great distance from and utter Strangers at the times of their Discoveries to one another his Incredulity carries such dangerous Symptoms with it that I despair of seeing it ever confuted by a Miracle Objection But perhaps some will object if the Discovery of the Conspiracy was so True and Manifest why was not the Prosecution and Conviction of the Offenders as Public at the same time Answer I answer because the Jacobites were too nimble for the Kings Prosecutors and Murther'd the Kings Witnesses before the Conspirators could by the Formalities of Law be brought to a Tryal Objection If the late King intended to invade England in August 1690 what was the Reason he came not All the Duke of Schombergs Forces were not able to hinder him Answer Because King William landed in Ireland * June 14. 1690. in June routed the late King James's Army at the Boyn and drove him out of Ireland in July * July 1. 1690. and that was the Reason he came not into Lancashire in August as he solemnly promis'd The News of this glorious Victory was no little Mortification to all the Jacobites as well as the Lancashire Papists Yet still persisting in their restless Designs of destroying King William and restoring the late King James the Lancashire Plot must sleep while another is devised and that was to gain Assistance from France * Vid. Lord Preston 's Tryal pag. 50. to invade England and to compass this End the Heads of the Jacobites in all Countys immediatly repair to London and there consult what new Measures were to be taken after this fatal and unexpected Disappointment by the Victory at the Boyn Now Clubs are set up in all quarters of the Town for finding they could make no Archievements in the Field of Honour like Moles they endeavour to undermine the Government by working deeper and darker And because the Conspirators were then generally speaking but of one Faction and they such as made no great Figure in England it was resolved that the Plot to restore the late King should be laid wider extended farther and more Interests be united in private Cabals of their most considerable Friends Lords and Gentlemen both Whigs and Tories * See the Result of a Controversy between some Lords and Gentlemen both Whigs and Tories in order to restore the late King Lord Prestons Tryal p. 49. and 56. and that at every Meeting they should propose and debate the most effectual ways to restore the late King and when come to a Resolution they should transmit their Sentiments to the Royal Club so called in Covent-Garden and they select the most Rational among the various Opinions and digest them into such Methods for Practice as should govern the whole Party This Stratagem gratify'd all the Jacobites by making their Persons and Opinions considerable in what they thought so Great and Glorious a Work and took so mightily that in two or three Months all were agreed to ruin their Native Country by their unanimous Consent to these two Proposals First that the Jacobites being unable to reinthrone the late King by their own strength they should endeavour to obtain Assistance from * Lord Preston's Tryal p. 49 and 60. France who had formerly made them such Promises Secondly since delays were dangerous sending Letters into France hazardous * Lord Preston's Tryal p. 50 and 56. the Court at St. Germans Factious and Treacherous that some Men of Quality and known Ability should go over into France to transact that Matter for the whole Party Now Every Cabal being Ambitious of the Honour of sending some Member of their own Club on this promising Enterprise it took up more time to adjust this particular then to agree the other Preliminaries At length viz. in December 1690 all centred in the Nomination of the Lord Preston Mr. Ashton and Mr. Elliot some would have had their number increased but were over-rul'd by this standing Maxim among them * Lord Prestons Tryal pa. 55. viz. Choose well but have to do but with a few for a Multitude may give but can never keep Counsel These Gentlemen thus appointed by the Party were not long before they were ready for their Voyage And having hired a Vessel of Mrs. Jane Pratt of Berkin in Essex to go into France * See her Depos Lord Prestons Tryal pa. 30. and 31. they went on board her near Battle Bridge in December the 30. 1690 and were all taken by Captain Billup the same day a little below Gravesend In Mr. Ashton's Bosom was found * See Cap. Billups Aiffidavit in Lord Prestons Tryal pa. 38 and 39. a Pacquet of Letters and Papers which declar'd they were going to France to promote the treasonable Designs of that Party against the King and Queen To invade the Realm subvert the Government and to restore the late King by the Assistance of French Forces So that the Invasion Plot did still continue only that from Ireland is translated into one from France which is but shifting of Hands for the Conspirators are still the same Persons In January 1690 the Lord Preston and Mr. Ashton were brought to their Tryals And being found guilty of high Treason receiv'd the Sentence of Condemnation Mr. Ashton was Executed and the Lord Preston discovering the Design upon Oath had his Life given him but how well he deserv'd that Favour let his future Demeanour justify However it quash'd the Conspiracy and all hopes of an Invasion and Insurrection are laid aside for the Present till the Jacobites could meet with a more lucky Opportunity to revive them And this concludes the Jacobites Conspiracies and Disapointments from the Years 1688 to the Year 1690. And ingages our Thanks to God and the King for our Deliverance Now who would not believe but that after all these Disappointments our Enemies should have been reconcil'd to their own Quiet and the Kingdoms Tranquility but instead of giving Demonstrations of their peacable Tempers like sworn Enemies of their own and our Happiness they begin the Year 1691 with fresh Attempts to destroy the King and subvert the Government And to accomplish these horrid Designs are continually sending Intelligence to and receive Advices from France by such hardy Persons as were thought qualifi'd to undertake it And the Courrers by the Assistance of Mr. Shelton of Canterbury Mr. Nowel and Paul Peper of Dover and Hunt of Rumny-Marsh for some time pass'd to and fro with the greatest Security Not to name every little Runner on these detestable Errands some of the chief of them were Coll. Parker Mr. Bromfield and his Son Mr Waugh Mr. Charnock both the Crosbies Johnson the Priest Mr. David Lloyd Sr. Sympson a Scotchman who pass'd by the Name of Jones Mad. Sackvile Ingram Mrs. Alred and many others of both Sexes who upon occasion can be named All which in their several Turns perform'd their Parts with great Applause of the Party By this means the Court at St. Germans kept up
the Spirits of the English Jacobites and they made large Offers to the French Court who fed them with as large Promises of Assistance with Men Arms and Money as rais'd their Hopes and Expectations into moral Impossibilities viz. That England should be speedily Invaded and Conquer'd If a Project that was then on Foot did not accomplish the Work by a quicker Dispatch and restore the late King without the Loss of much Blood With these dark Sayings the Jacobites entertain'd themselves and thought they oblig'd others when with great Seriousness and seeming Favour they told them there was a great thing on Foot that would quickly re-establish the late King and confound the Williamites And when most Men were wondring what this great Thing should be Providence to the eternal Reproach of the Contrivers and Encouragers discover'd it to be the Murther of King William For His Majesties Enemies having fail'd in other Attempts and unwilling to wait any longer the uncertain Fate of War thought this Project the best Expedient for their purpose and this Time most agreeable For the King being now in Flanders to murther him there would admit of more Excuses then in another Place this horrid Enterprise with the Promise of great Rewards * Grandvalle was to be made a D. and to have an Estate proportionable and Dumond to be a Knight of St. Lazar have 20000 Livers in Estate being communicated to Granvalle a Captain of Dragoons in the French Service he and Dumond undertook it and travail'd to Loo while the King was there to effect it but missing their Opportunity followed the King to his Royal Camp in Flanders where Granvelle return'd to the French Army and Dumond according to the Orders given him entr'd himself into the Confederate Army that he might take his Opportunity when his Majesty went to visit the Grand-guards or the Lines to Shoot him behind his Back and then make the best of his way to a Body of Horse that Granvalle and Parker should have in readiness upon a previous Intimation to rescue and carry him off But Heaven took Care of the Preservation of Europe that so visibly depended upon one single Life and whether Dumond's Heart fail'd him or whatever else was the Cause after some weeks Attendance not being able to effect his Design he returns to the Court at Hanover and for this Year gives over the acursed Design of Assassinating his Majesty In November 1689 we lest Mr. Lunt and Mr. Abbot committed to Newgate where they reinain'd twenty weeks and then were bail'd to appear at the Assizes at Lancaster Lunt appear'd according to his Recognizance and in August 1690 was committed to Lancaster Goal for high Treason where he continu'd a close Prisoner till about April 1691 and was not only maintain'd at the Charge of the Lancashire Gentlemen but was Caress'd and Applauded as their principal Favorite and now if you ask after all this plain Proof why Lunt was discharg'd it happened on this Manner When the Officers of the Customs feiz'd the Commissions Declarations and other Papers that Lunt left behind him in the Vessel they forgot to set such a mark upon them before they deliver'd them out of their Hands as might enable them to know the Papers again when produced and for want of such Mark being unable to swear 'em to be the very same Papers after they had been so long out of their Hands the Government that always express'd an Unwillingness to prosecute for Life where the Proof was doubtful would not produce them as Witnesses against the Prisoner Nor will I for that Reason recite their Affidavits Nor was this the only Cause of Lunts Acquittal but Mr. Cawson falling sick a little before the Assizes of a Disease that carry'd him to his long Home and the Marriners being all at Sea there was now but one Witness against him viz Mr. Dodsworth which is not sufficient in a Case of high Treason and thus Lunt was discharg'd Thus you have heard it prov'd beyond all Possibility of Contradiction that Lunt did bring Commissions from the late King that he deliver'd those Commissions excepting those few that were lost as directed that he listed Souldiers and bought Arms for the Lancashire Papists that two of those Commissions were seen by Mr. Robinson * See his Depositions that the Jacobites were modelling Officers and Men preparatory to an Insurrection That many of 'em absconded till Kelly was made away that Lunt was accused imprison'd indicted and arraigned for these Treasons and had certainly been hang'd if it had not been for those intervening Accidents And now let the Reader judge how ill this agrees with Lunt's inventing the Lancashire Plot as Taffe falsly charges him at the Tryal at Manchester and what little Reason the Jacobites had to slander him with the Names of perjur'd Cannibal when what he deposed is so strongly confirm'd by Honourable Irreproachable and Uncontroulable Testimonies Lunt having the good Fortune to be thus discharg'd from Imprisonment is again entertain'd and imploy'd by his Lancashire Freinds in listing Men and buying Arms that if the King should be taken off in Flanders they might be ready for an Insurrection in England as soon as the Blow was given These Preparations having spent the Summer and the Campaign in Flanders ended and no News of the Kings Assassination nor the Invasion In November 1691 they sent Lunt into France * See his Depositions to acquaint the late King that they were in a Condition to receive him and therefore desired him to inform them when his Affairs would permit him to make a Descent into this Kingdom Lunt returns again in December following with Advice That the late King would be in England the next Spring and that in the mean time Col. Parker and others should be sent over with full Instructions how to put themselves into a Posture fit for his Reception for now the Descent from la Hogue was agreed on Col. Parker and Johnson the Priest two of the Infamous Cabal that in Conjunction with some of the F C contriv'd the intended Murther of the King and Invasion of England having digested the Theory of both in France landed in England about the latter End of Jan. 1691 to put 'em in Practice The Murther of the King was their darling Project and being the only Means they thought would make their Invasion practicable and their Conquest of England speedy was the great thing they primarily drove at and therefore communicated it to all they could trust * See Goodman's Depositions in the Secretaries Office in hopes to have done it before the King went to Holland but were so long in contriving how by whom when and where it was to be done that the Time elaps'd before their Resolves came to Maturity But this Loss of Time gave them no great Trouble since Parker had assur'd them that the Assassination-Plot would notwistanding the late Disappointment be re-assumed by the same Persons the next Campaign
