apology for himself touching such unjust accusations as have been laid upon him by his opposites, whose injurious dealing he complaineth of, and not the least that they have sought to possess his Majesty with misconceit of him, as if he proposed to aspire to that whereunto he could by no colour nor likelihood justly pretend. Next, a request to that King to employ here some well qualified and confident person, well instructed, with whom his Lordship might securely confer. Lastly, he concluded with a very devout protestation of his duty and zeal towards her sacred Majesty, vowing that he would rather endure many deaths than consent or suffer that any one iote of her just sovereignty and authority should in her time be impaired: thereby (as I conceive) the more precisely limiting his love towards that Prince, lest he should peradventure expect more than was intended.

3. Concerning the intelligence between these lords, Lord Montjoy and the Earl of Essex, especially touching the point of favouring the Earl's access to her Majesty, I can say little in particular, but must refer myself either to Sir Charles Davers, who purposely took a journey into Ireland to negotiate herein with the Lord Deputy, or to my Lord the Earl, who I doubt not received an ample relation from him of the whole. Only this I know, that Sir Charles found him very affectionate to the Earl, as thinking the public to suffer with his private, and consequently that his return to her Majesty's former grace would turn to the good of thousands. The particulars I omit, because I may be mistaken in relating them.

4. My meeting with Sir Charles Davers at Oxford was by his Lordship's appointment, to signify unto him that whereas he meant to pass over into Ireland, there to confer jointly with the Lord Deputy and the Earl of Southampton for the benefit of my Lord of Essex, certain news was come that my Lord of Southampton was arrived in the Low Countries; whereupon he was again to advise how he would dispose of himself. In conclusion he resolved that himself would continue his journey into Ireland, and would cause Mr. John Littleton to pass into the Low Countries to the Earl of Southampton if my Lord of Essex so thought fit, thence to recall him as soon as conveniently he might.

5. How long the design for my Lord's return to the Court hath been in hand, I cannot precisely say; only I remember that soon after his Lordship's keeper was removed, Sir Charles Davers

had access unto him. What passed betwixt them I know not; for Sir Charles told me that he was expressly bounden by the party from whom he was to deal with my Lord not to acquaint any man with the contents but his Lordship only. Howbeit, soon after I observed that matters grew to have some form. The Earl's purpose therein I doubt not but your Lordships have fully understood from himself. So far as I had any light of it, it was precisely this, to assure his coming to her Majesty's presence, there to cast himself at her royal feet, and with a most humble and dutiful form of speech to beseech her Majesty the renewing of her gracious favour; to remonstrate likewise the cruel courses held against him by his opposites, as subornation of witnesses to bloody ends, practising to counterfeit his hand, and such-like undue courses, whereby they endeavoured either to dispatch him or at least make him utterly odious to her Majesty, which he esteemed a very Hell in this life. Force, so God be my saviour, there was never intended to my knowledge: nor any other countenancing of the cause by the confluence of the gentlemen his followers, but only this, that nothing might be attempted against him before his access to her Majesty. The killing or so much as the hurting of any one Counsellor, or man of quality, I have heard him most earnestly disclaim; and I ever believed it. He hath likewise protested unto me before God that it was neither ambition nor desire of revenge that moved him to desire this his repair to the Court; but that he resolved as a votary to employ the rest of his days in her Majesty's services with extraordinary zeal and diligence, abandoning whatsoever had before been an impediment to him in that behalf. One principal cause of his deferring it so long after his first cogitations I take to be this : partly that he had at sundry times received some lightnings of hope that her Majesty intended graciously to call him again to the Court, and partly because there have been divers expectations of a Parliament, which in all likelihood would, if anything, have given him opportunity of access.

6. The sum of that which I delivered to Sir Henry Bromley is this: That I had seen in a letter from France, for so I think I termed it to him, mention made of a Scottish cipher, wherein were characters for the principal Counsellors of this State, and besides for two private gentlemen, namely, Mr. Anthony Bacon and himself. I assured him that this letter was in Mr. Secre

tary's hands, and therefore willed him not to be too busy in matters of that nature.

7. From the same knight I likewise received that one Gourden, a Scottish priest, was able to avow that ten thousand crowns, if I be not deceived in the sum, were consigned in France from the Archduke to Mr. Secretary's use.

8. What passed betwixt Sir Henry Nevill and my Lord of Essex at their first meeting I protest I know not, only I guess there passed little more than compliments and foreign occurrences, but hereof your Lordships may be fully advertised by my Lord himself.

9. At Sir Henry Nevill's conference with my Lord of Southampton myself was not present: only I do persuade myself that the plot for my Lord of Essex his repair to the Court was there imparted to him and his advice required.

10. Touching pretended grievances, I can add nothing to that which at that time I signified to your Lordships, neither indeed hath it sorted with my course of life to fall often into company of such persons as might inform me of particulars of this kind. In mine own private fortune I profess with all thankful acknowledgment that I never received the least injury, neither at the hands of any of her Majesty's most honourable Privy Council, nor any other person of quality about the Court, but contrariwise many honourable favours, from the day of my leaving the University to the day of my committing. Which, howsoever it hath been bitter to flesh and blood, yet by the merits and mercy of my blessed Lord and Saviour I find that to the inner man it hath been the beginning of a far greater joy and comfort than all the pleasures and preferments of this life could procure.

