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
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
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
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
Moneth of July one Ashby who was sometimes Rector of St. Omers being ill of the Gout was ordered to go to the Bath this Ashby being in London Mr. Coleman came to attend him this Ashby brought with him Treasonable Instructions in order to expedite the King by Poison provided Pickering and Groves did not do the Work Ten thousand pound should be proposed to Sir George Wakeman to Poison the King in case Pistol and Stab did not take effect and opportunity was to be taken at the Kings taking Physick I could give other Evidence but will not because of other things which are not fit to be known yet L. Chief Just Who wrote this Letter Mr. Oates It was under the hand of White the Provincial beyond the Seas whom Ashby left it was in the name of Memorials to impower Ashby and the rest of the Consulters at London to propound Ten thousand pound to Sir George Wakeman to take the opportunity to Poison the King These Instructions were seen and read by Mr. Coleman by him Copied out and transmitted to several Conspirators of the Kings death in this Kingdom of England that were privy to this Plot. Recorder Know you of any Commission We have hitherto spoken altogether of the work of others now we come to his own work a little nearer L. Chief Just Who saw Mr. Coleman read these Instructions what said he Mr. Oates He said he thought it was too little I heard him say so L. Chief Just Did you see him take a Copy of these Instructions Mr. Oates Yes and he said he did believe Sir George Wakeman would scarce take it and thought it necessary the other Five thousand pound should be added to it that they might be sure to have it done L. Chief Just Where was it he said this Mr. Oates It was in the Provincials Chamber which Ashby had taken for his convenience at London until he went down to the Bath it was at Wild-house at Mr. Sandersons house L. Chief Just Ashby was imployed by his Instructions to acquaint the Consult of the Jesuits that there should be Ten thousand pound advanced if Doctor Wakeman would Poison the King now Asbby comes and acquaints him with it Why should Coleman take Copies Mr. Oates Because he was to send Copies to several Conspirators in the Kingdom of England L. Chief Just To what purpose should Mr. Coleman take a Copy of these Instructions Mr. Oates The reason is plain they were then a gathering a Contribution about the Kingdom and these Instructions were sent that they might be incouraged because they saw there was incouragement from beyond Seas to assist them And another Reason was because now they were assured by this their business would quickly be dispatched and by this means some Thousands of pounds were gathered in the Kingdom of England L. Chief Just To whom was Mr. Coleman to send them Mr. Oates I know not any of the Persons but Mr. Coleman did say he had sent his Suffrages which was a Canting word for Instructions to the Principal Gentry of the Catholicks of the Kingdom of England L. Chief Just How know you this that Mr. Coleman did take a Copy of these Instructions for that purpose as you say Mr. Oates Because he said so L. Chief Just Did any body ask him why he took them Mr. Oates Saith Ashby you had best make haste and Communicate these things Mr. Coleman answered I will make haste with my Copies that I may dispatch them away this night Recorder Was he not to be one of the Principal Secretaries of State Mr. Oates In the Month of May last New Stile April the Old Stile I think within a day after our Consult I was at Mr. Langhorn's Chamber he had several Commissions which he called Patents among his Commissions I saw one from the General of the Society of Jesus Joannes Paulus D'Olâ—â—a by vertue of a Brief from the Pope by whom he was enabled L. Chief Just Did you know his hand Mr. Oates I believe I have seen it Forty times I have seen Forty things under his hand and this agreed with them but I never did see him write in my life we all took it to be his hand and we all knew the hand and Seal L. Chief Just What Inscription was upon the Seal Mr. Oates Ι.