great Seale out of the window Some other cried there Kill them and some other sayd Nay let vs shop them vp The Lorde Keeper did often call to the Earle of Essex to speake with them priuately thinking still that his meaning had beene so vntill the Earle brought them into his backe Chamber and there gaue order to haue the further doore of that Chamber shut fast And at his going foorth out of that Chamber the Lorde Keeper pressing againe to haue spoken with the Earle of Essex the Earle sayd My Lords be patient a while and stay heere and I will goe into London and take order with the Maior and Shiriffes for the Citie and will be heere againe within this halfe houre And so departed from the Lord Keeper c. leauing the Lord Keeper c and diuers of the Gentlemen Pensioners in that Chamber guarded by Sir Iohn Dauis Francis Tresham and Owen Salisburie with musquet shot where they continued vntill Sir Ferdinando Gorges came and deliuered them about foure of the clocke in the afternoone In the meane time wee did often require Sir Iohn Dauis and Francis Tresham to suffer vs to depart or at the least to suffer some one of vs to go to the QVEENES MAIESTY to informe her vvhere and in what sort we were kept But they answered That my Lord meaning the Earle of Essex had commanded that we should not depart before his returne which they said would be very shortly Thomas Egerton C. S. Edward Worcester Iohn Popham ¶ The examination of Roger Earle of Rutland the 12. of February 1600. taken before Sir Thomas Egerton L. Keeper of the great Seale the L. Buckhurst L. high Treasurer the Earle of Notingham L. high Admirall Sir Robert Cecill Principall Secretary and Sir Io. Popham L. chiefe Iustice of England HE saith that at his comming to Essex house on Sunday morning last he found there with the Earle of Essex the Lord Sandys and the L. Chandos and diuers Knights and gentlemen And the Earle of Essex tolde this Examinate That his life was practised to bee taken away by the Lord Cobham and Sir Walter Raleigh when he was sent for to the Counsell And the Earle said That now he meant by the helpe of his friends to defend himselfe And saith that the deteining of the Lord Keeper and the other Lords sent to the Earle from the Queene was a stratageme of warre And saith That the Earle of Essex told him that London stood for him and that Sherife Smith had giuen him intelligence that hee would make as many men to assist him as he could And further the Earle of Essex said That he meant to possesse himselfe of the Citie the better to enable himselfe to reuenge him on his enemies the Lord Cobham Sir Robert Cecil and sir Walter Raleigh And this Examinate confesseth that he resolued to liue and die with the Earle of Essex and that the Earle of Essex did intend to make his forces so strong that her Maiestie should not be able to resist him in the reuenge of his enemies And saith that the Earle of Essex was most inward with the Earle of Southampton Sir Christopher Blunt and others who haue of long time shewed themselues discontented and haue aduised the Earle of Essex to take other courses and to stand vpon his guard And saith that when the Earle of Essex was talking with the L. Keeper and other the Lords sent from her Maiestie diuers sayd My Lord they meane to abuse you you loose time And when the Earle came to Sherife Smiths hee desired him to send for the Lord Maior that hee might speake with him And as the Earle went in the streetes of London this Examinate sayd to diuers of the Citizens that if they would needes come that it was better for their safetie to come with weapons in their hands And saith that the Earle of Essex at the end of the streete where Sherife Smith dwelt cried out to the Citizens That they did him harme for that they came naked and willed them to get them weapons And the Earle of Essex also cried out to the Citizens That the Crowne of England was offred to be solde to the Infanta And saith that the Earle burned diuers papers that were in a little Casket whereof one was as the Earle sayd An historie of his troubles And sayth that when they were assaulted in Essex house after their returne they first resolued to haue made a sallie out And the Earle sayd that he was determined to die and yet in the end they changed their opinion and yeelded And sayth that the Earle of Southampton sir Christopher Blunt and sir Iohn Dauies aduised the Earle of Essex that the Lord Keeper and his company should be deteined And this Examinate sayth that he heard diuers there present cry out Kill them kill them And sayth that he thinketh the Earle of Essex intended that after he had possessed himselfe of the Citie hee would intreat the Lord Keeper and his company to accompany him to the Court Hee sayth hee heard Sir Christopher Blunt say openly in the presence of the Earle of Essex and others how fearefull and in what seuerall humors they should finde them at the Court when they came thither Rutland Exam. per Th. Egerton C. S. T. Buckhurst Notingham Ro Cecill Io. Popham ¶ The Confession of William Lord Sandys of the parish of Sherborne Cowdry in the Countie of Southampton taken this 16. of February 1600. before Sir Iohn Popham L. chiefe Iustice Roger Wilbraham Master of the Requests and Edw. Coke her Maiesties Atturney Generall HE saith that hee neuer vnderstood that the Earle did meane to stand vpon his