to ask your forgiveness ere I died, both for the wrong done you, and for my particular ill intent towards you: I beseech you forgive me. : Sir Walter Raleigh answered, That he most willingly forgave him, and besought God to forgive him, and to give him his divine comfort: protesting before the Lord, That whatsoever Sir Christopher Blunt meant towards him, for his part he never had any ill intent towards him and farther said to Sir Christopher Blunt, " I pray you without offence let me put you in mind that you have been esteemed, not only a principal provoker and persuader of the earl of Essex in all his undutiful courses, but especially an adviser in that which hath been confessed of his purpose to transport a great part of her Majesty's army out of Ireland into England, to land at Milford, and thence to turn it against her sacred person. You shall do well to tell the truth, and to satisfy the world." To which he answered thus: Sir, if you will give me patience, I will deliver a truth, speaking now my last, in the presence of God, in whose mercy I trust. [And then he directed himself to my lord Gray and my lord Compton, and the rest that sat on horseback near the scaffold.] When I was brought from Reban to Dublin, and lodged in the castle, his lordship and the earl of Southampton came to visit me and to be short, he began thus plainly with me: That he intended to transport a choice part of the army 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 enable him to march to London. To which I protest before the Lord God, I made this or the like answer: That I would that night consider of it; which I did. And the next day the earls came again: 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 hazards, which at this time I cannot remember unto you, neither will the time permit it. But I rather advised him to go over himself with a good train, and make sure of the court, and then make his own conditions. And although it be true, that, as we all protested in our examinations and arraignments, we never resolved of doing hurt to her Majesty's person, for in none of our consultations was there set down any such purpose; yet, I know, and must confess, if we had failed of our ends, we should, rather than have been disappointed, even have drawn blood from herself. From henceforward he dealt no more with me herein, until he was discharged of his keeper at Essex-house. And then, he again asked mine advice, and disputed the matter with me; but resolved not. I went then into the country, and before he sent for me, which was some ten days before his rebellion, I never heard more of the matter. And then he wrote unto me to come up, upon pretence of making some assurances of land, and the like. I will leave the rest unto my confessions, giving to that honourable lord admiral, and worthy Mr. Secretary, to whom I beseech you, Sir Walter Raleigh, commend me; I can requite their favourable and charitable dealing with me, with nought else but my prayers for them. And I beseech God of his mercy, to save and preserve the queen, who hath given comfort to my soul, in that I hear she hath forgiven me all, but the sentence of the law, which I most worthily deserved, and do most willingly embrace; and hope that God will have mercy and compassion on me, who have offended him as many ways as ever sinful wretch did. I have led a life so far from his precepts, as no sinner more. God forgive it me, and forgive me my wicked thoughts, my licentious life, and this right arm of mine, which, I fear me, hath drawn blood in this last action. And I beseech you all bear witness, that I die a catholic, yet so, as I hope to be saved only by the death and passion of Christ, and by his merits, not ascribing any thing to mine own works. And I trust you are all good people, and your prayers may profit Farewell, my worthy lord Gray, and my lord Compton, and to you all; God send you both to live long in honour. I will desire to say a few prayers, and embrace my death most willingly. me. With that he turned from the rail towards the executioner; and the minister offering to speak with him, he came again to the rail, and besought that his conscience might not be troubled, for he was resolved; which he desired for God's sake. Whereupon commandment was given, that the minister should not interrupt him any farther. After which he prepared himself to the block, and so died very manfully and resolutely. An Abstract out of the Earl of Essex's Confession under his own hand. UPON Saturday the twenty-first of February, after the late earl of Essex had desired us to come to him, as well to deliver his knowledge of those treasons, which he had formerly denied at the bar, as also to recommend his humble and earnest request, that her Majesty would be pleased, out of her grace and favour, to suffer him to die privately in the Tower; he did marvellous earnestly desire, that we would suffer him to speak unto Cuffe his secretary: against whom he vehemently complained unto us, to have been a principal instigator to these violent courses which he had undertaken. Wherein he protested that he chiefly desired that he might make it appear that he was not the only persuader of those great offences which they had committed; but that Blunt, Cuffe, Temple, besides those other persons who were at the private conspiracy at Drury-house, to which, though these three were not called, yet they were privy, had most malicious and bloody purposes to subvert the state and government; which could not have been prevented, if his project had gone forward. This request being granted him, and Cuffe brought before him, he there directly and vehemently charged him; and among other speeches used these words: " Henry Cuffe, call to God for mercy, and to the queen, and