For divers great and important considerations (which were here too long to be deduced) I cannot but greatly praise and commend your common desire to prevent in time the designments of our enemies for the extirpation of our religion out of this realm with the ruin of us all. For I have long ago shown unto the foreign Catholic princes—and experience doth approve it—the longer that they and we delay to put hand on the matter on this side, the greater leisure have our said enemies to prevail and win advantage over the said princes (as they have done against the King of Spain) and in the meantime the Catholics here, remaining exposed to all sorts of persecution and cruelty, do daily diminish in number, forces, means and power. So as, if remedy be not thereunto hastily provided, I fear not a little but they shall become altogether unable for ever to rise again and to receive any aid at all, whensoever it were offered them. For mine own part, I pray you to assure our principal friends that, albeit I had not in this cause any particular interest (that which I may pretend unto being of no consideration unto me in respect of the public good of this state) I shall be always ready and most willing to employ therein my life and all that I have or may ever look for in this world.
Now, for to ground substantially this enterprise and to bring it to good success, you must first examine deeply:
Of what towns, ports and havens you may assure yourselves, as well in the North, West as South, to receive succours from the Low Countries, Spain and France.
What place you esteem fittest and of greatest advantage to assemble the principal company of your forces at: and the same being assembled, whether or which way you have to march.
What foreign forces, as well on horse as foot, you require (which would be compassed conform to the proportion of yours), for how long paid, and munition and ports the fittest for their landing in this realm from the three aforesaid foreign countries1.
What provision of money and armour (in case you want) you would ask.
By what means do the six gentlemen deliberate to proceed?
And the manner also of my getting forth of this hold.
If your messenger bring you back again sure promise and sufficient assurance of the succour you demand, then thereafter (but no sooner, for that it were in vain) take diligent order that all those of your party on this side make (so secretly as they can) provision of armour, fit horse and ready money, wherewith to hold themselves in readiness to march so soon as it shall be signified unto them by their chief and principals in every shire.
And for the better colouring of the matter (reserving to the principal the knowledge of the ground of the enterprise) it shall be enough, for the beginning, to give out to the rest that the said provisions are made only for fortifying yourselves, in case of need, against the puritans of this realm: the principal whereof, having the chief forces of the same in the Low Countries, have (as you may let the bruit go) designed to ruin and overthrow, at their return home, the whole Catholics, and to usurp the Crown; not only against me and all other lawful pretenders thereunto, but against their own Queen that now is, if she will not altogether commit herself to their only government. The same pretexts may serve to sound and establish amongst you all an association and confederation general, as done only for your own just preservations and defence, as well in religion as in lives, lands and goods, against the oppression and attempts of the said puritans, without touching directly by writing anything against that Queen, but rather showing yourselves willing to maintain her and her lawful heirs after her, unnaming me.
The affairs being thus prepared and forces in readiness both without and within the realm, then shall it be time to set the six gentlemen to work; taking order, upon the accomplishing of their designing, I may be suddenly transported out of this place, and that all your forces in the same time be on the field to meet me in tarrying for the arrival of the foreign aid, which then must be hastened with all diligence.
Now, for that there can be no certain day appointed for the accomplishing of the said gentlemen's designing, to the end that others may be in readiness to take me from hence, I would that the said gentlemen had always about them (or at least at Court) a four stout men, furnished with good and speedy horses, for—so soon as the said design shall be executed—to come with all diligence to advertise thereof those that shall be appointed for my transporting; to the end that immediately after they may be at the place of my abode, before that my keeper can have advice of the execution of the said design, or at least before he can fortify himself within the house or carry me out of the same. It were necessary to dispatch two or three of the said advertisers by divers ways, to the end that, if the one be stayed, the other may come through; and at the same instant were it also needful to essay to cut off the posts ordinary ways.