strength till Sunday in the morning being the eight of this instant Februarie And saith that in the morning of that day this Examinat was sent for by the Earle of Essex about sixe or seuen of the clocke and the Earle sent for him by his seruant Warberton who was married to a widowe in Hampshire And at his comming to the Earle there were sixe or seuen Gentlemen with him but remembreth not what they were and next after of a Noble man came my Lord Chandos and after him came the Earle of Southampton and presently after the Earle of Rutland and after him Master Parker commonly called the Lord Mountegle And sayeth that at his comming to the Earle of Essex he complained That it was practised by Sir Walter Raleigh to haue murdered him as hee should haue gone to the Lord Treasurers house with Master Secretary Herbert And saith that he was present in the Court-yard of Essex house when the Lord Keeper the Earle of Worcester Sir William Knollis and the Lorde Chiefe Iustice came from the QVEENES MAIESTIE to the Earle of Essex And the Lord Chiefe Iustice required the Earle of Essex to haue some priuate conference with him and that if any priuate wrongs were offered vnto him that they would make true report thereof to her MAIESTIE who no
should holde of him the honour and state of Viceroy of Ireland And that the proportion of souldiers which Tyrone should bring or send to Essex were 8000 Irish. With which concurreth fully the testimony of the said Iames Knowde who being in credit with Oâ—â—â—â— Mac Roory chiefe of the Omoores in Lemster was vsed as a Secretarie for him in the writing of a letter to Tyrone immediatly after Essex comming into England The effect of which letter was To vnderstand some light of the secret agreement betweene the Earle of Essex and Tyrone that he the said Owny might frame his course accordingly Which letter with further instructions to the same effect was in the presence of Knowde deliuered to Turlagh Macdauy a man of trust with Owny who brought an answer from Tyrone The coÌ„tents whereof were That the Earle of Essex had agreed to take his part and that they should ayd him towards the conquest of England Besides very certaine it is testified by diuers credible persons that immediatly vpon this parley there did flie abroad as sparckles of this fire which it did not concern Tyrone so much to keep secret as it did Essex a generall and receiued opinion that went vp and down in the mouthes both of the better and meaner sort of Rebels That the Earle of Essex was theirs and they his and that hee would neuer leaue the one sword meaning that of Ireland till he had gotten the other in England and that he would bring them to serue where they should haue other maner of booties then cowes and the like speaches And Thomas Lee himselfe who had bene as was before declared with Tyrone two or three dayes vpon my Lords sending and had sounded him hath left it confessed vnder his hand That he knew the Earle of Essex and Tyrone to be one and to runne the same courses And certaine it is also that immediatly vpon that parley Tyrone grewe into a strange and vnwoonted pride and appointed his progresses and visitations to receiue congratulations and homages from his confederates and behaued himselfe in all things as one that had some new spirite of hope and courage put into him But on the Earle of Essex his part insued immediatly after this parley a strange motion and proiect which though no doubt hee had harbored in his brest before yet for any thing yet appeareth he did not vtter and breake with any in it before he had bene confirmed and fortified in his purpose by the combination and correspondence which hee found in Tyrone vpon their conference Neither is this a matter gathered out of reports but confessed directly by two of his principall friendes and associats being witnesses vpon their owne knowledge of that which was spoken to themselues The substance of which confessions is this That a litle before my Lords comming ouer into England at the castle of Dublin where Sir Christopher Blunt lay hurt hauing bene lately remooued thither from Reban a castle of Thomas Lees and placed in a lodging that had bene my Lord of Southamptons the Earle of Essex tooke the Earle of Southampton with him to visit Blunt and there being none present but they three my Lord of Essex told them he found it now necessary for him to go into England and would aduise with them of the manner of his going since to goe he was resolued And thereupon propounded vnto them that he thought it fit a cary with him of the army in Ireland as much as hee could conueniently transport at least the choise of it to the number of two or three thousand to secure and make good his first deseent on shore purposing to land them at Milford hauen in Wales or thereabouts not doubting but that his army would so increase within a small time by such as would come in to him as hee should be able to march with his power to London and make his own conditions as he thought good But both Southampton and Blunt disswaded him from this enterprise Blunt alledging the hazard of it that it would make him odious and Southampt on vtterly disliking of that course vpon the same and many other reasons Howbe it thereupon Blunt aduised him rather to another course which was to draw forth of the Army some 200. resolute gentlemen with those