pass a Money Bill and none then if there appear the least Shadow of a Descent If the French had believ'd them or they had believ'd themselves surely we had had an Invasion or some other Disturbance from them before this time When the Nation is generally uneasy and discontented for it's great Losses the burthen and weight of Taxes and no hopes of an end of them but by the Change of Government When the whole Kingdom is divided into Parties and most against the Governors and Government and Contentions of State arise in Private Families Verdicts and Judgments found and given as the Litigant Parties exceed in strength more than by the Merits of the Cause which engages the whole People of one side or the other in every Case This Paragraph might have been spar'd till we had a Jefferys our Chancellor and a Wright Lord Chrief Justice When things frame as if it was the Design on all hands to foment and encrease our Devisions instead of pacifying them And when 't is the Opinion of the Wisest and Coolest Men amongst us that those ill Symptoms of a divided and distemper'd Kingdom can only hope for and receive a Cure from what God has put into the hands and Protection of his M. C. Majesty From a Prescription more baneful than the Malady a Cure worse than the Disease and a Physician that first beggers then murders his Patient Libera nos Domine When the most violent of his Majesties Enemies are softned and disarmed by the Promises in his late gracious Declaration others drawn off and his Friends reassured and confirmed in their Duty His Declaration was too mean for a Prince that had a grain of Courage and too condescending to be credited but this was a stroke of Flattery to the Lord Middleton who was the Author of it But on the contrary if this time and opportunity be slipt and not improved we see nothing but an Inundation of Evils breaking in upon us on all sides and no hopes of relief no remedy no stop to be put to them The King's Friends long deluded with false Alarms from St. Germains will be apt to entertain odd Notions of his Restoration to stager in their Duty and perhaps many of them close with the Government or at the best grow jealous of the Intentions of his most Christian Majesty Where pretended Friends prove false wise Men will throw themselves into the Hands of generous Enemies By sliping this Opportunity the P of Orange will become Master of such a Fleet and Army after the Supplies voted him by Parliament once begin to be returned into the Exchequer which together with his Pensions and Bribes will make him as absolute and despotic here as he is already in Holland especially if he be attended with the least good Success abroad and by his Practices in both Countries enslave both and retain them in Subjection by the help of each other The first Part of this Paragraph shews their Fears and the last proclaims their Falsehood Whereby all hopes for the future of a Restauration will become desperate by undermining the Endeavours and emasculating the Courage and Constancy of the greatest Sufferers for their Loyalty and Integrity and giving Leisure and Scope to his Enemies to make yet greater Barriers and Fences against it The hopes of a Restauration must needs be desperate when it is attempted by none but undermined and emasculated Jacobites Whereas if it shall please his most Christian Majesty by laying hold of this Opportunity to deliver us from the Calamities and Oppressions we lie under and the greater we are like to be exposed to by restoring to us our lawful Soveraign ancient Laws and Constitutions it will not only be a means to remove all Jealousie and Fears hitherto entertain'd of his Power and Greatness but beget such a Confidence in him and a mutual Love between the Subjects of both Kingdoms as may be evermore the Grounds of an everlasting solid Happiness to them both Towards the attaining of which wished-for-end in which the Peace of Europe the Happiness of our Native Country in particular is so much wrapt up in and in which the Glory Honour and Justice of his most Christian Majesty seems to be so eminently concerned We shall heartily and chearfully concur with our Lives and Fortunes in Company of a great many more of all Ranks Degrees and Professions and upon your Directions be ready to enter into Action in Conjunction with such Succours as the present Circumstances of his M. C. Majesty will permit him to furnish us This Paragraph that so loudly proclaims a Plot against the Government and humbly begs help to ruin their Native Country gives us the true Effigies of the Jacobites who represented our Affairs to the French not as they truly were but after such a manner as might tempt the French King to assist them but the French it seems had more Kindness for themselves then to be again deluded by their repeated Falsifications and therefore would neither credit their Assurances nor comply with their Requests in hazarding 30000 Soldiers and a Fleet of Ships and Seamen for Moon-shine'ith Water having lately sound by a dear bought Experience that our English Seamen and Soldiers were not so