scarce worthy their further notice and therefore the Justice told him of the two that last spake that he neither did nor would hear any thing of the matter of Sodomy they talkt of relating to the Duke and that he was a little unsatisfied with their evasions and quibling stories asserting that there was a sufficient Witness by naming Curtis who vvas able to justifie that he heard them say they had something to relate touching an Interruption designed to the Government and therefore pressed them both to be ingenious yet to no purpose Then Doctor Chamberlain resolving to leave no stone unturn'd nor any Circumstance unrepeated that could contribute to the having out the Truth of the matter from them asked them jointly why and what was the reason of their running away at the sight of Mr. Blood when they appointed to meet at Mrs. Bradlies at Heaven without giving an Account of what they came about Because replied they we were diffident and mistrustful of him why so said the Justice Why said they we did not judg him to be a fitting person for our turn in reference to what we have to offer against the Duke of Buckingham Why so said he because replied they we apprehended by what we heard that he was the Dukes friend and if we did trust him he might probably betray us Thereupon Doctor Chamberlain taking them for idle Fellows had them be gone but presently upon second Thoughts directed them to consider of what they had already said and to attend upon him at his House in Essex-Building on the Munday morning following where he would receive what if any thing they should then have to offer concerning the discovery of a Plot. Accordingly they came accompanied with Mr. Whittaker and Mr. Jenks where Mr. Blood likewise attended and Doctor Chamberlain asking them over again the meaning of those shuffling Stories they treated him the foregoing Saturday at night with they replied they had a further Design to discover and carry on relateing to the welfare and Good of the publick but would come to no particulars Whereupon without more ado Doctor Chamberlain dismissed them and heard not of them for some time after About the 20th of January Sir William Waller being returned out of the Country where he then was about this time took occasion of sending his Man to Mr. Blood with directions that he would be pleased to come to him to the Buffillo-head-Tavern near the Gatehouse in Westminster to drink as he thought a Glass of Wine with him who presently came where finding to his surprize Mr. Ryther and Mr. Codan together with Mr Whittaker and Mr. Jenks in Sir Williams Company started not so much at their being there I mean Mr. Ryther and Codan but at the sudden change of the dress of the said two who from the degree of Porter-like fellows for such like or worse they appeared to be when they were examined before Doctor Chamberlain got into fine Rigging such as near Clothes good Perrivvigs new Hats clean Linnen Swords and all other Accoutrements answerable so that Mr. Blood did scarce know them and so said nothing for a little time After the drinking a Glass or two of Wine Sir William began to open the Matter and told Mr. Blood why he sent for him and withal that he was very much troubled at the misfortune he lately brought himself under and that not only upon the Account of his being a Neighbour and a long Acquaintance but for some other Reasons which he did not think fit then to mention What misfortune do you mean replied Mr. Blood I do not understand you Why said Sir William these two Gentlemen pointing at Mr. Ryther and Codan that sate by are come hither before me to depose upon Oath that you as a Confederate have attempted at several times to corrupt them by money and the prospect of other considerable Rewards to swear and falsly to accuse and charge his Grace the Duke of Buckingham with Sodomy How What do you mean rereplied Mr. Blood what is the matter I do not know what you say Whereat Philemon Coddan started up almost disguis'd for Mr. Blood could scarce remember where he saw him because he got so finely Rigged of a suddain and said Mr. Blood you would suborn us to swear Buggery against the Duke of Buckingham O shame on you replied Blood can you be so Impudent as to invent such a thing of Mr. Blood that is a Stranger to you and who never saw you in his Life but before Doctor Chamberlain and one time at Heaven At which Mr. Jenks and Mr. Whittaker sitting by jointly interposing stood up and took the opportunity of backing him that last spake and said come Mr. Blood come as God gave you Reason Wisdome and Understanding be honest and just and Confess Mr. Blood being something concerned thereat replied saying you that have been these two years last past imployed to asperse Mr Blood do you appear in such a Game as this is your Invention no better Then directing his Discourse to Sir William Waller askt him what the matter was or what made those two men run away from Heaven without saying of any thing of this kind and why did they Damme and sink themselves when they came afterwards before Doctor Chamberlain that they would ruine the Duke of Buckingham by Oath or any other Act that could inable