his age and infirmities, and his main businesses in the term time, to make his appearance but very seldom? and so forbear to give any opinion, as not acquainted with the course of the business. And as for the external show of my election of him in disfavour of you-first, I am sore the world should see you except against so grave a man ; and next, the more severe choice I make of persons for examination, the more it is in your favour, if honour and trial of innocence be your end.

Το

Now, as to your motion in putting all the judges in this warrant (if you mean for trial in law), I never meant it otherwise; but if you mean for examination, it is more than absurd. And, whereas you allege that great councillors were never employed in the examination of a thing of this nature, I say the quite contrary is true, when as the circumstances or articles of the trial may reflect upon any great personages; in which cases the judges dare never presume to meddle without better assistance. conclude, then, I never had the occasion to show the uprightness and sincerity that is required in a supreme judge, as I have in this, if the delation' prove false; God so deal with my soul as no man among you shall so much rejoice at it as I; nor never shall spare, I vow to God! one grain of vigour that can be stretched against the conspirators. If otherwise, as God forbid! none of you shall more heartily sorrow for it; and never king used that clemency that I will do in such a case. But, that I should suffer a murder (if it be so) to be suppressed and plastered over, to the destruction both of my soul

1 Accusation.

and reputation, I am no Christian. I never mean wittingly and willingly to bear any man's sins but my own ; and if for serving my conscience in setting down a fair course of trial, I shall lose the hands of that family, I will never care to lose the hearts of any for justice sake.

Fail not to show this letter to your father-in-law, and that both of you read it twice over at least; and God so favour me as I have no respect in this turn but to please Him, in whose throne I sit. And so farewell; praying the author of all verity, to make the clean verity to be plainly manifested in this case. JAMES R.

James I. to Sir George More.1

May, 1616. Good Sir George, I am extremely sorry that your unfortunate prisoner 2 turns all the great care I have of him not only against himself, but against me also, as far as he can. I cannot blame you that ye cannot conjecture what this may be, for God knows it is only a trick of his idle brain, hoping thereby to shift his trial; but it is easy to be seen that he would threaten me with laying an aspersion upon me of being in some sort accessory to his crime. I can do [no] more (since God so obstructs his grace from him), than repeat the substance of that Archæologia, vol. xviii.

2 The Earl of Somerset, who was at this time prisoner in the Tower, on suspicion of having been concerned in the murder of Overbury. Sir George More was lieutenant of that fortress. It has been conjectured by several writers, that the anxiety expressed by James, and the artifices employed by him to draw Somerset to a confession, arose from his knowledge, that the latter was in the possession of some terrible secret of the highest importance to James.

letter which the Lord Hay sent you yesternight, which is this:-if he would write or send me any message concerning this poisoning; it need not be private, if it be of any other business. That which I cannot now with honour receive privately, I may do it after his trial or confession proceed. I cannot hear a private message from him, without laying an aspersion upon myself of being an accessory to his crime; and I pray you to urge him, by reason that I refuse him no favour which I can grant him without taking upon me the suspicion of being guilty of that crime whereof he is accused; and so farewell.

JAMES R.

James I. to Sir George More.1

Good Sir George, as the only confidence I hold in your honesty made me, without the knowledge of any, put you in that place of trust which ye now possess, so must I now use your trust and secrecy in a thing greatly concerning my honour and service. Ye know Somerset's day of trial is at hand, and ye know also what fair means I have used to move him, by confessing the truth, to honour God and me, and leave some place for my mercy to work upon. I have now, at last, sent the bearer hereof, an honest gentleman, and who once followed him with such directions unto him, as if there be a spunk2 of grace left in him, I hope they shall work a good effect. My only desire is, that ye would make his

1 Archæologia, vol. xviii.

2 A spark of fire.-(Scotch.)

convoy unto him in such secrecy as none living may know of it, and that after his speaking with him in private, he may be returned back again as secretly. So reposing myself upon your faithful and secret handling of this business, I bid you heartily farewell.

JAMES R.'

James I. to Sir George More.2

Good Sir George, although I fear that the last message I sent to your unfortunate prisoner shall not take the effect I wish it should, yet I cannot leave off to use all means possible to move him to do that, which is both most honourable for me and his own rest. Ye shall therefore give him assurance in my name, that if he will yet before his trial confess clearly unto the commissioners his guiltiness [of the] fact, I will not only perform what I promised by my last messenger, both towards him and his wife, but I will enlarge it, according to the phrase of the civil law, quod gratiæ sunt ampliandæ. I mean not that he shall confess if he be innocent, but ye know how evil likely that is; and of yourself ye may dispute with him, what should mean his confidence now to endure a trial, when as he remembers that this last winter he confessed to the chief justice, that his cause was so evil likely, as he knew no jury could acquit him. Assure him that I protest, upon my honour, my end in this is for his and his wife's good.

1 Indorsed by Sir George More, "9th of May, about one of the clock in the afternoon, 1616."

2 Archæologia, vol. xviii., p. 352.

3 Unlikely.

Ye will do well likewise, of yourself, to cast out unto him, that ye fear his wife shall plead weakly for his innocence, and that ye find the commissioners have, ye know not how, some secret assurance, that in the end she will confess of him; but this must only be as from yourself, and therefore ye must not let him know that I have written unto you, but only that I sent you private word to deliver him this message. Let none living know of this, and if it take good effect, move him to send in haste for the commissioners, to give them satisfaction ; but if he remains obstinate, I desire not that ye should trouble me with an answer; for it is to no end, and no news is better than evil news. And so farewell, and

God bless your labours.

13th of May, 1616.

James I. to Sir George More.

JAMES R.

Good Sir George, for answer to your strange news I am first to tell you, that I expect the Lord Hay and Sir Robert Carr have been with you before this time; which, if they have not yet been, do ye send for them in haste, that they may first hear him, before ye say anything unto him; and when that is done, if he shall still refuse to go, ye must do your office, except he be either apparently sick, or distracted of his wits; in any of which cases you may acquaint the chancellor with it, that he may adjourn the day till Monday next, between this and

1 Archæologia, vol. xviii.