be endur'd by any True Protestant says the Captain speak your pleasure of me says he but do not blaspheme the venerable Doctor the Doctor continued I if he depos'd with no more truth against the Jesuits than he did against me they died Martyrs At this the Captain rises and runs away to Sir Robert Booth a True-Protestant L. C. J. of the Kings Bench and makes affidavit that I said that Titus Oates was a Rogue and the five Jesuits Martyrs To be short I was sent for by a Tipstaff bound over to answer at the Kings-Bench the near approaching term when I was indicted for these very words found guilty and fin'd 200 l. and imprisonment until I paid it At the same time comes over from England a pretended character of Adam Elliot directed to a Gentleman of Quality in Dublin who was desired to disperse Copies of it it was subscribed North and Grey and was a base malicious Libel stufft with lies and impudence it is Scandalum Magnatum any person professing Honour and Honesty as the Author of it He asserts upon his honour that I was expell'd the University of Cambridge that I was a Jesuit that I was a Renegado and a Mahumetan that I was a Felon that I was a Murderer that I was guilty of Forgery and particularly that I combin'd with Ralph Lord Grey of Werk and with him forg'd the last Will of his Father William Lord Grey to the prejudice of the Lord North of above 30000 l. This infamous character howsoever most abominably and from the beginning to the end false yet coming under the specious recommendation of a Person of Honour did much prejudice me especially with the concurrence of my other misfortunes so that I was rendered very odious and vile insomuch that my confinement was my best security for if I had walkt the Streets I had been in danger of being ston'd At length after this violent ferment of the Peoples hatred by a little time as is usual had begun to abate the Privy Council upon my Petition were pleas'd to consider my condition as thinking that I had met with very hard measure for speaking a few words which were by the severest construction the result only of passion and inadvertency and being pretty well satisfied of my good inclinations to the Church of England and Ireland as by Law established as also to the Government and my aversion to Popery and withall considering how I labour'd under the calumnies and slanders of a scandalous Libel apparently false and design'd out of malice to ruin my reputation and that I had no way to do my self right so long as I was under confinement they were pleas'd to order my releasement upon Bail until the next Term and then I satisfied the Law and was discharg'd After my departure from London for Ireland the Lord North perceiving how much a propô it would be to invalidate my testimony viz. that excellent invention of Circumcision for though a Papists Oath may be taken yet no man sure will believe one who has renounc't the Christian Faith he renews his sollicitations to the Doctor to swear against me in the Court of Delegates the Doctor who us'd not to swear lightly and in vain i. e. for nothing seem'd shy at first but having heard that I call'd him a Rogue and the Jesuits Martyrs he comply'd with the desire of his good Friend the Lord North who at that time the Reader must take notice was a Petitioning Lord that is one of those Lords who subscrib'd and presented a Petition to his Majesty for the sitting of the Parliament and therefore was by all obliging offices to be caress'd and retain'd The Reader is likewise desir'd to take notice that at the Lord Stafford's Tryal Oates swore that a certain Lord sent him a 100 l. but he neither tells us who nor for what so that whether this remark be to the purpose or not I cannot as yet tell Oates's Depositions against me upon Oath are as followeth 4 to Maii 1680. Super Allegatione articulata ex parte Domini North and Grey ejus Uxoris quarto Martii 1679 juxta c. data 18 o ejusdem mensis admissa Titus Oates Sacrae Theologiae Professor Vicarius Vicariae de Bibbin in Com. Cantii aetatis suae 32 o aut eo circiter natus apud Okeham in Com. Rutlandiae Testis productus juratus examinatus deponit prout sequitur viz. AD. 11 12 Articulos dictae Allegationis deponit That he knew Mr. Elliot now a Minister whose name he thinks Adam in the year 1667 in the Colledge of Cajus in Cambridge and as near as he can remember he was then Pupil to Mr. Simon Bagg or Mr. John Ellis one of which as the said Elliot confessed he the said Elliot did beat at which time and during the time of this Deponents knowledge of him in the said Colledge which was for about the space of a year he the said Elliot was a poor Schollar maintained by some of the Doctors of the Vniversity as he confest to the Deponent but for his rude riotous whoreing and debauch'd living they withdrew his maintenance as he complained to this Deponent And the said Adam Elliot hath confessed