Selected quad for the lemma: justice_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
justice_n	chief_a	sir_n	william_n	8,448	5	8.5732	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25867	The arraignment and conviction of Sr VValter Rawleigh, at the Kings Bench-barre at Winchester. on the 17. of November. 1603. Before the right Honorable the Earle of Suffolke, Lord Chamberline, the Earle of Devon-shire, Lord Henry Howard, Lord Cecill, Lord Wotton, Sir John Stanhope Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common-pleas, Popham and Andrewes, Justice Gaudy, Justice Warberton, Sir William Wade, commissioners. / Coppied by Sir Tho: Overbury.	Raleigh, Walter, Sir, 1552?-1618.; Overbury, Thomas, Sir, d. 1684.	1648 (1648)	Wing A3744; ESTC R206249	25,636	40

THE ARRAIGNMENT and Conviction of Sr Walter Rawleigh At the Kings Bench-Barre at WINCHESTER on the 17. of November 1603. Before the right Honorable the Earle of Suffolke Lord Chamberline the Earle of Devonshire Lord Henry Howard Lord Cecill Lord Wotton Sir Iohn Stanhope Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common-Pleas Popham and Andrewes Justice Gaudy Justice Warberton Sir William Wade Commissioners Coppied by Sir THO: OVERBVRY LONDON Printed by William Wilson for Abel Roper at the Sun over against St. Dunstons Church in Fleetstreet Anno Dom. 1648. THE ARRAIGNEMENT and conviction of Sir Walter Rawleigh At the Kings Bench Barre at Winchester 17. Novemb. 1603. AFTER that Sir Walter Rawleigh was brought to the Barre hee sate upon a stoole within a place made of purpose for the prisoner to be in and expected the comming of the Lords during which time he saluted divers of his acquaintance with a very steadfast and chearefull countenance When the Commissioners were all assembled having stood up a while hee desired the Marshall to aske leave of the Lords that hee might sit which was presently granted Then the Court proceeded in his Arraignment according to the ordinary course unto which Sir Walter did orderly and willingly dispose himselfe as the Jury was culled to the booke he was asked whether hee would challenge any of the gentlemen impanelled for his Jury hee said hee knew none of them but hoped they were honest men and so desired the Court to take their choyce of them The Jury being sworne who were Sir Ralph Conisbie sir Thomas Fowler sir Edward Peacock sir William Rowe Knights Henry Goodier Roger VVood Thomas VValker Thomas VVhitby Esquiers Thomas Higate Robert Kempton Iohn Chawkie Robert Brumley Gentlemen The Inditement was red by the Clearke of the Crowne Office the effect whereof was as followeth THat he did conspire and goe about to deprive the King of his government and to raise up sedition within the Realme to alter Religion and to bring in the Romish Superstition and to procure forraigne enemies to invade the Kingdomes That the Lord Cobham the ninth of June last did meet with the said Sir Walter Rawleigh Cobham was then in Durham House in the Parish of St. Martins in the Fields and then and there had conference with him how to advance Arabella Steward to the Crowne and Royall Throne of this Kingdome and that then and there it was agreed that Cobham should treate with Aremberge Ambassadour from the Archduke of Austria to obtaine of him 600 thousand Crownes to bring to passe their intended Treasons It was agreed that Cobham should go to Albert the Archduke to procure him to advance the pretended title of Arabella from thence knowing that Albert had not sufficient meanes to maintaine his owne Army in the Lowcountreys Cobham should go into Spaine to procure the King to assist and surther her pretended Title It was also agreed the better to effect all these conspiracies that Arabella should write three Letters one to the Archduke another to the King of Spaine and another to the Duke of Savoy And promising three things First to establish firme peace betwixt England and Spaine Secondly to tolerate the Romish and Popish Superstition Thirdly to be ruled by them for the contriving of the Marriage and for the effecting of these trayterous purposes Cobham should returne by the Isle of Jersey and should find Sir VValter Rawleigh Captaine of the said Isle of Jersey there and take counsell of him for the distributing of the foresaid Crownes as the occasions and discontentment of the Subjects should give cause and way And further that Cobham and his brother Brooke did meete on the ninth of June last and Cobham told Brooke all the Treasons to which Treasons Brooke gave his assent and did joyne himselfe to all these And after on the Thursday following Cobham and Brook did trayterously speake these words That there would never be a good world in England till the King and his Cubs meaning his Royall issue were taken away and the more to disable and deprive the King of his Crowne and to