him in his Chamber on January 2. Item XIV That in the said Letters of December the 26th it was specified that Richard Nicholas Blundell was constituted by Pattent from the Provincial to be Ordinary at Newgate to go and visit the Condemned Prisoners and to reduce them to the Catholick Faith and Religion and to Catechize some Youth in the City of London and every day in the week he hath his several places where he Teacheth the Youth Treasonable and Mutinous Doctrines against the Interest and Person of His Sacred Majesty and giveth certain summs of mony to their Parents if poor to incourage them to send their Children to be thus instructed which passage was contained in the aforesaid Letters and afterwards practised in London ITEM XV. That another Packet came to Richard Ashby to Saint Omers from Thomas White John Keines and others of the Society of Jesus in London in which Letters from them and others were inclosed Letters to Father Thomas Stapleton Procurator at Brussels to perswade the Father Confessor of Duke de Villa Hermosa to inform that his Majesty of Great Britain did not intend to assist his Majesty of Spain but to stand a looker on till he was ruined by the French King which Letter being not sealed was seen and heard read by Richard Ashby then Rector of Saint Omers in which it was further ordered that if the said Father Confessor should not be ready to comply with the said Stapleton that messengers should be forthwith sent to Father Swiman at Madrid to inform his Majesty of Spain of the said concern and to make the same relation of the business to the Arch-Bishop of Tuam in the Kingdome of Ireland now at the Court at Madrid that he the said Swiman and he the said Arch-Bishop might jointly give an account to the King of Spain of the motion made or to be made to the said Father Confessor of Duke de Villa Hermosa and also to advise the Spanish King to seize the estates of the English merchants in the several Factories in his Dominions for that they had endeavoured to transport their Estates and did transport them to England which would tend highly to the prejudice of the Kingdome of Spain and for the confirmation thereof they procured Letters from one Fonseca sometimes an Agent in London to attest the same to which the said Fonseca willingly condescended and sent his Letter to Saint Omers to be sent to the Court of Spain that the Fathers might give their approbation which Letter was long and large attestations therein made against the merchants resident in their several Factories concerning the matter of Fact before-mentioned and also other Letters to Daniel Armstrong at Valledolid and to John Cross at Madrid in the which they were ordered to confirm this affirmation made or to be made by the Fathers in England and of the English Seminary at Saint Omers and of the said Stappleton together with that of the said Fonseca the abovementioned Spanish Agent who now liveth at Bruges in Flanders All which Letters bore date the first or second of January 1678. Stilo Novo and all of them the Deponent saw at Saint Omers and in the two Letters to those two Fathers in Spain viz. Daniel Armstrong and John Cross was contained an especial order that the former if he could not go to Madrid should send his attestations to Don Juan of Austria for the carrying on of which two hundred pounds sterling was transmitted by bills of Exchange to the said father Swiman and the said English Fathers ITEM XVI That when the Letters came from England about the business afore-mentioned to Saint Omers Edward Nevil and Thomas Fermor did say that they would not let this black Bastard go to his grave in peace meaning the King of England for that he had cheated them so often and that now they were resolved to be served so no more But the Deponent standing by said what if the Duke should prove slippery They both replyed his pasport was ready when ever he should appear to fail them These words were heard by the Deponent on the third of January in the afternoon in the Library of the Jesuits of Saint Omers ITEM XVII That on the fourth of January 1678. Stylo novo Letters were sent by Richard Ashby Edward Hall Edward Nevil Charles Peters Michael Constable William Busby James Janon and Thomas Fermor Jesuits of the English Seminary at Saint Omers as also Francis Williams Rector of Watton and Master of the Novices there Sir John Warner Baronet alias Clare Father Sanches alias Ditchling to the Father Confessor of the Emperours Majesty to advise the Emperours Majesty that his Majesty of Great Brittain had treacherously ploted the ruine of the Confederates especially of the German Empire and of his Catholick Princes under him and had under hand stirred up the Hungarian Rebels against his Imperial Majesty and found them money to go on with their rebellion and that his design was not to keep any alliance with his Imperial Majesty but onely in shew that he might advance his Nephew the Prince of Orange