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<heading:edcomment:LETTER_THOMAS_DUKE_OF_NORFOLK_AND_SIR_ROGER_TO
WNSHEND,_LORD_CROMWELL,_RESPECTING_THE_INTENDED_EXECUTION_OF_A_FRIAR
_AT_NORWICH,_FOR_DENYING_THE_KING'S_SUPREMACY>

{COM:editorial_material_omitted}

<P_1.2,86>

My verie good Lord , with harty recommendations , these $shall $be
{TEXT:shalbe} to advertise you that upon Thursday laste paste the
Justices of Assize came to me the Duke of Norffolk hither to dynner ,
in ther way rydyng to the Assises at Burye , wher they declared unto me
that one called Anthony Browne , somtyme a fryer Observaunte of
Grenewiche , and of late takyng upon hym as an hermyte , was accused of
Treason , and so commytted to warde by me Sir Roger Townsend tofore the
commynge of the said Justices to these parties ; (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,86.5)

and so brought before them to Norwiche did write his own confession
with his haunde , whiche ye shall receyve with this . Wherupon , for
his traytors opinions , he was indited of Treason , and so caste and
had his Judgemente accordynglye , yevyng respyte to the Shryfe for his
execusyon x. dayes folowyng ; whiche they shewed me the said Duke they
ded for this consyderation , whiche was , they thought it convenient
that a Sermon sholde be made by the bisshopp of Norwiche , as was by
the bisshopp of Worcestre at th'execusyon of Forreste .
(FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,86.6)

And in communyng bothe with them and the Shryf I perceyved well they
had herde that som in these partes doubted whether the bisshopp here
ded thorowly meane well , consernyng the opinions of the said Brown or
not . Wherupon I asked theropinions whether they thought it beste that
I shold send for the said bisshopp to fele his mynd <P_1.2,87> afore I
shold will hym to preache or not ; and also that forasmoche as I ded
perceyve the said fryer had not be {COM:sic} thoroughlye examynd with
whome he hathe had communication , ayde , or comforte in his opinions ,
and of other thyngs that I shold thynke conveniente to examyn hym of ,
whether I wer beste to send for hym hyther to me or not ;
(FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,87.7)

and ther mynds was that I shold send bothe for the bisshopp and the
fryer , (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,87.8)

and so I ded (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,87.9)

and becawse that M=er= Townsend is onely of the Kyngs Highnes counsell
in these parties I sente in lykewise for hym to be presente at all the
examynacions . (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,87.10)

And this forenowne we so handled the said Fryer that we brought hym to
this poynte that he wold not stycke upon the auctoryte of the bisshopp
of Rome tobe suppryme Hed of the Churche , (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,87.11)

but in no wyse we cold bryng hym from th'oppinion that the Kyng ought
not tobe suppryme Hed of the Churche , sayng that no temperall
{COM:sic} Prynce was <font> capax </font> of that name and auctorite .
(FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,87.12)

I the said Duke had here with me Doctor Call , a gray frier , who
handled hym right honestlye in defendyng the Kyngs Majesties parte
aswell by reason as scripture : (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,87.13)

but all that wold not serve : (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,87.14)

and sythe dynner we have be {COM:sic} efte sones in hand with hym .
(FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,87.15)

And in our communyng with hym came hither the Bisshopp of Norwiche ,
who undoubtedly by scripture handled the matter of sutche sorte that it
was sufficient to have torned th'oppinion of any man that was not yevyn
to wilfulnes as this fole is , who in our opinions is smally <P_1.2,88>
lerned and as litle reasonable ; (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,88.16)

and suerly , to say the trouthe , the bisshopp for his parte , and the
said Call for his , hathe showed themselffs bothe to be lerned men ,
and trewe subjects to our M=er= . Wherupon consyderyng that by no
meanes we two can get owt of hym any detection of any person to be of
counsell with him , or of like opinion as he is of , we have delyvered
hym to the Shryf , to be caryed to the gayle , and ther to suffer
accordyng to his folishe doyngs upon Fryday nexte , affore whose dethe
the said bisshopp shall make sutche a Sermon as we truste $shall $be
{TEXT:shalbe} to the Kyngs Highnes contentation , and apparaunte to the
people <paren> whiche we thynke $will $be {TEXT:wolbe} ther in great
nombre </paren> that this unhappy folyshe fryer is well worthy to
suffer , and that his opinions be falls and untrewe .
(FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,88.17)

My lorde the cause of the sendyng of this man in so great haste unto
you , is , be cause that and the Kyngs majestie and you shall thynke it
convenient to have hym to be brought to the Towre there to be more
streyghtlye examyned and to be put to torture , Ye may dispeache this
berer or som other with commaundemente to the Shryf accordyngly ; so
that the same $may $be {COM:maybe} with hym at Norwiche by Fryday x. a
cloke ; (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,88.18)

for yf ye shold send to me the said Duke , I know not yet wher I shold
be fownd at that tyme . (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,88.19)

And thus our Lord have you in his tuicion . (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,88.20)

From Kennyngale this iiij. day of Auguste 1538 at xj. at nyght .
(FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,88.21)

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After writyng of the premyssis , the Bisshopp was desyrous to speke
eftsones with the fryer , to th'entente he myght have cawsed hym to
have torned his opinions , not for savegarde or prolongyng of his lyf ,
but for the welthe of his Soule ; (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,89.23)

and I sir Roger Townsend , beyng presente , sawe the bisshopp handle
hymself very honestlye and clerkely , (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,89.24)

but notwithstondyng that dyvers tymes the said fryer was like to have
altred his folishe opinions , yet fynallye he persisted in his errors .
(FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,89.25)

My Lord , we partly requyre you that yf it shall not be thought to the
Kyngs Majestie that any Sermon shuld be made before th'execution , to
advertyse the Shryf therof afore the tyme before wryten
(FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,89.26)

Yo=rs= assewredly T. Norfolk (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,89.27)

At your Lordshypps comande=t= . (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,89.28)

Roger Touneshend . (FRIAR-E1-P1,1.2,89.29)