ial
consideration had of the nature of all places yielding commodity for
those kinds of attempts: and I will then deliver my further judgment."

The man who could deliver his judgment in this stilted style of pompous
word-building, in such circumstances as were then existing, would have
required a powdered footman in spotless plush to precede him out of a
house on fire. I must confess to a little misgiving as to the
authenticity of this speech. It looks much more likely to have been
deliberately penned by my Lord Salisbury in the calm of his official
study, when the smoke had cleared away from the battlefield, than to
have been fired off by King James in haste and trepidation--which he was
sure to feel--at the moment when the letter was laid before him. The
evidence that the Government account of the circumstances was drawn up
with due regard to what they might and should have been to produce the
proper effect on the docile public, and not very much as to what they
were, is irresistible. But as no other narrative exists, we can but
have recourse to the stained-glass article before us.

His Sacred Majesty having thus exhibited his incomparable wisdom, and
been properly complimented and adored on account thereof, my Lord
Salisbury left the gallery with a grave face, and hastily summoning the
Lords of the Council, went through the farce of laying the letter before
them.

"Sire," said he, when he returned to the King, "the Lords of the
Council, subject to your Majesty's gracious pleasure, advise that my
Lord Chamberlain shall straitly view the Parliament House, and my Lord
Monteagle beseecheth leave to be with him."

"Gude!" said his Majesty, who to the day of his death never lost his
Scottish accent. "I wad ha'e ye likewise, my Lord Salisbury, ta'e note
o' such as wad without apparent necessity seek absence frae the
Parliament, because 'tis improbable that among a' the nobles, this
warning should be only gi'en to ane."

"Sire, your Majesty's command shall be obeyed."

"Atweel, let the search be made, and report to me," said the King, as he
left the gallery.

The following Monday, which was the day before the opening of
Parliament, was appointed for the search.

On the Friday, Catesby, Thomas Winter, and Tresham met at Barnet, when
Catesby angrily accused Tresham of having sent the warning to Lord
Monteagle, and Tresham vehemently denied it.

"Marry, it must be you!" said Catesby. "The only ones that harrie