company, gave the charge, and being repulsed, and this Examinate hurt in the leg, the Earl retired with this Examinate and others to his house, called Essexhouse. And on his retire, the Earl said to this Examinate, that "if Sheriff Smith did not his part, that his part was as far forth as the Earl's own;" which moved him to think that he trusted to the City. And when the Earl was, after his retire, in Essex-house, he took an iron casket, and broke it open, and burnt divers papers in it; whereof there was a book, as he taketh it, and said, as he was burning of them, that they should tell no tales to hurt his friends: and saith, that the Earl said, that he had a black bag about his neck that should tell no tales.'

Part of the Examination of Edward Bushell, taken the 16th of February, 1600-1, was then read :

'Being asked, what my Lord of Essex said when he came back again to Essex-house? he saith, the Earl said, that if a black purse he had about his neck were found, it should appear, by that he had in it, how he was betrayed in the City.'

Then was read a part of Lord Cromwell's Confession,* to the following effect:

'That he heard nothing of the matter till Sunday morning; when seeing the Earl of Essex pass by his lodging in Fleet-street, he heard him say, "Not for all your goods, my Masters, should the kingdom be sold to the King of Spain !"

Attorney-General. If that black bag, mentioned by Bushell and my Lord Sandys, could be brought to light, there would be found much good stuff, for both Sir John Davis, and Sir Charles Danvers did depose that you said to them, that that black bag could witness that you were betrayed in London; which is also witnessed by

* This Deposition of Lord Cromwell's is not to be found in the State-Paper Office, nor is it mentioned in Bacon's account of the Trial. A Confession of Lord Cromwell's is indeed given by Bacon, dated after the trial of Essex and Southampton, and totally different from that in the text; and it is a singular circumstance, that though all the reports of the Trial state that such an Examination was proved, and some of them give the substance of it as above, they differ totally from each other as to its effect.

Bushell, one who was very inward with you, but you were confident in London, having been persuaded by your sycophants that all the City was on your part, and in the pride and overweening of their aid, you contemned the Queen's royal authority; her herald could not be hearkened unto.

Essex. As for Bushell, I was never inward with him but as jy servant waiting at my table; and for the herald I could not believe that he had authority to do that he did, being a man of noted dishonesty, and once burnt in the hand.* No, Mr Attorney, I never conferred nor attempted anything, but to serve my sovereign and country, by letting her Majesty understand that which she could not do by reason of our enemies that were near about her: and therefore, I do charge you all, my Lords, that notwithstanding all eloquence is used to make me a Traitor, a Papist, a Sectary, and an Atheist, and to have aspired to the Crown, that you have a due regard to your consciences, and judge of me as a good Christian, and as one that never sought to exceed the degree of a subject; the which I doubt not by God's grace to manifest, by going with courage and a cheerful heart to my death; howsoever I have been dealt withal, I had sought to appease all humours of revenge in me, and for confirmation thereof was resolved to receive the sacrament, until the attempt upon the Earl of Southampton by the Lord Grey. I thank God I am far from Atheism; I doubt not but by his grace to die a Christian, and as an Earl that have faith fully served my Prince and country, notwithstanding what others out of the weakness of their hearts have testified against me.

Lord Monteagle's Examination, taken the 16th of February, 1600-1:

'He saith, that on Sunday morning the 8th of this

* This herald, whose name was Sir Gilbert Dethick, seems to have been an old enemy of Essex, for in the Harleian Papers, No. 6996, there is a Letter from Essex to the Lord Keeper Egerton dated 6th May, 1594, requesting him not to put the seal to the patent of a new herald not named, because the individual was burned in the hand for felony, and was infamous as carrying a notorious mark of reproach.

present February, he was sent for to Essex-house by the Earl of Essex, and being not at his lodging when the message was left there, he, after hearing of it, came to Essex-house, where he found the Earls of Rutland and Southampton, and the Lord Sandys, and a number of Knights and Gentlemen. And the Earl of Essex said, that his life was basely sought by Lord Cobham and Sir Walter Raleigh, and that he meant to put himself in greater strength than his house was, and from thence would acquaint her Majesty with his grievances. And saith, that he was there when the Lord Keeper and the other Councillors came to Essex-house; and after they were in the chamber, this Examinate came down with the Earl of Essex and his company, and went with him to Sheriff Smith's house, and from thence in the rear of the troop with Sir F. Gorge, to Ludgate, and there were repulsed, and from thence returned with the Earl to Essex-house; and he saith, that he had like to have been drowned at Queenhithe, but for John Salisbury, and thereupon was carried with them to Essex-house; otherwise he (if that accident had not fallen out) had gone to his lodging.'

