about the latter end of May or beginning of Iune 1695 on a Monday the Lord Aylesbury the Lord Mongomery Sir Iohn Friend Sir William Parkyns Sir Iohn Fenwick Mr. Charnock one Cook and this Deponent met at the old King's-Head in Leadenhall-Street and at one Mrs. Monjoy's Tavern in St. Iames's street sometime after At both these Meetings it was consulted and agreed to send Charnock over to France to invite the late King Iames to England and to prevail with the French King to furnish him with 10000 Men 8000 Foot 1000 Horse and 1000 Dragoons and each did promise to meet him at his Landing with 2000 Horse and Sir Iohn Friend did say he would be as forward in his Assistance as any And not long after the second they had a third Meeting where were Sir William Parkyns Sir George Barclay Sir Iohn Friend one Holmes Mr. Ferguson and this Deponent Capt. Blair swore that 2 or 3 Years ago Sir Iohn Friend produc'd a Commission he had from K. Iames to be a Colonel of a Regiment of Horse which he was to raise and to appoint what Officers he thought fit That he read the Commission it was seal'd at the Top Iames Rex and counter-sign'd Melford That he promised this Deponent he should be his Lieutenant Colonel and told him he should get as many Men as he could that Mr. Fisher was to be his first Captain and Vernatti was to be another and Mr. Sclater should be Captain of a Troop of Non-Swearing Parsons and that for ingaging and contracting with Men to come in to be of his Regiment and to caress and keep them together and to carry on the Design he had expended a great deal of Money And that he laid down 100 l. to facilitate Col. Parker's escape out of the Tower That he had wrote a Letter to King Iames and gave it this Deponent to read who told him 't was well penn'd and that he believed Mr. Ferguson did pen it To this Sir Iohn Friend makes an Objection against the Credit of the Witnesses that they were not to be believed upon this Account because they are known to be Roman Catholicks and he a Protestant their Consciences as to Oaths are somewhat large especially when they swear against Protestants and therefore says he they are not to be allow'd against Protestants as Witnesses and that their Credit was not sufficient to induce a Jury to believe them At first he alledged there was a Statute that disabled them from being Witnesses but that was proved to him to the Contrary Then he insisted upon it that Blair was not to be look'd upon as a Witness and that because he denyed he knew any thing of the Plot The Occasion of that was this when he was in the Gate-House there was News in the Flying-Post or Post-Boy where it was alledged that Blair had confess'd all and that thereupon Blair said he was Innocent but Blair being called into Court again swears he did not say he knew nothing of a Plot but deny'd being privy to or concern'd in the Assassination so that he did not deny wholly to be in the Plot but in the Assassination Another thing he insisted upon to be a Matter of Law in the Statute of the 25. Edw. 3. which was over-rul'd by the Court. So that what he had to say for himself proving no way material then the Jury withdrew and return'd after a short time and brought him in Guilty of High-Treason As touching the Paper he deliver'd to the Sheriffs at the time of his Execution he said he died in Charity with all Men and a Member of the Church of England he no way denyed the Fact for which he stood Condemn'd but rather Justified it and made some groundless Reflections on the legal and regular Proceedings against him concluding with a Prayer which could be dictated by none but a fierce Jacobite It was in truth a Prayer more proper for their Treasonable Meetings at the Old King's-Head in Leadenhall-streei c. than to be used as the last Words of a Gentleman dying in the Profession of the Church of England The next Offender that came under the stroke of Justice was Sir William Parkyns who came to his Tryal the 24 th of March the same Year Amongst the several Witnesses that was produc'd Capt. Porter was the first who has been a Witness hitherto against several upon the like Occasion he swore That about the latter end of May or beginning of Iune 1695 Sir Iohn Fenwick Sir Iohn Friend Sir William Parkyns and this Deponent with divers others Met at the Old Kings-Head in Leadenhall-street and some time after at Mrs. Monjoy's at both which Places they did consult how they might again Restore King Iames in order to it they thought it very necessary to send Mr. Charnock who was at that Meeting to King Iames and invite him to England with a French Force viz. 8000 Foot 1000 Horse and 1000 Dragoons if he could solicit the French King to lend him so many and that each of them did send their promise to meet him where he should appoint to Land at the Head of 2000 Horse And further as to the Assassination he swore That about the latter end of Ianuary or beginning of February Sir George Barclay was sent over with a Commission from the late King Iames whereupon Sir George Barclay Sir William Parkyns this Deponent with divers others had