And for this great deliuerance, let vs all pray to GOD Almightie, that the memorie of these worthie Iudges may bee blessed to all Posterities.[Z3_b_2]

FINIS.

NOTES.

[The references are to the alphabetical letters or signatures at the bottom of each page:  a is intended for the first and b the second page, marked with such letter or signature.]

[Transcriber’s Note:  In the original text, a single note reference sometimes applies to more than one note.  For clarity’s sake, in this e-text a number has been added to the end of such references to distinguish among the notes.]

DEDICATION. “The Right Honorable Thomas Lord Knyvet.”] Sir Thomas Knivet, or Knyvet, Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to James the First, was afterwards created Baron of Escricke, in the county of York.  He it was who was intrusted to search the vaults under the Parliament House, and who discovered the thirty-six barrels of gunpowder, and apprehended Guido Fawkes, who declared to him, that if he had happened to be within the house when he took him, as he was immediately before, he would not have failed to blow him up, house and all. (Howell’s State Trials, vol. ii., p. 202.) His courage and conduct on this occasion seem to have recommended him to the especial favour of James.  Dying without issue, the title of Lord Howard of Escrick was conferred on Sir Edward Howard, son of Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, who had married the eldest daughter and co-heir of Sir H. Knivet; and, having been enjoyed successively by his two sons, ended in his grandson Charles, in the beginning of the last century.  It must be admitted that the writer has chosen his patron very felicitously.  Who so fit to have the book dedicated to him as one who had acted so conspicuous a part on the memorable occasion at Westminster?  The blowing up of Lancaster Castle and good Mr. Covel, by the conclave of witches at Malkin’s Tower, was no discreditable imitation of the grand metropolitan drama on provincial boards.

A 2.  FIRST IMPRIMATUR. “Ja.  Altham, Edw.  Bromley.”] These two judges were Barons of the Court of Exchequer, but neither of them seems to have left a name extraordinarily distinguished for legal learning.  Altham was one of the assistants named in the commission for the trial of the Countess of Somerset for the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury in 1616.  Bromley appears, from incidental notices contained in the diary of Nicholas Assheton, (see Whitaker’s Whalley, third edition, page 300,) and other sources, to have frequently taken the northern circuit.  He was not of the family of Lord Chancellor Bromley, but of another stock.