great Seale out of the window Some other cried there Kill them and some other sayd Nay let vs shop them vp The Lorde Keeper did often call to the Earle of Essex to speake with them priuately thinking still that his meaning had beene so vntill the Earle brought them into his backe Chamber and there gaue order to haue the further doore of that Chamber shut fast And at his going foorth out of that Chamber the Lorde Keeper pressing againe to haue spoken with the Earle of Essex the Earle sayd My Lords be patient a while and stay heere and I will goe into London and take order with the Maior and Shiriffes for the Citie and will be heere againe within this halfe houre And so departed from the Lord Keeper c. leauing the Lord Keeper c and diuers of the Gentlemen Pensioners in that Chamber guarded by Sir Iohn Dauis Francis Tresham and Owen Salisburie with musquet shot where they continued vntill Sir Ferdinando Gorges came and deliuered them about foure of the clocke in the afternoone In the meane time wee did often require Sir Iohn Dauis and Francis Tresham to suffer vs to depart or at the least to suffer some one of vs to go to the QVEENES MAIESTY to informe her vvhere and in what sort we were kept But they answered That my Lord meaning the Earle of Essex had commanded that we should not depart before his returne which they said would be very shortly Thomas Egerton C. S. Edward Worcester Iohn Popham ¶ The examination of Roger Earle of Rutland the 12. of February 1600. taken before Sir Thomas Egerton L. Keeper of the great Seale the L. Buckhurst L. high Treasurer the Earle of Notingham L. high Admirall Sir Robert Cecill Principall Secretary and Sir Io. Popham L. chiefe Iustice of England HE saith that at his comming to Essex house on Sunday morning last he found there with the Earle of Essex the Lord Sandys and the L. Chandos and diuers Knights and gentlemen And the Earle of Essex tolde this Examinate That his life was practised to bee taken away by the Lord Cobham and Sir Walter Raleigh when he was sent for to the Counsell And the Earle said That now he meant by the helpe of his friends to defend himselfe And saith that the deteining of the Lord Keeper and the other Lords sent to the Earle from the Queene was a stratageme of warre And saith That the Earle of Essex told him that London stood for him and that Sherife Smith had giuen him intelligence that hee would make as many men to assist him as he could And further the Earle of Essex said That he meant to possesse himselfe of the Citie the better to enable himselfe to reuenge him on his enemies the Lord Cobham Sir Robert Cecil and sir Walter Raleigh And this Examinate confesseth that he resolued to liue and die with the Earle of Essex and that the Earle of Essex did intend to make his forces so strong that her Maiestie should not be able to resist him in the reuenge of his enemies And saith that the Earle of Essex was most inward with the Earle of Southampton Sir Christopher Blunt and others who haue of long time shewed themselues discontented and haue aduised the Earle of Essex to take other courses and to stand vpon his guard And saith that when the Earle of Essex was talking with the L. Keeper and other the Lords sent from her Maiestie diuers sayd My Lord they meane to abuse you you loose time And when the Earle came to Sherife Smiths hee desired him to send for the Lord Maior that hee might speake with him And as the Earle went in the streetes of London this Examinate sayd to diuers of the Citizens that if they would needes come that it was better for their safetie to come with weapons in their hands And saith that the Earle of Essex at the end of the streete where Sherife Smith dwelt cried out to the Citizens That they did him harme for that they came naked and willed them to get them weapons And the Earle of Essex also cried out to the Citizens That the Crowne of England was offred to be solde to the Infanta And saith that the Earle burned diuers papers that were in a little Casket whereof one was as the Earle sayd An historie of his troubles And sayth that when they were assaulted in Essex house after their returne they first resolued to haue made a sallie out And the Earle sayd that he was determined to die and yet in the end they changed their opinion and yeelded And sayth that the Earle of Southampton sir Christopher Blunt and sir Iohn Dauies aduised the Earle of Essex that the Lord Keeper and his company should be deteined And this Examinate sayth that he heard diuers there present cry out Kill them kill them And sayth that he thinketh the Earle of Essex intended that after he had possessed himselfe of the Citie hee would intreat the Lord Keeper and his company to accompany him to the Court Hee sayth hee heard Sir