quae ut reliqua habet omnia Siveritatem non habet obtinere nomen non Potest THE SECRET HISTORY OF King IAMES I. TIme which puts a period to all things under the Sun began now to sheaâ—â— the Sword of War that had been long disputing the Controversie which Religion and Policy that Princes mix together had for many Years so fiercely maintained The wâ—â—ring out of that old but glorious and most happy Piece of Soveraignty Queen Elizabeth bating the Spaâ—ish Violence and ending with the Irish Rebellion and Submission of the great Earl of Tyrone as if the old Genius of Iron-handed War and a new one Crowned with a Palm of Peace had taken Possession of the English Nation Iames the Sixth King of Scotland was Proclaimed King of England For though Princes that find here a Mortal Felicity love not the noise of a Successor in their Life time yet they are willing for the Peace of their People to have one when they can hear no more of it That which this Blessed Queen could not endure from others She was pleased to express her self and bequeath in her last Will as a Legacy to this then happy Naâ—ion He was Thirty Years of Age when he came to the Crown How dangerous the passage had been from his vâ—ry Infancy to his middle Age is not only written in may Histories but the untamâ—d and untractable Spirits of many of that Nation are a sufficient Witness and Record The wise Queen found many petty Titles but none of that Power any other Hand that should have reacht for the Crown might have caught a Cloud of Confusion and those Supportâ—rs and Props that held up Her Greatness loth to submit to Equals made Scaffolds to his Triumphs In the prosecution of wâ—at I shall remark relating to this Kingâ— I shall avoid all unnecessary Severity and observe moâ—e Duty and Respect than may possibly be thought due by Posterity to the Person of a Prince that after so exact a Pattern as Queen Elizabeth left him did by debauching Parliaments and so often breaking his Word so far irritate no less than impoverish the Subject as his Son was forced to give Concession to one rendâ—red indissolvable but by their own Will A mischief never could have befallen England had King Iames left them in the same blessed Serene temper he found them at the Death of the Queen The News of which was brought him first by Cary after Earl of Monmouth who not able to satisfie such a concourse of Doubâ—s and Questionsâ— as far more resolute Natures than His do oâ—ten muster up on less occasâ—ons the King stood as in a maze being more affected through the fear of Opposition than pleased with the present Report till by a lamer Post He was adverâ—ised of His being joyâ—ully Proclaimed in London by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and of the unquestioned Recepâ—ion His Title in all Places met with no less than that the Hopes of some and Feâ—rs of the major part assisted by the prudent Carriage of the Treasurer and ranting Protestations of the Earl of Northumberland that in all Places vapoured he would bring Him in by the Sword had stopped their Mouths that desired he might be obliged to Articles Amongst these truly Noble Heroick and Publick Spirits was Sir Walter Rawleigh the Lord Cobham Sir Iohn Fortescue c. Who were all afâ—erwards ruined by the King and the Noble Sir Walter most Barbarously câ—t oâ—f This Prince held his Thoughts so intent upon Ease and Pleasure that to aâ—oid any interruption likely to impede any part of the Felicity he had possessed his imagination with from the Union of these Crowns and to fit an Example for his Neighbours imitation whom he desired to bring into the like Resolution he cast himself as it were blindfold into a Peace with Spain far more destructive to England than a War King Iames throughout his whole Reign contenting himself with the humble thought of being a Terror to his own People not valluing that himself or Nation should make any considerable Figure among Forreign Princes At his first coming he was long detained from Westminster by a Plague looked upon as the greatest till exceeded in that which broke out after his Death taken by the ill boding English for a presage of worse Days than they had already seen The good Government of Queen Elizabeth not being in probability likely to bear the Charges without falling into some destructive commotion of Two such Expensive Princes Succession without having one more popular to intervene After the Peace of too much concernment to his Catholick Majesty to afford him leisure to imagine much less to insert so rugged an Article as the performance of any Promise our King had â—ade â—efore his Reception in case the Papists did not oppose which I have found Registred by many and so high as amounted to a Toleration at least if not an Establishing of Popery he then observed in prudence it could not be conceded by this new King having so many of his Subjects Protestants for one of the Romish Profession and being bâ—sides no more Zealous than other Princes that make use of a Religion only for a Fence to immure their Persons and Prerogatives but â—steem it a meer accident where reason of State