382 DECLARATION OF THE LORD KEEPER. 



The declaration of the lord Keeper, the earl of 

 WORCESTER, and the lord Chief Justice of Eng 

 land. 



UPON Sunday, being the 8th of February last 

 past, about ten of the clock in the forenoon, the lord 

 Keeper of the great seal, the earl of Worcester, Sir 

 William Knolles, comptroller of her majesty s house 

 hold, and the lord Chief Justice of England, being 

 commanded by direction from the queen s majesty, 

 did repair to the late earl of Essex his house, and 

 finding the gate shut against them, after a little 

 stay they were let in at the wicket : and as soon as 

 they were within the gate, the wicket was shut upon 

 them, and all their servants kept out. 



At their coming thither they found the court full 

 of men assembled together in very tumultuous sort ; 

 the earls of Essex, Rutland, and Southampton, and 

 the lord Sandys, Mr. Parker, commonly called lord 

 Montegle, Sir Christopher Blunt, Sir Charles Davers, 

 and many other knights and gentlemen, and other 

 persons unknown, which flocked together about the 

 lord Keeper, &c. And thereupon the lord Keeper 

 told the earl of Essex, that they were sent from her 

 majesty to understand the cause of this their assem 

 bly, and to let them know, that if they had any par 

 ticular cause of grief against any persons whatsoever, 

 it should be heard, and they should have justice. 



Hereupon the earl of Essex with a very loud voice 

 declared, That his life was sought, and that he should 

 have been murdered in his bed ; that he had been 



