THE TRYAL OF EDWARD COLEMAN Gent. FOR Conspiring the Death OF THE KING AND THE Subversion of the Government OF ENGLAND AND THE Protestant Religion Who upon Full Evidence was found Guilty of HIGH TREASON And received SENTENCE accordingly on Thursday November the 28th 1678. LONDON Printed for Robert Pawlet at the Bible in Chancery-Lane near Fleet-street 1678. November 28. 1678. I Do appoint Robert Pawlet to Print the TRYAL of Edward Coleman And that no other Person presume to Print the same WILLIAM SCROGGS THE TRYAL OF Edward Coleman Gent. ON Wednesday the Twenty Seventh day of November 1678. Mr. Coleman having been Arraigned the Saturday before for High Treason was brought to the Kings Bench Bar to receive his Tryal and the Court proceeded thereupon as followeth Court Cryer make Proclamation Proclamation for Silence Cryer O Yes Our Sovereign Lord the King do's strictly Charge and Command all manner of Persons to keep Silence upon pain of Imprisonmenâ— If any one can inform our Sovereign Lord the King the King's Serjeant or the King's Attorney General or this Inquest now to be taken of any Treason Murder Felony or any other Misdemeanour committed or done by the Prisoner at the Bar let them come forth and they shall be heard for the Prisoner stands at the Bar upon his Deliverance Court Cryer make an O yes Cryer O yes You Good Men that are impannelled to enquire between our Sovereign Lord the King and Edward Coleman Prisoner at the Bar answer to your names Court Edward Coleman Hold up thy hand These Good men that are now called and here appear are those which are to pass between you and our Sovereign Lord the King upon your Life or Death if you challenge any of them you must speak as they come to the Book to be sworn and before they are sworn The Prisoner Challenging none the Court proceeded and the Jury were sworn viz. JURY Sir Reginald Foster Baronet Sir Charles Lee. Edward Wilford Esquire John Bathurst Esquire Joshua Galliard Esquire John Bifield Esquire Simon Middleton Esquire Henry Johnson Esquire Charles Vmfrevile Esquire Thomas Johnson Esquire Thomas Eaglesfield Esquire William Bohee Esquire Court Cryer make an O yes Cryer O yes Our Sovereign Lord the King does strictly charge and command all manner of Persons to keep Silence upon pain of Imprisonment Court Edward Coleman Hold up thy hand You Gentlemen of the Jury that are now sworn look upon the Prisoner and hearken to his Charge You shall understand that the Prisoner stands Indicted by the name of Edward Coleman late of the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster in the County of Middlesex Gent. for that he as a false Traytor against our most Illustrious Serene and most Excellent Prince Charles by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. and 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 withdrawing 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 Sovereign Lord the King toward their Sovereign bear and by Law ought to have altogether to Withdraw Forsake and Extinguish and our said Sovereign Lord the King to Death and final Destruction to bring and put the Twenty Ninth day of September in the Seven and Twentieth year of the Reign of our said Sovereign Lord Charles the Second of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster aforesaid in the County aforesaid 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 among the Subjects of our said Lord the King and wholly to Deprive Depose Deject and Disinherit our said Sovereign Lord the King of his Royal State Title Power and Rule of his Kingdom of England and to bring and put our said Sovereign Lord the King to final Death and Destruction and to overthrow and change the Government of the Kingdom of England and to alter the sincere and true Religion of God in this Kingdom by Law established and wholly to subvert and destroy the state of the whole Kingdom being in the universal parts thereof well Established and Ordained and to levy War against our said Sovereign Lord the King within his Realm of England And to accomplish and fulfill these his most wicked Treasons and Trayterous Designs and Imaginations aforesaid the said Edward Coleman afterward that is to say the Nine and twentieth day of September in the Twenty seventh year of the Reign of our said Lord the King at the Parish of St Margarets Westminster aforesaid in the County of Middlesex aforesaid Falsly Deceitfully and Trayterously Composed Contrived and Writ two Letters to be sent to one Monsieur le Chese then Servant and Confessor of Lewis the French King to Desire Procure and Obtain for the said Edward Coleman and other False Traytors against our said Sovereign Lord the King the Aid Assistance and Adherence of the said French King to alter the true Religion in this Kingdom Established to the Superstition of the Church of Rome and to subvert the Government of this Kingdom of England And afterwards that is to say the said Nine and twentieth day of September in the year aforesaid at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster in the County of Middlesex aforesaid the said Edward Coleman Falsely Trayterously and Maliciously Composed and Writ two other Letters to be sent to the said Monsieur le Chese then Servant and Confessor to the said French King to the Intent that he the said Monsieur le Chese should Intreat Procure and Obtain for the said Edward Coleman and other False Traytors against our Sovereign Lord the King Aid Assistance and Adherence of the said French King to alter the true Religion in this Kingdom of England Established to the Superstition of the Church of Rome and to subvert the Government of this Kingdom of England And that the said Edward Coleman in further Prosecution of his Treason and Trayterous Imaginations and Intentions as aforesaid afterward viz. the Twenty ninth day of September in the Seven and twentieth year of the Reign of our said Sovereign Lord King Charles of England c. the said several Letters from the said Parish of St. Margarets Westminster in the County of Middlesex aforesaid Falsly
