concluding Conference having agreed to the Bill without further amendments and therefore desir'd the concurrence of the Commons Thus at length the Commons agreed to the amendments made by the Lords and sent a message to acquaint the Lords therewith This was done upon the fourteenth day of this month But upon the sixteenth a Message was sent by the Lords to acquaint the Commons that the night before the Earl of Danby had render'd himself to the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod and that being call'd to the Bar they had sent him to the Tower Thereupon a Committee was appointed to prepare and draw up further Evidence against him and such further Articles as they should see cause Soon after his Majesty was pleas'd to dissolve his Privy Council and to make another consisting of no more than thirty persons And for the management of the Treasury and Navy five Commissiones were appointed for the Treasury and seven for the Admiralty Then the Commons took into consideration the disbanding of the Army and having voted a supply of 264602 l. 17 s. 3 d. to that intent they then voted that Sr. Gilbert Gerrard Sr. Thomas Player Coll. Birch and Coll. Whitley should be Commissioners to pay the disbanded forces off But now to return to the Earl of Danby upon the 25th of this month a message was sent by the Lords to acquaint the Commons that the said Earl had that same day personally appear'd at the Bar of their House and had put in his plea to the Articles of Impeachment against him The Articles were these as they were deliver'd into the House of Lords in the name of the Commons of England by Sir Henry Capel December 23. 1678. I. That he had traiterously encroacht to himself Regal Power by treating in matters of Peace and War with Foreign Ministers and Embassadors and giving instructions to his Majesties Embassadors abroad without communicating the same to the Secretaries of State and the rest of his Majesties Council against the express Declaration of his Majesty in Parliament thereby intending to defeat and overthrow the provision that has been deliberately made by his Majesty and his Parliament for the safety and preservation of his Majesties Kingdoms and Dominions II. That he had traiterously endeavour'd to subvert the ancient and well-establish'd form of Government of this Kingdom and instead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical form of Government and the better to effect this his purpose he did design the raising of an Army upon pretence of a war against the French King and to continue the same as a standing Army within this Kingdom and an Army so rais'd and no war ensuing an Act of Parliament having past to disband the same and a great sum of money being granted for that end he did continue the same contrary to the said Act and mis-imploy'd the said money given for the disbanding to the continuance thereof and issued out of his Majesties Revenues great sums of money for the said purpose and wilfully neglected to take security of the Pay-master of the Army as the said Act required whereby the said Law is eluded and the Army yet continued to the great danger and unnecessary charge of his Majesty and the whole Kingdome III. That he trayterously intending and designing to alienate the hearts and affections of his Majesties good Subjects from his Royal Person and Government and to hinder the meeting of Parliaments and to deprive his Sacred Majesty of their safe and wholsom counsel and thereby to alter the constitution of the Government of this Kingdom did propose and negotiate a peace for the French King upon terms disadvantagious to the Interest of his Majesty and Kingdom For the doing whereof he did procure a great sum of money from the French King for enabling him to maintain and carry on his said traiterous designs and purposes to the hazard of his Majesties Person and Government IV. That he is Popishly affected and hath traiterously concealed after he had notice the late horrid and bloody Plot and Conspiracy contriv'd by the Papists against his Majesties Person and Government and hath suppress'd the Evidence and reproachfully discountenanc'd the Kings Witnesses in the Discovery of it in favour of Popery immediately tending to the destruction of the Kings Sacred Person and the subversion of the Protestant Religion V. That he hath wasted the Kings Treasure by issuing out of his Majesties Exchequer several branches of his Revenue for unnecessary Pensions and secret services to the value of 〈…〉 within two years and that he hath wholly diverted out of the known method and Government of the Exchequer one whole branch of his Majesties Revenue to private Uses without any accompt to be made of it to his Majesty in his Exchequer contrary to an express Act of Parliament which granted the same And he hath removed two of his Majesties Commissioners of that part of the Revenue for refusing to consent to such his unwarrantable actings therein and to advance money upon that branch of the Revenue for private uses VI. That he hath by indirect means procured from his Majesty to himself divers considerable gifts and Grants of Inheritances of the ancient Revenues of the Crown contrary to Acts of Parliament For which matters and things the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons in Parliament do in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England impeach the said Thomas Earl of Danby Lord High Treasurer of England of High Treason and other high Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences in the said Articles contained And the said Commons by Protestation saving to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or Impeachment against the said Earl and also of replying to the answers of which the said Thomas Earl of Danby shall make to the Premises or any of them or any Impeachment or Accusation which shall be by them exhibited as the cause according to proceedings of Parliament shall require Do pray that the said Thomas Earl of Danby may be put to answer all and every the Premises that such proceedings Tryals Examinations and Judgements may be upon them and every one of them had and used as shall be agreeable to Law and Justice and that he may be sequester'd from Parliament and forthwith committed to custody To these Articles the Earl of Danby soon after put in his Plea as follows The Plea of the Earl of Danby late Lord high Treasurer of England to the Articles of Impeachment and other High Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences Exhibited against him by the name of Thomas Earl of Danby Lord High Treasurer of England THE said Earl for Plea saith and humbly offers to your Lordships as to all and every the Treasons Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences contained or mention'd in the said Articles That after the said Articles exhibited namely the first of March now last past the Kings most excellent Majesty by his most gracious Letters of Pardon under his
for the County of Stafford Nor is it to be omitted that among the rest of the Discoveries about this time made Lower Comes in Herefordshire was detected to be a Colledge of Jesuites and was let them at a low rent by one Hutton of St. Giles's Merchant for one and twenty years which lease was witness'd by William Ireland Fenwick and Groves The House was contriv'd for the purpose with lodging Chambers and Studies and seated with all the privacy imaginable at the bottom of a rocky and woody Hill There were found in the house several Popish Books a Box of white Wafers stamp'd several Popish Pictures and Crucifixes some Reliques a little Saints-bell and an Incense pot Soon after one Father Lewis was taken near the same place and sent to Monmouth Jail He had couzen'd a poor maid of all the Money she had in the world to the value of 30 l. and made her give him a bond and confess a judgement to him for payment of the said money upon a pretence of praying her Fathers Soul out of Purgatory January 1678. Toward the beginning of this month the Earls of Salisbury and Clarendon were sworn of his Majesties Privy Council Neither do we find the beginning of it signaliz'd with any transaction of remark till the Execution of Ireland and Grove for Pickering had a further reprieve till May 1679. The other two were both hang'd drawn and quarter'd according to the Sentence pronounc'd against them upon the 24th of this Month. The last words of Ireland were mainly taken notice of and there were some whose Charity was almost deluded to believe