a Popish Match with Spain which some corrupt Statesmen were so â—â—nd of that to facilitate the same they not onely hazarded the Princes Person in a perilous voyage to Madrid but endeavoured to grant a Toleration to Papists in England which with a truely Christian Courage was opposed by Arch-bishop Abbot whose worthy Speech on this occasion speaks him so sound a Divine and so rule an Englishman that it deserves here to be inserted either to encourage or upbraid such as since in like Exigencies have bravely appeared for or treacherously betrayed the Protestant Religion and their Countries Liberty or endeavour to destroy both by a kind of refined Popery and Arbitrary Government against both which this good man was so zealous an Advocate A SPEECH of his Grace the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury to King James 1623. whilst the Prince was in Spain May it please it your Majesty I Have been too long silent and I am afraid by my silence I have neglected the Duty it hath pleased God to call me unto and your Majesty to place me in But now I humbly crave leave I may discharge my Conscience towards God and my Duty towards your Majesty And therefore I beseech you to give me leave freely to deliver my self and then let your Majesty do with me as you please Your Majesty hath propounded a Toleration of Religion I beseech you Sir take into consideration what your Act is and what the consequences may be By your Act you labour to set up that most Damnable and Heretical Doctrine of the Church of Rome The Whare of Babylon How hateful will it be to God and grievous to your good Subjects the true professors of the Gospel that your Majesty who hath so often disputed and learnedly written against those wicked Herefies should now shew your self as a Patron of those Doctrines which your pen hath told the World and your Conscience tells your self are Superstitious Idolatrous and detestable Add hereunto Sir what you have done in sending the Prince into Spain without the consent of your Council the privity or approbation of your people a great one as the Son of the flesh yet a greater as the Son of the Kingdom upon whom next after your Majesty are their Eyes and Hearts fixed and their Welfare depends and so tenderly is his going apprehended as believe it Sir howsoever his return may be safe yet the drawers of him into that action so dangerous to himself so desperate to the Kingdom will not pass unquestioned unpunished Besides this Toleration which you endeavour to set up by Proclamation cannot be done without a Parliament unless your Majesty will let your Subjects see that you will take unto your self a liberty to throw down the Laws of the Land at your pleasure What dreadful consequences Sir these things may draw after them I beseech your Majesty to consider and above all lest by this Toleration and discouentenancing of the true profession of the Gospel wherewith God hath blessed us and under which this Kingdom hath many years flourished your Majesty do not draw upon the Kingdom in general and particularly upon your self Gods heavy wrath and indignation Thus in discharge of my Duty towards God to your Majesty and the place of my calling I have taken humble boldness to deliver my Conscience And now Sir do with me what you please From these passages it appears that their Powder-Plots being defeated had not so far discouraged them but that they went forwards with the grand work of advancing their Superstitions and undermining the Protestant Religion and 't is not to be doubted but in all that silence afterwards during King James's Raign the Jesuits and their Agents were still like Moles busie at work under-hand and preparing matter for those dismal Confusions and Calamities which hapned to his most excellent though unfortunate Successour CHHP. IV. The Loyalty of Papists to King Charles the First enquired into Their Plot to Murder him in the year 1640. Their Rebellion in Ireland and Behaviour afterwards evincing that they were mainly instrumental in stirring up the late Civil Wars in England and cutting off that Pious Prince THere is nothing that our Modern Papists are wont more to boast of than their Loyalty to King Charles the First but with how little Truth and Reason will partly appear by these following Transactions SECT 1. Before ever the fatal disturbances and Rebellion broke out amongst us the Popish Conspiracies were industriously prosecuted in the said King Charles the First 's as well as in his Fathers days He began his Raign 27 March 1625. the times were cloudy and distempered two Parliaments had been called and Dissolved with dissatisfaction and a third was ordered to be Summoned on the 17th of March 1627. Some short time before which day the following Letter addressed to the Rector of Brussels was found amongst the Papers of some Jesuits taken in London which will give us no small light not onely how active and busie that Faction was in