precipitate to Ruine as aforesaid consult and use all Arts to exclude him from the Succession To this purpose Father Parsons Cardinall Allen and others contrive a mischievous Book under the counterfeit Name of Doleman wherein divers Titles are started and 't is laid down as a Fundamental Maxime That none but a Roman Catholick how near soever in Blood ought to be admitted King and therefore therein by forged devices the Title of the Infanta Isabella of Spain is preferred before the indubitable Right of the said King James and all the English in the Spanish Seminaries were compell'd to Swear to maintain the same And Tho. Winter and Tesmond a Jesuit were sent over Anno 1601. into Spain to manage this Design in that Court by the Assistance of Father Croswel Legier-Jesuit there 2. In Farther pursuance of this Pope Clement the Eighth sent privately over to Father Garnet the then Proâ—incial of the Jesuits two Bulls one to the â—aiety directed to the Nobles and Gentlemen of England that were Catholicks the other to his Beloved Sons the Arch-Priest and the rest of the English Catholick Clergyâ— the effect of both was That whoever after the death of Queen Elizabeth whether by course of nature or otherwise should claim the Crown of England though never so directly and nearly interessed therein by Descent and Blood-Royal yet unless he were such an one as would not onely Tolerate the Catholick meaning Romish Religion but would likewise take an Oath to promote it with all 〈◊〉 might and endeavours they should not admit or receive him for their King but oppose his Entry and Claim with all their power Which in plain English was meerly designed and directly tended to obstruct King James though not particularly named and Exclude him and his Family from the Crown And was not this a sufficient tast of the Popes good-will a notable earnest of the Papists Loyalty to him 'T is true when the Conspirators saw him so unanimously Proclaimed the State setled and a Peace with Spain so far advanced that that generous Monarch began to refuse them the expected Assistances then and not till then Garnet as himself alleadged burnt the said Bulls and quitted the Project but why onely because they despaired of effecting it 3. The more to prepossess the minds of the English against the said King James that they might keep him out or at least that themselves might have some colour for their future intended Conspiracies if he should come in Watson a Priest having some time heretofore got access once or twice to His Majesty at Edenburgh did with the Arch-Traitor Piercy and others of the Popish Crew most falsely devise and divulge a scandalous Report as if His Majesty had promised that whenever he should come to the Crown of England He would Establish or at least Tolerate the Popish Religion Than which nothing was ever more remote from or contrary to his Royal Thoughts And Watson himself but two days before his death confessed it to be a Lie of their own forging spread abroad meerly that they might kill two Birds with one stone viz. bring an odium upon him from the Protestants for making such a promise and the like from the Papists on pretence of breaking it In which latter respect it took effect though not in the former for Sir Everard Digby at his death and other Gun-powder Traitors made use thereof alleadging that they were exasperated to that horrid Attempt because the King had not kept his promise with Catholicks SECT 2. These were the good Officer of the Pope these the dutiful respects of the Priests and Papists paid to King James before he was actually Estated in the English Throne Whence we may judge how little welcome they were like to afford him at his Entry and of this the worthy Authour of a Treatise published in the beginning of King James's Reign before the Gun-powder-Treason Intituled A Consideration of the Papists Supplication gives us a notable instance from his own Experience and Observation in these words p. 3. My self can testifie that here in Oxford at what time His Majesty was proclaimed King of England c. a man might easily have traced and culled out every Papist within this City by his extraordinary howling and sobbing for grief that their hopes were frustrated and their expectation all in vain some of the simpler sort crying out in express terms Alas alas How shall the poor Catholicks do now we are all undone we are undone whereas all the rest of His Majesties Liege and Loyal Subjects by manifold Tokens declared their extraordinary rejoycing Their demeanor afterwards was suitable to these beginnings for soon after his arrival at London the said Watson and Clark two Secular Italianated Priests wheadled in several of the Nobility and Gentry as the Lords Cobbam and Gray Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Griffin Markham George Brooke and others into a dangerous Conspiracy to have surprized the Kings Person and his Son Prince Henry and to keep them Prisoners in the Tower or Dover Castle till by Duress they had obtained their ends viz. A Toleration of Religion and some other Projects and then having obtained their Pardons they were to share amongst