that he went a Deer-stealing and the said Elliot rob'd a Study in Cajus Colledge and would have sold this Deponent some of the Books he took from thence He further saith that after the said Elliot was gone from the said Vniversity and in the year 1670 or thereabouts the said Elliot did write to the Rector of St. Omers and gave him an account that he had received Orders and was a Priest and had sung high Mass at the English Colledge at Rome which Letter this Deponent saw in the year 1677 juxta c. and afterwards the said Elliot was carried a Slave into Barbary and there as it was reported generally and credibly was Circumcis'd and as he confessed did give poyson to his Master or Patron After which returning to Rome he made his Recantation which this Deponent hath seen under his own hand as this Deponent believes having been well acquainted with his Character He further saith that in the year 1673 the said Elliot living in Kent did lead a very dissolute debauched life and was much given to Drinking Whoreing Lying and Swearing that to be true which was not so And he saith that he hath seen a Letter subscribed as from the Bishop of Meath in Ireland the purport of which was that Elliot was indicted in Dublin before the Lord Chief Justice Booth for saying that this Deponent was a perjured Rogue and that the Jesuits that were hanged for high Treason died Martyrs and that there was no such thing as a Popish Plot or to that effect upon which the said Elliot was convicted and fined 200 lb. and was to be imprisoned till the said Fine was paid or to that purpose And this Deponent doth verily believe that the said Elliot was and is so vile
hopes unless his own fancy seems very unaccountable For the Lord William Grey had bestow'd a plentiful Portion with his Daughter and he always caress'd his Son and Grand-sons with a paternal affection as the props and supports of his Name and Family and why then he should alientate his Estate and bestow it upon another Name is very unsuitable to that wisdom and prudent conduct by which the said Lord was always observ'd to have manag'd his affairs Howsoever the Lord North left no means unattempted no Stone unrolled to find out a Dish of Deeds as his Lordship learnedly phras'd it but all in vain at length two Sons of Belial William Warren who had been for a long time Steward in the Lord Grey of Werk's Family and then for his infidelity cashier'd and Isaack his Son much about the same time and upon the like account discarded the service of the Lady Dowager Grey being both turn'd out of Beneficial employments and not having any other ways of subsistance they lay hold of this humour of my Lord North resolving to incourage him in it and to improve it to two different purposes namely to procure themselves a livelihood thereby and besides to revenge themselves upon the Lord Grey and the Lady Dowager his Mother To this purpose they inform the Lord North that he is much injur'd by the Lady Dowager Grey Executrix to her Husband Lord Ralph Grey pretended Executor only to his Father the Lord William Grey because that the Lady North was appointed sole Executrix by the last Will of the said William Lord Grey and that the Lord Ralph had burnt that Schedule wherein she was nominated and forg'd another wherein he nominated himself and substituted it in the place of the other this they both attest upon their Oathes upon which the Lord North commences a sute against the Lady Dowager Grey The Cause after several removes from Court to Court at last center'd before the Delegates To be short after a tedious examination of Witnesses produc'd on both sides the Delegates having diligently weigh'd the arguments came to a final determination and unanimously pronounc'd in favour of the Lady Grey judging that Rascal Isaack Warren who confess'd himself to be a Villain in betraying his Lord William Lord Grey and in being accessory to the forging his last Will and Testament before he could be in a capacity to witness for Thomas Lord North to be much more a Villain after and that his Testimony involv'd a manifest contradiction and consequently that he was forsworn It was during the tryal of this Cause in that Court that I was sent for from Dublin in Ireland about September 1679 I was produc'd as a Witness by the Lady Grey After I had delivered what I knew as to that Cause I prepar'd for my return back to Dublin and accordingly I had took a place in the Chester-Coach for the Munday following But the day before as I was preaching at S. Gyles's Church in the Fields in the Afternoon news came to the Lady Grey that there was a Warrant out to apprehend me as a Jesuit upon which I was conveyed home and commanded to keep my self close till such time as her Ladyship had made enquiry what the matter was At length I understood from her Ladyship that the Lord North and Titus Oates had that morning met at Whitehall