WHereas there haue bene very lewde and slaunderous bruites and reportes giuen out , of the due and orderly proceedings held with Francis Throckmorton lately anaigned and condenmed of high treason at the Guildhall in London the xxi . day of May last , whereby such as are euill affected toward her Malestie , and the present gouernement , haue indeuo●●ed falsely and iniuriously to charge her Maiestie and her faithfull ministers with crueltie and iniustice used against the said Throckemerton by extorting from him by torture , such confessions as he hathmade against himselfe , and by insorcing the same to make them lawful euidence to conflict him of the treasons therein specified . Albeit her Maiesties subieuts in general walling to minde the milde and temperace course she hath helde all the time of her most happie Reigne , might rather impute her clemencie and lenitie vsed to wards all fortes of offenders to a kinde of fault , then taxe her in the contrarie : yet such as allowe of practise and treasons against her Maiestie , de awayes interpaexe both of the one and of the other , according to the partiouias affections that do copossesse them , that is , to the worst . And forasmuch as the case of Throckemorton at this time hath bene subiect to their sinister constructions , and considering that lies and false bruites cast abroad are most commonly beleeuch until they be ontrossed by the trueth : it hath bene thought expedient in this short discourse to deliuer vnto your view and consideration , a true and perfect declaration of the treasons practised and attempted by the said Throckemorton against her Maiestie & the Realme , by him confessed before his arraignement , whereby her Maiestie was iustly and in reason perswaded to put him to his triall . You shall likewise perceiue what course hath bene helde with him by her Commissioners to bring him to confesse the trueth : with what impudencie and how falsely he hath denied his sayings and confessions : And lastly , how by a new submission and confession of his said treasons sithens his condemnation , he endeuoureth to satissie her Maiestie , and to shew the reasons thea mooued him to denie the first , which he affirmeth and confirmeth by the last : which may in reason satisfie , though not all , yet such as are not forestalled , or rather forepoysoned and infected with the lies and vntruthes alreadie spred and deliuered , in fauour of the traitor and his treasons . You shall therefore vnderstand , that the cause of his apprehension grewe first vpon secret intelligence giuen to the Queenes Maiestie , that he was a priuie conueiour and receiuour of letters to and from the Scottish Queene , vpon which information neuerthelesse diuers moneths were suffered to passe on , before he was called to answere the matter , to the end there might some proofe more apparant be had to charge him there with directly : which shortly after fell out , and thereupon there weresent vnto his houses in London , and at Leusham in Kent to search and apprehoud him , certaine gentlemen of no me anc credice and reputation of whom , two were sent to his house by Poules wharfe , where he was apprehended , and so by one of them conuayed presemly away , the other remaining in the chamber to make search for papers , writings , &c. which might giue proofe of his fuspected practises .

In that searth , there were found the two papers contarning the names of certaine Catholique Noblemen and gentlemen , expressing the Hauens for landing of forraine forces , with other particularities in the said papers mentioned , the one written in the Secretarie hand , ( which he at the Barre confessed to be his owne hand writing ) and the other in the Romane hand , which he denied to be his , and would not shewe how the same came vnto his hands : howbeit in his examinations he hath confessed them both to be his owne hand writing , and so they are in trueth . There were also found among other of his papers , twelue petidegrees of the discent of the Crowne of England , printed and published by the Blshop of Rosse , in the desence of the pretended title of the Scottish Queene his Mistresse , with certaine infamous libelles against her Maiestie printed & published beyond the seas : which being found in the hands of a man so cuill affected , comparing the same with his doings and practises against her Maiestie , you wil iudge the purpose wherefore he kept them .

