VII. The Examination of HENRY CUFFE, Gent., this 2 of He saith that when the Earl of Essex was in my Lord Keeper's house it was at some time resolved by the Earl of Southampton, Sir Christopher Blunt, Sir Charles Davers, Sir Gillie Mericke, and others, that the Earl should escape out of the Lord Keeper's house, and should take sea either at Portsmouth or in Wales, and this Sir Gillie Mericke signified in a letter to the Earl of Essex, as the Earl of Essex told this examinate, and this was between Michaelmas and Christmas, when the Earl was in the Lord Keeper's house, but the Earl himself told this examinate that they themselves that had so resolved had broken it off again, and thought it not fit to proceed in that manner. He saith that while the Earl was in the Lord Keeper's house, Sir Henry Bromley came to this examinate into the garden at York House, and there protested and vowed his affection to the Earl of Essex, and that Religion and the common good depended on his private, and saith that he found Sir Henry Bromley so forward as he never moved him to give any assistance to the Earl. He confesseth that Sir Henry Nevill, shortly after his coming out of France, signified unto me that he was desirous that the Earl should hold a good opinion of him, and afterwards understanding that divers came to visit my Lord, himself came to Essex House one night, where he conferred with the Earl privately alone about nine of the clock in the night, and continued until ten. But what passed between them he knew not, but thinks nothing but compliments and foreign occurrents; and the Earl brought him down to the back gate when Sir Henry for that time departed. And saith that before Sir Henry came to the Earl, the Earl sent this examinate to Sir Henry to let him understand that the Earl was advertised from the Court that divers exceptions were taken at Court against his services in France, which this examinate went and delivered to Sir Henry Nevill accordingly; but by whom the Earl received this advertisement, whether from Sir William Knollis or any other he knoweth not. 1 Original in S. P. O. And after Sir Henry had been at the Court, he told this examinate that he had been graciously used, and his services well accepted of at Court, and being demanded what answer he made thereunto answereth he knoweth not. And saith that he thinketh the action of the Earl was as traitorous as may be, and that he by no means will or can justify the same; and so soon as this examinate heard of the proclamation, this examinate said he was a traitor. The declaration of Sir Henry Nevill of the 2nd of March, subscribed by the Lord Keeper, the Lord Treasurer, the Lord Admiral, and Sir Robert Cecil, her Majesty's Principal Secretary, is in substance and effect true. He saith that about a fortnight before the Earl's rising, Sir Henry Bromley signified to this examinate his great affection to the Earl of Essex and offered his services to the Earl, and said that the danger of the Earl was the danger of them all, and wished that they had him beyond Severn, and they would [keep] him safe enough. THO. EGERTON, C. S. T. BUCKHURST. NOTINGHAM. RO. CECYLL. HENRY CUFffe. VIII. HENRY CUFFE to SIR ROBERT CECIL.1 Right honourable, my most humble duty premised, it is now high time that he whom public justice hath pronounced the child of death should with the soonest lay aside all cares of this life, reserving himself wholly for that one which the only author of life hath honoured with this testimony, that unum est necessarium. For the better attending whereof, and avoiding all future worldly distractions, I have resolved, upon your Honour's commandment, to perform this last duty by writing, which of late I have often wished to tender to your Honour by word of mouth. At the time of my last examination in this house, it pleased your 1 From Hatfield MSS., vol. lxxxiii. No. 99 (2). Printed for the Camden Society, 1861. Correspondence of James VI. with Sir Robert Cecil, p. 81. Honour to demand of me the sum of those Instructions which my late Lord and Master had made ready against the coming of the Scottish ambassador, whom he daily expected. Being at that time wholly possessed with exceeding grief, I could yield your Honour with the rest of the Lords very small satisfaction. In regard whereof I have ever since much desired some private access to your Honour, but being utterly out of hope of so great a favour, and being now called on by Mr. Lieutenant to perform my promise made unto your Honour at the time of my condemnation, I have thought it necessary to present unto your Honour the effect of those instructions, observing, as far as my memory will serve me, the very words of the original itself. INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE EARL OF MARre. That the King his master thought it necessary to beseech her Majesty to declare his right to the succession of this Crown, not because he observed in her Majesty any want of princely favour and affection towards him, but because he hath found by infallible proof that some very gracious with her Majesty, being of extraordinary both power and malice, will not fail one day, if God prevent it not, to make their advantages of the uncertainty of succession, not only to the prejudice, but also to the evident hazard and almost inevitable ruin, of the whole