several Meetings particularly at the Globe-Tavern in Hatton-Garden the Nags-Head Tavern in Covent-Garden the Sun-Tavern in the Strand and other places Where it was resolved to undertake to Assassinate King William that Sir William did consent to it and said he thought it necessary to be done to facilitate the Restauration of King James and offer'd to Lend 5 Horses to engage in it three to be mounted by Men as he would get the other two by Capt. Porter That he told Charnock in this Deponents hearing He had a Commission from King James for the raising a Troop of Horse and that he had seen and read the Commission Sir George Barclay brought over which was to Levy War against the Person of the Prince of Orange and that he would not Personally engage in the Assassination because he had a Regiment to look after Sweet swore That he the said Sir William Parkyns told him about Christmas last That King James would come he ask'd him How he knew it He told him He had his Word for it and that he had a Troop which consisted of Old Soldiers he had Thirty Sadles and besides there would be some Volunteers which were old Officers That he was to go into Leicester-Shire and did it was about the latter end of Ianuary and Scudamore went with him and one Yarborough and a Parson that came out of York shire met him there And that he found the West was as well inclin'd to King James 's Interest as the North and a Lord's Brother was concern'd That Sir William sent for him out of
an Hours stay return'd and brought him in Guilty of High-Treason The next Person that was call'd to the Bar to justify himself was Charles Cranburne the 22 d of April 1696. Against him Capt. Porter deposed That he made the said Cranburne acquainted with the Design of Assassinating His Majesty King VVilliam the Day before they were to execute it and he engaged to be ready and make one On Saturday the 22 d of February he came to my Lodging in Maiden-lane and I sent him to Sir William Parkyns for a Note for two Horses that I was to mount of his He came back and told me he knew where to have them and that Capt. Charnock was afraid we should not have our Complement of Men and desir'd me to send him an account what Men I could bring which I did by Mr. Cranburne and being to go to the Blew-Posts order'd him to bring it to me thither and he did bring it back to me to the Blew-Posts with Capt. Charnock's List underneath And notwithstanding word being brought of the Disappoiotment we parted not till we had drank the Healths to the Restoring the late King James the Prince of Wales c. Then Mr. De la Rue swore That he the said Cranburne the 22 d of February the day on which they the second time thought to put the Design in Execution was sent with a List by Capt. Porter of his Men and whilst I and Capt. Porter was at the Blew-Posts in Spring-Garden he brought to Capt. Porter the List from Charnock with an addition of Names And after word was brought of the Disappointment the Company began to drink very Disloyal Healths as to the Restoring the late King James the Queen the Prince of Wales and the French King Then Capt. Porter having an Orange in his Hand squeez'd it and drank a Health to the squeezing the rotten Orange which was Pledg'd by all and particularly by Mr. Cranburne Mr. Prendergast depos'd That he was with Mr. Cranburne the 14 th of February and there was a Discourse of going in pursuance of this Design the next day and Mr. Cranburne agreed to it and when they were disappointed the 15 th being at the Blue-Posts in Spring-Garden they then agreed to pursue it the next Saturday and that Cranburne was one of them that agreed to it To all this Mr. Cranburne and his Council offer'd very little finding the Evidence so positive so the Jury withdrew to consider of their Verdict a quarter of an Hour and return'd into Court having found him guilty of High-Treason On VVednesday the 22 d of April 1696 Robert Lowick was brought to the King's-Bench Bar for Conspiring to Assassinate his Majesty King VVilliam Against him Mr. Harris swore That between the 15 th and 22 th of February he met Mr. Lowick in Red-Lion-fields and discoursed with him there about the Assassination and told him what a barbarous and inhumane thing it was that we should be the Murderers of the Prince of Orange and that it would render us odious to all the World and that we should be a continual Reproach to our selves he did agree it was so but would obey Orders that he said Sir George Barclay he was sure would not do it without Orders which he repeated twice On Saturday the 22 th he this Deponent and Mr. Lowick din'd at a Cooks at the End of Red-Lion-street and being there together he this Deponent was in a Sweat and Lowick ask'd him the Reason he told him he had been about to get ready Rookwood's Party that were to seize the King says he you need not grudg to do it you have six Shillings a day and I have nothing and yet I brought a couple of Men at my own Charge Then Mr. Bertram swore That he the said Robert Lowick came to him about the Beginning of February last and ask'd him if he