him hearing those imprecations of Damnation which he made to impose upon the world that he was not in Town all August and consequently that the witnesses had sworn falsly against him Yet after all these solemn Imprecations to advance his own and depress the credit of the Kings witnesses as if his Salvation depended upon his giving a meritorious sparring blow to the Kings Evidence at his departure after all these Imprecations I say that he was absent in Staffordshire from the fifth of August till the fourteenth of September in comes one Mr. Jenison a person of worth and credit and positively deposes upon oath that he saw Mr. Ireland at his Chamber at the Hart in Russel street upon the nineteenth day of August being then newly return'd from Windsor He further depos'd that after a short salute Mr. Ireland ask'd him what news at Windsor and how the King spent his time To which when Mr. Jenison answer'd that the King spent his time in Hawking and Fishing went very thinly and meanly guarded the Old Priest reply'd that then it would be an easie thing to take him off A circumstance so remarkable and consequently so convincingly apparent that many doubters were very well satisfy'd to see it finding the credit of the traduc'd witnesses so well supported and such a slur put upon all the vows and protestations of a sufferer so desperately engaging heaven in the defence of his untruths Much about this time his Majesties Forces that had been recall'd out of Flanders began to return again into England But that which was the nine days wonder of the whole Nation was the dissolution of the second long Parliament which had been continu'd by Prorogations and Adjournments from the eighth day of May in the 13th year of his Majesties reign and was lastly prorogu'd till the fourth of February in the twenty fourth year of his Majesties Government with an intention to have met again By this Proclamation his Majesty did publish and declare his Royal will and pleasure to dissolve the present Parliament and that he did dissolve the same accordingly However to the intent his Majesties Loyal Subjects might perceive his confidence in their good affections and how desirous his Majesty was to meet his people and have their advice by their representatives in Parliament His Majesty was also pleas'd to declare that he would forthwith issue out his Writs for calling a new Parliament to be holden at Westminster on Thursday the sixth of March 1678 9. And thus if it might be thought to be a wound he that gave it at the same time heal'd it and stopp'd as well the Insinuations as the Clamours of disaffected male-contents Toward the latter end of this month the middle Temple happen'd to be fir'd though whether on purpose or by accident is yet undetermin'd this is certain that had it gone on it had destroy'd one of the most stately Piles of Law in the whole world February 1678. January having thus made its Exit February succeeds remarkable in the first place for the change of the Secretaries of State For Sir Joseph Williamson having resigned the Seals of the Secretaryship into his Majesties hands the right honourable Robert Earl of Sunderland was sworn into his room Not long after several Queries were presented to his Majesty in Council by the Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex in order to their proceeding as to Papists and Popish Recusants 1. Whether Foreigners Popish Recusants that are and have long been settl'd House-Keepers following employments for their own advantage as Chirurgions Taylors Perriwig-makers c. but not otherwise Merchants though certifi'd to be Merchant strangers shall be excus'd from taking the Oaths or giving sureties 2. Whether such Foreigners being certifi'd by Embassadours or other foreign Ministers to be their Servants should be excus'd 3. Whether Foreigners Popish Recusants settl'd as House-keepers but neither Tradesmen Travellers or Foreign Ministers Servants shall be excus'd 4. Whether Native subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King that are Menial servants of Foraign Ministers shall be excus'd 5. Whether married women being Popish Recusants but their Husbands Protestants shall be excus'd 6. Whether Popish Recusants that have taken the Oaths found Sureties have appear'd and are convict shall find Sureties or be continu'd over These Queries were by his Majesty referr'd to the Judges who return'd an answer in writing that they had met and consider'd of the Questions propos'd and gave it for their Opinions 1. That Foreigners being Popish Recusants and exercising ordinary Trades but not Merchants were not excus'd from taking the Oaths or finding Security 2. That Foreigners though certifi'd by Embassadors to be their servants except they were their menial servants were not excusable 3. That Foreigners though settl'd House-keepers being no Travellers or Foreign Ministers servants were not to be excus'd 4. That the Kings native Subjects were not excus'd from taking the Oath by being menial servants to Foreign Ministers 5. That they found no Law to excuse a Feme covert being a Papist from taking the Oaths though her Husband were a Protestant 6. That a Popish Recusant having taken the Oaths was not bound to find new Sureties unless upon a new tender of the Oaths he should refuse to take them This report and opinion of the Judges his Majesty was graciously pleas'd to approve and thereupon an Order was
of Monmouth return'd for England where he had that reception from his Majesty which his Valour and Conduct had well deserv'd With him the Series of the History returns also and being arriv'd at London there the first thing remarkable which it meets with is the Dissolution of the Parliament To which purpose the King was pleas'd to issue forth His Royal Proclamation That whereas the present Parliament was lately prorogu'd till the 14th of August the Kings most excellent Majesty being resolv'd to meet his people and have their advice in frequent Parliaments had thought fit to dissolve the present Parliament and that he had given directions to the Lord Chancellor for the issuing out of Writs for the calling of a new Parliament to be holden on Tuesday the 7th of October next ensuing It was now a whole month since Mr. Langhorne had receiv'd sentence of Condemnation All this while he had been repriev'd partly for the sake of his Clyents that he might discharge himself of such business of theirs as he had in his hands partly for his own sake to the end he might have retriev'd himself from the ignominy of his execution by a candid and sincere Confession He had sent a Petition to his Majesty wherein after he had given his Majesty most humble thanks for prolonging his life he further set forth that he was ignorant of the subject of the Earl of Roscommons Letter as also of the Grounds upon which it was written That in obedience to his Majesties commands he had made the utmost discovery he could of the Estates he was commanded to disclose and therefore besought his Majesty to grant him his Pardon or at least to give him leave to live though it were abroad and in perpetual banishment he having as he pretended fully obey'd his Majesties Commands But whether he spake truth or no may be fairly appeal'd to the world For it is impossible to think otherwise but that if he had so fully and sincerely obey'd those Commands which it was thought requisite which no question the insight of a wise and discerning Council well knew he could perform his Majesty so punctual to his Mercy as they who have peculiarly tasted it well can testifie would never have swerv'd in the least tittle from the Grace which once he had offer'd him So that when he saw so much confidence in a dying man as to approach the throne of mercy with so much untruth his favourable eye could not look upon that Canting Declaration which follow'd but as the Speech of a Prosopopoeia hammer'd for him in the Popish Forge By which figure he might have enforc'd his Protestations ten times more solemnly without any disadvantage to his credit among his Confessors Having thus therefore spent a month in plausible prevarications at length the fatal warrant came by vertue whereof he was drawn to Tyburn and there executed according to the Sentence pronounc'd against him As for the Speech which he left as a Legacy to the world believing he should not have opportunity to utter it by word of mouth it was nothing but an absolute denyal of what had been so clearly prov'd against him 'T is true 't was farc'd with strange