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she tooke her Ringe and gave the same to the saide gentlemans
Page to carrie vnto his Mr. wherfore (qd he) your Matie
maye not in any wise permitt so wicked dishonnestie, but wth
due punishment chastice the same. Vppon this slaunderous
reporte the kinge resolued him selfe, and caused the gent
accused to be burned in a ffornace, and gaue the saide chamber:
leine accuser commission to see it perfourmed, who, gredie and
cruell vppon the Almaine bloud, not deseruinge the fire, nor
havinge deserued to suffer deathe, sent knowledge yt the nexte
morninge, the first man yt came sholde be brente. The execu:
tioner obeyenge the commaundemente, attended to put the same
in exequution, whether the saide Almaine wth a dissembling
message was sente to saye, that the kings pleaser was that
thexecutioner sholde dispatch him, whome he had sente to be
burned, vppon his waye he happened to passe by a certeine
churche, where ye praiers was in sayenge, and goinge into ye
same, taried there wth great devotion till all was donne. In
the meanetime the ffrenchman that had the commission
came to the ffornace him selfe & was putt therin and burned
The executioner suppozinge it had bene hee that sholde be
burned by the kings commaundemente. At length came the
Almaine and saide, is the kings pleaser perfourmed, to whom
it was answered, beholde the fire beareth witnes, wherof
the kinge aduised, perswaded him selfe that the Almaine had
not deserued to die, and was therfore glad, as innocent he
had escaped, and the other that had slaundered him as a tray:
tor did beare the paines he ment vniustlie to have put vp:
pn others. hereby it is to be considered, that who so accuseth an
other falslye deserueth the same punishmente that a traitors
offence dooth merit. Wheruppon Frederigo the Emperor
that forbad particular combatt in this case of treason did com:
maunde the same for the purgation of so detestable and offence
emonge men & beasts. Therfore whensoever a man calleth
his companion traitor he shall boldlie answere he lieth, and
yf he be chardged an hundred or thowsand times wth the wrong
he shall saye as ofte, like a vile traitor thowe liest, in wch
sayenge he shall retorne the dishonnor to him that offred the
same who shall so remaine belied. Then yf the Iniurer doe
offer to trie the same wth the sworde vppon his person and
doothe continue his Chardge the defender iniuried shall replie