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A43880 Historical collections, or, A brief account of the most remarkable transactions of the two last Parliaments consisting of I. The speeches, votes, accusations, addresses, and article of impeachment, &c., II. The bills of association, exclusion, and repeal of 35 Eliz. &c., III. The several informations, messages, narratives, orders, petitions, protestation of the Lords, and resolves of both Houses, etc., IV. The tryal and sentence of William Howard Lord Viscount of Stafford in Westminster Hall, his speech and execution on the scaffold at Tower Hill with many other memorable passages and proceedings of the two last Parliaments, held and dissolved at Westminster and Oxford, V. A perfect list of each Paraliament, VI. His Majesty's declaration, shewing the causes and reasons that moved him to dissolve the two last Parliaments. 1682 (1682) Wing H2100; ESTC R32032 89,184 314

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the Liberty and Property of the Subject at home and supporting the Forraign Alliances he took notice of the unsuitable Returns of the House of Commons their Addresses in the Nature of Remonstrances their Arbitrary Orders for taking Persons into Custody for Matters that had no Relation to their Priviledges and their strange Illegal Votes declaring divers Emminent Persons Enemies to the King and Kingdom without any Order or Process of Law or hearing their Defence That besides these Proceedings they had Voted That whoever should Lend any Money upon the Branches of the Revenue or Buy any Tally of Anticipation or pay any such Tally should be adjudged to hinder the sitting of Parliaments and be answerable to the same in Parliament Which Votes instead of giving him Assistance tended rather to disable him and to expose him to all dangers that might happen at Home or Abroad and to deprive him of the possibility of supporting the Government it self and to reduce him to a more helpless Condition then the meanest of his Subjects That they had Voted the Prosecution of Protestant Dissenters upon the Penal-Laws a grievance to the Subject a weakning to the Protestant Interest an Encouragement to Popery and dangerous to the Peace of the Kingdom Whereby they assumed to themselves a Power of suspending Acts of Parliament Which unwarrantable Proceedings were the Occasion of his parting with the first Parliament That having Assembled another at Oxford he gave them warning of the Errors of the former and required them to make the Law of the Land their Rule as he resolv'd it should be his Adding withal that though he could not depart from what he had so often declared touching the Succession Yet to remove all Reasonable fears that might arise from a Popish Successor if means could be found that in such a Case the Administration of the Government might remain in Protestant Hands he was ready to hearken to any expedient for the preservation of the Establish'd Religion without the Destruction of Monarchy Notwithstanding all which no expedient could be found but that of a Total Exclusion which he was so nearly concern'd in Honour Justice and Conscience not to Consent to Nor did he believe as he had Reason so to do but that if he had in the last Parliament at Westminster consented to a Bill of Exclusion that the Intent was not to have rested there but to have attempted some other great and important Changes That the business of Fits-Harris impeach'd by the Commons of High Treason and by the Lords referred to the Ordinary Course of Law was on a suddain carried to that Extremity by the Votes of the House of Commons March 26. That there was no possibility left of a Reconciliation Whereby an impeachment was made use of to delay a Tryal directed against a professed Papist charg'd with Treasons of an extraordinary Nature That nevertheless he was resolv'd that no Irregularities in Parliaments should make him out of love with them but by the Blessing of God to have frequent Parliaments and both in and out of Parliament to use all his utmost endeavours to extirpate Popery and to redress the Grievances of his good Subjects and in all things to Govern according to the Laws of the Kingdom This Declaration being published was likewise ordered to be read in all Churches and Chapples thoroughout the Kingdom And thus my dear Friend Fame for thou art some times a Friend to me as well as to Falshood I have been Candid toward thee in giving Thee plainly without Comment or Observations either on the one side or the other a true Accompt of the most Memorable passages of the Two last Parliaments in due Series and Connexion for the aid and assistance of thy Memory Now take thy flight and make the best Use of thy Pacquet which thou canst If thou seek'st for more go look among the Intelligences which though they will deceive Thee may perhaps better tickle the Fancies then the Judgments of the People A NEW AND TRUE CATALOGUE OF THE HOUSE of LORDS Together with the Knights Citizens Burgesses and Barons OF THE CINQUE-PORTS That were Returned to serve in the Parliament of ENGLAND Assembled at OXFORD the twenty-first of March 1681. Note That those that have this Mark * after them were not Members of