to come ouer so to make sure of the Court and so to make his owne conditions Which Confessions it is not amisse to deliuer by what a good prouidence of God they came to light for they could not bee vsed at Essex arraignement to charge him because they were vttered after his death But Sir Christopher Blunt at his arraignment being charged that the Earle of Essex had set it downe vnder his hand that he had bene a principall Instigator of him to his treasons in passion brake forth into these speeches That then he must be forced to disclose what further matters he had held my Lord from and desired for that purpose because the present proceeding should not be interrupted to speake with the Lord Admirall and M. Secretarie after his arraignment and so fell most naturally and most voluntarily into this his confession which if it had beene thought fit to haue required of him at that time publikely he had deliuered before his conuiction And the same confession he did after at the time of his executioÌ„ constantly and fully confirme discourse particularly and take vppon his death where neuer any man shewed lesse feare nor a greater resolution to die And the same mattter so by him confessed was likewise confessed with the same circumstances of time and place by Southampton being seuerally examined thereupon So as nowe the worlde may see how long since my Lord put off his vizard and disclosed the secrets of his heart to two of his most confident friends falling vpon that vnnaturall and detestable treason whereunto all his former Actions in his gouernement in Ireland and God knowes howe long before were but Introductions But finding that these two persons which of all the rest hee thought to haue found forwardest Southampton whose displacing hee had made his owne discontentment hauing placed him no question to that ende to find cause of discontentment and Blunt a man so enterprizing and prodigal of his owne life as himselfe termed himselfe at the Barre did not applaud to this his purpose and thereby doubting how coldly he should find others minded that were not so neere to him And therefore condescending to Blunts aduise to surprize the Court hee did pursue that plot accordingly and came ouer with a selected companie of Captaines and voluntaries and such as hee thought were most affectionate vnto himselfe and most resolute though not knowing of his purpose So as euen at that time euery man noted and wondred what the matter should be that my Lord tooke his most particular friends and followers from their companies which were countenance and meanes vnto them to bring them ouer
now shall be declared After he perceiued that foure moneths of the Summer and three parts of the army were wasted hee thought nowe was a time to set on foot such a peace as might be for the Rebels aduantage and so to worke a mutuall obligation betweene Tyrone and himselfe for which purpose he did but seeke a commodity He had there with him in his armie one Thomas Lee a man of a seditious and working spirit and one that had bene priuately familiar and intirely beloued of Tyrone and one that afterwards immediatly vpon Essex open rebellion was apprehended for a desperate attempt of violence against her Maiesties person which he plainly confessed and for which hee suffered Wherefore iudging him to be a fit instrument he made some signification to Lee of such an imploiment which was no sooner signified then apprehended by Lee. Hee gaue order also to sir Christopher Blunt Marshall of his army to licence Lee to goe to Tyrone when hee should require it But Lee thought good to let slip first vnto Tyrone which was neuerthelesse by the Marshals warrant one Iames Knowd a person of wit and sufficiencie to sound in what termes and humours Tyrone then was This Knowd returned a message from Tyrone to Lee which was That if the Earle of Essex would followe Tyrones plot hee would make the Earle of Essex the greatest man that euer was in England and further that if the Earle would haue conference with him Tyrone would deliuer his eldest sonne in pledge for his assurance This message was deliuered by Knowd to Lee and by Lee was imparted to the Earle of Essex who after this message imployed Lee himselfe to Tyrone and by his negociating whatsoeuer passed els prepared and disposed Tyrone to the parley And this imploiment of Lee was a matter of that guiltinesse in my Lord as being charged with it at my Lord Keepers onely in this nature for the message of Knowd was not then knowen that when he pretended to assaile Tyrone he had before vnder hand agreed vpon a pariey my Lord vtterly denied it that he euer imploied Lee to Tyrone at all and turned it vpon Blunt whom he afterwards required to take it vpon him hauing before sufficiently prouided for the security of all parts for he had granted both to Blunt Lee pardons of al treasons vnder the great seale of Ireland and so himselfe disclaiming it they being pardoned all was safe But when that Tyrone was by these meanes besides what others God knowes prepared to demand a parley nowe was the time for Essex to acquite himselfe of al the Queenes commandements and his owne promises and vndertakings for the Northern iourney and not so alone but to haue the glory at the disaduantage of the yere being but 2500. strong of foote and 300. of horse after the fresh disaster of sir Coniers