Deponent saying your Brother the said Messenger replied we are off that thing now therefore he desired me me not to speak of it to any body afterwards the said Butler came to this Deponent 's Shop and told the Deponent that he had received great Anger in that he had told the Deponent of what Messenger was to Attempt This Deponent further saith that some what above half a year since he heard Mr. Walliston Paston say that young Sir Henry Beddingfield of Oxburrough Hall in Norfolk was to have a Commission form my Lord Arundel for a Troop of Horse in the Army to be raised by the Papists Also about the time that the four Lords that were in the Tower that is the Duke of Buckingham my Lord Shaftsbury the Lord Wharton and the Lord Salisbury that one Mr. Knightly came to me and greatly rejoycing at their Imprisonment said that now is the time for promoting the Catholic Religion because of the difference that was amongst the Lords and that if the Duke of York did but follow the business closely which the Catholics had ground to believe he would they did not doubt but that it would be settled in that juncture of time Your Friend Mr. Prance gave in another Information on the 22. of March which is as follows IN the Month of August 1678 I having occasion to write to a Friend in the Country but could not tell well how to send I went to Mr. Pastons who lodged at one Bambers a Taylor in Duke-street who gave me an Account where to send to him and we immediately fell into Discourse concerning the present posture of Affairs and he bid me not to fear for we should suddenly have better times for in the first place he said that the King was a great Heretick and that the Lord Bellasis and Lord Arundel and Lord Powis and the Lord Petre would have a very good Army for the Deposing of the King and the suppression of the Hereticks and then the Catholick Religion should be established and flourish in this Nation he also said that the above named Lords had given out Commissions already to some Gentlemen in the Country whom he named to me who were Mr. Talbot of Longford and Sir Henry Beddingfield of Oxborow Hall in Norfolk and one Mr. Stone who lives within four or five miles of Kingston upon Thames Also about two years ago one Townley of Townley in Lancashire came up to London with his two Sons whom he was carrying over to Doway he also brought along with him his two Brothers to keep him Company they took Lodgings at Ayries house in Drury-Lane where Fenwick lodged and in a short time two of them went over to Doway with the two Lads and left the other here who in the absence of his Brothers declared very often to my Wifes Brother and to Adamson that when his Brothers came back again from Doway they expected Commissions from the above named Lords for the raising of Men for the Carrying on the Catholick Cause this my Brother and Adamson often told me at Pettleyes in Veres-street where we had a Club very often of none but Papists Now Sir we have given you an account of what Mr. Prance swore before the Parliament concerning the Popish Plot in which you may see your self engaged for you had a business upon your hands and that business was to be followed closely and then the Catholick Religion would flourish and you know to what a degree of Zeal and Piety you were converted as not to regard any thing in the world in comparison of God Almighty's Glory and the Salvation of your own and the conversion of this poor Kingdom which hath been a long time oppressed and miserably harassed with Heresie and Schism nay your Zeal was such That Coleman could sâ—arce believe himself awake when he thought on it I will now put you in mind of what he discovered upon Oath concerning the said Popish Plot at the Tryals of several of your Villains I begin with the Tryals of the five Jesuites where the said Prance did with all chearfulness declare That Harcourt the Jesuit and one of your Councellors at St. Jameses told Prance that there was a design of killing the King and St. Ireland Fenwick and Grove who was one of your Popish Messengers and Firers of the Borough of Southwark told him of 50000 Men that were to be raised for the carrying on of the Catholick Cause and to settle the Catholick Religion which Affair was to be managed by the Five Lords that were for that Conspiracy committed to the Tower who as well as Whitebread were to grant Commissions for Officers nay had actually granted several and to incourage this Prance who though he had but a little Sense yet he had so much as to dread a Civil War told him that he need not fear he should have Church Work enough It will not be unnecessary to make some Observations upon Mr. Prance his Testimony before we come to another and in it here are five or six things worthy of your Consideration 1. Here is expresly sworn That Popery was to be introduced which you know is High Treason your Priests all expected to see the Romish Religion setled and that then all things would do well and your Priests should have fat Parsonages and then all things would go right 2. This Religion was to be brought in by an Army you know that your Dragooning Apostles here might have planted Religion in as an effectual way as they ruin'd the poor Protestants in France 3. Here is the King your Brother declared an Heretick and