Presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of His Majesty. PRINTED FOR HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE BY And to be purchased, either directly or through any Bookseller, from 32 ABINGDON STREET, WESTMINSTER, S. W.; or E. PONSONBY, 116 GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN. [Cd. 3134.] Price 28. 10d. Essex INTRODUCTION. THE year 1601-2 --as we now account it-had not proceeded far upon its course when the citizens of London were startled Rebellion. by a sensational occurrence. On the second Sunday of February, the 8th day of the month, some time about noon, when the sermon was just over at Paul's Cross, there was heard in the immediate neighbourhood a noise of tumult, cries of "Murder! Murder!" God save the Queen!" "My Lord of Essex should be murdered in his bed by Sir Walter Ralegh and his confederates!" "Saw! saw! saw! tray! tray!" and other confused shoutings. The city was for a time in a state of great commotion. But not for long. Resolute action soon subdued the tumult. Before nightfall calm was restored, and the authors of the disorder were all "dispersed, apprehended and committed." This, the Earl of Essex's mad outbreak, was in truth a miserable failure ill conceived, ill executed, easily suppressed serious in its character chiefly by reason of the consequences which it entailed upon the authors and abettors. But it occurred at a time when there was no playing at treason, and when men were held to intend the consequences of their acts and to suffer accordingly. The papers in this volume relative to this event are numerous, and from them may be gathered many details of the history of that "dismal day," for so it appeared to the actors in retrospect (pp. 99, 100). Among the rest, Sir John Leveson's story of the manner in which he, coming by accident upon the scene, kept Ludgate against Lord Essex and his company, is exceedingly interesting (p. 59). The excitement over, there were early found those who hastened to explain that their part in the proceedings was wholly the result of casual misfortune. Of this number was the Earl of Bedford, who represents (p. 51) that on that Sunday morning he was suddenly summoned to Essex House by Lady Rich-carried off, unknown to his family, from their very midst when they were assembled in a room of his house for the duty of the day, "prayer being ended and a sermon begun "--and who, as soon as he understood what was afoot, "presently desired to convey himself away." In similar case was Francis Manners, who going to find his brother at Essex House was carried with the sway into London " (p. 35); Lord Cromwell also, "who most pitifully moveth his misery and protesteth ignorance of the attempt" (p. 37); Sir Francis Knollys (p. 100); and others of humbler station (pp. 38, 99). But the majority could not so excuse themselves, and, however great the wonder may seem that responsible men could be moved by the "fables and foolish lies "- -as they were soon seen to be-to risk everything, liberty, fortune and even life, at the call and for the benefit of a leader like the Earl of Essex, many such there undoubtedly were. They were led, some by overweening affection like Sir Ferdinando Gorges (p. 283), and some by the "blindness |