164 THE CECILS
Street and elsewhere, ' Here lieth the toad at Court, and here lieth the toad at London.' They attributed to him ' the injustice,' as they were pleased to call it, of keeping Essex in prison. They vilified his person in taverns and eating-houses, observing ' that it was an unwholesome thing to meet a man in the morning who had a wry neck, a crooked back, and a splay foot.' So powerful was the influence of the Earl, and so audacious were his followers, that none dared to contradict them." l It must be remembered that Essex was the popular favourite, and that the people were quite in the dark as to the nature of his offence. Then came the fiasco of the Essex rebellion. One of the Earl's cries was that " the Crown of England was offered to be sold to the Infanta," and at his trial he tried to justify himself by saying that Cecil had maintained to one of his fellow- councillors that the title of the Infanta to the Crown was as good as any other. Whereupon a dramatic scene occurred. ' Upon this his allega- tion, Mr. Secretary, standing out of sight in a private place, only to hear (being much moved with so false and foul an accusation), came suddenly forth and made humble request to the Lord Steward that he might have the favour to answer for himself." This being granted, Cecil made an eloquent speech in his own defence, and finally urged that the name of Essex's informant might be given. This Essex refused, but stated that the Earl of Southampton had also
1 Brewer, p. 140.
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