Η. Σ. with a Cross in English it had the Characters of I. H. S. This Commission to Mr. Coleman in the Month of July I saw in Fenwicks presence and at his Chamber in Drury-Lane where then Mr. Coleman did acknowledge the Receipt of this Patent opened it and said It was a very good exchange L. Chief Just What was the Commission for Mr. Oates It was to be Secretary of State I saw the Commission and heard him own the Receipt of it Just Wild What other Commissions were there at Mr. Langhorns Chamber Mr. Oates A great many I cannot remember there was a Commission for my Lord Arundel of Warder the Lord Powis and several other persons But this belongs not to the Prisoner at the Bar I mention his Commission L. Chief Just Were you acquainted with Mr. Langhorn Mr. Oates Yes I 'le tell your Lordship how I was acquainted I was in Spain he had there two Sons to shew them special favour and kindness being meer strangers at the Colledge I did use to transmit some Letters for them to the Kingdom of England in my Pacquet When I came out of Spain I did receive Recommendations from them to their Father and in great civility he received me This was in November that I came to his house He lived in Shear-lane or thereabouts I understood that his Wife was a zealous Protestant therefore he desired me not to come any more to his house but for the future to come to his Chamber in the Temple L. Chief Just Had you ever seen Mr. Langhorn in London before Mr. Oates I never saw him till Nov. 77. to my knowledge I was several times in his company at his chamber and he brought me there to shew me some kindness upon the account of his Sons It was at the Temple for his Wife being a Protestant was not willing any Jesuits should come to the house I was to carry him a summary of all the results and particulars of the Consult at the White Horse and Wild House The Provincial ordered me to do it he knowing me being in that affair often imployed L. Chief Just Was it the second time you saw him that you saw the Commissions Mr. Oates I saw him several times in the month of November L. Chief Just When did you see the Commissions Mr. Oates In the month of April old stile May new stile L. Chief Just How came he to shew you the Commissions Mr. Oates I hearing of their being come had a curiosity to see them and he knew me to be privy to the concerns L. Chief Just How did you know he had the Commissions Mr. Oates By Letters L. Chief Just From whom Mr. Oates
as to know your Person and that I have an Opportunity of putting this Letter into the hands of Father St. German â—s Nephew for whose Integrity and Prudence he has undertaken without any sort of hazard In order then Sir to the plainness I profess I will tell you what has formerly passed between your Reverence's Predecessor Father Ferryer and my self About three years ago when the King my Master sent a Troop of Horse Guards into his most Christian Majesties Service under the Command of my Lord Durass he sent with it an Officer called Sir William Throckmorton with whom I had a particular Intimacy and who had then very newly embrac'd the Catholick Religion To him did I constantly Write and by him address my self to Father Ferryer The first thing of great Importance I presumed to offer him not to trouble you with lesser matters or what passed here before and immediatly after the Fatal Revocation of the Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience to which we owe all our Miseries and hazards was in July August and September 1673. when I constantly inculcated the great danger Catholick Religion and his most Christian Majesties Interest would be in at our next Sessions of Parliament which was then to be in October following at which I plainly foresaw that the King my Master would be forced to something in prejudice to his Allyance with France which I saw so evidently and particularly that we should make Peace with Holland that I urg'd all the Arguments I could which to me were Demonstrations to convince your Court of that mischief and press'd all I could to perswade his most Christian Majesty to use his utmost endeavour to prevent that session of our Parliament and proposed Expedients how to do it But I was answered so often and so positively that his most Christian Majesty was so vvell assured by his Embassador here our Embassador there the Lord Arlington and even the King himself that he had no such apprehensions at all but vvas fully satisfied of the contrary and lookt upon what I offered as a very zealous mistake that I was forced to give over arguing though not believing as I did but confidently appealed to time and success to prove who took their measures rightest When it happened what I foresaw came to pass the good Father was a little surprized to see all the great men mistaken and a little one in the right and was pleased by Sir William Throckmorton to desire the continuance of my correspondence which I was mighty willing to comply with knowing the Interest of our King and in a more particular manner of my more immediate Master the Duke and his most Christian Majesty to be so inseparably united that it was impossible to divide them without destroying them all Upon this I shewed that our Parliament in the circumstances it was managed by the timerous Councels of our Ministers who then governed would never be useful either to England France or Catholick Religion but that we should as certainly be forced from our Neutrality at their next meeting as we had been from our Active Alliance with France the last year That a Peace in the Circumstances we were in was much more to be desired then the continuance of the War