" and when answer was made that it belonged to one "Mr. Percy, his lordship straight conceived some suspicion in regard of his person; and the lord Mount

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eagle takeing some notice, that there was great pro❝fession between Percy and him, from which some "inference might be made that it was the warning of a "friend, my lord chamberlain resolved absolutely to proceed in a search, tho' no other materials were "visible. And being returned to the court, about five "o'clock took me up to the king and told him, that thơ' " he was hard of belief that any such thing was thought,

yet in such a case as this, whatsoever was not done to 66 put all out of doubt was as good as nothing. Whereupon it was resolved by his majestie, that this matter "should be so carried as no man should be scandalized "by it, nor any alarme taken for any such purpose. For "the better effecting whereof, the lord treasurer, the "lord admirall, the earl of Worcester, and we two, "agreed, that sir Thomas Knevett should, under a pre"text for searching for stollen and imbezzelled goods, "both in that place and other houses thereabouts, "remove all that wood, and so to see the plaine ground "under it.

"Sir Thomas Knevett going thither about midnight, "unlook'd for, into the vault, found that fellowe Johnson "newely come out of the vault, and without asking any 66 more questions, stay'd him; and having noe sooner re"moved the wood, he perceived the barrels, and soe "bound the catiffe fast; who made no difficultie to ac"knowledge the acte, nor to confess clearly, that the "morrow following it should have been effected. And "thus have you a true narration from the beginning "of this, which hath been spent in examinations of "Johnson, who carrieth himself without any feare or "perturbation, protesting his constant resolution to have performed it that day, whatsoever had come of it;

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"principally for the institution of the roman religion, "next out of hope to have dissolved this government, " and afterwards to have framed such a state as might "have served the appetite of him and his complices. "And in all this action he is noe more dismayed, nay "scarce any more troubled, than if he were taken for a poor robbery upon the highway. For notwithstanding ❝he confesseth all things of himself, and denyeth not to "have some partners in this particular practize, (as well "appeareth by the flying of divers gentlemen upon his "apprehension, knowne to be notorious recusants), yet "could noe threatening of torture draw from him any "other language than this, that he is ready to dye, and "rather wisheth ten thousand deaths, than willingly to "accuse his master or any other; until by often reiterat

ing examinations, wee pretending to him that his "master was apprehended, he hath come to plaine con"fession, that his master kept the key of that cellar whilst he was abroad; had been in it since the powder "was laid there, and inclusive confessed him a principall actor in the same. In the meane time we have also found out (tho' he deny'd it long), that on Satur

"

day night, the third of November, he came post out "of the north; that this man rid to meet him by the "way; that he dined at Sion with the earl of Northum"berland on Monday; that as soon as the lord cham"berlaine had been in the vault that evening, this "fellowe went to his master about six of the clock at "night, and had no sooner spoken with him, but hee "fled immediately, apprehending straight that to be "discovered, which at that time was rather held un"worthy belief, tho' not unworthy the after tryall. In "which I must need do my lord chamberlaine his right, "that he could take no satisfaction untill he might "search that matter to the bottome; wherein I must "confess I was much less forward; not but that I had

"sufficient advertizement, that most of those that now

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per

are fled (being all notorious recusants) with many "other of that kind, had a practise in hand for some "stirre this parliament; but I never dreamed it should "have been in such nature, because I never read nor "heard the like in any state to be attempted in gross by any conspiration, without some distinction of sons. I do now send you some proclamations, and "withall think good to advertize you, that those persons "named in them, being most of them gentlemen spent " in their fortunes, all inward with Percy, and fit for all "alterations, have gathered themselves to a head of "some fourscore or a hundred horse, with purpose (ás "we conceave) to pass over seas; whereupon it hath "been thought meet in pollicie of state (all circum"stances considered), to commit the earl of Northum"berland to the archbishop of Canterbury, there to be "honourably used untill things be more quiet: whereof "if you shall hear any judgment made, as if his majestie "or his councell could harbour a thought of such a savadge practise to be lodged in such a nobleman's "breast, you shall do well to suppress it as a malicious "discourse and invention; this being only done to

satisfy the world, that nothing be undone which be

longs to pollicie of state, when the whole monarchy "was proscribed to dissolution; and being no more than "himself discreetly approved as necessarie, when he "received the sentence of the councell for his restraint.

"It is also thought fit that some martial men should presently repair down to those countries where the "Robin Hoods are assembled, to encourage the good "and to terrifie the bad. In which service the earl of "Devonshire is used, and commission going forth for "him as generall; although I am easily persuaded, that "this faggot will be burnt to ashes before he shall be "twenty miles on his way. Of all which particulars I

"thought fit to acquaint you, that you may be able to give satisfaction to the state wherein you are; and so "I commit you to God.

"From the Court at

"Your assured loving friend,

"Salisbury."

"Whitehall.

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Postscript.-Although all ports and passadges are "stopped for some time, as well for ambassadors as "others, yet I have thought good to advertize you "hereof with the speediest, the rather because his ma"jestie would have you take occasion to advertize the "king his brother of this miraculous escape.

"Postscript.-Since the writing of this letter we have "assured news that those traytors are overthrowne by "the sheriffe of Worcestershire, after they had betaken "themselves for their safetie in a retreate to the house "of Stephen Littleton in Staffordshire. The house was "fired by the sheriff: at the issuing forth, Catesby was "slaine, Percy sore hurt, Graunte and Wrighte burned "in their faces with gunpowder; the rest are either "taken or slaine. Rookwood and Digby are taken,"

On the Anonymous Letter respecting the Gunpowder Plot, delivered to Lord Monteagle.

(From Mr. Nash's History of Worcestershire, vol. i. p. 585.) "THE mansion-house here is supposed to have "been built by John Habington, cofferer to queen "Elizabeth; the date in the parlour is 1572. His son, "who was concerned in various plots, for the releasing "Mary queen of Scots, and setting up a papist to suc"ceed her, contrived many hiding-holes in different

parts of the building. The access to some was through "the chimney, to others through necessary-houses; "others had trap-doors which communicated to back "staircases: some of these rooms on the outside have "the appearance of great chimnies. As the house is

uncommonly constructed both within and without, I "have had it engraved, together with the head of the "builder. I have likewise given a slight sketch of Mr. "Thomas Abingdon and his wife Mary, who was sister "to lord Monteagle, so called during the life-time of his "father lord Morley. Tradition in this country says, she "was the person who wrote the letter to her brother, " which discovered the gunpowder plot. Percy, whose "picture is at Henlip, was very intimate both with Abingdon and lord Monteagle, and is supposed by "Guthrie to have written the letter; but the style of it seems to be that of one who had only heard some "dark hints of the business, which perhaps was the "case of Mrs. Abingdon, and not of one who was a "principal mover in the whole, as was Percy, a desperado, who thought himself personally offended, and

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*"Henlip House, in the Alfreton division, in Worcestershire.