Series 3 > Mary Queen of Scots and the Babington plot

clxviii MARY STUART AND THE BABINGTON PLOT
at his accustomed lodgings. First a messenger was sent
to ask Babington for his answer to Mary. But he could
not be found. Phelippes thought he might have slipped
down towards Chartley, and Ballard also disappeared about
the same time. Great were the lamentations for the un¬
explained absence of Gilbert. ‘ Sorry I am,’ wrote
Walsingham, ‘ that G. G. is absent. I marvel greatly
how this humour of estranging himself cometh upon him.’
That night, 2 August, Walsingham was quite put out.
Next morning, 3 August, he wrote to Phelippes {below,
p. 133).
‘ You will not believe how much I am grieved at the event
of this case. I fear the addition of the postscript hath bred
jealousy [suspicion], and praying God to send us better success,
I commit you to His protection. Your loving friend,
Fra: Walsingham.’
A second note to Phelippes on the same day approved of
his plans for the arrest of Ballard,4 but with no other course
of proceeding than with an ordinarye lesueste.’ That is to
say the warrant and the searchers were only to describe
him as a priest. Moreover, so great was Walsingham’s love
for secrecy, that the warrant for Ballard’s arrest was to be
signed, not by himself, but by the Lord Admiral. As for
Babington, if Phelippes thought that an answer to Mary’s
letter might yet be got from him, he might wait till Friday
(5 August), but not longer ; for in* any case ‘ better to lack
the answer, than to lack the man.’
6. The End of the Plot, 3-15 August.
On the evening of the same day, the 3rd of August,
Phelippes ‘ abridged his honour’s anxiety ’ with the happy
news that he had discovered that Babington was still in
town, at Poley’s garden.1 Next day, Thursday, August the
1 R.O., Mary Queen of Scots, xix. n. 6. Boyd, p. 584.