1
First, in the crueltie of the Plot it selfe, wherein cannot be enough admired the
horrible and fearefull crueltie of their deuice, which was not onely for the destruc-
tion of my Person, nor of my Wife and posteritie onely, but of the whole body of
the State in generall; wherein should neither haue bene spared, or distinction
made of yong nor of old, of great nor of small, of man nor of woman: The whole
Nobilitie, the whole reuerend Clergie, Bishops, and most part of the good
Preachers, the most part of the Knights and Gentrie; yea, and if that any in
this Societie were fauourers of their profession, they should all haue gone one way:
The whole Iudges of the land, with the most of the Lawyers, and the whole
Clerkes: And as the wretch himselfe which is in the Tower, doeth confesse, it was
purposely deuised by them, and concluded to be done in this house; That where
the cruell Lawes (as they say) were made against their Religion, both place and
persons should all be destroyed and blowne vp at once. And then consider there-
withall the cruel fourme of that practise: for by three different sorts in generall
may mankinde be put to death.
The first, by other men, and reasonable creatures, which is least cruell: for
then both defence of men against men may be expected, and likewise who
knoweth what pitie God may stirre vp in the hearts of the Actors at the verye
instant ? besides the many wayes and meanes, whereby men may escape in such
a present furie.
And the second way more cruell then that, is by
Animal and vnreasonable
creatures: for as they haue lesse pitie then men, so is it a greater horror and more
vnnaturall for men to deale with them: But yet with them both resistance may
auaile, and also some pitie may be had, as was in the Lions, in whose denne
Daniel was throwne; or that thankefull Lion, that had the Romane in his mercie.
But the third, which is most cruel and vnmercifull of all, is the destruction by
insensible and inanimate things, and amongst them all, the most cruell are the
two Elements of Water and Fire; and of those two, the fire most raging and
mercilesse.