Christopher Blunt say openly in the presence of the Earle of Essex and others how fearefull and in what seuerall humors they should finde them at the Court when they came thither Rutland Exam. per Th. Egerton C. S. T. Buckhurst Notingham Ro Cecill Io. Popham ¶ The Confession of William Lord Sandys of the parish of Sherborne Cowdry in the Countie of Southampton taken this 16. of February 1600. before Sir Iohn Popham L. chiefe Iustice Roger Wilbraham Master of the Requests and Edw. Coke her Maiesties Atturney Generall HE saith that hee neuer vnderstood that the Earle did meane to stand vpon his strength till Sunday in the morning being the eight of this instant Februarie And saith that in the morning of that day this Examinat was sent for by the Earle of Essex about sixe or seuen of the clocke and the Earle sent for him by his seruant Warberton who was married to a widowe in Hampshire And at his comming to the Earle there were sixe or seuen Gentlemen with him but remembreth not what they were and next after of a Noble man came my Lord Chandos and after him came the Earle of Southampton and presently after the Earle of Rutland and after him Master Parker commonly called the Lord Mountegle And sayeth that at his comming to the Earle of Essex he complained That it was practised by Sir Walter Raleigh to haue murdered him as hee should haue gone to the Lord Treasurers house with Master Secretary Herbert And saith that he was present in the Court-yard of Essex house when the Lord Keeper the Earle of Worcester Sir William Knollis and the Lorde Chiefe Iustice came from the QVEENES MAIESTIE to the Earle of Essex And the Lord Chiefe Iustice required the Earle of Essex to haue some priuate conference with him and that if any priuate wrongs were offered vnto him that they would make true report thereof to her MAIESTIE who no
should be sent against him And being asked what against the Queenes forces he answered that must haue beene iudged afterwards But being further asked whether he did aduise to come vnto the Court ouer night He saith no. For Sir Ferdinando Gorge did assure that the Alarum was taken of it at the Court and the Guards doubled Being asked whether hee thought any Prince could haue endured to haue any Subiect make the Citie his Mediator or to gather force to speake for him He saith he is not read in stories of former times but he doth not know but that in former times Subiectes haue vsed force for their mediation Being asked what should haue bene done by any of the persons that should haue beene remoued from the Queene He answered that he neuer found my Lord disposed to shed blood but that any that should haue bene found should haue had indifferent triall Being asked vpon his conscience whether the Earle of Essex did not giue him comfort that if he came to authoritie there should bee a toleration for Religion He confesseth he should haue bene to blame to haue denied it Chr. Blunt This was read vnto Sir Christopher Blunt and afterwards signed by him in the presence of vs who are vnder written Io. Herbert Nicho. Kemp. VVil. VVaimarke VVil. Martin Robert Andrewes Iohn Treuor Th. Thorney ¶ The second Confession of Sir Christopher Blunt the same day viz. the 18. of February taken before M. Iohn Herbert second Secretarie of Estate and subscribed by him in the presence of Nicholas Kemp Counsellor at Law Thomas Thorney his Surgeon and William Martin Robert Andrewes and Randolph Bull Citizens SIr Christopher Blunt after the signing of this confession being told that he did not deale plainly excused himselfe by his former weakenesse putting vs in minde that hee said once before that when he was able to speake he would tel all trueth doth now confesse That foure or fiue dayes before the Earle of Essex did rise hee did set downe certaine Articles to bee considered on which hee sawe not vntil afterward he was made acquainted with them when they had amongst themselues disputed which were these One of them was Whether the Tower of London should be taken Another Whether they should not possesse the Court and so secure my Lord and other men to come to the Queene For the first concerning the Tower he did not like it concluding that he that had the power of the Queene should haue that He confesseth that vpon Saturday night when M. Secretary Herbert had bene with the Earle and that hee saw some suspicion was taken hee thought it in vaine to attempt the Court and perswaded him rather to saue himselfe by flight then to ingage himselfe further and all his company And so the resolution of the Earle grewe to go into the Citie in hope as he saide before to finde many friends there Hee doeth also say that the Earle did vsually speake of his purpose to alter the gouernement Chr. Blunt Exam per. Io. Herbert