The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

354 DECLARATION OF TIHE TREASON OF ROBERT, EARL OF ESSEX.
he desired her majesty's favour not for any drawing cords of popularity as religion, he had
worldly respect, but for a preparative for a "N Tunc not neglected, both at this time and long before,
dimittis;" and that the tears of his heart had in a profane policy to serve his turn, for his own
quenched in him all humours of ambition. All greatness, of both sorts and factions, both of
this to make her majesty secure, and to lull the Catholics and Puritans, as they term them, turnworld asleep, that he was not a man to be held ing his outside to the one, and his inside to the
any ways dangerous. other; and making himself pleasing and gracious
Not many days after, Sir Richard Barkley, his to the one sort by professing zeal, and frequenting
keeper, was removed from him, and he set at sermons, and making much of preachers, and
liberty with this admonition only, that he should secretly underhand giving assurance to Blunt,
not take himself to be altogether discharged, Davis, and divers others, that, if he might prethough he were left to the guard of none but his vail in his desired greatness, he would bring in a
own discretion. But he felt himself no sooner toleration of the Catholic religion.
upon the/wings of his liberty, but, notwithstand- Then having passed the whole Michaelmas
ing his former shows of a mortified estate of term in making himself plausible, and in drawing
mind, lie began to practise afresh as busily as concourse about him, and in affecting and alluring
ever, reviving his former resolution; which was men by kind provocations and usage, wherein,
the surprising and possessing the queen's person because his liberty was qualified, he neither forand the court. And that it may appear how got exercise of mind nor body, neither sermon
early after his liberty he set his engines on work, nor tennis-court, to give the occasion and freedom
having long before entertained into his service, of access and concourse unto him, and much
and during his government in Ireland drawn other practice and device; about the end of that
near unto him in the place of his chief secretary, term, towards Christmas, he grew to a more
one Henry Cuffe, a base fellow by birth, but a framed resolution of the time and manner, when
great scholar, and indeed a notable traitor by the and how he would put his purpose in execution.
book, being otherwise of a turbulent and muti- And first, about the end of Michaelmas term, it
i3ous spirit against all superiors. passed as a kind of cipher and watch-word
This fellow, in the beginning of August, which among his friends and followers, That my lord
wvr.;s not a month after Essex had liberty granted, would stand upon his guard; which might refell of practising with Sir Henry Nevil, that ceive construction, in a good sense, as well
served her majesty as lieger ambassador with the guard of circumspection, as guard of force: but
French king, and then newly come over into to the more private and trusty persons he was
England from Bulloign, abusing him with a content it should be expounded that he would be
false lie and mere invention, that his service was cooped up no more, nor hazard any more restraints
blamed and misliked, and that the imputation of or commandments.
the breiih1 of the treaty of peace held at Bulloign But the next care was how to bring such
was like to light upon him, when there was no persons, as he thought fit for his purpose, into
colour of any such matter, only to distaste him town together, without vent or suspicion, to be
of others, and to fasten him to my lord, though ready at the time, when he should put his design
he did not acquaint him with any particulars of in execution; which he had concluded should be
my lord's designs till a good while after. some time in Hilary term; wherein he found
But my lord having spent the end of the sum- many devices to draw them up, some for suits in
mer, being a private time, when everybody was law, and some for suits in court, and some for
out of town and dispersed, in digesting his own assurance of land: and one friend to draw up
thoughts, with the help and conference of Mr. another, it not being perceived that all moved
Cuffe, they had soon set down between them the from one head. And it may be truly noted, that
ancient principle of traitors and conspirators, in the catalogue of those persons that were the
which was, to prepare many, and to acquaint eighth of February in the action of open rebellion,
few; and, after the manner of miners, to make a man may find almost out of every country of
ready their powder, and place it, and then give fire England some; which could not be by chance or
but in the instant. Therefore, the first consid- constellation: and in the particularity of examieration was of such persons as my lord thought nations, too long to be rehearsed, it was easy
fit to drawr to be of his party; singling out both to trace in what sort many of them were brought
of nobility and martial men, and others, such up to town, and held in town upon several
as were discontented or turbulent, and such pretences. But in Candlemas term, when the
as were weak of judgment, and easy to be time drew near, then was he content consultation
abused, or such as were wholly dependents and should be had by certain choice persons, upon
followers, for means or countenance, of himself, the whole matter and course which he should
Southampton, or some other of his greatest asso- hold. And because he thought himself and his
elates. own house more observed, it was thought fit
And knowing there were no such strong and that the meeting and conference should be at