Lord the King his Crown and Dignity and against the Laws and Statutes of the Kingdom Of all which Treasons Crimes and Offences the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament Assembled did 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 saving to themselves the Liberty of Exhibiting at any time hereafter against other Accusations or Impeachments against the said Lords and every of them and also of Replying to the Answers which they and every of them should make to the premises or any of them or to any other Accusation or Impeachment which should be by them exhibited as the cause according to course and proceedings of Parliament should require did pray that the said Lords and every of them should be put to Answer all and every the Premises and that such Proceedings Examinations Tryals and Judgments might be upon them and every of them had and used as should be agreeable to Law and Justice and course of Parliament The Articles of Impeachment being drawn up and finish'd and carri'd up to the Lords House the Lieutenant of the Tower was ordered to bring up the Prisoners to the Bar where after they had kneeled awhile they were order'd to stand up and hear their Charge which when they had heard the Lord Chancellor ask'd them what they had to say for themselves letting them know withal that his Majesty would appoint a Lord High Steward for their Tryals Thereupon the Lords impeach'd made several requests in order to their several Defences upon their Tryals and then withdrew for a time After the House had taken their requests into consideration they were called in again and the Lord Chancellor gave them to understand that the several Endictments found against them by the Grand Jury should be brought into that Court by Writ of Certiorari and that they might have Copies of the Articles of Impeachment and should have convenient time given them to send in their respective Answers thereunto All this while the Lord Bellasis had not appeared at the Bar it being sworn that he was so ill that he could not stir out of his bed which reasonable excuse was allow'd for the time Not long after a Message was sent from the Lords to acquaint the Commons that the Lords impeach'd had all except the Lord Bellasis brought up their Answers to the Charge exhibited against them and that their Lordships had sent them the Originals desiring to have them return'd Soon after it was found that the Lord Bellasis had sent in his Answer without Appearance which occasion'd a great Debate Whether by his not appearance he had been Arraign'd or no and whether his Answer were legal The consideration of which business was referr'd to the Committee of Secrecy as also to look into the Answers of the five Lords to consider of the Methods of Proceedings upon Impeachments and to Report their Opinions Which were That the Lord Bellasis being Impeach'd of High Treason by the Commons could not make any Answer but in person And that the several Writings put in by the other Lords which they call'd their Pleas and Answers were not Pleas or Answers but Argumentative and Evasive to which the Commons neither could nor ought to reply That though the Answers of the other four Lords were sufficient yet that there ought not to be any Proceedings against them until the Lord Bellasis had put in a sufficient Answer in person That the Commons should demand of the Lords that their Lordships would forthwith order and require the said Lords to put in their perfect Answers or in default thereof that the Commons might have Justice against them Thereupon it was order'd by the Commons That a Conference should be desir'd with the Lords touching the Answers of the five Lords in the Tower and that the Managers thereof should acquaint their Lordships that they intended to make use of no other Evidence against the five Lords then for matter done within seven years last past desiring their Lordships withal to appoint a short day for the said five Lords to put in their effectual Pleas and Answers to the Articles of Impeachment But e're this Conference could be had a Message came from the Lords to acquaint the House That John Lord Bellasis had that day appear'd in person at the Bar of the House and had put in his Answer to the Articles of Impeachment which they had accordingly sent them The next day came another Message from the Lords to acquaint them That the Lords Powis Stafford and Arundel had appear'd likewise at the Bar and had retracted their former Pleas and had put in their Answers which they had also sent for them to view and consider All which Answers were by the Commons referr'd to the Secret Committee What these Answers were may be easily seen by that of the Lord Petre's here inserted For as their Crimes were the same so their Defences could not vary much either in sence or matter The Lord Petre's Answer to the Articles of Impeachment THE said Lord in the first place and before all other protesting his Innocency c. The said Lord doth with all humility submit himself desiring above all things the Tryal of his Cause by this most Honourable House so that he may be provided to make his just Defence for the 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 ways 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 concerns the matter following Namely That for divers years last past there had been contrived and carryed on by the Papists a most traiterous and execrable Conspiracy and Plot within this Kingdom of England and other places to alter and subvert the Antient Government and Laws of this Kingdom and Nation and to suppress the true Religion therein Establisht and to extirpate and destroy the Professors thereof and that the said Plot and Conspiracy was contrived and carryed on in divers places and by several ways and means and by a great number of several Persons of 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 therein likewise named and mentioned as false Traitors to his Majesty and Kingdom within the time aforesaid have traiterously acted and consulted to and for the accomplishing of the said wicked pernicious and traiterous Designs and to that end did most wickedly and traiterously Agree Consult Conspire and Resolve to Imprison Depose and Murther His Sacred Majesty and deprive
concluding Conference having agreed to the Bill without further amendments and therefore desir'd the concurrence of the Commons Thus at length the Commons agreed to the amendments made by the Lords and sent a message to acquaint the Lords therewith This was done upon the fourteenth day of this month But upon the sixteenth a Message was sent by the Lords to acquaint the Commons that the night before the Earl of Danby had render'd himself to the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod and that being call'd to the Bar they had sent him to the Tower Thereupon a Committee was appointed to prepare and draw up further Evidence against him and such further Articles as they should see cause Soon after his Majesty was pleas'd to dissolve his Privy Council and to make another consisting of no more than thirty persons And for the management of the Treasury and Navy five Commissiones were appointed for the Treasury and seven for the Admiralty Then the Commons took into consideration the disbanding of the Army and having voted a supply of 264602 l. 17 s. 3 d. to that intent they then voted that Sr. Gilbert Gerrard Sr. Thomas Player Coll. Birch and Coll. Whitley should be Commissioners to pay the disbanded forces off But now to return to the Earl of Danby upon the 25th of this month a message was sent by the Lords to acquaint the Commons that the said Earl had that same day personally appear'd at the Bar of their House and had put in his plea to the Articles of Impeachment against him The Articles were these as they were deliver'd into the House of Lords in the name of the Commons of England by Sir Henry Capel December 23. 