Quarter of Heaven some of them were silly enough to curse it saying 't would serve them as Treacherously now as it did at the Revolution However that nothing might be omitted on their Part they send an Express to the Lord Melfort by Captain Lloyd acquainting his Lordship that they had corrupted many of our English Sea Commanders who would go over to the French and with that Notice a true List of the Number and Rates of the English Fleet and how long it would be before it was possible they could be joyn'd by the Dutch Praying his Lordship to lay it before the most Christian King and procure his Command to Mareschal Tourville to seek and immediatly sight the English before they could be joyn'd by the Dutch And now the Jacobites thought they had nothing to do but to kill and take possession And therefore were as Insolent and Unsufferable in their Behaviour before the Ingagement as their Fears ' and Cowardise were apparent after it Whilst the Jacobites were pleasing themselves with the hopes of approching Wealth and Opulence the great thing that put a damp upon their Mirth was the various Reports abōut the joyning of the English and Dutch Fleets Once they had notice they were joyn'd but being contradicted the next day least that Report should have Influence upon the French they send over Sir Adam Blaire to assure the French they were not joyn'd But so it happened before that Gentleman could reach Dover they had good Assurance that the Fleets were joyn'd indeed and therefore * Mr. Clark is now in England and I appeal to him for the Truth of it Mr. Clark better known by the nickname of Count Cl. is posted into France to acquaint them with this fatal Junction but the Count was so far from gaining Credit to his Report Sir Adam Blaire averring the contrary that Mr. Clark was imprison'd as a spreader of false News till the late King owning him and their being beaten procured his Liberty But whilst the Queen's Majesty of blessed Memory was taking such measures as might frustrate their wicked Designs and secure the Nation and all Men gazing in dubious Expectations of the Event comes the happy 20th of May 1692 with the joyful News that through the Providence of our good God and the Valour of our couragious Seamen the French Fleet was beaten off la Hogue and their Majesties victorious Navy was pursuing burning and sinking those that by flying endeavour'd to escape And not long after to make our Joy compleat was brought the Notice of Granval's Execution Both great and miraculous Deliverances For This Year the ultra Marine and English Jacobites were resolv'd to play all their Engins at once The French King was to be in Flanders Namure was to be besieged King James was to land in England and his Majesty was to be murther'd all about the same time Here are Plots with a Witness and all so substantially prov'd that the very Thought so crushes me with Horror and Amazement that I tremble to think what the Consequences of them would have been if they had succeeded for 't is much more easy to imagin then express what a dismal Scene of Barbarity and Cruelty of Blood and Horror must have follow'd in England and the greatest Part of Europe but the Snare is broken and we are delivered for which we ought to be Eternally thankful This is the fifth Disappointment of the Jacobian Plot began in Lancashire in 1688. First by Kelly's and Dodsworth's Discovery in 1689. Then by King William's Victory at the Boyne in July 1690. Next by seizing the Lord Preston and Mr. Ashton in December 1690. Fourthly by Dumont's Disappointment And Lastly by the detecting of Granvalle and beating the French at la Hogue in 1692. However that they might prove themselves such as neither Mercies not Judgments could effect about Michaelmas 1692 these Malecontents through the Clemency of the Government assum'd the Confidence to cabal again to find out some new Conspiracy or rather to revive those two old ones of Assassination and Invasion by some more secret Methods than they had hitherto found out And that they might not commit the same Solecisms again like grave Politicians they first enquire into the former Miscarriages and particularly that at la Hogue And 't was agre'd among them that Mareschal Turville's not fighting the English before they were join'd by the Dutch was the Cause of the Overthrow that happen'd afterwards That it was originally if not designedly the Lord Melfort's Fault In not giving the Notices which he receiv'd from England time enough to the French Court viz. to fight the English before they were join'd by the Dutch but suffering the Time prefix'd by his English Advices to be worn out ' ere he communicated what he had in Charge to deliver immediatly Hereupon great Complaints are made to the late King against the Lord Melfort's Ministry and in plain Terms they tell the late King unless Melfort be remov'd they will concern themselves no * Vid. Letters against Melfort in Crosby's Papers more in his Affairs The Popish Jacobites defend Melfort with their utmost Art and Interest and lay the Miscariages at la Hogue * Vid Letters on Melforts behalf upon the Protestant Compounders and so far ingage the Court of Rome in their quarrel that the late King's Pension from the Pope was taken off for siding with Heretics But the Protestants who had gain'd some Papists to their Party against Melfort making use of Sir Sympson a Scotch Knight then and still residing at St. Germans by the Name of Jones between whom and Melfort there was an old Grudg he stagger'd the Lord Melfort in the Opinion of the late King and the French Court and when Sir James Montgomery came over he threw him quite out of Favour insomuch that he was forc'd to leave St. Germans and retire to In the mean time two such strong Parties were form'd at St. Germans that the late King according to his usual Politics of altering his Measures according to the Variety of his Circumstances took the Lord Middleton into his Counsels and employ'd both him and the Lord Melfort by Turns as his Affaris requir'd And these Transactions made an end of the Year 1692. Both the Jacobite Parties being now seemingly pleas'd in having each their Favorite at the Helm for Sir James Montgomery was not yet come into France the Murther of King William and the Invasion of England are again revived The Management of the Invasion is committed to Sir Sympson Major Crosby Captain Lloyd and Mr. Walter Crosby Sympson and Lloyd came and went over several times about it in the beginning of the Year 1693 continued so doing till June following and then having laid the Plan for an Invasion return'd into France in August following Major Crosby as he was commonly call'd came into England about Michaelmas 1693 staid in London a while went down into Lancashire and from thence return'd into France Mr. Walter
Crosby Son of Sir Thomas Crosby a Member of the late Kings Parliament in Ireland was educated in Dublin College and left that Society to carry Intelligence into France From thence through Flanders and England he return'd into Ireland and under the Disguise of a Williamite contributed his utmost to the Destruction of his Native Country till the Seisure of his Letters discover'd him and made him a Prisoner but being admitted to Bail he lest his Security in the Lurch and escaped into France and his former Management of Affairs gave him so much Credit at St. Germans that the Revival of the Plot for an Invasion Insurrection and Rebellion was at last solely committed to his Management November 1693 to the great Satisfaction of the Party he lands in England brings Collonel Parker again out of Lancashire to London revives their former Cabals and adds fresh Life and Vigour to their drooping Spirits Jacobite Meetings are now more frequent and numerous in order to draw up such Proposals as might satisfy the Court of France that the Conquest of England was both practicable and easy I have now shew'd you by what means they were carrying on the Invasion and must now leave Mr. Crosby at his Work in collecting the Sentiments of the Jacobites and putting them into such a Method as might perswade the French King to assist them with Men and Arms to restore the late King and return to the Assassination Plot which always preceded or kept Pace with the Invasion And this calls me back to one of the first Contrivers of it The Lord Melfort who had still some small share in the Management of public Affairs finding his Interest sinking proportionably with the hopes of conquering England resolves to recover his former Credit by pushing on the Assassination of King William by any Methods that would effect it To this end his old Confidents Collonel Parker * Vid Mr. La Rue's Depositions at Charnocks Tryal and Johnson the Priest being absent he takes to his Assistance Mr. Bromfeild and Captain Griffin who promis'd in a short time to give him a good Account of his Project from some Friends they had about Dover which it seems they had already ingaged in this wicked * Vid Lunt's Depositions in the Appendix Enterprise at the Instigation of some more conceal'd and private Person And whilst they were thus in Expectation from Dover another Occasion to strengthen the Number of those already ingaged seem'd to offer it self thus The Lancashire Gentlemen being willing to pay their Devoir to the late King and to receive his Commands as they usually did by a Messenger of their own from his Lips Mr. Lunt whose Services and Sufferings had rendred him the Confident of the Party was sent by the Lord Molyneux and others on this Errand into France July the 3d 1693. coming to St. Germans he deliver'd his Message to the late King in his Closet the Lord Melfort being present Who thinking he had now a fit Opportunity to execute his Plot and Assassinate King William he sends Lunt to Mr. Griffin telling him that Griffin had an Affair to ingage him in Captain Griffin sends him to his old Friend Mr. Bromfeild who after bewailing the ill Success that had so long attended the late Kings Affairs told Lunt they were now upon a quicker Expedient for their Masters Restoration and that was to cut off the Prince of Orange for so they call King William by any way or method the * Vid Lunt's Depositions in the Appendix Undertakers should think fit and if Mr. Lunt would make one in that Service he should have a Reward of five hundred Pounds a Year Lunt consented and after various Discourses at sundry Times upon this Subject Lunt taking his leave of the Lord Melfort his Lordship told him that if the Design that Grissin and Bromfeild had imparted to him took Effect the late King would soon be in England And Bromfeild at Lunt's departure gave him a Signet to carry to the Persons that as Bromfeild told him were in the same Design In December 1693 Lunt arrived at Dover and met with four of the sixteen Persons that were ingag'd in the Assassination of the King * See Lunt's Depositions in the Appendix viz. Captain Nowel of Dover Captain Walton of Foulston Mr. Pepper of Dover and Mr. Preston of Feversham two of which acknowledg'd that they were in the Design of killing the King and made no question but in a Month or two to Effect it Lunt travelling from Dover toward London told several Romish Priests of his Acquaintance tho' not in Plain words the Design he was ingag'd in Some of the Priests were against it as a damnable Sin and others encourag'd him to it as a meritorious Work these different Opinions and the dismal Reflections that his awaken'd Conscience made upon his ingaging in an Action so Inhuman and Barbarous gave him so much Disquiet that he resolv'd to act no further in it but had then no Intention to discover it till a good Friend made him sensible it was his Duty and then he discover'd the whole Conspriacy beginning to his Knowledge in May 1689 and continuing till June 1694 which was the time he discover'd it and now I must return to Mr. Crosby Who Having acquainted himself with the Sentiments of the Party agre'd what Proposals to make to the French King and collected the Names of those that according to his Account were to assist at the Invasion and Insurection was preparing to return to France with these Writings of which for fear one should miscarry there were two Copies One kept by himself and the other by Coll. Parker but good Heaven discover'd this Treason also and Mr. Crosby who had compleated the Work he came about and only waited for a Wind to Transport him into France was apprehended May the 9th and committed to Newgate and Coll. Parker who was defign'd to supply that Fault was taken May the 20th committed to the Tower May the 22th and by this means the Carriage of the Papers was delay'd till Parker broke Prison which was August the 12th following The next day after Mr. Crosby was apprehended the King's Messengers Mr. Legat and Mr. Hopkins search'd the Chamber where Crosby laid up his Papers In the first Room they found store but while they were there Cosen Mally * Mary Jones with another Fomale Jacobite that lodg'd in the same House ript up a Feather Bed and took out thence great quantities of written Papers and Letters directed to Mr. Crosby and that they might tell no Tales threw them into the House of Office and a Pail of Water after them but strewing Feathers in the way through the haste they made to destroy the Writings they guided the Messengers to retrieve them Now Before I produce these Papers give me leave to acquaint you that the following Papers are truly copy'd from the Originals sworn by two Witnesses * Mr. Legat and Mr.
