Mitchel's House at Hitinton But to let you see that he knows the Design you come about he hath left his Man with a Horse ready sadled to conduct you to him Some of the Party being Volunteers out of Worcester observing the words and deportment of Mrs. Yarranton went presently home again amongst whom was Mr. Winter Hains an Apothecary and since Mayor of Worcester and still alive who hath often said that very instant he smelt the Design The Officer with his Party was brought by Henry Cowell Mr. Yarranton's Servant to the House of Mr. Mitchell where finding the said Yarranton the Officer told him He was his Prisoner and must go along with him to Worcester and about ten a Clock the same day they all entred the City where all the Trained Bands of the County were up in Arms. The same day several other Persons were secured as Mr. Ambrose Spanry Minister of Martly near which place the Sham-Packet was pretended to be found Mr. Henry Osland Minister of Bewdly Mr. Edward Osland of the Rocke Dr. Jackson of Kederminster Mr. Moore Minister of Worcester Mr. Bryan Minister of Old Swinford Captain Wells Cap. Wells living now at Bednal-green Mr. Vicars now living in Smithfield Mr. Henry Baldwin Mr. George Wilson Mr. John Vicars Mr. Mekine all four of Worcester with some scores more which I forbear to mention all which Persons were disposed of into several Prisons or Places of confinement so that they could not speak one with another having Sentinels always standing at their several Doors Amongst the common People there was a great noise of a horrid Plot a Presbyterian Plot and they were so confirm'd in the belief of it that the several Prisoners as they marched with their Guards through the Streets were greatly reviled and affronted All things continued in this posture for the space of ten days after which time the Trained Bands would continue no longer they were grown a little sensible of the Sham And upon their departure the Deputy Lieutenants out of their great clemency discharged all the Prisoners then in custody except Dr. Jackson Mr. Sparry Mr. Henry and Mr. Edward Osland Capt. VVells and Yarranton only they must pay their Fees and find good Security not to go five miles from their Habitations without leave first obtained from the Lord Lieutenant or two Deputy Lieutenants to appear when they were sent for and in the mean time to keep all the King's Laws Ecclesiastical and Civil This done Mr. Sparry Dr. Jackson the two Oslands and Mr. Yarranton were ordered to be kept close Prisoners in several Chambers of the George Inn in VVorcester Jo. Shuler Marshal so that no Person whatsoever must come or speak to either of them but in the presence of the Marshal The Trained Bands being gone as was said before to their several Homes care was taken for the securing of these Criminals by the dignified Clergy of VVorcester together with some of the fattest Clergy-men of the County who provided about 60 Foot Souldiers which they arm'd and paid as some of them said with double pay which Souldiers were to attend as Sentinels in their turns upon each of the Prisoners and the rest to keep a Court of Guard in the Town-Hall of VVorcester These were commonly called the Clergie Band and they had for their Captain one Mr. VVilliam Sheldon of Stoke-Prior who hath of a long time as it is said belong'd to the Rules in Southwark I can't omit the acquainting you with one renown'd Act of Chivalry that was done in this Church-Court-Guard It hapened that there came to Worcester a poor old Man to enquire after the Welfare of Mr. Henry Osland his Minister and speaking with one of these Souldiers the Souldier liberally charged Mr. Osland with being a Traitor a Rebel a Plotter against the Government with some other hard Names he stoutly defended his Minister and said he was an honest peaceable Man and he could never believe he was concerned in any Treason or Plot against the Government The Church Militant-Man in great Wrath laid hold of this poor old Zealot and carried him to the Court of Guard he that then presided in that Court-Martial was also a Church-Officer and no meaner Man than an Apparitor he commanded the old Man to be ty'd Neck and Heels together charg'd him with having a Hand in this Presbyterian Plot and threatned him with severe usage unless he would make a Confession The old Man bore all this with great Patience answering him never a Word which so enrag'd this Man in Authority that he put lighted Matches betwixt his Fingers and burnt them to the very Bone and all this was done to force a Confession from him of a Presbyterian Plot. The Name of the Person thus tortur'd is Roger Waldern of Bewdly who for ought I have heard to the contrary is still alive and carrieth about him the shâ—â—vel'd Skin which was caus'd by those burning Matches betwixt his Fingers and so are many others alive which saw him in his Misery and contributed their help to the healing of his Hands Now if so small an Officer of the Church as an Apparitor durst be so hardy as to act such a piece of Barbarity contrary to all Law and Conscience what may we fear and expect from those of a greater Figure if once they come to have Power in their Hands But this is a digression This feigned Plot was not only laid in Worcestershire but in other Shires and Counties of England as I hinted before I could fill many Sheets of Paper if I pleased with Particulars But give me leave to inform you only of some Passages in Oxfordshire which respect to this Plot which fell out about the same time There dwelt in Oxford one Mr. Matthew Martin Mr. Martin Brewer in Old-street who was then Town-Clark there he is now a Brewer in London and in good Reputation both for Estate and Integrity There came one Evening to his House in Oxford a Stranger with a Letter who had no sooner delivered it but he withdrew and went his way when Mr. Martin had open'd it and a little considered the Contents he took a prudent course to carry it to the Mayor as you 'l hear by and by and to do it immediately for had he tarryed a Night or an Hour it might have been found about him and then Oxford had quickly been as full or fuller of Plotters and Prisoners than Worcester The Copy of this memorable Letter I here insert word for word Mr. Martin I Pray will you warn all these Men to be all in their Arms upon Wednesday next in the Night you know already where they must meet There will come into Oxford two hundred Men all in their Arms you know who doth Command them Dr. Greenwood has sent to Mr. Combs the Barber to get his Party of Scholars ready that night and I have sent to Mr. Hickman to get his Men ready at the same time and Dr. Owen has sent
