USA > Maine > A catalogue of original documents in the English archives, relating to the early history of the state of Maine > Part 12
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The defence of Sir Ferdinando is principally directed against the three points which I have indicated. Calm, forcible and argumentative, it is written with spirit and vigour, and there is a touching pathos in the conclusion which it would be difficult to surpass. Writhing under the imputations which the Earl had cast upon him, he yet extenuates and excuses his mistake ; he joins no vulgar cry nor prejudice against him ; he does not seek to save himself by flattering the Earl's enemies, or traducing his memory, but declares, with a manliness which one does not like to believe to have been disjoined from honesty, that he esteem- ed him to be inwardly as full of worth and virtue as he was ontwardly beautiful and adorned in the opinion and the eyes of the world. "Who was there," he says, "that seemed more industrious and careful to nour- ish virtue in all men than he? Whether he was a divine or soldier, a wise commonwealth's man or a good lawyer, to all these he endeavoured to be an excellent benefactor and faithful protector. And who was there that seemed more willingly to expose himself to all hazards and travail for his prince's or country's service than he? Who ever more willingly spent his own estate, and all that by any means he could get- for the public good of his country? The daily experience that I had thereof, and the undoubted opinion of his good meaning therein, was the cause that bound me so inseparably to him. He was of the same profession that I was, and of a free and noble spirit. But I must say no more, for he is gone and I am here. I loved him alive, and cannot hate him being dead. He had some imperfections-so have all men. He had many virtues-so have few. And for those his virtues I loved him; and when Time, which is the trial of all truths,
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hath run his course, it shall appear that I am wronged in the opinion of this idle age. In the meantime, I presume this that I have said is suffi- cient to satisfy the wise and discreet; for the rest, whatever I can do is but labour lost."
There are many circumstances connected with the position and char- acter and subsequent life of Sir Ferdindo Gorges, which I should have thought it right to consider if I had entered fully into the question of the truth or falsehood of the charges brought against him in connection with the Earl of Essex. In your forthcoming work I am sure that all those circumstances, with probably many others which your researches at the State Paper Office have made you acquainted with, but of which I am ignorant, will be fully and fairly dwelt upon. In that confidence I comply with your wish in publishing the following paper, and, having done so, leave the subject with pleasure in your able hands; and I am,
My dear Mr. Vice-President, Yours very truly, JOHN BRUCE.
John Payne Collier, Esq., V.P.S.A. &c. &c. &c.
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MS. Cotton. Julius F. vr. fol. 423.
A breefe answer to certayne false, slanderous, and idle objections made agaynst Sr Ferd. Gorges, knighte, as if he had ben a man of purpose imployed to practize the ruine of the late Earle of Essex, playnly shewinge the untruthe and impossi- bility thereof. Written in the Gatehouse.
To the ho"l and discreete who ar nether partiall in affection nor voyde of understandinge.
In this my discourse, I coulde have ben contented to have intreated my holl and worthy frenndes (who have always knowne mee by many likelyhoods and probabilityes, more then in the discourse it selfe I shall speake of) to implore theyr labors to have satisfyed any reasonable man for the disprovinge of that weh is so com'only and slaunderously bruted of mee: but that I know it needelesse, in as muche as every wise and vertuouse nature, duly wayinge what is sayd wth every circumstance, will not" of the love they beare to vertue it selfe, seeke to approve and manifeste theyr owne wisdoms and generouse mindes by contradictinge the vanity of the worlde, or condemninge the base natures of those that be so lavish in censuring of any whome they have knowne or hearde to have alwayes helde the raputacon of an honest man, espetially at that time when his case is such that hee nether can or may make a free answer for the approbacon of his innocency therein. I am not ignorant, how the distemper of the time hath caused the idle humors of men's braynes, that are almoste in a frenzy wth the mallice of theyr hartes, to disgeast it selfe into theyr untamed tongues, and now findinge a subject of whome they may freely speake, they spare not to make apparant the vildnes of theyr natures. An other kinde of creature I have heard of that will heare nothinge but wth theyr eyes, see nothinge but wth their eares, for what shaddow they see they will force it to be a substance, and in som cases all substance must bee but shaddowes; so heddy or senseles the common people ar, carefull only to swime wth the streame, and will not bee capable of understandinge themselfes, or sensible of any other kinde of vertue in others, who (although they cannot deny the truthe, or enter into the reason for weh thinges were don, yet will
So in the MIS. ; but the sense seems to require "'out."
