is aim and drift was
to take the government of the city into his hands and alter the
form thereof. With like pretences of dangers and assaults the Earl
of Essex entered the City of London and passed through the bowels
thereof, blanching rumours that he should have been murdered and
that the State was sold; whereas he had no such enemies, no such
dangers: persuading themselves that if they could prevail all would
have done well. But now _magna scelera terminantur in haeresin_; for
you, my Lord, should know that though princes give their subjects
cause of discontent, though they take away the honours they have
heaped upon them, though they bring them to a lower estate than
they raised them from, yet ought they not to be so forgetful of
their allegiance that they should enter into any undutiful act;
much less upon rebellion, as you, my Lord, have done. All
whatsoever you have or can say in answer hereof are but shadows.
And therefore methinks it were best for you to confess, not to
justify.'"

Essex was provoked by Bacon's incredulous sneer about enemies and
dangers--"I call forth Mr. Bacon against Mr. Bacon," and referred to the
letters which Bacon had written in his name, and in which these
dangerous enmities were taken for granted. Bacon, in answer, repeated
what he said so often--"That he had spent more time in vain in studying
how to make the Earl a good servant to the Queen and State than he had
done in anything else." Once more Coke got the proceedings into a
tangle, and once more Bacon came forward to repair the miscarriage of
his leader.

"'I have never yet seen in any case such favour shown to any
prisoner; so many digressions, such delivering of evidence by
fractions, and so silly a defence of such great and notorious
treasons. May it please your Grace, you have seen how weakly he
hath shadowed his purpose and how slenderly he hath answered the
objections against him. But, my Lord, I doubt the variety of
matters and the many digressions may minister occasion of
forgetfulness, and may have severed the judgments of the Lords; and
therefore I hold it necessary briefly to recite the Judges'
opinions.'

"That being done, he proceeded to this effect:

"'Now put the case that the Earl of Essex's intents were, as he
would have it believed, to go only as a suppliant to her