and make him absolute and therefore prayed that the States of Holland might be acquainted with it Which Letter was seen and perused by the Deponent it being written in Latine all which Letters were sent away by a Lay-Brother that was a Dutch-man and when these Letters were sending away one of the lay-Lay-brothers whose name was George did say That the Prince of Orange was more fit to rob an Orchard than to be General of an Army ITEM XVIII That Letters bearing date January the first 1678. Spylo novo arrived at Saint Omers January the twentieth from Talbot Arch-bishop of Dublin wherein it was expressed that the Fathers of the Society in Ireland were very vigilant to prepare the people to arise for the defence of their Liberty and Religion and to recover their Estates and that if the Parliament that was to fit in England should joyn with the King in declaring War against France that a place should be open to receive the French Kings Army in Ireland when his most Christian Majesty should think fit to land one there And in the Letter head advised the Fathers of Saint Omers to advertise Father Leshee of the same and other Jesuits that had an interest in the French King And that his Majesty of Great Brittain was brought to that pass that if any Male content amongst them should not prove true to their design his Majestie would never give ear to their information and therefore prayed them to be dilligent for now was the time or never which Letter the Deponent saw and read and in order to the Fathers compliance with the Letter of the said Arch Bishop they dispatched away Letters to Father Leshee to Paris and appointed Edward Nevil and William Busby to carry and deliver them to the said Leshee which Letters were answered with all speed by the aforesaid messengers Jesuits as above the one of
Pob Bret at St. Omers Tho. Stapleton at St. Omers Tho. Fermour at St. Omers Tho. Ditchling at St. Omers Edw. Hall at St. Omers Mr. Cannel at St. Omers Charles Peters at St. Omers Mr. Nevile at St. Omers Mr. Constable at St. Omers Mr. Sabrand at St. Omers Mr. Walter at St. Omers Mr. Roper at St. Omers JESUITS Mr Marsh at Ghent Mr Blake alias Gross in Spain Mr Mundford Vore in Spain Armstrong Mr Cary at Rome English JESUITS in SCOTLAND Mr Lovel Mr Saunders Mr Moore Twelve Scotch JESUITS lately gone into Scotland whose names I know not but I know their persons Secular Persons Dr Fogarthy Sir George Wakeman Mr Coleman John Groves Four Irish Ruffians lay-Lay-Brothers Pickering Smith These Fourteen Secular Priests I have only by Information from Thomas Whitebread Mr Perrot In England Mr Morgan In England Mr Wilmot In England Dr Godden In England Mr Jones Senior In England Mr Jones Junior In England Mr Gerard In England Mr Henrique In England Mr Fisher In England Mr Jackson In England Mr Pinchard In England Mr Sharp In England Dr Bettam In England Mr Wolf in France at the Sorbon Other Persons Archbishop Talbot Archbishop Lynce Hierom Swiman Sir William Godosphin Lord Ambassador in Spain Titus Oates Clerk maketh Oath That the Information set down in these Papers containing Eighty One Articles all Written and subscribed by his own Hand are true in the whole and every particular thereof that is to say that such Particulars as he hath set down to be seen heard done or known by him he knows to be true and what he hath set down only to be heard by him and related to him were so heard and related as he hath set them down and he believes to be true Witness his hand the 27th day of Sept. 1678. TITUS OATES SEPTEMBER 27. 1678. Sworn before me Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey one of His Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex Edm. B. Godfrey Witnessed Ez. Tonge Chr. Kirby The General Design of the POPE Society of JESVS and their Confederates in this PLOT is the REFORMATION that is in their sense the Reduction of GREAT BRITAIN and IRELAND and all His Majesties Dominions by the Sword all other wayes and means being judged by them ineffectual to the Romish Religion and Obedience To effect this Design 1. THe Pope hath Entitled himself to the Kingdomes of England and Ireland 2. Sent his Legate the Bishop of Cassal in Italy into Ireland to declare his Title and take possession of that Kingdom 3. He hath appointed Cardinal Howard his Legat for England to the same purpose 4. He hath given Commission to the General of the Jesuites and by him to White their Provincial in England to issue and they have issued out and given Commissions to Captain Generals Lieutenant Generals c. namely the General of the Jesuites hath sent Commissions from Rome to Langhorn their Advocate-General for the Superiour Officers And White hath given Commissions here in England to Colonels and inferiout Officers 5. He hath by a Consult of the Jesuits of this Province Assembled at London condemned His Majesty and ordered Him to be assassinated c. 6. He hath Ordered That in case the Duke of