imprecations and solemn Asseverations of his Innocency But how true those Protestations were he himself discovers by a bold untruth that unmantles the fallacy of all the rest For what man of reason can imagine it possible that his Majesty or the Council should think his attainted life so considerable as to turn his Priests and for his dear sake to take upon them the office of the Ministry to convert him from Popery 'T was very likely indeed that they should offer him Great Advantages Preferments and Estates after the judgement was against him to make him forsake his Religion as if the King had wanted a Judge Advocate for his Guards But when he could not beg a Banishment he was resolv'd to bespatter that favour of life which was offer'd him only to be ingenuous in the farther discovery of the foul design wherein he was engag'd but neither for his parts or endowments Not long after Sir George Wakeman William Rumley William Marshall and James Corker Benedictine Monks were brought to their Tryals at the same Bar. The Jury were Ralph Hawtrey Henry Hawley Henry Hodges Richard Downtin Rob. Hampton Esquires William Heydon John Bathurst John Baldwyn Will. Avery Esquires Richard White and Thomas Waite Gent. The Charge against Sir George Wakeman was that whereas there was a design among several of the Popish party to subvert the Government of the Nation by altering the Laws and Religion therein establish'd and taking away the life of his Majesty he the said Sir George had undertaken to do the latter by Poyson That for that piece of service he was to have fifteen thousand pounds of which sum he had already receiv'd five thousand pound in part And that for a further gratuity he had accepted of a Commission to be Physician General of the Army That he receiv'd the Commission from the Provincial of the Jesuites in England and that he read it kept it in his possession and agreed to it with a design to have enter'd upon his employment so soon as the Army should be rais'd To make good the Charge Dr. Oates was sworn and depos'd That he saw a Letter of Sir George Wakemans written to one Ashby a Jesuite then under his directions at the Bath wherein after he had given him the prescriptions he was to observe he sent him word that he was assur'd of a certain person that was to poyson the King That he was present when Ashby offer'd him the 10000 l. in the presence of Harcourt and Ireland to poyson the King That he refus'd it not in abhorrency of the crime but because as he said it was too little for so great a Work That afterwards five thousand pound more was offer'd him as he was credibly inform'd by the order of the Provincial Whitebread But that he certainly saw the Prisoners hand to a receipt in the entry book at Wild-house for five thousand pound part of the said fifteen thousand pound Mr. Bedlow depos'd That he was in Harcourts Chamber where he saw Harcourt deliver to Sir George Wakeman a Bill of two thousand pound which was charg'd as he suppos'd upon a Goldsmith near Temple bar And that Sir George upon receipt of the Bill told Harcourt that if the Bill were accepted he should hear from him suddenly That the Bill was accepted and the money paid by the Confession of Sir George to the Witness That the said 2000l was soon after made up 5000 l. and as Harcourt told this Deponent all upon the same accompt and in part of the 15000 l. Sir George pleaded to all this that he had been left at liberty twenty four days after he had been before the Council and that upon Dr. Oates's being sent for to the House of Lords to repeat his Evidence against Sir George he
the Popes Internuntio at Brussels Lastly that he kept a Correspondence with Sr. William Throckmorton to the destruction of the King and Kingdom Being arraign'd for these crimes he insisted to have had Council allowed him which was deny'd for this reason for that the proof lay all on the other side which if it were plain there would be no need of Council As to the proofs of these Crimes by the two Witnesses Dr. Oates and Mr. Bedlow it was first proved by Dr. Oates alone That there was a general Consult or meeting of the Jesuits in April Old Stile and May New Stile at the White Horse Tavern in the Strand and afterwards they divided into Companies and in those Consults they conspired the death of the King and contriv'd how to effect it That to that purpose Grove and Pickering were actually imployed to murder the King and to pistoll him in St. James's Park For which Grove was to have 1500 l. in money and Pickering being a Priest thirty thousand Masses which was computed to be equal to 1500 l. That to this Contrivance and Conspiracy Coleman was privy and did well approve of the same It was also farther prov'd by the same Witnesses that four Irish men were provided by Dr. Fogarthy and sent to Windsor there to make a farther attempt upon the Royal Person of the King and fourscore Guinneys were provided by Harcourt to maintain the Assassinates at Windsor and that while this Conspiracy was in Agitation Coleman went to visit Harcourt at his Lodging but not finding him there and being inform'd he was at Wild House that he went and found him out there at which time Coleman asking what provision Harcourt had made for the Gentlemen at Windsor Harcourt reply'd that the fourscore Guinneys which lay upon the Table were for them and added that the person in the Room was to carry the money Upon which it was farther proved that Coleman should reply That he lik'd it very well and that he gave a Guinney out of his pocket to the Messenger who was to carry the money to Windsor to encourage him to expedite the business It was further sworn by Dr. Oates That in July last one Ashby a Jesuit brought instructions from Flanders to London that in case Pickering and Grove could not kill the King at London nor the four Irish men assassinate him at Windsor that then the sum of ten thousand pounds should be propos'd to Sir George Wakeman to poyson the King In this conspiracy Mr. Coleman was prov'd to be so far concern'd that by the Letters which pass'd between Whitebread and Ashby it appear'd that he should say he thought ten thousand pound was too little and that he thought it necessary to offer five thousand pound more which upon his admonition and advice was assented to by the Jesuites It was also further sworn by Dr. Oates that he saw Letters from the Provincial at London to the Jesuites at St. Omers that Sir George had accepted the Proposition The second witness was Mr. Bedlow who swore that he was imployed by Harcourt the Jesuite to carry Pacquets of Letters to Monsieur Le Chaise the French Kings Confessor and that he was at a Consult in France where the Plot was discours'd on for killing the King and that he brought back an answer from Le Chaise to Harcourt in London and that particularly on the 24th or 25th of May 1677. he was at Colemans house with father Harcourt and some other persons where Mr. Coleman falling into discourse concerning the design in hand said these words That if he had a Sea of blood and a hundred lives he would lose them all to carry on the design and if to this end it were requisite to destroy a hundred Heretick Kings he would do it The other part of the evidence consisted of Papers and Letters generally relating to prove the latter part of the Enditement viz. the extirpation of the Protestant Religion introducing Popery and subverting the Government This was plainly proved by a long Letter written by Mr. Coleman dated Sept. 29. 1675. and sent to Monsieur Le Chaise before named wherein he gave him an accompt of the transactions of several years before and of his correspondence with Monsieur Ferrier predecessour to the said Le Chaise wherein he asserted that the true way to carry on the interest of France and to promote the Catholick Religion in England was to get the Parliament dissolv'd which he said had been long since effected if three hundred thousand pounds could have been obtained from the French King and that things were yet in such a posture that if he had but twenty thousand pound sent him from France he would be content to be a sacrifice to the utmost malice of his enemies if the Protestant Religion did not receive such a blow that it could not possibly subsist The receipt of which Letter was acknowledged by Monsieur Le Chaise in an answer which he wrote to Mr. Coleman dated from Paris Octob. 23. 75. wherein he gave him thanks for his good service in order to the promotion of the Catholick Religion Another Letter was produced dated August 21. 