them to reach him Sir William Waller replied that they said so on Purpose and in Order to the carrying on a greater Design further asserting that these Gentlemen for so they were pleased to call them were honest men whereupon Mr. Jenks and Mr. Whittaker jointly prest that they meaning Codan and Ryther were very honest men and therefore desired that Sir William would be pleased to exercise Justice on Mr. Blood in their behalf Sir William Waller thereat desired Mr. Blood with Civility that he would bring in two persons for his Bail instancing at the same time Mr. Jarrat and another Gentleman that were friends of Mr. Bloods Mr. Blood replied that he would take time to consider of the validity of his Advice and wait upon them with the result of what he would resolve upon another time for such things were not to be done rashly Accordingly Mr. Blood quitted the Company friendly and went about his business Next morning he went to Sir William Waller to his house where he found Mr. Whittaker and being askt by Sir William have you brought your friends Mr. Blood as I desired you no replied Mr. Blood nor will till I know for what and then desired a Copy of the mittimus that he was to be Committed by for by that said he I shal be able to know how I shall proportion my Bail Upon which Sir William beggâ—d that he would not proceed according to that method or Course but follow his directions and put in Bail Which Mr. Blood persisted in his declining the doing of it declaring that he would insist upon being treated by him
Witnesses That Collonel Thomas Blood has been a Confederate in a late Conspiracy of falsly accusing and charging his Grace the Duke of Buckingham of Sodomy and has refused to give in Bail for his appearance at the next General Sessions to be held for the City and Liberty of Westminster These are therefore to will and require That you seize and apprehend the said Collonel Thomas Blood and if he shall refuse to give in Bail to carry him and deliver him into the Hand of Mr. Church Keeper of the Gate-house in Westminster according to the Tenor of the Mittimus in your Hands Given under my Hand and Seal the one and thirtieth of January 1679. Here it may be most naturally inferr'd from the Premisses that there was nothing more aimed at in these Proceedings than to hurry Mr. Blood to Goal purposely to bring him at first under publick scandal and then to strip him of the good esteem of his Friends by turning them all against him and to compleat their work to possess Sir William Waller that Mr. Blood stood guilty of capital offences such as Conspiracy against the Kings Laws c. and therefore fit to be confined for there lay the knack of the Intrigue for the original meeting of the two Witnesses at Heaven was intended only to serve as a Circumstance of their having seen him there and accordingly to be made use of by them when ever they came to prove what they were then imployed upon for when they understood by Thomas Curtis when they first came to Heaven that Mr. Blood was the Person that was to introduce them to the King and Council in order to their detecting and divulging the Plot that they pretended to be privy to exceeding in greatness as they called it any that has been yet discovered by Dr Oates or Captain Bedloe they excepted against Mr. Blood though they came thither upon no other score than to furnish themselves with Circumstances saying Is not that the Blood that stole the Crown God damn him we will have nothing to do with him for he is too great a Friend of the Duke of Buckingham's Then to publish in Print that he was a Prisoner to the end that the same might be dispers'd over all the Nation and the People possess'd especially his Friends that it was for high misdemeanours and consequently not bailable and then for hast because his Reputation should not escape being gull'd to take him up by a Mittimus on purpose to run him into Prison and finding that way not to take then to take him by a Warrant After the Warrant was thus brought Mr. Blood and the Constable continued together till it was about six of the Clock for till then no Justice of Peace could be found when Mr. Blood gave in Bail to the value of forty Pounds before Sir William Poultney to answer this monstrous Accusation for such they made Sir William VValler believe it to be Within few days after Mr. Blood happening to meet with one Mr. Burrowes a Cabinet-seller in the Strand they both by consent went to the Kings-head-Tavern in Chancery-Lane to drink a Glass of Wine where being accompanied by one or two more Gentlemen Mr. Blood among other Passages began to mention Sir VVilliam VVallers's unkind usage of and behaviour towards him whereat Mr. Burrowes ask'd him wherein Mr. Blood replyed that when he was sent for the other day by Sir VVilliam to give in Bail to answer the Charge sworn against him by the two Witnesses he ask'd Sir VVilliam do you heed these Fellows you should rather secure and lay them by the heels for they did own before Doctor Chamberlaine and several Witnesses that they did run away from Heaven without speaking with him because they thought he was too great a Friend to the Duke of