the foregoing Parliament The LORDS JAMES Duke of York and Albany Rupert Duke of Cumberland Heneage Finch Baron of Daventry Lord Chancellor of England John Earl of Radnor Lord President of the Council Arthur Earl of Anglesey Lord Privy-Seal Henry Duke of Norfolk Charles Seymore Duke of Somerset under Age. George Duke of Buckingham Christopher Duke of Albemarl James Duke of Monmouth Henry Duke of Newcastle Charles Lenox Duke of Richmond under Age. Charles Fitz-Roy Duke of Southampton under Age. Henry Fitz Roy Duke of Grafton Charles Lord Marq. of Winchester Henry Lord Marq. of Worcester Robert Earl of Lindsey Lord Great Chamberlain James Earl of Brecon Lord Steward of the Houshold Aubrey Earl of Oxford Charles Talbot Earl of Salop if at Age. Anthony Earl of Kent William Richard George Earl of Derby John Earl of Rutland Theophilus Earl of Huntingdon William Earl of Bedford Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery Edward Earl of Lincoln Charles Earl of Nottingham James Eral of Suffolk Charles Earl of Dorset and Middlesex James Earl of Salisbury John Earl of Exeter John Earl of Bridgewater Philip Earl of Leicester James Earl of Northampton Edward Rich Earl of Warwick and Holand under Age William Earl of Devonshire William Earl of Denbigh John Earl of Bristol Gilbert Earl of Clare Oliver Earl of Bullingbrook Charles Earl of Westmorland Robert Earl of Manchester Thomas Earl of Barkshire John Earl of Mulgrave Thomas Earl of Rivers Henry Earl of Peterborough Thomas Earl of Stamford Heneage Earl of Winchelsea Charles Earl of Carnarvon Philip Earl of Chesterfield Richare Earl of Thanet William Earl of Strafford Robert Earl of Sunderland Robert Earl of Scarsdale Charles Earl of Rochester Henry Earl of St. Albans Edward Earl of Sandwich Henry Earl of Clarendon Arthur Earl of Essex Robert Earl of Cardigan John Earl of Bath Charles Earl of Carlisle William Earl of Craven Robert Earl of Ailesbury Richard Earl of Burlington Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury Edward Henry Lee Earl of Lichfield under Age. John Earl of Guilford Thomas Earl of Sussex Lewis Earl of Feversham George Earl of Hallifax Charles Earl of Mackelsfield Robert Earl of Yarmonth George Earl of Berkley Edw. Conway Earl of Conway Leicester Devereux Viscount Heriford under Age Francis Viscount Montague William Viscount Say and Seal Baptist Viscount Camden Thomas Viscount Faulconbridge Charles Viscount Mordant Francis Viscount Newport Henry Lord Mowbroy George Nevil Lord Abergavenny under Age. James Lord Audley Charles Lord La Warr. Thomas Lord Morley Mounteagle Robert Lord Ferrers Coniers Lord Darcy and Meynel Charles Lord Fitzwater under Age. Henry Lord Grey under Age. William Lord Stourton Conyers Lord Conyers Henry Lord Sandys Thomas Lord
whether he ever saw Dugdale alone in his Life He answered Never in his Life To which the Lord High Steward replied Why you saw them together that Morning you brought them to the Chamber But to shew that it was not such an unusual thing for Dugdale and the Prisoner to be alone two Witnesses were brought for the King Hanson and Ansel who swore that they had seen them more than once alone in private Discourse together The next thing the Prisoner endeavoured to prove was that Mr. Dugdale ran away from the Lord Aston's for Debt to which purpose he call'd Thomas Sawyer who attested the same and that he heard him say he would be reveng'd of the Lord Aston if ever it lay in his Power And farther that he took a Glass of Drink in his presence and wish'd it might be his Damnation and Poyson if he knew any thing of the Plot. To the first Objection it was sworn that the Discourse of the Country was that he went away for fear of the Plot and three Justices of the Peace affirm'd that he was apprehended upon Suspition of being in the Plot who therefore tender'd him the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy which he took Others swore that Mr. Dugdale endeavour'd to come to an Accompt with the Lord Aston while he was in the Tower but that the Lord Aston refus'd to speak with him and that one time Mr. Dugdale going to the Tower upon the same occasion one of the Lord Aston's Servants came where he was and paying him a great deal of Respect said he was as honest a Gentleman as ever liv'd in a Family Other Witnesses swore that being Steward to the Lord Aston there was no other person between his Lordship and him but that he was next to my Lord and governed the rest of the Family That he had always had a good Report not only with the Lord Aston's Tenants but also with the Work-men and those people that had Dependence upon the Family As for Mr. Dugdale's Denial of his knowledge of the Plot it was urged that that proceeded only from the Apprehension of the danger he was in especially before he had taken a Resolution to discover The next Objection was that he swore falsly when he said he told of the Letter about the Death of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey before it was known he was kill'd which was attested to the contrary by the persons who were sworn to be the persons acquainted with the said Letter But this was refuted by two Witnesses that swore the said persons were by when the News