Hopkins at Crosby's Tryal to be found either in his Pockets in his Chambers or in the House of Office and were all mark'd by the Messengers at their first Seizing the Names in Cant are explain'd by a Key found among Crosby's Papers for that purpose who seldom was call'd by his own Name in England but by these that follow viz. Philips Williamson Traveller James Clynch Thompson and Jack Crue I will next shew whither he was going the Company he kept and what he had been doing and then produce the Scheme for an Invasion Mr. Crosby had a Chamber at Mr. Pugson's house a Taylor in German-street who gave the Information following That he believes Philips Crosby was going beyond Sea and had waited some considerable time for a Wind for that he reported he was going a Journey and would be often inquiring about the Wind which was then Easterly and many that inquir'd if Philips was gone would immediatly look upon the Wind. One particularly wonder'd Philips was not gone for the Wind was then shifted from the East and fair for him The same Imformant saith that most of the Persons that visited Philips brought him letters and Pacquets Among others that came to him he remembers Mr. Simon Harcourt used to bring Writings to him pretending they concern'd a Suit of Madam Elliot's he the said Harcourt came to Philips immediatly after Sr. James Montgomery was taken and carry'd himself as if he had been stark Mad. He was also often visited by Bromfeild the Quaker Lady Slaney Daughter to Sir Patrick Trant and Lady Philips lately come out of France Sir Andrew Forrester Captain Waugh of Brentford Mr. James Urwin in Kingstreet Doctor Smith late Fellow of a Colledge in Oxford Doctor Sherridon late Bishop of Kilmore the Lady Griffin who lodg'd in Pel-Mel sent Letters often to Philips by her Yallow hair'd Boy And Coll. Oglethrop by his maid Servant An Indian Boy brought Letters often from Mr. Nay Smith Gentleman of the Horse to the Duke of Norfolk So did Captain Charnock and Penelope Higgins who this Informant believes were privy to all Philips Affairs These and Collonel James Graham come often to him and were long with him and further this Informant saith not Pugson In Mr. Crosby's Custody was found a Letter from Mr. Symon Har**â— Cl of the P for the County of Mid x. Desiring to see Mr. Philips at his House at eight this night and desires Cousin Molly an intreaguing Female to let him know so much if she can I have sent saith he also to his Coffee-house to signify so much I am Madam your most Humble Servant S. Har**t directed to Mrs. Mary Jones at Mr. Pugsons over against the Coffee-House in German-street dated 13 Ap. 94. In the same Chanber was also found a bantering Letter against the Government written by Sir John Knight of Bristol directed to Mr. Symon Harcourt and desiring him to tell Mr. Philips Crosby that he had very earnest Business with him and must of necessity speak with him at Harcourts House at his first Leisure J. Knight dated April 2d 1694. You see Mr. Crosby is invited by both these Gentlemen to a Conference the Place where and Time when but about what they met I will leave my Reader to judge when I have told him that Mr. Crosby was taken by the Kings Messengers with his Pockets full of Treasonable Papers knocking at Mr. Har**t's Door in Lincolns-Inn-Fields about eleven at Night I shall make no Reflections on it but methinks it is a Jest all over that after this and many other Instances of their Aversion such Men should still enjoy such great Places of Trust and Profit under the present Government In Mr. Crosby's Chamber was likewise found among Scores of others a Letter of the same Date directed to Mr. Hatton desiring to speak with Mr. Phillips Crosby before he took his Journey and sign'd Cl***n Another directed to Mr. * Crosby Phillips dated April 6. 1694. Mr. Cole * * Mr. Noseworthy at whose Lodgings I din'd has receiv'd several other Letters for you from Ruth Goodall * * King James's Queen and he will bring them to morrow Morning to the House where I saw you last he will be there exactly at ten I am Yours C. Temple * * Tempest To Mr. Phillips March 28. 1694. In hopes Elizabeth Franklin * * The Court of France will give her Consent to a Marriage with Peter East * * England I have sent you the Grounds on which his Relations promoted the Match with Assurance * * Money Abraham Munson shall be really to attend it and defray the Expences and Bales of Woollen * * Troopers and Linnen * * Foot-Souldiers shall not be wanting when both Parties are agreed and Writings interchanged for a Settlement However you will be so kind to send Word where the Wedding must be kept that those who have so long expected it may be all in a Readiness of which they shall have Notice from Sir Your humble Servant J. Micklethwaite * * Mollyneux Fergusen calls these Papers for which Crosby was apprehended Baggatells and Stories of Robin Hood and little John but if this be not such there is none in Prince Butler's Petition against Pamphylius but if you explain the Canting Original by the Notes in the Margin which are all taken from Crosby's Copy you will find it a plain Indication how ready the Lancashire Conspirators were for a Rebellion which was then carried on by Coll. Parker Crosby Johnson and their Accomplices I shall next present you with brief Heads of a Letter written into France in Crosby's own Hand and found in his Pockets when taken at Mr. Har**t's Door directed to the late Queen Mary Wife to the late King James which gives Assurance of his utmost Endeavours in order to accomplish the late King's Restauration complains of keeping * Melfort Mills in the Ministry who has ruin'd all the late King's Affairs in England That two of * Melfort Mills's Friends viz. My Lord Alis and Sr. Robert Ham assur'd him there was no need of it he had writ to Mills * Melfort to withdraw himself for some Time and therefore hopes the late Queen will take better Measures for the future Another Letter dated March 1694 and directed to Mr. James Clynch * Crosby says I receiv'd yours of January the 26th with that inclos'd for Mr. * Melfort May which was very full and satisfactory he order'd me to make a fair Copy of it to send to Elizabeth * The French Court. Ferguson Franklin that which our Friend * Robin writ did not a little quiet my Spirit if some Persons had not rendred every thing falsly to Mr. * French King Knowles we should not have wanted to supply all the Manufactories wherein it is as plain to him as us he could not lay out his Money to a more considerable Advantage For if
it was not disbelieved at Court but now quite fall'n to the ground The Jacobites say there was never a better Disposition in all generally to receive King James and give their Reasons for it Which are the same contain'd in the foregoing Papers which having briefly repeated the Letter proceeds the rest regard their own more then any King's Interest and will not hazard any thing for either if the Practice now in Design don't engage all the Presbyterians Lord Ca***n laid aside M***ne to succeed S***y solicited to be Secretary Lord Mar***h to be General of the English Foot Lord S***e ruling Minister behind the Curtain Lord B*h turn'd out of all he with many other Offenders would have King James restored if they thought their Crimes could be pardoned nothing can hinder raising Money but an Invasion Bristol declares mightily for King James Worcester disaffected but if any Disturbance should happen we have some thousands of Hugonites in this Town privately subsisted on whom we depend not a little As to what Business Mr. * K. James Vandeleur and you may have I will be deligent in it but what may relate to any of the Trading Ships being taken Prizes there is one Mr. Anselme who was Secretary to the Admirals last Year * Crosby and understands the Business very well but will not be mercenary in it and with his Help something may be done 't will therefore be necessary that he see something from Mr. Vandeleur or by his Order to that purpose Some of Mr. Anselm's Letters falling into the Hands of the Government he was sent for from on board and discharg'd The Jacobites knew him their own before but since his Discharge treat with him above-board as you may see by the foregoing Letter and another from Philips to Mr. Abraham Anselm dated May 5. 1694. I must needs see you before I go into the * Into France Country which will be to morrow you will hear of me at Barnsley's Coffee-house to night at 11 or to morrow at 7 in the morning let me see you that we may settle some Matters Philips Thus they endeavoured to corrupt the Officers of the Fleet Army and Militia and tamper'd with the Clerks and. Secretaries of those who either were or had been imploy'd in eminent Posts under the Government that by their assistance they might get Intelligence of what they wanted to know thus they obtain'd an Account of the Naval Forces of one a List of the Army of another and transmitted them into France that the Enemy might take his measures accordingly so that nothing is more apparent than that the whole Design against the Government was always carry'd on by Men of no essential Honour or Vertue but by such a confused Medley of disaffected Persons as were the Creatures of the late Reign who had lost either their Imployments or Expectations by the Revolution or Disbanded Officers and Soldiers who delight in Tumults and Insurrections I have now done with Mr. Crosby and his Papers by which the Reader will soon find that the Plot for an Invasion Insurrection and Rebellion was carryed on by the Jacobites in General in the Year 1693 and part of the Year 1694 and since the Lancashire Gentlemen instead of Blessing their Stars for so strange a Deliverance have aggravated their guilt by indeavouring to represent the legal Prosecution of some of their Party as a State-trick a Sham-Plot and the Contrivance of some little Ministers to enrich themselves by the Ruin of others I shall descend to the particular shares which they and their Friends had in the whole Conspiracy to subvert the Government to Destroy the King and reinthrone the late King James and then leave the Reader to judge what little Reason they had to raise such loud Clamours for bringing Criminals to Justice and because I have hitherto proceeded Annually and given an Account of the several Conspiracies in order of time as they were discover'd I hope the Reader will think it no impertinent Digression to refresh his Memory with a brief Rehearsal of their Proceedings till they were discover'd in 1694 as they occasionally occur in the following Depositions In June 1694 Lunt made this Discovery viz that he * Vid his whole Depos in the appendix taken before Sir John Trenchard fellowed the late King James into France thence into Ireland from Ireland was sent into England with Commissions from the late King James to certain Gentlemen in Lancashire Cheshire c. To raise War against King William and Queen Mary that he and George Wilson his Guide delivered those Commissions to whom they were directed whose Names you have in his Narrative that at the Instance and proper Costs of those Gentlemen to whom he had delivered Commissions he bought Arms and listed and subsisted many Soldiers for the Service of the late King James in order to an Invasion and Insurrection in that Country that he was twice sent by those Gentlemen into France to the late King to signify their Readiness and receive his further Commands Tho' I don't question but the Reader has had already sufficient Reason to believe what is above rehearsed I think it not amiss to shew him for confirmation sake something that Lunt discovered in 1694 that hath since proved it self he says in one part of his Depositions That when he was in London besides his Imployment of buying Arms and listing Souldiers he help'd some Jacobites over to France and secur'd others that came from thence who all of them told Mr. Lunt that generally Sr. John Friend furnished Money for those Expeditions and paid Subsistence Money to them as Souldiers Which was the Crime he dyed for in 1696. And no doubt was one of the things that enrag'd the Party so much against him knowing that that Hint might in Time be attended with a fuller Discovery George Wilson deposeth Taken before Sir John Trenchard That he keeping an Inn in Redland near the City of Chester there came a Stranger to his House whose Name he afterwards understood was Dr. Bromfeild recommended thither by Mr. Fitz Herbert of Wapra in Flintshire where Bromfeild had been conceal'd some time for a Passage into Ireland that Bromfeild bought a Vessel to transport him which Vessel was seized by Mr. Morston an Officer in the Government and Bromfeild escap'd into Lancashire and thence into Ireland He further deposeth That being known to be accessary to * See Mr. Edwards's Affidavit in the Appendix Bromfield's Escape and harbouring and furthering the Escape of many of the late King James's Friends he was sought after by Souldiers from Chester and the Civil Officers of the County insomuch that he was compell'd to fly from his own House and never durst return but after having hid himself in Woods got at length into Lancashire whither his Wife and Family followed him and was receiv'd into the Houses of the Lord Mollyneux Mr. Tildesly Mr. Standish Sr. Rowland Standley Sr. James Pool Sr. Wm.
