Bedford who was then left Regent
and Governour of the Realm in the time of the King's absence being in
France and other Lords and States, his indictment being read before him
of his forcible insurrection against the King and State in St. Gyles's
Fields, and other treasons and outrages by him committed, the question
was asked how he could excuse himself and show why he should not be
judged to dye according to the law. But he seeking other talk and
discourse of the mercies of God, and that all mortal men that would be
followers of God ought to prefer mercy above judgment and that vengeance
pertained only to the Lord, and ought not to be practised by them that
worship, but to be left to God alone, with many other words to protract
the time, until the Lord Chief Justice admonished the Regent not to
suffer him to spend the time so vainly, in molesting the nobles of the
Realm, whereupon the Duke of Bedford, Regent, commanded him to answer
formally and punctually to the matter laid to his charge.

Then said Sir John, being thus urged at last after deliberation taken,
he said, It is the least thing that I account of to be judged by you as
of man's judgment, and again he began to talk, but nothing to the
purpose until the Chief Justice commanded him again to answer finally,
and to answer them if he could, why he should not suffer death according
to his desert. To which he stoutly answered that he had no judge amongst
them, so long as his liege Lord King Richard was alive and in his realm
of Scotland, which answer when he had made, because there needed no
further witness, he was then presently censured to be drawn and hanged
on a gallows and then to be burnt hanging upon the same, which judgment
was executed upon him the thirtieth day of December in St. Gyles's
Fields, where many honourable persons were present, and the last words
that he spake were to Sir Thomas Upingham, adjuring him that if he saw
him rise from death to life again the third day he would procure that
his sect which he had raised might be in peace and quiet. He was hanged
by the neck in a chain of iron and after consumed by fire.

Moreover it is recorded that in the time of this worthy pretor Sir
Richard Whittington the glorious city of Constantinople was taken by
Mahomet the Second, Prince of the Turks, whose souldiers sacked it with
all extremity and omitted no manners of cruelty by violence to either
virgins, aged women, or sucking babes. This Sir Richard Wh