forth a Dagger reversed proper piercing a bloudy heart The point crowned Empcriall with this Distick Haec Dextra Vindex Principis Patriae Afterward he was created Lord Haddington and Earle of Holdernesse And our Pamphlet bestowes on him this Character A very good Gentleman by nature but in this Story a Lier by practise Pamp. 9. for which all these favours were too little Reward Sir Thomas Erskin was after wards created Earl of Kelly Knight of the Garter Captain of the King's Guard and Groome of the Stoole And the Fellow designed for the Murtherer had a large Pension confirm'd by Act of their Parliament And all these men but Herries were living with other witnesses at King JAME'S journy when he went from hence to visit Scotland and met together by direction at the same House with Ceremony and all of them with a number of Courtiers ascended into the same Roome the bloud yet remaining where the King related the Story and confirmed by them And afterwards kneeling down with tears of Contrition for his Sinnes to God and thankfulnesse for this Mercy using many pious Ejaculations embraced all these Actors in the former Tragedy when the poor fellow also kist the King's hand These circumstances gave occasion then that this whole story was freshly revived to the common Satisfaction of the whole Countrey and our English Courtiers And in especiall unto the very Reverend Bishop and Nobly borne James Mountegue then present to whom the King addressed himself in this Relation and from whose Mouth I received these particulars at his return into England And thus much we have by word of mouth somewhat I shall add out of writings for more satisfaction This Treason was attempted the 4. of August 1600. And though there followed sundry Suspitions and Examination of several other Persons supposed Abbetters Contrivers yet it lay undiscovered tanquamè postliminio untill 8. years after by the circumspection principally of the Earle of Dunbar a man of as great wisdome as those times and that Kingdome could boast of Upon the person of one George Sprot Notary-publick of Ayemouth in Scotland From some words which at first he sparingly or unawares expressed and also by some papers which were found in his House whereof being examin'd with a little adoe he confessed and was condemned and executed at Edenburgh the 12. of Aug. 1608. A Relation I conceive not common but in my hands to be produced and written by that learned Gentleman Sir William Hart then Lord Justice of Scotland and Principall in all the Acts of Judicature herein And first George Sprot confesseth That he knew perfectly that Robert Logane late of Restalrig was privy and upon foreknowledge of John late Earl of Gowrie's Treasonable Conspiracy That he knew there were divers Letters interchanged betwixt them anent their Treasonable put pose July 1600. which Letters James Bour called Laird Bour Servitor to Restalrig imployed betwixt them and privy to all that arrand had in keeping and shewed the same to Sprot in Fast-Castle That Sprot was present when Bour after 5. daies absence returned with â—nswers by letter from Gowry and staid all night with Restalrig at his house Gunuesgreen rode the next morne to Lothiane where he staid six daies then to Fast-Castle where he abode a short space That he saw and heard Restalrig read these letters which Bour brought back from Gowry and all their Conference there anent And that Bour said Sir if you think to get Commodity by this dealing lay your hand on your heart and that Restalrig answered though he should lose all in the world yet he would passe through with Gowry for that matter would as well content him as the Kingdome To whom Bour said you may do as you please Sir but it is not my Councell that you should be so suddain in that other matter But for the Condition of Darlton I would like very well of it To this Restalrig answered content your self I am not at my wits end That Sprot himself entered into conference with Bour demanding what was to be done between the Earle and the Laird Bour answered that he beleeved that the Laird would get Darlton without gold or silver but he fear'd it would be deerer to him That Sprot inquiring further how that should be done Bour said they have another pie in hand then buying and selling of land But prayed Sprot for God's sake that he would let be and not be troubled with the Lairds business for he fear'd that within few daies the Laird would be landlesse and livelesse And Sprot being demanded afterwards if all these Confessions were true as he would answer upon the salvation of his soul seeing his death was neer approaching Sprot said That he had no desire to live and had care only of cleering his Conscience in the truth And that all the former points and circumstances were true with the depositions made by him the 5. of