204 CHARGE AGAINST ROBERT 



of in this kingdom : it is not &quot; nostri generis nee san- 

 &quot; guinis :&quot; it is an Italian crime, fit for the court of 

 Rome, where that person, which intoxicateth the 

 kings of the earth with his cup of poison, is many 

 times really and materially intoxicated and impoi- 

 soned himself. 



But it hath three circumstances, which make it 

 grievous beyond other murders : whereof the first is, 

 that it takes away a man in full peace, in God s and 

 the king s peace ; he thinketh no harm, but is com 

 forting of nature with refection and food ; so that, as 

 the Scripture saith, &quot; his table is made a snare.&quot; 



The second is, that it is easily committed, and 

 easily concealed ; and on the other side, hardly pre 

 vented, and hardly discovered : for murder by vio 

 lence, princes have guards, and private men have 

 houses, attendants, and arms : neither can such mur 

 der be committed but &quot; cumsonitu,&quot; and with some 

 overt and apparent act that may discover and trace 

 the offender. But as for poison, the cup itself of 

 princes will scarce serve, in regard of many poisons 

 that neither discolour nor distaste. 



And the last is, because it concerneth not only 

 the destruction of the maliced man, but of any other ; 

 &quot; Quis modo tutus erit ?&quot; for many times the poison 

 is prepared for one, and is taken by another : so that 

 men die other men s deaths ; &quot; considit infelix alieno 

 &quot; vulnere :&quot; and it is, as the Psalm calleth it, &quot; sa- 

 &quot; gitta nocte volans ;&quot; the arrow that flieth by night, 

 it hath no aim or certainty. 



Now for the third degree of this particular of- 