few nor so false nor the Nation so poor nor so factious but that they were always agre'd to be irreconcileable Enemies to all that were so to King William and the English Nation and being so united would exert their Courage and Fidelity and Chastise the Insolency of all that oppos'd them at their Pleasure as a late Event had already justified Now That this solemn Invitation had no Effect was not want of Will but Power in the Jacobites since they pusht it so far and made it so public and is not this Project enough to astonish all that consider the Design and its Consequences That the Jacobite having devour'd the English Man a Monster should grow up in the room of him who cares not if Great Britain might but be Lost who gains it so our Religion were but destroy'd whether Popery or Mahometism were placed in it's stead And that so England be but Invaded they are neither afraid nor asham'd to see it accompany'd with the Desolation of our Cities demolishing of our Temples converting the whole Land into one Forreign slaughter-House and leaving a rich and fertile Kingdom to be possess'd by a pack of beggarly hunger-starv'd naked Slaves and Vassals Much more might be added upon this Head if the Author could take any Pleasure in so melancholy a Subject And that it were not to make little Account of the Wisdom and Justice of English Men to whom he writes that he did not think them capable of resenting the Jacobites Treachery and were not of Ability Skill and Honesty to countermine them and all their Confederates The Second Paper follows WE no ways doubt but his Most Christian Majesty is fully informed by the King who has had laid before him the Representations of the several
their cruel Task-Masters or that they dispatch'd any of their Body to compliment the King of Egypt with a free Surrender of their Lives and Fortunes If they had been Guilty of such an unpardonable Stupidity I may be bold to say That they had been so far from deserving such a Country as the Land of Canaan that Lapland it self had been too good for them mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur I will no longer detain the Reader from the History it self wherein if he find by Undenyable Proofs That our Enemies have hitherto been continually designing upon His Majesty's Life and the Ruin of the Kingdom I hope he will agree That what has been already may be again repeated and therefore That we ought not by our own Sloth or Covetousness lead our Enemies into Temptations to attack us unprovided but that we should always have a Defence suitable to our Dangers AN ACCOUNT OF SEVERAL CONSPIRACIES AGAINST His Majesties Sacred PERSON and GOVERNMENT AS nothing of Public Concernment has been so variously discours'd of at home and abroad as the Lancashire Plot and that perpetual Train of Conspiracies that have annually succeeded it some endeavouring to sham the whole by scandalous Invectives against the Discoverers whilst others searching into the bottom of the several Designs are not only convinc'd of the Truth of them but also of the Honour and Integrity of the Government in relation to these Affairs I cannot imagin but that a True and Impartial Account of them will be equally useful and acceptable to the Public and because the Lancashire Plot has had the Honour not only to be the Parent but Companion of all the other Conspiracies I find my self oblig'd to begin tho' the Series of the Narration will not permit me to conclude with it The Contrivance then of this Plot is owing to the Politics of the late King James who finding himself utterly lost in the love and affections of his People and the Crown fallen from his Head by his own mal-Administration yet flattering himself with the vain hopes of regaining by the Sword what he had forfeited by breaking the Laws of the Land and endeavouring to subvert the Constitution He fled into France for shelter till he could put his Affairs into such a Posture as might facilitate his Return and enable him to establish Popery and Arbitrary Power in these Protestant Kingdoms But before he took his Voyage for France to gain Assistance from that potent Monarch 't was concerted by him and those Popish bigotted Friends that had espous'd his Interest that they should also endeavour at the same time to raise a Ferment in England Scotland and Ireland to concur with the Designs that carryed him into France and therefore that some Person of known Experience Courage and Secresy should be dispatch'd on that Errand to imbroyl the three Kingdoms Mr. Bromfeild a pretended Quaker and so dexterous and bold a Counterfeit that he was able to personate the the Disciple of any Sect Member of any Faction or Person of any Quality had this Office assign'd him and from the Earl of Salisbury's by the Name of Thompson advanc'd towards Scotland Not forgetting according to the Instructions given him by the late King to sow such Seeds of Discontent and Jealousy as he pass'd through the North of England as might ripen into an Insurrection and Rebellion at his Return He had not been long in Scotland before he effected