deserve it by declaring truth. For I, that must now prepare for another world, have resolved to deal clearly with God and the world: and must needs say this to you; You have been one of the chiefest instigators of me to all these my dis- | die in so private a manner, lest the acclamation of loyal courses into which I have fallen." Testified by THO. EGERTON, C. S. THO. BUCKHURST, NOTTINGHAM, RO. CECIL. The Earl of Essex his Confession to three Ministers, whose names are underwritten, the 25th of February, 1600. THE late earl of Essex thanked God most heartily, that he had given him a deeper insight into his offence, being sorry he had so stood upon his justification at his arraignment, for he was since that become another man. He thanked God that his course was so prevented; for if his project had taken effect, God knows, said he, what harm it had wrought in the realm. He humbly thanked her Majesty, that he should the people might have been a temptation unto him. To which he added, that all popularity and trust in man was vain: the experience where of himself had felt. He acknowledged with thankfulness to God, that he was thus justly spewed out of the realm. also privately, aggravated the detestation of his ofHe publicly in his prayer and protestation, as fence; and especially in the hearing of them that were present at the execution, he exaggerated it with four epithets, desiring God to forgive him his great, his bloody, his crying, and his infectious sin: which word infectious he privately had explained to us, that it was a leprosy that had infected far and near. THOMAS MONFORD, ABDY ASHTON, his chaplain. THE EARL OF DEVONSHIRE, LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND. in the true rules and habits of duties and moralities, which must be they which shall decide this matter; wherein, my lord, my defence needeth to be but simple and brief; namely, that whatsoever I did concerning that action and proceeding, was done in my duty and service to the queen and the state; in which I would not show myself false-hearted nor faint-hearted, for any man's sake living. For every honest man that hath his heart well planted, will forsake his king rather than forsake God, and forsake his friend rather than forsake his king; and yet will forsake any earthly commodity, yea, and his own life in some cases, rather than forsake his friend. I hope the world hath not forgotten these degrees, else the heathen saying, "Amicus usque ad aras," shall judge them. Ir may please your good lordship, I cannot be | because I know your lordship is excellently grounded ignorant, and ought to be sensible of the wrong which I sustain in common speech, as if I had been false or unthankful to that noble, but unfortunate earl, the earl of Essex: and for satisfying the vulgar sort, I do not so much regard it; though I love a good name, but yet as an handmaid and attendant of honesty and virtue. For I am of his opinion that said pleasantly, "That it was a shame to him that was a suitor to the mistress to make love to the waiting-woman;" and therefore to woo or court common fame, otherwise than it followeth on honest courses, I, for my part, find not myself fit or disposed. But, on the other side, there is no worldly thing that concerneth myself, which I hold more dear than the good opinion of certain persons; among which there is none I would more willingly give satisfaction unto than to your lordship. First, because you loved my lord of Essex, and therefore will not be partial towards me, which is part of that I desire: next, because it hath ever pleased you to show yourself to me an honourable friend, and so no baseness in me to seek to satisfy you and lastly, 2 F VOL. I. And if any man shall say, I did officiously intrude myself into that business, because I had no ordinary place; the like may be said of all the business in effect that passed the hands of the learned counsel, either of states or revenues, these many years, wherein I was continually used. For, as your lord ship may remember, the queen knew her strength | not long after I entered into this course, my brother so well, as she looked her word should be a warrant; and, after the manner of the choicest princes before her, did not always tie her trust to place, but did sometime divide private favour from office. And I for my part, though I was not so unseen in the world, but I knew the condition was subject to envy and peril; yet because I knew again she was constant in her favours, and made an end where she began; and especially because she upheld me with extraordinary access, and other demonstrations of confidence and grace, I resolved to endure it in expectation of better. But my scope and desire is, that your lordship would be pleased to have the honourable patience to know the truth, in some particularity, of all that passed in this cause, wherein I had any part, that you may perceive how honest a heart I ever bare to my sovereign, and to my country, and to that nobleman, who had so well deserved of me, and so well accepted of my deservings, whose fortune I cannot remember without much grief. But for any action of mine towards him, there is nothing that passed me in my life-time, that cometh to my remembrance with more clearness, and less check of conscience: for it will appear to your lordship, that I was not only not opposite to my lord of Essex, but that I did occupy the utmost of my wits, and adventure my fortune with the queen, to have redintegrated his, and so continued faithfully and industriously, till his last fatal impatience, for so I will call it, after which day there was not time to work for him: though the same, my affection, when it could not work on the subject proper, went to the next, with no ill effect towards