the University as some report or whether drawn in upon his Marriage as others alleage or to gratifie a Rich Vncle of that Persuasion as a third sort relate it on which or whether on some other occasion different from all these he revolted is not much material but revolt he did to the Roman Church and became a mighty Bigot to advance the same and gain Proselytes He was a Person of rare natural and acquired parts and so well conceited of himself that he once undertook to be one that should manage a Conference concerning Religion against the Learned Doctor Stillingfleet and another Divine of the Church of England which discourse is extant in Print But his Talent lay more in News and Policy than Divinity being for some time Secretary to her Royal Highness the Dutchess of York he was a Leading-man in this Horrid Conspiracy and a prime Promoter thereof by his great Correspondency abroad both at Rome and in the French Court. Concerning the manner of his Commitment an Account is given before Chapt. the 8th On Saturday the 23 of November he was Arraigned at the Kings-Bench Bar the Indictment being very Expressive and Significant we shall for Example sake See Colemans Tryal p. 2. recite part of it viz. That as a false Traitor against our most Illustrious Serene and most excellent Prince Charles by the Grace of God c. his natural Lord having not the fear of God in his heart nor duely weighing his Allegiance but being moved and seduced by the Instigation of the Devil his cordial Love and true Duty and natural Obedience which true and lawful Subjects of our said Lord the King ought to bear towards him and by Law ought to have altogether with-drawing and devising and with all his strength intending the Peace and common Tranquillity of this Kingdom of England to disturb and the true Worship of God within the Kingdom of England practised and by Law Established to overthrow and Sedition and Rebellion within this Realm of England to move stir up and procure and the cordial Love and true Duty and Allegiance which true and lawful Subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King towards their Soveraign bear and by Law ought to have altogether to withdraw forsake and extinguish and our said Soveraign Lord the King to Death and final Destruction to bring and put The 29th of Septemb. in the 27th year of the Reign of our said Soveraign Lord Charles the Second c. at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster Falsly Maliciously and Traiterously proposed compassed imagined and intended to stir up and raise Sedition and Rebellion within the Kingdom of England and to procure and cause a miserable Destruction amongst the Subjects of our said Lord the King and wholly to Deprive Depose Deject and Disinherit our said Soveraign of his Royal State Title Power and Rule of his Kingdom of England and to bring and put our said Soveraign Lord the King to final Death and Destruction and to overthrow and change the Government and alter the sincere and true Religion of God in this Kingdom by Law establish'd and wholly to subvert and destroy the State of the Kingdom and to Levy War against our said Soveraign Lord the King within his Realm of England And that to accomplish these his Traiterous designs and imaginations on the 29th of Septemb. in the 27th year of the King he Traiterously composed two Letters to one Monsieur Le Chese then Servant and Confessor of Lewis the French King to desire procure and obtain for the said Edw. Coleman and other false Traitors the Aid Assistance and Adherence of the said French King to alter the true Religion in this Kingdom Establish'd to the Superstition of the Church of Rome and Subvert the Government of this Kingdom of England c. Reciting his receiving an Answer from Le Chese his Correspondence with Monsieur Rovigni Envoy Extraordinary from the French King and Letters to Sir William Throckmorton in France Concluding in usual form That all this was done against his true Allegiance and against the Peace of the King his Crown and Dignity To this Indictment he pleaded Not Guilty and on Wednesday the 27th of Novemb. 1678. was brought to his Tryal To the Jury Empannel'd he made no Challenges Their Names were Sir Reginald Foster Baronet Sir Charles Lee. Edward Wilford Esq John Bathurst Esq Joshua Galliard Esq John Bifield Esq Simon Middleton Esq Henry Johnson Esq Charles Vmfrevile Esq Thomas Johnson Esq Thomas Eaglesfield Esq William Bohee Esq His Tryal as it held very long so it was managed with all Integrity and Moderation by the Court The Charge against him was made out two ways partly by Witnesses Vivâ voce and partly by Letters and Papers found at his House which he could not deny to be his own hand writing Dr. Oates was the first Witness produced to whom the Lord Chief Justice gave this grave Caution That he See Colemans Tryal p. 17. should speak nothing but the truth not to add the least tittle that was false for any advantage whatsoever mind him of the Sacredness of the Oath he had taken declaring that since the Prisoners Blood and Life was at stake he should stand or fall be justified or Condemned by truth The substance of Mr. Oates's Evidence was 1. That in Novemb. 1677. being brought acquainted with Mr. Coleman by one John Keins then Dr. Oates's Confessor who Lodged at Colemans House he carried some Letters for him to St. Omers in which were Treasonable Expressions of the King calling him Tyrant and a Letter in Latine enclosed to Monsieur Le Chese to whom Dr. Oates carried it from St. Omers to Paris in which there were thanks returned for the Ten thousand pounds by him remitted into England for the Propagation of the Catholick Religion and promising that it should be Imployed for no other purpose but that for which it was sent which was to cut off the King of England as appear'd by the Letter of Le Chese to which this was an Answer and which Dr. Oates saw and read 2. That Coleman was concern'd in the design of taking away the Sacred Life of the King for that when at the Jesuits Consult at the pag. 2. Whitehorse-Tavern in the Strand in April Old Stile and May New Stile and afterwards adjourned into several Companies It was resolv'd that Pickering and Grove should Assassinate his Majesty by Shooting or other means for which the latter should have 1500 l. and the former Thirty thousand Masses which at 12 d. a Mass amounted much what to the same sum This resolve was in his hearing Communicated to Mr. Coleman at Wild-House who did approve thereof and said it was well contriv'd 3. That in August 78. Mr. Coleman was present at a Consult with the Jesuits and Benedictine Monks in the Savoy for raising a pag. 23. Rebellion in Ireland and was very forward to have Dr. Fogarthy sent thither to dispatch the Duke of Ormond by
of Winchester Henry Lord Marquess of Worcester Henry Earl of Arlington Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold James Earl of Salisbury John Earl of Bridgewater Robert Earl of Sunderland one of his Majesties principal Secretaries of State lately made in the room of Sir Joseph Williamson Arthur Earl of Essex first Lord Commissioner of the Treasury John Earl of Bath Groom of the Stole Thomas Lord Viscount Faulconberg George Lord Viscount Hallifax Henry Lord Bishop of London John Lord Roberts Denzil Lord Holles William Lord Russel William Lord Cavendish Henry Coventry Esq one of his Majesties principle Secretaries of State Sir Francis North Kt. Lord Cheif Justice of the Common-Pleas Sir Henry Capel Kt. of the Bath first Commissioner of the Admiralty Sir John Earnley Kt. Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Thomas Chicheley Kt. Master of the Ordnance Sir William Temple Baronet Edward Seymour Esq Henry Powle Esq The 30th of April His Majesty made a Speech to both Houses of Parliament wherein he recommended three things to them The prosecution of the Plot The disbanding of the Army and the providing a Fleet which was followed by a larger signification of his Majesties mind by the Lord Chancellor That His Majesty had considered with himself That 't is not enough that his Peoples Religion and Liberty be secure during his own Reign but thinks he ows it to his People to do all that in him lies that these Blessings may be transmitted to Posterity And to the end that it may never be in the power of any Papist if the Crown descend upon him to make any change in Church or State his Majesty would consent to limit such Successor in these points 1. That no such Popish Successor shall present to Ecclesiastical Benefices 2. That during the Reign of such Popish Successor no Privy Councellors or Judges Lord Leiutenant or Deputy Leiutenant or Officer of the Navy shall be put in or removed but by Authority of Parliament 3. That as it is already provided That no Papist can sit in either House of Parliament so there shall never want a Parliament when the King shall happen to die but that the Parliament then in Being may continue Indissoluble for a competent time or the last Parliament Re-assemble c. But it seems all these Provisions were not thought a sufficient Fence for such dear and precious things as Religion and Liberty and that in the progress of their Debates upon this most important Subject they could not resolve upon any certain Expedient of safety less than the Exclusion of his Royal Higness For on Sunday April the 27th 1679. It was Resolved by the House of Commons Nemine Contradicente That the Duke of York being a Papist and the hopes of his coming such to the Crown hath given the greatest Encouragement and Countenance to the present Conspiracies and Designs of the Papists against the King and Protestant Religion And on Sunday May the 11th the better Day the better Deed we use to say but whether it will hold here will be the Question they Ordered That a Bill should be brought in to disable the Duke of York to Inherit the Imperial Crown of this Realm which was brought in accordingly and twice read in the House the preamble thereof being to this effect That forasmuch as these Kingdoms of England and Ireland by the wonderful Providence of God many Years since have been delivered from the Slavery and Superstition of Popery which had despoiled the King of his Sovereign Power for that it did and doth advance the Pope of Rome to a Power over Sovereign Princes and makes him Monarch of the Universe and doth with-draw the Subjects from their Allegiance by pretended Absolutions from all former Daths and Obligations to their lawful Sovereign and by many Superstitions and Immoralities hath quite subverted the Ends of the Christian Religion But notwithstanding That Popery hath been long since Condemned by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm for the detestable Doctrine and Traiterous Attempts of its Adherents against the Lives of their lawful Sovereigns Kings and Queens of these Realms Yet the Emissaries Priests and Agents for the Pope of Rome resorting into this Kingdom of England in great numbers contrary to the known Laws thereof have for several Years last past as well by their own Devilish Acts and Policies as by Counsel and Assistance of Foreign Princes and Prelates known Enemies to these Nations contrived and carried on a most Horrid and Execrable Conspiracy To destroy and Murther the Person of his Sacred Majesty and to Subvert the ancient Government of these Realms and to Extirpate the Protestant Religion and Massacre the true Professors thereof And for the better effecting their wicked Designs and encouraging their Uilainous Accomplices they have Traterously Seduced James Duke of York Presumptive Heir of these Crowns to the Communion of the Church of Rome and have induced him to Enter into several Negotiations with the Pope his Cardinals and Nuntio's for promoting the Romish Church and Interest and by his means and procurement have advanced the Power and Greatness of the French King to the manifest hazard of these Kingdoms That by the descent of these Crowns upon a Papist and by Foreign Alliances and Assistance they may be able to succeed in their Wicked and Uillainons Designs And forasmuch as the Parliaments of England according to the Laws and Statutes thereof have heretofore for great and weighty Reasons of State and for the publick Good and common Interest at this Kingdom directed and limited the Succession of the Crown in other manner than of Course it would otherwise have gone but never had such important and urgent Reasons as at this Time press and require their using of their said Extraordinary Power in that behalf Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this Parliament Assembled and by the Authority of the same And it is hereby Enacted accordingly That James Duke of York Albany and Ulster having departed openly from the Church of England and having publickly professed and owned the Popish Religion which hath notoriously given Birth and Life to the most Damnable and Hellish Plot by the most gracious Providence of God lately brought to light shall be Excluded and is hereby Excluded and Disabled c. On the 19th of May the House of Commons attended his Majesty with this following Address Most Dread Sovereign WEE your Majesties most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Commons in Parliament Assembled do with all humble gratitude acknowledge the most gratious assurances your Majesty hath been pleased to give us of your constant Care to do every thing that may preserve the Protestant Religion of your firm resolution to defend the same to the utmost and your Royal endeavours that the security of that blessing may be transmitted to posterity And we do humbly represent to your Majesty That being deeply sensible that the
