326 DECLARATION OF THE TREASONS 



disposed was this : That certain selected persons of 

 their number, such as were well known in court, 

 and might have access, without check or suspicion, 

 into the several rooms in court, according to the se 

 veral qualities of the persons, and the differences of 

 the rooms, should distribute themselves into the pre 

 sence, the guard-chamber, the hall, and the utter 

 court and gate, and some one principal man under 

 taking every several room with the strength of some 

 few to be joined with him, every man to make good 

 his charge, according to the occasion. In which 

 distribution, Sir Charles Davers was then named to 

 the presence, and to the great chamber, where he 

 was appointed, when time should be, to seize upon 

 the halberds of the guard ; Sir John Davis to the 

 hall ; and Sir Christopher Blunt to the utter gate ; 

 these seeming to them the three principal wards of 

 consideration : and that things being within the 

 court in a readiness, a signal should be given and 

 sent to Essex, to set forward from Essex-house, 

 being no great distance off. Whereupon Essex, ac 

 companied with the noblemen of his party, and such 

 as should be prepared and assembled at his house 

 for that purpose, should march towards the court ; 

 and that the former conspirators already entered 

 should give correspondence to them without, as well 

 by making themselves masters of the gates to give 

 them entrance, as by attempting to get into their 

 hand upon the sudden the halberds of the guard, 

 thereby hoping to prevent any great resistance with 

 in, and by filling all full of tumult and confusion. 