those times for hatching mischievous Intrigues and embroiling Affairs for advancing their cause but also points out some of the means they made use of and therefore we think fit here to Re-print it entire the rather for that the same hath been most imperfectly Published The words from an antient Copy carefully taken in those times are as follow Father Rector LEt not the damp of Astonishment seize upon your ardent and zealous Soul in apprehending the sudden and unexpected calling of this Parliament we have not opposed but rather furthered it for that we hope as much in this Parliament as ever we feared one in Queen Elizabeths days You must know the Council is engaged to assist the King by way of Prerogative in case the Parliamentary way fail You shall see this Parliament will resemble the Pellican which takes a pleasure to dig out with her own beak her own Bowels The Election of the Knights and Burgesses hath been in such confusion and in such apparent Faction as that which we were wont to work heretofore with much Art and Industry when the Spanish Match was in Treaty now breaks forth naturally as a Botch or Bile and spits and spites out its own rankor and venome You must remember how that famous and Immortal Statesman the Count of Gundamar fed King James ' s fancy and rocked him asleep with the soft and sweet sounds of Peace to keep up the Spanish Treaty Likewise we were much bound to some eminent Statesmen of our own Country to gain time in procuring those advantagious Cessations of Arms in the Palatinate and in admiring the Worth and Honour of the Spanish Nation and vilifying the Hollanders remonstrating to King James That that State was most ungrateful both to his Predecessour Queen Elizabeth and his Sacred Majesty That the States were more abnoxious than the Turk and perpetually injured His Majesties loving Subjects in the East-Indies And likewise That they had usurped from His Majesty the Regality of the Narrow-Seas
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
print in the year 1583. as is attested by Hospinian That all Jesuits in the world had entred into an holy Vow and Covenant any way to destroy all Heretical Kings nor did they despair of doing it effectually so long as any one Jesuit should remain in the World And Father Creswel a bird of the same feather in his Philopater lays down this sweet Lesson Ita informandos quoscunque Catholicos ut oblatâ caedis occasione nullo impedimento se dimoveri patiantur That all Catholicks are to be taught and instructed that when they have an opportunity to kill Hereticks Kings or others 't is no matter they should not spare them nor suffer any impediment to hinder them from the slaughter SECT 2. This is their Doctrine now let us see their Practices here in England ever since the Reformation The Raign of our good King Edward the Sixth was but short whether not shortned by Popish Arts is deservedly questioned and he himself a minor yet during his time there were Rebellions and Commotions in Somersetshire and Lincolnshire for which many were Executed then in Cornwal and Devonshire where above 4000 were slain and taken Prisoners by John Lord Russel Lord Privy-Seal then they Rebelled in Norfolk and Suffolk against whom the Earl of Warwick advanced with an Army and slew above 5000. About the same time there was a great Rising in the North and East-Ridings of Yorkshire but suppressed by the Lord President All these Insurrections were owned to be on the behalf of their Râ—â—â—gion and fomented and abetted by Popish Priests of whom divers were taken amongst the Rebels and deservedly punished SECT 3. To set forth all the Popish Plots Designs and Conspiracies against the Life and Crown of Queen Elizabeth of glorious memory it would be necessary to Transcribe a great part of the History of her Illustrious Reign and therefore we shall take notice 〈◊〉 of some of the most remarkable occurrences of that kind and the true Principles upon and by which they were promoted 1. As to the Original of Recusancy and occasions which rendred the Law against Papists absolutely necessary it must be remembred that from the First to the Eleventh year of the Reign of that Queen Papists generally repaired to our Churches see the proceedings against the Powder-Traitors p. 109. I my self saith Sir Edward Coke have seen Cornwallis Beddingfield and others notorious and zealous Papists at Church making no doubt of Conscience to joyn with us in Prayer But about the year 1569 Pope Pius the Fifth was no sooner seated in the Pontificial Chair but he began practice to justle her out of her Royal Throne to this purpose he employed one Bidolph a Florentine to raise a Faction here and afterwards sent over Doctor Nicholas Morton to promote it engaged the Spaniard to assist the Conspirators and Chapinus Vitellius came privately over on other pretences to observe the success and head the Spanish Troops when they should arrive Pursuant