A COPY OF A LETTER LATELY SENT BY a Gentleman, student in the laws of the Realm, to a friend of his concerning. D. Story.   


ACcording to your request, you shall hereby understand what you may truly say & avow upon such questions as it scemeth you have hard, of the late execution of. D. Story, who suffered at Tyburn the first of june last.  
It is notorious how evil and unloyally he behaved himself here in England before he departed the Realm, and how earnest a persecutor afterward he was of all the good subjects of England, having cause to be in the low countries, both before the arrest made of late by the Duke of Alva, as sense that time a multitude of honest merchants know it, both english & others, and a great number have felt it by imprisonment procured by him, and by seizing and confiscating of their goods, so as there is no doubt to be made, but that he was to his power as earnest an enemy to the state of England his natural country, and the Queen's majesties good subjects, as any man borne in this Realm could be. Nevertheless, because at the place of his execution before his death, he used long & many speeches to move some of simple understanding, or that did not know his rancour and malice against the Queen's Majesty, and the state of this Realm, and for that it was not then convenient, nor at lest could be imagined aforehand that he would have used such speeches at that time, and so he was suffered to speak altogether without contradiction, whereby the truth percase may be made to you obscure, you shall understand of what detestable crimes he was guilty, and therewith should have been particularly charged at the time of his arraignment in the Kings Bench, but that he craftily and traitorously, knowing by his examination wherewith he was to be charged, and how much he himself had confessed in the Tower: and being written in certain leaves of paper had subscribed with his own hand writing, refused to have any trial made thereof, alleging that he aught not to answer, nor would answer, because he was subject to the King of Spain, and not subject to the Queen's Majesty & the crown of England: and so although he was charitably, earnestly, and reasonably required at his arraignment to answer to the matters wherewith he was charged by indictment, as a born subject of this Realm, yet he would not, but traytorouslye refused to answer thereto, in such sort, as if he had been indicted of felony, as he was of high treason, he should for his not answering have suffered the pain of pressing to death, which manner of judgement is not used in cases of treason by the laws of the Realm, but was adjudged guilty of the treasons contained in the indictment, as of necessity and justice he aught to be, for other judgement could not be given: and so by justice of law he was judged to the death which he suffered. But for that it may serve to the satisfaction of all men, to consider how far he was guilty of the treasons contained in his indictment, hereafter followeth a true, just, and plain report of the matters, both whereof he was accused and examined, and which also he did confess in the Tower.  
He was to be charged that he did traitorously conspire against the Queen's Majesty, with one Prestall an english man, who was a fugitive, and principal devisor of the first Treason intended by the young Pools. xi. years past, and thereof was indicted and outlawed: and afterward of late time he practised an other great treason with certain persons, whereof one disclosed the same to the Duke of Norfolk, who also very dutifully revealed the same to the Queen's Majesty, whereupon the said Prestal being sought for to be apprehended, fled into Scotiande, where also he joined himself with the english rebels, and there attempted sundry treasons against her Majesty, and from thence he fled into Flaunders. With this manner of Traitor had this. D. Story a continual intelligence to further his treasons, insomuch as he said, not long before he came into England, to one that for duties sake disclosed it, & is ready to prove it, that Prestall should or it were long, be the leader of xl thousand men into England, against that woman which took upon her to be Queen, and ● the same Story, I would to God she were in the bottom of the sea, with other vile and reproachful words not meet to be reported. With which traitorous speeches he should have been charged, if he would have abidden trial according to the laws of the Realm.  
The said Story said also in the presence of two persons of English birth, who were ready to have charged him therewith, if he would have stand to trial, that he had written letters to Brussels, that if the matters contained therein should be revealed where he should be charged therewith, he should be hanged, drawn, & quartered. And immediately after this speech he went to Brussels with Prestall, where he and Prestall were rewarded with money: and there Prestall declared to certain persons, ready also to have avowed the same, that he had opened his whole purposes to. D. Story, whereto. D. Story was sworn to keep the same secret. But of the things intended by Prestal and Story at that time, neither of them would be then known, but yet Prestall affirmed that he had an art to poison any body a far of, being not present with them, and that none could do it but he. And to show some taste of their mischiefs, a gentleman belonging to Courtevile, a secretary to the Duke of Alva, told an english man, ready also to avow the same, that. D. Story and Prestall were about such matters, and such vile treason, as the said party said that no man could devise worse, and that. D. Story was such a wicked man as could not be found the like, and that he thought verily they were about murdering of some great persons in England.  
