and committed for High Treason and you had two Villaiâ—◠〈…〉 him out of his Life just before I discovered the Plot and when 〈…〉 your â—â—pish Witnesses disappeared and Clapool in January or February following was 〈◊〉 I have said pretty much of that business in my first Parâ— to which 〈…〉 4. Give me leave to add another Particular and that is you did no◠〈…〉 true blew Church of England Protestants that were aiding and abâ—tting youâ— Popish Crew in the Country of which there might be many Instances given 〈…〉 not too much burden your Sacred Soul I will only mention this One 〈…〉 out by Mr. Dugdale against Sr. Thomas Whitgrave of Bridgford in the County of Stafford who was a Person applyed unto on the Papists behalf to evade the Penaâ—â—iâ—s and Punishments of the Penal Laws against Papists as a Justice of the Peace in open Sessions assisting the Papists on all occasions particularly directing Presentments against Papists to be omitted which he had to the Knowledg of this Dugdale practised for ten Years together and also he was one that laboured with the Inhabitants of the Town of Stafford to choose the Lord Stafford for their Steward and further acquainted the House that this Whitgrave received Money of the Lord Aston for his said Practices on the behalf of the Papists and not only so but that he the said Whitgrave had for some time before the Discovery of the Popish Plot fraudulently purchased divers Papists Estates to the value of 40000 l. and upwards to defraud the King and that he was acquainted with the Secrets of the Papists and with the Orders and Decrees of the Popish Priests as he was told and could if he might have been heard have proved the same 6. The next Witness that I shall use is John Smith this Man upon his Return to England was planted as a Priest in the House of Mr. Robert Jenison before mentioned who wâ—â—â—he fourth Witness and in his time there was a great Collection of Money on fooâ—â—mongst the Popish Party to the promoting of which Collection the Assistance â—â— Mr. Smith was desired but he did not only refuse but disswaded Mr. Jenison and 〈◊〉 â—amily where he then was from contributing Money upon any occasion 't is true â—â—â—retence for which this Money was raised was the Repair of the English Colâ—â—â—â— â—oway but the Collection was so universal and the Sum collected so great that 〈…〉 could not believe that such a Treasure could be all sacrificed to the repair of a Câ—â—â—ge but feared that there was some design on foot for the carrying on of which so large a Sum of Money was raised but the thing dyed with Mr Smith and revived not till the Discovery of the Popish Plot then Mr. Smith did not only acquaint the Parliament with this Passage but gave in an Information that tended mightily to corroborate Mr. Jenison's Evidence which is as follows Part of the Information of John Smith of Walworth in the County Palatine of Durham Gent. taken upon Oath the 8th day of September 1679 before me Edmund Warcupp Esq One of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace in the said County and City THis Informant that Mr. Robert Jenison came to his Fathers Midd. ss House in Sept. 1678 where after he had been some Days Sir Edward Smith came to Walworth and produced a Letter signifying a Discovery of a Popish Plot in London and upon Inquiry who were in it Ireland and Whitebread were named about three or four days after which Mr. Robert Jenison before his Father Sisters and this Informant said That he believed there was something of a Plot for that he had heard Mr. Ireland say it was an easie matter to take off the King whereupon this Informant asked what that Ireland was who answered that he was a Jesuit and his Cosen and Mrs. Katharine Jenison his Sister asked when he saw Mr. Ireland Who answered a little before he came out of Town at his Lodging in Russelstreet which was on the day that himself came from Windsor and the same day that Mr. Ireland came post out of Staffordshire and that he then found him pulling off his Boots Mrs. Katharine Jenison asked him how her Aunt in Staffordshire did Who replied Mr. Ireland said she was well and that he had been with her in Staffordshire at that time This Informant then asked him what a kind of man Mr. Ireland was Who answered that he was a fine Countenanced smiling man and Swore if he be Guilty of this Plot I will never trust a smiling man again thereupon this Informant asked him what he thought of him Who answered I doubt there is some Guilt in him because he had inquired of him when he came from Windsor how the King diverted and how he was attended whereunto he answered in Hawking and Fishing attended only with three or four Persons Mr. Ireland replied he would go so slenderly guarded he were easily taken off and then he paused but sometime after Mr. Jenison repeated that he feared there was something in that Plot for that Mr. Ireland had said to him at another time That there was but One in the way and were he removed the Catholic Religion might flourish again in England whereupon this Informant said those were damnable suspicious things which Mr. Ireland had spoken about the King thereupon old Mr. Jenison rose up and swore Mr. Ireland was a Rogue and so left the Room and determined the discourse at that time but sometime after in this