and that the Dissolution of our Parliament would certainly procure a Peace for that the Confederates did more depend upon the power they had in our Parliament then upon any thing else in the World and were more encouraged from them to the continuing of the War so that if they were Dissolved their measures would be all broken and they consequently in a manner necessitated to a Peace The good Father minding this Discourse somewhat more then the Court of France thought fit to do my former urg'd it so home to the King that his Majesty was pleased to give him Orders to signify to his R. H. my Master that his Majesty vvas fully satisfyed of his R. H s. good intention tovvards him and that he esteemed both their interests but as one and the same that my Lord Arlington and the Parliament were both to be lookt upon as very unuseful to their interest That if his R. H. would endeavour to dissolve this Parliament his most Christian Majesty would assist him with his Povver and Purse to have a nevv one as should be for their purpose This and a great many more expressions of kindness and confidence Father Ferryer was pleased to communicate to Sir William Throckmorton and Commanded them to send them to his R. H. and withall to beg his R. H. to propose to his most Christian Majesty what he thought necessary for his own concern and the advantage of Religion and his Majesty would certainly do all he could to advance both or either of them This Sir William Throckmorton sent to me by an Express who left Paris the 2d of June 1674 Stilo novo I no sooner had it but I communicated it to his R. H. To which his R. H. commanded me to answer as I did on the 29th of the same month That his R. H. was very sensible of his most Christian Majesties friendship and that he would labour to cultivate it with all the good Offices he was capable of doing for his Majesty that he was fully convinced that their Interests were both one that my Lord Arlington and the Parliament vvere not only unuseful but very dangerous both to England and France That therefore it was necessary that they should do all they could to Dissolve it And that his R. H's opinion was that if his most Christian Majesty would Write his thoughts freely to the King of England upon this Subject and make the same proffer to his Majesty of his Purse to Dissolve this Parliament which he had made to his R H. to call another he did believe it very possible for him to succeed with the assistance we should be able to give him here and that if this Parliament were Dissolved there would be no great difficulty of getting a new one which would be more useful The Constitutions of our Parliaments being such that a new one can never hurt the Crown nor an old one do it good His R. H. being pleased to own these Propositions which were but only general I thought it reasonable to be more particular and come closer to the point we might go the faster about the work and come to some issue before the time was too far spent I laid this for my Maxim The Dissolution of our Parliament will certainly procure a Peace which proposition was granted by every body I Conversed withall even by Monsieur Rouvigny himself with whom I took liberty of discoursing so far but durst not say any thing of the Intelligence I had with Father Ferryer Next that a Sum of Money certain would certainly procure a Dissolution this some doubted but I am sure I never did for I knew perfectly well that the King had frequent Disputes with himself at that time whether
many Members were dead during the long Recess we Issued out our Writs for new Elections that our House of Commons might be full at the first opening of the Sessions to prevent any delay in our Publick Affairs or dislike in our people as might possibly have risen from the want of so great a number of their Representatives if any thing of moment should be concluded before it had been supplyed Having govern'd our Actions all along with such careful respect to the ease of our Subjects we at the Meeting of our Parliament in February 1672. expected from them some suitable expressions of their sense of our Favours but quite contrary found our Self alarm'd with Clamorous Complaints from several Cabals against all our Proceedings frighting many of our good Subjects into strange Conceits of what they must look for by their Seditious and false Constructions of what we had so Candidly and Sincerely done for their good and surprised with a Vote of our House of Commons against our Writs of Elections which we intended for their satisfactions against many Presidents of ours or without any colour of Law of their side denying our Power to Issue out such Writs Addressing to us to Issue out others which we consented to do at their Request choosing rather to yield to our Subjects in that point than to be forced to submit to our Enemies in others hoping that our Parliament being sensibly touched with that our extraordinary condescention