The said Story also received certain letters from Prestall out of Scotland, being written in scottish, which are also to be seen, and might have been showed at the arraignment, if he would have been tried: Which letters Story translated into latin, and carried the same to Brussels, by which it was required that means should be made to the Duke of Alva, to send into Scotland certain Horsemen, and a number of dags, to make an entry & invasion into England with the Scots, and by the same letter Prestall wrote, that the thing which he told D. Story in secret would cost a thousand marks, and that if the Regent and the foolish boy the young King were dispatched & dead, the scottish Queen were a marriage for the best man living. All which words are contained in the letter translated by. D. Story.  
The said Story being at Brussels, and receiving a letter from eld Norton, a very old Rebel, being arrived at Antwerp, did solicit certain of the counsel about the Duke, for money for the relief of the same Norton and his company, and wrote to him to comfort him by express words, that where he and his company were before but worshipful, now they were an honourable state, and had won double honour & perpetual fame for their late enterprise in England, and that he would come shortly to give them their welcome to Antwerp, and immediately he procured that one. D. Saunders, with certain english fugitives harboured in Louvain, went to Antwerp to the Rebels, and there Saunders made to them a solemn long oration in praise of their acts.  
Story also declared in Antwerp in presence of such as should have avowed it at his arraignment if he would have denied it, that the Rebellion should be renewed in England, and that at the same instant also Ireland should rebel, whereof he said he was well assured by advertisement from an Irish bishop that had scaped out of the Tower of London, and that at the same instant also the Scots should with an aid out of France invade England, and set up the scottish Queen.  
The said Story also used commonly this manner of prayer after his meats, whereof there are divers persons ready to witness the same that have heard him, and lastly even in the Roy wherein he was before he came last into England, in the presence of divers persons, that if the Queen's Majesty, whom he would never term but by the name of dame Elizabeth that took upon her to be Queen, would not speedylye turn to Queen Mary's religion, he prayed that she might be overcome with sword and fire, and all that would take her part.  
And though he might have been charged with sundry other traitorous and heinous conspiracies in the low countries, & with aiding of the Rebels there, whereof out of the said low countries advertisement was given by sundry of good credit: yet of set purpose no more is above recited, but such things only as wherewith he should have been charged openly by witnesses at his arraignment, who if he would have denied the same, should have avowed the whole to his face, and in the hearing of the jury that should have tried him. And how many of the things before recited are to be judged true & probable, it is to see by these things following, which are word by word extracted out of his own confessions, subscribed with his own hand, and uttered upon interrogatories, without any manner of torture, or offer of torture, although at the place of execution he used speech to the contrary very untruly, as the worshipful persons that examined him can well testify, which were,  
Sir Thomas Wroth knight, Master Wilbraham then Recorder of London, & Master Peter Osborne the treasurer's remembrancer in the Exchequer, & so can also the lieutenant of the Tower, as touching any torture.   

Extracted out of. D. Stories confessions.  

ix. December. 1570.  
IOhn Story the day and year above written being examined, saith that john Prestall did write a letter to the said john Story, of three sides of a sheet of paper as he remembreth, and directed to the said Story: which letter was enclosed in a letter written to one Hamelton a Scot that lay at Brussels, for him to peruse & seal the same, and then to deliver it to the said Story. And the same letter the said Hamelton read, and sealed it up, and told this examinat the effect thereof, and he bade him open it, and read it, and so the said Hamelton did, until he came to a word, Boy or child, meaning the King of Scots to be made away as the said Story took it.   

xii. December. 1570.  