Shortly after his apprehension , hee was examined by some of her Maiesties priuie counsell , how he came by the said two papers of the Hauens , and he most impudently denied with many protestations that he neuer sawe them , affirming they were none of his , but were foisted in ( as he termed it ) among his papers by the gentlemen that searched his house : Notwithstanding being more earnestly pressed to confesse the trueth , he sayd they had bene left ( he knew not how ) in his chamber by a man of his , who not long before was departed out of the Realme , named Edward Rogers , alias Nuttebie , by whome they were written . And to make this deuice to carie some colour of trueth , after his committing to the Tower , hee found the meanes to get three Cardes , on the backeside of which Cardes he wrote to his brother George Throckmerton to this effect : I haue bene examined by whom the two papers , conteining the names of certaine Noblemen and gentlemen , and of Hauens &c. were written : and I haue alleaged them to haue bene written by Edward Nutteby my man , of whose hand writing you knowe them to be : Meaning by this deuice to haue had his brother confirme his falsehode . These Cardes were intercepted , and thereby the suspition before conceiued of his practises increased , whereupon , as vpon other iust cause and matter against him , hauing bin sundrie tunes brought before some of the principall personages of her Maiesties most honorable priuie counsell , and by them with all industrie examined , and perswaded in very milde and charitable maner , to confesse the trueth , promising to procure pardon for him , in case he woulde bewray the depth of his practises : but no persuasion preuailing , her Maiestie thought it agreeable with good pollicie , and the safetie of her Royal person and state , to commit him ouer to the hands of some of her learned counsel and others her faithfull seruants and ministers , with commission to them , to assay by torture to drawe from him the trueth of the matters appearing so waightie as to concerne the inuading of the Realme , &c. These men by vertue of that commission , proceeded with him , first as the counsell had formerly done by way of persuasion , to induce him to confesse : but finding that course not to preuaile , they were constrained to commit him to such as are vsually appointed in the Towre to handle the Racke , by whom he was layd vpon the same , and somewhat pinched , although not much : for at the end of three daies following , he had recouered himselfe , and was in as good plight as before the time of his racking , which if it had then or any other time bene ministred vnto him with that violence that hee and his fauourers haue indeuoured slaunderously to giue out , the signes thereof would haue appeared vpon his limmes for manie yeeres . At this first time of torture , hee would confesse nothing , but continued in his former obstinacie and deniall of the trueth . The second time that bee was put to the Racke , before hee was strayned vp to any purpose , hee yeelded to confesse any thing hee knewe , in the matters obiected against him : whereupon he was loosed , and then the Commissioners proceeded with him according to such Interrogatories as had bene deliuered vnto them , which for the more breuitie shall here bee omitted , the intent of this declaration , tending onely to discouer vnto you the treasons and treacherous dealings of the said Francis Throckamorton aswell before as sithens his imprisonment , for your better knowledge of the man , and manifestation of the due and iust proceedings held with him by her Maiesties Commissioners appointed to that seruice . And here you are to note , that when hee was first pressed to discouer by whome the plottes of the Hauens were sette downe , and to what purpose , he began ( without any further interrogation ministred ) by way of an historicall narration , to declare that at his being at Spaw in the Countrie of Liege certaine yeres past , he entred into conference with one Ienney a notorious knowen Traitor , touching the altering of the state of the Realme here , & how the same might be attempted by forraine inuasion , and to the like effect bad sundrie conferences with Sir Francis Englefield in the low Countreys , who daily solicited the Spanish king in Spaine , & his Gouernours in the said Countreyes , to attempt the inuading of the Realme , continued a course of practising against her Maiestie and the state , by letters betweene Sir Francis Englefielde and himselfe , vntill within these two yeres last past , and that he did from time to time acquaint Sir Iohn Throckemorton his late father with his traiterous practises , who ( as he said ) seeing no probabilitie of sucoesse in them , dissuaded himfrō any further medling with those practises .

He hath further confessed , the he vsed his Fathers aduise & opinion in setting downe the names of the Catholique Noblemen and Gentlemen , and did acquaint him with the description of the Hauens for the landing of forces , which he conceiued and put in writing onely by view of the Mappe , and not by particular sight or suruey of the said Hauens .

Item , he hath also confessed , that vpon the intermission of writing of letters , and the accustomed intelligences passed betweene Sir Francis Englefield and him , he was made acquainted by his brother Thomas Throckemorton , by letters & conference , and by Thomas Morgan by letters ( two of the principall confederates and workers of these treasons reslding in France ) with a resolute determination agreed on by the Scottish Queene and her confederats in France and in other forreine partes , and also in Englande , for the inuading of the Realme .

That the Duke of Guyse should be the principal leader and executer of that inuasion .

