¶ Howe syr Hewe Spencer was put to his iudgement. Cap. xiii. (Book 13)
WHan this feast was done: than syr Hewe Spencer who was no∣thyng beloued was brought forth before the quene and all the lordes and knyght{is} / and ther before hym in wrytyng was rehersed all his dedis / ageynst the whiche he wold gyue no maner of answere. And so he was than iudged by playn sentence. Fyrst to be drawen on an hyrdell with trumpes and trumpettis through all the cite of Herford and after / to be brought into the market place / where as all the people were assembled / & there to be tyed on hygh vpon a ladder that euery mā myght se hym / and in the same place ther to be made a great fier / and ther his pryuy membres cut from hym / bycause they reputed hym as an herety〈…〉〈…〉 / and so demed / and so to be brent in the fyre before his face. And than his hart to be dra∣wen out of his body & cast into the fyre / bycause he was a false traytour of hart / & yt by hys tray∣tours coūsell & extorciō yt kyng had shamed his realme / and brought it to great myschief. for he had caused to be behedded the greattest lordes of his realme. by whom y• realme ought to haue ben susteyned and defended. And he had so en∣duced the kyng / that he wolde nat se the quene his wyfe nor Edwarde his eldest son and cau∣sed hym to chare them out of the realme for fere of theyr lyues. And than his heed to be stryken of and sent to Lōdon. And accordyng to his iud¦gement / he was executed. Than the quene and all her lordes toke theyr way toward London / and dyd so moche by theyr iourneys / that they arryued at the Cite of London / and they of the cite with great company mette them / and dyd to the quene and to her sonne great reuerence / and to al theyr company as they thought it best bestowed. And whan they had ben thus recey∣ued and feasted the space of .xv. dayes / the kny∣ghtis straūgers / and namely syr John̄ of Hey∣naulte had great desyre to retourne agayn into theyr owne countres / for they thought they had well done theyr deuour / and achyued greatho∣nour / and so toke theyr leue of the quene / and of the lordes of the realme and the quene and the lordes requyred them to tary longer a lytle spa∣ce to se what shuld be done with the kyng / who was in pryson / but the straungers had so great desyre to retourne into theyr owne countreys / that to praye theym the contrarye auayled nat. And whan the quene and her coūsell saw that. They yet desyred syr John̄ of Heynaulte to ta∣ry tyll it was past Christmas / and to retaygne with hym suche of his company as pleased hym best. The gentle knyght wold nat leue to par∣fourme his seruice / but courtesly graunted the quene to tary as long as it pleased her. and cau∣sed to tary suche of his company as he coud get that was but a fewe for the remnaunt wold in no wyse tary / Wherof he was displeased. Whan the quene and her counsell sawe that they wold nat abyde for no prayers / than they made them great chere and feastis. And the quene made to be gyuen to them plenty of golde and syluer for theyr costis and seruicis / and dyd gyue great Jewelles to eche of them accordyng to theyr de¦grees / so as they all helde them selfe ryght well content. And ouer that they had syluer for theyr horses suche as they wolde leue behynde theym at theyre owne estymation without any grud∣gyng. And thus syr John̄ of Heynaulte aboode styll with a smalle company among the englis∣shemen / who always dydde hym as moche ho∣noure as they coude ymagyn and to all his com¦pany. And in lyke wyse so dyd the ladyes and damozelles of the countre. For there were great plentye of countesses / and great ladyes gentle pucels who were come thither to acompany the quene. For it semed well to them that y• knyght {ser} John̄ of Heynaulte had well deserued y• chere and feast that they made hym.