death of His Majesty and a vindication of the justice on those Traitors already Executed Particularly by an Affidavit taken the eighth of September 1679. before the pre-named Justice Warcup he corroborates the Testimony of the said Mr. Jennison junior as to his seeing Ireland in London at the time before-mentioned for that soon after viz. in September he going into the North young Mr. Jennison did relate the same and acquainted them therewith at his Fathers house and likewise of so much of the said Irelands discourses to him touching taking off the King c. as gave them cause to believe that there was a Jesuitical Plot the apprehension whereof put Loyal old Mr. Jennison at that time into a great passion c. He likewise in his Narrative p. 23. sets forth That he being not long since at Rome heard the Jesuits affirm That the Pope had power to depose Kings and that it was lawful nay meritorious to kill any Prince or person Excommunicated and declared an Heretick and that he being then to return to England ought not to pay Obedience to any Heretical or Excommunicated Prince and that Father Anderton Father Campian and Father Green did then and there as likewise Abbot Montague at Paris assure him there would suddenly be great alterations in Church and State in England and that there was but one man in the way meaning the King who might soon be removed and that they were assured from the most eminent persons of this Nation That their Religion should be Establisht again here in as great glory as at any time heretofore and whoever opposed it should be removed And that particularly they bottomed their hopes on the Duke of York's being a Papist who they declared was brought over by the Jesuits and that they had the greatest influence over him And p. 30. as a pregnant Circumstantial Evidence of the Plot he sets forth an universal collection of Money made to his knowledge though he discouraged it amongst the Papists under pretence of repairing Doway Colledge but so general and in such large sums as twenty pound and ten pound a man that it was apparent to be for the carrying on some greater design c. Furthermore as Mr. Jennison in his Narrative hath answered all Objections as why he did not come in sooner c. so it thereby appears that he hath reserved some farther particularities to be yet discovered in time convenient In the interim upon such his information his Majesty was graciously pleased to issue forth his Royal Proclamation commanding the before-named Four Irish Gentlemen or rather Russians to render themselves and proposing rewards to any that shall seize them or any of them but they are fled or abscond a shrewd Argument of their guilt and the truth of his information so that at the time of writing hereof there was none of them come in or apprehended CHAP. XXIII The endeavours of the Papists to cast the Guilt of their Plot on the Protestants and the Providential Discovery of such their Designe in several Particulars An Account of the Rebellion in Scotland The Attempt on Colonel Mansel c. THat it was part of the Original Popish Plot when they had Murder'd the King to cast the odium thereof on the Dissenters from the Church of England thereby at once to have shifted off the scandal of the horrid Treason from their own Party and heated the Episcopists with a colourable pretence to have fallen upon and with their help to have destroyed all that they should think fit to call Presbyterians or Fanaticks under which ignominious Titles the soundest Protestants and most regular Sons of the Establisht Church should at last have suffer'd is apparent from what we have recited of Doctor Oates's Depositions and Master Dugdale's Testimony Which is no more than what their Predecessors intended For even their Gunpowder-Plot if it had succeeded was to have been charged on the then Puritans as the famous Thuanus in his History testifies Now in order to plaining the way for this suggestion in the present Case it must be noted that some time before the first Discovery of the Plot which was about August 1678 as aforesaid the Conspirators had fixt a groundless Accusation on one Mr. Claypool who though a Gentleman of a most innocent peaceable Deportment and far enough from intermeddliug with Intrigues of State having for many years wound himself up in a private Recess devoted to Books and Study yet he having formerly been Married to a Daughter of the quondam Protector Cromwel they fancied from the prejudice of that Alliance he might be a person fit for them to designe upon and make him a property for Suspicions Having therefore Charg'd him with high Crimes in general against the Government they caused him to be clapt up in the Tower And had not the Hand of Heaven soon after confounded their measures would no doubt have prosecuted him by suborn'd Witnesses But being so happily intercepted after a long Durance and no particular Crime chargeable he obtained his Liberty About the same time also they endeavoured to Trepan an eminent worthy Citizen of London under pretence of doing a kindness for an unknown Gentleman viz. To convey certain Letters to be left with him to a place beyond the Seas but he discreetly mistrusting the Project open'd one of them in presence of substantial Witnesses and finding therein Expressions of a dangerous nature communicated the same to a Magistrate and thereby frustrated their devilish Designe Nor is it to be forgot that near the same time there were certain riotous persons who with Horse and Arms were said to come out of Scotland represented for Presbyterians flying from the Justice of that Kingdome committing some Violences in the Marches of England of whom a dreadful Account was published in the Gazette but no more Tydings heard either of the Men or the matter These were some of their specious Preparatives that whenever they should strike the Accursed Blow their Clamours against the Fanaticks might appear credible And though their Plot in general was soon after so Miraculously discovered and the reality thereof confirm'd as well by their Murther of Sir Edmund-bury Godfrey as by several fresh Evidence that came in yet they resolved still to push on the same Contrivance Nor had they indeed any way to amuse the People startle Authority and divert just Prosecution against themselves other than by starting a fresh scent and raising imaginary Jealousies But such was the peaceable Loyal temper of people in general in England that they could not yet hope to brand them with any such Imputation Towards the North therefore they must plant their Engines Scotland must be made the Scene to begin the Tragedy And this too Doctor Oates if you remember had before set forth and told us what and how many Jesuitical Instruments those common Boutefeus and Nursers of Rebellion had thither been delegated and fet on work Under what Circumstances that Kingdome had lain for some
forbid the Protestants privately or publickly to Assemble together To proceed to severity of Laws and punishments Here he endeavours to prove this violence lawful Fire and Faggot is reserved to the last But this violence though it must be for the change of all need not be exercised on all Cut off the Leaders and the Multitude will follow the authority of the Rulers Shame will retain some and fear others but a vain security will prevail with most when they know not how to help it Within these few years if he say true above an hundred thousand have been turned to Popery in France and more in Germany nor did ever any of the Princes of Germany that did endeavour to draw over his people to the Catholicks find any Force or Resistance contrary to his Laws Note this all you slanderous Papists that accuse Protestants so much of Rebellion to bide your own Here 's a Jesuites testimony on Record for our vindication He commendeth many smaller helps As 1. Musick to entice people by delight 2. To cause all at their Mariage to profess the Popish Religion and so rather than go without a Wife or Husband they will do it 3. So also to deny Protestants Church-priviledges as Baptism Burial c. Lastly he concludes that where the work must be securely done by degrees the Magistrate may keep the Institution Presentation Confirmation and Examination of Ministers in his own hand and so if he cannot cast them out at once he must cast out the most dangerous that is ablest Protestant Pastours and put over the Churches the disagreeing and those that do not minde matters of Controversie much and those that are addicted to their own domestick businesses worldly men and such as are addicted to the Rulers let him cool the heat of Heresie he means still true Religion and let him not put out the unlearned and so their Religion will grow into contempt And therefore let the Magistrates cherish the Dissentions of the erring he means the Protestant Teachers And let him procure them often to debate together and reprove one another For so when all men see that there is nothing certain among them they will easily yield to the truth he means Popery And this Discord is profitable to shew the manners of those wicked men For from these things the Ruler may take occasion for a Change Let him enquire into the Original of these Accusations and if he finde them true he may punish the Guilty if false he may punish that is cast out the Accusers By either way he weakens the Party and makes room for his Popish Priests to succeed them SECT 3. The same Priviledged Author of the said Fair Warning in page 62. and those following sets forth a Copy of a Letter from Seignior Ballariny to one Father Young found as he testifies in his Study upon his Decease Dated April 16. 1662. Translated out of Italian in English as follows Holy Father WE do here congratulate your endeavours for the Propagation of the Catholick Faith and cease not our Prayers for you Yet we know that in vain we expect a Blessing from above if we do not prudently apply all means here below And now upon that wonderful Revolution in England there must be great alterations in your Councils and Methods although you must aim at one great Designe The obstruction of Settlement especially upon the Fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdome whereunto if things should fall they would be more firm than ever as some things when shaken take deepest root To this purpose you would do well 1. To remove this jealousie raised by Pryn Baxter and other discontented persons of our own having had any design upon the late Factions and set up that prosperous way of fears and jealousies of the King and Bishops You know an enemy is then with success established in his main hold when he is with prudence alarmed elsewhere We may easily break in upon the English Nation through Liberty and Anarchy while they think we are coming in through Government and Order 2. You would do well to make it appear under-hand how near the Doctrine Worship and Discipline of the Church of England comes to us how willingly their Articles would be interpreted in a Catholick sence at how little distance their Common-prayer is from our Mass whereby you may perswade the world that the Protestant Religion is weary of it self and that the wisest and ablest men of that way are so moderate that they would willingly come over to us or at least meet us halfway 3. Let there be that odium by writing and secret Practices raised upon the Factious that the Law may be so intent upon them that you may escape and troublesome persons may be disabled from speaking against you as they used to do being odious in the eye of the Law and the people 4. Let the Power of the King in matter of Religion be decryed or at least let there be an Indulgence promoted by the Factious and seconded by you 5. You may have such insight into the Trade and Treasure of the Nation that you may have the one engrossed between your selves and other discontented Parties and the other stopped so that the inhabitants will for want either endeavour an alteration at home or transplant themselves among us abroad so that we may either joyn with them or they with us in order to the main design 6. It were well if you took all just occasion to make it plain to the people that there is no true Ordination or Succession of Bishops Pastors and Ministers in England and that they who are pretended Bishops and Ministers are either worldly and careless on the one hand or so factious on the other hand that it were well they were removed however it were well the people should be taken off from them by a clear discovery of their unworthyness 7. Father R. would usually say that the best way to work upon the English was to make use of their natural Affections and urge them with this What is become of your Fore-fathers who died in our Religion where was your Religion before Luther 8. We suppose that in England after twenty years Confusion they are at a loss for the Revenue and therefore it were seasonable such a way were proposed that on the one hand might seem very plausible to the King the Nobility and Commons but is indeed very grievous to the People as any alterations in the antient Customes have their advantages for us so especially an alteration in the Revenue which will have that influence upon the people which your suggestions and insinuations cannot have You know what counsel Father P. gave Father E. of Brussels to put the King upon the new way of Imposition by Excise which must be settled by a mercenary Army of Horse and Foot which shall harass the Country Lastly Your method for winning particular persons you know given by our Forefathers is this 1. Be sure to keep the
several Circumstances as may God willing be shewed in the ensuing Discovery and History thereof This detestable Treason is generally esteemed the Contrivance of Catesby and of no antienter Original than their despair of Assistance upon their last Negotiation with Spain but that the same was of longer standing and proceeded from other heads and designed by the Jesuits even in the Queens days but on further consideration of her Age unlikely by course of nature to trouble them long deferâ—ed till the arrival of King James is by a most rational probability made appear as well by Watsons said words and the odd hints thereof before given by Delrio the Jesuit as other circumstances mentioned in a solid and ingenious Treatise Intituled A Discourse concerning the Original of the Powder-plot published 1674. which are sufficient to satisfie any impartial Reader in that point however we shall not here insist thereupon nor stand to give any long Account of the horrid nature close progress and happy Discovery of that Hellish Conspiracy the same being generally well known from our common Historians but especially by that Authentick Narrative Intituled The Gun-powder Treason with a Discourse of the manner of its Discovery lately Re-printed with an excellent Preface by the Right Reverend and of the Protestant Religion most highly deserving Father in God Thomas Lord Bishop of Lincoln to which most useful and satisfactory Discourse we refer the Reader Onely shall note here that whereas Papists of late years have endeavoured to whiffle off that cursed Attempt as a contrivance of Secretary Cecils or some other Politicians that had to make the Romanists odious cunningly drawn in onely a few desperado's and that but a very small number of the Romish Party and those inconsiderable were engaged therein and so it ought not to be charged on their Church in general As to the first the same is a most false and groundless Evasion coyn'd some scores of years after the thing Transacted none of those that suffered for it alleadging or suspecting one syllable either at their Tryals or Deaths of their being so wheadled into the Conspiracy who yet were most like to know how and by whom they were if at all they had been so drawn in whom undoubtedly they would have discovered Besides supposing it to be Truth yet their guilt was never the less for they acted on Popish Principles proprio motu and with a Traiterous Resolution to accomplish the Destruction of King Parliament and Kingdome As to the second neither was the number even of those that after all their Oaths of Secresie and close contrivances were discovered so small nor their Qualities so inconsiderable as is now impudently suggested for first for Religious men there were many actually concerned in it and persons of the greatest account three or four of them especially being Legiers and States-men as Henry Garnet the Superiour or Provincial of the Jesuits the same place that Father Whitebread lately had who succeeded him as therein so in his bloody Treasonable Attempts and deserved punishment Father Creswel Legier-Jesuite in Spain Father Baldwin Legler in Flanders and the notorious Father Parsons at Rome These are known to have dealt in the matter and 't is most probable were the first Contrivers Designers and Directors of the whole Plot though they would not be seen in it lest it might bring a scandal on their Order if it should miscarry and they be discovered and therefore Laymen must be put upon doing the Drudgery or rather