therefore by your Popish Army to be deposed and by Messenger to be destroyed 4. Here is your selâ— having a work in hand which you were to follow closely 5. Here are your Popish Party all engaged and you at the Head of them 6. Here is all the Incouragement in the World to prevent them from fainting in the Cause for fear of a Civil War they should have Trade enough what can be plainer let all the World judge 4. A Fourth Witness that proved the Popish Plot was the Testimony of Mr. Robert Jenison the manner of his coming in was thus upon the 15th of June 1679 Mr. Chetwind of Westminster who had some Discourse with one Mr. Griffith a Gentleman of Grays Inn about the five Jesuites that had been condemned on the day before and their attempt â—o prove William Ireland alias Ironmonger executed some time before for High Treason to have been in Staffordshire and on his Journey thither from the fifth of August 1678 till the seventh of September following and not to have been within that time in London as I had with others sworn him to have been there between the eight and the twelfth of August and to be returned again thither on the beginning of September whereupon Mr. Griffith told Mr. Chetwynd that Sir Michael Wharton of Beverley in the County of York then a Member of Parliament told him
upon the Crown for the better support of the Government upon pretence that the Revenue was not sufficient but the House of Commons did not relish it the very Band of Pensioners opposing it and the reason for it was that in case there should be more standing Revenue their Trade would be spoiled for then there would be no need of their service and your old Parliament-briber would keep his Dinners and his Monies too without which those Rascals could not live but the Parliament being gone you and your Rogues being a little unsatisfied that you had not bubbled them out of more Mony began to mutter behind their backs of their unhandsom carriage to the King your Brother and to load the Parliament with the Infamy of being the cause of the Cessation like to be and the Peace which was expected to ensue the French all this while playing their Rogues tricks in Flanders streightly blocking up Mons which they expected to carry before the Peace The Dutch and the Spaniard with the assistance of the English Forces that were in Flanders under the command of the Earl of Ossory were resolved to succour Mons before the Peace took place but the French King being aware of their designs pressed night and day the more to streighten the Town and stopped up the ways so that all relief was hinder'd from coming to them for Luxemburg who did all this had a vast Army with him the very Flower of France the Prince of Orange with the Dutch and Spaniard at the earnest sollicitation of the Spaniard were resolved to succour the Town that it might not fall into the hands of the French before the Peace was concluded they march directly for Mons where they found it close block'd up by the French Army under the command of Luxemburg but notwithstanding the getting into Mons by reason of the Blockade and the advantageous Posts the French were possessed of as if there had been a new Courage put into the Spaniard and Dutch and as if it were a fatality on the French to blemish all his former Enterprizes and to give him a parting blow the Prince with the English then with him pressed upon the French so hard that they forced them out of their advantageous posts and made them quit the Field and by this course Mons was succoured tho' with the loss of many Men on both sides but the French were strangely beaten and retired in great disorder in the Night which was so great a blemish to the French King's Glory and struck such a Fear upon his Army that it was verily thought by judicious persons that had the Dutch and Spaniards followed the blow upon the French they had ruined his whole Design Your Designs on foot beginning to appear to most thinking men and meeting with this sad disaster I remember your Countenance was disorder'd in a strange manner as if you had broke up some House or robbed some Church for which you were to be called to an account and then sometimes you would mimp up your Mouth like some old Custard-maker and say It was a hare-brain'd rash Act done by the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Mâ—nmouth who just came in as they began to fight not like Soldiers but like Madmen I remember it was upon the self-same day that your Brother was made acquainted with that part of the Popish Conspiracy that concerned his Life but of that in its proper place But upon this defeat of the French at which â—n honest company of your good Friends laughed heartily and as heartily drank yours and your Conspirators Healths But I pray Sir how did your French Mustard-maker take all this truly Sir you well remember he sent several Messages to your Brother and you and told you both very roundly that our Forces were the cause of this Affront and Abuse put upon them and in plain terms he called you both to an account for your breach with him in suffering the Duke of Monmouth and the English to fall upon him contrary to agreement truly this made your Brother and you uneasie as also the rest of your bloody Rogues for you were much afraid that he would not furnish