confirme the said Cobham in his intents Rawleigh did trayterously publish a Booke falsely written against the most just and royall title of the King knowing the said book to be written against the King which book Cobham afterwards received of him And further for the better effecting of these trayterous purposes and to establish the said Brook in his intents Cobham did deliver the said Booke to him on the fourteenth of June and on the sixteenth of June for the accomplishment of the said conference and by the trayterous instigations of Rawleigh did move Brook to incite Arabella to write to the three foresaid Princes to procure them to advance her Title that she after that she had obtained the Crowne should performe three things viz. To establish a firme peace betwixt England and Spaine Secondly to tolerate the Popish Religion with impunitie Thirdly to be ruled by them three in the contracting of Marriage by their assent And for the better effecting of these Treasons Cobham upon the 17. of June by the instigation of Rawleigh did write Letters to count Aremberge and delivered the said letters to one Mathew de Lawrencie who delivered them to the Count for the attaining of 600000. Crownes which money by other letters Aremberge did promise to performe payment of and those Letters Cobham did receive on the 18. of June then did Cobham promise Rawleigh that when hee should have received that money he would deliver 8000. Crownes to him to which motion he did consent And afterwards Cobham offered Brooke that when he should have received that money hee would give 10000. Crownes thereof to him to which motion Brooke did assent Master Serjeant Heale opened the matter and delivered the effect of the inditement In whose speech this was observed that he charged Sir Walter to have intended the Intitling of the Lady Arabella Steward to the Crowne who he said had no more title thereunto than he had himselfe and further said after a little pause that hee for his owne part did disclaime and renounce all title thereunto whereat Sir Walter Rawleigh smiled The Serjeant concluding Mr. Atturney Cooke began and with a long disourse amplified with vehement words and actions the severall treasons whereof Sr Walter stood indited wherein hee so farre moved Sir Walter that hee many times offered to make answer for himselfe before the Court would give him leave protesting Mr Atturney told him newes hee never heard of before and that his memory by reason of his sicknesse was so feeble that he could not remember so many circumstances as Mr. Atturney tired him withall But Mr. Atturney pressed the Lords that the Kings evidence ought not to be broken or dismembred whereby it might loose much of its grace and vigor notwithstanding it was yeelded when M. Atturney came to his proofe Sir Walter Rawleigh should have leave to answer his severall points as they were objected In

you to the purpose And my Lord Cobham told him further that he would offer a great summe of mony to my Lord Cecill and to my Lord of Northumberland to the same end but he disswaded him from it and told him they would hate him as long as they live for it And Sir VValter said further that the occasion of my Lord Cobhams accusation was this viz. When as Sir Walter perceived by the Lords that they had the said Mathew de Lawrencie in jealousie to do some bad offices between Count Aremberge and my Lord Cobham who as he thought was justly condemned upon these advertisements that he observed my Lord Cobham that night when my Lord Cobham brought him home to his house to go back past his owne stayres towards his Countesses lodgings with the said Mathew de Lawrencie as if he had been very sorry to have parted with him Then he writ to my Lord Cecil to signifie to him that in his judgement if he apprehended Mathew de Lawrencie presently it might be a means that he might intercept their intelligence perhaps not yet ripe And if otherwise Mat. de Lawrencie might perchance be shuffled away and so left it to his Lordships consideration And afterwards my Lord Cobham had constantly denied these matters upon his examination this letter was shewed unto him as though Sir Walter had induced him to all the inconveniences he had fallen into which after he had read he desired to read it againe And upon assurance it was Sir Walters Letter in a great passion he brake forth into these speeches Oh Villaine Oh vile Traytor hath he used me thus Nay then I will tell you all and thereupon in madnesse and perswasion of the wrong that Sir Walter had done him he delivered the right accusation the substance whereof was not denied though M. Attourney noted that he considered of a second time before he entred into passion Sir Walter appealed to all that knew my Lord Cobham that he was as passionate a man as lived and said that in his choller he had accused his friends of