Hand Brice Blair in his Depositions Bertram 's Deposition March 3. 169â— Capt. Porter 's Deposition March 3. 1695 6. La Ruë 's Deposition Febru 26. 1695 6. The Earl of Aylesbury and Sir John Friend Capt. Porter 's Deposition March 14. 1695 6. Goodman 's Deposition April 24. 1696. Goodman 's Deposition April 24. 1696. Brice Blair's Deposition March 16. 1695 6. Sweets 's Deposition March 18. 1695 6. La Ruë 's Deposition Febr. 26. 1695 6. James Ewbanks 's Deposition March 23. 1695 6. Goodman 's Deposition April 24. 1696. Capt Porter 's Deposition April 15. 1696. Brice Blair 's Deposition March 16. 1695 6. They represent us as an â—ntractable Seditious and R belliâ—us People always Jealous of our Neighbors and seldom in Quiet among ourselves See the Second Book of the History of thâ— Revolutions in England Brice Blair in his Deposition March 9. 1695 6. Brice Blair 's Deposition March 9. 1695 6. Father d'Orleans wrote the History of the Revolutions iâ— England according to the Memoirs and Informations which he receiv'd from the Earl of Castlemain Skelton and Sheridon an Irish-Man And besides he tells us that he had the Liberty to Discourse with King James as long as he pleas'd See the Advertisement before the Third Tome Book II. p. 371. Book II. p. 370. 〈◊〉 II. p. 471. ' Twou'd have been thought ridiculous if even before the Late Persecution of the Protestants one shou'd have talk'd of the Popish Cabal in France * So he terms the Vertue and Magnanimity of 〈◊〉 who hazarded their Lives and Estates for the Preservation of their Country They came over in a Vessel which usually past betwixt Calais and Rumney Marsh bringing over Packets to the Conspirators with French Goods and certain Jacobite Passengers who were wont to go and come betwixt these two places And among them there there were certain Priests who oftentimes exported Contraband Goods c. James Hunt s Depositioh April 6. 1696. George Harris 's Deposition April 15. 1696. George Harris 's Deposition April 15. 1696. * T was Maxwell who acquainted the Conspirators with this passage * Chambers Knightly April 2. 1696. Francis de Larue 's Deposition February 26. 1695 6. Capt. George Porter's Deposition March 3. 1695 6. Brice Blair 's Deposition March 9. 1695 6. George Harris 's Deposition April 15. 1696. The brave Grillon refus'd to assassinate the Duke of Guise tho the Proposal was made to him by his Soveraign Henry III. of France And when King John of England would have perswaded Debray the Captain of his Guards to assassinate a Prince that pretended a right to his Crown that generous Officer reply'd That he was a Gentleman and not a flangman and immediately retir'd to his House Richard Fishers 's Deposition February 25. 1695 6. Larne's Deposition February 26. 1695 6. Capt. Porter's Declaration upon Oath before a Committee of the Council March 3. 1695 6. Capt. Porter March 3. 1695 6. Capt. George Porter's Deposition March 3. 1695 6. Larue 's Deposition February 25. 1695 6. * Chambers †Durant * Sir William Parkyn own'd that 〈◊〉 such a â—â—mmisiâ—n which he understood to be King James's that it had a Seal to it that he saw it in the Hand of a Friend c. See the Votes of the House of Commons April 2. 169â— * King Francis de Larue 's Deposition February 26. 1695 6. Capt. Porter 's Deposition March 3. 1695 6. Febr. 13. Febr. 14. The Salic Law which is said to be as ancient as Pharamond is an undeniable Argument that the French suppos'd their Government to be as it really was a Hereditary Monarchy * Mezeray says expresly That if the French had ascrib'd that Regulation to the Pope they would have discover'd themselves to be ignorant of their own Right Abreg Chronol p. 206. †Mezeray affirms that the Consent of the People of France was the best Title which Hugh Capet who succeeded Charles cou'd pretend to his Crown Abreg Chron. p. 454. ð„ Two Races of Kings have enjoy'd the Crown of France by Virtue of these Regulations that were made for the good of the State †He deserves not the Name of an Englishman who believes with Father d' Orleans That the Power of the English Monarchs is originally as absolute and arbitrary as any Power can possibly be that 't is founded on a Right of Conquest which the Conqueror exercis'd and settl'd in its utmost extent that at first the Parliaments were only Seditious Conventicles erected upon the occasion of a Successful Revolt of the English Nobility who sinding themselves able to prescribe Laws to their Masters assum'd the Power of granting Subsidies c. that afterwards the Kings being oblig'd to call 'em when they stood in need of Supplies these Meetings began to be look'd upon as a lawful Senate and by degrees acquir'd an establish'd Form and the Authority which they enjoy at present History of the Revolutions in England Book III. p. 294. When Father d' Orleans declaims against the Republicans he usually runs to the opposite Extremity and commends the most pernicious Maxims of Despotic Tyranny such as Governing without a Parliament is and will always be Reputed in this Kingdom See the History of the Revolutions in England Book II. * Capt Fisher's Deposition †See the Bishop of Soissons s Order about the beginning of April * Capt Fisher's Deposition Charnock Sir John Freind Rookwood Cranbourn A Declaration of the sense of Archbishops Bishops c.
