nst his life, and
entreating their presence and assistance.

Next day, there appeared at Essex House the earls of Southampton and
Rutland, the lords Sandys and Monteagle, with about three hundred
gentlemen of good quality and fortune; and Essex informed them of the
danger to which, he pretended, the machinations of his enemies exposed
him. To some, he said that he would throw himself at the queen's feet,
and crave her justice and protection; to others, he boasted of his
interest in the city, and affirmed that, whatever might happen, this
resource could never fail him. The queen was informed of these designs,
by means of intelligence conveyed, as is supposed, to Raleigh by Sir
Ferdinando Gorges; and having ordered the magistrates of London to
keep the citizens in readiness, she sent Egerton, lord keeper; to Essex
House, with the earl of Worcester, Sir William Knollys, comptroller,
and Popham, chief justice, in order to learn the cause of these unusual
commotions. They were with difficulty admitted through a wicket; but
all their servants were excluded, except the purse-bearer. After
some altercation, in which they charged Essex's retainers, upon their
allegiance, to lay down, their arms, and were menaced in their turn
by the angry multitude who surrounded them, the earl, who found that
matters were past recall, resolved to leave them prisoners in his house,
and to proceed to the execution of his former project. He sallied forth
with about two hundred attendants, armed only with walking swords; and
in his passage to the city was joined by the earl of Bedford and Lord
Cromwell He cried aloud, "For the queen! for the queen! a plot is laid
for my life;" and then proceeded to the house of Smith the sheriff,
on whose aid he had great reliance. The citizens flocked about him in
amazement; but though he told them that England was sold to the infanta,
and exhorted them to arms instantly otherwise they could not do him any
service, no one showed a disposition to join him. The sheriff, on the
earl's approach to his house, stole out at the back door, and made the
best of his way to the mayor. Essex, meanwhile, observing the coldness
of the citizens, and hearing that he was proclaimed a traitor by the
earl of Cumberland and Lord Burleigh, began to despair of success, and
thought of retreating to his own house. He found the streets in his
passage barricaded and guarded by the citizens under the command of Sir
John Levison. In his atte