them the grand Offices of the Realm just as their Successors Whitebread Coleman c. had lately designed viz. Watson was to be Lord Chancelour the Lord Gray Earl Marshal of England George Brooke Lord Treasurer Sir Griffin Markham Secretary of State c. But though several were found guilty onely Watson Clark and Brooke were then Executed and Sir Walter Rawleigh on the same Conviction many years after 'T is observable that Watson though a Secular Priest had yet learned the art of Equivocation as well as the Jesuits For he insisted that this Conspiracy was no Treason against the King and being at last put to explain himself gave this doughty reason That a King was no King before he was Anointed and the Crown solemnly set on his head and King James being not yet crowned therefore they might lawfully conspire against him without commitring any Treason Amongst other things which Watson Confessed one was that he had endeavoured to draw in several of the Society of Jesuits into this Plot but they declined it saying They had another of their own then on foot and that they would not mingle Designs with him for fear of hindring one the other Vide Watsons Confession What such their Design was though he could not yet time in few years after did discover for in the next place appears that horrid never-to-be-forgotten Popish Powder-plot a Treason that as it exceeded all that had ever been before in the World so it was believed it would have surpassed in its mischievous Design Extent and Cruelty all that teeming Hell and Rome could have bred at any time afterwards had not this last Internal Conspiracy of the same Bloâ—â—y Tribe against our present Gratious King Charles the Second and the Establisht Religion and Government of England vut-gone it in
a Popish Match with Spain which some corrupt Statesmen were so â—â—nd of that to facilitate the same they not onely hazarded the Princes Person in a perilous voyage to Madrid but endeavoured to grant a Toleration to Papists in England which with a truely Christian Courage was opposed by Arch-bishop Abbot whose worthy Speech on this occasion speaks him so sound a Divine and so rule an Englishman that it deserves here to be inserted either to encourage or upbraid such as since in like Exigencies have bravely appeared for or treacherously betrayed the Protestant Religion and their Countries Liberty or endeavour to destroy both by a kind of refined Popery and Arbitrary Government against both which this good man was so zealous an Advocate A SPEECH of his Grace the Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury to King James 1623. whilst the Prince was in Spain May it please it your Majesty I Have been too long silent and I am afraid by my silence I have neglected the Duty it hath pleased God to call me unto and your Majesty to place me in But now I humbly crave leave I may discharge my Conscience towards God and my Duty towards your Majesty And therefore I beseech you to give me leave freely to deliver my self and then let your Majesty do with me as you please Your Majesty hath propounded a Toleration of Religion I beseech you Sir take into consideration what your Act is and what the consequences may be By your Act you labour to set up that most Damnable and Heretical Doctrine of the Church of Rome The Whare of Babylon How hateful will it be to God and grievous to your good Subjects the true professors of the Gospel that your Majesty who hath so often disputed and learnedly written against those wicked Herefies should now shew your self as a Patron of those Doctrines which your pen hath told the World and your Conscience tells your self are Superstitious Idolatrous and detestable Add hereunto Sir what you have done in sending the Prince into Spain without the consent of your Council the privity or approbation of your people a great one as the Son of the flesh yet a greater as the Son of the Kingdom upon whom next after your Majesty are their Eyes and Hearts fixed and their Welfare depends and so tenderly is his going apprehended as believe it Sir howsoever his return may be safe yet the drawers of him into that action so dangerous to himself so desperate to the Kingdom will not pass unquestioned unpunished Besides this Toleration which you endeavour to set up by Proclamation cannot be done without a Parliament unless your Majesty will let your Subjects see that you will take unto your self a liberty to throw down the Laws of the Land at your pleasure What dreadful consequences Sir these things may draw after them I beseech your Majesty to consider and above all lest by this Toleration and discouentenancing of the true profession of the Gospel wherewith God hath blessed us and under which this Kingdom hath many years flourished your Majesty do not draw upon the Kingdom in general and particularly upon your self Gods heavy wrath and indignation Thus in discharge of my Duty towards God to your Majesty and the place of my calling I have taken humble boldness to deliver my Conscience And now Sir do with me what you please From these passages it appears that their Powder-Plots being defeated had not so far discouraged