same Month this Informant walking on the Leads with Mr. Robert Jenison discoursing of the Jesuits being in the Plot the said Robert Jenison told this Informant that Mr. Ireland had at another time told him that Sir George Wakeman was a fit Person to Poyson the King being the Queens Physitian and a Papist upon which this Informant said he hoped the King would not take Physic of any Papist in regard they might be Jesuitically inclined and the Jesuits were against Monarchy in temporal Princes though appointed by God himself upoâ— which the said Mr. Robert Jenison asked are the Jesuits against Monarchy whereto this Informant replied you may easily Judge that by their taking off many Kings and Princes and by their holding it lawful for the Pope to deprive Kings of their Kingdoms and to dispose of them at his pleasure so that though a King be the Annointed of the Lord and One that should not be touched with violent Hands yet not only his Kingdom but his sacred Life lies at the Popes Pleasure Mr. Jenison answered doth the Pope allow of this This Informant answered yes they have often practised it in this and other Kingdoms and thereby brought more Schism and Division into the Church than ever was before such damnable things were practised by the Pope and his Emissaries whereto Mr. Jenison replied you Seculars are generally against the Jusuits and in many things against the Pope whereunto this Informant replied if you please to consider
then Elector of Brandenburg say to our Minister then at his Court who was sent to him to make an Alliance with us That he knew us too well and that we were only influenc'd by Jesuitical Councils and therefore would not be concerned with us I wonder what Sawcebox it was that had discovered the mighty Design you had upon your hands to this Prince if I could tell you should have him sent over to St. Germains next week or on Monday morning Truly here were strange Discoveries of your gracious Intentions of swallowing all Europe up in a perpetual bondage to the French Tyrant Well what do we with our Forces surely they were well educated by this time Was it not good Manners to call them home since they had done the Work abroad O yes by all means our Forces must come home or they would have been sent home with a sting in their Tails for the Spaniard now was as unwilling to keep them as you was once to send them and truly they were at last but coursely used and therefore they being a parcel of case-harden'd Rogues home they came not to be disbanded but to do the rest of the work for I am fully of opinion that neither the States-General nor the Prince of Orange were privy to the then glorious Design of forcing this Peace upon them Well glad were you and the rest of the Conspirators to see the brave Boys come home in Companies and in Regiments and great care you took to have them quarter'd about the Country but the Inhabitants did not receive them with such hearty welcome as you desir'd for upon their arrival you were sufficiently plagned with the complaints of those upon whom they were quarâ—er'd and to deal plainly with you Douglas's and Dumbarton's Regiments and others who were most Popish did even terrifie the people but that which most troubled the Country where they were quarter'd was that they had no Pay and run all on score as well for their Victuals and Drink as when they were first raised they had done for their Clothes to the Drapers and Clothiers which became very burthensome and above all they were rude and intolerably insolent yet the Country were the better contented because they expected every day their being disbanded according to Law but whatsoever their Expectations were you and your Villains did never design to disband them but the City and Country saw through the thing and were very apprehensive of some Popish Design on foot and began to storm heartily against you and your Crew Well how then did you carry your self for here was a brave Army â—h how you and your Cattle hugg'd your selves with this Army Nay I cannot blame you for all things went on your side as your Heart and Soul could wish what with your Popish Soldiers and Popish Officers Popish Councils Popish Priests and Jesuites and Popish Whores swarming about the Town and Country and France coming off more a Conqueror by Peace than ever he could have done by War and now in power abroad and you and your Conspirators being in a good condition at home having your Army about you and some Mony tho' not enough to make up that Defect you had Assurances from France I wonder in the Name of God you did not then strike the stroke and give the fatal blow and pull off the Vizard and set up for your self You know that it had been often debated at St. Jamâ—s's Truly to give the Devil his due you were very eager to strike at that time since you had all things in so good a posture and would good man have done your good Will in that business but I confess you were diâ—swaded from it and urged to act privately a little longer to see if there could not be a way found to get a little more Mony wisely considering that he which designs to build a great House in Wisdom first ought to sit down and consider the Cost And in a close Cabal at White-Hall upon a Couriers coming from France soon after the Peace was concluded it was strongly