was told in Confirmation of which two Gentlemen of Quality swore that the Report of such a thing was spread all over the Country before it was possible for it to come by the ordinary way of Intelligence Besides that one of the Prisoner's Evidence was an Ancient deaf Man and so no wonder he should attest that he never heard of any such thing The next Objection was That he had corrupted persons to swear false against him and others Robinson Murral and Holt. As for Robinson he was prov'd by no less Persons than the Earl of Macclesfield and one Mr. Booth a Member of Parliament to be a meer Scoundrel and Cheat and one that confess'd himself to be a Rogue As for Holt he was known to be a Vicious Lewd Fellow and one that had threatned to murther the King's Evidence for coming in against the Lord Aston As for Murral who attested that Money had been offer'd him by Mr. Dugdale to swear against Sir James Simmons and Mr. Howard he was prov'd to be a poor needy Fellow that went vagabonding about the Country But besides all this in opposition to these Witnesses on the Prisoner's side in this particular other Witnesses were brought who swore that there had been Endeavours to have suborned them to swear against Mr. Dugdale of which one of them was profer'd 700 l. to take off his Evidence or destroy him which was done by one Plessington Steward to the Lord Bellasis And that at another time they found a Letter for him to subscribe for the blasting of Mr. Dugdale's Reputation His Objection to take off the Credit of Dr. Oates was this That he said he knew nothing of any other Persons engaged in the Plot and yet after that he accus'd the Queen But Sir Phillip Floyd being call'd upon by my Lord to attest this Passage could remember nothing of it The Lord Privy Seal was also desir'd to declare his Knowledge in this Matter but he remember'd nothing of it neither Neither did the Earl of Berkley remember any such thing said by the Doctor in the Council but in the Lords House he remember'd that the Doctor being ask'd the Question said he had no more to accuse in relation to England but that in Ireland he had To which it was answered that this was said after the Doctor had accus'd the Prisoner at the Bar and so could not concern him As to the Accusation of the Queen it was not positive nor of his certain Knowledge but only Circumstantial Proof And secondly it might not be then so clear at that time to the Doctor whether the Queen were a person capable of an Accusation and then again that the Answer of a Man to a suddain Question who had said so much and had so many things in his Mind should be taken so strictly and that he should be held for perjur'd because that he did not at that instant remember that particular or the Queen was a very severe Construction His next Objection against the Doctor was that he went to be of the Popish Religion and so was of that Religion which was Idolatry and being a Turn-coat from his Religion was not to be credited To which it was answered that there had been Men of Great Fame in the Church of England and of great Learning too that had changed their Religion more than once His Objections against Mr. Turbervill were that he had sworn in his Affidavit 73 and 76 for 72 and 75. But it was prov'd by Sir William Poultney that he came the next Morning before any body in the World had questioned him upon it and rectified the Mistake upon his own accord The next Objection was That Mr. Turbervill was a Coward and ran away from his Colors But to that Mr. Turbervill produc'd in Court an Honourable and Authentick Discharge from his Commander under Hand and Seal which was viewed by the Duke of Monmouth and others of the Lords without Contradiction Next he brought Furnese and Leigh again to attest that they never saw Turbervill with the Prisoner at Paris which was a Negative prov'd by his own Servants In Answer to which it was observ'd That Turberville was introduc'd by greater Confidents than they were and that it might be easie for Mr. Turbervill to come in the Company of such Persons and the Boys not take notice of him Another Objection was this That Turbervill had sworn he was not well
I am come to visit you as you are a Minister of State and as I am sent as Embassador from the Prince of Portugal to the King of England and am likewise to thank you for the Justice you have done yesterday to Sir George Wakeman To which my Lord C. J. answered I am plac'd to do Justice and will not be curb'd by the Rabble Which Information amongst the rest was Printed as it was deliver'd more at large by order of the House The same day also the Commons made new Resolves Nemine Contradicente to proceed to the full Examination of the Popish Plot in order to the bringing of the Offenders to Justice To which purpose they appointed a Committee to inspect the Journalls of the two last Parliaments and make their Report and order'd an humble Address to be made to his Majesty that all the Letters Papers and Evidences which had been delivered to the Privy Council relating to the Popish Plot might be delivered in to the House And thus ended October Fame By the way what became of the Address for the preservation of his Majesties Person and Government Truth