would go on consider the Publick concern of the Kingdom without any further to do But We found another use made of Our so easie compliance which serv'd to encourage them to ask more so that soon after We found Our Declaration for Indulging tender Consciences Arraigned Voted illegal though We cannot to this day understand the consistences of that Vote with Our undoubted Supremacy in all Ecclesiasticks Recognizing by so many Acts of Parliament and required to be Sworn to by all Our Subjects and Addresses made to Us one after another to recal it which We condescended to also from hence they proceeded to Us to weaken Our Self in an Actual War and to render many of Our Subjects of whose Loyalty and Ability We were well satisfied incapable to serve Us when We wanted Officers and Soldiers and had reason to invite as many Experienced Men as We could to engage in Our Arms rather than to incapacitate or discourage any yet this also We gratified them in to gain their Assistance against Our Enemies who grew high by these Our Differences rather than expose Our Countrey to their Power and Fury hoping that in time Our People would be confounded to see Our Concessions and be ashamed of their Errors in making such Demands But finding the unfortunate Effects of Our divisions the following Summer We found Our Parliament more extravagant at the next meeting than ever addressing to Us to hinder the Consummation of Our Dear Brother's Marriage contrary to the Law of God which forbiddeth any to separate any whom he hath joyned against Our Faith and Honour engag'd in the Solemn Treaty obstinately persisting in that Address after We had acquainted them That the Marriage was then actually ratifyed and that We had acted in it by Our Ambassador so that We were forced to separate them for a while hoping they would bethink themselves better at their meeting in January Instead of being more moderate or ready to consider Our wants towards the War they Voted as they had done before not to assist Us still till their Religion were effectually secur'd against Popery Aggrievances redressed and all obnoxious Men removed from Us which We had reason to take for an absolute denyal of all Aid considering the indefiniteness of what was to proceed and the Moral impossibility of effecting it in their sences for when will they say their Religion is effectually secured from Popery if it were in danger then by reason of the insolency of Papists When Our House of Commons which is made up of Members from every Corner of Our Kingdom with Invitations publickly Posted up to all Men to accuse them has not yet in so many years as they have complained of them been able to charge one single Member of that Communion with so much as a Misdemeanour Or what Security could they possibly expect against that Body of Men or their Religion more than We had given them or how can we hope to live so perfectly that study and pains may not make a Collection of Grievances as considerable as that which was lately presented to Us than which VVe could not have wish'd for a better Vindication of Our Government or when shall VVe be sure that all obnoxious Men are removed from Us when Common same thinks fit to call them so which is to every body without any proof sufficient to render any man obnoxious who is Popishly affected or any thing else that is ill though they have never so often or lately complyed with their own Tests and Marks of Distinction and Discriminations Finding Our People thus unhappily disordered We saw it impossible to prosecute the War any longer and therefore did by their Advice make a Peace upon such Conditions as we could get hoping that being gratified in that Darling Point they would at least have paid Our Debts and enabled Us to have Built some Ships for the future Security of Our Honour and their own Properties but they being tranâ—â—orted with their success in asking were resolved to go on still that way and would needs have Us put upon the removing of Our Judges from those Charges which they have always hitherto held at the VVill and Pleasure of the Crown out of Our Power to alter the ancient Laws of trying of Peers and to make it a Premunire in Our Subjects in a case supposed not to fight against Our Self nay some had the heart to ask that the Hereditary Succession of Our Crown which is the Foundation of all Our Laws should be changed into a sort of Election they requiring the Heir to be qualified with certain Conditions to make him capable of Succeeding and Out-doing that Popish Doctrine which We have so long and so loudly with good reason decryed That Heresie incapacitates Kings to Reign They would have had That the Heir of the Crown marrying a Papist though he continued never so Orthodox himself should forfeit his right of Inheritance not understanding this Paradoxical way of securing Religion by destroying it as this would have done that of the Church of England which always taught Obedience to their Natural Kings as an indispensable Duty in all good Christians let the Religion or Deportment of their Prince be what it will and not knowing how soon that Impediment which was supposed as sufficient to keep out an Heir might be thought as fit to remove a Possessor And comparing that Bill which would have it a Premunire in a Sheriff not to raise the Posse Comitatus against Our Commission in a Case there supposed though
