I Appoint Dorman Newman Citizen and Stationer of London to Print my Depositions concerning the Plot and none else April 30. 1679. Edmund Everard THE DEPOSITIONS AND EXAMINATIONS OF Mr. Edmund Everard Who was Four years close Prisoner in the TOWER of LONDON Concerning the Horrid Popish Plot AGAINST The LIFE of His SACRED MAJESTY the GOVERNMENT and the Protestant Religion With the Names of several persons in England Ireland France and elsewhere concerned in the Conspiracy Part whereof was five years since made known to persons herein specified and again tendered to the Honourable Committee of Lords sitting in Parliament at Westminster upon Oath and now tendered to the Honourable House of Commons LONDON Printed for Dorman Newman at the Kings Arms in the Poultrey M DC LXXIX This Information of the Plot was five years since given by me to persons herein specified but was suppressed and was again now of late tendered a-new to the Committee of the Lords sitting in Parliament at Westminster upon Oath the 21st of December 1678. And is now tender'd by me to the Commons WHILE I was employed as Agent at the French Court for the English Militia's Concerns one of the Officers brought me at Paris to the acquaintance of my Lady Anne Gourdon Sister to the now Marquess of Huntley in Scotland She after about a years frequentation communicated unto me certain important secrets concerning a Popish Plot against England She 's a Lady of vast correspondence with the Popish Clergy and Nobility almost through all Europe living ordinarily as a free person in Nunneries and was then in a Convent at Paris At a time I surprized her with two of the chief Scotch Seminarists of Paris in a deep and dark discourse of the English Affairs and as soon as my Lady made them understand that I was one of her privatest Friends and Catholickly affected it being fit she should imagine this they begun to speak plain enough to let me perceive that their discourse tended to some sudden design for the subversion of the English Government and Governour and the setting up of Popery here in England But on some day of the Month of November 1673 I enquired of my Lady what those mysterious discourses meaned she had with the Scotch Priest She after long importunities and protestations revealed unto me that which follows I. That there was now a grand Design on foot in England for the setling of the Catholick Faith there publickly II. That there was also a project against the Parliament that made such a stir as she spoke and was their obstacle either totally to dissolve it or to sow some divisions betwixt the King and It where his Majesty also should find potent Adversaries of the Romish Nobility who would cut out work for him III. That there was a very considerable party in England who laboured to make the Duke of York King but that the Scots indeed were more for the Duke of Monmouths being such if means could be made to bring him over to it wherein she conceived I might be an useful Instrument having been employed under him But said I What do they mean to do with the King himself She answered I. That the now King of England would be made away and dispatcht after his Father so that he would not be shortly in a case to annoy any body Then I askt her by what means they thought to bring such matters about and who were the leading-men in the contrivance and who the Under-agents to carry it on She said That all that was too much for me to know at the first time besides that it was then too late at night but that at my return within three days for avoiding of suspition I should be fully satisfied But I insisted That these were grand affairs whereof she spoke for which consequently she needed to have more than common grounds She replied that I ought not to doubt but that she had the best correspondency in England Scotland and France as having on the one part Madam de Gourdon her Aunt one of the chief Ladies with the Dutchess of Orleance which was taken to be of the fittest for Intelligence and Intrigues at the French Court and on the other side that she received Letters almost every week from the eminentest Church-men on this and that side of the sea as also from some of the greatest Nobility of England and Scotland namely from her Brother the Marquess of Huntley my Lord Oxenford of Scotland Mr. Maitland somewhat concerned as she said in the Secretaryship of Ministry of State of Scotland and from the Earl of Roches Chancellor there but she afterwards run out into some of his Love commerce with her so that I leave to others to infer from the premises to which either to Love or the Plot-part or all of this his Letter-Correspondency must be referred And to confirm further the credit I must yeild to her words she drew forth a Bag full of Letters a matter of a Bushel full and shewed some more in a Cabinet saying Are these all about trifles think you She further produced a picture in mignature of the said Chancellor and went about to read one of his Letters of a large and ill-shaped Character methought but withheld referring me till the fore-mentioned three days term I in fine asked how she could avoid suspition if so many Letters were directed to her in her own name She told me she had taken a good care for that because her Correspondents writ to her under several names by which they called her and part of her Letters were directed to Mr. Conne a Scotch-man living at Paris as Agent for the Pope others were addressed to Mr. Dallison her Scotch Physician there some to Father Joseph Prior of the English Benedictines at Paris who was her Confessor II. Now in the interval having before been recommended by Dr. Brien Dr. Molony Priests and others to Colonel Richard Talbot and to his Brother Peter the pretended Archbishop of Dublin for a person that carried on business after the formalities of the Court of France and the Colonel himself having made some tryal of me he on a time desired me to be assistant to his Brother the Bishop not long since come out of England The Bishop desired I should go and complement on his behalf the Marshal Bellefond Grand Steward to the King of France and know when he might be introduced by him to the Kings Audience about the business whereof he treated with the Marshal himself while he was in England as Ambassador in or about the year 1670. The Marshal being then at Court kept at Versaile the Bishop would have one Mr. Moore a Priest and Philosophy-Professor at Paris to accompany us thither on the next day having lain that night at Versaile and the Bishop striving to make us all merry on the good Catholick Causes success I took that opportunity to enquire whether he thought it not fit to communicate unto me the Heads and Grounds of