Buckingham and that they then swore several times God damn them they would destroy the Duke of Buckingham by Oath or any thing else they could reach him with and thereupon Sir VVilliam ask'd them both at that very instant of time whether they knew or said any such thing touching the Duke and that they thereupon acknowledged they said so before Doctor Chamberlaine yet Sir VVilliam did notwithstanding that tell Mr. Blood touching him on the Sleeve that they were both honest Men for all this at which Mr. Blood answered Then the Devil is honest Upon which Mr. Burrowes seeming to be very unwilling to believe that Sir VVilliam could be guilty of so great an error Mr. Blood upon his own free accord sent his Man to see if he could find out Sir VVilliam and if he did to desire him to come to him to the Tavern to the end Mr. Burrowes should see and hear Sir VVilliam himself own to his face what Mr. Blood said touching him in this Particular Sir VVilliam being come accordingly Mr. Burrowes opened the matter and by way of reproach began to charge Mr. Blood with his having scandalized Sir VVilliam behind his back in saying that he did dispence with the two Witnesses when he said they were honest Men I do not know replyed Mr. Blood that he gave them a Dispensation or that he did dispense With them but that I said either the one or t'other I confess and then Sir VVilliam being ask'd if he said so or no Yes replyed Sir VVilliam I own I said so yet it has been since industriously reported that Mr. Blood took occasion of railing against Sir VVilliam VValler before some company and some Person thereof concerned for Sir VVilliam observing the same should send for Sir William before the Company broke up and that when Mr. Blood was charged therewith before Sir William by that Party who was said to be so concern'd he should deny it which Mr Blood is ready to prove if need be and it is believed Sir William himself will own it if need be Mrs. Bradley the Woman at Heaven was much about the same time brought upon the same Stage with Mr. Blood and it seems upon the like score for Sir William being jealous that Mr. Blood held correspondence with Thomas Curtis sent for her to know how long Mr. Blood knew the said Curtis she told him that she thought he never saw him but once which was before Doctor Chamberlaine whereat Sir William Waller not willing to believe her Answer told her that she lyed it was no such thing but that they corresponded you may believe me replyed the Woman if you please for I do not lie Sir William not satisfied herewith on the 30th of January charged her with a Constable and caused her to be brought before him When she came he asked her where her Bail was I have them here quoth she who are they said he so she told him but he not liking them commanded the Constable to do his Duty and carry her to Goal the Constable hearing him so say and knowing her to be a Neighbour carried her to Mr. Church his House where she continued till next
according to the form of Law and therefore desired to know what he stood charged with by letting him have a Coppy of his mittimus which Sir William did The next day a Constable came to Mr. Bloods House in the name of Sir William and desired to speak with him notice whereof being carried to Mr. Blood who happened then to be in bed he sent his man to Sir William to tell him that as soon as he waf up and made an end of some Affairs that he was obliged to see dispatcht that morning at Court he would wait upon him Immediately Mr. Blood got up and went to Court accordingly and upon his return thence which was within some small time after he met a Constable at the upper end of King-street in Westminster who desiring him to step aside a little into an Alley that was hard by told him he had a Warrant mistaking a Warrant for a Mittimus against him from Sir William Waller and that if he pleased to step into any House hard by he would follow him without exposing the passage to the view of any that upon seeing a Constable in his company might be apt to guess of his being in trouble Mr. Blood thereupon went to the Dog-Tavern next door to the Gate-house whither the said Officer followed him and shew'd him his Authority from Sir William which was in the following words Viz. A Copy of the Mittimus by which Mr. Blood was seized and to be carried to the Gate-house To the Keeper of the Gate-house Westminster or his Deputy WHereas Oath hath been made by two Witnesses before me That Collonel Thomas Blood is a Confederate in the late Conspiracy of suborning Witnesses falsly to accuse and charge his Grace the Duke of Buckingham of Sodomy he having refused to give in Bail to appear the next General Sessions of the Peace to be held for the City and Liberty of Westminster to answer the Premisses These are therefore in His Majesties Name upon sight hereof to direct you to take into your Custody the Body of him the said Collonel Thomas Blood and him safely to keep until he shall be delivered by due course of Law Given under my Hand and Seal tricessimo die Januarii Annoque Domini 1679. While Mr. Blood lay under the restraint of this Mittimus which happened upon Saturday the