his wicked Purposes in laying a Foundation for a Civil War in that Kingdom and from thence sail'd into Ireland on the same Errand Where he acquaints the Earl of Tyrconnel how successful he had been in his Negotiations in Scotland viz. That the Duke of Gourdon had garrison'd Edenbrough Castle and that the Viscount Dundee would be suddenly at the Head of a great Army there and both declare for the late King James but Mr. Bromfeild finding the Earl of Tyrconnel so zealous for the Cause that he wanted no Arguments or Preswasions to make him more active and daring in promoting the late Kings Service he sail'd from thence into Lancashire where he might be more useful intending to make that and the adjacent Countrys the Provinces he would act in When Bromfeild landed in Lancashire he intended for Croxteth the Seat of the Lord Molineux but for fear of being too much observ'd there he alter'd his purpose and took up his head quarters at Mr. Fitz Herberts of Wapra * Vid Mr. Edward's and Wilson's Depositions in the Appendix and sometimes at Mr. Wilson's in Redland where the Jacobites resorted to him in great Numbers to concert what was necessary to be done for the Restauration of their old Master From Wapra he often made Excursions into the neighbouring Countys and through by-ways to Croxteth to confer with the Lord Molineux and his Son and other considerable Persons of the Roman Character And having adjusted Matters there for an Insurrection he return'd into Ireland with his Dispatches and so backward and forward as the Emergency of his treasonable Affairs requir'd Having a safer Conveyance for his Lancashire Pacquets to and Answers from France by the way of Ireland than to hazard them through the several Post-Offices in England This treacherous Imployment was carry'd on by Mr. Bromfeild for some Months the Habit of a Quaker securing him from the Suspition of a Jacobite but at length his Visor dropt off and the trayterous half-fac'd Papist was seen through the demure Looks and canting Dialect of the Quaker The Vessel that Bromfeild bought to transport him to and from Ireland was seiz'd by Mr. Morston for the use of the Government and Bromfeild had certainly been committed to Prison and try'd for his Life had not the means of his Escape out of Lancashire * Vid Depositions pradict been contriv'd by his quondam Host and intire Friend and Confident Mr. Wilson Mr. Bromfeild and his Intelligence being once more landed in Ireland * May. 1689. where the late King James was arriv'd also he acquaints the late King with the Effects of his Travails viz. That his Friends were up in Arms in Scotland and that the Lancashire Papists and others were ready to ingage in his Quarrel in Order to re-inthrone him as soon as they were commissioned by him to undertake it Nor did he forget to acquaint the late King how narrowly he escap'd a Goal and the Gallows at his last being in Lancashire and that since he was too well known there to be sent again into that Country he begg'd some other Person might he imploy'd in carrying over the Commissions desir'd Which the late King comply'd with and as a Reward of these Services made Mr. Bromfeild one of the Commissioners of his Irish Mint in which Post he continued till the Reduction of Ireland by King William If any object that Bromfeild's Agency in Scotland has no Authorities to support it let the Reader know 't is not for want of them they are not produced but for
Things were upon this Foot honest Mrs. Sarah * The Descent Dolton's Match would not be now to make See how the Jacobites are bartering with France for England and there is no Question to be made if the Charge of a Descent must be out of the F K 's Pocket all the three Kingdoms must be in his Power till the Debt is cancell'd Which will never be till our Claims are extinguish'd in our Blood and Ruin and yet upon this Foot would the Jacobites have their native Country invaded I will trouble the Reader but with one Letter more before I produce the Scheme for the Invasion and that was dated March 1694. and sent by Mr. Bolton and directed to Mr. * Crosby James Clynch I Had yours of the 26th of January and Mr. Nihil * Mr. Neale Lord Melfort's Secretary shew'd me one of yours of the same date to Mr. May * Melfort who has writ at large to you by this Pacquet we are all pleased with the hopes you give us of uniting all Interests if this could be improved to a Degree of collecting all their Sentiments from time to time into one Letter written by their Directions it would have wonderful Effects here and make all Answers expeditious and satisfactory Here are Directions how Crosby and his Accomplices are to proceed in order to form a Descent from France and an Insurrection and Rebellion in England all Parties must be cajol'd Factions humour'd and such Promises made as were never intended to be perform'd That 's the true English of the Words uniting all Interests for according to the Jacobites settled Decrees if they could Re-inthrone the late King James none but the Papists must be sharers in the Government or in their Kings