CONCERNING THE EARL OF ESSEX. 265 



any manner of prejudice, I should keep my credit 

 with her ever after, whereby to do my lord service. 

 Hereupon the next news that I heard was, that we 

 were all sent for again ; and that her majesty s plea 

 sure was, we all should have parts in the business ; 

 and the lords falling into distribution of our parts, it 

 was allotted to me, that I should set forth some un- 

 dutiful carriage of my lord, in giving occasion and 

 countenance to a seditious pamphlet, as it was 

 termed, which was dedicated unto him, which was 

 the book before-mentioned of king Henry IV. 

 Whereupon I replied to that allotment, and said to 

 their lordships, That it was an old matter, and had 

 no manner of coherence with the rest of the charge, 

 being matters of Ireland : and therefore, that I hav 

 ing been wronged by bruits before, this would ex 

 pose me to them more ; and it would be said I gave 

 in evidence mine own tales. It was answered again 

 with good shew, That because it was considered how 

 I stood tied to my lord of Essex, therefore that part 

 was thought fittest for me, which did him least hurt ; 

 for that whereas all the rest was matter of charge 

 and accusation, this only was but matter of caveat 

 and admonition. Wherewith though I was in mine 

 own mind little satisfied, because I knew well a 

 man were better to be charged with some faults, 

 than admonished of some others : yet the conclu 

 sion binding upon the queen s pleasure directly, 

 &quot; volens nolens&quot; I could not avoid that part that 

 was laid upon me: which part, if in the delivery 

 I did handle not tenderly, though no man before 