Thou shalt hear For though the Address were made upon the Saturday before according to his Majesties appointment yet the House had no accompt of it in a Parliamentary way till the Munday following which was the First of November But first Mr. Secretary Jenkins made his Report concerning the Address that had been orderd to be made for delivery to the House of all Papers Letters and Evidences concerning the Plot in the Custody of the Privy Council To which he gave an accompt in short That they were already delivered to the Committee of Lords appointed for the examination of the said Plot. Which being done Mr. Speaker acquainted the House with his Majesties Answer to their Address declaring their Resolutions to preserve and support his Person and Government c. which was to this effect That he thanked them heartily for their Zeal to the Protestant Religion and assur'd them that there should be nothing wanting both at home and abroad to preserve it Little was done the rest of this day nor much the beginning of the next which was Tuesday the Second of November till Mr. Treby having given a full Information to the House of all matters by him reported in the last Parliament relating to the Popish Plot the House came to three most Remarkable Resolves of which two were carryed with a Nemine Contradicente The first was That the D. of York's being a Papist and his hopes of coming to the Crown had given the greatest countenance to the present designs and Conspiracies against the King and the Protestant Religion Secondly That in defence of the Kings person and Government and of the Protestant Religion the House did declare That they would stand by his Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes and that if his Majesty should come by any Violent death which God forbid they would revenge it to the utmost upon the Papists Thirdly That a Bill should be brought in to disenable the D. of York to inherit the Imperial Crown of England In order whereunto a Committee was appointed to sit and prepare a Bill Upon Wednesday the third of November little pass'd of remark only that the Lords by a Message desired their concurrence to an Act for the better Regulating of Peers in England and that in the House of Commons a Resolve was made Nemine Contradicente That a Bill should be brought in for the better Uniting his Majesties Protestant Subjects Thursday the Fourth of January was less remarkable for business then the day beforegoing unless I should trouble thee Fame to carry the relation of preparatory Votes or the Examinations of breaches of priviledges or contests about Elections which are nothing to the Generall Concernment Fame Thou art in the right they are not for my purpose and therefore thou dost well to leave it out Truth However I must not omit to tell thee that the Bill for disabling James Duke of York to inherit the Imperial Crown of England and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging was this day read the first time The next day being the Fifth of November the Houses were both adjourned till Saturday the Sixth of November at what time the House taking into their Consideration the business of the dissenting Protestants came to a unanimous Resolve that it was The Opinion of the House that the Acts of Parliament made in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and King James ought not to be extended against Protestant Dissenters And thereupon they order'd a Bill to be brought in for repeal of all or any part of the Act of Parliament made in the Thirty fifth year of Queen Elizabeth Chapter the first printed in the Statute-book of Pulton This done Mr. Jenison being call'd in gave his Information at the Bar relating to the Popish Plot. At the conclusion of which he was orderd to put it in writing and present it to the House on the Munday following The Sum of the Information was this That about the beginning of the year 78. he had heard Mr. Ireland and Mr. Tho. Jenison both Jesuits discourse of a designe by the Roman Catholiks to obtain a Toleration for the open profession of their Religion in England which was to be done by collecting a good round Sum of Money among them and bribing the Parliament That they also discoursed of securing the Duke of Yorks succession by granting out Commissions to those of the Religion to rise upon the death of the King That he heard the said Ireland say at another time that there was only one in the way who hindred that Religion from flourishing in England and that it was an easie thing to poison the King by the means of Sir George Wakeman That in August of the same year coming from Windsor he went to Mr. Irelands Chamber where he found him pulling off his boots being as he said newly come Post from Wolverhampton That discoursing of the Kings pastimes at Windsor and particularly of his going a fishing with a small retinue of two or three the said Ireland made answer that then he might be easily taken off That the said Ireland offered him to quit him of a debt if he would be assisting to the taking off the King urging how meritorious it would be and how much to the glory of God That upon his refusall Mr. Ireland ask'd him if he knew any stout Irish Gentlemen upon which he nam'd Lavallin Karney and Brahal together with one Wilson an Englishman Of which Gentlemen the said Mr. Ireland did approve as fit for the design That at another time he heard Mr. Tho. Jenison say that if C. R. would not be R. C. he should not be long C. R. Adding that the King being excommunicate and depos'd he was no longer King Having heard this Information the Bill against the Dukes Inheritance was read a Second time and two Resolves made First That the Bill
