A TRUE ACCOUNT OF THE Horrid Conspiracy Against the LIFE of His Sacred Majesty WILLIAM III. KING of England Scotland France and Ireland c. Setting forth by whom it was Contrived How it was to be Carried on And the Manner of its Discovery Published by Authority EDINBURGH Re-printed in the Year 1692. A TRUE ACCOUNT Of the Horrid Conspiracy against the Life of His Sacred Majesty WILLIAM III. King of England Scotland France and Ireland c. SOME of the Ministers in the Highest Employments and of the Greatest Credit in the French Court having formed a Design to Assasinat His Majesty of Great-Britain they made choise of one Bartholomew de Liniere Kt. Sieur de Grandval as their Instrument to manage the Enterprize to find out Persons fit to be employed in it to Engage them by Promises of great Rewards as also to be Aiding and Assisting in his own Person The said Grandval being informed That one Anthony du Mont had already been engaged in this Design in the Life-time of the late Marquiss of Louvois he proposed it to him again to execute the same by Order of the Marquiss of Barbesiux and some others Whereupon several Projects were drawn up several Petitions delivered and many Conferences were held and at last the Resolution was taken to bring it to effect the last Campaign 1691. But the Providence of GOD having disappointed them yet notwithstanding they did not let fall the Prosecution of their horrid Design But Grandval was Employed frequently to write to du Mont who was retired to Hanover to stir him up to another Attempt this Campaign which at last they agreed upon One Leefdale coming to Paris about that time Grandval making an acquaintance with him discovered to him the said Design which Leefdale shewed a willingness to be concerned in But soon after gave Notice of it by Letters to his Relations in Holland that they might inform His Majesty And the like Discovery was made by du Mont to his Highness the Duke of Zell who acquainted His Majesty with it about the same time that he received the other Account In the mean time Grandval having appointed du Mont a Rendezvous at Uden in the Countrey of Ravestein he set out from Paris in Company with Leefdale passing through Brussels where he communicated his Design to one John d' Amours who was formerly a Domestick Servant to Leefdale's Father From whence they went to Antwerp and so to Eyndhoven where Grandval was seized and carryed to Bois le Due His Majesty directing the Exam nations to be taken there Leefdale was first Examined who Declared with great Exactness all the circumstances of the Conspiracy But it is not necessary to mention more of them here then that Grandval told him The King of Great-Britain was look'd upon as the only Obstacle to the French Kings Designs That Granaval had sent to du Mont last Winter above 200 Pistols to keep him firm to the Business and that he sent him Ten Ducats from Brussels by Bill of Exchange That whilst they were at Mons a Report being spread of some Disorders in Scotland which would oblige His Majesty to cross the Sea again Grandval fearing it might happen before he could execute his Design spoke to Leefdale in these Words Dear Freind we are like to lose our Fortunes I beg of you that we may go away immediatly John d' Amours being next Examined Deposed That Grandval told him at Brussels He had a great Business to do which had miscarried the last year And they two falling into a Discourse about His Majesty John d' Amours ask'd Grandval If he had any thing to say to the King Yes answered he To break his Neck John d' Amours representing to him the Difficulties that might attend such an Attempt Grandval reply'd I have given my Word to Monsieur Barbisieux and I 'll do it D' Amours adds further That going one day with Grandval and Leefdale by the Jesuits Church at Brussels Grandval said Let us go in and say a Pater Noster that GOD would bless our Undertaking And accordingly they went into the Church Du Mont having been examined since has own'd the Fact in all its Circumstances adding several other Particulars viz. That Madam Maintenon was acquainted with the Design and that Grandval in one of his Letters sent to him used this expression That he would accommodate the Matter by the means of Madam Maintenon That Grandval told him the Business succeeding he speaking of himself should have an ample Recompence even to be a Duke That whilst he was at Hanover he imparted the Design to Monsieur Bedal alias Hasfelt who was at that time the French Kings Minister in that Court That he shewed to the said Monsieur Bedal all the Letters he Writ to Monsieur Barbesieux and Grandval as also the Answers he received from them That the said Bedal approved the Design saying It would be a very good Business if it could be brought to pass And that Bedal lent him 50 Crowns at Hanover Du Mont adds further That he was intimately acquainted with one Miller an Agent for Bedal that the said Miller told him as a great Secret That Bedal had sent him several times to Holland with Dispatches that came from France for Monsieur Morean Envoy to the King of Poland that he always gave those Pacquets into Monsieur Moreau's own hand and Monsieur Moreau gave