debated Whether to try the Experiment for Mony with the Parliament or to rely upon the French King from whom your Brother and you and the rest of the Conspirators expected such great matters you may remember that in this Consult there were three Factions and three different Opinions amongst them tho' all the Rogues agreed in the main That they never had so fair an Opportunity as now yet they could never be sure of their Game without Mony And you know that more Mony you wanted The French Ambassador here was admitted to many of your Secrets yet not all for he was no Friend but to his Master's Interest purely and no Bigot to the Church but whatever he drove at he was still â—icking with our Court. And another part of your Rogues spake to this effect That your Services to France had been great and your Interest with him so interwoven that they doubted not but he would assist you both with Men and Mony But you know that others of the same Cabal of Devils were of Opinion that how willing soever he might be now yet his Purse by this long War was exhausted so far that it was unreasonable to expect sufficient Help from him and that iâ— was better to have two Strings to your Bow than one And to try the other bout to get Mony from the Parliament truly Mr. Catchâ—art in he steps and tell you plainly That he would undertake for the Parliament and doubted not but by the time of their sitting down in October but to win so many of the Pensioners over to the giving of Mony that they should be a very great majority in the House As for the other Faction they advised to send to the City to borrow Mony and if refused to force it and you had at your beck a case-harden'd French Cut-throat that offer'd his humble Service to Command those Forces into the City and swore Be Gar he would lay the City in Ashes if they did noâ— with much Humility deliver him two Millions presently I pray Sir recommend me to that Rogue at a Dead-lift I have seen the Villain sometimes at your quondam Mansion at White-hall and he doth womble up his Locram Jaws as if he had a Need to sh He hath a very great Affection for you still he saith He cannot forget your Favours Be Gar. The other part of your Banditti were pressing to make a Mutiny amongst the Protestants here or in Scotland or to engage the Irish to rise so that Mony might be got by this means to suppress them But you know at last it was agreed to try the Parliament once more in order to bring them to a good humour and the Fatigue of Councel being over and the Year spending apace you thought it necessary to enter upon some Action therefore all the Flota at White-hall and the Frigats they weigh'd Anchor and attack Windsor-Castle which willingly
Years in the Commission of the Peace together both for the City of Westminster and County of Middlesex these two Gentlemen met upon the 7th of October which was upon a Munday and Dined with the head Baily it being the Quarter Sessions for Westminster where Sir Edmund and this Sir Thomas Robinson had some Discourse of your Popish Plot Sir Thomas told Sir Edmund that he understood that he Sir Edmund had taken several Examinations about the Popish Plot to which Sir Edmund Answered that he had but thought he should have little Thanks for his Pains and further told the said Sir Thomas that what he did was not with that forwardness which was generally thought being more willing that any body else would have done it rather than he but Sir Thomas told him he had done no more than his duty and was very Curious with Sir Edmunds leave to have seen the Examinations but at that time you or your whiteliver'd Tode had them in keeping and so he could not pleasure his old Friend but Sir Thomas did testifie his Zeal for having the bottom of the Plot Discovered Truly Sir Edmund was much Affraid for his Friend always said That he should be the first Martyr he being asked whether he was Affraid of himself he said no he did not Fear them if they came fairly for that he should part not with his Life tamâ—ly Sir Thomas gave him the same Council that I had done and would have him get a Man to go with him but Sir Edmund did not approve of it judging a Man to be but a Clog to him tho'a whole coiled Cable was not one to you 3. A Third witness that I shall offer to you waâ— Mr. Chetwin who will tell you that he was for the most part of the Summer 1678 in the Countrey and about the 29th of August came into Staffordshire at that time a Gentleman one Mr. Sanbidge who was a Kinsman of the Lord Astons and well accquainted with the Family where he then was as a guest which was half a Mile distant from the said Lord Astons used to come and play at Tables with Mr. Chetwin at one particular time in October the said Sanbidge came and told him that a Justice of the Peace in Westminster was Killed to which Mr Chetwin did say that he had received Letters from thence the very last Post which gave him no account of it then he told him that Mr. Dugdale had reported it Now Sir I pray Observe on Saturday your Villains did murder him that very night they gave notice to their friends he was missed the Sunday and Munday and we knew not what was become of him till Thursday now this Tuesday was the Tuesday after the Saturday on which he was Murthered so that it was plain to all the world that