some others, who, I think, do rather not know it, than not acknowledge it. And this I will assure your lordship, I will leave nothing untold, that is truth, for any enemy that I have, to add; and on the other side, I must reserve much which makes for me, in many respects of duty, which I esteem above my credit: and what I have here set down to your lordship, I protest, as I hope to have any part in God's favour, is true. It is well known, how I did many years since dedicate my travels and studies to the use, and as I may term it, service of my lord of Essex, which, I protest before God, I did not, making election of him as the likeliest mean of mine own advancement, but out of the humour of a man, that ever from the time I had any use of reason, whether it were reading upon good books, or upon the example of a good father, or by nature, I loved my country more than was answerable to my fortune; and I held at that time my lord to be the fittest instrument to do good to the state, and therefore I applied myself to him in a manner which I think happeneth rarely among men: for I did not only labour carefully and industriously in that he set me about, whether it were matter of advice or otherwise, but, neglecting the queen's service, mine own fortune, and in a sort my vocation, I did nothing but advise and ruminate with myself, to the best of my understanding, propositions and memorials of any thing that might concern his lordship's honour, fortune, or service. And when, Mr. Anthony Bacon came from beyond the seas, being a gentleman whose ability the world taketh knowledge of for matters of state, especially foreign, I did likewise knit his service to be at my lord's disposing. And on the other side, I must and will ever acknowledge my lord's love, trust, and favour towards me; and last of all his liberality, having infeoffed me of land which I sold for eighteen hundred pounds to Mr. Reynold Nicholas, which I think, was more worth; and that at such a time, and with so kind and noble circumstances, as the manner was as much as the matter; which, though it be but an idle digression, yet because I am not willing to be short in commemoration of his benefits, I will presume to trouble your lordship with relating to you the manner of it. After the queen had denied me the solicitor's place, for the which his lordship had been a long and earnest suitor on my behalf, it pleased him to come to me from Richmond to Twicknam Park, and brake with me, and said: "Mr. Bacon, the queen hath denied me the place for you, and hath placed another; I know you are the least part of your own matter, but you fare ill because you have chosen me for your mean and dependence; you have spent your time and thoughts in my matters; I die," these were his very words, “ if I do not somewhat towards your fortune, you shall not deny to accept a piece of land which I will bestow upon you." My answer, I remember, was, that for my fortune it was no great matter; but that his lordship's offer made me call in mind what was wont to be said, when I was in France, of the duke of Guise, that he was the greatest usurer in France, because he had turned all his estate into obligations: meaning that he had left himself nothing, but only had bound numbers of persons to him. "Now, my lord, said I, I would not have you imitate his course, nor turn your estate thus by great gifts into obligations, for you will find many bad debtors." He bade me take no care for that, and pressed it: whereupon I said, My lord, I see I must be your homager, and hold land of your gift; but do you know the manner of doing homage in law? Always it is with a saving of his faith to the king and his other lords; and therefore, my lord, said I, I can be no more yours than I was, and it must be with the ancient savings: and if I grow to be a rich man, you will give me leave to give it back again to some of your unrewarded followers." 66 : But to return: sure I am, though I can arrogate nothing to myself but that I was a faithful remembrancer to his lordship, that while I had most credit with him his fortune went on best and yet in two main points we always directly and contradictorily differed, which I will mention to your lordship, because it giveth light to all that followed. The one was, I ever set this down, that the only course to be held with the queen, was by obsequiousness and observance and I remember I would usually engage confidently, that if he would take that course constantly, and with choice of good particulars to express it, the queen would be brought in time to Ahasuerus's question, to ask, "What should be done a half before his lordship's going into Ireland, as in to the man that the king would honour ?" Meaning former time yet, nevertheless, touching his going that her goodness was without limit, where there into Ireland, it pleased him expressly, and in a set was a true concurrence: which I knew in her namanner, to desire mine opinion and counsel. At ture to be true. My lord, on the other side, had a which time I did not only dissuade, but protest settled opinion, that the queen could be brought to against his going; telling him with as much vehenothing but by a kind of necessity and authority; mency and asseveration as I could, that absence in and I well remember, when by violent courses at that kind would exulcerate the queen's mind, whereby any time he had got his will, he would ask me, it would not be possible for him to carry himself so "Now, Sir, whose principles be true?" And I as to give her sufficient contentment; nor for her to would again say to him; "My lord, these courses carry herself so as to give him sufficient countebe like to hot waters, they will help at a pang; but nance which would be ill for her, ill for him, and if