July last and the whole confession made by him since as he hoped to be saved and which he would seale with his bloud And further being deposed where was now the letter of Restalrig to Gowry He answered That he had this letter amongst other of Restalrig's papers which Bour had in keeping and which Sprot copied out and that he left the principall letter in his Chest amongst his writings when he was taken and brought away and that it is closed and folded in a sheet of paper These depositions made by George Sprot the to of August 1608. and others before being all included in his Indictment following to which for brevity I shall remit the Reader and written by James â—rimrose Clerk of the King's Councell and subscribed Georgè Sprot Present Earl of Dunbar Earl Lothiane Bishop of Rosse Lord Schone Lord Hallo-rod-house Lord Blautire Sir William Hart Lord Justice Mr. John Hall Mr. Patrick Gahoway Mr. Peter Hewet Ministers of Edenburgh and subscribed with all their hands The next day 11. of August Sprot was re-examined and to him declared the assurance of his death and was advis'd not to abuse his Conscience to witnesse untruths and upon the Innocency of the dead or living To which he deposeth That being resolved to die and as he wishes to be participant of Heaven upon the salvation or damnation of his Soul that all that he had deposed were true in every point and circumstance and no untruth in them The next day being the 12. of August 1608. Sprot was presented in Judgement upon Pannell within the Talboth of Edenburgh before Sir William Hart Knight Lord Justice of Scotland assisted with these Persons viz. Alexander Earle of Dunferling Lord Chancelour George Earle of Dunbar Lord Treasurer John Arch-bishop of Glascoe David Bishop of Rosse Gawen Bishop of Galloway Andrew Bishop of Brechine David Earl of Crawford Mark Earl of Lotharine James Lord Abernethie of Saltonne James Lord of Balmerinoth Senitapie Walter Lord Blautire John Lord Burley Sir Richard Coburn Knight Master John Preston Collector Generall
to raise of these Natures the true values and to receive equal benefit with the rest of the Subjects if the Book had bin since observed which he caused in print And for the Copy-holders of Inheritance who by many Records prove their fines certain they did hereupon offer for their freedome 20.30.40 and 50. years purchase where they could shew probable Records without sine to free themselves The Wastes and Commons were tender Titles Wastes Commons full of murmering and Commotion which truly he never durst offer to inclose Nor to urge the Tenants to become Suitors themselves with whom Commissioners were to be appointed to compound for a part and so he made a good President for the rest The Casual fines Casual fines due to the King out of the private possessions as other Lords have by their Courts of Leets Court Barons and such like and out of publique offences as the King was Parent of the Common-Wealth unto whom belong'd praemium poena These being natures left for the King's bounty he commended them also to Commissioners for a better Revenue to be raised being till his time utterly neglected and almost lost As for the extended Lands where the Officers became indebted to the Crown and made it an Art to have their Lands extended at easy rates He caused the most of these to be surveyed commended the Improvement to Commissioners and commanded the Tenants to appear before them The Improvements of the Customes he advanced from 86000. l. to 120000. l. and from that to 135000. l. by the year He bargained for the River-water to be brought to London River water and so to the driest parts which brought a great yearly value He alwaies incouraged all Industry of Manufactures Manufactures Such Inventions as the Statutes admit and countenance As home-making of Allome Salt by the Sunne Busses for fishing Salt upon Salt by new fires and Inventions Copper and Coperas of Iron and of Steele That the Subjects at home might be set on work and the small Treasure of the Nation kept within It concerned him as Secretary to have Intelligence from all parts of the World Intelligence and Correspondence with all Em bassadours and Forreigne States not to be neglected at any hand which he did at his own cost So did all parts grow confident of such a Councelour And so he kept Rules with the united Provinces whose Friendships he would say much concerned this State I may not forget his Christian care Ireland improved for poor Ireland Plantations there and transplantations of the Natives to advance the Customes there and to abate the charges of the Garisons And he did endeavour and in manner did effect an universall course of Law and Justice in the most barbarous and remote parts of that Nation And now concerning the Court of Wards and Liveries Wards Liveries By constitution