Butchery whilst the wily Priests stand aloof and give alm So of late the Benedictines and others gave their Votes against employing Pickering in the horrid Attempt of Murthering the King not that they disliked the thing but because he waited at the Altar and if prevented and found out it might be the greater disgrace to their Party though they assigned another very bad reason for it Thus 't is plain they study to avoid the discredit not the villany the scandal not the wickedness But besides these Mal-intelligences of an higher Jesuitical Orb there were divers other inferiour Instruments and Cursory Agents of the same Society employed in this detestable Treason as Gerard Oswald Tesmond alias Greenway Hamond Hall and others Then as for the Lay-Conspirators they were most of them Gentlemen of considerable Descent and excellent parts though most perniciously perverted seduced and corrupted by the private instigations of the said Jesuits for of those that were first engaged and actually laboured in the Mine there were Robert Catesby and Robert Winter Esquires Thomas Piercy of the Noble House of Northumberland Thomas Winter John Wright Christopher Wright and Guido Fawkes all Gentlemen with Thomas Bates Yeoman Servant to Squire Catesby who being somewhat scrupulous and doubting in Conscience concerning so barbarous a Design was resolved and assured of the lawfulness thereof by Tesmond the Jesuit Then of those that were acquainted with it though not personally labouring in the Mine or Cellar there were Sir Everard Digby Knight Ambrose Rookwood and Francis Tresham Esquires John Grant Gent and Robert Keys besides Sir William Stanley who principally imployed Fawks into Spain and John Talbot of Grifton both within misprision of the Treason and both of great and Honourable Families Then Sir Edmand Baynam was appointed to carry a Message from Garnet and acquaint his Holiness with the said Plot but not forsooth as Pope but as he was a Temporal Prince This Baynam was a man grievously debauched and used to call himself The Prince of the Damned Grew a person fit for such an Errand to be sent Ambassador between the Pope and tho Devil There was likewise an Association to be made of Forreign Princes of the Popish Religion by a Solemn Oath like that of the holy League in France to have assured the business These are the very words in the Letters of Sir Everard Digby Executed for this Treason which Papers were never discovered till September 1675. and are since Printed as an Appendix to the Re-printed Discovery and Narrative of the said Gun-powder Plot under an Authentick Testimonial Thus evident it is and not to be denyed but by an effronted â—awling Impudence that the same was in effect a general Conspiracy of the Papists actually carried on by a considerable number and which would have been approved by the rest had it succeeded And though its happy Discovery and the deserved odium thereby cast upon their Party disabled and hindred them from making any other publick Attempt of that kind here in England during the rest of the Raign of King James for concerning his death we shall say nothing yet 't is notorious that abroad they plyed their business vigorously and gave both him and the Protestant Religion a considerable Wound in the Affair of the Palatinate unhappily to say no worse of so bad 〈◊〉 matter lost for want of timely assistance to prevent and divert which we were wheadled with fair promises 〈◊〉 cajoul'd into a tedious mischievous Treaty for
then the Souldiers and Projectors shall be paid out of the Confiscations If the Countrey be too hard for the Souldiers then they must consequently Mutiny which is equally advantagious for us Our Superlative Design is to work the Protestants as well as the Catholicks to welcome in a Conqueror and that is by this means we hope instantly to dissolve all Trade and hinder the Building of Ships by devising probable Designs and put the State upon Expeditions as that of Cadiz in taking away the Merchants Ships and putting them in hopes of taking the West-India Fleet which is to seek a needle in a bottle of hay His Catholick Majesty shall not want our best Intelligences besides he hath Pinaces and Advice-Boats which are still abroad to discover so that you cannot be surprized in any Harbour When Trade is ruined and Shipping decayed what will become of Excise nay what will become of Noblemens and Gentlemens Revenues the poor Yeomen and Farmers in which consists the Infantry and glory of the Kingdom they will turn Rogues and resemble the Abject Peasants in France who are little better than Slaves Trade and Shipping is so much decayed already that London is as it were Besieged for want of Fewel for Sea-coals are at 3 l. the Chaldron When things are brought to this perfection which we hope will be by the time his Sacred Majesty hath setled his Affairs in Germany all the people in general will linger for a Conquerour missing other means and Revenues which should maintain them according to their several Ranks and Qualities Then we assure our selves that the Lands which were rent and torn from the Church by that ravenous Monster Henry the Eighth shall be re-sumed and restored by our mighty Protector his Catholick Majesty to the re-calling those who are Exil'd and delivering thousands of Souls which suffer Persecution at home for the Testimony of a good Conscience Joyn your Prayers with ours in importuning the Blessed Virgin and all the Hosts of Angels Saints and holy Martyrs to intercede for us and no question but God will hast to help us Thus hoping to see Count de Tilly and Marquiss Spinola here about July come Twelve month I rest In the mean time we pray for their happy success in Germany and the Low-Countries In this Letter we may behold the Cursed Designs of the Jesuits and Romish Party portray'd ad vivum by one of their own Pencils in a private familiar Correspondence with one of their Forreign Confederates their end here as in all other their attempts is to Subvert the Government of these Nations let in a Forreign Enemy to Conquer us Re-establish Popery and destroy the Protestant Religion The Mediums projected and pursued therein were the same mutatis mutandis reading France instead of Spain as they have prosecuted since viz. Fomenting mis-understandings between the King and his Parliaments promoting and exasperating Factions destroying Trade advancing Arminianism and other divisions in the Church and Arbitrary Government a standing Army and illegal Impositions in the State thereby bringing all into confusion at home and opening a door for an Invasion from abroad And can it be imagined that a sort of people so principled and affectionated and so eagerly set on such Traiterous Designes against King Charles the First in 1627 should ever become such Innocent Faithful and Loyal Subjects to him as they would be taken for in 1642 Let us trace their practices a little and see if we can ever gather Grapes of Thorns or Fig's of Thistles SECT 2. We shall silently pass by their clandestine Machinations in several subsequent years The frequent invasions of Propriety and Liberty the violent urging of indifferent and unnecessary Ceremonies on one side and peevish opposition thereof on the other the stirs in Scotland and the Seditious murmurs in England was not the hand of Joab in all this But we hasten to a more evident demonstration A Plot of theirs striking at no less than the Sacred Life of that Glorious Prince before ever they had sufficiently prepared the Factious Rabble here to attempt any such wickedness whence it may most rationally be collected and concluded that what afterwards was villanously perpetrated was by these Romish Blood-hounds originally contrived and promoted In the Month of September 1640. two Months before the fatal Parliament began Sir William Boswel being His Majesties Ambassadour in Holland at that time Resident at the Hague receiv'd intimation of a desperate Popish Plot from a person of good Quality at first at the second-hand but soon after avowed by the principal Party and the general scope delivered to him in Writing in a Letter in Latine directed to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury taking an Oath of the said Ambassador not to discover any thing thereof to any but the Arch-bishop and His Majesty Accordingly Sir William in a Letter by an Express dated the 9th of September New stile 1640. transmitted the same to his Grace who sent it to the King then at York in a Letter which His Majesty sent back Apostyled with Instructions how to proceed therein whereupon Octob. 15. there was sent over a more large and particular Discovery in Latine from the Party being one Andreas ab Habernfeld a Doctor in Physick and Physician as many affirm to the Queen of Bohemia The general Contents whereof were 1. That there was then on foot a Plot laid by the Jesuits and Papists for Subverting the Realm and State of England and the destroying and Murthering his most Excellent Majesty p. 13. 2. That the Original Author of this Discovery was born bred up and had for many years been Dignified in the Romish Church and appointed by Cardinal Barberino to assist Con the Popes Legate in managing the said Conspiracy the cruelty and wickedness whereof so terrified his Conscience that he abandoned that Communion and embraced the Orthodox Religion 3. That the said Con was the chief Patron and Director of the business and had his Residence at London where he had endeavoured by various Arts to corrupt divers great men of the Kingdom and particularly sought to practice on the Arch-bishop by the offer of a Cardinals Cap but finding no good to be done upon him resolv'd to cut off both the King and him Art 6 7. 4. That in order thereunto they made it their business to inflame the Puritans in England and stir up the people in Scotland to Commotions Art 9. 5. That having thus embroil'd the Kings Affairs and reduced him to want of Money they would order things so that he should not obtain any but on condition to grant a general Liberty to Exercise the Popish Religion which if he should refuse then the King was to be dispatcht for an Indian Nut stuffed with most sharp poyson was reserv'd by the Society which Con at that time frequently in a boasting manner had shewed to the Informant wherein a Dose was prepared for the King after the example of his Father Artic. 10. 6. That the Chaplain
money were raised by the Forfeitures of Popish Recusants That now by the remisness of some and discouragements of others of His Majesties Officers and Ministers of Justice little or nothing is levyed upon them or likely to be levyed hereafter unless the care thereof be committed to persons Commissionated in the several Countries for the advancement of the Protestant Religion which may encourage persons to see it executed V. That persons are not discouraged to bring up their Children or suffer them to be bred up in the Popish Religion because they are as capable of inheriting the Estates of their Parents or Relations as any other of His Majesties Subjects The Commons do therefore most earnestly desire your Lordships to consider the danger and sad consequences that may befal this Kingdom by the spreading of that Religion amongst us and seriously and cordially to joyn with them in removing these and all other impediments which obstruct the course of Justice and the due execution of the Laws either by expediting those Remedies which have been offered by them to your Lordships or by proposing such others as may be more effectual and that this may be done with all Expedition because the Commons cannot think it suitable to their Trust for them to consent to lay any further charge upon the people how urgent soever the occasions may be that require it till their minds be satisfyed that all care and diligence is used to secure the Kingdom and prevent the dangers that may arise from the prevalency and countenance that is given to that Party by some more effectual course than hath been provided But the Parliament being soon after by the ill influences of unhappy Councils Prorogued nothing was done so that the Conspirators went on with their Game more vigorously than ever they had gain'd the Heir Presumptive of England to own their Religion whence they assumed no small confidence they had made sure of the French King for their Friend and he made as sure of several English Courtiers for his Pensioners they had formed their design engag'd great persons in it at home and setled Correspondencies abroad an Army was on foot so Officer'd as might give them hopes to debauch it or if that fail'd they had got Commissions from the Pope to raise one of their own and to Crown the work his Holiness had provided an English Cardinal Howard like a second Pool to reconcile and receive us again into the bosome of Mother Church Thus all things were prepared Behold the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb We cannot say here Deus providebit but we must say these bloody Traytors had designed one for Sacrifice even our gracious King whom God long preserve as knowing they could never destroy our Religion till they had first destroyed him who is and long may he live to be the Defender of it And certainly whatever Papists may suggest who because the Conspiracy did not take would fain perswade us there never was any that next time they may do their business more effectually and how lowd soever some very indifferent Protestants and men of droll may laugh at the mention of a Massacre and the general destruction of all that should not conform to the Romish Church in these Nations as a thing more extravagant to be attempted more impossible to be effected than any Romance-Adventure yet considerate men will acknowledge that as things stood and had not this Plot been discovered nothing to an humane eye could be more feazable for when the King had been destroy'd and a Popish Successour so establisht that all had been Traitors who should offer to oppose his pleasure when all Offices of Trust should have been in the hands of Papists who had got not a few of them already as Hull was then of the Lord Bellasis and P. of another c. when the Commonalty of England on preâ—ence of executing the Statute for preserving the Game were generally disarm'd and not left so much as a Musquet or pocket-Pistol for fear as one pleasantly expresses it of killing a Popish Bird When we had a mercenary Army on foot â—eady raised and filled with Popish Officers to have joyn'd that Party at an hours warning when the French were ready to have assisted them with Men Money and Ammunition being through their contrivance at peace with all the rest of the World that they might be at better leisure to attend their Motions When at the same time the Spaniards under the name of Pilgrims had designed to land amongst us 12 or 1400 men which is not only attested by Mr. Bedloe but confirmed by a Master of a Ship who was aboard their Fleet before they were dispersed by ill-weaâ—â—â—ther when our own Ships had been bestowed upon Popish Commanders and our strongest Forts and Militia under the like Conduct When at the same time our great City had been fired and every man taking care of his own particular concerns and none left to mind the Publick When you might have search'd twenty good Houses before you met with one that had more Arms in it than some old rusty Gun or Pistol and that perhaps without either Flint Powder or Bullet when all these things should concur together you must needs confess they would have it in their power to act Massacres or any other villanies they pleased and as nothing but Providence did so nothing else could hinder them CHAP. VI. An Account and Vindication of Doctor Oates the first Discoverer of the Plot how he became Engaged amongst the Romanists the prudent course he took for the said Discovery and the difficulties he met with therein SECT 1. AS Hell and Rome had improv'd all their skill and force to manage this hideous Plot and bring it to perfection so Almighty God notwithstanding all the provocations of our manifold sins was graciously pleased to appear for our deliverance by blasting all their long-studyed endeavours and Designs with a Miscarriage just when they were ready for the Birth The Instrument made use of by Providence for this great work was Mr Titus Oates a Name which notwithstanding all the Slanders and Calumnies of his because our Religions and Nations Enemies will be dear and honourable in after-Ages as well as the present to all true Protestants especially of these Kingdoms whom he hath been so eminently serviceable to preserve and therefore it will be requisite here to give some brief account of him As for his Education it was Liberal in the course of Learning being bred a Student in St. John Colledge in Cambridge where he took his Degree and that as Heaven had endued him with good Natural parts an inquisitive Genius quick Apprehension wary Judgment and tenacious Memory so he had not been wanting in improving those Talents and cultivating those happy seeds by pains and industry For acquired Abilities appears by his proceeding Doctor in Divinity at Salamanca in Spain no contemptible University where he performed all his Exercises said by experienced