what the grand Plotters in France thought would be the most expeditious and effectual Project to restore the late King James viz. Killing King William for which Action there would quickly be sent a Commission from the late King to command the doing of it and an Order to all his General Officers which were then in England to be aiding and assisting in the Enterprize And that in the mean time all things ought to be so well adjusted among themselves here that there might be no time lost nor nothing to do when the Commission came but to put it in Execution At this Juncture comes Major Crosby also from France March 20. 1094. with Assurance That he saw the Commission sign'd and under Seal in France that it was sent away before him and if not already come he was certain it was upon the Road and would be here in a few days This was communicated to all the Assassinates in order to cut off his Majesty before he went to Holland but that God that design'd him for a further Blessing to England prevented their Treachery and convey'd him safe to his Army in Flanders Now If the Jacobites enquire how I prove this Plot upon the King's Life so early as to be laid in January and February 1694 and to be executed in the beginning of April 1695 that was say they scarce heard off till a twelve Month after they may please to know that besides my being told of it by Captain Blaire Mr. De la Rue swears it at Mr. Charnocks Tryal p. 37. And Sir John Fenwick when living was one of the Kings Evidence in this Matter and declar'd it in a Paper annexed to the Lady Mary Fenwicks Petition praying a Repreive for Sir John Fenwick deliver'd into the House of Lords January 22th 1696 * Vidahe Lords Journal in these Words The beginning of the Weck the Parliament was prorogu'd I was walking in the Court of Requests and there came to me Sir William Perkins Mr. Porter and Mr. Charnock * * Mr. Waugh was there also with the same Company but Sir John names him not and ask'd me if I did not know of an Order come from King James directed to those that had been General Officers under him I answered them I knew nothing of any Order from him and ask'd for what purpose it should be They told me they had for some time expected a Commission from King James to seize King William and that Mr. Crosby was newly come over and requir'd of them if they had not receiv'd such a Commission They told him they had not he said he wonder'd at it for he saw it sign'd before he came away from St. Germains and also an Order to the General Officers to be aiding and assisting to them I told them I believ'd what Crosby said was False that it was a Scandal upon King James and I was sure he never would give any such Commission or Order for so base an Action That they could intend no less by seizing the King than to Murther him upon which Sir W. Perkins said the Parliament would be Prorogu'd on Friday next and then the King would go for Flanders and that Saturday was the only day they had left to do it and tho' the Commission was not come they would not loose the Opportunity of attempting it as he return'd from Richmond that Night and swore he should never go out of England alive Mr. Porter and Mr. Charnock said they were resolv'd of it and tho the Commission was not yet come Crosby assur'd them it must be upon the Road for it was come away before him I used all Arguments against it and told them what Injury they would do King James and bring certain Ruin upon all his Friends here that if it was upon the Road as Crosby said it might be here on Saturday and with much Perswasions prevail'd with them to dine with me that day at Twelve a Clock at the Fountain-Tavern by the Temple-Gate and got them to Promise they would do nothing in it till they met me there that day We met accordingly And I kept them there discoursing upon the business and shewing them the baseness of the Action and the impossibility of their succeeding for none of King James 's Friends would back them in it till it was too late to make any such Attempt The King went for Flanders next Morning early this I attest for Truth and for this Reason I suppose they did not acquaint me with their Last Design John Fenwick Tho' the main end for which this Paper was design'd would admit of many severe Reflections as wanting that Sincerity which might be expected from one in Sir John's Circumstances and naming none of the Persons that manag'd that Treasonable Discourse in the Court of Requests but what are either Dead or in the Government when he knew what a large share Mr. Waugh had in it I shall content my Self and I hope satisfy my Reader only in observing three things as the natural Consequence of what the Paper acquaints us with Viz. That there was a Design to assassinate King William in the Year 1694 and 1695. That the late King James not only knew of it but commanded it That Sir John Fenwick knew of it but did not discover it and therefore no Objection lyes but that he might be acquainted with the last Design also The Parliament was prorogu'd the 3d of May 1695 and the King set forward for Flanders the day following so there being no hopes of Executing their barbarous Design till his Majesties Return they resolve so to employ the Summer that Winter might find them ready to perform what they had so long and unsuccessfully resolv'd on And that the Invasion might still accompany the Assassination they revive the Latter that it might be in a readiness to follow the Former as soon as the fatal Stroke had made way for it For this Purpose several Meetings are appointed and particularly one was held in May 1695 at the Old Kings-Head in Leaden-Hall-street London where met the Lord Aylesbury the Lord Mountgomery Sir John Friend Sir William Perkins Sir John Fenwick Mr. Charnock Mr. Cook Captain Porter and Mr. Goodman who came in after Dinner * See Mr. Porter's Deposition in Sir W. Perkins Tryal p. 14. there they consulted of the best way to restore the late King James and all agreed to send a Messenger over to the late King to desire him to procure of the French King ten thousand Men viz. 1000 Horse 1000 Dragoons and 8000 Foot Mr. Charnock was the Person appointed to Manage this Affair who said he would not go on a foolish Errand and therefore would know what the Company would do if Forreign Forces could be procured whereupon they all unanimously promised if the late King would come over with such a Number of Men as was defired they would meet him at the Head of two thousand Horse where-ever he would appoint At the latter
End of June 1695 or beginning of July they had another meeting where after many public Discourses and private Whisperings Mr. Charnock desiring the Company to acquaint him whether they continu'd their former Resolutions they assur'd him they did and would meet him with the Number of Men promised at the former Meeting Upon which Mr. Charnock told them he would begin his Journey in a few days The Invasion being thus promoted by dispatching Mr. Charnock into France that the Assassination might not lagg behind it some of the Assassines calling to mind that nothing would be attempted in that kind till the Commission which Crosby said was upon the Road was come to their Hands See Goodman's Depositions taken April 24 1696 Capt. Porter and Mr. Goodman communicate the Project to Sir George Barclay who was then in England and upon his Departure for France telling him what Difficulties they labour'd under for want of it and that a longer Delay of the Commission would extreamly embarrass the Affair Sir George not only approves but commends the Design and that such a hopeful Project might not miscarry promis'd to use all his Interest when he came to St. Germains that such a Commission should no longer be wanting This Encouragement from so considerable a Favorite as Sir George Barclay whose Biggotry to the Romish Perswasion and the late Kings Interest would prompt him to any thing in favour of them employs all their Heads and opens all their Purses to contribute the last Assistance for the Accomplishment of the Assassination The beginning of August 1695 brings Mr. Charnock again to London with the unwelcome News that the French King was not in a Condition to spare the * See Charnocks Tryal Jacobites such a Number of Men as they defired which being imparted to the Chief of that unruly and blood-thirsty Faction the two Branches of the Conspiracy to overthrow the establish'd Government were both laid aside till the approaching Winter should give them another Resurrection But Notwithstanding this positive Answer to the English Jacobites our Foreign Enemies were at the same Time taking such Measures as might suit with the Request made by the Jacobites tho' they durst not trust them with the Secret For a great Politician being at Marli and considering the Posture of Affairs in England as represented to him in Crosby's Papers he thought this the fairest Opportunity he could wish for the Invading of England Whilst Mr. Caryl the late Queens Secretary Coll. Parker c. were carrying on the Plot to Assassinate his Majesty for no question but a certain great Man in the World that shall be nameless knew what they were contriving at St. Germains tho' they were utter Strangers to the Invasion-Plot that was laying at another Place which as it had the Honour of a great Man 's own contriving so it was not communicated even to the late King James himself till the Squadron of Men of War and four hundred Transport Ships were fitted and the French Army consisting of thirty Battalions were ready to embarque and Money and Orders sent him to go on Board and take possession of England In November 1695 Sir George Barclay with several Officers and Soldiers and eight hundred Pounds in Money comes into England and brings with him a Commission from King James all written with his own Hand to Seise King William which Sir William Perkins confesses to a Committee of Parliament * See the Journal of the House of Commons April 2 1696. And C. Porters Depositions in Perkins Tryal p. 14. that he saw But neither Sir George Barclay nor the Commission being yet in the Hands of the Government and the Jacobites ashamed to set up their late King and themselves under the inglorious Title of Murtherers they mince the Matter into more relishable Terms and say it was only to levy War upon the Prince of Orange and all his Adherents Others say it was to attach the Prince of Orange in his Winter Quarters which are all meer Tricks and Evasions invented by the Party to disguise the Horror of the Action for the very Gloss they themselves put upon it sets it in its true Light for all the Party knew the meaning of attaching the Prince of Orange as appears by Mr. De la * As appears by Mr. De la Rue's Oath in Charnocks Tryal Rue's Oath who deposeth that when the Muscatoon was lent by Mr. Porter to Mr. Pendergrass that would carry six or eight Bullets Mr. King desired him when he shot at his Majesty's Coach he would not be afraid of breaking the Glasses Sr. George Barclay after his Arrival at London loged in Covent-Garden and kept very private till he could speak with Sr. William Perkins Capt. Waugh and Mr. Charnock and that the two and twenty Men that were sent by King James out of France and appointed to obey his Orders were come to London also and now they endeavour to strengthen their Party by the Addition of more Friends And Mr. De la Rue Mr. Pendergrass Mr. Rookwood Major Lowick Mr. Knightly Mr. Bertram Chambers Durant Cramburne Kendrick Grimes Waugh and Goodman some of which were engag'd in the Assassination the Year before were now again confirm'd in it As for Capt. Porter who has now so Honourably and Honestly atton'd for his former Offences they were sure of already to others in whom they had not more than ordinary Confidence they discours'd of the Assassination at a distance * See Captain Blairs Depositions in the bands of the Government and if they found any Reluctancy or Indisposition to the Assassination they turn'd them over to the Invasion Plot and desired them to be ready to meet their old Master at his Landing but to those whom Wickedness had made fit for any Impression they imparted their Villany in words at length and so secured the whole Party to be either Rebels or Murderers Those that came from France knew not what Affair they were sent upon till they arriv'd at London but were kept in a blind Obedience to Sr. George Barclay's Order as appears by the Depositions of Mr. George Harris * Taken April 15 1696. who saith he was an Ensign of Foot under the late King James in Scotland and has since served his second Troop of Guards in France that about the 14 of January 1695 King James sent for this Deponent and Michael Hare his Comerade and in the Queens Bed-Chamber told him that he had an Opportunity of doing something for him as a Reward of his faithful Service that he would send him into England where he should be subsisted and that he should follow Sr. George Barclay's Orders and in so doing he would take Care of him That he had ordered them Money for their Journey which they should receive from Mr. Caryl the late Queen's Secretary and farther told this Informant that he should find Sr. George Barclay every Monday and Thursday between six and seven at night in
