Specimens of these informations will throw curious
light on the feelings of a portion at least of the people.
The English Hcence of speech, if not recognised to the
same extent as it is at present, was certainly as fully
Th» Abbot practised. On the return of the Abbot of !

returns from Whitbv from the couvocatiou at York in the
tionatYork. summer of 1532, when the premunire money
was voted, the following conversation was reported as
having been overheard in the abbey.
equivalent to a sentence of death, I am compelled to lay so sweeping a
chirge of \ ijustice by the side of a document which forces me to demur to I

it. " In the reign of the Tudors,'* says a very eminent writer, " the com-
luittal, arraignment, conviction, and execution of any state prisoner, accused
or guspected, or under su^cion of being siupected of high treason, were only
the regular terms in the series of judicial proceedings.** This is scarcely to
be reconciled with the 10th of the 37th of Hen. VIII., which shows no de-
sire to welcome accusations, or exaggerated readiness to listen to them.