1678. I. That he had traiterously encroacht to himself Regal Power by treating in matters of Peace and War with Foreign Ministers and Embassadors and giving instructions to his Majesties Embassadors abroad without communicating the same to the Secretaries of State and the rest of his Majesties Council against the express Declaration of his Majesty in Parliament thereby intending to defeat and overthrow the provision that has been deliberately made by his Majesty and his Parliament for the safety and preservation of his Majesties Kingdoms and Dominions II. That he had traiterously endeavour'd to subvert the ancient and well-establish'd form of Government of this Kingdom and instead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical form of Government and the better to effect this his purpose he did design the raising of an Army upon pretence of a war against the French King and to continue the same as a standing Army within this Kingdom and an Army so rais'd and no war ensuing an Act of Parliament having past to disband the same and a great sum of money being granted for that end he did continue the same contrary to the said Act and mis-imploy'd the said money given for the disbanding to the continuance thereof and issued out of his Majesties Revenues great sums of money for the said purpose and wilfully neglected to take security of the Pay-master of the Army as the said Act required whereby the said Law is eluded and the Army yet continued to the great danger and unnecessary charge of his Majesty and the whole Kingdome III. That he trayterously intending and designing to alienate the hearts and affections of his Majesties good Subjects from his Royal Person and Government and to hinder the meeting of Parliaments and to deprive his Sacred Majesty of their safe and wholsom counsel and thereby to alter the constitution of the Government of this Kingdom did propose and negotiate a peace for the French King upon terms disadvantagious to the Interest of his Majesty and Kingdom For the doing whereof he did procure a great sum of money from the French King for enabling him to maintain and carry on his said traiterous designs and purposes to the hazard of his Majesties Person and Government IV. That he is Popishly affected and hath traiterously concealed after he had notice the late horrid and bloody Plot and Conspiracy contriv'd by the Papists against his Majesties Person and Government and hath suppress'd the Evidence and reproachfully discountenanc'd the Kings Witnesses in the Discovery of it in favour of Popery immediately tending to the destruction of the Kings Sacred Person and the subversion of the Protestant Religion V. That he hath wasted the Kings Treasure by issuing out of his Majesties Exchequer several branches of his Revenue for unnecessary Pensions and secret services to the value of 〈…〉 within two years and that he hath wholly diverted out of the known method and Government of the Exchequer one whole branch of his Majesties Revenue to private Uses without any accompt to be made of it to his Majesty in his Exchequer contrary to an express Act of Parliament which granted the same And he hath removed two of his Majesties Commissioners of that part of the Revenue for refusing to consent to such his unwarrantable actings therein and to advance money upon that branch of the Revenue for private uses VI. That he hath by indirect means procured from his Majesty to himself divers considerable gifts and Grants of Inheritances of the ancient Revenues of the Crown contrary to Acts of Parliament For which matters and things the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons in Parliament do in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England impeach the said Thomas Earl of Danby Lord High Treasurer of England of High Treason and other high Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences in the said Articles contained And the said Commons by Protestation saving to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or Impeachment against the said Earl and also of replying to the answers of which the said Thomas Earl of Danby shall make to the Premises or any of them or any Impeachment or Accusation which shall be by them exhibited as the cause according to proceedings of Parliament shall require Do pray that the said Thomas Earl of Danby may be put to answer all and every the Premises that such proceedings Tryals Examinations and Judgements may be upon them and every one of them had and used as shall be agreeable to Law and Justice and that he may be sequester'd from Parliament and forthwith committed to custody To these Articles the Earl of Danby soon after put in his Plea as follows The Plea of the Earl of Danby late Lord high Treasurer of England to the Articles of Impeachment and other High Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences Exhibited against him by the name of Thomas Earl of Danby Lord High Treasurer of England THE said Earl for Plea saith and humbly offers to your Lordships as to all and every the Treasons Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences contained or mention'd in the said Articles That after the said Articles exhibited namely the first of March now last past the Kings most excellent Majesty by his most gracious Letters of Pardon under his
soliciting suborning and endeavouring to perswade Mr. William Bedlow to lessen stifle and omit to give in evidence the full truth according to his knowledge against the Lord Powis Lord Stafford Lord Peter and Sir Henry Tichborn but to give such evidence as he the said Reading should direct as also for giving the said Mr. Bedlow fifty Guineys in hand and promising him greater rewards for the ends and purposes aforesaid The Jury were Sir John Cutler Joshuah Galliard Edward Wilford Thomas Henslow Thomas Earsby John Searle Esquires Thomas Casse Rainsford Waterhouse Matthew Bateman Walter Moyle Richard Paget and John Haynes Esquires Mr. Reading at first challeng'd Sir John Cutler as being in the Commission of Peace and labour'd very much to have his challenge made good But his Challenge was over-rul'd by the Court first in regard that Sir John was not in the particular Commission then sitting and secondly for that he could not challenge him peremptorily the Indictment not endangering his life as it might have been laid but only for a Misdemeanour Thereupon the Court proceeded and First in point of Evidence Mr. Bedlow swore that he began with him as a friendly adviser admonishing him to be cautious and not to run at the whole Herd of Men. That he would make the Parliament his friends by proving the Plot the King his friend in not charging all the Lords and the Lords his friends by being kind to them That the persons he most sollicited for were the Lords Powis Petre and Stafford Sir Henry Tichborn Mr. Roper Mr. Caryl and Corker a Jesuite That he should have Money and an Estate by the negotiation of the Prisoner at the Bar to shorten the Evidence and bring them off from the charge of High Treason That he and Mr. Reading had several Consultations about this matter That the Prisoner in assurance of his reward told him he had order to draw blank deeds to be sign'd in ten days after the discharge of those for whom the sollicitation was made That Reading Mr. Bedlow had a private Consultation at what time Mr. Bedlow was to pen his Testimony as Mr. Reading should direct him for the mitigation of the Evidence That when that Paper was finish'd the Prisoner carry'd it to the Lords to consider of it and that after they had consider'd of it and mended it as they pleas'd Reading return'd with the emendations written with his own hand and deliver'd them to Mr. Bedlow in the Painted Chamber who held them so behind him that Mr. Speake as it was agreed walking after him came and took them out of his hand And that two Witnesses more being privately conceal'd by Mr. Bedlow in his own chamber overheard the main of the Consultation and overture of Mr. Reading After this the Paper was produc'd which contain'd the short and tender Evidence that Mr. Bedlow was to give according to the Correction of the Lords and read in open Court all under Readings own hand Which done Mr. Speake was sworn and depos'd that being privately conceal'd in Mr. Bedlow's Chamber he over-heard Mr. Bedlow's and Mr. Reading's Negotiation together That Mr. Bedlow ask'd Mr. Reading what the Lords said to the business and what my Lord Stafford said to the Estate in Glocestershire To which Mr. Reading made answer that the Lord Stafford had faithfully promis'd him to settle that Estate upon Mr. Bedlow and that he had Orders from that Lord to draw up a blank Deed in order to the settlement which the said Lord had engag'd to sign and seal within ten days after he should be discharg'd by Mr. Bedlow's contracting of his Evidence That Mr. Reading added That the Lords Powis and Peter and Sir Henry Tichborn had faithfully engag'd and promis'd to give Mr. Bedlow a very fair and noble reward which should be suitable to the service he should do them in bringing them off from the Charge of High Treason To which when Mr. Bedlow reply'd that he would not rely upon their promises only but expected to have something under their hands Mr. Reading reply'd That they did not think it convenient so to do as yet but that Mr. Bedlow might take his word as he had done theirs adding withal for a further confirmation That he would engage his life for the performance With much other discourse all tending to the same effect The third Evidence which was Mr. Bedlows man and was conceal'd in the Chamber to the same intent as the former witness was gave the same Evidence upon oath as to what had been discours'd of in the Chamber between his Master and the Prisoner without any thing of material alteration of the words themselves which therefore need no repetition The defence of the Prisoner was very weak more especially considering that he was a man of the Gown No more indeed than what after a tedious multiplying of words amounted to the Confession of the whole Charge For he could not deny but that he did carry the Kings Evidence to the Lords in the Tower but that it was purely out of Conscience to prevent the shedding of innocent blood The other part of his Evidence consisted in bespattering the witnesses for which he was so often corrected by the Court that it betrayed in him more of presumption than Law Therefore the Jury so little believ'd him that after a very short absence from the Bar they