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honour_n	guilty_a	lord_n	put_v	1,443	5	9.3023	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A63227	The tryals of Thomas Walcot, William Hone, William Lord Russell, John Rous & William Blagg for high-treason for conspiring the death of the King, and raising a rebellion in this kingdom at the Sessions-House in the Old-Baily, London, on a commission of oyer and terminer held there for the city of London and county of Middlesex, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, July 12, 13 and 14, 1683.	Walcot, Thomas, d. 1683.; Hone, William, d. 1683.; Russell, William, Lord, 1639-1683.; Rouse, John, d. 1683.; Blague, William.; England and Wales. Court of Oyer and Terminer and Gaol Delivery (London and Middlesex).	1683 (1683)	Wing T2265; ESTC R21861	139,903	84

THE TRYALS OF Thomas Walcot William Hone William Lord Russell John Rous William Blagg FOR HIGH TREASON For Conspiring The Death of the King And raising a REBELLION IN THIS KINGDOM At the Sessions-House in the Old-Baily London on a Commission of Oyer and Terminer held there for the City of London and County of Middlesex on Thursday Friday and Saturday Iuly 12 13 and 14. 1683. LONDON Printed for Richard Royston Benjamin Took and Charles Mearn M DC LXXXIII I Appoint RICHARD ROYSTON BENJAMIN TOOK and CHARLES MEARN to Print the TRYALS of THOMAS WALCOT WILLIAM HONE WILLIAM Lord RUSSEL JOHN ROUS and WILLIAM BLAGG at the Sessions in the Old-Baily and that no other do presume to Print the same Will. Prichard Mayor The Tryals c. The Tryal of Captain Thomas Walcot THursday Iuly 12. 1683. at the Sessions-House in the Old Baily London The Court being me● and Proclamation made for Attendance the Proceedings were as follow Thomas Walcot being set to the Bar and after having held up his Hand the Indictment was read as follows London The Iurors for our Sovereign Lord the King upon their Oaths Present That Thomas Walcot late of London Gent. as a false Traitor against the Most Illustrious and excellent Prince our Sovereign Lord Charles the second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King his natural Lord not having the fear of God in his Heart nor weighing the Duty of his Allegeance but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil and the true Duty and natural Obedience which True and Faithful Subjects of our Sovereign Lord the King towards him our said Lord the King do bear and of right ought to bear wholly withdrawing and with his whole strength intending the Peace and common Tranquillity of this Kingdom of England to disturb and War and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move and stir up and the Government of our said Lord the King within this Kingdom of England to subvert and our said Lord the King from his Title Honour and Kingly Name of the Imperial Crown of this his Kingdom of England to put down and deprive and our said Lord the King to Death and final Destraction to bring and put the second day of March in the year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second King of England c. the Five and Thirtieth and divers other days and times as well before as after at the Parish of S. Michael Bassishaw in the Ward of Bassishaw London aforesaid Maliciously and Traiterously with divers other Traytors to the Iurors aforesaid unknown did Conspire Compass Imagine and Intend our said Lord the King his Supreme Lord not only of his Kingly State Title Power and Government of this his Kingdom of England to deprive and throw down but also our said Lord the King to kill and to Death to bring and put and the antient Government of this his Kingdom of England to change alter and wholly to subvert and a miserable slaughter amongst the Subjects of our said Lord the King through his whole Kingdom of England to cause and procure and Insurrection and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move and stir up within this Kingdom of England And to fulfil and perfect the said most horrible Treasons and traiterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid the said Thomas Walcot as a false Traytor then and there and divers other days and times as well before as after maliciously traiterously and advisedly did assemble meet together and consult with the aforesaid other Traytors to the Iuror aforesaid unknown and with them did treat of and for the executing and perfecting their Treasons Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid and that the said Thomas Walcot as a false Traytor Maliciously Traiterously and Advisedly then and there and divers other dayes and times as well before as after did take upon himself and to the aforesaid other Traytors did promise to be aiding and assisting in the execution of the Treasons and traiterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid and in providing Armour and Armed Men to fulfil and perfect the said Treasons and trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid And the said most wicked Treasons and trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid to fulfil and bring to pass he she said Thomas Walcot as a false Traytor Maliciously Traiterously and Advisedly then and there did procure and prepare Arms to wit Blunderbusses Carbines and Pistols against the duty of his Allegeance against the Peace of our Sovereign Lord the King his Crown and Dignity and against the form of the Statutes in that Case made and provided c. Cl. of Cr. What saist thou Thomas Walcot Art thou Guilty of this