drives on a Bargain without it These neglects of the Kings of Spain and England the first remaining as careless of his Faith as the other did of the performance of his Word put the Roman Câ—tholicks for the present into so great a Despairâ— that led them into that damned Conspiraâ—y called the Gun powder Treason the account of which in general is so well known that I need not here â—nlarge only give some hints concerning it which is not common to be met with The French Ambassador then resident at Court affirming to some Persons of Quality his Intimates That the first Intimation of the Powder Tâ—eason came from his Master who received it from the Jesuiâ—s of his Faction to the end he might share in our Ruines The Kingdom of England being in the Pope's own Judgment at that time too great an addition to that of Spain where though it was first coined some say during the days of Queen Elizabeth â— yet the Priests that undertook the promoting of it sought to render it the most beneficial they could to their respective Patrons And here I cannot omit that after this happy Discovery his Majesty sent an Agent on purpose to Cougratulate King Iames's great Preservation A Flattery so palpable as the Pope could not refrain laughing in the Face of Cardinal D' Ossat when he first told it him nor he forbear to inform his King of it as may be found in his Printed Letters it being notorious that at King Iames's first assumption to the Throne of England none sought his Destruction more cordiâ—lly than the Spaniard till a continued Tract of Experience had fully acquaiâ—ted him with his Temper Nor was our King himself backward in â—omenting
and White-Hall that the King fearing their Intentions thought fit to withdraw to Hampton-Court The next day the Five Members were Triumphantly guarded to Westminster by a great number of Citizens and Sea-men with Hundreds of Boats and Barques About this time the Parliament had notice that the Lord Digby and Coll. Lunsford were raising Troops of Horse at Kingston where the Country Magazine was lodged Whereupon they Order That the Country Sheriffs Justices of the Peace and the Trained Bands shall take care to Secure the Countries and their Magazines Lunsford was Seised and sent to the Tower but Digby escaped beyond Sea The King removed to Royston and Ianuary 20. He sends a Message to the Parliament proposing the Securiâ—y of his own Rights and Prerogative and as to matter of their Grievances He would equal or excâ—ed the most Indulgent Princes in Compliance with them After this the House of Commons importune the King to put the Militia and Command of the Tower inâ—o their Hands as the only available Means for the removal of their Fears and Jealousies But the King not willing to Comply with their desire signified to them that He thought the Militia to be lawfully subject to no Command but his own and therefore would not let it go out of his Hands it being derived to Him from his Ancestors by the Fundamental Laws of the Kingdom The King bâ—ing now at Hamptonâ—Câ—urt sent for the Earl of Essex aâ—d Holland and other Membâ—rs of both Houses that were his Domesticks but they refused to come In the mean time Mr. Pym at a Conferâ—nce complaining of the general sâ—ocking of Papists into Iâ—elâ—nd affirmed That since the Lieutenant had ordeâ—ed a stop upon the Ports against all Irish Papists many of the chiâ—f Commanders now at the Hâ—â—d of the Râ—bels had been Licensed to pass thither by the King 's immediate Warrant The King was highlyâ— offended at this Speech which he signified to thâ— House wâ—o in their Answâ—r to his Messageâ— justifie Mr. Pym's words to be the sence of the Houseâ— and that they had yet in safe Custody the Lord Delvin Sir G. Hamilton Collonel Butler and Mr. Nettervil To which the King replys That the afore-mentioned Persons had their Passages granted before He knew of the Parliaments Order of Restraint therefore expected their Declaration for his Vindication from that odious Calumny of Conniving or under-hand Favouring that horrid Rebellion But the King's Desire proved fruitless for they next moved to have Sir I. Byron tnrned out from being Lieutenant of the Tower and at their nomination Sir I. Coniers succeeded They then proceed to Name fit Persons sor Trust of the Militia of the several Counties particularly that for the Defence of the City of London the Parliament the Tower to be Commanded by Major General Skipton The King had deferred His Answer to their Petition for settling the Miâ—itia of the Counties according to the Nomination till his Return from Dover where he took leave of his Wife and Daughter and so returned to Greenwich where he being Arrived sends his Answer to the Petition about the Militia That He was willing to divest Himself of the Power of the County Militia for a limited time but not of London and other Cities and Corporations This Answer did not in the least satisfie so that the Breach growing every day wider the King declined these Parts and the Parliament and moved to Theobald's About the beginning of March He receives a Petition from the Parliament wherein they require