92 DIGBY. that never wronged you. However, I am still of the same mind, and can think no place safer than my own house, wherein if I perish by your means, the guilt will light on you, and I doubt not but I shall receive a crown of martyrdom, dying innocently. God, I trust, will take a poor widow into his protection, from a l l those which, without cause, are risen u p against me. “Your poor kinswoman, “ LETTICE OFFALEY.” “P.S. I f the conference you desire d o but concern the contents o f this letter, I think this answer will give you full satisfaction; and I hope you will withdraw your hand, and shew your power i n more noble actions.” After his lordship had received this answer, h e dis charged his piece o f ordnance against the castle, which, a t the first shot, broke and flew i n pieces; but his men continued, with their musquets and other arms, t o fire until the evening, when they took away the broken ordnance, and marched off i n the night. But prior t o their departure his lordship sent the following letter thus directed:— “To my noble cousin, the Lady Lettice, Baroness o f Offaley. “Madam, “I received your letter, and am still tender o f your good and wel fare, though you give n o credit thereunto. And, whereas, you d o under stand b y relation, that my piece o f ordnance did not prosper, I believe you will b e sensible o f the hazard and loss you are like t o sustain thereby, unless you will b e better advised t o accept the kind offer which I men tioned i n my letter unto you i n the morning; i f not, expect n o further favour a t my hands, and s o I rest, your ladyship's loving cousin, “LEWIS GLANMALEROE.” To which my lady returned answer b y one o f her own men, who was kept prisoner:— “My Lord, “Your second summons I have received, and should be glad t o find you tender o f my good. For your piece o f ordnance, I never disputed how i t prospered, presuming you would rather make use o f i t for your own defence, o r against enemies, than t o try your strength against a poor widow o f your own blood; but since you have bent i t against me, let the blood which shall b e shed b e required a t their hands that seek i t
for my part, my conscience tells me that I am innocent, and wishing you s o too, I rest, your cousin,
LETTICE OFFALEY
LE . ” She was further menaced b y Charles Dempsie, who wrote the following letter, with the design o f sending i t t o