to these Counsels the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland with 4000 Foot and 600 Horse appear in open Rebellion and declare for the Restitution of the Roman Religion but were soon put to slight and Sanders de Schismate Angl. tells us the reason viz. For that the rest of the Catholicks because the Pope had not yet publickly denounced sentence of Excommunication against the Queen so as they did not seem fairly absolved from her Obedience declined to joyn with them by which means they were easily chased by the Queens Forces into Scotland where afterward Northumberland being taken was brought back to York and there faith he happily ended his days by a glorious Martyrdome So usual a thing it is with these Popish Doctors first to excite people to the blackest Treasons and then guild over the deserv'd punishments which they suffer for the same with that specious Title His crafty Holiness was not insensible of the reason of this miscarriage and therefore to prevent the like failure and the better to encourage all his Catholick Vassals to joyn in such pious Rebellion against the Queen he early the next Spring sends forth his Roaring Bull or Sentence of Anathema wherein he first magnifies his own Office and Authority in these Rhodomontado's He that Reigneth on high to whom is given all power in Heaven and Earth hath committed the One Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church out of which there is no Salvation to One alone on Earth viz. to the Prince of the Apostles Peter and to Peters Successour the Bishop of Rome to be governed in plenitude of power c. Sanders 3. de Schism Angl. p. 368. Then having railed a while most Apostolically and called that incomparable Princess Flagitiorum serva the slave of wickedness and villanies he proceeds to Curse her in these words Therefore supported with his Authority who was pleased to place us though unable for so great a burthen in this Supreme Throne of Justice out of the plenitude of Our Apostolick power We do declare the aforesaid Elizabeth being an Heretick and favourer of Hereticks and all her Adherents to have incurred the Sentence of Anathema and to be cut off from the unity of Christs Body and by the Authority of these Presents We do deprive the said Elizabeth of her pretended Right to the Kingdom and of all Dominion Dignity and Priviledge whatsoever And We do Absolve all the Nobles Subjects and People of the said Kingdoms and all others who have in any sort sworn unto her from such Oath or Oaths and all manner of Duty Fidelity and Obedience and do forbid and command them and every of them that they presume not to obey her 〈◊〉 her Commands and Laws those that shall do otherwise to be lyable to the some Curse Id. Ibid. This Bull towards the end of May 1570. was brought over and fixed on the Gates of the Bishop of Londons Palace by one John Felton and Copies of the same sent to the aforesaid Bidolph to be dispersed throughout England Then and not till then it was that those inclinable to the Romish Superstitions did presently refrain our Churches would no longer hear the established Divine Service nor have any more Society with us in Prayer so that Reeusancy so called from their refusing to come to Church which as the word was scarce known till this time so was it not specially or particularly punished by any Law till afterwards in the Twenty third year of the Queen was not in them at first nor can be now for Religion but for acknowledging of and stickling for the Popes usurping power They absent themselves from our Churches not because there is any thing there transacted in it self unlawful or prohibited by the Word of God for then they ought always to have kept away but because the Pope in opposition to the Law of God enjoyning both Obedience to our Governours and Charity and Brotherly Communion amongst each other has forbidden them so to do and this unrighteous siding with the Pope against
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
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
the revolution of humane Affairs grew more formidable these subtle Steers-men who know how to catch every wind presently shifted their Sails varied their Course though still bound for the same Port viz. The advancing of the Roman Churches power and abandoning those old useless Patrons embark their hopes in the Designs of France thinking though we trust in vain that King may ere long give Laws to all these parts of the World Thus are we threatned with a double Intertwisted Tyranny by the one in Temporals by the other in Spirituals and at the same time a Cursed Design by their Confederate Councils is carried on to enslave both the Bodies and Souls of all the Christians in Europe SECT 3. England and Holland having with fierce and tedious Wars on what grounds and by what Counsels occasioned is not unknown profusely wasted each others Blood and Treasures and the latter being reduced