main? he said that the Lord Cobham told him, that Grey and others were in the bye, he and Ralegh were on the main. Being asked, what expostion his brother made of these words? ' he said he is loth to repeat it; and after saith, by the main

was meant the taking away of the king and his issue ; and thinks, on his conscience, it was infused into his brother's head by Ralegh.'

Being asked if ever he had said, it will never be well in Eng

• land, till the king and his cubs were taken away; he said he had answered before, and that he would answer no more to that point.'

Ralegh. I am not named in all this; there is a law of two sorts of accusers; one of his own knowledge, another by hearsay. Earl of Suffolk. See the case of Arnold.

Ld. Ch. Just. It is the case of Sir William Thomas, and Sir Nicholas Arnold.

Ralagh. If this may be, you will have any man's life in a week. Attorney. Ralegh saith, that Cobham was in a passion when he said so. Would he tell his brother anything of malice against Ralegh, whom he loved as his life?

Ralegh. Brooke never loved me, until his brother had accused me he said nothing.

Ld. Cecil. We have heard nothing that might lead us to think that Brooke accused you, he was only in the surprising treason; for, by accusing you he should accuse his brother.

Ralegh. He doth not much care for that.

Ld. Cecil. I must judge the best. The accusation of his brother was not voluntary; he pared every thing as much as he could to save his brother.

COBHAM'S Examination read.

He saith, he had a book written against the title of the king, • which

⚫ which he had of Ralegh, and that he gave it to his brother Brooke ; and Ralegh said it was foolishly written.'

Attorney. After the king came within twelve miles of London, Cobham never came to see him; and intended to travel without seeing the queen and the prince. Now in this discontentment you gave him the book, and he gave it his brother.

Ralegh. I never gave it him, he took it off my table. table. For I well remember a little before that time I received a challenge from Sir Amias Preston, and for that I did intend to answer it, I resolved to leave my estate settled, therefore laid out all my loose papers, among

which was this book.

Ld. Howard. Where had you this book?

Ralegh. In the old lord-treasurer's study, after his death.

Ld. Cecil. Did you ever shew or make known the book to me? Ralegh. No, My Lord.

Ld. Cecil. Was it one of the books which was left to me or my brother?

Ralegh. I took it out of the study in my lord-treasurer's house in the Strand.

Ld. Cecil. After my father's decease, Sir Walter Ralegh desired to search for some cosmographical descriptions of the Indies, which he thought were in his study, and were not to be had in print. Which I granted, and would have trusted Sir Walter Ralegh as soon as any man; though since for some infirmities, the bands of my affection to him have been broken; and yet reserving my duty to the king my master, which I can by no means dispense with, by God, I love him, and have a great conflict within myself! But I must needs say, Sir Walter used me a little unkindly to take the book away without my knowledge. Nevertheless, I need make no apology in behalf of my father, considering how useful and necessary it is for privy-counsellors and those in his place to intercept and keep such kind of writings. For whosoever should then search his study, may in all likelihood find all the notorious libels that were writ against the late queen; and whosoever should rummage my study, or at least my cabinet, may find several

G 2

veral against the king, our sovereign lord, since his accession to the throne.

Ralegh. The book was in manuscript, and the late lord-treasurer had wrote in the beginning of it with his own hand, these words, this is the book of Robert Snagg. And I do own, as my Lord Cecil has said, that I believe they may also find in my house almost all the libels that have been writ against the late queen.

be.

Attorney. You were no privy-counsellor, and I hope never shall

Ld. Cecil. He was not a sworn counsellor of state, but he has been called to consultations.

Ralegh. I think it a very severe interpretation of the law, to bring me within compass of treason for this book, writ so long ago, of which nobody had read any more than the heads of the chapters, and which was burnt by G. Brooke, without my privity; admitting I had. delivered the same to the Lord Cobham, without allowing or approving, but discommending it, according to Cobham's first accusation. And put the case, I should come to my Lord Cecil, as I have often done, and find a stranger with him, with a packet of libels, and My Lord should let me have one or two of them to peruse; this I hope is

no treason.

