of Winchester Henry Lord Marquess of Worcester Henry Earl of Arlington Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold James Earl of Salisbury John Earl of Bridgewater Robert Earl of Sunderland one of his Majesties principal Secretaries of State lately made in the room of Sir Joseph Williamson Arthur Earl of Essex first Lord Commissioner of the Treasury John Earl of Bath Groom of the Stole Thomas Lord Viscount Faulconberg George Lord Viscount Hallifax Henry Lord Bishop of London John Lord Roberts Denzil Lord Holles William Lord Russel William Lord Cavendish Henry Coventry Esq one of his Majesties principle Secretaries of State Sir Francis North Kt. Lord Cheif Justice of the Common-Pleas Sir Henry Capel Kt. of the Bath first Commissioner of the Admiralty Sir John Earnley Kt. Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Thomas Chicheley Kt. Master of the Ordnance Sir William Temple Baronet Edward Seymour Esq Henry Powle Esq The 30th of April His Majesty made a Speech to both Houses of Parliament wherein he recommended three things to them The prosecution of the Plot The disbanding of the Army and the providing a Fleet which was followed by a larger signification of his Majesties mind by the Lord Chancellor That His Majesty had considered with himself That 't is not enough that his Peoples Religion and Liberty be secure during his own Reign but thinks he ows it to his People to do all that in him lies that these Blessings may be transmitted to Posterity And to the end that it may never be in the power of any Papist if the Crown descend upon him to make any change in Church or State his Majesty would consent to limit such Successor in these points 1. That no such Popish Successor shall present to Ecclesiastical Benefices 2. That during the Reign of such Popish Successor no Privy Councellors or Judges Lord Leiutenant or Deputy Leiutenant or Officer of the Navy shall be put in or removed but by Authority of Parliament 3. That as it is already provided That no Papist can sit in either House of Parliament so there shall never want a Parliament when the King shall happen to die but that the Parliament then in Being may continue Indissoluble for a competent time or the last Parliament Re-assemble c. But it seems all these Provisions were not thought a sufficient Fence for such dear and precious things as Religion and Liberty and that in the progress of their Debates upon this most important Subject they could not resolve upon any certain Expedient of safety less than the Exclusion of his Royal Higness For on Sunday April the 27th 1679. It was Resolved by the House of Commons Nemine Contradicente That the Duke of York being a Papist and the hopes of his coming such to the Crown hath given the greatest Encouragement and Countenance to the present Conspiracies and Designs of the Papists against the King and Protestant Religion And on Sunday May the 11th the better Day the better Deed we use to say but whether it will hold here will be the Question they Ordered That a Bill should be brought in to disable the Duke of York to Inherit the Imperial Crown of this Realm which was brought in accordingly and twice read in the House the preamble thereof being to this effect That forasmuch as these Kingdoms of England and Ireland by the wonderful Providence of God many Years since have been delivered from the Slavery and Superstition of Popery which had despoiled the King of his Sovereign Power for that it did and doth advance the Pope of Rome to a Power over Sovereign Princes and makes him Monarch of the Universe and doth with-draw the Subjects from their Allegiance by pretended Absolutions from all former Daths and Obligations to their lawful Sovereign and by many Superstitions and Immoralities hath quite subverted the Ends of the Christian Religion But notwithstanding That Popery hath been long since Condemned by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm for the detestable Doctrine and Traiterous Attempts of its Adherents against the Lives of their lawful Sovereigns Kings and Queens of these Realms Yet the Emissaries Priests and Agents for the Pope of Rome resorting into this Kingdom of England in great numbers contrary to the known Laws thereof have for several Years last past as well by their own Devilish Acts and Policies as by Counsel and Assistance of Foreign Princes and Prelates known Enemies to these Nations contrived and carried on a most Horrid and Execrable Conspiracy To destroy and Murther the Person of his Sacred Majesty and to Subvert the ancient Government of these Realms and to Extirpate the Protestant Religion and Massacre the true Professors thereof And for the better effecting their wicked Designs and encouraging their Uilainous Accomplices they have Traterously Seduced James Duke of York Presumptive Heir of these Crowns to the Communion of the Church of Rome and have induced him to Enter into several Negotiations with the Pope his Cardinals and Nuntio's for promoting the Romish Church and Interest and by his means and procurement have advanced the Power and Greatness of the French King to the manifest hazard of these Kingdoms That by the descent of these Crowns upon a Papist and by Foreign Alliances and Assistance they may be able to succeed in their Wicked and Uillainons Designs And forasmuch as the Parliaments of England according to the Laws and Statutes thereof have heretofore for great and weighty Reasons of State and for the publick Good and common Interest at this Kingdom directed and limited the Succession of the Crown in other manner than of Course it would otherwise have gone but never had such important and urgent Reasons as at this Time press and require their using of their said Extraordinary Power in that behalf Be it therefore Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this Parliament Assembled and by the Authority of the same And it is hereby Enacted accordingly That James Duke of York Albany and Ulster having departed openly from the Church of England and having publickly professed and owned the Popish Religion which hath notoriously given Birth and Life to the most Damnable and Hellish Plot by the most gracious Providence of God lately brought to light shall be Excluded and is hereby Excluded and Disabled c. On the 19th of May the House of Commons attended his Majesty with this following Address Most Dread Sovereign WEE your Majesties most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Commons in Parliament Assembled do with all humble gratitude acknowledge the most gratious assurances your Majesty hath been pleased to give us of your constant Care to do every thing that may preserve the Protestant Religion of your firm resolution to defend the same to the utmost and your Royal endeavours that the security of that blessing may be transmitted to posterity And we do humbly represent to your Majesty That being deeply sensible that the
prime was because forsooth The Kingdom of England is a Fee of the Papacy and it was audaciously done of her to assume it without his leave See the History of the Council of Trent l. 5. And then in the next place he started her being Illegitimate which indeed onely he had reason to do for if her Fathers Marriage were good the Popes power of Dispensation one of the fairest flowers in the Triple Crown must be naught Fifthly yet again after all this his Successour Pope Pius the Fourth in his Letter by Parpaglia dated the fifth of May 1560 did own her and would have done any thing for her so she would but have owned him which she refusing the next Pope meerly for the same Anathematiz'd and Depos'd her as you have heard there not being the least mention in that Bull of Bastardy but onely for Heresie that is for being a Protestant and refusing to truckle to the Romish See Lastly the Roman-Catholicks of England in general in a large Petition to Queen Elizabeth in the Twenty seventh year of her Reign by them afterwards published in Print in a Book with this Jesuitical Title Protestants Plea and Petition for Priests and Papists p. 39. do say and swear the words following We do protest before the living God that all and every Priest or Priests who have at any time conversed with us have recognized your Majesty their undoubted and lawful Queen Tam de Jure quam de Facto as well in Right as Fact Wherefore 't is evident that their Conspiracies against her were not for any defect in her Title but on the score of her Religion And no less plain that their boasted services for the Queen of Scots were onely bottom'd on self-interest not affection to her Person and indeed so far from being of any advantage to her that they caused the untimely ruine of that gallant Princess Illegitimacy and the right of the Queen of Scots was so little regarded at Rome that his Holiness Pope Gregory the Thirteenth having a Bastard of his own James Buoncompagno to provide for and another of the Emperours viz. Don John to the first he gave the Kingdom of Ireland and equipp'd Stukely as aforefaid to win it for him to the last he gave the Kingdom of England and gave him leave to win it for himself and what then would have become of the Title of the Queen of Scots They indeed made the House of Scotland their Cloke and covered their Treasons for some time with pretences of gaining that Queens Liberty and advancing her Interest but being at last out of hopes of restoring their Religion by her or her Son whom they already perceived not to be for their turn began to set up a feigned Title for the King of Spain and employed one of their Society into England as is discovered by Pasquier a French Author to draw off the Gentry from fiding with her and to close with the Spaniard and closely endeavoured to precipitate her into those fatal Counsels which hastned her end for she being discovered to be privy to most of the former Conspiracies and found guilty of that of Babington was thereupon Condemned And afterwards a fresh provocation being given by the said Attempt of Moody which was found to have been designed on the same pretence Queen Elizabeth by the repeated importunities of the Parliament who had Ratified the Judgment was over-perswaded to sign the Warrant for Execution whereupon she was Beheaded the eighth of February following The Jesuits that none of her Kindred might give her any assistance haing at the same time engaged the Gâ—ises in new Enterprises against the King of Navar and Prince of Condé And their jugling Treachery towards her is abundantly apparent from the manner of the Discovery of what she was Condemned for the same being done by one Gilbert Gifford a Priest sent into England to put Savage in mind of his Vow to Assassinate Queen Elizabeth and to be a Messenger between the Queen of Scots and the Conspirators who presently goes and offers his service to Walsingham Secretary of State to discover all their Transactions so that by his perfidious practice their Letters were opened transcribed neatly sealed up and returned to the said Gifford who then conveyed them to the Queen of Scots or who else they were directed unto And this Discovery by him made must be supposed to be done out of pure love forsooth to his Queen and Country although but a little before he was one of those very men who instigated Savage to his Vow to Murder her The whole conduct whereof shews it to be a prosecution of their late-hatcht Spanish Design by removing the true Heir apparent and excluding the Scotish Race to make way for the forg'd Title which they had started for some of the Austrian Family Which is farther demonstrated by their subsequent carriage for after her Death whatever zeal they before pretended to her Title and Family there were not the least effects thereof shewed to her Son King James to whom her Right devolv'd but rather they used all Arts to put him by the Succession as we shall shew in the next Chapter In the mean time we must observe that still their Plots against Queen Elizabeth went on abroad by the Pope and King of Spain in Warlick preparations both for Land and Sea-service and at home by the Jesuits and other Emissaries in providing for their reception To amuse the English Council they publish a Book wherein their Brethren are very gravely admonished not to attempt any thing against their Prince but onely to make use of the old Christian Weapons Prayers and Tears humble petitions and patient sufferings c. And a Treaty of Peace desired and kept on foot by the Duke of Parma by the King of Spains order till in the memorable year 88 all things being compleated for execution the Pope begins the Invasion with a Bull by which once again The Queen is Cursed and proscribed her Royalty and Right to the Kingdoms of England and Ireland taken away her Subjects not only absolved from their Oaths and Allegiance to her but threatned under danger of the wrath of God not to assist her in any wise but to use all their power to bring her to wort by punishment And therefore commands all Inhabitants of these Realms to joyn with the Spaniards and be obedient to the Duke of Parma their General And finally out of the Treasury of the Church committed to his trust draws out his liberality and grants a full Pardon of all their sins to all those that should engage in this Expedition Which was to be looke upon as an Apostolick Mission against the Incorrigible Hereticks to reduce them to the Obedience of the Church and execute his Holinesses Sentence of Excommunication against that cursed Anathematiz'd Woman After which it was privately agreed between them That King Philip should hold these Kingdoms of the Pope in Fee as of the Holy See with the
a lost man in his own apprehension from the strength of the proofs against him that yet he should meet with so favourable a Verdict And most people lookt upon it as a riddle That Coleman should be Hanged for the payment of 5000 l. upon the account of Treason and Sir George be acquitted for receiving of him the same 5000 l. for the same Treason Such were the popular discourses at that time for the reason or justice whereof we shall not engage but leave them floating on the surface of opinion till Time with his discriminating wings shall either disperse them into oblivion or hatch them into a better shape of Truth than yet they have been made appear in This is certain That the Papists took from hence occasion to insult to scatter many insolent Pamphlets up and down to perswade the world that there was no Popish Plot to scandalize the Evidence and magnifie the Innocence of Whitebread and his Companions intending it should seem to over-bear so many of His Majesties Declarations the solemn Votes of two Parliaments the Judgments of all the Judges of England and the Oaths of so many Juries of most substantial Gentlemen and Citizens with a few flashes of Rhetorick and the onely Logick of noise and impudence But in this Career of their Jollity and Revival of their hopes it pleased Providence again to quail and dash their confidence by the new and more full discovery made by Mr. Robert Jennison before-mentioned This Gentleman as he had been bred up a Papist and zealous in that perswasion so he had always approved himself of a devout temper and regular Conversation and was not onely descended of an antient worthy Family but within the prospect of a fair Estate so that he could not be imagined to have any temptations of malice envy or interest to prompt him to this Discovery as will more evidently appear by his generous Conduct in this affair towards his Elder Brother but onely out of pure unbiassed Conscience and sense of Loyalty he came in a Votary to Truth being first scandalized at the unaccountable confidence of his Cousen Ireland insisting not onely at his Tryal but also at his death on that which this Gentleman knew to be absolutely false Yet on the inducements specified in his Narrative as the respect to his Relations an own Brother and Kinsman being concerned and regard to the credit of the Religion he had been Educated in and was not yet weaned from and some particular reflections on his own safety he at first proceeded no farther either in his Depositions or Oath vivâ voce at Wakemans Tryal against whom he then was perswaded there would be other sufficient Evidence than to disprove such the said Irelands false Allegations of his not being in Town yet afterwards the stings of Conscience still pricking him to a farther manifestation of Truth on the second of August 1679. before Edmond Warcupp Esquire one of His Majesties Justices of Middlesex and to his immortal Honour a very vigilant and active Magistrate in tracing and detesting this horrid Popish Plot he made Affidavit of some other particulars As that Ireland in June 1678. did say in his presence That it was an easie matter to poyson the King and that Sir George Wakeman might opportunely do it being the Queens Doctor and that on the nineteenth of August following the said Ireland offered to forgive him twenty pound which he had borrowed of him of the St. Omerians money if he would be assisting to the taking off the King which he absolutely refusing to be concerned in Ireland inquired if he did know any Irish Gentlemen that were Papists and stout and couragious for that purpose whereupon he named Mr. Levallyn Mr. Tho. Brahall Mr. Karney three Irishmen and Mr. Wilson an English Papist all of Grays-Inn or harbouring thereabouts who for some time before this Discovery for want of knowledge of their true Names had been Impeached by others of the Kings Witnesses by the general term of the Four Irish Russians hired to Assassinate his Sacred Majesty at Windsor and in a subsequent Affidavit of August 6. he sets forth That Ireland desired him to go down with these Four persons to Windsor to be assisting in the Murder the said Ireland approving of them as fit persons for such an Exploit being before acquainted with two of them And that his Brother Tho. Jennison at Harcourts Chamber once told him That if C. R. would not be R. C. he should not long be C. R. c. This Mr. Jennison likewise in such his Narrative well worthy of perusal sets forth the passionate Letters from his Brother and other Relations whereby they endeavoured to deter or inveigle him from declaring the Truth in these matters for the better understanding whereof the Reader is to be informed that Thomas Jennison his elder Brother was a Jesuite and upon Mr. Oates's information at the first Discovery secured in Newgate But so far was this his generous Brother from having any by-ends of advantage as to the Inheritance of his Fathers Estate which is considerable and to which he was next Heir after his Brother who had so incapacitated himself That he would not deliver in such his Information till he had obtained a promise from the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy-Council of a Pardon to be extended to his said Brother though continuing obstinate thereby setting him again Rectus in Curia As also for his other Relations By which he hath for ever silenced and stopt the mouths of Popish slanderers who would calumniate him as designing to defeat his Brother of the Inheritance and advancing his own Interest Though true it is by the Providence of God his said Brother is since deceased of a natural death in Prison and thereby the Right justly devolved to him This Discovery of young Mr. Jennison had not onely a blessed effect on his aged Father who thereby and by several other previous discourses he had heard was convinced of the Traiterous Popish Design and consequently induced to abandon such a bloody vile Religion but also influenced one Mr. John Smith heretofore a Secular Priest retaining to that Family if rather we ought not to say that by some relation he had heard from the said young Mr. Jennison of discourses that had passed between Ireland and him the said Mr. Smith were not first alarm'd and grown apprehensive of the Hellish Plot and thereupon as a local Subject was not a little instrumental to incline him the said young Mr. Jennison to a candid delaration of the truth of what he knew thereof For the said Mr. Smith hath since published an excellent Treatise dedicated to the Kings most Excellent Majesty giving an account of the Inconsistency of the Popish Principles with the Peace of all States especially their destructiveness to Protestant Kingdomes the incouragements of this Popish Design at this time against England the progress they had made in it the reasons of their endeavouring the