in Italy but coming home and his other Brother being unhappily Kill'd by an Accident he staid at home as an Assistant to his Father in the Shop who had a great Trade being much Entrusted with the Cash of the Roman Catholick Nobility and Gentry who upon this notice taken of the Plot calling in their money on a sudden and he as 't is said not being able readily to make up his Accounts to his Father and finding their Trade hereby like to be ruined grew so far disturb'd that on the 14th of Novemb. in the Forenoon being in the Company of one Fromante a Foreigner at a Cooks Shop in Kings-Street by Long-Acre discoursing together about the Plot c. in French the said Fromante said that the King of England was a great Tormenter of the People of God meaning the Papists To which the said Staley Answered The King of England the King of England repeating the words twice as in a great fury is a grand Heretick and the greatest Rogue Bouger the word was in French in the world There 's the heart striking his hand on his Breast and here 's the hand that will Kill him my self And then he said further The King and Parliament think all is over but the Rogues are deceived or mistaken When he spoke these words he was in a Room with the door open and just over against him in another Room on the same Floor were three Scotch Gentlemen of whom two understood French who not only plainly heard but as plainly saw him speak them and being mightily concern'd to hear such desperate expressions when he was going enquired who he was having never seen him before and set one to watch him to his Fathers where next day they apprehended him And because there were a sort of men that endeavoured to cry down the Discovery as fâ—ictitious alleadging that although Roman Catholicks in England might endeavour to promote their Religion yet it was nothing probable that they should have any design against the Kings Person Therefore it was thought fit to bring this Man to Tryal first before any of the others in Custody thereby to convince those people that there was such a design seeing the Prisoner even since the discovery of this Devilish Plot and after so many had been Imprisoned for it did persist in a Treasonable mind and a Traiterous attempt against the Kings Person a clear Evidence of which was his speaking such words Accordingly for the same on the 20th of Novemb. he was Arraigned at the Kings-Bench Bar and the 21th brought to his Tryal where a Jury was Impannell'd and the Prisoner not making any Challenge they were Sworn being all Persons of good quality viz. Sir Philip Matthews Sir Reginald Foster Sir John Kirke Sir John Cutler Sir Richard Blake John Bifield Esq Simon Middleton Esq Thomas Cross Esq Henry Johnson Esq Charles Vmfrevile Esq Tho. Eaglesfield Esq William Bohee Esq The Witnesses William Corstairs and Alexander Sutherland did both positively Swear the words before-cited for they both understood French very well having been Officers abroad and just then returned into England And the third Witness though he did not understand French Swore he heard the Prisoner speak something with great earnestness and that Capt. Corstairs at that instant told him it was in English That he would Kill the King and was so fill'd with Indignation that he said he would not endure to hear him use such Language and therefore would have drawn his Sword and run upon him presently but that Mr. Sutherland prevented him They also proved that they writ down the words in French as they were spoken and now sworn to before they came out of the said Cooks The Prisoner own'd that he was at that time with Fromante at that Cooks but denied that he spoke the words and said they only spoke of the French King and that the words Sworn by the Witness in French must signifie I will Kill my self rather than I will Kill him my self But as to this the Court observ'd First that the Witnesses Swore directly that it was the King of England he spoke of and nam'd him twice nor did he sure count the French King an Heretick And as for the Second that evasion could not be allow'd for what sense would it be to say the King of England is a great Heretick and the greatest Villain in the World and therefore here 's the hand and here 's the heart I will Kill my self The Prisoner had little more to say for himself besides general Protestations of his Loyal Intentions And therefore the Lord Chief Justice having repeated the proof to the Jury they without going from the Bar brought him in Guilty of Treason and Sentence was pronounced on him to be Drawn Hang'd and Quartered On Tuesday the 26. of Novemb. he was Executed behaving himself in his passage to Tyburn in a very sober penitent manner His Quarters upon the humble Petition of his Relations to his Majesty were delivered to See an account of digging up his Quarters Publish'd by Order of the Lord Chief Justice Scrogs them privately to be Buried and not to be set upon the Gates of the City But to the great Indignity and Affront of such his Majesties mercy and favour the Friends of the said Staley caused several Masses to be said over his said Quarters and used other Ceremonies according to the manner of the Church of Rome and Solemnly appointed a time for his Interment from his Fathers House in Covent-Garden at which time there was made a Pompuous Funeral many People following the Corps to the Church of St. Paul Covent-Garden where he was Buried which his Majesty hearing of was justly displeased and Commanded the Coroner of Westminster to take up the Body of the said Staley and deliver it to the Sheriff of Middlesex to be set upon the Gates Accordingly it was taken up and brought back to Newgate and then the Quarters exposed on the Gates of the City and the Head on London Bridge as the Limbs of Traitors usually are November the 27th his Majesty emitted a Proclamation for the further discovery of the late horrid design against his Person and Government whereby he declared That if any person before the 25th of Decemb. then next should make any further Discovery to one of his Majesties Principal Secretaries of State he or they should not only have and receive 200 l. immediately paid but also his gracious Pardon if a Principal or any way concernâ—d in the Treason CHAP. X. The substance of the Proceedings against Mr. Coleman and manner of his Execution with a kind of Popish Prayer made to him afterwards as a Saint MR. Staley being thus Executed Mr. Edward Coleman two days after was brought to his Tryal He was the Son of a Reverend worthy Minister in Suffolk brought up in the Protestant Religion and an Academick Education but whether by reason of any Disgust taken for missing a Preferment for which he stood Candidate at
before-mentioned Seminarists in disguised Habits into England to dispose Popish Subjects to Rebellion and prepare a Party to joyn the Spaniard at his designed Invasion and these Emissaries were to deal with people in their secret Confessions and Absolve them particularly in private from their Allegiance and Obedience to the Queen so clandestinely that one should not know of the others Engagements which that Bull had done too openly and in general The Doctrines spread and every where inculcated by these Agents in those days are specified by that judicious pair of Historians the Learned Camden in Anno 1581. and the noble Thuanus l. 74. to be as follow viz. That all Princes not professing the Roman-Catholick Faith have lost their Title and Royal Authority and when once Excommunicated are not to be obeyed but ejected out of their Kingdoms which to do was a work of Duty and Merit That the Clergy were exempt from the Jurisdiction of Secular Princes not bound by their Laws That the Pope had the chief and full Power and Authority over all throughout the World even in Civil matters in order unto Spirituals and as far as might be conducive to the good of the Church That the Magistracy of England was unlawful and consequently Null And that whatever since the Bull of Pius the Fifth published had by the Queens Authority been transacted was by the Law of God to be reputed altogether void c. When these pernicious Principles industriously sown and cultivated had taken Root in prejudiced minds there soon followed rank fruits of Treason and Rebellion in desperate Attempts and Resolutions to Kill the Queen As first by Somervil in the year 1583. who being Condemned with Hall a Priest and others his Accomplices by him detected was three days after found strangled in the Prison for fear as was rationally conjectured leâ—t he should have discovered more of the gang Then William Parry a Doctor of Law undertook it the next year encouraged by Palmius a Jesuit Ragazonius the Popes Nuncio in France Cardinal Como and the Pope himself who sent him his Blessing and Pardon of all his Sins as appears in Thuanus lib. 79. All which the said Parry confessed producing the Letter from the Pope written by Cardinal Como and was for such his Traiterous Attempt Executed in March 158â— Soon after John Savage being perswaded by several Priests that it was meritorious to cut off Excommunicated Princes and Martyrdom to die in such an Adventure made a Vow to Assassinate the Queen And anno 1586 as if every year must be guilty of a new bloudy Treason Mr. Anthony Babington a very personable young Gentleman and well-descended espouses the like Resolve on the same Principles re-enforc'd with other Collateral hopes if he escaped the danger suggested by Father Ballard a Jesuit who not onely urg'd the lawfulness and merit of the Action and a Crown of Glory and everlasting Fame thereby to be acquired but also not obscurely insinuated that he might thereby render himself not unworthy a Royal Match with the Queen of Scots by so advantagious a piece of service A most tempting Charm to a youthful ambitious minde Which business the same Thuanus a Catholick Author of unquestionable Veracity tells us was transacted with Mendoza the Spanish Embassador promising to second it with a Forreign Army for obtaining which Paget a Gentleman of an Honourable Family was sent on a Negotiation into Spain whereby all things being provided both at home and abroad St. Bartholomews day as luckily ominous for the succesful Massacre at Paris was agreed upon for giving the fatal blow and a Project framed of making an Association under pretence of fear of the Puritans who were to bear the odiuâ— of the Murther but before that Festival the Conspiracy had taken Air and both Ballard Babington and others being apprehended on their own Confessions were Convicted and Executed on the Twentieth of September yet so eagerly were they set upon designs of Blood that but in January following L'Aubaspinaeus the French Lieger Embassadour here a person entirely devoted to the Guistan Faction did by his Secretary tempt William Stafford a Gentleman likewise of a Noble Family with mighty promises to undertake the same Murder but he declining so horrid a villany himself recommended one Moody as a fit instrument who in Consultation about the manner of doing it proposed the laying a Bag of Gun-powder under the Queens Bed-chamber and secretly to give fire to it whence we may observe that the famous Fifth of November was not the first Popish Treason of that kind but this being divulged by Stafford the said Ambassadors Secretary endeavouring to fly home to France was taken and upon strict examination confest the whole Intrigue the indulgent Protection of Heaven still miraculously bringing to light all their dark and cruel Machinations against the Life of this Pious and unparallel'd Princess SECT 5. The common excuse which Papists make for all the before-mentioned Treasons against Queen Elizabeth is to pretend her Illegitimate and that what they did was to advance the juster Title of Mary Queen of Scots great Grandmother to our present Soveraign Thus in their Apology publisht soon after their Burning of London speaking of these pranks they say It was a question harder than that of York and Lancaster who had most right Queen Elizabeth or Mary Stuart for since the whole Kingdom had Crowned and sworn Allegiance to Queen Mary they had owned her Lagitimate Daughter to Henry the Eighth and therefore it was thought necessarily to follow by many That if Mary was the true Child Elizabeth was the Natural which must then give way to the thrice-Noble Queen of Scots And a little after 'T was for the Royal House of Scotland that we suffered in those days and 't is for the same Illustrious Family we are ready to hazard all c. But this is a most false though subtle insinuating pretence and were not impudence a necessary virtue in any that undertake to be Advocates for Treason we should wonder with what face they can make this Allegation For first The Archbishop of York though a Papist in his Speech at the publishing Queen Maries Death declared That no man could doubt of the justness of the Lady Elizabeths Title to succeed Secondly The whole Kingdom received and owned her more freely and generally than ever they did Queen Mary Thirdly Forreign Princes and States owned her the greatest Monarchs in Europe offering Marriage to her in certain expectation of gaining the Crown by her as Philip the Second of Spain and Henry the Second of France respectively for themselves and the Emperour Maximilian for his Brother Charles Fourthly the Queen of Scots herself did acknowledge her and claimed nothing more than to be Heir to her and so did King James that was her Successour The first that ever questioned her Title was Pope Paul the Fourth who would not acknowledge her nor hear Sir Edward Kerne her Ambassadour for several causes of which the
