280 THE PROCEEDINGS OF 



her inscrutable goodness, not to overthrow my lord s 

 fortune irreparably, by public and proportionable 

 justice : notwithstanding, inasmuch as about that 

 time there did fly about in London streets and 

 theatres divers seditious libels ; and Paul s and ordi 

 naries were full of bold and factious discourses, 

 whereby not only many of her majesty s faithful and 

 zealous counsellors and servants were taxed, but 

 withal the hard estate of Ireland was imputed to any 

 thing rather than unto the true cause, the earl s 

 defaults, though this might have made any prince 

 on earth to lay aside straight ways the former resolu 

 tion taken, yet her majesty in her moderation per 

 sisted in her course of clemency, and bethought 

 herself of a mean to right her own honour, and yet 

 spare the earl s ruin ; and therefore taking a just and 

 most necessary occasion upon these libels, of an ad 

 monition to be given seasonably, and as is oft accus 

 tomed ; the last Star-chamber day of Michaelmas 

 term, was pleased, that declaration should be made, 

 by way of testimony, of all her honourable privy 

 council, of her majesty s infinite care, royal provi 

 sions, and prudent directions for the prosecutions 

 in Ireland, wherein the earl s errors, by which means 

 so great care and charge was frustrated, were inci- 

 dently touched. 



But as in bodies very corrupt, the medicine rather 

 stirreth and exasperateth the humour than purge th 

 it, so some turbulent spirits laid hold of this pro 

 ceeding in so singular partiality towards my lord, as 

 if it had been to his disadvantage, and gave out 



