that is by the aid and power of the French King whom next to God who might as well have been left out and the Duke they rely on and expect the greatest help they can hope for from and this to be obtained by the Interest of Le Chese his Confessor inspiring him with the glory and piety of the business There were also read divers other Letters written by the Prisoner and one especially of Aug. 21. 1674. to the Popes Internuncio at Brussels where in so many words he owns his design to be the utter Ruin of the Protestant party in general But these were never thought fit to pass the Press and indeed the others which are published are sufficient alone to satisfie any rational man nay I durst almost say a Papist himself not only that Coleman was Guilty of the Treason in the Indictment for endeavouring to Subvert the Government and Establish'd Religion of England but also to convince him of the truth of the Plot in general and that what Dr. Oates testifies is real for had he seigned or guess'd at things how was it possible that he should tell the Council before hand that if Mr. Colemans Papers were search'd there would be found that in them which would cost him his Neck as Sir Robert Southwell positively Swears he did p. 36. of the Tryal And indeed it was digitus dei a most signal Providence that these few Papers were left behind to be produced If we consider what grounds and opportunities Mr. Coleman had to abscond all his Papers as t is plain he did the most of them none of his Letters of this Subject since 1675 being to be found For being a man of that Interest and Intelligence as he was and being expresly Charged by Name in Dr. Oates's Informations which were delivered to the King and transmitted to the Treasurers perusal and had lain in his hands almost 50 days before this seizure of Colemans Papers as aforesaid and since it appears Bedingfield his R. H s. Confessor had notice of the Discovery of the Plot almost as soon as ever it was made to his Majesty We cannot after all this reasonably imagine Mr. Coleman could so long be Ignorant of it at least he must needs have some Inkling of the business on the Saturday-night when almost all the Town knew of it which was time enough for him to have remov'd all as well as some of his dangerous Papers had not Providence Infatuated him that his own Hand-writing and which he could not nor did deny to be so might be brought in Evidence against him and undeniably justifie both his Treasons and the Witnesses Integrity The defence he made for himself consisted in these Particulars 1. That Dr. Oates who now pretended such Acquaintance with him declared before the King and Council That he never saw him before or did not know him To this the Dr. Answered That it being by Candle-light and his sight weak and Coleman altered in Habit and Wig he did indeed at first say That he would not Swear that was the Man or that he had ever seen him before but as soon as he heard him speak he knew him well and could then have Sworn it had he been demanded 2. That had the things Dr. Oates now alledged been true he would have Charged the same before the Council But then he charged him only with a Letter which he thought was his hand and such slender matters that the Council was ready to let him go at large and therefore all the rest must be Invented since To this the Dr. replied That he was then so weak and weary that he cannot tell particularly all he then said and possibly in that condition might forget something besides his design then was to lay no more to his Charge than might serve for Information for Prisoners may supplant Evidence when they know it and when he saw Mr. Coleman was secured he had no need to give a further Account for he never apprehended the Council inclined to let him go at large if he had he should certainly have charged him home And so in truth it appears he did as weak as he was for in full Answer to this Objection Sir Robert Southwell Swears that Dr. Oates did then pag. 38. declare that Coleman paid Wakeman 5000 l. of money which he was to have for Poisoning the King 3. Whereas Dr. Oates charg'd him with consenting to Wakemans Poisoning the King and that it was consulted by him in August and as he remembred about the 21th day Mr. Coleman alleadged that he was then in Warwickshire and one of his Men and he was all August there as he thought but was not sure of it and after Conviction he talkt of a Book that would shew he was out of Town from the 15th to the 31. of August But as this was no Evidence in it self and offered too late so it did not contradict Dr. Oates for he was not positive to the day but only to the moneth and it might as well be before the 15th day And this was all he had to object against Dr. Oates's Testimony Against Mr. Bedloe he had nothing to say but that he never saw him in his life To which Mr. Bedloe replied Yes you saw me in the Stone-Gallery in Somerset-House pag. 