Act for securing the Protestant Religion by disabling James D. of York to inherit the Imperiall Crowns of England and Ireland and the Dominions and Territories thereunto belonging and the Lord Russel was order'd to carry it up to the Lords for their Concurrence Friday the Twelfth of November some time was spent in reading the Engrossed Bill sent up on the Wednesday before from the Lords for freeing the City and Court c. from Popish Inhabitants c. Of which and of others no farther proceeded in it is enough to speak of their transmitment from one House to another as being such as dy'd among the rest in the Birth After this and some Amendments made of the Returns for the Burrough of Haslemere in Surrey Mr. Bourk Mr. Macnamarr and Eustace Comine being severally called in gave their several Accompts of some proceedings relating to the Popish Plot in Ireland Of their Informations I shall briefly recite the Heads in their Order That of Mr. Bourk was briefly thus That being by the Kindness of one Major Butler admitted to the knowledg of the Earl of Tyrone and by that means frequently keeping his Lordship Company in his pastimes both at home and abroad he observ'd that the said Earl and the Major would be allway extrolling the French King and praying for his Prosperitie That he farther observed a Continual resort of Papists and Suspitious Persons to the said Earls House That being one Morning private with his Lordship his Lordship told him That he had intelligence out of France that the French were very Powerful and that Parlez Francois would be plentifully heard in Ireland ere long That in farther discourse his Lordship drew out of his Pocket a great Quantitie of Papers rol'd up and delivered him to subscribe his name in one of them and that upon a sudden Glance he could read the names of some that he knew to be persons ill affected to his Majesty and his Government That upon his refusal to Subscribe his Lordship calld him Cowar'd and drew his Sword half out of his Scabbard to have kill'd him but was prevented by the unexpected coming in of another Gentleman That from that time forward his Lordship us'd several means to Ruine him and threw him into Waterford Gaol From whence he wrote five Letters to the Lord Lieutenant of his hard Vsage and what he had to say as to the Conspiracy but could have no Answer That being got out of Waterford Gaol he gave in his Informations against the said Earl at Dublin where though his Lordship were bound over to answer the Informant at Waterford Assizes yet such was his power over the Judges and the Jury that he easily got himself acquitted So that finding Ireland then too hot for him the Informant was forc'd to retire into England to make his Appeale The heads of Macnamar's Information were these That one William Bradley Esq a Justice of the Peace in the County of waterford having first made him take an Oath of Secrecie gave him to understand that the Earle of Tyrone had received a Commission from the French King to be a Colonel of Horse in the County of Waterford and that the said Bradley was to be his Lieutenant Col. and therefore desir'd him to provide himselfe of Horse and Arms and get as many as he could trust promising him a Captains Place That after Bradley had unfolded to him the aforesaid Treason he met with the E. of Tyrone who ask'd him privately whether Bradley had said any thing to him who answering he had the E. bid him be very private and then shewed him a List of several that were to be Superiour Officers in several Counties of Ireland which he took special notice of as knowing several of the Persons That the said E. at the same time told him that he had a Commission from the French King under his Hand and Seal to be a Col. of Horse in the County of Waterford and that there was hardly a County in Ireland where Persons were not appointed by the French King for the same purpose with other discourse of the same Nature The Substance of Eustace Comins Information was this That living with one Keadagh Magher his Relation in Karignisurie in the County of Tipperary Treasurer for the Confederates in Ireland he was privy to the Payment of several Considerable Sums to several Considerable Persons upon the accompt of the Plot by the directions of Plunket titular Primate of Ireland Bremand Titular Archbishop of Cashel and Powes Deane of Waterford who had the disposal of the said Money That there was a meeting of the Irish Clergy with the Titular Primate at John Walshe's House who was Lawyer for the D. of Ormond in the County of Tipperary where they agreed to give every Judge that would goe the Circuite and befriend them upon Occasion 200 l. a piece That the Sum of 200 l. was secur'd to Sir John Davis upon the same accompt he being then a