a, Charles Paget, the archbishop
of Glasgow, and Sir Francis Inglefield, were carried by Gifford to
Secretary Walsingham; were deciphered by the art of Philips, his clerk;
and copies taken of them. Walsingham employed another artifice, in order
to obtain full insight into the plot: he subjoined to a letter of Mary's
a postscript in the same cipher; in which he made her desire Babington
to inform her of the names of the conspirators. The indiscretion of
Babington furnished Walsingham with still another means of detection,
as well as of defence. That gentlemen had caused a picture to be drawn,
where he himself was represented standing amidst the six assassins; and
a motto was subjoined, expressing that their common perils were the band
of their confederacy. A copy of this picture was brought to Elizabeth,
that she might know the assassins, and guard herself against their
approach to her person.

Meanwhile Babington, anxious to insure and hasten the foreign succors,
resolved to despatch Ballard into France; and he procured for him, under
a feigned name, a license to travel. In order to remove from himself
all suspicion, he applied to Walsingharn, pretended great zeal for the
queen's service, offered to go abroad, and professed his intentions of
employing the confidence which he had gained among the Catholics, to the
detection and disappointment of their conspiracies. Walsingham commended
his loyal purposes; and promising his own counsel and assistance in
the execution of them, still fed him with hopes, and maintained a close
correspondence with him. A warrant, meanwhile, was issued for seizing
Ballard; and this incident, joined to the consciousness of guilt, begat
in all the conspirators the utmost anxiety and concern. Some advised
that they should immediately make their escape; others proposed that
Savage and Charnoc should without delay execute their purpose against
Elizabeth; and Babington, in prosecution of this scheme, furnished
Savage with money, that he might buy good clothes, and thereby have more
easy access to the queen's person. Next day, they began to apprehend
that they had taken the alarm too hastily; and Babington, having
renewed his correspondence with Walsingham, was persuaded by that subtle
minister, that the seizure of Ballard had proceeded entirely from the
usual diligence of informers in the detection of popish and seminary
priests. He even consented to take lodgings secretly in Walsingham's
house, tha