brought him in Guilty upon which the Court proceeded to Sentence which was That he should be fin'd a thousand pound That he should be imprison'd for the space of one whole year and be set in the Pillory for the space of one hour in the Palace-yard at Westminster Thereupon in order to the Judgement of the Court he was set in the Pillory on the Munday after his Tryal And as the Court were so kind as not to endite him for his life so they were careful to give the Sheriff a particular Charge of his Person lest the rage of the People understanding his Crime should have depriv'd him of what the mercy of the Law had granted him with so much favour May 1679. If Doctor Oates may be believ'd whom we have not found yet to fail he tells us that the Jesuites had sent several Emissaries of their own to foment the discontents and rebellious fermentations of the people of Scotland The mischief was laid upon the Presbyterians whether it were so or no God knows but the effect and consequence was dire nothing but Papistical murther which it is to be fear'd will come to be the Character of that Religion In England no less a sacrifice would serve them than a King though Heaven detested their oblation In Scotland there was no King and therefore they resolv'd to cut off the Primate of the Church A strange doctrine to preach that there could be no greater gift made to Jesus Christ than to send the Arch-bishop of St. Andrews head in a Silver Box to the King And yet this doctrine prevail'd with one James Mitchel to
acceptimus jam vacat These the Commons desir'd might be left out as implying that the continuing a Lord High Steward was necessary and thereupon propos'd these words to be inserted Ac pro eo quod Proceres Magnates in Parliamento Nostro Assemblato nobis humiliter supplicaverunt ut Seneschallum Angliae hac vice constituere dignaremur These Amendments were soon consented to by the Lords and it was farther agreed that the Commission under Seal for Constituting a Lord High Steward for the Tryal of the Earl of Danby should be recall'd and another new Commission according to the Amendments issu'd forth bearing date after the said Resolve and that the like Commission should be issu'd forth for Tryal of the other Lords As to the Lords Answer to the second Proposition the Commons gave their Committee order to insist That the Lords Spiritual ought not to have any Vote in any proceedings against the Lords in the Tower and that when that matter should be settled and the methods of Proceedings adjusted that then the House would be ready to proceed upon the Tryal of the Earl of Danby against whom the House had already demanded Judgment and afterwards to the Tryal of the other five Lords Upon the 16th of May after several Debates and Reports of both Committees the Lords came to this Resolution that the Thursday following should be appointed to begin the Tryal of the five Lords Upon which the Lords Spiritual desired leave of the House that they might withdraw themselves from the Tryal of the said Lords with Liberty of Entring their usual protestations This Resolution and the desire of the Bishops being communicated to the Commons It was by them resolv'd That the Vote of their House extended aswell to the Earl of Danby as the rest and that if the Bishops might have leave to withdraw it imply'd a right which if they had it was a new Court a thing the Commons could not admit of The Lords made Answer that there was no day appointed for the Tryal of the Earl of Danby and that the Lords Spiritual would be absent at all the parts of the Tryals of the five Lords and that the Protestation they desired to enter would be the same as in the Earl of Stafford's case To which the Commons reply'd that they could not proceed to treat of any other proposal till such time as the business about the Court should be settl'd But the Lords insisting still upon their first Resolutions the Commons thought fit to draw up their Reasons in writing which they did and deliver'd them to the Committee of Lords upon the 26th of May. Which was the day before their Prorogation Which because they are matter of History as well as debate may not be unfitly inserted They alleadged that the Commons had always desir'd that a good Correspondence might be preserv'd between the two Houses That there was then depending between their Lordships and the Commons a matter of the greatest weight In the transactions of which their Lordships did seem to apprehend some difficulty in the Matters propos'd by the Commons To clear the same the Commons had desir'd that Conference by which they hop'd to manifest to their Lordships that the Propositions of the House of Commons made by their Committe in relation to the Tryal of the Lords in the Tower were only such as were well warranted by the Laws of the Parliament and Constitution of Government and in no sort intrenched upon the Judicature of the Peers but were most necessary to be insisted upon that the Ancient Rights of Judicature in Parliament might be maintain'd The Commons readily acknowledg'd that the Crimes charged upon the Earl of Powis Viscount Stafford Lord Arundel of Wardour and Lord Bellasis were of deep Guilt and call'd for speedy Justice But withal they held that any change in Judicature in Parliament made without consent in full Parliament was of pernicious Consequence both to his Majesty and his Subjects and conceived themselves obliged to transmit to their Posterity all the Rights which of that kind they had receiv'd from their Ancestors by putting their Lordships in mind of the progress that had already been between the two Houses in relation to the Propositions made by the Commons and the reasonableness of the Propositions themselves So that they doubted not but to make it appear that their Aimes had been no other then to avoid such Consequences and to preserve that Right and that there was no delay of Justice on their part And to that purpose they offer'd to their 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 stood impeached and for which some of their wicked Accomplices had already undergone the sentence of the Law as Traytors and Murtherers had labour'd under many great difficulties was not unknown to their Lordships Nor was it less known to their Lordships That upon the Impeachment of the House of Commons against the Earl of Danby for High Treason and other high Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences even the common Justice of sequestring him from Parliament and forthwith committing him to safe Custody was then requir'd by the Commons and deny'd by the Peers though he then sate in their House Of which their Lordships had been so sensible that at a free Conference the 10th of April last their Lordships declar'd That it was the Right of the Commons and well warranted in former Ages That upon an Impeachment of the Commons a Peer so impeach'd ought of right to be order'd to withdraw and then to be Committed And had not that Justice been deny'd to the Commons a great part of the Sessions of Parliament which had 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 sav'd and employ'd for the preservation of his Majesties Person 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 bore date the first of March and which he pleaded in Bar of his Impeachment nor of wasting so great a proportion of the Treasure of the Kingdom as he had done after the Commons had exhibited their Articles of Impeachment against him After which time so 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 their Lordships Order of the 16th of April last was committed to the Tower After which he pleaded the said Pardon and being prest did at length declare that he would rely upon and abide by that Plea Which Pardon so Pleaded being illegal and void ought not to Barr or preclude the Commons from having Justice upon the Impeachment They did thereupon
