ons of John Prideaux: MS. _Mary,
Domestic_, vol. ii. State Paper Office.]

[Footnote 208: Depositions of John Prideaux: _MS.
Mary, Domestic_, vol. ii. State Paper Office.]

Dennys, who desired Carew's escape more than his capture, replied that
for the moment he could not execute the order. Mohun's Ottery could
not be taken without cannon, and wet weather had made the roads
impassable. Meantime he gave Sir Peter notice of his danger; and Sir
Peter, disposing in haste of his farm stock to raise a supply of
money, crossed the country to Weymouth, embarked in a vessel which
"Mr. Walter Raleigh" had brought round to meet him, and sailed for
France.[209]

[Footnote 209: Ibid.]

One arm of the conspiracy was thus lopped off at the first blow. But,
although Courtenay's treachery was known, some days elapsed before the
ill success of Carew was heard of in London. Courtenay had been
trusted only so far as his intended share in the action had made it
necessary to trust him, and the confederates were chiefly anxious
that, having broken down, he should be incapacitated from doing
further mischief by being restored to the Tower. Courtenay, wrote
Noailles, has thrown away his chance of greatness, and will now
probably die miserably. Lord Thomas Grey was heard to say that, as
Courtenay had proved treacherous he would take his place, and run his
chance for the crown or the scaffold.[210]

[Footnote 210: Noailles.]

They would, perhaps, have still delayed till they had received
authentic accounts from Devonshire; but the arrest of Sir Edmund
Warner, and one or two others, assured them that too much of their
projects had transpired; and on the 22nd of January Sir Thomas Wyatt
called a meeting of his friends at Allingham Castle, on the Medway.
The commons of Kent were the same brave, violent, and inflammable
people whom John Cade, a century before, had led to London; the
country gentlemen were generally under Wyatt's influence. Sir R.
Southwell, the sheriff for the year, had been among the loudest
objectors in parliament to the marriage; and if Southwell joined in
the rising he would bring with him Lord Abergavenny.[211] Lord Cobham,
Wyatt's uncle, was known to wish him well. Sir {p.091} Thomas
Cheyne, the only other person of weight in the county, would be loyal
to the queen, but Wyatt had tampered with his tenants; Cheyne could
bring a