Page:A history of the gunpowder plot-The conspiracy and its agents (1904).djvu/246

216 the Tower acknowledged before the Lords Commissioners.

'23 9ber 1605. '

'Not out of hope to obtain pardon; for speaking of my temporal part, I may say, the fault is greater than can be forgiven; nor affecting hereby the title of a good subject; for I must redeem my country from as great a danger as I have hazarded the bringing of her into, before I can purchase any such opinion; only at your Honours' command I will briefly set down my own accusation, and how far I have proceeded in this business; which I shall the faithfuller do, since I see such courses are not pleasing to Almighty God, and that all, or the most material parts, have been already confessed.

'I remained with my Brother in the country from Allhallow's-tide until the beginning of Lent in the year of Our Lord, 1603, the first year of the King's reign; about which time Mr. Catesby sent thither, entreating me to come to London, where he, and other my friends, would be glad to see me. I desired him to excuse me; for I found myself not very well disposed; and, which had happened never to me before, returned the messenger without my company. Shortly, I received another letter, in any wise to come. At the second summons, I presently came up, and found him with Mr. John Wright, at Lambeth, where he broke with me how necessary it was not to forsake our country, for he knew I had a