This being
resolved, the manner of it was as followeth:
"First they hired the house at Westminster, of one Ferres, and having
his house they sought then to make a mine under the Upper House of
Parliament, and they began to make the mine in or about the 11 of
December, and they five first entered into the works, and soone after
took an other[16] to them, having first sworn him and taken the sacrament
for secrecy; and when they came to the wall (that was about three yards
thick) and found it a matter of great difficulty, they took to them an
other in like manner, with oath and sacrament as aforesaid;[17] all which
seven were gentlemen of name and blood, and not any was employed in or
about this action (no, not so much as in digging and mining) that was not
a gentleman.
[13] Thomas Winter.
[14] Catesby, Percy, and John Wright.
[15] _I.e._, Catesby. In a copy forwarded to Edmondes by Salisbury
(Stowe MSS. 168, fol. 223) the copyist had originally written
"three or four more," which is altered to "three."
[16] Christopher Wright.
[17] Robert Winter.
"And having wrought to the wall before Christmas, they ceased until after
the holidays, and the day before Christmas (having a mass of earth that
came out of the mine) they carried it into the garden of the said house,
and after Christmas they wrought the wall till Candlemas, and wrought the
wall half through; and saith that all the time while the other wrought,
he stood as sentinel, to decry any man that came near; and when any man
came near to the place, upon warning given by him they ceased until they
had notice to proceed from him; and sayeth that they seven all lay in the
house, and had shot and powder, and they all resolved to die in that
place, before they yielded or were taken.
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