precipitate to Ruine as aforesaid consult and use all Arts to exclude him from the Succession To this purpose Father Parsons Cardinall Allen and others contrive a mischievous Book under the counterfeit Name of Doleman wherein divers Titles are started and 't is laid down as a Fundamental Maxime That none but a Roman Catholick how near soever in Blood ought to be admitted King and therefore therein by forged devices the Title of the Infanta Isabella of Spain is preferred before the indubitable Right of the said King James and all the English in the Spanish Seminaries were compell'd to Swear to maintain the same And Tho. Winter and Tesmond a Jesuit were sent over Anno 1601. into Spain to manage this Design in that Court by the Assistance of Father Croswel Legier-Jesuit there 2. In Farther pursuance of this Pope Clement the Eighth sent privately over to Father Garnet the then Proâ—incial of the Jesuits two Bulls one to the â—aiety directed to the Nobles and Gentlemen of England that were Catholicks the other to his Beloved Sons the Arch-Priest and the rest of the English Catholick Clergyâ— the effect of both was That whoever after the death of Queen Elizabeth whether by course of nature or otherwise should claim the Crown of England though never so directly and nearly interessed therein by Descent and Blood-Royal yet unless he were such an one as would not onely Tolerate the Catholick meaning Romish Religion but would likewise take an Oath to promote it with all 〈◊〉 might and endeavours they should not admit or receive him for their King but oppose his Entry and Claim with all their power Which in plain English was meerly designed and directly tended to obstruct King James though not particularly named and Exclude him and his Family from the Crown And was not this a sufficient tast of the Popes good-will a notable earnest of the Papists Loyalty to him 'T is true when the Conspirators saw him so unanimously Proclaimed the State setled and a Peace with Spain so far advanced that that generous Monarch began to refuse them the expected Assistances then and not till then Garnet as himself alleadged burnt the said Bulls and quitted the Project but why onely because they despaired of effecting it 3. The more to prepossess the minds of the English against the said King James that they might keep him out or at least that themselves might have some colour for their future intended Conspiracies if he should come in Watson a Priest having some time heretofore got access once or twice to His Majesty at Edenburgh did with the Arch-Traitor Piercy and others of the Popish Crew most falsely devise and divulge a scandalous Report as if His Majesty had promised that whenever he should come to the Crown of England He would Establish or at least Tolerate the Popish Religion Than which nothing was ever more remote from or contrary to his Royal Thoughts And Watson himself but two days before his death confessed it to be a Lie of their own forging spread abroad meerly that they might kill two Birds with one stone viz. bring an odium upon him from the Protestants for making such a promise and the like from the Papists on pretence of breaking it In which latter respect it took effect though not in the former for Sir Everard Digby at his death and other Gun-powder Traitors made use thereof alleadging that they were exasperated to that horrid Attempt because the King had not kept his promise with Catholicks SECT 2. These were the good Officer of the Pope these the dutiful respects of the Priests and Papists paid to King James before he was actually Estated in the English Throne Whence we may judge how little welcome they were like to afford him at his Entry and of this the worthy Authour of a Treatise published in the beginning of King James's Reign before the Gun-powder-Treason Intituled A Consideration of the Papists Supplication gives us a notable instance from his own Experience and Observation in these words p. 3. My self can testifie that here in Oxford at what time His Majesty was proclaimed King of England c. a man might easily have traced and culled out every Papist within this City by his extraordinary howling and sobbing for grief that their hopes were frustrated and their expectation all in vain some of the simpler sort crying out in express terms Alas alas How shall the poor Catholicks do now we are all undone we are undone whereas all the rest of His Majesties Liege and Loyal Subjects by manifold Tokens declared their extraordinary rejoycing Their demeanor afterwards was suitable to these beginnings for soon after his arrival at London the said Watson and Clark two Secular Italianated Priests wheadled in several of the Nobility and Gentry as the Lords Cobbam and Gray Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Griffin Markham George Brooke and others into a dangerous Conspiracy to have surprized the Kings Person and his Son Prince Henry and to keep them Prisoners in the Tower or Dover Castle till by Duress they had obtained their ends viz. A Toleration of Religion and some other Projects and then having obtained their Pardons they were to share amongst them the grand Offices of the Realm just as their Successors Whitebread Coleman c. had lately designed viz. Watson was to be Lord Chancelour the Lord Gray Earl Marshal of England George Brooke Lord Treasurer Sir Griffin Markham Secretary of State c. But though several were found guilty onely Watson Clark and Brooke were then Executed and Sir Walter Rawleigh on the same Conviction many years after 'T is observable that Watson though a Secular Priest had yet learned the art of Equivocation as well as the Jesuits For he insisted that this Conspiracy was no Treason against the King and being at last put to explain himself gave this doughty reason That a King was no King before he was Anointed and the Crown solemnly set on his head and King James being not yet crowned therefore they might lawfully conspire against him without commitring any Treason Amongst other things which Watson Confessed one was that he had endeavoured to draw in several of the Society of Jesuits into this Plot but they declined it saying They had another of their own then on foot and that they would not mingle Designs with him for fear of hindring one the other Vide Watsons Confession What such their Design was though he could not yet time in few years after did discover for in the next place appears that horrid never-to-be-forgotten Popish Powder-plot a Treason that as it exceeded all that had ever been before in the World so it was believed it would have surpassed in its mischievous Design Extent and Cruelty all that teeming Hell and Rome could have bred at any time afterwards had not this last Internal Conspiracy of the same Bloâ—â—y Tribe against our present Gratious King Charles the Second and the Establisht Religion and Government of England vut-gone it in
designed Party perceiving their Treason was openly known and fearing their just reward from some enraged hand desired a Pass to return since the work of killing the King was done beyond the Seas which that they might with less suspicion and more security pass they pretended to Banish them A Noble person of this Kingdom of Sir K. acquaintance told me That he observed him in publick to exclaim against the Hereditary Rights of Kings as a most pernicious thing to a Kingdom saying That oft-times thereby the Kingdom was Governed by Children Fools and Women And hereupon took occasion to traduce the then Prince of Wales now King saying c. The Expressions are so base and foul-mouthed that we dare not out of Reverence to Majesty go on to repeat them from our Author At the same time highly commending Cromwel as one of the ablest men in Europe and Bradshaw that sate as the Kings Judge for a gallant man Thus far that Treatise concerning the credit of which we shall onely say that the Author appears by the Work to have been a man of no vulgar Intelligence or Conversation in those times and all along expresses much Loyalty and Affection to his present Majesty 2. The Reverend and Learned Doctor Peter du Moulin hath long since declared in Print That the Roman Priest is known who when he saw the â—atal stroke given to our Holy King and Martyr flourished with his Sword and said Now the greatest Enemy that we have in the World is gone And that the year before the Kings Murder a select number of Jesuits out of England had a Consult with their Confederates at Paris where this question in writing was by them put to the Faculty of Sorbon then altogether Jesuited That seeing the State of England was in a likelyhood to change Government whether it were lawful for the Catholicks to work that change for the advancing and securing of the Catholick Cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from this Heresie Which was answered affirmatively And afterward the same question being transmitted to Rome the said Resolution was likewise approved and confirmed by the Pope and his Council That it was both lawful and expedient for Catholicks by such means to promote that alteration of State But afterwards when the Regicide was so universally cryed down and detested his Holiness consulting his credit commanded all Papers about that question to be burnt in obedience to which order a Roman Catholick in Parts was demanded a Copy which he had of those papers but having had time to consider and abhor the wickedness of that Project refused to deliver it up but shewed it to a Protestant friend of his relating the whole carriage of this Negotiation This passage theâ— Reverend du Moulin aforesaid now Canon 〈◊〉 Christ-Church Canterbury and one of His Majestieâ— Chaplains did seventeen years ago set forth 〈◊〉 print in his answer to a scurrilous Popish pamphleâ— Intituled Philanax Anglicus and there publickly offered to justifie the truth of it if any should 〈◊〉 him to an account for it before Authority but That in all this time they have been afraid or ashamed to do onely soon after the coming forth of his Book the Gentlemen of Somerset-house who were netled one eminent person of them it seems not a little concerned actually in the story instead of having the truth thereof examined privately by interest obtained a Command from the King to the said Doctor that he should write no more Books which Prohibition the Doctor goâ— taken off Anno 1668. See the last Edition of the Doctors Answer p. 60. where likewise p. 64 we have the Testimony of that worthy judicious Gentleman Sir William Morris late Secretary of State who in a Letter to the said Doctor du Moulin concerning this matter hath these words This I may say safely and will do it confidently That many arguments did create a violent suspicion very near convincing Evidences That the Irreligion of the Papists was chiefly guilty of the Murder of that excellent Prince the odium whereof they would now file to the account of the Protestant Religion 5. 'T is notorious that no sort of men truckled more servilely to the late Rebellious Powers they adressed their Petitions to them with the Stile of the Supreme Authority of this Nation the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England First Moderator fol. 59. They affirmed That they had generally taken and punctually kept the Engagement Second Moderator fol. 41. They promised that 〈◊〉 they might enjoy their Religion They would 〈◊〉 the most quiet and useful Subjects of England First Moderator fol. 31. which they proved in these words viz. That the Roman-Catholicks of England would be bound by their own interest the strongâ—â—â— obligation amongst wise men to live peaceably and â—hankfully in private Exercise of their Consciences and becoming gainers by such compassions they could not 〈◊〉 reasonably be distrusted as the Prelatick Parâ—y that were loosers First Moderator fol. 36. 6. 'T is observable That Tho. White a Popish â—riest in the height of Olivers Tyranny set out 〈◊〉 Book Intituled The grounds of Obedience and Government purposely to confirm his usurpation another His Majesties just Tale and perswade people that they were not obliged to assist or reâ—â—ore him Who was it as Doctor Oates says in his Epistle to the King before his Narrative of the Plot printed by Order of the House of Lords â—hat broke off the Uxbridge Treaty but the Romish Interest and Policy with what zeal and Interest did they perswade the Scots in 1650. to impose that upon your Majesty which your Royal Law had forbidden others for the effecting whereof some Thousands of pounds were spent and given by them Where he likewise sets forth how they endeavoured to Betray and Sacrifice His Majesty after his miraculous escape as Worcester And that those who were to pay the 1000 l. promised for his Discovery were no other but Father Joseph Simmonds and Father Carleton Compton both Jesuits and 〈◊〉 whereas Mr. John Huddleston a Priest having 〈◊〉 instrumental in His Majesties Escape for whicâ— good Service he has been always excepted out 〈◊〉 His Majesties Proclamations against Priests and Jesuits several of the Jesuited Crew have often call'd him FOOL for his labour and said that the same was the worst days work that ever he did in his life That there is a Popish Lord not forgotten or unknown who brought a Petition to the late Regicide and Vsurpers signed by above 500 of the principal Popists in England wherein was promised upon condition of a Toleration here by a Law they would jointly resolve to Abjure and Exclude the Family of the Stuarts for ever from the Crown That a whole Convent of Benedictine Monks were Olivers Pensioners to betray His Majesties Secrets and Counsels That the Traitor Manning taken 〈◊〉 discovering such His Majesties Affairs was a Roman Catholick and had Masses sung for him after his 〈◊〉
