who was found in the same hiding-place at Hendlip, Garnet's confidential servant Owen, and another servant called Chambers, appear to have been tortured without mercy, as also without effect, for no one of them would confess anything of importance against Garnet or any other Jesuit

were all carried to the council, as were also the answers to them; but so cautious was the Jesuit, that there was nothing in this correspondence to weigh against him. Failing in this experiment; the lieutenant of the Tower removed Hall, or Oldcorn, to a cell next to that of his friend Gar

net, and they were both informed by the keeper, who recommended extreme caution and secrecy, that, by opening a concealed door, they might easily converse together. The temptation was irresistible, and both the Jesuits fell into the trap. Edward Forset, a man of some learning, and a magistrate, and Locherson, a secretary of Cecil's, who had tried his ears before at eaves - dropping, were placed in such a position between the two cells that they could overhear nearly every word the prisoners uttered; and as they conversed they took notes of all that was said. Their main

or priest. Owen, after undergoing the minor | subject was how they should arrange their detorments, in order to escape the rack, with which fence. Garnet said that he must needs confess he was threatened on the next examination, tore that he had been at White-Webbs, in Enfield open his bowels with a blunt knife, which he had Chase, with the conspirators, but that he would obtained by a stratagem, and died true to his maintain that he had not been there since Barmaster. Whatever was the extent of Garnet's tholomew-tide. "And in truth," said he, "I am guilt, or of the moral obliquity which he derived well persuaded that I shall wind myself out from the crafty order to which he belonged, he of this matter." On the following day the conwas indisputably a man of extraordinary learn-versation was renewed, the eaves-droppers being ing and ability: he baffled all the court lawyers and cunningest statesmen in twenty successive examinations. They could never get an advantage over him, nor drive him into a contradiction or an admission unfavourable to his case.' But in the congenial atmosphere of the Tower, a certain craft had attained to the highest perfection: and there has scarcely been a device fancied by romance writers, but was put into actual opera-lated how he had been examined, and what he tion within those horrible walls. Some of the most revolting practices of the Inquisition may be traced in this English state prison. Garnet's keeper of a sudden pretended to be his friendto venerate him as a martyr; and he offered, at his own great hazard, to convey any letters the prisoner might choose to write to his friends. Garnet intrusted to him several letters, which

at their post as before. Garnet said several things which went to connect him with the conspirators; and he told Hall that, at the next visitation of the commissioners, they must both "expect either to go to the rack, or to pass quietly with the rest." He also added that he had heard that one James, or Johnson, had been upon the rack for three hours. In the third conversation, Hall, or Oldcorn, re

had said. Garnet said, "If they examine me any more, I will urge them to bring proofs against me, for they speak of three or four witnesses." In a fourth conversation there dropped nothing of any consequence. But the commissioners thought that they had already enough to drive the matter home. Garnet had hitherto denied all acquaintance with the first stages of the plot: he and Oldcorn were now charged with their own Words; and at first they boldly denied having uttered them. Oldcorn, however, confessed to their truth on the rack. Still Garnet held out: and, when showed Oldcorn's examination, he said that his friend might accuse himself falsely, but

