870 CONFESSIONS OF SIR FERDINANDO GORGE. 



He saith, the earl of Essex wrote a letter to him 

 in January, complaining of his misfortune : that he 

 desired his company, and desired his repair up to him 

 by the second of February ; that he came to town on 

 Saturday seven-night before the earl s insurrection, 

 and that the same night late he visited the earl : who, 

 after compliments, told him that he stood on his guard, 

 and resolved not to hazard any more commandments 

 or restraints ; that he desired him to rest him that 

 night, and to repair unto him again, but in such sort 

 as it might not be noted. 



That he had been with the earl two or three times 

 that week ; and on Saturday, being the seventh of 

 February, the earl told him that he had been sent for 

 by the lords, and refused to come : delivering farther, 

 that he resolved to defend himself from any more 

 restraint. 



He farther saith, that it was in question the same 

 Saturday night, to have stirred in the night, and to 

 have attempted the court. But being demanded, 

 whether the earl could have had sufficient company 

 to have done any thing in the night : he answered 9 

 that all the earl s company were ready at one 

 hour s warning, and had been so before, in respect 

 that he had meant long before to stand upon his 

 guard. 



That it was resolved to have the court first at 

 tempted ; that the earl had three hundred gentlemen 

 to do it ; but that he the said Ferdinando Gorge was 

 a violent dissuader of him from that purpose ; and the 