the Instructions he did approve of L. Chief Just How long after the Consultation was it that he approved of it Oates It was two or three days before he did give his approbation Just Wild. What words did he say Oates He did express his consent but to say the very words I cannot tell L. Chief Just Will you ask him any more Pris I would know the day in August L. Chief Just He saith he doth not remember the day Oates I believe I will not be positive in it it was about the 21th day of August Just Wild and Just Jones Was it in August Old-stile Oates Yes Pris I can prove I was in Warwick-shire at that time That day he guesseth the 21th of August I can make it appear I was Fourscore Miles off L. Chief Just You will do well to prove you was there when the Guinny was given Will you ask him any more Pris No. L. Chief Just You may say as you will but Mr. Oates doth charge that expresly in August according to the English Stile you were at this Wild-House and that he saw fourscore Pounds prepared You Mr. Coleman asked the Question what preparations were made for the Men going to Windsor It was answered fourscore Pounds are prepared And your self gave a Guinny for expedition It is a hard matter to press a Man to tell the precise day of the Month but positively he doth say it was in August Pris I was Two and Twenty or Three and Twenty days in August in Warwick-shire L. Chief Just What have you now more to say Pris My Lord I never saw Mr. Oates but in the Council-Chamber I never saw him in Rome in other Parts I never saw the Face of him or knew him in my whole life nor did I see the other till now in Court as I hope to be saved And then my Lord as to their testimony neither of them Swear the self-same Fact L. Ch. Just No man shall be guilty if denial shall make him innocent They swear to the Fact of killing the King both of them and that 's enough If one saith you have a Plot to poyson that is killing the King and the other swears a Plot to shoot or stab him that is to the killing of the King also Then there 's your own Undertaking in your Letter under your Hand Pris For Treason with submission to your Lordship I hope there 's none in that though there are very extravagant Expressions in it I hope some Expressions explain it that it was not my design to kill the King L. Ch. Just No your Design was for the Conversion of three Kingdoms and subduing of that Heresie that had reigned so long in this Northern part of the World And for effecting whereof there were never more hopes since our Queen Mary ' s time till now and therefore pressing the King of France to use his Power Aid and Assistance and does this signifie nothing Pris Doth Aid and Assistance signifie more than Money The word Aid in French is Power they are promiscuous words L. Ch. Just You are Charged to have had a Correspondency and Agency with Foreign Power to subvert our Religion and bring in Foreign Authority and Power upon us which must be the necessary consequence How can this be proved plainer than by your Letters to press the French King that he would use his Power Pris Consider the Contexture and Connexion of things whether the whole series be not to make the King and the Duke as far as I thought in my power as great as could be L. Ch. Just How well or ill you excuse the fault that 's not the Question they relate to the Duke most of them little to the King You were carrying on such a Design that you intended to put the Duke in the Head of in such method and ways as the Duke himself would not approve but rejected Pris Do not think I would throw any thing upon the Duke though I might in the beginning of it possibly make use of the Dukes Name it is possible they say I did but can any imagine the people will lay down Money 200000l or 20000l with me upon the Dukes Name and not know whether the Duke be in it and consequently no body will imagine the Duke would ever employ any sum to this Kings prejudice or disservice while he lived I take it for granted which sure none in the world will deny that the Law was ever made immediately subject to the King or Duke and consequently to the Duke I cannot think this will ever be expounded by the Law of England or the Jury to be Treason L. Ch. Just What a kind of way and talking is this You have such a swimming way of melting words that it is a troublesom thing for a man to collect matter out of them You give your self up to be a great Negotiator in the altering of Kingdoms you would be great with mighty men for that purpose and your