contents and phrase of that letter. For when I observed the generality of the advertisement, and the stile, I could not well distinguish whether it were frenzie or sport: for from any serious ground I could hardlie be induced to beleeve that it proceeded, from many reasons.

First, because noe wise man could thinke my lord to be soe weake as to take any alarum to absent himself from parliament, upon such a loose advertisement.

"Secondly, I considered that if any such thing were really intended, that it was very improbable that onelie one nobleman should be warned and none other.

"Nevertheless, being loath to trust my owne judment alone, being alwayes inclyned to doe too much in such a case as this is, I imparted the lettre to the earle of Suffolk lord chamberlaine, to the end I might receave his opinion. Whereupon, perusinge the wordes of the lettre, and observinge the writeing, that the blowe should come without knowledge whoe had hurte them;' wee both conceived that it could not bee more proper than the tyme of parliament, nor by any other way like to be attempted, then with powder, whilst the king was sittinge in the assembly. Of which the lord chamblaine [conceived] the more probability, because there was a greate vault under the said chamber, which was never used for any thing but for some wood and cole, belonginge to the keeper of the 'old palace.

"In which consideration, after wee had imparted the same to the lord admirall, the earle of Worcester, and the earle of Northampton, and some others; wee all thought fitt to forbeare to impart it to the king,

untill some three or four dayes before the session: at which tyme wee shewed his majestie the lettre, rather as a thing wee would not conceale, because it was of such a nature; then any way perswading him to geve any further credite to it, untill the place had bene visited. Whereupon his majestie (whoe hath a naturall habite to contemne all false feares, and a judgment soe strong as never to doubt any thing which is not well warranted by reason) concurred onely thus farre with us that, seeing such a matter was possible, that should bee done which might prevent all danger, or ells nothing at all.

"Hereupon it was moved, that till the night before his cominge, nothinge should be done to interrupt any purpose of theirs that had such divellish practice, but rather to suffer them to goe on till the eve of the daye."

The narrative proceeds to state, that for the better effecting of the discovery, sir Thomas Knevett was appointed to examine the suspected place, under a pretext of searching for stolen goods; and going about midnight, detected Johnson newly come out of the vault, and seized him. Sir Thomas then proceeded in his scrutiny; and having removed a quantity of wood, discovered the barrels of powder. The above letter is dated" from the courte at Whitehall, November 9, 1605." There is a letter of much interest from sir Robert Cecil to sir John Harington in Nugæ Antiquæ, vol. i. which contains this striking observation," that a courtier has a hard task to prove his honesty, and yet not spoil his fortune."]

HENRY HOWARD,

EARL OF NORTHAMPTON,

YOUNGER SON of the famous earl of Surrey, was said to be "the learnedest amongst the nobility, and the most noble amongst the learned." To these advantages of birth and education, were added the dignities of earl, knight of the garter, lord warden of the Cinqueports, governor of Dover castle (where he was buried3), one of the commissioners for the office of earl. marshal, lord privy-seal, high steward of Oxford, and chancellor of Cambridge. He added himself the still nobler title of founder of three hospitals, at Greenwich in Kent, at Clun in Shropshire, and at Castle-rising

[And brother to Thomas duke of Norfolk, who lost his life for his attachment to Mary queen of Scots. See vol. i. p. 323.]

He died at the palace he had built at Charing-cross, now Northumberland-house; supposed to be raised with Spanish gold. Harris's Life of James I. p. 145. He gave the design for Audley Inn. Lloyd's Worthies, p. 780. [Nicholas Stone, master-mason to king James the first, agreed with Mr. Griffin to make a tomb for my lord of Northampton, and to set it in Dover-castle," for the which," said he, "I had five hundred pounds well paid." Anecd. of Painting, vol. ii. p. 25.]