York will not accept these Crowns as forfeited by his Brother unto the Pope as of his Gift and settle such Prelates and Dignitaries in the Church and such Officers in Commands and places Civil Naval and Military as he hath Commissioned as above extirpate the Protestant Religion and in order thereunto ex post facto consent to the assassination of the KING his Brother Massacre of His Protestant Subjects firing of his Towns c. by pardoning the Assassins Murderers and Incendiaries that then he be also poysoned or destroyed after they have for some time abused His Name and Title to strengthen their Plot weakned and divided the Kingdoms of ENGLAND SCOTLAND and IRELAND thereby in Civil Wars and Rebellions as in His Fathers Time to make way for the French to seize these Kingdoms and totally ruine their Infantry and Naval Force Besides this Papal there appears also another French Plot or Correspondence carried on by Sir Ellis Layâ—â—on Mr Coleman and others More particularly 1. The Royal Family of the STUARTS are condemned to be Cut off Root and Branch and namely the KING Duke of YORK and Prince of Orange because that Family hath not answered their expectations nor have they any hopes that any of them will comply fully with this their bloody design when fully discovered to them 1. The King person which stands in their way they more especially and in the first place design to remove with all possible speed by Dagger Pistol or Poyson To Stabb Him Conyers and Anderton Benedictine Monks and Four Irish Ruffians are employed To Shoot Him Groves and Pickering are furnished with joynted Carabines To Poyson him Five Thousand pound hath been told out entred in their Books and affirmed to be paid to Sir George Wakeman in part of Fifteen Thousand pound upon a Contract made with him in presence of Doctor Fogarthy and Mr. Coleman 2. The Duke of York notwithstanding they acknowledge his sincerity and affection to their Religion and the Society and his demonstration thereof by his taking Bedingfield a Jesuit for his Confessor they design to dispose of him as is abovesaid 3. The Prince of Orange is also condemned and designed against by Name and Twelve Missioners sent into Holland have in charge to put that People in Mutiny against his Person and Government 4. The Conquest and subduing of his Majesties Dominions is designed and contrived in this manner I. The Conquest of Ireland and subduing it to the Tyranny of the Pope and French 1. By a general Rebellion and Massacre of the Protestants as formerly which they term another Demonstration of Zeal for the Catholick Faith This to be done immediately upon the Assassination of the Duke of Ormond as the Watch-word for which four Jesuits are employed 2. By the Popes Nuntio sent thither and Commissions there given out by the Provincial of the Irish Jesuits c. to a General Lieutenant-General c. 3. By Arms and Money already sent whereof Eight hundred Thousand Crowns by the Pope 4. By Traiterous Officers who are dispensed with by the Archbishop of Dublin and the Clergy there to take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy upon promise to betray their Garrisons and other Trusts 5. By the Assistance of the French Forces to be landed there and received by Twenty five thousand Irish ready to joyn with them II. England and Scotland are to be divided weakned wasted and exhausted of their Infantry Naval Force and Wealth by Civil War Rebellion c. and finally exposed to forreign Force of French c. To attain to this Design they apply themselves and Agents 1. By impudently Questioning and Denying the Kings Legitimation and consequently his present Right and Title to his Crown and so exposing him as a Tyrant without Title 2. By Confuting and Weakening as much as possibly they can the Obligation of the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy causing them to be Renounced rendring them very Odious as Blasphemous and Heretical and terrifying all of their Communion from Writing for them offering Money to have Berry the Priest murdered for writing in favour of them III. By Disaffecting the Kings best Friends at home and abroad and Subjects against his Person and Government 1. Charging him with Tyranny and Designs of Oppressing Governing by the Sword and without Parliaments and exposing his mod faithful and valiant Subjects to be wasted and slain in foreign service 2. By aspersing deriding exposing and declaiming against his Person Counsels and Actions in Parliament and elsewhere and particularly scoffing at his Security and Confidence in them and by this means animating and encouraging their Party and Assassins especially to attempt upon his Life and to hasten his Ruine 3. By disclosing the Kings Counsels to France by Coleman Smith and others 4. By mis-reporting and raising false Newes of his Affairs c. 5. By disaffecting his Majesties Allies Holland Spain the German Emperour and Princes by false Intelligence c. 6. By disturbing