of this State all the lands of this Nation are holden by two Tenures By Soccage or by Knights Service By the Plough to feed us or by the Sword to defend us And who so died leaving an Heir within age unable to do this service his Heir and Lands fell both to the Protection of the Soveraign And this in antient time was promiscuously carryed in the Court of Chancery until the middle time of Hon. the 8. when this Court of Wards was first erected Since which time the Masters thereof by favour of the Soveraign did accustome as a bounty of State to grant unto Noble Men the King's Servants and their owne followers both the marriag of the body and the lease of the Lands for a third peny of their true worth But in all humility his Lordship finding the estate in a Retrograde Consumption did with all obedience present his Patent at the Kings feet and so the whole benefit became the profit of the Crown Thus he wrought in the Mine of the State-affaires and wasted his Carkasse with desire to have done better Service in these his offices of Treasurer Secretary and Master of the Wards And yet these were sufficient just and true merits Without Friends Wit or Wealth to raise him so much in his Master's esteem Or without ill offices done by him to this Nation as our Pamphlet will make us believe in many absurd particulars And truly Pam. 11.12 his studious labours in the State brought him the sooner to sicknesse a Consumption of the Lungs wherein he wasted some years and at last by advise for cure at the Bath he took leave of the King who came to visit him at Salisbury-House and with tears at his parting protested to the Lords attending his great losse of the wisest Councelour and best Servant that any Prince in Christendome could Paralel Of whom one saies Tu Pater Patriae Princeps Prudentia cujus Extulit immensum Reges Populósque Britannos His time at the Bath was short being spent to extreamity ere he came thither and returning back by the way he was taken out of his Litter and put himself in his Coach and died afterwards at St. Margarets in the House of that worthy Gentleman Mr. Daniel in May 1612. My Lord Viscount Cramborne now Earle of Salisbury and the Lord Clifford Sir Robert Manton and many more Gentlemen of quality then present whom I saw there He was Imbalmed and after Intomb'd at his Princely Mannor of Hartfield Pamp. 14. A fairer Corps then any brasen face that belies his disease His death was extreame sadnesse to the King and to all his friends and others of worth and honour For in spite of the Pamphleter Pamp. 14. he will be valued as he does confesse Never came a Better The next we meet with is Henry Earle of Northampton Henry Howard Earle of Northampton The Antient and Illustrous family of the Howards were here more Eminent then any other that ushered the King to his Additionall Crownes This Henry Howard was Brother unto Thomas Duke of Norfolke who suffered for his attempt of marriage with the Queen of Scots whilst she was Prisoner here in England Which might be some Motive to induce the King to consider the advance of that family though they were indued with large possessions from their Ancestors The Duke left two Sons Philip Earl of Arundell Thomas Howard Earle of Suffolk afterwards Lord Treasurer Henry Howard their Uncle Pamp. 15 was more wedded to his Book then to the Bed for he died a Bacheler and so had the lesse occasion to advance his fortune by Court-flattery or State-Imployment nor indeed was he ever any Suitor for either He was accounted both wise and learned and therefore out of the Kings great affection to Letters especially when they are met in a Noble Person he was advanced in his Creation of Baron of Marnhill and Earle of Southampton then Pryvy Councelor Lord Privy Seale and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Knight of the Garter He had very plentifull for his single life
Proclametion That Essex and Southampton were Traitors all those that followed their faction Many dropping from the Crowd there was little defence by his party though some were killed and himselfe forsaken of the wisest He retires back to Queenhithe and so to Essex-house by water where finding the Birds flowen the Councellors released by their Keeper who in hope of pardon accompained them to the Queenes presence discovering so much as he knew concerning his Lord who finding himselfe too weake to withstand the force of a peece of Cannon mounted upon the Church to batter his House He and Southampton yeelded themselves Prisoners to the Tower Arraigned and executed where being arraigned and condemned Southamton had repreeve and after pardon But Essex the reward of his merits and Executed in March 1601. upon the Inner Hill in the Tower to the regret of None either wise or honest Leaving behind him one onely Son the last of his