Subscribed in presence of Nico. Kempe Tho. Thorney Rob. Andrewes VV. Martin Randolph Bull. ¶ The Declaration of the Lord Keeper the Earle of Worcester and the L. Chiefe Iustice of England VPon Sunday being the eight of February last past about ten of the clocke in the forenoone the Lord Keeper of the great Seale the Earle of VVorcester Sir VVilliam Knollis Comptroller of her Maiesties Householde and the Lord Chiefe Iustice of England being commaunded by direction from the QVEENES MAIESTIE did repaire to the late earle of Essex his house and finding the gate shut against them after a little stay they were let in at the wicket And assoone as they were within the gate the wicket was shutte vpon them and all their seruants kept out At their comming thither they found the court full of men assembled together in verie tumultuous sort The Earles of Essex Rutland and Southampton and the Lord Sandys Master Parker commonly called Lord Mountegle Sir Christopher Blunt Sir Charles Dauers and manie other Knights and Gentlemen and other persons vnknowen which flocked together about the Lorde Keeper c. And thereupon the Lorde Keeper tolde the Earle of Essex that they were sent from her MAIESTIE to vnderstand the cause of this their assembly and to let them know That if they had any particular cause of griefe against any persons whatsoeuer it should be heard and they should haue iustice Hereupon the Earle of Essex with a very lowd voice declared That his life vvas sought and that hee should haue beene murthered in his bed that he had beene perfidiously dealt vvith that his hand had beene counterfaited and Letters vvritten in his name and that therefore they vvere assembled there together to defend their liues with much other speech to like effect Hereupon the Lord Chiefe Iustice sayd vnto the Earle That if they had any such matter of griefe or if any such matter vvere attempted or purposed against him he vvilled the Earle to declare it assuring him that it should be truely related to her MAIESTIE and that it should be indifferently heard and iustice should be done vvhomsoeuer it concerned To this the Earle of Southampton obiected the assault made vpon him by the Lord Gray Whereunto the Lord Chiefe Iustice sayd That in his case iustice had beene done and the partie imprisoned for it And hereupon the Lord Keeper did eftsoones vvill the Earle of Essex that vvhatsoeuer priuate matter or offence hee had against any person vvhatsoeuer if hee vvould deliuer it vnto them they vvould faithfully and honestly deliuer it to the QVEENES MAIESTY and doubted not to procure him honourable and equall iustice whomsoeuer it concerned requiring him that if hee would not declare it openly that hee woulde impart it vnto them priuatelie and doubted not but they would satisfie him in it Vpon this there was a great clamour raised amongst the multitude crying Away my Lorde They abuse you They betray you They vndoe you You lose time Whereupon the Lord Keeper put on his Hat said with a loud voice My Lord let vs speake with you priuately and vnderstand your griefes And I command you all vpon your allegiance to lay downe your vveapons and to depart vvhich you ought all to doe being thus commanded if you be good Subiects and owe that duetie to the QVEENES MAIESTY which you professe Whereupon they all brake out into an exceeding loud shout and cry crying All all all And whilest the Lord Keeper was speaking and commanding them vpon their allegiance as is before declared the Earle of Essex and the most part of that Company did put on their hats and so the Earle of Essex went into the house and the Lord Keeper c. followed him thinking that his purpose had beene to speake with them priuately as they had required And as they were going some of that disordered Companie cried Kill them And as they were going into the great Chamber some cried Cast the
doubt would reforme the same And sayeth that this Examinat went with the Earle and the rest of his company to London to Sherife Smithes but went not into the house with him but stayed in the streete a while and being sent for by the Earle of Essex went into the house and from thence came with him till hee came to Ludgate which place being guarded and resistance being made and perceiued by the Earle of Essex he said vnto his company Charge And thereupon sir Christopher Blunt and others of his company gaue the Charge and being repulsed and this Examinat hurt in the legge the Earle retired with this Examinat and others to his house called Essex house And on his retire the Earle said to this Examinat That if Sherife Smith did not his part that his part was as farre foorth as the Earles owne which mooued him to thinke that he trusted to the Citie And when the Earle was after his