the Militia more fervently than before affirming That in ease of denial the eminent dangers would câ—nstrain them to dispose of it by the Authority of Parliament desiring also That He wnuld make his Abode near London and the Parliament for the better carrying on of Affairs and preventing the Peoples Jealousies and Fears All which being refused they presently oâ—der That the Nation be put into a posture of Defence in such a way as was agreed upon by Parliament and a Committee to prepare a publick Declaration from these Heads 1. The just Causes of the Fears and Jealousies given to the Parliamentâ— at the same time clearing themselves from any Jealousies conceived against Himself 2. To consider of all Matters arising from His Majesties Message and what was fit to be done And now began our Troubles and all the Miseries of a Civil War The Parliament every day entertaining new Jealousies and Suspitions of the King's Actions They now proceed on a sudden to make great Preparations both by Sea and Land And the Earl of Northumberland Admiral of England is commanded to Rig the Kings Ships and fit them for Sea And likewise all Masters and Owners of Ships were perswaded to do the like The Beacons were prepared Sea-marks set up and extraordinary Postings up and down with Pacquets All sad Prognosticks of the Calamities ensuing August 22. 1642. The King comes to Nottingham and there erects his Standard to which some Numbers resorted but â—ar shot of what was expected And three days after the King sends a Message to the Parliament to propose a Treaty which was accepted but quickly broke off again The War being now begun the New raised Soldiers committed many Outrages upon the Country People which both King and Parliament upon complaint began to Rectifie The King himself was now Generalissimo over his own and the Earl of Essex for the Parliament The King's Forces received the first Repulse at Hull by Sir I. Hotham and Sir I. Meldram and the King takes up his Quarters at Shrewsbury Portsmouth was next Surrendered to the Parliament and presently after Sir I. Biron takes Worcester for the King In September the two Princes Palatines Rupert and Maurice Arrived in England who were presently Entertained and put into Command by the King This uncivil Civil-War was carried on in general with all the Ruines and Desolations immaginable wherein all Bonds of Religion Alliance and Friendship were utterly destroyed Wherein Fathers and Children Kindred and Acquaintances became unnatural Enemies to each other In which miserable Condition this Nation continued for near Four Years viz. From August the 22. 1642. the time the King set up his Standrrd at Nottingham to May the 6. 1646. the time when the King quitting all Hopes put himself into the Protection of the Scotch Army at Newark During this Process of time several Mâ—ssagâ—s past divers Treaties set on Foot and other Overtures of Accommodation but all came to no effect The War in England being now aâ—ter so much Bloodshed and â—uine brought to some end the Parliament were at leisure to dispute with the Scots concerning the keeping of the King who fâ—aring least Fairfax should fall upon them and compel them to deliver him up Retreated further Noâ—thwaâ—dâ— towards New-Castle The Parliament sent an Invitation to the Prince of Wales to come to â—ondon with Promise of Honour and Safety but he did not think fiâ— to venture The King sends from New-Casâ—le to the Army about a Treaty
Subverted and altered the Fundamental Constitution in making English Men liable to be turned at the Arbitrary Pleasure of the King And as an addiâ—ion to this those Mercinary Members by the Orders and Directions of their most Pious and Protestant Pay-Master the King past another Law which was styled The Act for Corporations by which Men of Principles and Integrity were debarred all Offices of Magistracy in Cities and Corporate Towns the woful effects of which the Kingdom not long after both saw and felt in the Surrender of Charters and Betraying of Franchises by Persons upon whom the Government of â—he Corporations came to be delivered by Vertue of that Act which excluded so many Honest Able and Vertuous Men the Persons whom the King for his by-ends nominated for fit and Loyal Men would never have risen above the Offices of Scavengers Headboroughs or Constables at the highest To this as mainly contributed to the King's Design of Enslaving us we may subjoyn their passing an Act whereby they did boâ—h limit and confine those that were to present Petitions to the King not to exceed Ten Persons Let the Matter to be represented be ne're so Important or the Grievance to be redress'd never so Illegal or Oppressive yet it was made no less than a Riot if above Ten Persons Address'd themselves to the King to crave the bâ—nefit of the Law A Trouble which the King câ—reâ—ully provided against knowing how many Laâ—s he had to break and how Burthensome and Oppressive he must be to the People bâ—fore â—e could compleat the Fabrick of Slavery and â—â—pâ—ry which he was Erecting Nor was this all For the King being Conscious â—f his own saâ—â—ing