The Identification of the Writer of the Anonymous Letter to Lord Monteagle in 1605Monteagle, William Parker, Baron
History
The Identification of the Writer of the Anonymous Letter to Lord Monteagle in 1605
Monteagle, William Parker, Baron
Gunpowder Plot, 1605; Monteagle, William Parker, Baron, 1574 or 1575-1622
[Footnote 41: Although known as the "King's book," the report of the
trial was evidently compiled by Salisbury and corrected by the King.]
[Footnote 42: Salisbury's statesmanship is evinced by the advice he
wrote to James (I.) when King of Scotland, and impatiently awaiting
Queen Elizabeth's demise: "Your best approach towards your greatest end,
is by your Majesty's clear and temperate courses, to secure the heart of
the highest, to whose sex and quality nothing is so improper as either
needless expostulations, or over much curiosity in her own actions. The
first showing unquietness in yourself; the second challenging some
untimely interest in hers; both which, as they are best forborne when
there is no cause, so be it far from me (if there shall be cause), to
persuade you to receive wrongs and be silent" ("Secret Correspondence,"
Camden Society, 1860, p. 7).]
V
FRANCIS TRESHAM'S CONFIDENCE WHEN IN THE TOWER
Upon Tresham's death in the Tower (December 23, 1605), the Lieutenant
wrote to Salisbury: "I find his friends were marvellous confident if he
had escaped this sickness, and have given out in this place that they
feared not the course of justice."[43] As the late Dr. Gardiner
observed: "This confidence they could only have derived from himself,
and it could only have been founded on one ground."
Had Tresham's committal to the Tower been otherwise than a mere
formality, or "a farce," neither his wife nor his servants would under
any circumstances have been permitted to attend or even see him whatever
the state of his health might have been; and had he survived, nothing
serious would have been done to him,[44] any more than was done to his
"deeply guilty" servant Vavasour.
Tresham, though dreading, as he said, "the infamous brand of an
accuser,"[45] was as evidently the Informer to the Government, either
directly or indirectly through Monteagle, as his servant Vavasour was
the writer of the letter.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 43: "State Papers, Domestic," James I., xvii. 58.]
[Footnote 44: He left no male issue, and was succeeded in the family
property by his next brother Lewis, who was created a baronet June 29,
1611, one of the second batch of baronets made on the institution of
that Order the previous May 22 by James I.]
[Footnote 45: "State Papers, Domestic," James I., xvi. 63.]
VI
THE VAVASOURS AS DEPENDANTS OF THE TRESHAM FAMILY
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account