you with his purse according to the other agreement but you and your Rogues with open cry protested your Innocency and that you had not the least thoughts of any such Action and truly I did believe you were much in the right Well what to do you could not tell for you were all of you ready to beshit your selves but this Sir you may remember that you dispatched away your trusty Messengers both to the French Court and to Holland and promised upon the Faith of Gammer Potteâ—'s Honesty and her Husband's Religion you were not at all privy to the Prince of Orange's Counsels Right but what then truly you would be a good Boy and stop such ungentile proceedings for time to come and withal assured the French King that the Duke of Monmouth went not over by your consent more truth yet â— nor had he any business there but his curiosity only led him to it and for time to come better care should be taken of him than to be busied about such affairs withal assuring the French King that he should have no thanks for his pains when he came home So you pulled up your Breeches and escaped a scowring for that time and so you and the French was as intimate as the Tinker of Baâ—bury and his Trull for to give you your due you never forgave the Duke of Monmouth that scurvy bout but had an Eye upon him as Saul had upon David for slaying his ten thousands Well then what becomes of the Peace Truly this Foil the Monsieur met withal did not retard the Peace but rather further'd it for your Ally order'd his business so well by his Emissaries at the Hague amongst the States and with the Governor of Flanders Villa Hermosa that the Prince of Orange just as if the De Wits had been risen from the dead had positive Orders immediately after the Fight if not before not to go on any further for that the Peace was concluded from which Peace the States-General had good reason as well as the Spanish Netherlands yea and England too to have dated their ruine as did appear by the fatal Consequences of that Peace had not God design'd a Deliverance for them all and a Deliverer too But your villanous Popish and Popishly-affected Conspirators ply'd their Work and first got in the States General then the Spaniard and then the Emperor even to the abandoning their Allies Denmark and Brandenburg who were drawn into the War for the Common Cause of Christâ—ndom and had been most eminently serviceable with their Arms to divert the Swede and French Interest yet then were leâ—t in the lurch by them whose part they had taken and forced to quit all their Conquests and lose their Charges or else they had been liable to have been undone which made the
and let him read over the Canoâ—s and Decrees of your Church and Councils see the Decree of Pope Vrban We do not esteem them Murtherers saith that godly Prelate who shall happen to kill a person that is excommunicate out of Ardour and Zeal to thâ—â—r Mother the Catholick Church 2dly Gâ—ve me leave to observe to you what impudent Lyars your trusâ—y and well-beloved Councellors and Conspirators the â—ive Jesuites were that blest the Gallows in the Year 1679 and danced a singular Courant when they came to Tyburn They said that there was but one Jesuite that ever maintain'd that Doctrine and that was Mariana Truly Sir you knew that was an impudent Lye with which they jump'd out of the World and the People that saw them take their last Leaves of old England believ'd them much alike in other parts of their last words for they that would dye with so great a Lye as that would not make bones of twenty more rather than fail for Aâ—dâ—rton the Rector of the College of Rome and Campton the Minister of the College and Green the Procurator and Souâ—hwell that was Assistant to Father Oliva the then General Father Buckley good man that was like to have been hang'd for Buggery in Spain not because of the Sin but because it was made publick these you will say were Preachers only but none ever wrote for it but Mariana Was not Tolet a Jesuite And I pray see what he saith he was an honest man I assure you these are his sweet words That Subjects are not bound to maintain invâ—â—aâ—e their Oath of Allegiance to an excommuâ—icate Prince Was not Bellarmin a Jesuite and doth not he affirm that the Pope hath the same Right and Power over Kings as Jâ—â—â—jâ—dâ— had over Athaliah Was not Greâ—â—lentâ—a a Jesuite and doth not he in his Writings affirm That the Pope may deprive Heretical Kings of all dominion and superiority over their Subjects Was not Creswell a Jesuite and doth not he affirm that if a Prince be not of the Romish Religion he loseth all right and title to govern and that his Subjects are discharg'd from all Obligation of Obedience and that he may be proceeded against as an â—nemy of Mankind Was not Francisâ—â—s Varona Constantinâ—s a Jesuite doth not he in his Apology for John Chastele who wounded Henry the fourth of France your Grandfather tell us That it is lawful for a private man to destroy Kings and Princes condemn'd of Heresie Is not this point so evident that de Haâ—lâ—y the first President of the Parliament of Paris who both knew the Doctrine of the Jesuites and had seen the woful Effects of it in the murder of two Kings of France publickly avow'd it to be their common Doctrine in all their Writings That the Pope