Page:Celebrated Trials - Volume 1.djvu/282

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ANTHONY BABINGTON, CHIDIOCK TITCHBURNE, THOMAS SALISBURY, ROBERT BARNWELL, JOHN SAVAGE, HENRY DONN, AND JOHN BALLARD.

CONVICTED OF HIGH-TREASON, IN WESTMINSTER-HALL, ON THE 15TH and 14TH OF SEPTEMBER, 28TH ELIZABETH, 1586.

Mr. Vice-chamberlain demanded of the queen's learned council, what order they would take in arraigning the prisoners; and being answered that they should proceed to the arraignment of Savage first, he was brought to the bar, and the other prisoners removed: The clerk of the crown then said:—

"John Savage, hold up thy hand: thou hast been before this time indicted by virtue of commission, directed to Sir Edmund Anderson, knight, &c. (and so read his indictment) which in effect was, that William Gifford, doctor of divinity, maliciously moved him at Rheims, in Champaigne, traitorously and wickedly to kill and murder the queen's most excellent majesty, his liege sovereign and natural princess ; affirming to the said Savage, that the killing of her majesty was an action 'awful, honourable, and meritorious: and that thereupon the said John Savage did agree, conspire, and swear to murder the queen's most excellent majesty, his own natural Princess. And afterwards, that is to say, the first day of April 1580, at St. Giles's in the Fields, in the county of Middlesex, did falsely conspire to murder her said majesty, to disinherit her of her kingdom, to stir up sedition in the realm, and to subvert the true christian religion; and that to perform this malicious practice, devised with John Ballard how to bring the same to pass; and afterwards, the last day of May, did receive letters from Morgan, William Gifford, and Gilbert Gifford, whereby they did persuade and provoke the said Savage to execute and fulfil his said purpose and determination. How sayest thou, Savage, art thou guilty, or not guilty?"

Savage.— For conspiring at St. Giles's, I am guilty; that I received letters, whereby they did provoke me to kill her majesty, I am guilty ; that I did assent to kill her majesty, I am not guilty."

Sir C. Hatton.—To say that thou art guilty to that, and not to this, is no plea; for thou must either confess it generaily, or deny it generally: Wherefore delay not the time, bet say cither guilty, or not; and if thou say guilty, then shalt thou hear further ; if not guilty, her majesty's learned counsel is ready to give evidence against thee."

Savage.—"Then, Sir, I am guilty."

Also it appeared, by Savage's own confession, that, between Midsummer and Alhallontide, 1585, he was

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