would espouse a thing with him that might be for his Advantage He told him he thought he might espouse any thing that he thought fit to engage in he answer'd it was well and desir'd him to ask him no more Questions On the 14 th of February he desired him to be at his Lodging at 12 a Clock he went when he came there he took him up into his Chamber and told him he believed they would ride out in some little time and that the King was to be seiz'd in his Coach and he gave him a Guinea to buy him Necessaries To this he and his Council had little to offer in their Defence the Evidence being so full and positive against them which being summ'd up to the Jury they withdrew for a short time and return'd into Court having found him guilty of High-Treason according to which Sentence he was Executed and Rookwood and Cranburne with him On VVednesday the 13 th of May in the said Year 1696 Peter Cook Gent. was Indicted for endeavouring to procure Forces from France to invade this Kingdom and Conspiring to levy War in this Realm for assisting and abetting the said Invasion in order to the Deposing his Sacred Majesty King William and Restoring the late King Iames. The first Witness produced was Mr. Porter who swore That the Lord Ailesbury my Lord Montgomery Sir Iohn Fenwick Sir VVilliam Parkins Sir Iohn Friend Mr. Charnock Mr. Cook and himself Mr. Goodman came in after Dinner had two Meetings the first was in May at the old King's Head Tavern in Leadenhall-Street in order to consult about an Invasion In this Meeting it was consulted which was the best Way and the quickest to restore King Iames and hasten his Return into England several Discourses and Proposals there were At last in was agreed to send Mr. Charnock to the late King to borrow of the French King 10000 Men 8000 Foot 1000 Horse and 1000 Dragoons to be sent over into England to assist the late King's Restoration Says Mr. Charnock thereupon This the King can do without your sending and I would not go upon a Foolish Errand What will you do in this Matter The Company desir'd him to promise King Iames That if he would send word where he landed they would be sure to meet him at his Landing with a Body of 2000 Horse And all of them that were there present was ask'd by Charnock Whether he might assure the King of what they had told him Every one said Yes you may And when Mr. Cook was ask'd he kneel'd upon a Chair and said Yes you may The 2d Meeting was about the latter end of May or beginning of Iune at Mrs. Montjoy's Tavern at St. Iames's where were present at that time my Lord Aylesbury Sir Iohn Friend Sir William Parkyns and Mr. Charnock and Mr. Cook and himself they did assure Mr. Charnock that they kept to their former Resolution and would abide to what was agreed upon at their first Meeting And that accordingly Mr. Charnock did go to France and he did return and bring back King Iames's Thanks to them and he had
Day His Majesty has gain'd this very considerable Advantage that he plainly perceives the strength of all his Enemies Arrogance lyes not now as heretofore in their extravagant Power to pack the City Juries Therefore now may not even a Lord Securely project or a Ferguson write or a Confederacy act against the Government they not having Sheriffs and a Settled Club at hand with their Corrupt Pannels to indempnify and to second and applaud their most Villainous Practices And His Majesty seems resolv'd at length after a many intollerable Provocations to strike at that which he has now found to be the very Root of the Faction and not to suffer an ill Party of Men to destroy his Government as they might have done had they been suffered to go on never so little farther uncontrouled and it is not to be doubted but the Righteousness of His Majesty's Cause will meet with an answerable Success and that so many guilty Persons will not escape unpunished who were just at the point of bringing their devilish Purposes to a quick Issue and once for all to strike boldly at the Heart of the King and Kingdom But to proceed to the History of the Times this Conspiracy was resolved upon by the French King and the late King Iames in Ianuary last and for the carrying of it on the Duke of Berwick and others were sent into England to concert the grand Point of the Assassination Their Party thenceforth gave over all their quieter and more plausible Arts of Sedition and betook themselves to more precipitate Enterprizes inflaming some to Insurrections others to Assassinations They proudly brag'd throughout the Nation that the late King Iames would be here within a Month Nay they offered to lay Wagers that within that time we should have a New Lord Keeper and Mr. F. was to be the Man They bought up Horses and Arms in all Parts of the Kingdom at the same time using innumerable Deceits to alienate the minds of His Majesty's Subjects from His Government Their pretended Protestant Clergy both Iurors and Non-Iurors talked at this time very impertinently of the horrid Murder of King Charles the First insinuating the Abdication of Iames the Second to be of the same Complexion