greater matters than these and had been sorry for it afterwards The Kings Councel replyed that the confession of George Brook of the foresaid speeches of my Lord Cobham touching himselfe and Sir Walter for a further plot than they two by any way could excuse must stand good in law in that those speeches were uttered as it appeared before those matters came out and before my Lord Cobham had conceived the spleene against Sir Walter upon the sight of this letter And further produced my Lord Cobhams confession That Sir Walter after his first being before the Lords did write unto him the said Cobham that he had been examined of many things concerning him but he had cleared him in all Now the Lords protested that all this while he was not asked one question touching my Lord Cobham and therefore the Attourney inferred that he writ this out of a fearefull and guilty conscience to confirme my Lord Cobham in his deniall against he should be examined Sir Walter hereupon declared that my Lord Cobham put him in trust to passe the Inheritance of certain fee farme lands for him and gave divers jewells of great value for his security which were in his bosome at the time of his apprehension and that my Lord Cobham had a Cabinet worth thirty pound which Master Attourney should have had for his favour and that at his returne from the Lords with private restraint to his owne house my Lord Cobhams footman came to him to know what was done in the businesse and he unwilling to have it knowne that he was restrained dispatched the footman saying he would write to his Lord and so did by Captain Kemish Besides for that which he writ of the said businesse and acquainted my Lord Cobham that he had been examined and that he had cleared his Lordship he did write so in this regard that though he were not examined of my L. Cobham yet he talking with my Lord Cecil and his Lordship telling him he was glad there were no more in the action than there appeared and that he hoped such a one was not in S. Walter said that my Lord Cobham was absolutely cleer and my Lord Cecill replyed he did hope so and thought no lesse all which was said in regard my Lord Cobham was thought to be discontented But afterwards my Lord Cecil said Sir VValter you have Kemish against you who carried the letter and toare out that sheet which concerned the Lords of the Councell for so was my Lord Cobhams confession and he hath been offered the rack for it but what he has confessed I as yet know not Answer was made by Sir VVilliam VVade that Kemish had confessed he carried a letter and knew nothing at all of the contents and that indeed he was told that he deserved himselfe to be put to the rack for it well said Sir VValter the Rackkeeper was called for was he not Sir VVilliam VVade said that it was privately reported that Kemish had his Masters letter back from my Lord Cobham but Sir VValter confessed no such matter But concerning that he was charged withall for practising to make a combustion in Scotland he confessed the words of my Lord Cobhams accusation to this effect That he thought the best course to trouble England was to cause sedition in Scotland and said that he had thought so any time these twenty yeeres and so it had been also held by the wisest men in this Kingdome And he had delivered his opinion to be such divers times to the Lords of the councell and he thought that there were few there but were of his opinion Sir VValter also offered to the consideration of the Iury that my Lord Cobham had not subscribed his accusation Then the Lords requested my Lord Cheife Iustice to deliver whether subscriptions were necessary by the Law and my Lord Chiefe Iustice said they were not Nay said Sir Walter pardon me my Lord for this by your Lordships favour I take to be the course of examination in this kinde After that the examinate hath confessed and his confession is written it is all read over againe distinctly and deliberately to him that he may be sure to say nothing but truth and then in confirmation that it is undoubtedly true and that he will stand thereunto he is to subscribe the same Now my Lords if my L. Cobham did accuse me thus rashly out of his passion and afterwards when he had read it againe began to relent and with sorrow for the wrong he had done me refuse to set his hand thereunto then I say my Lords I have reason to take hold of it And it is well knowne to you my Lord Cecil and my Lord of Northampton how he hath recanted his accusation moreover he hath most penitently sorrowed for this injury he hath done me and could never be quiet in his conscience till he had purged me Master Atturney

