For though there be no appearance of any stir, yet, I say, they will receive a terrible blow this parliament, and yet they shall not see who hurts them.

This counsel is not to be contemned, because it may do you good, and can do you no harm: for the danger is past as soon as you have burned the letter.

And I hope God will give you the grace to make good use of it, unto whose holy protection I commend you."[*] * King James's Works, p.

227.
Monteagle knew not what to make of this letter; and though inclined to think it a foolish attempt to frighten and ridicule him, he judged it safest to carry it to Lord Salisbury, secretary of state.

Though Salisbury, too, was inclined to pay little attention to it, he thought proper to lay it before the king, who came to town a few days after.
To the king it appeared not so light a matter; and from the serious, earnest style of the letter, he conjectured that it implied something dangerous and important A "terrible blow," and yet "the authors concealed;" a danger so "sudden," and yet so "great;" these circumstances seemed all to denote some contrivance by gun powder; and it was thought advisable to inspect all the vaults below the houses of parliament.