Trade 7. By seditious Preachers and Catechists set up sent out maintained and directed what to Preach in their own or other private or publick Conventicles and Field-meetings 8. By setting up pretended false Titles to the Succession of the Crown and animating different Parties one against another on this or such like false pretences to Arm and put the People in Blood upon the Kings Death 9. By Firing and Plundering our best Cities and Towns by Irish French Lay-Brethren and others disguised in Frocks and otherwise directed by Order under the Provincials hand how to carry on these Designs 10. By Poysoning and Assassinating by pickt Quarrels or otherwise those whom they suppose to be ready or able to detect or otherwise obstruct their Designs of whom they keep Catalogues in their Books 11. By horrid worse than Jewish Interest Transportation of Trading People Stock and Money adulterating Money and Plate To which ends they have Bankers Brokers Merchants Goldsmiths and other Traders whom they stock and set up with Money of their Society of which they boast to have a Hundred thousand pound Cash c. 12. By suborning Felons condemned by Blundell their Newgate Ordinary through hopes of Pardon or Transportation to turn Papists and then putting such as they find fit and desperate on Firing Houses Plundering and other wicked and mischievous Designs FINIS
Print the same to my great wrong and detriment It was presented to His Majesty the Thirteenth of August last by the means and introduction of that worthy and honest Gentleman Mr. Christopher Kirkby as likewise sworn upon Oath on the sixth of September following before Sir Edmondbury Godfrey by my self and the Twenty eighth of the same Month before the Lords and others of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council and the proceedings afterwards made upon the same being sufficiently known I shall not trouble thee with at present but leave the whole to thy Candid consideration taking my leave of thee at present and will ever appear April the 15th 1679. Thy hearty Well-wisher and Servant in Jesus Christ TITVS OATES A True and Exact Narrative OF THE Horrid Plot and Conspiracy OF THE POPISH PARTY Against the LIFE of His Sacred Majesty THE GOVERNMENT AND THE Protestant Religion Imprimis RIchard Strange Provincial John Keins Basil Langworth John Fenwick and Mr. Harcourt Jesuits did write a Treasonable Letter to one Father Suiman an Irish Jesuit at Madrid in the Kingdom of Spain in which was contained their Plotting and Contriving a Rebellion in Scotland of the Presbyterians against the Episcopal Government In order to which they had employed one Matthew Wright and William Morgan and one Mr. Ireland to go and Preach under the notion of Presbyterians and give the disaffected Scots a true understanding of their sad state and condition in which they were by reason of the Episcopal Tyranny exercised over them and withall to tell them they had now a fair opportunity to vindicate their Liberty and Religion and that it could be done by no other way but by the Sword and that now the King was so addicted to his pleasures that he would and could take but little care in that concern And in the said Letter it was expressed that they had gotten an interest in His Royal Highness but they would deal with him as they thought fit and that they were resolved to use all means to weaken the King of England's Interest by informing his friends of his own intent to betray them into the hands of a Forein Power to wit to send them to fall by the Sword in the French King's Wars against the Confederate Princes which Letter bore date of April 19th Old Style 1677. and 29th New Style Item II. That the persons abovementioned gave the Deponent ten pounds to carry the said Letters to the said Father Suiman into the Kingdom of Spain to Madrid the said Father Suiman being their Procurator general for the Kingdom of England and Ireland and in order to which message the Deponent embarked himself in the Ship called the Biscay Merchant whereof Luke Roch was then Master to go for Bilbao and there took Mules for Valladolyd but staving a day at Burgos in Spain the Deponent broke up the said Letters and found these Contents in the same Item III. That they of the Society of Jesus in the English Seminary at St. Omers sent a mission of twelve Students into the Kingdom of Spain viz. eight to Valladolyd and four to Madrid there being English Colledges in both places in order to study Philosophy and Divinity which Missioners were sent by Richard Ashby Richard Peters Nicholas Blundell and Charles Peters as appeared by the Patents of the several Missioners by which they had power to demand admission in the respective Colledges to which they were sent which Missioners were obliged by the Jesuits of the Colledges to renounce their Allegiance to His Majesty of Great Britain in the hearing of the Deponent and those of Valladolyd were taught by Daniel Armstrong Jesuit Minister of the English Colledge at Valladolyd that the said Oath of Allegiance is Heretical Antichristian and Devilish and that Charles Stuart the King of England is no lawful King but comes of a spurious Race and that his Father was a Black Scotch-man and not King Charles the first this was delivered in a Sermon Septemb. 