Or is the mystery connected with the death of Prince Henry, James’s son? The Prince was seized with sudden illness almost immediately after dining with his father. “In Mayerne’s collection of cases for which he wrote prescriptions,” says Mr. Amos, “everything that relates to Prince Henry’s last illness is torn out of the book.” We can but fall back on the certainty that Somerset had it in his power to make some revelation of which James was terribly afraid.[183] =1616.= _July 1._ Thomas Maxfield, a missionary priest, drawn, hanged, and quartered at Tyburn. It is said that on the occasion of Maxfield’s execution, the gallows was adorned with garlands and wreaths of flowers. Thirteen criminals were executed at the same time. The Sheriff called on the hangman to cut down Maxfield while still alive, as indeed the law required, but this was opposed by the people, and the victim was suffered to hang till dead (Challoner, pt. ii. pp. 62-3). We now come to the reign of Charles I. =1626.= The visit of the queen, Henrietta Maria, to Tyburn has been mentioned (p. 65). =1628.= This Summer there was a great Army prepared for forraigne seruice, whereof the Duke of Buckingham was Generall, who went to Portsmouth, to set all things in readinesse for present dispatch: And vpon Saturday the 23. of August, as hee was going thorow his Hall, which was filled with Commaunders, and strangers, suddainly and vnexpectedly Iohn Felton a Lieutenant, stabd the Duke into the breast, with a knife, and slily withdrew himselfe, vndiscerned of any to doe the fact, the Duke stepping to lay hold on him, drew out the knife and began to stagger, the bloud gashing out at his mouth, at which dreadfull sight, certaine Commanders with their strength held him vp, the Duke being depriued of speech and life. And then all the doores and passages being stopped, and many with their weapons drawne to kill the Murtherer, the offender himselfe seeing the vproare, boldly confessed, saying, I am the man that did it, and being examined by the Lords, was committed. The King at that time was but sixe miles from Portsmouth: The Corpes was brought to London, on Saturday the 30. of August, the Nobility, Friends, and Officers brought the Corpes by night with Torches lighted to Wallingford house neere Charing-Crosse: the Murtherer was brought to the Tower the 5. of September.