the Lieutenant writes to Salisbury
(December 23, 1605) of the "marvellous" confidence shown by Tresham and
his friends that had he survived, they feared not the course of justice.
Later, having left no male issue, his inheritance passes to his brother,
who is described as of Rushton, when created a baronet on the
institution of that Order by James the First, the very king whom the
plotters intended to destroy; and although a baronetcy at that time was
merely a monetary distinction or transaction, _some_ discrimination was
no doubt made in the bestowal or disposal of that dignity, which
probably would not have been conferred upon Catesby's son, who was then
living, even if he had been able to afford it after the forfeiture of
his family inheritance.

The Attorney-General, at Father Garnet's trial (March 28, 1606),
pronounces Vavasour as being, in his opinion, "deeply guilty" in the
treason; yet he is not even brought to trial, while other serving-men
are tried and executed; although Lord Salisbury expressly declares that
he will esteem his life unworthily given him, when he shall be found
slack in bringing to prosecution and execution ALL who are in any way
concerned in the treason; and his exertions in the matter are accounted
to be so successful, that he is rewarded with the Order of the Garter.

Francis Tresham's inheritance remains in the family; and his
serving-man, the "deeply guilty" William Vavasour, goes free.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: _These facsimiles are issued separately in order to
facilitate comparison._]

II

THE OFFICIAL STORY OF THE LETTER

The authentic, or rather the official, story of the delivery of the
letter, as published by the Government at the time, states that on
Saturday, October 26, 1605, Lord Monteagle "being in his own lodging,
ready to go to supper, at seven o'clock[2] at night, one of his footmen
(whom he had sent on an errand over the street) was met by an unknown
man, of a reasonable tall personage, who delivered him a letter,
charging him to put it in my lord his master's hands; which my lord no
sooner received, but that having broken it open, and perceiving the same
to be of an unknown and somewhat unlegible hand, and without either date
or subscription, called one of his men[3] to help him to read it. But no
sooner did he conceive the strange contents thereof, although he was
somewhat perplexed what construction to make of it (as whether of a
matter of consequence,