

SPEECH OF SIR CHRISTOPHER BLUNT. 393 



altogether unfit, as well in respect of his conscience 

 to God, and his love to his country, as his duty to 

 his sovereign, of which he, of all men, ought to have 

 greatest regard, seeing her majesty s favours to him 

 had been so extraordinary : wherefore I could never 

 give any consent unto it. Sir Christopher Blunt 

 joined with me in this opinion. 



Exam, per NOTTINGHAM, Ro. CECIL, 

 J. HERBERT. 



The speech of Sir CHRISTOPHER BLUNT, at the time 

 of his death, as near as it could be remembered, 

 March 18, 1600. 



My lords, and you that be present, although I 

 must confess, that it were better fitting the little 

 time I have to breathe, to bestow the same in asking 

 God forgiveness for my manifold and abominable 

 sins, than to use any other discourse, especially hav 

 ing both an imperfection of speech, and God knows 

 a weak memory, by reason of my late grievous 

 wound : yet to satisfy all those that are present, 

 what course hath been held by me in this late enter 

 prise, because I was said to be an instigator and 

 setter on of the late earl, I will truly, and upon the 

 peril of my soul, speak the truth. 



It is true, that the first time that ever I understood 

 of any dangerous discontentment in my lord of 

 Essex, was about three years ago, at Wanstead, 

 upon his coming one day from Greenwich. At that 



