First Earl of Pembroke of the Present Creation. 123 



remaining members of the Council, the full particulars of which are 

 preserved in the Burghley papers. Pembroke avowed his desire for 

 the Norfolk marriage, and did not shrink in any way from the 

 responsibility of having advised it. So far as the lords had acted 

 together, they had done nothing which could be termed disloyal, 

 and Pembroke, both with dignity and success, defended the integrity 

 of his own intentions. 



Later in the year a serious attempt was made at an insurrection 

 in the North of England, by the Earls of Northumberland and 

 Westmoreland, with the intention of releasing the Queen of Scots ; 

 this made it necessary to raise a southern force without delay. 



At this time Pembroke, as Lord Steward, wrote a letter to the 

 queen, vindicating his loyalty, " From my poore Howse at Wilton, 

 the 5th December, 1569." After complaining "how my Name is 

 moast falselye and wickedly abused by the wicked Protestation of 

 those two traiterous Erles," he goes on to say, " I have according 

 to your Majesties Commandment, in parte answered the Matter by 

 my Letters to my Lords of the Counsill. But in fuller satisfaction 

 thereof, I do reverently before God, and humbly before your Majestic 

 protest, that in all my Lief I was never privey to somuche as a 

 Mocion of any Attempt, either of these banekerupt Erles, or of anie 

 Mans ells, against either Religion (in defence whereof onelye I am 

 redie to spill my blood) or yet your Majesties Estate or Person; and 

 that I am ready against them and all Traitors to make good with my 

 Bodie, when and howsoever it shall please your Majestic to commande : 

 For God forbid that I shoulde lieve the Houre, now in myne olde 

 Age, to staine my former Lief with a Spott of Disloyaltie." ^ 



With graceful confidence the queen accepted his offer, and named 

 him at once general of an army of reserve. The insurrection, how- 

 ever, failed, and Pembroke's services were not required. This was 

 the last public act of his life. His end was now approaching; 

 " life'sj fitful fever o'er," he was no longer concerned in the plots 

 and counter-plots which still continued to harass the queen's govern- 

 ment. He died at Hampton Court, on March 17th, 1570, and 

 thus closed his eventful and restless career at the age of sixty-three. 

 ' Haynes' State Papers, p. 568. 