Poison And at another time did say to Fenwick at the said Fenwicks Chamber in Dr. Oates's hearing that he had found a way to Transmit 200000 l. to carry on the Rebellion in Ireland 4. That in the same moneth of August Mr. Coleman knew of the four Irish Ruffians sent to Windsor to Kill the King and in his pag. 24. hearing askt Father Harcourt at Wild-House what care was taken for those four Gentlemen that went lastnight to Windsor who reply'd that there was 80 l. ordered to be sent them which he saw there on the Table most of it in Guinies and that Mr. Coleman was so Zealous to promote the work that he gave a Guinny to the Messenger who was to carry this Reward to expedite the business 5. That in July 78. Mr. Coleman was privy to the Instructions brought by Ashby sometimes Rector of St. Omers from Father pag. 25. Whitebread to Impower the Consulters to propose 10000 l. to Sir G. Wakeman to Poison the King provided Pickering and Grove fail'd to do the work That he read and Copied these Instructions and transmitted them to several others of the Conspirators who were gathering Contributions about the Kingdom and would thereby be the more encoâ—rag'd to give largely both because hereby they were assured the business would be soon dispaâ—cht and that they might see they had assistance from beyond the Seas and that Mr. Coleman was so far from disapproving this Treason that he said it was too little and advised to add 5000 l. more to it that they might be sure to have it done 6. That in May New Stile April Old Stile 78 he saw Mr. Colemans Patent or Commission to be Secretary of State from pag. 27. Paulus de Oliva General of the Society of Jesus by Vertue of a Brief from the Pope and that in Mr. Fenwicks Chamber in Drury-Lane he saw Mr. Coleman open it and heard him say it was a good exchange meaning to come from being the Dutchesses Secretary to be Secretary of State This was the substance of Dr. Oates's Testimony but by our merciful English Laws no man can be Condemned by a single Evidence But here was sufficient proof for in the next place Mr. Bedloe Witnessed 1. That Sir Henry Tichbourn told him he brought a Commission for Mr. Coleman to be principal Secretary of State when he brought pag. 27. over the rest of the Commissions for the Lords and others from the principal Jesuits at Rome by Order of the Pope 2. That in April 75. he carried over a large Packet of Letters from Mr. Coleman to Monsieur Le Chese about carrying on the Plot and brought back an Answer And May 24. or 25. 77. he received another Packet of Colemans to carry to Paris to the English Monks 3. That upon his return with Answers to the last Letters which were delivered to Coleman by Harcourt he heard Mr. Coleman at pag. 39. his House behind Westminster-Abbey at the foot of the Stair-case say That if he had an hundred lives and a Sea of blood to swim through to carry on the cause of the Church of Rome and to establish that Church in England he would venture it all and if there were an hundred Heretical Kings to be Deposed he would see them all destroyed This was the Oral Testimony in confirmation whereof in the next place were produced several of Mr. Colemans Papers taken at his House by Mr. Bradley the Messenger by vertue of a Warrant from the Council the 29th of Septemb. at which time he was not to be found but surrendred himself next day as aforesaid The Messenger Swore he seiz'd them there and Seal'd them up and brought them to the Clerks of the Council who Swore these were the same Papers and they were all that were made use of proved to be his own Hand-writing by Mr. Boatman his Servant and Mr. Cattaway a Sub-secretary that used to write many things for him and were both well acquainted with his hand and also by his own Confession so that it was impossible there could be any firmer proof And if there had been no other Evidence in the Cause his own Papers were as good as an hundred Witnesses to Condemn him Where also note by the way that one of these Servants acknowledged upon his Oath that a Packet of Letters from beyond the Seas was directed to Mr. Coleman two or three days after he was made Prisoner and that his Master kept a large Book of Entries for his Letters and News which he saw on Saturday the 28th of Septemb. but not since nor knew what was become of it by which it appears both that he still maintain'd a Correspondence beyond the Seas even to the time of his Commitment and that he had made away with most of his dangerous Papers however through hast or inadvertency he had left these behind which probably being old and long since laid by he might forget The first Paper read was the draught of a long Letter to Monsieur Le Chese dated the 29th of of Septemb. 1675. Subscribed thus Your most humble and most obedient Servant but no name This did contain a deduction of a three years History of his former Traiterous Negotiations for the most part with Father Ferrier the Predecessor of Le Chese by means of Sir William Throckmorton and has many insolent and dangerous exprssions as pag. 44. of the Tryal in which it is inserted Verbatim The fatal Revocation of the Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience to which we owe all our miseries and hazards p. 45. I pressed all I could to persuade his most Christian Majesty to use His utmost endeavours to prevent that Session of our Parliament and proposed Expedients how to do it pag. 46. That it was his Royal Highnesses opinion that if his most Christian Majesty would make the same proffer to his Majesty of England of his Purse to dissolve this Parliament which he had made to his R. H. to call another he did believe it very possible for him to Succeed with the Assistance we should be able to give him here p. 47. Logick in our Court built upon Money has more powerful Charms than any other sort of Reasoning again speaking of the 300000 l. that he would have had of the French King he says Thereby the Condition of his R. H. and of the Catholick Religion which depends very much upon the Success of his most Christian Majesty would thereby have been delivered from a great many frights and real hazards p. 53. he says He would willingly be in everlasting disgrace with all the World if by the assistance of 20000 l. to be obtained from the French King he did not regain to the Duke his Master his former Offices and especially that of being Admiral of the Fleet. p. 54. If we can Advance the Dukes Interest one step forward we shall put him out of the reach of Chance for ever then would Catholicks be at rest and his
several times see Pickering and Grove pag. 23. walking in the Park together with their screw'd Pistols which were longer than ordinary Pistols and shorter than some Carbines That they had Silver Bullets to shoot with and that Grove would have had the Bullet champt to render the wound Incurable and that he saw Grove's Bullets in May and Pickering's in August 5. That in the Moneth of March 1677 8. for these persons followed the King to mischief him before the said Consult and Resolve which was made only to encourage them as well by so general an Approbation as by the certainty of Reward setled Pickering had a fair opportunity to have shot the King but the Flint of his Pistol happen'd to be loose and he durst not venture to give fire and because by their negligence this opportunity was miss'd Pickering underwent pag. 24. Penance and had 20 or 30 strokes of Discipline and Grove was chidden for his carelessness as Whitebread had written in his Letters which the Witness had read and well knew his hand 6. That Grove did go about with one Smith to gather Peter-pence which was either to carry on the design or to send them to Rome That he saw the Book wherein it was entred and heard the said Grove say he had been gathering it The second Witness was Mr. Bedloe who Swears 1. That he was imployed for the space of near five years as a Messenger p. 37 38. by these Conspirators for the carrying their Letters to their Confederates beyond the Seas and bringing others back all or the most relating to this Plot for he Swears he had a way to open and read them whereby he fully informed himself of matters And for the nature of the Plot he Swears he heard some of the Conspirators say That they would not leave any Member of an Heretick in England that should survive to tell hereafter that there ever was any such Religion there as the Protestant And to confirm his Intimacy with them he Swears the manner of his coming first to be imployed by them By means of the Lady Abbess of the English Nunnery at Dunkirk who having kept him six weeks in her Convent recommended him to Sir John Warner as a proper Instrument who afterwards sent him to Harcourt to be instructed and then he brings his Brother James Bedloe who knew nothing of the Plot but Swears he hath heard the Prisoners often named as being of his Brothers Acquaintance and that he hath on his Brothers behalf received several sums of money from Priests and Jesuits sometimes 50 or 60 l. aâ— a time from all which it appears that he must be very well acquainted amongst them and knowing in the design having been imployed under them so long in it 2. Mr. Bedloe Swears That about the latter end of August 78. the very day he Confesses he cannot Swear to at Mr. Harcourts pag. 41. Chamber one of the Conspirators he met Ireland Pickering and Grove the Prisoners with some others where he heard them discourse that the 4 Irish Russians missing of Killing of the King at Windsor therefore Pickering and Grove should go on in their design and that one Conyers a Benedictine Monk was to be joyned with them and that they should endeavour to Assassinate his Majesty in his Morning walk at New Market and they had taken it so strongly upon them that they were eager upon it and Mr. Grove more forward than the rest insomuch that he said Since it could not be done Clandestinely it should be attempted Openly and that those that should fall therein had the Glory to die in a good Cause but if it should be discovered the discovery could never reach to that height but their Party would be strong enough to accomplish the work 3. He Swears that Harcourt told him Grove was to have 1500 l. and Pickering as many Masses as at 12 d. a piece came to the like sum 4. That at the same time when the discourse was at Harcourts Chamber about Killing the King at New-Market there was likewise a discourse amongst them of a design to Kill several Noble Persons and the particular parts assigned to every one Knight was to Kill the Earl of Shaftsbury Prichard the Duke of Buckingham Oneile the Earl of Ossory Obrian the Duke of Ormond c. And here it is to be noted That though Dr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe do not speak to one and the same Consultation nor to one and the same time yet they are in Law two Witnesses to one and the same Crime for thus several Witnesses to several Overt Acts are so many Witnesses to the Treason and the several Overt Acts which declare the Intention are but as so many Evidences of the Treason and this hath often heretofore as in the case of Sir Henry Vane and else where as well as now been declared to be Law and there seems good reason that it should be so for otherwise scarce ever any Treason could be proved for men that run the hazard of their lives in such Consultations will hardly suffer two persons to hear them or meet twice together but so dispose them that they may meet severally at several times and in different places as Dr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe did To Corroborate Dr. Oates's Testimony concerning the Consult of the 24th of April there was a Letter produced and read taken in Harcourts Chamber when they Search'd for him dated Feb. 23. 77. written by one Peters a Jesuit now in Newgate on the score of the Plot to one Tonstall of the same Society to summon him to meet at the general Consult to be held at London April the 24th the same day Dr. Oates set forth wherein there is special Caution given in these words Every one is also to be minded not to hasten to London long before the time appointed nor to appear much about Town till the meeting be over lest occasion should be given to suspect the Design finally Secresie as to the time and place is much recommended to all those that receive Summons as it will appear of its own nature necessary Now Dr. Oates had given in his Testimony of the Consult on April the 24th long before this Letter was found so that he was right in that And by the words Suspect the Design and the unusual Caution and Secresie prescribed as necessary there is a strong presumption that the design intended was indeed no other than what he hath set forth The Prisoners Defence for themselves against all this was 1. A naked peremptory denial of the whole but that without Witnesses or good Circumstances to prove it signifies very little being the common Allegation of every Malefactor much more to be expected from these men who having the Conscience to venture on such Devillish Crimes and who by their Religion could have or grant a Dispensation for the breaking of an Oath were not like to Boggle at telling a Lie to save their Lives and to keep
disproved by the Evidence and most improbable in it self the Jury going together soon returned and brought Mr. Reading in guilty of the Misdemeanour whereof he stood Indicted And then the Lord Cheif Justice North after a grave Speech respecting the heinousness of the Crime and the Quality of the Person as being of the long Robe whose knowledg should keep them from so foolish and their Integrity from so wicked an Attempt Pronounced the Judgment of the Court viz. That be be Fined 1000 l. Imprisoned for one Year and stand one hour in the Pillory in the Pallace-Yard in Westminster on Monday then next between the hours of Eleven and Twelve Accordingly he did at the same time publickly stand in the Pillory and the People generally appear'd so Enraged against his Crimes that if an extraordinary Guard had not been provided to secure him 't is thought some Fatal Mischeif might have been done to his Person by the Fury of the incensed Rabble CHAP. XVI The Cursed Design of Morrice Gifford a Popish Priest and others of the Conspirators to Fire the Cities and Suburbs of London and Westminster happily discovered with other Subsequent Transactions as the Model and Names of the New Council c. WE have told you before in the Seventh Chapter That one part of this Damnable Popish Plot consisted in Firing and Mr. Bedloe in a particular Narrative sold by Mr. Boulter and other Booksellers in Cornhil hath acquainted the World how far he was concern'd therein as a Member of their Committee appointed for carrying on that Villany how he was engaged by the Benedictine Monks at Paris in the Year 1676. to that purpose and afterwards joined with one Father Gifford and others to Fire Westminster Limehouse and other places and he there names several particular Streets and the very Houses where he hired Cellars and laid in Wood Coals and other combustible Matter to effect this Business as on the backside of the Palsegraves-Head Tavern without Temple-Bar Brewers Yard in the Strand a Cellar at Mr. Withers's at the Plough in Seething-Lane another in White-Friars others in Red-Cross-Street White-Cross-Street Bishopsgate-Street Queen-hive c. And in his Epistle he names Twelve several distinct ways they have to cause and promote Fires one of which is by Bribing Servants to fire the Houses of their Masters Of this kind we had about this time a notorious Instance and wherein the very same Father Gifford was concern'd For the discovery of the Plot hitherto had only enrag'd not daunted the Conspirators and therefore they still resolv'd to go on with their Work and amongst others they had drawn in one Elizabeth Oxley a Servant Maid to one Mr. Bird an eminent Attorney in Fetter-Lane who having dwelt there about 6 weeks took the opportunity on the 10th of April 1679. when all the Family was in Bed to fire a large Press in her Master ' s Closet wherein were kept Papers and Writings and when she thought it was not to be Quencht wak'd her Master and Mistress with out-cries that the House was on Fire and ran down to let in the Watch who had took notice of it and by the great Mercy of God and ready help the Fire was put out and the House preserv'd though the Gentleman suffered considerable damage by it Now as there was no probability how this Fire should come by any Accident so it was observ'd that this Elizabeth had pack't up her Cloaths and several other Circumstances of suspicion whereupon she was taxt with it and at last confessed it declaring on her Examination That about Michaelmas 1678. she became acquainted with one Nicholas Stubbs a Papist formerly Butler to a Popish Lady who had used mnay persuasions to turn her to his Religion and after her shewing a liking to it and that he