one and thirtieth of January it chanced that one of your common Hawkers among other things as he went by cry'd that Mr. Blood was in the Gate-house vide the Print where it is to be rationally supposed that Sir William having issued his Mittimus the day before being the thirtieth day of January for the apprehending and carrying away Mr. Blood to Goal by the vertue of the same and imagining that the Constable did his Duty that day accordingly in laying of him up the Printer had some how notice thereof brought him and so dispers'd it But Sir William soon heard of the mistake for sending upon the said Saturday about three in the afternoon one of the said Witnesses from the Cock-Ale-House near Temple-Bar to Westminster to know of the Constable how he had disposed of Mr. Blood he found the Constable was with Mr. Blood at the Dog-Tavern who sending for the Constable into another Room asked him why Mr. Blood was not carried to Prison before that time Why replyed the Constable I do not know how Sir William can justifie me in what I have done for said he when Sir William gave this Mittimus I told him that I durst not carry him to Goal before he was first carried by Virtue of a Warrant before a Justice of Peace and thence according as the Crime appear'd or sworn against him Committed and then he told me that he would bear me out in it but now I find to the contrary and besides that I have opened the Business to two of my Acquaintance whom I accidentally met with here and that are now Constables of this Parish who tell me that it is in the Power of Mr. Blood to bring me under great trouble for my inadvertency in the thing which pray go and tell him and that if Mr. Blood hath a mind to go I neither dare nor will keep him one minute longer in my Custody In this interval of time Mr. Blood taking notice of the Passage and observing that the Constable absented from his Company a good while and taking notice also that he was suddenly called for into another Room to speak with one and desirous to know who it was or what the matter might be sent out one of his Friends to learn who it was who upon his return brought word that it was one of the Witnesses against him that came from Sir William Waller but what his Message or Business was he knew not but that they were together in the House Whereupon the said Witness going back immediately again to Sir William to tell him what the Constable said touching his incapacity of detaining Mr. Blood without a Warrant the Constable came in to Mr. Blood but did not then tell him the Passages that happened between him and the two Constables about the danger he was in nor the Message that the said Witness came upon or that he went back to Sir William for a Warrant Mr. Blood took occasion then of telling the Constable of his inadvertency and that if he meaning himself were a troublesome Man he could have trounc'd him how replyed the Constable and for what For detaining me here replyed Mr. Blood unlawfully for I know what a Justice of Peace ought to do in Cases of this kind but says he as you are a Neighbour and a civil Man I scorn to take the advantage of you though I might bring my Action at Law against you and make you pay me so much an hour for false Imprisonment This Discourse was scarce at an end but the Constable was sent for a second time out of Mr. Blood 's Company to speak with this Witness who was by this time hurried back from Sir William who presently when he understood what the Constable said of his not daring to hold Mr. Blood without a Warrant sent him down with one dated the one and thirtieth of January upon the delivery whereof to the Constable the Witness withdrew and the constable came to Mr. Blood and told him the whole story and withal that just then Sir William sent him a Warrant and what pass'd between him and the Witness before and that he did purpose to discharge Mr. Blood without any more ado had not that Warrant been brought him acknowledging that he could not answer his detaining of him so long without it A Copy of which Warrant for the Readers further satisfaction is as followeth Viz. A Copy of a Warrant sent by the Witness to seize Mr. Blood then actually in hold at the Dog-Tavern by Vertue of an antedated Mittimus To all Constables and other His Majesties Officers Civil and Military WHereas Oath hath been made by two
foot against Mr. Blood and finding that these Fellows were by the report of the Neighbourhood fled from their Habitations he sent a Gentleman of his Acquaintance to Sir William VValler to desire and require of him that in regard and for as much as he had promised to take good Security for the forth-coming of the said Persons and their appearing before that Authority that took examinations on his behalf when required he would please to produce them to the end they might be bound over to answer what ever Charge Mr. Blood had to offer against them and he thereby obtain equal Justice Sir William was pleased to say that he was not obliged to take any Security for their appearance nor would he bring them forth adding that Mr. Blood was unkind for abusing him for his civility meaning the Passage touching Mr. Burrowes