Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

ing, shouting, crying "Welcome," and "God save King James," till they were (in a manner) entreated to be silent. As soon as it pleased the people to give him leave that he might speak, Mr. Parkinson, the recorder of Berwick, being a man grave and reverend, made a brief speech to his Majesty, acknowledging him their sole and sovereign lord, to whom (in the town's name) he surrendered their charter, presenting his Highness, also from them, with a purse of gold, which, as an offering of their love, he graciously received, and for their charter he answered them most benign and royally, that it should be continued, and that he would maintain their privileges, and uphold them and their town in all equity, by reason it was the principal and first place honoured with his mighty and most gracious person. These ceremonies among the townsmen ended, as his usual manner is after any journey, his Majesty passed to the church, there to humble himself before the exalter of the humble, and thank Him for the benefits bestowed upon him and all his people; at which time preached before him the Reverend Father in God, Tobie Matthew, Bishop of Durham, who made a most learned and worthy sermon, which finished, the king departed to his palace, and then they gave him a peal of great ordnance, more hot than before; Berwick having never had king to rest in her walls well nigh these hundred years. The night was quickly overpast, especially with

the townsmen, that never in a night thought themselves securer; but the journey of the hours is always one, however they are made long or short by the apprehension of joy or sufferance of grief. The morning's sun chased away the clouds of sleep from every eye, which the more willingly opened, that they might be comforted with the sight of their beloved sovereign, who in his estate (attended on by the governor and the noblemen, together with the magistrates and officers of the town) passed to the church, where he stayed the divine prayers and sermon, which, when with his wonted humility he had heard finished, in the like estate he returned to his palace.

* * * *

* *

*

The 7th of May being Saturday, his Majesty removed from Theobald's towards London, riding through the meadows, where within two miles on this side Waltham, Sir Henry Denny discharged his followers, and one of the sheriffs of London and Middlesex attended his Highness, viz. Master John Swinnerton, the other sheriff being then sick. At Stamford Hill the Lord Mayor presented him with the sword and keys of the city, with whom were the knights and aldermen in scarlet gowns, and great chains of gold about their necks, with all the chief officers and council of the city, besides five hundred citizens, all very well mounted, clad in velvet coats and chains of gold, with the chief gentlemen of the hundreds, who made a gallant

show to entertain their sovereign.

The multitude of people in highways, fields, meadows, closes, and on trees, were such, that they covered the beauty of the fields; and so greedy were they to behold the countenance of the king, that with much unruliness they injured and hurt one another, some even hazarded to the danger of death; but as uncivil as they were among themselves, all the way as his Majesty passed, with shouts and cries, and casting up of hats (of which many never returned into the owners' hands), he passed by them over the Fields, and came in at the back of the Charterhouse. Thither being come, he was most royally received and entertained by the Lord Thomas Howard, where was such abundance of provision of all manner of things, that greater could not be, both of rare and wild fowls, many rare and extraordinary banquets, to the great liking of his Majesty, and contentment of the whole train. He lay there three nights in which time the lords of the council oft

[blocks in formation]

Upon Wednesday, the 11th of May, his Majesty set forward from the Charter-house to the Tower of London, in going quietly on horseback to Whitehall, where he took barge; having shot the bridge, his present landing was expected at Tower Stairs, but it pleased his Highness to pass the Tower Stairs toward St. Katherine's, and there stayed on the water to see the ordnance on the White Tower, (commonly called Julius Caesar's Tower), being in number twenty pieces, with the great ordnance on Tower wharf, being in number a hundred, and chambers to the number one hundred and thirty, discharged and shot off. Of which all services were so sufficiently performed by the gunners, that a peal of so good order was never heard before; which was most commendable to all sorts, and very acceptable to the king. Then his royal person arrived at his own stairs, so called the King's Stairs, etc. etc. etc.

THE GUNPOWDER PLOT.

(Slow's Annals, continued by Edmond Howes.)

A.D. 1605.

THE king's first parliament ended in July, the second year of his reign, wherein Catesby, Percy, Wright, and the rest, seeing therein nothing done to their ease or content, began to consider of such encouragement as they had received from Flanders in June the year before and Percy sware he would undertake to kill the king; whereunto Catesby answered, If you do kill him, it is to no purpose in respect of the general cause, but stay awhile, for I have devised a far surer course and readier way to effect what we desire, and that without the help of any foreign nation but as yet he did not impart his secret project to any man until after the return of Thomas Winter, whom he sent to confer with the Constable of Castile, being now in Flanders, ready to come for England to take the king's oath for confirmation of the articles of peace agreed upon by the commissioners, all which being consummate, and the parties before-named observing that the purpose of this peace was only for

[ocr errors]

the universal good of all Christendom without respect of any particular place or people, and therewithal noting the careless inclination of the Constable to their desire, which was earnestly to move the King of England in favour of the Catholics, as also that the general peace would prove a continual means for their adversaries to proceed at all times in any course whatsoever against the English Catholics, and prevent them of all hope of succour and sustentation from any foreign potentate; from this time one incensed another speedily to attempt some hope of remedy for themselves by themselves : Percy, more prone than divers others, with a great oath said, Let us now do something, and not always talk.