Judge at Clonmel of which he was an Eye Witness Lastly after the recital of many other Circumstances of his being pursu'd and imprison'd by Sir John Davis and several other Justices of the Peace Contrary to their duty for his discovery he affirmed that the Papists had Barbarously Murther'd the said Keadagh Magher their Treasurer when they found that he detested their design and was turned Protestant The House having heard these Informations order'd that an Address should be made to his Majesty for their several Pardons and that his Majesty would be pleas'd to take them into his care and protection After this a Message was sent to the Lords to acquaint them with the Resolution of the House to proceed to the Tryal of the Lords in the Tower and that they intended to begin with William Viscount Stafford and therefore desired their Lordships to appoint a day as also that the Lords in the Tower might be confin'd and kept from a Correspondence one with another as Persons Impeached and Committed for high Treason ought to be To which the Lords return'd for answer That as to that part of the Message relating to Confinement and Correspondence they had already given Order therein as the House had desired and for the latter for appointing a day for the Tryal they did appoint Tuesday come fortnight Thereupon they order'd a farther Address to be made to his Majesty That all Papers Writings Examinations and Evidences relating to the Popish Plot which had been deliver'd to the Clerks of the Council or the Secretaries since the dissolution of the last Parliament should be transmitted to the House and order'd that Serjeant Maynard Mr. George Pelham and Mr. Paul Foly should be added to the Committee appointed to prepare Evidence against the Lords in the Tower They likewise order'd That another Address should be made to his Majesty That he would be pleased to give orders for Issuing out a Sum of Money to defray the Charges of Summoning the Witnesses and other Expences incident to the
over The next day being Thursday the 9 th of December Colonel Birch reported from the Committee appointed to examine the Matter of Information given by Mr. Peter Norris that the Committee having taken the same into their Consideration had not thought fit to come to any Resolution therein but had order'd him to report the Matter specially which he did accordingly to this Effect That upon the Complaint of Mr. Norris that several Papers had been taken from him sent for the said Papers then in a Chest in the Council Chamber That the occasion of Mr. Norris's going beyond Sea both by the said Papers and by a Certificate delivered by the Earl of Essex to the Chairman of the Committee and by Dr. Tong 's Instructions appear'd to be to fetch over one Dowdel an Irish Priest who had been conversant with the Priests in France and Ireland that manag'd the Plot in England and Ireland and by that means was privy to the whole Plot which he had made known by several Leters to Dr. Tong perused by the Earl of Essex besides that Satisfaction was given by a known Merchant in London that the said Dowdal was an understanding Person and fit to be credited That by an Order of Council the 18 th of July 1679. the said Dowdal was permitted to come from Dover and stay for a Month. That after the said Order for his coming Dowdal died not without Suspition of a violent Death That upon Examination how it came to pass that Norris was in so much danger beyond Sea particularly at his coming Aboard the Calice Pacquet-Boat that he was Imprisoned at Dover brought from Dover by a Messenger was a particular Descriprion given of him to Mr. Secretary Jenkins the 29 th of May 1680. That upon Examination who gave this Description They found that Thomas Sheridon who had lately been with the D. at Brussels and came over with him in the same Yacht carried the said Description to the Duke and that it was brought him by one Anthony Day Doctor of Physick to the late Army in Flanders That Day confess'd That coming one day to visit Mr. Sheridon he told him in Discourse That now the whole Plot would be discovered For he heard there was one gone beyond Sea to fetch over a Priest that knew it all That Mr. Sheridon desir'd him to describe the Person to which he reply'd He knew neither the Person nor the Priest but that one John Butler near the French Ambassador's had told him so That Mr. Sheridon desired him to get a Description which he did writing the same from the said Butler's own Mouth all but the last Line which Butler was since dead That Sheridon had confess'd that he did go to the said Secretary Jenkins and told him that there was one gone over who knew as much of the Plot as any Man That the Secretary commanded him to give him a Description of the Person That thereupon he did go to Mr. Day for the Description which Mr. Day gave him and so he delivered it to the Secretary They found also that the Description so delivered a Letter was written by Mr. Cook which the Secretary declar'd he would take upon himself to this Effect That the Secretary being call'd away hastily to wait upon the King at Windsor had commanded him to send the Inclosed Description of a Person to such a one who was to keep a strict Eye over