That the pretention ( which shoulde be publiquely notified ) should be to deliuer the Scottish Queene to libertie , and to procure euen by force from the Queenes Maiestie , a tolerance in religion for the pretended Catholiques : But the intention , ( the bottome whereof should not at the first be made knowen to all men ) shoulde be vpon the Queenes Maiesties resistance , to remooue her Maiestie from her Crowne and state .

That the Duke of Guyse had prepared the forces , but there wanted two things , money , and the assistance of a conuenient partie in England , to ioyne with the forraine forces , and a third thing , how to set the Scottish Queene at libertie without perill of her person .

For , the first thing wanting , viz. money , messengers were sent from forraine parts both to Rome & Spaine , & their returne daily expected to their liking : And the Spanish Ambassador to encourage the English to ioyne both in purse and person , did gine out , that the King his Master woulde not onely make some notable attempt against Englande , but also woulde beare halfe the charge of the enterprise . For the seconde thing , viz. the preparing of a sufficient partie in England , to receiue and to ioyne with the forraine forces , one especiall messenger was sent ouer into England in August last , vnder a countersaite name from the confederates in France , to signifie the platte and preparation there , and to sollicite the same here .

That Thomas Throckemerton his brother made him priuie to his negotiation at his last being here in England , and that thereupon Frauncis Throckmerton tooke vpon him to be a follower and meane for the effectuating therof among the confederats in Englande with the holpe of the Spanish Ambassadour , whom he instructed howe and with whome to deale for the preparing of a conuenient partie heere within the Realme , for that himselfe woulde not be seene to be a sounder of men , lest hee might be discouered , and so endanger himselfe & the enterprise , knowing that the Ambassadour being a publique person , might safelie deale therein without perill .

That the Duke of Guyse and other heads of the enterprise had refused some landing places , and made speciall choise of Sussex , and about Arundel in Sussex , both for the neere cutte from the parts of Fraunce , where the Duke did or best could assemble his force , and for the oportunitie of assured persons to giue assistance , &c.

That hee , taking vpon him the pursuite of this course , shewed the whole plotte and deuise of the hauens for landing to the Spanish Ambassador , who did incourage him therein , he promising , that if hee might haue respite vntill the next spring , the same should be done more exactly .

That at the time of Thomas Throckemertons being here , least the negotiation of the enterprise , by some casualtie might faile in the only hand of one man Thomas Throck , morton , there was also from the confederats sent ouer into Sussex , Charles Paget , vnder the name of Mope , alias Spring , and therof an aduertisement couettly sent to Thomas Throckmorten , both that Thomas might vnderstande it , and not be offended that another was ioyned with him in his labour .

That the Spanish Ambassadour by aduertisements from the confederates , was made priuie to this comming of Charles Paget vnder the name of Mope , and yet knowen to him to be Charles Paget .

That the said Ambassadour did according to his sayde aduertisements , knowe and affirme that Charles Paget was come ouer to view the hauens and Countrey for landing of such forraine forces about Arundell , and specially to sound and conferre with certaine prineipall persons for assistance .

The same Ambassadour also knewe and affirmed , that Charles Paget had accordingly done his message , and had spoken with some principall persons heere , according to his commission , and was returned .

Hee moreouer confessed that there was a deuice betweene the Spanish Ambassadour and him , howe such principall Recusants here within the Realme as were in the Commislion of the peace in sundrie Counties , might vpon the first bruite of the landing of forrame forces , vnder colour and pre●rt of their authoritie and the defence of her Maiestie , 〈◊〉 men , whome they might after ioyne to the forraine forces , and conuert them against her Maiestie .