long Discourses and great Abilities might have been spared The thing these Letters do seem to import is this That your Design was to bring in Popery into England and to promote the interest of the French King in this place for which you hoped to have a Pension that 's plain The Dukes Name is often mentioned that 's true sometimes it appears it is against his will and sometimes he might know of it and be told that the consequence was not great Now say you these Sums of Money and all that was done it did relate to the King or Duke and it was to advance their interest and you thought it was the way to do it How can this advance them unless it were done to do them service and if they do not consent to it and how can this be Treason what kind of stuff is this You do seem to be a mighty Agent might not you for a colour use the Duke of York's Name to drive on the Catholick Cause which you was driven to by the Priests mightily and think to get 200000l advance money and a Pension for your self and make your self somebody for the present and Secretary of State for the future If you will make any defence for your self or call in Witnesses we will hear them say what you can for these vain inconsequential discourses signifie nothing Pris I have Witnesses to prove I was in Warwick-shire L. Ch. Just to Boatman a Witnesse Where was Mr. Coleman in Aug. last Boatm In Warwick-shire L. Ch. Just How long Boatm All August to my best remembrance L. Ch. Just Can you say that he was in Warwick-shire all August that he was not at London Boatm I am not certain what time of the Month he was in London L. Ch. Just That he was there in August may be very true I do not ask how long he was in Warwick-shire but was he no where else To which the Witness could make no positive answer Pris I was at the Lord Denby's and
but Twenty thousand Pounds sent him from France he would he content to be a Sacrifice to the utmost malice of his Enemies if the Protestant Religion did not receive such a blow as it could not subsist And the receipt of this Letter was acknowledged by Monsieur Le Chese in an answer which he wrote to Mr. Coleman dated from Paris Oct. 23. 75. in which he gives him thanks for his good Service in order to the promoting the Popish Religion Several other Letters have been produced and read which were written by Mr. Coleman to Monsieur Ferrier and others and more particularly one Letter dated August 21. 74. written by Coleman to the Popes Internuntio at Brussels wherein he says the Design prospered so well that he doubted not but in a little time the businesse would be managed to the utter ruine of the Protestant Party And by other Letters he writes to the French Kings Confessor that the assistance of his most Christian Majesty is necessary and desires Money from the French King to carry on the Design But there is one Letter without Date more Bloody than all the rest which was written to Monsieur Le Chese in some short time after the long Letter of September 29. 1675. wherein amongst many other things Coleman expresses himself thus We have a mighty Work upon our Hands no less than the Conversion of three Kingdoms and the utter subduing of a Pestilent Heresie which hath for some time domineer'd over this Northern part of the World and we never had so great hopes of it since our Q. Mary's days And in the Conclusion of the Letter he implores Monsieur Le Chese to get all the aid and assistance he can from France and that next to God Almighty they did rely upon the mighty mind of his most Christian Majesty and therefore did hope le Chese would procure Money and Asistance from him Now any Man that considers the Contents of these Letters must needs agree that the latter part of the Indictment to wit the Treason of endeavouring the Subverting the Government and the Protestant Religion is fully proved upon Mr. Coleman the Prisoner at the Bar and that these Letters were written by him and the Answers received he does not deny But all he has to say for himself is that it was to make the King of England great whereas the contrary is most manifest because the Jesuits who love Force and Tyranny always adhere to those Princes that are greatest in Strength and Power For it appears in History that when the House of Austria were in their greatness and like to arrive to the Vniversal Monarchy in these parts of the World the Jesuits all adhered to that House But since the French King hath grown more mighty in Power and Greatness they declined the Interest of the Austrian Family and do now promote the Councels of France thinking that now that King will become the Vniversal Monarch I shall therefore now conclude the Evidence only observing to the Jury that the several Treasons in the Indictment are fully proved The first as to the destruction of the Royal Person of the King by two Witnesses Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedlow the other part of it viz. the subversion of the