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for his security, since to go he was resolved. This was some days before the Earl's journey into the North.

At that time the Earl propounded his going with a competent number of soldiers, to the number of two or three thousand, to have made good his first landing with that force until he could have drawn to himself a sufficient strength to have proceeded further. From this purpose this examinate did use all forcible persuasions, alleging not only his own ruin which should follow thereof, and all those which should adhere to him in that action, but urged it to him as a matter most foul, because he was not only held a patron of his country (which by this means he should have destroyed) but also should have laid upon himself an irrecoverable blot, having been so deeply bound to her Majesty: to which dissuasion the Earl of Southampton likewise inclined.

This design being thus dissuaded by them, then they fell to a second consideration, and therein this examinate confesseth that he rather advised him, if needs he would go, to take over with him some competent number of choice men, who might only have secured him from any commitment to prison, if he had not found her Majesty gracious, except it were no further than to the house of the Lord of Canterbury, the Lord Keeper, or his uncle.

After this examinate came to London, and heard amongst some of his honourable friends that my Lord had an intention to free himself and come down into the country, he said he was sorry that he had not held on his course, fearing by that he had heard him speak many times before of the King of Scots and of the protestation of the King's love to him, that he might some way have endangered himself by practice there (so far) as to be in danger of his life, which he knew then his own conscience must have accused him, that his former dissuasion and advice of his manner of coming had been the occasion of his coming into that danger whom he loved so dearly. Whereupon this examinate with others had once resolved with others to have freed him and carried him away with some sixty horse into Wales.

He saith on Saturday there was no certain day set down for his rising, more than that it should have been done between that and the end of the term.

But afterwards, when Mr. Secretary Harbert had been there, then there fell questions what were fit to be done for his security,

and so it was resolved by some (if there were a new sending) that he should go into the City, of which the Earl made himself most secure by such messages as he told this examinate had been sent unto him that night, but from whom particularly he is loth to venture it on his conscience, but by the sequel it appeared to be the Sheriff Smyth, whom before the Earl had often named unto him, that he was a Colonel of a thousand men and at his command.

For the matter of Lee, he confesseth that he had order from my Lord to let Captain Thomas Lee go to Tyrone whensoever he should come to him to require it, and afterward Lee came to him at London, and told him my Lord would have this examinate take it upon him; which was after my Lord had been charged with it before the Lords.

That in all projects of blood, whensoever there was any plots spoken of, he protesteth on his soul he was ever a dissuader.1

He did not name unto him any particular power that would have come to him at his landing, but assured himself that his army would have been quickly increased by all sorts of discontented people.

He saith also that he liked not to have had him go into the City upon those small assurances, to which he gave no credit, but rather told Sir John Davies it were a much better course if he did first send for his horses into his own court, of which he could have made presently a hundred and twenty, as he thinketh, and then to have put Sheriff Smyth to it to have sent him five hundred foot.

This examinate confesseth that, to his remembrance, even at his going into Ireland he confessed to have practised with Scotland.

He did confess before his going that he was assured that many of the rebels would be advised by him, but named none in particular,

He doth also desire that her Majesty may be informed of such

1 On reconsideration Sir Christopher added here the following paragraph: "when upon advice he had thought of it, though when such courses were spoken of he gave his allowance against the Secretary, where upon my soul I presently repented me, and never after gave my allowance to any villainy of that nature, neither did I think till upon reading this again my heart could have been so vild as ever to have conceited such a horrible fact, whereof I do infinitely repent me, and on my bare knees at my next seeing of him will ask him humbly pardon.

"CHR. BLOUNTE."

other things as he hath verbally delivered, and lastly that her Majesty may be particularly informed and remembered of those great services which he did in laying the way open to the Earl of Leicester and Mr. Secretary Walsingham for the discovery of all the Queen of Scots' practices, for which her Majesty was at that time (when the Earl of Leicester went into the Low Countries) very unwilling to have suffered him to have gone from her attendance.

He doth now desire that seeing the fountain of all this great treason is dried, that her Majesty, whose heart he knoweth to be full of mercy, will vouchsafe to have mercy upon him, protesting that he cannot think, if her Majesty knew his own unspotted dear heart to her, and what he would do for her, she would not take his life for a million.

[Indorsed by Sir Robert Cecil,]

7 Martij,1 1600.

The examination of Sir Christopher Blunt.

X.

CHR. BLOUNTE.

