OF ROBERT EARL OF ESSEX. 301 



given over by God, who often punisheth ingratitude 

 by ambition, and ambition by treason, and treason 

 by final ruin, as he had long ago plotted it in his 

 heart to become a dangerous supplanter of that 

 seat, whereof he ought to have been a principal sup 

 porter ; in such sort as now every man of common 

 sense may discern not only his last actual and open 

 treasons, but also his former more secret practices 

 and preparations towards those his treasons, and 

 that without any gloss or interpreter, but himself 

 and his own doings. 



For first of all, the world can now expound why 

 it was that he did aspire, and had almost attained 

 unto a greatness, like unto the ancient greatness of 

 the &quot; prasfectus prastorio&quot; under the emperors of 

 Rome, to have all men of war to make their sole 

 and particular dependence upon him ; that with 

 such jealousy and watchfulness he sought to dis 

 countenance any one that might be a competitor to 

 him in any part of that greatness, that with great 

 violence and bitterness he sought to suppress and 

 keep down all the worthiest martial men, which did 

 not appropriate their respects and acknowledge 

 ments only towards himself. All which did mani 

 festly detect and distinguish, that it was not the 

 reputation of a famous leader in the wars which he 

 sought, as it was construed a great while, but only 

 power and greatness to serve his own ends, consider 

 ing he never loved virtue nor valour in another, but 

 where he thought he should be proprietary and com 

 mander of it, as referred to himself. 