They ridicul'd the Popish Plot in 1678 that theirs of 1695 might be less credited They took occasion to exclaim against the Rebellion in 1641 and of the Duke of Monmouth's not sticking to represent the Prince of Orange's glorious Expedition parallel thereto At other times under Umbrage of great Loyalty to King William many of them declaim'd of the Divine Right of Kings and of their unaccountableness on this side Heaven from whence this wicked Inference was made that the late King Iames still remains their rightful King Such Practices as these were found by evident Proof to have been the Principal Rise and Occasion of ripening the horrid Conspiracy in this Nation As for his Majesty's Kingdom of Scotland it is Notorious there has been long Shelter'd in it a desperate Faction of furious Zealots that under the Notion of Prelatists were growing up by degrees to a Violation at last not only of all the Rules and Institutions of true Religion but of Common Humanity Have they not proceeded to all the execrable Rage of Rapine aud Violence Their Principles are not yet entirely extinguish'd tho their Force has been Vanquish'd in open Field by God's Provindence prospering His Majesty's Arms. It is certain also the Peace of that Kingdom has been much endangered by other Factious and Seditious Spirits who tho at first they would not venture to encourage publickly the Treason yet stuck not secretly to favour and foment their Cause and would soon have own'd and headed the furious Traitors had the Plot prospered By this brief Recollection of the Troubled State of Affairs and the tumultuous temper of ill Men's Minds in His Majesty's Kingdoms of England and Scotland about the time when this Treasonable Conspiracy was in Agitation the Impartial World may perceive from what destructive Seeds of Sedition private Passions and Animosities under the disguise of Religion and the Publick Interest so Monstrous a Birth was produced In the wonderful Discovery of which detestable Confederacy and in the happy prevention of its dire Effects as all who have heard of it must acknowledg that a signal care of God's Providence has appear'd for His Majesty and these Nations preservation so it must be acknowledged by all that nothing has been done on his Majesties Part but what was agreeable to that Royal Benignity and Natural Candor of his whole Life whereof all the World even his Enemies have had such undoubted Experience Much of the Evidence was deliver'd in His Majesty's own presence The Examinations were taken by Men of unquestionable Reputation and Honour The whole proceedings has been managed with all imaginable Integrity There has been no straining or extorting of Accusations to blemish the Fame of the Innocent No Temptations of Rewards proposed no Pardon assured before-hand for discovering or aggravating the Crimes of the Guilty Some Witnesses who offer'd themselves of whom there might have been any colourable Suspition were wholly rejected Lest it should once again happen that the blasted Credit or needy Condition or Profligate Lives of the Persons deposing should derogate from the strength of their Depositions and administer any the least doubt of Subornation Those Witnesses His Majesty admitted had been generally Men strongly prepossessed in Conscience Zeal and Interest for that Party Men whose former avow'd Hatred of the Government was reason sufficient to gain them an absolute Trust with any who studied to overthrow it They were not of desperate Fortunes nor despicable Men for the most part they seperatly and singly brought in their Discoveries Divers of them had little or no Conversation or Familiarity one with another There was no shadow or possibility of a Combination between them all to discover yet such is the prevalence of self Conviction and so great the Power of Truth that all their several Discoveries did perfectly agree with themselves and with each other in all Material Parts and Circumstances It was therefore in the Year 1695 a time when all His Majesty's Dominons enjoyed a settled Peace and profound Security whilst the greatest part of the Neighbouring World was involved in Wars and Combustions that his Majesty and his Council were suddenly awaken'd with the surprizing Knowledg of this dreadful Conspiracy which had been laying very deep and broad for many Months before The Man whom God chose to make the first Discoverer was Mr. Prendergast a Person of good Credit in his Conversation but otherwise a most perverse Papist and fiercely addicted to their Cause and one of the busiest Sticklers against the Government He by his approved Activity and Violence for the French Interest was Judg'd by the Chief Conspirators fitly qualified to be admitted into their most private Consultations and accordingly thereafter they trusted