apud Preston in Com' Lancast ' 18 Junii 1689 coram me T. Patten The Information of James Tomson one of the Mariners belonging to the Pink or Vessel called the Lion of Lancaster Who upon Oath saith THAT he is a Protestant but being Examined about several Voyages lately made by the said Vessel into Ireland as to the last saith that it was begun about five Weeks since and having heard the Information of Henry Knowles this Examinant agrees with the same in the relation thereof James Tomson Capt ' Jurat ' die loco praed ' coram me T. Patten The Information of John Barrow one of the Mariners belonging to the Vessel called the Lion of Lancaster Who upon Oath saith THAT he is an Apprentice to Mr. John Cawson and by his Order went on Board the said Vessel which about five Weeks ago sayl'd into Ireland and he hearing the Information of Henry Knowles now taken and read over this Examinant agrees with the said Knowles in the relation thereof except that this Examinant heard not what the said Lunt came over for nor the Discourses betwixt Mr. Thrillfall and Lunt and the Seamen when they set them on shore at Cockeram John Barrow Capt ' Jurat ' die lâ—câ— praed ' coram me John Patten The Information of Richard Whiteside one of the Mariners belonging to the Vessel called the Lion of Lancaster Who upon Oath saith THAT having heard the Information of Henry Knowles another of the Mariners read over this Examinant agrees with him in every particular thereof relating to the said Vessel 's last Voyage into Ireland except that this Examinant hath not heard what Mr. Thrillfall was to give for the Hire of the said Vessel R. Whiteside Capt ' Jurat ' dis loco sup ' dict' coram me T. Patten The Examination of John Cawson of Narbock within Cockeram in the County of Lancaster Merchant Who saith THAT he is half Owner of the Vessel called the Lion of Lancaster and the other half belongs to this Examinant's Son Charles Cawson and to his Son in-Law Robert Curwen to wit to either of them one Quarter And that having for several years last past about May or June been employ'd to carry the Earl of Derby's Cattle from the Isle of Man to England he this Examinant did about two or three Months ago desire Mr. William Backhouse the Attorney who design'd shortly afterwards to go with Mr. Thomas Simpson to London to put the said Mr. Simpson in mind of knowing from the said Earl when he designed the said Cattle should be fetched over which Mr. Backhouse promised to do And at Mr. Simpson's Return he informed this Deponent that he this Examinant might send for the Cattle as formerly to Mr. Cockett my Lord's Servant in the said Isle And thereupon this Examinant gave consent to his said Son Charles that if he pleas'd he might fetch over the same in the Vessel aforesaid And about five Weeks ago the said Vessel loosed Anchor and went out of Lunt Water designing only as this Examinant then believed for the Isle of Man upon the Account aforesaid And this Examinant further saith that since the return of the Vessel this Examinant has been for about an hours time with his said Son to enquire about his Voyage who inform'd him that in the Voyage Mr. Edmund Thrillfall who was then a Passenger on Board the Vessel offer'd to him the said Charles Cawson ten Pounds to put him the said Mr. Thrillfall a shore in any part of Ireland and that accordingly he had set Mr. Thrillfall a shore at Dublin and that after some stay there he returned back for England bringing the said Mr. Thrillfall and another Person who his Son called Mr. Lunt hither with him And the said Charles informed this Examinant that he was detain'd and could not be admitted to return from Dublin till he brought the said Lunt and Thrillfall with him And this Examinant saith that upon Ascension day last the said Mr. Thrillfall came unto him at Garstang and treated with him about a Passage into the Isle of Man but an Embargo being then upon Vessels this Examinant told the said Thrillfall his said Vessel could not go And upon the Monday before the Vessel went from Lancaster-water the said Mr. Thrillfall came to this Examinant's House to treat with him again for a Passage to the Island but this Examinant denied him one in the Vessel having resolved to take no Passenger thither and thereupon the said Thrillfall went away from this Deponant and since then this Examinant never saw the said Mr. Thrillfall And this Examinant demanding from his Son why he called not at the Isle for my Lord's Cattle in his return from Dublin his said Son told him the said Thrillfall and Lunt who were too strong for him being armed with Pistols would not let him and that withal they promis'd him other ten Pounds for their Passage from Ireland but never yet paid it him John Cawson Capt ' die loco praed ' coram me T. Patten Elizabeth Engley 's Affidavit ELizabeth Langley maketh Oath That she this Deponent knows Mr. John Lunt and hath done for eight or nine years past and that in or about the Month of December 1688 a little after the late King James went into France the said Lunt came to this Deponent and desired her to take a private Lodging for him until such time as he could get a Passage out of England to follow the said King which this Deponent did accordingly and about a Fortnight after he the said Lunt acquainted this Deponent that he then had an opportunity to go over into France with the Lord George Howard and this Deponent doth believe he went accordingly for is a week or ten days after she this Deponent did receive a Letter from him the said Lunt bearing date from Calais Jan. 14. 1688 which Letter this Deponent hath yet in her keeping and about July following 1689 the said Lunt came in a Coach to this Deponent's Lodging in Castle-street by Leicester-fields so disguised that she did nor know him till he spoke and desired this Deponent to come into the Coach to him which she did and then he drew up the Glasses fearing lest any one might see him and discover who he was and as the said Lunt and this Deponent sat together in the said Coach as it stood at the door of this Deponents Lodging this Deponent laid her hand on a Green-Bag which was in the Coach and doth believe that it had Papers or Parchment-writings in it but did not at that time ask the said Lunt what they were but as they were sitting together in the said Coach he the said Lunt told this Deponent that he had been in France and that he went from thence into Ireland and that he was sent thence by King James with Commissions and Deelarations to several Roman Catholic Gentlemen and others in England and did then further tell this
Trenchard Lawrence Brandon 's Affidavit LAwrence Brandon of Pennington in the County of Lancaster maketh Oath that he knows William Standish of Standish-Hall in the said County Esq and his Son commonly called the Young Lord of Standish and that about May in the year 1691 this Deponent being invited by one James Leightagh to go with him and several other Persons to dine at Standish-Hall aforesaid and upon such Invitation this Deponent and the rest did go to Standish Town in the way to the said Hall and being at the said Town it was agreed on between the said James Leightagh and the rest of the Company rather to dine at the said Town of Standish then to go to the Hall because there seemed some difference like to arise between the said Leightagh and John Neyler on the one part and John Sharp Servant to the said Mr. Standish and James Hayes on the other part concerning the Places of Quarter-Master and Corporal of a Troop of Horse to be raised by the said Mr. Standish for the Service of King James which was promised to the said Leightagh and Neyler and the said Sharp and Hayes pretended unto the same Whereupon the Deponent and the rest of the Company did dine at Standish Town at the Charges of the said Leightagh and John Neyler and after Dinner they went from thence to Standish-Hall where in the Kitchen the said Leightagh and Neyler met the said Sharp and Hayes and after some Discourses on both sides concerning the Places aforesaid the said Sharp and Hayes were contented to quit their Pretensions to the same and consented that Leightagh and Neyler should have the same Upon which Agreement the said Leightagh and Neyler desired to speak with Mr. Standish and bid this Deponent and the rest of the Company to follow them which they did and were conducted into a Parlour where the Young Lord of Standish was and being told by the said Leightagh and Neyler that they had broughe Men to be Listed under his Command he wellcomed this Deponent and the rest and made them sit round the Room and made them drink and told them that the Nation had a great deal of wrong done by Banishing King James that was their Rightful King and that the design in hand was to do no Body wrong but only to bring in their lawful King and that some Aid for that purpose was shortly expected to come out of France and Ireland into England and that they did design upon the News of the Landing of any Foreign Forces to make a general Rising of such Forces as they could procure for the said Service and hoped they were willing and would be ready to serve their King and Country on this Occasion and assured them that they should go no further than he would lead them And that upon their consenting and promising to be ready at his Command the said Young Lord of Standish went out of the Room and soon after returned with a Horseman's naked Sword and bending the Blade thereof by way of Trial shewed it to the Company and told them they should be furnished with no worse than that and should have Pistols Holsters Saddles and all other Accoutrements fit for Troopers And having some farther Consultation with the said Young Lord what course they should take to provide Horses in case they should be called suddenly to meet it was agreed that such as had Horses of their own should make use of them and those that had none should take the first they could meet with and immediately upon any Alarm or notice come to Standish-Hall to rendezvous That after Directions about the Horses were given some of the Company being apprehensive that Mr. Standish the Father might be offended in case they should agree to go under the Command of his Son without his Consent desired to speak with him to be satisfied therein Whereupon they sent to speak with him and he came to them into the Hall where being asked the question aforesaid he told them all it was indifferent to him whether they choose to go under the Command of himself or his Son and such as were not willing to go with his Son should be welcome to go with him for their design was all one and that was to bring again King James or words to that effect Whereupon about twelve of the Company among whom this Deponent was one made choice to go with the Young Lord and the Remainder being to his