Series 3 > Mary Queen of Scots and the Babington plot

78 MARY STUART AND THE BABINGTON PLOT
sorte as the same woulde take good effect ‘ with the grace
of god.’ [=§ix.]
(4) To giue out about that the Earle of Leycester had
som plott to returne home with the English forces he hath
in the Low countreys and to ioyne not only with the
puritaines in rooting out the Catholiques of this Realme,
but also shoulde haue an intent to depriue the Queenes
Maiestie. [=§ vi.]
(5) That by his last lettres unto the Queene he did
aduertise that one Mawde had discovered the entreprise.
[= Letter iv., p. 46.]
All this verie true. Anthonie Babington.
[This brief answer did not satisfy the examiners. The following tells its own
story. He has been ordered to write out his own recollections of the passages,
and does so quoting §§ v. vi. vii. viii. ix. and his answer of 3 August, all which
are cited very accurately. What follows is also contained in Caligula, C. ix.
459, the readings of which are preferable.]
The Queue’s letters advised that upon returne of
aunswere from Mendoza with assurance that all things
requisite was in a readines, then and not before it shoulde
be requisite to sounde the countrie ; and, to collor 1 the
prouision and preparation, it shoulde be given out that
what they did was not upon anie euill or disloyall dis¬
position towardes the Quene but for the iust defence of
our bodies, lives and landes against the violence of the
puritaines; the principall whereof being in the Lowe
countryes with the chief forces of the realme [under the
E. of Leicester, he] purposed at his returne to ruin 2 not
only the whole Catholiques, but also meant to deprive her
Maiestie of her Crowne if she did not conforme herselfe
wholy vnto his will, and that therefore this preparation
was likewise for the defence of her Maiestie and her lawfull
successors, not naminge her, under which pretence an
association might be made.
Which being don and all thinges in readines both within
and without the realm, it shoulde be time for to set 3 the
sixe gent, to worke, taking order that presently therupon
Y., cover.
2 Y., remove.
3 Cal. and Y., let.