them but that they went forwards with the grand work of advancing their Superstitions and undermining the Protestant Religion and 't is not to be doubted but in all that silence afterwards during King James's Raign the Jesuits and their Agents were still like Moles busie at work under-hand and preparing matter for those dismal Confusions and Calamities which hapned to his most excellent though unfortunate Successour CHHP. IV. The Loyalty of Papists to King Charles the First enquired into Their Plot to Murder him in the year 1640. Their Rebellion in Ireland and Behaviour afterwards evincing that they were mainly instrumental in stirring up the late Civil Wars in England and cutting off that Pious Prince THere is nothing that our Modern Papists are wont more to boast of than their Loyalty to King Charles the First but with how little Truth and Reason will partly appear by these following Transactions SECT 1. Before ever the fatal disturbances and Rebellion broke out amongst us the Popish Conspiracies were industriously prosecuted in the said King Charles the First 's as well as in his Fathers days He began his Raign 27 March 1625. the times were cloudy and distempered two Parliaments had been called and Dissolved with dissatisfaction and a third was ordered to be Summoned on the 17th of March 1627. Some short time before which day the following Letter addressed to the Rector of Brussels was found amongst the Papers of some Jesuits taken in London which will give us no small light not onely how active and busie that Faction was in those times for hatching mischievous Intrigues and embroiling Affairs for advancing their cause but also points out some of the means they made use of and therefore we think fit here to Re-print it entire the rather for that the same hath been most imperfectly Published The words from an antient Copy carefully taken in those times are as follow Father Rector LEt not the damp of Astonishment seize upon your ardent and zealous Soul in apprehending the sudden and unexpected calling of this Parliament we have not opposed but rather furthered it for that we hope as much in this Parliament as ever we feared one in Queen Elizabeths days You must know the Council is engaged to assist the King by way of Prerogative in case the Parliamentary way fail You shall see this Parliament will resemble the Pellican which takes a pleasure to dig out with her own beak her own Bowels The Election of the Knights and Burgesses hath been in such confusion and in such apparent Faction as that which we were wont to work heretofore with much Art and Industry when the Spanish Match was in Treaty now breaks forth naturally as a Botch or Bile and spits and spites out its own rankor and venome You must remember how that famous and Immortal Statesman the Count of Gundamar fed King James ' s fancy and rocked him asleep with the soft and sweet sounds of Peace to keep up the Spanish Treaty Likewise we were much bound to some eminent Statesmen of our own Country to gain time in procuring those advantagious Cessations of Arms in the Palatinate and in admiring the Worth and Honour of the Spanish Nation and vilifying the Hollanders remonstrating to King James That that State was most ungrateful both to his Predecessour Queen Elizabeth and his Sacred Majesty That the States were more abnoxious than the Turk and perpetually injured His Majesties loving Subjects in the East-Indies And likewise That they had usurped from His Majesty the Regality of the Narrow-Seas
of the Marquess of Hamilton who oft was employed without effect by the King to appease the Scotish Tumults held Correspondence with Con who being once askt in joque by the Informant Whether the Jews also agreed with the Samaritans the said Con answered with a wish That all Ministers were but such as he 7. That one Tho. Chamberlain was sent over from Cardinal Richlieu and for four Months held Consultations with the Society how to exasperate these Northern heats to the best advantage 8. He discovers several of the Conspirators by name as Sir Toby Matthews a Jesuit whom he represents as a most indefatigable and dangerous Traitor one Captain Read a Scotchman dwelling near the Angel-Tavern in Long-Acre in whose House the Conspirators met usually once a day and there received and read their Letters from Rome and elsewhere and returned Answers where he saith the Gang might be surprized commonly every Friday He likewise names Porter Windebank Montague the younger and several others with divers circumstances corroborating his Information and particularly advises to intercept when the Post goes out weekly a Packet directed to Monsieur Strario Arch-Deacon of Cambray and another coming weekly from Rome which is brought under this Superscription To the most Illustrions Count Rosetti Legate for the time written in Characters but interpretable by the said Read whence farther light would be obtained All this was discovered to the Ambassador under an Oath of Secresie and the most importunate Requests to the King and Arch-bishop to keep it close till the business might be ripe and to conceal whence they had these