Page:History of England (Froude) Vol 5.djvu/216

196 privileges as ambassadors should not protect them from extremity of punishment.

Newmarket was chosen for the rendezvous of the army. The men were to go down in companies, in whatever way they could travel most expeditiously, with the guns and ammunition waggons. The Duke himself intended to set out on Friday at dawn. In his calculations of the chances, hope still predominated—his cannon would give him the advantage in the field, and he trusted to the Protestant spirit in London to prevent a revolution in his absence. But he took the precaution of making the council entangle themselves more completely by taking out a commission under the Great Seal, as general of the army, which they were forced to sign; and before he left the Tower, he made a parting appeal to their good faith. If he believed they would betray him, he said, he could still provide for his own safety; but, as they were well aware that Lady Jane was on the throne by no will of her own, but through his influence and theirs, so he trusted her to their honours to keep the oaths which they had sworn. 'They were all in the same guilt,' one of them answered; 'none could excuse themselves.' Arundel especially wished the Duke God speed upon his way, and regretted only that he was not to accompany him to the field.

This was on Thursday evening. Northumberland