Upon this the Gentleman urged that it was Mr. Blood 's opinion that he was not over kind to him who had been so long his Neighbour and Acquaintance and one by whom he never knew any ill To which Sir William answered That he had done his Duty as to the Method wherein he took their Oaths and as to those Circumstances which he charged him with the neglect of they must make them out as they can when the Matter comes to be decided by a Tryal Upon this Mr. Blood 's Friend came back and gave him an account what passed between him and Sir William Waller and how he denyed the bringing forth of the two Persons It 's plainly to be seen from the foregoing Circumstances that there was no labour spared towards the setting of Sir William and Mr. Blood by the ears Whereupon Mr. Blood not well knowing how to help himself or what remedy to retort to at last he went to and directed Mr. Thompson to put them into his Intelligence in the Words following viz. Whereas Philemon Codan and Samuel Ryther pretended Servants to his Grace the Duke of Buckingham did falsly asperse Thomas Blood Esq that he would have suborned them to swear some notorious Crimes against the said Duke who now abscond themselves If any can give notice of the said Philemon Coddan and Samuel Ryther unto the said Thomas Blood Esq at his House over the Bowling-Alley in Westminster or to Dorman Newman at the Kings-Arms in the Poultry they shall be well rewarded When this was cryed about the streets and a Reward profered to any that could tell where these Fellows were one Mrs. Stringer that keeps a Cup of Ale to sell at the lower end of Long-Acre happened to buy the Intelligence and knowing these Persons when mentioned and where they lay came to Mr Blood 's House to let him know where they lay under hopes it is supposed of receiving the promised Revvard but missing of Mr. Blood at home left vvord at his House that she lived at such a Place that her Name vvas Stringer and that she came to give tidings of Coddan and Ryther vvhom she heard cry'd in the Intelligence and that if he came to her she vvould tell him more of them When Mr Blood heard this he sent presently to the Woman to let him knovv vvhat account she had to give of them Whereupon she told them he sent that she knevv Philemon Coddan and Samuel Ryther mentioned in Mr. Thompsons Intelligence very vvell that Coddan lodged in the next House viz. at Mr. Monkes a Dyer for some time that he vvas indebted to her for Drink c. Whereupon Mr. Bloods Friends desired her to let them knovv if she could tell vvhere the said Persons lay novv she told them in the City at a Shoomakers in Walbrook notice vvhere of being brought back to Mr. Blood he vvas advised to have her by Warrant carried before a Justice of Peace as also Mr. Monk the Dyer to be examined touching their knovvledge of these Persons vvhich he accordingly did vvhere being both come Mrs. Stringer gave relation of them both to the follovving purpose viz. The Justice ask'd her and Mr. Monk both 1st Whether they knevv any thing relating to the Plot they reply'd No. Have you ever taken the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy or not they replyed Yes Then you knovv that those Oaths bind you to be true and faithful to the King Yes they knevv that they said Then the Justice took Mrs. Stringer singly to task asking her vvhether she knevv Coddan Ryther or Hickey Yes said she I knovv them all three constant Companions together and that they usually resorted to her Cellar accompanied great many times by other Irish Men vvho vvere of their Gang and vvhose Names she knew not though they all together dyeted with her commonly Have you taken any notice of any discourse they had when they were together replyed the Justice Why replyed the Woman when they discoursed about any thing that they would not have me or the House privy to they usually spoke Irish And being asked whether she knew any remarkable thing or passage relating to any of the three under present debate Yes said she What is 't Why said she the day after Hickey was cryed in the Intelligence and one hundred Pounds bid to any that could discover him she espied him go by her door in very great hast and being indebted to her she ran after him and with much ado overtook him in such a Sweat that every drop that came from him looked as big as a Pea being overtook she asked him for the Money he owed her for said she we are very Poor People and new Beginners and you would do very well to pay us Whereto Mr. Hickey replying I am said he going into the City to Mr. Coddan and though I am disappointed at present yet it shall not be long before I content you and not only that but I will speak to Mr. Coddan to do the like for what he owes you The next day being the second day after Hickey was cryed in the Intelligence Coddan himself came to Mr. Monkes whom he owed Money to also for Lodging where I happening to see him quoth the Woman I went and spoke to him before Mr. Monk and told him I saw and spoke with Mr. Hickey said she yesterday about my Money and he told me that he was going into the City to speak with you Yes replyed Coddan he was with me yesterday and told me what you said to him But said the Woman Mr. Coddan I hear that Mr. Hickey is in the Intelligence no said Coddan you are mistaken it 's another Whereupon he went away and called within two days after at Mr. Monkes Shop where I happened to be said the Woman and I hear continued she to Mr. Coddan that Hickey is in the Gate-house and did not I tell you before that I was sure it was the same Hickey that was cryed in the Intelligence the other day Coddan replyed to Mr. Monk and she saying I was not willing you should take him because I had a mind to take him