another nor interfer'd with those papers that have been found elsewhere or with those Informations that have been separately given in by other Persons Nor was it possible that the Grand Assembly of the Nation consisting of so many perspicacious Judgments and by whom he was fully examined should be so imposed upon by one Man as to Vote upon his Information that there was a Plot to Murder the King alter the Government and subvert the Religion established by Law had they not been highly satisfied in the Credit and soundness of the Evidence As to the time of his Discovery had he made it upon his first knowledge he had acted with less prudence and the Opposition he has met with plainly shews that the Kingdom might probably have lost the advantage of his delay had he come unprovided to attest those things which he could not so well have proved Nor was he at his own disposal when first he enter'd into their Society So that had he moved or acted either without or contrary to their Order he had presently been suspected watched and found out but as soon as he had enough to convince the World or at least the Rational part and that he was sent from Saint Omers into England he shewed his real intentions to preserve his Majesties Person and his Native Country from the bloody Contrivances of a bosom Enemy But what needs all this Justification Heaven it self assisted the Discovery and so directed their infatuated Councils that contrary to all the dictates of common Sence and Reason the Politic Jesuites rang that bloody peal themselves which wakened the drowsie unbelief of those that scarce gave credit to the Story and by closing the Eyes of one unfortunate Gentleman opened the Eyes of the whole Nation For understanding that Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex had taken the Discoverers Oath and Affidavit and presuming that much of the Plot might be confess'd and made known to him thinking to stifle his report in the Birth they concluded to commit a Murther that Villany laugh'd at and was Ridiculous to Folly it self The chief Instruments for there were several others unknown to the Discoverer set on and encouraged to act this fatal Tragedy were Father Girald and Father Kelly two Priests Robert Green Cushion-Man to the Chappel of Somerset-House Lawrence Hill servant to Dr. Goddin Treasurer of the Chappel Henry Berry Porter Lewson a Priest Philip Vernatti once belonging to my Lord Bellasis and Mr. Miles Prance by them deluded in to be an Assistant though soon after the Detector of the Fact and Persons These Men did not assign any particular reason for their malice but onely in general that Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey was a busie Person and going about to ruin all the Catholics in England and that it was necessary to destroy him or else they should be all undone This being their undoubted Maxim they laid several distinct Plots and employ'd divers separate Agents unknown to each other to accomplish their design Several Consultations they had at the Plow near Somerset-House and in other places but the ultimate Result of all their Debates was this That Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey should be dogg'd as he walk'd the Streets and that whoever of the Confederates should first lodge him in a convenient place should give the rest notice In pursuance of this Resolution having watched him several days and finding no opportunity at length upon Saturday the 12 of October 1678. in the Morning Hill Girald and Green went forth to observe his Motion and Kelley knowing what they were gone about went to Mr. Prance's House to acquaint him therewith and to charge him to be in a Readiness The first three went near to Sir Edmund-Bury's and while two stay'd at a distance Hill went up to the House and understanding he was within spake with him upon some pretended Story and so returned About ten or eleven a Clock Sir Edmund-Bury came forth all alone and his unknown Attendants dogg'd him with great diligence all the rest of the day to several places as his occasions led him till about six a Clock at night at what time he went into a great House in St. Clements where 't is thought he supp'd Then did Green leave the other two came to Mr. Prance and inform'd him that they had now set Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey in a House in St. Clements and bid him make all the hast down to the Water Gate belonging to Somerset-House where he should find Kelley the Priest and Berry the Porter Thereupon Prance went thither and found them walking in the Yard where they continued sometimes walking sometimes sitting till toward nine of the Clock About which time Sir Edmund-Bury coming out of the House aforesaid Hill ran before to give Notice that he was coming along and to wheedle him in he order'd that two should pretend to be a quarrelling Which done Hill returns to the Water Gate to expect his coming and entice him in In the mean time Kelly and Berry began a seeming quarrel but made no great Noise and Sir Edmund-Bury coming along just as he was passing by the said Water Gate Hill steps to him in a great deal of hast crying For God's sake Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey be pleas'd to come in for here are two Men quarrelling and I fear there will be Bloodshed between them Pugh-pugh said Sir Edmund-Bury refusing at first to trouble himself but Hill still urging and insisting that he was afraid there might be a great deal of mischief done and how glad he was to meet so opportunely with his Worship Sir Edmund Bury not suspecting any harm but desirous to prevent any mischance that might be occasion'd by a quarrel was persuaded to follow him Hill enter'd the Gate first Sir Edmund-Bury follow'd and behind him immediately clapp'd Girald and Green These all making down in this order toward the Rails near the Queens Stables where Kelley and Berry were pretending a quarrel Prance who stood close by the wall conceal'd goes up to secure the Water Gate while Berry slipp'd to secure the Stairs and Passage by the Chappel And now having got him safe Green who kept close behind and had a large twisted Handkerchief in readiness on a suddain threw it about his Neck and immediately Girald Kelly Green and Hill fell upon him secur'd his Sword threw him down and throtl'd him so that he could neither call out nor speak then drew him behind the Rail and gave him many violent punches on the Breast with their Knees After they had thus manifestly bereaved him of his breath Girald the Priest fearing he was not quite dead would have run him through with his Sword But the rest would not yield to that for fear of being discovered by the Blood However to make sure work Green got upon him and punching him with his Knee upon the Breast with all his force wrung his Neck quite round Thus fell this unfortunate Gentleman a needless
for the County of Stafford Nor is it to be omitted that among the rest of the Discoveries about this time made Lower Comes in Herefordshire was detected to be a Colledge of Jesuites and was let them at a low rent by one Hutton of St. Giles's Merchant for one and twenty years which lease was witness'd by William Ireland Fenwick and Groves The House was contriv'd for the purpose with lodging Chambers and Studies and seated with all the privacy imaginable at the bottom of a rocky and woody Hill There were found in the house several Popish Books a Box of white Wafers stamp'd several Popish Pictures and Crucifixes some Reliques a little Saints-bell and an Incense pot Soon after one Father Lewis was taken near the same place and sent to Monmouth Jail He had couzen'd a poor maid of all the Money she had in the world to the value of 30 l. and made her give him a bond and confess a judgement to him for payment of the said money upon a pretence of praying her Fathers Soul out of Purgatory January 1678. Toward the beginning of this month the Earls of Salisbury and Clarendon were sworn of his Majesties Privy Council Neither do we find the beginning of it signaliz'd with any transaction of remark till the Execution of Ireland and Grove for Pickering had a further reprieve till May 1679. The other two were both hang'd drawn and quarter'd according to the Sentence pronounc'd against them upon the 24th of this Month. The last words of Ireland were mainly taken notice of and there were some whose Charity was almost deluded to believe him hearing those imprecations of Damnation which he made to impose upon the world that he was not in Town all August and consequently that the witnesses had sworn falsly against him Yet after all these solemn Imprecations to advance his own and depress the credit of the Kings witnesses as if his Salvation depended upon his giving a meritorious sparring blow to the Kings Evidence at his departure after all these Imprecations I say that he was absent in Staffordshire from the fifth of August till the fourteenth of September in comes one Mr. Jenison a person of worth and credit and positively deposes upon oath that he saw Mr. Ireland at his Chamber at the Hart in Russel street upon the nineteenth day of August being then newly return'd from Windsor He further depos'd that after a short salute Mr. Ireland ask'd him what news at Windsor and how the King spent his time To which when Mr. Jenison answer'd that the King spent his time in Hawking and Fishing went very thinly and meanly guarded the Old Priest reply'd that then it would be an easie thing to take him off A circumstance so remarkable and consequently so convincingly apparent that many doubters were very well satisfy'd to see it finding the credit of the traduc'd witnesses so well supported and such a slur put upon all the vows and protestations of a sufferer so desperately engaging heaven in the defence of his untruths Much about this time his Majesties Forces that had been recall'd out of Flanders began to return again into England But that which was the nine days wonder of the whole Nation was the dissolution of the second long Parliament which had been continu'd by Prorogations and Adjournments from the eighth day of May in the 13th year of his Majesties reign and was lastly prorogu'd till the fourth of February in the twenty fourth year of his Majesties Government with an intention to have met again By this Proclamation his Majesty did publish and declare his Royal will and pleasure to dissolve the present Parliament and that he did dissolve the same accordingly However to the intent his Majesties Loyal Subjects might perceive his confidence in