and after some conference they came where his Majesty was and told him for news that they had discovered where one of the most dangerous Jesuits in England was one that was lately come over from Ireland sent as a Spy one who hid himself under a Parsons Gown and preacht in our Churches sometimes at other times he would put on a Cloak and hold forth in a Conventicle and anon one might hear him saying Mass in Sommerset-Chappel His Majesty was astonish'd at the impudence of such a fellow who at such a time of the day durst appear to affront the severity of the Laws which were then most rigorously put in Execution and was pleas'd to demand his Name and enquir'd of Oates if he knew him Oates told his Majesty that his name was Elliot and that he knew him very well for one of the most mischievous wicked men in the world and that he believ'd he had more malice in him than all the Jesuits had who were hang'd nay more says he he is a Circumcis'd Jesuit God bless us says his Majesty What sort of Jesuit is that A Jesuit who is no Christian but a Turk reply'd the Salamanca Devil And thus they went on the Lord and the Doctor striving to outvy each other in burthening my poor name with all the Infamy imaginable and that before his Sacred Majesty as if I were unworthy of his protection or the benefit of the Laws At length his Majesty weary of such an odious description was pleas'd to retire bidding them get a Warrant to apprehend me which they immediately did from Sir William Waller Her Ladyship moreover made me acquainted that there was an Advertisement in the Gazette for the next day concerning me and therefore that it would not be my best course to set forward for Chester for that I was represented under so vile a Character that the Mobile would certainly tear me in pieces However her Ladyship bid me chear up and not to despond for I should find friends enough to stand by me and defend my innocence so that never a Lord nor Devil-of-a-Doctor of them all should prejudice me her Ladyship therefore that night sent and prevented the Advertisement in the Gazette and bid me prepare my self to appear before Sir William the next morning About nine of the Clock the day following I saw a Constable with some Red-Coats coming to my Lady Grey's House and fearing lest they should affront Her Ladyship if I should be out of the way I went and met them at the Gate I demanded whom they would speak with The Constable told me that he had a Warrant to search for and apprehend a Priest in that house I assur'd him there was no Priest belong'd to that Family except my self he inquir'd whether I was one I answered that I was but of the Church of England and that my name was Elliot and moreover I told him I thought I was the person he was in quest of He reply'd that he was of the same opinion and withall commanded me along with him I enquired whither I must go he told me to Sir William Waller whose Warrant he shew'd me The Honourable Ralph Grey Esquire came to the Constable and desir'd him to command the Red-Coats to keep off because the People seeing them attend a Coach would be apt to affront us and withall proffer'd me the honour of his Company which I with all thankful acknowledgments most willingly accepted And indeed I had reason for if it had not been for his presence and the influence of the Right Honourable the Lady his Mother I had been certainly sent to Newgate and
as were prov'd yet he spoke them only jocularly as who had no malicious design No not he good man was of so tender a conscience that he would not discompose the Hair of a mans head for a thousand worlds as is clear in the case of the Lord Stafford and the Jesuites who suffer'd the pious Doctor God wot had no malice against them he only had them hang'd up jocularly or so for truly hanging is but an ordinary jest with him And in order hereunto the first who appear'd to qualify the Doctor 's words and honour the cause was the Noble Peer Charles Lord North and Grey It was by many lookt upon with admiration that his Lordship would appear in defence of an already baffled cause and for the encouragement and patronage of a profligate Villain abandon'd by his Majesty and all his Loyal Subjects But these people were it seems but strangers to the Great soul of this Noble Lord who maintain'd a resolution and courage equal always with difficulties which were insuperable and a wit so transcendent which nothing could match but his profound wisdom and discretion and besides an eloquence so powerful as to be able to rend the rocks and make the most obdurate heart to split These people moreover did not consider what a sence of gratitude this person of honour did entertain who seeing how liberal the Doctor had been of his Oathes in his Lordships behalf resolv'd to be even with him and pay him in his own coyn his Lordship therefore after having been sworn in mitigation of dammages