High Treason whereof thou standest Indicted or Not Guilty Capt. Walcot Not Guilty Cl. of Cr. Culprit how wilt thou be tryed Capt. Walcot By God and my Countrey Cl. of Cr. God send thee a good Deliverance Then were William Hone John Rouse and William Blague arraign'd who pleaded Not Guilty to their Indictments and the Court adjourn'd till the Afternoon When Thomas Walcot being again brought to the Bar after some exceptions the following Jury was impannel'd Nicholas Charlton Christopher Pitts Robert Beddingfield Iohn Pelling William Winbury Thomas Seaton William Rutland Thomas Short Theophilus Man Iohn Genew Iohn Short Thomas Nicholas Cryer Oyes If any one can inform my Lords the Kings Justices c. L. C. J. Mr. Sheriffs This is an extraordinary case it is reasonable the Evidence should be well heard I require you both to keep the Court quiet Mr. Tanner swear the Kings Evidence one at a time Clerk Thomas Walcot Hold up thy hand you of the Jury look upon the Prisoner and hearken to his Charge He stands indicted by the name of Thomas Walcot Gent. prout in the Indictment before mutatis mutandis Upon this Indictment he hath been arraigned and thereunto pleaded Not Guilty and for his Tryal put himself upon his Countrey which Countrey you are Your charge is to enquire c. Mr. North. May it please your Lordship and you that are sworn the Prisoner stands charged That he being a false Traytor to the King and intending to raise War and Rebellion against the King and to bring his Majesty to an untimely death did on the second of March in the Five and Thirtieth year of the King at the Parish of S. Michael Bassishaw meet with other Traytors like himself and there conspired to bring these Treasons to effect and accordingly promised to be aiding and assisting to provide Arms for it and did actually provide several Arms as Carbines Blunderbusses and Pistols for the perpetrating this Treason This is the Charge to which he says he is Not Guilty We will call our Witnesses and prove it and then you are to find it Mr. Att. Gen. Gentlemen of the Jury the Prisoner at the Bar is accused of the highest of Crimes High Treason against his Sovereign

many Consults is very certain that there was a Design to raise an Insurrection and War within this Nation is as plain by them all it was designed the last Winter to have done it The Witnesses who are certainly the Persons most capable of giving Evidence tell you there were several times appointed and still they were by one Providence or another disappointed All of them tell you there was a Design to kill the King and Duke at the Rye in Hertfordshire as they came from New-Market This is very plain too That th●● Gentleman at the Bar knew of this this he himself confesses that the was at several of the Consults and this he excuses it by that that was bu● Misprision of Treason if he did not undertake to do any thing As to that Gentlemen we do tell you The Law is That those that are at a Consult for the killing of the King or doing of a Traiterous Act that this is in them High Treason this being at the consulting of it 'T is true it would excu●● and mitigate the Fact if they should come afterwards and discover it it might intitle them to the King's Mercy but to be at a Consult upon a treasonable Design to meet for that purpose to ●●●r the Plot laid and a Design to take the King's Life or to raise Arms against him and to say nothing of this this is down-right Treason and 't is not Misprision of Treason his Law that he relies upon fails him there 'T is very plain of his own Words he heard of this Conspiracy and he kept it secret and says nothing of it and this he says is his Crime that he mentioned to the King so he would mitigate it by saying 't is but Misprision of Treason But without doubt the meeting at several times upon this Design if he had promised and undertaken nothing in it his keeping of it private as he has done makes him guilty of High Treason so that out of his own Words 't is plain that he is Guilty But then consider what two Witnesses positively prove upon him They prove that he did there deny to be ●ny of them that should assassinate the King thus says Collonel Rumsey and thus says Mr. West but he would be one of them that should fight the Guards and he did undertake to fight the Guards as both of them positively swear This is done with Circumstances of overt-Acts too as the providing of Horses and a Tuck was to be prepared in order to it and a Tuck he did prepare whether he did go down that is a little dark but he did agree to go down Gentlemen 'T is plain by what Mr. West said of him that he had a Design formerly in my L. Shaftsbury's time to have raised War he had undertaken to be a Collonel of Horse under my Lord Shaftsbury and he offered Mr. West to be one of his Officers under him This is a Design to raise War against the King and declares it sufficiently That which makes the Evid●nce further plainly and greatly clear is a Letter whereby he does submit to the King's Mercy but proposes that himself is abler to instruct the King in these matters than any of those that had made former Discoveries and therefore if his Majesty should think fit he would make him a full Discovery not only of things in this Kingdom but of the Transactions with other Kingdoms that is Scotland and Ireland in which he takes himself to be more capable of discovering to the King than any body else because he was concerned with the Agents there which shews this Plot hath gone a great way this Design hath