to so low an Ebb that had not providence strangely put an hook into the nostrils of Leviathan at Vtrecht that Republick had been quite subjugated and over-run The same French and Jesuitical Incendiaries in the next place engage the three grand Protestant Princes of the North Sweden Denmark and Brandenburgh likewise in bloody Wars with each other that the Protestant Religion may every where be pluckt down with their own hands and owe its ruine as much to the indiscretion of its Professors as the malice of its Enemies whilst in the mean time the disturbances in Hungary are secretly fomented on one hand and the Emperour exasperated against them on the other so that the poor Souls of the Reformed Religion in those parts lamentably suffer under a two-fold Injustice the ignominy of Rebellion and Cruelty of Persecution Thus was there not a Protestant Kingdom State or Interest in the World besides Geneva and a few Cantons of Switzer-land who likewise have felt not a few drops of the storm but had since the year 70. been most considerably weakned whilst France the present Hector of the Papacy hath so mightily encreased in strength and reputation So that in this respect if ever Rome would re-gain its lost grandeur and entirely Extirpate Heresie as they call it now was the time SECT 4. But then besides these Forreign advantages if we consider the several points they had gain'd at home in England we shall find them much facilitating the work The countenance of two Roman Catholick Queens for divers years and an opinion of the Papists Loyalty Services and Sufferings for King Charles the First which they were never wanting to commemorate and represent through false Opticks to render them more great and obliging though in themselves little or nothing or worse than nothing as before we have proved gave them free Access and welcome at Court as their plausible behaviour and fair pretences large Estates and insinuating Arts gave them reputation in the Countrey and drew over great numbers of their Dependants Tenants and Relations sway'd by Interest to their Communion and many more to a kind of Neutrality and indifference by a too general debauching of the younger Gentry with Principles of Atheism no small part of their Policy for those that were really of no Religion were very fit to comply with theirs To carry on the Intrigue multitudes of Jesuits Secular Priests and Monks of several Orders daily came over without any let or punishment and appeared almost publickly as if in Contempt of Law they car'd not who knew them to be such they said Mass up and down and had their Sermous in English frequently at their pleasure and the Popish Court-Merry-Andrew that Buffoon-Priest Father Patrick who seemed to affect Father Junipers Title of Joculator Christi Christ's Jester as their Book of Conformities p. 106. most prosanely calls him did not a little contribute to the mischief by the great interest he had obtained amongst persons of very high quality by whose influence they afterwards screw'd many of their Party into considerable Offices and places of Trust Civil and Military at Land and Sea being allowed Dispensations to go to Church receive the Sacrament or take any Test the better to colour the matter and on the contrary who ever they thought was of a spirit to oppose their Designs they procured to be turned out and disgraced with the Title of a Fanatick a Rumper or disaffected to the Government This formidable increase of Popery and Insolence of that Party was not unregarded by judicious men but lookt upon as a thing very ominous and of dangerous consequence insomuch that the then Parliament though oft-times thought remiss enough on such occasions could not but take notice of it for on Munday the 29th of April 1678. these following Reasons were agreed to be used at a Conference with the Lords concerning the dangers the Nation is in by the growth of Popery THe House of Commons taking into serious consideration the dangers arising to this Kingdom from the restless endeavours of Priests and Jesuits and other Popish Recusants to subvert the true Religion planted amongst us and to reduce us again under the Bondage of Roman Superstition and Idolatry and finding how great boldness they have assumed to themselves from the great remisness and connivance of His Majesties Officers and Ministers of Justice both Civil and Ecclesiastical whereby so many good and necessary Laws heretofore made against them have not of late times been put in any effectual execution They do therefore think it requisite to apply same remedy to this growing Evil especially at this time wherein the unity of Affections and the mutual confidence between His Majesty and his People dath so much conduce to the preservation of the whole Kingdom And because they have found by experience that all those applications they have sormerly made upon this Subject have not produced any effects answerable to their