said that in my Lord Cobhams accusation there were many things that he had recanted but there was no essentiall point prenominated which he had recanted And my Lord Cecil said that the reason that my Lord Cobham gave why he would not subscribe was because he thought he was priviledged by his degree wherein he appealed to my Lord Chiefe Justice who answered that it was a great contempt to refuse to subscribe but it did not appeare that thereupon he did subscribe Then Master Atturney delivered that it was Sir Walters policy to have but one witnesse because he thought that one witnesse could not condemne him Sir Walter thereupon furiously started up and said to him Master Atturney you must not thinke that all that maketh for me is policy and all that maketh against me is plain and God revealeth it I were well fitted for justice if you should come to be my Judg what indifferency is there in this my Lord Chiefe Justice Remember I beseech your Lordship the statute of the first of Edward the Sixth ●ath this That no person shall be condemned of treason unlesse he be accused by two lawfull accusers and those to be brought before the party if they belong to England And remember too the statute of the 13 of the Queen No man shall be arraigned of treason without the oath of two sufficient and lawfull witnesses brought face to face My Lord Chiefe Justice said the statute of the first of Edward the Sixth was repealed by the first and second of Philip and Mary and reduced all tryall of treason to the course of the Common-law And that the statute of the thirteenth of Elizabeth extended to such offences as were mentioned in the said act to be committed against the Queene that dead is And that all was now put to the Common-law and that by the Common-law one witnes was sufficient concerning presumption some of the Judges said That by the law a man might be condemned without a witnesse onely upon presumption As if the King whom God defend should be slaine in his Chamber and one is seene to come forth of the Chamber with his sword bloody being drawne were not this evident both in law and opinion without further inquisition And my Lord Chief Justice said that one witnes accusing himself too was very great testimony especially in this case For it was not to be imagined that my Lord Cobham would do himselfe so much harme as to adventure the losse of his honour lands of so great worth and his life for any spleene to Sir Walter unlesse the matter were true and therfore the accusation was very strong against Sir Walter Note that the treasons against Queen Elizabeth which by the statutes of the thirteenth of her raigne were to be proved by the oath of two witnesses were death or bodily harme intending to death imagined against her levying of warres within or without the Realme against her plots to depose or deprive her publishing her to be a Tyrant Heretick Infidell Schismatick Vsurious c. Sir Walter proceeded and urged that though these statutes lived not yet he knew very well the reason of these statutes and equity of them lived still But howsoever I am sure said hee the law of God liveth for ever And you shall finde it in Deutronomy in the seventeenth Chapter In ore duorum aut trium testium peribit qui intersicitur Nemo occidatur uno contra se dicente testimonium And in the nineteenth Chapter Non stabit unus testis contra aliquem quicquid illud peccati et facinoris fuerit Sed in ore duorum aut trium testium stabit omne verbum Divers other places of the old Testament are to this purpose confirmed by our Saviour too in the eighteenth of Mark and the eight of Iohn and by Saint Paul Corinth 2. 13 And by the whole consent of the Scripture And if the Common-law be as Brookes saith who was a great Lawyer then there ought to be two witnesses For he saith a tryall is by verdict and by witnesse wherein my Lord Chiefe Justice said he was deceived But said he you tell me of one witnesse let me have him Prove these practises by one witnesse and I will confesse my selfe guilty to the King in a thousand treasons I stand not upon the Law I defie the law if I have done these things I desire not to live whether they be treasons by the law or no Let me have my accuser brought to my face and if he will maintaine it to my face I will confesse my judgement Here my Lord Chief Justice being required to signifie his opinion of the law in this case he said it was not the law to have the witnesse brought to his face considering he accused himselfe also To the which the rest of the Judges agreed Sir Walter replyed it was not against or contrary to the law Howsoever I do not expect it of duty And yet I say you should deale very severely with me if you should condemne me and not bring my accuser to my face Remember a story of Fortescue a reverend Chief Justice in this Kingdome Tells of a Judge in this Kingdome that condemned a woman for murthering her husband upon the presumption or testimony of one witnesse as it seemed and after she was burned a servant of the mans that was slaine being executed for the same fault confessed