The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

350 DECLARATION OF'THE TREASON OF ROBERT, EARL OF ESSEX.
But yet he forgat not his other purpose of defeating of that journey, with an intent, as apmaking himself strong by a party amongst the peared, in the end of the year, to pleasure and
rebels, when it came to the scanning of the gratify the rebel with a dishonourable peace, and
clauses of his commission. For then he did to contract with him for his own greatness.
insist, and that with a kind of contestation, that Therefore, not long after he had received the
the pardoning, no, not of Tyrone himself, the sword, he did voluntarily engage himself in an
capital rebel, should be excepted and reserved to unseasonable and fruitless journey into TMunster,
her majesty's immediate grace; being infinitely a journey never propounded in the council there,
desirous that Tyrone should not look beyond him never advertised over hither while it was past;
for his life or pardon, but should hold his fortune by which journey her majesty's forces, which
as of him, and account for it to him only. were to be preserved entire, both in vigour and
So, again, whereas, in the commission of the number for the great prosecution, were harassed
Earl of Sussex, and of all other lieutenants or and tired with long marches together, and the
deputies, there was ever in that clause, which northern prosecution was indeed quite dashed
giveth unto the lieutenant or deputy that high or and made impossible.
regal point of authority to pardon treasons and But, yet, still doubting he might receive from
traitors, an exception contained of such cases of her majesty some quick and express commandtreason as are committed against the person of the ment to proceed; to be sure he pursued his former
king; it was strange, and suspiciously strange device of wrapping himself in other actions, and
even at that time, with-what importunity and in- so set himself on work anew in the county of;tance he did labour, and in the end prevailed to Ophaley, being resolved, as is manifest, to dally
have that exception also omitted, glossing then, out the season, and never to have gone that jour.
that because he had heard that, by strict exposi- ney at all: that setting forward which he made
tion of law, (a point in law that he would needs in the very end of August, being but a mere play
forget at his arraignment, but could take know- and a mockery, and for the purposes which now
ledge of it before, when it was to serve his own shall be declared.
ambition,) all treasons of rebellion did tend to After he perceived that four months of the
the destruction' of the king's person, it might summer, and three parts of the army were wasted,
breed a buz in the rebels' heads, and so discourage lihe thought now was a time to set on foot such a
them from coming in: whereas he knew well peace, as might be for the rebels' advantage, and
that in all experience passed, there was never so to work a mutual obligation between Tyrone
rebel made any doubt or scruple upon that point and himself; for which purpose lie did but seek
to accept of pardon from all former governors, a commodity. He had there with him in his
who had their commissions penned with that army one Thomas Lee, a man of a seditious and
limitation, their commissions being things not working spirit, and one that had been privately
kept secretly in a box, but published and record- familiar and entirely beloved of Tyrone, and one
ed: so as it appeared manifestly, that it was a that afterwards, immediately upon Essex's open
mere device of his own out of the secret reaches rebellion, was apprehended for a desperate attempt
of his heart, then not revealed; but it may be of violence against her majesty's person; which
shrewdly expounded since, what his drift was, by he plainly confessed, and for which he suffered.
those pardons which he granted to Blunt the Wherefore, judging him to be a fit instrument, he
marshal, and Thomlas Lee, and others, that his made some signification to Lee of such an emcare was no less to secure his own instruments ployment, which was no sooner signified than
than the rebels of Ireland. apprehended by Lee. He gave order also to Sir
Yet was there another point for which he did Christopher Blunt, marshal of his army, to license
contend and contest, which was, that he might Lee to go to Tyrone, when he should require it.
not be tied to any opinion of the council of Ire- But Lee thought good to let slip first unto Tyrone,
land, as all others in certain points, as pardoning which was, nevertheless, by the marshal's wartraitors, concluding war and peace, and some rant, one James Knowd, a person of wit and sufother principal articles, had been before him; to ficiency, to sound in what terms and humours
the end lie might be absolute of himself, and be Tyrone then was. This Knowd returned a mesfully master of opportunities and occasions for the sage from Tyrone to Lee, which was, That if the
performing and executing of his own treasonable Earl of Essex would follow Tyrone's plot, he
ends. would make the Earl of Essex the greatest man
But after he had once, by her majesty's singu- that ever was in England: and, farther, that if
lar trust and favour toward him, obtained his the earl would have conference with him, Tyrone
patent of commission as large, and his list of would deliver his eldest son in pledge for his
forces as full as he desired, there was an end in assurance. This message was delivered by
his course of the prosecution in the north. For, Knowd to Lee, and by Lee was imparted to the
being arrived into Ireland, the whole carriage of Earl of Essex, who, after this message, employed
his actions there was nothing else but a cunning Lee himself to Tyrone, and by his negotiating.