"By diligent search and pains we have tried out the greatest nest of thieves that was heard of this many years. They have confessed to the robbing of eighteen churches, besides other felonies, already. This nest was rooted in Gloucestershire at a place called Merkyll, and had recourse to a blind inn, to an old man, who, with his two sons, being arrant thieves, were the receitors. Of this affinity were a great number, of whom we have ten or twelve principals and accessories, and do make out daily for more where we can hear they be. Daily the outlaws submit themselves, or be taken. If he be taken he playeth his pageant. If he come and submit himself, I take him to God's mercy and the king's grace upon his fine." [Sidenote: Effect of the sharp hand.] [Sidenote: One thief taketh another, and one cow keepeth another.] Once more, after mentioning the capture of two outlaws, whom he intended to despatch, and of a third, who had been killed, in attempting to escape, brought in dead across a horse, and hanged on a market-day at Ludlow, the warden summed up, as a general result of his administration, "What shall we say further? All the thieves in Wales quake for fear; and at this day we assure you there is but one thief of name, of the sort of outlaws, and we trust to have him shortly; so that now ye may boldly affirm that Wales is redact to that state that one thief taketh another, and one cow keepeth another."[489] The bishop's work was rough; but it was good of its kind, and was carried out in the manner which, in the long run, was most merciful--merciful to honest subjects, who were no longer the prey of marauders--merciful to those whom the impunity of these heroes of the Border might have tempted to imitate their example--merciful to the offenders themselves, who were saved by the gallows from adding to the list of their crimes. [Sidenote: Laxity of the magistrates in the south-west of England.] But although order could be enforced where an active resolute man had been chosen to supersede the inefficiency of the local authorities, in other parts of England, in Hampshire, Wiltshire, Somersetshire, Devonshire, and Cornwall especially, there was no slight necessity still remaining for discipline of a similar kind; the magistrates had been exhorted again and again in royal proclamations to discharge their duties more efficiently; but the ordinary routine of life was deranged by the religious convulsions; the mainspring of the social system was out of place, and the parts could no longer work in harmony. The expedient would have to be attempted which had succeeded elsewhere; but, before resorting to it, Henry would try once more the effect of an address, and a circular was issued in the ensuing terms:-- [Sidenote: The king issues an address to them.] [Sidenote: Once again he charges them on their allegiance to do their duty.]