this affair wherein he was pleased to make me his Speaker and Introducer at Court lest said I any occasion might happen for me to second it The business that I am to represent to the King of France is this I. It is a business said he which mightily concerns the welfare of the Catholicks in England and of those in Ireland especially II. That he was to propose ways to the King of France whereby to relieve them in their present extremities and persecutions and for to undertake their protection and some of his ways was to Arm some Irish and to secure some Sea-Port Town in Ireland for the French III. He said that he had a special good Warrant and Commission for this his Negotiation from some of the greatest persons in England IV. That he was to solicit his Christian Majesty for a Pension or the Arrears payable to himself The next morning I went to the Kings Rising to acquaint the Marshal Bellefond that the Archbishop Talbot was in Town to wait on His Majesty and Him he wish't me to introduce him The Marshal knew him at first sight and imbraced him and acquainted the King with his coming His Majesty receiving him with great civility led him into a private Room where Mr. Moore and I following them he beck'ned to Mr. Moore that had the paper to advance But I from the doorward saw the Bishop present a Letter to the King and other papers which I think were sealed I over-heard he spoke in Italian at first entrance their Conference lasted about half an hour and though that King is somewhat of a Grave and somewhat Morose temper yet he often smiled as at Propositions that pleased him But at our coming out from Court I enquired of the Bishop of the good success of his Negotiation which I told him seemed to be of other or more matters then he acquainted me with No said he 't is but of the same matter I spoke to you of last night whereof he said I should know more seeing he must come to Court again and again about it though the King continued he promised all possible satisfaction and hopes of a good issue So not to increase suspicion by further inquiries I urged him no more but departed from him for that time to Paris Yet note that Mr. Moore did also generally touch unto me the Matters of the aforesaid Articles and Plot having heard it from the said Bishop Peter Talbot and his papers And further observe That one Mr. Conne a Scotch-man who was formerly the Popes Nuncio and then his Agent at Paris had almost every day private Conferences with both the Talbots and went betwixt them their Nuncio then being at Paris and that the Talbots and this Conne came often to my Lady Anne Huntleys though my Lady had also another pretext to see Conne The very same night I did communicate all that past in this Peter Talbot's Negotiation to Sir Robert Welsh as I had done before that other Plot of Lady Huntleys both fearing lest this grand secret might dye with me I having many Enemies daily threatning me then at Paris and for that this Sir Robert was a man that still made much profession of his Actings Sufferings and Loyalty for the King of England in such former discoveries but Sir Roberts truer Character I found out too late However Sir Robert most unfaithfully forthwith discovered all to Colonel Talbot both that of my Lady Huntleys and the Talbots business and that I intended speedily to go for England to accuse both him and his brother Peter the Colonel feigning to keep his bed desires to speak with me at his own Lodging The Circumstances of the message with the Premisses weighed I took one or two along with me to his very Chamber door on another pretext he presently desired to know when I intended for England and when I had seen Sir Robert Welsh But by this much forthwith perceiving I was betrayed I pretended another occasion of that voyage for which besides I seemed not to be very earnest if either in Paris or with the now Dutchess of York then at Paris he would procure me some fit employment of Secretary or Usher And at first he went about to perswade me from coming over into England at all Then began to threaten me manfully and if he heard I did otherwise than I said in stealing away for England on such occasions against them and the Catholicks they would infallibly procure I should be forthwith committed to the Tower of London or the Gate-house at my arrival which accordingly happened according to his spightful prophesie about seven days after I arrived at London That seeing the effect of his threatnings fall out so punctually and not doubting thereupon but that he with Sir Robert Welsh and Correspondents here were the secret Contrivers of my four years close imprisonment in the Tower though a very remote surprise was put in by them for pretext therefore I said I was afraid to charge them much and but warily whilst I was in the Tower fearing to fare the worse by the means of any secret friend of theirs EVIDENCES THE aforesaid Sir Robert Welsh his Evidence now in London may first confirm the truth of this my Information for he being now in London can witness that I disclosed to him all the said Treasons about five years since in or about the Month of November 1673 so that it cannot be imagined that this my Information is some new matter fitted for the times against Papists nor that it is some odious new-coined slander according to the humour and device of some dissenting parties as Papists cavil seeing that by four or five witnesses hereafter mentioned who are none of my Friends it undeniably appears that I discovered this said Plot many years before