Maliciously and Trayterously did send to the said Monsieur le Chese into Parts beyond the Seas there to be delivered to him And that the said Edward Coleman afterward viz. the first day of December in the seven and twentieth year of our said Sovereign Lord the King at the said Parish of St. Margarets Westminster in the County of Middlesex aforesaid did receive from the said Monsieur le Chese one Letter in Answer to one of the said Letters first mentioned and written by him the said Edward Coleman to the said Monsieur le Chese which said Letter in Answer as aforesaid Falsly Maliciously and Trayterously received the day and year aforesaid at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster aforesaid the said Edward Coleman did falsly trayterously and maliciously read over and Peruse And that the said Edward Coleman the Letter so as aforesaid by him in Answer to the said Letter received into his Custody and Possession the Day and Year last mentioned at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster aforesaid in the County of Middlesex aforesaid did Falsly Maliciously and Trayterously Detain Conceal and Keep By which Letter the said Monsieur le Chese the Day and Year last mentioned at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster in the County of Middlesex aforesaid did signifie and promise to the said Edward Coleman to obtain for the said Edward Coleman and other false Traytors against our Sovereign Lord the King Aid Assistance and Adherence from the said French King and that the said Edward Coleman afterward Viz. the tenth day of December in the seven and twentieth year of the Reign of our said Sovereign Lord the King at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster in the County of Middlesex aforesaid his wicked Treasons and Traiterous Designs and Proposals as aforesaid did tell and declare to one Mounsieur Revigni Envoy extraordinary from the French King to our most Serene and Sovereign Lord King Charles c. in the County aforesaid residing and did falsly maliciously and trayterously move and excite the said Envoy extraordinary to partake in his Treason and the sooner to fulfil and compleat his Traiterous Designs and wicked imaginations and intentions the said Edward Coleman afterward Viz. the tenth day of December in the seven and twentieth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King Charles the Second of England c. aforesaid at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster in the County of Middlesex aforesaid did advisedly maliciously deceitfully and traiterously compose and write three other Letters to be sent to one Sir William Throckmorton Kt. then a Subject of our said Soveraign Lord the King of this Kingdome of England and residing in France in parts beyond the Seas Viz. at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster in the County of Middlesex aforesaid to sollicite the said Monsieur Le Chese to procure and obtain of the said French King Aid Assistance and Adherance as aforesaid and the said Letters last mentioned afterward Viz. the day and year last named as aforesaid from the said Parish of St. Margarets Westminster in the County of Middlesex aforesaid did falsly and tâ—aiterously send and cause to be delivered to the said Sir VVilliam Throckmorton in France aforesaid against his true Allegiance and against the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King that now is his Crown and Dignity and against the Form of the Statute in that Case made and Provided Court Upon this Indictment he hath been arraigned and hath pleaded thereunto not guilty and for his Tryal he puts himself upon God and his Country Which Country you are Your Charge is to enquire whether he be guilty of the High Treason whereof he stands indicted or not guilty If you find him guilty you are to enquire what Goods and Chattels Lands and Tenements he had at the time when the High Treason was committed or at any time since If you find him not guilty you are to say so and no more and hear your Evidence Cryer If any one will give Evidence on the behalf of our Soveraign Lord the King against Edward Coleman the Prisoner at the Bar let him come forth and he shall be heard for the Prisoner now stands at the Bar upon his Deliverance Mr. Recorder May it please you my Lord and you Gentlemen of the Jury Mr. Edward Coleman now the prisoner at the Bar stands indicted for High Treason and the Indictment sets forth that the said Edward Coleman indeavouring to subvert the Protestant Religion and to change and alter the same And likewise to stir up Rebellion and Sedition amongst the Kings Liege people and also to kill the King did on the 29th of September in the twenty seventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord the King at the Parish of St. Margarets VVestminster in this County compose and write two several Letters to one Mounsieur Le Chese that was then servant and Confessor to the French King and this was to procure the French Kings aid and assistance to him and other Traitors to alter the Religion practised and by Law established here in England to the Romish Superstition The Indictment sets forth likewise that on the same day he did write and compose two other Letters to the same Gentleman that was servant and Confessor to the said King to prevail with him to procure the French Kings assistance to alter the