supposed she had embraced that persuasion in his discourse to her at several times told her That she should set all the Protestants destroy'd that were in England before the Eighth and Twentieth of June next and that all that would turn to the Roman Catholick Religion should live far better than now they did that as for Hereticks it were a Meritorius Act to kill them And that all such as were Papists should have marks upon their Hats whereby to distinguish them from Protestants that they might not be destroy'd amongst them That the Duke of York was the bravest Prince living and was gone out of the Kingdom lest the Heretiks should cut off his head and he would not return till they were destroy'd that not one of the Lords in the Tower would Suffer for they would come off well enough being to be Tryed by the Lords c. She likewise did avouch That she telling the said Stubbs that she was hired to live with Mr. Bird aforesaid and naming to him the place he used persuasions to her at several times to set Fire on her said Master ' s House telling her That if she would do it he would give her 5 l and gave her once half-a-Crown in earnest of such Reward and said That he would have other Houses in Holborn Fired at the same time by others That on the Sunday before this Fire happen'd she was with the said Stubbs and did then promise that she would certainly fire her Master ' s House on Thursday or Friday Night following and that accordingly she did on Thursday Night take a Candle and set fire to her Master ' s papers in his Study which were in a kind of Press and then being on a light Fire she shut the door and went up stairs into her own Chamber at the top of the House where she packt up her own things and undress'd her self lest her Master should suspect her and there stay'd till a great Knocking was at the door and the Watchmen crying out Fire whereupon she went and let them in but she declared That she did not do this out of any Spleen or Malice towards her Master nor with any attempt to Rob him but meerly to carry on the Design which Stubbs had proposed to her out of hopes of the Reward he had promis'd Hereupon a Warrant was issued forth to apprehend Nicholas Stubbs who was shortly after taken and though at first he out-brazen'd the Truth with the usual Popish Impudence yet when he came to be confronted with the Wench who offered so many Circumstances to convince him he could no longer stand it out but did confess and own That he had used such discourses to the said Elizabeth as she had set forth in her Examination and that he did persuade her to fire her Master ' s House and was to give her 5 Guinnies for doing it besides half-a-Crown in hand He did likewise declare upon Oath That Father Gifford his Confessor had put him upon this Business and told him it was no Sin to fire all the Houses of Hereticks and Huguenots That Derby Molrayne aliàs Flower a Barber in Jermanstreet and one Roger Clinton that lodged at the
greatest hopes of Success against our Religion in the Enemies thereof the Papists are founded in the execrable Designs which they have laid against the Sacred Person and Life of your Majesty which it is not onely our Duty but our Interest with the greatest hazards to preserve and defend We have applyed our selves to the making such provision by Law as may defeat these Popish Adversaries their Abettors and Adherents of their hopes of gaining an advantage by any violent attempts against your Majesty and may utterly frustrate their expectation of Subverting the Protestant Religion thereby in time to come And further to obviate by the best means we can all wicked practices against your Majesty whilest any such Lawes are in preparation and bringing to perfection It is our resolution and we do Declare That in defence of your Majesties Person and the Protestant Religion we will stand by your Majesty with our Lives and Fortunes and shall be ready to Revenge upon the Papists any violence offered by them to your Sacred Majesty in which we have your Majesty will gratiously please to be the more assured as We our Selves are the more encouraged in that the Hearts of all your Majesties Protestant Subjects with the most sincere affection and zeal joyn with us herein But this Zeal of the House of Commons running to so high a pitch touching the Succession together with some unhappy misunderstandings arising between them and the House of Lords concerning the Tryal of the Popish Lords and Earl of Danby as shall be related in the next Chapter His Majesty to allay the same was pleased first to Prorogue and then to put a period to them by a Dissolution of that Parliament by a Proclamation dated at Windsor the 12th of July 1679. But therein graciously declaring that a New one should be called to begin and be holden on Tuesday the 7th which was afwards altered to Friday the 17th of October CHAP. XVII The Proceedings against the Popish Lords in the Tower WE have before related the Commitment of these Lords to the Tower for High Treason after which followed this Vote in the House of Commons in the old Parliament Decemb. 5th 1678. Resolved That the House do proceed by way of Impeachment of High Treason and other High Crimes and Misdemeanours against the Lord Arundel of Warder Lord Powis Lord Petre Lord Bellasis and Viscount Stafford and a Committee appointed to draw up Articles of Impeachment against them Which Vote was Communicated to the House of Lords and the several Lords Charged by several Members in these words The Commons in Parliament having received Information of divers Traiterous Practices and Designs of a great Peer of this House Henry Lord Arundel of Warder have Commanded me to Impeach the said Henry Lord Arundel of Warder of High Treason and other high Crimes and Misdemeanours They have further Commanded me to acquaint your Lordships that they will within a convenient time exhibit to your Lordships particular Articles of the Charge against him Thus standing Impeached they continued in the Tower all the Interval of Parliament and as soon as the next Parliament was settled to Business they forgot not their Lordships For March 20th 1678. it was Ordered That a Committee of Secrecy be appointed to take further Evidence and prepare Articles against the Lords in the Tower who stand Impeached of High Treason and take such further Informations as they shall receive touching the Plot in general and the Death of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey and that this Committee have power to send for Persons Papers and Records and that they sit de die in diem and the Quorum to be Three The Articles at last Exhibited were as follows Articles of Impeachment of High Treason and other high Crimes and Offences against William Earl of Powis William Viscount Stafford Henry Lord Arundel of Warder William Lord Petre and John Lord Bellasis now Prisoners in the Tower THat for many Years now last past there hath been contrived and carried on a Traiterous and Execrable Conspiracy and Plot within this Kingdom of England and other places to alter change or subvert the Antient Government and Laws of this Kingdom and Nation and to suppress the true Religion therein established and to Extirpate and destroy the Professors thereof which said Plot and Conspiracy was contrived and carried on in divers places and by several ways and means and by a great number of Persons of several Qualities and Degrees who acted therein and intended to execute and accomplish the aforesaid Wicked and Traiterous Designs and Purposes That the said William Earl of Powis William Viscount Stafford Henry Lord Arundel of Warder William Lord Petre and John Lord Bellasis together with Philip Howard commonly called Cardinal of Norfolk Thomas White aliàs Whitebread commonly called Provincial of the Jesuits in England Richard Strange late Provincial of the Jesuits in England Vincent commonly called Provincial of the Dominicans in England James Corker commonly called President of the Benedictines Sir John Warner aliàs Clare Baronet William Harcourt John Keines Nicholas Blundel Pole Edward Mico Thomas Beddingfield Bazil Langworth Charles Peters Richard Peters John Conyers Sir George Wakeman John Fenwick Dominick Kelly Fitz Gerald Evers Sir Thomas Preston William Lovel Jesuits Lord Beltamore John Carrel John Townely Richard Langhorn William Foggarty Thomas Penny Matthew Medbourn Edward Coleman William Ireland John Grove Thomas Pickering John Smith and divers others Jesuits Priests and Fryars and other persons as false Traitors to his Majesty and this Kingdom within the time aforesaid have Traiterously consulted contrived and acted to and for the accomplishing of the said wicked pernicious and Traiterous Designs and for that end did most wickedly and Traiterously agree conspire and resolve to Imprison Depose and Murther his Sacred Majesty and to deprive him of his Royal State Crown and Dignity and by malicious and advised speaking writing and otherwise declared such their Purposes and Intentions and also to subject this Kingdom and Nation to the Pope and his Tyrannical Government And to seize and share amongst themselves the Estates and Inheritances of his Majesties Protestant Subjects and to Erect and Restore Abbies Monasteries and other Convents and Societies which have been long since by the Laws of this Kingdom supprest for their Superstition and Idolatry and to deliver up and restore to them the Lands and Possessions now Invested in his Majesty and his Subjects by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm And also to Found and Erect new Monasteries and Convents and to remove and deprive all Protestant Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Persons from their Offices Benefices Preferments and by this means to destroy his Majesties Person extirpate the Protestant Religion overthrow the Rights Liberties and Properties of his Majesties good Subjects Subvert the Lawful Government of this Kingdom and subject the same to the Tyranny of the See of Rome That the said Conspirators and their Complices and Confederates Traiterously had and held several Meetings
said Plea contained which may any way give this Honourable House any occasion of Offence which he hopes will be granted The said Lord as to that part of the Impeachment that contains the matter following Namely That for divers Years last past there hath been contrived and carried on by the Papists a most Traiterous and Execrable Conspiracy and Plot within this Kingdom of England and other places to alter change and subvert the Ancient Government and Laws of this Kingdom and Nation and to suppress the true Religion therein Established and to extirpate and destroy the Professors thereof and that the said Plot and Conspiracy was contrived and carried on in divers places and by several ways and means by a great number of Persons of several Qualities and Degrees who acted therein and intended thereby to execute and accomplish their aforesaid Wicked and Traiterous Designs and Purposes That the said William Lord Petre and other Lords therein named together with several other Persons threin likewise named and mentioned as false Traitors to his Majesty and this Kingdom within the time aforesaid have Traiterously acted and consulted to and for the accomplishing the said Wicked Pernicious and Traiterous Designs and for that end did most wickedly and Traiterously Agree Consult Conspire and Resolve to Imprison Depose and Murther his Sacred Majesty and to deprive him of his Royal Estate Crown and Dignity and by malicious and advised speaking and otherwise declaring such their purposes and intentions as also to Subject this Kingdom and Nation to the Pope and his Tyrannical Government and to seize and share among themselves the Estates and Inheritances of his Majestie 's Protestant Subjects and to erect and restore Abbies Monasteries and other Convents and Societies which have been long since by the Laws of this Kingdom suppressed for their Superstition and Idolatry and to deliver up and restore to them the Lands and Possessions now Vested in his Majesty and his Subjects by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm and also to Found and Erect new Monasteries and Convents and remove and deprive all Protestant Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Persons from their Livings Benefices and Preferments and by this means to destroy his Majesties Person extirpate the Protestant Religion overthrow the Rights Liberties and Properties of all his Majesties good Subjects Subvert the lawful Government of this Kingdom and Subject the same to the Tyranny of the See of Rome And the said Conspirators and their Complices and Confederates Traiterously had and held several Meetings Assemblies and Consultations wherein 't was contrived and designed amongst them what means should be used and the Persons and Instruments which should be imployed to Murther his Majesty and did then and there resolve to effect it by Poisoning Shooting Stabbing or some such like ways or means And to that part of the Impeachment named The better to compass their Traiterous Designs have consulted to raise Money Men Horses Arms and Ammunition The said Lord saving to himself and which he humbly prays may be reserved to him the liberty of Answering over and denying all and singular the said Crimes and Offences charged on him Saith And humbly offereth to this Honourable House that the charge of those Crimes and Offences so imposed on him by the said Impeachment are so general and uncertain that he cannot possibly give any direct Answer thereto or make any just or lawful defence upon his Tryal for that the said Charge had no manner of certainty in point of time it being laid only for many Years now last past which may be for 5 10 20 30 or more Years whereby though the said Lord knoweth himself to be altogether innocent of any such horrid and detestable Crimes as by the said Impeachment are objected against him Yet 't is impossible for him on any Tryal thereof to be prepared with his just and lawful defence by Witnesses to prove himself absent or in any other place at the time of such Meetings or Consultations to or for any of the wicked Designs and Purposes in the said Impeachment mentioned as on his Tryal may be suddenly objected against him when he cannot by any care or foresight whatever have such Witnesses ready as would speak thereunto if they were certainly charged for any Traiterous Design Act or Crime at any time certainly alleadged in the said Impeachment Nor is the said Charge in the said Impeachment more certain as to the place of any such Traiterous Meeting or Consultation laid down in the said Impeachment it being only alledged to be at divers places in this Realm of England and elsewhere which for the Cause aforesaid is so utterly uncertain that it deprives the said Lord of his defence on his Tryal Likewise the uncertainties of the number of Meetings or Consultations to the wicked purposes in the Impeachment and the not shewing how many times the Lords met and consulted and with whom in particular doth likewise deprive him of all possibility of making his defence in producing Witnesses for the said Lord being wholy innocent cannot suppose or imagin what Meeting or Consultation either to raise Money or Men for carrying on of a Traiterous Design or to any other wicked intent or purpose in the said Impeachment mentioned shall or may be objected against him on his Tryal and 't is as impossible for him to bring Witnesses to prove all the Meetings he hath had with others in his life time as 't is for him to foresee on this general Charge what Meetings or Consultations may on his Tryal be objected against him as Traiterous Consultations And whereas 't is in the said Impeachment charged on the said Lord That he hath uttered Treason by malicious and advised speaking and otherwise declaring the same The said Lord saith That never any Traiterous Thoughts entered into his Heart and therefore cannot possibly know what words or writings he ever spoke uttered reveal'd or declared which are now charged on him as Treason their being no words or writings at all specified in the Impeachment whereby the said Lord might know how to prepare his defence against them So as this Honourable Court may or might judg whether the same words or writings are in truth Treasonable or not ALL WHICH incertainties and eminent and apparent Dangers of the said Lord being there-upon surprized in a Cause of this Consequence wherein his Life and Honour more dear to him than his Life and all else that is dear to him in this World are immediately concerned being seriously weighed and considered by your Lordships he humbly prayeth as by his Councel he is advised that your Lordships will not put him to Answer the said Impeachment herein above recited till the same be reduced to such compleat certainty that the said Lord may know how to Answer thereunto and may thereby be enabled to make his just defence accordingly ALL WHICH notwithstanding he humbly submitteth to whatsoever your Lordships in Justice shall order and think fit and as