retire in Essex house he tooke an yron Casket and broke it open and burnt diuerse papers in it Whereof there was a booke 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 Earle saide That he had a blacke bagge about his necke that should tell no tales William Sandys Exam. per Ioh. Popham Roger VVilbraham Edw. Coke ¶ The Examination of the Lord Cromwell taken the 7. of March 1600. by Sir I. Popham L. chiefe Iustice Christ. Yeluerton her Maiesties Sergeant and Fr. Bacon of her Maiesties learned Councell AT the Sherifs house this Examinate pressed in with the rest and found the Earls shifting themselues in an inner chamber where he heard my L. of Essex certifie the Company that he had bene aduertised out of Ireland which hee would not nowe hide from them that the Realme should be deliuered ouer to the handes of the Infanta of Spaine and that he was wished to looke to it Further that he was to seeke redresse for iniuries and that he had left at his house for pledges the Lord Keeper the Earle of Worcester Sir William Knollis and the Lord chiefe Iustice. Edw. Cromwell Exam. per Io Popham Chr. Yeluerton Fr. Bacon ¶ Sir Christopher Blunt knight at the time of his arraignement did openly at the Barre desire to speake with the L. Admiral and M. Secretary before whom he made this Confession folowing Which the Earle of Southampton confirmed afterwards and he himselfe likewise at his death HE confesseth that at the Castle of Dublin in that lodging which was once the Earle of Southamptons the Earle of Essex purposing his returne into England aduised with the Earle of Southampton and himselfe of his best maner of going into England for his securitie seeing to goe hee was resolued At that time he propounded his going with a competent number of souldiers to the number of two or three thousand to haue made good his first landing with that Force vntill hee coulde haue drawen vnto himselfe a sufficient strength to haue proceeded further From this purpose this Examinate did vse all forcible perswasions alledging not only his owne ruine which should follow thereof and all those which should adhere to him in that action but vrging it to him as a matter most foule because hee was not onely helde a Patron of his Countrey which by this meanes hee should haue destroyed but also should haue layed vpon himselfe an irreuocable blot hauing bene so deeply bound to her MAIESTIE To which disswasion the Earle of Southampton also inclined This desseigne being thus disswaded by them then they fell to a second consideration And therein this Examinate confesseth that hee rather aduised him if needes hee would goe to take with him some competent number of choise men He did not name vnto him any particular power that would haue come to him at his landing but assured himselfe that his Armie would haue bene quickly increased by all sorts of discontented people He did confesse before his going that hee was assured that many of the Rebels would be aduised by him but named none in particular ¶ The Examination of the Earle of Southampton after his Arraignement taken before the Earle of Notingham Lord high Admirall Sir Robert Cecill principall Secretarie and M. Iohn Herbert second Secretary of Estate SIr Christopher Blunt being hurt and lying in the Castle of Dublin in a chamber which had bene mine the Earle of Essex one day tooke me thither with him where being none but we three he told vs he found it necessarie for him to goe into England and thought it fit to carie with him as much of the Armie as he could conueniently transport to goe on shore with him to Wales and there to make good his landing with those till hee could send for more Not doubting but his Army would so increase in a small time that hee should bee able to march to London and make his conditions as he desired To which proiect I answered that I held it altogether vnfit aswell in respect of his conscience to God and his loue to his countrey as his duetie to his Souereigne of which he of all men ought to haue greatest regard seeing her Maiesties fauours to him had bene so extraordinarie Wherefore I could neuer giue any consent vnto it Sir Christopher Blunt ioyned with me in this opinion Exam. per Notingham Ro. Cecil Io. Herbert ¶ The speaches of Sir Chr. Blunt at the time of his death as neere as they could be remembred March 18. 