remembrance the greater number did resolve to go with Mr. Standish the Father and then the Company divided and this Deponent and those that had made their Election went again into the Parlour to the young Lord and drank some short time and at their taking their leaves of him he gave them a word by which they should know one another which was Go thy way old Trip and then they parted from the said House to Wigan in the way whither the said John Neyler overtook this Deponent and his Company and told them he had brought some Money from Standish-Hall to be drunk by them and carried them to the House of James Green in Wigan aforesaid where he staid with them some time and drank the Health of King James and their Captains and then left them And this Deponent farther saith that at his this Deponents Return to his own House his Wife being informed that he had Listed himself a Soldier for King James would not let this Deponent rest or be at quiet until he had promised not to concern himself any farther in the matter Upon which he this Deponent never went near them any more Lawrence Brandon Jurat ' 11. Feb. 1695 Cor'me Tho. Rokeby Robert Bradley 's Affidavit RObert Bradley of Chippin in the County of Lancaster maketh Oath that he knows John Lunt and became acquainted with him about the latter end of the year 1689 by the means of one Mr. Thrillfall who brought him to his House he this Deponent keeping an Inn in Chippin aforesaid and that at that time the said Lunt went by the Name of Jackson and that about a quarter of a year afterwards there came into that Country several Irish Men who said they were sent by Lunt from London and that when they wanted Money they said they were to have Money of Lunt and amongst the said Irish there used to come to this Deponent's House several English Papists and frequently used to drink their Old Master King James's Health and threatened this Deponent being a Protestant to hang him when King James came in often affirming he would come into England at such and such times and Lunt often told this Deponent that he had Listed not only the Irish but several of this Deponent's Neighbours besides Thirty that he had Listed at Wiersdale and amongst the Neighbours named Clerkson Hodgkinson and Hearst and that one Cottam was to be Quarter-Master And this Deponent saith that Lunt desired one Sharpless where the said Lunt Tabled to be Listed as the
and gave his Majesty the said Account He the said King James commanded him to return for England and then amongst other things that he this Informant should tell them from him that he did not doubt but in the Spring following to be in a condition to come for England And at this Informant's coming away he was ordered by my Lord Melfort himself to go to Captain Griffith in the Meuse as soon as he this Informant should come to London and deliver him the said Griffith a Paper from his Lordship it was Sealed this Informant did not know what it was and to advise and receive Orders from him the said Captain Griffith This Informant saith that he arrived in London about the latter end of December 1691 and that he went immediately to Captain Griffith and delivered him the said Paper and that the said Griffith read the said Paper and told him this Informant he did not question but this Business meaning that in the Paper mentioned as this Informant then supposed will be accomplished in a little time and then he disclosed to this Informant what it was he meant which was the cutting off of the Prince of Orange at some proper time when he was a Hunting and then he put it to this Informant Whether he was willing to make one and be concerned in it This Informant first desired to know the Persons engaged in it He the said Griffith then told him he was not to tell him their Names but he would at any time bring this Informant into the Company of several of them that were engaged in it and about two days after this Informant came to him again and went with him into the Company of several Gentlemen at the Queens-head in White-Hart-Yard in the Strand where and with whom the said Captain Griffith and this Informant discoursed the Method of doing it and all agreed it was to be the easiest done when he should be a hunting or some time late when he went to or come from Kensington This Informant saith there was in Company at that time about Nine or Ten three or four or more of them this Informant knew three of which are since dead Captain Griffith then told this Informant and the Company he had about Sixty brave Fellows engaged in the Business who he did not at all doubt but would one way or other effect it Several of the principal of them as Whitney the High-way Man and several others happened to be sometimes after taken and secured which was the only reason that this Informant knows of that it was not attempted This Informant farther saith That about the same time abovesaid that he this Informant came last out of France viz. about the latter end of December 1691 there came several English Gentlemen of Quality viz. Lord Stafford Mr. Stafford Col. Parker Col. Walmesley a French Lieutenant-General whose Name this Informant doth not remember and others with Commissions Declarations Grants and Patents for themselves and others and for their Inferior Officers from King James This Informant farther saith that in the Months of March and April 1692 he this Informant was imployed by and assisting to several private Gentlemen and Tradesmen in or about London to list Men buy Horses Arms and Sadles and that the said Men Horses and Arms were to be imployed in the Service of the late King James And this Informant farther saith That by the Defeat of the French Fleet their design of Rising being wholly disappointed they fell upon other measures and this Informant remained in several Parts of this Kingdom and was at several of the like Meetings as aforesaid until the last Summer and then about July 1693 was desired with some others to go to France by several of the Gentlemen that this Informant has before mentioned to have delivered Commissions to in Lancashire that is to say by my Lord Molyneux Col. Molyneux Sir William Gerrard Mr. Gerrard Mr. Standish Mr. Dickinson Col. Townley and several others of that Country to give the King an Account of the Condition they were in and to bring them back an Account of what hopes and when he thought he should be in a condition to come for England and this Informant went accordingly to St. Germains and spake with the King and delivered him what he had in charge from the Gentlemen in England and my Lord Melfort being at that time with the King in his Closet bid him this Informant go to Captain Griffith who was then at St. Germains the Captain ordered him this Informant to speak with Dr. Bromfeild who told him this Informant when he came to him that if he would undertake to carry a Signet with him into England and show it to such Persons as he would direct him this Informant to that were concerned in a Design and would engage to make one with them in the same he this Informant should receive the same Reward that was intended for them which design he then told him this Informant was to cut off the Prince of Orange by any such way or means that the Vndertakers amongst themselves when they came together should agree upon Whereupon he this Informant promised and engaged to them the said Bromfeild and Griffith to make one in the Business and was then forthwith dispatched with the Signet and other Matters for England where he arrived and landed at Dover in December last and there he this Informant met with those that the said Dr. Bromfeild and Captain Griffith had directed him to which were viz. Captain Nowell Captain Walton Mr. Pepper Mr. Preston and Captain Roberts who were in the Design of cutting off the Prince of Orange as this Informant was told and that there were in all Sixteen Persons concerned but there he this Informant met Four of them only who were as followeth Captain Nowell Serjeant of the Admiralty and one of the Principal Gunners as this Informant was told who told him this Informant He had his Son and two more ready for the occasion Captain Walton of Foulston a Custom house Officer there who told him this Informant he had Six more engaged in the Business who with us together he said Walton was very confident might in a Month or two's time do the Business effectually with little hazard Mr. Pepper of Dover a Custom house Officer as this Informant was told or some place there worth about Three hundred Pounds per Annum and Mr. Preston of Feversham one of the Militia Officers were the other Two of the Four before mentioned This Informant farther saith That the said Dr. Bromfeild and Captain Griffith did order this Informant to assure the said Nowell Walton Pepper and Preston from them and in the Kings Name that every one concerned in the Action should have the Reward of Five hundred Pounds per Annum each which was the same made to him at St. Germains by the said Dr. Bromfeild and Captain Griffith and my Lord Melfort told him this Informant after he had kissed
their cruel Task-Masters or that they dispatch'd any of their Body to compliment the King of Egypt with a free Surrender of their Lives and Fortunes If they had been Guilty of such an unpardonable Stupidity I may be bold to say That they had been so far from deserving such a Country as the Land of Canaan that Lapland it self had been too good for them mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur I will no longer detain the Reader from the History it self wherein if he find by Undenyable Proofs That our Enemies have hitherto been continually designing upon His Majesty's Life and the Ruin of the Kingdom I hope he will agree That what has been already may be again repeated and therefore That we ought not by our own Sloth or Covetousness lead our Enemies into Temptations to attack us unprovided but that we should always have a Defence suitable to our Dangers AN ACCOUNT OF SEVERAL CONSPIRACIES AGAINST His Majesties Sacred PERSON and GOVERNMENT AS nothing of Public Concernment has been so variously discours'd of at home and abroad as the Lancashire Plot and that perpetual Train of Conspiracies that have annually succeeded it some endeavouring to sham the whole by scandalous Invectives against the Discoverers whilst others searching into the bottom of the several Designs are not only convinc'd of the Truth of them but also of the Honour and Integrity of the Government in relation to these Affairs I cannot imagin but that a True and Impartial Account of them will be equally useful and acceptable to the Public and because the Lancashire Plot has had the Honour not only to be the Parent but Companion of all the other Conspiracies I find my self oblig'd to begin tho' the Series of the Narration will not permit me to conclude with it The Contrivance then of this Plot is owing to the Politics of the late King James who finding himself utterly lost in the love and affections of his People and the Crown fallen from his Head by his own mal-Administration yet flattering himself with the vain hopes of regaining by the Sword what he had forfeited by breaking the Laws of the Land and endeavouring to subvert the Constitution He fled into France for shelter till he could put his Affairs into such a Posture as might facilitate his Return and enable him to establish Popery and Arbitrary Power in these Protestant Kingdoms But before he took his Voyage for France to gain Assistance from that potent Monarch 't was concerted by him and those Popish bigotted Friends that had espous'd his Interest that they should also endeavour at the same time to raise a Ferment in England Scotland and Ireland to concur with the Designs that carryed him into France and therefore that some Person of known Experience Courage and Secresy should be dispatch'd on that Errand to imbroyl the three Kingdoms Mr. Bromfeild a pretended Quaker and so dexterous and bold a Counterfeit that he was able to personate the the Disciple of any Sect