Item, he saith that Hamelton told him that Prestall had written, that the matter which Prestall had told Story and the said Hamelton that an english man now in Ireland could do, would not be done without a great sum of money, which matter was to make the King of Scots away: for Prestall had told this examinat and Hamelton, that the Scots would hardly be reduced to obedience as long as the Queen of Scots was without an husband, and no man of estimation would have her so long as the Boy lived, and if he were dead, he hoped the emperors brother would have her, and wished he might be an entreater in that matter. And further Prestall said, that the said man now in Ireland had told the Pools and him the very month, the day, and hour, that the Queen of England should be in hazard of her life, and that the same English man could dispatch the King of Scots for money: And being asked what the same english man's name was, Story saith of troth he knoweth not, but hath forgotten it, yet Prestal told it him: but whither he is in Ireland, or of what estate, degree, or condition he is of, he knoweth not. And further that Prestall told him he could do much with that english man in Ireland, wherein this examinat discouraged him. And the said Story saith he thinketh of his conscience that Prestall would do all the harm that he could to this Realm of England.  
And further saith, that Prestall told him he would take any thing in hand to invade England, so he might have good assistance, and not be used as an underling. But Prestall never told him by what device England should be invaded.  
And more he saith, that jenny and Markenfelde hath made suit to Courtevile and to Northcarne, as Northcarnes secretary told him, for the relief of the Nortons' and Nevyls': and after this Courtevile called this examinat, willing him to bid Markenfeld to come to him that day at two of the clock, and then this examinat prayed that if he should come about the money for the relief of the Nortons', and others, that then one Parkar might be paid for their charges, and so it might be delivered to Parkar.  
He saith he wrote a letter to the elder Norton from Brussels, and showed the said elder Norton, that he would be glad to do for him even the best that lay in the said Stories power to do, and that he would rather stay his own suits to the Duke, than not to do the best he could for him, and this was all the effect of his letter to the said eldest Norton: but afterward he called to remembrance he wrote unto him, that he was glad that he and his company were so well come into the catholic Realm, & safely arrived there. He saith he doth not remember that he wrote to the said Nortons' and the rest, that where they were before but worshipful, they were now worthy double honour: but he saith it may be he did writ so, because he thought so: and thinks he did write unto them that he would come shortly to Antwerp, & give them their welcome, because he meant so to do.  
After Markenfelde and jenny came over, & one Leedes with him, and first they came to Parker's house, where the said jenny declared openly at the board, in the presence of this examinat and others, the order of the said late Rebellion.  
And hereupon this examinat made report to Northcarnes secretary, that the said jenny was a friend to the Catholykes and the Earls, and is a very trusty friend, and hath ventured his life for the Catholykes. But afterward this examinat perceiving the contrary of jenny by a Scot, he gave Northcarnes secretary warning to take heed of jenny.  
Shortly after this, the said Story came to Antwerp to Parkars house, where sitting at dinner, the said elder Norton and some other of his company came in from the Church, and one said, this is Norton, and thereupon this examinat rose and gave him place, and bade him welcome: and so the elder Norton sat down in the said Stories place.  
After old Norton shifted his lodging, and this examinat, with one shaw Nortons' son in law, went to the said old Nortons' lodging to dinner, and there dined with him, and that day all their talk was of the suspicion that Norton had of jennys first coming to the Rebels in England from the Earl of Sussex, and so he took him still but a spy, and to cover himself with to the Duke, with labouring for them.  
He saith that he heard by Markenfeldes report, that the said Nortons' and Nevyls' & their company, had two hundred crowns given them from the Duke at their first coming, and should have two hundred crowns more afterward.  
Moore he saith, that before the Duke's last coming to Antwerp, the said Story and Sir james Shelley being at Louvain, were there sent for to come to. D. Saunders to hear a certain book read, of the reasons that the Bull late sent over into England should be obeyed as he suspected, and thither the said Story promised to come: but that after noon he was driven to go to Brussels, and so sir james Shelley went thither, and brought word to this examinat being with one Leedes at dinner, that if he had come, he should have heard goodly reasons that he would have well liked, about the book that Saunders had made.  