THE HISTORY OF THE Damnable Popish Plot In its various Branches Progress Published For the satisfaction of the present and future Ages BY The AUTHORS OF The Weekly Pacquet of Advice from Rome Nil erit ulterius quod vestris moribus addat Posteritas LONDON Printed for B.R. L.W. H.C. and are to be sold by Langley Curtiss on Ludgate-hill 1680. TO Both Houses OF THE PARLIAMENT OF ENGLAND Right Honourable Honourable and Worthy Patriots AFter the Gospel in its freedom and restored Purity had for above a hundred years gloriously shone in our Meridian sealed with the Bloud of Martyrs watered with the painful Industry of many thousands of learned pious Divines asserted by the Pens of some and Power of several Illustrious Princes firmly established by so many Laws passed within those venerable Walls whose signal Preservation from the Gun-powder Devastation is enough to inspire every Breast that enters them with just Indignation against the barbarous Treacheries of Rome After the Popish Errours destructive of all Christianity have been so unanswerably confuted their vile Practices so notoriously display'd their horrid Treasons so clearly and miraculously detected who could have thought it possible that these Kingdoms should again have been in danger from the so-oft-defeated Popelings That ever that loathsome baffled Cause should dare lift up its bruised Head to disturb our Tranquility That those groveling Serpents should presume one more to Hiss and spit their Venome to such a perillous degree or that there should be found amongst us any such indifferent Protestants of so absurd irregular Appetites as loathing the Celestial Manna to long for the Onions and Garlick of Egypt or that could be content not only to submit unto but with their own hands endeavour to put about their own Necks that accursed York which our Noble Ancestors with so much Zeal and generous Disdain had shaken off But too plain it is that our own over-great Security the restless Conspiracies of those sworn Enemies of our Peace and the Connivance and base Practices of a too prevalent Faction have within some years past by dark Intrigues and silent Steps so far advanc'd their Hellish Designes as justly to awaken our most serious Apprehensions Their late discovered and still growing Plots are such and so effrontedly carried on that we stand in need of the most prudent Councils and the greatest Zeal and the most active Courage to prevent the accomplishment of their Contrivements viz. the Murder of our King the Extirpation of our true Religion the Violation of our Liberties and Properties and the final Confusion and Destruction of these once-happy Kingdoms The main Policy of these Engineers of Hell is to conceal their Stratagems out-brazen their Villanies and create a Disbelief or at least raise Misrepresentations of their detestable Designes To obviate which and possess all good Subjects with a true sense of Affairs at one entire view and for a small Charge we have in the following Leaves set forth a punctual Summary of their Actings and all Proceedings that have hitherto been had for bringing some of the Conspirators to Justice and to prevent the Mischiefs threatned by the Rest 'T is true my Lords and Gentlemen some Prints have already pretended to give the world such an Account but we conceive upon impartial perusal they will be found not to answer that End The several TRYALS of the Malefactors carefully taken and published by Authority are 't is acknowledged very satisfactory as to the Judicial proceedings but besides that many other Collateral passages are most requisite to a true understanding of this voluminous Plot the said Tryals for we know not whose private advantages are swel'd to such a price that every honest man can neither spare money to buy nor time to peruse them With pretence to remedy the latter there was some time since emitted an Abridgment of those Tryals under the Title of THE HISTORY OF THE PLOT though many cannot apprehend how it should deserve that Name since it mentions not one word of the Original Contrivance the Preparatives manner of Discovery and other Remarkables essential to an History but onely epitomizes the Tryals and even of them omits Staley's and Reading's which yet sure had some relation to the Plot. Besides the witty Epistle prefixt seems to drown the Popish Plot with Suggestions of an Imaginary one of the Protestants no less forsooth to be dreaded and yet even the amusing people with such Stories is notoriously a Part of the grand Popish Designe And whereas it tells us That not one material point is omitted most Readers cannot finde the substantial part of Mr. Bedloe's Evidence against Wakeman p. 46. of the Tryal so much as hinted at not to mention the gross Shuffles and Omissions in p. 77. and elsewhere So that had not the Ingenious Mr. Roger L'Estrange in a late Pamphlet intituled The FREE-BORN SUBJECT been pleased to own himself Compiler of that petite History its Author might have lain under Ill Suspitions And yet even there he happens to give but an unhappy Reason for his undertaking that pains viz. Because he found in the printed Tryals MANY gross Incoherences and VERY MATERIAL MISTAKES yet instances but One and corrected too as an Erratum at the end of the next Tryal printed Now though the Gentleman being so well a known Protestant meant no doubt very honestly yet 't is not impossible a scurvy mischief may thence happen For when our Posterity shall urge these Tryals for proof against Papists which certainly was the designe of taking them so curiously and not a little paltry profit how easily may the subtle Villains stop their mouths by alleadging from this Author That no heed is to be given to the said Tryals being so publickly own'd by a person of his Note and late Qualification to be guilty of so many and such very MATERIAL MISTAKES But the Gentleman that discovers so many Errours may be allow'd to make some especially since he was so perplext in the mighty business that he assures us That reflecting upon the Errours of the printed Tryals together with the almost-inextricable difficulty of retriving the Truth out of such a confusion of Tautologies and Forms the Collection being so bulkie too and the Particulars lying so scatter'd it was next to the Work of a RESVRRECTION to set every part in its right place Free-born Subject p. 15. The POPISH COMPENDIUM was the next that attempted any thing of this kinde whose Author in the Preface scandalizes the last-mentioned by saying That he jumpt with him in the same Designe and addes That he has past by or slubber'd over several things which the Parties concern'd may justly insist upon to be of great force in their business This we are sure of The Designe of this Compendium is to vilisie the King's Evidence slubber over the Plot and make people as stupid in Politicks as they would have them in Divinity even to believe contrary both to their Reason and their Senses What we have
by reason thereof hath so often been perpetrated or at least attempted heretofore by the Votaries of that Communion SECT 1. As for Principles of the Church of Rome relating to Government and the Obedience to be paid to Secular Princes where shall we look for them but in the Canons of her Councils the Decretals of her Popes and the publick Writings of her approved and most eminent Doctors In their great and by them acknowledged general Lateran Council held under Pope Innocent the Third in the year of our Lord 1215 it is expressly and Synodically concluded Can. 3. de Haereticis That the Pope may Depose Kings Absolve their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance Et Terram exponere Catholicis occupandam and give away their Kingdoms to Catholicks And this is received into the Body of the Canon-Law by Pope Gregory the Ninth cap. Excommunicamus 13 Extrav de Haeret. The most famous of their School-men Thomas Aquinas l. 22. q. 12. Art 2. affirms That any man sinning by Infidelity may be adjudged to lose all right of Dominion and therefore so soon as anyone shall for disowning the Faith be judicially denounced Excommunicate ipso facto his Subjects are Absolved from his Government and from any Oath of Allegiance whereby they were bound to him Nay another of their Doctors Dominicus Bannes is yet more hasty for he will have the Subjects discharged from all Obedience even before their Prince is so solemnly pronounced an heretick His words are these Num. 22. pag. 590. Where there is evident knowledge of the Crime Heresie he means that is whatever the Pope and his Priests please to call so the Subjects may lawfully if they have strength sufficient pray mark exempt themselves from the power of their Prince even before the Sentence Declaratory And this Conclusion saith he is followed by Cajetan and is the more common opinion of the Thomists who generally approve thereof If Kings become Hereticks forthwith their Subjects are freed from their Government saith Simancha in his Catholick Institutions a Book printed with great Approbation of Superiors Titul 23. N. 11. Nay less than down-right Heresie will serve turn to out them for Tit. 45. Num. 25. he tells us If a Prince be unprofitable a Crime capable of a large extension or make unjust Laws against Religion or good manners or do any thing to the detriment of Spirituals the Pope may apply a fit Remedy even by depriving such a King of his Government and Jurisdiction Their great Oracle Cardinal Bellarmine de Rom. Pontif. lib. 5. cap. 6. avers That the Pope as chief Spiritual Prince may change Kingdoms and take them away from one to give to another if it be necessary for the salvation of Souls And in the seventh Chapter he advanceth a little further for speaking of Heretical Princes as we know all Protestants are in their sence he says Omnium Consensu possunt ac debent privari suo Dominio It is agreed by all all Roman Catholicks he means That such Princes may nay ought to be deprived of their Dominions So that it seems 't is the Popes duty as well as in his power to do it and of all Roman Catholicks not onely to approve thereof but to be assisting therein Upon this ground Suarez a First-rate Jesuit and one that was thought fit by his Party to Duâ—l the learnedest Monarch in the world in his Book against King James intituled De Fide Catholicâ— adv Angl. lib. 6. cap. 16. num 14. speaks out more fully their Doctrine We must know says he that after the Sentence Condemnatory is given against a King by lawful he means Papal Authority to deprive him of his Kingdom or which is all one when by Sentence he is declared to be guilty of such a Crime as by the Law hath such a Penalty imposed as whatever they list to count Heresie hath by their Canon-Law then he that pronounced that Sentence or he to whom it is committed may deprive such King of his Kingdoms even by Killing him if he cannot otherwise do it But then mark how scrupulous and provident they are that the Trayterous Murther be done methodically and that none but Roman Catholicks be concern'd in the sacred Butchery For thus he goes on If the Pope depose a King yet he may not be killed or expelled save onely by those to whom He shall commit the doing thereof But if he commit the doing thereof to no-body then it belongs to him that is next lawful that is Catholick Successor to the Kingdom or if there be no such Successor or he neglect to do it then the Community of the Kindom provided always it be Roman Catholick succeed in that Right viz. to Expel or Kill such Excommunicated Prince Creswel alias Philopater sect 2. num 160. declares Omnium Catholicorum Sententia c. That 't is the opinion of all Catholicks That Subjects are obliged to Depose an Heretical King Nay to drive the Nail home he there adds Num. 162. Praecepto Divino arctissimo Conscientiae vinculo ac extremo Animarum suarum Periculo Haereticos Principes debent Deturbare That by the Law of God by the most strict Bond of Conscience and at the utmost peril of their Souls they are bound to dethrone and drive out such Heretical Princes Pursuant to this Doctrine of their Teachers it appears Papists may lawfully nay are bound under pain of Damnation to Renounce Resist and Murther their Kings whenever Excommunicated or Deposed by the Pope and are not to account it any Treason to kill such a King after such Deposition For neither is He then a King nor are his people being absolv'd from their Oaths of Fidelity any longer his Subjects Nor is it Murther for their Supream and Infallible Judge Pope Vrban the Second hath clearly resolved and determined it and made it Law Non esse Homicidas qui adversus Excommunicatos Zelo Matris Ecclesiae Armantur cosâ—â— trucidant Gratian Lemma ad 47 cap. Excommunicatorum Caus 47. Quest 5. That they are not Murtherers or Manslayers who being stirred up with Zeal toward holy Mother-Church against persons Excommunicated do any way destroy them Now Simanea tells us Heretici omnes ipso Jure sunt Excommunicati de Excom tit 27. sect 1. fol. 116. Every Heretick stands and is to be reputed as Excommunicated if not de Facto yet de Jure in Law and Right and therefore may be deposed proscribed and murthered And that we may know who they mean by an Heretick Father Creswell in his said Book called Philopater thus resolves the Case Regnandi Jus amittit qui Religionem Romanam deserit Whoever forsakes or does not hold the Religion of the Church of Rome is that Heretick we speak of who is accursed and loses all Right of Dominion Furthermore by a Bull of Pope Paul the Fifth dated Anno 1558 and now inserted in the body of their Law lib. 7. Decret tit 3. de Haereticis Schism cap. 9. All Protestant Kings
Princes and Subjects and Quicunque bactenus à fide deviârunt seu in Posterum deviabunt seu in Haeresin incident c. Not onely all that at that time had swerv'd from the Roman faith but all such also as should at any time afterwards deviate from the same and sall into Heresie are declared Excommunicated and solemnly Cursed and if they be Kings or Emperours they are thereby totally and for ever deprived of their Kingdoms and Empires and rendered incapable ever to enjoy them So run the words expresly Regnis Imperio penitus in tetum perpetuo sint privati ad illa de caetero inhabiles incapaces Hence it appears that by the Tenor of this Babylonish Bull our gracious King and his Protestant Subjects now are as much under the cursed Cursing Sentence as Queen Elizabeth and her people were when it was first denounced and consequently deposed deprived and lawfully to be Kill'd c. But to make sure work the Curse is solemnly renewed every year on Maunday-Thursday by reading the Bulla Coenae Domini the words whereof are Excommunicamus Anathematizamus ex parte Dei c. We do on the behalf of God and by the Authority of Peter and Paul and also by our own Excommunicate and Anathematize all Hussites Wicklissists Lutherans Zwinglians Calvinists Hugonots c. under which Nick-names they comprehend all Protestants and whoever shall receive defend or favour them So that if any Papist shall assist or defend his Prince being Protestant it appears he is by this Sentence Excommunicated and Cursed by the Pope whom he verily believes if he be a true Roman Catholick and understands his Religion has right and power to do it A thousand other the like abominable Assertions tending directly to Sedition and Rebellion might be produced out of their Canon-Law and the Works of Bellarmine Suarez Parsons Allen Creswell Rosâ—aeus a Book Canoniz'd by the Pope in Consistory and others but these are sufficient Nor can the subtlest Jesuit ever avoid this Evidence with any colour of Reason or Modesty for here is the determination of one of their Infallible Councils and that confirmed by an Infallible Pope and the concurrent Testimonies of several the most eminent Fathers of their Church agreeable thereunto all printed with Approbation and never judicially condemn'd nor such their Opinions censured for though so many Indices Expurgatorii have stifled or at least maim'd and dismembred better Books yet these pass openly abroad untoucht and are allow'd to be read though the Bible be prohibited And therefore notwithstanding all their idle and impudent Evasions that these are but the Sentiments of particular private men 't is evident that their Church holds encourages and is justly chargeable with maintaining these Tenets destructive to Civil Government and enjoyning them to be believed and as opportunities shall serve put in practise by her Children SECT 2. This will yet be more undeniable if we consider the ill uses and applications of these Doctrines and how frequently in many Ages they have actually been put in execution to the great disturbance of Christendom and embroiling Kingdoms in Bloud and Confusion for never did savage Bear or Tygre fill his Den with the Bones of men and beasts as this Romish Wolf hath his Church with the Spoils of Princes there being scarce any Age since his Teeth were grown wherein he hath not to the utmost of his power made havock of their Lives and Estates Take a few Examples Anno 729 Pope Gregory the Second Excommunicated Leo Isaurus the Emperour because he would not admit of Images in Churches and for that Crime of opposing Idolatry forbad