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they say somethinge to ease theyr stomacks, and speake like themselves) will curse and rayle at the innocente, as if theyr concaytes were gos- pells, or the reports (wch they have uncertaynly receaved) oracles. But I know the holl, wise, and vertuouse, as they ar sparinge to censure evell of a well deservinge minde, so can they, and will, (I ashure my selfe,) both judge and speake the truthe, to the approvinge of my honest affec- tion to my deceased freinde (howsoever I may seeme to acknowledge my selfe to have forgotten my duety to her Maty, for wch my offence I acknowledge my selfe to have received merey and justice). To this I know som bookewise gallant may happely carpe at my labors, bycause it wantethe ether forme, eloquent wordes, wise sentences, or any other such like exceptions, weh (I confesse) may be justly taken unto it; but my hope is that the worthy and those of judgmente will looke into the matter and sence and beare wth these faultes, and also pardon these defectes of my rude and harshe manner of writinge; remembringe it is the labor but of a playne souldier, and on that is no scholler, who is desyrous only to deliver the truthe in its owne nature and kynde for the satisfyinge of his holl and privat freindes, and not the travayle of a cunninge sophiste yt will take upon him to make white black, and black white; such learninge I never affected, if I had, my leasure would never have afforded mee time to practise it.
Peruse this therfor wth patience, I pray you, and censure not of on parte untill ye have read the whole, for each doubte that my arise will be answered wth that wch doth follow; and the heavenly God open your eyes, and give yr heartes understandinge that ye may sensibly feele (wch I doubt not but you will when you have read that wch follo- wethe) the wronges wch I have received by those false imputacons wherwth all I am charged ; in the meane time assiste mee, I desyre you, wth your prayers to the Almighty, that he will give mee patience in this my untimely afflictions to indure unto the ende that his divine plea- sure will lay upon mee, to whose aternal protection I hartely commende y". From the Gatehouse, the 14th of June, 1601.
CAP. I.
The unlikelyhood and impossibility that I could consente to the betrayinge of my L. of Essex.
Great is the disadvantage that a man hathe, who is to justify his in- nocency in those thinges for weh he is condemned by the worlde, wch for the most parte is blinded in affection, or ignorant of the truthe, for whatsoever hee can say or write is read or heard wth a prejudicate
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opinion, every on beleeving that a man is bounde to speake for himselfe, or to excuse his owne faultes. Notwithstandinge, sithence the truthe bearethe no shame, or needethe to be deckd wth no colours but its owne, never blushinge, how disgracefully soever respected, I offer the examinacon of that weh followethe to the wise and discreete, who will (I doubt not) confesse, if I weare as able to make it appeare that I did not forget my duety to her Maty, to whome I must accknowledge it was moste due, as I am able to prove I discharged my faythfull love to my Lo. I should not need to be now behouldinge to any for my life, or indure of Es- sex, yt miserable affliction I doe, by wch meanes I have brought my selfe and my estate to ruine, how innocent soever my barte were from intendinge any evell, or knowinge any evell to be intended or purposed to the per- son or authority of her Highnes.
And I hope no man did ever esteeme mee to be ether a foole or a made man ; but if I had consented to the ruine of the Earle of Essex I had shewed myselfe to have ben bothe. For was there ever any that had his witts or understandinge that would enterprise such a matter and not compounde for his rewarde, or at the least be freed himselfe from all after daungers? And the world may see that nether of these I have don; and unto mee I am assured it is to apparente, for I do con- tinually feele the heavy indignacon of her Maty justly to lye upon mee; and besides that I have all places of commaunde and commodity taken from mee to the undoinge of my selfe and mine, my person is still detay- ned in prison, where how longe I shall remaine God only dothe knowe, or after what manner I shall com out, when I do, whether as a banished, a confined, or a dead man, but if otherwise, I must acknowledge it to bee more of her Matyes gratiouse and infinite mercy then of my merit. or by mee to be expected, by reason of any promise or composition that ever I ether made, propounded, concluded, or thought on. And for matter of rewarde I am so far from expectinge any as I shall thinke myselfe infinitely happy to injoy my life and liberty, wth leave only to seeke my fortune where I shall finde best meanes to make it. But if any thinge had ben voluntarily don by mee to the prejudice of the Earle, shurely this needed not to have befalen mee. If it be objected, not- wthstandinge, all this misery I suffer is but a color to blinde the worlde wthall, I must answer, I know my reputacon and estate doth not depende upon the vulgar or greater parte of the people, but only upon her Matyes gratiouse favor, and the estimacon and regarde theyr Lopps have of mee, whome if I could have satisfeyed would have ben a sufficient warrante and protection to have avowed my proceedinge whatever I had done in that behalfe. And if I have no neede to make use of any such
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polesy in respect of satisfyinge the worlde, muche lesse have those by whose authority I still remayne in durance. Therfor out of question it is not don for polesy nor indured of mee for pleasure, but only inflicted for a ponishmente for my offence. Agayne, let them behou!de (that this thinke) who is in possession of all that ever I had, and they shall finde that they ar the freindes and allyes of those, whome it is saide I did practise wth all. And doth any man thinke so great a wronge could be offered mee, if I had so well deserved as it is sayde or imagined I did, by bringinge to lighte and ruin so daungerouse a practise, and so great an enemy, as that was beleeved the Earle woulde have ben ? No, no, it standethe not wth nature to endure, if I could will or chuse, therfor no reason to beleeve it.