Advertisements for otherwise the Discoverer would certainly be in danger of his life from the Confederates and their Associates And it appears by the Papers that both Sir William Boswel and the Arch-bishop were fully satisfied That it was real and of great importance care being ordered to be taken privately for the sounding the depth and further circumstances of the Design but the Disturbances in Scotland and afterwards in Ireland and England coming on apace branches of the same Treason being all assisted and fomented if not as most of them originally contrived by those Popish Incendiaries though disguised in other Factions 't is probable they might divert or forbear that part of the Poisoning the King and Bishop to attend the event of the other more general Plot of ruining these Nations which they saw then so hopefully advanced that they might conclude without haâ—arding themselves in the odium there were enough other Ill-spirits which they had conjured up â—eady to do that execrable work for them another way However the Original Papers of the Discovery and Letters relating thereto being kept by the Archbishop were when his Study was ransackt â—ound amongst his Writings and then Published and now lately Re-printed by Authority under the Title of The grand Designs of the Papists in the time of King Charles the First worthy the perusal of such as would be farther satisfied SECT 3. Next followed the horrid Butcheries in Ireland beginning 23 Oct. 1641. concerning which however some of the spawn of the barbarous Actors in that cursed Tragedy or others their Relations or Accomplices of the Roman brood would now palliate and excuse it yet nothing is more known to all the world than that it was an open direct and most Traiterous Rebellion on the score of their cursed bloody Religion against their lawful and most gracious Prince designing to usurp the whole Government into their own hands root out the English Nation and the Protestant Name and which was the main end of all establish Popery in that Kingdom as is testified upon Oath by several persons examined and their Depositions published by the Kings Warrant all this begun and continued by Papists Onely not one Protestant amongst them But the Pope himself the Head of their Church in the person of his Nuncio Rinuceini Generalissimo of all their Forces by Land and Sea and all the Tribes of his Ecclesiasticks contributing all Assistance and Encouragement imaginable thereunto proceeding with that Inhumanity that above one hundred thousand innocent Protestants were by them basely in cool blood and with exquisite Torments and un-heard 〈◊〉 Cruelties Murthered and otherwise destroyed And which was even yet worse than that to shew their malice as well as disobodience to his said Majesty with equal impudence and falshood they pretended that it was done by his Commission and vouched the Broad Seal for their Authority purposely to enrage his Protestant Subjects in England and elsewhere against him The Popes Nuncio assuming nevertheless and exercising there the Temporal as well as Spiritual power granting out Commissions in his own name breaking the Treaties of Peace between the King and as they then stiled themselves the Confederate Catholicks heading two Armies against the then Marquess now Duke of Ormond then Lord Lieutenant and forcing him at last to quit the Kingdom all which ended in the Ruine of His Majesties Government and Person which but upon occasion of that Rebellion could never have happened And was not all this a prodigious demonstration of their Obedience and Loyalty to King Charles the First and the Crown of England It was constantly observed that the lower and more unfortunate the King was in his Successes in England the higher were the demands of the Irish so that they used all their Treaties as Stratagems to trepan not to serve His Majesty In the year 1643. when a Cessation was concluded with them by the Kings Authority and both English and Irish engaged by Articles to transport their Armies to England for His Majesties Service the Irish onely pretended they would do it when the English were gone and then treacherously â—yet according to one of their old rules Nulla fiâ—â—es servanda cum Haereticis they plotted and attempted the ruine of the small remnant of English â—eft behind in Munster where the Lord Inchiquin Commanding by the Kings Commission and the English with him were necessitated to stand on their own defence against the Popish Army In 45. the said Confederate Catholicks having engaged their publick Faith to send 10000 men to serve His Majesty delayed neglected and failed â—herein to the great dis-service of His Majesty Did they not in 46. after a Peace concluded with them treacherously attempt to cut off the Lord Lieutenant and his Army who marched out of Dublin on security and confidence of that Peace did they not in 47 employ Commissioners to Rome France and Spain to invite a Forreign power into Ireland in the 9th Article of whose Instructions to be seen in my Lord Orrerey's Answer to P. W. they were ordered to make Application to his Holiness for his being Lord Protector of Ireland so that they were beforehand with the Phanaticks in England with the Title and if he should refuse then to offer the same to either of the Kings of France or Spain nay to any Popish Prince from whom to use their own words they might have
