\VI.—THE PLOTS AND COUNTERPLOTS OF 1602-1603. I. LORD HENRY HOWARD (AFTERWARDS EARL OF NORTH- [EXTRACTS.] APPENDIX VI. Plots and Counterplots of 1602-1603. 1602. between March and June.] From the original Minutes or rough draft. MS. COTTON, Titus, C v. ff. 386-392 (British Museum). Holograph. scription, or address; and imperfect. Headed, in Sir ROBT. COTTON'S hand: Contra Rawlegh et Cobham.' [The beginning is wanting.] to crave for their owne pleasur, and to your future prejudice.1 1 There is, somewhere, another MS. of portions of this letter, or letters, which I have been unable to find. It appears to have been used by the [Probably, Editors of the Oxford edition of the Works of Ralegh, and is there quoted as one of the "Burghley Papers." Lord Burghley died in 1598. This correspondence began in 1602. What is given of it in the collective Works (vol. viii. pp. 756-770) so abounds in errors of transcription, and in false readings, that a large proportion of the matter there printed is scarcely intelligible. In several instances, one half of a sentence is inaccurately printed, and the other half is omitted, without explanation or remark. What is here given, from the writer's autograph, is printed word for word, as in the original, wherever the Editor was able to read it. Illegible or doubtful words are specified in the foot-notes. The Oxford print affords no help towards completing the imperfect and obviously important sentence with which the autograph Minute in MS. Titus, C vi., begins. That Minute, it may be added, bears the look of a mere rough draft; but part of its confused state is probably due to the blunder of the bookbinder in collation. APPENDIX Plots and Counter plots of [Probably, March and The first thinge, therefor, that must be don is to prepar the Quene's mynd to accept mor willinglie, and mor easilie beleve, the proposition wee afterward menntion, or opportunitie shall caus to be delivered. Hir Majesty 1602-1603. must knowe the rage of their discontent for want of 1602. being called to that height which they affect; and made to taste the perrill that growes out of discontented mynds, untamed by due reverence of loyaltie. must know that the blame is only laid on hir, in their opinion, though danger make them seek to cover and disguis the reste1;-complayning to their frends of ministers of State, and threatninge the better sort,-with words of spleen and passion,-to requit their curtesie, if occasion be offered. She Lord Henry Howard to Sir R. Cecil. Suggesus to tions as the means of injuring Ralegh and Cobham in the Queen's opinion.Impediments to the Queen's service arising out of their This course, if there wear anie vertewe or valewe in the men, I doo confess myght make a fearfull princess more enclinabel to give them entranc,2 for fear of working mischief in the State;-as the philosopher adviseth wise howsholders: Dare pueris crepitacula, ne quid perfringant in domo. But the Queen doth so well understand their levitie, indignitye, and slander, and interest which theie hold in the world's conceit;-acordinge to that exposition of the word Thecel by the prophet Daniel: Appensus es in statera, et inventus minus habens; as ther is no doute of hir relentinge. So that roundly hir Majestie must daily, and by divers meanes, be let to knowe the worlde's apprehendinge hir deepe wisdome in discern- tion with ¡Spain. inge the secret flawes of their affections. She must see some advertisements from forrain parts of the greif which 1 This word is doubtful. Meaning entrance into the Privy Council. Compare the passage in Cecil's Letter to Sir George Carew (written in June 1601), quoted in Vol. I. p. 262, with passages in R. Whyte's letters to Sir R. Sydney, of same date, printed by Arthur Collins, in the Sydney Papers. * So in MS.; 'the' being omitted. that unpopularity.Advi Cobham employed should be in some negotia APPENDIX 1602. [Probably, between March and June.] the Quene's enimes doo take at their sittinge1 out; VI. Plots and hoping that their placinge in authoritye wold so farr Counterplots of aliene the peoples reverent affection, as some mischef 1602-1603. wold succeed of it. She must be taught to see the perrill that growes unto princes by protectinge, countenancing, or entertaininge persons odious to multituds, without necessity to warrant grace. For ther is no question but EMPSON and DUDLEY had a kinde of serviceable enclination to the present State, in the time of the King hir grandfather; and yet, at the cominge in of Henry the 8, no sacrifice besids their lives could be found proximately,1 for the people's discontent, though both LOUVEL and the Bishoppe of Durham, that wear councellors to the deceased, did all they coulde to quitt them of extremitye. Some