in behalf of the Doctor and against poor Me addresses himself to the Lord Chief Justice and the Jury to this effect My Lord I knew this same Elliot when Chaplain to the Lord William Grey and my Lord he then told me that he was circumcis'd I vow to God this is true I would not tell an untruth for all the world and my Lord to shew you circumstances to believe this to be so he was at that time making Diamonds out of calcin'd Flints My Lord he told me he was a Slave at Mamora where the Blackmores inhabit I have been there my Lord and know it very well Here his Lordship was interrupted by his Council acquainting his Lordship with a mistake for that Elliot was a Slave at Salle and not at Mamora that being the Christian Garrison whither he escapt but His Lordship being mov'd a little with their sawcy interruption proceeds I say Elliot told me he was a Slave at Mamora he might tell you who understood no better that he was a Slave at Salle but he knew that I had been in that Countrey and that I know very well a man cannot escape from Salle but from Mamora he may easily and therefore he told me the truth that he was a Slave at Mamora and to shew you that this is true he told me he knocked his Master in the head and left him for dead and the reason why he did it was becaase his Master had a very handsome woman to his wife and Elliot told me he had a very great mind to have a bout with her this upon my honour is true nay as I hope to be sav'd he told me shrugging his shoulders He told me besides my Lord that he was a Slave at Rome no I beg your pardon my Lord I would not tell an untruth not for all the world I think he was mistaken there he told me he taught Mathematicks in the Scotch Colledge and I believe then that he was a Priest He swore against me ay he swore against me at Doctors-Commons and truly my Lord I got Oates to swear against him that good man was loth to appear I was forc'd my Lord to Whatdeecallum him what d ee call it pish what d ee call it pish you you know well enough what they call it at length some call'd out subpaena and then the Lord went on ay ay I was forct to subpaena that modest good man to swear the truth I le tell you my Lord by what good fortune I met the honest Doctor you know my Lord there is a gallery in Whitehall you have been there my Lord and so have I and several I believe in this Company it was not the Stone-Gallery no no I know that Gallery well enough that is below stairs no no it was a Gallery above stairs and yet it was not that Gallery over the Stone Gallery but another Gallery and yet now I think on 't it was not in the Gallery for I would not tell a Lye an give me never so much it was in a Chamber at the end of the Gallery not such a Chamber which your Lordship knows very well but another Chamber there it was that I met Oates no I beg your pardon my Lord I would not tell a Lye for the world I did not meet the Doctor there but I 'le tell you who I met there I met my Lord Chancellour there this is the plain truth as I hope to be saved says I to him pray my Lord Chancellour who can you advise me to that is good at catching a Priest says my Lord presently to me again there is Doctor Oates hard by you cannot light upon a better with that I took leave of his Lordship and addressed my self to the Doctor I ask'd him if he knew one Elliot a Priest who had been at Cambridge he presently told me that he knew him to be a Popish Priest and that he had been circumcised and for the truth of this the King and my Lord Chancellour will be my Witness God damme laying his hand on his Breast this is all truth This eloquent speech in Oates's behalf by the Lord North and Grey I have made bold to trouble the Reader 's patience with lest the Doctor should tax me with injustice in omitting any thing that was material in his defence as this florid harangue was the most considerable I remember I have sometime heard this Noble Peer say that the curious Painter in drawing His Lordship's Picture had observ'd a Je ne scay quoy in his face I am sure there are a great many Je ne scay quoy's in his speech embellishments which can hardly be better express'd in English than by a word borrowed from His Lordship Whatdeecallums There is one observation which I cannot omit viz. that in the heat of his Rhetorick His Lordship overslipt his design which was to prove Oates intended no malice against me by his detraction and so to mitigate the dammages but instead thereof His Lordship offer'd His Majesty and my Lord Chancellour for witnesses that Oates loaded me with calumnies even before the King so that with whatsoever resentment His Lordship may be thought to have utter'd these pathetick elaborate periods yet he really was a Witness on my side and confirm'd Mr. Grey's restimony destroying the Doctor 's Plea The next who seconded the Lord in behalf of the Doctor was one Isaack Warren the Lord North's chief