him the Answers to them in like manner And that by the help of Monsieur Bedal and Monsieur Moreau the Court of France managed their choicest Correspondence in Holland At last Grandval was Examined who perceiving that the Matter was discovered and that his own Letters could be produced to Convict him he ingenuously confessed all the Circumstances of the Design as they are particularized in the Sentence After which Grandval being brought to the Army he was put upon his Trial before a Grand Court Martial consisting of General Officers where he appeared several times together with the Witnesses abovementioned who not only persisted in what they had already deposed but added many other Particulars and Circumstances of which there were very few that Grandval did not agree to and that freely without so much as naming the Rack to him either before or after Sentence Grandval during his Imprisonment drew up two Petitions to be presented to His Majesty all written with his own Hand in which he says That as to the before-mentioned Design He acted in it but in Obedience to the Orders he had received from Monsieur Barbesieux and Monsieur Chanlais That Du Mont was Guilty That Leefdale was Guilty And that he Grandval was Guilty since every one that Conspires against a Crown'd Head is worthy of Death acknowledging his own Fault The Judges after this having met several times at last gave this Sentence which is here Inserted Word for Word WHereas Bartholomew de Liniere Kt. Sieur de Grandval Born at Liniere in Picardie Aged about 43. Years and now a Prisoner
hath confessed before the Grand Court-Martial without any Constraint by Pain or being in Irons and it further appearing to the said Court-Martial That the late Marquiss De Louvois in his Lifetime Secretary of State to the French King in the year 1691 Entered into an Agreement with one Anthony du Ment about the Murther of His Majesty William the III. King of Great Britain c. and that the said Du Mont had framed a Project setting forth in what manner that Design might be Executed that he delivered the said Project to the said Marquiss of Louvois That the Prisoner sometime before the Marquiss of Louvois's Death asking his leave to go somewhere else was ordered by the said Marquiss not to go away for that he had some business of Consequence to employ him in which the Prisoner supposes to have some Relation to the said Design but the Marquiss of Louvois dying some time after there was no further Progress then made in the said Design That the Marquiss of Barbesieux Son to the said Marquiss of Louvois as also Secretary of State to the French King having five days after his Fathers Death found the said Project together with a Warrant for Thirty Pistols to be payed to the said Du Mont among his Fathers Papers the said Design was revived again and the Thirty Pistols were payed accordingly That the Prisoner contracted an Acquaintance with Du Mont at Monsieur Rabenac's House where Monsieur Paparel Pay-Master-General to the French Kings Armies saying one day to Monsieur Rabenac the Prisoner being present That if they had a Mind to seize the King of England Du Mont would be a fit Person for it Du Mont reply'd with Execrations that he would carry off His Majesty alive or dead as he had promised to Monsieur de Louvois That Du Mont having delivered the same or the like Project to Monsieur de Barbesieux the Prisoner to promote the said Design had several Conferences with Monsieur Barbesieux and Monsieur Paparel in one of which Monsieur Barbesieux told the Prisoner That he suspected his Father was Poysoned by Order of the Prince of Orange meaning his present Majesty of Great Britain and therefore he would be Revenged of him That Monsieur Barbesieux told the Prisoner in another Conference That he should give Du Mont notice that His Majesty of Great Britain wore a Coat of Mail which the Prisoner acquainted Du Mont with he Answer'd thereupon It is no matter I 'le kill him for all that That Barbesieux had said further He would not speak himself with Du Mont fearing he might be taken Prisoner and if he should happen then to Name him it might make a great breach in his Fortune That the Prisoner was engaged with one Parker a Colonel belonging to the late King James to put the said Design in Execution and that Parker had told him He had form'd the said Design with the late Marquiss of Louvois That at last the Prisoner with the said Barbesieux Paparell Parker and Du Mont agreed upon the Manner of Executing the said Design viz. That the Prisoner and Parker should meet at the Grand Guard of the Duke of Luxenburg's Army where they were to have 1500 Horse That Du Mont should go to the King of Englands's Army and watch the time when His Majesty went to visit the Grand Guard and at the same time he was to Shoot His Majesty that the Prisoner and Parker with 1500 Horse were to Rescue and bring him off the said Du Mont giving timely Notice to the Prisoner of the intended Execution That Barbesieux giving the Prisoner Orders to accompany Du Mont to Menin he gave him at the same time an Order to the Duke of Luxenburg for furnishing the Prisoner with such a Detachment of Horse as he should