Iames's Park with that remarkable Knight Sir Iohn Fenwick who Disappear'd for some Months but was after taken at Rumney in Kent and with a certain nameless Earl on that very Sunday before Noon February 23. when their Party waited for the much long'd for News of His Majesty's Assassination But to pass on Not only the Pulpit but the Press was imploy'd for promoting this barbarous Design as I shall demonstrate to your Lordship by a few Touches out of some envenom'd Libels The Clergy says one of their Incendiaries see on what Terms they stand with their renown'd Deliverer and what great and glorious Designs he has to devour them so soon as he has Power and Opportunity He has as good a Will to the Church-Lands as to his Father's Crown But he durst never put it to the Issue lest it should discover the weakness of his Interest for the Eyes of the Nation are open'd They see themselves Cheated and Abus'd and instead of Liberties and Privileges find themselves made Tools to insatiable Ambition and a Morsel for execrable Parricide And it was the most unaccountable Infatuation to have expected otherwise that he who had Stomach enough to devour his Father would ever Stick at preying on the Wealth the Rights and Vitals of the Nation Read this envenom'd Author a little farther I entreat your Lordship The whole Nation proceeds he must be sacrificed to revenge that generous Pity and Compassion which has been shewn by the King of France to an oppressed Prince whom we have infinitly wrong'd 'T is not his Oppression but his Piety is the Ground of this Immortal Hatred and 't is manifest to all that the Noble Princely and Christian Succour he has afforded our Injur'd King is more provoking than all the Oppressions in the World Another of their Emissaries says he Challenges the whole World to produce such an Instance of Injustice and Violation of Promises as this pretended Saint and Mirror of Justice has afforded us Our Constitution both of Church and State are revers'd and quite disjointed our Liberties and Properties most unjustly invaded and more Instances of Arbitrary Power daily committed than in several of the former Reigns I proceed says this venemous Libeller to address my self to those of my Country-men who has had the misfortune to be misled that since they have had all their Expectations decceiv'd themselves gull'd out of all those real Blessings of Government they formerly enjoy'd Peace Plenty Liberty and Property and all that could render a People happy by one whom a Man would be tempted to think could never have been procreated of Human Race void of all sence of Religion Justice Honour and every Qualification that is apt to conciliate Love or Veneration from Mankind who has really forfeited the Crown by his own Act having violated the very Instrument of Government he Subcribed One who has been the Occasion of shedding more Christian Blood than has been spilt in the ten Persecutions meerly upon a sham Pretence of Religion to us That it is their Interest and indispensible Duty if they have any sence of Goodness remaining to free these Nations of such a Plague and Curse and if possible to redeem all those Blessings which have been withheld from us by his Means by atoning God Almighty by doing Justice to their highly injur'd King and Queen to themselves and to all Europe and averting those dismal Plagues which otherwise e're long will fall upon their Heads Otherwise let 'em do what they can be as obstniate malicious and revengful as they please if they be resolv'd yet to act wickedly they shall be consumed both they and their King All this was evidently with design to shake the Crown and undermine the true Protestant Religion The Truth is to such a Heighth of Arrogance were things grown on their Side that who ever shall Indifferently reflect on the Dangerous Devices Slanderous Reports and Writings and other Violent Emotions of the whole Party that Winter in the City and throughout the Kingdom they will have just cause to conclude that the Course of their Proceedings was a daring Struggle for Victory and a Decisive Contention for Mastery over the Government Yet however cunningly the Train was laid it took no effect but on themselves the Noise and Rage of all their Mutinous Routs vanished into Air. Sir Iohn Houblon the Lord Mayor together with the whole Body of the Greater Wiser and Richer Citizens understood rightly and stuck Unmovable to the Nation 's and their own true Interest Which the Conspirators perceiving many disaffected Lords and others withdrew from their Houses redoubling their Exclamations of Usurpation Tyranny Oppression and what not and still apply'd themselves with all Diligence to expedite the Rebellious Work before projected fancying that yet the whole City and Kingdom would be at the French King's Beck and upon the holding up his Finger would presently rise in Arms to extirpate the two Brothers Liberty and Property The French King had set on foot a Treaty with the Disaffected in England and sent the Duke of Berwick privily to London who held divers Meetings with the Confederates who offer'd that if that King would furnish 10000 Men they would make a Sturdy Commotion here About that time also both ways of destroying these Kingdoms were brought under their Consideration the general way of an Insurrection and the more compendious way as they call'd it of