ied, afore I may mean any such thing: and to this present hour I
protest, afore God who shall judge my truth, whatsoever malice shall
devise, that I never practised, counselled, nor consented to anything
that might be prejudicial to your person any {p.125} way, or
dangerous to the state by any means. And I therefore humbly beseech
your majesty to let me answer afore yourself, and not suffer me to
trust to your councillors; yea, and that afore I go to the Tower, if
it is possible; if not, afore I be further condemned. Howbeit, I trust
assuredly your highness will give me leave to do it afore I go, for
that thus shamefully I may not be cried out on, as now I shall be,
yea, and without cause. Let conscience move your highness to take some
better way with me, than to make me be condemned in all men's sight,
afore my desert known. Also, I most humbly beseech your highness to
pardon this my boldness, which innocency procures me to do, together
with hope of your natural kindness, which I trust will not see me cast
away without desert: which what it is I would desire no more of God
than that you truly knew; which thing, I think and believe, you shall
never by report know, unless by yourself you hear. I have heard in my
time of many cast away for want of coming to the presence of their
prince; and in late days I heard my Lord of Somerset say that, if his
brother had been suffered to speak with him, he had never suffered;
but the persuasions were made to him so great, that he was brought in
belief that he could not live safely if the admiral lived, and that
made him give his consent to his death. Though these persons are not
to be compared to your majesty, yet I pray God as evil persuasions
persuade not one sister against the other, and all for that they have
heard false reports, and not hearken to the truth known; therefore,
once again kneeling with all humbleness of my heart, because I am not
suffered to bow the knees of my body, I humbly crave to speak with
your highness, which I would not be so bold to desire if I knew not
myself most clear, as I know myself most true. And as for the traitor
Wyatt, he might peradventure write me a letter, but on my faith I
never received any from him; and for the copy of my letter sent to the
French king, I pray God confound me eternally if ever I sent him word,
message, token, or letter by any means:[291] and to this my truth I
will stand to my death your highness's most faithful subject that