Further, I desyre that all men should know, that I am not ignorante what it is and how unworthy an enterprise it were, for any of reputacon to accepte or undertake to be treacherouse where hee pretendethe fayth- full and unfayned love, and I will speake thus much for my owne parte nether to deceave others nor to flatter myselfe, ther was yet never any, man to whome I protested love unto that afterwardes I could possibly hate, though I cannot as an only freinde love many at once, nor yet like him that doth unjustly hate the person of * love, much lesse con- disente to the betrayinge of him, to such as were his enemyes, and to mee no assured freindes.
Lastly, in this my discourse it is to be noted, that whatsoever I did confesse or could have don was but of matter acted and consulted of from the laste of January 1601 to the 9th of February 1601; and that I had not hearde from my Lorde in 2 yeares before, till the letter hee sente for mee to com upp. Also, that hee never unfoulded any thinge to mee but his purpose and a desyre to be free and secure from the ma- lice and powre of his private enemyes, That hee had matter sufficiente to penne them from the person and p'sence of her Maty whensoever bee should have meanes to have a free and safe accesse to her himselfe. And I, perceavinge that hee intended to make his way by force wherwth to resiste any opposition of (those he called) his enemyes, before I would joyne with him I expected and conditioned to assure me uppo his soule and salvacon hee intended no p'judice to the person of her Matye; secondly, not to take by force or unjust meanes the life of auy, but to proceede in the course of his complaynte to the Queene and psecution of his enemyes accordinge to the lawe and justice of the lande.
* Probably this should be "the person I love." It is printed as it stands in the MS.
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Thus much is LoPP in effecte acknowledged at the barr the day of hi- arraynmente; wherfor if (as it is manifest) I knew nether of his intente before the instante, nor perswaded him to any treasonable action, how could I bee imployed by any to practize upon him as it is sayd (though unprobably) I was ?
The contrary will appeare when the truthe (that for a season may be sieke but yet will never dye) shall com to lighte, for I always advised him and bound him by oathes, to his allegeance, shewed him in his extremity the safest course, although hee could not lay hould on it: but if I had ben imployed to practise upon him, I might have found meanes to have ben continually at his hande, nether would I have heald him to any justifiable a course, nor ever advised him to keepe himselfe from any lawful advantage his enemyes might have agaynst him, and evermore to deale upon good groundes, and never to violate ether lawe or conscience.
Howbeit I heare that Sr Christop. Blunte hathe confessed former practises and purposes more then ever I heard of, or would have con- discended unto if I had ben accquaynted wth them; wherfor (if so it were) I was deceaved by his oathe and protestacon, and not hee by mee for any thinge I did. And I assure myselfe that when the Almighty God his will is to bringe to lighte the truthe, the worlde will confesse I have ben most unjustly and falsely belyed hy those reportes that have ben so confidently bruted of mee. In the meane time, I pray you to examine the particulars, with my answers and yr judgmentes, and after- wardes speake accordinge to yr vertues and noblenes of your mindes in the defence of the innocent what you thinke or knowe.
CAP. II.
The cause and manner of my goinge to ST Walter Rawly, and my conference wt him, not any wayes p'judiciall to the Earle his proceedinges.