expectations they have endeavoured to discover the Causes and Grounds thereof which they conceive are principally these 1. The difficulty of convicting a Romish Priest by proving their Ordinations by Authority derived from the See of Rome which makes them more confidently to appear in publick and perform their Offices and Functions without fear of punishment II. That Justices of the Peace are discouraged because those that have been forward in executing the Laws against Papists in such Countries where they do most abound have been turned out of Commission without any apparent cause whilst others who have been Popishly inclined have been continued in Commission or put in de novo III. That in several Countries many Protestant Dissenters have been Indicted under the notion of Popish Recusants and the penalties of the Act levyed upon such Protestant Dissenters when the Papists there have been either totally or for the most part discharged IV. That the Papists do evade the penalties of the Laws by making over their Estates by secret Trusts and fraudulent Conveyances yet receiving the profits of them to their own use and benefit whereas in former times considerable Sums of
money were raised by the Forfeitures of Popish Recusants That now by the remisness of some and discouragements of others of His Majesties Officers and Ministers of Justice little or nothing is levyed upon them or likely to be levyed hereafter unless the care thereof be committed to persons Commissionated in the several Countries for the advancement of the Protestant Religion which may encourage persons to see it executed V. That persons are not discouraged to bring up their Children or suffer them to be bred up in the Popish Religion because they are as capable of inheriting the Estates of their Parents or Relations as any other of His Majesties Subjects The Commons do therefore most earnestly desire your Lordships to consider the danger and sad consequences that may befal this Kingdom by the spreading of that Religion amongst us and seriously and cordially to joyn with them in removing these and all other impediments which obstruct the course of Justice and the due execution of the Laws either by expediting those Remedies which have been offered by them to your Lordships or by proposing such others as may be more effectual and that this may be done with all Expedition because the Commons cannot think it suitable to their Trust for them to consent to lay any further charge upon the people how urgent soever the occasions may be that require it till their minds be satisfyed that all care and diligence is used to secure the Kingdom and prevent the dangers that may arise from the prevalency and countenance that is given to that Party by some more effectual course than hath been provided But the Parliament being soon after by the ill influences of unhappy Councils Prorogued nothing was done so that the Conspirators went on with their Game more vigorously than ever they had gain'd the Heir Presumptive of England to own their Religion whence they assumed no small confidence they had made sure of the French King for their Friend and he made as sure of several English Courtiers for his Pensioners they had formed their design engag'd great persons in it at home and setled Correspondencies abroad an Army was on foot so Officer'd as might give them hopes to debauch it or if that fail'd they had got Commissions from the Pope to raise one of their own and to Crown the work his Holiness had provided an English Cardinal Howard like a second Pool to reconcile and receive us again into the bosome of Mother Church Thus all things were prepared Behold the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb We cannot say here Deus providebit but we must say these bloody Traytors had designed one for Sacrifice even our gracious King whom God long preserve as knowing they could never destroy our Religion till they had first destroyed him who is and long may he live to be the Defender of it And certainly whatever Papists may suggest who because the Conspiracy did not take would fain perswade us there never was any that next time they may do their business more effectually and how lowd soever some very indifferent Protestants and men of droll may laugh at the mention of a Massacre and the general destruction of all that should not conform to the Romish Church in these Nations as a thing more extravagant to be attempted more impossible to be effected than any Romance-Adventure yet considerate men will acknowledge that as things stood and had not this Plot been discovered nothing to an humane eye could be more feazable for when the King had been destroy'd and a Popish Successour so establisht that all had been Traitors who should offer to oppose his pleasure when all Offices of Trust should have been in the hands of Papists who had got not a few of them already as Hull was then of the Lord Bellasis and P. of