Gordon Lunt and Thrilfall who came from Ireland with Declarations and Commissions from King James to the Roman-Catholics in several Counties of England They landed in Lancashire where they open'd their Commissions by which Gordon was appointed to go to Scotland Thrilfall to Yorkshire and Lunt to Staffordshire Cheshire and Lancashire In pursuance of these Orders they parted and went immediately to the respective Places that were allotted 'em where they executed their Commissions tho' with different Success Thrilfall had already finish'd his Negotiation in Yorkshire and was returning thro' Cheshire to Ireland when he was pursu'd upon Suspicion and kill'd as he was endeavouring to defend himself Lunt having perform'd his Commission was sent to London to levy Soldiers to be destributed among the Conspirators in the North. In his return from thence after he had Executed his Orders he was Seiz'd at Coventry by one of the Kings Messengers brought back to London and Committed to Newgate Five Months after he was set at Liberty having given Bail to appear next Hillary Term at the King's Bench from whence he was sent to be Try'd at the Assizes in Lancashire He was Committed for High-Treason to the Castle of Lancaster upon the Evidence of the Master of the Ship who brought him over from Ireland and the Officers of the Custom-house who found some of King James's Commissions among the Papers which he left in the Vessel But these were not the most Terrible Witnesses that were like to appear against him For about that time the Conspiracy was discover'd by two several Persons The first was Kelly who declar'd what he knew to the Mayor of Eversham in Worcestershire the Earl of Bellamont and some Persons of Quality in that Country who Communicated the Discovery to the Council But tho' his Deposition remain'd in the Hands of the Government his Person disappear'd so suddenly and in so strange a manner that we cou'd never afterwards hear an account of him His Fate continues a Mystery to this day but whether he was kill'd or carry'd away 't is certain that the Conspirators from that very time began to resume their Courage which was extremely sunk upon the News of his Discovery Dodsworth was the Second who alarm'd the Party by discovering the Conspiracy to a Member of Parliament who sent an account of it to one of the Secretaries of State by whose Order the Informer was brought from Lancashire to London And 't was found that his Deposition agreed exactly with that of Kelly tho' they were at a hundred Miles distance when they were examin'd Dodsworth was sent to the Castle of Lancashire to joyn his Evidence to the Testimony of the other Witnesses that were to appear against Lunt who nevertheless cou'd not be convicted according to the usual Forms of Law For when he was brought to his Tryal the Master of the Ship who brought him from Ireland either was or pretended to be sick And the Officers of the Custom-house cou'd not swear that the Papers which were produc'd in the Court were the same which they found in the Ship because they had forgotten to mark ' em Thus the whole Evidence being reduc'd to the single Testimony of Dodsworth Lunt tho' apparently Guilty was acquitted and both the Court and Jury chose rather to absolve a Criminal than to violate the least Circumstance of the Law A rare Instance of Justice and Moderation which at once may serve to convince us of the Mildness and Clemency of the present Government and of the extravagant Prejudice of those who wou'd exchange it for Arbitrary Power and of two things which seem to be equally the Objects of our Admiration leaves us in doubt whether we have greater reason to Love and Esteem the Former or to Hate and Detest the Latter Lunt by his Services and Sufferings had so far insinuated himself into the Favor and Confidence of his Party that in a Meeting of Jacobites at Standish-Hall in Lancashire he was chosen to go to France to acquaint King James with the present posture of his affairs here and to know what Assistance might be expected from him The Answer he brought was that the late King was preparing to come in Person to England the next Spring and that in the mean time he wou'd send 'em his last Instructions by a sure and faithful Hand Not long after Walmuly and Parker came to England by that Prince's Order and appointed a Meeting of the principal Persons of their Faction at Dungen-Hall where they deliver'd the Commissions and Presents they had brought from France and at the same time assur'd 'em that King James wou'd speedily land in England with a sufficient Force to support ' em In the mean they were putting all things in readiness at la Hogue for the intended Expedition The Preparations they made were very great and the Measures they had taken seem'd to promise Success as it will appear by the following account of ' em By the Articles that were agreed upon at the surrender of Limerick the French had cunningly reserv'd a Liberty to retain a very considerable Body of the Irish Forces in their Service whom they design'd upon the first convenient occasion to send over to England These Troops consisted of such as were most deeply engag'd in the routed Party and long'd for a Second War to make up the Losses they had sustain'd in the First They were rather irritated then discourag'd by their late Misfortunes and so unaccustom'd to Labor that the love of Idleness joyn'd to the desire of Booty had made 'em forsake their native Country Besides they look'd upon our Happiness with Envy and Rage and cou'd not endure to be Subject to those whom they once hop'd to enslave Such Men as these were the fittest to be employ'd in a Design of this Nature and in all probability wou'd have prov'd the most effectual Instruments of our Destruction if they cou'd have found an opportunity to join the Disaffected Party among us There were Three sorts of Persons in this Nation whom we might justly look upon as Domestic Enemies First the zealous and bigotted Roman-Catholics or rather all Roman-Catholics in general for tho' some of 'em appear'd more cautious and moderate than the Rest 't was the general opinion of the Party that all the Papists in England wou'd take up Arms on that occasion The Second Order of Jacobites consisted of the late King's Servants who ow'd their Fortune and Preferment to his Favor And the Third comprehends those whose Interest and Safety depended upon the Subversion of the Laws Men of turbulent Spirits and desperate Fortunes who hop'd to raise themselves upon the Ruins of their Country Such Persons as these are at once our Plague and our Reproach but the Breed is not peculiar to England for every Nation has its share in the common Calamity and has the misfortune to produce a Set of Men who seem to be in Love with Disorder and are never more
of which were paid and the rest promis'd Charnock and Harrison were look'd upon by the Court at St. Germains as Persons in whom they might place an Entire Confidence The Project of Assassinating the King was doubtless Communicated to 'em by Parker who is thought to be the first Contriver of it Those who are engag'd in such Barbarous Designs endeavor to find a sort of Justification or Excuse in the Atrocity of their Guilt Every new Crime stretches their Conscience to make room for a Sin of a larger Size and Emboldens 'em both to Contrive and Commit the most Horrible Villanies Nor is it probable that he conceal'd the Design from Porter and Goodman with whom both before and after his Imprisonment he entertain'd an Intimate Correspondence However 't is certain that these Four Men were either the first Contrivers of the Project or at least consulted about the most proper Ways to put it in Execution after it was Communicated to ' em At first they only mention'd the Seizing of the King and the carrying of him to France either because they had no other Intention at that time or because they fancy'd that even the Faintest Sense of Honor and Vertue might make the Conspirators reject the startling Proposal of an Assassination 'T is plain from their Proceedings afterwards that their seeming Moderation on this Occasion was not the effect of any Inclination they had to spare His Majesty's Life That Barbarous Design was propos'd under several and very different Notions according to the Characters of those to whom it was Communicated They usually contented themselves with mentioning the carrying away of the King when they imparted the Project to those in whom they found some unextinguish'd Sparks of Honor but they scrupl'd not to own the Assassination in the broadest Terms to those who they perceiv'd were transported by a brutish and ungovern'd Fury Yet even those who had made the greatest progress in putting off all Humanity cou'd not forbear discovering the inward Horror that rack'd their guilty Consciences Their Minds were so agitated by a Sense of the Enormity of their Crime that they cou'd not fix upon the Way of executing it Sometimes they concluded that the quickest way to bring in King James and restore him to his Crown was by knocking King William on the Head Sometimes they resolv'd to hurry the King away to Rumney-Marsh and from thence to carry him over to France And in some of their Consults 't was determin'd to carry him-alive into France if they cou'd if they cou'd not take him alive then to Assassinate him