hath a Right to excommunicate Kings and thereupon their Subjects may with Innocence assault and destroy them What a sort of a weak Memory you may have I know not but of this I am sure that our English Nation which thro' God's Blessing you may â—ever see more unless it be to a very glorious purpose have not with your five hang'd Jesuites learnt the knack of Forgetfulness so as not to remember that Cardinal Aâ—en wrote a Book to prove that Princes excommunicate for Heresie not only might but were to be deprived of their Kingdom and Life And was not William Parry thereby provoked to kill Queen Elizabeth which tho' before at Rome he had resolved to do yet he was hesitating in his Mind about it till encourag'd by that Book Do you think that England hath forgotten that Father Gifford instigated one John Savage to kill the same Queen upon the Bull of Pius quintusâ—â— And to conclude this second Observation it was remarkable at the same time that they might be the less suspected and that Queen the more secure they wrote a Book wherein they admonish'd the Papists in England not to attempt any thing against their Princess but to fight against their Adversaries only with Christian Weapons viz. Tears Spiritual Reasonings Prayers Watchings and Fastings 3dly Give me leave to recommend a third thing to your consideration and that is Tho' this be a common Doctrin in the Church of Rome yet in the years 1672 73 74 75 76 77 78. it was more earnestly pressed than at any time before and indeâ—d they had then great occasion to put that Doctrin in practise And since it was with speed to be transacted it was not sit their Votaries should go about the Work uninstructed Thus when the Murther of your Grandfather Henry the Fourth of France was determin'd Father Generâ—t a Jesuite instructed John Chastele in this damnable Doctrin of your Hell-born Church and Father Fayre did the same by Francis Veron to dispose his godly Soul for the same work yea when they were ready to perpetrate the same Villany upon that great Prince the very Sermons of the Jesuites were all framed to instigate Men to such an impious Attempt so that Ravilliac when examin'd about the causes why he stab'd the King answer'd That he might understand them by the Sermons of the Preachers I pray call to mind how that twelve Missioners in the year 1677 were sent into Spain and were by the Jesuites oblig'd to reâ—ounce their Allegiance to the King your Brother and were taught by Daniel Armstrâ—ng that the said Oath was heretical antichristian and devilish and they having resolv'd upon your Brother's death with you the said Armstrong did on the 29th of September 1677 in his Sermon to the said Missioners declare That Charles the second King of England was no lawful King but came of a spurious race that his Father was a black Scotchman who by Trade was a Taylor and not Charles the first and that he was a Bastard And you may remember that George Coniers the Jesuite was order'd to preach upon the day dedicated to Thomas Beckâ—t to preach against the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and that he should exhort the Fathers to stand by the new Provincial in the Great Work that you and the Society had in hand And your old Friend Blundâ—l had his places where he against the good time taught several young Men treasonable and mutinous Doctrines against the Interest and Person of the King your Brother John Keins on the 13th of August 1678 preach'd a Sermon to twelve Men in poor habits yet Men of Quality by the whiteness of their Hands in which Sermon he deliver'd this villanous Doctrine That Protestant and other Heretical Princes were ipso facto deposed because such and that it was as lawful to destroy them as an Oliver Cromwel or any other Usurper At which Sermon Sir I was present not designedly but by chance 4thly I must observe that a Man that is not thorow paced in all the points of these Villains is in danger of being expos'd to the Vengeance of their Cruelty for I find that tho' they knew you in all points to be a Roman Catholick
Edmund Bury Godfrey And how doth it appear that I was Concerned in it Before I answer these Questions I must put you in mind of one Thing since you could not be Content to Murder him but you also endeavoured to Stifle his Murther and not only so but you would have Murthered his Reputation when Dead for your main Business as I told you just now was to have him brought in a Felo de se but you failing in that and found that the People were in a great rage against you as a Principal and the then Queen Consort as a wicked Abettor of this Horrible Murther there was by you and your Party great care taken to lay this Noise by giving out that it was impossible that he should be destroyed by the Papists for said they he was an intire Friend to the Papists and that he had performed the uâ—most Service in their behalf that friendship it self could suggest truly Sir your Rogues might as well have said that Sir Edmund was a Papist as that he was a Friend to Papists or the Popish interest but what can be said to this Matter more than to tell you that your party were a provoking Generation of Rogues and your Villainous Aspersion of the Name of that worthy Magistrate did I say abuse the Patience of all that knew that Gentleman and