and finding that through his own 〈◊〉 and the Importunities of his consuming Misâ—es he could not depend on any definiâ—e Suâ—m for accomplishing his Promises to his Holy Father the Pope and his Trusty Confederate the French King got Two Bills prepared and carried into the House the passing of which had compleated the Nations Misery and made him Absolute The one was To Empower His Majesty upon extraordinary Occasions of which he would not have failed to have been the Judge as often as he pleased to raise Money without a Parliament And the other was For settling an Vniversal Excise upon the Crown The Passing either of which the King well knew would have been soon enabled him to have Govern'd by Basha's and Ianizaries and redeem'd him from having any further need of Parliaments But what the King had so finely projected to enslave the Nation and obtain whatever he had a mind to prov'd the Ground of their Disappointment and the occasion oâ— the Nations escape from the snare that was laid for it For the Mercenary Members fore-seeing That the passing these Bills would have put an end to these Pensions by rendring them useless for the time to come consulting their Gain and preferring it above what the Court called their Loyalty fell in with the honest Party and so became assistant in throwing out the Bills However Piouâ— AEneas finding the Nation grew sensible of his covert Intentions and Encroachments upon their Laws and Liberties and desparing of getting any more Acts passed in Parliament toward the promoting his Desings resolved to Husband the Laws he had already obtain'd as much as he could to the Ruin of the Nâ—tion and where they failed of being Serviceable to his Ends to betake himself to other Methods and Means And therefore besides the daily Impoverishing Confining and destroying of infinite numbers of Honest and Peaceable People Under pretence of Executing the Laws he made it his business to invent new Projects to tear up the Rights and Liberties of the People by ways and means which had not the least shadow of a Law to countenance them Having made this fair Progress towards the enslaving both the Souls and Bodies of his own Subjects at home let us take a view of his Zeal to the Protestant Religion abroad And first for the Protestants of France When Monsieur Rohan came into England to acquaint his Pious Majesty with the Resolutions taken at Paris to persecute and if possible to root out the Reformed in France and proposed Overtures to the King as would have been greatly for his Glory and Interest yet no way contrary to the Allegiance of that poor People he remitted the Monsieur to his Brother the D. of York who not only inform'd the French Ambassador of the Gentleman's Errand but placed him behind the Hangings to hear what Monsieur Rohan had to represent and propose to him Which although the Ambassador to could not but abhor in the Two â—rothers and was asham'd of in himself yet he could do no less than inform his Master of what he had seen and heard Upon which the poor Gentleman on his Return out of England was so narrowly watched that being Apprehended upon the Borders of Switzerland he was carried back to Paris and there broken upon the Wheel Nor did it satisfie â—he King and his dear Brother the Duke to have thus Betray'd as well as Abandoned the Protestants in France but with the utmost Malice that Popery could inspire into them they sought the Destruction of the Seven Uniâ—ed Provinces upon no other Account but their being Protestant States and for giving Shelter to those who being Persecuted by himself and his Confederate the French Tyrant for their Religion fled thither for Protection and Safety For knowing what in due time they intended to bring upon the Protestants at home they thought it most requisite to destroy those Protestant States in the first place that there might remain no Sanctuary for their Persecuted Subâ—ects And indeed abaring this and one more Ground of their Quarrel with those Stateâ— never was a War undertaken upon more â—rivilous Pretences than those Two which the King engaged in against the Seven Provinces in the Year 1667. and 1672. Nor can any thing justifie the Discretion and Wisdom of the Wars had they not been undertaken meerly in Subserviency to the promoting Popery and Slavery seeing that upon all other Grounds that Reason and Prudence can suggest it was the Interest of England as still it is to preserve the Government of Holland entire Nor can we have a true Account of the Grounds upon which the Two Monarchs of England and France agreed the War against Holland in the Year 1672. than by the Representation which the French Ambassador made of it both at Rome and Vienna For tho' his Publick Declaration pretended no more but that it was to seek Reparation for the Diminution of his Glory yet the Account he gave to the Pope of his Masters and consequently of our Protestant Monâ—rch his first Confederate undertaking that War was That he did it in order to the extirpation of Heresie And in the same manner they sought to justifie the Piety of that Enterprize to his Imperial Majesty by alledging That the Hollanders were a People that had forsaken God â— and were