Clifford in the height of the Rebels pride to set foorth to assaile and then that the very terror and reputation of my Lord of Essex person was such as did daunt him and make him stoope to seeke a parley and this was the end he shot at in that September iourney being a mere abuse and brâ—â—â—ry and but inducements onely to the Treaty which was the onely matter he intended For Essex drawing now towards the Catastrophe or last part of that Tragedy for which he came vpon the Stage in Ireland his Treasons grew to a further ripenesse For knowing how vnfit it was for him to communicate with any English euen of those whom hee trusted most and meant to vse in other Treasons That he had an intention to growe to an agreement with Tyrone to haue succors from him for the vsurping vpon the State here not because it was more dangerous then the rest of his treasons but because it was more odious and in a kind monstrous that hee should conspire with such a Rebell against whom he was sent and therfore might aduenture to alienate mens affections from him he draue it to this that there might bee and so there was vnder colour of treaty an interuiew priuate conference betweene Tyrone and himselfe onely no third person admitted A strange course considering with whom he dealt and especially considering what message Knowde had brought which should haue made him rather call witnesses to him then auoid witnesses But he being only true to his own ends easily dispensed with all such considerations Nay there was such carefull order taken that no person should ouerheare one worde that passed betweene them two as because the place appointed and vsed for the parley was such as there was the depth of a brooke betweene them which made them speake some lowdnesse therewere certaine horsemen appointed by order from Essex to keepe all men off a great distance from the place It is true that the secrecie of that parley as it gaue to him the more liberty of Treason so it may giue any man the more libertie of surmize what was then handled between them inasmuch as nothing can bee knowen but by report from one of them two either Essex or Tyrone But although there were no proceeding against Essex vpon these treasons and that it were a needlesse thing to load more treasons vpon him then whose burthen was so great after yet for trueths sake it is fit the world know what is testified touching the speaches letters and reports of Tyrone immediatly following this conference obserue also what ensued likewise in the desseignes of Essex himselfe On Tyrones part it fell out that the very day after that Essex came to the court of England Tyrone hauing conference with Sir William Warren at Armagh by way of discourse told him and bound it with an oath and iterated it two or three seuerall times That within two or three moneths he should see the greatest alterations and strangest that euer hee sawe in his life or could imagine and that bee the said Tyrone hoped ere long to haue a good share in England With this concurred fully the report of Richard Bremingham a gentleman of the Pale hauing made his repaire about the same time to Tyrone to right him in a cause of land sauing that Bremingham deliuers the like speach of Tyrone to himselfe but not what Tyrone hoped but what Tyrone had promised in these words That hee had promised it may bee thought to whom ere long to shew his face in England little to the good of England These generalities comming immediatly from the report of Tyrone himselfe are drawen to more particularitie in a conference had betweene the Lord Fitz Morrice Baron of Liksnawe in Munster and one Thomas Wood a person wel reputed of immediatly after Essex comming into England In which conference Fitz Morrice declared vnto Wood that Tyrone had written to the traiterous titularie Earle of Desmond to informe him that the Condition of that Contract betweene Tyrone and Essex was That Essex should be king of England And that Tyrone
house and tooke vpon him charge to keepe it and make it good as a place of Retraict for those which issued into the Citie and fortifying and barriccadoing the same house and making prouision of Muskets Powder Pellets and other munition and weapons for the holding and defending of it and as a busie forward and noted Actor in that defence and resistance which was made against the Queenes forces brought against it by her Maiesties Lieutenant And further to prooue him priuie to the plot it was giuen in Euidence that some fewe dayes before the Rebellion with great heat and violence hee had displaced certaine Gentlemen lodged in an house fast by Essex house and there planted diuers of my Lords followers and Complices all such as went foorth with him in the Action of Rebellion That the afternoone before the Rebellion Merricke with a great company of others that afterwards were all in the Action had procured to bee played before them the Play of deposing King Richard the second Neither was it casuall but a Play bespoken by Merrick And not so onely but when it was told him by one of the Players that the Play was olde and they should haue losse in playing it because fewe would come to it there was fourty shillings extraordinarie giuen to play it and so thereupon playd it was So earnest hee was to satisfie his eyes with the sight of that Tragedie which hee thought soone after his Lord should