another c. when the Commonalty of England on preâ—ence of executing the Statute for preserving the Game were generally disarm'd and not left so much as a Musquet or pocket-Pistol for fear as one pleasantly expresses it of killing a Popish Bird When we had a mercenary Army on foot â—eady raised and filled with Popish Officers to have joyn'd that Party at an hours warning when the French were ready to have assisted them with Men Money and Ammunition being through their contrivance at peace with all the rest of the World that they might be at better leisure to attend their Motions When at the same time the Spaniards under the name of Pilgrims had designed to land amongst us 12 or 1400 men which is not only attested by Mr. Bedloe but confirmed by a Master of a Ship who was aboard their Fleet before they were dispersed by ill-weaâ—â—â—ther when our own Ships had been bestowed upon Popish Commanders and our strongest Forts and Militia under the like Conduct When at the same time our great City had been fired and every man taking care of his own particular concerns and none left to mind the Publick When you might have search'd twenty good Houses before you met with one that had more Arms in it than some old rusty Gun or Pistol and that perhaps without either Flint Powder or Bullet when all these things should concur together you must needs confess they would have it in their power to act Massacres or any other villanies they pleased and as nothing but Providence did so nothing else could hinder them CHAP. VI. An Account and Vindication of Doctor Oates the first Discoverer of the Plot how he became Engaged amongst the Romanists the prudent course he took for the said Discovery and the difficulties he met with therein SECT 1. AS Hell and Rome had improv'd all their skill and force to manage this hideous Plot and bring it to perfection so Almighty God notwithstanding all the provocations of our manifold sins was graciously pleased to appear for our deliverance by blasting all their long-studyed endeavours and Designs with a Miscarriage just when they were ready for the Birth The Instrument made use of by Providence for this great work was Mr Titus Oates a Name which notwithstanding all the Slanders and Calumnies of his because our Religions and Nations Enemies will be dear and honourable in after-Ages as well as the present to all true Protestants especially of these Kingdoms whom he hath been so eminently serviceable to preserve and therefore it will be requisite here to give some brief account of him As for his Education it was Liberal in the course of Learning being bred a Student in St. John Colledge in Cambridge where he took his Degree and that as Heaven had endued him with good Natural parts an inquisitive Genius quick Apprehension wary Judgment and tenacious Memory so he had not been wanting in improving those Talents and cultivating those happy seeds by pains and industry For acquired Abilities appears by his proceeding Doctor in Divinity at Salamanca in Spain no contemptible University where he performed all his Exercises said by experienced
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
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
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
signe the Resolve for the King's Death 5. That as for Gavan alias Gawen though he could not positively say he saw him at the Consult yet he saw his hand subscribed to it and makes it out how he knows it to be his hand And that he in July 78. gave P. 15. them in London an account how prosperous their affairs were in Staffordshire and Shropshire that the Lord Stafford was very diligent and that there was two or three Thousand Pound ready there to carry on the Designe And that some time in July homet the said Gawen at Ireland's Chamber where in his presence he gave Father Ireland the same account as before he had written The next Witness was Mr. Dugdale that never gave Evidence before at any of their Tryals who had no knowledge of either Mr. Oates or Mr. 〈◊〉 when he first came in and so could not conspire with them to charge the very same persons as they had done He swears 1. Against Whitebread That he saw a Letter under his hand and tells you how he knew it to be his to Father Ewers a Jesuit and the said Mr. Dugdale's Confessor in which he ordered him to be sure to chuse men that were hardy and trusty no matter whether they were Gentlemen p. 22. and p. 29. he swears it again and what they were to do that the words under his hand were in express terms For Killing the King 2. Against Gawen he swears directly that he entertain'd him the said Mr. Dugdale to be of the Conspiracy to Murther the King as one of those resolute Fellows prescribed by Whitebread and that they had several Consultations in the Countrey at several places which he names for Murdering of the King and bringing in Popery as at Boscobel and at Tixal in Sept. 1678. And that he heard