40. when you came from a Consult where were great Persons whom I am not to name here that would make the very bottom of your Plot tremble then you saw me Then as to his Papers he would excuse himself by alleadging there was no Treason in them though very extravagant Expressions and that his design thereby was so far from Killing the King that it was only to make the King and Duke as great as could be But to Answer to this It was observed that it is apparent he was Guilty of Contriving and Conspiring the Destruction of the Protestant Religion and how could this be done without the Death of the King He that will Subvert the Protestant Religion and would bring in Popery that is a Forraign Authority does an act in Derogation of the Crown and in Diminution of the Kings Title and Soveraign Power and endeavours to bring a Forraign Dominion both over our Consciences and Estates which in it self is no less than Treason Lastly He pleaded the Act of General Pardon but in vain because his Papers were written since the last Act of that kind pass'd Then the Jury going together after some time returned and brought him in Guilty The next day he was again brought to the Bar and there received Sentence the Lord chief Justice advising him to Confess the whole Truth and not to be deluded with the sond hopes of having his Sentence respited to which purpose amongst others he used this Expression Trust not to it Mr. Coleman you may be flattered to stop pag. 99. your mouth till they have stopt your breath and I doubt you will find that to be the event However he did not think
the horror and detestation of this hellish Plot carried on by the Romanists having induced him to quit their communion Three days after the Execution of Whitebread and the other four Jesuits viz. 23 June was Apprehended by Captain Rich one of his Majesties Justices of Peace for Surry one Caryl alias Blunden supposed to be a Popish Priest at Lambeth-Marsh at the House of one Mr. Woodinbrook formerly an Haberdasher of Small Wares in the Burrough of Southwark in whose Chamber was found the following Letter prepared to give an Account thereof to their Correspondents beyond the Seas wherein 't is observable what liberty they take to scandalize the proceedings of Justice and invent so many palpable notorious Lies as that of the Reprieve being brought to the Gallows c. to keep up their Reputation with their Party The words of the Letter were as follow onely in the Margent we have added some necessary Observations IHS MR. 23 June 1679. My Dr. C. ON the Thirteenth of June being Friday Mr. Whitebread Mr. Harcourt Mr. Turner Fenwick and Gaven of the Society and Mr. Corker were brought to the Bar in the Old-Baily Mr. Corker moved the Court for a longer time being onely warned the night before whereas the other Prisoners had eight days warning to prepare themselves whereupon he was re-manded to prison till the next day Then was the Indictment read against the Five above-named Jesuits for conspiring the Kings Death subversion of Government and Protestant Religion Then Mr. Oates swore that on the Twenty fourth of April there was a Consult held in London where the Kings Death was Conspired and that he carried this Resolve from one to the other for their subscribing and swore particular Circumstances against each To Corroborate this Testimony other Witnesses Bedloe Prance Dugdale and Chetwind came in with 1 1 A pretty way of expressing plain positive Evidence of several Overt Acts of Treason Overtures to the matter sworn by Oates Then did the Prisoners after a most solemn and 2 2 It might be solemn but could not be counted Religious by any but you whose Religion consists in Lies and Blasphemous Hypocrisie Religious Protestation of their Innocence and ignorance of any Conspiracy against His Majesty desire that their Witnesses might be heard which could demonstrate that Mr. Oates was actually at St. Omers in all April and May and most of June when he swears he was in London at the Consult To prove this about twenty Witnesses were produced who did shew evidently by several remarkable passages how Oates was at St. Omers all the whole time But the Judge Scroggs asked each Witness as he did appear of what Religion he was of and upon answer that he was a Catholick the whole Court gave a shout of laughter Then the Judge would say to them 3 3 All absolutely false though it might have been the most proper way of Examining such bold young Villains for 't was apparent they did not speak their knowledge but their Masters dictates Well what have you then been taught to say and by many scoffing Questions which moved the Court to frequent laughter he did endeavour to take off the Credibility of their Witnesses Then the Butler Taylor and Gardiner of St. Omers offered to swear that they saw Mr. Oates all that time at St. Omers when he swore he was in London After this the Prisoners at the Bar produced Sixteen Witnesses