bring from the Stage to the State but that GOD turned it vpon their owne heads ¶ The speaches of Sir Christopher Blunt at his execution are set downe as neere as they could be remembred after the rest of the confessions and euidences HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT HEERE FOLLOW the voluntary Confessions themselues such as were giuen in euidence at both the seuerall arraignments taken forth word for word out of the Originals Whereby it may appeare how God brought matters to light at seuerall times and in seuerall parts all concurring in substance And with them other Declarations and parts of the euidence ¶ The Confession of Thomas Lee taken the 14. of February 1600 before Sir Ioh. Peyton Lieutenant of the Tower Roger Wilbraham Master of the Requests Sir Anthony Saintleger Master of the Rolles in Ireland and Thomas Fleming her Maiesties Solicitour generall THis examinate saith that Tyrone sent a message to this Examinate by Iames Knowd whom this Examinate by the Marshals warrant in writing had sentto Tyrone before himselfe went to Tyrone that if the Erle of Essex would follow his plot he would make him the greatest man that euer was in England and that when Essex and Tyrone should haue conference together for his assurance vnto the Earle of Essex Tyrone would deliuer his eldest sonne in pledge to the Earle And with this message this Examinate made the Earle of Essex acquainted before his comming to this Examinats house at that time when this Examinate was sent to Tyrone This Examinate sayeth he knew that Essex Tyrone and the Marshall Sir Christopher Blunt were all one and held all one course Thomas Lee. Exam. per Ioh. Peyton Roger VVilbraham Anthony Saintleger Thomas Fleming ¶ The Declaration of Sir William VVarren 3. Octobris 1599. THe said Sir William came to Armagh the last Friday being the 28. of September from thence hee sent a messenger in the night to Tyrone to Dungannon signifying his comming to Armagh as aforesaid and that the next morning hee would meete Tyrone at the Fort of Blackwater where accordingly the said Tyrone met with him and after other speeches by further discourse the said Tyrone told the saide Sir William and deliuered it with an oath that within these two moneths hee should see the greatest alteration and the strangest that hee the saide Sir William could imagine or euer saw in his life and said that he hoped before it were long that he the said Tyrone should haue a good share in England Which speeches of the alteration Tyrone reiterated two or three seuerall times William Warren Certified from the Councell of Ireland to the Lords of the Councell here ¶ The declaration of Thomas Wood 20. Ianuarij 1599. taken before the L. Buckhurst L. high Treasurer the Earle of Notingham L. high Admirall Sir Ro. Cecill principal Secretary and Sir I. Fortescue Chancellour of the Exchequer THe said Wood saith that happening to be with the L. Eitzmorris Baron of Licksnaw at his house of Licksnaw betweene Michaelmas and Alhallowtide last the saide Baron walking abroad with the saide Wood asked of him what force the Earle of Essex was of in England Hee answered he could not tell but said he was well beloued of the Comminaltie Then said the Baron that the Earle was gone for England and had discharged many of the Companies of Ireland and that it was agreed that he should be King of England and Onele to be Viceroy of Ireland and whensoeuer hee should haue occasion and would sende for them Onele should sende him 8000. men out of Ireland The said Wood asked the Baron how he knew that He answered that the Earle of Desmond had written to him so much Thomas Wood. Confessed in the presence of Tho. Buckhurst Notingham Rob. Cecill Io. Fortescue ¶ The Confession of Iames Knowd taken the 16. of February 1600. before Sir Anth. Saintleger Master of the Roules in Ireland and Roger Wilbraham Master of the Requests OWney mac Rory hauing secret intelligence of the friendship betweene the Earle of Essex and Tyrone wrote to Tyrone desiring him to certifie him thereof whereby he might frame his course accordingly and not doe any thing contrary to their agreement which letter my selfe did write by Owneys appointment for then I was in credite with him In which letter he also desired Tyrone to send him some munition The letter with instructions to that effect was in my presence deliuered to one Turlagh mac Dauie o Kelly a man of secrecy sufficiencie and trust with Owney and he caried it to Tyrone Before whose returne Owney grew suspicious of me because I sometimes belonged to M. Bowen and therfore they would not trust me so as I could not see the answere but yet I heard by many of their secret counsell that the effect thereof was That the Earle of Essex should be king of England and Tyrone of Ireland Afterwards I met with Turlagh mac Dauie the messenger aforesayd and asked him whether hee brought an answere of the letter from Tyrone He sayd he did and deliuered it to Owney And then I asked him what he thought of the warres He told me he had good hope the last yeere and had none this yere his reason was as he said that the Earle of Essex was to take their part and they should aid him towards the conquest of England and nowe they were hindred thereof by meanes of his apprehension I dwelling with the Tanist of the Countrey my mothers cousin germain heard him