to do any act of foresight or courage; but he that had vowed he would never be cooped up more, cooped himself first within the walls of the City, and after within the walls of an house, as arrested by God's justice as an example of disloyalty. For passing through Cheapside, and so towards Smith's house, and find- The confesing, though some came about him, yet none joined or armed with Earl of him, he provoked them by speeches as he passed to arm, telling The Lord them, They did him hurt and no good, to come about him with no weapons. But there was not in so populous a city, where he thought himself held so dear, one man, from the chiefest citizen to the meanest artificer or prentice, that armed with him: so as being extremely appalled, as divers that happened to see him then might visibly perceive in his face and countenance, and almost moulten with sweat, though without any cause of bodily labour but only by the perplexity and horror of his mind, he came to Smith's house the sheriff, where he refreshed himself a little and shifted him. But the meanwhile it pleased God that her Majesty's directions at Court, though in a case so strange and sudden, were judicial and sound. For first there was commandment in the morning given unto the City, that every man should be in a readiness both in person and armour, but yet to keep within his own door, and to expect commandment; upon a reasonable and politic consideration, that had they armed suddenly in the streets, if there were any ill-disposed persons, they might arm on the one side and turn on the other, or at least if armed men had been seen to and fro, it would have bred a greater tumult, and more bloodshed; and the nakedness of Essex troop would not have so well appeared. And soon after, direction was given that the Lord Burghley, taking with him the King of Heralds, should declare him traitor in the principal parts of the City; which was performed with good expedition and resolution, and the loss and hurt of some of his company. Besides that, the Earl of Cumberland, and Sir Thomas Gerard, Knight-marshal, rode into the City, and declared and notified to the people that he was a traitor: from which time divers of his troop withdrawing from him, and none other coming in to him, there was nothing but despair. For having stayed awhile, as is said, at Sheriff Smith's house, and there changing sion of the Rutland. Sandis. sion of the Earl of Rutland. The confes his pretext of a private quarrel, and publishing That the realm should have been sold to the Infanta, the better to spur on the Essex con- people to rise, and [having] called and given commandment to have brought arms and weapons of all sorts, and been soon after advertised of the proclamation, he came forth in a hurry. fession at the bar. So having made some stay in Gracious Street, and being dismayed upon knowledge given to him that forces were coming forwards against him under the conduct of the Lord Admiral, the Lieutenant of her Majesty's forces, and not knowing what course to take, he determined in the end to go back towards his own house, as well in hope to have found the Counsellors there, and by them to have served some turn, as upon trust that towards night his friends in the City would gather their spirits together and rescue him, as himself declared after to M. Lieutenant of the Tower. But for the Counsellors, it had pleased God to make one of the principal offenders his instrument for their delivery; who seeing my Lord's case desperate, and contriving how to redeem his fault and save himself, came to Sir John Davis and Sir Gilly Mericke, as sent from my Lord; and so procured them to be released. But the Earl of Essex, with his company that was left, thinking to recover his house, made on by land towards Ludgate; where being resisted by a company of pikemen and other forces, gathered together by the wise and diligent care of the Bishop of London, and commanded by Sir John Luson, and yet attempting to clear the passage, he was with no great difficulty repulsed. At which encounter Sir Christopher Blunt was sore wounded, and young Tracy slain, on his part; and one Waits on the Queen's part, and some other. Upon which repulse he went back and fled towards the waterside, and took boat at Queenhive, and so was received into Essex House at the watergate, which he fortified and barricado'd; but instantly the Lord Lieutenant so disposed his companies, as all passage and issue forth was cut off from him both by land and by water, and all succours that he might hope for were discouraged and leaving the Earl of Cumberland, the Earl of Lincoln, the Lord Thomas Howard, the Lord Gray, the Lord Burghley, and the Lord Compton, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Thomas Gerrard, with divers others, before the house to landward, my Lord Lieutenant himself thought good, taking with him the Lord of Effingham, Lord Cobham, Sir John Stanhope, Sir Robert Sidney, M. Foulk Grevill, with divers others, to assail the garden and banqueting-house on the waterside, and presently forced the garden, and won to the walls of the house, and was ready to have assailed the house; but out of a