Hereticks and that all good Christians were bound to Associate and Unite for their Extirpation Upon which Account it seems our King and the Duke thought fit to exchange the Appellation of of Gâ—od Protestants for that of Good Christians However from hence it was plain what sort of Good Christians they were since it was evident that their Uniting with France in that War was to desâ—roy the Pâ—otestant Dutch Hereticks These being the real Grounds and Motives that induced the King of England to begin that Impolitick War agâ—inst the Dutch in the year 1665. whatever was openly and publickly pretended How strangely was the Parliament deluded and blinded by the King's Oaths and Protestations of his Zeal for the Protestant Religion What Sums of the Subjects Money they gave this Monarch to defray the Expences of that nnnecessary and baneful War is too well known and yet after all saving one brisk Engagement ill manag'd tho' with some losâ— to the Dutch at length no Fleet was set out and the choicest of their Royal Navy either Burnt or taken in Harbour to save Charges And though the French at lengâ—h joyn'd themselves in assistance with the Dutch against us yet by the Credit he had with the Queen-Mother he so far imposed upon that upon assurance which no Mâ—n of Prudence and Foresight would have believed That the Dutch would have no Fleet at Sea that Year he forbore to make ready and so incurred that ignominious Disgrace at Chatham the like to which the English never suffered since they claim'd the Dominion of the Sea And now we come to the best Act that ever he did in his Life had he pursued it which shewed how happy a Prince he might have been had he been ever faithful to his own and the Interests of his People and that Religion which he outwardly profest For upon Conclusion of that Peace having leisure to look about him and to observe how the French had in the Year 1667. taken their opportunity and while we were embroyled and weakned by the late War had in Violation of all the most Sacred and Solemn Oaths and Treaties Invaded and Taken a great part of the Spanish Netherlands which had always been considered as the natural Frontier oâ— England the King then prompted more by his own Fears then out of any kindness he had for the Nation judg'd it necessary to interpose before the Flames that consumed next Neighbour should throw the Sparks over the Water Thereupon he sent Sir William Temple then his Resident at Brussels to propose a nearer Alliance with the Hollanders and to take joynt Measures against the French which Proposals of Sir William Temple's being entertained with all Compliance by the Dutch within Five days after Two several Treaties were concluded between the King and the States The one a Defensive and stricter Leagâ—e than before between the Two Nations and the other a joynt and reciprocal Engagement to oppose the Conquest of Flandâ—rs and â—o procure either by way of Meditation or by â—orce of Arms a speedy Peace between France and Spain upon the Tâ—rms therein mentioned And because Sweeden came into the same Treaty within a very little while after â—rom the Three Parties concern'd and engag'd it was called the Tripple League In pursuance of which the Treaty of â—ix la Chapelle was also forc'd upon the French and in some measure upon the Spaniards who were unwilling to part with so great a part of their Country by a Solemn Treaty The King of France thus stopped in his Career by the Tripple League and by the Peace of Aix la Chapelle soon after concluded tho' for a while he dissembled his dissatisfaction yet resolved to untye the Tripple League whatsoever it cost him and therefore set his Counsels to work to try all the ways he could possibly think on in order to compass his sad Design To which purpose and as it 's generally thought that which aâ—â—ected it the Dutchess of Orleance was sent over to Dover where if common Fame say true several Chamber Secrets were performed This Treaty was for a long time a work of Darkness and lay long concealed till the King of France to the end the King of England being truly set forth in his Colours out of a despair of ever being trusted or forgiven by his People hereafter might be push'd to go on bare faced and follow his steps in Government most Treacherously and Unking like cauâ—ed it to be printed at Paris though upon Complaint made at the French Court and the Author though he had his Instructions from Colbert to humour the King committed to the Bastile for a short time and then let out again However the Book being Printed some few Copies lit into safe Hands from whence take the Substance of the Mystery of Iniquity as followeth After that Monsieur de Croisy the French Embassador at London had laid before the Eyes of the King of England all the Grounds which his Majesty had of Complaint against Holland c. He told him That the time was come to revenge himself of a Nation that had so little Respect for Kings and that the occasion was never more favourable seeing many of the â—rinces of Germany were