376 CONFESSION OF SIR CHARLES DAVERS. 



taken, until the coming up of this exanimate a little 

 after Christmas. 



And then he doth confess, that the resolution was 

 taken to possess himself of the court ; which resolu 

 tion was taken agreeable to certain articles, which 

 the earl of Essex did send to the earl of Southamp 

 ton, this examinate, Sir Ferdinando Gorge, and Sir 

 John Davis, written with the earl s own hand. To 

 which consultation, being held at Drury-house, some 

 four or five days before Sunday, that was the eighth 

 of February, Littleton came in towards the end. 



The points which the earl of Essex projected 

 under his hand were these : 



First, whether it were fit to take the Tower of 

 London. The reason whereof was this: that after the 

 court was possessed, it was necessary to give reputa 

 tion to the action, by having such a place to bridle 

 the city, if there should be any mislike of their pos 

 sessing the court. 



To the possessing of the court, these circumstan 

 ces were considered : 



First, the earl of Essex should have assembled all 

 the noblemen and gentlemen of quality on his party; 

 out of which number he should have chosen so many 

 as should have possessed all the places of the court, 

 where there might have been any likelihood of re 

 sistance : which being done, the earl of Essex, with 

 divers noblemen, should have presented himself to 

 the queen. 



The manner how it should have been executed, 

 was in this sort : Sir Christopher Blunt should have 