that he slew his Master himselfe and that the woman was innocent What did the Judge then say to Fortescue touching the remorse of his conscience for proceeding upon such slender proof Quod nunquam de hoc facto animam in vita sus ipse purgaret That he could never be at peace of conscience whilest he lived although he but gave consent upon the verdict of the Jury But my Lords for the matter which I desire remember too the story of Susanna Daniel thought the Judges fooles because they would condemn a daughter of Israel without asking the witnesse a question Why then my Lords let my accuser be brought and let me aske him a question and I have done for it may be it will appeare out of his owne tale that his accusation cannot be true or he will be discovered by examination But yet principally my Lords remember what is said in the xix of Deutronomy Si steterit testis mendax contra hominem accusans cum prevaricatione stabunt ambo quorum causa est ante dominum in conspectu sacerdotum et judicum qui fuerint in diebus illis And I will tell you Master Atturney if you condemne me upon bare inferences and will not bring my accuser to my face you try me by no law but by the Spanish inquisition If my accuser were dead or not within the land it were something But my accuser lives and is in the house and yet you will not bring him to my face About this time my Lord Cecil asked him if he would take issue upon these points upon my

conscience But he could not sleepe quietly till he had revealed the truth of it to the Lords and voluntarily of himself written the whole matter to them with his owne hand but yesterday vvhich I vvill read vvith a loud voice though I be not able to speake this sennight after and so pulled my Lord Cobhams letter out of his pocket vvhich vvas in effect thus to the Lords vizt. That Sir Walter had vvritten a letter to him a weeke before to intreat him for Gods sake to signifie unto him by his letter that he had vvronged him in his accusation and told him that the Lords had appointed to meet at Master Atturneys house to consider of his cause and that it vvas better to be constant in deniall than to appeale to the King and that he should take heed of Preachers by my Lord of Essexes example Novv it vvas vvrites my Lord Cobham no time to dissemble and therefore he protested unto their Lordships before God and Angels That the accusation of Sir Walter vvas substantially true And further confessed that Sir Walter had dealt with him since the Queenes death to procure him a pension from Spaine to give intelligence vvhen any thing vvas intended by England against them This letter vvas vvonderfully esteemed by Master Attourney and most effectually applyed vvith many quaint Phrases against Sir Walter vvho ansvvered nothing to those speeches vvhich vvere personall having said before that they vvere used onely to bring him into detestation of the vvorld but spake to this effect Novv it shall appeare that my Lord Cobham is an unworthy base silly simple poore soule Master Atturney said Is my Lord so poore Yea said he in Spirit Would to God you were so quoth Master Atturney Sir Walter proceeded I will tell you the troth It is true I got a poore fellow in the Tower to cast up a letter tyed to an apple for so Cobhams letter was conveyed in at my Lord Cobhams window when the Lievtenant was at supper which I was loath to have spoken of least the Lieutenant should be blamed but all the Lieutenants in the world could not have helpt it wherein I intreated him for Gods sake to do me right and to right the truth unto me because I knew not whither I should be arraigned before him or no and hereupon he writt to me how he had wronged me and herein I did nothing that was dishonest for ought I know but I sent him a letter againe because I heard he should be arraigned first and desired him to publish my innocence at his arraignment But that notwithstanding he writ unto me againe which letter I have now about me being all my hope and I beseech your Lordships to peruse it Master Atturney would not have it read but said My Lord Cecill marre not a good cause My Lord Cecill replyed Master Atturney you are more peremptory then honest you must not come heer to shew me what to do Then Sir Walter desired my Lord Cecil perticularly to read it because he knew my Lord Cobhams hand which at his request my Lord Cecil did The letter was to this purpose That whereas my Lord Cobham did not know whither he or Sir Walter should be first arraigned and because the bloud of Sir Walter and undoing of him his posterity should not be required at his hands at the last day Therefore he did by this letter confesse that he had wronged Sir Walter in his former accusation and that Sir Walter was innocent of any such practises and this was true as he hoped to be saved hereupon Sir Walter desired the Jury to