the University as some report or whether drawn in upon his Marriage as others alleage or to gratifie a Rich Vncle of that Persuasion as a third sort relate it on which or whether on some other occasion different from all these he revolted is not much material but revolt he did to the Roman Church and became a mighty Bigot to advance the same and gain Proselytes He was a Person of rare natural and acquired parts and so well conceited of himself that he once undertook to be one that should manage a Conference concerning Religion against the Learned Doctor Stillingfleet and another Divine of the Church of England which discourse is extant in Print But his Talent lay more in News and Policy than Divinity being for some time Secretary to her Royal Highness the Dutchess of York he was a Leading-man in this Horrid Conspiracy and a prime Promoter thereof by his great Correspondency abroad both at Rome and in the French Court. Concerning the manner of his Commitment an Account is given before Chapt. the 8th On Saturday the 23 of November he was Arraigned at the Kings-Bench Bar the Indictment being very Expressive and Significant we shall for Example sake See Colemans Tryal p. 2. recite part of it viz. That as a false Traitor against our most Illustrious Serene and most excellent Prince Charles by the Grace of God c. his natural Lord having not the fear of God in his heart nor duely weighing his Allegiance but being moved and seduced by the Instigation of the Devil his cordial Love and true Duty and natural Obedience which true and lawful Subjects of our said Lord the King ought to bear towards him and by Law ought to have altogether with-drawing and devising and with all his strength intending the Peace and common Tranquillity of this Kingdom of England to disturb and the true Worship of God within the Kingdom of England practised and by Law Established to overthrow and Sedition and Rebellion within this Realm of England to move stir up and procure and the cordial Love and true Duty and Allegiance which true and lawful Subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King towards their Soveraign bear and by Law ought to have altogether to withdraw forsake and extinguish and our said Soveraign Lord the King to Death and final Destruction to bring and put The 29th of Septemb. in the 27th year of the Reign of our said Soveraign Lord Charles the Second c. at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster Falsly Maliciously and Traiterously proposed compassed imagined and intended to stir up and raise Sedition and Rebellion within the Kingdom of England and to procure and cause a miserable Destruction amongst the Subjects of our said Lord the King and wholly to Deprive Depose Deject and Disinherit our said Soveraign of his Royal State Title Power and Rule of his Kingdom of England and to bring and put our said Soveraign Lord the King to final Death and Destruction and to overthrow and change the Government and alter the sincere and true Religion of God in this Kingdom by Law establish'd and wholly to subvert and destroy the State of the Kingdom and to Levy War against our said Soveraign Lord the King within his Realm of England And that to accomplish these his Traiterous designs and imaginations on the 29th of Septemb. in the 27th year of the King he Traiterously composed two Letters to one Monsieur Le Chese then Servant and Confessor of Lewis the French King to desire procure and obtain for the said Edw. Coleman and other false Traitors the Aid Assistance and Adherence of the said French King to alter the true Religion in this Kingdom Establish'd to the Superstition of the Church of Rome and Subvert the Government of this Kingdom of England c. Reciting his receiving an Answer from Le Chese his Correspondence with Monsieur Rovigni Envoy Extraordinary from the French King and Letters to Sir William Throckmorton in France Concluding in usual form That all this was done against his true Allegiance and against the Peace of the King his Crown and Dignity To this Indictment he pleaded Not Guilty and on Wednesday the 27th of Novemb. 1678. was brought to his Tryal To the Jury Empannel'd he made no Challenges Their Names were Sir Reginald Foster Baronet Sir Charles Lee. Edward Wilford Esq John Bathurst Esq Joshua Galliard Esq John Bifield Esq Simon Middleton Esq Henry Johnson Esq Charles Vmfrevile Esq Thomas Johnson Esq Thomas Eaglesfield Esq William Bohee Esq His Tryal as it held very long so it was managed with all Integrity and Moderation by the Court The Charge against him was made out two ways partly by Witnesses Vivâ voce and partly by Letters and Papers found at his House which he could not deny to be his own hand writing Dr. Oates was the first Witness produced to whom the Lord Chief Justice gave this grave Caution That he See Colemans Tryal p. 17. should speak nothing but the truth not to add the least tittle that was false for any advantage whatsoever mind him of the Sacredness of the Oath he had taken declaring that since the Prisoners Blood and Life was at stake he should stand or fall be justified or Condemned by truth The substance of Mr. Oates's Evidence was 1. That in Novemb. 