and pretend it was done by a Random Shot Brice Blair was one of the first to whom they communicated the Design He was a Scotch-Man by Birth and educated a Presbyterian but afterwards turn'd Papist All the Time he had spent in the Service cou'd not procure him a higher Post than that of a Lieutenant and therefore he resolv'd to take a nearer tho a more indirect way to Preferment Yet neither his Religion nor Ambition cou'd make him so much an Enemy to Honor and Virtue as to be a fit Companion for the Conspirators He was never present at those Consults where 't was examin'd whether the Assassination or the Carrying away of the King was the quickest or surest way to bring in King James and restore him to his Crown for when Charnock propos'd the Design to him by the least odious name he rejected it in such a manner that they durst never mention it to him afterwards Not long after Porter and Goodman communicated the Project to Sir George Barelay who was then in England and just ready to go over to France They desir'd him to acquaint King James with their Design that if he appro'd it he might send 'em a Commission with a Pardon included in it It seems Barclay did not send 'em the Commission they expected But some time after Charnock told Goodman that there was an Order to seize the Prince of Orange for so they usually call'd his Majesty Upon this advice a Consult was held where Charnock produc'd one Waugh that was lately come from France who told 'em that he expected a Commission to seize the King This was look'd upon as a sufficient Encouragement to set all their Engines at Work in order to a vigorous prosecution of the Grand Design They held Meeting after Meeting to concert the Methods of executing it In these Consults some of the Conspirators acquainted the rest with the Intelligence they had at Deal where they resolv'd to secure a Vessel To this Effect they sent for a Man who offer'd to furnish 'em with one but dismist him because they cou'd not agree about the Price Then they resum'd their Debates about the Commission but since they had none to produce they broke up without coming to a Conclusion Some days after Charnock Porter and Waugh met at Brentford where they consulted about the Ways of executing the Attempt They view'd the Ground consider'd the Houses where they shou'd place their Men and waited till his Majesty shou'd return from Richmond that they might observe the Guards who accompany'd him and his usual Way of Travelling They continu'd their Meetings during the Months of January February and March 1694 5 and in one of their Consults at the Mitre-Tavern in St. James's Market the Design was communicated to Lariie whom they look'd upon as a Person entirely devoted to the Faction because he had suffer'd a long and tedious Imprisonment upon suspicion of holding Intelligence with the Enemies of the Government He embrac'd the proposal and perhaps was really willing to be engag'd in it tho if we reflect upon the Manner and Circumstances of his Discovery it may be presum'd that he only seem'd to comply with 'em that the Confidence they plac'd in him might enable him to acquaint the Government with the dark Intrigues of its treacherous Enemies The Conspirators were all the while kept in Expectation of a Commission which was retarded by several Accidents Waugh had told King James that the Earl of Arran and the Lord Forbes were willing to be concern'd in the Design to carry away the King but when he attempted to discourse with 'em on that Subject after his return from France they both refus'd to have any thing to do with him 'T was reported among the Conspirators that the News of this Disappointment stop'd the sending of the Commission which was already Sign'd and expected by every post And besides there was one Crosby who went to France and talk'd so freely and particularly of the Design'd Attempt that 't was plain he was better acquainted with the secrets of the Faction than they either imagin'd or desir'd Parker wrote upon this occasion to Porter and Goodman who assur'd him that they had never communicated the Design to Crosby However it seems the Court of St. Germains were so alarm'd by this and other Accidents that they resolv'd to
Kensington One of 'em was to give notice when the King went out and the other was to bring an account when the Guards began to March And that the Assassination might pass under the Notion of a Military Exploit they produc'd an Order to take up Arms against the Prince of Orange and his Adherents There was some Difference among the Conspirators concerning the Terms and Expressions of the Commission even after they had confess'd their Crime For some of 'em acknowledg'd that it contain d an express order to Kill the King whereas others pretended that it only authoriz'd em in the general to levy War against the Prince of Orange and all his Adherents 'T is the Opinion of several Judicious Persons that the most considerable Discovery was made by those who endeavour'd to put the fairest Construction on this execrable Project For to Levy War against the King and his Adherents after such a manner and in such Circumstances cou'd signifie nothing else than the Murdering of the King and Parliament and of all that lov'd and were resolv'd to maintain the Laws Religion and Liberty of England The Fifteenth of February was chosen for the Execution of the dire Attempt 'T was on that fatal Day that England or rather Europe was to lose its Deliverer and with him all its hopes of accomplishing the Great Work which he had so happily begun and 't was then that Heaven was resolv'd to work a new Miracle for our Preservation If we had foreseen the Danger that threaten'd him the remembrance of past Hazards wou'd have only serv'd to heighten our Apprehensions for the future His Subjects cou'd hardly have welcom'd him at his return from so glorious a Campaign and instead of celebrating his Victories wou'd have trembl'd at his Approaching Fate But we found to our Comfort that the same Providence which had so often cover d his Head in the Day of Battle and guarded him from the fiercest Assaults of his Enemies was also able to preserve him from the treacherous Fury of Assassins To prevent Suspicion they dispos'd their Men in different places of the Town and even in the remotest Parts of it Barclay and Rookwood expected the Signal in Holborn and Porter with some others waited upon the same account at the Blue Posts in Spring garden Charnock resolv'd to accompany the latter either because he mistrusted him and intended to animate him by his example or because he was willing to chuse a Post that was least expos'd to Danger as another of the Conspirators suspected And perhaps he had still so much Reason left notwithstanding the impetuous Paâ— on that disturb'd his Judgment as to decline acting in the most odious Part of the Tragedy Thus they lay expecting the News of the King's Departure for Richmond but his Majesty did not go out that day and some of the Conspirators were so alarm'd at this Disappointment that they began to reflect either upon the Danger or Infamy to which such an Attempt wou'd expose ' em Plowden who came purposely to Town to act under Porter went back to the Country and did not think fit to return according to his Promise Kenrick pretended that he was disabl'd by a Fall and appear'd for some days with his Arm in a String Sherbourn started so many Scruples when the Design was propos'd to him that they did not think fit to press him further And even the fiercest and most harden d Assassins began to be apprehensive of the Success of their Project But at last concluding that their Design was not discover'd because they were not secur'd Sir George Barclay Sir William Parkins Captain Porter and Goodman met on the 21st of February and resolv'd to make a new attempt to execute their Project without altering the Method of it In pursuance of this Resolution the Assassins were to be prepar'd for the bloody Action on Saturday the 22d of February which was to have been the last Day of our Liberty and the Fatal Aera of the irrecoverable Ruine of England The Morning was spent in an impatient Expectation of Advice from those whom they had appointed to give 'em notice when the King went out Charnock who for some days had been very uneasy and full of Jealousy and Suspicion sent a Man to Porter for a List of those who were to act in the Assassination He seem'd particularly to doubt Larue and perhaps was desirous to have some Satisfaction concerning him The List was sent to him with Larue's Name at the head of the rest and he sent it back again after he had inserted the Names of those whom he was to furnish Pendergrass was one of those who were with Porter They had sent for him out of the Country and wou'd have assign'd him a remarkable part in the Assassination Porter had a Musketoon that carry'd 6 or 8 Bullets with which Pendergrass was to shoot at the King and they desir'd him not to be afraid of breaking the Coach-glasses The Conspirators were disappointed a Second time and the boldest of 'em cou'd not forbear discovering their Fears when Keys acquainted 'em that the Guards were come back all in a foam and that there was an unusual muttering among the People This unexpected piece of News put 'em all into a Consternation the Cabal was entirely dispers'd and most of 'em