Member of any Faction or Person of any Quality had this Office assign'd him and from the Earl of Salisbury's by the Name of Thompson advanc'd towards Scotland Not forgetting according to the Instructions given him by the late King to sow such Seeds of Discontent and Jealousy as he pass'd through the North of England as might ripen into an Insurrection and Rebellion at his Return He had not been long in Scotland before he effected his wicked Purposes in laying a Foundation for a Civil War in that Kingdom and from thence sail'd into Ireland on the same Errand Where he acquaints the Earl of Tyrconnel how successful he had been in his Negotiations in Scotland viz. That the Duke of Gourdon had garrison'd Edenbrough Castle and that the Viscount Dundee would be suddenly at the Head of a great Army there and both declare for the late King James but Mr. Bromfeild finding the Earl of Tyrconnel so zealous for the Cause that he wanted no Arguments or Preswasions to make him more active and daring in promoting the late Kings Service he sail'd from thence into Lancashire where he might be more useful intending to make that and the adjacent Countrys the Provinces he would act in When Bromfeild landed in Lancashire he intended for Croxteth the Seat of the Lord Molineux but for fear of being too much observ'd there he alter'd his purpose and took up his head quarters at Mr. Fitz Herberts of Wapra * Vid Mr. Edward's and Wilson's Depositions in the Appendix and sometimes at Mr. Wilson's in Redland where the Jacobites resorted to him in great Numbers to concert what was necessary to be done for the Restauration of their old Master From Wapra he often made Excursions into the neighbouring Countys and through by-ways to Croxteth to confer with the Lord Molineux and his Son and other considerable Persons of the Roman Character And having adjusted Matters there for an Insurrection he return'd into Ireland with his Dispatches and so backward and forward as the Emergency of his treasonable Affairs requir'd Having a safer Conveyance for his Lancashire Pacquets to and Answers from France by the way of Ireland than to hazard them through the several Post-Offices in England This treacherous Imployment was carry'd on by Mr. Bromfeild for some Months the Habit of a Quaker securing him from the Suspition of a Jacobite but at length his Visor dropt off and the trayterous half-fac'd Papist was seen through the demure Looks and canting Dialect of the Quaker The Vessel that Bromfeild bought to transport him to and from Ireland was seiz'd by Mr. Morston for the use of the Government and Bromfeild had certainly been committed to Prison and try'd for his Life had not the means of his Escape out of Lancashire * Vid Depositions pradict been contriv'd by his quondam Host and intire Friend and Confident Mr. Wilson Mr. Bromfeild and his Intelligence being once more landed in Ireland * May. 1689. where the late King James was arriv'd also he acquaints the late King with the Effects of his Travails viz. That his Friends were up in Arms in Scotland and that the Lancashire Papists and others were ready to ingage in his Quarrel in Order to re-inthrone him as soon as they were commissioned by him to undertake it Nor did he forget to acquaint the late King how narrowly he escap'd a Goal and the Gallows at his last being in Lancashire and that since he was too well known there to be sent again into that Country he begg'd some other Person might he imploy'd in carrying over the Commissions desir'd Which the late King comply'd with and as a Reward of these Services made Mr. Bromfeild one of the Commissioners of his Irish Mint in which Post he continued till the Reduction of Ireland by King William If any object that Bromfeild's Agency in Scotland has no Authorities to support it let the Reader know 't is not for want of them they are not produced but for
Things were upon this Foot honest Mrs. Sarah * The Descent Dolton's Match would not be now to make See how the Jacobites are bartering with France for England and there is no Question to be made if the Charge of a Descent must be out of the F K 's Pocket all the three Kingdoms must be in his Power till the Debt is cancell'd Which will never be till our Claims are extinguish'd in our Blood and Ruin and yet upon this Foot would the Jacobites have their native Country invaded I will trouble the Reader but with one Letter more before I produce the Scheme for the Invasion and that was dated March 1694. and sent by Mr. Bolton and directed to Mr. * Crosby James Clynch I Had yours of the 26th of January and Mr. Nihil * Mr. Neale Lord Melfort's Secretary shew'd me one of yours of the same date to Mr. May * Melfort who has writ at large to you by this Pacquet we are all pleased with the hopes you give us of uniting all Interests if this could be improved to a Degree of collecting all their Sentiments from time to time into one Letter written by their Directions it would have wonderful Effects here and make all Answers expeditious and satisfactory Here are Directions how Crosby and his Accomplices are to proceed in order to form a Descent from France and an Insurrection and Rebellion in England all Parties must be cajol'd Factions humour'd and such Promises made as were never intended to be perform'd That 's the true English of the Words uniting all Interests for according to the Jacobites settled Decrees if they could Re-inthrone the late King James none but the Papists must be sharers in the Government or in their Kings Affection or Bounty for they equally hate all Protestants under what Denomination soever as I will prove by their own Words and Matter of Fact It being one of their own deliberate berate Advices at a Consult and sent to the late King James as a Rule to govern himself by viz. That he should make use of the Whigs but never trust them See Crosby's Papers they might it seems be imployed in promoting his Designs and their own Ruin but the Administration and Advantages of it must be given to the Papists Now since the Dissenters Hopes are all lopt off at one blow sure there remains great expectation of Favour and Bounty to the Church of England Men * Vid. same Paper No they were the Papists first and most formidable Enemies at the Revolution as having the Law on their side and must also be thrust behind the Door nay they so load them with Reproaches now for deserting a Popish King and their Doctrin of Passive Obedience together that they can hope for no Mercy As is plain from the Epithets given them in a Letter directed to Philips dated the 4th of May and sworn to be found in his Custody by two Witnesses which among others have these Words Let Lord Middleton Toncroft know I meant the Church of England by the pack of Rogues and the Bishop of N. the Clergy-Man that was his Enemy their Characters now I will not venture to send him being so various in their Politics This is the true and undisguised Language of Popery among themselves which I will make no other use of than to perswade all Protestants of what Denomination soever to Love fervently and Unite inseparably against these common Enemies of our Nation and Religion In the last Letter produced Crosby had Orders from France to inform himself of the Sentiments of the whole Party and digest them into one Letter For this purpose he frequented all their Meetings and was carressed and assisted in this Undertaking by all that bore a Figure or Name amongst the Jacobites both in City and Country and this great and finishing Stroke being given at their several Consults he only waited for a Wind to waft himself and his Scheme into France to be put in Practice but Heaven crost their Designs and threw into the hands of Justice both the Plotter and the Papers some of which are these that follow and contain the Scheme for an Invasion of his Majesties Dominions Why 't was fitting to be attempted then the ways of accomplishing it and the Names of some Persons from whom as the Jacobites say Assistance might be expected directed to Mr. Toncroft Lord Middleton Sir AS we are sensible of your very great Goodness and Zeal in promoting his Majesties Interest so we are in a special Manner for your Favour in opening us a way whereby we dare freely and impartially impart our Thoughts to you and that at a Time when there never yet offer'd a fairer Opportunity for his Majesties Restoration nor a greater Concurrence of Causes At a Time when the Government is under the greatest Contempt for it's Miscarriages abroad and Mismanagements at home When the Nation is fully sensible their Representatives are of a Party against them and so bribed into false Notions of their Interest that every of them seems to be at Work to dig the Kingdoms Grave When the whole Army to defend us is not above twelve Thousand and that dispers'd into the several Corners of the Kingdom so that not above seven or eight Thousand can be drawn together into the Field and the Garrisons left provided and many of them justly suspected not to be ill inclined to their Lawful Soveraign and none to be expected from abroad without eminently exposing our Allies Egregiously false in every Particular When the Fleet cannot possibly be out till the beginning of May at soonest the Preparations in order thereunto moving slowly notwithstanding the pressing Instances of the Court for want of Funds the Stores in bad Conditions and the best Ships and Seamen gon with the Merchants Fleet Convoys to the Streights The difficulty of getting other Seamen to supply their Places greater than ever from the hardships they were made to endure from ill Payment and the frequent deluding them with Proclamations of great Promises and no Performances All which may give his M. C. Ms. Fleet an Opportunity of being out earlier then ours and to profit of this our Condition by possessing himself of such a Station as may prevent the Junction of our Portsmouth and Chattam Fleets and the Transportation of Troops from Flanders if they could be spar'd from thence or what else might be thought proper What Pains the Jacobites take to perswade the French to be beaten a second Time When the Militia are in such hands as will make little Opposition and at the worst of no use in Winter The Exchequer in the lowest Ebb and very much in Debt The lendable Money of the Nation from twelve hundred thousand pounds reduced to Six and not above one in the Exchequer to answer all the Exegencies of State a great part of the Funds now to be given already anticipated and no Credit to be had till the Parliament