In these fewe articles is briefly comprised the whole effect of his confessio made at large without any Intert ogatonie particularly ministred , other then vpon that ●opapers before mencioned , contayning the names of men o● hauens . And heere you are to note that at the time of his apprehension , there was no knowledge or doubt had of these treasons , or of his priurtie vnto the in , but onely an information and so pition deliuered & conceiued of some practese betweene him and the Scottily Queene as to before mentioned . For the discouering whereof , after he had bene sundrie times vpon his alleagaunce commended to declare his doings in conueying and receyuing of letters to and from her , he did voluntarily confesse that hee had written diuers letters vnto her , and had conueyed many to and fro , betweene her & Thomas Morgan in France , by whose meanes he was first made knowen vnto her , & that he had receiued as many letters from her . Hee also declared the effect of his letters to her , & of hers to him : which letters betwene them were alwaies written in Cipher , and the Cipher with the Nullities and markes for names of Princes and Counsailors , hee sent vnto the Queenes Maiestie written with his owne hand , Hee also deliuered the names of some , by whom hee conueyed his letters to the Scottish Queene , as by one Godfrey Fulgeam , who fled the Realme immediatly vpon Throckemortons apprehension , and one other person , whom he described by his stature , shape , and apparell , and the man sithens apprehended and examined , hath confessed the same : the mans name is William Ardington .

The summe and effect of the most part of these confessions , although they were at the time of his arraignement opened and dilated by her Maiesties Sergeant , Atturney , and Sollicitor generall at the barre , and therefore seeme not needfull to be repeated heere , yet because the purpose of this discourse is to shew sufficient proofe , that the matters contained in his said confessions , are neither false nor fayned ( as Frauncis Throckmorton most impudently affirmed at his triall , alleadging that they were meere inuentions of him selfe by policie to auoyde the torture ) they haue bene here inserted , to the ende you may the better iudge of the proofes , presumptions , and circumstances folowing , by comparing the matters with their accidents , and consequently see the falsehoode of the Traitor , the iust and honourable proceedings of her Maiestie , and the honest and loyall endcuours of her Ministers imployed in the discoucring of the treasons .

First , it is true and not denied by himselfe , that he was at Spawe about the time by him mencioned , and had conference with Ienney in that place , and with Sir Francis Englefield in Flaunders , and that he hath written letters to . Sir Frauncis , and receiued letters from him : for if he should denie the same , he were to be conuinced by good proofe : for it hath bin noted in him by many of his countrey men English subiects , that both in those partes and in Fraunce , hee did continually associate him selfe with English Rebels and Fugitiues , If then you consider with whom he hath conuersed beyond the seas , and compare his religion with theirs , you wil iudge of his conuersation accordingly : and it is to be supposed , that those men , knowen to be continuall practisers against : the Queenes Maiestie and this Realme , from whence for their Treasons and vnnaturall demeanures they are worthily banished , will not in their conuenticles and meetings forget to bethinke them of their banishment , and howe they might be restored to their countrey , whereunto no desert in her Maiesties life time ( which God long continue ) can wel ( without her Maiesties great mercie ) restore them . Then I pray you what conferences might M. Throckemorton haue with Sir Francis Englefield , with Ienney , with Liggons , with Owen , and with such like , who were his daily companions in Fraunce and in the Iowe , countreis ? He hath written letters to Sir Frauncis Englefield : to what purposes ? he haunted continually two Ambassadors in London , by whose meanes he sent and receiued letters to and from beyond the seas daily . To whom , and from whom ? euen to and from Thomas Morgan , and Thomas Throckemorton at Paris , men knowen to her Maiestie and her Counsell , to be notorious practisers , very inward with the Duke of Guyse , and contriuers of the Treasons and deuises for the inuasion intended : and for very certaine knowledge thereof , we neede not be beholding to Frauncis Throckemorton onely , ( although he hath said much of them ) but to others of better credite then himselfe .

That the Duke of Guyse did vndertake the enterprise to inuade the Realme with a forraine power , to be defrayed by the Pope and King of Spaine ( a part of M. Throckemortons confession ) and he in trueth the first discouerer thereof to her Maiestie : if he will say that it was but inuention , it will approue false . For sithens he discouered the same , there haue bene diuers aducrtisements thereof sent to her Maiestie from forraine Princes her Highnesse louing neighbours and Allies , as also by other good meanes and intelligences from her Ambassadours and seruants residing in other Countries .

If he denie ( as he hath done ) that he neuer had knowledge of any such matter when he confessed the same , it hath no likelihood of trueth for Throckmorton was neuer knowen to be a Prophet to foretell things de futuro .