endeavour'd to secure themselves by a speedy flight Nor was this meerly the effect of a Panic Dread or groundless Apprehension for the Conspiracy was actually detected Fisher Pendergrass Larue and another had separately given Information to Different Persons concerning it tho they had not yet discover'd the Particulars Captain Fisher was the Man whom God inclin'd to make the first Discovery of this inhumane Design He went to the Earl of Portland on the Tenth of February Five Days before the Time that was appointed for the Execution of it and inform'd him of the intended Enterprize without acquainting him either with the Time Manner or Circumstances which were not yet agreed upon but he promis'd to give him further notice as soon as they shou'd come to a positive Resolution And now we may justly reflect with an equal amazement upon the Sedateness and Generosity of his Majesty's Temper who cou'd hardly be perswaded to suspect those who only waited for a convenient opportunity to Murder him and the barbarous Fury of his Enemies who scrupl d not to conspire the Death of so Good and so Brave a Prince Any other Person wou'd have been startl'd at an Advice of this nature or at least wou'd have look'd upon it as too important to be neglected but the King secure in his own Vertue conscious of no Guilt and consequently incapable of Fear was so far from being alarm'd at the Discovery that he wou'd not give credit to it because the Circumstances were not particularly mention'd Three Days after Fisher return'd to Whitehall and gave the Earl of Portland an account not only of the Design
Cochram sent a Person in whom he confided to King James assuring him that in some parts of Scotland there were several Presbyterian Ministers who were the Leading Men of the Party and some Gentlemen of Note that were intirely at his disposal He offer'd his Interest to King James from whom he had receiv'd Fifteen Hnndred Pounds Sterl which he said he had faithfully distributed among his Creatures and desir'd him to send Three thousand Pounds more In the mean time he pretended an extraordinary Zeal for Liberty of Conscience and declar'd if King James wou'd not comply with his Subjects in that point he wou'd Wade thro a Sea of Blood to go thither Thus he was equally unfaithful to the Nation and to that Party which he seem'd to espouse by selling the Blood and Liberty of the Former for so small a Sum and by obliging the Latter to depend upon the Late King's Word for an Advantage of which they were already in possession and betraying 'em to those who are particularly animated against ' em Ferguson the noted Contriver of those Intrigues which at last prov'd Fatal to the unfortunate Duke of Monmouth fam'd for Inconstancy and Treason that Prodigy of Plotters whose whole Life is One black Mystery was also a busie Promoter of this execrable Design The Character that is given of him in the History of the Conspiracy against King Charles II. and the Duke of York which was Written by their Order is very remarkable and serves to shew us what use the Party intended to make of a Person with whose Temper they were so well acquainted The Author of that Book informs us that Ferguson was not only engag'd in the Design of Assassinating those two Princes but applauded it as a Glorious Work saying that it wou'd be an Admonition to all Princes to take heed how they oppress'd their Subjects and adding upon another occasion that it was never thought Injustice to Shoot or set Traps for Wolves and Tygers And one of the principal Conspirators speaking of a Blunderbuss which he intended to use in the Assassination of his Majesty broke out into this prophane Jest That Ferguson shou'd first Consecrate it In the same Book we are told that the Duke of Monmouth confess'd to the King That in all their Debates Ferguson was always for cutting of Throats saying that was the most Compendious Way That Ferguson himself when he took his leave of the Conspirators declar'd That he wou'd never be out of a Plot as long as he liv'd and that at one of their Consults he propos'd that Five or Six of the Old Rich Citizens shou'd be kill'd at First and their Estates given to the Mobile to terrifie the rest That 't was his constant Custom to out-do all the rest of the Conspirators by some peculiar Circumstance of Cruelty of his own Invention That upon all accounts of his restless Spirit fluent Tongue subtil Brain and hellish Malice he was perfectly Qualifi'd to be the great Incendiary and common Agitator of the whole Conspiracy and that after Shaftsbury's Death he was the Life and Soul of all especially for the carrying on of the Assassination While such Persons as these were endeavoring to incite the Presbyterians to Rebellion the Episcopal Party was cajol'd by some of the Depos'd Bishops or by certain Prelates that were sent as private Emissaries from King James And the same design was also zealously promoted by some Clergy-men who despair'd of Preferment under a Prince who makes Merit and Vertue the only Objects of his Favor and Bounty They were enrag'd to find themselves disappointed of the great Expectations they had conceiv'd in the preceding Reign when the Government designing to render the Church of England weak and contemptible made want of Merit one of the principal Recommendations to Advancement It must be acknowledg'd even by those who envy our present Happiness that the constant Care which is taken to bestow the Benefices and Dignities of the Church upon the most deserving Persons and to prefer the Desires of the People in the choice of their Pastors before the most pressing Solicitations of particular Persons is one of the distinguishing Beauties of this Reign The Merit of those who have been advanc'd to the Episcopal Function since the Revolution is sufficient either to stop the Mouths or baffle the Impudence of their most virulent Enemies And 't is known that these worthy Prelates are not only encourag'd but enjoin'd to make a conscientious use of the Power with which they are entrusted by virtue of their Office and Character to dispose of a considerable number of the Inferior Benefices So that 't is hard to imagine where the most impudent Malice can find a pretext to censure His Majesty's Conduct in this Point Nevertheless 't is certain that the Conspirators carry'd on their black Intrigues in all places and among all sorts of Persons and even were not asham'd to contradict themselves by endeavoring at once to perswade all the several Parties in the Kingdom that they had just cause of Complaint They suggested to the Rigid Presbyterians whose ungovern'd Zeal made 'em capable of such Impressions that they ought not to support a Prince who protected the Church of England And at the same time the Toleration he had granted to Dissenters was made use of as a pretext to render him odious to the hottest Asserters of Episcopacy He had already given us a sufficient Intimation of his Sentiments in this Case and of the Maxims he intended to pursue when he declar'd in the beginning of his Reign That He wou'd be King of his People and not of a Faction He lov'd moderate Persons in all Parties and resolv'd to maintain all his Subjects Indifferently in the Possession of their Privileges and Properties He wou'd never permit any Order or Set of Men to domineer over the rest of their Fellow Subjects but suted his Maxims to the Free and Manly Genius of his People who love to be Govern'd by Law He is naturally inclin'd to Goodness and Clemency and tho his Temper alone were not sufficient to secure us against uneasie Apprehensions the Consideration of his Interest wou'd infallibly restrain him from abusing his Authority The preceding Reign furnishes him with Instructing Examples and his Virtue is confirm'd by the Faults of his Predecessor He was advanc'd in opposition to Arbitrary Power and can never consent to the abolishing of those Laws on which his Authority is founded Nor can he endeavor to render himself absolute in one place without ruining his Interest in another for he is equally oblig'd to maintain the Laws of England that he may preserve his Authority in Holland and to preserve the Liberty of the Dutch that he may maintain his Power among us Never was the Interest and Happiness of a Prince so inseparably united to that of his People and never had Subjects less reason to be Jealous of the Authority of their Soveraign This is unquestion'd Matter of Fact a Truth