Affection or Bounty for they equally hate all Protestants under what Denomination soever as I will prove by their own Words and Matter of Fact It being one of their own deliberate berate Advices at a Consult and sent to the late King James as a Rule to govern himself by viz. That he should make use of the Whigs but never trust them See Crosby's Papers they might it seems be imployed in promoting his Designs and their own Ruin but the Administration and Advantages of it must be given to the Papists Now since the Dissenters Hopes are all lopt off at one blow sure there remains great expectation of Favour and Bounty to the Church of England Men * Vid. same Paper No they were the Papists first and most formidable Enemies at the Revolution as having the Law on their side and must also be thrust behind the Door nay they so load them with Reproaches now for deserting a Popish King and their Doctrin of Passive Obedience together that they can hope for no Mercy As is plain from the Epithets given them in a Letter directed to Philips dated the 4th of May and sworn to be found in his Custody by two Witnesses which among others have these Words Let Lord Middleton Toncroft know I meant the Church of England by the pack of Rogues and the Bishop of N. the Clergy-Man that was his Enemy their Characters now I will not venture to send him being so various in their Politics This is the true and undisguised Language of Popery among themselves which I will make no other use of than to perswade all Protestants of what Denomination soever to Love fervently and Unite inseparably against these common Enemies of our Nation and Religion In the last Letter produced Crosby had Orders from France to inform himself of the Sentiments of the whole Party and digest them into one Letter For this purpose he frequented all their Meetings and was carressed and assisted in this Undertaking by all that bore a Figure or Name amongst the Jacobites both in City and Country and this great and finishing Stroke being given at their several Consults he only waited for a Wind to waft himself and his Scheme into France to be put in Practice but Heaven crost their Designs and threw into the hands of Justice both the Plotter and the Papers some of which are these that follow and contain the Scheme for an Invasion of his Majesties Dominions Why 't was fitting to be attempted then the ways of accomplishing it and the Names of some Persons from whom as the Jacobites say Assistance might be expected directed to Mr. Toncroft Lord Middleton Sir AS we are sensible of your very great Goodness and Zeal in promoting his Majesties Interest so we are in a special Manner for your Favour in opening us a way whereby we dare freely and impartially impart our Thoughts to you and that at a Time when there never yet offer'd a fairer Opportunity for his Majesties Restoration nor a greater Concurrence of Causes At a Time when the Government is under the greatest Contempt for it's Miscarriages abroad and Mismanagements at home When the Nation is fully sensible their Representatives are of a Party against them and so bribed into false Notions of their Interest that every of them seems to be at Work to dig the Kingdoms Grave When the whole Army to defend us is not above twelve Thousand and that dispers'd into the several Corners of the Kingdom so that not above seven or eight Thousand can be drawn together into the Field and the Garrisons left provided and many of them justly suspected not to be ill inclined to their Lawful Soveraign and none to be expected from abroad without eminently exposing our Allies Egregiously false in every Particular When the Fleet cannot possibly be out till the beginning of May at soonest the Preparations in order thereunto moving slowly notwithstanding the pressing Instances of the Court for want of Funds the Stores in bad Conditions and the best Ships and Seamen gon with the Merchants Fleet Convoys to the Streights The difficulty of getting other Seamen to supply their Places greater than ever from the hardships they were made to endure from ill Payment and the frequent deluding them with Proclamations of great Promises and no Performances All which may give his M. C. Ms. Fleet an Opportunity of being out earlier then ours and to profit of this our Condition by possessing himself of such a Station as may prevent the Junction of our Portsmouth and Chattam Fleets and the Transportation of Troops from Flanders if they could be spar'd from thence or what else might be thought proper What Pains the Jacobites take to perswade the French to be beaten a second Time When the Militia are in such hands as will make little Opposition and at the worst of no use in Winter The Exchequer in the lowest Ebb and very much in Debt The lendable Money of the Nation from twelve hundred thousand pounds reduced to Six and not above one in the Exchequer to answer all the Exegencies of State a great part of the Funds now to be given already anticipated and no Credit to be had till the Parliament
