LETTERS FROM THE CABALA. 



your royal judgment, that in this action which hath been 

 carried with so great prudence, justice, and clemency, there 

 may be (for that which remaineth) as little surprise as is 

 possible, but that things duly foreseen may have their re 

 medies and directions in readiness ; wherein I cannot forget 

 what the poet Martial saith -; &quot; O ! quantum est subitis 

 casibus ingenium !&quot; signifying, that accident is many times 

 more subtle than foresight, and over-reacheth expectation : 

 and besides, I know very well the meanness of my own 

 judgment, in comprehending or forecasting what may follow. 

 It was your majesty s pleasure also, that I should couple 

 the suppositions with my opinion in every of them, which is 

 a harder task ; but yet your majesty s commandment re- 

 quireth my obedience, and your trust giveth me assurance. 



I will put the case 

 which I wish ; that So 

 merset should make a 

 clear confession of his 

 offences, before he be 

 produced to trial. 



REX. I say with 

 Apollo, &quot; Media tu- 

 tius itur,&quot; if it may 

 stand with law ; and 

 if it cannot, when I 

 shall hear that he con- 

 fesseth, I am to make 

 choice of the first, or 

 the last. 



In this case, it seemeth your 

 majesty will have a new consult. 

 The points whereof will be (1) 

 Whether your majesty will stay the 

 trial, and so saVe them both from 

 the stage, and that public ignominy. 

 Or (2) Whether you will (or may 

 fitly by law) have the trial proceed, 

 and stay or reprieve the judgment, 

 which saveth the lands from for 

 feiture, and the blood from corrup 

 tion. Or (3) Whether you will 

 have both trial and judgment pro 

 ceed, and save the blood only, not 

 from corrupting, but from spilling. 



These be the depths of your majesty s mercy which I 

 may not enter into ; but for honor and reputation, they have 

 these grounds, 



