Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/250

230 fatal superstition which confounded religion with orthodox opinion was too strong for both of them. put out a ballad, which, as he expected, brought him into trouble. 'The next day,' he is telling his own story, 'after the Queen was come to the Tower, the foresaid ballad came into the hands of Secretary Bourne, who straightway made inquiry for the said Edward, who dwelt in Lymehurst; which he having intelligence of, sent the sheriff of Middlesex with a company of bills and glaives, who came into my house, being in my bed, and my wife newly laid in childbed. The high constable, whose name is Thomas Joy, dwelled at the house nextto me, whom the sheriff brought also with him. He being my very friend, desired the sheriff and his company to stay without for frighting of my wife, and he would go fetch me unto him; who knocked at the door, saying, he must speak with me. I, lying so near that I might hear him, called unto him, willing him to come unto me, for that he was always my very friend and earnest in the gospel, who declared unto me that the sheriff and a great company was sent for me. Whereupon I rose and made me ready to come unto him.'Sir, said he, I have commandment from the council to apprehend you and bring you unto them.'Why, said I, it is now ten of the clock at night; you cannot now carry me unto them.'No, sir, said he, you shall go with me to my house in London, where you shall have a bed, and tomorrow I will bring you unto them in the Tower.'In the name of God, quoth I, and so went with him, requiring him if I might understand the cause. He said he knew none.'Underhill, however, conjectured that it was the ballad. He 'was nothing dismayed;' and in the morning went readily to the Tower, where he waited in the presence chamber talking to the pensioners.Sir Edward Hastings passed through, and as he saw him, 'frowned earnestly.' 'Are you come?' said Hastings, 'we will talk with you ere you part, I warrant you.' They were old acquaintances. Underhill had been controller of the ordnance at Calais when Lord Huntingdon was in command there. The Earl being in bad health, his brother Sir Edward was with him, assisting in the duties of the office; and Underhill, being able to play and sing, had been a frequent visitor at the Government House. The Earl, moreover, 'took great delight to hear him reason' with Sir Edward, on points of controversy—chiefly on the real presence—where the controller of the ordnance (according to his own account), would quote Scripture, and Sir Edward would 'swear great oaths,' 'especially by