Votivæ Angliæ, Englands complaint to their king:, or, The humble desires of all the zealous and true-hearted Protestants in this kingdome, for a speedy and happy reformation of abuses in church government, being the onely meanes to remove these distractions, and to avert the judgement of God from us. : As they were expressed in sundry petitions, remonstrances and letters, lately presented from them to the king, upon sundry occasions. / Collected by a wel-wisher to reformation.

THis letter I sent to Master Commissary by an understanding man, and wished him if the Commissary gave him a shilling for his paines he should not refuse it, and appointed him to run to Bedford, that I might know the Commissa∣ries answer. The Commissary was a very stout and cholericke man, and when he had read the letter he stampt and fumed as if he had been wilde, and returned me this answer: That he would iustifie that he did, and if I had any thing to say to him, I must meet him to morrow at his Court at Amp∣thill, and so I did; and when he was going to his Court in his pompe, I met him in the street, and asked him if he was the Commissary, and he said, yes: then I told him, I doe charge you with suspi∣tion of treason against the Kings Royall person, and so then commanded the Constables to doe their office, and then there was a great hurrye to fro, as if we had been driving an Oxe to the butch∣ers stall. He made great offers to put in bayle, and that he might goe to the Church to take order for the dismissing the Court; but I would give no consent, but told him, I knew not whether hee might sit there, being thus attached upon treason; yet he prevailed with the Constables, and they went with him to the Church, and I rode to the Church gate, and sent in the Constable to bring him away, he intreated to have a little longer time to dissolve the Court, and there was such a Jubile and going away without paying Fees, as I thinke was never seen in all his time before. I hastened him away to goe to Sir Edmund Conquests to take

order for the sending of him up to the Councell; and told him that I had charged him with suspi∣tion of treason against the Kings Royall person; and desired his care to send him up safely by the Sheriffe, or else to send him to Bedford Goale that he might be forth-comming. So Sir Edmund said, he must do one of them, and would have knowne of me what were the words which hee should say; but I answered him, that was not so fit for me to tell, th••t I must make that knowne to the Councell, and so made hast towards London; and then I saw Master Commissary and the Con∣stable, and three or foure more with him a foot, as though they had been going to hunt the Foxe: they called unto me, and would have me stayed to see if they could have taken up the businesse be∣twixt Master Commissary and I, but I would not come at them, but hastened to my Lord Presi∣dent, and related unto him the businesse betwixt Master Commissary and I: So his Lordship said, that was somewhat irregular, yet he should not di∣sturbe me in my devotion. Master Commissary came up, and some friends laboured to take up the matter betwixt us. Sir Beaucham St. Iohn, and other gentlemen we met in Westminster hall; and after some conference about the businesse, M. Com∣missary did solemnly protest that he did not pro∣secute us because we kept afast, and prayed for the King; but heard that it was so well performed, that if it had been with authority, he would have been at it himselfe, and then I did acknowledge that I was sorry that I did not apprehend it so: To this effect then we did consult what might be done

for the repayring of Master Commissaries repu∣tation: so we resolved that Master Commissary should put in a bill against me, and I should not plead against it, and so a writ of enquiry should go out to enquire what damage this was to Master Commissary; and he promised me, if they gave him two hundred pound, he would not take a pen∣ny of it: so he put in two bils of complaint what great damage he was put unto; and whereas be∣fore he was well esteemed of noblemen and gen∣tlemen now they eschew his company, whereun∣to I made this short answer:

When M. Cōmissary shal clear himself of the sus∣pition of treason against the Kings Royall person, and cleare his bill of untruths: I hoped I should be at more leasure to make a longer answer, in the meane time desired to be dismissed of the honou∣rable court; so they gave him a hundred pound da∣mage, which I tendred unto him, and he told it, and put it up againe every penny; I gave him a piece of plate with two hearts joyned together, and this inscription, Amantium ira amoris, redinti∣gratio est: and so we continued very loving friends to his death; and he told a gentlewoman of great worth, his loving neighbour, that never any affli∣ction did him so much good to commiserate this trouble and vexation that he had done to others, and so grew one of the best Commissaries, and died lamented.