First Ear! of Pembroke of the Present Creation. 95 



next day an explanatory letter was sent; this document is preserved 

 in the State Paper Office. The following are some extracts from it : 



'• Incontinently upon our arrival here at Wilton, we received divers letters 

 from the King's Majesty and the Protector, to come forth to the Court with all 

 diligence : and especially one that he sent by his son the Lord Edward. Upon 

 the receipt whereof, we prepared ourselves to come up ; and with such gentlemen 

 as were then in our company, and with our servants, came as far as Andover, 

 where we understood many things, for the coun treys every way were in a roar 

 that no man wist what to do. Thus beiug at Andover, and weighing as well the 

 state of the things above, as also the fickleness* of the country, which hitherto 

 nnderstandeth not what the matter may mean, we despatched the Lord Edward 

 to the Protector with such answer as by the copy thereof, which we also send 

 herewith, it may appear ; and thereupon thought it very requisite to return to 

 Wilton, there to abide the assembly of the gentlemen of all these parts, and to 

 gather such power as may serve us to come thro' withal to do good, if need should 

 so require ; and have sent to Bristol for some light ordnance, and for money, with 

 such other things as may be necessary. . , . And as we are glad that our 

 chance was to be here now, where undoubtedly the place and the time have both 

 served us to stand in better stead, and to do better service, than if we had been 

 there with you, &c. From Wilton, 9th October, 1549." 



They immediately took active measures to meet the expected 

 rising ; the same day a letter was sent by Russell and Herbert to 

 the Sheriff of Gloucester and others, "to suppress the publication of 

 airy idle rumours, and to forbid all persons from assembling" without 

 due authority." A few days after this, Somerset was arrested and 

 for a time kept in the Tower. 



As the cost of providing funds for the suppression of the rebellion 

 had fallen mainly on the Lords of the Council, they repaid them- 

 selves by tampering with the currency, and still further adding to the 

 base coinage which had already driven gold out of the country and 

 produced other disastrous complications. On the 28th October of 

 this year a warrant was addressed to the Master of the Mint, setting 

 forth that whereas the well-beloved councillor Sir William Herbert, 

 in suppression of the rebels, had not only spent the great part of 

 his plate and substance, but also had borrowed for the same purpose 

 great sums of money, for which he remained indebted — the officers 

 of the mint might receive at his hands two thousand pounds weight 

 in bullion, in fine silver — the said bullion to be coined and printed 



*Tickleness; tottering, uncertain state. 