's fit you should rest satisfied of that the Moment he lands Carlisle and New-Castle will be put into his hands And there will be an Attempt made upon Chester and Berwick Falmouth we are sure of upon the first notice and some are in Treaty with the Deputy Governour for Ply**h in case my Lord of B*h should fail there is a Person has carried you over a Project for the securing another Place You may depend upon 500 of the Inferiour Clergy's joyning the King upon his Landing which will greatly influence the Nation If this be true the Government was well advised to oblige them to joyn in the National Association It must be left to your Discretion and the Wisdom of your Counsels what Directions to send to his Majesties Friends in the North the City and the West what you would have them do whether they shall joyn his Majesty or make some Diversion where they are Their best way is to study to be quiet and to mind their own Business for Plotting is a Trade that few Men thrive by You must understand that this Representation coming from such Persons whereof many of them have been in a long Correspondence with his Majesty they refer you therefore to him to inform you of the particular Assurances each have given him themselves or their Freinds in their Names out of which and the Assurances you have from the new Party that are fallen into this Interest P. Middleton Melfort Mr. Carryll under the Management of Mr. Toncroft Mills and Ryfeild you may collect what is to be depended upon from this Place But after all the surest Rule an Attempt can be grounded upon is the Discontents of a Nation headed and seconded with Men of Figure and Reputation in their Countries the first were never greater and Universal nor the last in greater Numbers for by the common Estimate it 's judged two Parts in three of the Commonalty and Gentrey are against the Government and one half of the Nobility Unless the Jacobites pretend to invade the Prerogative of God Almighty and know Mens Hearts I am very confident they are grievously out in their Reckoning Another Paper thus Sir THAT this is the proper Juncture for France 's making an Attempt for the Kings Restoration for the following Reasons First From the Temper of the Nation inclining and bending towards a Revolution which appears upon all considerable Divisions in the House the Men of the greatest Interest and Substance still dividing against the Court. If any in that August Assembly do so they will scarce thank the Jacobites for assigning their hopes of a Revolution as the Cause of it By the delays of the House to supply the present necessities of the Government This is so False that in other Places they complain of the contrary surely they have a bad Cause or very treacherous Memories The many open and scurrilous Speeches against the Ministry Scurrility is not the Language of that honourable Assembly The constant Divisions at the Council Board The slowness to condemn State Criminals That is a Fault indeed tho' I did not expect the Jacobites would have complain'd of it but where they cannot arraign the Government for it's Severity they quarrel at it's Lenity and Mercy The Discontents of the Seamen and Admirals The many open Declarations of the Officers and Soldiers of the Army of their Respect and Duty to the King The great Alteration that appears every where upon the least Alarm of the Kings Coming They did not find it so at the late Action off la Hogue In the City upon the Exchange In the Country the many Mortgages made by Men of the greatest Fortunes upon the least Report of his coming From whence 't was generally concluded those Men had thereby prepared themselves to joyn his Majesty upon Occasion What a strang Inference is this they will not give a Gentleman Leave to raise Money to pay his Debts or serve his other Occasions but they will construe it contrary to his Intention that he is equipping himself for a Rebellion The general desponding of the Kings Enemies on such Reports The Resolution of all Men in Office throughout the Kingdom except it be the very Military Officers alone nay and many of them will lye quiet or go into the King If they had known any such they would not have forgot their Names to encrease the Number of their Party Add to this the general Influence it has upon money'd Men. I know not how money'd Men can be interessed in an Invasion Insurrection and Rebellion unless it be to hide their Cash An assurance of Forts and Places of Retreat which holds beyond Expectation Now let us examin what Reason they had for these Representations For that the City of London would not oppose an Invasion made near it by the French is such a horrible Abuse upon that Honourable and Loyal City that none would have been guilty of it but such a Set of Men as are ashamed of nothing And as to their Boasts of great Numbers to support the Descent 't is a piece of the same Dye Bristol it 's true might be represented by that turbulent Man Sir John Knight who held Correspondence with Crosby to be in the late Kings Interest but if he had put it to the Tryal he would have found a vigorous and sturdy Opposition The ablest Merchants and