their good affections and how desirous his Majesty was to meet his people and have their advice by their representatives in Parliament His Majesty was also pleas'd to declare that he would forthwith issue out his Writs for calling a new Parliament to be holden at Westminster on Thursday the sixth of March 1678 9. And thus if it might be thought to be a wound he that gave it at the same time heal'd it and stopp'd as well the Insinuations as the Clamours of disaffected male-contents Toward the latter end of this month the middle Temple happen'd to be fir'd though whether on purpose or by accident is yet undetermin'd this is certain that had it gone on it had destroy'd one of the most stately Piles of Law in the whole world February 1678. January having thus made its Exit February succeeds remarkable in the first place for the change of the Secretaries of State For Sir Joseph Williamson having resigned the Seals of the Secretaryship into his Majesties hands the right honourable Robert Earl of Sunderland was sworn into his room Not long after several Queries were presented to his Majesty in Council by the Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex in order to their proceeding as to Papists and Popish Recusants 1. Whether Foreigners Popish Recusants that are and have long been settl'd House-Keepers following employments for their own advantage as Chirurgions Taylors Perriwig-makers c. but not otherwise Merchants though certifi'd to be Merchant strangers shall be excus'd from taking the Oaths or giving sureties 2. Whether such Foreigners being certifi'd by Embassadours or other foreign Ministers to be their Servants should be excus'd 3. Whether Foreigners Popish Recusants settl'd as House-keepers but neither Tradesmen Travellers or Foreign Ministers Servants shall be excus'd 4. Whether Native subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King that are Menial servants of Foraign Ministers shall be excus'd 5. Whether married women being Popish Recusants but their Husbands Protestants shall be excus'd 6. Whether Popish Recusants that have taken the Oaths found Sureties have appear'd and are convict shall find Sureties or be continu'd over These Queries were by his Majesty referr'd to the Judges who return'd an answer in writing that they had met and consider'd of the Questions propos'd and gave it for their Opinions 1. That Foreigners being Popish Recusants and exercising ordinary Trades but not Merchants were not excus'd from taking the Oaths or finding Security 2. That Foreigners though certifi'd by Embassadors to be their servants except they were their menial servants were not excusable 3. That Foreigners though settl'd House-keepers being no Travellers or Foreign Ministers servants were not to be excus'd 4. That the Kings native Subjects were not excus'd from taking the Oath by being menial servants to Foreign Ministers 5. That they found no Law to excuse a Feme covert being a Papist from taking the Oaths though her Husband were a Protestant 6. That a Popish Recusant having taken the Oaths was not bound to find new Sureties unless upon a new tender of the Oaths he should refuse to take them This report and opinion of the Judges his Majesty was graciously pleas'd to approve and thereupon an Order was
great Seal of England bearing date at Westminster the said first day of March in the one and thirtieth year of his Majesties reign and here into this most High and Honourable Court produc'd under the said great Seal of his special Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion hath pardon'd remised released to him the said Earl of Danby all and all manner of Treasons Misprisions of Treasons Confederacies Insurrections Rebellions Felonies Exactions Oppressions publications of words Misprisions Confederacies Concealments Negligences Omissions Offences Crimes Contempts Misdemeanors and Trespasses whatsoever by himself done or with any other person or persons or by any other by the command advice assent consent or procurement of him the said Thomas E. of Danby advis'd committed attempted made perpetrated conceal'd committed or omitted before the 27th day of Feb. then and now last past being also after the time of the said Articles exhibited although the said Premises or any of them did or should touch or concern the person of his said Majesty or any of his publick Negotiations whatsoever and also his Majesties affairs with foreign Embassadors sent to his said Majesty or by not rightly prosecuting his Majesties Instructions and Commands to his Embassadors residing on his Majesties behalf in foreign parts And as to all and singular accessories to the said premises or any of the indicted impeached appealed accused convicted adjudged out lawed condemned or attainted and all and singular Indictments Impeachments Inquisitions Informations Exigents Judgements Attainders Outlaries Convictions pains of Death Corporal punishments Imprisonments Forfeitures Punishments and all other pains and penalties whatsoever for the same or any of them and all and all manner of suits Complaints Impeachments and demands whatsoever Which his said Majesty by reason of the Premises or any of them then had or for the future should have or his heirs or successors any way could have afterwards against him the said Thomas Earl of Danby And also suit of his Majesties peace and whatever to his Majesty his heirs or successors against him the said Earl did or could belong by reason or occasion of the Premises or any of them And his Majesty hath thereby granted his firm Peace to the said Tho. E. of Danby And further his Majesty willed and granted that the said Letters-Patents and the said Pardon and Release therein contain'd as to all the things Pardon'd and Releas'd should be good and effectual in the law though the Treasons Misprisions of Treasons Insurrections Rebellions Felonies Exactions Oppressions Publications of words Misprisions of Confederacies Concealments Negligencies Omissions Offences Crimes Contempts Misdemeanors and Trespasses were not certainly specified And notwithstanding the Statute by the Parliament of King Ed. 3. in the 14th year of his reign made and provided or any other Statute Act or Ordinance to the contrary thereof made and provided And moreover his said now Majesty by his said Letters Patents of his farther Grace did firmly command all and singular Judges Justices Officers and others whatsoever That the said Free and General Pardon of his said Maj. and the general words clauses and sentences abovesaid should be construed and expounded and adjudged in all his Majesties Courts and elsewhere in the most beneficial ample and benign sense And for the better and more firm discharge of the said Earl of and from the crimes and offences aforesaid according to the true intents of his Majesty and in such beneficial manner and form to all intents and purposes whatsoever as if the said Treasons Crimes Offences Concealments Negligencies Omissions Contempts and Trespasses aforesaid and other the said Premises by apt express and special words had been remitted released and pardoned and that the said Letters Patents of Pardon and the Release and Pardon therein contain'd shall be pleaded and allowed in all and every his Majesties Courts and before all his Justices whatsoever without any Writ of allowance any matter cause or thing whatsoever in any wise notwithstanding as by the said Letters Patents themselves more at large appeareth which said Letters Patents follow in these words Carolus Dei Gratia Angliae Scotia Franciae Hibernae Rex Fidei defensor c. Omnibus ad quos prasentes Literae nostrae pervenerint Salutem Sciatis quod nos pro diversis bonis causis considerationibus Nos ad hoc specialiter moventibus de Gratia Nostra speciali mero motu Nostris Pardonavimus Relaxavimus c. And the said Earl doth averr that he the said Thomas Earl of Danby in the said Articles named is the said Thomas Earl of Danby in the said Letters of Pardon here produced likewise named Which Pardon the said Earl doth rely upon and pleaded the same in Bar of the said Impeachment and in discharge of all the Treasons Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences contained or mentioned in the said Articles of Impeachment and every of them And this the said Earl is ready to averr Whereupon he humbly prays the judgement of your Lordships and that his Majesties most Gracious Pardon aforesaid may be allowed And that he the said Earl by vertue hereof may be from all the said Articles of Impeachment and all and every of the Treasons and Crimes therein alledg'd against him acquitted and discharg'd The Earl of Danby having thus put in his Plea to the Articles of Impeachment the Commons referr'd it to the Committee of Secresie to examine the matter of the Plea of the Earl of Danby and to enquire how Presidents stood in relation to the Pardon and in what manner and by what means the same was obtained Who thereupon made their Report That they could find no President that ever any Pardon was granted to any Person impeach'd by the Commons of High Treason and depending the Impeachment So that they presently order'd that a Message should be sent to the Lords to desire their Lordships to demand of the Earl of Danby whether he would rely upon and abide by his Plea or not In the midst of these disputes a business of another Nature intervenes For one Mr. Reading having been accus'd to the Commons for going about to corrupt the Kings Evidence in the behalf of the five Lords in the Tower they presently order'd him to be secur'd and made an Address to his Majesty that he would be pleas'd to issue forth a Commission of Oyer and Terminer for the Tryal of the said Mr. Reading wherein they made the more hast to the end his Tryal might be over before that of the Lords which it was then thought was near at hand Hereupon the Commission was expedited and upon the 24th of this Month the Commissioners met at Westminster-Hall in the Court of Kings Bench. The Commissioners were the twelve Judges of England Sir James Butler Sir Philip Matthews Sir Thomas Orby Sir Thomas Byde Sir William Bowles Sir Thomas Stringer Sir Charles Pitfeld Thomas Robinson Humfrey Wirley Thomas Haryot and Richard Gower Esquires The Prisoner was endicted by the name of Nathaniel Reading for