these times were thought of nay and in such a time when I never had seen England or knew any person there either by Letters or otherwise except such Officers of the Army that were then in France I. I did not know but that Sir Robert Welsh or some other had hinted these matters to some Minister of State II. I began to discover some of these matters to Sir John Robinson at the beginning of my imprisonment but whether it was through any defect of my delivery or that he took such Relations for a devised starting from the only point he would have me confess against the Duke of Monmouth against whom I never conceived the least harm but whatever it was for Sir John made light of my Narration concerning the Lady Huntley and the said Talbots business which I am sure I began to relate to him at the least in substance but how far he suffered me to proceed I cannot now well remember both for that there 's above four years since and for the hard usages wherewith he still troubled my mind whereof neither His Majesty nor the Duke of Monmouth knew their continuance so long as my Lord of
speak with me I inquired for what but they could not or would not tell me but it seems by their expressions to my Landlord they were with him the day before to inquire for me and they could tell that I had been last Sunday at Morning Prayers at Whitehall and there also seen the same Night amongst others After break-fasting peaceably I went with them to Whitehall not thinking this any Commitment Business I told my Landlord I thought I would be back within an hour The Secretary at my arrival inquiring of my Name told me he would go and speak with the King about me which I know not whether he did so or no but returning soon after spake not one word to me but going into his Clerk he sent out the same Messengers who called me into the Stone Gallery who said they had Orders to carry me to the Tower but for what they could not tell me Sir John Robinson after my Arrival entertained me to Dinner which continued in the company of his Lady and Solicitor in a free and cheerful manner in Discourse of the French Customs and of his Son whom I knew at Paris After Dinner and having had a Nap with his Chaplain who came in Sir John inquired of me Whether I were not a Roman Catholique I told them I had been such but not one of late and whether I was in Orders I told them never inquiring whether I knew for what I was committed I told them no no No more do I said Sir John but in the general afterwards he sent for one Captain Cresset the then Gentleman Goaler he read unto me a Paper he called his Warrant which being but in general words and giving me no Copy of it made no such impression upon me as now to remember the Contents for I thought it was but some Tower formality wherewith others were served as well as I for Sir John never explained nor insisted upon it no more did I but followed Captain Cresset to my appointed Lodging which was convenient enough as also the Diet so that at the beginning I being not lock'd up neither day nor night for a Month or thereabouts and giving my self to reading an English Chronicle that belonged to my Landlord I unconcernedly expected a speedy enlargement after the Duke of Monmouth should come to hear of my Imprisonment unto whom I desired Sir John to give notice of it but I had no return After some Months Sir John sent for me and said he had Order to examine me he inquired What and whom I verily thought were the Causes of my Imprisonment I told him that the Lady Anne Gourdon alias Huntley with Peter Talbot Titular Bilhop of Dublin were assuredly the Causes of it and might well contrive by other Instruments some false Accusation against me for to weaken the testimony I was to give against them of their plotting against England for that the said Lady had informed me of a Design the English Catholiques had against the King's Person his Government and Religion and that she had correspondency with her Brother the Marquiss of Huntley my Lord of Rothes my Lord of Oxenford of Scotland and other Catholiques and Priests this side and beyond Seas That the said Peter Talbot before I brought him to the French King's presence told me That he was to treat with that King from soine very great Person or Persons in England for to raise men in Ireland for the French King and that I had declared these things in France to one Sir Robert Welsh who desired me to acquaint the Duke of Ormond therewith So Sir John being in haste to go to Whitehall took these Heads in his Table-book and said he would acquaint them above with it but bid me not to mention the Duke of Ormond at all for he was a goodman I bring him in onely by occasion said I. Next day Sir John sent for me and desiring to know what other things I could say I began to particularize the forementioned relations of the Plot but he broke me off of that saying That these were but trifles and that we cared not in England what Priests and Women beyond Seas could devise and that he took such Stories from me but as starting-holes from the only point he had to urge against me That unless I would confess other matters against the Duke of Monmouth he would rack me next day and afterwards hang me I said He might do what he pleased but that I neither knew or could confess any such Design And so I was sent back to my Lodging but my forwardness to speak ever afterwards of any Plot against England was well abated by this Storm I desired my Keepers Wife and Child here present to pray for me for that I was to be rack'd the next day I asked my Keeper What a Rack was An Instrument said he to stretch the Body and Limbs out of all joynts sometimes full of Needles and that it was called the Daughter of some Duke I do not now remember which But this Family being weak persons were themselves frightned at this sad and terrible threatnings alledging That none was ever carried to be executed out of their house Sometime afterwards I was sent for to be examined to Whitehall before the Secretary my Lord of Bath of Newport and some others I never saw before They inquired Whether I had been imployed under the Duke of Monmouth