Thomas Lodge - Broadview Press Publisher's Blog

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Privy Council called him in question, summoning
him against an appointed day to come and yield a
reason of those his factious tumults.
William, that saw the iron ready to wax hot and
the hammers ready to strike, began to remember 1
himself; and his guilty conscience (which, as the
wise man sayeth, is a hundred witnesses) 2 would
not suffer him to walk with so great confidence,
yet lest fear should be suspected in him, whose
good fortunes and life wholly depended on his
courage, he oftentimes looked abroad, but
attended by such a band of base companions, as if
it had been the proud Changuis leading his legions
of Tartars through Europe. 3 But when the day of
his appearance came, he was backed with such a
number of mechanical rebels that Hubert, instead
of attempting him with upbraids, 4 was fain to
temper him with flattering persuasions. Yea, the
stoutest counsellors, though never so considerate,
were fain 5 to entreat him, whom they had resolved
to threaten and imprison. William, seeing them
abashed, waxed bold, and in these words saluted
them:
“Honourable fathers and grave councillors,
according to your honourable summons and the
duty of a subject, I present myself before you,
attended in this sort as you see, not to violate laws
by lewd insurrections, but both to present my
service to my Prince and your Honours, and to
draw my friend and well-willers to that duty,
whereunto in soul I am devoted to this state. If
therefore you have ought to command me, or if
my services in times past be any way suspected, I
stand ready to satisfy you in the one or answer to
the other.”
Hubert, that knew well that soft drops in time
pierce hard stones, and that the diamond though
not tainted by hammer is tempered in strong
1 remember recollect, reflect on.
2 and his guilty … witnesses Proverb, “Conscience is a thousand witnesses”
(Tilley C601).
3 Changuis … Europe For the tale of Changuis, how he became the
emperor of all the Tartars, and how his sons succeeded him, see the
medieval English writer John Mandeville, Travels, Chapter 24.
4 upbraids rebukes.
5 fain willing, eager.
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vinegar, began to colour 6 where he might not
command, and flatter where he could not enforce;
and thus he said:
“Being assured, William, that good subjects tied
by no bounty to their prince yet yield him all
observance, we cannot persuade ourselves that
you, who have been authorized by your prince to
countercheck injustice, will be the pattern of injurious
insolence. For which cause we have called
you, not as condemners of your faith, but commenders
of your forwardness; neither have we so
bad an opinion of these good men that follow
you, that either they would be drawn to violate
justice, or you could be induced to violate and alter
their honest and Christian-like duties. Our only
request to you in the King’s behalf is to cast off
this lordly train, and suffer these poor men to
follow their professions, lest being unawares
assailed by want, they shall at last desperately
attempt wickedness. As for these good fellows
who in their looks promise no looseness, 7 I
beseech them, [in] his Majesty’s name, to keep
their houses, 8 promising them in general, that if
any one of them be wronged, they shall have
remedy.”
“Nay, we will have remedy in spite of you,” said
they, “as long as William lives.”
And this said, without all reverence they
departed the place, carrying with them their
captain commander, scoffing at the faintheartedness
of the archbishop; for full well was he 9
assured that greater severity was concluded upon
than he 10 there would insinuate. For which cause
he 11 continually stood on his guard, spoiling 12 all
such men as he thought abettors of the Bishop. 13
6 colour i.e., represent in fair colours [William’s inexcusable behaviour];
gloss over, cloak.
7 looseness amorality, lewd behaviour.
8 keep their houses remain in their houses following their daily business
[rather than accompanying William about the street, and attending
his “routs”].
9 he William.
10 he the archbishop of Canterbury, Hubert.
11 he William.
12 spoiling robbing, attacking.
13 Bishop Hubert, archbishop of Canterbury.