greatest Traders in the Town being all Williamites as appear'd at the Election of Citizens to serve in Parliament when they threw out Sir John Knight and Sir Richard Hart from being Members of Parliament by a great Majority What they say of the Towns of Dorchester and Weymouth in particular I am well assured is wholy false for they are both known to be universally well affected to the present Government and few if any Towns in the West so entirely For there are not in either of them above three Jacobites and those in no Credit but discountenanced and contemned by every Body for being so I wish I were as able to do Justice to other Places and Persons as a worthy Gentleman hath made me in this And now What need is there of producing Lunt Womball or Wilson for further Proof of a Plot in general or of a Lancashire Plot in particular when the Managers of the whole Party say that there were in the North four thousand Men actually listed for the Service of the late King James and were ready to march upon Occasion and would be headed by Men of great Consideration For the Kings Evidences have said no more than what is here confest by the Jacobites themselves The foregoing Papers do also give you an Account of the State of our Fleet and of the Inclination of several Persons in the Government as affected or disaffected if you can believe them all which I find in Letters taken in Crosby's Custody dated 22d 26th February 1693 but neither subscribed nor directed About 10 days ago here was News of King James 's Coming and
cautious for the future for two Boxes of Arms were seiz'd in his Custody at Wiggan in Lancashire and this made him forbear a while but other Carriers being entrusted and with worse success Womball was again employ'd to carry up Money to buy Arms and bring them down when bought in which Service he acquitted himself so much to the Satisfaction of his Masters that he was invited to their Meetings and trusted in most of their Affairs Nay in that which they fancied would crown all their hopes for the late King James being almost ready to embark at la Hogue to invade England they thought it a necessary piece of Service to disperse these Arms that lay buried under Ground and crowded up in particular Houses * 〈◊〉 Brown's Aâ—â—â—davit Kelly's Depositions in the Appendix amongst all the Officers concern'd that every thing might be in a readiness at their old Masters Landing Now who so fit to pack them up and make this Distribution as their trusly Womball which he perform'd and by this means came to the open sight and view of great Quantities of Arms and Warlike Equipage As Kettle Drums Trumpets Jack-Boots and Saddles of which he could not have such particular Knowledg when made up in Packs Trunks and Boxes and assisting in the Dividends packing them up in Boxes and helping to load the Horses he might also readily guess at their Numbers which he computes to be as many as would equip a Thousand Horse-Men * See his Depositions in the Appendix and further believes that if a proper and secret Method had been taken and all Notice thereof prevented for seizing of Horses in Lancashire provided for this wicked Purpose in the Hands of the Conspirators there might at that Time have been seized five hundred good Horses fit for Service This is the Substance of Mr. Womballs Evidence which tho' I have thought needless to confirm by more Testimonies the Jacobites themselves making no Exceptions against him yet I cannot forbear telling my Reader that having some Discourse with Captain Porter upon this Subject he was pleased to tell me that at the Request of Coll. Parker he bought two pair of the best Kettle-Drums that London aforded they cost him seven Pounds a Pair and sent them to Mr. Standish of Standish-Hall and that Coll. Parker return'd Money to reimburse him by Johnson the Priest who at the same time complaining of the great Necessities of many of that Party Cap. Porter gave Johnson part of the Money that Coll. Parker sent him for the Drums to be distributed amongst them Mr. Porter told me also that to his own knowledg Mr. Minns at the Holy-Lamb in Long-Acre very often bought Arms for the disaffected Gentlemen in Lancashire as well as for himself More than this he was pleased to say he personally knew not of the Lancashire Plot but well remembers that Mr. Charnock told him that Mr. Tempest of Durham was to be a Coll. of Dragoons Mr. Townley of Townley was to be a Coll. of Horse Mr. Tempest that marryed Mr. Farmers Sister was to be a Coll. of Horse and one Sir Huge Smith was to be a Cap. of Horse under Coll. Parker in the Army they were forming in Lancashire which is a greater confirmation of the Plot and it's continuance than could not long since have been expected The Government being thus fully inform'd of the Plot in all the parts and dimensions of it Warrants are issued out to seize the Conspirators and tho' for the greater Secrecy the Names of the Offenders were not put into the Warrants at the Secretary's Office by those that drew the Warrants but were afterwards put in by the Secretarys themselves