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When God had bleſſed me with a reaſonable fortune and eſtate, Sir Henry Wallop of Wares, Sir Robert Gardiner, chief juſtice of the King's Bench, Sir Robert Dillam chief juſtice of the Common Pleas, and Sir Richard Bingham, chief commiſſioner of Connaught, being diſpleaſed for ſome purchaſes I had made in the province, they all joined together, by their lies complaining againſt me to queen Elizabeth, expreſſing, that I came over a young man, without any eſtate or fortune; and that I had made ſo many purchaſes, as it was not poſſible to do it without ſome foreign prince's purſe to ſupply me with money: that I had acquired divers caſtles and abbeys upon the ſea-ſide fit to receive and entertain Spaniards; that I kept in my abbeys fraternities and convents of friers in their habits, who ſaid maſs continually: and that I was ſuſpected in my religion; with divers other malicious ſuggeſtions, whereof having ſome ſecret notice, I reſolved to go into Munſter, and ſo into England, to juſtify myſelf. But before I could take ſhipping, the general rebellion in Munſter broke out: all my lands were waſted, as I could ſay, that I had not one penny of certain revenue left me, to the unſpeakable danger and hazard of my life. Yet God preſerved me, as I recovered Dingle, and got ſhipping there, which tranſported me to Briſtol, from whence I travelled to London, and betook myſelf to my former chamber in the Middle Temple, intending to renew my ſtudies in the law, till the rebellion were paſt over. Then Robert earl of Eſſex was deſigned for the government of this kingdom, into whoſe ſervice I was recommended by Mr. Anthony Bacon. Whereupon his lordſhip very nobly received me, and uſed me with favour and grace, in employing me in the iſſuing out his patent and commiſſions for the government of Ireland; whereof Sir Henry Wallop, treaſurer, having notice, and being conſcious in his own heart, that I had ſundry papers and collections of Michael Kettlewell's his late under-treaſurer, which might diſcover a great deal of wrong and abuſe done to the queen in his late accounts; and ſuſpecting, if I were countenanced by the earl of Eſſex, that I would bring thoſe things to light, which might much prejudice or ruin his reputation or eſtate, although I vow to God, until I was provoked, I had no thought of it; yet he, utterly to ſuppreſs me, renewed his former complaints againſt me to the queen's majeſty. Whereupon, by her majeſty's ſpecial directions, I was ſuddenly attached and conveyed cloſe priſoner to the Gate-houſe; all my papers ſeized and ſearched; and although nothing could appear to my prejudice, yet my cloſe reſtraint was continued till the earl of Eſſex was gone to Ireland, and two months afterwards; at which time, with much ſuit, I obtained the favour of her ſacred majeſty to be preſent at my anſwers, where I ſo fully anſwered and cleared all their objections, and delivered ſuch full and evident juſtifications for my own acquittal, as it pleaſed the queen to uſe theſe words, viz.
By God's death, theſe are but inventions againſt this young man; and all his ſufferings are for being able to do us ſervice, and thoſe complaints urged to foreſtal him therein. But we find him to be a man fit to be employed by ourſelves; and we will employ him in our ſervice; and Wallop and his adherents ſhall know, that it ſhall not be in the power of any of them to wrong him; neither ſhall Wallop be our treaſurer any longer.
Thereupon ſhe directed her ſpeech to her lords in her council there preſent, and commanded them preſently to give her the names of ſix men, out of which ſhe might chuſe one to be treaſurer of Ireland, her election falling upon Sir George Carew, of Cookington. And then the queen aroſe from council, and gave orders, not only for my preſent enlargement, bur alſo diſcharging all my charges and fees during my reſtraint, and gave me her royal hand to kiſs, which I did heartily, humbly thanking God for that deliverance.