that can neither be deny'd nor conceal'd nor can the Conspirators themselves be suppos'd to be ignorant of it And therefore since they cannot discover or so much as pretend to discover any Faults in His Majesty to excuse their Malice against him they endeavor'd under the Shelter of his Virtues to carry on their execrable Designs The Honesty and Integrity of his Temper makes him incapable of Jealousy or Distrust and even seems to invite his Enemies to conspire against him Besides he has so great a regard to the Laws that he will not suffer 'em to be violated under any pretext whatsoever not even for the security of his Person and Government And 't is this which encourag'd the Conspirators to proceed with less Caution and Fear as the Reader will easily perceive by the Continuation of the History of their Proceedings Lunt was very active in performing his Commission and had made a considerable progress about the time when the French were expected in England He had been at London where he bought Arms Carabins Swords Pistols c. which he sent to Lancashire He had also listed Soldiers whom he sent to the same County and had receiv'd Money for their Subsistance from the Lord Molineux and others And by his Diligence and Success he had insinuated himself so far into the Favor and Esteem of the Party that he was sent back to France about a Year after the Action at La Hogue But before I proceed to give an account of his Voyage and Return it will not be improper to acquaint the Reader with the State and Disposition of the Court of St. Germains about the time of his Arrival there 'T is observable that the Policy of the Late King's Council has always consisted in altering their Measures according to the Circumstances of their Affairs That this has been their constant practice is plain from their Conduct at the beginning of the Revolution For upon the News of the Preparations in Holland he began to remove those instances of his Arbitrary Power that had render'd him odious to his People but as soon as he receiv'd advice of the pretended Shipwrack of the Dutch Fleet he repented his former design and sent Counter-Orders to Oxford Again when he left the Kingdom he endeavour'd to amuse us with new Promises which were industriously dispers'd among the People both in England and Scotland Particularly to oblige the Scotch to support his falling Interest he assur'd 'em That they and their Posterity shou'd see the Effect of the Promises which he had so often made 'em to maintain their Religion Liberty and Privileges But no sooner was he at the Head of his Party in Ireland and in a condition to pursue his old Maxims than he seem'd to have lost the very remembrance of his Promises and began immediately to persecute the Protestants The Defeat of his Army made him afterwards change his note and resume a Language of Sweetness and Moderation But after the Preparations at La Hogue had reviv'd his sinking Hopes he ventur'd once more to put off the Mask and talk'd of nothing but Conquest and Revenge At last their were two Parties form'd in his Court and while one of 'em wou'd have engag'd him to oblige himself to preserve the Antient Laws of England the other were still suggesting to him that 't wou'd be too mean a Condescensien to enter into a Treaty with his Subjects The two Cabals were headed by Middleton and Melford who enjoy'd their Master's Favor by turns and were successively entrusted with the Management of Affairs according to the variety of his Circumstances When he fancy'd himself in a Condition to subdue the Nation by Force Melford was his Favorite but when the posture of his Affairs oblig'd him to have recourse to Flattery and Complaisance Middleton was the principal Director of his Counsels The Factions were directly opposite and were distinguish'd both by their Names and Sentiments for the Middletonians were usually known by the Name of Compounders and the Melfordians had the Title of No Compounders Melford had still a Share in the Management of Affairs but his Interest was sinking proportionably with the Hope of Conquering England when to recover his Credit he contriv'd the Project of Assassinating his Majesty He had already engag'd Bromfield and Griffin who had their Correspondents in England And upon Lunt's arrival he propos'd the Design to him engag'd him in it and sent him to Dover to concert the means of executing it with Captain Noel Captain Walter Captain Roberts Pepper and Preston They had promis'd to Assassinate His Majesty and even Sign'd an Obligation to that Effect But after they had consulted with Lunt about the Means of Executing it they were seiz'd with Horror and Remorse and resolv'd to atone for their Crime by discovering it to the Council And that their Information might neither be slighted nor suspected they made use of one Taff who not long before had done a considerable Service to the Government and consequently was neither unknown nor unwelcome at Court. By this Man Lunt was introduc'd and had an opportunity to make his Discovery Some time after the Council sent 'em both to Lancashire with Captain Baker to seize and convict the Conspirators in that County The Search and Prosecution continu'd several Months with various Success The Accus'd Persons whose Names 't is thought fit to conceal absconded as soon as they were inform'd of the Discovery and the Design that was on Foot to bring 'em to Justice In the mean time their Houses were search'd and in them were found Saddles Swords Carabines great Quantities of Powder and Bullets Standards a Commission from King James c. At the Trial at Manchester Octob. 17. 1694. the Witnesses depos'd That the Persons whom they accus'd had receiv'd Commissions from the late King to Levy Troops that they had listed Soldiers and form'd 'em into Bodies with a Design to assist the French after their Landing that the Papists in Lancashire contributed for the Subsistence of these Troops that they were furnish'd with Officers Arms and all sorts of Ammunition for War c. But an unexpected Accident put a stop to the further Discovery of the Conspiracy and sav'd the Traitors from the just Punishment of their Crimes They had Money to offer and consequently cou'd neither want Friends nor Protection The First whom they gain'd was Taff He had been well rewarded for his late Service and expected a new Recompence for this Discovery tho he had contributed nothing towards it but the Assistance and Testimony which he gave to the Discover The disappointment of his Hopes made him listen to the advantageous Offers of the Faction and resolve to save his new Masters at the expence of his own Reputation for he was not asham'd to declare that the Lancashire Plot was a Fiction concerted betwixt Lunt and himself to Ruine some Gentlemen in that County This Declaration was follow'd
' â—is probable he expected great Rewards from them At first he had only a Troop in Parker's Regiment but since they knew he had an Estate they quickly put him in a way to spend it by sending him a Commission to Levy a Regiment of Horse Sir John Friend was a Citizen and Brewer of London oblig'd to the late King for an advantageous Place in the Excise However tho he was dissatisfy'd with the Revolution and refus'd to comply with the present Government he seem'd at first unwilling to engage in any Plot or Conspiracy against it The little Sense he had was sufficient to convince him that 't was not his Business to reform the Works of Providence and much less to declare himself an Enemy to his Religion and Country But neither his Judgment nor Conscience was able to resist his Vanity which was strong enough to make him sacrifice both for an empty Complement They show'd him a Letter from Melfort by which it appeard that King James plac'd a great deal of Confidence in him and the poor Man was even ravish'd with joy at his Old Master's Kindness He wrote a Letter to King James and receiv'd so obliging an Answer that to express his Gratitude he resolv'd to spend a good part of his Estate in his Service In pursuance of this Resolution he advanc'd considerable sums of Money upon several occasions which were pay'd in Parchment a sort of Coin that pass'd currantly among Persons of Sir John Friend's Character tho its intrinsic Value was scarce equal to that of the Irish Brass-Money Sir John receiv'd a Commission to be Colonel of Horse and Brice Blair whom the Party employ'd to draw him in was made his Lieutenant-Colonel The First had an Estate and the Second was a Soldier Sir John was to be at the Charge of raising the Men and Blair was to instruct him in the Duties of his new Occupation Besides Ferâ—uson was one of Sir John's particular Friends by whose Agency he endeavor'd to draw in the Presbyterians And he was so confident of the success of that Negotiation that he promâ—s'd to bring a considerable Number of 'em to meet the Late King at his Landing He entertain'd also an intimate Correspondence with Harrison and the Popish Rebels in some Counties with whom he was ready to joyn in the intended Massacre of the Protestants tho after all if we may take his own Word for 't he had the good Fortune to dye a Martyr for the Church and Religion of England Sir J hn Fenwick is a Man of Quality and had a considerable Estate He was a Colonel in the English Troops that were formerly sent to the Assistance of the Dutch and 't is said that he was cither dismâ—st from the Service or quitted it upon some disguâ—â— His disgrace in Holland serv'd to recommend him to the English Court and procur'd him the place of a Licutonaâ—t in the late King's Guâ—rds Since the Revolution he his spâ—r'd neither pains nor cost to promote that Prince's interest and as a Maâ—k of his Zeal and Fidelity undertook to Levy a Regiment of Horse f r his Service Yet tho the very Name he bears is odious to Protestants tho his Relations are Papists and his Brother a Priest and tho he was always distinguish'd by the peculiar confidence which the Faction plac'd in him among all the Informations I have yet had occasion to see there are none that charge him with having any hand in the Conspiracy against His Majâ—sty's Person But either his Confession or Trial will soon unriddle the Mystery and clear all our doubts concerning him These Three