Your most honourable Lordships'

Most humbly at commandment,

HENRY CUFFE.

IV.

Declaration of SIR CHARLES DANVERS.1

About a month after my Lord of Essex' first commitment to my Lord Keeper's, I came from my house in the country to Lon

1 Correspondence of James VI. with Sir Robert Cecil: printed for the Camden Society, p. 100.

don.

Before my coming I found that, by my Lord of Southampton and my Lord Montjoy, unto whom it seemed my Lord of Essex had committed the care of his fortunes (according to the fears had been conceived at several times of his danger to be carried to the Tower) divers courses had been thought of for his delivery, either by procuring him means to escape privately into France, or by the assistance of his friends into Wales, or by possessing the Court with his friends to bring himself again to her Majesty's presence. These things had, as I take it, been rather thought on than ever well digested, till within ten days after my coming up, upon a new fear of his imprisonment in the Tower, my Lord of Southampton, my Lord Montjoy, and my brother, meeting at my Lord Montjoy's house where I was present, it was resolved by them, and approved by me, that it was his best course, if he found himself in such danger, to make a private escape.

It was proposed by my Lord of Southampton to my Lord of Essex, whether by letter or message I know not, with offer that he and my brother would accompany him in his flight. The answer my Lord of Essex returned was, as I remember, that if they could think of no better a course for him than a poor flight, he would rather run any danger than lead the life of a fugitive.1 While these things were in treaty, my Lord of Southampton, after he had made me know how far he would adventure himself for my Lord of Essex, that he would adventure his life to save him, and enter into banishment with him if need were, demanded of me how far I would engage myself for his sake. My answer was, that I loved him best and did confess myself to be most beholding to him of any man living. He had saved my life, and that after a very noble fashion. He had suffered for me, and made me by as many means bound unto him, as one man could be bound unto another. The life he had saved, and my estate and means whatsoever, he should ever dispose of. I ought a duty to the person of my sovereign, which I assured myself he would likewise respect; I ought a respect to Mr. Secretary, to

1 So far the MS. in the Advocates' Library, printed by Birch, ii. p. 470, agrees with the Hatfield MS., except for a few verbal inaccuracies. The substance of the passage which follows is found further on, and is thus introduced. "I forgot to deliver in the beginning that my Lord of Southampton said he would adventure himself for my Lord of Essex and venture his life to save him, and enter into banishment with him; and demanded of me how far I would engage myself for his sake. I answered I loved him best," etc. The rest of the passage, as far as "life or estate," agrees in substance with the Hatfield copy.

whom I have been very much beholding, and therefore would not be engaged in anything against his person. I knew his Lordship was too noble, howsoever he might enterprise unlawful things, to attempt anything foul or ignominious. Within these limits did I engage myself to any adventure of life or estate whatsoever. And thus much I know my Lord of Southampton in his honour will affirm. Upon this ground I was made privy to all which was afterwards thought on or projected.

I offered my Lord of Southampton, when he first thought of going away with my Lord of Essex, to wait on him if he would, or if he left me behind him, I would sell all that I had, to my shirt, to supply him with means to maintain himself the better abroad.

When my Lord of Essex would have gone away out of my Lord Keeper's house, being advised thereto, as I have heard, by Sir Christopher Blunt, my Lord of Southampton determining to go with him if he would needs go, though he approved not the course, I made the like offer. Upon this ground of affection and thankfulness to him, either tendering his safety or endeavouring to free him out of the danger wherein he was wrapt, I protest hath proceeded whatsoever I have have either intended or acted.1 To return where I left.

While these things were in handling, the certain time I do not remember, my Lord Montjoy imparted to my Lord of Southampton and myself, that the summer before he had written to the King of Scots by H. Lee, the particularities of which letter or instructions given to him I do not remember that my Lord did ever deliver particularly to me, but by that which fell out afterwards, I conceive it was to assure the King that my Lord of Essex was free from those ambitious conceits which some of his enemies had sought to possess the world withal; to give assurance that next after her Majesty he would endure no succession but his; and to intimate some course for his declaration during her Majesty's time. The cause that moved my Lord

2

This passage is confused and imperfect in the Advocates' Library MS. "Upon these grounds I was privy to all hath been said, that as I heard say Sir Christopher Blunt advised my Lord of Essex's escape from my Lord Keeper's: and upon these grounds of affection and thankfulness," etc. Here, as elsewhere, the report of the original declaration (probably oral) appears to have been enlarged as well as corrected in the revision.

2 "About this time the employment for Ireland being enforced upon my Lord Montjoy, he imparted unto us the sending Harry Leigh the summer before into Scotland, to assure the King," etc.—Adv. Lib. MS.

3 Adv. Lib. MS. adds, "The particulars thereof were at that first time I think