Catesby being now resolved to put in practice his long-concealed project, being well assured he had found fit persons for his purpose, acquainted Thomas Percy, Thomas Winter, John Wright, and Guido Fawkes, with his device, viz. to undermine the Upper Parliament

House, and to blow it up with | labour; then they took into their

gunpowder, at the very instant of
the great assembly, the 7th of
February next following, having
before given them the oath of
secrecy, which they as willingly
embraced as his heart desired:
and after that, for more assurance
of secrecy, they received the sacra-
ment. This combustible combina-
tion thus concluded, each man pre-
pares
to do his utmost in the enter-
prise, like those headstrong horses
of whom the kingly prophet speaks,
bend themselves to run a desperate
course, respectless what misery
might befall on king, country, or
commonwealth; and if their deep
device, borrowed from the lowest
hell, had taken effect, yet the
chief purpose of their project, if
well weighed, had been never the
nearer, but rather further off, with
apparent likelihood of sudden
slaughter of themselves, their
faction, and their friends.

aid Christopher Wright, having likewise taken oath and sacrament for secrecy, and so about the 20th of January they began to work afresh; and for that they would be secure from any sudden discovery or apprehension they caused John Johnson, whom they knew to be an excellent, skilful, and resolute soldier, to keep wary sentinel, who continually gave them warning upon the least sign of suspicion, when to cease, and when to work again: they had also furnished themselves with weapons, shot, and powder, being determined rather to die there in their own defence than to be apprehended. When they came to the foundation of the wall, which was three yards thick, and found it a matter of great difficulty, they took unto them Robert Winter, after he had taken oath and sacrament like the rest. About Presently, upon the compact Candlemas they had wrought the aforesaid, Percy hired a house wall half through, and as they close adjoining to the Upper Par- were at work they heard a rushing liament; and from this time, unto of sea-coals in the next room, the day of discovery, by a general which was a cellar right under consent among themselves, Guido the Parliament House, and then Fawkes changeth his whole name, they feared they had been disand is called John Johnson, Master covered; whereupon Johnson went Percy's man; and about the begin- thither, who being returned told ning of December those five began them it was a cellar full of seathe mine, having at first entrance coals, which were now a-selling; made competent provision for and that the same was to be let twenty days, of wine, beer, and for yearly rent, assuring them baked meats, because their being withal, that he had well observed there should neither be seen nor the manner of that cellar, and that suspected of any, neither came it was most commodious for their they forth until Christmas Eve, purpose; and then Master Percy and for certain days ceased their | forthwith hired the same for yearly

they should do justice upon that place where their religion was suppressed, and where so many severe laws had passed against them; and then they laid into the cellars twenty barrels of powder, which were formerly provided, and covered them with billets and faggots, provided for that purpose.

rent, being now fully persuaded | have avowed both. Secondly, they considered upon foreign aid; and in their opinion Spain was too remote and slow to help them in their most extremity: France was too near and too mighty; and, having command of Holland, ships would easily make away with them: marry, Sir William Stanley, Owen, and others, on the hither part of Flanders, with their particular friends and forces, might give them more fit and friendly aid. Lastly, they considered what lords to save from the parliament, as well in respect of religion as for policy; upon all which particulars, though they often conferred, yet concluded nothing, saving only to send one to Rome, to acquaint the Pope with their project, and to know whether the Pope would approve or condemn it, carrying a kind of jealousy amongst themselves that their seducers had already run too far in usurpation, and thereupon, under pretence to be ascertained, they sent Sir Edward Bayneham for a breviat from his holiness; which said Sir Edward departed from England, but in August before the parliament, in which space the aforesaid conspirators never stayed their intent, nor omitted anything that might prefer their most pernicious

But when they understood that the parliament was adjourned to October they dispersed themselves, having held many counsels how to manage the affairs of State if the deed were done; one while they purposed to surprise the person of the prince, another while the Duke of York, and for performance of either of these, Percy was the man that, with his friends, would undertake the charge; then they considered that if they could not seize upon the person of any of them two, because the prince would be at the Parliament House, and the duke being kept so near London, where they wanted friends, how they might surprise the person of the Lady Elizabeth, being in the custody of the Lord Harrington, in Warwickshire; and in the end resolved to adventure their fortune upon her whom they meant to proclaim queen, and in her name to proceed in all things, having in readiness a project of a proclamation to that purpose,

wherein was no mention of religion, neither would they have avowed the deed to have been theirs, until they had tried their friends and strength, as well abroad as at home, and then they would

course.

The chief conspirators having many ways spent great sums of money in this action, especially Catesby, upon whom lay the most part of expense, being now quite destitute of foreign aid, and having already taken up as much money

« ZurückWeiter »