require and think necessary for the Design That the Prisoner by Monsieur Barbesieux's Order Receiv'd of Monsieur Paparel 80 Lewis d' Or and in pursuance of Monsieur Barbesieux Directions he gave to Du Mont 55. Lewis d' Or out of that Sum viz. 15 Pistols in Specie and a Bill of Exchange for 460 Livres French Money to be payed at Ghent That the Prisoner accordingly left Paris the 11 of September 1691 and went Post with Du Mont to Menin That he defray'd the whole Charge of the Journey that Du Mont acquainted him on the way That Monsieur Barbesieux had promised him an Annual Revenue of 20000 Livres and to make him a Knight of the Order of St. Lazarus in Case the Design took Effect That the Prisoner coming to Menin went to the Governor Monsieur Pertuis as he had been directed by Monsieur Barbesieux and obtained of him a Pasport for Du Mont who parted immediatly for Ghent promising the Prisoner that according to their Agreement he would send to him at the Grand Guard that the Prisoner thereupon went to the Duke of Luxemburg's Army and he and Parker continued at the Head of the Grand Guard till the day before the Rencounter at Leuze without hearing from Du Mont. That Du Mont going to Hanouer the Prisoner had kept a constant Correspondence with him about Executing the same Design at some other opportunity that the Prisoner communicated what Letters he Receiv'd from Du Mont to Monsieur Barbesieux who gave him Directions what Answers he should return That the Prisoner resolved with Monsieur Barbesieux that the Design should be executed this Campaign Anno 1692. which had failed the last That the Prisoner had taken some measures concerning the same with Monsieur Chanlais Quarter-Master General to the French King In the mean time one Frederick Aelbreyt Leefdale heretofore Captain Lieutenant of a Troop of Dragoons in the Service of the High and Mighty States General of the United Provinces coming to Paris was brought acquainted with the Prisoner by the means of one Sterck That the Prisoner having contracted an intimate Familiarity with the said Leefdale discovered the said Design to him towards the latter end of March last 1692 telling him that an Officer who would ingratiat himself to the King's Favour must venture at something of Consequence That he the Prisoner having had concerted the Execution of a Design upon which his Fortune depended That it was indeed a Matter not without hazard but the greater the difficulties were the more would be the Honour encouraging Leefdale to be concerned in it and the said Leefdale shewing a readiness to comply with him the Prisoner open'd himself with greater freedom and told him That he was engaged last Campaign with one Du Mont to Assasinat the King of Great Britain but it had no effect by reason of His Majesties leaving the Army so soon but it was resolved again to put the same in Execution this Year That Du Mont by many repeated Oaths had Sworn he would do it yet he the Prisoner feard that if he were not present Du Mont would not so exactly observe his Orders and therefore he was resolved to go along with
Du Mont asking Leefdale if he would be of the Party who answering That he would the Prisoner discoursed to him at large of all particulars concerning the design and afterwards brought him to Monsieur Barbisieux and Chanlais That Chanlais in one of the Conferences held upon that Subject told Leefdale the Prisoner being by that a great reward should be given him the business succeeding That Barbisieux and Paparel had both of them knowledge of the promised Rewards That he the Prisoner with the said Leefdale and Collonel Parker went to St. Germains on the 16th of April 1692. to speak with the late K. James about the said Design who had knowledge of it and to take leave of him before they began their Journey That the Prisoner had audience at the same time of the said K. James the late Queen being present K. James telling him Parker has given me an account of the business if you and the other Officers do me this service you shall never want And Parker the Prisoner and Leefdale entered into a Discourse about this Design That Du Mont's Wife delivered to Monsieur Barbisieux several Letters which she received from her Husband whilst he was at Hanouer and the Prisoner continuing his correspondence with him all the said time he engaged Du Mont by Letters especially those dated the 20th and 25th of April and the 12. of May last to come from Hanouer to a Rendezvous at Vden in the Countrey of Ravesteyn in order to take a final resolution with the said Prisoner and Leefdale concerning the manner of executing their Design the Prisoner pressing Du Mont to hasten his Journey for fear the King of England should have occasion to re-pass the Sea the Prisoner adding withal that he should be mad if he failed in his business That the Prisoner with Chanlais and Leefdale were agreed in what manner the Assassinate should be committed on the Person of his Majestly viz That when the King should ride along the Lines or should go out to take any View or when the Army should Decamp that Du Mont should ly in Ambuscade and when his Majesty should pass within 100 Paces of him he should