Line William Cecill Cecils Pamp. 10. illustrate from the family of Cecils who suffered persecution in the times of Henry 8. Edward 6. and Queen Mary he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth so soone as she was setled in her Crowne then Secretary and Councellor of State Afterwards created Baron of Burligh Then made Lord Treasurer of England and Knight of the Garter and died Chauncellor of the Vniversity of Cambridge Anno 1598. Intomb'd at Westminster leaving two Sons The elder Thomas was then Lord President of the North And afterwards created Earle of Exeter by King James and privy Councellor of State He died Anno discreet and honourable whom the world could never tax with any taint The other son Robert Sr. Robert Cecill was the second But a true Inheriter of his Fathers wisdome and by him trained up to future perfections of a Judicious States-man after his Knighthood the first imployment from Court for he was not at all bred out of it sent him Assistant with the Earle of Darby Embassadour to the French King At his returne the Queen took him second Secretary with Sir Fr. Walsingham after whose decease he continued Paincipal and so kept it to his death Not relinquishing any Preferment for the Addition of a Creater A remarkeable Note which few men of the Gowne can boast of His Father liv'd to see him setled in these preferments and after Master of the Wards and Liveries These he held to the Queenes death Being in all Her time used amongst the Men of weight as having great sufficiencies from his Instruction who begat him Those offices here in public with perpetual Correspondence by Emissaries of his own into Scotland might no doubt make him capable of Reception with King James who was to be advised by him how to be received here of his people Without any necessity then to make use of Sir George Hewmes or his Initiatiation afterwards with any juggling trickes Pamp 13. his merrits certainly appeared to the King who not onely not diminished his forformer preferments But often added to them even to the day of his death As first Baron of Essenden then Viscount Cranborne after Earle of Salisbury and Knight of the Garter and lastly Lord Treasurer of England He was a Councellor of singular merit A very great discoverer of the late Queens enemies abroad and of private Assinations at home For which She valued him and the Papists hated him which they published by several Manuscripts which I have seen and printed Libels and that most pestilent against his birth and honour threatning to kill him which himselfe answered wisely learnedly and religiously Extant in English and Latine Adversus Perduelles Indeed It behoved the King to bestow upon him the waight of the Treasurers Staffe The Cofers then in some want which the King was not likely soon to Recover but rather to increase in debt having the addition of wife and children to boot And being now come with common opinion into the Capacity by his additional Crownes to reward his old servants and to appear obliging unto new Ones The world wondering at the worth of this great Councellor I know not upon what score our Pamphleter should endeavour to scandal his memory Which he rancks into Numbers of ill Offices to his Nation Pamp. 12. as the burning of a whole cart-load of Parliaments Presidents which no man can be so sottish as to beleeve that knowes the strict concerving of those Records by sworne Officers As for the Baronets Baronets It was the earnest suite of two hundred prime Gentlemen of Birth and estates to my knowledge for I copied the list before ever it came this Lord. And as true it is That this Lord's Reception thereto was in the same words which our Pamphlet puts upon the King That it would discontent the Gentry to which themselves replyed Nay my Lord It will rather satisfie them in advance of Dignity before others who now come behind those Meaner Men whom the King was forced to Knight for his own honor and some merits of theirs having no other Reward or money to spare and therein not much to blame to oblige them that way As for that supposed jugling Pamp. 13. which the Duke of Bullion should discover As it was never known to wiser men So we may take it a devise of his who in these as in other such like of his own may truly merit that Character which he bestowes before On the good Gentleman Pamp. 9. I desire pardon if I speake much and truth in the memory of this Noble Lord being somewhat concerned to speak my owne knowledge I know that this Earle of Salesbury declining his health with continuall labour for the good of this Nation both in the former and in this his Soveraign's Service And am willing to give some light thereof to such as are pleased to read these particulars being an Account of his concernments For first Salisbury his service to the State Mannors