He resorted often to the Spanish Ambassadour , at the least twice in a weeke when he was in London : this often repayre could not be to conferre with the Ambassadour for the exchange of money for his brother , as he pretended at his arraignement : there was some other cause . When he was apprehended , he had a Casket couered with greene veluet , very cunningly conueied out of his chamber by a maide seruant of the house , taken vp vnder a beds side in his chamber ( one of the gentlemen who were sent to apprehend him then being in the chamber and vnknowing thereof ) which Casket not long after his apprehension , was by one Iohn Meredith a follower of Frauncis Throckemorton , conueyed to the handes of the Spanish Ambassadour : and why to him ? If the matters therein might well haue abidden the light , why shoulde not the Casket haue bene kept still at home ? and if not there , why not sent to some other place of safetie , as well as to the Spanish Ambassadour ? It is to be conceiued , that this Casket was not conueyed thither without the direction of Frauncis Throckmorton , though caried by Meredith , who did well knowe of what moment the matters were that were within the Casket , and of what danger to Throckemorton if they had bene disclosed , and therefore meant to bestowe them in a safe place where they could not readily be had ( as he thought ) and with a person not vnacquainted with the qualitie of them . After the deliuerie of the Casket , Meredith fledde : for in trueth he was priuie to the sreasons , and a fellowe practiser in them : to whom Frauncis Throckemorton ; being taken short at the time of his apprehension , and forced to runne vp a staire to deface a letter which he was then in writing to the Scottish Queene in Cipher ( as he hath confessed ) being suddenly apprehended , and so forced to depart away presently out of his house , deliuered priuily into the hands of Meredith , either the Cipher by the which he was writing his letter to the Scottish Queene , or a letter in Cipher by him written vnto her : therefore he trusted Meredith as a than priuie to his doings . You are also to vnderstande , that Throckemorton was in very great feare of the discouering of this Casket after his apprehension : for remayning two or three daies prisoner in the house of one of the gentlemen that were sent to apprehend him , before he was committed to the Towre , he was permitted to talke with a Sollicitor of his Lawe cause , who brought him certaine bookes drawen , or other like papers written , which hee made showe to peruse , but that was not the matter why he sent for his Sollicitor : for in perusing the bookes , he conueyed into them a litle piece of paper , vpon the which he had written wta cole , I would faine knowe whither my Casket be safe , or to the like effect . The Sollicitor departing from him , and resorting to Throckemortons house not farre distant from the place where he remained prisoner , opening his papers , did shake out this piece of paper , which he tooke vp and deliuered to one of Frauncis Throckemortons men , but the Casket was alreadie conueyed to the Spanish Ambassadour : whereby you will percelue what care he had of the Casket , and howe much it might import him to haue the writings or matters within the same coucealed . He being examined touching the Casket , and what was in the same , he denied at the first , that euer he had any such Casket , but finding afterwards that the Casket was discouered , he confessed the Casket , and saide there were certaine letters therein that came to his hands for the Scottish Queene from Thomas Morgan at Paris , and other letters and Papers , but conselled not all , as it is supposed .

That Charles Page● came ouer into the Realme to euil purposea , as Throckemorton doth declare in his confession , could not be inuented : for euen at the same time that he mentioneth . Paget came ouer , in secrete and suspitious maner staied not aboue xv dayes , indeuoured in a sort to finde the disposition of William Shallen Esquier , how hee might stand , affected to giue assistance to the treasons , although Paget discouered not directly his traiterous intets to Shelley : therefore all Throckemortons confessions were not forged or inuented .

But because the two papers produced at his arraignement , containing the description of the Hauens for the commodious landing of forces , do most apparantly condemue him , & are a manifest argument of his priuity to the whole treason , you may not forget the he acknowledged one of the papers written in the Secretarie hand , to haue bene of his owne doing , but denyed the other written in the Romane hande : In the which vnder the title of Cheshire &c. is said , Vpon the landing of forraine Supplies , Chester shal be taken : but what in your opinions might be vnderstoode by that sentence , Chester shal be taken , when you shal compare the paper in Secretarie hand with the other written in the Romanc hande , intituled , The Names of Noblemen and gentlemen in euery Countie fitte to bee dealt withall in this matter . ( which in trueth were both one , although the Romane were somewhat more inlarged . ) The question is to bee asked , What matter ? The answere followeth necessatilie , To assist the forraine forces that shall come to inuade the Realme : for that there is an other title in that paper ouer the names of the hauens , &c. Hauens in euery coast fitte for the sanding of forces . Now iudge you , to what end these names of men and descriptions of Hauens , their entries , Capacities , what windes bring vnto them from Spaine , France and Flanders , were written and set downe by Throckemorton , the papers are both of his owne hand writing , and the Secretarie but a proiect or copie of the Romane .