Religion in this Kingdome established to the Romish Religion The Indictment sets further forth that he caused these two Letters to be sent beyond the Seas And it also sets forth that on the tenth of December the same moneth he did receive a Letter from the Gentleman that was the Confessor in answer to one of the former Letters and in that Letter aid and assistance from the French King was promised and that he did traiterously conceal that Letter My Lord the Indictment sets out further that on the tenth day of the same moneth he did reveal his Treasons and traiterous Conspiracies to one Mounsieur Revigni who was Envoy from the French king to his Majesty of Great Britain And his Indictment declares he afterwards did write three Letters more to Sir VVilliam Throckmorton then residing in France to procure the French Kings assistance to the alteration of the Religion practised here in England Of these several Offences he stands hereindicted To this he hath pleaded not guilty If we prove these or either of them in the Indictment you ought to find him guilty Serj. Maynard May it please your Lordship and you Gentlemen of the Jury This is a Cause of great Concernment Gentlemen the Prisoner at the Bar stands indicted for no less than for an intention and endeavour to murther the King For an endeavour and attempt to change the Government of the Nation so well settled and instituted and to bring us all to ruin and slaughter of one another and for an endeavour to alter the Protestant Religion and to introduce instead of it the Romish Superstition and Popery This
Tichbourn told me that he had a Commission and he brought a Commission for Mr. Coleman and the rest of the Lords from the principal Jesuites at Rome by Order of the Pope Attorn Gen. A Commission for what Mr. Bedlow To be principal Secretary of State the Title of it I do not know because I did not see it but to be Principal Secretary of State that was the Effect Attorn Gen. I desire to know what discourse you had with Mr. Coleman about that design Mr. Bedlow If your Lordship please I shall be short in the Narrative L. Ch. Just Make use of your Notes to help your memory but let not your testimony be merely to read them Mr. Bedlow I carried over to Monsieur Le Chese the French Kings Confessor a large packet of Letters April 75 from Mr. Coleman which Letters I saw Mr. Coleman deliver to Father Harcourt at his House in Dukes-Street Council And Harcourt gave them to you Mr. Bedlow Yes which Letters were directed to be delivered to Monsieur le Chese and I did carry them to le Chese and brought him an answer from le Chese and other English Monks at Paris I did not understand what was in it because it was a Language I do not well understand it was about carrying on the Plot at a Consultation there were present two French Abbots and several English Monks at Paris what I heard them say was about carrying on the Plot to subvert the Government of England to destroy the King and the Lords of the Council The King was principally to be destroyed and the Government subverted as well as the Protestant Religion Court When was this when you were to receive the Answer Mr. Bedlow It was upon the Consultation there was a Packet of Letters from Mr. Coleman they did not know I understood French or if they did they had tryed me so long I believe they would have trusted me L. Ch. Just The Letter that le Chese wrote to whom was it directed Mr. Bedlow It was directed to Mr. Coleman the Packet was directed to Harcourt and within that le Chese wrote an answer and directed it to Mr. Coleman particularly to Mr. Coleman L. Ch. Just How do you know Mr. Bedlow The Superscription was this in French A Monsieur Monsieur Coleman to Mr. Coleman with other Letters directed to Father Harcourt L. Ch. Just He saith plainly the Letter was yours You gave Harcourt a Packet of Letters to be delivered to le Chese Harcourt delivered them to him and he did carry them to le Chese and heard them talk about this Plot That le Chese wrote a Letter to you particularly by name inclosed in a Letter to Harcourt that answer he brought back Recorder Do you know any thing concerning any money Mr. Coleman said he had received the Sums and for what Mr. Bedlow It was to carry on the design to subvert the Government of England to free England from Damnation and Ignorance and free all Catholieks from hard Tyranny and Oppression of Hereticks Attorn Gener. What words did you hear Mr. Coleman express what he would do for the Catholick Cause Mr. Bedlow May 24 or 25 77 I was at Mr. Coleman's with Mr. Harcourt and received another Packet from Mr. Harcourt and he had it from Mr. Coleman L. Ch. Just You say Mr. Coleman did give this Packet to Harcourt Mr. Bedlow Yes and Harcourt delivered it to me to carry it to Paris to the English Monks I was to go by Doway to see if they were not gone to Paris before me L. Ch. Just And what did they say when you delivered the Letters to the English Monks Mr. Bedlow They told me how much reward I deserved from the Pope and the Church both here and in the world to come I overtook three and that night I went to Paris with them and upon the Consultation 1677 I believe they sent the Bishop of Tornes the substance of those Letters and not having a final answer what assistance the Catholick Party in England might expect from them they were resolved to neglect their design no longer than that Summer having all things ready to begin in England Recorder What did you hear Mr. Coleman say Mr. Bedlow That he would adventure any thing to bring in the Popish Religion After the Consultation I delivered the Letters to le Faire and he brought them to Harcourt he delivered the Packet of Letters to Harcourt who was not