Confession of HENRY EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON.2

At my first coming out of Ireland, and upon the commitment of my Lord of Essex, my Lord Mountjoy came to my lodging to Essex House, where he told me that he had before his coming foreseen his ruin, and desiring to save him if it mought be, had sent a messenger to the King of Scots to wish him to bethink himself, and not suffer, if he could hinder it, the government of this state to be wholly in the hands of his enemies; and if he would resolve of anything that was fit, he should find him forward to do him right, as far as he mought with a safe conscience and his duty reserved to her Majesty; that he expected within a while after to receive answer, which when he did I should know it. Not long after, he told me he had heard from him, and showed me a letter which he sent him, wherein was nothing but compliments, allowing of his reservations, and referring him

1 This I am informed by Mr. Bruce was the date originally written by Cecil; but another pen and ink has struck it out and written" Feb. 13." A mistake, whoever made it.

2 Printed for the Camden Society from the original: Hatfield MSS. vol. lxxxiv. No. 19.

for the matter to the bearer, who delivered unto him that the King would think of it, and put himself in a readiness to take any good occasion: whereupon he sent him again with this project, that he should prepare an army at a convenient time, declare his intent, that he would be ready to assist him with the army in Ireland, whither he was going, and mought for the healfe1 of those do that which was fit in establishing such a course as should be best for our country, holding ever his former reservations. At this time I likewise wrote a letter to the King, professing myself to be willing to do him service, as far as I mought with my allegiance to her Majesty, and by the messenger sent him word that I would assist him with my endeavours and my person.

To this dispatch we received no answer during the time of his abode here; but within a while after, the messenger returned, and brought for answer that he liked the course well, and would prepare himself for it; but the year growing on, and it being thought by Sir Charles Danvers that the army of Ireland would suffice alone, I made my Lord of Essex acquainted by letters, he being then at Essex House, what had been done, and that opinion he allowed of, and it was resolved I should break the matter to my Lord Mountjoy at my coming into Ireland, which I did, and he utterly rejected it as a thing which he could no way think honest, and dissuaded me from thinking of any more such courses, which resolution I took, and wrote over to Sir Charles Danvers here what I found, and that I had given over thinking of such matters; whereupon, willing to spend my time in her Majesty's service, to redeem the fault I had made in thinking that which mought be offensive to her, I was desirous to seat myself in Ireland, so that the Deputy making a motion to me to stand for the government of Connaght, I desired that he would move it, meaning, if I could obtain it, to settle there; which being denied me, and I unable to live at so great a charge as I could not choose but be at there, I resolved presently to go into [the] Low Countries, leaving him, and parting myself without any imagination (as I protest before God) to think any more of matters of that nature, but resolving to take my fortune as it should fall out, and as by my merit her Majesty should hold me worthy; or if the worst happened, that her Majesty should con

So in the printed copy. Qy. behalf?

tinue her displeasure against me, which I hoped would not [be], to retire myself into the country, and live quietly and pray for her. I do protest also before God, I left the Deputy, as I thought and so I assure myself, resolved to do her Majesty the best service he could, and repenting that he had ever thought that which mought offend her.

I went into the Low Countries with that mind, and so continued until, a few days before my coming thence, Mr. Littleton came to me, as he said from my Lord of Essex, and told me that he was resolved on the course which is confessed for his coming to the Court; at the hearing of which I protest before the majesty of God I was much troubled in my heart, yet because he protested in it all sincerity and loyalty to her Majesty, I sent him word that I would at any time venture both my fortune and life for him, with anything that was honest. Upon my first seeing him he confirmed as much, and what passed afterwards concerning that I need not speak of, it being so well known.

Mr. Littleton likewise told me that Sir Charles Danvers was sent into Ireland by my Lord of Essex to persuade my Lord Mountjoy to write a letter to him, wherein he should complain of the ill government of the state, and to wish that some course mought be taken to remove from about her Majesty's person those which were bad instruments, protesting that it should never be known till he had been with her Majesty and satisfied her of his intent, and then he would show it her, that she mought see that not only himself, who perhaps she would think desired it by reason of his discontentments and private offences, but also those that were in good estate and in her favour wished too. I then told him that I did not think my Lord Deputy would do it, for I let him know how I left him, and that I did not think there was any spirit in him to such a course. Within a while after I came into England, Sir Charles Danvers returned and told me that he found my Lord Deputy much against any such course, and that he had set his heart only upon following of the Queen's service, and thought not of any such matters; but if he would needs run that course (which he did not like and gave him [for] lost in) he should send him word, and he would write to him; this he told me he yielded to very unwillingly, and

1 sincerely and loyally, in the printed copy.

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