the payment of his Tribute and gave away his Territories to the Lombards whereby he and his Successors lost all the Western Empire which the Pope and the French-King afterwards shared between them And so they would do others Kingdoms now too if they could master them This glorious Act of Rebellion in Gregory against his Soveraign Lord Cardinal Baronius applauds saying Exemplum Posteris dignum reliquit ne in Ecclesiâ Christi regnare sinerentur Haeretici Principles He left a worthy Example to Posterity that Heretical Princes should not be suffered to Raign Soon after Pope Zachary Deposed Chilperick King of France and gave his Kingdom to Pepin one of his Subjects and Servants not so much as we find the reason rendred in Gratian for any Iniquity Chilperick was guilty of as for that his Holiness esteemed him Tantae potestati inutilem unfit or unprofitable for so great a power that is Pepin was like as he had reason after such a kindness to gratifie his Holiness more and serve him better How lamentably and shamelesly was the Emperour Henry the Fourth vexed by three Popes successively first Hildebrand picks a causeless quarrel with him Confictis Criminibus with alleadging false and feigned Crimes say the Historians of that Age Excommunicates him absolves his Subjects from their Obedience and sets up against him Rodulph Duke of Swaben and Burgundy a Feudatary Subject to the Empire sending him a Crown with this verse engraven Petra dedit Petro Petrus Diadema Rodolpho The Rock to Peter gave this Crown and Pow'r And with it Peter Crowns thee Emperour But for all the Popes Gift and Blessing Rodolph miserably perisht in his Treason However Hildebrand's Successour Pope Vrban carried on the implacable quarrel and unnaturally stirred up Conradus the said Emperours own Son to make War against his Father who dying in that Rebellion another Son who succeeded was arm'd against him who took him Prisoner and forc'd him to resign the Empire The Indignities offered to this Noble Prince by the Romish Lucifers have swelled divers Volumes Amongst many other Insolencies this was one That Hildebrand would not Release him from his Excommunication till on a time in the midst of winter he came Bare-footed to Camisium where the Pope lay and in that posture waited three days before the Gates of his Palace nor had he scarce at last got Absolution but for the intercession of a certain Dutchess for whom his Holiness had a kindness Henry the Fifth his Son for maintaining the Priviledges of the Empire and Rights of his Predecessours touching the Investiture of Bishops was Excommunicated by Pope Paschal the Second and by him and his Successours miserably vexed till his death The Emperour Frederick the First was scarce ever free from the Treasons of the Pope and his Clergy and at last to purchase his peace was fain to cast himself groveling upon the Floor whilst the Pope set his foot on his Neck profaning that saying of the Psalmist Thou shalt walk upon the Lion and the Asp the young Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet And when the Bigotted Prince to excuse that shameful servile submission was heard to mutter Non tibi sed Petro I do not pay this Homage to you but to Peter the haughty Prelate sternly replyed Et mihi Petro Sir you shall
do it both to Peter and me too The Emperour Henry the Seventh after the Pope and his Cardinals had long opposed his Coronation and instigated many Enemies against him was at last poysoned by a Monk one of their Creatures in the Sacrament And certainly all the wit and malice of Hell and Rome clubbed together could never have screw'd villany to an higher pitch than these Miscreants did by empoisoning their God as they pretend to believe it on purpose therewith to destroy and Murther their lawful Sovereign Joan Queen of Naples was deprived of her Kingdom by Pope Vrban who consented to her Murther 'T is well known how our King John was intolerably vexed and deprived by the Pope and his Agents and at last poysoned by a Monk as also our Henry the Second about the death of that turbulent Traytor Becket who had occasioned so many uproars in the State was by Popish appointment enforced to submit his Royal Back to the cruel Lashes of the Insolent Monks of Canterbury When our King Hen. 8. denyed and by Law in the 24th and 25th years of his Reign had taken away the Popes Usurped Supremacy though he and the Nation in general still continued in the Communion of the Church of Rome Pope Paul the Third presently Curses and Damns him and all his good Subjects for so is the Title of his Bull Damnatio Excommunicatio Heâ— 8. ejusque Fautorum Complicum The Dannation and Excommunication of King Henry the Eighth and all his Adherents and Favourers And so it might properly be Intituled for therein he not only deprives him of his Kingdom and Territories forbids him and all that should take part with him Christian Burial but also declares him and them Eternally Damned He likewise deprives all the Kings Children born or to be born of Queen Anne and all the Children of his Adherents of their Rights Priviledges and Goods annuls all Oaths and Treaties made with the King and commands all Christian Princes to make War upon him and his people and if they should take any of his Subjects who obey the said King and disobey these his Holinesses Commands then all and every such persons so taken to be Slaves for ever to those that take them with several other horrid Impieties which you may see in Bullario Romano Printed at Lions 1655. Tom. 1. p. 704. Since this Henry the Third of France after various Treasons and Conspiracies of the Sorbonists against him was at last An. 1589. Murdered by Jaques Clement a zealous young Friar on which Assassination Pope Sixtus the Fifth made a Panegyrical Oration in the Consistory and commended the same as a most Heroick and Religious Exploit and the Traiterous Assassinate being killed on the Attempt a Statue of Brass was made for him by the Command of the chief of the League his Picture set up in Churches he was sometimes prayed to by the Title of Saint Jaques Clement And to note the just Judgment of God 't is affirmed that this â—urther was committed in the self-same Chamber a St Clou where a Council had been held Anno 1572. wherein the horrid Massacre of the Protestans at Paris was resolved upon this King then Duke of Anjou being one of the chiefest of that Bloody Cabal See Thuanus l. 51. and Serres p. 789. His Successour the Great Henry the Fourth Grandfather to our present Gracious Sovereign after by a desperate Rebellion and Catholick League against him meerly on the account of his Religion he found himself obliged to declare himself a Roman-Catholick was notwithstanding all that first desperately wounded by John Chastel a Disciple of the Jesuites and by them suborned thereunto in memory whereof a Pillar was erected in Paris to the Infamy of the Jesuites and they banisht the Realm though not long after by their subtilty and Interest they got in again where their mischievous Influence hath not a little contributed towards Enkindling and Fomenting those fatal Flames which for divers years by-past have raged through so great a part of Christendome and particularly that kindness of their Re-admission did not at all abate their malice or secure the Life of that great Prince for afterwards in the year 1610. he was Murdered out-right by Ravilliac formerly a Monk but at that time a Sollicitor who was instigated to that divellish act by the Jesuits as 't is violently presumed as well by the manner of the thing as the constancy of his carriage at death and Confession that he made that he did it onely because the King favoured Hereticks and was preparing to make War against the Pope which was to fight against God c. as also for that he farther acknowledged that he had informed Father d'Aubigny a Jesuite of his intended Murder and shewed him the Knife but it was in Confession and so by their Doctrine not to be revealed and the said d'Aubigny being taken into examination denyed that he knew any thing of it or could have discovered it if it were revealed to him in Confession though he had never so much a mind to it For he protested that God had given him the Grace that as soon as any thing was revealeâ— to him in Confession the presently forgot it 'T is pity Father Garnet had not had such an excuse for his knowledge of the Powder-Treason pretended to be communicated to him the same way CHAP. II. A brief Account of the many Popish Treasons from time to time against Queen Elizabeth SECT 1. THE Insolencies of Popes and Treasons of Papists re-counted in the fore-going Chapter were all against Emperours Kings and Princes that generally owned the Church of Rome whence 't is abundantly apparent to all that are not wilfully blind That Papists of themselves and as such even before the Society of Jesuits was hatcht were a sort of very dangerous Subjects always ready nay oblig'd to Rebel against their Princes though of the same Faith and Religion with themselves when ever the Pope out of Interest or humour should put them upon it being obliged by the principles of their Religion so to do And can it then reasonably be expected that they will ever be Faithful and Loyal to Protestant in their account Heretical Princes especially now the Jesuits have so vastly improved and advanced Maxims of Treason Murther Equivocation c. as if they intended to banish not onely all Obedience to Kings but together therewith all kind of sincere Religion Truth and Moral Honesty between Man and Man out of the World Concerning the good Affection of this Society to Protestant Princes we may take our measures from their own expressions Father Campian a Jesuite and though Hang'd at Tyburn about the year 1581. for High-Treason yet at Rome reputed a famous Martyr and stiled by Ribadeneira in Catalogo Scriptorum societatis Jesu p. 377. in Indice Martyrum Martyr Christi inclytus sui seculi Clarissimus A most renowned and famous Martyr of Christ This holy man was not ashamed to declare in
several Circumstances as may God willing be shewed in the ensuing Discovery and History thereof This detestable Treason is generally esteemed the Contrivance of Catesby and of no antienter Original than their despair of Assistance upon their last Negotiation with Spain but that the same was of longer standing and proceeded from other heads and designed by the Jesuits even in the Queens days but on further consideration of her Age unlikely by course of nature to trouble them long deferâ—ed till the arrival of King James is by a most rational probability made appear as well by Watsons said words and the odd hints thereof before given by Delrio the Jesuit as other circumstances mentioned in a solid and ingenious Treatise Intituled A Discourse concerning the Original of the Powder-plot published 1674. which are sufficient to satisfie any impartial Reader in that point however we shall not here insist thereupon nor stand to give any long Account of the horrid nature close progress and happy Discovery of that Hellish Conspiracy the same being generally well known from our common Historians but especially by that Authentick Narrative Intituled The Gun-powder Treason with a Discourse of the manner of its Discovery lately Re-printed with an excellent Preface by the Right Reverend and of the Protestant Religion most highly deserving Father in God Thomas Lord Bishop of Lincoln to which most useful and satisfactory Discourse we refer the Reader Onely shall note here that whereas Papists of late years have endeavoured to whiffle off that cursed Attempt as a contrivance of Secretary Cecils or some other Politicians that had to make the Romanists odious cunningly drawn in onely a few desperado's and that but a very small number of the Romish Party and those inconsiderable were engaged therein and so it ought not to be charged on their Church in general As to the first the same is a most false and groundless Evasion coyn'd some scores of years after the thing Transacted none of those that suffered for it alleadging or suspecting one syllable either at their Tryals or Deaths of their being so wheadled into the Conspiracy who yet were most like to know how and by whom they were if at all they had been so drawn in whom undoubtedly they would have discovered Besides supposing it to be Truth yet their guilt was never the less for they acted on Popish Principles proprio motu and with a Traiterous Resolution to accomplish the Destruction of King Parliament and Kingdome As to the second neither was the number even of those that after all their Oaths of Secresie and close contrivances were discovered so small nor their Qualities so inconsiderable as is now impudently suggested for first for Religious men there were many actually concerned in it and persons of the greatest account three or four of them especially being Legiers and States-men as Henry Garnet the Superiour or Provincial of the Jesuits the same place that Father Whitebread lately had who succeeded him as therein so in his bloody Treasonable Attempts and deserved punishment Father Creswel Legier-Jesuite in Spain Father Baldwin Legler in Flanders and the notorious Father Parsons at Rome These are known to have dealt in the matter and 't is most probable were the first Contrivers Designers and Directors of the whole Plot though they would not be seen in it lest it might bring a scandal on their Order if it should miscarry and they be discovered and therefore Laymen must be put upon doing the Drudgery or rather Butchery whilst the wily Priests stand aloof and give alm So of late the Benedictines and others gave their Votes against employing Pickering in the horrid Attempt of Murthering the King not that they disliked the thing but because he waited at the Altar and if prevented and found out it might be the greater disgrace to their Party though they assigned another very bad reason for it Thus 't is plain they study to avoid the discredit not the villany the scandal not the wickedness But besides these Mal-intelligences of an higher Jesuitical Orb there were divers other inferiour Instruments and Cursory Agents of the same Society employed in this detestable Treason as Gerard Oswald Tesmond alias Greenway Hamond Hall and others Then as for the Lay-Conspirators they were most of them Gentlemen of considerable Descent and excellent parts though most perniciously perverted seduced and corrupted by the private instigations of the said Jesuits for of those that were first engaged and actually laboured in the Mine there were Robert Catesby and Robert Winter Esquires Thomas Piercy of the Noble House of Northumberland Thomas Winter John Wright Christopher Wright and Guido Fawkes all Gentlemen with Thomas Bates Yeoman Servant to Squire Catesby who being somewhat scrupulous and doubting in Conscience concerning so barbarous a Design was resolved and assured of the lawfulness thereof by Tesmond the Jesuit Then of those that were acquainted with it though not personally labouring in the Mine or Cellar there were Sir Everard Digby Knight Ambrose Rookwood and Francis Tresham Esquires John Grant Gent and Robert Keys besides Sir William Stanley who principally imployed Fawks into Spain and John Talbot of Grifton both within misprision of the Treason and both of great and Honourable Families Then Sir Edmand Baynam was appointed to carry a Message from Garnet and acquaint his Holiness with the said Plot but not forsooth as Pope but as he was a Temporal Prince This Baynam was a man grievously debauched and used to call himself The Prince of the Damned Grew a person fit for such an Errand to be sent Ambassador between the Pope and tho Devil There was likewise an Association to be made of Forreign Princes of the Popish Religion by a Solemn Oath like that of the holy League in France to have assured the business These are the very words in the Letters of Sir Everard Digby Executed for this Treason which Papers were never discovered till September 1675. and are since Printed as an Appendix to the Re-printed Discovery and Narrative of the said Gun-powder Plot under an Authentick Testimonial Thus evident it is and not to be denyed but by an effronted â—awling Impudence that the same was in effect a general Conspiracy of the Papists actually carried on by a considerable number and which would have been approved by the rest had it succeeded And though its happy Discovery and the deserved odium thereby cast upon their Party disabled and hindred them from making any other publick Attempt of that kind here in England during the rest of the Raign of King James for concerning his death we shall say nothing yet 't is notorious that abroad they plyed their business vigorously and gave both him and the Protestant Religion a considerable Wound in the Affair of the Palatinate unhappily to say no worse of so bad 〈◊〉 matter lost for want of timely assistance to prevent and divert which we were wheadled with fair promises 〈◊〉 cajoul'd into a tedious mischievous Treaty for
