The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

DECLARATION OF THE TREASON OF ROBERT, EARL OF ESSEX. 365
wards uttered, and in the end sealed with his And farther, to prove him privy to the plot, it
blood, as is hereafter set down. was given in evidence, that some few days before
Against Cuffe was given in evidence, both Sir the rebellion, with great heat and violence he had
Charles Davers's confession, who charged him, displaced certain gentlemen lodged in a house
when there was any debating of the several en- fast by Essex House, and there planted divers of
terprises which they should undertake, that he nmy lord's followers and complices, all such as
did ever bind firmly and resolutely for the court: went forth with him in the action of rebellion.
and the accusation under the earl's hand, avouched That the afternoon before the rebellion, Merick,
by him to his face, that he was a principal insti- with a great company of others, that afterwards
gator of him in his treasons; but especially afull were all in the action, had procured to be played
declaration of Sir Henry Neville's, which de- before them the play of deposing King Richard
scribeth and planteth forth the whole manner of the Second.
his practising with him. Neither was it casual, but a play bespoken by
The fellow, after he had made some introduc- Merick.
tion by an artificial and continued speech, and And not so only, but when it was told him by
some time spent in sophistical arguments, de- one of the players, that the play was old, and
scended to these two answers: the one, for his they should have loss in playing it, because few
being within Essex House that day, the day of the would corre to it, there were forty shillings exrebellion, they might as well chargea lion within traordinary given to play it, and so thereupon
a grate with treason, as him; and for the consul- played it was.
tation at Drury House, it was no more treason than So earnest he was to satisfy his eyes with the
the child in the mother's belly is a child. But it sight of that tragedy, which he thought soon after
was replied, that for his being in the house, it was his lordship should bring from the stage to the
not compulsory, and that there was a distribution state, but that God turned it upon their own heads.
of the action, of some to make good the house,
arnd some to enter the city, and the one part held The speeches of Sir Christolher Bllut at his
correspondent to the other, and that in treasons execution are set down asnear as they co ld be ethere was no accessaries, but all principals. membered, after nhe rest of the confessions ald
And for the consultation at Drury House, it-was evidences.
a perfect treason in itself, because the compassing
M HBear efollow the vomlntary confessions themselves,
of the king's destruction, which by judgment of ch as were given i
0.g.. such as were given in evidence at both the several
law was concluded and implied in that consulta- arraignoests, tahen forth word for word out.of
tion, was treason in the very thought and cogita- the originals; whereby it may appear how God
tion, so as that thought be proved by an overt act; brought matters to light, at several times, and in
and that the same consultation and debating there- several parts, all concurring in substance; and
upon was an overt act, though it had not been with them other declarations and parts of evidece.
upon a list of names, and articles in writing, much
more being upon matter in writing.
And, again, the going into the city was a pursuance and inducement of the enterprise to possess Fe coyfession 1f THorA S EI taken the 14YTN of
the court, and not a desisting or a departure from it. February 1600 before SIR JOHN PEYTON, Lieute
And, lastly, it was ruled by the judges for law, nat of the Tower; ROGER WILI3RH4M, akister
that if many do conspire to execute treason against of the Requests; Sin ANTHON; anTLH CR, Masthe prince in one manner, and some of them do exe- her mrajesty's Solicitor General
cute it in another manner, yet their act, though differing in the manner, is the act of all them thatcon- This examinate saith, that Tyrone sent a messpire, by reason of the general malice of the intent. sage to this examinate by James Knowd, whom
Against Sir Gilly Merick, the evidence that this examinate by the marshal's warrant in writwas given, charged him chiefly with the matter of ing had sent to Tyrone before himself went to
the open rebellion, that he was a captain or com- Tyrone, that if the Earl of Essex would follow
mander over the house, and took upon him charge his plot, he would make him the greatest man
to keep it, and make it good as a place of retreat that ever was in England, and that, when Essex
for those which issued into the city, and fortifying and Tyrone should have conference together, for
and barricading the same house, and making pro- his assurance unto the Earl of Essex, Tryrone
vision of muskets, powder, pellets, and other mu- would deliver his eldest son in pledge to the earl
nition and weapons for the holding and defending And with this message this examinate made the
of it, and as a busy, forward, and noted actor in Earl of Essex acquainted before his coming to
that defence and resistance which was made this examinate's house, at that time when this
against the queen's forces brought against it by examinate was sent to Tyrone.
her majesty's lieutenant. This examinate saith, he knew that Essex, Ty
2 r 2