Assassinating the King in his return from Hunting The Assassination was Instantly promoted on all Hands in Town and Country immediately after which the Insurrection was to follow At last it was thought adviseable to send one to France to acquaint the late King Iames with the result of their whole Proceedings desiring him to prevail with the French King to lend him 8000 Foot 1000 Horse 1000 Dragoons and they would meet him at his Landing at the Head of 2000 Horse and knowing no one fitter to employ in such a Concern they desir'd Mr. Charnock would be the Man because they knew him to be of a fluent Tongue and subtile Brain and one of the Chief Contrivers and Managers of the whole Design he readily consented to their Desire and immediatly provided for his Departure after he had advised and encourag'd each of them to be hearty in the Cause Though Charnock was gone for a while yet the Impressions of Mischief he had left behind on the Minds of the Confederates would not so easily vanish They soon reflected on his last advice that so many having been made Conscious to the Design they should certainly find more Safety in pushing it on boldly than in too late a Retreat Upon this immediately they recover'd their Spirits and Resolutions which his Departure had somewhat damp'd thenceforth they renew'd their Consultations 'till his Return which was soon after with the Answer That the French King's Affairs being in such a Posture he could not at that time comply with their Demand which for the present
broke all their Measures But upon the Arrival of Sir George Barclay who after having declar'd to the Disaffected Party the Occasion of his coming produc'd a Commission authorizing them to perpetrate the Parricide he withal told them that the late King was retired from St. Germains to Calais where lay a considerable Body of Troops under his Command that the French King had given Orders to Bouffleurs to draw together immediately to Imbark as soon as the Signal was given that their Hellish Contrivance for Assassinating His Majesty's Person had taken effect Whereupon they renew'd their Cousultations with more Vigour than before The Principal Managers having their frequent Meetings as also the Inferiour Instruments theirs whilst some of each number gave secret Intimations to the other of what was passing in their seperate Assemblies Of the great Council the Consults that have been hitherto plainly testified and sworn to were those at the old King's-head in Leadenhall street and Mrs. Montjoy's in St. Iames's street The Subordinate Cabals were kept in divers other Places in and about the City of London as in Ianuary in that Year at Capt. Porter's and at Mr. Charnock's Lodgings in Norfolk-street Or in common Taverns as at the Nag's-Head in Covent-Garden the Sun in the Strand the Globe in Hatton-Garden c. As also on February the 14 th the very Day the Discovery was made at the Blew-Posts in Spring-Garden and on the 15 th and 22 d at Capt. Porter's Lodging in Maiden-lane being both the Times agreed upon to put the Design in Execution Their Meetings being so generally in places of publick Entertainment therefore to prevent the Observation of Drawers and Servants they often discours'd of their whole Bloody Business in a Canting Language of their own making The King was sometimes call'd the Spark the Prince of Orange the Little Gentleman c. Provision of Arms as Bluuderbusses Musquets Pistols c. were talk'd of under disguised Names The Insurrection was stil'd the General Point the Assassination taking off the Spark and striking at the Head And because several or most of the Conspirators were notorious Papists it was sometimes agreed that their wicked Intentions against the King and Government should be veil'd under the terms of taking off the Insupportable Yoke But for the most part when they were free and among themselves they did discourse of the whole Contrivance in plain Language and without Reserve their common Healths were such as these To the Restoring the late King James the Health of the Prince of Wales the late Queen and the French King But when Harris Lowick and others who were less harden'd in Cruelty express'd some kind of Consternation and Dread of the Consequences of so dire a Stroak readily declar'd themselves willing to joyn in the Insurrection but shrunk a little at first at the Horror of the Assassination they said tho it was a Barbarous Work yet they would obey Sir George Barclay's Orders In these their private Cabals the Matters they promiscuously treated of were either a general Insurrection or the Assassination of the King's Person Of the Assassination divers ways were consulted 'till they fix'd on that Lane coming form Brentford to Turnham-Green The Insurrection was propos'd to be made at the same time in England and Scotland The adjusting that part of it which related to Scotland was chiefly under the Care and manag'd by Commissioners appointed for that purpose by the French King and the late King Iames as well as this in England all which Particulars are Circumstantially set forth so often