The fate of these three abbots, without parallel among the black monks of the dissolved houses, and the paucity of our information as to their last days, give a peculiar interest to their case. What follows is an attempt to set out in reasonable fullness all the evidence that is available to historians in the matter. It will be convenient to divide it into two categories, which may be labelled roughly as ‘literary’ and ‘record’ evidence. It is worth noting that the first class alone was available until the middle of the nineteenth century, and that therefore Catholic apologists and historians based all their accounts upon it.

Charles Wriothesley, 1508?–1562. Chronicle, ed. W. D. Hamilton, p. 109.

In this moneth [November 1539] the Abbottes of Glastonburie, Reding and Colchester were arraigned in the Counter, and after drawen, hanged and quartered for treason.

Wriothesley was a contemporary with a house in the City; the single detail he supplies is therefore probably correct, though he implies that the whole process of trial and execution took place in London. There were at least three Counters or Compters in the City; this is probably that containing the prison and the court of the Sheriff.