OF ROBERT EARL OF ESSEX. 351 



odious and pernicious consequence ; and so did very 

 humbly crave it at the hands of the lord Steward, 

 and all the peers, that Mr. Comptroller might be 

 sent for, to make good his accusation. 



Thereupon the lord Steward sent a Serjeant at 

 arms for Mr. Comptroller, who presently came 

 thither, and did freely and sincerely deliver, that he 

 had only said, though he knew not well to whom, 

 that Mr. Secretary and he walking in the garden at 

 court one morning about two years since, and talk 

 ing casually of foreign things, Mr. Secretary told 

 him, that one Doleman had maintained in a book, 

 not long since printed, that the Infanta of Spain had 

 a good title to the crown of England : which was 

 all, as Mr. Comptroller said, that ever he heard Mr. 

 Secretary speak of that matter. And so the weak 

 foundation of that scandal being quickly discerned, 

 that matter ended ; all that could be proved being 

 no other, than that Mr. Comptroller had told an 

 other, who had told the earl of Essex, that 

 Mr. Secretary said to him that such a book said 

 so ; which every man could say that hath read it, 

 and no man better knew than the earl himself, to 

 whom it was dedicated. 



Defence. To the point of both their protestations, 

 that they intended no hurt to her majesty s person : 



Reply. First, the judges delivered their opinions 

 for matter in law upon two points : the one, that in 

 case where a subject attempteth to put himself into 

 such strength as the king shall not be able to resist 

 him, and to force and compel the king to govern 