island. For proof of their power there needeth no long discourse, all means in all parts and quarters of this realm being in a manner wholly in their hands. In the West, Sir Walter Ralegh commanding the uttermost province, where he may assure the Spaniard his first landing, if that course be held fittest, being also captain of the Isle of Jersey, there to harbour them upon any occasion. In the East, the Cinq Ports, the keys of the realm, are in the hands of the Lord Cobham, as likewise the county of Kent, the next and directest way to the imperial city of this realm. The treasure, the sinews of action, and the navy, the walls of this realm, being commanded by the Lord Treasurer and Lord Admiral, both these great officers of state and the rest above-named being principally loved by the principal Secretary, Sir Robert Cecil, who for the further strengthening of himself hath established his own brother, the Lord Burghley, in the government of the North parts; and in the Presidentship of Wales, now void, will undoubtedly place somebody who shall merely ac VOL. II. 2 A knowledge it of him. As likewise, in Ireland, he hath already procured for Sir George Carewe that province which of all others is fittest for the Spaniard's designs, in whose hands, if the commander himself may be believed, there is a greater army than he needeth; to omit that the said Sir George is shortly in expectation to succeed to the government of that whole kingdom, upon the recalling of the now Lord Deputy. That their malice towards that King was no less than their power, it appeared, first, that some of them had given direct proof of their ill affection by ill offices, etc. [This point was left to the Ambassador, because the Earl of Essex was informed that the King was able to produce clear evidence thereof.] Secondly, because all their counsels and endeavours tend to the advancement of the Infanta of Spain to the succession of this Crown. This point was confirmed by nine arguments. 1. Their continual and excessive commending of the excellencies of the Infanta, and seeking by all means to breed both in her Majesty and in all others an extraordinary good opinion of her. 2. The earnest seeking to revive the treaty lately broken, notwithstanding it was interrupted by the Spaniard not without some disadvantage offered to this crown. 3. The speech of a principal Councillor1 to an honourable personage, That though he knew there could no sound peace be made betwixt us and Spain, yet for the better compassing of some purposes he could be willing to entertain the treaty again. 4. The slack and easy hand that hath been lately carried towards the priests of the Jesuitical faction, of all others the most pernicious, which can have no other interpretation but that the Popish faction favouring the Infanta, which are in effect as many as the Jesuits can prevail with, might depend on them as on their chief protectors. 5. The speech of Mr. Secretary to a Councillor of State, that he could prove the Infanta's title to be better than the title of any other competitor to the crown. 6. The speech of the Lord Treasurer, who, upon news that the Archduke was hurt, and as some thought slain, in the last year's battle at Newport, answered that if he were slain he thought her Majesty had lost one of her best friends. 1 As I remember he said he meant it of your Honour. 7. The alteration of their proceeding with Alabaster, and one Rollstone, who have always found more and more favour since they professed themselves to have been agents for Spain. Two more reasons there were which I cannot now call to mind. Whether amongst so many other things of importance wherewith he lately acquainted your Honour and the rest of their Lordships, any of these reasons and instructions were by him. remembered, I know not; only, because your Honour and their Lordships did at that time earnestly press me to deliver the sum of them, I have endeavoured to give your Honour the best satisfaction I could, being verily persuaded that this abstract doth in sense very little differ from the first draft. Of mine own particular, being no less destitute of hope than of comfort in this world, I dare say nothing. Only I beseech your Honour let it not be thought presumption to add thus much in general; That if the King of Kings thought it for his glory, when he found least merit to extend his greatest grace, your Honour will account it no small resemblance of that divine pattern, if his royal lieutenants, and their principal ministers upon earth, having laid prostrate humble offenders at the feet of Justice, shall be contented to surrender up the sword of Justice into the hands of Mercy. Thus most humbly beseeching your Honour to vouchsafe me your favourable opinion at my last farewell out of this miserable world, I rest Your Honour's most humble and most distressed suppliant, HENRY CUffe. IX. Examination of SIR CHRISTOPHER BLUNT,' Knight, taken before those whose names are underwritten.2 He confesseth that at the Castle of Dublin, in that lodging which was once the Earl of Southampton's, the Earl of Essex purposing his return into England advised with the Earl of Southampton and himself of his best manner of going into England 1 Printed for the Camden Society from the original, Hatfield MSS. vol. lxxxiii. No. 82. 2 The names were not added. |