This is the plat2 which I find best for this enterprise, and the order whereby you should conduct the same for our common securities. For stirring on this side before you be well assured of sufficient foreign forces, it were but for nothing to put yourselves in danger of following the miserable fortune of such as have heretofore travailed in like occasions. And to take me forth of this place, unbeing before well assured to set me in the midst of a good army, or in some very good strength where I may safely stay on the assembly of your forces and arrival of the said foreign succours, it were sufficient cause given to that Queen in catching me again to enclose me forever in some hole, forth of which I should never escape (if she did use me no worse), and to pursue with all extremity those that had assisted me—which would grieve me more than all the unhap [which] might fall upon myself. And therefore must I needs yet once again admonish you, so earnestly as I can, to look and take heed most carefully and vigilantly, to compass and assure so well all that shall be necessary for the effectuating of the said enterprise, as (with the grace of God) you may bring the same to happy end: remitting to the judgement of our principal friends on this side, with whom you have to deal herein, to ordain [and] conclude upon this present (which shall serve you only for an overture and proposition) as you shall amongst you find best: and to yourself in particular I refer to assure the gentlemen above mentioned of all that shall be requisite of my part for the entire execution of their good wills.
I leave also to your common resolutions to advise (in case their designment do not take hold, as may happen) whether you will or not pursue my transport and the execution of the rest of the enterprise. But if the mishap should fall out that you might not come by me—being set in the Tower of London, or in any other strength with greater ward, yet notwithstanding leave not, for God's sake, to proceed in the rest of the enterprise; for I shall, at any time, die most contented, understanding of your delivery forth of the servitude wherein you are holden as slaves.
I shall assay that, at the same time that the work shall be in hand in these parts, to make the Catholics of Scotland arise and to put my son in their hands, to the effect that from thence our enemies here may not prevail of any succour. I would also that some stirring in Ireland were laboured for, and to be begun some while before anything were done here; to the end the alarm might be given thereby on the flat contrary side that the stroke should come from.
Your reasons to have some general head or chief, methinketh, are very pertinent; and therefore were it good to sound obscurely for the purpose the Earl of Arundel, or some of his brethren, and likewise to seek upon the young Earl of Northumberland, if he be at liberty. From over sea the Earl of Westmoreland may be had, whose house and name may [do] much, you know, in the North parts: as also the Lord Paget, of good ability in some shires hereabout; both the one and the other may be brought home secretly: amongst which some more of the principal banished may return, if the enterprise be once resolute. The said Lord Paget is now in Spain, and may treat there all which, by his brother Charles or directly by himself, you will commit unto him touching this affair.
Beware that none of your messengers, whom you sent forth of the realm, carry over any letters upon themselves; but make their dispatches be conveyed either after or before them, by some other. Take heed of spies and false brethren that are amongst you—especially of some priests, already practised by our enemies for your discovery; and in any wise, keep never any paper about you that in any sort may do harm. For from such like errors have come the only condemnation of all such as have suffered heretofore, against whom could there otherwise have been nothing proved. Discover as little as you can your names and intentions to the French Ambassador now lieger at London; for although he be, as I understand, a very honest gentleman, of good conscience and religion, yet fear I that his master entertaineth, with that Queen, a course far contrary to our designments; which may move him to cross us, if it should happen he had any particular knowledge thereof.
All this while past I have sued to change and remove from this house; and, for answer, the Castle of Dudley only hath been named to serve the turn. So, as by appearance, within the end of this summer I may go thither. Wherefore advise, so soon as I shall be there, what provision may be had about that part for my escape from thence. If I stay here, there is for that purpose but one of these three means following to be looked.
The second mean is to come at midnight (or soon after) to set fire in the barns and stables, which you know are near to the house; and whilst that my guardian's servants shall run forth to the fire, your company (having everyone a mark whereby they may know one another under night) might surprise the house; where I hope, with the few servants I have about me, I were able to give you correspondence.
And the third, some that bring carts hither ordinarily coming early in the morning, their carts might be so prepared and with such cartleaders that being just in the middle of the great gate the carts might fall down or overwhelm, and that thereupon you might come suddenly, with your followers, to make yourself master of the house, and carry me away. So you might do safely, before that any number of soldiers (who lodge in sundry places forth of this place, some a half and some a whole mile off) might come to the relief.
God Almighty have you in protection.
Your most assured friend for ever, [Marie R.]
Fail not to burn this present quickly.
I would be glad to know the names and qualities of the six gentlemen
which are to accomplish the designment, for it may be I shall be able,
upon knowledge of the parties, to give you some further advice necessary
to be followed therein, as also from time to time particularly how you
proceed, and as soon as you may (for the same purpose) who be already, and
how far, everyone is privy hereunto.