well but yet went and delivered them to Mr. Coleman and I went as far as Mr. Coleman's House but did not go in but stayed over the way but Harcourt went in and after he had spoke with Mr. Coleman he gave me a beck to come to him and I heard Mr. Coleman say if he had a hundred lives and a Sea of Blood to carry on the Cause he would spend it all to further the Cause of the Church of Rome and to establish the Church of Rome in England and if there was an hundred Heretical Kings to be deposed he would see them all destroyed L. Ch. Just Where was this Mr. Bedlow At his own House L. Ch. Just Where Mr. Bedlow Behind Westminster Abby L. Ch. Just In what Room Mr. Bedlow At the Foot of the Stair-case L. Ch. Just Where were you then Mr. Bedlow There I was called in by Harcourt and was as near to him as to my Lord Duras My Lord being hard by Mr. Bedlow in Court. Pris Did I ever see you in my life Mr. Bedlow You may ask that question but in the Stone-Gallery in Somerset-house when you came from a Consult where were great persons which I am not to name here that would make the bottom of your Plot tremble you saw me then Attorn Gener. We did before acquaint you with something of the substance of the Letters we shall now acquaint you with something of the manner of finding them Your Lordship hath heard Mr. Oats hath been examined before the Council and there it was said Mr. Coleman's Papers would make such a discovery if they were looked into as would be enough to hang him I remember he said the Lords of the Council were pleased to order the Papers to be seised the execution of their Warrant they committed to one Bradly who was a Messenger that attended the King and Council and I desire he may be called He did find and seise as many Papers as Mr. Coleman was pleased to leave and they are those Papers which we now bring before you The Papers seised he put up in a deal Box and four or five several Bags and brings them to the Council the Clerks of the Council are here attending the Court they will tell you these Papers now produced were Papers found in those bags Mr. Bradly will tell you the Papers seised in the bags and box were brought to them and they will swear they were the Papers and bags that were brought Record Mr. Bradly give my Lord and the Jury an account whether
Popish and extirpate the Protestant Religion I doubt not but this Design in some measure hath been contriving ever since the Reformation by the Jesuits or some of their Emissaries but hath often received interruption so that they have proceeded sometimes more coldly sometimes more hotly And I do think at no time since the Reformation that ever this Design was carried on with greater industry nor with fairer hopes of success than for these last years My Lord You will hear from our Witnesses that the first Onset which was to be made upon us was by whole Troops of Jesuits and Priests who were sent hither from the Seminaries abroad where they had been trained up in all the subtilty and skill that was fit to work upon the People My Lord you will hear how active they have been and what insinuations they used for the perverting of particular persons After some time spent in such attempts they quickly grew weary of that course though they got some Proselytes they were but few Some Bodies in whom there was a predisposition of humors were infected but their Numbers were not great They at last resolve to take a more expeditious way for in truth my Lord they could not far prevail by the former And I wish with all my heart that the Bodies of Protestants may be as much out of danger of the violence of their hands as their Understandings will be of the force of their Arguments But my Lord when this way would not take they began then to consider they must throw at all at once No doubt but they would have been glad that the People of England had had but one Neck but they knew the People of England had but one Head and therefore they were resolved to strike at that My Lord you will find that there was a Summons of the principal Jesuits of the most able Head-pieces who were to meet in April or May last to consult of very great things of a most Diabolical Nature no less than how to take away the life of the King our Sovereign My Lord you will find as is usually practised in such horrid Conspiracies to make all secure that there was an Oath of Secresie taken and that upon the Sacrament You will find Agreements made that this most wicked and horrible Design should be attempted You will find two Villains were found among them who undertook to do this execrable work and you will hear of the rewards they were to have Money in case they did succeed and Masses good store in case they perished so that their Bodies were provided for in case they survived and their Souls if they died My Lord What was the reason they did not effect their Design but either that these Villains wanted opportunity or their hearts failed them when they came to put in execution this wicked Design or perhaps which is most probable it was the Providence of God which over-rul'd them that this bloody Design did not take its effect But these Gentlemen were not content with one Essay they quickly thought of another and there were four Irish-men prepared men of very mean Fortunes and desperate conditions and they were to make the attempt no longer since than when the King was last at Windsor My Lord I perceive by the Proofs that these last Assassinates went down thither but it came to pass for some of the Reasons aforesaid that that Attempt failed likewise My Lord These Gentlemen those wise Heads who had met here in Consultation did then and long before consider with themselves that so great a Cause as this was