Series 3 > Mary Queen of Scots and the Babington plot

118 MARY STUART AND THE BABINGTON PLOT
their,, or at the leste wise other names [? are not] to be
used for auoidinge of suspicion ; for to conuoie the money
I can well direct hit by supposed names.
Ballart hath changed his opinion in goinge downe with
me. So if your ho: liste to take him, I desire to Vnder-
stande by this bearer. Your ho: Seruante,
.c?1
English Pot Paper, no address, signet of two letters L,
back to back.
APPENDIX TO SECTION III
GILBERT GIFFORD’S CORRESPONDENCE AFTER THE PLOT,
1586 to 1590
As has been explained in the Introduction, Gilbert Gifford outlived
the other conspirators by five years, in which time he underwent
great changes of fortune, and died in the bishop’s prison at Paris.
Under these circumstances he made certain statements which have sur¬
vived, in which he endeavoured to excuse or justify himself now to
Walsingham, now to the Catholics. It belongs to our subject to inquire
what light was thrown back on Mary and the Babington plot by these
disclosures. But in the end we shall find that little, if any, positive
evidence transpired. Gilbert never repented or recanted, he never
told much to his prosecutors. Of excuses, of blame for his former
colleagues, he was prolific enough: but of Queen Mary never a word.
Nothing was said of the dealings with Mendoza (3/13 August) : of the
conspiracy proper only very, very little. The period falls into four
episodes
§ 1 The New Understanding, August to October 1586.
Correspondence.—We have eight letters from Gilbert, all in R..O. volumes—
M.Q.S., xix. 8, 45, 46, 70, 71, 82, 118, and Dorn. Eliz., cxcviii. 85. Unfor¬
tunately we have not one from Phelippes, and only two clauses in Walsingham’s
notes, M. Q.S., xix. 63 and 80. All but Dom. Eliz., cxcviii. 85, are in Boyd, viii.
Gilbert’s flight at first quite puzzled and disconcerted Mr Secretary.
‘I marvel greatly how this humour of estranging of himself cometh
upon him.’ In reality Gilbert had spoken more than once of ‘going
into the country,’ but without specifying where, and he had asked to
1 The subscribing sign is again different, having a second cross-bar,
and a full point to the left.