Essex was imprisoned in 1599 after returning from his command in Ireland without licence; his mother came to London to intercede for him with the Queen. She tried to send Elizabeth a present in the form of a gown, which Elizabeth neither accepted nor refused. Her efforts to get sight of her son made matters worse: "Mislike is taken that his mother and friends have been in a house that looks into York Garden where he uses to walk, and have saluted each other out of a window." Both his military incompetence and his "de facto" abandonment of his post were condoned on that occasion, but rather than count his blessings and hold his peace, he became malcontent, chaffed at his failures, and fell into rebellion. During Essex' revolt, trial, and execution in February 1601, Lettice remained at Drayton Basset. The event was a comprehensive personal disaster for her, because she lost not only her son but also her beloved third husband, who was, she wrote, her "best friend". Sir Christopher Blount was executed on 18 March 1601, three weeks after the execution of his stepson, to whom he had been a friend and confidant for many years. Sir Christoper had taken in Mary Cresswell and after he died she was looked after by Lettice. Lettice was alarmed when she discovered that Cresswell was set on becoming a nun. With the aid of her chaplain she close to brainwashed the child until she finally accepted the protestant faith. Cresswell's life story would in time be well known.