not to be put upon the hazard of some few hands they therefore prepared Forces Aids and Assistances both at home and abroad to second this wicked Design if it had succeeded as to the Person of the King and if that fail'd then by their Foreign and Domestick Aids and Assistances to begin and accomplish the whole Work of subverting our Government and Religion And here we must needs confess as to the former part of this Plot which we have mentioned I mean the attempt upon the Kings Person Mr. Coleman was not the Contriver nor to be the Executioner But yet your Lordship knows in all Treasons there is no Accessory but every man is a Principal And thus much we have against him even as to this part of the Design which will involve him in the whole guilt of it that Mr. Coleman consented to it though his hand were not to do it Mr. Coleman encouraged a Messenger to carry Money down as a Reward of these Murtherers that were at Windsor of this we have proof against him which is sufficient My Lord Mr. Coleman as a man of greater abilities is reserved for greater Employments and such wherein I confess all his Abilities were little enough There were Negotiations to be made with Men abroad Money to be procured partly at home from Friends here and partly abroad from those that wish'd them well And in all these Negotiations Mr. Coleman had a mighty hand and you will perceive by and by what a great progress he made in them This Conspiracy went so far as you will hear it proved That there were General Officers named and appointed that should Command their new Catholick Army and many were Engaged if not Listed There were not onely in England but in Ireland likewise where Arms and all other Necessaries were provided and whither great Sums of Money were returned to serve upon occasion But one thing there is my Lord that comes nearest Mr. Coleman As there were Military Officers named so likewise the great Civil Places and Offices of the Kingdom were to be disposed of I will not nameto whom at this time more than what is pertinent to the present business This Gentleman such were his great Abilities the trust and reliance that his Party had upon him that no less an Office would serve his turn than that of Principal Secretary of State and he had a Commission that came to him from the Superiours of the Jesuits to enable him to execute that great Office My Lord it seems strange that so great an Office should be conferred by no greater a man than the Superior of the Jesuits But if the Pope can depose Kings and dispose of Kingdoms no wonder if the Superior of the Jesuits can by a Power delegated from him make Secretaries It is not certain what the Date of this Commission was nor the very time when he received it but I believe he was so earnest and forward in this Plot that he began to execute his Office long before he had his Commission for it for I find by his Letters which are of a more early Date that he had proceeded so far as to treat with Father Ferrier who was the French Kings Confessor before he had actually received this Commission You will understand by the Letters which we shall produce what he had to do with him and what with the other Confessor that succeeded
to Dover and had his Pacquet with me which Pacquet when I came to St. Omers I opened The out-side sheet of this Paper was a Letter of news which was called Mr. Coleman's Letter and at the bottome of this Letter there was this Recommendation Pray Recommend me to my Kinsman Playford In this Letter of news there were expressions of the King calling him Tyrant and that the Marriage between the Prince of Orange and the Lady Mary the Duke of York's Eldest Daughter would prove the Traytour's and Tyrant's ruine Lord Ch. Just In what language was it written Mr. Oats In plain English words at length Lord Ch. Just Directed to whom Mr. Oats It was directed to the Rectour of St. Omers to give him intelligence how affairs went in England Lord Ch. Just Did you break it open Mr. Oates I was at the opening of it and saw it and read it There was a Letter to Father Lechees which was superscribed by the same hand that the treasonable Letter of news was written and the same hand that the recommendation to Playford was written in When this Letter was open there was a Seal fixt a flying Seal and no mans Name to it Lord Ch. Just What was the Contents of that Letter to Lechees Mr. Oates My Lord to give you an account of the import of this Letter it was writ in Latine and in it there were thanks given to Father Lechees for the Ten Thousand Pounds which was given for the propagation of the Catholick Religion and that it should be imployed for no other intent and purpose but that for which it was sent now that was to cut off the King of England those words were not in that Letter but Lechees Letter to which this was an Answer I saw and read It was dated the Month of August and as near as I remember there was this instruction in it That the Ten Thousand Pound should be employed for no other intent and purpose but to cut off the King of England I do not swear the words but that 's the sense and substance I believe I may swear the words Lord Ch. Just To whom was that directed Mr. Oates To one Strange that was then Provincial of the Society in London which Mr. Coleman answered Lord Ch. Just How came Mr. Coleman to answer it Mr. Oates Strange having run a Reed into his Finger had wounded his Hand and Secretary Mico was ill so he got Mr. Coleman to write an Answer unto it Lord Ch. Just Did he write it as from himself Mr. Oates Yes by order of the Provincial Lord Ch. Just What was the substance of that Answer Mr. Oates That thanks was given to him in the Name of the whole Society for the Ten Thousand