(which she ought to haue done) fil into a great rage
and storme, commaunding that the poore man by al meanes possible
should be forced to confesse the true tenor of that letter, to
thintent that the same by his affirmacion might not be denied:
but doe what they could, they were not able to make him alter
his former tale. They which had commission to examine him,
brought him to the Riuer side and did put him into a sack,
saying that he did lie before God and the Queene, and against an
approued trothe. He that had rather lose his life than accuse
his maister, prayed them to suffer him to haue a ghostly father
that like a Christian he might ende his life, and so entre the
ioyes prepared for all repentant sinners, and after that he had
clered his conscience, he said vnto them: "Maisters, tell my
Lorde and maister the Bastarde, that I recommend vnto him the
poore estate of my poore wife and children, trusting his honour
will haue consideration of them for my sake, for so mutch as
with good and loyall harte, I doe imploye my life for his honor
and suretie: and with me doe what you list, for you get nothing
at my handes that shall redounde to his hurt and preiudice."
Then to put him in greater feare, they bounde him within the
sacke and threwe him into the water, crying unto him, if thou
wilt tell the trouth thou shalt be saued: but they seing that he
would make no aunswer drew him out againe, making reporte to the
Queene of his faith and constancie. Who then sayd, that neither
the king nor she were so happy in seruauntes as the Bastarde
was, that had not wherewith to recompence such fidelitie. The
Quene did what she coulde to get him from his seruice, but the
poore fellowe would in no wise forsake his maister.
Notwithstanding in thende by his said maister's leaue, he was
put into the Queene's seruice, where he liued many happy dayes.
The Queene after she vnderstode by the bastarde's letters the
trouth of the mariage, sent for Rolandine, and in great rage,
called her caitife and miserable wretche, in stede of cosin,
reciting vnto her the disparagement of her noble house, and the
villanie she had committed against the honorable race whereof
she came, and against the will of her which was her Queene,
kinswoman and maistres, by contracting mariage without the
licence of the king and her. Rolandine whiche of long time knewe
the small devocion that her maistres bare vnto her, vsed her
with like affection: and bicause she was weri