Note 469 — APPENDIX N.

First they hyred the Howse at Westminster of one Ferris,[469] and havinge the howse they sought to make a myne under the upper howse of Parliament, and they begann to make the myne in or about the xi of December, and they five first entered into the worke, and soone after toke an other unto them, havinge first sworne him and taken the Sacrament, for secrecye. And when they came to the wall,—that was about three yards thicke,—and found it a matter of great difficultie, they tooke to them an other in like manner, with oath and Sacrament as afore sayd. All which seaven, were gentlemen of name and bloode, and not any man was employed in or about that action,—noe not so much as in digginge and myning that was not a gentleman. And having wrought to the wall before Christmas, they reasted untill after the holydayes, and the day before Christmas,—having a masse of earth that came out of the myne,—they carryed it into the Garden of the said Howse, and after Christmas they wrought on the wall till Candlemas, and wrought the wall half through, and sayeth that all the tyme while the others wrought he stood as Sentynell to descrie any man that came neere, and when any man came neere to the place, uppon warninge given by him they rested untill they had notyce to proceed from hym, and sayeth that they seaven all lay in the Howse, and had shott and powder, and they all resolved to dye in that place before they yeilded or weare taken.