gone into other of the King's Dominions and it is to be s●ar●d 't is larger than the King knows 'T is time to nip these Treasons when they are gone so far certainly a more barbarous Design was never thought of by Mankind We have had certainly as many Ingagements to the King as any Subjects ever had to any Prince whatsoever he has done as many Acts of Grace we have lived as peaceably as any People under a Prince can ever expect to do he hath shewed himself with as much Kindness with as much Lenity even to his very Enemies as any Prince that ever we read of the Preservation of our Religion and the Laws of the Kingdom our Laws and Liberties and all our Happiness depend as much upon his Life as they ever did upon the Life of any Prince or ever can do so that we ought all to be concerned even to the last drop of our Blood to preserve Him but how this mischievous Design should enter into the Hearts of Men to undertake to kill him in such villanous and barbarous a manner as this may justly makes us astonished Gentlemen You hear your Evidence you have a very strong Evidence in this Case and stronger I think than could be expected in the Case of Treason The Iury went out for about half a quarter of an Hour and returned and brought the Prisoner in Guilty THE TRYAL OF William Hone. On Thursday July 12. William Hone being set to the Bar and after having held up his Hand the following Indictment was read London THe Iurors for our Sovereign Lord the King upon their Oaths present That William Hone late of London Labourer with many other Traitors as a false Traitor against the most Illustrious and Excellent Prince our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King his natural Lord not having the Fear of God in his Heart nor weighing the Duty of his Allegiance but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil and the true Duty and natural Obedience which true and faithful Subjects of our Sovereign Lord the King towards him our said Lord the King do bear and of right ought to bear wholly withdrawing and with his whole Strength intending the Peace and Common Tranquillity of this Kingdom of England to disturb and War and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move and stir up and the Government of our said Lord the King within this Kingdom of England to subvert and our said Lord the King from his Title Honour and Kingly Name of the Imperial Crown of this his Kingdom of England to put down and deprive and our said Lord the King to Death and final Destruction to bring and put the Second day of March in the Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Charles the Second King of England c. the 35th and divers other Days and Times as well before as after at the Parish of St. Michael Bassishaw in the Ward of Bassishaw London aforesaid maliciously and traiterously with divers other Traitors to the Iurors aforesaid unknown he did conspire compass imagine and intend our said Lord the King his Supream Lord not only of his Kingly State Title Power and Government of this his Kingdom of England to deprive and throw down but also our said

came to him and told him he wanted Labourers he asked him for what at last he did confess that Mr. Goodenough did tell him it was to kill the King and the Duke of York he did confess that he did agree to it and that he would be one of them He did likewise say That after at another Meeting he was for killing the King and saving the Duke but Goodenough was for both Sir Nicholas Butler He said he was to have 20 l. Capt. Richardson He said he did not desire to stir and Goodenough told him he should have 20 l. to buy him Horse and Armor And told us the Business of Rye the Place he did not know but said it was ●●● place where the King was to be murdered This is the substance of the Examination taken Sir Geo. Jeff. Tho the P●l●ner at the Bar did partly make a Confession yet for the Satisfaction of the World ●y Lo●d gave us leave to call our Witnesses Capt. Richardson That which Sir Nicholas says about the Cross-Bows he did own but L. Ch. J. What say you to this treasonable Design of yours in undertaking to kill the King in hiring your self out to be one of the Persons that should have executed this Traiterous Design this horrid Murder to have killed the King at the Rye Hone. I say I did not know the place where nor when at the time it was proposed about the Rye L. Ch. J. But what do you say as to the undertaking to kill the King the other is but a Circumstance this is the material Point Hone. My Lord I was drawn into it by Mr. Richard Goodenough L. Ch. J. You hear what Sir Nicholas Butler says of the Cross-Bows you designed to kill the King with what say you to that Hone. I say there was a Person told me of such a thing and I told Sir Nicholas immediately of it The Person that told me was a Shop-keeper and I don't know him Sir Nicholas Butler You named three Persons to the King that were Confederates with you but you came to me of your self L. Ch. J. Look you your self was one of the wicked Undertakers in that Traiterous Design Hone. No I did never design it but I was told it L. Ch. J. Ay that your self and some other good Fellows were ingaged in the Design Hone. I was not ingaged only as I was told by a Fellow that there was a Shop-keeper lived hard by that would do such a thing and I immediately told Sir Nicholas Butler L. Ch. J. Come 't is in vain for you to mince the matter for here is a full Evidence against you The best you can do for your Advantage now is to consider well with your self and repent of this wicked Design What Religion do you profess Hone. Religion My Lord L. Ch. J. Ay any or none Hone. My Lord I hear several sorts of Men sometimes Baptists sometimes Independents and sometimes the Presbyterians L. Ch. J. But regard none Look you Gentlemen of the Jury you hear a plain case of a barbarous Murder designed upon the King one of the horridest Treasons that hath been heard of in the World to have shot the King and the Duke of York in their Coaches as they were coming upon the Road. You have had full Evidence of this Man 's being one of them and therefore I am of opinion that you must find him Guilty So the Iury brought the Prisoner in Guilty without going out of Court THE TRYAL OF THE Lord Russel July 13. 