74. written by the prisoner Coleman to the Popes Internuncio at Brussels wherein he said that the design prospered well and that he doubted not but that in a little while the business would be managed to the utter ruine of the Protestant party Other Letters were brought in Evidence wherein he wrote to the King of France's Confessor that the assistance of his most Christian Majesty was necessary and desir'd money from the French King to carry on the design But there was another without a date more material than all the rest written to Monsieur Le Chaise in a short time after his long Letter dated Sept. 29. 1675. wherein among other things the Prisoner thus express'd himself We have a mighty work upon our hands no less than the Conversion of three Kingdomes and the utter subduing of a pestilent Heresie which has for some time domineer'd over this Northern part of the World and we never had so great hopes of it since Queen Maries days In the close of which Letter he implor'd Monsieur Le Chaise to get all the aid and assistance he could from France and that next to God Almighty they did rely upon the mighty mind of his most Christian Majesty and therefore hop'd that he would procure both money and assistance from him And thus was the latter part of the Enditement fully prov'd upon him There was another Letter produced against him which he wrote to Monsieur Le Chaise in French in the Dukes name but without his privity or knowledge so that when he had the boldness to shew it to the Duke he was both angry and rejected it It contain'd several invectives against my Lord Arlington as being a great opposer of the Duke's designs and the chief promoter of the match between the Prince of Orange and the Dukes
standing at the Gate from ten to one at night averr'd that he saw no Sedan let forth But in regard the Sentinels could not be so positive but that they might be mistaken by reason of the darkness of the night and privacy of the conveighance their Evidence was not thought substantial It was further urg'd by Hill that Mr. Praunce had been tortur'd to make him confess what he did But Mr. Praunce upon his oath utterly deny'd any such thing affirming that the Keeper had us'd him with all civility from his first commitment So that the evidence for the Prisoners being so far from overpowring the testimony for the King that it was in no measure able to ballance it the Jury soon found them all guilty upon which they severally receiv'd sentence to be hang'd The execution of which sentence follow'd upon the twenty first ensuing March 1678 9. But now the time of the new Parliaments sitting drawing near toward the beginning of this month his Majesty that he might remove all fears and jealousies out of the minds of his subjects thought meet to command his Royal Highness to absent himself for a time Who thereupon in obedience to his Majesties pleasure together with his Dutchess took leave of his Majesty upon the third of March and after a short visit to his Daughter the Princess of Orange in Holland retired to Bruxells in Flanders He was no sooner departed but the Parliament which had been so lately summon'd before met according to the time appointed at Westminster So soon as they were ready the King went in his Barge to Westminster and there in a Gracious Speech upon which the Chancellour afterwards enlarg'd His Majesty acquainted both Houses what he himself expected and what the Countrey stood in need of from their Unanimous and Prudent Consultations The Speeches being ended the Commons return to their House and choose again the Speaker of the last Parliament Mr. Edward Seymour This choice occasion'd their Prorogation from the twelfth to the fifteenth of the same month at what time being met again they chose Sergeant Gregory and caus'd him to take the Chair Before they fell upon business the members were all severally sworn and took the Test and being so cemented together they fell first upon the further prosecution of the Plot already discover'd to the Parliament not long before dissolv'd In reference to which affair Dr. Tong Dr. Oates and Mr. Bedlow were summon'd to attend them and to give their Informations Upon their appearing Dr. Tong gave a long Narraton which because it was tedious they further desir'd in writing Dr. Oates read his own depositions and when he had done made a complaint of some discouragements which he had receiv'd from some of the Members The complaint fell more severely upon one of them who having spoken some words in contempt of the Truth of the Plot was sent to the Tower and expell'd the House but soon after upon his modest Petition discharg'd from his imprisonment But whatever particular persons thought of the Plot the House of Commons were so well satisfy'd that they appointed a Committee of Secresie to take Informations prepare Evidences and draw up Articles against the Lords suspected to be therein concern'd By way of further prosecution also it was resolv'd that an humble address should be made to his Majesty that all the papers and writings relating to the discovery of the Plot and particularly such papers and writings which had been taken since the prorogation of the last Parliament might be deliver'd to the Committee of Secresie appointed to draw up Articles against the said Lords To which his Majesty was pleas'd to return for Answer that those papers and examinations were deliver'd to the Committee of the Lords from whence they should be sent to their Committee so soon as the Lords had done perusing them In the midst of these transactions they forgot not the Earl of Danby For upon the twentieth of this month they sent to the Lords to put them in mind of the Impeachment of High Treason exhibited against him in the name of the Commons and to desire that he might be forthwith committed to safe custody In answer to which at a Conference of both Houses the Duke of Monmouth acquainted them in the behalf of the Lords That their Lordships having taken into consideration matters relating to the Earl of Danby together with what his Majesty was pleas'd to say upon that Subject had order'd that a Bill should be brought in by which the said Earl should be made for ever incapable of coming into his Majesties presence and of all Offices and Employments and of receiving any gifts or grants from the Crown and of sitting in the House of Peers In the mean time the Commons having appointed a Committee to enquire into the manner of the suing forth the said Pardon made their report that they could not find the entry of any such Pardon in either of the Secretaries Offices nor in the Offices of the Signet or Privy Seal but that they found it to be a Pardon by Creation Thereupon the Commons send another Message to the Lords to demand Justice in the name of the Commons of England against the said Earl and that he might be immediately sequester'd from Parliament and committed to safe custody To which the Lords return'd that they had order'd before the coming of their last message the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod forthwith to take the said Earl into custody Soon after the Lords sent another Message to acquaint the Commons that they had sent both to Wimbleton and to his house in Town to apprehend the said Earl but that the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod could not find him April 1679. Thereupon the Commons order'd a Bill to be brought in to summon the said Earl to render himself to Justice by a day to be therein limited or in default thereof to attaint him Which Bill having pass'd the House was sent up to the Lords for their concurrence In the mean time the Lords had prepar'd a milder act of their own for the banishing and disabling the Earl of Danby which being rejected by the Commons the Lords desir'd a conference at which they deliver'd back the Bill of attainder choosing so to do by conference rather than by message to preserve a good understanding and to prevent Controversie between the two Houses And to shew the reason why they insisted upon their own amendments of the Bill for attainder it was urg'd that in regard the King had always in his reign been inclin'd to mercy and clemency to all his subjects the first interruption of his clemency ought not to proceed from his two houses This being reported an humble address to his Majesty was presently resolv'd upon to issue out his Royal Proclamation for the apprehending the Earl of Danby with the usual penalties upon those that should conceal him and that his Majesty would be also pleas'd further to give order to the