my self Whereupon the Woman told the Justice that the said Coddan owing her Money she went several times to demand it but to little purpose and being lost for some time she heard at last that he lay in London whither she and her Husband went on a Sunday morning to demand their Debt not exceeding five Shillings He reply'd Damn him he would pay her no Money if it were to save her Life from the Gallowes or her Soul from Hell and so would not pay her one farthing though he shewed a great quantity of Money that he had about him At which her Husband went with a Friend to the Gate-house where he found the said Hickey with the Campaigne Coat that Coddan had on his back when Hickey was in the Intelligence Mr. Monkes Confession of his Knowledge of the said Hickey Coddan and Ryther c. Mr. Monk when examin'd told the Justice that he always suspected since first he saw them that Coddan Ryther Hickey and the rest of the Gang were Rogues that Coddan and Hickey lay at his House about three Weeks whither they were resorted to by several other Irish men that his opinion was they could not get their Livelihoods honestly being sometimes very flush of money and sometimes none at all that after Hickey was in the Intelligence he met with Coddan and told him that Hickey was in the Intelligence for he knew it by the mark of his Hand and that there was one hundred Pounds bid for the apprehending of him and that Coddan reply'd he was mistaken it was none of him it was another and Coddan calling a day or two after Mr. Monk said to him Did I not tell you it was the same Hickey I says Coddan but I was not minded you should take him for I intended to take him my self Further Mr. Monk declared that the said Coddan did often tell him about this time that Mr. Blood and he did never converse together in their Lives When Sir William Waller and some others heard this and that Mrs. Stringer and Monk were with Mr. Blood before a Justice of the Peace and given in some report relating to Coddan and Ryther he took occasion of going to Long-Acre and happing in hard by the Place where Mrs. Stringer and Monk lived Coddan sent in his own name for Mr. Monk to drink a Cup of Ale with him accordingly Monk came where he found Sir William Waller Mr. Whitaker Mr. Jeuks and Coddan together After some discourse Sir William took Monk aside and desired him to tell him plainly what he knew of Coddan Ryther or Hickey how long he knew them and what his opinion was of them as to their honesty manner of living and so forth to the end as he seemed to pretend that if they did Mr. Blood any wrong things might be put to right and the said Persons exposed to condign punishment as far as they were found to deserve it Whereto Mr. Monk replying gave him his opinion as he did before when he was examin'd on Mr. Blood 's behalf and that withal he always took them for very loose Fellows and that little time would discover better what they were and so bad Sir William believe them and what they said accordingly for they were idle Fellows in his Judgment Here the Reader may with little trouble undo the Snare as well as unriddle the whole Plot laid against the Innocence of Mr. Blood and others if he will but please to consider First the manner of the two Witnesses first coming to the Woman at Heaven what they were over-heard to say against Mr. Blood saying when they were told by Mr. Curtis that he was the man that was to treat with them touching what they came about Is that the Blood that stole the Crown God Damn him we 'll have nothing to do with him for he 's the Dukes Friend Secondly Their saying at Heaven How shall we do said the same again God Damn me we will do Blood 's business for him and find Oaths enough against him by that time Sir W. W. comes to Town Thirdly Their Confession before Doctor Chamberlain where they acknowledged they would have told the Plot to Mr. Blood when they met but that they knew he was the Dukes Friend and therefore durst not trust him Fourthly How he has been treated by Sir W. W. through the instigation of others and endeavoured to be hurryed into Prison first by a Mittimus and then by a Warrant reported that he was in Prison when he was not c. Fifthly How they invented the Paper which was to be signed by Coddan and Ryther certifying that Sarah Harwood said before them that the Duke of Buckingham did so and so with her c. Sixthly How Maurice Hickey should appoint a meeting with this Coddan and Ryther at a certain place in Bloomsberry where he was to pay them 300 pieces of Gold in the name of himself Mr. Blood c. upon their signing the said Paper Seventhly