already entred into the League and that the King of France was powerful enough to be able to promise to his Allies in the Issue of that War for satisfaction both as to their Honour and Interests whereby he prevailed with that Prince to enter into Secret Alliance with France And for his greater Assurance and the more to confirm him Henrietta Dutchess of Orleance went for England and proposed to her Brother in the Name of the most Christian King that he would assure him an absâ—lute Authority over his Parliament and â—ull power to establish the Cathoâ—ick Religion in his Kingdoms oâ— England Scotland and Ireland But withal she told him that to compass this before all things else iâ— would bâ— necessary to abate the Pride and Power of the Dutch and to reduce them to the sole Province oâ— Holland and that by this means the King of England shâ—â—ld haâ—e Zealâ—nd â—or a Retreat in case of necessity and that the rest of the Law-Countries should remain to the King of France if he could render himself Master of it This is the Sum of that Famous Leage concluded at Dâ—vâ—r framed and entred into on purpose for the Subjugaâ—ion of these Three Nations to Popery and Slâ—very Soon â—fter this the Emperor oâ— Germany the Duke of Lâ—rrain and several other Gâ—rman Princes desired to be admitted into the Tripple League but it was absolutely refused them Nay So soon as the Two Consâ—derate Monarcâ—s haâ— thus made a shift to cut the Gordian Knot the now pitiful but formerly vaunted Trippâ—e Leaguâ— was trampled under foot turned into Ridiâ—niâ— and less valuâ—d than a Ballad Insomuch that to talk of admiâ—ting others into the Tripple League was apprâ—hended in Print as a kind of Fiâ—â—â— of Speech commâ—nly called a
by an Enacted Law And no leâ—s frankly they Surrendred the Power of the Militia into his Hands of both which Acts being done in haste they had leisure enough afâ—erwards to repent But notwithstanding all the great Kindness of this Parliament and their more than extraordinary Liberality to the King of several Millioâ—s of the Peoples Money which was with the same Profusion wasted upon his Pleasures and the carrying on his Designs for the Introducing of Popery and French not a Penty hardly to the good of the Nation while â—hâ— Sâ—amen were sed with a Bit and a Knock and the Merchants that supplied the Stores of the Navy were Cheated of their Money and never paid to this day with what Scorn and Contempt he â—sed them and how far from that Esteem and Veneration he profesâ—ed to have for them while he was wheedling for his Restauration is apparent to all the Kingdom 'T is true the King continued them till all Men of impartial Knowledge and Judgment thought them Dissolved by Law and â—ill that they were Dissolv'd by himself the 25th of Ianuary 1678. not that they Sat so long but were discontinued and contemptuously spared from Meeting to Meeting many times by the inâ—imated Ordeâ—s and to promote the Designs of the French King and â—ever suffered them to Sir but when the King was in extreâ—m necessity of Money Among the rest oâ— those Prorogaâ—ions there was one at a time when the greatest urgency in Affairs the greaâ—est danger that threatned the Eâ—glish Nation required their Sittlng when they were diving into the Bottom of the Popish Plot and endeavâ—uring to bring to condign Punishment the chief Instruments which the King had made use oâ—â—o compâ—ss his Arbitrary and Popish Design Very remarkable is the Actions of the Preceding Night which was follow'd by the Morning Prorogations the relation of which is so gross that we think to draw a Curtain over it lest common Fame should lead us into an Error in any particular However this is certain that Prince Rupert the next Morning understanding what Resolutions were taken pressed the King with all the vehemency imaginable that Argument and Reason could enforce but at the same time the Duke of York stuck close to his Proâ—her telling him That his Cousin Rav'd c. so that the Duke that advised for the Ruine of the Nation was believed but the Priâ—ce that spoke his Mind freely for the Good of the Kingdom was dismisled for a Mad-man So well did the King Act his Part that when his well-meaning Counsellors lent their assisting hands to prevent the Consequences of French and Popish Dictates they were mistaken in the Man and gave their wholsome Advice to him that was not â—ound to take it During this Sessions of Parliament many foul things came to light for while the King had raised an Army and prâ—ssed the Parliament for Money to maintain them under pretence of making a War with France which was the earnest desire of all the Protestant pâ—rt of the Kingdom The Parliamenâ— were â—ully informed that while the King boasted of the Alliaâ—ces which he had made for the Preservation of Flanders and the Protestant Religion both at home and abroad he was secrâ—tly entred into Treatiâ—s and Alliâ—ncâ—s at the same time with the French King and Mr. Garroway of the House of Commons had gotten a Copy of the private Treâ—ty between the King of England and the French King at the same Instâ—nt that the