Is it not likely thinke you , that he would acquaint the Spanith Ambassadour with these papers ( as he hath confessed ) when he made him partaker of the rest of his traiterous practises & deui●es is you haue heard , & thought his Casket of treasons to be most safely committed to his hands . It may bee thought that there is no man of so simple vnderstanding , that will iudge to the contrarie , vnlesse he be partially affected to excuse the treasons .

And now to shew vnto you what mynd this man hath carried towards her Maiestie , you are to be informed that Francis Throckemorton , after he had discouered to her Maiestie his course of practising , repenting himselfe of his plaine dealing in the bewraying thereof , sayd to some of the Commissioners vpon occasion of speach , I woulde I had bene hanged when I first opened my month to declare any of the matters by me confessed . And being at other times sent vnto by her Maiestie with offer of pardon , if he would disclose the whole packe and complices of the treasons , hee vsed this argument to perswade her Maiestie that he had confessed all , saying that sithens hee had alreadie brought himselfe by his confessions within the danger of the lawes , to the vtter ruyne of his house and familie , hee wondered why there should be any conceite in her Maiestie , that he had not declared all . But to perswade such as were sent vnto him for these purposes , the rather to beleeue that hee could discouer no more , at one time hee vied these speaches following with great vehemencie : Nowe I haue disclosed the secrets of her who was the decrest thing vnto me in the worlde ( meaning the Scottish Queene ) and whome I thought no torment should haue drawen me so much to haue preiudiced as I have done by my confessions , I see no cause why , I should spare any one , if I could say ought against him & sub . I haue failed of my faith towards her , I care not if I were hanged . And when hee began first to confesse his treasons , which hee did most vnwillingly , after hee was entred into the declaration of them , before al the Commissioners vpon aduisement , hee desired hee might deliuer his knowledge but to one of them onely , whereunto they yeelded , and thereupon remouing asule from the place where hee sate by the Racke hee vsed this prouerbe in Italian , Chia perso la fede a perso l'honore , that is . He that hath falsed his faith , hath lost his reputation : Meaning thereby ( as it may be conceiued ) that he had giuen his faith to bee a Traitor , and not to reueile the treasons , and then began to confesse as you haue heard .

By this discourse , contayning the principal heads of his treasons , and the proofes & circumstances of the same , you that are not transported with vndutifull myndes & affections , will cleerely perceiue bowe impudently and vntruely he denyed at his arraignement the trueth of his confessions , charging her Maiestie with crueltie , & her ministers with vntruethes in their proceeding against him .

But the cause that moued him thereunto , was a vaine conceito he had taken , that his case was cleerein lawe by the intermission of the time betwene his confession made & his arraignement , grounding him selfe vpon a Statute of the 13 , yere of her Maiesties Reigne , in the which there are certaine treasons specified & made of that nature , that no person shal be arraigned for any of those offences comitted within anie of the Queeues Maiesties dominious , vnlesse the offendor be thereof indicted within sixe moneths next after the same offence committed , & shal not be arraigned for the same , vnlesse the offence be proued by the testimonie and othe of two sufficient witnesses , or his voluntarie confession without violence : wherein he was greatly deceiued : For it was made manifest vnto him by the L. chiefe Iustice & other of the iudges in Commission at his trial , that his treasons were punishable by a Statute of xxv . Edw. 3. which admitted no such limitation of time or proofe .

Herein his skin failed him , and forgot the aduiee giuen vnto him by some of the Commissioners , who ( pitying his misfortune for sundrie good gifts of the minde appearing in him ) assured him that there was no way so readie for him to redeeme his life , as by submission and acknowledging of his offence , which for a time after he had confessed his treasons , he was contented to followe , and now eftsoones after his condemnation by a new submission to the Queenes Maiestie the fourth of fune hath resumed , that course . The submission verbatim written with his owne hand , followeth .