A Full DISCOVERY Of the First PRESBYTERIAN Sham-Plot OR A LETTER From one in LONDON TO A Person of Quality in the Country By Andrew Yarranton LONDON Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle in Cornhil near the Royal Exchange 1681. A Full Discovery of the first Presbyterian Sham-Plot c. Honoured SIR YOU seem to be much concern'd as you well may at the present state of Affairs amongst us and to wonder that the Scene should be so suddenly chang'd and the Popish Plot be turn'd into a Protestant and Presbyterian Plot. This Riddle no doubt astonisheth many others as well as your self the Errand therefore of these Lines is to attempt the solving of it Two things I shall premise to which I promise my self I shall have your and every sober Man's Concession The first is That the Papists have long designed the subversion of the Protestant Religion in this Kingdom They look upon England as the great Bulwark of that which they call the Northern Heresy as that Roman of old resolv'd it into a Maxime that Carthage must be destroyed so the Romanists of late have universally agreed that England must be ruin'd or restor'd to the Communion of the Church of Rome I could easily recount the several efforts they made in order hereunto in the Reign of Q. Eliz. K. James and K. Charles the First as also during the Interregnum but this would swell my Letter and make it too Volumnious I shall only therefore consider the Methods they have meditated for the bringing of this about since the Restauration of his Majesty that now is and some of these you will find in what follows A second thing I take for granted is this That the Papists have little hope to enslave this Nation and bring it to their Lure so long as it is compacted and united together Great Britain's Scituation and Union together make it impregnable But Machiavil's Aphorism Devide and Rule is well known to the Jesuits Discord therefore is the great thing they have endeavoured amongst us especially in matters of Religion A Kingdom is easily set on Fire by a Coal from the Altar how successful they have been in this Essay for these twenty years past-hath been both the Observation and Lamentation of many The King at his first entrance to his praise be it spoken took a prudent course to obviate this Mischief he first passed an Act of Oblivion and Indemnity wherein he conjured all his Subjects to follow his Example in forbearing and forgiving one another After this he issu'd out his gracious Declaration touching Ecclesiastical Affairs which was so full of Concessions and Condescensions that the Ministers about London presented him with a gratulory Address yea the House of Commons gave him hearty Thanks for it and had they past that Declaration into an Act of Parliament it had probably cemented tho not every individual Person yet the greatest part by far of all the Protestants throughout the Nation But some both of the Clergy and Laity that bore the greatest sway rejected it and so His Majesty's good and peaceable Intentions prov'd Abortive These Men by whose Instigations you may imagine instead of an Act of Union resolve upon an Act of Uniformity which they could not but know would prove the greatest Bone of Contention that ever was in the Nation And some of the leading Church-Men were heard to say they would have an Act so framed as should reach every Puritan in the Kingdom and if they thought any of them would so stretch their Consciences as to be comprehended in it they would insert yet other Conditions and Subscriptions so as that they should have no benefit by it But the King and Parliament they fear'd were not yet fully prepar'd for the passing of such an Act thereupon a contrivement is set on foot to make a Presbyterian Plot. And this was the first of that nature which they took in hand And because it never was taken notice of by some and forgotten by others I shall therefore set it down at large which I can the better do because I was a great Sufferer therein and what I relate if occasion be I can prove by Letters and many living Witnesses This Sham-Plot was lay'd in about 16 Counties of England But I shall write principally of that part of it which was executed in Worcestershire the Month of November in the year 1661. Several Letters were drawn up and delivered by Sir John P to one Richard N his Neighbour to carry to one Cole of Martly about 4 Miles from Wocester who is now living This Cole according to instructions delivereth a Packet of Letters to one Churne of Witchinford who also is or lately was alive and dwelt near Martly This Packet of Letters was carried by Coles and Churne unto Sir John P from whom it first came And before him Churne makes an Affidavit that going early in the Morning to his Labour he struck his Bill upon a Hedge to cut a Thorne and by and by on the other side of the Hedg he espy'd a Scotch Pedlar putting up Letters hastily into his Pack and being affrighted as he suppos'd he left that Packet behind in the Ditch and went down a Lane leading to Colonel John Birch his House This Oath being made and the Packet delivered as aforesaid and opened it presently appeared that there was a Conspiracy on foot to stir up Rebellion in the Kingdom and to raise an Army for that purpose and that Capt. Andrew Yarranton was to command a Party in those Parts for which purpose there were several Letters directed to him from some Ministers and others Particularly one from Mr. Richard Baxter Minister of Kederminster Mr. Baxter then at London intimating that he had provided a considerable Body of Men well arm'd which should be in readiness against the time appointed Another from Mr. Ambrose Sparry the then Minister of Martly intimating that he had order'd him 500 l. which was lodg'd in a Friends hand No Man so covetous of the then Clergy not named and should be ready for him when-ever he sent for it Several other Letters and treasonable Papers were pretended to be in that Packet all which occasioned the raising the Militia of that County and the City of Worcester was filled that night with Horse and Foot Early the next morning about two of the Clock an Officer with a Troop Nov. 9. come to Mr. Yarranton's House and seeing Lights in most of the Windows for a season he made a halt but anon he drew near to the House and demanded entrance Mrs. Yarranton told him she would open the Doors provided he would come in with no more than two Persons besides himself to which he assented And when he was come into the House he demanded of Mrs. Yarranton where her Husband was She answered He was not at home The Officer replyed He was at home the Evening before She told him He was but he is now gone to one Mr.
