ared supper for the weary
travellers. Before this was ready, Catesby and John Wright took Robert
Winter aside, and tried hard to induce him to write to his
father-in-law, attempting to draw him into the now almost hopeless
rebellion.

"There is no remedy, Robin," said John Wright, "but thou must write a
letter to thy father Talbot, to see if thou canst therewith draw him
unto us."

"Nay, that will I not," was the determined answer.

"Robin, you must," said Catesby.

"My masters, ye know not my father Talbot so well as I," replied Robin
Winter. "All the world cannot draw him from his allegiance. Neither
would I if I could, in this case. What friends hath my poor wife and
children but he? And therefore, satisfy yourselves; I will not."

"Well, then," suggested Wright, "write as we shall say unto thee to
Master Smallpiece, that serves thy father Talbot."

Robert Winter, who liked an easy life, suffered himself to be persuaded
on this point; and wrote the letter, of which all that now remains is a
few half-burnt lines, written in great haste, and barely legible:

"Good Cousin, I fear it will not seem strange to you that--a good number
of resolved Catholics so perform matters of such... will set their most
strength, or hang all those that ever... use your best endeavour to stir
up my father Talbot... which I hold much more honourable than to be
hanged after... Cousin, pray for me, I pray you, and send me all such
friends... haste, I commend you. From Huddington, this 6th of
November."

"R..."

Having written this letter, Mr Robert Winter proceeded, not to forward,
but to pocket it, and declined to give it up until the next morning,
when he resigned it, "to stop a peace withal."

Late in the evening of the 6th, the conspirators were joined by Stephen
Littleton and Thomas Winter, the latter of whom had not been able to
overtake them any sooner. Before daybreak on the following morning,
they assembled in the private chapel of Huddington House, where mass was
sung by the family confessor, Mr Hammond, and the Sacrament was
administered to all present after due confession. Then, leaving
Huddington about sunrise, they recommenced their weary flight.

They were now "armed at all points in open rebellion," yet with daggers
and guns only. Instead of continuing their course, as hitherto,
directly westward, they turned towards the north, and made for Hewell
Grange, the residence of Lord Windsor, where they plunde