Thomas Percy (Gunpowder Plot) - Monteagle Letter

Monteagle Letter

On Saturday 26 October, at his house in Hoxton, Monteagle received an anonymous letter that warned him to stay away from Parliament. Uncertain of its meaning, he delivered it to Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury. Cecil was already aware of certain stirrings, although he did not then know the exact nature of the plot or who exactly was involved. Instead of informing the king immediately, he decided to wait and watch what happened. Catesby's reaction to news of the letter's existence was somewhat different; he and Wintour suspected Francis Tresham was its author and the two went to confront him. Tresham managed to convince them of his innocence, all the while urging them to abandon the plot. Percy reacted to the news by declaring that he was ready to "abide the uttermost trial". He may have visited the infant Prince Charles on 1 November, indicating perhaps that some rearrangement of the plan was being considered. The deposition of a servant claimed that Percy visited the prince's lodgings and "made many enquiries as to the way into his chamber", although the statement came too late for Percy to comment on it.

Percy visited Northumberland at Syon House, west of London, on 4 November. Fraser suggests that his visit was a "fishing expedition", to find out what, if anything, Northumberland had heard about the letter. This "expedition" later proved disastrous for the earl, who claimed that there was nothing treasonable about their conversation, and that Percy had merely asked him "whether he would command any service" before leaving. Percy then went to another of Northumberland's properties, Essex House in London, and spoke with his nephew, Josceline. Later that evening he met with Wintour, John Wright and Robert Keyes, and assured them that all was well. He then travelled to his lodgings along Gray's Inn Road, where he left orders for his horses to be made ready for an early departure the next morning.