satisfied in than by what he heard that day and thereupon speaking to the Prisoners he said P. 93. This will stick I assure you Sirs upon all your Party We have therein a Testimony that for promoting your Cause you would not stick at the Protestants blood you began with Sir Edmundbury but who knows where you would have made an end It was this one man you killed in his person but in Effigie the whole Nation It was in one mans Blood your hands were embrewed but your Souls were dipt in the Blood of us all this was an hansel onely of what was to follow And so long as we are convine'd you killed him we cannot but believe you would also kill the King we cannot but believe you would make all of us away that stand in the way of your Religion a Religion which according to what it is you would bring in upon us by a Conversion of us with Blood and by a Baptism with Fire God keep our Land from the one and our City from the other The Jury after about a quarter of an hours consideration returned into Court and brought in all the Five Prisoners Guilty of High-Treason who the next day with Mr. Langhorn received Sentence and on the twentieth of June following were drawn to Tyburn Whitebread and Harcourt in one Sled Gavan and Turner in another and Fenwick by himself in a third At the Gallows they made every one a particular Speech which seemed to be not onely premeditated but the substance and matter thereof to have been prescribed or at least agreed on before amongst them the big protestations of Innocence and expressions being so near alike These Speeches as there were Copies of them spread up and down that very morning by their own Party which shews them to have been prepared out of design so they were afterwards printed and answered very solidly shewing the nature of their Principles and the impious fraud of such their solemn Appeals c. See An Impartial Consideration on the Five Jesuites Speeches as also Animadversions on their Speeches whereunto we refer the Reader for full satisfaction in this point Indeed what credit is there to be given to the words of those men dying whose whole Lives have been but continued Lies it being not unknown that the said Whitebread had for several years heretofore made it his business to Masquerade it in the various Fanatical Mock-Religions of the late times In confirmation of which general Report soon after his Execution there was the following Letter published said to be written by a very Reverend Minister and communicated to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London And though we are far from giving credit to every Pamphlet in an Age that swarms with printed Lyes and Fictions and detest that redoubled baseness to abuse the Living by scandalizing the Dead yet to the end that if it be true villany may not be conceal'd but the next Age warn'd to avoid their wyles by reflecting on what they have practised in this and for that upon inquiry we find very probable grounds to believe the sincerity of this account though for some Reasons the Author declin'd exposing his name to it in Print we shall here insert it in his own words that such as shall think fit may farther satisfie themselves concerning the Contents A Letter from a Minister of the Church of England communicated to the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor relating to Thomas White alias Whitebread who was lately Executed for High Treason Sir IN Answer to your request in two Letters of yours to your Brother these are to assure you that the Gentleman you mentioned viz. White alias Whitebread more than twenty years ago came to Oxford under pretence of a Jew converted by some eminent Divine of the Presbyterian way in London But in Oxford he pretended a farther light by joyning with and hearing at the several Churches and Sermons of Doctor Thomas Goodwin Doctor Owen and some others of the Independent or Congregational way But not stedfast there long pretending the Apostles rule to try all things he fell to the Anabaptists and then to the Quakers amongst whom he challenges Doctor Owen and several others for their Principles in a Letter written in several Languages so learnedly that it was thought worthy of consideration of the Learned Convocation there by whom he was censured as a Jesuite or some other Popish Seminarist and thereupon Imprisoned in the Castle-Prison there where he pretended a Distraction and personated the Mad-man so exactly that in few days some friends of his procured his liberty I saw him several times running up and down the streets with his Hat under his arm full of stones throwing at every small Bird he saw But e're long I met him at a Papist-house where I heard him discourse very gravely learnedly and discreetly where I got not only acquaintance with him but familiarity insomuch that several times in change of Habit he came to visit me and several other young Scholars in Magdalen Colledge But at length being again suspected and like to be apprehended he got privately away for London I brought him five miles of his way and so left him to his designs In six Months after business called me to London where after a day or two I heard a Report of a famous Preacher amongst the Quakers near Charing-cross and the same day met the same Gentleman then so much famed going to speak in an old-fashioned pinked Fustian Jerkin and clouted shooes and Breeches faced with Leather and a Carters Whip in his hand altogether disguised from my knowledge of him but he knew me and spake with me and renewed our acquaintance At present he went about his intended work and the next day came to my Quarters in the neat Habit of a London Minister and carried me to his Lodgings within the Precincts of the Middle-Temple where I had a good entertainment and a view of several strange Habits in which he disguised himself to the several sorts of people he insinuated himself into I saw also his Orders from the Roman Court and an Instrument wherein he was assured of and ordered to receive of certain Merchants an Hundred pounds per Annum besides an yearly Pension of Eighty pound per Annum from his Father I am sure he pretended he was born at Wittenberg his Fathers Name John White and in his Writing he himself was stiled Johannes de Albo by the Court of Rome He was both Jesuit and Priest in Orders I went with him by water and visited some Ships and in one House in Southwark he Celebrated the Mass in the Popish Mode to more than forty The same day we visited several Presbyterians and others and I continued in his company by the space of a Month when he was apprehended and by a special Order from the then Protector Imprisoned in the Tower of London where I endeavoured but was not admitted to visit him Two years after I understood by a
would swear such things he should have enough to maintain him with his Footboy and sets forth the dictating of the said intended Depositions or Informations by Knox and that they are of the Examinants writing from his mouth and the dropping of the Guinny the taking of Lodgings for them c. The Copies of these Depositions justifying likewise Dr. Oates's sober pious Life and modest Christian Behaviour towards his Servants by giving them good Counsel c. See in the Narrative p. 15 sequentibus 4. This was in the beginning of May last and who would have imagined that after such a plain Discovery and full Confession on Oath of their former Villanies the same persons should have the face to attempt playing over again the same Game But what will not Popish Impudence suggest or desperate Varlets for Money undertake After these acknowledgments they continuing in Prison Mr. Dangerfield who was now come into the Service as you have heard is imployed by the Lady Powis the Lord Castlemain and the rest to keep them still in heart feed them with Money and endeavour to get them out and at last he procured Lane's Liberty and Nevil and his Friend Knox's Then Lane was harbour'd for a while at Powis-house by the name of Johnson and 10 s. per week allowed by that Countess for Diet and thither also Knox repaired to consult how to new-charge Dr. Oates and then the Papers before-mentioned were handed to the Lords in the Tower the Lord Castlemain and Nevil in the Kings-bench to be altered and corrected so as to make them most serviceable for their devilish purpose See Mr Dangerfields Narrative p. 12 13 and 14. 5. After much charge and pains in this kinde having as they imagined brought their Design to some perfection and seeing some of their Intrigues miscarry they resolv'd to push forwards This hoping it might at least slur and scandalize if not ruine the King's Evidence and therefore on the 19th of Novemb. last the said Lane is prevailed with notwithstanding all such his Confessions on Oath to prefer an Indictment against Dr. Oates for attempting to commit upon him the horrid and detestable sin of Sodomy but the Grand Jury by reason of the incoherence and slightness of his Evidence did not think fit to finde it but returned an Ignoramus 6. Hereupon the Dr. to vindicate his Credit and justly to punish such wicked Insolence brought an Indictment of Conspiracy and Misdemeanour against the said Lane and Knox for Osborne absconded and could not then be found which on the 25th of Novemb. 1679. came to be Tryed at the Kingsbench-Bar where upon a full hearing the several matters before-related being evidently proved against them and their Abettors to the entire satisfaction of all the numerous Audience divers Peers of the Realm and Persons of Quality being come thither on purpose to hear the same The Jury found the said Knox and Lane Guilty who immediately were secured but by reason it was so near the end of the Term Sentence according to the practice of that Court in such Cases was deferr'd till the next Term they in the mean time being kept in Custody And since the said Osborne hath been taken in the Countrey and being brought up and Examined hath voluntarily confessed all the before-mentioned Ill Practices and several other notorious Circumstances CHAP. XXIV Some necessary Reflections on several late Popish Libels as the Address to both Houses of Parliament The Cloak in its Colours The new Plot of the Papists to transform Traitors into Martyrs The Compendium of the Plot c. WE conceive we cannot sufficiently discharge this undertaking of giving a satisfactory account of this Popish Plot branched out into so many various sorts of villanies without taking some particular notice of several of their most effronted Pamphlets wherewith they endeavour'd to poyson the minds and dazle the eyes and divide the affections of his Majesties good Protestant Subjects This you have heard was one of their principal projects contrived by the Tower-cabal and Consults of their Priests which most industriously they pursued We shall not waste time in a tedious confutation of all the lies and slanders therein contain'd for that most of them have already particular Answers but shall offer some brief Remarques which may sufficiently antidote the people against their infection 1. Consider the Authors They are written either by desperate Bigots deeply and principally concern'd in the Plot or else by debauch'd mercenary villains kept in pension by the great ones for that purpose Thus Mr. Dangerfield proves the Compendium to be the work of the venomous Pen of the Lord C. The New-plot to be written by Dormer a supposed Priest several others by Nevil who haunting the Play-houses too much and thereby neglecting to scribble so fast as they would have him when he was at liberty some of their Lordships advised that he should be clapt up again and thereby be made more industrious in doing their drudgery Now what credit is there to be given to what such people shall write Can it be imagined that they will make any conscience of venting the most impudent Lies and Scandals who have already plung'd themselves into the most detestable Treasons and whose writings are no more but their own Neck-verses having no way to save their heads but by that ingenuity of their fingers 2. The main scope of all these Libels is to perswade the world that there neither is nor was any such thing as a Popish Plot. Now 't is left to all considerate men in forraign parts which they will chuse to believe the King and the two several Parliaments and all the Judges of the Land who upon notorious evidence of matter of fact have solemnly declared that there is such a damnable Hellish Popish Plot both against his Majesties Life and Government as well as against the Protestant Religion or these wretched Traitors who by fantastick flourishes impudent denials shameful falshoods and surmises would suggest there is none 3. The Mediums they proceed upon which are loading the Kings Evidence with opprobrious language and calumnies and in this Billingsgate-rhetorick the Author of the Compendium hath not his Peer yet have they not at any time been able to prove any of the Crimes with which they charge them but on the contrary their slanders have most fully and satisfactorily been refuted by the several answers and proofs that have been made in justification of the Witnesses integrity and innocency 4. The sly manner and subtle titles whereby they publish these mischievous Libels to insinuate as if they were written by loyal Protestants In many of them pretending a great veneration for the Church of England railing at Presbyterians and suggesting fears and jealousies of ill designs hatcht by them against the Government on purpose to amuse people and cause rancour and divisions amongst Protestants But blessed be God providence hath now laid that part of their villanous malice so bare and naked to the