Pound which was paid and received here and that it should be employed to the intent for which it was received It was superscribed from Mr. Coleman Lord Ch. Just Was it subscribed Coleman Mr. Oates It was not subscribed I did not see him write it but I really believe it was by the same hand I went and delivered this Letter Lord Ch. Just I understood you because of the accident of his Hand he had employed Mr. Coleman to write this for him Mr. Oates He did write this Letter then the Body of the Letter was written by Mr. Coleman I did not see him write it but I shall give an account how I can prove he wrote it I delivered this Letter to Lechees his own hand When I opened the Letter he asked me how a Gentleman naming a French name did doe Lord Ch. Just When you carried this Letter you carried it to Lechees and delivered it to him then he asked you of the Gentleman of the French name whom meant he by that name Mr. Oates I understood it to be Mr. Coleman Lord Ch. Just Did he know him by some French name What said you Mr. Oates I could say little to this Lord Ch. Just Could you guess whom he meant Mr. Oates He told me he was sometime Secretary to the Dutchess of York which I understood to be Mr. Coleman I stuck at it and when he said he was sometime Secretary to the Dutchess of York I spoke in Latine to him and asked whether he meant Mr. Coleman and his Answer I cannot remember He sends an Answer to this Letter I brought it to St. Omers and there it was inclosed in the Letter from the Society to Coleman wherein the Society expresly told him this Letter was delivered and acknowledged I saw the Letter at St. Omers and the Letter was sent to him Mr. Coleman did acknowledge the Receit of this Letter from Lechees in the same hand with that of the News Letter and so it was understood by all I saw it Lord Ch. Just How came you to see it Mr. Oates I by a Patent from them was of the Consult Lord Ch. Just You saw the Letter of the same hand which the News Letter was of with Mr. Coleman's name subscribed Mr. Oates The contents of the Letter did own the Letter from Lechees was received this Letter was presumed to be the Hand-writing of Mr. Coleman and it was understood to be Mr. Coleman's Letter Lord Ch. Just You say the Letter was thanks for the Ten Thousand Pound what was the other Contents Mr. Oates That all endeavours should be used to cut off the Protestant Religion Root and Branch Lord Ch. Just You say you delivered this Letter from whom had you it Mr. Oates From Fenwick it was left in his hand and he accompanied me from Groves to the Coach and gave it to me Lord Ch. Just Did you hear him speak to Mr. Coleman to write for him Mr. Oates Strange told me he had spoke to him Lord Ch. Just He doth suppose it was Mr. Coleman's hand because it was just the same hand that the News Letter was Are you sure the Letter was of his hand Mr. Oates It was taken for his hand Just Wild. Had he such a Kinsman there Mr. Oates Yes he hath confessed it Attorn Gen. We desire your Lordship he may give an account of the Consult here in May last and how far Mr. Coleman was privy to the murthering of the King Mr. Oates In the Month of April Old-Stile in the Month of May New-Stile there was a Consult held it was begun at the White Horse Tavern it did not continue there After that there they had consulted to send one Father Cary to be Agent and Procurator for Rome they did adjourn themselves to several Clubs in Companies some met at Wild-House and some at Harcourt's Lodging in Dukes-Street some met at Ireland's Lodging in Russel-Street and some in Fenwick's Lodging in Drury-Lane They were ordered to meet by virtue of a Brief from Rome sent by the Father Generall of the Society They went on to these Resolves That Pickering and Groves should go on and continue in attempting to Assassinate the King's Person by Shooting or other means Groves was to have
We Our Self should assist that Our Commission in Our Person for not being excepted is implyed with the other made by this very Parliament in the 14th year of Our Reign which all Our Subjects or at least many of them were obliged to Swear viz. That the Doctrine of taking up Arms by the King's Authority against His Person was detestable and We soon found that the Design was levelled against the good Protestant Religion of Our good Church which its Enemies had a mind to Blemish by sliding in slily those damnable Doctrines by such an Authority as that of Our Parliament into the Profession of Our Faith or Practices and so expose Our whole Religion to the Scorn and Reproach of themselves and all the World We therefore thought it Our duty to be so watchful as to prevent the Enemies sowing such mischievous Tares as these in the wholsom Field of Our Church of England and to guard the unspotted Spouse of Our Blessed Lord from that foul Accusation with which she justly charges other Churches of teaching their Children Loyalty with so many Reserves and Conditions that they shall never want a distinction to justifie Rebellion nor a Text of Scripture as good as Curse ye Meroz to encourage them to be Traitors whereas Our truly Reformed Church knows no such Subtilties but teaches according to the simplicity of Christianity To submit to every Ordinance of Man for God's sake according to the natural signification of the words without equivocation or Artificial turns In order to which having thought to dissolve that Body which We have these many years so tenderly Cherished and which We are sure consists generally of most Dutiful and Loyal Members We were forc'd to Prorogue Our Parliament till November next hoping thereby to cure those Disorders which have been sown amongst the Best and Loyallest Subjects by a few malicious