by the Queen herself, and some alterations made again by her appointment; and, after it was set to print, the Queen, who, as she was excellent in great matters, so she was exquisite in small, and noted that I could not forget my ancient respect to my Lord of Essex, in terming him ever, my Lord of Essex, my Lord of Essex, almost in every page of the book, which she thought not fit, but would have it made Essex, or the late Earl of Essex; whereupon, of force, it was printed de novo, and the first copies suppressed by her peremptory commandment."

INTRODUCTION TO THE TRIAL OF SIR WALTER RALEIGH.

THE biography of Sir Walter Raleigh is much too important and interesting to be written in the summary manner in which alone it could be properly given as an introduction to his trial: it is intended, therefore, in this instance to depart from the plan adopted with regard to the previous trials, and merely to prefix a narrative of the transactions out of which the proceedings against him arose.

The accounts given by different historians of the several plots formed at the commencement of the reign of James I. are extremely obscure and confused.. This has arisen partly from the paucity of authentic materials hitherto published, and in some measure from party spirit; but principally from a combination in the relations of several distinct conspiracies, unconnected both in their object and machinery, without sufficient attention to the difference between them.

The first and by far the most important of these conspiracies was that which, in the cant language originally applied to it by some of the conspirators, was called the "Bye;" and which was also called the "Treason of the Priests," from Watson and Clarke, two Catholic priests who were its chief promoters, and the "Surprising Treason," or "The Surprise," from the design of seizing the person of the King, which formed the immediate object of the plot. Of the original performers in this conspiracy, Sir Griffin Markham, a Catholic gentleman of inconsiderable wealth and influence, was the person of the greatest consequence: Lord Cobham was undoubtedly privy to it, but does not seem to have been actively engaged in it, his attention being mainly devoted to an intrigue which he considered of greater importance: but the

An

most actively mischievous parties were the two priests, Watson and Clarke, and George Brooke, a brother of Lord Cobham's, a man sensible and well educated, but turbulent and totally unprincipled. Watson had been with the King in Scotland on a mission from the English Catholics previously to Elizabeth's death, and he says in some of his statements to the Privy Council that he was induced to enter into the plot by James's apparent determination not to give toleration to the Catholics. Brooke's motive for joining the conspiracy it is difficult to ascertain, though it would appear from the statements of some of his confederates, as well as his own, that he was actuated neither by religious nor political considerations, but merely by a sordid view to his own aggrandizement. oath was devised by Watson, and administered to all who were made acquainted with the design; and both he and Clarke were indefatigable in their exertions to excite the Catholic gentry to join their cause, and support the undertaking with men and money. Various arguments were urged to press the irresolute and fearful into the enterprise; to some they ingeniously represented that as the King had not yet been crowned and anointed, he was only "a potential head," and therefore that every man might proceed to redress his grievances for himself as he pleased, and that it was not treason to use force for the purpose; to others with whom it was thought unsafe to confide the full scope of their plot, they pretended that they had discovered a design by Lord Grey and the Puritans to kidnap the King, and that it would be good policy in the Catholics to raise a sufficient force to overpower the Puritans, to rescue the King's person, and then to obtain for their services a full toleration for their religion. They met, however, with small success; for with the exception of Copley, a Catholic gentleman in the west of England of some property,

but of a weak and pusillanimous disposition, they were not actively assisted by any persons of consequence among the Catholic body.

One of the most remarkable circumstances attending this singular conspiracy was the accession of Lord Grey of Wilton to the enterprise. He was a Puritan, and the leader of his party; and as such, might be presumed most unlikely to engage in an undertaking originated and promoted by Papists, and the main object of which was to advance the interests of the Catholic religion. Cecil says that "Grey was drawn into the Priests' Treason at first by Brooke and Markham, not knowing that the priests and so many Papists were engaged in the action; whereof, afterwards, when he had knowledge, he sought to sever himself from that party by dissuading the execution of the project till some further time." There appears, however, to have been from the beginning a severance between the plans of the priests and Lord Grey; the scheme of the latter being to terrify the King into a compliance with the requisitions of the party by presenting a petition at the head of a company of noblemen and gentlemen in arms, without any actual violence to the royal person. Shortly before the day on which the plot was to take effect, Lord Grey, perceiving the predominance of the Catholics in the councils of the conspirators, withdrew himself altogether from them, under the pretext that he should do nothing until the arrival of a company of horse which he expected from the Netherlands.

Such were the Dramatis Persona of the "Bye." The conspiracy was in operation as early as the month of May, 1603. Its leading features were that the King should be suddenly seized at Greenwich on Midsummer-day, or at Hanworth, at which latter place it was supposed he would spend the night on his way from Greenwich to Windsor by a party of men strongly

armed, and sufficiently numerous to overpower any resistance which was likely to be offered by the attendants. The King was then, under pretence of ensuring his safety, to be conveyed to the Tower, or if they should fail in gaining admission there, to Dover Castle, of which Lord Cobham, as Warden of the Cinque Ports, had the control; and when completely in the power of the insurgents, he was to be prevailed upon to grant a pardon to all concerned in the transaction, and a full toleration for the Catholic religion; he was also to be required to dismiss all his Privy Councillors. Some of the conspirators stated in their Examinations before the Council* that it was even settled "what trumps they should deal amongst themselves before they sat down to the game;" thus Watson admits, though he says "he blushes to say it," that he was to have been Lord Chancellor; Brooke was to have been Lord Treasurer, Sir G. Markham principal Secretary, and Lord Grey Earl Marshal and Master of the Horse. A design so absurd, and composed of so many elements of discord, and to be executed by persons who, as Sully remarked, agreed in nothing but their common discontent, contained within itself the seeds of dissolution; the King's removal from Greenwich to Windsor before the time which had been calculated upon frustrated the scheme as originally arranged; irresolution and disunion prevailed in the councils of the conspirators; one disappointment after another was announced from the country; till at last just as Watson, who now despaired of success, had desired his confederates to disperse, Cecil's vigilance was awakened, and Copley, being arrested, discovered the whole plot†. Dr. Lin

State-Paper Office.

Sir G. Markham and the other conspirators, amongst whom were some of his brothers, absconded upon hearing of Copley's arrest; and a royal Proclamation for their apprehension was