two more concerning Mr. Yarranton As soon as he was discharged as before he goes up to London and prevails with the Lord of Bristol to acquaint the King with the great Wrong he had received and with the wicked Contrivance of some of his Ministers by Sham-Plots to divide the King from his People and his People from one another Hereupon an order of Councel was directed to the the Deputy Lieutenants of Worcestershire that were then in and about London to appear before the Councel and to give an account of this matter They seem'd to clear themselves from being concern'd therein and desired such as were in the Country might be consulted the next post they inform their Brethren in the Country how Matters stood before the Councel that the Lord of Bristol did patronize Mr. Yarranton upon this Sir J. W. one of the Deputy Lieutenants hastens up to London and brings with him one Hales * Now living in Tenbury an Attorney his Kinsman and Tenant Which Hales with the Constable of St Mary Overies and one Halborne a Water-man now living in Pepper-Ally in Southwark arrested Mr. Yarranton when he was bowling in Winchester-Park for High Treason and being farther assisted by some of the Horse Guards then in Southwark conveyed the said Yarranton in Halborn's Boat to White-Hall where he was that Night in Custody but on the Morrow the Earl of Bristol sent the Kings Privy-Seal to a Friend of Mr. Yarranton's who brought it to him wherein it was declared that it was the King's Pleasure he should travel where he listed and not be molested by any Person whatsoever without a special ' Warrant from the King A little after Sir Kenelm Digby Chancellor to the Queen-Mother sends for Mr. Yarranton and was very earnest to know from him the bottom of this pretended Plot. He relates the whole matter from the beginning to the end to Sir Kenelm Digby upon which Sir Kenelm produced two Letters from Paris signifying that they were of Opinion in France that we in England were taking one another by the Throat again which inclined that King to joyn with the Dutch against the English which after a little time came to pass These two Letters are to be seen as being lodged in a safe Hand after the death of Sir Kenelm by his Executor Mr Yarranton seeing how Matters went in London resolved to return again into the Country where he prosecuted Major Wild and others for imprisoning of him wrongfully but within six Months after a Design is laid by some of the Criminals in the former Sham-Plot to subborn Persons to swear against him that he had spoken Treasonable Words against the King and Government the Witnesses were one Dainty a Mountebank formerly an Apothecary in Darby who afterwards acknowledged that he had 5 l. for his pains the other Witness liv'd in Wales and went by two Names This was done at the Assizes in Worcester the Bill being found by the Grand Jury Twisden then Judg. Mr. Yarranton put himself upon his Trial and tho he did not except against any one of his Jury yet upon a full hearing of the Case they presently acquitted him which was a great Disappoinment to the designing Gentlemen The Clarke the of Peace Mr. Parker and the Officers belonging to the Ecclesiastical Court were not a little disgusted for now the Sham-Plot was discover'd which had brought a great deal of Grist to their Mills for tho the Innocent Papists were conniv'd at the turbulent Fanaticks were punsh'd by whole-sale both in the Civil and Ecclesiastical Court POSTSCRIPT SIR I know you did expect from me that I should have given you an Account of the particulars of the several Transactions as to the Shamplot which was acted in Warwick Glocester Hereford Salop Stafford Cheshire and Lancashire both as to the Persons imprison'd the day when and by whom and how it was managed by the Plotters but I must beg your Excuse for that Matter and all its wicked Intents and what Evil it hath been the occasion of propagating in this Nation I understand is ready for the Press being faithfully collected by several Persons who were great Sufferers in that Affair FINIS