yet by some treacherous Correspondence between the Lancashire Gentlemen and their Bifarious Friends that lurk about the Court they had notice given them of all Proceedings here as appear'd by Madam Standish's telling Captain Henry Baker when he came with the Kings Messengers to search her House that he might have saved himself the trouble for they had notice from London of his comming ten days before And I believe it to be true or greater Discoveries had been made of Persons and Arms than could be expected after notice was given them to provide for their Safety by concealing what ever might give cause of Suspition for thereupon they burnt their Commissions * See Dodsworth's Depositions and the Arms and other Warlike Equipage were buried under ground or otherwise disposed of and the greatest Part of the Conspirators fled or absconded yet through the extraordinary Care and Diligence of those imploy'd in that Service some of the Plotters were apprehended and Arms enough found to convince the World that there was a wicked Design on foot against their Majesties and their Government For In the House of Mr. Standish of Standish-Hall whither Lunt deposeth he sent and Womball deposeth he deliver'd great Quantities of Arms and other Habiliments of War tho' the notice they had from London caused them all to be * See Brown's and Kelly's Depositions concealed and the Lady of the House and Servants by many Execrations and Asseverations avowed no such Things were in the House Yet after five hours diligent search by Captain Baker and the Kings Messengers there was found walled up in an upper Room or Garret Thirty new War Sadles furnished with Breast-plates Cruppers Girths and all other necessarys for Troopers Saddles forty new Curb-Bridles sixty new Ammunition Horsemen's Swords with a great Bunch of Swivels for Carbines Which certainly could be for no other Service then the intended Rebellion Nor may I omit a Dialogue between Madam Standish and Mr. Peter Morisco one of the King's Messengers who coming to make a narrower Search in her Bed-chamber finding the Hangings near the Chimney loose and looking in at the Hole that was behind it the Lady told him it was needless for there was nothing The Messenger attempting to pull aside the Hangings and make the Hole wider the Lady endeavour'd to divert him by her repeated Asseverations and laying her Hand upon her Breast said Upon my Honour there 〈◊〉 nothing but the Messenger reply'd upon my Honour Madam there is something and immediately drew out a great Bundle of Horsemens Swords never used and if these Arms that were hid so close were not intended for ill purposes they would do well to assign some other use of them for I cannot For not to reproach Mr. Standish with a small Estate and being much in Debt a great House not half furnished and those few Goods he had in it very Mean and Poor there were but four Men Servants in the whole Family and for a private Gentleman and a known Enemy to the Government to make all this Warlike Provision what other Construction can be made of it than that some ill Design was forming against the Government These Saddles could not be intended for his own use since more of the same kind were found and left in his Stables than
that never say 'T is enough away he posts from Manchester to London and there makes such a black and dismal Representation of the Kings Witnesses for forging a Plot before any could reach the Court to disprove him that the Government in Abhorrence of such a Fact as it was represented to be by Sr. W. W. immediatly order'd the Witnesses to be indicted in the Court of Kings Bench for a Conspiracy against the Lives and Estates of the Lancashire and Cheshire Gentlemen and the Witnesses at their return to London were accordingly committed to the Kings Bench Prison in order to their Tryal upon that Indictment This strange Turn being given many of the wiser Sort of those that were Friends to the accused Gentlemen and dreaded the Consequence of a melius inquirendum advis'd them to sit down quietly and leave it to the Government to punish their Accusers if they saw fit and happy had it been for the Gentlemen if their Advice had been follow'd but some Lawyers and their hot-headed Solicitors over-rule this Advice and not being contented unless some of the tallest Cedars might be rooted up and sacrific'd to their Humour or Lust of Revenge The Lancashire and Cheshire Gentlemen brought the Affair into the Honourable House of Commons And to know how they and their Solicitors manag'd the Matter there it will be worth the Reader 's Time to read over Mr. Clayton's and Brown's Informations in the Appendix which will show him by what base unjust and indirect Methods they carried on the Affair of slandering the Kings Evidences and vilely abus'd * Earl of Macclesfield a Noble Peer who for being a known Friend to the Government they thought of consequence was their mortal Enemy The Honourable House of Commons after several Hearings and long Debates which continu'd at the several appointed Times See the Journal of the House of