attempt the killing of the same Prelate in the chief street of Edenburgh in the face of the Sun and of all the multitude Who dying for the fact and with an obdurate and sear'd zeal owning and justifying the fact led others so far astray into the violation of the Law of Nature that upon the third of this month deluded Devotion adventur'd to murther the Arch-bishop in the ensuing manner The Arch-bishop it seems was returning in his Coach from a Village in Fife called Kennoway toward the City of St. Andrews it self and was got within two miles of the place near to another small village called Magus There it was that the Coachman having spy'd several Horsemen gave his Lord notice of them and ask'd him whether he should not drive faster But the Arch-bishop not dreading any harm thought it not convenient to mend his pace When they drew near the Arch-bishops daughter look'd out and seeing them with Pistols in their hands cry'd out to the Coach-man to drive on And he had certainly out-driven them had not one Balfour of Kinlock being mounted upon a very fleet horse cunningly got before the Coach into which they had already discharg'd several shot in vain This Balfour finding he could not wound the Coachman because the Coach-mans whip frighted his Horse wounded the Postillian and disabled the fore horses Upon which the rest coming up one of them shot the Arch-bishop with a Blunderbuss as he sate in the Coach while others reproachfully call'd to him in these words Come forth vile Dog who hast betray'd Christ and his Church and receive what thou hast deserv'd for thy wickedness against the Kirk of Scotland While he was in the Coach one ran him through with a Sword under the shoulder the rest pulling him violently out of the Coach His daughter went out fell upon her knees and beg'd for mercy to her father but they beat her and trampl'd upon her The Primate with an extraordinary calmness of spirit said to 'em Gentlemen I know not that I ever injur'd any of you and if I did I promise ye I will make you what reparation you can propose To which they return'd no better Language than this Villain and Judas Enemy to God and his people thou shalt now have the reward of thy enmity to Gods people which words were follow'd with many mortal wounds of which one was a deep one above his eye He labour'd to make them apprehensive that he was a Minister and pulling off his Cap shew'd them his grey hairs intreating them withal that if they would not spare his life yet that they would at least allow him some little time for prayer But their barbarous and inhumane answer was That God would not hear so base a Dog as he was and as to the desire of Quarter they told him That the strokes they were then about to give were those which he was to expect Notwithstanding all which inhumane usage and a shot that pierc'd his body above his right Pap and several blows that cut his hands while he was holding them up to Heaven in prayer he rais'd himself upon his knees and utter'd these few words God forgive you all After which by reason of many gashes that cut his scull in pieces he fell down dead At which time some of the Murtherers believing that they heard him groan return'd saying he was of the nature of a Cat and therefore they would go back and hack him a little better for the Glory of God And so having stirr'd about his brains with the points of their Swords they took an oath of the servants not to reveal their names and then bidding them take up their Priest they rode back to Magus crying out aloud That Judas was kill'd and from thence made their escape All this while at London the Parliament continue their prosecution of the Earl of Danby and in order thereunto the lower House resolve that the Pardon of the Earl of Danby was illegal and void and not to be allow'd in Bar of the Impeachment of the Commons of England Thereupon the whole House with the Speaker went up to the Lords to whom the Speaker made this following Address My Lords The Knights Citizens and Burgesses in Parliament assembled are come up to demand Judgement in their own names and in the names of all the Commons of England against Thomas Earl of Danby who stands by them impeach'd before your Lordships of High Treason and diverse high Crimes and Misdemeanors To which he has pleaded a Pardon which Pardon the Commons conceive to be illegal and void and therefore they do demand Judgement accordingly Thereupon the Lords appointed a short day for hearing the Earl what he could say to make good the plea of his Pardon Nor was his Majesty himself less careful of the safety of the Nation who finding or at least fore-seeing the ill consequences of these continu'd debates thereupon sent a Message to the Commons wherein he desir'd them to secure the Fleet to proceed in the discovery of the Plot the Tryal of the Lords in the Tower and the Bill for securing the Protestant Religion For all which they appointed a certain day of consideration but before they proceeded they made an Address to his Majesty against the Duke of Lauderdale as a person who being in high trusts and employments about his Majesty had by his arbitrary and destructive Counsels tending to the subversion the rights and liberty of of the subject endeavour'd to alienate the hearts of his Majesties good subjects from his Majesty and Government and more particularly had contriv'd and endeavour'd to raise jealousies and misunderstandings between England and Scotland And therefore they most humbly besought his Majesty to remove him from his Counsels both in Scotland and England from all Offices Imployments and places of Trust and from his Majesties presence for ever And to shew that they did not this out of disobedience but affection presently after they declar'd in a full house That in defence of his Majesties person and the Protestant Religion they would stand by his Majesty with their lives and fortunes and that if his Majesty should come to any untimely end which God forbid they would revenge it to the utmost upon the Papists And now the Bill for the disbanding of the Army being compleated and having pass'd both Houses was confirm'd and receiv'd its last consummation by the Kings Royal Assent So that the Commissioners appointed by the house for that purpose had liberty to attend that particular service In the mean time the Commons perceiving that there was a day appointed for the Earl of Danby to make good the plea of his Pardon by Council order'd that no Commoner should presume to maintain the validity of the Pardon pleaded by the said Earl without the consent of the House and that the person so doing should be accompted a betrayer of the liberty of the Commons of England Next day the Earl appear'd and put in his
him of his Royal Estate Crown and Dignity and by malitious and advised Speaking and otherways declaring their said Purposes and Intentions As also to subject this Kingdom and Nation to the Pope and his Tyrannical Government and to Seize and Share among themselves the Estates and Inheritance of His Majesty's Protestant Subjects and to Erect and Restore Abbies Monasteries and other Convents and Societies which have been long since by the Laws of this Kingdom supprest for their Superstition and Idolatry and to Deliver up and Restore to them the Lands and Possessions now Vested in his Majesty and his Subjects by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm And also to Found and Erect new Monasteries and Convents and to remove and deprive all Protestant Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Persons from their Livings Benefices and Preferments and by this means to destroy his Majesty's Person and extirpate the Protestant Religion overthrow the Rights Liberties and Propertys of all his Majesty's good Subjects subvert the Laws and Government of this Kingdom and subject the same to the Tyranny of the See of Rome And the said Conspirators Complices and Confederates traiterously had and held several Meetings Assemblies and Consultations wherein it was contrived and designed amongst them what ways should be used and the Persons and Instruments should be imployed to Murther his Majesty and did then and there resolve to effect it by Poysoning Shooting Stabbing or by some such like ways and means And to that part of the Impeachment named The better to compass their traiterous Designs Have Consulted to raise Money Men Horses Arms and Ammunition c. The said Lord saving to himself and which