Men were each of 'em to Levy a Regiment of Horse and one Tempest of Durham had a Commission to raise one of Dragoons Besides they depended on Parker's Regiment for tho the Colonel was in France there were Commissions actually distributed to raise the Troops These were the Five Regiments of Horse and Dragoons which the Conspirators boasted they had in England They expected also a Body of Horse from Lancashire where a considerable number of Papists were still in a readiness to March to the Rendezvous Sir John Friend entertain'd a Correspondence with 'em and pay'd 'em Subsistence-Money either upon his own account or by Order And 't was by the Assistance of these Imaginary Forces that the Conspirators fancy'd themselves in a Condition to undertake the Conquest of Great Britain Some of em wou'd have perswaded the Faction to try their Fortune with their own Forces without waiting for the Assistance they expected from France They had taken so many Ways to prepare the Dispositions of the People that they concluded 'em to be generally ripe for an Insurrection Besides the King was in Flinders with his Army and the Conspirators were not much afraid of the small Number of standing Forces that were left for the Defence of the Kingdom And as Ten Seditious and Disaffected Persons make a greater Bustle than Ten Thousand Men who live in Quiet so the Jacobites who are scarce a Handful to the Honest Party in the Kingdom make as much noise as all the rest of the Nation The Impunity of their Crimes lessen'd their Remorse for 'em and the Clemency of the Government encourag'd 'em to conspire against it but since 't wou'd have been a difficult Task to bubble a whole Nation or to make 'em Actors in their own Destruction the Design of conquering England by an English Army was rejected as impracticable and the Conspirators found themselves oblig'd to depend upon the Assistance of the French 'T was about the end of May or the beginning of July 1695. that some of the most considerable Persons of the Faction met to deliberate about the present posture of their Affairs The Earl of Aylesbury the Lord Montgomery Son to the Marquess of Powis Sir John Friend Sir William Parkins Charnock Porter Goodman Cook c. were present at a Consult which was held at the Old King 's Head Tavern in Leaden Hall-Street where they agreed to send Charnock with a Message to King James entreating him to procure Eight Thousand Foot a Thousand Horse and a Thousand Dragoons from the French King Charnock accepted the Commission but desir'd to know what number of Forces he might offer in their Names upon which they promis'd to meet King James at the Head of Two Thousand Horse as soon as they shou'd receive the News of his Landing This was but a small Force for so great an Undertaking tho it will appear to be much above the Strength of the Faction if we consider the Ways they took to Levy and Subsist their secret Militia They tamper'd indifferently with all Indigent and Scandalous Persons especially the Officers and Soldiers who had contributed in Ireland to the Oppression of the Protestants or in England to the Subversion of the Laws They gave Money to the poorer Sort for their present Subsistence but kept 'em still in a necessitous Condition that
they might be oblig'd to depend upon the Party They endeavor'd to engage the Officers by Flattering 'em with Hopes of Preferment making the Ensigns Captains and promising Regiments to those who were Captains before For 't is neither Reason nor Justice but Licentiousness and Disorder that advance the Designs of a Faction Of their Troopers some had Money to buy Horses but there were few of this Number some reckon'd to borrow 'em upon occasion and others resolv'd to take 'em where they cou'd find ' em Sir John Fenwick was the Author of the last of these Projects for instead of rendering themselves suspected by providing a great number of Horses he advis'd 'em when the Design shou'd be ripe for Execution to seize on all the Horses they cou'd find in or about London And this Advice was so well lik'd by the Conspirators that some of 'em took care to take a List of the Horses Nor was this meerly the Effect of Sir John Fenwick's Prudence for he had already been so Liberal a Benefactor to the Faction that he found himself oblig'd to moderate his Expences for the Future His Creditors to whom he had resign'd his Estate allow'd him an Annuity which was sufficient for his Subsistence but not for carrying on his Designs Sir John Friend was almost in the same condition for he had advanc'd such considerable Summs for the subsistence of his Men that he was afraid if the Design of the Invasion shou'd miscarry he shou'd not have enough left to carry on his Trade Sir William Parkins had also put himself to a considerable Charge tho he had bought but Thirty Horses which was a meer Trifle in comparison to the Number he wanted And besides the Arms he had provided wou'd not have furnish'd the Twentieth part of his Regiment however they were more than he durst own and therefore he was forc'd to hide 'em in the Country To conclude they cou'd not but foresee that those whom they had drawn in by supplying their present Necessities wou'd not be so ready to encounter the apparent Dangers of the Attempt as they were to offer their Service 'T is plain from these Remarks that 't wou'd have been a hard Task for the Conspirators to make good their Promise to meet the Late King at the Head of Two Thousand Horse Besides the Charge of carrying on the Design was too heavy for those that were engag'd in it their Money was spent in useless Preparations and a longer Delay wou'd have been as dangerous as a rash and preposterous Haste Charnock was a Man of too much Sense and to well acquainted with the Strength of the Faction to rely upon the Promises they had made him And therefore he desir'd another Meeting which was held at a Tavern near Sir John Fenwick's Lodgings and consisted of the same Persons that were present at the former except the Lord Montgomery There Charnock desir'd to know whether they were resolv'd to make good their proposals and upon the new Assurances they gave him he undertook the Commission and some days after embark'd for France But the late King's Council did not think fit to Answer their Expectations For the Design was not yet ripe for Execution nor their Affairs either in England or France in such a Posture as they desir'd They had sounded the Inclinations of the Parliament People and Army and by several vain Attempts had endeavor'd to debauch their Fidelity 'T was their Interest and Desire that either the whole Army or a considerable part of it shou'd be disbanded by the Parliament that there might not be a sufficient number of standing Forces left to oppose the Conspirators To this end their Emissaries were instructed to exaggerate the unavoidable Inconveniencies of the War and to perswade the People and especially their Representatives that 't wou'd be necessary to encrease our Naval Force for the security of our Trade and at the same time to lessen an Army that was useful to Foreigners but only chargeable to our Selves How is the Nation cheated was their usual Cant and what occasion is there for so vast an Expence as if so brave a Fleet were not sufficient to defend us How are we degenerated from the Valor of our Ancestors how basely do we injure their glorious Memory by dreading an Enemy whom they have so often defeated and how poorly it sounds in the Mouth of an English-Man to talk of an Invasion from France By these and such like cunning Insinuations they wou'd have perswaded us that we were oblig'd in Honor to give our Enemies all the advantages they cou'd desire and that 't was a mark of Cowardice to put our selves in a posture of Defence But these Artifices did not take effect tho there were even some well-meaning Persons who had learn'd the Language and promoted the Designs of those who at the same time were plotting their Ruine They had endeavor'd to stir up the People to Rebellion or at least to try what might be expected from 'em if an Insurrection shou'd be begun In pursuance of this Design some Facobites taking advantage of the Mildness of the Laws and the Indulgency of the Government met at a noted Tavern where under pretext of a Drunken Frolic which they hop'd wou'd be either slighted or excus'd they assum'd the boldness to stop those who happen'd to pass that way and to make 'em drink a Health to King James and the pretended Prince of Wales But at last the People were so incens'd and broke into the House with so much Fury that the Impudent Rioteers fearing to be torn in pieces by the Rabble were glad for their own security to be seiz'd and carry'd to Newgate They had also form'd a Project to surprize the Tower to favor the intended Insurrection but all the Friends they had in it were not able to make 'em Masters of that important Place nor cou'd they hope to keep it if they shou'd have succeeded in the Attempt They had in the last place endeavor'd to corrupt the Forces that were left in the Kingdom but had no great reason to boast of their Success For except some Troopers in the Earl of Oxford's Regiment and here and there an Officer or a Soldier in the Militia there were none who wou'd be engag'd in so black an Enterprize Nor was the posture of their Affairs in France more encouraging than in England For Lewis XIV stood in need of all his Forces to oppose the Confederates whom he cou'd not hinder from making considerable Conquests We were Masters of the Sea and were either preparing or had actually begun to Bombard his Sea-port Towns His Fleet was coop'd up in the Mediterranean and durst not venture to repass the Streights So that how welcome soever the Proposals might be to the Courts of Versailles and St. Germains they cou'd not in such a Juncture spare so many Men as their Friends in England desir'd And therefore Charnock was sent back