that he would not accuse himself. According to and half charmed that immense audience; but, the Catholic account, he was then led to the rack, upon the evidence of the depositions obtained in and made sundry admissions to escape torture; the Tower, and the oaths of Forset and Locherbut, according to government documents, which, son, a verdict of guilty was returned, and the we need hardly say, are in many essentials open lord chief-justice pronounced the sentence of to doubt, he began to confess from his inward hanging, drawing, and quartering. During the conviction that it would be of no use to persist whole trial they extracted nothing from the Jein denying a fact, avowed by Oldcorn, and sup- suit: they had expected great discoveries, but ported by Forset and Locherson. After much they made none.' Instead, therefore, of being subtilizing and equivocating, he was driven to hurried to execution, Garnet was kept six weeks admit that, when Fawkes went over to Flanders, in prison, during which the greatest efforts were he had given him a recommendatory letter to his made to wring further avowals from him, and to brother Jesuit Baldwin; and, finally, that the lead him to a declaration of the principles of the design of blowing up the Parliament House with society to which he belonged. In the first purgunpowder had been revealed to him, as far back pose they entirely failed, but in the second they as the month of July of the preceding year, by partially succeeded; and if the declarations conGreenway, who had received it in confession from cerning equivocation were fairly obtained, and Catesby, and, as he believed, from Thomas Win- if he expressed his real feelings, the Jesuit certer also. But he added that he had earnestly tainly entertained "opinions as inconsistent with endeavoured to dissuade Catesby, and desired all good government as they were contrary to Greenway to do the same. He further stated sound morality." It happened, however, rather that Catesby had at one time propounded a ques-unfortunately, that King James, and his ministion to him, in general terms, as to the lawful-ters, and their predecessors, had made opinions ness of a design meant to promote the Catholic religion, in the execution of which it would be necessary to destroy a few Catholic friends together with a great many heretical enemies. And he said that, in ignorance of what Catesby's design really was, he had replied that, "in case the object was clearly good, and could be effected by no other means, it might be lawful among many nocents to destroy some innocents." Oldcorn, who was no longer of any use, was now sent down to Worcester, with Mr. Abington, the owner of the house at Hendlip, and a priest named Strange, to be tried by a special commission. Abington, whose sole offence appears to have been the concealment of the two Jesuits, received the king's pardon, through his brotherin-law, Lord Mounteagle; Oldcorn and Strange, together with several other persons, were executed.

On the third of March "Henry Garnet, superior to the Jesuits in England," was put upon his trial for high treason, before a special commission in Guildhall. Coke had again a grand opportunity for display, and he spoke for some hours. When the Jesuit replied, he was not permitted so much space. Coke interrupted him continually; the commissioners on the bench interrupted him; and James, who seems to have felt a respect for his powers of argument and eloquence, declared that the Jesuit had not fair play allowed him. Garnet pleaded that he had done his best to prevent the execution of the powder treason; and that he could not, by the laws of his church, reveal any secret which had been received under the sacred seal of confession. He carried himself very gravely and temperately,

con

nearly allied to those of the Jesuit, the fixed rules of, at least, their political conduct. Garnet was executed on the 3d of May, and Cecil got the order of the Garter as a reward for his exertions in the detection of the plot, and his " stant dealing in matters of religion." Several other Catholics were put to death in Warwickshire and the adjoining counties; some for being personally concerned, some for harbouring priests and proclaimed traitors. There were other victims of a more elevated rank, but not one of these was punished capitally. The Earl of Northumberland, the kinsman of the traitor Percy, was seized on the first discovery of the plot, and committed to the care of the Archbishop of Canterbury; and, after the capture of the conspirators at Holbeach, the three Catholic lords, Stourton, Mordaunt, and Montague, were arrested, upon the ground that they all meant to be absent from parliament, and therefore must have known of the gunpowder treason. No one of them was ever put upon a fair trial, but the Star Chamber arbitrarily condemned them to heavy fines, and to imprisonment during the king's pleasure. The Earl of Northumberland was removed to the Tower, and closely examined many times. He demanded a public trial; but in the month of June they brought him up to the Star Chamber, and there accused him of having sought to be the head of the Papists, and a promoter of toleration;" of having admitted Percy, a Catholic, to be a gentleman pensioner, without exacting from him the proper oaths; and of having preferred

66

the safety of his money to the safety of the king. | this in the Star Chamber. The earl was senIt is said that James and his ministers believed tenced to pay a fine of £30,000, to be deprived of that Northumberland was the person to whom all his offices, and to be imprisoned in the Tower the conspirators had intended to offer the regency for life. Such was the closing scene of the most or protectorship; but no mention was made of terrible of English conspiracies.'

CHAPTER II.-CIVIL AND MILITARY HISTORY.-A.D. 1606-1613.

JAMES I.