1677. being brought acquainted with Mr. Coleman by one John Keins then Dr. Oates's Confessor who Lodged at Colemans House he carried some Letters for him to St. Omers in which were Treasonable Expressions of the King calling him Tyrant and a Letter in Latine enclosed to Monsieur Le Chese to whom Dr. Oates carried it from St. Omers to Paris in which there were thanks returned for the Ten thousand pounds by him remitted into England for the Propagation of the Catholick Religion and promising that it should be Imployed for no other purpose but that for which it was sent which was to cut off the King of England as appear'd by the Letter of Le Chese to which this was an Answer and which Dr. Oates saw and read 2. That Coleman was concern'd in the design of taking away the Sacred Life of the King for that when at the Jesuits Consult at the pag. 2. Whitehorse-Tavern in the Strand in April Old Stile and May New Stile and afterwards adjourned into several Companies It was resolv'd that Pickering and Grove should Assassinate his Majesty by Shooting or other means for which the latter should have 1500 l. and the former Thirty thousand Masses which at 12 d. a Mass amounted much what to the same sum This resolve was in his hearing Communicated to Mr. Coleman at Wild-House who did approve thereof and said it was well contriv'd 3. That in August 78. Mr. Coleman was present at a Consult with the Jesuits and Benedictine Monks in the Savoy for raising a pag. 23. Rebellion in Ireland and was very forward to have Dr. Fogarthy sent thither to dispatch the Duke of Ormond by
designed Party perceiving their Treason was openly known and fearing their just reward from some enraged hand desired a Pass to return since the work of killing the King was done beyond the Seas which that they might with less suspicion and more security pass they pretended to Banish them A Noble person of this Kingdom of Sir K. acquaintance told me That he observed him in publick to exclaim against the Hereditary Rights of Kings as a most pernicious thing to a Kingdom saying That oft-times thereby the Kingdom was Governed by Children Fools and Women And hereupon took occasion to traduce the then Prince of Wales now King saying c. The Expressions are so base and foul-mouthed that we dare not out of Reverence to Majesty go on to repeat them from our Author At the same time highly commending Cromwel as one of the ablest men in Europe and Bradshaw that sate as the Kings Judge for a gallant man Thus far that Treatise concerning the credit of which we shall onely say that the Author appears by the Work to have been a man of no vulgar Intelligence or Conversation in those times and all along expresses much Loyalty and Affection to his present Majesty 2. The Reverend and Learned Doctor Peter du Moulin hath long since declared in Print That the Roman Priest is known who when he saw the â—atal stroke given to our Holy King and Martyr flourished with his Sword and said Now the greatest Enemy that we have in the World is gone And that the year before the Kings Murder a select number of Jesuits out of England had a Consult with their Confederates at Paris where this question in writing was by them put to the Faculty of Sorbon then altogether Jesuited That seeing the State of England was in a likelyhood to change Government whether it were lawful for the Catholicks to work that change for the advancing and securing of the Catholick Cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from this Heresie Which was answered affirmatively And afterward the same question being transmitted to Rome the said Resolution was likewise approved and confirmed by the Pope and his Council That it was both lawful and expedient for Catholicks by such means to promote that alteration of State But afterwards when the Regicide was so universally cryed down and detested his Holiness consulting his credit commanded all Papers about that question to be burnt in obedience to which order a Roman Catholick in Parts was demanded a Copy which he had of those papers but having had time to consider and abhor the wickedness of that Project refused to deliver it up but shewed it to a Protestant friend of his relating the whole carriage of this Negotiation This passage theâ— Reverend du Moulin aforesaid now Canon 〈◊〉 Christ-Church Canterbury and one of His Majestieâ— Chaplains did seventeen years ago set forth 〈◊〉 print in his answer to a scurrilous Popish pamphleâ— Intituled Philanax Anglicus and there publickly offered to justifie the truth of it if any should 〈◊〉 him to an account for it before Authority but That in all this time they have been afraid or ashamed to do onely soon after the coming forth of his Book the Gentlemen of Somerset-house who were netled one eminent person of them it seems not a little concerned actually in the story instead of having the truth thereof examined privately by interest obtained a Command from the King to the said Doctor that he should write no more Books which Prohibition the Doctor goâ— taken off Anno 1668. See the last Edition of the Doctors Answer p. 60. where likewise p. 64 we have the Testimony of that worthy judicious Gentleman Sir William Morris late Secretary of State who in a Letter to the said Doctor du Moulin concerning this matter hath these words This I may say safely and will do it confidently That many arguments did create a violent suspicion very near convincing Evidences That the Irreligion of the Papists was chiefly guilty of the Murder of that excellent Prince the odium whereof they would now file to the account of the Protestant Religion 5. 