Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume I.djvu/72

 ; filling it with a variety of hiding-places, so ingeniously managed as to require more than common sagacity y and perseverance to discover them. Into two of these inscrutable recesses four of the powder-plot conspirators, after the failure of the plot, were thrust by pairs; Owen and Chambers into one, and Garnett and Hill into another: and so well were they concealed, that no less than eight days and nights were consumed in searching for them before they were taken. The following contemporary account will give you a compleat idea of the curious plan on which the house was constructed, or rather altered, by Thomas Abingdon, and now exhibits:—

" Sir Henrie Bromlie, on Monday January 20th last, by break of day, did engirt and round beset the house of Mayster Thomas Abbingdon, at Hendlip, near Worcester. Mr. Abbingdon not being then at home, but ridden abroad about some occasions best known to himself, the house being goodlie and of great receipt, it required the more diligent labour and pains in the searching. It appeared there was no want, and Mr. Abbingdon coming liome that night, the commission and proclamation being shewn to him, he denied any such men to be in his house; and voluntarily to die at his own gate, if any such