LEGAL PROCEEDINGS. 389 



touching the book and the letter in the gilt apple, 

 and have advisedly perused and weighed all the 

 examinations and collections which were formerly 



been executed for the gun-powder treason, as one of Sir Everard 

 Digby s fingers, a toe of Thomas Percy, some other part of 

 Catesby or Rookewood, and a piece of one of Peter Lambert s 

 ribs. He was kept prisoner in the Tower till March 1618, 

 when the true author of the libel was discovered to be John 

 Williams, Esq., a barrister of the Middle Temple, who had 

 been expelled the house of commons on account of his being a 

 papist. The discovery was owing to this accident : a pursuivant 

 in want of money, and desirous to get some by his employment, 

 waited at the Spanish ambassador s door, to see if he could 

 light upon any prey. At last came out Mr. Williams, unknown 

 to the pursuivant; but carrying, in his conceit, the countenance 

 of a priest. The pursuivant, therefore, followed him to his inn, 

 where Williams having mounted his horse, the pursuivant came 

 to him, and told him, that he must speak a word or two with 

 him. &quot; Marry, with all my heart, said Williams , what is your 

 pleasure?&quot; You must light, answered the pursuivant; for you 

 are a priest. &quot;A priest? replied Williams , I have a good war 

 rant to the contrary, for I have a wife and children.&quot; Being, 

 however, obliged to dismount, the pursuivant searched him; 

 and in his pocket was found a bundle of papers sealed up ; 

 which the pursuivant going to open, Williams made some re 

 sistance, pretending they were evidences of a gentleman whose 

 law-businesses he transacted. The pursuivant insisting upon 

 opening the papers, among them was found Salaam s Ass, with 

 new annotations ; of which, upon examination, Williams con 

 fessed himself to be the author. He was brought to trial on the 

 3d of May, 1619, for writing that and another book intitled 

 Speculum Regale; in both of which he had presumed to pro 

 phesy, that the king would die in 1621, grounding this pre 

 diction on the prophecy of Daniel, where the prophet speaks of 

 time and times, and half a time. He farther affirmed, that 