1683. My Lord Russel was set to the Bar within the Bar. Cl. of the Crown William Russel hold up thy Hand which he did Then this Indictment was read which is as followeth London THe Iurors of our Soveraign Lord the King upon their Oaths present That William Russel late of London Esq together with other false Traitors as a false Traitor against the most Illustrious and Excellent Prince our Soveraign Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King his natural Lord not having the Fear of God in his Heart nor weighing the Duty of his Allegiance but being moved and seduced by the Instigation of the Devil and the true Duty and natural Obedience which true and faithful Subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King towards him our said Lord the King do bear and of right ought to bear wholly withdrawing and with his whole Strength intending the Peace and Comm●n Tranquility of this Kingdom of England to disturb and War and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move and stir up and the Government of our said Lord the King within this Kingdom of England to subvert and our said Lord the King from his Title Honour and Kingly Name of the Imperial Crown of this his Kingdom of England to put down and deprive and our said Lord the King to Death and final Destruction to bring and put the Second day of November in the Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord Charles the Second King of England c. the 34th and divers other Days and Times as well before as after at the Parish of St. Michael Bassishaw in the W●rd of Bassishaw London aforesaid maliciously and traiterously with divers other Traitors to the Iurors aforesaid unknown Be did conspire compass imagine and intend our said Lord the King his Supream Lord not only of his Kingly State Title Power and Government of this his Kingdom of England to deprive and throw down but also our said Lord the King to kill and to Death to bring and put and the ancient Government of this his Kingdom of England to change alter and wholly to subvert and a Miserable Slaughter amongst the Subject of our said Lord the King through his whole Kingdom of England to cause and procure and Insurrection and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move procure and stir up within this Kingdom of England And to fulfil and perfect the said most horrible Treasons and Trayterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid he the said William Russel together with other false Traitors as a false Traytor then and there and divers other Days and Times as well before as after Maliciously Traiterously and advisedly between themselves and with divers other Traitors to the Iurors aforesaid unknown they did meet together consult agree and conclude and every of them then and there did consult agree and conclude Insurrection and Rebellion against our Sover●ign Lord the King within this Kingdom of England to move and stir up and the Guards for the Preservation of the Person of our said Lord the King to seize and destroy against the Duty of his Allegiance against the Peace c. And also against the Form of the Statutes c. Cl. of Cr. How sayest thou art thou Guilty or not Guilty L. Russel My Lord may I not have a Copy of the Matter of Fact laid against me that I may know what to answer to it L. Ch. Just. My

very kindly and I writ a Letter to him to let him know how I had sof●ned my Lord and that it was my desire he should speak with my Lord at Oxon. My Lord Feversham gave me a very kind Account when he came again but he told me L. C. Just. Pray apply your self to the matter you are called for Mr. Howard This it may be is to the matter when you have heard me for I think I know where I am and what I am to say L. C. Just. We must desire you not to go on thus Mr. Howard I must satisfie the World as well as I can as to my Self and my Family and pray do not interrupt me After this my Lord there never passed a Day for almost L. C. Just. Pray speak to this matter Mr. Howard Sir I am coming to it L. C. Just. Pray Sir he directed by the Court. Mr. Howard Then now Sir I will come to the Thing Upon this ground I had of my Lords kindness I applied my self to my Lord in this present Issue on the breaking out of this Plot. My Lord I thought certainly as hear as I could discern him for he took it upon his Honor his Faith and as much as if he had taken an Oath before a Magistrate that he knew nothing of any Man concerned in this Business and particularly of my Lord Russell whom he vindicated with all the Honour in the World My Lord it is true was afraid of his own Person and as a Friend and a Relation I Concealed him in my House and I did not think it was for such a Conspiracy but I thought he was unwilling to go