he told him that they were only to follow the King that Dumont was to give the Blow and that after the business was done they might easily make their escape and leave Dumont to take his Fortune But both Dumont and Leefdael repented their Engaging in so black a Villany and discover'd what they knew of it almost at the same time the one to a Prince in Germany who was his Majesty's particular Friend and the other to some Magistrates in Holland who had a sincere affection to the Person and Interest of that Monarch Grandval was taken and receiv'd the just Reward of his Crimes after he had made a full Confession without being put to the Torture He seem'd to be very penitent and declar'd with some resentment at his Death that he was ruin'd by the Authors of that detestable Project There was a Detachment made from the Duke of Luxemburg's Army consisting of Three Thousand Horse who were to be Posted at the Advanc'd Guard to receive the Murderers This is a Circumstance that ought not to be forgotten for 't is plain they took this way that the Assassination might be look'd upon as a Stratagem of War And 't is probable that either it was propos'd at first as an Attempt to carry away the King or that they resolv'd after the Blow was given to make it pass under that Notion 'T is evident that this barbarous Design was the Favourite Project of the Party since they continu'd to pursue it after so Remarkable a Disappointment If we examine the whole Course of their Proceedings since that time it will appear that the Conspiracy which was lately discover'd in this Kingdom was the same with that in which Grandval was engag'd and this is more than a bare Conjecture since 't is confirm'd by the Deposition of one of the Conspirators The Conspiracy says he hath been carrying on a great while for some Years And it originally came from Colonel Parker especially as to my knowledge of it and that was Five or Six Years ago at St. Germains when I was there He propos'd it to me and said he wou'd propose it to my Lord Melford c. We have already observ'd that the Assassination of his Majesty was contriv'd and resolv'd upon in order to the Invasion of his Subjects and we have reason to believe that the Design of God in preserving his Life was to make him once more our Deliverer For 't was He alone who oppos'd our impending Ruine and and baffl'd the Designs of our Enemies He prevented the Loss of the Netherlands by wise Delays and took such Measures as might one Day put him in a Condition to Recover what he cou'd not then Preserve He hasten'd the Sailing of the Dutch Fleet and fitted out his own with such diligence and expedition that notwithstanding the utmost Efforts the French cou'd make to prevent us they were oblig'd to encounter with Two Fleets when they expected only to have met with One. When his Enemies had recourse to their wonted Artifices and endeavour'd to corrupt the Officers of his Navy he not only defeated their Treacherous Project but made their Stratagem Fatal to themselves For Admiral Carter was order'd to Treat with 'em and amuse 'em with a seeming Compliance till they sell into the Snare which they had prepar'd for us He sent the Earl of Portland with secret Instructions to the Queen that She might not even in his absence be oblig'd to depend upon the Advice and Opinions of any other Council but himself In pursuance of these Orders Warrants were issu'd out to apprehend suspected Persons the Arms Horses and Magazines of the disaffected Party were seiz'd the Army was put into a posture of defence care was taken to prevent Tumults and disorderly Meetings and the Officers of the Fleet were engag'd by new obligations to continue Faithful to the Government These were the Measures that were taken to preserve us and God was pleas'd to bless our Industry and to assert the justice of our Cause by a glorious and important Victory The Fate of Europe was decided in one Day at La Hague and every Nation had its share in the Consequences of that memorable Action We who were more immediately concern'd in the Danger and Deliverance and who had been so long alarm'd with the Expectation of the approaching Storm cou'd hardly