more that proved Oates 4 4 Another impudent Lie and sure the Jesuits themselves and the Staffordshire Vouchers if they have any shame left will now blush at the story forsworn in Mr. Irelands Tryal because he was in Shropshire when he attested he was in London Then did Gaven one of the Prisoners with a great deal of clearness and Eloquence and with a cheerful countenance draw up their justification shewing the force of their Evidences and how fully their Witnesses had proved Mr. Oates 5 5 Not the least pretence for this old baffled Scandal perjured then he did lay open the improbabilities of such a Plot and how unlikely that Mr. Oates should be entrusted in delivering Commissions to Persons of Honour and Estates whom he never as he acknowledges had seen before or since This was delivered by Mr. Gaven 6 6 O brave Orator sure this Recommendation of such brave service don the Church will hasten Gavens Canonization at least one score or two of years with a Countenance wholly unconcered and in a voice very audible and largely and pertinently exprest The Judge was incensed at this Speech in which he often interrupted him but Gaven still urged My Lord I plead now for my Life and for that which is dearer to me than life 7 7 Ay and Soul to boot the honour of my Religion and therefore I beseech you have a little patience with me After this Plea of Mr. Gaven ' s the Judge made his Harangue to the Jury telling them that what the Prisoners had brought was onely the bare assertions of Boys who were taught it as a point of their Religion to lye for the honour of their Religion whereas Mr. Oates Bedloe and others were upon their Oaths and if Oaths were not to be taken no Courts could subsist Then Mr. Oates brought forth four 8 8 These four were no less than seven Witnesses which he had kept in reserve an old Parson in his Canonical Gown an old Dominican Priest 9 9 Is he so The honester man he to speak the truth and shame the Devil and the Jesuits But Proh dolor Alas how this grieves you that any one of your Religion should speak Truth when it makes against you Proh Pudor Dolor and two old women that swore they saw Mr. Oates in the beginning of May 1678. At this the whole Court gave a shout of 10 10 And who could forbear to hear how undeniably your Novices were proved to be like their Masters most egregious LIARS Nor yet did the Court laugh but the crowd of people whom the Court took order to silence laughter and hollow that for almost a quarter the Gryers could not still them Never was Bear-baiting more rude and boisterous than this Tryal Vpon this the Judge dismiss'd the Jury to consider and bring in their Verdict who after half an hours absence brought in the Five Prisoners at the But all guilty of High-Treason Thereupon the whole Court clapt 11 11 Better so than that you clap your hands at the murder of the King as some of your Tribe did at that of your Enemy his blessed Father their hands and gave a great hollow It being now eight at night the Court adjourned till next day at seven of the clock which was Saturday I was present from five in the morning till the Court broke up The Prisoners comported themselves 12 12 Bravely said Who would confess now To be thus Apostolified would make one venture Purgatory most Apostolically at
several times see Pickering and Grove pag. 23. walking in the Park together with their screw'd Pistols which were longer than ordinary Pistols and shorter than some Carbines That they had Silver Bullets to shoot with and that Grove would have had the Bullet champt to render the wound Incurable and that he saw Grove's Bullets in May and Pickering's in August 5. That in the Moneth of March 1677 8. for these persons followed the King to mischief him before the said Consult and Resolve which was made only to encourage them as well by so general an Approbation as by the certainty of Reward setled Pickering had a fair opportunity to have shot the King but the Flint of his Pistol happen'd to be loose and he durst not venture to give fire and because by their negligence this opportunity was miss'd Pickering underwent pag. 24. Penance and had 20 or 30 strokes of Discipline and Grove was chidden for his carelessness as Whitebread had written in his Letters which the Witness had read and well knew his hand 6. That Grove did go about with one Smith to gather Peter-pence which was either to carry on the design or to send them to Rome That he saw the Book wherein it was entred and heard the said Grove say he had been gathering it The second Witness was Mr. Bedloe who Swears 1. That he was imployed for the space of near five years as a Messenger p. 37 38. by these Conspirators for the carrying their Letters to their Confederates beyond the Seas and bringing others back all or the most relating to this Plot for he Swears he had a way to open and read them whereby he fully informed himself of matters And for the nature of the Plot