you use them you shall spoil the stomach, and ill for the state. And because I would omit no aryou shall be fain still to make them stronger and gument, I remember I stood also upon the difficulty stronger, and yet in the end they will lessen their of the action; setting before him out of histories, operation;" with much other variety, wherewith I that the Irish was such an enemy as the ancient used to touch that string. Another point was, that Gauls, or Britons, or Germans were; and that we I always vehemently dissuaded him from seeking saw how the Romans, who had such discipline to greatness by a military dependence, or by a popular govern their soldiers, and such donatives to encoudependence, as that which would breed in the queen rage them, and the whole world in a manner to levy jealousy, in himself presumption, and in the state them: yet when they came to deal with enemies, perturbation and I did usually compare them to which placed their felicity only in liberty, and the Icarus's two wings, which were joined on with wax, sharpness of their sword, and had the natural eleand would make him venture to soar too high, and mental advantages of woods, and bogs, and hardness then fail him at the height. And I would farther of bodies, they ever found they had their hands full say unto him; "My lord, stand upon two feet, and of them; and therefore concluded, that going over fly not upon two wings: the two feet are the two with such expectation as he did, and through the kinds of justice, commutative, and distributive: use churlishness of the enterprise not like to answer it, your greatness for advancing of merit and virtue, would mightily diminish his reputation: and many and relieving wrongs and burthens; you shall need other reasons I used, so as I am sure I never in any no other art or finesse:" but he would tell me, that thing in my life-time dealt with him in like earnestopinion came not from my mind, but from my robe. ness by speech, by writing, and by all the means I But it is very true, that I, that never meant to could devise. For I did as plainly see his overinthral myself to my lord of Essex, nor any other throw chained, as it were by destiny, to that journey, man, more than stood with the public good, did, as it is possible for any man to ground a judgment though I could little prevail, divert him by all upon future contingents. But my lord, howsoever means possible from courses of the wars and popu- his ear was open, yet his heart and resolution was larity: for I saw plainly the queen must either live shut against that advice, whereby his ruin might or die; if she lived, then the times would be as in have been prevented. After my lord's going, I saw the declination of an old prince; if she died, the then how true a prophet I was, in regard of the times would be as in the beginning of a new; and evident alteration which naturally succeeded in the that if his lordship did rise too fast in these courses, queen's mind; and thereupon I was still in watch the times might be dangerous for him, and he for to find the best occasion that in the weakness of my them. Nay, I remember, I was thus plain with power I could either take or minister, to pull him him upon his voyage to the islands, when I saw out of the fire, if it had been possible: and not long every spring put forth such actions of charge and after, methought I saw some overture thereof, which provocation, that I said to him, " My lord, when II apprehended readily; a particularity which I came first unto you, I took you for a physician that desired to cure the diseases of the state; but now I doubt you will be like those physicians which can be content to keep their patients low, because they would always be in request." Which plainness he nevertheless took very well, as he had an excellent ear, and was patientissimus veri, and assured me the case of the realm required it and I think this speech of mine, and the like renewed afterwards, pricked him to write that Apology which is in many men's hands. But this difference in two points so main and material, bred in process of time a discontinuance of privateness, as it is the manner of men seldom to communicate where they think their courses not approved, between his lordship and myself; so as I was not called nor advised with for some year and think to be known to very few, and the which I do the rather relate unto your lordship, because I hear it should be talked, that while my lord was in Ireland I revealed some matters against him, or I cannot tell what; which if it were not a mere slander, as the rest is, but had any, though never so little, colour, was surely upon this occasion. The queen one day at Nonesuch, a little, as I remember, before Cuffe's coming over, where I attended her, showed a passionate distaste of my lord's proceedings in Ireland, as if they were unfortunate, without judgment, contemptuous, and not without some private end of his own, and all that might be; and was pleased, as she spake of it to many that she trusted least, so to fall into the like speech with me. Whereupon I, who was still awake, and true to my grounds which I thought surest for my lord's good, said to this effect: “Madam, I know not the particulars of estate, and I know this, that princes' actions must have no abrupt periods or conclusions; but otherwise I would think, that if you had my lord of Essex here with a white staff in his hand, as my lord of Leicester had, and continued him still about you for society to yourself, and for an honour and ornament to your attendance and court in the eyes of your people, and in the eyes of foreign ambassadors, then were he in his right element; for to discontent him as you do, and yet to put arms and power into his hands, may be a kind