29. 1677. to the Students there which Sermon the Deponent did hear and in this Sermon the said Daniel Armstrong in plain words did say that the King of England was a Bastard now this Daniel Armstrong goeth in Spain by the name of Joseph Mundford in Spanish P. Joseph Montefortio Item IV. That the said Daniel Armstrong alias Joseph Mundford did bring Letters from St. Omers to the English Colledge at Valladolyd to the Fathers of that Colledge written in Latine they being Spaniards in which it was expressed and related from the Fathers of St. Omers that the Fathers of the Society in London had procured one Father Beddingfield to be Confessor to His Royal Highness but if they law His Royal Highness did not answer their expectations they would dispose of him as they did intend to dispose of his Brother the King which they hoped to effect within a year Which Letters bore date June the 10th 1677. and subscribed by Richard Ashby alias Thimbleby Rector of the English Seminary of the Society of Jesus at St. Omers Richard Peters Minister Edward Nevill Prefect of the Studies Charles Peters Prefect of the Sodality Thomas Fermor Prefect of Manners Which Letters the Deponent saw and read in the month of September at Valladolyd in the Kingdom of Spain Item V. That Father Suiman above-mentioned wrote to the English Colledge to the Fathers there that the King of England was poisoned to the great joy of the English Fathers and that they would serve King James so if he did not give them good assusurance of bringing in of the Catholick Religion and of rooting out Protestant Religion this Letter bore date July the first 1677. and was seen and read by the Deponent at Valladolyd in the month of July near the latter end Item VI. That one Father John Blake alias Cross who went with the four Students to Madrid did bring Letters from Richard Strange Provincial of the Jesuits and one Father Gray a Jesuit and John Keines to Father Suiman above-mentioned in which was specified that all diligence was used by the said Richard Strange Father Gray and John Keines to procure some persons to dispatch the King and to put a period to his daies which Letter bore date June the 10th 1677. Stylo novo And now the Deponent being sent to Madrid in the month of August read it in Father Suiman's Chamber he shewing it also at the same time to James Archbishop of Tuam in the Kingdom of Ireland Item VII That the said Father Suiman received another Letter bearing date July the 20th 1677. Stylo novo from Richard Strange Father Gray John Keines Basil Langworth John Fenwick Father Ireland and Father Harcourt in which they did manifest that they were very sorry for informing him that he might assure himself that the business was done their man William being faint-hearted could not then do it though he had fifteen hundred pounds promised him for his pains of which Letters the English Missionaries were one by one informed
ITEM XXV That the Fathers of the English Seminary at Saint Omers did oblige one brother George a Day-brother in the said Seminary to go for Ghent in Flanders to the English Jesuits there with a Letter from Saint Omers dated February 26. Stylo veteri In which they had an account of that letter of February 20 Stylo veteri and the said brother George arrived there February 28 Stylo veteri and the Jesuits there advised the Fathers in one of March the first Stylo veteri that the secular Clergy should be treated withal about the business but they finding them then at that time to be men inclined to live in peace and obedience to their Prince the Fathers viz. Thomas VVhite c. answered them in one of March 10 Stylo veteri That the Clergy were a sort of rascally fellows that had neither wit nor courage to manage such a great designe and did pray them of Ghent and them of Saint Omers to be of good Cheer for their designes went on well both in Scotland and Ireland and the fatal blow should be given to the black boy at Whitehal with all the speed that might be Which letters to them at Ghent and from them at Ghent to the Provincial they being brought back to Saint Omers before they went to the Provincial and also these of March 10. the Deponent saw and read ITEM XXVI That there was an attempt to make an assassination upon the person of his sacred MAJESTY in the month of March several days as he was walking in the Park and once as he was going to the Parliament-house by this honest William and Pickering but opportunity did not offer it self for the which the former viz. honest William was chidden and the latter had a Penance of twenty strokes with a Discipline on his Shoulders