Meeting of parliament-Severity of the penal statutes against Papists increase 1-Visit of the King of Denmark to England-Failure of James's proposal of union between England and Scotland-Remonstrances of the House of Commons in behalf of their privileges-James's usual mode of life-His attachment to favouritesHistory of Robert Carr-He becomes chief favourite-Connection of James with Dutch politics-James's prodigality and want of money-Application to parliament for supplies-The application refused-Bold remonstrances of the commons against the king's arbitrary proceedings-James obliged to part with certain feudal privileges-Growing jealousy of the commons-Death of Bancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury-He is succeeded by Dr. Abbot-Death of Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury-Account of Lady Arabella StuartJealousy entertained of her royal descent-Her private marriage-Her imprisonment in the Tower-She is apprehended in attempting to escape-Her melancholy end-James betakes himself to polemical authorshipHis controversy with Vorstius-He burns two heretics-Assassination of Henry IV. of France-Robert Carr James's favourite, obtains the chief direction of affairs-Character of Prince Henry, son of James-His studies and great endowments-His last illness and early death-Marriage of the Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James, to the Count Palatine-Progress of Robert Carr, now Viscount Rochester-His intrigue with the Countess of Essex-Sir Thomas Overbury opposes their design of marriage-They cause him to be imprisoned in the Tower-He is secretly poisoned-Carr marries the Countess of Essex-He is created Earl of Somerset.

HE parliament, which was to have ministrator, executor, or guardian. In all cases been blown into the air on the 5th of marriage where the ceremony was performed of November, met for the despatch by a Catholic priest, the husband, being a Caof business on the 21st of January, tholic, could have no claim on the property of 1606. The penal statutes had made the wife, nor the wife, if a Catholic, on that of a few madmen, and, as if the do- the husband. A new oath of allegiance was deminant party wished to make more, they imme-vised, in which was a formal renunciation of diately called for an increase of severity. James the temporal power of the pope, and of his right tried to moderate the fierceness of the commons, of interfering in the civil affairs of England. by which attempt he put his own orthodoxy in Such Catholics as would take this oath were question; and, as he had chosen this unlucky liable only to the penalties enumerated; but such moment for opening a matrimonial negotiation as refused the oath were to be imprisoned for for his son, Prince Henry, with the most Ca- life, and to forfeit their personal property and tholic court of Spain, the Puritans began to mur- the rents of their lands. It was expected that mur that he was little better than a Papist him- most of the Papists would take this oath, which self. Laws the most irritating, oppressive, and did not trench on any religious dogma ; but it cruel, against the whole body of Catholics, were was loaded with offensive epithets, and though carried through both houses by overwhelming some of the leaders of the Catholic clergy in majorities; and James, more from fear than from England decided in its favour, the Jesuits conany other motive, assented to them. A few of demned it, and the pope, Paul V., forbade it in these laws will give a notion of the spirit that a breve, which Black wall, the archpriest, had the was abroad. No Catholic recusant was to appear at court, to live in London, or within ten miles of London, or to remove on any occasion more than five miles from his home, without especial license, signed by four magistrates. No recusant was to practise in surgery, physic, law; to act as judge, clerk, or officer, in any court or corporation, or perform the office of ad

or

Jardine, Criminal Trials. The second volume of this worka highly valuable illustration of English history and English law-is devoted entirely to the Gunpowder Plot, and contains, not only everything valuable that has been published on the subject, but numerous extracts from original and unpublished MSS. in the State Paper Office, Crown Office, and other reposi tories. The little volume is admirably complete as a contribution to history, and is, at the same time, as exciting and amusing as

a romance.

courage to publish to his congregation, though he himself would have recommended the taking of the oath. Blackwall, who was seventy years old, was soon lodged in a prison, where he remained till his death, which happened six or seven years after. Drury, another priest, was hanged, drawn, and quartered. James fondly thought that he could decide the question of the oath with his theological pen; and, with some assistance from his divines, he brought out a tract entitled, An Apology for the Oath of Allegiance. Parsons, the celebrated Jesuit, and Cardinal Bellarmino, who, according to no favourable judge,' "had the best pen of his time for controversy," replied to the Apology. James rejoined by publishing what he called A Monitory Preface. To Parsons, he said, the fittest answer would be a rope. Bellarmino, who had appeared under a feigned name, was not more gently treated.