Mr Attorney. Now, my Lord, I beseech your Grace, and you, my Lords, that be the Peers, let the due consideration of these several Examinations and Depositions enter into your hearts; and do but note how they have all agreed together in each particular point, notwithstanding these persons were all severally examined: but I must needs tell you that it is the just judgment of God, in his mercy towards our Sovereign, to have the truth so miraculously revealed; coming from these witnesses of their own accords, without either rack or torture to any of them.

Essex. Mr Attorney, I answer for that point; the self-same fear and the self-same Examiner, may make the several Examinations agree all in one, were they never so far distant; but, good my Lord, let me desire your Grace to note who they be, and in what state they be that testify thus against me; my Lord, they are men within the danger of the law, and such as speak with a desire to live; and I wish that what they speak may purchase life unto them, for I never meant to endanger 30

VOL. XVI.

any of them; but I think they have much to answer for between God, their souls, and me. For mine own part I am indifferent how I speed this day; I desire not to live, nor have not for a long time; I could have been contented to have died in my own house where I was beset; yet I thank Almighty God that hath reserved me until this day's trial. God knows I was drawn into this hazard by those that have the Queen's ear, and abuse it, informing her of falsehoods against many of us; which, having felt a long time, I chose at last rather to hazard her Majesty's mercy than to abide the dangerous courses that they might work against me. My purpose was to have come unto her Majesty with eight or nine honourable persons, who had just cause of discontentment, though not equal with mine, and so prostrating ourselves at her Majesty's feet, to have put ourselves unto her mercy. And the effect of our desires should have been, that she would have been pleased to have severed some from her Majesty, who, by reason of their potency with her, abused her Majesty's ears with false informations; and they were Cobham, Cecil, and Raleigh, For we thought that my Lord Cobham carried himself in factious and dangerous courses, and told her Majesty many untruths; and he was a principal cause, as I think, of withdrawing her favour from us. And to have removed such a base informer* from her Majesty, I would have bended my tongue, my brain, and my best endeavour with all diligence; but without purpose of harm to her Highness: for, I protest I do carry as reverent and as loyal duty to her Majesty, as any man in the world.

Lord Cobham. I pray you, my Lord of Essex, let me know, I entreat you, why you lay such imputations upon me as you have delivered. I never bore you any malice; indeed I confess I have disliked some of your ambitious courses, which could not but breed danger to the state, in which respect I sought to hinder their growth.

Essex. My Lord, I have forgiven all the world, and therefore you shall not need now to insist upon these circumstances. I lay my curse upon him that shall do your Lordship any harm for my sake; for I protest my heart beareth you no malice, for what I spake was freely

* See ante, p. 286, for the cause of Essex's hatred to Cobham.

and in God's presence, hoping her Majesty would have heard us and our just complaints.

Then the Lord High Steward spake to this effect, that the matters before alleged by the Earl of Essex, concerning my Lord Cobham, Sir Robert Cecil, and Sir Walter Raleigh, were impertinent, and willed them to proceed to the business in hand.

Essex. My opinion of them is not mine alone, but is fortified by the opinions of others.

Bacon. My Lord, I expected not that the matter of defence would have been excused this day; to defend is lawful, but to rebel in defence is not lawful; therefore what my Lord of Essex hath here delivered, in my conceit, seemeth to be simile prodigio. I speak not to simple men, but to prudent, grave, and wise Peers, who can draw up out of the circumstances the things themselves. And this I must needs say, it is evident that my Lord of Essex had planted a pretence in his heart against the Government, and now, under colour of excuse, he layeth the cause upon his particular enemies. My Lord of Essex, I cannot resemble your proceedings more rightly than to one Pisistratus, in Athens, who, coming into the city with the purpose to procure the subversion of the kingdom, and wanting aid for the accomplishing his aspiring desires, and as the surest means to win the hearts of the citizens unto him, he entered the city, having cut his body with a knife, to the end they might conjecture he had been in danger of his life. Even so your Lordship gave out in the streets that your life was sought by the Lord Cobham and Sir Walter Raleigh, by this means persuading yourselves, if the City had undertaken your cause, all would have gone well on your side. But the imprisoning the Queen's Councillors, what reference had that fact to my Lord Cobham, Sir W. Raleigh, or the rest? You allege the matter to have been resolved on a sudden. No, you were three months in the deliberation thereof. Oh! my Lord, strive with yourself and strip off all excuses; the persons whom you aimed at, if you rightly understand it, are your best friends. All that you have said, or can say, in answer to these matters, are but shadows. It were your best course to confess, and not to justify.