consider what a man this was and what his testimony was yet if it were worth any thing The protestations which he had made to cleare him were more violent then those which he had made against him And the reason that might draw my Lord Cobham to vvrite this last letter in accusation of him were greater then could be alledged to perswade him to write the letter in his excuse here my Lord cheife Justice desired my Lord Cecil and my Lord of Northampton to satisfie the Jury that there was no condition of favour promised to my Lord Cobham for writing this last letter which they both did protest to their knowledge Nay said Sir Walter I dare say your Lordshipps would not offer it But my Lord Cobham received a letter from his wife that there was no way to save his life but to accuse me which was said upon the going together of the Jury Concerning the matter in my Lord Cobhams letter of standing to his deniall and to admit no preachers by the misfortune of my Lord of Essex and his desire of a pension from Spaine I protest to God said Sir Walter they are false like as the rest Saving that this I do confesse That my L. Cobham offered me a pension and I alas my Lords loath to cast him away and being confident that I had disswaded him from those humours did conceale it But that ever I dealt with him for any such pension is most untrue And for the meeting of the Lords at Mr. Atturnies house he heard so he protested by happe by a child of his After all this the Jury went together and staid above halfe an houre and returned with their verdict Guilty Then my Lord cheife Justice asked what he could say why Judgement should not be given upon him Hee said he knew the Court was to give Judgement after their verdict and so was willing my Lord should proceede Then my L. chiefe Justice pronounced Judgement against him in this manner viz. Sir Walter Rawleigh you are to be conveied to the place from whence you came and from thence to the place of execution and there to bee hanged till you are halfe dead your members to be out off your bowells to be taken out and cast into the fire before your face you being yet alive your head to bee cut off your quarters to be divided into foure parts to be bestowed in foure severall places and so said my Lord cheife Justice Lord have mercy upon your soule Sir Walter upon this humbly desired that the King might know the proofes against him And that hee did persist in his loyalty notwithstanding the said verdict which he would pray his said Jury might never answer for And further said the death of him and my Lord Cobham should witnesse betweene them Only he craved pardon for concealing my Lord Cobhams offer to him And humbly besought the King to have compassion on him hee was a poore gentleman and had a poore wife and a poore child raw and unbrought up he had much forgotten his duty in concealing my Lord Cobhams fault So Judgement being given as aforesaid and he having talked a while with the Lords in private went back with the Sheriffe to the prison with admirable erection yet in such sort as a condemned man should doe The proceedings against Sir Walter Rawleigh Knight At the Kings Bench Barre in

Westminster The 28. of October 1618. Together with his execution at Westminster on the 29 of October Anno the 16. Iacobi Regis c. UPon Wednesday the 28 of October Anno. Dom. 1618. The Lievtenant of the Tower according to a warrant to him directed brought Sir Walter Rawleigh from the Tower to the Kings Bench Barre at Westminster where the Recordes of his arraignment at Winchester was opened And he demanded why execution should not be done upon him according to the judgement therein pronounced against him To which he began in way of answer to justifie himself in his proceedings in the late voyage But the Lord Chiefe Justice silenced him therein saying there was no other matter there in question but concerning the judgement of death that formerly hath been given against him The which the Kings pleasure was upon some occasions best knowne to himselfe to have executed unlesse he could shew good cause to the contrary Unto which Sir Walter Rawleigh said that he was told by his Councell That in regard his Majestie since the said judgement had been pleased to imploy him in his service as by Commission he had done it made void the said judgment and was a verification unto him But the Lord Chiefe Justice told him that he was therein deceived and that the opinion of the Court was to the contrary Wherewith he was satisfyed and desired that some reasonable time might be allowed him to prepare him selfe for death But it was answered him that the time appointed was on the morrow and that it was not to be doubted but that he had prepared himselfe for death long since And I am glad said the L. Chief Justice that you have given the world so good satisfaction of your Religion as