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"somewhat more serious; because there is reason "to fear, lest information of some act of treason "or violence should be privately carried to the king and that, in this case, all the catholics may "be compelled to take up arms. Wherefore, in my 'judgment, two things are necessary; first, that "his holiness should intimate to us what, in either case, our conduct should be: secondly, that, under "the severest censures, he should forbid the catholics "to take up arms.

"It remains for us to hope, that things will not "proceed from worse to worse; to pray his holiness, "under these dangers, to apply some speedy and effectual remedy. His benediction, and the prayers

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of your lordship, I humbly implore. At London, "24th of July 1605. The servant of your most "noble lordship, Henry Garnett.'

Baynham having thus been dispatched into σε 'Belgium, while Garnett's obsequious friends were 'behaving with dissembled concern, and he be"lieved there was no remaining ground of appre"hension, he travelled, about the end of August, "to St. Winfred's well. Of this circumstance he "apprised father Persons, by a letter, dated the "second day of September; he expresses himself "in it, in the following terms :

"As far as I can see at present, the minds of the "catholics are at rest; they are even resolved, for "the future, to endure patiently the distresses of persecutions; nor are they without hope, that the king himself, or his son, will some time or other

"redress their great evils. Meanwhile, the number

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of the catholics greatly increases; and I hope that "this journey of mine, which, by the will of God, I "intend to undertake to-morrow, both for the sake

of recruiting my strength, and because I have no "fixed abode, all my former dwellings being disco"vered by the diligence of our adversaries, and be"cause I also hope, that my journey will not be with"out some opportunity of doing good to the catholic faith.'

But, in the mean time, the conspirators who, "the year before, had made their unsuccessful attempt to work a passage under ground, had hired "the cellar or vault under the parliament-house, "and had prosecuted their plan with the circum"stances, which have been already mentioned.

"We now return to Garnett, in his prison."Ministers of the gospel often went to him from

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a desire of disputing with him. To these, he said, "I have no leisure, good sirs, to comply with

your curiosity at this time; the short space of life "which is left to me, I wish rather to give to God, "and to my conscience, which ought to be com"posed for death.' He remembered what calumnies "had been formerly spread respecting Campian's

disputes, with some protestant divines. Lest, "therefore, any charge of unsteadiness of faith "should be brought against him, he thought it more advisable to abstain from all private conversation, than to endanger his reputation, till "that time without blemish, by leaving it to be "torn into pieces by the inventors of lies.

“The whole of April was given to delibera“tion as to what should at last be resolved on con

cerning him; for Salisbury had been heard to "say openly, that no clear proof had been brought "against him till the conversation with Oldcorn; "and his declaration that the knowledge which he “had received of the conspiracy came to him in "the sacrament of repentance. The sacrament they "themselves had exploded, yet they had not so far "shaken off reverence towards religion in general, ❝ as not to approve the use of it among catholics, "and to consider secrecy in all that passed in it,

as a most necessary duty. The gravity, the can“dour, and the openness which Garnett showed "in his answers, had, at the same time, procured "him both respect and pity. His execution was "also retarded by an apprehension, lest his vener*able countenance, in which dignity and modesty "were united, should persuade those, who saw "him, (which indeed proved to be the case), that "nothing of atrocity or outrage, no concealed or "cruel design, could have entered into a breast so "evidently peaceable. However, there was a proof "drawn from this very dignity, which undid him; "since, independently of the stain of infamy which "would fall on the whole order of jesuits from the "execution of this one man, (whom the rabble "styled a great seminarist and a little pope) his "quality and high offices would persuade the "people, that so great a man would not have been

brought to that place, unless he had been con"victed of the foulest crime. The third day of

May-the festival of the invention of the holy "cross, was appointed for his punishment.

"Near to the episcopal church of St. Paul, and "its western door, an ample space is surrounded "with very high houses; here, a spacious wooden stage was erected; and on it a gallows; there "was at the side of it a block, on which, after hanging a short time, the criminal was to be quartered, limb by limb; and hard by the block "there was a blazing fire to burn his entrails. A "vast crowd of every description occupied the

place at break of day, and, on every side, filled "up the open space and windows: the expecta"tion of all was very great. According to custom, "Garnett was dragged from the Tower on a hurdle, "having his eyes, for the most part, raised to "heaven; now and then lifting up his hands, and "6 praying, in his mind, or with his tongue. When "he had a little recovered from the shaking upon "the hurdle, and cheered his spirits, he mounted "the platform, and courteously saluting the sur"rounding multitude, with a look composed of "the greatest modesty and cheerfulness,-(leave "of speaking having been given to him),—he ad"dressed them to this effect: This day is sacred "to the finding of the holy cross! Under the protection of this cross, it has pleased the Divine "Goodness that I should be brought to this place, "and lay down, for its sake, my life, and all the "crosses of this fleeting and inconstant life. This 'is, indeed, a great blessing! a blessing, for which "it is proper that I return God unlimited thanks.

"What other day ought more to be wished for by "me, than that on which the commemoration of "the cross of Christ is most splendidly celebrated throughout the whole catholic church! Most of

you know on what account I am now dying; it " is unquestionably, because I did not reveal a cir"cumstance, told me in the sacrament of confes"sion; in which, though I have not sinned against God, yet I seem, to most people, to have offended

against the king. To be thought to have offended "the king, really gives me great concern.

You

ought, however, to know, that, among us, there "is that respect for the sacrament, that it is, on

no account, lawful to divulge any wicked designs "which are heard in it; unless when and where "the penitent himself hath granted leave. In one

thing, perhaps, but certainly in this one thing

only, have I offended; that I suppressed, in silence, some suspicions I had, from other sources. Still, in the mean time, I strove, by other means, "to appease the minds of the turbulent, and to prevent their plots: my own opinion of these persons deceived me, and for this silence, I ask "pardon.'

"Some person then objected to him, that Catesby "had discovered his intentions to him out of con"fession; and had said that he had the hand-writ

ing of Garnett himself as a proof of that fact. "Show me the hand-writing,' said Garnett: if "it be really my writing, I will not deny it; I am, "however, sure, that you can produce nothing of "this kind.' That person having put his hand in