re he lost such poor bedding as he then had, and could never
since get it), and delivered him to the Marshalsea, under our gracious
sovereign's commandment and Sir Thomas More's. When the Sunday before the
Rogation week following, your bedeman fell sick; and the Whitsun Monday was
carried out on four men's backs, and delivered to his friends to be
recovered if it so pleased God. At which time the keeper took for your
bedeman's fees other ten shillings, when four shillings should have
sufficed if he had been delivered in good health.

"Within three weeks it pleased God to set your bedeman on his feet, so that
he might walk abroad. Whereof when Sir Thomas More heard (who went out of
his chancellorship about the time your bedeman was carried out of prison),
although he had neither word nor deed which he could ever truly lay to your
bedeman's charge, yet made he such means by the Bishops of Winchester and
London, as your bedeman heard say, to the Hon. Lord Thomas Duke of Norfolk,
that he gave new commandment to the keeper of the Marshalsea to attach
again your said bedeman; which thing was speedily done the Sunday three
weeks after his deliverance. And so he continued in prison again until
Saint Lawrence tide following; at which time money was given to the keeper,
and some things he took which were not given, and then was your bedeman
re-delivered through the king's goodness, under sureties bound in a certain
sum, that he should appear the first day of the next term following, and
then day by day until his dismission. And so hath your bedeman been at
liberty now twelve months waiting daily from term to term, and nothing laid
to his charge as before.

"Wherefore, the premises tenderly considered, and also your said bedeman's
great poverty, he most humbly beseecheth your goodness that he may now be
clearly discharged; and if books, money, or other things seem to be taken
or kept from him otherwise than justice would, eftsoons he beseecheth you
that ye will command it to be restored.

"As for his long imprisonment, with other griefs thereto appertaining, he
looketh not to have recompense of man; but committeth his whole cause to
God, to whom your bedeman shall daily pray, according as he is bound, that
ye may so order and govern the realm that it may be to the honour of God
and your heavenly and everlasting reward."

I do not find the result of this petition, but as it appeared that Henry
had interested himself in the story,