Secretary and the others of the Court Parâ—y cried out a War iâ—somuch that several that were then in the House of Commons began to blush when they saw the Cheat so palpably discerned It was farther discovered That a great Favoueite of the Dukes had been sent over into France under a pretence oâ— Expostulating and requiring Satisfaction for the Injuries which the English had received from the French but in reality to carry the Project of Articles for the Peace and to the setâ—le and confirm all things fasâ— about the Money that was to come from France and to agree the Methods for Shamming the Conâ—ederates about their expected Alliances They found themselves cheated of all the Pole Bill Money which they had given so little a while before upon the Assurance of a War intended against France â— the greatest part of which they perceiv'd was immediately tho appropriated to the French War only converted to other Uses as the paying of old Debts so that very little was left for paying any Necessaries bought or to be bought towards the pretended War with France Nor were they ignorant of the real Design for which the King had raised his Army and what care the King and his Brother took that there should be no other Officers in that Army than what were fit for the Work in Hand which was to introduce Popery and French Government by main force The greater part being downright Papists or else such as resolved so to be upon the first Inâ—imation The Duke recommending all such as he knew â—it for the Turn and no less than an hundred Commissions were Signed to Irish Papists to raise Forces noâ—withstanding the Act by which means both the Land and Naval Forces were in safe Hands And to compleat the Work hardly a Judge Justice of the Peace or any Officer in England but what was of the Dukes promotion Nor were they ignorant of the private Negotiations of the Duke carried on by the Kings Connivance with the Pope and Cardinal Norfolk who had undertaken to raise Money from the Church sufficient to supply the King's Wants till the Work werd done in case the Parliament should smoke their Design and refuse to give any more Nor was the Parliament ignoranâ— what great Rejoicing there was in Rome it self to hear in what a posture His Majesty was and how well provided of an Army and Money to begin the Business The Parliament also understood while they were labouring the War with France and to resist â—he growth of Popery and Arbitrary Power That the King underthand assisted the French with Mâ—n and Ammunition of all sorts and soon after that a Câ—ssation was concluded both at Nimeguen and Paris That the King had got some Money from France for that Job by which the French King was now sure to hold all his Conquests â—broâ—d which had England been real to the Coâ—â—edâ—rates might have been easily wrested out of his Hands But it seems it was not so muâ—h Money as our King expected which made him Angry so that he began to threaten That if the Fâ—ench King did not perform his Promise of 300000 l. Annuity for Three Years he would undo all thaâ— he had done against the next Parliament But the French King derided those vain Threatâ— menacing in his turn That if the King of England would not be content with his Tâ—rms and do and say to the Parliament according to his Directions he would discover both him and hiâ— Correspondents in betrayiâ—g the Nâ—tion and discover all
his Secret Conâ—rivances against the Kingdom as afterwards he Published the Dover Treaty at Paris which was the reason that aâ—ter â—hâ—t His Maiesty of England never durst disoblige the French Mounsâ—â—eur but became a perfect Slave to his Interest a Bondage he never needed to have undeagone had he been but half as sincere to his English Parliament But to them he was never true with them he always broke his Faith and Royal Word So that now all things running on the Papistical side to their Hearts desire what with the Popish Soldiers Popish Officers Popish Councils Popish Priests and Jesuits swarming about the Town and Country and France at leisure to help them who had helped him to be more a Conqueror by the Peace than he could have expected by a War The Duke of York was for the King 's pulling off his Vizard and for setting up Alamode of France according to what had been so often debated at Wâ—ite-Hall and St. Iameâ—'s But while the King and his Brother were thus riding Post to ruine the Laws and Religion of the Kingdom the Discovery of the Popish Plot by Dr. Oats broke all their Measures for a time by laying open their Secret Contrivances for the introducing of Popery and Arbitrary Governmentâ— This Plot was no sooner made known to the King but he imparts it to the Duke not the knowledge of the Plot â—or that he knew before but the News of the Plots being discovered Upon which they set themselves with all the Care they could to stop the further Progress of the Discovery To which purpose the Duke gives notice of it to his trusty Secretary Coleman and the Priests and Jesuits in the Savâ—y by which means what Popery and Persons were to be concealed and conveyed away was carefully look'd after