London to procure a divorce, and to seek the protection of those at court who pretended, or did favour the protestant cause. But it was not long before, by the procurement of her husband, and the vigilance of the priests, she was taken into custody, and several times examined concerning her faith, of which she herself wrote a long account, afterwards published by bishop Bale.
Her first examination was in March, 1545, by Christopher Dare, inquisitor; afterwards by a certain priest, by the lord mayor of London, and the bishop's chancellor, upon the usual topics of transubstantiation, reading the scriptures, of masses for the help of departed souls, and other articles; to which she gave very proper and pertinent answers. Then she was committed to the Compter, where she was kept eleven days, no friend being permitted to speak with her, nor any bail or sureties to be taken for her deliverance from prison.
On March 23, Mr. Britayne, her cousin, obtained leave to visit her in the Compter, and endeavoured all he could to bail her. First, with the mayor, then with the chancellor, and, lastly, with Bonner, bishop of London. This occasioned her to be brought before his lordship, on March 23d, who, with much seeming kindness, told her he was sorry for her troubles, but withal, desired to know her opinion in such things as were alledged against her; and, after much discourse with the bishop and the rest, about transubstantiation, the mass, &c. she was at last bailed, her cousin Mr. Britayne, and Mr. Spilman, of Gray's Inn, being sureties.
Not long after this she was again apprehended, brought before the king's council at Greenwich, and examined by chancellor Wriothesly, Gardiner, bishop