Government and extirpation of the Protestant Religion by the several Letters which have been before remembred which have not been denyed by the Prisoner to be his Therefore I hope Gentlemen when you meet with Offenders that are guilty of such stupendious Crimes you will do Justice upon them which will be a great Comfort and Satisfaction to the King and all his good Protestant Subjects Serj. Pembert Gentlemen You hear the Crime is of the highest nature it 's the subversion of three Kingdoms and the subduing of that Religion which he defames by the name of Pestilent Heresie It concerns us all to look about us and all the Kingdom when there shall be a Design managed in this manner to destroy our King and to take away our Religion and to enslave us all to the Pope and make us all truckle to the Priests It is wonderful it is capable at this day of so great Evidence there is Digitus Dei in it or else it would be impossible such a thing should be made so manifest All the rest that is said in the Indictment are but Circumstances that declare it There is a strong Evidence of many matters of Fact in this Design which declare the Intention hatched in his Breast for many years together Here hath been a Design to kill the King and he doth not only consent to it but commend it what can be said to his giving the Money to him that was to pay the fourscore pieces of Gold to those Ruffians sent to Windsor and adding 5000 l. to the 10000l for the Doctor that was to poyson the King He denies all No question but a Man that hath had a Heart to design such Contrivances will have the Face to deny it publickly It 's a thing to be acted in the dark but there 's both Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedlow plainly prove it upon him that he consented to the acting the Kings death What 's the Sence of his Letters but to shew his design and to beg the Assistance of France to them in their necessities the whole Current is to destroy our Religion I think you Gentlemen of the Jury have had such Evidence as will satisfie any Man Pris I deny all Mr. Oates his Testimony for his saying to the Council he did not know me because he could not see me when I was as near as the next Gentleman but one but knew me when I spake and I spoke to almost all the matters asked He accuseth me of a thing in August but names not the day Now if there be one Error in his Testimony it weakens all the rest I went out of Town the 10th of August it was the latter end I came home about the middle of Bartholomew Fair the last day of August L. Ch. Just. Have you any Witness to prove that Pris I cannot say I have a Witnesse L. Ch. Just Then you say nothing Pris People cannot speak to a day to a thing they neither imagined or thought of L. Ch. Just I ask your Servant do you know when Mr. Coleman went out of Town Coleman's Serv. In August I cannot say particularly the day L. Ch. Just Do you know when he came home Serv. I cannot remember Just Wild. Where was you the last Bartholomew day Serv. I was in Town Just Wild. Where was your Master Serv. I do not remember L. Ch. Just You say you went out of Town the 10th and came home the last of August you say it is impossible that he should say right but yet you do not prove it Pris I have no more to say but I entered down all my Expences every day in a Book which Book will shew where I was L. Ch. Just Where is your Book Pris At my
Lodging in Vere-Street by Covent-Garden in a Trunck that came by the Carrier that will shew when they were sent L. Ch. Just If the Cause did turn upon that matter I would be well content to sit untill the Book was brought but I doubt the Cause will not stand upon that Foot but if that were the Case it would do you little good Observe what I say to the Jury My Lord Chief Justice his Speech to the Jury upon his summing up of the Evidence Gentlemen of the Jury My Care at this time shall be to contract this very long Evidence and to bring it within a short compass that you may have nothing before you to consider of as near as I can but what is really material to the Acquitting or Condemning of Mr. Coleman The things he is Accused of are of two sorts the one is to subvert the Protestant Religion and to introduce Popery the other was to destroy and kill the King The Evidence likewise was of two sorts The one by Letters of his own hand writing and the other by Witnesses Viva voce The former he seems to confess the other totally to deny For that he confesseth he does not seem to insist upon it that the Letters were not his he seems to admit they were And he rather makes his Defence by expounding what the meaning of these Letters were than by denying himself to be the Author I would have you take me right when I say he doth admit he doth not admit the Construction that the Kings Council here makes upon them but he admits that these Letters were his He admits it so far that he does not deny them So that you are to Examine what these