him and his Company if they Landed at Dover till they should be carried before a Magistrate who was to tender them the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy which if they refus'd then they were to be sent to Prison if they took them some handsom Course was to be taken to detain them till the Secretary was acquainted with what was done Vpon which Norris was committed to the Common Prison All which being of a more than ordinary Nature was refer'd by the Committee to the Wisdom of the House The next day being Friday the 10 th of December the House took the Report aforesaid into Consideration and the Secretary having given an Account of his Proceedings therein withdrew Nor was it long after before the House came to a Resolve That the Imprisonment of Norris was illegal and that the Proceedings of Sir Lyonel in describing the Person of Norris and directing his Imprisonment was Illegal and Arbitrary and an Obstruction to the Evidence for Discovery of the Plot. Saturday December 11. nothing remarkable occurr'd Neither did Monday the 13 th of the same Month produce any thing more considerable than an Order that the Respective Members of Parliament and Barons of the Cinque-Ports should for the Places for which they serv'd with all convenient speed bring in Lists of all Papists and reputed Papists within the several Counties Cities Boroughs and Cinque-ports of England The next day being Tuesday the 14 th of December Sir Robert Peyton was call'd to an Account upon a Report from the Committee appointed to examine the Information against him given in by Sir William Roberts which being read it was Voted by the House That it appear'd both by the Reports and by his own Confession that he had had secret Negotiation with the Duke of York by means of the Earl of Peterborough Cellier and Gadbury when they were turning the Popish Plot upon the Protestants Whereupon it was presently order'd that he should be expelled the House which was done the next day with so severe a Reprimand as sufficiently shew'd the Indignation of the House against his Proceedings Wednesday the 15 th of this Month his Majesty having sent for the Commons to attend him in the House of Peers was pleased to declare himself in a short Speech to this Effect That at the opening of the Parliament he had acquainted them with the Alliance made with Spain and Holland as most conducing to the Safety of England and Repose of Christendome and that if the Friendship of England should prove unsafe to trust to it could not be wonder'd that the Neighbouring States should take such Resolutions as might prove Fatal to us That he was then to tell them how little had been done since their Meeting to encourage their Dependance upon us and that he found that unless we could be so united at Home to make our Alliance valuable it would be impossible to hinder those Abroad from making our Alliances inconsistent with the publick Safety As for Tangier he told them That if they thought the place worth the keeping they must take it into speedy Consideration being an Expence otherwise above his Power Promising for his own part the fullest Satisfaction they could wish for the Security of the Protestant Religion and a Concurrence with them in any Remedies consistent with the preservation of the Succession in the Legal Course of Descent Concluding That being so ready on his part to satisfie their Desires he desired to know how he should be assisted by them and what they expected from Him This Speech being reported by the
Speaker they resolv'd into a Committee of the whole House After which the Speaker resuming the Chair they came to several Resolves Nemine contradicente 1. That one way for the suppressing of Popery was to banish all the Considerable Papists out of England That as long as the Papists had any hopes of the D. of York's Succession both the Protestant Religion and the Lives Liberties and Properties of the King's Protestant Subjects were in Danger to be destroy'd 3. That there should be a Bill brought in for the Association of his Majesties Protestant Subjects for the Safety of King Religion and People against all Invasions or Oppositions whatsoever and to prevent the Succession of the D. of Y. or any other Papist Thursday the 16 th was spent for the most part in reading of Bills The next day being Friday the 17 th of December upon a Report by Sir William Poultney from the Committee appointed to draw up the Impeachment against Mr. Seymour the Articles of Impeachment were order'd to be Ingross'd and Mr. Seymour to be taken into Custody by the Serjant at Arms who was impowered to take Security for his forth-coming Saturday being the 18 th they took into serious Consideration his Majesties Last Speech and after some debate resolv'd that an Address should be prepar'd in answer to it Monday the 20 th produc'd nothing at that time remarkable but only the Address which was then read and agreed to and presented the next day Tuesday the 21 th of December not much more was done than upon the day before only that an Information was given into the House that one Henry Carew a Fryar of Saint Maloes in France had for several Years last past executed the Office of Surveyor of the Customes in