How when Hickey came as the pretence would make it be believed Ryther only appear'd where it was so contrived that when Hickey should offer him the Paper to sign Ryther should desire the liberty of considering on it in the next Room and then like a faithful Servant forsooth to make his escape and run to a place hard by where it is credibly reported his Teachers attended his coming out of such a danger here is a delivery with a vengeance and pretend that one Maurice Hickey and others did tempt him with so much monyes for signing such a Paper and that if he did not they the said Hickey and Company should stab him that the said Paper tended to the ruin of his master the Duke and that therefore it was wery Proper to lay the said Hickey by the Heels Eighthly That when Hickey understood that Ryther went thus away unknown to him as he pretetended he should thereupon tell the Woman of the House we are all undone for the information its supposed of those that waited hard by who when they should repair where Hickey was upon this alarum carried them by Ryther and that they knew Hickey was fled were to come under pretence of seizing him Ninthly When Hickey was thus fled Mr. Whitaker to bid 100 l. in the Intelligence to any man that could apprehend him and give notice thereof to the said Dukes Attorney living near S. Thomas Apostles Where to their viz. Coddan and Ryther's never to be forgotten reproach infamy and shame if they had or have any it plainly and undeniably appears by Mr. Stringer and Monks Depositions aforesaid that every day both while he the said Hickey was so cryed after and till he was taken or surrender'd it matters not which though the last is the properest and nearest to the matter that Hickey who thus was hunted after and a 100 l. bid to take him was every day in the Company of Ryther who pretends to refuse the 300 pieces for signing the Paper and might tell Mr.
against me I 'le wait upon your Lordship if I am sent for I do not usually concern my self replied my Lord with any out of my Liberty and so went away A day after Mr. Blood sent one Comings an Atturney to my Lord to know if his Lordship had issued any Warrant lately against Mr. Blood and if he did he came in Mr. Blood 's name to know what it was for To whom it was replied by another of his Lordships Clerks there was one issued against Mr. Blood three dayes before together with one John Burry and one Fooks Few dayes after Mr. Whitaker took the liberty of spreading about the City that Mr. Blood and Friends having heard of a Warrant that was out against them from my Lord Mayor durst not come into London as they usually did for fear of being imprisoned reporting at the same time that he had the same in his Pocket This report being boasted about in the Coffee-Houses and particularly in one Mr. Combe's where one of Mr. Blood 's particular good friends happened to be the Friend replied protesting he did not believe it and that if Mr. Blood 's Friend did decline coming into London upon that score he would never own him and withal said I 'le warrant his coming and being there notwithstanding all this to day or to morrow Mr. Blood 's Friend hearing this as also that Mr. Whitaker offered Mr. Combes the Coffee-man half a Crown in Money to drink a Bottle of Sack with conditionally that he would tell him where Mr. Blood 's Friend was if he was then in the City or send him word when he came there whereupon Mr. Blood 's Friend hearing this left word that he did not fear either Mr. Whitaker or his Warrant and that if he had any thing to say to him he was there to answer him and said he I am going to the Crown-Tavern where I 'le stay some time which pray tell him if you see him this afternoon To make short by and by in came Mr. Whitaker and afterwards his Man Mr. Whitaker enquiring after Mr. Blood 's Friend Combes told him that he was hard by Where said Mr. Whitaker nay said Combes let me have the Half-Crown first which he accordingly did but with seeming anger then he told him where he was Whereupon Mr. Whitaker sent his Servant with my Lord Mayor's Warrant who asked him whether he would please to go before the Lord Mayor No said he I may go before any other Justice of the Peace for said he your Warrant is not Special then one that stood by advised him to go before Sir William Turner and another to another Well said Mr. Blood 's Friend I do not care if I go before my Lord I 'de as live go before him as any other especially upon this in regard he took these People's Examination and therefore Sweet-heart said he go and bring a Constable will you not go without one replied the Servant Well said the Servant I 'le go and tell my Master and come again Well said Mr. Blood 's Friend now 't is half an hour past Four I 'le stay till Five for your Master and no longer and if he comes within that time I 'le go with him before my Lord. Whereupon the Servant went to his Master and at the time appointed came back again and asked whether or no he would go before my Lord No said Mr. Blood 's Friend not without a Constable Well said he my Master then must take another time and opportunity Thereupon Mr. Blood 's Friend stood up