forbear Trembling even in the midst of our Joy when we reflected on the dismal Alterations which we must have beheld if the success had answer'd the Hope and Design of our Enemies For after such a Victory the French might have drawn immense sums from England either as a Reimbursment for the Charge of the War or as a Subsidy impos'd upon a subdu'd Nation They might have added above a Hundred Men of War to their Fleet and encreas'd their Land-Forces with the formidable Addition of Fifty Thousand English Men by whose Assistance they might have enlarg'd their Conquests while we shou'd have been oblig'd to entertain an Army of Enemies to compleat the destruction of our Country under pretext of supporting the Authority of their Allie In Ireland the Papists wou'd have reacted their former Barbarities and dispossess'd the Protestants a second time of their Goods and Estates In England they wou'd have renew'd their Claim to the Church-Lands and made us feel the severest Effects of their irritated Fury In both the Kingdoms those who had refus'd to take the Oaths to the present Government wou'd have been rewarded with the Places of those who had taken 'em and the Non-Swearing Clergy preferr'd to the richest Benefices The Offices of State and the best Posts in the Army wou'd have been bestow'd on those who had exprest the greatest Zeal in enslaving the Nation and the House of Peers wou'd have been fill'd with the most notorious Betrayers of their Country The Nobility whom they had the Impudence to represent as a Company of Traitors and Villains wou'd have been punish'd for their Fidelity to the State and for asserting their just Privileges with at least the Banishment of their Persons and Confiscation of their Estates and the Representatives of the Nation Proscrib'd for Loving and Serving their Country To conclude the Laws wou'd have been at the Mercy of those whose Interetst oblig'd 'em to violate and subvert Them and none must have expected Preferment but such as had merited the Favour of our Enemies by striving to encrease our Misery These Considerations which serv'd to confirm all True English-Men in their Affection and Fidelity to the Government were so many powerful Incentives to its Enemies to pursue their former Designs They continu'd still to hope that France might repair her Losses and be again in a condition to assist 'em but the Prospect was too distant to satisfie their eager Impatience And therefore they began to consult how they might be able to destroy the Nation without the Assistance of Foreigners 'T is thought the Party were not Novices in the
d upon the execrable Design and the treacherous Contrivers of it with a just Abhorrence and Indignation and every one ador'd a Miraculous Providence in which All were so nearly concern d Some reflected upon the Massacres Burnings and Persecutions and all the other dismal Instances of the implacable Rage of the Faction in former times and concluded that the Conspirators were afraid we had forgotten the Sufferings of our Ancestors and intended to refresh our Memory by re-acting the same Barbarities Others entertain d themselves with the melancholy Prospect of our future Condition if Heaven to punish our Crimes had suffer'd our Enemies to deprive us of our Glorious Deliverer And even the calmest Minds cou'd not preserve their wonted Tranquillity when they consider'd that after we had sustain'd so vast an Expence of Blood and Treasure to maintain our Religion and Liberty after we had been deliver'd from Arbitrary Power by the miraculous Assistance of Heaven and Ireland reduc'd by glorious Victories after we had made our selves Masters of the Sea and began to be Conquerors on Land that after these and so many other Blessings of Providence we shou'd have been forc'd to resume our broken Fetters and submit to the Insolent Revenge of a baffl'd Enemy Those who consider'd the Posture of Affairs abroad were soon convinc'd that the exeution of this detestable Project wou'd have been no less Fatal to Europe in general than to England in particular They were sensible that Our Disaster wou'd have broken the Confederacy and that t wou'd have been equally dangerous to the Allies to conclude a Peace or continue the War These were some of the Reflexions that were made upon this occasion by particular Persons while all in general were employ'd in blessing God for their wonderful Preservation and admiring the adorable Wisdom of Providence which had not only disappointed the Designs of our Enemies but so over-rul'd their Malice that their Projects serv'd only to confirm and strengthen the Union betwixt the King and his People by the Interest of their mutual Preservation But as our Representatives in Parliament are entrusted