of the Marquess of Hamilton who oft was employed without effect by the King to appease the Scotish Tumults held Correspondence with Con who being once askt in joque by the Informant Whether the Jews also agreed with the Samaritans the said Con answered with a wish That all Ministers were but such as he 7. That one Tho. Chamberlain was sent over from Cardinal Richlieu and for four Months held Consultations with the Society how to exasperate these Northern heats to the best advantage 8. He discovers several of the Conspirators by name as Sir Toby Matthews a Jesuit whom he represents as a most indefatigable and dangerous Traitor one Captain Read a Scotchman dwelling near the Angel-Tavern in Long-Acre in whose House the Conspirators met usually once a day and there received and read their Letters from Rome and elsewhere and returned Answers where he saith the Gang might be surprized commonly every Friday He likewise names Porter Windebank Montague the younger and several others with divers circumstances corroborating his Information and particularly advises to intercept when the Post goes out weekly a Packet directed to Monsieur Strario Arch-Deacon of Cambray and another coming weekly from Rome which is brought under this Superscription To the most Illustrions Count Rosetti Legate for the time written in Characters but interpretable by the said Read whence farther light would be obtained All this was discovered to the Ambassador under an Oath of Secresie and the most importunate Requests to the King and Arch-bishop to keep it close till the business might be ripe and to conceal whence they had these Advertisements for otherwise the Discoverer would certainly be in danger of his life from the Confederates and their Associates And it appears by the Papers that both Sir William Boswel and the Arch-bishop were fully satisfied That it was real and of great importance care being ordered to be taken privately for the sounding the depth and further circumstances of the Design but the Disturbances in Scotland and afterwards in Ireland and England coming on apace branches of the same Treason being all assisted and fomented if not as most of them originally contrived by those Popish Incendiaries though disguised in other Factions 't is probable they might divert or forbear that part of the Poisoning the King and Bishop to attend the event of the other more general Plot of ruining these Nations which they saw then so hopefully advanced that they might conclude without haâ—arding themselves in the odium there were enough other Ill-spirits which they had conjured up â—eady to do that execrable work for them another way However the Original Papers of the Discovery and Letters relating thereto being kept by the Archbishop were when his Study was ransackt â—ound amongst his Writings and then Published and now lately Re-printed by Authority under the Title of The grand Designs of the Papists in the time of King Charles the First worthy the perusal of such as would be farther satisfied SECT 3. Next followed the horrid Butcheries in Ireland beginning 23 Oct. 1641. concerning which however some of the spawn of the barbarous Actors in that cursed Tragedy or others their Relations or Accomplices of the Roman brood would now palliate and excuse it yet nothing is more known to all the world than that it was an open direct and most Traiterous Rebellion on the score of their cursed bloody Religion against their lawful and most gracious Prince designing to usurp the whole Government into their own hands root out the English Nation and the Protestant Name and which was the main end of all establish Popery in that Kingdom as is testified upon Oath by several persons examined and their Depositions published by the Kings Warrant all this begun and continued by Papists Onely not one Protestant amongst them But the Pope himself the Head of their Church in the person of his Nuncio Rinuceini Generalissimo of all their Forces by Land and Sea and all the Tribes of his Ecclesiasticks contributing all Assistance and Encouragement imaginable thereunto proceeding with that Inhumanity that above one hundred thousand innocent Protestants were by them basely in cool blood and with exquisite Torments and un-heard 〈◊〉 Cruelties Murthered and otherwise destroyed And which was even yet worse than that to shew their malice as well as disobodience to his said Majesty with equal impudence and falshood they pretended that it was done by his Commission and vouched the Broad Seal for their Authority purposely to enrage his Protestant Subjects in England and elsewhere against him The Popes Nuncio assuming nevertheless and exercising there the Temporal as well as Spiritual power granting out Commissions in his own name breaking the Treaties of Peace between the King and as they then stiled themselves the Confederate Catholicks heading two Armies against the then Marquess now Duke of Ormond then Lord Lieutenant and forcing him at last to quit the Kingdom all which ended in the Ruine of His Majesties Government and Person which but upon occasion of that Rebellion could never have happened And was not all this a prodigious demonstration of their Obedience and Loyalty to King Charles the First and the Crown of England It was constantly observed that the lower and more unfortunate the King was in his Successes in England the higher were the demands of the Irish so that they used all their Treaties as Stratagems to trepan not to serve His Majesty In the year 1643. when a Cessation was concluded with them by the Kings Authority and both English and Irish engaged by Articles to transport their Armies to England for His Majesties Service the Irish onely pretended they would do it when the English were gone and then treacherously â—yet according to one of their old rules Nulla fiâ—â—es servanda cum Haereticis they plotted and attempted the ruine of the small remnant of English â—eft behind in Munster where the Lord Inchiquin Commanding by the Kings Commission and the English with him were necessitated to stand on their own defence against the Popish Army In 45. the said Confederate Catholicks having engaged their publick Faith to send 10000 men to serve His Majesty delayed neglected and failed â—herein to the great dis-service of His Majesty Did they not in 46. after a Peace concluded with them treacherously attempt to cut off the Lord Lieutenant and his Army who marched out of Dublin on security and confidence of that Peace did they not in 47 employ Commissioners to Rome France and Spain to invite a Forreign power into Ireland in the 9th Article of whose Instructions to be seen in my Lord Orrerey's Answer to P. W. they were ordered to make Application to his Holiness for his being Lord Protector of Ireland so that they were beforehand with the Phanaticks in England with the Title and if he should refuse then to offer the same to either of the Kings of France or Spain nay to any Popish Prince from whom to use their own words they might have
most considerable Aids Faithful and Meritorious Subjects still if they may be their own Judges though they desired and designed to submit to the Pope nay any King or Prince rather than to the King of England whose natural Subjects they were Nay more the Rump that infamous Rump the fag-end of the Parliament which Murthered the King was much more beholding to these Irish Rebels than His Majesty was for to them they made Petitions and Supplications as unto the Supreme Authority of the Nation Entitling them The Parliament of the Common-wealth of England wherein they did readily subject and put their Consciences Lives and Fortunes as in a secure Sanctuary under the protection thereof these are their own words and boasted That several of them were able to make appear their constant good affection and adherence to them See the Petitions of Sir Ra. Talbot Baronet and Garret Moor Esquire who were not herein private but publick persons and so owned in the Title of their Petitions being on the behalf of themselves and others as Sollicitors Agitators or Trustees for the Irish Papists which were Condescentions far greater than ever they would pay to King Charles the First or His present Majesty For with them they always Treated upon the Swords point upon as great terms of Defiance Caution and Reservedness as if they had to do with the great Turk and not with their lawful Soveraign Vide Orrerey fol. 14 15. and Articles of Treaty If therefore to rise in Arms without the Kings Command or Privity Murther so many thousands of his good Subjects seize on his Towns and Forts fight with and kill those that were Commissionated by him hold Correspondence with and receive Supplies from Forraign Princes cast off all Allegiance and petition a Forraign Prince to be their Protector and last of all if to court his avowed Enemies and Murtherers own their Uusurp'd Authority and submit Consciences Fortunes Lives and all to their pleasure be Arguments of Faithfulness and Obedience then may we allow the Irish Papists to have been His Majesties most Loyal Subjects but till then all the word shall justly detest them as the most barbarous and bloody Rebels SECT 4. But whatever they were in Ireland the Roman Catholicks in England will swear they were all most punctually true to King Charles the First and ventured their Lives and Estates in his Service To determine how far this is true and what merit we are to allow them on that account we must consider 1. That it cannot reasonably be expected that we should so clearly discover the affections and more secret designs of the Papists in this English Rebellion as in that of Ireland for that here were not Papists fighting under the Popes Countenance and Encouragement against Protestants but Protestants though in that point Jesuitically principled against a Protestant King and his true Subjects that were more Loyally minded So that as the Papists Loyalty was not then so far tryed as to see whether they would have taken part with the King a Protestant had the Pope forbidden them or employed them against him which is the great thing in question when we speak of their Loyalty as Papists so likewise were they never embodied apart by themselves and therefore could never assemble together in Battel to fight or in full and open Council to Design and Plot but what they did was covertly and in the dark by fomenting Dissentions and Intestine Wars which was long since their Campanella's Design De Monarch Hisp cap. 24. p. 204. Jam verò ad enervandos Anglos nibil tam conducit quam dissentio discordia inter illos excitata perpetuóque nutrita quod citò meliores occasiones suppeditabit si Angliam in formam Roipublice reducant in imitationem Hollandorum That nothing could more conduce to weaken the English than Dissention and Discord stirred up and perpetually nourisht amongst them which would soon administer better occasions to introduce the Roman Catholick Religion if England were reduced into a Republick in imitation of the Hollanders 2. It may well be said That it was not pure Loyalty but self-interest that attracted so many ominent Papists in unto his late Majesties Standard The violence of the people forced them to that side they did not go but were driven the Parlimentarians were to make use of the cry against Papists for one of their most taking pretences so that the open Roman Catholicks could expect no acceptance from them and though they did well and but according to their Duty in serving His Majesty yet accidentally they not a little prejudiced his cause for the other party thence took such occasions to raise lies and clamours that we may say for every Papist employed in His Majesties Arms 〈◊〉 the hearts of half a dozen seduced though otherwise Loyal Protestants However to discharge their duty in serving their King against a Protestant not a Popish Pâ—â—ty and at a time when their own safety and private Interest obliged them so to do was surely little matter of merit but rather if we may guess at the Body of Hercules by his Foot we may then by tracing some of the footsteps of our English Catholicks as have casually come to light discover their main design especially of their Clergy to have been wholly for the ruine of that King of happy memory and thereby of the Protestant Religion for 3. The disloyal Principles on which the Phanatick Rebels proceeded they wholly learnt from the Jesuits for example did they say the Soveraign Power was lodged in the people and that they may alter the Government of a State Bellarmine taught it them whose words in his Treatise De Laicis l. 3. cap. 6. are these Potestas immediatè est tanquam in subjecto in totâ multitudine c. The Supreme power is in the whole multitude as in its Subject and if there be cause for it they may alter a Monarchy into an Aristocracle or Democracie c. Did they affirm that the People made the King and may unmake him and retain still the habit of power they are the same Bellarmines own words In Regnis bominum potestas Regis est à populo quia populus facit Regem In the Kingdoms of men the Kings power is from the people for the people make the King Bell. de Concil l. 2. cap. 19. And again In Rebuspublicis temporalibus si Rex degeneret in Tyrannum licet caput sit Regni tamen à populo potest deponi eligi alius In Temporal States if a King degenerate into a Tyrant though he be the head of the Kingdom yet the people may Depose him and choose another Idem Ibid. cap. 10. Did our Rebels hold they might take up Defensive Arms against the King and expel him 't was your Jesuite Suarez taught them that Doctrine Si Rex legitimus tyrannicè gubernat Regno nullum aliud sit remedium nisi Regem expellere deponere poterit Respublica toto publico
communi consensu Civitatum Procerum Regem deponere If a lawful King govern as a Tyrant and the Kingdom can be no other way relieved its grievances the whole Common-wealth by common consent of the Cities and Peers may Depose such a King Suarez Defens Fid. l. 6. cap. 19. Sect. 15. Did they Levy a formal War and were the first Aggressors against the King the Jesuit Mariana chalkt them out the way lib. 6. de Rege cap. 6. p. 59. 60. Expedita maximè tuta via est c. The readiest and safest way saith he is if the people can meet in a publick Assembly to deliberate by common consent what is to be done and then inviolably to observe what is agreed on by common consent the Prince must first be admonisht to amend which if he refuse it will be lawful for the Common-wealth to refuse to obey him and because a War must necessarily follow counsel must be taken how to carry it on Arms must be provided and Taxes laid upon the people to bear the Expences thereof and if it be requisite and the Publick cannot otherwise preserve it self it will be lawful both by the right of self-defence and the proper Authority inherent in the people to proclaim such a King to be a publick enemy and then to cut off his Head Nay their infamous Court of Injustice was but erected by the Jesuits Model for so the same Mariana there goes on Certè a Rep. unde ortum habet Regia potestas c. 'T is certain the Common-wealth from which the Royal power hath its Original may when the case requires which we know is whenever they have a mind to it and power to effect it bring the King to Iudgment and deprive him of his Soveraignity for the Common-wealth hath not so transferred the Right of power unto the Prince but it hath reserved a power paramount unto it self The very Parricide and Execrable Murther acted on the Kings Sacred Person is allow'd and the manner directed by another Jesuit Lessius l. 2. de Justitiâ Jure cap. 9. dubio 4. Principem qui Tyrannus est ratione Administrationis non posse à privatis interimi quamdin manet Princeps sed primùm a Republica vel Comitiis Regni vel alio habente Authoritatem esse deponendum hostem declarandum ut in ipsius personam liceat quicquam attentare A rightful Prince who becomes a Tyrant by Male-Administration ought not to be killed by a private person so far you see Gawen the Jesuit lately Executed in his dying Speech was right as long as he remains a Prince But what then is to be done with him why he must first saith this Popish Doctor be Deposed and declared an Enemy by the Common-wealth or the Parliament of the Kingdom or some other the Pope no doubt having Authority and then afterwards it will be lawful to attempt what you please upon his person Thus you see the Phanaticks drew all those Arrows which they shot at Royalty out of the Popes Quiver and if it be truely said that the Presbyterians brought that good Prince to the Block and the Independants cut off his Head it may as truely be added That the Papists lent them the Ax. And are these men after all this to boast their Loyalty are these to be relyed upon by any Prince to make himself an Absolute Monarch who not onely by their Religion are bound to esteem the Pope his Superiour in his own Dominions but likewise by so many of their chief Doctors avowed and uncondemned Judgments publisht in Print are taught to place the people above him and that he may lawfully by them be questioned Deposed Judged Condemned and Murthered 4. For a more clear and positive proof if it be true that many known and professed Roman Catholick Gentlemen sided with the King 't is no less true that not a few of the Jesuits and other disguised Romanists mingled themselves amongst the Rebellious Troops there they were Levellers Agitators c. and the prime Authors of those damnable Councils which took away his precious Life And that this may not seem to be spoken gratis we shall produce two or three witnesses for it 1. The first a Treatise Intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or a brief Narration of the Mysteries of State carried on by the Spanish Faction in England c. Printed by Samuel Brown at the Hague 1651. who handles this matter gradatim throughout all our late Civil Wars and particularly p. 59. observes That about and after the Treaty in the Isle of Wight 1648. when the bringing the King to a Mock-Tryal was in agitation those of the Spanish Faction and notorious Papists who fled away at the very beginning of the troubles did now again appear to the admiration of all that knew them openly in London and at Westminster as Sir Kenelm Digby Sir John Winter Walter Montague Endymion Porter These very names we met with before in the Treason against the Kings Life discovered by Habernfeld in 1640. which much confirms the matter and Sir Edward F. who was Commissary-General Iretons Bed-fellow these who were Proclaimed Traitors by the Parliament and some of them of the blood of the old Gun-powder-Traitors these were now become the familiar Friends of the great men in the Army Again p. 73. and 74. He hath these words That the Jesuits and Spanish Faction did in Oxford immediately after the Kings going thence to the Scots conspire together to ruine and destroy the King I have it from a Jesuits own Confession in Print Bernard the onely Intelligencer at Court in those days is the man that affirms it in his Book called Polemo-mutatus Which assertion and many more circumstances made me credit that Relation which told me for certain that Walter Montague Endymion Porter and the rest of those Papists who came at that time over into England were they that were the designed men sent on purpose from Rome some of them to manage the business in the Kings Tryal and if the King had pleaded they were to have come as Witnesses against him This was laid particularly to Endymion Porters charge by some English Gentlemen as also to Sir John Winters It is thought that after Endymion Porter san his loving Master cut off calling to mind the favours he had received from him and his most unkind requital of them his Conscience so smote him that he went to his House in the Countrey and there poisoned himself falling down dead on a sudden as he sate in his Parlour And hereupon also after the death of the King Sir John Winter was so generally cryed out of as a Trayer and Conspirator in the business that for fear of his life left some of the Loyal English Gentry should kill him and to palliate the design he had the favour to take up Lodgings in the Tower which by all means went under the name of Imprisoning him On the same score Montague Digby and the rest of that