whatsoever. A satirical letter-writer of the time observes that the parliament had voted the subsidies very seasonably, so that the court was able to show off to advantage, and to entertain the royal Dane with shows, sights, and banquetings, from morn till eve. We possess too many corroborative accounts of these entertainments to doubt that they were gross and indecorous. At a feast given by Cecil at Theobalds, the two mighty princes, James and Christian, got so drunk that his English majesty was carried to bed in the arms of his courtiers, and his Danish majesty mistook his bed-chamber, and offered the last of insults to the Countess of Nottingham, the handsome and spirited wife of the Lord High-admiral of England. But at the same great entertainment, James's subjects, ladies as well as gentlemen of the highest rank, gave proof that they were capable of following the example of their sovereign. "Men," says an eyewitness, "who had been shy of good liquor before, now wallowed in beastly delights; the ladies abandoned their sobriety, and were seen to roll about in intoxication."

James was by this time in great distress for money. The commons seemed disposed to vote a liberal subsidy, but the bill lay a good while on their table, and at last they came to a decision that it should not pass till they had prepared their list of grievances. The king, who abhorred The royal Dane, who stayed nearly a month, the word grievance, had to digest, as he could, was scarcely gone when there arrived another exsixteen long articles; but he evaded the question pensive guest, in the person of Prince Vaudemont, of redress, and the commous kept aloof from the one of James's kinsmen of the house of Guise, subsidy. Cecil and the other ministers made who brought an immense retinue with him. This half-promises in their master's name; the House led to fresh festivities and hunts, during which of Lords was wondrously loyal and liberal, but James could find no time to attend to business, it was not until the month of May that the though he now and then could steal a day or two commons voted three subsidies and six fifteenths. to give to the orthodox clergy, who were intent While the money question was pending, a report on proving, by Scripture and history, the royal was spread that the king, who was away hunt-supremacy, and the grand fact, that in all ages ing, was assassinated at Oaking, in Berkshire, the authority of kings governed and ruled the together with his three favourites, Philip Her-church-doctrines most unpalatable to the Presbert, Earl of Montgomery, Sir John Ramsay, and byterians of Scotland, and tending to disgust Sir James Hay. There was a great consterna- them with the project of the union which James tion, both in the Parliament House and in the had so much at heart. At last Vaudemont decity, with great weeping and lamentation of old parted, and on the appointed day, in the month and young, rich and poor, maids and wives, who of November, the parliament met again. The again expected an English St. Bartholomew's. commons had voted their money, and now the But about three o'clock in the afternoon James king returned his answer to their grievances, the arrived safe and sound at Whitehall, and was greater part of which referred to grants, made to heartily greeted by the people. It has been sup- particular persons, of the nature of monopolies. posed that Cecil-perhaps the king himself-was These grants, for the most part, James defended no stranger to the origin of this bruit, which is with arguments; but in some cases he remitted supposed to have quickened the generosity of the them to the consideration of the courts of law. commous. Having got the subsidies, James pro- In the former session James had caused to be rogued parliament on the 27th of May to the introduced and debated his scheme of a perfect 18th of November. union between England and Scotland: the subject was now again taken up with great earnestness, and Bacon was prepared with a great and states

In the month of July, James received a visit from his brother-in-law, Christian IV., King of Denmark; and in the round of costly feasts, hunts, and entertainments, which he gave on this occasion, he forgot the commons, Garnet, the Gunpowder Plot, and all the state matters

Bayle, Dict.

2 Sir John Harrington. "I will now in good sooth declare to you, who will not blab, that the gunpowder fright is got out of

all our heads, and we are going on hereabouts as if the devil was
contriving every man should blow up himself, by wild riot,

excess, and devastation of time and temperance."-Letter in
Nuga Antiquæ.
3 Harrington, Nuga Ant.