by some bookes published by you you have And so Master Atturney Generall requiring in the Kings behalfe that execution might be done upon the prisoner according to the foresaid judgement The Sheriffs of Middlesex were commanded for that purpose to take him to their custody who presently carryed him to the Gate-house From whence the next morning betweene the Sheriffs of Middlesex Sir Walter Rawleigh was brought to the old Palace in Westminster where a large Scaffold was erected for the execution Whereupon when he came with a cheerfull countenance he saluted the Lords Knights and Gentlemen there present After which a Proclamation was made for silence and he addressed himselfe to speake in this manner I desire to be borne withall for this is the third day of my feaver and if I shall shew any weaknesse I beseech you to attribute it to my mallady for this is the hour in which it is wont to come Then pawsing a while he sate and directed himselfe towards a window where the Lord of Arundel Northampton and Doncaster with some other Lords and Knights sat and spake as followeth I thanke God of his infinite Goodnesse that he hath brought me to die in the light and not in darknesse but by reason that the place where the Lords c. sate was some distance from the Scaffold that he perceived they could not well hear him he said I will straine my voice for I would willingly have your honours heare me But my Lord of Arundel said Nay we will rather come downe to the Scaffold which he and some others did Where being come he saluted them severally and then began againe to speake as followeth viz. As I said I thanke God heartily that he hath brought me into the light to dye and that he hath not suffered me to dye in the darke prison of the Tower where I have suffered a great deale of misery and cruell sicknesse and I thanke God that my feaver hath not taken me at this time as I prayed to God it might not There are two maine points of suspition that his Majestie as I heare hath conceived against mee To resolve your Lordships wherein his Majesty cannot be satisfied which I desire to cleer and to resolve your Lordships off One is that his Majesty hath been informed that I have often had plotts with France and his Majesty had good reason to induce him thereunto One reason that his Majesty had to conjecture so was that when I came back from Guyana being come to Plymouth I endeavoured to go in a barke to Rochell which was for that I would have made my peace before I had come to Englande Another reason was upon my flight I did intend to fly into France for the saving of my selfe having had some terror from above A third reason is his Majesty had reason to suspect was the French Agents coming to me besides it was reported that I had a Commission from the Frech King at my going forth these are the reasons that his Majesty had as I am informed to suspect me But this I say for a man to call God to witnesse to a falshood at the hour of death is farre more grievous and impious and that a man that so doth cannot have salvation for he hath no time of repentance then what shall I expect that am going instantly to render up my account I do therefore call God to witnesse As I hope to be saved and as I hope to see him in his Kingdom which I hope I shall within this quarter of this houre I never had any Commission from the French King nor never saw the French Kings hand writing in all my life neither know I that there was a French Agent nor what he was till I mett him in my gallery at my lodging unlooked for If I speake not true O Lord let me never enter into thy Kingdome The second suspition was that his Majesty had been informed that I should speake dishonorably and disloyally of my Soveraigne But my accuser was a base french man a runnagate fellow one that hath no dwelling a kinde of a Chymicall fellow one that I knew to be persideous for being by him drawne into the Action of fearing my selfe at Winchester in which I confesse my hand was toucht hee being sworne to secrecie over night revealed it the next Morning But this I speake now what have I to doe with Kings I have nothing to doe with them neither doe I feare them I have onely now to doe with my God in whose presence I stand therefore to tell a lye were it to gaine the Kings favour were vaine Therefore as I hope to be saved at the last judgement day I never spake dishonorably disloyally or dishonestly of his Majesty in all my life And therefore I cannot but thinke it strange that that Frenchman being so base and meane a fellow should be so farr credited as he hath been I have dealt truely as I hope to be saved and I hope I shall be beleeved I confesse I did attempt to escape I cannot excuse it but it was onely to save my life And I doe likewise confesse that I did faigne my selfe to be ill disposed and sick at Salisbury but I hope it was no