Lands he found the King's Mannors and fairest possessions most unsurveyed and uncertain rather by report then by Measure Not more known then by ancient Rents the Estate granted rather by chance then upon knowledge The Custody-Lands Custody-hands antiently termed Crown-Lands much charged upon the Sheriffs yearly discharged by annual pensions A Revenue which seemed decayed by descent of times and worne out of all remembrance these he evermore revived by Commissioners of Asserts The Woods Woods were more uncertain then the rest No man knew the Copices Number of acres growth or value nor of Timber-Trees either Number or worth So as truly he might well find himself in a Wood indeed The Trees wasted without controwle because no Record kept thereof These he caused to be numbred marked and valued easily to be questioned when thereafter missing The Copy-hold Lands Copy-holds where the arbitrary sines ceased by the discretion of the Stewards and did seldome yeeld the Parsons part and that also vanish'd in fees and charges The State was then after like
I never knew then nor can find sithence any suspicion unlesse in that of the Treasury The ground whereof is hinted unto us by our Author Pamph. 166. But in truth in this He hath but Scumm'd the Pot to cleere the Broth. For indeed who more fit for the reasons I have shewed than this man of experience in Stating the Accompts for the Revenues of the State which I know he improved and not unlikely thereby purchased Envy for his Eminency And to say truth according to his Place He did indeavor to Husband the same to piece out with the expence which the Princes Iourney into Spain had wonderfully and unnecessarily exhausted as by the Printed accompt thereof lately divulged by Parliament doth manifestly appeare Then which no better Evidence can be produced to acquit the Treasurer together with what the Pamphletter publishes as a supposed crime Pamph. 166. His refusall to supply that journey and Buckinghams folly and prodigality and this He did deny as the duty of his Office required and which He well understood as being of Counsell and acted as a Counsellour in that undertaking to My knowledg and as indeed being then the Statesman at the Counsell Table But his refusall of supplying Buckingham upon that Score only wrought him no doubt at his returne home the Treasurers great enemy And whom He opposed a small accusation might serve the turne to turne any Man out of all as He did Him And yet to the Honour of his Memory though they raked into all his actions and racked all mens discoveries to the height of Information the power of Buckingham could never produce any Crime though mightely attempted against his exact accompts in that boundlesse trust of the tempting Treasury And in spite of Malice though they divested him of that Office yet He lived long after in Peace Wealth and Houour And died since these times of inquiry leaving to his Heire his Honors untaint with a plentifull Estate to all his Children enabling them to beare up the worthy Character of their Fathers meritts And thus having digressed in our matter beyond our time we returne to the first appearance of our new Favorite George Villiers 89 His discent George Villiers who was of an Ancient Family in Leicestershire His Father Sir Edward Villiers begat him upon a second Wife Mary Beomont of Noble birth whom for Her beauty and goodnesse He Married He had by Her three Sonnes Iohn Viscount Purbeck George Duke of Buckingham and Christopher Earle of Anglesey and one Daughter Susan Countesse of Denbigh Our Pamphlet tells us Page 90. That He came over by chance from his French Travells and sought his preferment in Mariage with any body but mist of his match for want of a hundred Marks Ioynture And so pieces him for the Court like in the Story of Dametas Caparisons borrowing of every one piecemeal to put him forward for the Kings Favourite The truth is thus His Mother a Widdow was lately Married unto Sir Thomas Compton second Brother to the Lord Compton who by chance falling upon a wonderfull match for matchless wealth with Alderman Sir John Spencers Daughter and Heir And his Father then lately dead this Lord was Master of all which was of more than credible and so might be enabled bountifully to set up a Kinsman without help or alms of the Parish And it was plotted long before and Villiers sent for to the same purpose And this indeed was done by practice of some English Lords And I can tell him the time and place There was a great but private Entertainment at Supper at Baynards Castle by the Family of Herberts Hartford and Bedford and some others By the way in Fleetstreet hung out Somersets picture at a Painters Stall which one of the Lords envying bad his Footman sling dirt in the face which he did and gave me occasion thereby to ask my