Further the said Story doth say, that he was never sworn to King Philip, nor to the Duke of Alva, nor never by any means was made king philip's subject or denizen, or otherwise naturalised to be King philip's subject, but remains only still a subject to the Queen of England.  
Thus subscribed, though he said otherwise at Tyburn. john Story.   

xx. December. 1570.  
The said john Story this twenty day of December being examined, saith that about two years sense, he did deal by writing with Courteusle, showing unto him that the Catholykes in England did daily decay, and the schismatics did there daily increase, and therefore if the King of Spain had any meaning to write to the Queen of England, or otherwise to help to restore religion in England, he should do it betime, or else it would be to late: and either he did write further, or said by mouth to the said Courtevile, that if the King of Spain did but come into the low country out of Spain with a number of ships, the Catholykes of England would think as this examinat thought, that he were come to restore religion, and would take the King of Spain's part. And the said Story confesseth that he wrote to Courtevile, that if about the realm of England there might go a number of ships, as men went about jerico, than the Catholykes of England would take courage to prepare entry for them that went so about with the said ships. To which end of entry, by the King of Spain's power into England, the said Story did writ to Courtevile many times by his letters and persuasions therein, hoping thereby that either the King of Spain would writ to the Queen of England to restore the catholic religion, or else would make some entry into England, & reform religion, according as he was bound by his title of catholic King, as the said Story thought.  
Further the said Story saith, that john Prestall at such time as he talked with Hamelton and this examinat about the death of the King of Scots as is aforesaid, when Prestall had told him as aforesaid, that the english man that fled into Ireland had told the said Prestall, of the time and hour the Queen's Majesty should be in peril of her death as is aforesaid, then Prestall said, that if the said english man in Ireland might be plied, he could bring the Queen's highness to death in deed, and said he thought surely he could do it, and then this examinat said that was to be done by Necromancy.  
Subscribed john Story.    

It is here to be considered also how likely it is that the things which he spoke at Tyburn for his purgation were true, when at the same time he would have had by his earnest speeches then used, all the hearers believe that he used never any cruelty in Queen Mary's time against any that were then burnt for religion: but as he said, he did but only chide them, and that he was no cause of the death of any, but that the Bishops did procure the sentences of death. And how untrue this speech of his was in that behalf as to excuse himself, a number of witnesses living that manifestly saw his extreme cruelties, and some that felt thereof are very plenteous. And what his heart was towards the Queen's Majesty, may plainly appear by his traitorous words in the parliament house, where he said, that if his counsel had been followed, the root should have been stricken down, and not the branches.  
And how horrible, traitorous, and monstrous a meaning he had to refuse to answer at his arraignment, by refusing his natural allegiance to the Queen's Majesty and this crown, from which no law in the world could separate him, & by avowing that he was a subject to the King of Spain, it may appear in that he said at his arraignment for defence of his traitorous refusal of his obedience: That Kings were chosen at the first by the people for their necessity, & not the people for their kings: and therefore the people might leave their kings when they had no more need of them. And so the conclusion in his opinion served for him that he might refuse his natural liege lady and Queen. And so consequently by that monstrous reason, all kings may be deprived of their subjects, or of as many as would enter into that traitorous & monstrous error, at their pleasure. A thing of itself worthy of some monstrous death, according to the monstruousnes of the treason.  
Otherwise to remember the unworthiness of this. D. for his long lewd life in all times past, is not convenient, because he is dead, of whom also nothing should be now in this sort written, but that by his crafty traitorous doings at his arraignment, and by his untruths uttered at his death, truth itself should take harm, by mistaking & misreporting: and only in favour of truth have I collected the premises, & for no other purpose, & so I pray you use it according as you shall think meet. For all those things which are before recited, are manifestly to be proved, partly by the very writings extant, and in no word altered, and the rest by sufficient witnesses, whereof I have had good regard even for truths sake, knowing that almighty God is the avenger of all untruth.  
4. junii. 1571.   
God save the Queen.