with the Management of Public Affairs and consequently have the deepest Share in the General Concerns of the Nation so there were none that were more sensibly affected with the Discovery or made more serious Reflexions upon His Majesty s Speech For both the Interest and Designs of the Faction are entirely opposite to those of that Illustrious Body The Former is a Secret Cabal that has been long Contriving our Ruine and the latter is a Public Council which Studies the Means to preserve us and therefore 't is no wonder that there shou'd be such a strong and lasting Antipathy betwixt ' em Since the Faction endeavor'd to destroy King James the I. and his Parliament by the famous Gun-powder Conspiracy they have been still intent upon the Hellish Design and forming new Projects to destroy us 'T is thought they were active Promoters of the Civil War which disturb'd the Reign of King Charles the First and was attended with consequences that will for ever be lamented by the Nation And none but those who are sorry for the bad Success of their Contrivances will deny that the Son and immediate Successor of that unfortunate Monarch was influenc'd by their pernicious Councils that they made him jealous of his most faithful Subjects and at last perswaded him to undermine the very Foundations of our Liberty by destroying the Freedom of Elections and Governing his People without the Advice of his Parliament During the late Reign they attack'd us with Authority and have been ever since endeavoring to regain the Ground they lost by the Revolution The same Design is still carry'd on but with this happy difference that Loyalty is become at last the distinguishing Mark of Honest Men and Traitors to their Country are look'd upon as Traitors to the Government For tho Treachery is usually said to be more dangerous than open Violence yet after all a Wise man wou'd rather chuse that the Enemies of his Country shou'd be Plotters than Oppressors The Faction which thanks to Heaven we can now call The Disaffected Party cannot endure a Prince who not only will not help 'em to destroy the Nation but was the Instrument whom God chose to preserve it and who instead of relying upon the Councils and Assistance of the Cabal makes it his principal care to preserve an entire Confidence and inseparable Union betwixt Him and His Parliament Less than this wou d have been sufficient to make the Faction Dispute his Title tho the very Hatred of those who Dispute it may be justly look'd upon as an evident and unexceptionable Confirmation of it 'T is to be presum'd that there are a considerable number of Persons engag'd in the Party who have Sense enough to perceive that 't is impossible to controvert His Majesty s Right to the Crown without denying us the common and most essential Privileges of a Nation For unless they pretend with the most furiously bigotted Papists that the Consent of the Head of their Church is necessary for the Establishment of the Secular Power or suffer themselves to be so miserably deluded by a new sort of Fanaticism as to imagine that every Race of Kings is establish'd by an immediate Oracle or supernatural Revelation they cannot refuse to acknowledge that the Safety and Consent of the People were the primitive and most sacred Foundations of Soveraign Authority and that the unanimous Suffrages of those who thought fit to enter into Societies for their own Preservation was the Voice of God himself in the first Establishment of Monarchy 'T is an undoubted and a remarkable Truth that those very persons who are angry with us for assuming a power to secure our Liberty by modifying our Laws upon so extraordinary an Occasion pretend a Right to the same Privilege and have more than once actually made use of it 'T is known that the Estates of France regulated the Succession by making a far more considerable Alteration in their ancient Laws than that for which we have been so often reproach'd in the case of Childeric III. who was succeeded by Pepin and that tho Pope Zachary pretended that this Regulation was made by vertue of his Approbation and Authority the People of that Kingdom have always refus'd to acknowledge him as the Author of that important Alteration and maintain'd that it was made by their own Representatives This Remark may be further confirm d by the instance of Charles of Lorrain who was dethron'd for the good of the State And 't is certain that since that time the French Kings never had nor have at this day any Title to the Crown but what is founded on this Establishment so that since a false Title to a Crown can never be rectify'd by Prescription 't is plain that if King VVilliam be not our Lawful and Rightful Soveraign France has for several Ages been govern'd by