[1] As this falſe muttering flewe abrode, it was holpen forwarde by Thomas Cannon, and other of Skeffington hys ſeruauntes, who ſticked not to write to certayne of theyr friends, as it were, very ſecrete letters, howe that the Earle of Kyldare theyr mayſter hys ſecrete e|nimie (ſo they tooke hym, bycauſe hee gotte the gouernment ouer hys heade) was already cut ſhorter, as his iſſue preſently ſhoulde bee, and nowe they truſted to ſee theyr mayſter in hys gouernment, after whiche they ſore longed, as for a preferment, that woulde in ſhorte ſpace aduauntage them. Suche a letter came to the handes of a ſimple Prieſt, no perfect En|gliſhman, who for haſte hurled it among other Papers in the Chimneys ende of hys Cham|ber, meaning to peruſe it better at more leyſure. The ſame very night, a Gentleman retayning to the Lord Thomas, the lord Iuſtice or Vice|deputie, as is before ſpecified, tooke vp his lod|gyng with the Prieſt, and raught in the mor|ning when he roſe for ſome Paper, to drawe on his ſtrayte ſtockings, and as the Diuell would, he hit vpon the letter, bare it away in the heele of his ſtocke, no earthly thyng miſdeeming. At night againe he founde the Paper vnfretted, and muſing thereof he beganne to poare on the wri|ting, which notified the Earle his death, and the apprehenſion of the Lorde Thomas. To horſe goeth he in all haſt,Iames Dela|hide. brought the letter to Iames Delahide, who was a principall counſaylour to the Lorde Thomas in all his doings. Dela|hide hauing ſcantly ouerread the letter, making more haſt than good ſpeede, poſted to the Lorde Thomas, imparted him that letter, and withall putting fire to flaxe, before hee diued to the bot|tome of this treacherie, hee was contented to ſwim on the ſkum and froth thereof, as well by foothing vp the tenour of the letter, as by inci|ting the Lorde Thomas to open rebellion, cloa|king the odious name of treaſon, with the zea|lous reuengement of his fathers wrongfull exe|cution, and with the warie defence of his owne perſon.