Life of William Davison; Secretary of State and Privy Counsellor to Queen Elizabeth

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1823. Excerpt: ... t nion of him, without his having made any application for it; and he felt assured that he had not committed any wilful error in fulfilling its duties, or acted otherwise than as an honest man ought, for that nothing in the world was so dear to him as his reputation: he admitted that Mr. Killegrew was sent to him with the message already stated; but he argued that it did not prove any thing contrary to her purposing to execute it when it ivas sealed: he solemnly protested that, to the best of his understanding, he had done nothing but what he thought would be agreeable to her; that he was convinced of her intention to carry the sentence into execution from the necessity which existed for it; her Majesty's imminent danger; the wishes of her people, whose safety was always an object of her care; and still more, by the expression she used in giving him the warrant after signing it, Now you have it let me be troubled no more with it; that it had received her signature and passed the great seal, which he thought rendered it irrevocable, unless she specially countermanded it. With respect to the charge of secrecy he understood it to mean that he should conceal it from the knowledge of the public, because, if it was generally known, it might prompt the agents of Mary to make some desperate attempt on the Queen; that she had herself imparted it to the Lord Admiral; that she commanded him to do so to Sir Francis Walsingham; that it could not be sealed without the Lord Chancellor's being aware of it; and that he had acquainted the Lord Treasurer with it from the consideration of the great credit and confidence which she reposed in his Lordship; that it was not usual at Court for the Queen to be troubled with the particulars attending the execution of any such w...