setting up a Pardon to be a Bar against an Impeachment defeats the whole use and effect of Impeachments and should this point be admitted or stand doubted it would totally discourage the exhibiting any for the future Whereby the chief Institution for the preservation of the Government and consequently the Government it self would be destroy'd And therefore the case of the said Earl which in consequence concerns all Impeachments whatsoever ought to be determin'd before that of the five Lords which is but their particular case And without resorting to many Authorities of greater Antiquity The Commons desire your Lordships to take Notice with the same regard they do of the Declaration which that Excellent Prince King Charles the I. of blessed Memory made in this behalf in his Answer to the nineteen Propositions of both Houses of Parliament Wherein stating the several parts of this Regulated Monarchy He says The King the House of Lords and the House of Commons have each their particular Priviledges And among those which belong to the King he reckons Power of pardoning After the Ennumerating of which and other his Preaogatives His said Majesty adds thus Again that the Prince may not make use of this High and perpetual Power to the hurt of those for whose good he hath it and make use of the Name of public Necessity for the Gain of his private Favourites and Followers to the Detriment of the People the House of Commons an excellent preservative of Liberty c. is solely entrusted with the first Propositions concerning the Levying of Mony and the Impeaching of those who for their own ends though countenanc'd by any Surreptitiously gotten Command of the King have violated the Law when he knows it which he is bound to protect and to the protection of which they are bound to advise him at least not to serve him to the contrary And the Lords being entrusted with a Judiciary power are an excellent Skreen and Bank between the Prince and People to assist each against any encroachments of the other and by just Judgment to preserve the Law which ought to be the Rule of every one of the three c. Therefore the Power plac'd in both Houses is more then sufficient to prevent and restrain the Power of Tyranny c. III. Untill the House of Commons have right done them against this Plea of Pardon they may justly apprehend that the whole Justice of the Kingdom in the Case of the five Lords may be obstructed and defeated by Pardons of the like nature IV. And Impeachments are virtually the voice of every particular Subject of this Kingdom crying out against Oppression by which every member of that Body is equally wounded And it will prove a matter of ill consequence that the Universality of the People should have occasion minister'd and continu'd to them to be apprehensive of utmost danger from the Crown from whence they of right expect Protection V. The Commons exhibited Articles of Impeachment against the said Earl before any against the five other Lords and demanded Judgment upon those Articles Whereupon your Lordships having appointed the Tryal of the said Earl to be before that of the other five Lords and now having inverted the said Order gives a great cause of doubt to the House of Commons and raises a jealousie in the Hearts of all the Commons of England That if they should proceed to the Tryal of the said five Lords in the first place not only Justice will be obstructed in the case of those Lords but that they shall never have right done them in the matter of this Plea of Pardon which is of so fatal Consequence to the whole Kingdom and a new device to frustrate the public Justice in Parliament Which Reasons and Matters being duly weigh'd by your Lordships the Commons doubt not but your Lordships will receive satisfaction concerning their Propositions and Proceedings And will agree That the Commons neither ought nor can without deserting their Trust depart from their former Vote communicated to your Lordships That the Lords Spiritual ought not to have any Vote in any proceedings against the Lords in the Tower c. This Narrative and the Reasons being deliver'd as is already mention'd were the next day read and debated and then the Lords read their own Vote of the 13th of May and their Explanation thereupon and the Question being put whether to insist upon those Votes concerning the Lords Spiritual it was Resolv'd in the Affirmative Eight and twenty of the Lords dissenting What the issue of the dispute would have been is not here to be disputed but this is certain that while both Houses were thus contesting His Majesty himself put an end to their Debates For that very day being come in His Royal Robes into the House of Lords and seated in His Throne the Commons also attending His Majesty was pleas'd to give His Royal Assent to A Bill for the better securing the Liberty of the Subject A Bill for reingrossing of Fines burn'd in the late Fire in the Temple And A Private Bill concerning Charles Dale of Rutlandshire Esq And then having intimated His Resolution to the two Houses to Prorogue them till the 14th of August The Lord Chancellor Prorogu'd them accordingly by His Majesties Command Little else of moment was done this Sessions onely the House of Commons having order'd a Committee to inspect the Miscarriages of the Navy upon their report of the Heads of an Information against Sir Anthony Deane and Mr. Pepys Members of the House they were both by Order of the House committed to the Tower by virtue of which commitment they still remain under Bail Presently after the Prorogation of the Parliament came the News of the Rebellion that was broken out in the West of Scotland where they Proclaim'd the Covenant and set up a Declaration of which the substance was That AS it was not unknown to a great part of the World how happy the Church of Scotland had been while they enjoy'd the Ordinances of Jesus Christ in their Purity and Power of which we had been deplorably depriv'd by the reestablishment of Prelacy So it was evident not only to impartial Persons but to profess'd Enemies with what unparallell'd Patience and Constancy the People of God had endur'd all the Cruelty and Oppression that Prelates and Malignants could invent or exercise And that being most unwilling to act any thing that might import Opposition to lawful Authority though they had all along been groaning under Corruptions of Doctrine slighting of Worship despising Ordinances Confining Imprisoning Exiling their faithful Ministers Fining Confining Imprisoning Torturing Tormenting the poor People Plundering their Houses and Selling their Persons to Forraign Plantations whereby great Numbers in every Corner of the Land were forc'd to leave their Dwellings Wives and Children and to wander as Pilgrims none daring to Supply or Relieve them nor so much as to speak with them upon their Death-beds for fear of making themselves obnoxious
