XVIII.—Defence of Sir Ferdinando Gorges against a Charge of having betrayed Robert Earl of Essex. With a Letter from John Bruce, Esq. Treas. S.A., to J. Payne Collier, Esq. V.P.S.A.

Extract

Among the many striking incidents which occurred during the trial of Robert Earl of Essex, in 1601, none seem to have more strongly attracted the attention of the people than those which relate to the evidence and conduct of Sir Ferdinando Gorges. The testimony of Sir Ferdinando excited the impetuous Earl much more than the ungenerous selfishness of Bacon, and almost as much as the vituperation of Sir Edward Coke, or the sudden interference of Sir Robert Cecil. When I first heard, Mr. Vice-President, that you were engaged upon a life of the Earl of Essex, you may remember that I mentioned to you, that there existed in the Cotton Collection of MSS. a paper written by Sir Ferdinando, purporting to be his defence against the popular clamour raised against him for his conduct towards the Earl. I should have preferred that you should yourself have been the first to print this paper in your forthcoming work; but, upon your assurance that it will be more agreeable to you that I should communicate it to the Society of Antiquaries, I now send you a transcript of it, and will thank you to lay it before the Society. I shall accompany it with a comparatively brief comment, in the hope that the whole subject will shortly be fully treated by yourself.