to the Tower for nothing again So that if my Lord Howard has the same Soul on Monday that he had a Sunday this can't be true that he Swears against my Lord Russell This I say upon my Reputation and Honour and something I could say more he added he thought my Lord Russell did not only unjustly Suffer but he took God and Men to Witnesse He thought him the worthyest Person in the World I am very sorry to hear any Man of my Name should be Guilty of these Things L. Russell Call Dr. Burnet Pray Dr. Burnet did you hear any thing from my Lord Howard since the Plot was discovered concerning me Dr. Burnet My Lord Howard was with me the Night after the Plot broke out and he did then as he had done before with Hands and Eyes lifted up to Heaven say he knew nothing of any Plot nor believed any and treated it with great Scorn and Contempt L. Howard My Lord may I speak for my self Sir G. Jeff. No no my Lord we don't call you L. C. Just. Will you please to have any other Witnesses called L. Russel There are some Persons of Quality that I have been very well accquainted and conversed with I desire to know of them if there was any thing in my former Carriage to make them think me like to be Guilty of this My Lord Cavendish L. Cavendish I had the Honour to be acquainted with my Lord Russell a long time I always thought him a Man of great Honour and too Prudent and Wary a Man to be concerned in so Vile and Desperate a design as this and from which he would receive so little advantage I can say nothing more but that Two or Three days since the Discovery of this Plot upon discourse about Col. Rumsey my Lord Russell did express something as if he had a very ill Opinion of the Man and therefore it is not likely he would intrust him with such a Secret L. Russell Dr. Tillotson He appears L. C. Just. VVhat Questions would you ask him my Lord L. Russell He and I happened to be very conversant To know whether he did ever find any thing tending to this in my discourse L. C. Just. My Lord calls you as to his Life and Conversation and Reputation Dr Tillotson My Lord I have been many Years last past acquainted with my Lord Russell I always Judged him a Person of great Vertue and Integrity and by all the Conversation and Discourse I ever had with him I always took him to be a Person very far from any such wicked Design he stands Charged with L. Russell Dr. Burnet If you please to give some account of my Conversation Dr. Burnet My Lord I have had the Honour to be known to my Lord Russell several Years and he hath declared himself with much Confidence to me and he always upon all occasions expressed himself against all Risings and when he spoke of some People that would provose to it he expressed himself so determined against that matter I think no Man could do more L. C. Just. VVill your Lordship call any other VVitnesses L. Russell Dr. Cox Dr. Thomas Cox stood up Dr. Cox My Lord I did not expect to have been spoken to upon this Account Having been very much with my Lord of late that is for a Month or Six Weeks before this Plot came out I have had occasion to speak with my Lord in private about these Publick Matters But I have always found that my Lord was against all kind of Risings and thought it the greatest Folly and Madness till things should come in a Parliamentary way I have had occasion often to speak with my Lord Russell in private and having my self been against all kind of Risings or any thing that tended to the disorder of the Publick I have heard him profess Solemnly he thought it would Ruin the best Cause in the World to take any of these irregular ways for the preserving of it and particularly my Lord hath expressed himself occasionally of these two Persons my Lord Howard and Col. Rumsey One of them Col. Rumsey I saw once at my Lords House and he offered to speak a little privatly But my Lord told me he knew him but a little I told him he was a Valiant Man and acted his Part Valiantly in Portugal He say'd he knew him little and that he had nothing to do with him but in my Lord Shaftsburys business He say'd for my Lord Howard he was a Man of excellent Parts of Luxuriant Parts but he had the luck not to be much trusted by any Party And I never heard him say one word of Indecency or Immodestly towards the King L. Russell I would pray the Duke of Somerset to speak what he knows of me D. of Som. I have known my Lord Russell for about Two Years and have had much Conversation with him and been often in his Company and never heard any thing from him but what was very Honourable Loyal and Just. L. C. Just. My Lord does say that he has known my Lord Russell for about Two Years and hath had much Conversation with him and been much in his Company and never heard any thing from him but what was Honourable and Loyal and Just in his Life Foreman of the Jury The Gent. of the Jury desire to ask my Lord