he humbly prays may be reserved to him the liberty of answering over and denying all and singular the said Crimes and Offences charged on him saith and humbly offereth to this Honourable House That the Charge of those Crimes and Offences so imposed on him by the said Impeachment are so general and incertain that he cannot possibly Answer thereto or make any just or lawful Defence upon his Tryal For that the said Charge hath no manner of certainty in point of time it being laid only for many years last past which may be for 5 10 20 30 or more years whereby tho' the said Lord knoweth himself to be altogether innocent of any such horrid or detestable Crimes as by the said Impeachment are objected against him Yet 't is impossible for him upon any Tryal thereof to be prepared with his just and lawful Defence by Witness to prove himself absent or in any other place at the same time of such Meetings or Consultations to or for any of the wicked Designs and Purposes in the said Impeachment mention'd as on his Tryal may be suddenly objected against him when he cannot by any care or foresight whatever have such Witness ready as would disprove them if they were certainly charged for any traiterous Design Act or Crime at any time certainly alledged by the said Impeachment Nor is the said Charge in the said Impeachment more certain as to the place of any such Meeting or Consultation laid down in the said Impeachment being only alledged to be in divers places within this Realm of England and elsewhere Which for the Cause aforesaid is so utterly incertain that it deprives the said Lord of his Defence upon his Tryal The incertainties likewise of the number of Meetings and Consultations to the wicked Purposes in the Impeachment mentioned and the not shewing how many times the Lords met and consulted and with whom in particular doth likewise deprive him of all possibility of making his Defence in producing Witnesses For the said Lord being wholly innocent cannot suppose or imagin what Meetings or Consultations either to raise Money or Men for carrying on a Traiterous Design or to any other wicked Intent or Purpose in the said Impeachment mentioned shall or may be objected against him upon the Tryal And 't is as impossible for him to bring Witnesses to prove all the Meetings and Consultations may upon his Tryal be objected against him as a traiterous Meeting or Consultation And where it is in the said Impeachment charged upon the said Lord That he hath uttered Treason by malitious and advised Speaking and other ways declaring the same The said Lord saith That never any traiterous thought entred into his heart and therefore he cannot know any Words or Writing he ever spoke or declared which are now charged upon him as Treason there being no Word or Writing at all specified in the Impeachment whereby the Lord may know how to prepare his Defence against them or this most Honourable Court may judge whether the said Words or Writing are in truth Treasonable or not All which Incertainties eminent and apparent Dangers of the said Lord being thereupon surprized in a Cause of this Consequence wherein his Life and Honour more dear to him than his Life and all else that is dear to him in this World are immediately concerned being seriously weighed and considered by your Lordships He humbly prayeth as by his Counsel he is advised That your Lordships would not put him to Answer the said Impeachment herein above recited till the same be reduc'd to such a compleat certainty that the said Lord may know how to Answer unto and thereby be enabled to make his just Defence accordingly All which notwithstanding he humbly submitteth to whatsoever your Lordships in Justice shall order and think fit And to all other Treasons Crimes and Offences contained mentioned or specified in the said Impeachment the said Lord protesting his Innocency in the great Wisdom and Sentence of this Honourable Court shall always acquiesce Soon after the Lords desir'd to know of the Commons Whether they were ready to joyn Issue who return'd in a short time for answer That they were ready to make good their Charge against the five Lords Thereupon a Message was sent from the Lords to acquaint the Commons That they had made an Order That the five Lords in the Tower should be brought to their Tryals upon the Impeachments against them by that day seven night the Message being deliver'd on the sixth of May and that they had also appointed an Address to be presented to his Majesty for the naming a Lord High Steward as well in the Case of the Earl of Danby as of the other five Lords and that the same should be in Westminster-Hall Upon this the Commons appointed a Committee to search Precedents relating to the Message sent them from the Lords upon whose Report it was found That on the like occasion the Commons had appointed a select Committee to joyn with a Committee of the Lords to consider of the Methods and Circumstances to be observ'd in the Tryal This occasion'd a Message to the Lords to desire a Conference upon the Subject Matter of the last Message relating to the Tryal of the Lords in the Tower There it was urg'd by the Commons that they suppos'd
with their Speaker on the Fifth of May in the name of themselves and all the Commons of England demand Judgment against the said Earl upon their Impeachment not doubting but that their Lordships did intend in all their proceedings upon the Impeachment to have follow'd the usual Course and Method of Parliament But the Commons were not a little surpriz'd by the Message sent from their Lordships deliver'd them on the seventh of May thereby acquainting them that as well the Lords Spiritual as Temperal had order'd that the 10th of May should be the day for hearing the Earl of Danby to make good his plea of Pardon And that on the thirteenth of May the other Five Lords should be brought to their Trial and that their Lordships had addressed to His Majesty for naming of a Lord High Steward as well in the Case of the Earl of Danby as of the other Five Lords Upon Consideration of this Message the Commons found that the admitting of the Lords Spiritual to exercise Jurisdiction in these Cases was an alteration of the Judicature in Parliament and which extended as well to the proceeding against the Five Lords as the Earl of Danby And that if a Lord High Steward should be necessary upon Trial on Impeachments of the Commons the power of Judicature in Parliament upon Impeachments might be defeated by suspending or denying a Commission to Constitute a Lord High Steward And that the said days of Trial appointed by their Lordships were so near to the time of their said Message that those Matters and the Method of Proceeding upon the Trial could not be adjusted by conference between the two Houses before the day so nominated And consequently the Commons could not then proceed to Trial unless the zeal which they had for speedy Judgment against the Earl of Danby that so they might proceed to Trial of the other Five Lords should induce them at that juncture both admit the Enlargment of their Lordships Jurisdiction and to sit down under those or any hardships though with the hazard of all the Commons Power of impeaching for time to come rather then that the Trial of the said Five Lords should be deferr'd for some short time while those Matters might be agreed on and Settl'd For reconciling differences in these great and weighty Matters and for saving that time which would necessarily have been spent in Debates and Conferences betwixt the two Houses and for expediting the Trials without giving up the power of Impeachments or rendring them effectual The Commons thought fit to propose to their Lordships that a Committee of both Houses might be appointed for that purpose At which Committee when agreed to by their Lordships it was first proposed That the time of Trial of the Lords in the Tower should be put off till the other Matters were adjusted and it was then agreed That the Proposition as to the time of Trial should be the last thing Considered The effect of which agreement stands reported in their Lordships Books After which the Commons Communicated to their Lordships by their Committee a Vote of theirs that the Committee of the Commons should insist upon the former Vote of the House that the Lords Spiritual ought not to have any Vote in any proceeding against the Lords in the Tower and that when that Matter should be settled and the method of proceedings adjusted the Commons would then be ready to