Note 307 — Chapter VII
Reading edition
See Goodman's remarks on this subject (Court of King James, i. 106). The author of the Politician's Catechism writes: "It is very certaine that Percy and Catesby might have been taken alive, when they were killed, but Cecil knew full well that these two unfortunate Gentlemen would have related the story lesse to his owne advantage, than himself caused it to be published: therefore they were dispatched when they might have been made prisoners, having no other weapons, offensive or defensive, but their swords."