WIGMORE CASTLE, HEREFORDSHIRE. 



manuscript in the Harleian library of the British Museum* gives 

 the following interesting particulars : — 



" Certain observations, taken from the conference had with Sir 

 Sir Guillam Merricke, in Newgate. 



First — he affirmed, calling the master of the prison to wytnesse, 

 that, from the first hower of his coming, he acknowledged that in 

 the face of his Lord and Master, and the rest that behold God's 

 hand in this revealed against them, that they being private men 

 should not dare to attempt the reformation of a prince, which is a 

 worke such that onlie belonginge to God : secondlie — he protested 

 he was not privie to the plott, yet sought not herebie to excuse him- 

 self; for this he voluntarily confesses, that, in whatsoever his lord 

 and master should have undertaken, he should have been made one, 

 and gone as farre in the action as any man ; but his lord, in all con- 

 ferences had with him, did still affirme that he would attempt no- 

 thing but what a good conscience should warrant him : thirdlic — 

 upon the receivinge of the sacrament this morning, before his exe- 

 cution, he desired Mr. Doctor Parreyt to signifie as much to the 

 Lord Chiefs Justice of England,:}: because he did thinke my lorde 

 did houlde him a papist, IT which to be he utterlie disclaimed : and 

 askinge God forgivenes that he had bene so negligente in the pro- 

 fession of his religion, protested he did hold the churche of England, 

 as now, that yt is the true churche. Moreover, in some confidence, 

 he praied for the state of the whole church, that God would enlarge 

 it, and shew the kingdom of his truth to them that yet enjoyed it 

 not ; saying, it is an honorable thinge to have all mouthes opened 

 to the praise of God, and all tongues to confesse his holie name. 

 Walking also a little before the coming of the sheriffe, he broke 

 out into speeches, saying, " I praie God, Mr. CufFe,§ according to 



* Marked 4289, art. 2. 



•f This was Richard Parry, D. D., who was much indebted to Sir Gelly 

 for his preferment. He had been master of Ruthin school, and was at this 

 time Vicar of Gresford. In December, 1604, he was consecrated Bishop of 

 St. Asaph, and 16 years after, with the assistance of Dr. John Davies, of 

 Mallwyd, who had been his pupil and afterwards his Chaplain, he corrected 

 and republished Bishop Morgan's Welsh Bible, the edition still in use. He 

 married a daughter of Rhys Wynn, of Llwynynn, and died 26th September, 

 1623, being buried in his own cathedral. From the date on his portrait, still 

 preserved at Goodrich Court, he must have been, at this interview, 30 years 

 of age. 



X Sir J. Popham. 



^ From the expression " Some of you now at the bar are christians." 



§ He was one of the Earl's secretaries, and doomed to be executed with 

 Sir Gelly Meyrick. 