them discourse at one of these Consults that it was the opinion of the Monks at Paris who were concern'd in the Conspiracy and were to assist That assoon as the Deed was done that is the Killing of the King they should lay it on the Presbyterians thereby to provoke the other Protestants to cut their P. 25. Throats and then they might the more easily cut theirs And p. 26. That he hath intercepted and read for all their Letters in those Parts came under his Cover above 100 Letters to the same purpose all tending to the Introducing of Popery and Killing the King which being without any Names only directed to Mr. Dugdale and to be delivered by marks known to Father Ewers if they had been intercepted by the way only Dugdale could have been called in question for it 3. That himself was so zealous in the Cause that he had given them 400 l. for carrying on this Design which Gavan had made him believe was not only lawful but meritorious and that he was to be sent up to London by Harcourt there to be instructed for Killing the P. 23. King 4. That the same Harcourt whose hand the Witness well knows did write word of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey's being Murthered that very Night it was done to Father Ewers so that they knew of it in Staffordshire several days before any except those privy to the Murder at London knew what was become of him And to confirm his Testimony herein he produceth Mr. Chetwin a Person of Quality who swears That he did hear it then reported as from Dugdale and that he was not in Town when the Murderers of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey were Tryed or else he would then have witnessed the same 5. Against Turner he positively swears That he saw him with others at Ewers's Chamber where they consulted together to carry on this Design and that he agreed to the Plot that is bringing in of Popery by Killing the King Then Mr. Prance gave Evidence 1. Against Harcourt That such a day when he paid him for an Image of the P. 30. Virgin Mary to send into Maryland he told the Witness that there was a Design of Killing the King 2. Against Fenwick That he told him in Ireland's Chamber Ireland and Grove being by that there should be 50000 Men P. 31. in Arms in a readiness to settle their Religion and that they should be commanded by the Lords Beliasts Powis and Arundel Lastly Mr. Bedloe was sworn who first gives a satisfactory account why he did not before give in his Evidence against Whitebread and Fenwick because he was then finding out the Bribery and Subornation of Reading in behalf of the Lords in the Tower but now he positively swears 1. That he hath seen both Whitebread and Fenwick at several Consults about this Plot and that he heard Whitebread at Harcourt's Chamber tell Coleman the manner of the sending the four Russians to Windsor to kill the King 2. That he saw Harcourt take out of a Cabinet about 80 or 100 l. and give it to a Messenger to be carried to the said Russians P. 32. with a Guiney to drink Mr. Coleman's health 3. That Whitebread told him That Pickering was to have a great number of Masses and Grove 1500 l. for killing the King P. 33. 4. That Harcourt employed him several times to carry their Consults beyond the Seas and that he received in Harcourt's presence Mr. Coleman's thanks for his Fidelity and P. 35. that Harcourt recommended him to the Lord Arundel who promised him great favour when the times were turned Also that he saw Harcourt give Wakeman a Bill to receive 2000 l. in part of a greater sum and heard Sir George say 15000 l. was a small Reward for the settling Religion and preserving three Kingdomes from Ruine Thus we see there is the positive Testimony of three viz. Dr. Oates Mr. Dugdale and Mr. Bedloe against Whitebread Of three quite blank against Fenwick viz. Oates Bedloe and Prance And against Harcourt four very fully Oates Dugdale Bedloe and Prance Against Gavan there is positively Dugdale's and Oates's and the same directly against Turner Whereby the matter of Fact is plainly proved and the Evidence full and legal against them all There was also the before-mentioned Letter read found amongst Harcourt's Papers which did much fortifie the Evidence as to the certainty and nature of the Consult of the 24th of April It was written from one Petre a Jesuit to another of their Society to let him know there was to be a Consult on the said 24th of April in which were these words Every one is minded also not to hasten to London long before the time appointed nor to appear much about the Town till the meeting be over lest occasion should be given to suspect the Design Finally Secrecy as to the Time and Place is much recommended to all those that receive Summons as it will appear of its own nature necessary Now as to what the Prisoners had to say against all this it was well observed by the Lord Chief-Justice p. 89. That they defend their Lives as they do their Religion with