Letters import in themselves and what Consequences are naturally to be deduced from them That which is plainly intended is to bring in the Roman Catholick and to subvert the Protestant Religion That which is by Consequence intended was the Killing the King as being the most likely means to introduce That which as 't is apparent by his Letters was designed to be brought in For the First part of the Evidence All his Great long Letter that he wrote was to give the present Confessor of the French King an Account of what had passed between him and his predecessor By which Agency you may see that Mr. Coleman was In with the former Confessor And when he comes to give an Account of the three years Transactions to this present Confessor and to begin a Correspondence with him About what is it Why the substance of the Heads of the long Letter comes to this It was to bring in the Catholick as he call'd it that is the Romish Catholick Religion and to establish that here and to advance an Interest for the French King be that Interest what it will It 's true his Letters do not express what sort of Interest neither will I determine but they say it was to promote the French Kings Interest which Mr. Coleman would expound in some such sort as may consist with the King of Englands and the Duke of York's Interest But this is certain it was to subvert our Religion as it is now by Law established This was the great end thereof it cannot be denyed To promote the Interest I say of the French King and to gain to himself a Pention as a reward of his service is the Contents of his First long Letter and one or two more concerning that Pention His last Letters expound more plainly what was meaâ—t by the French Kings Interest We are saith he about a great work no less than the Conversion of three Kingdoms and the totall and utter subversion and subduing of that pestilent Heresie that is the Protestant Religion which hath reigned so long in this Northern part of the World and for the doing of which there never was such great hopes since our Queen Maries Days as at this time Now this plainly shews that our Religion was to be subverted Popery established and the three Kingdoms to be converted that is indeed to be brought to confusion For I say that when our Religion is to be subverted the Nation is to be subverted and destroyed that is most apparent For there could be no hope of subverting or destroying the Protestant Religion but by a Subversion not Conversion of the three Kingdoms How was it to be done otherwise Why I would have brought this Religion in says he by dissolving of the Parliament I would have brought it in by an Edict and Proclamation of Liberty of Conscience In these ways I would have brought it in Mr. Coleman knows it is not fit for him to own the introducing of his Religion by the Murder of the King or by a Forein Force The one was too black and the other too bloody to be owned And few people especially the English will be brought to save their Lives as he may do his by confession of so bloody and barbarous a thing as an intention to Kill the King or of Levying a War which though it be not a Particular is a General Murder I say it was not convenient for Mr. Coleman when he seemâ— to speak something for himself to give such an Account how he would have done it Therefore he tells us he would have done it by the dissolving of the Parliament and by Toleration of Religion Now I would very fain know of any man in the World whether this was not a very fine and artificial covering of his design for the Subversion of our Religion Pray how can any man think that the Dissolving of the Parliament could have such a mighty influence to that purpose It is true he might imagine it might in some sort contribute towards it Yet it is so doubtful that he himself mistrusts it For he is sometimes for the Dissolving of the Parliament and other times not as appears by his own papers For which we are not beholding to him so much as for any one more than what were found by accident and produced to the King and Council But in truth why should Mr. Coleman believe that another Parliament if this Parliament were Dissolved should comply with Popery That is to say That there should be great hopes of bringing in of Popery by a new Parliament Unless he can give me a good reason for this I shall hold it as insignificant and as unlikely to have that effect as his other way by a General Toleration And therefore next Upon what ground does he presume this I do assure you that man does not understand the inclinations of the English people or knows their Tempers that thinks if they were left to themselves and had their Liberty they would turn Papists It 's true there are some amongst us that have so little Wit as to turn Fanaticks but there is hardly any but have much more wit than to turn Papists These are therefore the Counterfeit pretentions of Mr. Coleman Now if not by these means In what way truly