youâ— Villains in the Countrey knew of his being Murthered before it was known here in Town what was become of him but take this along with you you would not let Mr. Chetwin be Examined at the Tryal of these Murtherers or to bring in the witness that could have Confirmed what he said in relation to that Villainous Murther 4. The Fourth Witness that I shall put you in mind of was Mr. Dugdale who said the same thing that Mr. Chetwin had before restified concerning the news of Sir Edmund Bury Godfreys Murther he received a Letter from your old Friend Harcourt who gave his Brother Ewers this Account in these words this night Sir Edmund Bury Godfrey is dispatched which when Dugdale saw he was much discontented and said this would spoil all the business and upon the Tuesday he went to an Alehouse that was near his Lords House and reported the same by which means Mr. Chetwin came to have the news of the Murther of Godfrey on the Tuesday and we in London knew not what became of him till the Thursday following but you took all the Care you could that as little Testimony as might be should be produced at the tryal of the Murtherers for Dugdale was omitted and his Testimony of that Murther lay dorment till the Tryal of the five Jesuits 5. A Fifth Witness that I shall produce in the point under Consideration is Mr. Prance he was your Demetrius that made your Silver Shrines for the House of Baal and the Brass Screws and Antependiums that he fitted up for the Service of Baal rendred him a man much noted amongst your Villainous Crew but before I tell you what he spake to this matter give me leave Sir to Relate one Story of Sir Edmund Bury Godfreys Murther which I never saw but once in Print and I rather insert this Story because that first-born of Impudence and Falseness Lestrange so ridiculed Prance his Testimony because he recanted in your Brothers Closet all that he had been Examined and Sworn to about the Death of Sir Edmund Bury Godfrey which he again Recanted after he came to Prison you Remember he was a Papist and was a Silver-Smith and used to make Trinkets for the Priests about Town and was assisting at that Murther some â—ime after that Murther was Discovered some of Prance's Neighbours having observed that Prance did not come to his house for several days they Represented it to some Members of the House of Commons that they had a great Suspicion that Prance had a hand in the Murther of Sir Edmund and thereupon they got an Order to Seize Prance and bring him before the House which they did and the House Ordered Sir Richard Everard and Sir Charles Harbord to Examine him but what answers he made to those two Justices I cannot tell but before the Court of Kings Bench he gave this Testimony He tells the Court how long it was before they could parswade him to Consent to the Murdering a Man he then tells the Court by whom he was inticed which made his story more Probable and that was by Gerald and Kelley two Priests and he further told the Court by the Doctrine of your Villainous party it was no sin but rather an Act of Charity to kill a man that had done and was like to do them more Mischief now Sir I pray Observe that if we consider the persons that Preach to them and the Doctrine they Taught it carryed a great Shew and Presumption of Truth in it self I Suppose Sir you have not forgotten their meeting at the Plow which some of these Murdering Rogues of yours had denyed but was most manifestly proved by the Master of the House and the Boy that Prance would have kickt down Stairs and the times these Villains wisht for came at last for they were to watch an opportunity and Prance was to help them and therefore he was to be at Home or to be within â—all that his help might not be wanting at the Critical Minute Prance confessed that they were to do the work that Day on which it was done you may Observe that Sir Edmund Bury Godfrey had complained both to Sir Thomas
ruine any Man that stands in either of your ways the Doctrine you have been taught will induce any thinking Man to believe your Practice and both your Practises and his do sufficiently prove the Damnableness of the Doctrin you have received 3. A third Testimony that I shall urge in this case is the Evidence that was given in by William Johnson and Joseph Wright upon the Fifteenth day of May 1679 before the Lords Committees sitting in the Lord Privy Seals Lodgings who say that one Jonathan Smith a Papist supposing these two Informants to be of the same Religion said that he knew the King was a Papist and the rest of the Nobles of the Kingdom also and that there was scarce one of them but that had Romish Priests in their Houses this Smith also declared that he had his Maintenance from the Lord Stafford's House that Mr. Smith the then Steward to the Lord Stafford was his Uncle and believed that several Priests were in the Lord Stafford's House Upon which the Lords Ordered to search the Lord Stafford's House and to seize all dangerous Papers and Persons but notice being given to the Conspirators the Priests and Papers were conveyed to St. Jameses to be graciously disposed of as you should think fit and when the Lords had notice of it there could be nothing further done in the Affair because your Brother the King to give the Rogues a Taste of his Royal Favour