To com to the particulars of those objections wherby it seemethe to be most manifeste I was imployed to practize agaynst the Earle. First, I will beginne wth that conference I had that Sunday morninge wth Sr Wal. Rawligh, at what time, it is sayde, I did laye open all his councells and purposes. The likelyhood and truthe of this is best to bee understoode if you consi ler the cause of my goinge unto him and the manner therof.
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First, I was sent unto that morninge by Sr Walter Rawligh to com in all haste to Durram Howse, to speake wth him, and by any meanes I was to go by water. But before I wente, I advertised my Lord of as muche, shewinge him wth all the direction and manner how I was as- signed to goe (weh I needed not to have don if I had purposed any treachery), who upon councell and deliberation was willinge I- should goe, but directed to speake wth him upon the Thames, the wch I obser- ved, and to take wth mee a guarde for the securinge of my returne, doubting least any thinge might bee purposed for the impeachinge therof.
Next is to be considered the time, wch was full nine of the clock be- fore I went from Essex Howse, before wch it is well knowne that her Maty and the LIds were advertised of my Lord his preparation (though the particular of his intente was not knowne), and had given order for the drawinge in of men from the villages about the city for the present defence of her Matyes person, and resolved that certayne of the Lordes of the Councell should go to Essex House, to assaye if, by commande . or admonishmente, the presente fury could have ben appeased, or at least deferred, till better provision of offence or defence might bee made, and those LL were arrived at Essex Howse comminge by lande as soone as myselfe that come and went by water, the wch could not bee upon any resolution taken of any conference wth Sr Walt. Raleigh, for they were departed from the Courte before hee could bee arrived there. Also, in the morninge before this ther had ben a com'aundemente gi- ven to the City, that every man should bee in a reddines both in per- son and armes, but notwithstandinge to keepe wthin his howse, till they receaved further directions or com'aundement what to doe.
As for the conference that passed between Sr Walt. Rawley and my- selfe, it was only this, I protest to the Almighty God. When his boate came to mee (he beinge all alone, and I havinge wth mee two Gent) he toulde mee that hee had sente for mee to admonish mee to make all haste out of the Towne downe to my charge, for that there was a war- rant out for the sendinge mee to the Fleete. For his kinde advertise- ment I gave him thankes, but teuld him wthall (for that I knew the pre- sent occasion would presently discover itselfe) that it came to late, for I had ingaged my selfe in an other matter ; hee farther inquiringe of mee what it was, I told him ther were two thousand Gentleme that had re- solved that daye to live or dye free men. Hee pronounced unto mee, ' hee heard not of it untill that morninge, but did not see what they were able to do agayust the Queenes authority. My answer was, it was the
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the abusinge of that, by him and others, that made so many honest men resolve to seeke a rcformacon therof. His replye was, that no man was wthout a colour for theyr intente, and therfor advised mee to looke unto my selfe, and to remember my duety and allegeance. I answered, "I knew not any man that did not more respect his allegeance then his life, as the ende would make apparent ;" and thus hee parted to the Courte and I to Essex Howse.
In all this what was by mee discovered or don that became not a free spirit, or wherin did it give prejudice to my Lorde his proceedinges ? If it bee deinaunded of mee why I did not take Sr Walt. Rawley then ; -- First, it was not a matter I ever purposed, though many vaynely perswaded mee so to doe; secondly, I never held it an acte fittinge amongest mee to betray any that repose trust in us, and hee puttinge himselfe into my handes, wth what honesty could I have avowed so barbarous a deede, unlesse hee had given mee the first occasion by vio- lent deedes and unkinde words, for ether of the weh I was both resol- ved and prepared. And at my returne I delivered unto my Lorde par- ticularly what had passed between Sr W. R. and my selfe, all wch he receaved with his applause and good likinge, as it is to be testifyed by those that were then present and yet alive.
CAP. III.
The delivery of the Lordes was by the Earles allowance and direction when they had no hope to make any other benefit of the'.
As concerninge my delivery of the LL. of the councell, wych if I had not don (as it is sayd) the Earle might have made what composition hee had listed, both for himselfe and others, it beinge a matter of the greatest consequence, and most likelihood of truthe, I thought it fit to give the more particular accounte of my doinge in that behalfe, shewing (wthall) bothe the reasons and necessity that that advise and resolution was to be followed ; therby approvinge my purpose unto my Lorde and the rest to be good, and it was the ouly councell to be followed, and absolute hope that remayned for him, in so great an extremity.