Companion upon what score that was done He told me That this meeting would discover And truly I waited neer and opportune and so was acquainted with the Design to bring in Villiers And thus backt Our new Favourite needed not to borrow nor to seek out many Bravo'es to second his Quarrels which at first I confess he met with For having bought the place of Cup bearer to the King his right was to have the upper end of the Table at the reversion of the Kings Diet only during his monethly wayting But he not so perfect a Courtier in the Orders of the House set himself first out of his month when it was not his due and was told of it and so removed which was not done with over much kindnesse for indeed the Other was Somersets Creature But not long after this party by chance rather than by designe spilt upon Villiers cloaths as he carried meat to the Kings Table and returning to Dinner Villiers gave him a box on the Eare For which the Custome of the Court was to have his hand cut off and which belonged to Somerset as Chamberlain to prosecute the Execution Favorite as he did And here the Kings mercifull pardon without any satisfaction to the party made him appear a Budding Favorite And now we are fallen upon a story of fooling and fidling sometime used for Courtlike recreations I confesse Pamph. 91. but alwayes with so much wit as might well become the Exercise of an Academy Not Gerbiers which our Author misconstrues and calls a Brothelry to usher in the New Favorite and to out the Old One whose Misfortunes with his Lady brake out even now as we have told of before And now indeed Pamph. 124. all the browse boughs cut downe or removed to plain the Stemm our Favorite appears like a proper Palm His first step into honourable Office was in the Admiralty Admiralls to succeed a good and gallant Old Lord of Nottingham who being almost Bed ridd made sute to the King That himself might dispose his place as a Legacy in his life time upon Villiers which was so done and who to my knowledge went in Person to acknowledg the Kindnesse and presented his Young Lady with a very noble and valuable reward which my Lord Compton paid for and besides a Pension therefore during his life And all this was done with so much love and liking that I have often observed Villiers his great Civility to him ever after at each meeting to call him Father and bend his knee without the least regret of the Lord that gained more than he lost by the bargain and did not cost the King a penny And because Sir Robert Mansell a dependant of Nottingham had the place of Vice-Admirall at pleasure only Villiers for his Lords sake continued him by Patent during life For which Courtesie the good Old man came himself to give thanks as I remember the last Complement his age gave him leave to offer And thus was this Office of Honor and Safety to the Kingdom Ordered from the Command
forewarning of the Duke of Florence by expresse Message of Sir Henry Wootton to King James a year before his comming to these Kingdomes against Her beloved and undoubted Heir and in Them to destroy the Protestant Religion The most remarkeable was Gowries Conspiracie that of Gowries Conspiracy in Scotland And I never read or hear'd till our Pamphlet That Sir George Hewms his gravity and Wisdome ushered him into the Secrets of the KING therefore and chiefly to make good that story Pamph. 8. The first passage of the Preface Remarkable For of that Nation both the wisest and most honest gave great Credit thereto And the commemoration was advisedly settled by Acts of their Parliament which Anathematize upon Gowries House and Name And Solemnized there and here with Narratives in print of each particular Circumstance and the ground the cause inviting that Treason And truely the Anniversary feast-day in August was usually solemnized to God's Glory by the most Reverend Preachers witnesse those rare Divine Sermons of our Bishop Andrew's and others whose Consciences no doubt were not so large to cozen God Almighty with a fained tale Indeed there might have been more additionall truths annexed to the relation which I have heard to make it more apprehensive to our Pamphleter whose Speculations in this as in other his stories of Court and State took Information belike but in his Office Below-staires And which makes his faith drawe downe the effects of those Sermons for the Father Pamp. 10. as a Cause of the sad Events and sufferings of the Son and us all to this present The Name of Ruthen in Scotland was not notorious until Anno 1568 when Ruthen amongst others confederates in those divided times of trouble laboured much for the Imprisoning Queene Mary Mother to King James In 1582. his sonne William was created Earle Gowry in the time of that King's minority Though the father bore deadly hatred to the King's prosperity And in 