dare approach the person of his sovereign with a traitorous intent.  And therefore they run another side course, oblique et a latere:  some to reform corruptions of the State and religion; some to reduce the ancient liberties and customs pretended to be lost and worn out; some to remove those persons that being in high places make themselves subject to envy; but all of them aim at the overthrow of the State and destruction of the present rulers.  And this likewise is the use of those that work mischief of another quality; as Cain, that first murderer, took up an excuse for his fact, shaming to outface it with impudency, thus the Earl made his colour the severing some great men and councillors from her Majesty’s favour, and the fear he stood in of his pretended enemies lest they should murder him in his house.  Therefore he saith he was compelled to fly into the City for succour and assistance; not much unlike Pisistratus, of whom it was so anciently written how he gashed and wounded himself, and in that sort ran crying into Athens that his life was sought and like to have been taken away; thinking to have moved the people to have pitied him and taken his part by such counterfeited harm and danger; whereas his 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.