consider but to see that the fact be fully proved and I see nothing that hath been sald by my Lord Russel that does invalidate our Evidence He hath produced several Witnesses persons of Honour my Lord Anglesey he tells you of a discourse my Lord Howard had with my Lord of Bedford That he told my Lord of Bedford that he needed not to fear for he had a wise and understanding Son and could not think he should be guilty of any such thing as was laid to his charge This is brought to invalidate my Lord Howard's testimony Gentlemen do but observe My Lord Howard was as deep in as any of them and was not then discovered is it likely that my Lord Howard that lay hid should discover to my Lord of Bedford that there was a Conspiracy to raise Arms and that he was in it This would have been an aspertion upon my Lord of Bedford that any such thing should have been said Mr. Edward Howard is the next and he proves That my Lord Howard used solemn protestations that he knew nothing of this Conspiracy I did observe that worthy Gentleman in the beginning of his discourse for it was pretty long said first that he had been several times tempting my Lord Howard to come over and be serviceable to the King and if he knew any thing that he would come and confess it Why Gentlemen Mr. Howard that had come to him upon these Errands formerly and had thought he had gained him I conceive you do not wonder if my Lord Howard did not reveal himself to him who presently would have discovered it for for that Errand he came But if my Lord had had a design to have come in and saved his Life he would have made his submission voluntarily and made his Discovery But my Lord tells nothing till he is pinched in his Conscience and confounded with the guilt being then in custody and then he tells the whole truth that which you have heard this day Gentlemen this hath been all that hath been objected against the Witnesses except what is said by Dr. Burnet and he says that my Lord Howard declared to him that he believed there was no Plot and laughed at it Why Gentlemen the Dr. would take it ill to be thought a person fit to be intrusted with the discovery of this therefore what he said to him signifies nothing for 't is no more than this that he did not discover it to the Dr. But the last Objection which I see there has been a great many persons of Honour and Quality called to is That 't is not likely my Lord Russel should be guilty of any thing of this kind being a man of that Honour Vertue and so little blameable in his whole Conversation I do confess Gentlemen this is a thing that hath weight in it But consider on the other hand my Lord Russel is but a man and hath his Humane frailties about him Men fall by several temptations some out of revenge some by malice fall into such offences as these are my Lord Russel is not of that temper and therefore may be these are not the ingredients here But Gentlemen there is another great and dang●●ous temptation that attends people in his circumstances whether it be Pride or Ambition or the cruel snare of Popularity being cryed up as a Patron of Liberty This hath been a dangerous temptation to many and many persons of Vertue have fallen into it and 't is the only way to tempt persons of Vertue and the Devil knew it for he that tempted the Patern of Vertue shew'd him all the Kingdoms of the world and said All these will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me Though he be a person of Vertue yet it does not follow but his Vertue may have some weak part in him And I am afraid these temptations have pr●vailed upon my Lord. For I cannot give my self any colour of objection to disbelieve all these Witnesses who give in their testimony I see no contradiction no correspondence no contrivance at all between them You have plain Oaths before you and I hope you will consider the weight of them and the great consequence that did attend this case the o●●●throw of the best Government in the world and the best and most unspotted Religion which must needs have suffered the greatest Liberty and the greatest Security for Property that ever was in any Nation bounded every way by the rules of Law and those kept Sacred I hope you will consider the weight of this Evidence and consider the consequences such a Conspiracy if it had taken effect might have had And so I leave it to your consideration upon the Evidence you have heard Sir Geo. Jefferies My Lord and you Gentlemen of the Jury this Cause hath detained your Lordship a long time by reason of so many Witnesses being called and the length of the defence made by the Prisoner at the Bar and if it had not been for the length I would not have injured your patience by saying any thing Mr. Sollicitor having taken so much pains in it It is a duty incumbent upon me under the circumstances I now stand to see if any thing hath been omitted that hath not been observed to you and I shall detain you with very few words Gentlemen you must give me leave to tell you 't is a Case of great consequence of great consequence to that Noble Person that now is at the Bar as well as to the King for it is not desired by the King nor by his Counsel to have you influenced in this matter by any thing but by the truth and what Evidence you have received You are not to be moved by compassion or pity the Oath you have taken is to go according to your Evidence and you are not to be moved by any insinuations that are offered by us for the King nor by any insinuations by the Prisoner at the Bar but the truth according to the Testimony given must be your Guide How far the Law will affect this Question that we are not to apply to you for for that we are to apply our selves to the Court they are the Judges in point of Law who will take so much care in their directions to you that you may be ve●y well satisfied you will not easily be led into errour For the instances that have been pu● I could put several others But I will take notice onely of one thing that that Noble Person at the Bar seems to object Gentlemen it is not necessary there should be two Witnesses to the self-same Fact at the self-same time but if there be two Witnesses tending to the self-same Fact though it was at several times and upon several occasions they will be in point of Law two Witnesses which are necessary to convict a man for High-Treason Gentlemen I make no doubt this thing is known to you all not onely by the Judgment of all the Judges in England