repeated and demonstrably confirm'd in the ensuing Evidences that it will be sufficient here only to direct the Reader 's Observation by given a brief Summary of the whole Towards an in Insurrection throughout England they laid the greatest Stress on the City of London not doubting but if that was once secured to them the rest of the Nation would of Course fall in For the increasing their Numbers and drawing in New Converts this one General Rule was carefully prescribed that the bottom of the Design should in the beginning be warily conceal'd from all Persons with whom they treated First their Inclinations were to be tried by gradual Insinuations and plausible Discourses at a Distance till they had gain'd a full assurance of their Fidelity They were to be ask'd If they would be concern'd in Easing them from the Yoke that laid upon ' em Meaning to murder King William when it was Answer'd They would readily assist in any thing of that Nature Then it was next to be demanded Whether they would contribute the Assistance of their Persons or Purses or both That being also determined It was to be farther inquired What Furniture of Arms Horses and Money they had in readiness What Friends they could engage And if these Questions were resolved according to their Minds then the whole Mystery of the Villainy was to be frankly disclos'd They were to be told in down-right Terms That their Design was to Assassinate the Person of King William in order to fix King Iames again in the Throne to which if they would lend their Assistance it would answer their Expectation He having already sent over several Men and Money to buy Horses to help to do the Work The way being thus made to sound and prepare the Dispositions of ill Men for any Violent Enterprize the next thing came under deliberation was Money For that several of the Conspirators declar'd they had considerable sums of their Own or deposited with them which were ready and might be call'd for on Occasion That Sir George Barclay subscribed Money enough to furnish 40 Horses likewise Sir Iohn Friend offered if the late K. Iames would give order for it to disburst 3000 l. that the Cause might not be lost Neither was Sir W. Parkyns with many others slack in making provision for a sudden Push for they if the Business succeeded were in Hopes to satisfy their thirsty Appetites and inrich themselves with the Blood and Estates of just and honest Men. The next necessary Provision they debated on was Arms. And it is notoriously known the whole Party had been gathering great abundance of all sorts All probably with the same prospect and in the same proportion for their parts in the Conspiracy as Sir William Parkyns had done for his though they happened not all to be so manifestly detected for not long after the Conspiracy was discover'd to His Majesty and His Ministers the said Sir William Parkyns was found to have by him hid under-ground by his Garden-Wall several Chests of compleat Arms belonging as he pretended to his Country-House where no thought of Robbery or Assault could be fear'd and by consequence there could not be the least shadow or pretence that they were laid in there for his own lawful use or defence But besides these Stores which they had every one made for themselves it was resolved at the very
the Gate and the Conspirators were to divide into three Parties Some before in the Habit of County-men were to throw down the Pales afore sawn a-sunder for the same purpose in the narrowest Passage so to prevent all possibility of Escape Then Mr. Charnock with his Party were to attack the Guards in the Rear and Rookwood and Porter with another Party in two Wings were to attack both sides of the Guards The other Party to Aim only at His Majesty's Coach which Party consisted of 8 Persons and was to be under the Particular direction of Sir George Barclay the Villian declaring before-hand Mr. Prendergast was to have a very good Blunderbuss which carried 7 or 8 Bullets to be of his Party and to Shoot into it King at the same time telling him He hop'd he would not be afraid of breaking the Glass-Windows It is indeed a thing prodigious to tell and were it not for the undeniable Proofs of it very difficult to be believ'd that not only One or Two such Furies should rise up in a whole Age but that so great a Number of Men should be found so void of all Humanity as not only to imagine and contrive so Horrid a Fact but to discourse of it in so many Meetings so sportfully and merrily as they did as if the Cruelest Tragedy which Wicked Men or the Devil ever invented had been only a Matter of Common Past-time and loose Raillery The execrable Deed being thus supposed by them to be feasible without much Opposition they then farther considered the several Ways of their escaping afterwards Sometimes they thought if it were possible to take the King alive and carry him to France whether they intended to bear him Company But if not another way was proposed by Sir George Barclay after the Fatal Blow was given to get privately into the City before the News of what was done