take exceptions at our not subscribing this our Testimony being so solemnly gone about for we are ready always to do it if judg'd necessary with all the faithful suffering Brethren of the Land June 1679. This Declaration they intended to have put up at Glasgow but the Neighbouring Parts being hotly alarum'd by these ' proceedings Captain Graham of Clover-House upon intelligence of a great number of Men being gather'd together upon Loundoun Hill march'd thither with his Troop and a Company of Dragoons and there found a Body of Fourteen or Fifteen hundred Men well arm'd and in good Order The Foot were Commanded by one Weir the Horse by Robert Hamilton and three more whose names were Patton Balfour and Haxton of which the two last were deep in the Murder of the Archbishop of St. Andrews The Rebels upon the approach of Captain Graham sent out two Parties to skirmish with him which he beat into their main Body Upon which they advanc'd upon him with their whole Force Yet notwithstanding all their Number and though his own Horse were kill'd under him being soon mounted upon another he made good his ground till at last being overpower'd by Number after a great slaughter of the Rebels with the loss of his Cornet two Brigadeers eight Horse and twenty Dragoons he was forced to retreat toward Glasgow being after all this constrain'd to Fight his way thorow the Townsmen of Strevin who were got together to oppose him of whom he left ten or twelve dead upon the place The Rebels thus finding themselves superior in Force had the confidence the next day to attack the City of Glasgow at two several times But all the Streets were so well barricado'd by the Lord Ross and the Souldiers there put into so good and advantagious posture of Defence that the Rebels were beat off with a considerable loss besides many Prisoners that were taken Whereupon the Horse and Foot in the Town sally'd out upon them and forc'd them to retire But now to leave Scotland for a while let us return to London to which place Transactions no less signal call us back For upon the seventh of this Month the Marquis d'Auronches Embassador extraordinary from the Crown of Portugal made his public Entry having been receiv'd at Greenwich by the Earl of Kent and Sir Charles Cotterell Master of the Ceremonies and from thence brought by Water in the King's Barge with several others of his retinue to Tower-Hill Where when he Landed he was saluted with a discharge of several pieces of Cannon put into his Majesties Coach of State and conducted to Westminster His Equipage was very splendid consisting of six Pages who with the Gentleman of his Horse rod on Horsback and twenty Foot-men And his three Coaches one of which was more remarkable for its richness were follow'd by a numerous train of others with six Horses a piece Being come to his Lodging he was complimented from the King by the Lord Berkley of Stratton and from the Queen by Sir William Killegrew her Majesties Vice-Chamberlain The next day but one he was conducted to his Audience of their Majesties in the Banquetting-House by the Earl of Shrewsbury and Sir Charles Cotterell being splendidly attended from Westminster in the King's Coach of State As for the Papists they were still as great misbelievers as ever cry'd up the innocency of their own pretended Martyrs exclaim'd against the Injustice of their Condemnation and labour'd by all means imaginable to persuade the World into a concurrence with their pretended suggestions As that Religion seldom wants weak and improbable Arguments among the Wise to stumble mean and Vulgar Capacities Therefore it was now thought convenient to bring the rest of the crue that were in hold before the face of Justice that by their Tryals and Condemnations they might silence the folly of vain Insinuation and confirm the Impiety of those that had preceded them in Punishment To which purpose toward the middle of this month Thomas White aliàs Whitebread Provincial of the Jesuits in England William Harcourt the pretended Rector of London John Fenwick Procurator for the Jesuits in England John Gaven aliàs Gawen Anthony Turner and James Corker were brought to the Bar of the Session's-House in the Old-Baily As for Corker he presented a Petition to the Court setting forth that he was absolutely surpriz'd and unprepar'd for his Tryal and therefore besought the Court that he might not be try'd till the next Sessions To this the Court seem'd inclinable enough nor did the Attorney General gain-say it upon condition that he could really make it out that he wanted Witnesses without which he could not make his Defence However it was thought fitting that he should hear the Charge that was against him read to the end he might be able to give the Court an accompt what witnesses he had that might avail him in reference to his defence against it Which being done the former question was put to him again and then he nam'd a witness to prove that he was not in Town upon the 24th of April So that being respited till the next day the Court said nothing farther to him that sitting The other five stood charg'd of High Treason the particulars whereof were That upon the twenty fourth of April in the thirtieth Year of the King's reign they with others did Conspire to raise up Sedition and Rebellion to cause a most bloody Massacre of the King's Subjects to depose the King of his Government and bring him to an untimely Death to alter the Government and Religion establish'd by Law and to levy War against the King It was further lay'd to their Charge in the Indictment That in pursuance of their evil Intentions and the better to accomplish their Designs They met together held Consultations and agreed to murther the King and upon that bloody foundation to build the progress of their Villany which was to introduce the Superstition of the Church of Rome instead of the Religion establish'd by Law It was concluded that Grove and Pickering should commit the Murther for which Whitebread and the other persons Indicted Contracted with the one for such a number of Masses and with the other for a certain sum of Money That they did also make diligent enquiry for four other Persons unknown and when they came to them did both animate and embold'n encourage and abet them to kill the King at Windsor And all this advisedly and out of a Traiterous Malice and Hatred against the King and the National Government and Religion The Indictment being read Whitebread represented to the Court that in regard he had been try'd upon the 17th of December before upon the same Indictment at what time the Jury being impannell'd and the Evidence found insufficient which came in against him the Jury was discharged without a Verdict he was inform'd that no man could be try'd and consequently be put in jeopardy of his life twice for the same cause For which reason he made
he challeng'd Dr. Owen and some others in a Letter written in several Languages and that so learnedly that it was deem'd worthy the Consideration of the Convocation by whom he was censur'd as a Jesuit or some other of the best sort of Popish Education and thereupon imprison'd in the Castle Prison in Oxford where he pretended distraction and acted the Madman so rarely to the life that in few days some Friends of his procur'd his liberty He was seen several times running up and down the Streets with his Hat under his Arm full of Stones throwing at every small Bird he saw But e're long he was met by a Minister of the Church of England at the House of a Roman Catholick who there heard him Discourse so gravely learnedly and discreetly that he got not onely into an acquaintance but familiarity with him insomuch that this Gentleman being of Maudlin Colledge he there gave him several Visits in several Disguises But at length being again suspected and in danger of being apprehended he stole away privately for London To which place business calling the same Gentleman about six Months after he was no sooner come to Town but he had notice of a famous Preacher among the Quakers near Charing-Cross and the same day he met Whitebread the great man of Fame going to speak in an old fashion pink'd Fustian Jerkin clouted Shoes his Breeches fac'd with Leather and a Carter's Whip in his hand in that Garb altogether disguiz'd from his knowledge however he knew the Gentleman and spake to him and so they renew'd their acquaintance For that time however they took leave and he went forward upon his intended work but the next day he came to the Gentleman's Quarters in the neat habit of a London Minister and carried him to his own Lodging within the Precincts of the Middle-Temple where he gave the Gentleman a handsom Entertainment and a sight of the several odd Habits in which he disguiz'd himself to the several sorts of people into whose good Opinion he had insinuated himself There the Gentleman saw his Orders from Rome and an Instrument wherein he was assur'd of and had Orders to receive of certain Merchants in Town a Hundred Pound per Annum besides a yearly Pension of Eighty Pound from his Father He pretended to this Gentleman that he was born at Wittenbergh and that his Father's Name was John White and in the Writing he himself was stil'd Johannes de Albis by the Court of Rome He was both Jesuit and Priest in Orders for that to the same Gentleman's knowledge he celebrated Mass in one House in Southwark to more then Forty after which upon the same day he visited several Presbyterians and others The same Gentleman continu'd in his Company for about a Month till he was apprehended and by special Order from the Protector imprison'd in the Tower of London where he lay above six Months No wonder then that he stook closest to the Romish Church for she it seems was his best friend and gave him the fairest Allowance what signifi'd a little Imprisonment for her sake who gave him a hundred pound a year to support him in his tribulation The next day Mr. Langhorn was brought to his Tryal at the same Bar. A Councellor at Law and one who got his bread by that very Law which he was plotting to subvert An imprudent piece of Ingratitude to forego the Law of his Country which afforded him a substantial Employment to catch at the shadow of a Judge Advocate Generals place in treasonable Hopes The general sum of his Charge was High Treason for conspiring the Death of the King and endeavouring an Alteration both in Church and State The particular Charge against him was That in order