Incendiaries But understanding since that such who have sowed that Seditious seed are as industriously careful to water it by their Cabals and Emissaries instructed on purpose to poison Our People with discourses in publick places in hopes of a great Crop of Confusion their beloved fruit the next Sessions We have found it absolutely necessary to Dissolve Our Parliament though with great reluctancy and violence to Our inclination But remembring the dayes of Our Royal Father and the progress of Affairs then how from a Cry against Popery the people went on to complain of Grievances and against Evil Councellors and His Majesties Prerogative untill they advanc'd into a formal Rebellion which brought forth the most dire and fatal Effects that ever were yet heard of amongst any men Christians or others and withal finding so great a resemblance between the Procedings then and now that they seem both Broth of the same brains and being Confirm'd in that Conceit by observing the Actions of many now who had a great share in the management of the former Rebellion and their zeal for Religion who by their lives give us too much reason to suspect they have none at all VVe thought it not safe to dally too long as Our Royal Father did with submissions and condescentions endeavouring to cure men infected without removing them from the Air where they got the disease and in which it still rages and increases daily For fear of meeting with no better success than He found in suffering his Parliament to Challenge Power they had nothing to do with till they had bewitch'd the people into fond desires of such things as quickly destroyed both King and Country which in Us would be an intollerable Error having been warn'd so lately by the most Execrable Murther of Our Royal Father and the inhumane Usage which We Our Self in Our Royal Person and Family have suffered and Our Loyal Subjects have endured by such practices And least this Our great Care of this Our Kingdomes Quiet and Our own Honour and Safety should as Our best Actions have hitherto been be wrested to some sinister Sence and Arguments be made from it to scare Our Good People into any apprehensions of an Arbitrary Government either in Church or State We do hereby solemnly declare and faithfully engage Our Royal Word That VVe will in no case either Ecclesiastical or Civil violate or alter the known Lawes of Our Kingdom or invade any man's Property or Liberty without due course of Law But that We will with Our utmost Indeavours preserve the true Protestant Religion and Redress all such things as shall indifferently and without passion be judg'd Grievances by Our next Parliament which We do by God's blessing intend to Call before the end of February next In the mean time We do strictly Charge and Command all manner of persons whatsoever to forbear to talk seditiously slightly or irreverently of Our Dissolving of the Parliament of this Our Declaration or of Our Person or Government as they will answer it at their perils VVe being resolv'd to prosecute all Offenders in that kind with the utmost rigour and severity of the Law And to the end that such Licentious persons if any shall be so impudent and obstinate as to disobey this Our Royal Command may be detected and brought to due Punishment We have Ordered Our Lord Treasurer to make speedy payment of Twenty pounds to any person or persons who shall discover or bring any such seditious slight or irreverent Talker before any of Our Principal Secretaries of State Record I would have the Jury should know the Declaration ends To one of his Majesties Principal Secretaries of State whereof he hoped to be one Att. Gen. This is written in the name of the King for Mr. Coleman thought himself now Secretary of State and he penns the Declaration for the King to give an Account why the Parliament was Dissolved Serj. Maynard The long Letter it appears was to dissolve the Parliament and to make it Cock-sure he provides a Declaration to shew the Reason of it It was done in order to bring in Popery that may appear by the subsequent proof Att. Gen. I have other Evidence to offer to your Lordship which is That Mr. Coleman was not onely so bold as to prepare a Declaration for the King but also out of his own further ingenuity prepares a Letter contrary to the Duke's knowledg for the Duke which before several Lords he confessed and Sir Philip Floyd is here ready to justifie it Sir Phil. Floyd I did attend a Committee of the House of Lords to Newgate who examined Mr. Coleman and told him of the Letter Mr. Attorney mentioneth he then confessed That it was prepared without the Order and Privity of the Duke and when he was so bold as to shew it the Duke the Duke was very Angry and rejected it L. Chief Just He hath been a very forward undertaker on the behalf of the Duke Mr. Att. Gen. I desire the Letter may be read The Copy of the Letter written to Monsieur Le Chese the French King's Confessor which Mr. Coleman confessed he