itself but also of the Method and order of its Execution Yet tho he made a full Discovery of the Time Place and other Circumstances of the Enterprize he peremptorily refus'd to mèntion the names of the Actors which confirm'd the King in his former opinion and made him conclude that 't was a story contriv'd on purpose to fright him with a false Alarm But the very day before the Fatal Blow was to be given God by a seasonable Providence prevented our impending Ruine and deliver'd our King from his own Generous Incredulity It happen'd that on that very day the Earl of Portland went to see the Countess of Essex and contrary to his custom made his visit longer than he design'd By good fortune he call'd to mind that he had promis'd to meet a certain person about a private Affair and tho 't was already time for him to go to Kensington he resolv'd according to his usual exactness in keeping his Word to go first to his Lodgings at Whitehall As soon as he went in he found an unknown person in his Antichamber who desir'd to speak with him about a matter of the highest importance that cou'd not be deferr'd to another time This was a sufficient Argument to obtain what he ask'd especially in such a juncture The Earl made haste to dispatch the person whom he had order'd to wait upon him and immediately admitted the Stranger who accosted him with this surprizing Request My Lord perswade the King to stay at home tomorrow for if he go abroad to Hunt he will be Assassinated Afterwards he gave him a particular account of the Conspiracy with almost thesame Circumstances that had already been discover'd by Fisher He added that his Name was Pendergrass that he was an Irishman and a Catholic that they sent for him out of the Country without acquainting him with the reason that made 'em desirous to see him that afterwards they endeavour'd to engage him in the Design that he was struck with horror at the first proposal and immediately resolv'd to discover it that his Religion was accus'd for authorizing and encouraging such Actions but that for his part he abhorr'd such Principles tho in all other respects he was a true Catholick Thus his Majesty began to receive the just Reward of his Clemency and Moderation for he is and has always been equally remarkable for his stedfast adhering to his own Religion and his Indulgency to those of another Perswasion When he accepted the Crown of Scotland he declar'd that he wou'd not be a Persecntor and all his Actions are so many Illustrious Testimonies of the Sincerity of that Resolution Never any Papist that was willing to live in Peace stood in need of an Intecessor with him He protected 'em in Ireland against the angry Counsels of some over-zealous Protestants He favour'd 'em as much as he cou'd without injuring the rest of his Subjects and treated em upon all occasions with an Indulgency that surpriz'd those who are not acquainted with the Native Goodness of his Temper 'T is true this may perhaps be reckon'd in some measure and Effect of his Complaisance to the Family of Austria with whom he has entertain'd a long and intimate Friendship which has been endear'd by reciprocal Good Offices and is confirm d and made necessary to 'em both by the Interest of their mutual Preservation But tho the Papists were deprov'd of such powerful Intercessors his Virt e alone wou d supply that Defect and sufficiently recommend 'em to his Favor and Protection And we have reason to believe that God is pleas'd with his Mildness and Clemency to the Roman Catholics in general and to the Irish in particular since by a wonderful Providence he made an Irish Papist the Instrument of Saving his Life Pendergrass added that he wou'd have gone straight to Kensington to make the Discovery to the King himself if he had not been afraid of being seen and taken notice of by the Two Orderly Men whom the Conspirators kept in that place and that since the Nature of the Business requir'd all possible Dispatch he thought he cou'd not make his Address to a Person that wou'd be more zealous and careful than his Lordship But tho no means were left unattempted to perswade him to name the Conspirators he resisted with an invincible Constancy all the Arguments that were made use of to that effect declaring that he wou'd never be prevail'd with to injure his Friends or betrâ—y those to whom he had been formerly oblig'd It has been frequently observ'd that the most trivial Accidents have given birth to the most Memorable and Important Events And upon this Occasion it seem'd good to that Supreme and over ruling Providence which guides the World that the Preservation of a Prince in whose Life the Fate of Europe is bound up shou'd depend upon a Visit that was made to the Earl of Portland at Ten a clock at night At his Arrival at Kensington which notwithstanding all the haste he cou'd make was very late he found that the King was already retir'd and that he had given the necessary Orders for his usual Recreation the next morning That Vertuous and Magnanimous Prince was preparing to go to Richmond with as sedate and unconcern'd a Mind as if he had not receiv'd Intelligence of the bloody Design that was to be executed near that place And even the new Confirmation he receiv'd of it cou'd scarce prevail with him to alter his Resolution till he was at last overcome by my Lord Portland's repeated Importunities In the mean time the number of the Discoverers encreas d and the Informations they had given were confirm'd by the concurring Testimony of another of the Conspirators who apply'd himself to Sir William Trumbal one of His Majesty's Princicipal Secretaries of State and convinc'd him of the Reality of the Plot tho he cou'd not acquaint him with the Circumstances of it For that Minister had already receiv'd advice that the French were bringing together a great number of Transport-Ships and making all the necessary Preparations for an extraordinary Design which was kept very Secret tho in all probability the Storm was like to fall upon England So that comparing these Advices concerning a Foreign Invasion with the Account he had receiv'd of the Design against His Majestys Person he found that they confirm'd each other tho he cou'd hardly look upon either of 'em as probable when he consider'd 'em Singly And therefore he made all possible haste to communicate these Discoveries to His Majesty with his usual Zeal and Fidelity About the same time Brigadier Lewson acquainted the King that one Larue had inform'd him of a Design that was on foot to Assassinate His Majesty This last Discoverer gave a very particular and Circumstantial Account of the whole Intrigue but He as well as the rest seem'd obstinately resolv'd to conceal the Names of the Conspirators The King convinc'd by so many Concurring Informations and perceiving that all
the long expected Time shall come that the Just Desires of those who long to see Peace and Tranquility once more establish'd in Europe shall be accomplish'd it will appear and be acknowledg'd by the grateful World that as England was deliver'd from Slavery and Oppression by the Blessing of God upon His Majestys generous Undertaking so 't was England that had the greatest share in the general Deliverance of the Christian World Time and Experience will ere long convince us of this great and important Truth and Posterity will for ever acknowledge the Immortal Obligation And even tho it were possible that future Ages shou'd forget their Great Benefactor the Benefit will remain notwithstanding their Ingratitude as long as there shall be Laws in England or a Free People in Europe FINIS Tâ—e People of England tâ—ank'd His Majestâ— â—y their Râ—presentatives for their Great and Miracuâ—ous Deliverance from Pâ—pery and Arbitrary Power of which he was the Instrumâ—nt Sâ—e the Parliament's Address May 18. 