designed Party perceiving their Treason was openly known and fearing their just reward from some enraged hand desired a Pass to return since the work of killing the King was done beyond the Seas which that they might with less suspicion and more security pass they pretended to Banish them A Noble person of this Kingdom of Sir K. acquaintance told me That he observed him in publick to exclaim against the Hereditary Rights of Kings as a most pernicious thing to a Kingdom saying That oft-times thereby the Kingdom was Governed by Children Fools and Women And hereupon took occasion to traduce the then Prince of Wales now King saying c. The Expressions are so base and foul-mouthed that we dare not out of Reverence to Majesty go on to repeat them from our Author At the same time highly commending Cromwel as one of the ablest men in Europe and Bradshaw that sate as the Kings Judge for a gallant man Thus far that Treatise concerning the credit of which we shall onely say that the Author appears by the Work to have been a man of no vulgar Intelligence or Conversation in those times and all along expresses much Loyalty and Affection to his present Majesty 2. The Reverend and Learned Doctor Peter du Moulin hath long since declared in Print That the Roman Priest is known who when he saw the â—atal stroke given to our Holy King and Martyr flourished with his Sword and said Now the greatest Enemy that we have in the World is gone And that the year before the Kings Murder a select number of Jesuits out of England had a Consult with their Confederates at Paris where this question in writing was by them put to the Faculty of Sorbon then altogether Jesuited That seeing the State of England was in a likelyhood to change Government whether it were lawful for the Catholicks to work that change for the advancing and securing of the Catholick Cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from this Heresie Which was answered affirmatively And afterward the same question being transmitted to Rome the said Resolution was likewise approved and confirmed by the Pope and his Council That it was both lawful and expedient for Catholicks by such means to promote that alteration of State But afterwards when the Regicide was so universally cryed down and detested his Holiness consulting his credit commanded all Papers about that question to be burnt in obedience to which order a Roman Catholick in Parts was demanded a Copy which he had of those papers but having had time to consider and abhor the wickedness of that Project refused to deliver it up but shewed it to a Protestant friend of his relating the whole carriage of this Negotiation This passage theâ— Reverend du Moulin aforesaid now Canon 〈◊〉 Christ-Church Canterbury and one of His Majestieâ— Chaplains did seventeen years ago set forth 〈◊〉 print in his answer to a scurrilous Popish pamphleâ— Intituled Philanax Anglicus and there publickly offered to justifie the truth of it if any should 〈◊〉 him to an account for it before Authority but That in all this time they have been afraid or ashamed to do onely soon after the coming forth of his Book the Gentlemen of Somerset-house who were netled one eminent person of them it seems not a little concerned actually in the story instead of having the truth thereof examined privately by interest obtained a Command from the King to the said Doctor that he should write no more Books which Prohibition the Doctor goâ— taken off Anno 1668. See the last Edition of the Doctors Answer p. 60. where likewise p. 64 we have the Testimony of that worthy judicious Gentleman Sir William Morris late Secretary of State who in a Letter to the said Doctor du Moulin concerning this matter hath these words This I may say safely and will do it confidently That many arguments did create a violent suspicion very near convincing Evidences That the Irreligion of the Papists was chiefly guilty of the Murder of that excellent Prince the odium whereof they would now file to the account of the Protestant Religion 5. 'T is notorious that no sort of men truckled more servilely to the late Rebellious Powers they adressed their Petitions to them with the Stile of the Supreme Authority of this Nation the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England First Moderator fol. 59. They affirmed That they had generally taken and punctually kept the Engagement Second Moderator fol. 41. They promised that 〈◊〉 they might enjoy their Religion They would 〈◊〉 the most quiet and useful Subjects of England First Moderator fol. 31. which they proved in these words viz. That the Roman-Catholicks of England would be bound by their own interest the strongâ—â—â— obligation amongst wise men to live peaceably and â—hankfully in private Exercise of their Consciences and becoming gainers by such compassions they could not 〈◊〉 reasonably be distrusted as the Prelatick Parâ—y that were loosers First Moderator fol. 36. 6. 'T is observable That Tho. White a Popish â—riest in the height of Olivers Tyranny set out 〈◊〉 Book Intituled The grounds of Obedience and Government purposely to confirm his usurpation another His Majesties just Tale and perswade people that they were not obliged to assist or reâ—â—ore him Who was it as Doctor Oates says in his Epistle to the King before his Narrative of the Plot printed by Order of the House of Lords â—hat broke off the Uxbridge Treaty but the Romish Interest and Policy with what zeal and Interest did they perswade the Scots in 1650. to impose that upon your Majesty which your Royal Law had forbidden others for the effecting whereof some Thousands of pounds were spent and given by them Where he likewise sets forth how they endeavoured to Betray and Sacrifice His Majesty after his miraculous escape as Worcester And that those who were to pay the 1000 l. promised for his Discovery were no other but Father Joseph Simmonds and Father Carleton Compton both Jesuits and 〈◊〉 whereas Mr. John Huddleston a Priest having 〈◊〉 instrumental in His Majesties Escape for whicâ— good Service he has been always excepted out 〈◊〉 His Majesties Proclamations against Priests and Jesuits several of the Jesuited Crew have often call'd him FOOL for his labour and said that the same was the worst days work that ever he did in his life That there is a Popish Lord not forgotten or unknown who brought a Petition to the late Regicide and Vsurpers signed by above 500 of the principal Popists in England wherein was promised upon condition of a Toleration here by a Law they would jointly resolve to Abjure and Exclude the Family of the Stuarts for ever from the Crown That a whole Convent of Benedictine Monks were Olivers Pensioners to betray His Majesties Secrets and Counsels That the Traitor Manning taken 〈◊〉 discovering such His Majesties Affairs was a Roman Catholick and had Masses sung for him after his 〈◊〉
have the better opportunities and easier task to subdue them All. 3. By a general Massacre to which purpose they had formed an Army which was to consist of Fifty-thousand to be Listed about London The Officers all resolute Papists and for the most part French and Irish These they gave out were enow to Cut the Throats of One-hundred-thousand Protestants especially being taken upon a Surprize when the Militia of London was unprovided and Undisciplin'd and the Country generally Disarm'd as aforesaid And besides the Conspirators had the French and also many thousands of Pilgrims and Lay-Brothers daily expected from Spain to assist them 4. The Prince of Orange was also Condemned Scandaliz'd and designed against by Name and 12. Jesuits sent into Holland on purpose to use means to put that People in a Mutiny against his Person and Government by buzzing amongst them that his Uncle of England and himself had a design to make the said Prince Absolute with the Title of a King over them and so to bring them to a Slavery for ever worse than they suffered heretofore under the Spaniard 5. As for Ireland the Pope had made Talbot the Titular Arch-Bishop of Dublin his Legate to take possession for him of that Kingdom whose Brother Talbot was to be General of all the Forces there which were to consist of 20000. Catholick-Foot and 5000. Horse besides the French Auxiliaries It was there to be carried on by a general Rebellion and Massacre of the Protestants as in 41. which they call Demonstrating their Zeal for the Catholick Faith In the first place the Duke of Ormond was to be Assassinated which four Jesuits had undertook to dispatch And the better to encourage this Rebellion the Pope was to Contribute Eight-hundred-thousand Crowns and the French had privately sent over some supplies of Men and Arms and was to furnish them with more as soon as they should be in Action Le Chese having a great Influence in promoting all these Transactions 6. In Scotland likewise particular care was taken to foment Discontents and raise a Rebellion to which end they divers times sent over several Jesuits to mingle themselves if they could with the Dessenters so as they might Preach in their Field-meetings and inflame them to take Arms to Vindicate their Religion and Liberty against those Pressures they complained of and which they were to aggravate and also against Bishops And for their encouragement the Papists there were to raise Eight-thousand Men to joyn with such Dissenters lest they should be too weak to oppose the Government by which they would kill two Birds with one stone make a difference and hatred between Protestants and cast the Odium of Rebellion on the Presbyterians if it should not succeed or destroy the Government if it should nor have their Policies in this kind been wholly ineffectual as appears by the late Rebellion in Scotland principally occasion'd by these Romish Incendiaries though happily suppress'd without doing that general mischief which they expected Towards the necessary Charge 1. The Society of Jesus in England are Credibly said to have above Threescore-thousand Pounds per Annum Estate in Land managed by Trustees in the securing and settling whereof Mr. Langhorn the Councellor was principally concern'd 2. They have One-hundred-thousand Pounds Stock in ready Money imployed at Interest by Scriveners and used in Trade by Persons of several occupations 3. Eleven-thousand Crowns Paulus de Oliva was to send them from Rome Ten thousand Pounds more from Pedro Jeronymo de Corduba from Spain Le Chese the French King's Confessor advanc'd Ten thousand Pounds more and Six thousand pounds the Benedictines Besides considerable sums of Money transmitted to Coleman by Foreign Ministers of State and the Benevolencies of Catholick Grandees at home for promoting so meritorious a work This is the general Scheme of this Bloody Hellish Plot which in the quality and number of the Conspirators the long time it hath been contriving and carried on the Cruelties design'd the vastness of the undertaking the multitudes that would thereby have been destroyed and other circumstances is not to be parallel'd in any History and all this Treason Blood-shed and Villany without any provocation to be perpetrated under the colour of Religion SECT 3. As for particulars and the several Letters and Negotiations we refer the Reader that is so curious to Dr. Oates his Narrative Printed as aforesaid last Spring by Order of the House of Lords whereby it appears that in April 77. he was imployed by Strange the then Provincial Fenwick Hartcourt and other Jesuits in London to carry their Letters to one Father Suinam an Irish Jesuit at Madrid in Spain That in his Journey he broke open the said Letters and found therein an account given what Jesuits they had sent into Scotland to stir up Tumults and that they feared not success in their design having got an Interest in his Royal Highness c. That he saw several Students sent out of England to Valladolyd who were obliged by the Jesuits of the College to Renounce their Allegiance to his Majesty of Great Britain and that one Armstrong in a Sermon to the Students there did with most false and black-mouth'd Scandals represent his said Majesty using such Irreverent base expressions as no good Subject can here repeat without horror with several other Traiterous words and Correspondencies which he there discovered from whence he returned in November That about the beginning of December he was sent with another Treasonable Letter to St. Omers wherein was expresly mentioned their design to Stab or if that could not be done to Poison the King and that they had received Ten thousand Pounds from Le Chese which was in the hands of one Worsley of London Goldsmith There was likewise Inclosed a Letter of thanks to Le Chese which he carried from St. Omers to him at Paris During this his Journey and being abroad he saw and read many other of their Letters all tending to one effect viz. Of cutting off the King Subverting the Government and Restoning the Romish Religion and were so confident as in some of them to say That his Majesty of England was so possest of their Fidelity that if any Malecontent amongst them should not prove true but offer to discover he would never belieâ— them That in April 1678. he came over with others to the grand Consult which was held the 24th of that moneth by about 50 Jesuits at the White-horse Tavern in the Strand where they met successively in small Companies and thence dispersed into distinct little Colloquies or Clubs where they Signed a Resolve for the Death of the King which Dr. Oates as Messenger carried from one Company to another to be Signed and very shortly after returned to St. Omers from whence he came again being the last time of his being abroad the 23. of June for England where in July he became privy to the Treaty with Wakeman and the terms as also heard John Keins a
the University as some report or whether drawn in upon his Marriage as others alleage or to gratifie a Rich Vncle of that Persuasion as a third sort relate it on which or whether on some other occasion different from all these he revolted is not much material but revolt he did to the Roman Church and became a mighty Bigot to advance the same and gain Proselytes He was a Person of rare natural and acquired parts and so well conceited of himself that he once undertook to be one that should manage a Conference concerning Religion against the Learned Doctor Stillingfleet and another Divine of the Church of England which discourse is extant in Print But his Talent lay more in News and Policy than Divinity being for some time Secretary to her Royal Highness the Dutchess of York he was a Leading-man in this Horrid Conspiracy and a prime Promoter thereof by his great Correspondency abroad both at Rome and in the French Court. Concerning the manner of his Commitment an Account is given before Chapt. the 8th On Saturday the 23 of November he was Arraigned at the Kings-Bench Bar the Indictment being very Expressive and Significant we shall for Example sake See Colemans Tryal p. 2. recite part of it viz. That as a false Traitor against our most Illustrious Serene and most excellent Prince Charles by the Grace of God c. his natural Lord having not the fear of God in his heart nor duely weighing his Allegiance but being moved and seduced by the Instigation of the Devil his cordial Love and true Duty and natural Obedience which true and lawful Subjects of our said Lord the King ought to bear towards him and by Law ought to have altogether with-drawing and devising and with all his strength intending the Peace and common Tranquillity of this Kingdom of England to disturb and the true Worship of God within the Kingdom of England practised and by Law Established to overthrow and Sedition and Rebellion within this Realm of England to move stir up and procure and the cordial Love and true Duty and Allegiance which true and lawful Subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King towards their Soveraign bear and by Law ought to have altogether to withdraw forsake and extinguish and our said Soveraign Lord the King to Death and final Destruction to bring and put The 29th of Septemb. in the 27th year of the Reign of our said Soveraign Lord Charles the Second c. at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster Falsly Maliciously and Traiterously proposed compassed imagined and intended to stir up and raise Sedition and Rebellion within the Kingdom of England and to procure and cause a miserable Destruction amongst the Subjects of our said Lord the King and wholly to Deprive Depose Deject and Disinherit our said Soveraign of his Royal State Title Power and Rule of his Kingdom of England and to bring and put our said Soveraign Lord the King to final Death and Destruction and to overthrow and change the Government and alter the sincere and true Religion of God in this Kingdom by Law establish'd and wholly to subvert and destroy the State of the Kingdom and to Levy War against our said Soveraign Lord the King within his Realm of England And that to accomplish these his Traiterous designs and imaginations on the 29th of Septemb. in the 27th year of the King he Traiterously composed two Letters to one Monsieur Le Chese then Servant and Confessor of Lewis the French King to desire procure and obtain for the said Edw. Coleman and other false Traitors the Aid Assistance and Adherence of the said French King to alter the true Religion in this Kingdom Establish'd to the Superstition of the Church of Rome and Subvert the Government of this Kingdom of England c. Reciting his receiving an Answer from Le Chese his Correspondence with Monsieur Rovigni Envoy Extraordinary from the French King and Letters to Sir William Throckmorton in France Concluding in usual form That all this was done against his true Allegiance and against the Peace of the King his Crown and Dignity To this Indictment he pleaded Not Guilty and on Wednesday the 27th of Novemb. 1678. was brought to his Tryal To the Jury Empannel'd he made no Challenges Their Names were Sir Reginald Foster Baronet Sir Charles Lee. Edward Wilford Esq John Bathurst Esq Joshua Galliard Esq John Bifield Esq Simon Middleton Esq Henry Johnson Esq Charles Vmfrevile Esq Thomas Johnson Esq Thomas Eaglesfield Esq William Bohee Esq His Tryal as it held very long so it was managed with all Integrity and Moderation by the Court The Charge against him was made out two ways partly by Witnesses Vivâ voce and partly by Letters and Papers found at his House which he could not deny to be his own hand writing Dr. Oates was the first Witness produced to whom the Lord Chief Justice gave this grave Caution That he See Colemans Tryal p. 17. should speak nothing but the truth not to add the least tittle that was false for any advantage whatsoever mind him of the Sacredness of the Oath he had taken declaring that since the Prisoners Blood and Life was at stake he should stand or fall be justified or Condemned by truth The substance of Mr. Oates's Evidence was 1. That in Novemb. 1677. being brought acquainted with Mr. Coleman by one John Keins then Dr. Oates's Confessor who Lodged at Colemans House he carried some Letters for him to St. Omers in which were Treasonable Expressions of the King calling him Tyrant and a Letter in Latine enclosed to Monsieur Le Chese to whom Dr. Oates carried it from St. Omers to Paris in which there were thanks returned for the Ten thousand pounds by him remitted into England for the Propagation of the Catholick Religion and promising that it should be Imployed for no other purpose but that for which it was sent which was to cut off the King of England as appear'd by the Letter of Le Chese to which this was an Answer and which Dr. Oates saw and read 2. That Coleman was concern'd in the design of taking away the Sacred Life of the King for that when at the Jesuits Consult at the pag. 2. Whitehorse-Tavern in the Strand in April Old Stile and May New Stile and afterwards adjourned into several Companies It was resolv'd that Pickering and Grove should Assassinate his Majesty by Shooting or other means for which the latter should have 1500 l. and the former Thirty thousand Masses which at 12 d. a Mass amounted much what to the same sum This resolve was in his hearing Communicated to Mr. Coleman at Wild-House who did approve thereof and said it was well contriv'd 3. That in August 78. Mr. Coleman was present at a Consult with the Jesuits and Benedictine Monks in the Savoy for raising a pag. 23. Rebellion in Ireland and was very forward to have Dr. Fogarthy sent thither to dispatch the Duke of Ormond by
