The works of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor of England.

b10 LETTERS RELATING TO LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
make a repetition of the former carriages of all latter, touching the book and the letter in the gilt
this business, that you may distinguish that, apple, and have advisedly perused and weighed
which he did by knowledge of mine and direc- all the examinations and collections which were
tion, and betwixt that he did out of his own dis- formerly taken; wherein we might attribute a
cretion, without my warrant. With all this he good deal of worthy industry and watchful
has to renew to you a former desire of mine, which inquiry to my Lord of Canterbury. We thought
was the groundwork of this, and the chief errand fit also to take some new examinations; which
of his coming to you, wherein I desire your was the cause we certified no sooner. Upon the
answer by him. I would not employ this gentle- whole matter, we find the cause of his imprisonanan to you, if he were, as you conceit of him, ment just, and the suspicions and presumptions
your unfriend, or an ill instrument betwixt us. many and great; which we little need to mention,
So owe him the testimony of one, that has spoken because your majesty did relate and enforce theml
as honestly, and given more praises of you, than to us in better perfection, than we can express
any man that has spoken to me.
any man that has spoken to me. bundle of papers sealed up; which the pursuivant going to
My haste at this time makes me to end sooner open, Williams made some resistance, pretending they were
than I expected: but the subject of my next send- evidences of a gentleman whose law businesses he transacted.
ung shall be to answer that part you give tme ill The pursuivant insisting upon opening the papers, among
them was found Balnam-n's.ss, with new annotations; of
your love, with a return of the same from which, upon examrination, Willinsls confessed himlself to he
Your assured loving friend, the author. Ile was brought to trial on the 3d of May, 1619,
R. SOMERsET. for writing that and another book entitled Specusalum Regale;
in both of which he had presumed to prophesy, that the king
Endorsed, would die in 1621, grounding this prediction on the prophecy.
Lord Somerset's first letter. of Daniel, where the prophet speaks of time and times, aind
ha7fa tisme. He farther affirmed, that Antichrist will be revealed when sin shall be at the highest, and then the end is
nigh: that such is our time: sin is now at the highest; ergo,
that the land is the abomnination of desolation mentioned byv
Daniel, and the habitation of devils, and the antimnark of
Christ's church. Williams's defence was, 1. That what he
IT MAY PLEASE YOUR MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, had written was not with any malice or disloyalty of heart
WYe have, with all possible care and diligence, towards the king, but purely fronn affection, and by way
considered C~otton'ss' cause, the fornmer and the of caution and admonition. that his majesty miight avoid the
mischiefs likely to befall him; having added in his book, when
he delivered the threats of judgment and destruction, 7clhich
* The case of this gentleman will render the detail of it God avert, or such words. 2. That the matter rested only in
necessary for the illustration of this letter; and the circum- opinion and thought, and contained no overt act; no rebellion,
stances of it, not known in our history, may be thought to de- treason, or other mischief following it. 3. That he had enserve the reader's attention. Iie was a native of the West closed his book in a box sealed up, and secretly conveyed it to
of England, and a recusant, against whom a proclamration was the king, without ever publishing it. But the court was
issued in June, 1613, charging himn with high treason against unanimously of opinion, that he was guilty of high treason;
the king and state, for having published a very scandalous and and that the words contained in the libel, as cited above, imrailing book against his majesty, under the title of Balaamn's ported the end and destruction of the king and his realn; and.dss, which was dropped in the gallery at Whitehall. Just at that antichristianism and false religion were maintained in
the time of publishing this proclamation, ie happened to cross the said realm; which was a motive to the people to comthe Thames, anid inquiring of the watermen what news? mit treasons, to raise rebellions, &c., and that the writing of
they, not knowing him, told him of the proclamation. At the book was a publication. Reports of Henry Rolle, ses'jeant'anding, lie muffled himself up in his cloak, to avoid being at lase, part II. p. 88. In consequence of this judgment he had
known; but had not gone many paces, when one Mr. Maine, a sentence of death passed upon hitn, which was executed
a fiiend of his, meeling and discovering him, warned him of over against Charing-cross two days after. MS. letters of
his danger; and being asked what he would advise him to do, Mr. Thomas Lorkin to Sir Thomas Puckering, Bart., dated at
recomisriended it to hium to surrender himself; which he did to London, June the 2-th and 30th, 1613, and March the 16tll,
the Earl of Southiampton. He denied himself to be the author 1618-9, and May the 4th and 5th, 1619, among the Ilarleian
of the libel: but his study being searched, among his papers MSS. vol. 7002. At his death he adhered to his profession of'were found many parts of the book, together with relics of the Rorman Catholic religion, and (lied with great resolution.
those persons who had been executed for the gunpowder He prayed for the king and prince; and said, that he was sorry
treason, as onue of Sir Everard Digby's fingers, a toe of Thomas for having written1 so saucily and irreverently; but pretended
Percy, some other part of Catesby or Rookewood, and a piece that ihe had an inward warrant and particular illumination to
of one of Peter Lambert's ribs. He was kept prisoner in the understand certain hard passages of Daniel and the RevelaTower till Murch, 1618, when the true author of the libel was tion, which made him adventure so far. MS. letter of John
discovered to be John Williams, Esq., a barrister of the Mid- Chamberlain, Esq. to Sir Dudley Carleton, dated at London,
(ile Temple, who had been expelled the House of Comimons on May 8, 1619.
accou lnt of his being a Papist. The discovery was owing to this This case was urged against the seven bishops at their trial
accident: a psirsuivant in want of money, and desirous to get in Kiing James II.'s reign by Sir William Williams, then
sone by his emiploymnent, waited at the Spanish anibassador's solicitor-general, who observed, Trial, p. 76, that it had been
door, to see if lie could light upon any prey. At last came out made use of by Mr. Solicitor-General Finch on the trial of
MJr. WVilliams, unknownis to the pursuivant; but carrying, in Col. Sidney, and was the great "case relied upon, and that
his conceit, the coiitenance of a priest. The pursuivant, there- guided and governed that case;" though there is nothing of
fore, followed hitus to his inn, where Williams having mounted this, that appears in the printed trial of Sidney.
his horse, the pursuivant canie to him, and told him, that he It is but justice to the memory of our great antiquary, Sir
Ismst speak a word or two with hiom.'"Marry,with all my heart," Robert Cotton, Bart., to remalrk here a mistake of Dr. Thomas
said Iillialmss; "' what is your pleasure?" Youie mst lighlt, an- Smith in his life of Sir Robert, p. 26, prefixed to his catalogue
swered the pursuivant: for 7Jyou are apriest. "A priest?" replied of the Cottonian library, where he has confounded the Cotton
Williams;'I have a good warrant to the contrary, for I have mentioned in the beginning of this note, with Sir Robert Cota wife mulsd ehildien.s" Being, however, obliged to dismount, ton, and erroneously supposed, that the suspicions of having
ihe plrsuiivant searched him; and in his pocket was found a written the libel had fallen upon the latter.