And whether I knew some other persons I do not now remember my self with such other Questions out of which I could not yet know certainly the Cause of my Commitment for no body appeared against me as I think at that time one only at the second time So they in a general manner urged me still to confess to confess what evil Design I had in coming to England I said still I had none nor could I confess any And so was sent back to the Tower Some Weeks or Months afterward I was sent for to Whiteball again where one Dallison who was formerly in France entertained by me for writing appeared He there said That I there in France threatned some persons here in England and that he thought that it was the Duke of Monmouth because of non-payment of Arrears I told him That that was a bad inference that because I threatned some body it must be therefore the Duke of Monmouth who had never any ground so to do for that he had signed an Order for payment of me and spoke to Captain Watson and Doctor Goase for it Though I never was yet paid But the pretext or ground from which they took the occasion of this slanderous Allogisme was from the matters of some private quarrels which one Mr. Hampton and the Lady Anne Gourdon would have me vindicate against some of their Rivals which I complimentally was still wont to promise them I would do the better to insinuate my self into their secrets concerning the Plot and other matters The Lady Gourdon would have the Earl of
Rothes his Lady to be made away she being a Presbiterian begot as she said a great obstacle to the Roman Catholick Religion 's progress in Scotland and her own Rival c. Mrs. Wingfield alias Hampton a Benchers Wife of the Temple then also in Paris went also about to all English Gentlemen there to avenge her quarrels against her Husband who as they say not without some good cause has cast her off She applied her self to me who not approving of those violent means I obtained for her a Letter of Recommendation for Justice to be done to her from the French King to the King of England signed by Secretary Pompone directed to Secretary Arlington in England This was in 73 but she not finding any good by this Letter she went on to propose to me her old ways so seeing her incorrigible fearing she would fall into worse hands and hoping to get back the money I had lent to her and laid out for her I kept in with her till she could get money to pay me but finding no hopes of either the one or the other I bid this Dallison my Man to take her in hand to pretend to close to her Designs till I could get my money I directed him to her Lodgings but he told me that Sir Robert Welsh and himself knew her well enough And that he would get me one Johnson a Student in Physick who would act his part in the Comedy better than any I told them I would share with them both of what was due to me by this Woman and what besides they could get from her She proffered to give some Hundreds of Pounds then in the hands of Monsieur de Basti in London and her Daughter besides in Marriage to any that would kill her Husband by the Sword Poyson c. But finding she could not perform the payment of a far less sum due to me and that to receive into my company persons of so wicked principles in Religion and Moralities was scandalous I cast them all off in Paris She some Weeks before came over unknown to me into England but the next day after my Arrival here I met her accidentally and she brought me to her Lodging having now cast of Dallison Also he there in Paris met with the Talbots every night and with Sir Robert Welsh amongst them it was contrived that Dallison should come over into England and turn these petit matters wherein I seemed to comply with these Ladies as if I intended them against the Duke of Monmouth for not payment of Arrears c. and by this means they thought to blast my Discovery of the Plot against them when I came into England and that I would be certainly secured when I arrived there and they had the assurance to threaten me there-with to my face Their threats came punctually to pass for I was secured according to their Contrivance within a few days after I was in London Now when Sir John and the Secretary did so oft press me What might give grounds to this Slaunder of some Design against the Duke of Monmouth I have related these matters abovesaid unto them concerning these Womens Proposals which I conceived to be the only ground and pretext of that Slaunder they made me sign it I think which taking but for a formality of no great importance I did do and though I did but out of a complemental policy hearken to these Womens designs I could not be at quiet there at the Tower with Sir John and others till I had said That I had a real intention to serve these Women in the premisses though Mr. Hawkins the Tower Chaplain and Mr. Robinson the Tower Gentleman Jaylor may witness that I told them and others That I dallied with these Ladies only But what-ever Sir John or the Secretary can make of this or any other lie the Popish plotters sent into their hands to slaunder my Evidence cannot be material to the purpose and I will be ready to answer it And though Sir John's ill usage and threats of Racking of me and hearing that he was wont to give an account of me to the Duke of York the Talbot's Master though I say these things did discourage me to speak further of the Plot whilst I was in the Tower either to Sir John or the Secretary yet after I had been abroad a while during the last Parliaments Sitting I went to him to the Tower intreating him to second me in the discovering of the said Matters aforesaid for the good of the Government John Bagot his Man I think was in hearing but he with a Check rejected me which discouraged me so as almost never to speak any more of the Matter Till a Lord of the Parliament to whom I discovered the whole by the means of a Friend had received me again to make the Discovery as I have done on the Twenty fourth of December last before the Committee of Lords upon Oath Three Months ago before this Information I now do give into the Commons Jurat FINIS Articles against the Talbots