raised the Parliament and sent them home when they were in the midst of their Work in Discovering the horrid Villanies of your self and Party 4. That Evidence that Mr. Prance gave in to the then Marquiss of Winchester now Duke of Bolton on the Nineteenth of March 1678 9 The said Marquiss being then One of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex and City and Liberty of Westminster THIS Examinant saith That he and Mr. Maddison a Barber in Holborne and Mr. Staley were Drinking at the Cross Keys Tavern over against Staleys House about a Fortnight before the said Staley was taken where complaining of the great Persecution that the Papists lay under and if that they did not take some speedy course to destroy their Enemies they should be ruined the said Staley and Maddison resolved to Kill the Earl of Shaftsbury as the ring leader of the Mischief that would fall upon them Maddison said that he would engage three to wit Adamson a Watchmaker and Prosser a Silversmith and Bradshaw an Upholster and the said Maddison coming afterwards to this Deponents Shop shewed the Deponent a Pistol he had prepared for that Purpose this Deponent further saith That meeting the said Adamson at one Pettleyes at the White-posts in Veres-street and discoursing of News Adamson said they should be undone if they did not look about them therefore they were resolved to Kill the Lord Shaftsbury he also speaking the same thing to this Deponent at the Grid-iron in Holborn this Deponent further saith That the aforesaid Prosser told him he was undone and that he intended to Kill the Lord Shaftsbury for he with other of the Lords intended to undo the Lord Arundel of Wardour who was one of his best Customers the said Prosser telling the said Deponent another time That he was to be an Ensign under the Lord Arundel this Deponent further saith That Bradshaw in discourse with him saith that he would make no more to kill a Protestant than to kill a Dog or a Cat and that he was resolved to Kill some of the busie Lords but the first should be the Lord Shaftsbury and the said Bradshaw also shewed him the Deponent a Pistol at the same time this Deponent further saith that he the Deponent and Mr. Messenger Prosser and Maddison were at Bradlies in Holborn about five weeks before Staley was taken where the said Messenger was complaining of the severity of the Laws against the Papists and much fearing they would be put in Exeâ—ution against them by some that were no lovers of them and particularly by the Lord Shaftsbury who did most busie himself about them said that there must be speedy Course taken to prevent it And this Deponent further saith that some time after the said Prosser told him that the said Messenger was the Person that Promoted the killing the Lord Shaftsbury the Deponent further saith That Mr. Goseen told him both in Covent Garden and in the Deponents Shop that the King and Parliament would undo them and that if he were to kill a Man he would as soon kill the King as any Man and if he had him in Spain he would have killed him ere this This Deponent further saith that about six Months since he heard Mr. Matthews the Lord Peters Priest say that his Lord and the Lord Belasys with some other Lords would have a great Army and that he hoped the Catholick Religion would be setled in England This Deponent further saith That about a Year since he heard Mr. Singleton a Priest say in the presence of Mr. Hall that he hoped he should be setled in a Parish Church before a twelve month and that he did not fear but that the Catholic Religion would Reign in England and that he would not make any more matter of Stabbing forty Parliament Men than to eat his Dinner This Deponent saith that he hath also heard Mr. Byflet and Dr. Guilding say several times that they turned divers People from the Protestant Religion and that they hoped they should turn many more the Deponent also believeth that the said Hall knows where the said Singleton Byfleet and Guilding are for that they used to be always at Halls house and the said Hall always received the Money for the said Singleton which was to be distributed for Masses for the Dead This Deponent further saith that Mr. Groves told him that this was no Plot but a Plot of the Protestants own making and when his Vncle was Condemned he said they were all Rogues that Swore against him the Deponent then asking him what he thought of the four thousand Men which he knew were to be raised the said Groves replied that might be in Jest the Deponent further saith that Mr. Ridley a Chyrurgeon at the Lord Baltimores house in Wild-street told him several times that he hoped to be Chyrurgeon to a Catholic Army in England and that the Lord Belasis would stand his Friend in the Concern This Deponent further saith that the Lord Arundel of Wardours Butler told him that Mr. Messenger was to kill the King and that he was to have a good Reward if he saved his Life and if he were killed the said Reward should be distributed amongst such Friends as he should appoint by the Lord Arundel the Earl Powys and the rest of the Lords that were in the same Plot This Deponent further saith that meeting with Mr. Messenger after that he asked the said Messenger why he would kill the King the said Messenger answered who told you of it the