then fire upon the King That Chanlais to whom notice was to be given before of the time should be with 3000 Horse at the Duke of Luxenburg's Grand Guard That the Prisoner had told Leefdale there would be no danger for him since Du Mont had a secret to charm peoples eyes and at all adventures they two would keep those who followed the King and when every body was pursuing after Du Mont they should have time to escape and save themselves and carry the Account to Monsieur Chanlais and it little concerned them whether Du Mont should be taken or not provided they could escape themselves That the Prisoner and Leefdale received their last Orders from Chanlais who told them he was going to Mons and that they should stay for him there That the Prisoner and Leefdale went from Paris the 17th April last and arrived a few days after at Mons having waited some time for Monsieur Chanlais's arrival and finding he did not come they resolved to go forward to the Rendezvous by the way of Brussels That the Prisoner as they were travelling on the way told Leefdale that their Design taking place the Alliance among the Confederate Princes would be broken That the Princes concerned would each of them re-call their Troops and the Countrey being thereby left without Souldiers the King of France would easily make himself Master of it and King James would be restored again That the Prisoner parting with Leefdale went to the Mayery of Boisleduc and was apprehended at Eyndhoven And whereas this horrid design is contrary to the Laws of God of Nature and of all Nations and ought for the deterring of others from the like Machinations to be punished with the greatest Rigour The said Court-Martial having with nature deliberation examined and considered the whole Matter have thought fit to Judge and Declare as they do hereby Declare the Prisoner to be guilty of High-Treason and do condemn him to be drawn on a Sledge to the place of Execation there to be Hanged on a Gallows to be cut down before he be dead his Body to be opened and his Bowels taken out and burnt His Head to be set upon a Poll His Body to be Quartered And the four Quarters to be hung up where his Majesty shall think fit And do further declare all his Estate to be Confiscated and condemn him to bear the Charges and Custâ— of this Trial-Given and pronounced in the Head Quarters of the Army under the Command of His Majesty of Great Britain by the Earl of Athlone General of the Horse President the Lieutenent General Van-Sravenmoer and Lieutenant-General Talmash the Marquis de la Forrest the Heer van Weede Count Noyelles and the Heer Zâ—bel Majors-General and the Brigadeers Churchill and Ramsay Cornelius Van VVou and Richard Vâ—thwayt Judges Advocats assisting at Lembeck August 11th 1692. Signed ATHLONE and Lower By Order of the Court-Martial Thomas Du Val. In pursuance of the Sentence above-mentioned the Chevalier de Grandval was Executed in the Camp on the 13th day of August 1692. All that he said at the place of Execution was to recommend himself to the Prayers of those that were present But the same Morning before he went to Execution he writ this following Letter Du Camp de Halle ce 13 Aout 1692. Madamoiselle Je vous prie d'aller trouver Monsievr l' Archeveque de Rheims avec Monsieur Jourduil faire connoître au dit Seigneur Archevéque qu'il m'en couste la vie pour avoir obey aux Ordres de Monsieur de Barbesieux C'est la grace ' que vous demande vôtre serviteur De Grandval Voyez Monsieur le Marquis d' Arsy qu'il contribue à faire prier Dieu pour moy A Madmoiselle Juré ruë Trevelle vis à vis de la ruë des deux Escus prés de l' Hostel de Soissons à Paris From the Camp at Hall Aug. 13. 1692. Madam I Pray you to go to the Archbishop of Rheims with Monsieur Jourduil and to let the said Archbishop know that it cost me my life for having obeyed the Orders of Monsieur de Barbesieux which is the Favour desired of you by your Servant De Grandval Speak to the Marquis d' Arsy That he take care I be pray'd for To Madam Juré in the Trevelle-street over-against the Street of the Two Crowns near the Hostel of Soissons at Paris Upon the Occasion of this Letter it will not be improper to take Notice of a Passage that happened some days before Grandvall's Condemnation since it has so great an Agreement with the said Letter and may serve to explain it if it needed any clearer Light which is as follows One discoursing with the Chevalier Grandval in Prison and observing he sought to justifie himself upon the Orders he had received from the Marquis of Barbesieux he told him Though that was in it self a very weak Excuse for being engaged in a Base Action yet still in might prove so much the worse as that it was like enough Monsieur Barbesieux would disowne that he gave any such Orders or that he was any ways concerned with him in a Business of this Nature To which Grandvall reply'd Let him deny what he pleases yet if I were put upon it I would make it appear very plain for I have an Original Paper under Monsieur Barbesieux's own Hand which I have lodged with a friend of mine who will not part with it to any one but my self and no body else knows with whom I have entrusted it FINIS