1584. himselfe was in actuall Rebellion in which he suffered at Dondee His eldest son John then in travell in Italy returns home to inherit his lands and honours But not one jot changed in disposition from the traiterous wayes of his Predecessors For not long after he falls into this Conspiracy Which is not so antient but that many then and now living can relate and my self have often heard the repetition The House of Gowry were all of them much addicted to Chimistry And these more to the Practise often publishing as such professors usually do more rare experiments then ever could be performed wherein the King a general scholar had little faith But to infuse more credit to the practise Alexander Ruthen the second Brother takes this occasion and withall conspires with Gowry to assassinate the King and taking opportunity in his hunting not far from his house St. Johnstone invites the King to be an eye-witnesse of his productions In their way Sir Thomas Erskin after Lord Kelly overtakes them and others Demanding of the Duke of Lenox then present why Alexander had ingrossed the King's eare to carry him from his sports Peace man said the Duke Wee's all be turned into gold Not far they rid but that the Earle Gowry made good by protestation his Brother's story And thus was the King brought to Guest Neere the end of Dinner at his fruit and the Lords and Waiters gone to eate Alexander begs of the King at this opportunity to withdraw and to be partaker of his Production to the view of that which yet he could not beleeve And up he leades the King into by-lodgings locking each door behind them till they came into a back-Roome Where no sooner entered but that Alexander claps on his Bonnet and with sterne Countenance faces the King and saies Now Sir you must know I had a father whose bloud calls for revenge shed for your sake The King amazed deales gently with his fury excuses the guilt of his death by his then Infancy Advising him not to lay violent hands on the sacred Person of his Anointed Soveraigne Especially in a cause of his Innocency Pleading the laws of God and Man which so much wrought upon him that he said well I will speak with my Brother And so put the King into a Lobby Room next the Chamber where no sooner entered but that there appeared a fellow weaponed ready for execution to whose custody the King is committed till his return Alexander gone downe the fellow trembles with Reverence puts down his sword and craves pardon which gave the King occasion to worke upon that passion and to aske him whether he resolved to murther him Being assured to the contrary the King gets leave to open a window that looked into a back Court When presently Alexander returnes and tells the King that he must dy But much affrighted at the fellowes countenance with his sword offers violence to the King Which the fellow seemingly opposes and betweene them began a scuffle which gave advantage to the King to cry Treason at the Window which looked into a back Court where Sir Thomas Erskin and one Herries were come In pursuite of the King who was rumored to be gone out the back way to his hunting At the cry of Treason and known to be the King's voice they both hastened up a back staire called the Turnepike being directed by a servant of the house who saw Alexander ascend that way And so forcing some doores they found them above panting with the fray And up comes also at heeles of them John Ramsey after Earle of Holdernesse by them Alexander was soon dispatched Not long after came the Earle Gowry by his double key the first way with a case of Rapiers his usuall weapons and ready drawn To whom Erskin said as to divert his purpose what do you meane my Lord the King is killed for the King was shadowed having cast himselfe upon a Bed from his sight and his cloak was thrown upon the Body of Alexander bleeding on the ground At which Gowry stops sincking the points of his weapons when suddainly Herries strickes at him with a hunting fawchion And Ramsey having his Hawke on his fist casts her off and steps into Gowry and stabs him to the heart and forthwith more Company came up And the truth very notorious then to every eye and eare-witnesse not a few There remained but one younger sonne of that House who though a childe was from that time Imprisoned by Act of their Parliament And so continued afterwards here in the Tower of London until that King's death and the grace of the late King Charles restored him to liberty with a small pension which kept him like a Gentleman to these times But now failing he walks the streets poore but well experienced also in Chimicall Physick and in other parts of Learning Not long after this Conspiracy Herries dies well rewarded John Ramsey hath the Honor of Knighthood with an additional bearing to his Cote of Armes A Hand holding