to the accomplishing as much as in him lay these designs of his he had wrote two Letters to be sent to Rome and St. Omers to procure aid from the Pope and the French King on purpose to introduce a change of the Religion by Law establish'd in the Kingdom and to set up the Romish Religion in the stead thereof That he had wrote two other Letters to one Anderton Rector of the English Colledge of Jesuites at Rome and two others to be sent to St. Omers wherein he undertook to advise the means and ways by which the success of those Treasons might be made to answer their expectations That he had received several Commissions in writing transmitted to him by an Authority that deriv'd it self from the See of Rome which Commissions were for constituting Military Officers to command in an Army which was to effect their Treasons by force That he was privy to all the Consultations of the rest of the Conspirators for carrying on the grand design and that he had sollicited the Benedictine Monks for 6000 l. for the same purpose and had notice from time to time of the Treasons and Conspiracy's of the Confederates To make Good this Charge Mr. Dugdall and Mr. Praunce were both sworn to give a short evidence of the reality of the Design in general Which being done Dr. Oates was sworn to particulars who thereupon depos'd That upon his return out of Spain in November 1677. he brought Letters from Mr. Langhorn's sons the one in the Jesuites Colledge at Madrid the other at Valladolid and that when the Witness told him that he believ'd his Sons would both enter into the Society Mr. Langhorn shew'd himself not a little pleas'd saying that by so doing they might quickly come to preferment in England for that matters would not hold long in England as they were That upon his return to St. Omers he carry'd two Letters written by Mr. Langhorn one to the Fathers another to Mr. Le Cheese the King of France's Confessor as Mr. Langhorn expressed himself in order to our Affairs in England and to the same effect as Mr. Coleman had wrote to him before That not long after he wrote another Letter to the Fathers expressing his wonderful zeal for the Catholic Design declaring moreover that the Parliament began to cool in the business of the Protestant Religion and that therefore speaking of the present Opportunity Now was the time to give the Blow That though he were not at the Consults yet that the Witness was order'd to give him an account from time to time and that upon a pleasing report made by the Witness Mr. Langhorn with Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven Pray'd God to prosper them That the Report of the Witness was That the Death of the King was resolv'd upon and that Grove and Pickering were chosen out for the Execution of the Result That at the same time several Parchments were lying upon Mr. Langhorn's Study-Table which he found to be Commissions for the Lords Arundel of Wardour Powis Bellasis and Petre to be Chancellor Treasurer General and Lieutenant General Another for Coleman to be Secretary of State and another for himself to be Judge Advocate of the Army all which had the
Petition into the House of Lords wherein he set forth that he was then attending their Lordships according to Order and expected to have met the Council assign'd him by their Lordships but that he had receiv'd a Message from every one of them that they durst not appear to argue for him by reason of a Vote which the house pass'd yesterday Who thereupon order'd that the Petition should be communicated to the House at the next Conference to know of them whether any such Vote were by them made or no. But here arose a new debate concerning the Bishops which much entangled the interest of the Earl of Danby and the other five Lords in the Tower in reference to their Tryals for the Commons would not prosecute the latter before the first nor the first before such and such things were concluded So that it will be necessary to relate the proceedings of both Houses against the Lords which at length happen'd to be the occasion that neither the one nor the other came to their Tryals as was expected The House having pass'd five resolves for the Impeaching Henry Lord Arundell of Warder William Earl of Pomis John Lord Bellasis William Viscount Stafford and William Lord Peter of Treason and several other Misdemeanors the same day five several Impeachments were accordingly carried up to the Lords but they did not desire they should be sequester'd from Parliament and committed to custody because they were at the same time under restraint in the Tower The Impeachments were first in general That for many years last past there had been contriv'd carried on a trayterous execrable Conspiracy and Plot within this Kingdom of England other places to alter change and subvert the ancient Government Laws of this Kingdom Nation to suppress the true religion therein establish'd to extirpate destroy the professors thereof which said Plot and Conspiracie 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 five Lords together with Philip Howard commonly called Cardinal of Norfolk and divers others Jesuits Priests and Friers and other Persons as false Traitors to his Majesty and this Kingdom within the time aforesaid had traiterously consulted contriv'd 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 to deprive him of his Royal State Crown and Dignity and by malicious and unadvised Speaking Writing and otherwise declared such their purposes and intentions To subject this Kingdom and Nation to the Pope and his Tyrannical Government To seize and share among themselves the Estates of his Majesties Protestant Subjects To erect and restore Abbeys Monasteries and other Convents and Societies which have been long since by the Laws of this Kingdom supprest for their Superstition and Idolatry 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 That the said Conspirators their Accomplices and Confederates had and held several Meetings Assemblies and Consultations wherein it was contriv'd and design'd among them what means should be used and what Persons and Instruments imployed to murder his Majesty and did then and there resolve to effect it by Poysoning Shooting Stobbing or some such like ways and means offer'd rewards and promises of advantage to several Persons to execute the same and hir'd and employed several wicked Persons to Windsor and other places where his Majesty did reside to destroy and murther his Majesty which said Persons accepted such rewards and undertook the perpetrating thereof and did actually go to the said places for that end and purpose That the said Conspirators had procur'd accepted and deliver'd out several Instruments Commissions and Powers made and granted by or under the Pope or other unlawful and usurping Authority to raise Mony Men and Arms and other things necessary for their wicked and traiterous Designs namely to the said Henry Lord Arundel of Warder to be Lord High Chancellor of England to the said William Lord Powis to be Lord Treasurer of England to the Lord Bellasis to be General to the Lord Petre to be Lieutenant General to the Lord 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 and Confederates aforesaid did cause their Priests to administer an Oath of Secrecy together with the Sacrament and upon Confessions to give them Absolutions upon condition that they did conceal the Conspiracy That the better to compass their traiterous Designs they had consulted to raise and had procur'd and rais'd Men Money Horse Arms and Ammunitions and had made applications to and treated and corresponded with the Pope his Cardinals Nuncio's and Agents and with other forreign Ministers and Persons to raise tumults within the Kingdom and invade the same with forraign Forces to surprize seize and destroy his Majesties Navy Forts Magazines and Places of Strength to the ruine and destruction of the Nation That when Sir Edmund-Bury 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 the advice councel and instigation of the rest did incite and procure divers persons to lye in wait and pursue the said Sir Edmund-Bury several days with intent to Murder him which at last was prepetrated and effected by them That after the said Murther and before the body was found or the Murther known to any but the Accomplices the said Persons falsly gave out that he was a-live 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 a design to stifle and suppress the Evidence he had taken and had knowledge of and to discourage and deter Magistrates and others from acting in the farther discovery of the said Plot and Conspiracy That of their farther malice they had wickedly continued by many false suggestions to lay the guilt and imputation of the aforesaid Horrid and Detestable Crimes upon the Protestants that so they might escape the punishments they had justly merited and expose the Protestants to great scandal and subject them to Persecution and Oppression in all Kingdoms and Countries where the Roman Religion is receiv'd and professed All which Treasons Crimes and Offences were contriv'd committed perpetrated acted and done by the said Lords and every of them and others the Conspirators against our Soveraign