were Masters of Sence and Honour when ever the black Mouths of your clamourous Rogues thus opened against Justice Godfrey who that he was a Protestant no Man gave greater Demonstrations than himself so that he was far enough from being Inrolled in the number of the Friends of your Villainous Crew I must needs say of that poor Gentleman That he little thought that a professed Member of the Church of England and a bold Assertor of the Protestant Doctrine and a constant Reliever of those of the Reformed Religion not only so but One that Expected to be the first Martyr under the Popish Rage should be to Posterity marked as a Cordial Friend to those avowed Enemies of his own Religion what Impudence Had your Rogues to call him a principal Confident of your Hell-born Crew that were Enemies to our Laws and Liberties for the Preservation of which he was a watchful Magistrate Sir to be Plain with you what Truth or what thing like Truth could we Expect from you or your Villains who after you had Murdered in a most barbarous Manner an Innocent Gentleman you were not Contented with that but by a second Assassination you did Endeavour to Murder him in his Credit and Reputation I cannot forbear to admire the Wisdom of our good God to the Nation that gave you and your wicked wretched Party up to vent your Lies that were so Palpable that the Credulous Party of Mankind might the better be prepared and fortified against those other Reports which then your Devils such Liars in one thing they were not by them to be Credited in any other thing unless they brought better Proof then their bare Testimony now Sir I will Answer you two Questions that you just now Huffed and Bounced withal 1. How it did Appear that Godfrey was Murthered by the Papists you cannot have Forgotten that he was a very Useful and an Active Justice of the Peace and that he had taken more Examinations of the Popish Plot than you were willing the World should be blest withal and was very Diligent in finding out those who had been Active in this Plot of yours and from the Sixth of September to the day of his Death he had employed much of his Time in serving the Public in Relation to that Conspiracy some of the Priests and Jesuits and eke your sweet self foreseeing your own Danger and the overthrow of your blessed Design you and they had been Carrying on for so many Years your Councel at St. Jameses had several Consultations with you how to prevent the Discovery and as you and your Party did never use to stick at Blood but rather counted it Meritorious to shed it though never so unjustly when your Cause and Church might be Profited by it you did resolve to secure your Self and Party by the taking away his Life and in order to this your Popish Priests and Jesuits and others had several meetings where they debated the necessity of taking away the Life of this worthy Gentleman therefore 1. Let me observe to you what Sir Edm. Godfrey told me and to introduce that Discourse you may remember that upon the Sixth of September 1678 I did go before Sir Edmund Bury Godfrey and there upon Oath I gave in several Depositions after that the said Godfrey had sworn me upon them he delivered them again to me and after that I had taken two or three Copies of those Depositions I went on the 28th of the same Month again to Sir Edmund and Sir the 28th at Night all those Depositions were laid open and made out before the then Councel and I was Examined by the King your Brother the 29th of September and upon Munday the 30th of September he told me that several Persons of Quality had Threatned him for being so Zealous in the Discovery of the Popish Plot and also told me that others who were well wishers to the Discovery did think he had not been quick enough but too Remiss and that they would Complain of him in Parliament which was to sit the 21st of October following at which he was much concerned but I told him that I knew how diligent he had been and that he need not fear a Parliamentâ— and the Week before he was missing he came to me and told me that the day before you went to Newmarket that you had severely Threatned him and several others some of whom were shut up in the Tower for that Grace in your Church which we call high Treason in ours and asked him what he had to do with it In a Word he told me that he went in Fear of his Life by the whole Popish Party and that he had been Dog'd several days upon which I Advised him â—o get a Stout Fellow to Attend him but he valued not a Mans waiting upon him but said he Feared no Man if they came fairly to Work but Sir that was not the business of your Cut-throats they were to do him a Mischeif and that in the most bass and cowardly Mannery they could for if they had gone fairly to Work they would have spoiled all for they as well as you knew he was a Man of Courage therefore it was the more easie to lay a Trap for him 2. I pray call to mind the Evidence that Sir Thomas Robinson cheif Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas gave who had been Acquainted with Sir Edmund Bury Godfrey above Forty Years and was with him brought up a Westminster School and continued in his Acquaintance all along till the breaking out of the Civil Wars and after the Restoration their Acquaintance was again renewed and were for many