the Port of Bristol and thereupon it was referr'd to the Committee appointed to receive Informations concerning the Plot to examine the Business and make their Report In the Afternoon they presented their Addresses to his Majesty in the Banquetting-House in Answer to his Last Speech of which the Chief Heads were these That they did gratefully acknowledge his Majesties Goodness in renewing his Assurances of his Readiness to concurr with them for the Security of the Protestant Religion but that they observ'd there was a Reservation annex'd which if insisted on would render all his other Inclinations of no Advantage to them That as to the preservation of the Succession in its Legal Course they had not endeavour'd any Interruption except only of the Descent upon the Person of the D. of York whom the Instruments of the Church of Rome had perverted to their Religion For which Reason they did represent it as the Issue of their most deliberate Thoughts That for the Papists to have their Hopes continued in the Expectation of a Popish Prince was utterly inconsistent with the Safety of his person the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and the Welfare of his people They farther represented to him the Danger of his Person from the principles of the Papists which allow the Excommunication and Deposition of Princes That the Expectation of a Popish Successor had not only encreas'd the Number of Papists in the Kingdom but also prevail'd with others to desert Protestantism that they might be prepar'd for the Favor of the Popish Prince That it had hardened the Papists of this Kingdom to make a Common purse provide Arms and sollicite the Aid of Foreign Princes to impose Popery upon the Nation That it was his Majesties Glory and true Interest to be the Protector of all Protestants both at Home and Abroad But if such Hopes should remain what Alliances could be made for his Majesties Allies and the Protestants abroad to trust to Then they laid before his Majesty the Evils that would befal from a Popish Succession The Protestant Religion would be totally overthrown The Pope would be acknowledg'd a Supreme and all things be brought under his Jurisdiction The Lives Liberties and Estates of all Protestants that value their Souls will be adjudged forfeited in regard that the Extirpation of Hereticks was used as an Argument to invite Foreign Princes to assist the Duke Farther they desir'd him to consider whether in Case the D. should attempt to Succeed whether the Opposition probable to be made against him might not endanger the Descent of the Royal Line but even Monarchy it self For which Reasons they besought his Majesty that when a Bill should be tender'd him in a Parliamentary way he would give his Royal Assent thereto and as necessary to fortifie the same that he would also assent to another Bill to enable his Protestant Subjects to associate for the Defence of his Person the Protestant Religion and the Security of the Kingdom And that as a farther Means for the Preservation of the same the Judges might be Persons of Integrity and true Zeal to the Protestant Religion and might hold their Employments only quamdiu se bene gesserint and that the Lord Lieutenants Deputie-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace might be persons of the same Principles and all others displac'd and so likewise for the Military Officers and Commanders in the Fleet. Which Requests of theirs being granted they would be ready to assist his Majesty for the preservation of Tangier and to put the Fleet into a Condition both to preserve the Sovereignty of the Seas and defend the Nation Fa. What Answer was given to this Address Tr. You shall hear more of that in due time The two next days being the 23 d. and 24 th of December produc'd little for our purpose Only that upon the last of the two upon a Report from the Committee appointed to examine the Complaint against Mr. Thompson a Minister it was unanimously resolved by the House That the said Thompson had publickly defam'd his Majesty preach'd Sedition villify'd the Reformation and promoted Popery by asserting Popish Principles denying the Plot and turning the same upon the Protestants and that he had endeavored to subvert the Liberty and Property of the Subject and the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament and that he was a Scandal and Reproach to the Function and thereupon order'd a Committee to prepare an Impeachment against him After which the Holydays approaching the House adjourn'd till the 30 th of the same Month. Fa. Can you tell me what Mr. Thompson had done to deserve so severe a Sentence Tru. Yes Fa. Pray do then as short as you can Tru. The First Witness upon Examination at the Committee said That in a Sermon preach'd by the said Mr. Thompson upon the 30 th of Jan. 79. He publickly declar'd That the Presbyterians were persons which the Devil blush'd at and that they were worse than either Priests or Jesuits and that the Villain Hampden grudg'd more to give the King Twenty Shillings which was his due by Law for Ship-money and Loan than to raise a Rebellion against him The Second Witness said the same and added that Thompson should say He hoped the Presbyterians