Bacon, in answer, repeated what he said so often--"That he had spent more time in vain in studying how to make the Earl a good servant to the Queen and State than he had done in anything else." Once more Coke got the proceedings into a tangle, and once more Bacon came forward to repair the miscarriage of his leader.
"'I have never yet seen in any case such favour shown to any prisoner; so many digressions, such delivering of evidence by fractions, and so silly a defence of such great and notorious treasons.

May it please your Grace, you have seen how weakly he hath shadowed his purpose and how slenderly he hath answered the objections against him.

But, my Lord, I doubt the variety of matters and the many digressions may minister occasion of forgetfulness, and may have severed the judgments of the Lords; and therefore I hold it necessary briefly to recite the Judges' opinions.' "That being done, he proceeded to this effect: "'Now put the case that the Earl of Essex's intents were, as he would have it believed, to go only as a suppliant to her Majesty.
Shall their petitions be presented by armed petitioners?
This must needs bring loss of property to the prince.

Neither is it any point of law, as my Lord of Southampton would have it believed, that condemns them of treason.

To take secret counsel, to execute it, to run together in numbers armed with weapons--what can be the excuse?
Warned by the Lord Keeper, by a herald, and yet persist! Will any simple man take this to be less than treason ?' "The Earl of Essex answered that if he had purposed anything against others than those his private enemies, he would not have stirred with so slender a company.