1689. The Parliamâ—nt of Scotland thank'd him also for thâ—ir Delivâ—rance and Preservation of which they acknowledg'd him next to God to be the great and only Instrumâ—nt Sâ—â— the Answer of the Convâ—ntion to His Majeâ—â—ie's Lâ—tter in 1689. History of the Revolutions in England Book II. pag. 437. See the Preface to the Third Time of the History of the Revolutions in England When the People stopt his Coach at Dort and ask'd whether he was their Statholder he reply'd that he was satisfy'd with the Honors that were conferr'd upon him But we are not answer'd the People unless we have you for our Governor An. 1674. The Dâ—puties of the Nobility and 〈◊〉 representing the 〈…〉 of the Dutchy of Guelderland and County of Zutphen osser'd him the Soverâ—ignty of the Province in the â—â—me of their Masteâ—s 'T is notoriously known that these Proposals were made by France * M. Fageâ— wrote on this occaâ—ion to Mr. Stewart And when the Court of England endeavor'd to perswade the World that thus was a supposititious letter and that it did not give a true aâ—â—ur of their Highnesses Sentiments having publish'd a Book to that Eâ—eâ—t call'd Parlamentum Pacificum Mr. Fagel complain'd openly of the dâ—singenuity of their Proceedings and by a second Letter confirm'd the Declaration he had formerly sent in their Highnesses Name * After the death of Charles II. he rejected the advice and assistance of the late Elector of Brandenburg and when that Prince wou'd have engag'd him to go over to England he reply'd that he wou'd never make any Attempt against the King his Father in Law without an absolute necessity but at the same time he protested that if he cou'd not otherwise prevent the subversion of the Laws and Religion of England he wou'd undertake the Voyage tho' he shou'd be oblig'd to Embark in a Fisher-boat His Enemies cou'd not forbear commending this Effect of his Moderation See the History of the Revolutions in Engl. Book II. See the Act 1 Gulielm Mariae entitl'd An Act declaring the Rights and Privileges of the Subjects to regulate the Succession to the Crown History of the Revolutions in Engl. Book II. 1689 The Discovery was made by a French Protestant who insinuated himself into the Favour and Confidence of the Conspirators by pretending to be engag'd in the same design He was hinder'd by several Accidents from giving such timely Notice to the Court that the Assassins might be apprehended The Discovery was communicated in Holland to some zealous Friends of the Government and in England to My Lord Sydney In this account I have neither magnify'd nor multiply'd the Disorders that were committed by the Government They were either corrected by the Late King himself upon the News of the Prince's Expedition or after his Flight by the Convention The Laws that were made upon that occasion by the Parliaments of England and Scotland are undoubted Testimonies of the several Attempts that were made to subvert our Laws and Religion nor will any reasonable Person expect any other Arguments to prove the Truth of a matter of Fact of which all the Inhabitants of these Nations were either Eye or Ear-Witnesses See his Proclamation publish'd in that Kingdom Dr. King the present Bishop of London-derry then Dean of Dublin in his Book entitul'd The State of the Protestants of Ireland under the Government of the late King The whole Book is full of Instances of this Nature of which I have not mention'd the Twentieth part * The Duke of Schomberg 1690. 1691. * The Magistrates of Roterdam imprison'd a Villain who offer'd to kill the French King They sent an acâ—ount of the project to Mr. Montausier and offer'd to deliver up the Offender †Another Proposal of the same naturewas made to the King when he was Prince of Orange The Person who offer'd to undertake the Murder gave an account of the place where he was to be sound and the Prince sent Mr. Dickfelt immediately to acquaint the Count d'Avaux with the whole Project November 1691. December 1691. Febr 1691 2. April 1692. History of the Revolutions in England Book II. History of the Revolutions in England Book II. p. 428. 1692. 1692. 1692. Larue in Charnock 's Tryal 1692. History of the Revolutions in Engl. Book II. Sr. Edmundbury Godfrey's Murder which cannot be reckon'd a Fable is a strong Confirmation of at least part of that Discovery See how they design'd to bring the Irish over to England The application of the rest of the Particulars is obvious History of the Revolutions in England Book II. p. 357. Deposition of Brice Blair March 12. 1695. See the Character of the Presbyterians in the History of the Revolutions in England Book II. 1692. His Depositions are in the Hands of the Government See his Letter to the Lords and Commons of that Kingdom Dared from on board his Ship July 1693. Decemb. 1693. January 1693. July 1694. July 14. 1694. July 17. 1694. Octob. 17. 1694. Sir William Williams took Post for London immediately after Taff's Declaration and gave a horrible Character of the Witnesses having obstinately resus'd to hear any thing that was offer'd to be alledg'd in their Favor or to comply with some of the Judges who wou'd have proceeded to the Examination of other Witnesses See the Votes of the House of Commons on that occasion 1695 Goodman 's Deposition April 24. 1696. This agrees with the Character that Brice Blair gives of him in his Depositions Good man 's Deposition April 2 d 1696. Brice Blair's Deposition March 13th 1696. Goodman 's Deposition April 24 th 1696 Goodman 's Deposition April 24 th 1696 Captain Porter 's Deposition April 24 th 1696. Goodman 's Deposition April 24. 1696. Capt. Porter 's Deposition April 15. 1696. Larüe 's Deposition February 26th 1696. Capt. Porter 's Deposition April 15. 1696 Capt. Porter 's Deposition April 15. 1696. This appears by Capt. Porter's Deposition April 15th 1696. King James wrote several Letters to him with his own
Art of ruining their Fellow-Subjects They have been frequently Charg'd with the Massacre in Ireland and the Burning of London and 't is strongly suspected that the Public Robbers Pirates Incendiaries Debasers of Money Spies and Assassins were employ'd as Instruments in carrying on the great Design The Reader is left to judge of the Truth or Probability of these Conjectures Whatever Opinion weo ught to have of the Design of the Conspirators we must do 'em the justice to acknowledge their Skill and Dexterity in contriving the most probable Methods and Expedients to accomplish it Of these Means and Expedients fome have been long since Foretold some are universally known our Enemies have betray'd their own Secret by divulging others and we may discover the rest by a heedful Examination of the Proceedings of the Conspirators and the Progress of the Conspiracy I will discourse of 'em in order because the Subject is both Curious and Important About Seventeen or Eighteen Years ago Titus Oates made a Discovery to the Parliament which was variously censur'd by Persons of different Principles and Inclinations Some gave credit to it others rejected it as a meer Fable and there were some who look'd upon it as a Mixture of Truth and Fiction I will neither pretend to justifie nor condemn all his Depositions but content my self with observing that there are some things which were look'd upon as incredible by reason of the Enormity of the Crimes tho later Experience has convinc'd us that they were really true especially what relates to Trade Exportation of Species and the Debasement of Money Oates acquaints us in the Appendix to his Information Sworn before Sr. Edmundbury Godfrey Sept. 27. 1678. That the Conspirators cou'd not endure King Charles II. because he was not of their Religion and that they resolv'd to cut him off with all possible Speed That they Charg'd him with Tyranny and Designs of oppressing Governing by the Sword and without Parliaments and exposing his most Faithful and Valiant Subjects to be wasted and slain in foreign Service 2. That they aspers'd derided expos'd and declaim'd against his Person Counsels and Actions in Parliament and elsewhere and particularly scoff'd at his security and confidence in them and by this means animated and encourag'd their Party and Assassins especially to attempt upon his Life and hasten his Ruine 3. That they disclos'd the King's Counsels to France 4. That they rais'd false News of his Affairs 5. That they disaffected his Majesty's Allies Holland Spain the German Emperor and Princes by false Intelligence c. 6. That they disturb'd Trade 7. That they set up sent out and maintain'd Seditious Preachers and Catechists and directed 'em what to Preach in their own or other private Conventicles or Field-Meetings 8. That they animated different Parties one against another to Arm and put the People in Blood upon the King's Death 9. That our best Cities and Towns were to be Fir'd and Plunder'd by Irish French Lay-brethren and others disguis'd in Frocks and otherwise 10. That they endeavour'd to Poyson and Assassinate by pick'd Quarrels or otherwise those whom they suppos'd to be ready or able to detector otherwise obstruct their Designs 11. That they design'd the Transportation of Trading People Stock and Money ADULTERATING MONEY and Plate to which ends they had Bankers Brokers Merchants Goldsmiths and other Traders whom they Stock'd and Set up with Money of their Society of which they boasted to have a Hundred Thousand Pounds in Cash Those who reflect upon what they see or hear and consider the Temper and Actions of these who make a noise in the World may easily judge whether the Party has continu'd to pursue the same Methods And therefore without insisting longer upon this Subject I shall proceed in the next place to take notice of such of their Maxims as have been discover'd by themselves As for Parliaments 't is their Opinion That a King of England's Condescension to his Parliament seldom produces a good Understanding between ' em And particularly they tell us that King Charles II. was advis'd to stand firm against the Attempts of an Assembly that made it their usual Custom to oppose and contradict him that they wou'd still be starting new Claims and Demands and wou'd at last raise 'em to such a Height that His Majesty wou'd not be able to grant 'em without consenting to his own Deposition and