'T is notorious that no sort of men truckled more servilely to the late Rebellious Powers they adressed their Petitions to them with the Stile of the Supreme Authority of this Nation the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England First Moderator fol. 59. They affirmed That they had generally taken and punctually kept the Engagement Second Moderator fol. 41. They promised that 〈◊〉 they might enjoy their Religion They would 〈◊〉 the most quiet and useful Subjects of England First Moderator fol. 31. which they proved in these words viz. That the Roman-Catholicks of England would be bound by their own interest the strongâ—â—â— obligation amongst wise men to live peaceably and â—hankfully in private Exercise of their Consciences and becoming gainers by such compassions they could not 〈◊〉 reasonably be distrusted as the Prelatick Parâ—y that were loosers First Moderator fol. 36. 6. 'T is observable That Tho. White a Popish â—riest in the height of Olivers Tyranny set out 〈◊〉 Book Intituled The grounds of Obedience and Government purposely to confirm his usurpation another His Majesties just Tale and perswade people that they were not obliged to assist or reâ—â—ore him Who was it as Doctor Oates says in his Epistle to the King before his Narrative of the Plot printed by Order of the House of Lords â—hat broke off the Uxbridge Treaty but the Romish Interest and Policy with what zeal and Interest did they perswade the Scots in 1650. to impose that upon your Majesty which your Royal Law had forbidden others for the effecting whereof some Thousands of pounds were spent and given by them Where he likewise sets forth how they endeavoured to Betray and Sacrifice His Majesty after his miraculous escape as Worcester And that those who were to pay the 1000 l. promised for his Discovery were no other but Father Joseph Simmonds and Father Carleton Compton both Jesuits and 〈◊〉 whereas Mr. John Huddleston a Priest having 〈◊〉 instrumental in His Majesties Escape for whicâ— good Service he has been always excepted out 〈◊〉 His Majesties Proclamations against Priests and Jesuits several of the Jesuited Crew have often call'd him FOOL for his labour and said that the same was the worst days work that ever he did in his life That there is a Popish Lord not forgotten or unknown who brought a Petition to the late Regicide and Vsurpers signed by above 500 of the principal Popists in England wherein was promised upon condition of a Toleration here by a Law they would jointly resolve to Abjure and Exclude the Family of the Stuarts for ever from the Crown That a whole Convent of Benedictine Monks were Olivers Pensioners to betray His Majesties Secrets and Counsels That the Traitor Manning taken 〈◊〉 discovering such His Majesties Affairs was a Roman Catholick and had Masses sung for him after his 〈◊〉
in Italy but coming home and his other Brother being unhappily Kill'd by an Accident he staid at home as an Assistant to his Father in the Shop who had a great Trade being much Entrusted with the Cash of the Roman Catholick Nobility and Gentry who upon this notice taken of the Plot calling in their money on a sudden and he as 't is said not being able readily to make up his Accounts to his Father and finding their Trade hereby like to be ruined grew so far disturb'd that on the 14th of Novemb. in the Forenoon being in the Company of one Fromante a Foreigner at a Cooks Shop in Kings-Street by Long-Acre discoursing together about the Plot c. in French the said Fromante said that the King of England was a great Tormenter of the People of God meaning the Papists To which the said Staley Answered The King of England the King of England repeating the words twice as in a great fury is a grand Heretick and the greatest Rogue Bouger the word was in French in the world There 's the heart striking his hand on his Breast and here 's the hand that will Kill him my self And then he said further The King and Parliament think all is over but the Rogues are deceived or mistaken When he spoke these words he was in a Room with the door open and just over against him in another Room on the same Floor were three Scotch Gentlemen of whom two understood French who not only plainly heard but as plainly saw him speak them and being mightily concern'd to hear such desperate expressions when he was going enquired who he was having never seen him before and set