1600. MY Lords and you that be present Although I must confesse that it were better fitting the little time I haue to breath to bestow the same in asking God forgiuenes for my manifold and abominable sinnes then to vse any other discourse especially hauing both an imperfection of speech and God knowes a weake memorie by reason of my late grieuous wound Yet to satisfie all those that are present what course hath bene held by me in this late enterprise because I was sayd to be an Instigator and setter on of the late Earle I will truely and vpon the perill of my soule speake the trueth It is true that the first time that euer I vnderstoode of any dangerous discontentment in my L. of Essex was about three yeeres agoe at Wansted vpon his comming one day from Greenwich At that time he spake many things vnto mee but descended into no particulars but in generall termes After which time he neuer brake with me in any matter tending to the alteration of the State I protest before God vntill he came into Ireland other then I might conceiue that he was of an ambitious and discontented mind But when I lay at the Castle of Thomas Lee called Reban in Ireland grieuously hurt and doubted of my life hee came to visit mee and then began to acquaint me with his intent As hee thus spake the Sheriffe began to interrupt him and told him the houre was past But my
should holde of him the honour and state of Viceroy of Ireland And that the proportion of souldiers which Tyrone should bring or send to Essex were 8000 Irish. With which concurreth fully the testimony of the said Iames Knowde who being in credit with Oâ—â—â—â— Mac Roory chiefe of the Omoores in Lemster was vsed as a Secretarie for him in the writing of a letter to Tyrone immediatly after Essex comming into England The effect of which letter was To vnderstand some light of the secret agreement betweene the Earle of Essex and Tyrone that he the said Owny might frame his course accordingly Which letter with further instructions to the same effect was in the presence of Knowde deliuered to Turlagh Macdauy a man of trust with Owny who brought an answer from Tyrone The coÌ„tents whereof were That the Earle of Essex had agreed to take his part and that they should ayd him towards the conquest of England Besides very certaine it is testified by diuers credible persons that immediatly vpon this parley there did flie abroad as sparckles of this fire which it did not concern Tyrone so much to keep secret as it did Essex a generall and receiued opinion that went vp and down in the mouthes both of the better and meaner sort of Rebels That the Earle of Essex was theirs and they his and that hee would neuer leaue the one sword meaning that of Ireland till he had gotten the other in England and that he would bring them to serue where they should haue other maner of booties then cowes and the like speaches And Thomas Lee himselfe who had bene as was before declared with Tyrone two or three dayes vpon my Lords sending and had sounded him hath left it confessed vnder his hand That he knew the Earle of Essex and Tyrone to be one and to runne the same courses And certaine it is also that immediatly vpon that parley Tyrone grewe into a strange and vnwoonted pride and appointed his progresses and visitations to receiue congratulations and homages from his confederates and behaued himselfe in all things as one that had some new spirite of hope and courage put into him But on the Earle of Essex his part insued immediatly after this parley a strange motion and proiect which though no doubt hee had harbored in his brest before yet for any thing yet appeareth he did not vtter and breake with any in it before he had bene confirmed and fortified in his purpose by the combination and correspondence which hee found in Tyrone vpon their conference Neither is this a matter gathered out of reports but confessed directly by two of his principall friendes and associats being witnesses vpon their owne knowledge of that which was spoken to themselues The substance of which confessions is this That a litle before my Lords comming ouer into England at the castle of Dublin where Sir Christopher Blunt lay hurt hauing bene lately remooued thither from Reban a castle of Thomas Lees and placed in a lodging that had bene my Lord of Southamptons the Earle of Essex tooke the Earle of Southampton with him to visit Blunt and there being none present but they three my Lord of Essex told them he found it now necessary for him to go into England and would aduise with them of the manner of his going since to goe he was resolued And thereupon propounded vnto them that he thought it fit a cary with him of the army in Ireland as much as hee could conueniently transport at least the choise of it to the number of two or three thousand to secure and make good his first deseent on shore purposing to land them at Milford hauen in Wales or thereabouts not doubting but that his army would so increase within a small time by such as would come in to him as hee should be able to march with his power to London and make his own conditions as he thought good But both Southampton and Blunt disswaded him from this enterprise