could possibly get thither It was concluded at the same time That those Lords and Principal Men of their Party should be ready to Head the Faction upon the first arrival of the News that the late King Iames was Landed Thus Saturday the 15 th of February being come the first day pitch'd upon for executing their Hellish Design whilst they were thus wholly intent on this Barbarous Work and proceeded securely in its Contrivance without any the least doubt of a prosperous Success having prepar'd every thing in order to have perpetrated this Villainous Work Behold on a sudden God miraculously disappointed all their Hopes by Chamber 's bringing word about Noon the King went not Abroad that day Yet notwithstanding they being disappointed at this time which made them look one on another in much disorder yet they could not part 'till they had drank their accustomed Healths And to add to their Villainny Capt. Porter took an Orange in his Hand and began a Health to the Squeezing the rotten Orange which having gone round they took leave of each other for that Time Presently after at their next meeting their Discourse first tended to doubting whether the Design had not been discover'd but then 't was immediately answer'd If it had they should not have been there but taken up Whereupon they resolv'd notwithstanding the former Disappointment to Excecute the Divilish Design the next Saturday following The Result of this their Consultation they imparted to their inferior Agents who were to act under them and order'd all things to be ready against that time The late King for preparing a Declaration to facilitate his Re-accession to the Crown order'd divers of his Agents in England to send him their Conceptions out of which Collection a Compleat Remonstrance was gather'd The main Drift of the whole was to amuse the People's Fancies for a Time with new Chymera's of Freedom from Taxes and Advantages for Trade Then to calumniate and asperse King William as a Tyrant and Oppressor and accuse all his Faithful Subjects as Servile Instruments of Arbitrary Power and Betrayers of their Country Whilst he and his Party were to be magnified as the only Asertors and Restorers of Liberties and Properties who it is notoriously known have ever acted the contrary His and their Design in all this being the same that has been put in Practice by all Promoters of Popish and Slavish Principles Sedition and Treason in all Ages who have always thought they have done more than half their Business if they can but once appropiate to themselves all the good and pleasing Words of things plausible and popular and fasten on His present Majesty's Government the Names and Titles of things vulgarly odious or contemptible But in their particular Heads of Discourse in which the Conâ—piratâ—rs chiefly delighted and were wont in their Meetings most amply to enlarge their Inventions was concerning their resolutions of several kinds of Vengeance to be executed on those Eminent Persons of all Professions whom they thought most capable and willing to oppose their Bloody Enterprize Their Passions in that part indeed transported them beyond all bounds of common Prudence even to the highest degree of ridiculous Vanity and extravagant Ostentation of their full assurance to succeed in the dire Attempt Having first gloried in the Imagination of imbruing their Hands in Royal Blood they scrupl'd not to profess they would continue the Assassination on all the Principal Officers of the Crown and Ministers of Justice and spightfully projected all Circumstances imaginable which they thought might aggravate the Terrour or Ignominy of their Punishment The Lord Mayor and the Sheriffs of that Year were concluded fit to be Murder'd All others were doom'd to the like Destiny who might think they deserv'd well of the Faction by their Moderation But they resolv'd that Neuters should be treated as ill as their most avowed Enemies They made no Distinction of Opinions the Soberest and Richest of the Church of England together with the Presbyterians and orher Dissenters they hated and dispis'd in general as Men whose Interest could not be divided from King William as knowing they must fall with him and undergo the same Fate In this furious manner they proceeded to lay about 'em in their common Discourses with all the Infernal Malice that is so agreeable to their Principles and inseperable from them There never having yet been found in all Records of Time any Popish Plot but it was always most certainly attended with a fierce Spirit of Implacable Cruelty As it cannot be imagin'd that either of the Cabals was altogether unacquainted with what the other were doing during all this time so it is manifest some of their great Men understood the dark Hints that were sometimes given them of taking off the Spark removing the Yoke that lay so heavy upon them and knocking him on the Head And also that the inferiour Instruments proceeded on assurance That when they came to Action they should be Headed by Men of much higher Quality and Condition than as yet openly appear'd amongst them