consequently wou'd find himself to be still in the same condition that is after a thousand Condescensions against his own Interest he wou'd at last be oblig'd to break with his Parliament and find that his Complaisance had encreas'd their Boldness and made 'em less afraid to oppose him They have left no means unattempted to set these Stratagems on foot against the present Government by employing all their Artifices in a successless attempt to engage the King to invade the Liberty of his Subjects or to make the People incroach upon the Prerogative of the Crown They endeavor'd to revive the ancient Jealousies that disturb'd the Quiet of the former Reigns as if it had been possible to keep us from perceiving the difference betwixt a Deliverer and an Oppressor whose Characters are so opposite that they can never agree either in the Manner or End of executing their Authority for 't is a necessary consequence of their respective Maxims that the Former shou'd endeavour to Preserve and the Latter to Destroy his People 'T is both the Interest and Duty of an English Parliament to protect the People whom they represent from a Prince who treats 'em as Enemies or Slaves but they cannot without consenting to their own Ruin oppose a King who makes the Honor and Prosperity of the Nation the End of all his Designs and Undertakings And we have reason to adore the favourable Providence of God who has freed us from the Apprehensions of so terrible a Misfortune and establish'd His Majesty's Throne by the most perfect Union that ever was observ'd betwixt a King and his Parliament Besides these Ways to destroy the Nation which they have known and practis'd so long the present Juncture has furnish'd 'em with new Expedients In the beginning of the War our Trade was extremely disturb'd by French Privateers but since their Defeat at La Hogue made 'em both afraid and unable to engage our Fleet they seem to make no other use of their Men of War than to surprise our Merchant-Ships And our treacherous Country-Men are always ready to give 'em secret and timely Notice of our Motions and consequently betray the Riches of the Nation to its most inveterate Enemies In the mean time they were secretly fomenting our Divisions and animating the different Parties that are among us against us and one another The Scotch Presbyterians were incited to take up Arms by Sir John Cochram and those of the same perswasion in England were manag'd by Mr. Ferguson and others About the time of the Siege of Mons Sir John
with a Compliment to the Jacobites and a promise of Assistance upon the first convenient Occasion The last Winter was the Time they pitch'd upon to make good their Promise Thirty Batalions were order'd to March towards Calais and the late King left St Germains to put himself at the Head of ' em Three or Four Hundred Transport Ships were prepar'd with all possible secrecy and diligence to bring over their Land-Forces under the Convoy of a Squadron of Men of War some of the Men were already embark'd and the rest were embarking in order to make a Descent upon this Kingdom before Providence thought fit to discover the mysterious Design of this Expedition Any considering Person that was not acquainted with the Mystery of Iniquity wou'd have concluded the Invasion of England to be as Impracticable then as it was the Summer before The French Fleet was still at Thoulon and notwithstanding the advice we had of their Design to Re-pass the Streights we had no reason to be afraid of any Attempt they cou'd make against us For in all humane probability we seem'd to be equally secure whether the Squadron that was design'd to reinforce our Fleet in the Streights shou'd pursue their intended Voyage or remain in our Ports since their arrival there wou'd have prevented the Return of the Thoulon Fleet into the Ocean and their staying here wou'd have enabl'd us to encounter with both the Fleets of our Enemies And our Apprehensions were extremely lessen'd by the daily Expectation of our Squadron from Cadiz which we had all the reason in the World to believe wou'd sail immediately after the French since they had nothing to do in the Mediterranean after their departure Besides we know that the Thoulon Fleet cou'd not pass the Streights without a favorable Wind and that even the quickest aud most prosperous Voyage they cou'd expect wou'd extremely retard the Execution of their Designs Our Enemies knew before this time that our Squadron wou'd not sail to the Mediterranean for that was so far from being kept secret that 't was openly declar'd Nor cou'd they be ignorant that we had a very considerable Number of Men of War in our Ports and that the outward bound Fleets of Merchant Ships with those that were daily expected wou'd furnish us with a more than sufficient Number of Seamen to Man them Before they cou'd execute their Design against us 't was necessary they shou'd Embark their Troops pass the Sea and make a Descent in this Kingdom And after their Landing some time must have been spent in Receiving the English Rebels forming a Body of Horse Entrenching their Forces and furnishing themselves with Provisions and Ammunition Now supposing that all these Preparations wou'd have requir'd no more than Four or Five Days 't is plain from the Event that even upon so short a Warning we cou'd have put our selves in a posture of Defence For not long after they found to their cost that we were able in as little time to bring Fourscore Men of War together and consequently wou'd have been equally in a Condition to bring over a sufficient Number of Forces from Flanders and to hinder our Enemies from sending a Reinforcement to make good their Descent Nor cou'd it be suppos'd that any Jacobites who had not entirely lost â—he use of their Reason wou'd venâ—re to join an Army of Foreigners â—at wou'd have been in a manner besieg'd both by Sea and Land and cou'd neither avoid nor resist the just Fury of an injur'd Nation And besides we shou'd have quickly rais'd a numerous and formidable Army for the City of London alone offer'd to furnish the King with Twenty Thousand Men on that occasion Thus 't is plain that the Design of invading England in such a Juncture was either absolutely impracticable or at least attended with unavoidable and almost invincible Difficulties and consequently might have been justly look'd upon as the Wild Project of a Distemper'd Brain if the Conspirators had not depended upon the success of an Expedient which they had contriv'd to dissolve the Parliament and put the whole Kingdom into a Consternation that wou'd have made us incapable of defending our selves They knew that His Majesty was the Life and Soul of his Subjects that his Wisdom secur'd 'em from the Devices as his Valor protected 'em from the Attempts of their Enemies and therefore resolv'd upon the compendious Way of Destroying England in the Person of its Great Defender But before I proceed to give an account of that Hellish Enterprize 't will be highly convenient to take a view of the preceding Intrigues and Contrivances of the Faction In France they industriously exaggerated the Number and Power of the English Jacobites To perswade the People of that unhappy Nation to endure with a servile patience the Tyranny of their insolent Oppressors they gave out that the English were quite Exhausted by the multiply'd Taxes that were impos'd upon 'em that they were not able to support the Charge of the War any longer and wou'd be quickly forc'd to submit to the Mercy of Lewis the Great And the same Artifice was made use of to encourage the French Council to protect and assist the Late King It appears that the French King gave Credit to those Surmises for in a Letter which he wrote to his Ambassador at the Court of Sweden he says expresly That his Troops were Marching to the Coasts and ready to Embark as soon as the News of an Insurrection in that Kingdom shou'd confirm the Advices he had so often receiv'd c. that the Nation was generally Dissatisfy'd with the Prince of Orange's Government But he was quickly made sensible of his Mistake and that too in a manner which was equally glorious to the English Nation and mortifying to its most terrible Enemy for 't is certain and must be acknowledg'd even by those who saw it with Grief and Vexation that never any Subjects discover'd a more tender Affection and a more hearty and vigorous Loyalty to their Sovereign than the Parliament and People of England did on this occasion to His Majesty In the mean time the Emissaries of the Faction who are dispers'd thro all Europe were industriously labouring to defame the English Nation and to render us either odious or suspected to the Princes our Allies that they might look upon us as unworthy of their Assistance and leave us to the Mercy of our Enemies They endeavor'd to put all the World in Expectation of beholding New Catastrophe's in a Kingdom which they usually stile The Land of Revolutions 〈…〉 thâ—y pretend that Tumults and Inâ—â—rreâ—tions are the familiar Recreations of the People To vindicate the Honor of our Country and discâ—â—â— the Weakness and Injustice of these spiteful Aspersions 't will be sufficient to observe that it has been the constant Practice of the Faction to fasten their own Crimes upon us and to ascribe the Disorders and Divisions which they kindle and soment among us