Blunt alledging the hazard of it that it would make him odious and Southampt on vtterly disliking of that course vpon the same and many other reasons Howbe it thereupon Blunt aduised him rather to another course which was to draw forth of the Army some 200. resolute gentlemen with those to come ouer so to make sure of the Court and so to make his owne conditions Which Confessions it is not amisse to deliuer by what a good prouidence of God they came to light for they could not bee vsed at Essex arraignement to charge him because they were vttered after his death But Sir Christopher Blunt at his arraignment being charged that the Earle of Essex had set it downe vnder his hand that he had bene a principall Instigator of him to his treasons in passion brake forth into these speeches That then he must be forced to disclose what further matters he had held my Lord from and desired for that purpose because the present proceeding should not be interrupted to speake with the Lord Admirall and M. Secretarie after his arraignment and so fell most naturally and most voluntarily into this his confession which if it had beene thought fit to haue required of him at that time publikely he had deliuered before his conuiction And the same confession he did after at the time of his executioÌ„ constantly and fully confirme discourse particularly and take vppon his death where neuer any man shewed lesse feare nor a greater resolution to die And the same mattter so by him confessed was likewise confessed with the same circumstances of time and place by Southampton being seuerally examined thereupon So as nowe the worlde may see how long since my Lord put off his vizard and disclosed the secrets of his heart to two of his most confident friends falling vpon that vnnaturall and detestable treason whereunto all his former Actions in his gouernement in Ireland and God knowes howe long before were but Introductions But finding that these two persons which of all the rest hee thought to haue found forwardest Southampton whose displacing hee had made his owne discontentment hauing placed him no question to that ende to find cause of discontentment and Blunt a man so enterprizing and prodigal of his owne life as himselfe termed himselfe at the Barre did not applaud to this his purpose and thereby doubting how coldly he should find others minded that were not so neere to him And therefore condescending to Blunts aduise to surprize the Court hee did pursue that plot accordingly and came ouer with a selected companie of Captaines and voluntaries and such as hee thought were most affectionate vnto himselfe and most resolute though not knowing of his purpose So as euen at that time euery man noted and wondred what the matter should be that my Lord tooke his most particular friends and followers from their companies which were countenance and meanes vnto them to bring them ouer
Lord Gray and Sir Walter Raleigh Captaine of the Guard called to the Sheriffe and required him not to interrupt him but to suffer him quietly to finish his prayers and confessions Sir Christopher Blunt said Is Sir Walter Raleigh there Those on the scaffold answered Yea. To whom Sir Christopher Blunt spake on this maner Sir Walter Raleigh I thanke God that you are present I had an infinite desire to speake with you to aske you forgiuenes ere I died both for the wrōg done you and for my particular ill intent towards you I beseech you forgiue me Sir Walter Raleigh answered that he most willingly forgaue him and besought God to forgiue him and to giue him his diuine comfort protesting before the Lord that whatsoeuer Sir Christopher Blunt meant towards him for his part he neuer had any ill intent towards him And further saide to Sir Christopher Blunt I pray you without offence let me put you in minde that you haue bene esteemed not only a principall prouoker and perswader of the Earle of Essex in all his vndutifull courses but especially an aduiser in that which hath bene confessed of his purpose to transport a great part of her Maiesties Armie out of Ireland into England to land at Milford and thence to turne it against her sacred person You shall doe well to tell the trueth and to satisfie the world To which he answered thus Sir if you will giue me patience I will deliuer a trueth speaking now my last in the presence of God in whose mercie I trust And then hee directed himselfe to my Lord Gray and my Lord Compton and the rest that sate on horsebacke neere the scaffold When I was brought from Reban to Dublin and lodged in the Castle his Lordship and the Earle of Southampton came to visite me and to be short he began thus plainely with me That hee intended to transport a choise part of the Armie of Ireland into England and land them in