For, when I saw that in all likelyhood and reason ther was no hope left for him to recover his owne howse, perceavinge that all the portes and passages were guarded and defended, and findinge that diverse, . both nobles and others, had quited him, som of the best that remayned devisinge by what meanes to shifte for themselves, all wych [ was nether
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so voyde of judgment or understandinge but did well know and per- ceave; in consideration wherof, when wee came to the chayne at Lud- gate, and saw it defended wth men armed and in good order, havinge their officers and theyr heades, and seeminge no means that wee had sufficient to force them, I thought it best to attempte som other course, and first I made tryall, by fayre language to Sir John Lucya (that had commande of the troopes wch defended that place), to give my Lorde a free passage; in the wch not prevaylinge, I returned to my Lorde, to shew him how impossible it was for him to passe that way, wth the mea- nes he had, as also to know what other resolution or course hee woulde take; to whome havinge delivered my opinion, I gave him further to understande what I thought fit as the laste and only hope for him to depende on, remembringe him that now hee was to make benefit of the Lords that were in his howse, wth all, if so it pleased him, I would attempte to go alone unto them, and wth them to go to her Maty, by whose meanes and sollicitacon only ther was hope shee might be drawne to some tolerable condicons of peace.
To this my opinion I was perswaded by many reasons; as, first, I knew into a greater inconvenience hee could not fall then at the present hee was in, seeing that all hopes hee depended on had fayled him, not- wthstandinge I knew the affliction and feare that was apprehended (through the opinion that was conceaved of the greatnes of my Lordes meanes to be far more then it was) might bee no small reason to per- swade an acception of submission wth security rather then to hazarde a course daungerous wth doubt of successe; and to bringe this to passe I made the lesse doubt, if I might my selfe have come in a place to have delivered my Lordes tale, or at the leaste so far foorthe to have possest her Maty of the causes that moved my Lord to this his attempte, and the reasons that drewe the noblemen and gent' to joyne wth him, wherby the prosequutinge of it wth extremity might have ben deferrd, or the otfence of the rest made more excusable; ether of these, as oc- casions should have offred, I purposed to have prosecuted, as afterwar- des in the best fashion I coulde I did, as it is well knowne to som of the Lordes
Now I was the more confident in this my opinion, out of the obser- vation I had made of the unwillingnes of the people's dispositions to offer any thinge agaynst my Lorde or any of his, notwthstandinge any proclamations or com'aunde that had ben given, wherby I was out of
a So written in the MS. but in the margin, and also interlined, is written "Lewson." in another hand. Lewson, or Leveson, is right.
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doubt if my Lord coulde (as my hope and advise was to him to do) but have kept himselfe but three houres longer in the citty (wher I was shure his dispayre could not bee so easily perceaved) to have brought ether all or the most of this that I have spoken `of to passe. And of this my opinion I was not much deceaved, as heereafter you shall per- ceave. Heereupon, after som doubt that my Lord had made of the-im - possibility of my recoveringe Essex Howse, and som hope that hee sawe was to be expected, if I could get thither, by that meanes, hee gave mee directions to goe, referringe the manner of my proceedinge to my owne discretion, the time nor place not permittinge any large instructions or directions to be given ; wheruppo' I departed, havinge only used the name of my Lord Cheefe Justice unto him, mindinge indeede that none shoulde have gon but him. But when I arrived at Essex Howse, and had made reporte of as muche as I thought fit to his LorPP, and had desyred hime to be goinge, hee refused it, except iny Lorde Keeper might also go wth him ; wherupon I, that knew ther were no delayes.to bee used at that time, made replye therunto, as a matter so intended, and therfor desyred theyr Lordpps more at large, in the boate, what was my Lorde his petition and desyre to obtayne from her Maty, as also the particular reasons that moved both himselfe and the rest of the nobility to untertake that course they had begunne ..
When theyr Lorpps were setted in the boate, wher my Lo. of Wor- cester was also, I first, as breefelye as I coulde, delivered unto them what a number of people there were assembled in the behalfe of my Lo. of Essex, and the doubt what the successe heerof might bee, wth all the daunger that might insue if my Lorde were forced to make his passage over the belly of the subject, to give himselfe a free and safe accesse to the soverayne Maty, and therfor that all industry and indea- vor to prevente the on and the other was to bee used, no delayes to bre made, nor neece poyntes to bee stoode upon ; that theyr Lorpps, as the fathers of the kingdom, under her Highness, were now both to show theyr wisdoms and authoretyes.
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