in a heavy plight, in greater displeasure with the Councell, comanded both to most strayte ward & to irons yet affirming that by no meanes [ deleted: her] he could perceave me to be gilty of any participation with Ch: either for lres or practise which he was then sure for the ancyent experience he had of me) that I would both stand in & yeald to noe untruthe, Whereunto Robinson objecting that I was buisy in many matters & very factious, it could not likely have any good end seeming thereby as though he knewe me not at all but by here say But they all depend my examination, so as my Lord, it is greatly necessary that your Lo: doe send for me forthwith uppon your first leasure & that I speake further with you. For the B: sayeth that the circumstances and the end will trye my truthe, living only in jealousy in the meane time, for that I was the only instrument betwene Charles and him And to confirme this, my man is followed in every place by some espiall of his, even by 5 of the clock in the morninge, wherein if the matter may be so handled as I appeare giltles, I shalbe able to creepe further into his grace, then any of my sorte ever did which proceeding is so used of my side (I speake it modestly as bothe in the purpose & direction in every motion that my self or my man proceedes by noe one jot can be espyed, but wholy playne meaning & wholy a dischardge of truthe towards them, & this amaseth them moste yet this indurance is hard which willingly I am to suffer during life, so it serve any good turne to my Soveraigne, And so yf I had money of mine owne I would disburse it likewise to the last peynie in her service as with mony great thinges are to be wrought in theis affayres & without mony the good will must doe what it can, for the world is hard & greedy having Receaved forty[fol. 72v] forty shilinges by the Keeper which makes the some of xjli whereof I wilbe sworne I bestowed noe parte on my self, neither speake I it to crave more for your wisdome knowes my state, & what this requireth most But yet vouchsafe my good Lord to comend my humble minde to the Q: Majesty that yet one day I may be the more able by her goodnes to any greater comandement Wherein I desire to ymploy my life & all the rest And herein that you will likewise enterteyne a good opinion of me with Master Comptroller, whose care is greate of me, & yet hath not heard from me in a great space Lastly I beseech your Lo:p to remember your good speech of me if you see the B: of Salisbury, Thus humbly taking my leave in Close prison, the first of May 1571 Your L most humbly W Herle