James had also, very soon

after his accession, both on coins and in proclamations, assumed the title of King of Great Britain; and here, in prudence, he ought to have stopped, and left the rest to the salutary operation of time and peaceful intercourse. But he drove on to his end, and was greatly enraged with the commons when they rejected his proposition for the naturalization of the ante-nati, or Scots born before his accession to the English throne. A decision, however, soon after obtained in the courts of law, extended the rights of naturalization to all Scots who were post-nati, or born after the king's accession; so that in the course of a few years the mass of the Scots would become natural subjects of the English crown. The commons did not venture to call in question this right of the post-nati, though it was evident that they did not admit it with very good will. When urged to go farther they invented all kinds of difficulties and delays, which called forth another harsh schooling from the king. In his speech to the two houses, which had the haughtiness but not the dignity of Elizabeth, he threatened to abandon London, and fix his resi

bitterness to certain discourses which had been made in the commons' house.'

manlike speech in support of the measure. But king's dominions. the two countries were in no respects prepared; the antipathies, prejudices, and hostilities of centuries were not to be cured in three short years; and many recent circumstances and indications had tended greatly to indispose men's minds, on either side the Tweed, to the grand political experiment. James had so openly and coarsely announced his creed of prerogative that alarms were excited, and people were averse to any measure that might increase his sovereign power. We have already mentioned his determined predilection for Episcopacy; and it was generally understood that the state union would be accompanied by a church union, the Scots being made to conform to the Anglican establishment, which they regarded, and which James himself had at one time professed to regard, as something little short of Papistry. The king, moreover, had dwelt continually upon the great superiority of the laws of England, which the Scots had no inclination to adopt. Nor is it ever easy to change the laws and institutions of a people except by absolute conquest. The Scots were justly proud of their hardly contested and preserved independence: they regarded with indignation and horror every-dence at York or Berwick; and he alluded with thing which seemed to fix the badge of submission or inferiority upon them. The English, on the other side, scarcely less proud, were avowedly averse to admitting the Scots to a footing of equality; and the king's indiscretion, at the commencement of his reign, in lavishing English money, posts, and titles, upon some Scottish favourites, had raised a popular clamour that the country was to be overrun and devoured by their poor and hungry neighbours. At different stages of the debates several members of the commons gave full expression to the most angry and contemptuous feeling against James's countrymen. Sir Christopher Pigot, member for Buckinghamshire, expressed his astonishment and horror at the notion of a union between a rich and fertile country like England, and a land like Scotland, poor, barren, and disgraced by nature-between rich, frank, and honest men, and a proud, beggarly, and traitorous race. The whole Scottish nation hotly resented these gross insults, and threatened to take up arms to avenge them. James, in an agony of alarm, rebuked Cecil for allowing such expressions to pass unnoticed; and he declared to his council that the insult touched him as a Scot. Next he rebuked and threatened the commons, who thereupon expelled Pigot, and even committed him to the Tower. In the session of 1604 the English and Scotch commissioners had agreed to the entire abrogation of all hostile laws between the two kingdoms, to the abolition of Border courts and customs, and to a free intercourse of trade throughout the

The commons, who had already learned that James could bark better than he could bite, would not take this castigation in silence. They made known to him, through the speaker, their earnest desire that he would listen to no private reports of their doings, but take his information of the house's meaning from themselves; that he would be pleased to allow such members as he had blamed to clear themselves in his hearing; and that he would, by some gracious message, let them know that they might deliver their opinions in their places without restraint or fear. On the very next day he civilly replied, through the speaker, that he wished to preserve their privileges, especially that of liberty of speech. And yet, a very few days after this message, he was interfering again, and commenting on their speeches, telling them that they were too much given to the discussion of matters above their comprehension. Nay, when they moved the reading of a petition, which contained strong remonstrances against eeclesiastical abuses, and in favour of the deprived and persecuted Puritan preachers, the speaker, according to orders received, told the house that his majesty reserved these matters to himself, and would not be pressed thereon. Some members cried out that this was an infringement of their liberties; but the speaker told them (and truly enough) that there were many precedents 1 Commons' Journals; Parl. Hist.; Ambassades de la Bodere. 2 Journals.