Wales at Milford or thereabouts and so securing his descent thereby would gather such other forces as might inable him to march to London To which I protest before the Lord God I made this or the like answere that I would that night consider of it which I did And the next day the Earles came againe I told them that such an enterprise as it was most dangerous so would it cost much blood as I could not like of it besides many hazzards which at this time I cannot remember vnto you neither will the time permit it But I rather aduised him to goe ouer himselfe with a good traine and make sure of the Court and then make his owne conditions And although it be true that as we all protested in our examinations and arraignements we neuer resolued of doing hurt to her Maiesties person for in none of our consultations was there set downe any such purpose yet I know and must confesse if we had failed of our ends we should rather then haue bene disapointed euen haue drawne blood from her selfe Frō henceforward he dealt no more with mee herein vntill he was discharged of his keeper at Essex house And then he againe asked mine aduise and disputed the matter with me but resolued not I went then into the Countrey and before he sent for me which was some tenne daies before his Rebellion I neuer heard more of the matter And then hee wrote vnto mee to come vp vpon pretence of making some assurances of land and the like I will leaue the rest vnto my confessions giuen to that honourable Lord Admirall and worthy M. Secretary to whom I beseech you sir Walter Raleigh commend me I can requite their fauourable charitable dealing with me with nought els but my prayers for them And I beseech God of his mercy to saue and preserue the Queene who hath giuen comfort to my soule in that I heare shee hath forgiuen mee all but the sentence of the Lawe which I most worthily deserued and do most willingly imbrace and hope that GOD will haue mercy and compassion on me who haue offended him as many wayes as euer sinfull wretch did I haue lead a life so farre from his precepts as no sinner more God forgiue it mee and forgiue mee my wicked thoughts my licentious life and this right arme of mine which I feare me hath drawen blood in this last Action And I beseech you all beare witnesse that I die a Catholike yet so as I hope to be saued onely by the death and passion of Christ and by his merits not ascribing any thing to mine owne works And I trust you are all good people and your prayers may profit me Farewell my worthy Lord Gray and my Lord Compton and to you all God send you both to liue long in honour I will desire to say a few prayers and imbrace my death most willingly With that hee turned from the rayle towards the Executioner and the Minister offering to speake with him he came againe to the raile and besought that his conscience might not be troubled for he was resolued which he desired for Gods sake Whereupon commandement was giuen that the Minister should not interrupt him any further After which he prepared himselfe to the blocke and so died very manfully and resolutely ¶ An abstract out of the Earle of Essex Confession vnder his owne hande VPon Saturday the 21. of February after the late Earle of Essex had desired vs to come to him as well to deliuer his knowledge of those treasons which he had formerly denied at the Barre as also to recommend his humble and earnest request that her Maiesty would bee pleased out of her grace and fauour to suffer him to die priuately in the Towre He did marueilous earnestly desire that we would suffer him to speake vnto Cuffe his Secretary Against whome hee vehemently complained vnto vs to haue bene a principall Instigator to these violent courses which he had vndertaken Wherein he protested that he chiefly desired that he might make it appeare that he was not the onely perswader of these great offences which they had committed but that Blunt Cuffe Temple besides those other persons who were at the priuate conspiracie at Drury house to which though these three were not called yet they were priuy had most malicious and bloody purposes to subuert the State and Gouernment Which could not haue bene preuented if his proiect had gone forward This request being graunted him and Cuffe brought before him hee there directly and vehemently charged him And amongst other speaches vsed these words Henry Cuffe call to God for mercy and to the Queene and deserue it by declaring trueth For I that must now prepare for another world haue resolued to deale clearely with God and the world and must needes say this to you You haue bene one of the chiefest instigators of me to all these my disloyall courses into which I haue fallen Testified by Tho. Egerton C. S. Th. Buckhurst Notingham Ro. Cecil