Attorney. I observe there was intelligence between you and Cob ham in the Tower; for after he said it was against the king's title, he denied it again.

Sir Will. Wade. First, my Lord Cobham confesseth it, and after he had subscribed it he revoked it again. To me he always said, that the drift of it was against the king's title.

Ralegh. I protest before God and all his works, I gave him not the book!

Sir Robert Wroth speaketh, or whispereth something secretly. Attorney. My lords, I must complain of Sir Robert Wroth; he this evidence is not material.

says

say

Attorney. Let Mr. Serjeant Philips testify whether he heard him the words or no.

Ld. Cecil. I will give my word for Sir Robert Wroth.

Sir Robert Wroth. I will speak as truly as you, Mr. Attorney, for by God I never spake it!

Ld. Ch. Just. Wherefore should this book be burnt?

Ralegh. I burned it not.

Serjeant Philips. You presented your friend with it when he was discontented. If it had been before the queen's death, it had been a less matter; but you gave it him presently when he came from the king, which was the time of his discontentment.

Ralegh. Here is a book supposed to be treasonable; I never read it, commended it, or delivered it, nor urged it.

Attorney. Why, this is cunning.

Ralegh. Every thing that doth make for me is cunning, and every thing that maketh against me is probable.

Attorney. Lord Cobham saith, that Keymis came to him with a letter torn, and did wish him not to be dismayed, for one witness could not hurt him..

Ralegh. This poor man hath been close prisoner these eighteen weeks; he was offered the rack to make him confess. I never sent any such message by him. I only writ to him, to tell him what I had done with Mr. Attorney; having of his at that time a great pearl

and a diamond.

Ld. H. Howard. No circumstance moveth me more than this. Keymis was never on the rack, the king gave charge that no rigour should be used.

Commissioners. We protest before God, there was no such matter intended, to our knowledges!

Ralegh. Was not the keeper of the rack sent for, and he threatened with it?

Sir W. Wade. When Mr. Solicitor and myself examined Keymis, we told him he deserved the rack, but did not threaten him with it. Commissioners. It was more than we knew.

COBHAM'S

COBHAM'S Examination read.

He saith, Keymis brought him a letter from Ralegh, and that part which was concerning the lords of the council was rent out. The letter contained that he was examined, and cleared himself of all; and that the Lord Henry Howard said, because he was discontent, he was fit to be in the action. And farther, that Keymis said to him from Ralegh, that he should be of good comfort, for one witness could not condemn a man for treason.

Ld. Cecil. Cobham was asked, whether, and when, he heard from you? He said, every day.

Ralegh. Keymis added more, I never bade him speak those words.

Mr. Attorney here offered to interrupt him.

Ld. Cecil. It is last his discourse; give him leave, Mr. Attorney. Ralegh. I am accused concerning Arabella, concerning money out of Spain. My lord chief justice saith, a man may be condemned with one witness, yea, without any witness. Cobham is guilty of many things, conscientia mille testes; he hath accused himself, what can he hope for but mercy? My Lords, vouchsafe me this grace; let him be brought, being alive and in the house; let him avouch any of these things, I will confess the whole indictment and renounce the king's

mercy.

Ld. Cecil. Here hath been a touch of the Lady Arabella Stuart, a near kinswoman of the king's. Let us not scandal the innocent by confusion of speech: she is as innocent of all these things as I, or any man here; only she received a letter from my Lord Cobham, to prepare her; which she laughed at, and immediately sent it to the king. So far was she from discontentment, that she laughed him to scorn. But you see how far the Count of Aremberg did consent.

The Lord Admiral (Nottingham) being by in a standing, with the Lady Arabella, spake to the court.

Ld. Adm. The Lady doth here protest upon her salvation, that she

never