Covent-Garden Square whom they should know by a white Handkercheif hanging out of his Coat Pocket and thereupon the late King James pulling a List out of his Pocket told this Deponent that when he was in England he must go by the Name of Jenkins and his Comerade Hare by the Name of Guiney and further this Deponent saith that Coll. Parker was present heard all that the late King said and went with this Informant and his Comerade to Mr. Caryl who told them that the King had order'd each of them Ten Louis d' Or 's which would be sufficient to carry them into England and if they should be Wind-bound he had writ to the President Tosse at Calais to furnish them with what they should have occasion for the rest of the Assassins were all Men of desperate Fortunes hangers-on at the Court at St. Germains or Soldiers taken out of several Regiments whose Characters render'd them fit for such an inhuman Enterprize All the Assassins being come to London that were expected from France and their Number compleated by the Addition of others that were in England the execrable Design was communicated to all the Desperados Some of which were startled and amazed with horror at the first Relation of it but all the Scruples that Conscience could raise were soon extinguish'd by the Authority of the late King James 's Commission and their Phanciful Prospects of Wealth and Honour that would attend the Action And therefore all consented to forfeit their Honours and hazard their Lives in it Now several ways are proposed by the Conspirators to execute their long design'd Attempt against his Majesties Person Some proposed the seizing his Majesty and carrying him alive into France and to that purpose a faint was made that a Castle on the Sea-side was secured to detain the King in till a Ship was ready to transport him thither but the wiser and more wicked among them that understood what was meant by seizing the King's Person laught at this as a meer Chimera Others proposed to kill his Majesty at Kensington by attaching his Guards and forcing his Pallace in the dead of the night but this upon debating was also thought wholly impracticable Some were for Murthering the King as he came on Sunday to St. James 's Chappel and for this purpose forty Men well armed were to Assault his Majesties Guards which commonly do not exceed above twenty five while six Men on Foot should shut Hide Parke-gate and the rest Assassinate his Majesty * See Mr. Fishers Deposition Feb. 25 1695. 't was agreed also to kill the Coach Horses as they were entring into the Park that the Passage being stopt the Guards might not be able to come up till they had done their Work Another Proposal was to Murther the King as he returned from Hunting in a narrow Lane by a Wood-side leading to the Thames on the other side of the Water about a hundred and fifty paces long in which there is a Gate that when 't is shut hinders Coaches or Horses from passing that way One of the Assassins was sent to view this Ground and another to view the Lane aforementioned but Sr. George Barclay who was to command this infamous Party did not approve that Lane and the Difficulties that arose in the Debate caused that Project to be rejected at last they fix upon a Place betwixt Brentford and Turnham-Green In a bottom where the Ground is moorish there is a Bridge where diverse Roads meet and cross one another on the North side there is a Road that goes round Brentford and on the South a Lane that leads to the River so that one may come thither by four several Ways After you past the Bridge the Road grows narrow having on one side a foot Path and on the other a tall and thick Hedge and this Place was pitcht upon for the Execution of their barbarous Design And truly if Heaven had not discover'd their Treasons all Circumstances consider'd a more unlucky Place and Time could not have been found out For His Majesty very often return'd late from Hunting and usually crost the Water at Queens-Ferry by Brentford with no greater Attendance than five or six of his Guards 'T was also his Majesties Custom to enter the Ferry-Boat without coming out of his Coach and as soon as he landed on this side the Water the Coach drove on without expecting the rest of the Guards who could not cross the Thames till the Boat return'd to Surry-side to bring them over and so the King must inevitably have fallen into the Hands of his Murtherers before the rest of his Guards could have come up to his Assistance Neither was the Time and Place more cunningly and devilishly contrived then their Men were disposed of for having secured several Places at Brentford Turnham-Green and in scatter'd Houses thereabouts to set up their Horses till the King should return from Hunting One of the Conspirators was order'd to wait at Queens-Ferry till the Kings Guards appear'd in sight on Surry-side of the Water and then to give speedy Notice to the rest to be ready at their respective Ports while the King was crossing the Thames For this wicked end they were divided into three Parties which were to make their Approaches by three several ways one of which was to come from Turnham-Green another from the Lane that leads to the Thames and the third from the Road that goes round Brentford One of these Parties were to attack the Guards in the Front and the other in the Rear whilst ten or twelve Men of the bloodiest Sort were to assassinate his Majesty in his Coach And put a Period to that Sacred Life whose Safety and well Being is a Terrour to the Common Enemy of Europe as well as the particular Joy Delight and Safety of England When their execrable Design was accomplish'd the Conspirators resolv'd to keep in a Body till they came beyond Hammersmith and there to seperate and by several Roads hasten to London and from thence to the Sea-side where the sudden Landing of the French might secure them from the Rage of the Multitude and the Hand of Justice Thus was the Assassination to make way for a French Invasion and the Invasion to shelter the Murtherers of our King and Country Horses were now the only necessaries wanting and Sir George Barclay * Vid. Captain Porter's Depositions in the Appendix complaining that the eight hundred Pound he brought over was already so far exhausted that he could not out of the Remainder provide so great a Number as forty they all agre'd he should find but half and the other twenty should be supply'd by Sir W. Perkins Mr. Porter and Mr. Charnock All Things being thus agreed on and the day appointed for the Execution of this inhuman Conspiracy the Duke of Berwick who came into England to countenance the Action and secure a Party among the great Ones to assist at the Invasion having been three Weeks in England
there also from England expecting to meet his Majesty and brought over with him an Account of the Condition and Readiness of his Friends the Papists and Jacobites there but more particularly in London Sussex and Kent and in Staffordshire Lancashire Cheshire and Yorkshire and from them all desired of his Majesty Commissions for the several Persons of Quality hereafter named with Blanks for their Inferior Officers which accordingly the late King caused immediately to be issued forth both for England and Scotland And because Bromfeild was so well known and it might be dangerous for him to come back himself he desired the King to advise of a proper Person or Persons whom he might trust to bring them over and distribute them here in England according to his Majesty's Orders amongst others he this Informant was recommended to him by my Lord Thomas Howard who told him the said King James he would engage Life for Life for him this Informant that he would not betray him in the Service and that if he were taken would rather die upon the spot Upon which this Informant was sent for to my Lord Melfort's Office where he found my Lord Thomas Howard Dr. Bromfeild and my Lord together in his Closet whither he was carried to them and then and there they asked this Informant Whether he would venture to undertake to carry Declarations Papers and Commissions and other things for his Majesty's Service to England They told him it was a hazardous thing that he should think well of it for if he should happen to be taken his Life was certainly gone but if he would and did escape be should be sure of and they promised him in the King's Name very great Preferments and Rewards when the King should come into England Upon which he this Informant undertook it and my Lord Melfort gave an Account of it whereupon to blind the business and to take off any Thought of his this Informant's being imploy'd or sent any where my Lord Melfort told him the King had thought fit to order the Officer of the Guards who was a Frenchman to casheer him and that he might say to any one that asked him the reason that he knew none but was resolved to get his Pass as soon as he could and go for England About a Week after this all things were got ready both for England and Scotland and one Mr. Thrillfall of the Ashes in Goosner in Lancashire Gentleman and this Informant were dispatched for England and one Mr. Gourdon who was this Informant's Comrade and cashiered as he was went for Scotland This Informant and Mr. Thrillfall brought with them Declarations Commissions and other Papers and Landed at Cockram within four Miles of Lancaster in or about the beginning of June 1689 upon our Landing we had like to have been wholly surprized by some Custom house Officers but we escaped and brought off the most Material of our Business only lost some Commissions Blanks and one of the King's Declarations two Case of Pistols of this Informants that the King gave him and some Clothes of this Informant's c. The greatest part of the Commissions and most of the Blanks in several Bundies were saved and this Informant delivered them as fast as he could one after another as followeth viz. in Lancashire To my Lord Molyneux's Son William a Colonel's Commission for a Regiment of Horse with Blanks for all his Inferior Officers to be filled as he should think fit To Thomas Tildesley Esq the like for a Regiment of Dragoons To Dalton of Thurnham Esq the like for Dragoons To Sherbourn of Stonyhurst Esq the like for Horse To Townley of Townley Esq the like for Horse To Girlington of Girlington Esq a Colonel's Commission To Westby of Mobrick Esq the like for Dragoons This Informant farther saith that he delivered my Lord Molyneux himself a Paper of Instructions where amongst other things He was to be Governour of Liverpool and this Informant took notice of it because my Lord Melfort and Dr. Bromfeild both told him this Informant saw and shewed it him in the Paper before they Sealed it Cheshire To Peter Legh of Lime Esq a Colonel's Commission with Blanks for his Inferior Officers To Sir Thomas Stanley of Aldersley Protestant the like for Horse To Mr. Chumley of Vale-Royal Protestant the like for Horse To Sir Rowland Stanley Protestant the like for Horse To my Lord Brudenell a Colonel's Commission for Horse with Blanks for his Inferior Officers To Sir Throgmorton the like for Horse This Informant farther saith That to these two Gentlemen last above written he delivered four other Colonel's Commissions for four Gentlemen whose Names he was not to know because as he did then conceive they were Protestants for they told him this Informant they were honest Gentlemen and Protestants Besides all these before mentioned this Informant delivered to one Mr. Jackson in Castle-street near the Meuse two Bundles of Commissions with a King's Declaration and two other Papers Sealed up with each with Orders to him to deliver one of them with a Declaration and Sealed Papers immediately to my Lord Griffin and the other to Mr. W. Pen the Quaker which this Informant supposes he did for in his sight he took Coach and said he would And besides all these which he this Informant so as aforesaid delivered Mr. Thrillfall undertook to deliver several Bundles of the same to several Gentlemen in York-shire This Informant farther saith That every Colonel had with his Commission Blanks for double his Inferior Officers and that all the Colonels had the Liberty to raise Foot Horse or Dragoons but Horse was more especially recommended This Informant farther saith That after the dispatch of these Commissions and other Business he had the ill luck to be made a Prisoner for a considerable time upon the Accusation of the Captain that brought him over out of Ireland This Informant farther saith That during the time he was a Prisoner under Bail that is to say about the beginning of the year 1691 he this Informant by the Order of Colonel Tildesley Col. Townley Col. William Molyneux Mr. Gerrard Col. Dalton and others Listed in London several Men for Soldiers to serve as Horse or Dragoons to be under the Command of the said Colonels or any other as they should dispose of them to Here he names about a hundred of the Soldiers Listed and the Pay they was to receive This Informant farther saith That being discharged of his Imprisonment in the Month of November 1691 he this Informant was desired by several of the Gentlemen that he had delivered of the Commissions aforesaid to viz. Lord Molyneux Col. Molyneux his Son Sir William Gerrard and his Son Mr. Dickinson of Wrightington John Harrington of Heightonhay Esq Col. Townley Col. Tildesley Col. Dalton and others to go into France to give King James an Account in what condition they were and to bring his Majesty's Commands how they might be serviceable to him which this Informant did