Majesty to me, to receive the blessed sacrament therefrom, either to prevail in the Church's behalf and your Majesty's, or fortunately to die for so honourable a cause. Now, forasmuch as delays are extremely dangerous, it might please your Majesty by your wisdom to direct us, and by your princely authority to enable us and such as may advance the affairs; foreseeing there is not any of the nobility at liberty assured to your Majesty in this desperate service but those unknown to us; and seeing it is very necessary that some there should be to become heads to lead the multitude who are disposed by nature in this land to follow nobility; considering withal it doth not only make the commons and country to follow without contradiction, which is ever found in equality, but also doth add great courage to the leaders. For which necessary purposes I would recommend some to your Majesty as are fittest in my knowledge to be your lieutenants in the west parts, in the north parts, South Wales and North Wales, the counties of Lancaster, Derby, and Stafford. In all which counties parties being already made and fidelity taken in your Majesty's name, I hold them as most assured and of undoubted fidelity. Myself, with ten gentlemen of quality and one hundred followers, will undertake the delivery of your person from the hands of your enemies; and _for the despatch of the usurper, from obedience of whom, by the excommunication of her, we are made free, there be six noble gentlemen, all my private friends, who, for the zeal they bear the Catholic cause and your Majesty's service, will undertake the tragical execution_. It followeth that, according to their infinite deserts and your Majesty's bounty, their heroic attempts may be honourably rewarded in them, if they escape with life, or in their posterity; and that so much by your Majesty's authority I may be able to assure them. Now it remaineth only in your Majesty's wisdom that it be reduced into method _that your happy deliverance be first, for on that dependeth the only good_, and that the other circumstances concur—that the untimely end of the one do not overthrow the rest, all which your Majesty's wonderful experience and wisdom will dispose in so good manner as I doubt not, through God's good assistance, shall take deserved effect; for the obtaining of which every one of us shall think his life most happily spent. Upon the 12th day of this month I will be at Lichfield, expecting your Majesty's answers and letters, to execute what by them shall be commanded.—Your Majesty's faithful subject and sworn servant, “ANTHONY BABINGTON.” Mary's alleged answer to Babington: Chartley, 17th July 1586:—