proceed upon the Trial of the Pardon of the Earl of Danby against whom they had before demanded Judgment and afterwards to the Trial of the other Five Lords in the Tower Which Vote extended as well to the Earl of Danby as to the other Five Lords But the Commons had as yet received nothing from their Lordships towards an Answer of that Vote save that their Lordships had acquainted them that the Bishops had ask'd leave of the House of Peers that they might withdraw themselves from the Trial of the Five Lords with Libertie of entring their usual Protestations And though the Commons Committee had almost daily declar'd to their Lordships Committee That that was a necessary point to be settled before the Trial and offer'd to debate the same their Committee still answer'd that they had not power from their Lordships either to confer upon or give any Answer concerning that Matter And yet their Lordships without having given the Commons any Satisfactory Answer to the said Vote or permitting any Conference or debate thereupon did on Thursday the second of May send a Message to the Commons declaring that the Lords Spiritual as well as Temporal had order'd the 27th of May for the Trial of the Five Lords So that the Commons could not but apprehend that their Lordships had not only departed from what was agreed on and in effect lay'd aside by that Committee which was constituted for preserving a good understanding betwixt the two Houses and better dispatch of the weighty affairs depending in Parliament but also must needs conclude from the Message and Votes of their Lordships of the 7th of May That the Lords Spiritual had a right to stay and sit in Court till the Court proceeded to the Vote of Guilty or not Guilty And from the Bishops asking leave that they might withdraw themselves from the Trial of the said Lords with Libertie of entring their usual Protestations and by their persisting to go on and giving their Votes in proceedings upon Impeachments that their desire of leave to withdraw at the Trials was only an evasive answer to the before mentioned Vote of the Commons and chiefly intended as an argument for a right of Judicature in Proceedings upon Impeachment and as a reserve to judge upon the Earl of Danby's plea of Pardon and upon those and other like Impeachments though no such power was ever claim'd by their Predecessors and was utterly deny'd by the Commons And the Commons were the rather induc'd to beleive it so intended because the very asking leave to withdraw seem'd to imply a right to be there and that they could not absent without it The Commons therefore did not think themselves oblig'd to proceed to the Tryal of the Lords on the seventh of May but to adhere to their Vote And for their so doing besides what had been already and formerly said to their Lordships they offer'd these Reasons following I. Because your Lordships have receiv'd the Earl of Danby's Plea of Pardon with a very long and unusual Protestation wherein he has aspers'd His Majesty by false suggestions as if His Majesty had commanded or countenanc'd the Crimes he stands charg'd with and particularly the suppressing and discouraging the Discovery of the Plot and endeavouring to Introduce an Arbitrary and Tirannical way of Government Which remains as a scandal to His Majesty tending to render His Person and His Government odious to His People against which it ought to be the principal care of both Houses to Vindicate His Majesty by doing justice upon the said Earl II. The
he challeng'd Dr. Owen and some others in a Letter written in several Languages and that so learnedly that it was deem'd worthy the Consideration of the Convocation by whom he was censur'd as a Jesuit or some other of the best sort of Popish Education and thereupon imprison'd in the Castle Prison in Oxford where he pretended distraction and acted the Madman so rarely to the life that in few days some Friends of his procur'd his liberty He was seen several times running up and down the Streets with his Hat under his Arm full of Stones throwing at every small Bird he saw But e're long he was met by a Minister of the Church of England at the House of a Roman Catholick who there heard him Discourse so gravely learnedly and discreetly that he got not onely into an acquaintance but familiarity with him insomuch that this Gentleman being of Maudlin Colledge he there gave him several Visits in several Disguises But at length being again suspected and in danger of being apprehended he stole away privately for London To which place business calling the same Gentleman about six Months after he was no sooner come to Town but he had notice of a famous Preacher among the Quakers near Charing-Cross and the same day he met Whitebread the great man of Fame going to speak in an old fashion pink'd Fustian Jerkin clouted Shoes his Breeches fac'd with Leather and a Carter's Whip in his hand in that Garb altogether disguiz'd from his knowledge however he knew the Gentleman and spake to him and so they renew'd their acquaintance For that time however they took leave and he went forward upon his intended work but the next day he came to the Gentleman's Quarters in the neat habit of a London Minister and carried him to his own Lodging within the Precincts of the Middle-Temple where he gave the Gentleman a handsom Entertainment and a sight of the several odd Habits in which he disguiz'd himself to the several sorts of people into whose good Opinion he had insinuated himself There the Gentleman saw his Orders from Rome and an Instrument wherein he was assur'd of and had Orders to receive of certain Merchants in Town a Hundred Pound per Annum besides a yearly Pension of Eighty Pound from his Father He pretended to this Gentleman that he was born at Wittenbergh and that his Father's Name was John White and in the Writing he himself was stil'd Johannes de Albis by the Court of Rome He was both Jesuit and Priest in Orders for that to the same Gentleman's knowledge he celebrated Mass in one House in Southwark to more then Forty after which upon the same day he visited several Presbyterians and others The same Gentleman continu'd in his Company for about a Month till he was apprehended and by special Order from the Protector imprison'd in the Tower of London where he lay above six Months No wonder then that he stook closest to the Romish Church for she it seems was his best friend and gave him the fairest Allowance what signifi'd a little Imprisonment for her sake who gave him a hundred pound a year to support him in his tribulation The next day Mr. Langhorn was brought to his Tryal at the same Bar. A Councellor at Law and one who got his bread by that very Law which he was plotting to subvert An imprudent piece of Ingratitude to forego the Law of his Country which afforded him a substantial Employment to catch at the shadow of a Judge Advocate Generals place in treasonable Hopes The general sum of his Charge was High Treason for conspiring the Death of the King and endeavouring an Alteration both in Church and State The particular Charge against him was That in order to the accomplishing as much as in him lay these designs of his he had wrote two Letters to be sent to Rome and St. Omers to procure aid from the Pope and the French King on purpose to introduce a change of the Religion by Law establish'd in the Kingdom and to set up the Romish Religion in the stead thereof That he had wrote two other Letters to one Anderton Rector of the English Colledge of Jesuites at Rome and two others to be sent to St. Omers wherein he undertook to advise the means and ways by which the success of those Treasons might be made to answer their expectations That he had received several Commissions in writing transmitted to him by an Authority that deriv'd it self from the See of Rome which Commissions were for constituting Military Officers to command in an Army which was to effect their Treasons by force That he was privy to all the Consultations of the rest of the Conspirators for carrying on the grand design and that he had sollicited the Benedictine Monks for 6000 l. for the same purpose and had notice from time to time of the Treasons and Conspiracy's of the Confederates To make Good this Charge Mr. Dugdall and Mr. Praunce were both sworn to give a short evidence of the reality of the Design in general Which being done Dr. Oates was sworn to particulars who thereupon depos'd That upon his return out of Spain in November 1677. he brought Letters from Mr. Langhorn's