it being judged by the Fathers the effect of his negligence Which Passage the Deponent saw mentioned in a Letter from Thomas White to Rich. Ashby bearing Date March the 26th 1678. Item XXVII That of the 5th of April Letters came from Thomas White and the Fathers in London to Rich. Ashby and those of the English Seminary at S. Omers in which the Fathers at London did give them of S. Omers an account that Will. Morgan and Father Lovell were returned out of Ireland who gave them to understand That the Irish were ready to rise at ten day warning with 20000 foot and 5000 horse and would let the French King into that Kingdom if he should come to land an Army there and that Father Lovell did give an account that 15000 horse and foot would rise in the North of Ireland and that the people were very patient but very resolute and that the Duke of Ormond now Lord Lieutenant is in a great perplexity to see Catholick Religion thrive so well in Ireland and that there are persons that have secretly taken Commissions from the General of the Society of Jesus by vertue of a Breve from the Pope dated Octob. 1. 1673. and that they resolve to cut the Throats of the Protestants again when once they rise And in the said Letters the Provincial summoned a General Consult to be held in London and therefore commanded the Fathers on the other side of the Water to be present In which Letter the Deponent did see himself summoned to assist at that Consult as a Messenger from Father to Father This Letter the Deponent saw in the Month of April Item XXVIII That in order to this Command on April 24. 1678. Stylo Novo Father Warren Rector of Leige Sir Thomas Preston Baronet Father Marsh Rector of Ghent Father Williams Rector of Watton and Master of the Novices Sir John Warner Baronet Rich. Ashby Rector of the English Seminary at S. Omers being sick of the Gout could not go but out of the said Seminary went Sir Robert Brett Baronet Father Poole Edward Nevill there were in all with the Deponent about 9 or 10 who met in London in Consult with Tho. Whitebread Father Harcourt senior and Father Harcourt junior John Fenwick Basil Langworth Willam Morgan John Keines Father Lovell Father Ireland Father Blundell Rich. Strange Father Mico Father Gray and others to the number of Fifty Jesuits met at the White-horse Tavern in the Strand where they plotted their Designs for the Society and ordered Father John Cary who was also there to go Procurator for Rome At which Consult thus held in the Month of May the Deponent was present to attend the Consulters and delivered their Concerns from Company to Company and then a little after they left the White-horse Tavern and divided themselves into several Clubs or Companies Some met at Mrs. Saunders house in Wild-street others at Mrs. Fenwicks at Ayre 's House in Drury-lane others at Mr. Ireland's in Russel-street near Covent-Garden and in other places all which though in several Companies 5 or 6 in a Company did contrive the death of the King In order to which there were Papers sent from Company to Company which the Deponent carried containing the Opinions of the timeing their business and the manner how it was to be done And within 3 or 4 days after the Deponent went to S. Omers with the Fathers that came from the other side of the Water Item XXIX That on the 10th of June Stylo Novo came Thomas White to S. Omers in order to visit his Colledges in Flanders and Germany and in his Chamber the 11th day where the Deponent was present together with Rich. Ashby Rector he there told the Deponent and the said Ashby That he hoped to see the Fool at White-hall laid fast enough and that the Society need not fear for he that is the King was grown secure and would hear no complaints against them and if the Duke should set his Face in the least measure to follow his Brothers Foot-steps his passport was made to lay him to sleep Item XXX That the said Thomas Whitebread on the 13th of June did tell the Rector of S. Omers That a Minister of the Church of England had scandalously and basely put out the Jusuits Morals in English and had endeavoured villanously to render them odious to the people and asked the said Rector whether he thought the Deponent might possibly know him and the Rector not knowing called the Deponent who heard these words as he stood at the Chamber door of the said Provincial and when the Deponent went into the Chamber of the said Provincial he asked him If he knew the Author of the Jesuits Morals the Deponent answered his Person but not his Name The said Thomas Whitebread demanded then Whether he would undertake to poyson to assassinate the Author which the Deponent undertook to do having 50 l. reward promised him by the said Provincial and appointed to return to England And the Deponent doth farther testifie that at the same time the said Provincial did in his Chamber say That he and the Society in London would procure Dr. Stillingfleet to be knockt on