Poison And at another time did say to Fenwick at the said Fenwicks Chamber in Dr. Oates's hearing that he had found a way to Transmit 200000 l. to carry on the Rebellion in Ireland 4. That in the same moneth of August Mr. Coleman knew of the four Irish Ruffians sent to Windsor to Kill the King and in his pag. 24. hearing askt Father Harcourt at Wild-House what care was taken for those four Gentlemen that went lastnight to Windsor who reply'd that there was 80 l. ordered to be sent them which he saw there on the Table most of it in Guinies and that Mr. Coleman was so Zealous to promote the work that he gave a Guinny to the Messenger who was to carry this Reward to expedite the business 5. That in July 78. Mr. Coleman was privy to the Instructions brought by Ashby sometimes Rector of St. Omers from Father pag. 25. Whitebread to Impower the Consulters to propose 10000 l. to Sir G. Wakeman to Poison the King provided Pickering and Grove fail'd to do the work That he read and Copied these Instructions and transmitted them to several others of the Conspirators who were gathering Contributions about the Kingdom and would thereby be the more encoâ—rag'd to give largely both because hereby they were assured the business would be soon dispaâ—cht and that they might see they had assistance from beyond the Seas and that Mr. Coleman was so far from disapproving this Treason that he said it was too little and advised to add 5000 l. more to it that they might be sure to have it done 6. That in May New Stile April Old Stile 78 he saw Mr. Colemans Patent or Commission to be Secretary of State from pag. 27. Paulus de Oliva General of the Society of Jesus by Vertue of a Brief from the Pope and that in Mr. Fenwicks Chamber in Drury-Lane he saw Mr. Coleman open it and heard him say it was a good exchange meaning to come from being the Dutchesses Secretary to be Secretary of State This was the substance of Dr. Oates's Testimony but by our merciful English Laws no man can be Condemned by a single Evidence But here was sufficient proof for in the next place Mr. Bedloe Witnessed 1. That Sir Henry Tichbourn told him he brought a Commission for Mr. Coleman to be principal Secretary of State when he brought pag. 27. over the rest of the Commissions for the Lords and others from the principal Jesuits at Rome by Order of the Pope 2. That in April 75. he carried over a large Packet of Letters from Mr. Coleman to Monsieur Le Chese about carrying on the Plot and brought back an Answer And May 24. or 25. 77. he received another Packet of Colemans to carry to Paris to the English Monks 3. That upon his return with Answers to the last Letters which were delivered to Coleman by Harcourt he heard Mr. Coleman at pag. 39. his House behind Westminster-Abbey at the foot of the Stair-case say That if he had an hundred lives and a Sea of blood to swim through to carry on the cause of the Church of Rome and to establish that Church in England he would venture it all and if there were an hundred Heretical Kings to be Deposed he would see them all destroyed This was the Oral Testimony in confirmation whereof in the next place were produced several of Mr. Colemans Papers taken at his House by Mr. Bradley the Messenger by vertue of a Warrant from the Council the 29th of Septemb. at which time he was not to be found but surrendred himself next day as aforesaid The Messenger Swore he seiz'd them there and Seal'd them up and brought them to the Clerks of the Council who Swore these were the same Papers and they were all that were made use of proved to be his own Hand-writing by Mr. Boatman his Servant and Mr. Cattaway a Sub-secretary that used to write many things for him and were both well acquainted with his hand and also by his own Confession so that it was impossible there could be any firmer proof And if there had been no other Evidence in the Cause his own Papers were as good as an hundred Witnesses to Condemn him Where also note by the way that one of these Servants acknowledged upon his Oath that a Packet of Letters from beyond the Seas was directed to Mr. Coleman two or three days after he was made Prisoner and that his Master kept a large Book of Entries for his Letters and News which he saw on Saturday the 28th of Septemb. but not since nor knew what was become of it by which it appears both that he still maintain'd a Correspondence beyond the Seas even to the time of his Commitment and that he had made away with most of his dangerous Papers however through hast or inadvertency he had left these behind which probably being old and long since laid by he might forget The first Paper read was the draught of a long Letter to Monsieur Le Chese dated the 29th of of Septemb. 1675. Subscribed thus Your most humble and most obedient Servant but no name This did contain a deduction of a three years History of his former Traiterous Negotiations for the most part with Father Ferrier the Predecessor of Le Chese by means of Sir William Throckmorton and has many insolent and dangerous exprssions as pag. 44. of the Tryal in which it is inserted Verbatim The fatal Revocation of the Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience to which we owe all our miseries and hazards p. 45. I pressed all I could to persuade his most Christian Majesty to use His utmost endeavours to prevent that Session of our Parliament and proposed Expedients how to do it pag. 46. That it was his Royal Highnesses opinion that if his most Christian Majesty would make the same proffer to his Majesty of England of his Purse to dissolve this Parliament which he had made to his R. H. to call another he did believe it very possible for him to Succeed with the Assistance we should be able to give him here p. 47. Logick in our Court built upon Money has more powerful Charms than any other sort of Reasoning again speaking of the 300000 l. that he would have had of the French King he says Thereby the Condition of his R. H. and of the Catholick Religion which depends very much upon the Success of his most Christian Majesty would thereby have been delivered from a great many frights and real hazards p. 53. he says He would willingly be in everlasting disgrace with all the World if by the assistance of 20000 l. to be obtained from the French King he did not regain to the Duke his Master his former Offices and especially that of being Admiral of the Fleet. p. 54. If we can Advance the Dukes Interest one step forward we shall put him out of the reach of Chance for ever then would Catholicks be at rest and his
most Christian Majesties Interest secured with us in England beyond all apprehensions whatsoever We have two great designs this Sessioâ—â— to put the Fleet in his R. H's Care and to get an Act for general Liberty of Conscience If we carry on these two or either of them we shall in effect do what we list afterwards And if his most Christian Majesty would but help us with 20000 l. I would be content to be Sacrific'd to the utmost Malice of my Enemies if I did not succeed And then he speaks out presently afterwards for what end this design is and why he presses it so earnestly Because saith he in the same place our prevailing in these things would give the greatest Blow to the Protestant Religion here that ever it received sâ—nce its Birtâ— He draws to a Conclusion with these words p. 55. I have shewn you the present State of the Case which may by Gods Providence and good Conduct by made of such advantage to Goods Church that I can searce believe my self awake or the thing real when I think on a Prince in such an Age as we live in Converted to such a Degree of Zeal as not to regard any thing in the World in comparison of God Almighty's glory the Salvation of his own Soul and the Conversion of our poor Kingdom which has been a long time opprest and miserably harrast with Heresic and Schism These passages need no Comment to shew what he would be at in all these urgent Solicitations for Foreign Assistance viz. To Dissolve or Influence our Parliaments at his pleasure so as may most make for the French Interest and that of Popery to Convert our Nation from its present Heresie that is to give the fatal Blow to Protestantism An Answer to this Letter from Le Chese was read next dated the 23. of Octob. 1675. wherein he promises Mr. Coleman to assist in seconding his good intentions c. Then was read a Declaration which Mr. Coleman looking it seems upon himself already as establish'd in his Office of Secretariship had drawn up in the Name of the King for as he would have the Parliament Dissolv'd so this was to satisfie the People and give Reasons for its Dissolution promising to call another charging all persons to forbear talking Irreverently of the proceedings of his Majesty there and offering 20 l. to the discoverer of any Seditious Talker against it unto a principal Secretary whereof he counted himself one as aforesaid There was likewise produced and read a Letter written in the Name and Stile of the Duke of Y. to Monsieur Le Chese declaring that the Interest of the French King and those of his Royal H. were so clearly linkt together that those that opposed the one should be lookt upon as Enemies to the other That Propositions had been made to the French King that had regard to the Catholick Religion and to the use of his Purse and refers a further Account to be had from Throckmorton and Coleman who he says are firm to his Interest and may be treated with without any apprehension 'T is true upon a Committee of Lords going to Newgate and Examining Mr. Coleman touching this Letter he confessed That it was prepared without the Order or Privity of the Duke and that when he was so bold as to shew it to him the Duke was very angry and rejected it But it seems his displeasure did not long continue for Coleman remained still a Favourite and certainly had he not made some extraordinary Apology for such an Insolence as Counterfeiting a Letter in his Masters Name he must have lost his Royal Highnesses favour for ever But that which gave the most clear Light to his designs was a Letter to Le Chese without date but appearing to be written soon after his long Letter of the 29th of Septemb. wherein after his apprehensions of the approaching Session of Parliament and care taken for a Cipher and secret writing besides with juice of Lemon because their Correspondence would be of things not fit to be trusted even to a Cipher alone He hath these words We have here a mighty work upon our hands no less than the Conversion of three Kingdoms p. 69. and by that perhaps the utter subduing a Pestilent Heresie which has domineer'd a long time over great part of this Northern World There were never such hopes of success since the death of our Queen Mary as now in our days when God has given us a Prince who is become may I say a Miracle Zealous of being the Author and Instrument of so Glorious a work But the opposition we are sure to meet with is also like to be great so that it imports us to get all the aid and assistance we can For the Herbest is great and the Labourers but few That which we relie upon most next to God Almighty's Providence and the favour of my Master the Duke is the mighty mind of his most Christian Majesty whose generous soul inclines him to great undertakings so as I hope you will pardon me if I be very troublesome to you upon this occasion from whom I expect the greatest help we can hope for I must confess I think his Christian Majesties Temporal Interest is so much attracted to that of his R. H. which can never be considerable but upon the growth and advancement of the Catholick Religion That his Ministers cannot give him better Advice even in a politick sense abstracting from the considerations of the next world than that of our Blessed Lord To seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof that all other things may be added unto him Yet I know his most Christian Majesty has more powerful motives suggested to him by his own Devotion and your Reverences Zeal for Gods Glory to engage him to afford us the best help he can in our present Circumstances c. Scarce could any words more significantly express the whole Intrigue of the Plot For 1. Here is the immediate End they aim at The Conversion of these three Kingdoms that is destroying the Religion Establish'd and introducing Popery 2. Here is their main and ultimate scope that by thus reducing these Nations they may root out Protestant Religion throughout the world and by that perhaps the utter Subduing c. 3. Their Malice is shown by calling the Protestant Religion A Pestilent Heresie 4. The favourable Conjuncture for them Never such hopes of success since Queen Maries days whom for her good Bloody Services for the Roman Church he cannot mention without an endearing and appropriating title Our Queen Mary 5. The reason for such their confident hopes because they have Seduced his R. H. and made him Zealous for doing their drudgery 6. That they expect great Opposition but resolve to meet it so that of necessity here must War Blood-shed and Desolation ensue before they could accomplish this their mighty work 7. The means whereby they hope to over-bear this opposition and
greatest hopes of Success against our Religion in the Enemies thereof the Papists are founded in the execrable Designs which they have laid against the Sacred Person and Life of your Majesty which it is not onely our Duty but our Interest with the greatest hazards to preserve and defend We have applyed our selves to the making such provision by Law as may defeat these Popish Adversaries their Abettors and Adherents of their hopes of gaining an advantage by any violent attempts against your Majesty and may utterly frustrate their expectation of Subverting the Protestant Religion thereby in time to come And further to obviate by the best means we can all wicked practices against your Majesty whilest any such Lawes are in preparation and bringing to perfection It is our resolution and we do Declare That in defence of your Majesties Person and the Protestant Religion we will stand by your Majesty with our Lives and Fortunes and shall be ready to Revenge upon the Papists any violence offered by them to your Sacred Majesty in which we have your Majesty will gratiously please to be the more assured as We our Selves are the more encouraged in that the Hearts of all your Majesties Protestant Subjects with the most sincere affection and zeal joyn with us herein But this Zeal of the House of Commons running to so high a pitch touching the Succession together with some unhappy misunderstandings arising between them and the House of Lords concerning the Tryal of the Popish Lords and Earl of Danby as shall be related in the next Chapter His Majesty to allay the same was pleased first to Prorogue and then to put a period to them by a Dissolution of that Parliament by a Proclamation dated at Windsor the 12th of July 1679. But therein graciously declaring that a New one should be called to begin and be holden on Tuesday the 7th which was afwards altered to Friday the 17th of October CHAP. XVII The Proceedings against the Popish Lords in the Tower WE have before related the Commitment of these Lords to the Tower for High Treason after which followed this Vote in the House of Commons in the old Parliament Decemb. 