of temptation to make him prove cumbersome and unruly. And therefore if you would | imponere bonam clausulam, and send for him and satisfy him with honour here near you, if your affairs, which, as I have said, I am not acquainted with, will permit it, I think were the best way." Which course your lordship knoweth, if it had been taken, then all had been well, and no contempt in my lord's coming over, nor continuance of these jealousies, which that employment of Ireland | bred, and my lord here in his former greatness. Well, the next news that I heard was, that my lord was come over, and that he was committed to his chamber for leaving Ireland without the queen's licence; this was at Nonesuch, where, as my duty was, I came to his lordship, and talked with him privately about a quarter of an hour, and he asked mine opinion of the course that was taken with him: I told him, “My lord, ‘Nubecula est, cito transibit;' | it is but a mist. But shall I tell your lordship, it is as mists are: if it go upwards, it may perhaps cause a shower if downwards, it will clear up. And therefore, good my lord, carry it so as you take away by all means all umbrages and distastes from the queen; and especially if I were worthy to advise you, as I have been by yourself thought, and now your question imports the continuance of that opinion, observe three points: first, make not this cessation or peace, which is concluded with Tyrone, as a service wherein you glory, but as a shuffling up of a prosecution which was not very fortunate. Next, represent not to the queen any necessity of estate, whereby, as by a coercion or wrench, she should think herself enforced to send you back into Ireland, but leave it to her. Thirdly, seek access importune, opportune, seriously, sportingly, every way." I remember my lord was willing to hear me, but spake very few words, and shaked his head sometimes, as if he thought I was in the wrong; but, sure I am, he did just contrary in every one of these three points. After this, during the while since my lord was committed to my lord keeper's, I came divers times to the queen, as I had used to do, about causes of her revenue and law business, as is well known; by reason of which accesses, according to the ordinary charities of court, it was given out, that I was one of them that incensed the queen against my lord of Essex. These speeches I cannot tell, nor I will not think, that they grew any way from her Majesty's own speeches, whose memory I will ever honour; if they did, she is with God, and "Miserum est ab illis lædi, de quibus non possis queri." But I must give this testimony to my lord Cecil, that one time in his house at the Savoy he dealt with me directly, and said to me, "Cousin, I hear it, but I believe it not, that you should do some ill office to my lord of Essex; for my part I am merely passive, and not active in this action and I follow the queen, and that heavily, and I lead her not; my lord of Essex is one that in nature I could consent with as well as with any one living; the queen indeed is my sovereign, and I am her creature, I may not lose her, and the same course I would wish you to take." Whereupon I satisfied him how far I was from any such mind. And as sometimes it cometh to pass, that men's inclinations are opened more in a toy, than in a serious matter: a little before that time, being about the middle of Michaelmas term, her Majesty had a purpose to dine at my lodge at Twicknam Park, at which time I had, though I profess not to be a poet, prepared a sonnet directly tending and alluding to draw on her Majesty's reconcilement to my lord; which, I remember, also I showed to a great person, and one of my lord's nearest friends, who commended it. This, though it be as I said but a toy, yet it showed plainly in what spirit I proceeded; and that I was ready not only to do my lord good offices, but to publish and declare myself for him and never was I so ambitious of any thing in my life-time, as I was to have carried some token or favour from her Majesty to my lord; using all the art I had, both to procure her Majesty to send, and myself to be the messenger. For as to the former, I feared not to allege to her, that this proceeding toward my lord was a thing towards the people very unplausible; and therefore wished her Majesty, however she did, yet to discharge herself of it, and lay it upon others; and therefore that she would intermix her proceeding with some immediate graces from herself, that the world might take knowledge of her princely nature and goodness, lest it should alienate the hearts of her people from her: which I did stand upon; knowing well that if she once relented to send or visit, those demonstrations would prove matter of substance for my lord's good. And to draw that employment upon myself, I advised her Majesty, that whensoever God should move her to turn the light of her favours towards my lord, to make signification to him thereof; that her Majesty, if she did it not in person, would at the least use some such mean as might not entitle themselves to any part of the thanks, as persons that were thought mighty with her to work her, or to bring her about; but to use some such as could not be thought but a mere conduit of her own goodness. But I could never prevail with her, though I am persuaded she saw plainly whereat I levelled; and she plainly had me in jealousy, that I was not hers entirely, but still had inward and deep respects towards my lord, more than stood at that time with her will and pleasure. About the same time I remember an answer of mine in a matter which had some affinity with my lord's cause, which though it grew from me, went after about in others' names. For her Majesty being mightily incensed with that book |