he Swears he heard some of the Conspirators say That they would not leave any Member of an Heretick in England that should survive to tell hereafter that there ever was any such Religion there as the Protestant And to confirm his Intimacy with them he Swears the manner of his coming first to be imployed by them By means of the Lady Abbess of the English Nunnery at Dunkirk who having kept him six weeks in her Convent recommended him to Sir John Warner as a proper Instrument who afterwards sent him to Harcourt to be instructed and then he brings his Brother James Bedloe who knew nothing of the Plot but Swears he hath heard the Prisoners often named as being of his Brothers Acquaintance and that he hath on his Brothers behalf received several sums of money from Priests and Jesuits sometimes 50 or 60 l. aâ— a time from all which it appears that he must be very well acquainted amongst them and knowing in the design having been imployed under them so long in it 2. Mr. Bedloe Swears That about the latter end of August 78. the very day he Confesses he cannot Swear to at Mr. Harcourts pag. 41. Chamber one of the Conspirators he met Ireland Pickering and Grove the Prisoners with some others where he heard them discourse that the 4 Irish Russians missing of Killing of the King at Windsor therefore Pickering and Grove should go on in their design and that one Conyers a Benedictine Monk was to be joyned with them and that they should endeavour to Assassinate his Majesty in his Morning walk at New Market and they had taken it so strongly upon them that they were eager upon it and Mr. Grove more forward than the rest insomuch that he said Since it could not be done Clandestinely it should be attempted Openly and that those that should fall therein had the Glory to die in a good Cause but if it should be discovered the discovery could never reach to that height but their Party would be strong enough to accomplish the work 3. He Swears that Harcourt told him Grove was to have 1500 l. and Pickering as many Masses as at 12 d. a piece came to the like sum 4. That at the same time when the discourse was at Harcourts Chamber about Killing the King at New-Market there was likewise a discourse amongst them of a design to Kill several Noble Persons and the particular parts assigned to every one Knight was to Kill the Earl of Shaftsbury Prichard the Duke of Buckingham Oneile the Earl of Ossory Obrian the Duke of Ormond c. And here it is to be noted That though Dr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe do not speak to one and the same Consultation nor to one and the same time yet they are in Law two Witnesses to one and the same Crime for thus several Witnesses to several Overt Acts are so many Witnesses to the Treason and the several Overt Acts which declare the Intention are but as so many Evidences of the Treason and this hath often heretofore as in the case of Sir Henry Vane and else where as well as now been declared to be Law and there seems good reason that it should be so for otherwise scarce ever any Treason could be proved for men that run the hazard of their lives in such Consultations will hardly suffer two persons to hear them or meet twice together but so dispose them that they may meet severally at several times and in different places as Dr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe did To Corroborate Dr. Oates's Testimony concerning the Consult of the 24th of April there was a Letter produced and read taken in Harcourts Chamber when they Search'd for him dated Feb. 23. 77. written by one Peters a Jesuit now in Newgate on the score of the Plot to one Tonstall of the same Society to summon him to meet at the general Consult to be held at London April the 24th the same day Dr. Oates set forth wherein there is special Caution given in these words Every one is also to be minded not to hasten to London long before the time appointed nor to appear much about Town till the meeting be over lest occasion should be given to suspect the Design finally Secresie 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 Dr. Oates had given in his Testimony of the Consult on April the 24th long before this Letter was found so that he was right in that And by the words Suspect the Design and the unusual Caution and Secresie prescribed as necessary there is a strong presumption that the design intended was indeed no other than what he hath set forth The Prisoners Defence for themselves against all this was 1. A naked peremptory denial of the whole but that without Witnesses or good Circumstances to prove it signifies very little being the common Allegation of every Malefactor much more to be expected from these men who having the Conscience to venture on such Devillish Crimes and who by their Religion could have or grant a Dispensation for the breaking of an Oath were not like to Boggle at telling a Lie to save their Lives and to keep