one to watch him to his Fathers where next day they apprehended him And because there were a sort of men that endeavoured to cry down the Discovery as fâ—ictitious alleadging that although Roman Catholicks in England might endeavour to promote their Religion yet it was nothing probable that they should have any design against the Kings Person Therefore it was thought fit to bring this Man to Tryal first before any of the others in Custody thereby to convince those people that there was such a design seeing the Prisoner even since the discovery of this Devilish Plot and after so many had been Imprisoned for it did persist in a Treasonable mind and a Traiterous attempt against the Kings Person a clear Evidence of which was his speaking such words Accordingly for the same on the 20th of Novemb. he was Arraigned at the Kings-Bench Bar and the 21th brought to his Tryal where a Jury was Impannell'd and the Prisoner not making any Challenge they were Sworn being all Persons of good quality viz. Sir Philip Matthews Sir Reginald Foster Sir John Kirke Sir John Cutler Sir Richard Blake John Bifield Esq Simon Middleton Esq Thomas Cross Esq Henry Johnson Esq Charles Vmfrevile Esq Tho. Eaglesfield Esq William Bohee Esq The Witnesses William Corstairs and Alexander Sutherland did both positively Swear the words before-cited for they both understood French very well having been Officers abroad and just then returned into England And the third Witness though he did not understand French Swore he heard the Prisoner speak something with great earnestness and that Capt. Corstairs at that instant told him it was in English That he would Kill the King and was so fill'd with Indignation that he said he would not endure to hear him use such Language and therefore would have drawn his Sword and run upon him presently but that Mr. Sutherland prevented him They also proved that they writ down the words in French as they were spoken and now sworn to before they came out of the said Cooks The Prisoner own'd that he was at that time with Fromante at that Cooks but denied that he spoke the words and said they only spoke of the French King and that the words Sworn by the Witness in French must signifie I will Kill my self rather than I will Kill him my self But as to this the Court observ'd First that the Witnesses Swore directly that it was the King of England he spoke of and nam'd him twice nor did he sure count the French King an Heretick And as for the Second that evasion could not be allow'd for what sense would it be to say the King of England is a great Heretick and the greatest Villain in the World and therefore here 's the hand and here 's the heart I will Kill my self The Prisoner had little more to say for himself besides general Protestations of his Loyal Intentions And therefore the Lord Chief Justice having repeated the proof to the Jury they without going from the Bar brought him in Guilty of Treason and Sentence was pronounced on him to be Drawn Hang'd and Quartered On Tuesday the 26. of Novemb. he was Executed behaving himself in his passage to Tyburn in a very sober penitent manner His Quarters upon the humble Petition of his Relations to his Majesty were delivered to See an account of digging up his Quarters Publish'd by Order of the Lord Chief Justice Scrogs them privately to be Buried and not to be set upon the Gates of the City But to the great Indignity and Affront of such his Majesties mercy and favour the Friends of the said Staley caused several Masses to be said over his said Quarters and used other Ceremonies according to the manner of the Church of Rome and Solemnly appointed a time for his Interment from his Fathers House in Covent-Garden at which time there was made a Pompuous Funeral many People following the Corps to the Church of St. Paul Covent-Garden where he was Buried which his Majesty hearing of was justly displeased and Commanded the Coroner of Westminster to take up the Body of the said Staley and deliver it to the Sheriff of Middlesex to be set upon the Gates Accordingly it was taken up and brought back to Newgate and then the Quarters exposed on the Gates of the City and the Head on London Bridge as the Limbs of Traitors usually are November the 27th his Majesty emitted a Proclamation for the further discovery of the late horrid design against his Person and Government whereby he declared That if any person before the 25th of Decemb. then next should make any further Discovery to one of his Majesties Principal Secretaries of State he or they should not only have and receive 200 l. immediately paid but also his gracious Pardon if a Principal or any way concernâ—d in the Treason CHAP. X. The substance of the Proceedings against Mr. Coleman and manner of his Execution with a kind of Popish Prayer made to him afterwards as a Saint MR. Staley being thus Executed Mr. Edward Coleman two days after was brought to his Tryal He was the Son of a Reverend worthy Minister in Suffolk brought up in the Protestant Religion and an Academick Education but whether by reason of any Disgust taken for missing a Preferment for which he stood Candidate at