as indeed it was, or whether some foolish devised
pasquil, by some of his enemies to scare him from his attendance at the
Parliament), yet did he, as a most dutiful and loyal subject, conclude
not to conceal it, whatever might come of it, whereupon notwithstanding
the lateness and darkness of the night in that season of the year, he
presently repaired to his Majesty's palace at Whitehall, and there
delivered the same to the Earl of Salisbury, his Majesty's principal
Secretary."

Neither the official version nor any State paper mentions the place
where the letter was delivered, which in such a mysterious matter would
be the first inquiry. "Own lodging" at that time signified a person's
house. Hoxton is generally stated to have been the place of delivery,[4]
which was then a single street in the outlying suburb on the great north
road; at a house which Monteagle is known[5] to have occupied, belonging
to his brother-in-law, Francis Tresham; and this ownership may have been
Salisbury's reason for not naming it, which so curious an omission seems
to imply. The letter is as follows:

"My Lord out of the loue i beare[6]; to some of youere frends i haue
a caer of youer preseruacion therfor i would aduyse yowe as yowe
tender youer lyf to deuyse some excuse to shift of youer attendance
at this parleament for god and man hathe concurred to punishe the
wickednes of this tyme and thinke not slightlye of this
aduertisement but retyre youre self into youre contri wheare yowe
maye expect the euent in safti for thowghe theare be no apparance of
anni stir yet i saye they shall receyue a terrible blowe this
parleament and yet they shall not sei who hurts them this cowncel is
not to be contemned because it maye do yowe good and can do yowe no
harme for the dangere[7] is passed as soon as yowe have burnt the
letter and i hope god will give yowe the grace to make good use of
it to whose holy proteccion I commend yowe."

(Addressed) "To the ryght honorable
the lord Monteagle."

It was the opinion of the other conspirators, as well as of the Jesuit
priests who became involved in the plot through the confessional, that
the warning letter originated with Francis Tresham, whose sister was
Lady Monteagle, and another sister had married Lord Stourton; and
Tresham had been most earnest with Catesby that those two lords,
particularly Monteagle, should be warned. In each instance, Cat