sons the one in the Jesuites Colledge at Madrid the other at Valladolid and that when the Witness told him that he believ'd his Sons would both enter into the Society Mr. Langhorn shew'd himself not a little pleas'd saying that by so doing they might quickly come to preferment in England for that matters would not hold long in England as they were That upon his return to St. Omers he carry'd two Letters written by Mr. Langhorn one to the Fathers another to Mr. Le Cheese the King of France's Confessor as Mr. Langhorn expressed himself in order to our Affairs in England and to the same effect as Mr. Coleman had wrote to him before That not long after he wrote another Letter to the Fathers expressing his wonderful zeal for the Catholic Design declaring moreover that the Parliament began to cool in the business of the Protestant Religion and that therefore speaking of the present Opportunity Now was the time to give the Blow That though he were not at the Consults yet that the Witness was order'd to give him an account from time to time and that upon a pleasing report made by the Witness Mr. Langhorn with Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven Pray'd God to prosper them That the Report of the Witness was That the Death of the King was resolv'd upon and that Grove and Pickering were chosen out for the Execution of the Result That at the same time several Parchments were lying upon Mr. Langhorn's Study-Table which he found to be Commissions for the Lords Arundel of Wardour Powis Bellasis and Petre to be Chancellor Treasurer General and Lieutenant General Another for Coleman to be Secretary of State and another for himself to be Judge Advocate of the Army all which had the
foot into the stirrup for eternal Bliss Let it suffice then that by this fallacy which they have all laid at the bottom as the Basis of the rest all their preliminary Imprecations and solemn Attestations are nothing but Fourberie and Imposture These were the Acts of Civil Justice in England while the Military Power finds work enough in Scotland to extinguish the Flames of a newly kindl'd Rebellion blow'd up by the common Beutifeus of Christian War Religion and Liberty For by the 7th of this month their Numbers were very much encreas'd which encourag'd several small parties like little streams to bend their course toward the main Inundation On the other side his Majesties Forces were no less vigilant to prevent their meeting To which purpose the Privy Council of Scotland understanding that there was a party got together in Tyvidale with a resolution to march Westward and joyn with the main Body sent the Master of Ross son to the Lord Ross with forty Horse and a hundred Dragoons to Selkerk to attend their motion They were about three hundred Horse and Foot however when they perceiv'd with what a resolution he advanc'd toward them they began to make a hasty retreat Whereupon the Master of Ross observing their fear briskly attack'd them with his whole number who so well behaved themselves that the Enemy was totally defeated leaving sixty six dead upon the place and ten Prisoners the rest being totally scattered Soon after the Earl of Murray's Steward in Downe having intelligence that above a hundred new rais'd Rebels were marching out of Fife to the Rendezvouze got together the Vassals and Tenants of his Lord and having pursu'd the Rebels sixteen miles through the Mountains at last overtook them routed them and took ten Prisoners among whom was one Hinderson who was one of the Murderers of the Archbishop of St. Andrews whereby he forc'd them to scatter and fly into the adjacent Mountains Of which the Lord Elphingstoun having notice he with some Gentlemen under his command pursu'd them farther kill'd some and took above thirty Prisoners and among them two of the name of Balfour and one Hamilton of Kinkell three more of the Murtherers of the Archbishop So that of that party of the Rebels hardly one escap'd being kill'd or taken The Gentlemen also of Strathern having fallen upon another party of the Rebels marching out of Fife of them they kill'd some and took about forty Prisoners At the same time the Militia and Trained Bands of Edinburgh to the number of four thousand took an oath to be faithful to his Majesty and to venture their lives and fortunes in suppressing the Rebellion These little skirmishes and petty victories could not hinder but that the great Snow-ball still increas'd So that the standing Militia and Heritors of some shires were commanded to their several Rendezvouzes those of the Southern parts near Edinburgh and those of the Northern parts near Sterling To command which Forces his Grace the Duke of Monmouth was commanded by his Majesty to repair forthwith into Scotland in obedience to which Order he arriv'd at Edinburgh the 18th of this Month having rode post all the way for Expedition The next day he went to the Army that lay twelve miles from the City at Moorhead beyond Blackborn and eight from the Enemy And having sent for some provisions which he found wanting from Edinburgh as soon as they arriv'd he resolv'd to march against the Rebels who lay encamp'd behind Bothwell-Bridge in Hamilton-Park they being posted all along the River and the Bridge well barricado'd and lin'd with Musqueteers Accordingly on Saturday the 21st of June in the evening his Grace began his March Major Oglethorp being commanded to lead the Van with five Troops of the English Dragoons and a hundred horse commanded by the L. Hume His Grace follow'd with the rest of the Horse and Dragoons and 300. commanded Foot About break of day the Van came in sight of the Rebels who were all ready drawn up in two Bodies though they had no more notice of the Dukes March than what they had from the light of the Souldiers Matches Major Oglethorp with his party was commanded to march directly toward the Bridge and draw up before it approaching so much the nearer because it was found that the Rebels had barricado'd up the Bridge with Stones and Timber that render'd the pass very difficult The Rebels had posted themselves very advantageously for there was no coming to them but over that Bridge the River Clyd running between the two Armies The Duke drew up the Army in Battle upon the height parallel to the River in full view of the Rebels which being done he went to visit the Dragoons Post about a mile distant Upon the way he was met by an Officer who acquainted him that a Parley had been beaten and deliver'd him a Petition sent from the Rebels and sign'd by Robert Hamilton in the name of Himself and the Covenanted Army in Scotland now in Arms the Contents whereof were That they had lain under great oppression both in their Estates and Consciences which had oblig'd them to have recourse to Arms for their own preservation which they were willing to lay down when the things set down in their Declaration were granted them His Grace admitting of the Parley there came out to him Mr. David Hume one of their Ministers with another Gentleman who being ask'd what they came for Mr. Hume answer'd That they were inform'd that his Grace was a merciful person that took no delight to shed blood and one that had power to do them good His Grace made answer That he should be very glad they would prevent the effusion of blood and to that end he was willing to hear what they propounded To which Mr. Hume reply'd that all their desires were contain'd in their Declaration And being demanded whether he meant the Declaration that pass'd undertheir name and was set up and proclaim'd at Rugland He answer'd God forbid they should own that But the Declaration he spoke of was one they had lately printed a Copy whereof he had with him and desired liberty to read it which being done his Grace told them That he suppos'd they would take it as a great proof of his Clemency and forbearance towards them that he had Patience to hear such a Libell against the Kings Person and Government read quite thorough But that he found no one Article in it that he could possibly agree to and therefore would make them a much shorter proposal which was That if they would immediately lay down their Arms and submit themselves to his Majesties Mercy the Kings Forces should not fall upon them Mr. Hume reply'd that it was impossible to agree to that for that it would be to lay their heads upon the Block Whereupon his Grace advis'd them to consider well what they had to do and to reflect a little whether that number of men shewing him the Army as it was drawn up