and said Your Master has here said he given Mr. Combes Half a Crown for a Bottle of Sack to let him speak with me when I came to the City and see I dare do it But said he tell your Master that in recompence I 'le give you five Shillings to buy a pair of Gloves and spend Fifteen Shillings upon him provided he will bring Coddan and Rither to Westminster to answer Mr. Blood 's charge And besides tell him farther that if he be the Duke of buckingham's Solicitor I am Mr. Blood 's Solicitor So that it is plainly seen they wanted only Mr. Blood in the City to lay him in Pickle To the foregoing Narrative it may be without digression added that at the bursting out of the late Divice called the Presbyterian Plot discovered by Mr. Dangerfield and broached at the Lodgings of Collonel Rotherick Mansell in Ax-yard Westminster it was fully reported that Mr. Blood did combine and conspire with some Persons in the World to ensnare and entangle the Professors of the true Protestant Religion in a Plot laid against the Government and that then he was to be by his own consent Seized upon Tryed for his Life and then upon getting his Pardon to become the King's Evidence by betraying several Presbyterians which he was said to be concerned within the said Conspiracy And that consequently he apprehends himself under some ill censures with some of his best Friends in England c. to whom the same is said to be reported for a real truth The matter of Fact was as follows viz. VVHen the late Parliament was dissolved and our present one called to succeed it it fell out that one Thomas Curtis was then employed by some Power or Authority to carry down Writs into the Country to Sherifs to chuse new Parliament Members This Mr. Curtis being returned from his Errand and calling at Heaven whether he usually resorted in Term and Parliament time as being an old acquaintance of James Bradley in his life-time Mrs. Bradley the said J. Bradley's Widow asked his Opinion in reference to his thinking whether the approaching Parliament would sit at the appointed time or no for it highly concerns us continued she that live hereabouts to have it sit if it were for no other Good but the Custom and Trade it brings for her lively-hood depended much upon it Truly replied Curtis I know nothing of its Sitting neither whether or no it continues Sitting when it meets I am sorry in my Heart said she that you can give me no better hopes for we shall be ruined for want of Trade This after some further discourse to that purpose the said Curtis whisperingly told her that he heard there were Commissions a giving out how quoth she how comes that who has them a giving said he Mr. Blood is one that has Commissions to give out And with that they both parted being Saturday Night When he was gone she began seriously to consider of what could be the matter or meaning of giving out Commissions and could not purge her thoughts thereof all that Night and observing Mr. Blood mentioned as also that he was a Friend to the King and sinking deeper into the thing wondred what it should be and therefore at last thought fit to send for Mr. Blood to acquaint him with it though she never had the exchange of one word with him in her lifetime before Mr. Blood after twice sending did happen to neglect coming to her till the Tuesday following as judging it was upon the score of some frivolous errand that might tend to the begetting his Custom to her House came at last and desiring her to tell him the business she rehearsed what passed betwixt her and Curtis and that she doubled that tho' she knew Curtis as her Husband's acquaintance yet she did not know what his heart might be and and that she therefore sent for him to give him caution as became a Neighbour Whereupon Mr. Blood paused a little and began to think what to do in the case but at last resolved to go to some friends for their advice and directions what to think of as a defence against the ill effect or issue of such a report as that seemed to threaten And finding that it was impossible for any judgment or Scrutiny to detect or explain the meaning of it without some time to consider on 't advised him to pass it by which he accordingly did but now understands it by the foregoing Narative It is credibly reported that notwithstanding the strictness with which Maurice Hickly has been committed to the care and custody of the Keeper of the Gate-House from the King and Council with prohibition that none should be suffered to speak with him but that he should be kept close Prisoner till due delivery Yet one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace is said to have contrary thereto carried him thence to Taverns and other publick Houses at unseasonable hours of the Night furnished him with Money and return'd him back again some times at 1 2 3 and 4 the next Morning And Mr. Blood being told that the same was in order to the sueing out his pardon and escaping the punishment justly due to his Treachery to Mr. Blood by becoming an evidence to put a Cavet thereto in the proper Offices FINIS Comit ' Middlesex Clvit ' Libert ' Westm ' William Waller Civit ' Middlesex Libert ' Westm William Waller