pageants of theirs must be brought to light dailye, that maie move her spleene, and cheflie-if it be possible —some touch wherin theie seeke to make some benefit of the Quene by delusion or cousening. . . . The Queene must know the weakenesse of theas gouvernors in places which they have in charge, and howe much is often drawen from the service by the distast of their insolencye. For as her Majesty hath first,-as reason is in the eie of observatioun,-the furderanc of her owne ends, so must she be perswaded that those shrincke by weakenesse of the ministers that deale in them. She must be told what canons ar concluded in the Chapter of Durham, whear RAWLYE'S wife is presedent; and withall how weakely COBHAM is induced to comende the courses that ar secretelie inspired by the consente of that fellowshyppe. Evrie one havinge at his hart a mortall gripe of some particuler that vexeth him: NORTHUMBERLAND 1 So in MS. 2 Here the MS. repeats the words 'besids their lives of the line imme[diately above. VI. APPENDIX Plots and Counter plots of 1602. [Probably, between March and June.] is mad that any man should be thought so fit for place of martiall employment as himself, havinge never before the last year's siege, beholden either place or service that might make him capable of any command in a less 1602-1603. jeopardaie; COBHAM dies to think that any man alive should be thought so fitt for any place that falles, vewinge both his owne person and his quality in glasses of false presumption. . . . . . RAWLIE, that in pride exceedeth all men alive, findes no vent for paradoxis, out of a councell bord; but, holdinge absolutelie lost to him. what others gaine, inspireth COBHAM with his owne passions, that by such a trunk they may be carried to another ear; and cares not at what rate he purchase opportunitie to vex others, having no great hope of ascending to his owne altitude. His wife, as furious as PROSERPINA with failinge of that restitution in Court. which flatterie had moved her to expecte, bendes her whole witts and industrie to the disturbance of all motions, by councell and encouragement, that may disturbe the possibilitie of others' hopes, sinc her owne cannot be securid. . . . It should be put into the Queene's head indirectlie howe unable men ar to advertis any point of moment, that ar hated in a State. For intelligenc is grownded uppon trust; and all men are very farr from trustinge persons neither valewed for worth, nor affected for curtesy. Thus much touchinge the discussion that must be used, in distastinge the Quenes judgement toward them, in such sort as I said befor, that she may be more apt to receave impressions of more importante reasons, when time serves with opportunitye. Out of the division of provinces wherof we spake befor, it doth behove us to direct our industry that everie motion may be caried uppon his proper poles. . . . The waie that COBHAM hath elected to ingreate himself is VI. 1602. [Probably, between June.] APPENDIX by the Peace with Spaine,--which hath so many diffiPlots and cultes as will rather confound his dizziness then reward Counterhis industry. But as my Lord of LESTER dealt with my plots of 1602-1603. brother1-finding his humor apte to deale with Scotland, when he thrust him into treatie about thos affayrs, assuringe him self that either he should loos the Quene March and for the present, or the other Quene for the futur-so must you embark this gallant COBHAM by your witt and interest, in some cours the Spanish waie, as either may reveale his weakenesse or snare his ambition. If the Queen wear once constant to her first election, or unmovable by circumstance from those degrees wheron she pitcheth her direction in primo motu, ther wear littell good to be don. But sinc you maie be sure of the advantage first in hand with hir [?], and afterward, in treating that, if things be beheld to come forward, you maie turne the streame another waie; and if theie be not, breake the neck of the negotiation, either by imputation of wants, or aggestion of error, or insinuation of inwardenesse, or ascription of infelicity. Be not unwilling both befor occasion of any further employment, to ingage him in the traffick with suspected ministers; and, uppon the first occasion of farther treatie, to make him the minister. For my own part, I account it unpossible for him to scape the snares which wit may sett, and weakenesse is apt to fall into. The Quene did never yet love man that fayled in a project of importance put into his hand. fol. 387, verso. 2 1 Thomas, ninth Duke of Norfolk (fourth of the Howard dukes), who was attainted and beheaded in 1572. These two words are somewhat conjectural, being scarcely legible. They seem, however, to be the right reading. |