All this while by this seasonable Detection of the King and his Brother to the Priests and Jesuits Oates himself narrowly escaped being Massacred Oates finding himself thus Betrayed and abandoned by the King applies himself to Sir Edmundbury Godfrey with a Scheme of the Plot fairly drawn up by that means to be introduced before the Council to have the Business there unfolded which with much ado was done and Oates sent for to be Examined at White-Hall where he managed himself with that Courage that tho he were Brow-beaten and opposed most strenuously tho there were many that studied by all the ways and means imaginable to dash and confound him yet it was impossible he stood as firm as a Rock and gave such pregnant Reasons for what he said that the Council how unwilling soever to meddle or stir in his behalf yet at last were constrained by the clearness of the Evidence to grant Warrants for the seisure of several Priests that Night who were taken and sent to Prison Upon this followed the Assassination and Murther of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey perpetrated by the Countenance and Contrivance nay express Command of the Duke For proof of which a little opening of the Cause and Occasion and a short Relation of the Effects Consequences and Events which ensued upon it will both enlighten us to the Truth of Matters and confirm our Belief who were the Authors of and Accâ—ssors to it For as has been already said That Gentleman had received an Information upon Oath from Dr Oates about a Plot against our Laws Lives and Religian but finding something in the Deposition that reflected upon Mr. Coleman with whom he had an intimate Acquaintance he thereupon took an opportunity to let him understand what Information he had received and to tell him That the only way to justifie his own Innocency was To contribute all his Endeavours and Assistance to prevent so bloody a Design But Coleman instead of denying the Truth of those things which Sir Edmund related or offering his endeavours to obstruct the Progress of it or to defeat the Success of that Plot not only acknowledged That there was a Conspiracy against our Laws Liberties and Religion but it was advanced so far and seconded by Persons of that Quality in the Nation and Figure in the Government there was no possibility to give a Lett or Disâ—ppointment to it And more particularly he told him That the King was a Promoter himself of the Design of Overthrowing the Protestant Religion and altering the Government which Coleman calling to Mind after his being committed to New-Gate and considering That by that means Sir Edmund was enabled to coâ—e in a second Witness against him He therefore ordered it so as not only to get the Duke acquainâ—ed with his own Danger but that his Highness and Others whom he had mentioned in his Conversation with Sir Edmund were in the same Predicament and would certainly be brought upon the Stage To which he received this Answer from the Duke That he should not be apprehensive of any danger from Sir Eâ—mund in regard there would be a way found out to prevent his hurting of Coleman or any body else Now that he was thereupon most Barbarously Murthered is a thing too well known and then who were concerned the Circumstances make it plain First The Circumstance of the Place viz. Sâ—merset-House leading to the Savoy in some of the Apartments of which said House the Murthered Body was also concealed for several days The next Circumstance was The Guarding of the Gaâ—e and Avenues of the Palace so strictly all that time and denying the People their wonted Liberty of Access â—o the House and Passage through which could not have been done but by the King's Authority Nor would some great Ladies have adventured to have gone and viewed the Body while it lay there concealed by which they involved themâ—elves in the Guilt of the Crime but that they knew they could hardly be called to an Account for it considering by whose Connivance and Command the Fact was committed Nay some severe Censâ—res were passed on the Account and others which were Charged with that Murther were protected from Justice Add to this That when we consider the Motives that urged the necessity of this Murther which was Coleman's having acknowledged to Sir Edmund That the King as well as the Duke was in that part of the Conspiracy to alter the Government and overturn our Religion And no body at that time was more â—â—rry for the Detection of the Plot than the King neither did any body labour afterwards to baâ—â—le the belief of it more than he did Nor had he any thing in the World to excuse himself for so doing but that he was concerned in that part of the Popish Plot which related to the overthrow of the Religion and Laws of the Nation and the destruction of the Chief and most Zea'ous Protestants of the Kingdom as was sufficiently acknowledged by Coleman not only to Sir Edmundbury Goâ—frey but to the Committâ—e of Pâ—rliâ—ment that Examined him at Newgate Which was so plain that nothing influenced those Gentlemen to conceal â—hat part of his Confession in their Râ—porâ— to the House