Christian and honourable consideration, understanding that there were in the house the Countess of Essex, and the Lady Rich, with their gentlewomen, let the Earl of Essex know by Sir Robert Sidney, that he was content to suffer the ladies and gentlewomen to come forth. Whereupon Essex, returning the Lord Lieutenant thanks for the compassion and care he had of the ladies, desired only to have an hour's respite to make way for their going out, and an hour after to barricado the place again. Which because it could make no alteration to the hindrance of the service, the Lord Lieutenant thought good to grant. But Essex, having had some talk within of a sally, and despairing of the success, and thinking better to yield himself, sent word that upon some conditions he would yield. But the Lord Lieutenant utterly refusing to hear of capitulations, Essex desired to speak with my Lord, who thereupon went up close to the house; and the late Earls of Essex and Southampton, with divers other lords and gentlemen their partakers, presented themselves upon the leads: and Essex said, he would not capitulate, but entreat; and made three petitions. The first, That they might be civilly used: whereof the Lord Lieutenant assured them. The second, That they might have an honourable trial whereof the Lord Lieutenant answered they needed not to doubt. The third, That he might have Ashton a preacher with him in prison for the comfort of his soul: which the Lord Lieutenant said he would move to her Majesty, not doubting of the matter of his request, though he could not absolutely promise him that person.1 Whereupon they all, with the ceremony amongst martial men accustomed, came down and submitted themselves and yielded up their swords, which was about ten of the clock at night; there having been slain in holding of the house, by musket-shot, Owen Salisbury, and some few more 1 "Whereas the Earl of Essex desired to have a chaplain of his own sent unto him to give him sacrificial comfort, wherein the Lord Admiral hath moved her Majesty; but his own chaplain being evil at ease, Dr. Don, the Dean of Norwich, is sent unto him to attend there, for whose diet and lodging the Lieutenant of the Tower is to take order."-Letter to Lord Thomas Howard, Constable of the Tower of London. Feb. 16. Council Reg. Eliz. No. 17, fol. 83. I quote from a copy. VOL. II. T on the part of my Lord, and some few likewise slain and hurt on the Queen's part: and presently, as well the Lords as the rest of their confederates of quality were severally taken into the charge of divers particular lords and gentlemen, and by them conveyed to the Tower and other prisons. So as this action, so dangerous in respect of the person of the leader, the manner of the combination, and the intent of the plot, brake forth and ended within the compass of twelve hours, and with the loss of little blood, and in such sort as the next day all courts of justice were open, and did sit in their accustomed manner; giving good subjects and all reasonable men just cause to think, not the less of the offenders' treason, but the more of her Majesty's princely magnanimity and prudent foresight in so great a peril; and chiefly of God's goodness, that hath blessed her Majesty in this, as in many things else, with so rare and divine felicity. 275 THE EFFECT OF THE EVIDENCE GIVEN AT THE SEVERAL ARRAIGNMENTS OF THE LATE EARLS OF ANSWERS AND DEFENCES WHICH THE SAID OFFENDERS MADE FOR THEMSELVES; AND MADE UPON SUCH THEIR DEFENCES: WITH SOME OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PROCEEDINGS, AS tion was Earl of might chal the Peers. by the the Law THE two late Earls of Essex and Southampton were brought Some questo their trial the nineteenth of February, cleven days after the made by the rebellion. At which trial there passed upon them twenty-five Peers, a greater number than hath been called in any former whether he precedent. Amongst whom her Majesty did not forbear to use lenge any of many that were of near alliance and blood to the Earl of Essex, But answer and some others that had their sons and heirs-apparent that was made were of his company and followed him in the open action of re- Judges that bellion. The Lord Steward then in commission (according to had that reputation the solemnity in such trials received) was the Lord Buckhurst, of the Peers Lord High Treasurer, who with gravity and temperance directed trusted the evidence, and moderated, and gave the judgment. There them both was also an assistance of eight Judges, the three chief, and five oath and challenge. others. The hearing was with great patience and liberty: the ordinary course not being held, to silence the prisoners till the whole state of the evidence was given in; but they being suffered to answer articulately to every branch of the evidence, and sometimes to every particular deposition, whensoever they offered to speak. And not so only, but they were often spared to be inter 1 Mr. Jardine (Criminal Trials, p. 384) observes that this is a mistake, and quotes three precedents in which the number was equal or greater. The error does not appear to be of any consequence. that it without |