himself wrote and counterfeited in the Duke's Name Clerk of the Crown reads the Letter THE 2 d. of June last past his most Christian Majestie offered me most generously his Friendship and the use of his Purse to the assistance against the designs of my Enemies and his and protested unto me That his Interest and mine were so clearly linckt together that those that opposed the one should be lookt upon as Enemies to the other and told me moreover his Opinion of my Lord Arlington and the Parliament which is That he is of opinion that neither the one nor the other is in his Interest or mine and thereupon he desired me to make such Propositions as I should think fit in this Conjuncture All was Transacted by the means of Father Ferrier who made use of Sir William Throgmorton who is an honest man and of truth who was then at Paris and hath held Correspondence with Coleman one of my Family in whom I have great Confidence I was much satisfied to see his most Christian Majestie altogether of my opinion so I made him Answer the 29 th of June by the same means he made use of to write to me that is by Coleman who addrest himself to Father Ferrier by the forementioned Knight and entirely agreed to his most Christian Majestie as well to what had respect to the Union of our Interests as the unusefulness of my Lord Arlington and the Parliament in order to the Service of the King my Brother and his most Christian Majestie and that it was necessary to make use of our joynt and utmost Credits to prevent the Success of those evil designs resolved on by the Lord Arlington and the Parliament against his most Christian Majestie and my Self which of my side I promise really to perform of which since that time I have given reasonable good proof Moreover I made some Proposals which I thought necessary to bring to pass what We were obliged to undertake assuring him That nothing could so firmly establish Our Interest with the King my Brother as that very same Offer of the help of his Purse by which means I had much reason to hope I should be enabled to persuade to the Dissolving of the Parliament and to make void the Designs of my Lord Arlington who works incessantly to advance the Interest of the Prince of Orange and the Hollanders and to lessen that of the King your Master notwithstanding all the Protestations he hath made to this hour to render him service But as that which was proposed was at a stand by reason of the sickness of Father Ferrier so our affairs succeeded not according to our designs only Father Ferrier wrote to me the â—â— th of the last Mâ—â—â—h That 〈…〉 that they had been very well lik'd of but as they contained things that had regard to the Catholick Religion to the offer and use of his Purse he gave me to understand he did not desire I should treat with Monsieur Revigny upon the First but as to the last and had the same time acquainted me that Monsieur Revigny had order to grant me what soever the conjuncture of our Affairs did require and have expected the effects of it to this very hour but nothing being done in it and seeing on the other hand that my Lord Arlington and several others endeavoured by a thousand deceits to break the good Intelligence which is between the King my Brother his most Christian Majestie and my Self to the end they might deceive Us all Three I have thought fit to advertise you of all that is past and desire of you your Assistance and Friendship to prevent the Rogueries of those who have no other design than to betray the Concerns of France and England also and who by their pretended service are the occasion they succeed not As to any thing more I refer you to Sir William Throgmorton and Coleman whom I have Commanded to give an account of the whole state of Our Affair and of the true Condition of England with many others and principally my Lord Arlington's endeavours to represent to you quite otherwise than it is The Two First I mentioned to you are Firm to my Interest so that you may treat with them without any apprehension Serj. Maynard Gentlemen of the Jury pray observe that he takes upon him to prepare a Letter And that in the Duke's Name but contrary to the Duke's Knowledge or Privacy for when he had so much boldness as to tell him of it the Duke was Angry and rejected it But in it we may see what kind of passages there are he takes very much upon him in this matter And Mr. Coleman must keep the Secret too Att. General My Lord I have but one Paper more to read and I have kept it till the last because if we had proved nothing by Witness or not read any thing but this This one Letter is sufficient to maintain the Charge against him It plainly appears to whom it was directed and at what time It begins thus I sent your Reverence a tedious long Letter on our 29 th of September I onely mention this to shew about what time it was sent There are some Clauses in it will speak better than I can Sir Tho. Doleman and Sir Phillip Floyd swear who hath confessed and owned it to be his hand writing 〈…〉 I desire the Letter may be read Clerk of the Crown reads the Letter SIR I Sent your Reverence a tedious long Letter on our 29 th of September to inform you of the progress of Affairs for these 2. or 3. last years I having now again the opportunity of a very sure hand to convey this by I have sent you a Cipher because our Parliament now drawing on I may possibly have occasion to send you something which you may be willing enough to know and may be necessary for us that you should when we may want the conveniency of a Messenger When any thing occurs of more concern other then which may not be fit to be trusted even to a Cipher alone I will to make such a thing more secure write in Lemmon between the Lines of a Letter which shall have nothing in it visible but what I care not who sees but dryed by a warm fire shall discover what is written so that if the Letter comes to your hands and upon drying it any thing appears more then did before you may be sure no body has seen it by the way I will not trouble you with that way of writing but upon special occasions and then I will give you a hint to direct you to look for it by concluding my visible Letter with something of fire or burning by which mark you may please to know that there is something underneath and how my Letter is to be used to find it out We have here a mighty Work upon our Hands no less than the Conversion of three Kingdoms and by that perhaps the utter subduing of