This book was published anonymously, but is known to be the production of Cardinal Allen. Thomas Allfield, a priest, who had (says Dr. Challoner)[4] found means to import into the realm some copies thereof, "and had dispersed them by the help of one Thomas Webley, a dyer; was called to an account, as was also the said Webley, and both the one and the other were most cruelly tortured in prison; I suppose in order to make them discover the persons to whom they had distributed the said books. They were afterwards brought to their trial and condemned on the 5th of July, (1585), and suffered at Tyburn on the day following; where both the one and the other had their life offered them if they would renounce the pope, and acknowledge the queen's church headship; which they refusing to do were both executed." The indictment against Allfield is as follows, (Lansdowne M.S. British Museum 33, no. 58.) Londonia scilicet. Juratores pro domina Regina præsentant quod cum per quendam actum in Parliamento dominæ Reginæ nunc tento per prorogationem apud Westmonasterium sexto decimo die Januarii anno regni sui vicesimo tertio editum et provisum inter alia inactitatum et stabilitatum existit authoritate parliamenti illius quod si aliqua persona sive personæ post finem quadraginta dierum proximo sequentium post finem illius sessionis ejusdem parliamenti infra hoc regnum Angliæ vel in aliquo alio dominiorum dominæ Reginæ nunc vel in aliquo alio loco extra dominia dictæ dominæ Reginæ advisate et cum maliciosa intentione versus dictam dominam Reginam nunc devisarent et scriberent imprimerent vel exponerent devisaret et scriberet imprimeret vel exponeret _anglice sett forthe_ aliquem librum rythmum canticum vocatum _a ballade_ literam sive scriptum continentem aliquam falsam seditiosam et scandalosam materiam ad defamationem Regiæ Majestatis vel ad animandam excitandam vel movendam aliquam insurrectionem vel rebellionem infra hoc regnum aut aliquod dominiorum eidem regno spectantium vel si aliqua persona seu personæ post finem prædictorum quadraginta dierum sive infra hoc regnum aut alia dominia ipsius Reginae vel in aliquo alio loco extra dominia dictæ dominæ Reginæ advisate et cum maliciosa intentione versus dictam dominam nostram procurarent vel causarent procuraret vel causaret aliquem talem librum rythmum canticum vocatum _a ballade_ literam sive scriptum scribi imprimi publicari sive exponi _anglice sett forthe_ et offensione illa non existente punibili per statutum factum in anno vicesimo quinto regni nuper regis Edwardi tertii concernens proditionem sive declarationem proditionis vel per aliquod aliud statutum per quod aliqua offensio facta sive declarata fuit proditio quod tunc quælibet talis offensio reputaretur et adjudicaretur felonia et offensores in eodem inde convicti et attincti existentes paterentur