5th 1678. Resolved That the House do proceed by way of Impeachment of High Treason and other High Crimes and Misdemeanours against the Lord Arundel of Warder Lord Powis Lord Petre Lord Bellasis and Viscount Stafford and a Committee appointed to draw up Articles of Impeachment against them Which Vote was Communicated to the House of Lords and the several Lords Charged by several Members in these words The Commons in Parliament having received Information of divers Traiterous Practices and Designs of a great Peer of this House Henry Lord Arundel of Warder have Commanded me to Impeach the said Henry Lord Arundel of Warder of High Treason and other high Crimes and Misdemeanours They have further Commanded me to acquaint your Lordships that they will within a convenient time exhibit to your Lordships particular Articles of the Charge against him Thus standing Impeached they continued in the Tower all the Interval of Parliament and as soon as the next Parliament was settled to Business they forgot not their Lordships For March 20th 1678. it was Ordered That a Committee of Secrecy be appointed to take further Evidence and prepare Articles against the Lords in the Tower who stand Impeached of High Treason and take such further Informations as they shall receive touching the Plot in general and the Death of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey and that this Committee have power to send for Persons Papers and Records and that they sit de die in diem and the Quorum to be Three The Articles at last Exhibited were as follows Articles of Impeachment of High Treason and other high Crimes and Offences against William Earl of Powis William Viscount Stafford Henry Lord Arundel of Warder William Lord Petre and John Lord Bellasis now Prisoners in the Tower THat for many Years now last past there hath been contrived and carried on a Traiterous and Execrable Conspiracy and Plot within this Kingdom of England and other places to alter change or subvert the Antient Government and Laws of this Kingdom and Nation and to suppress the true Religion therein established and to Extirpate and destroy the Professors thereof which said Plot and Conspiracy was contrived and carried on in divers places and by several ways and means and by a great number of Persons of several Qualities and Degrees who acted therein and intended to execute and accomplish the aforesaid Wicked and Traiterous Designs and Purposes That the said William Earl of Powis William Viscount Stafford Henry Lord Arundel of Warder William Lord Petre and John Lord Bellasis together with Philip Howard commonly called Cardinal of Norfolk Thomas White aliàs Whitebread commonly called Provincial of the Jesuits in England Richard Strange late Provincial of the Jesuits in England Vincent commonly called Provincial of the Dominicans in England James Corker commonly called President of the Benedictines Sir John Warner aliàs Clare Baronet William Harcourt John Keines Nicholas Blundel Pole Edward Mico Thomas Beddingfield Bazil Langworth Charles Peters Richard Peters John Conyers Sir George Wakeman John Fenwick Dominick Kelly Fitz Gerald Evers Sir Thomas Preston William Lovel Jesuits Lord Beltamore John Carrel John Townely Richard Langhorn William Foggarty Thomas Penny Matthew Medbourn Edward Coleman William Ireland John Grove Thomas Pickering John Smith and divers others Jesuits Priests and Fryars and other persons as false Traitors to his Majesty and this Kingdom within the time aforesaid have Traiterously consulted contrived and acted to and for the accomplishing of the said wicked pernicious and Traiterous Designs and for that end did most wickedly and Traiterously agree conspire and resolve to Imprison Depose and Murther his Sacred Majesty and to deprive him of his Royal State Crown and Dignity and by malicious and advised speaking writing and otherwise declared such their Purposes and Intentions and also to subject this Kingdom and Nation to the Pope and his Tyrannical Government And to seize and share amongst themselves the Estates and Inheritances of his Majesties Protestant Subjects and to Erect and Restore Abbies Monasteries and other Convents and Societies which have been long since by the Laws of this Kingdom supprest for their Superstition and Idolatry and to deliver up and restore to them the Lands and Possessions now Invested in his Majesty and his Subjects by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm And also to Found and Erect new Monasteries and Convents and to remove and deprive all Protestant Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Persons from their Offices Benefices Preferments and by this means to destroy his Majesties Person extirpate the Protestant Religion overthrow the Rights Liberties and Properties of his Majesties good Subjects Subvert the Lawful Government of this Kingdom and subject the same to the Tyranny of the See of Rome That the said Conspirators and their Complices and Confederates Traiterously had and held several Meetings
Assemblies and Consultations wherein it was Contrived and Designed amongst them what means should be used and what Persons and Instruments should be employed to Murther his Majesty and did then and there resolve to effect it by Poisoning Shooting Stabing or some such like ways or means and offered Rewards and promises of Advantage to several Persons to Execute the same and hired and employed several Wicked Persons to go to Windsor and other places where his Majesty did reside to Murther and destroy his Majesty which said Persons or some of them accepted some Rewards and undertook the Perpetrating thereof and did actually go to the said places for that end and purpose That the said Conspirators the better to compass their Traiterous Designs have consulted to Raise and have procured and raised Men Money Horses Arms and Ammunition and also have made Application to and Treated and Corresponded with the Pope his Cardinals Nuncio's and Agents and with other Foraign Ministers and Persons to raise Tumults within this Kingdom and to Invade the same with Foraign Forces and to surprize seize and destroy his Majesties Navy Forts Magazines and places of Strength within this Kingdom Whereupon the Calamities of War Murthers of innocent Subjects Men Women and Children Burnings Rapines Devastations and other Dreadful Miseries and Mischiefs must inevitably have ensued to the Ruin and Destruction of this Nation That the said Conspirators have procured accepted and delivered out several Instruments Commissions and Powers made and granted by or under the Pope or other unlawful and usurping Authority to raise and dispose of Men Money Arms and other things necessary for their wicked and Traiterous Designs and namely a Commission to the said Henry Lord Arundel of Warder to be Lord High Chancellor of England and to the said William Earl of Powis to be Lord Treasurer of England another Commission to the said John Lord Bellasis to be General of the Army to be raised and the said William Lord Petre to be Lieutenant General of the said Army and a Power to the said William Viscount Stafford to be Paymaster of the Army That in order to encourage themselves in prosecuting their said wicked Plots Conspiracies and Treasons and to hide and hinder the discovery of the same and to secure themselves from Justice and Punishment the Conspirators aforesaid and Confederates have used many wicked and Diabolical Practices viz. They did cause their Priests to Administer to the said Conspirators an Oath of Secrecy together with their Sacrament and also did cause their said Priests upon Confession to give their Absolutions upon condition that they should conceal the said Conspiracy And when about the Month of September last Sir Edmundbury Godfrey a Justice of Peace had according to the Duty of his Oath and Office taken several Examinations and Informations concerning the said Conspiracy and Plot the said Conspirators or some of them by Advice Assistance Councel and Instigation of the rest did incite and procure divers Persons to lie in wait and persue the said Sir Edmundbury Godfrey several days with intent to Murther him which at last was perpetrated and effected by them for which said horrid Crimes and Offences Robert Green Henry Berry and Lawrence Hill have since been Attainted and Dominick Kelly and Gerald are fled for the same After which Murther and before the Body was found or the Murther known to any but Complices therein the said Persons falsely gave out That he was alive and privately Married and after the Body was found dispersed a false and malicious Report that he had Murthered himself Which said Murther was Committed with design to stifle and suppress the Evidence he had taken and had knowledg of and to discourage and deter Magistrates and others from acting in the further discovery of the said Plot and Conspiracy for which end also the said Sir Edmundbury Godfrey while he was alive was by them their Complices and Favourites threatned and discouraged in his Proceedings about the same And of their further Malice they have wickedly contrived by many false Suggestions to lay the imputation and guilt of the aforesaid horrid and detestable Crimes upon the Protestants that so thereby they might escape the Punishments they have justly deserved and expose Protestants to great Scandal and subject them to Persecution and Oppression in all Kingdoms and Countries where the Roman Religion is received and professed All which Treasons Crimes and Offences above mentioned were Contrived Committed Perpetrated Acted and done by the said William Earl of Powis William Lord Viscount Stafford Henry Lord Arundel of Warder William Lord Petre and John Lord Bellasis every of them and others the Conspirators aforesaid against our Soveraign Lord the King his Crown and Dignity and against the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom Of all which Treasons Crimes and Offences the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament Assembled do in the name of themselves and of the Commons of England Impeach the said William Earl of Powis William Viscount Stafford Henry Lord Arundel of Warder William Lord Petre and John Lord Bellasis and every of them And the said Commons by Protestation saving to themselves that liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other Accusations or Impeachments against the said William Earl of Powis William Viscount Stafford Henry Lord Arundel of Warder William Lord Petre and John Lord Bellasis and every of them and also of replying to the Answers which they and every of them make to the Premises or any of them or to any other Accusation or Impeachment which shall be by them exhibited as the Cause according to course and proceedings of Parliament shall require do pray that the said William Earl of Powis William Viscount Stafford Henry Lord Arundel of Warder William Lord Petre and John Lord Bellasis and every of them may be put to Answer all and every of the Premises and that such Proceedings Examinations Tryals and Judgments may be upon them and every of them had and used as shall be agreeable to Law and Justice and Course of Parliament To these Articles of Impeachment the said Lords soon after put in their several Answers as follows The several Answers of William Lord Petre now Prisoner in the Tower to the Articles of Impeachment of High Treason and other Crimes and Offences exhibited to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled Whereas the Lord above named stands Impeached by the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament Assembled in the name of themselves and all the Commons in England THE said Lord in the first place and above all other protesting his Innocency The said Lord doth with all humility submit himself desiring above all things the Tryal of his Cause by this Honourable House so that he may be provided to make his just Defence for clearing of his Innocency from the great and hainous Crimes charged against him by the said Impeachment this being prayed as also liberty to correct amend and explain any thing in the
said Plea contained which may any way give this Honourable House any occasion of Offence which he hopes will be granted The said Lord as to that part of the Impeachment that contains the matter following Namely That for divers Years last past there hath been contrived and carried on by the Papists a most Traiterous and Execrable Conspiracy and Plot within this Kingdom of England and other places to alter change and subvert the Ancient Government and Laws of this Kingdom and Nation and to suppress the true Religion therein Established and to extirpate and destroy the Professors thereof and that the said Plot and Conspiracy was contrived and carried on in divers places and by several ways and means by a great number of Persons of several Qualities and Degrees who acted therein and intended thereby to execute and accomplish their aforesaid Wicked and Traiterous Designs and Purposes That the said William Lord Petre and other Lords therein named together with several other Persons threin likewise named and mentioned as false Traitors to his Majesty and this Kingdom within the time aforesaid have Traiterously acted and consulted to and for the accomplishing the said Wicked Pernicious and Traiterous Designs and for that end did most wickedly and Traiterously Agree Consult Conspire and Resolve to Imprison Depose and Murther his Sacred Majesty and to deprive him of his Royal Estate Crown and Dignity and by malicious and advised speaking and otherwise declaring such their purposes and intentions as also to Subject this Kingdom and Nation to the Pope and his Tyrannical Government and to seize and share among themselves the Estates and Inheritances of his Majestie 's Protestant Subjects and to erect and restore Abbies Monasteries and other Convents and Societies which have been long since by the Laws of this Kingdom suppressed for their Superstition and Idolatry and to deliver up and restore to them the Lands and Possessions now Vested in his Majesty and his Subjects by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm and also to Found and Erect new Monasteries and Convents and remove and deprive all Protestant Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Persons from their Livings Benefices and Preferments and by this means to destroy his Majesties Person extirpate the Protestant Religion overthrow the Rights Liberties and Properties of all his Majesties good Subjects Subvert the lawful Government of this Kingdom and Subject the same to the Tyranny of the See of Rome And the said Conspirators and their Complices and Confederates Traiterously had and held several Meetings Assemblies and Consultations wherein 't was contrived and designed amongst them what means should be used and the Persons and Instruments which should be imployed to Murther his Majesty and did then and there resolve to effect it by Poisoning Shooting Stabbing or some such like ways or means And to that part of the Impeachment named The better to compass their Traiterous Designs have consulted to raise Money Men Horses Arms and Ammunition The said Lord saving to himself and which he humbly prays may be reserved to him the liberty of Answering over and denying all and singular the said Crimes and Offences charged on him Saith And humbly offereth to this Honourable House that the charge of those Crimes and Offences so imposed on him by the said Impeachment are so general and uncertain that he cannot possibly give any direct Answer thereto or make any just or lawful defence upon his Tryal for that the said Charge had no manner of certainty in point of time it being laid only for many Years now last past which may be for 5 10 20 30 or more Years whereby though the said Lord knoweth himself to be altogether innocent of any such horrid and detestable Crimes as by the said Impeachment are objected against him Yet 't is impossible for him on any Tryal thereof to be prepared with his just and lawful defence by Witnesses to prove himself absent or in any other place at the time of such Meetings or Consultations to or for any of the wicked Designs and Purposes in the said Impeachment mentioned as on his Tryal may be suddenly objected against him when he cannot by any care or foresight whatever have such Witnesses ready as would speak thereunto if they were certainly charged for any Traiterous Design Act or Crime at any time certainly alleadged in the said Impeachment Nor is the said Charge in the said Impeachment more certain as to the place of any such Traiterous Meeting or Consultation laid down in the said Impeachment it being only alledged to be at divers places in this Realm of England and elsewhere which for the Cause aforesaid is so utterly uncertain that it deprives the said Lord of his defence on his Tryal Likewise the uncertainties of the number of Meetings or Consultations to the wicked purposes in the Impeachment and the not shewing how many times the Lords met and consulted and with whom in particular doth likewise deprive him of all possibility of making his defence in producing Witnesses for the said Lord being wholy innocent cannot suppose or imagin what Meeting or Consultation either to raise Money or Men for carrying on of a Traiterous Design or to any other wicked intent or purpose in the said Impeachment mentioned shall or may be objected against him on his Tryal and 't is as impossible for him to bring Witnesses to prove all the Meetings he hath had with others in his life time as 't is for him to foresee on this general Charge what Meetings or Consultations may on his Tryal be objected against him as Traiterous Consultations And whereas 't is in the said Impeachment charged on the said Lord That he hath uttered Treason by malicious and advised speaking and otherwise declaring the same The said Lord saith That never any Traiterous Thoughts entered into his Heart and therefore cannot possibly know what words or writings he ever spoke uttered reveal'd or declared which are now charged on him as Treason their being no words or writings at all specified in the Impeachment whereby the said Lord might know how to prepare his defence against them So as this Honourable Court may or might judg whether the same words or writings are in truth Treasonable or not ALL WHICH incertainties and eminent and apparent Dangers of the said Lord being there-upon surprized in a Cause of this Consequence wherein his Life and Honour more dear to him than his Life and all else that is dear to him in this World are immediately concerned being seriously weighed and considered by your Lordships he humbly prayeth as by his Councel he is advised that your Lordships will not put him to Answer the said Impeachment herein above recited till the same be reduced to such compleat certainty that the said Lord may know how to Answer thereunto and may thereby be enabled to make his just defence accordingly ALL WHICH notwithstanding he humbly submitteth to whatsoever your Lordships in Justice shall order and think fit and as