you If you believe the Prisoner at the Bar to have conspired the death of the King and in order to that to have had these Consults that these Witnesses speak of then you must find him Guilty of this Treason that is laid to his Charge Then the Court adjourned till four a Clock in the Afternoon when the Iury brought the said Lord Russel in Guilty of the said High Treason The Tryal of JOHN ROVSE Thursday July 12. John Rouse and William Blagg being set to the Bar and after holding up their Hands the following Indictment was read London London THe Jurors for our Soveraign Lord the King upon their Oaths present That John Rouse late of London Gent. and William Blagg late of London Gent. as false Traytors against the most Illustrious and Excellent Prince our Soveraign Lord Charles the Second by the Grace of God of England Scotland France and Ireland King their natural Lord not having the Fear of God in their hearts nor weighing the Duty of their Allegiance but being moved and seduced by the instigation of the Devil and the true Duty and natural Obedience which true and faithful Subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King towards him our said Lord the King do bear and of right ought to bear wholly withdrawing and with their whole strength intending the Peace and common Tranquillity of this Kingdom of England to disturb and War and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move and stir up and the Government of our said Lord the King within this Kingdom of England to subvert and our said Lord the King from his Title Honour and Kingly name of the Imperial Crown of this his ●●●●dom of England to put down and deprive and our said Lord the King to Death and final Destruction to bring and put the second day of March in the year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord Charles the Second King of England c. the five and thirtieth and divers other days and times as well before as after at the Parish of St. Michael Bassishaw in the Ward of Bassishaw London maliciously and traiterously with divers other Traytors to the Jurors aforesaid unknown they did Conspire Compass Imagine and Intend our said Lord the King their Supream Lord not onely of his Kingly State Title Power and Government of this his Kingdom of England to deprive and throw down but also our said Lord the King to kill and to death to bring and put and the ancient Government of this his Kingdom of England to change alter and wholly to subvert and a miserable Slaughter amongst the Subjects of our said Lord the King through his whole Kingdom of England to cause and procure and Insurrection and Rebellion against our said Lord the King to move and stir up within this Kingdom of England And to fulfil and perfect the said most horrible Treasons and traiterous Conspiracies Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid the said John Rouse and William Blagg then and there and divers other days and times as well before as after as false Traytors maliciously traiterously and advisedly they did assemble meet together and consult between themselves and with the said other Traytors to the Jurors aforesaid unknown and with them did treat of taking and seizing the Tower of London and of and for the executing and perfecting their Treasons and traiterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid And that they the said John Rouse and William Blagg as false Traytors maliciously traiterously and advisedly then and there and divers other days and times as well before as after they and either of them did undertake and to the said other Traytors did promise for themselves to be aiding and assisting in the Execution of the Treasons and traiterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid and in providing Arms and armed men to fulfil and perfect the said Treasons and traiterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid And the said most wicked Treasons and traiterous Compassings Imaginations and Purposes aforesaid to fulfil and bring to pass they the said John Rouse and William Blagg as false Traytors maliciously traiterously and advisedly then and there did procure and prepare Arms to wit Blunderbusses Carbines and Pistols against the Duty of their Allegiance against the Peace of our Soveraign Lord the King his Crown and Dignity and against the form of the Statutes in that case made and provided c. Cl. of Cr. What sayest thou John Rouse art thou guilty of this High-Treason whereof thou standest indicted or not guilty Rouse Not guilty Cl. of Cr. Culprit how wilt thou be tried Rouse By God and my Country Cl. of Cr. God send thee a good deliverance What sayest thou William Blagg art thou guilty of this High-Treason whereof thou standest indicted or not guilty Capt. Blagg Not guilty Cl. of Cr. Culprit how wilt thou be tryed Capt. Blagg By God and my Country Cl. of Cr. God send thee a good deliverance Friday July 13 in the afternoon the Court being met and Proclamation made Cl. of Cr. Set John Rouse and William Blagg to the Bar. You the Prisoners at the Bar these good men that you hear called are to pass between our Soveraign Lord the King upon tryal of your several lives and deaths if you will challenge them or any of them