Series 3 > Mary Queen of Scots and the Babington plot

cxvi MARY STUART AND THE BABINGTON PLOT
Yet none of these three heads actually proves that
Gilbert did sit in conclave with the whole band on the
7th of June, and in particular we shall hear him tell
Walsingham on the 11th of July that he had never met
Ballard before that day.1 As it is not so likely that he
would then have lied to Walsingham, we must assume as
our working hypothesis, that they had not met before.
Though he was already in the confidence of Babington
and of Savage, he had not apparently gained knowledge
of their whole project, nor of all their associates. Nor is
there any ground for wonder in this ; for no definite plans
had yet been formed by Babington, and the enrolling
of conspirators was only beginning.
As to the conspirators, there is no authentic roll of them.
But by the 7th of June, at the meetings in Babington’s
rooms—when the general resolution was taken of putting
Mary on the throne with the aid of the So-called Catholic
League—they counted, according to the government list,
thirteen, including Gilbert. This list may be given here
in full, though most of those who joined later were not
conspirators in any usual sense of the word.
1. John Ballard, late of London, clerk.
2. Edward Wyndsore, late of Brandenham, Bucks., Esquire.
3. Anthony Babyngton, late of Dethycke, in the county of
Derby, Esquire.
4. John Savage, late of London, Gentleman.
5. Thomas Salysburye, late of Llewenny, Denbigh, Esquire.
6. Edward Abyngton, late of Henlyppe, Worcester, Esquire.
7. Chidiock Tychborne, late of Porchester, county South¬
ampton, Gentleman.
8. Charles Tylney, late of London, Esquire.
9. Robert Barnewell, late of London, Gentleman.
10. Edward Jones, late of Cadogan, Denbigh, Esquire.
11. John Traves, late of Prescott, Lancashire, Gentleman.
12. Henry Dunne, late of London, Gentleman.
1 See below, p. 105.