to all other Treasons Crimes and Offences contained mentioned or specified in the said Impeachment the said Lord protesting his Innocency In the great Wisdom and Sentence of this Honourable Court shall always Acquiesce So the Rest Mutatis Mutandis But these Pleas being Judg'd unsatisfactory and illegal they were afterwards forc'd to plead the general Issue And now there were daily expectations of their being brought to Tryal and Scaffolds erected in Westminster-Hall for that purpose but in the mean time the Earl of Danby late Lord Treasurer whom the Commons had likewise Impeach'd for Treason and who had for some time absconded himself did on the 15th of April unexspectedly surrender himself and insisted on his Pardon which the Commons Voted Illegal and thereupon prayed Judgment against him on the Impeachment About this matter and also upon the Question whether the Bishops had a right to sit upon the Lords when they should be brought to Tryal some misunderstandings happened between the two Houses for removing of which and settling a good Correspondence the House of Commons used several Endeavours as by the following Paper may appear THE Reasons and Narrative OF Proceedings BETWIXT THE Two Houses WHICH Were delivered by the House of COMMONS TO THE LORDS At the Conference touching the Lords in the Tower On Munday 26th of May 1679. THE Commons have always desired that a good Correspondence may be preserved between the two Houses There is now depending between your Lordships and the Commons a matter of the greatest weight In the Transactions of which your Lordships seem to apprehend some difficulty in the matters proposed by the Commons To clear this the Commons have desired this Conference and by it they hope to manifest to your Lordships that the Propositions of the House made by their Committee in relation to the Tryal of the Lords in the Tower have been only such as are well warranted by the Laws of the Parliament and Constitutions of the Government and in no sort intrench upon the Judicature of the Peers but are most necessary to be insisted upon that the Antient Rights of Judicature in Parliament may be maintained The Commons readily acknowledg that the Crimes charged upon the Earl of Powis Viscount Stafford Lord Petre Lord Arundel of Warder and Lord Bellasis are of deep Guilt and call for speedy Justice But withall they hold That any change in Judicature in Parliament made without consent in full Parliament to be of pernicious Consequence both to his Majesty and his Subjects and conceive themselves obliged to transmit to their Posterity all the Rights which of this kind they have received from their Ancestors by putting your Lordships in mind of the progress that hath already been between the two Houses in relation to the Propositions made by the Commons and the Reasonableness of the Propositions themselves They doubt not but to make it appear that their aim has been no other than to avoid such Consequences and preserve that Right and that there is no delay of Justice on their part And to that end do offer to your Lordships the ensuing Reasons and Narrative That the Commons in bringing the Earl of Danby to Justice and in discovery of that Execrable and Traiterous Conspiracy of which the Five Popish Lords now stand Impeached and for which some of their wicked Accomplices have already undergone the Sentence of the Law as Traytors and Murtherers have laboured under many great Difficulties is not unknown to your Lordships Nor is it less known to your Lordships That upon the Impeachment of the House of Commons against the Earl of Danby for High Treason and other High Crimes Misdemenours and Offences even the Common Justice of Sequestring him from Parliament and forthwith Committing him to safe Custody was then required by the Commons and denied by the House of Peers though he then Sate in their House Of which your Lordships have been so sensible that at a free Conference the Tenth of April last your Lordships declared That it was the Right of the Commons and well Warranted by Precedents of former Ages That upon an Impeachment of the Commons a Peer so Impeached ought of Right to be Ordered to with-draw and then to be committed And had not that Justice been denied to the Commons great part of this Session of Parliament which hath been spent in framing and adjusting a Bill for causing the Earl of Danby to appear and Answer that Justice from which he was fled had been saved and had been imployed for the Preservation of his Majesties Person and the security of the Nation and in Prosecution of the other Five Lords Neither had he had the Opportunity for procuring for himself that illegal Pardon which bears date the First of March last past and which he hath now pleaded in Bar of his Impeachment Nor of wasting so great a proportion of the Treasure of the Kingdom as he hath done since the Commons exhibited their Articles of Impeachment against him After which time thus lost by reason of the denyal of that Justice which of Right belonged to the Commons upon their Impeachment the said Bill being ready for the Royal Assent the said Earl then rendred himself and by your Lordships Order of the Sixteenth of April last was Committed to the Tower After which he pleads the said Pardon and being prest did at length declare He would relie upon and abide by that Plea which Pardon pleaded being illegal and void and so ought not to Bar or Preclude the Commons from having Justice upon the Impeachment They did thereupon with their Speaker on the Fifth of May instant in the name of themselves and all the Commons of England Demand Judgment against the said Earl upon their Impeachment Not doubting but that your Lordships did intend in all your Proceedings upon the Impeachment to follow the usual Course and Method of Parliament But the Commons were not a little surprized by the Message from your Lordships delivered them on the Seventh of May thereby acquainting them That as well the Lords Spiritual as Temporal had Ordered that the Tenth of May instant should be the day for hearing the Earl of Danby to make good his Plea of Pardon And that on the Thirteenth of May the other Five Lords Impeached should be brought to their Tryal And that your Lordships had Addressed to his Majesty for naming a Lord High Steward as well in the Case of the Earl of Danby as the other Five Lords Upon consideration of this Message the Commons found that the admitting the Lords Spiritual to exercise Jurisdiction in these Cases was an alteration of the Judicature in Parliament and which extended as well to the Proceeding against the other Five Lords as the Earl of Danby And if a Lord High-Steward should be necessary upon Tryal on Impeachments of the Commons the Power of Judicature in Parliament upon Impeachments might be Defeated by suspending or denying a Commission to constitute a Lord High-Steward And that the
before-mentioned Seminarists in disguised Habits into England to dispose Popish Subjects to Rebellion and prepare a Party to joyn the Spaniard at his designed Invasion and these Emissaries were to deal with people in their secret Confessions and Absolve them particularly in private from their Allegiance and Obedience to the Queen so clandestinely that one should not know of the others Engagements which that Bull had done too openly and in general The Doctrines spread and every where inculcated by these Agents in those days are specified by that judicious pair of Historians the Learned Camden in Anno 1581. and the noble Thuanus l. 74. to be as follow viz. That all Princes not professing the Roman-Catholick Faith have lost their Title and Royal Authority and when once Excommunicated are not to be obeyed but ejected out of their Kingdoms which to do was a work of Duty and Merit That the Clergy were exempt from the Jurisdiction of Secular Princes not bound by their Laws That the Pope had the chief and full Power and Authority over all throughout the World even in Civil matters in order unto Spirituals and as far as might be conducive to the good of the Church That the Magistracy of England was unlawful and consequently Null And that whatever since the Bull of Pius the Fifth published had by the Queens Authority been transacted was by the Law of God to be reputed altogether void c. When these pernicious Principles industriously sown and cultivated had taken Root in prejudiced minds there soon followed rank fruits of Treason and Rebellion in desperate Attempts and Resolutions to Kill the Queen As first by Somervil in the year 1583. who being Condemned with Hall a Priest and others his Accomplices by him detected was three days after found strangled in the Prison for fear as was rationally conjectured leâ—t he should have discovered more of the gang Then William Parry a Doctor of Law undertook it the next year encouraged by Palmius a Jesuit Ragazonius the Popes Nuncio in France Cardinal Como and the Pope himself who sent him his Blessing and Pardon of all his Sins as appears in Thuanus lib. 79. All which the said Parry confessed producing the Letter from the Pope written by Cardinal Como and was for such his Traiterous Attempt Executed in March 158â— Soon after John Savage being perswaded by several Priests that it was meritorious to cut off Excommunicated Princes and Martyrdom to die in such an Adventure made a Vow to Assassinate the Queen And anno 1586 as if every year must be guilty of a new bloudy Treason Mr. Anthony Babington a very personable young Gentleman and well-descended espouses the like Resolve on the same Principles re-enforc'd with other Collateral hopes if he escaped the danger suggested by Father Ballard a Jesuit who not onely urg'd the lawfulness and merit of the Action and a Crown of Glory and everlasting Fame thereby to be acquired but also not obscurely insinuated that he might thereby render himself not unworthy a Royal Match with the Queen of Scots by so advantagious a piece of service A most tempting Charm to a youthful ambitious minde Which business the same Thuanus a Catholick Author of unquestionable Veracity tells us was transacted with Mendoza the Spanish Embassador promising to second it with a Forreign Army for obtaining which Paget a Gentleman of an Honourable Family was sent on a Negotiation into Spain whereby all things being provided both at home and abroad St. Bartholomews day as luckily ominous for the succesful Massacre at Paris was agreed upon for giving the fatal blow and a Project framed of making an Association under pretence of fear of the Puritans who were to bear the odiuâ— of the Murther but before that Festival the Conspiracy had taken Air and both Ballard Babington and others being apprehended on their own Confessions were Convicted and Executed on the Twentieth of September yet so eagerly were they set upon designs of Blood that but in January following L'Aubaspinaeus the French Lieger Embassadour here a person entirely devoted to the Guistan Faction did by his Secretary tempt William Stafford a Gentleman likewise of a Noble Family with mighty promises to undertake the same Murder but he declining so horrid a villany himself recommended one Moody as a fit instrument who in Consultation about the manner of doing it proposed the laying a Bag of Gun-powder under the Queens Bed-chamber and secretly to give fire to it whence we may observe that the famous Fifth of November was not the first Popish Treason of that kind but this being divulged by Stafford the said Ambassadors Secretary endeavouring to fly home to France was taken and upon strict examination confest the whole Intrigue the indulgent Protection of Heaven still miraculously bringing to light all their dark and cruel Machinations against the Life of this Pious and unparallel'd Princess SECT 5. The common excuse which Papists make for all the before-mentioned Treasons against Queen Elizabeth is to pretend her Illegitimate and that what they did was to advance the juster Title of Mary Queen of Scots great Grandmother to our present Soveraign Thus in their Apology publisht soon after their Burning of London speaking of these pranks they say It was a question harder than that of York and Lancaster who had most right Queen Elizabeth or Mary Stuart for since the whole Kingdom had Crowned and sworn Allegiance to Queen Mary they had owned her Lagitimate Daughter to Henry the Eighth and therefore it was thought necessarily to follow by many That if Mary was the true Child Elizabeth was the Natural which must then give way to the thrice-Noble Queen of Scots And a little after 'T was for the Royal House of Scotland that we suffered in those days and 't is for the same Illustrious Family we are ready to hazard all c. But this is a most false though subtle insinuating pretence and were not impudence a necessary virtue in any that undertake to be Advocates for Treason we should wonder with what face they can make this Allegation For first The Archbishop of York though a Papist in his Speech at the publishing Queen Maries Death declared That no man could doubt of the justness of the Lady Elizabeths Title to succeed Secondly The whole Kingdom received and owned her more freely and generally than ever they did Queen Mary Thirdly Forreign Princes and States owned her the greatest Monarchs in Europe offering Marriage to her in certain expectation of gaining the Crown by her as Philip the Second of Spain and Henry the Second of France respectively for themselves and the Emperour Maximilian for his Brother Charles Fourthly the Queen of Scots herself did acknowledge her and claimed nothing more than to be Heir to her and so did King James that was her Successour The first that ever questioned her Title was Pope Paul the Fourth who would not acknowledge her nor hear Sir Edward Kerne her Ambassadour for several causes of which the
Title of Defender of the Faith For the accomplishing this work the Spaniard had Equipped the greatest Navy that ever before that time swam upon the Sea for though there have been Fleets far more numerous yet for Bulk and Building of the Ships with the Furniture of great Ordnance and Provisions never the like consisting in all of 130 Vessels saith the Lord Baâ—on in his Considerations touching a War with Spain p. 41. whereof seventy two mighty Galiasses and Gallions like floating Castles But Cicarella in vitâ Sexti Vâ—reckons them 150 Ships of vast burthen besides an infinite number saith he of small Vessels Amongst these to let the world know it was an Holy War as the Pope had bestowed his Benediction on the whole Fleet so Twelve of the largest Ships were called by the Names of the Twelve Apostles This Invincible Armado for so the Spanish Pride had Intituled it was manned with Thirty Thousand Souldiers and Mariners and furnisht with all sorts of Provision for six Months And whilst this should as they did not doubt ride Master of the Seas they had a vast Army Fifty Thousand veterane Souldiers saith Bucon in Flanders under the Duke of Parma ready to be Transported in Flat-bottom'd Boats into England under the wing and protection of that great Navy But we are assur'd by Authority Divine That the Curse causeless shall not come the Popes Anatheina and Spains mighty Armade proved equally ineffectual and contemptible Though his Pseudo-Holiness had made Philip a grant of England he was not able to give him Livery and Seizin thereof His boasted Navy by a few of the Queens Ships is baffled battered and dispersed and almost totally ruined God himself whose Cause indeed it was fighting against them by Fire and Seas and Winds and Rocks and Tempests scattering and destroying most of them for Offenso Creatore offenditur omnis Creatura The Creator being offended as he cannot but be at such unjust ambitious and cruel Attempts every Creature is ready Armed to revenge his Quarrel In which respect he is â—â—â—â—ed The Lord of 〈◊〉 so that the saying of Holy Scripture was here verified They came forth against us one way and fled before us seven ways being chac'd by the English Fleer till they were forc'd to give them over for lack of Powder And having not so much as fired a Cottage of ours at land nor taken a Cock-bâ—â—â— of ours at Sea wandred through the Wilderness of the North-Seas about all Britain the Oreades and Ireland grievously afflicted with all kind of Disasters and Miseries scarce Forty ships returning to their own Harbors of all that prodigious Fleet which had been at least five whole years in preparing through Spain Italy Sicily Flanders c. and had cost as Thuanus heard the Spanish Ambassadour tell the French King above Twelve Millions of Growns A loss so fatal to the Spanish Monarchy that some think it languishes under ill-Influences thereof to this very day and amongst the prime causes of its declension since may reckon that disaster SECT 6. Yet had not this signal Providence any Impression on Popish Councils but still they go on in their cruel designs with an indefatigable as well as implacable and most impious malice onely finding by this Enterprize the difficulty of Invading England by open Force waved the prosecution thereof and applyed themselves to close and insidious Arts and pitiful base unworthy and unmanly practices to trouble the Estate and take away the Life of this Triumphant Queen Thus in 1593 Hesket endeavours to perswade the Earl of Darby to assume the Crown as descended from Mary Daughter of Henry the Seventh promising large assistance of Men and Money from the Spaniard and withal threatning him with sudden destruction if he did not do it and conceal the business which he honestly revealing was accordingly 't is thought not long after taken off by Poison according to their Menaces About the same time divers persons were suborned and sent into this Realm some English some Irish corrupted by Money and Promises and Resolved and Conjured by Priests in Confession to Murder the Queen of whom several were taken as Patrick Cullen an Irish Fencer Richard Williams and Edmond York which two last were engaged by Holt a Jesuite by Oath upon the Sacrament to perform it and he himself kissing the Consecrated Host swore That as soon as she was dispatcht they should be paid Forty thousand Crowns But amongst all these Execrable undertakings they relyed most upon Doctor Lopez sworn Physician of her Majesties Houshold who was practised with by one Andrada on the behalf of the King of Spain to Poison her for which he was to have Fifty thousand Crowns but the Letters from Count de Fuentes and Secretary Juara assuring the payment of the Money being fortunately intercepted The great service whereby should arise an universal benefit to the whole world for so those Letters expressed this intended Hellish Murder was prevented and Lopez having not so good luck as some of his Quality since was found guilty and hang'd at Tyburn As was likewise afterwards in the year 1598 one Edward Squire suborned to poison her by Walpoole and other Jesuits at Vallodolid encouraged thereunto by those Fathers on the score of Merit and promises of Eternal Salvation Thus we see that for the last three and thirty years of her Reign this good Queen was never free from one kind of Treason and Conspiracy or other and in all of them the Pope and Jesuits or some Priests or others of the Popish Party evermore principally concerned as the Instruments and the advancing the Roman Catholick Religion always the end of their wicked undertakings But neither the Popes Curses nor the Spanish Arms nor the Italian Arts could prevail for this glorious Princess victorious over all her Forreign and Domestick Enemies having out-lived Philip of Spain her bitter Antagonist Four French Kings and Eight Popes and having in spight of all the powers of Hell the Plots of Rome and wicked Machinations of men of most Traiterous Turbulent and Ancichristian Spirits defended the Purity of Religion at home and succoured oppressed Protestants abroad after an Illustrious Reign of Forty four years compleat most happy in the love of her Subjects and terrible to her Enemies laden with Honours and the Applauses of good men in peace and a good old Age exchanged this Temporal for an Eternal unmolestable Crown CHAP. III. Of Popish Treasons against King James SECT 1. AS for Popish Loyalty to King James we may consider it either before his coming to the English Crown or afterwards 1. Whilst yet he was in Scotland and Queen Elizabeth living besides what has been already said we may observe That the Papists having by various Instruments sounded his inclinations and finding his Resolution firm to maintain the Protestant Religion they not regarding his undoubted right nor at all respecting him for the merits of his Incomparable Mother whom their violent Councels had been instrumental to