Commons the Space of seventeen Weeks On Wednesday the 6th Day of February according to the Order of the Day proceeded further in reading the Informations and Papers deliver'd into the House by Mr. Aaron Smith touching the late Proceedings and Tryals in Lancashire and Cheshire and Mr. Lunt's Information was read through and also Mr. Wilson's and Mr. Womball's Informations and the other Papers deliver'd into the House by Mr. Aaron Smith were also read among which were several Printed Papers And it was then Resolved That it does appear to this House that there was sufficient Grounds for the Prosecutions and Tryals of the Gentlemen at Manchester Resolved That upon the Informations and Examinations before this House It does appear there was a dangerous PLOT carried on against the King and Government Neither was this all but that Honourable House after an Order of the House That Mr. Standish of Standish-hall in Laneashire should be taken into Custody and their Messenger return'd and reported he was fled addressed the Kings Majesty to issue out His Royal Proclamation for the apprehending Mr. Standish but he upon Notice of it fled into France the then Common Sanctuary for the Enemies of the English Nation This Disappointment in the House of Commons so contrary to the Expectations of the Party and the Promises they fed themselves withal tho' it was a great Mortification to the whole Party yet in hopes of better Success they lay their Complaint also before the Right Honourable the House of Peers where after examining some Witnesses and many Debates had the Question being put Whether the Government had sufficient Cause to Prosecute the Lancashire and Cheshire Gentlemen It was carry'd in the Affirmative All this while the poor Creatures who were Witnesses for the King were left in a starving Condition and under barbarous Usage four Months in the Common-side in the Kings-Bench Prison upon the Indictment of Conspiracy before named till their Councel in Hillary Term 1694 moving the Court of Kings-Bench that they might either be try'd or admitted to bayl the latter was granted them but the Time for their Tryal could not be yet ascertain'd In Easter-Term following they expected to be try'd but were not In Trinity-Term following they pressed for a Tryal and were assured by Mr. Aaron Smith they should be try'd either the last day of the Term or the Sitting after the Term and in order to their Tryal Mr. Smith call'd them together and jointly ask'd them these questions Whether Sir John Trenchard being dead they would admit of the Informations they gave before Sir John upon Oath as Evidence without further Proof of the same being so given Whether they would admit of the Tryals and Acquittals of the Gentlemen in Lancashire without producing Records Witnesses c. To which they unanimously replyed being very desirous of a Tryal That they would and for the ease of the Government saving Expence and that Truth might appear in a Legal Tryal would also be oblig'd by a Rule of Court not only to admit the Things there propounded by Mr. Smith but every Matter or Thing else that might expedite their Tryals save only owning themselves guilty Having this Assurance of a Tryal the Witnesses took out Post-Warrants bespoke Subpoenas and engaged Persons to serve them but when ready for their Journey the Defendants had notice from Mr. Attorney General Ward that he could not try them that Term it 's said he consulted with some of the Kings Councel and they for Reasons best known to themselves resolv'd they should not be try'd Now a new Scene appears and instead of trying them upon the Indictment of Conspiracy which above all things one would think the Gentlemen should have been most solicitous for The next Lancaster Assizes August 1695 the Gentlemen having a Grand-Jury wherein were four or five Persons which had never taken the Oaths of Fidelity to their Majesties * See the Pannel in the Office but were known Enemies to the Government A Sheriff and consequently a Pettit Jury for their Turn which were most of them Tenants to the Popish Gentlemen they brought on Tryals upon an Information of Perjury against three of the Witnesses without giving Notice to any of the Defendants and manag'd the Tryals with so much Scandal and so animated the Popish Mob to awe the Court by a great Concourse of disaffected Persons from all Parts of England that one of their own Party exclaim'd against it to a Person of great Quality who was then in the Country And besides all this one of the Persons which the Witnesses had Accused of High-Treason was a Witness against them upon the Indictment of Perjury and then none will scruple believing but they would acquit themselves and load their Adversaries having this advantage of being their own Compurgators And so as it was laid it happen'd the Witnesses were all found Guilty This Advantage over the Innocent Evidences so exalted the Party they could not forbear expressing their Joy at it by ungrateful Reflections upon his Majesties Government in all public Companies and because some Body in the Government