your time is as they come to the Book to be sworn before they are sworn Nicholas Charlton Capt. Blagg I hope I shall onely speak for my self L. C. J. Yes you shall be heard Rouse My Lord I have had no liberty so much as sending for my Wife Monday Morning they gave me notice of Tryal but I have had no advantage of that notice I presumed it is meant we should have the liberty of Subjects but though notice was then given yet I had not the liberty of sending for any body till Wednesday It was 8 or 9 of the Clock on Wednesday night that one came and told me I should have no liberty of Counsell unless I had it from the Court and yesterday morning I found that Captain Blage and I were joyned in one Indictment which alters the case with submission to the Court What time I have had for Tryal has been so short I have not been able to get my Witnesses ready I desire nothing but as an English man L. C. J. As an English-man you can demand no time to prepare for Tryal for those that will commit crimes they must be ready to answer for them and defend themselves 'T is Matter of Fact you are charged with you knew long agoe what you were to be Tryed for for you were taken up and charged with High Treason You might then reasonably consider what kind of Evidence would be against you if you be an innocent person you may defend your self without question But if you have done an ill thing the Law does not design to give you time to shelter your self under any subterfuge or make any excuse or to prepare any Witnesses to testify an

securely and you did undertake as several Witnesses say not only Mr. West but Col Romsey and another of them Bourne I think it was That you would fight the Gaurds if you might have a considerable number of men Capt. Wal. My Lord If ever I was at Mr. Romballs house unless it was when I travelled from York by Norwich and came to London if ever I was there since then I am Guilty of all the Roguery imaginable Mr. West I never heard my Lord Mr. Romball say he was there but Col. Romsey told me so Col. Roms My Lord he bought an horse and he said he did intend to go down and indeed to the best of my remembrance he did say he was down but I am not certain but he did buy an horse that cost him I think twenty pounds L. C. Just. For that purpose Col. Romsey Yes L. C. Just. Now you hear this is a little more particular than the other Col. Romsey did say before that you did agree to go down and as he believes you did go down Col. Roms I believe Mr. West may remember he bought an horse for that purpose Mr. West I remember he bought an horse for service but I can't say it was to go down thither L. C. Just. It does import you to tell us upon what account you met so often and what was your meaning in hearing these things and consulting of them and what your raising of men was for and the Declaration written for the people to please the people when this Assassination was over Capt. Wal. The Declaration Mr. West saies was in October last Mr. West I take it to be so My Lord to the best of my remembrance there was this passage saies he I believe in a month or three weeks you will be better or worse so that I measure it by that Cap. Wal. My Lord Mr. West does tell your Lordship a very long story and sometimes he names one Gentleman and sometimes another I am very fearful the Iury will be very apt to apply all to me who was the man least concerned for I had the Gout for several weeks together and Mr. West came several times to my own Lodging to see me And for that of Assassinating the King it never entred into my thoughts more or less but here are four Gentlemen who by their own Confession are sufficiently culpable they to wipe off their own stains are resolved to Swear me out of my Life L. C. J. What made you among them Mr West I do take it upon me he was there three or four times Cap. Wal. I did not stir for three weeks or a month I came to Town on Ashwednesday and then fell ill of the Gout and that continued for divers weeks for a months time that the King was at New-Market I am confident I was not out of my Chamber unless I made a shift to scramble to Stepney and dipp'd my foot in every Well of water I came by Mr. West My Lord I do remember this passage The he was afraid he should not be able to draw on his Boot because he had the Gout Cap. Wal. I desire to know my Lord when is the time Mr. West speaks of that I gave an account of killing the King at my Lord Mayors Feast Mr. West I do not charge you positively with it but I had it from you or Mr Ferguson but I must do the Prisoner justice he said he would be no way concerned in it Mr. Att. Gen. Pray Swear Mr. Blaithwaite which was done Mr. Blaithwaite pray tell my Lord and the Iury whether Capt. Walcot owned that to be his hand A Letter being then produced from Captain Walcot to Mr. Secretary Jenkin● Mr. Blathwait My Lord I remember when Captain Walcot was Examined before the King he did own this to be his Hand Sir Geo. Jeff. Give it in Cl. of Cr. Honoured Sir Iuly 5 th 83. L. C. J. Who is it directed to Cl. of Cr. There is no Direction Mr. Blathw It was Directed to Mr. S. Jenkins as I find by the Minutes I then took of it L. C. J. Here is the Cover it seems Cl. of the Cr. To the Right Honourable Sir Leoline Jenkins c. Honoured Sir I Being in the Country and to my great trouble seeing my self in his Majesties Proclamation I came last Night to Town resolving to lay my self at his Majesties Feet let him do with me what he pleaseth This it the first Crime I have been Guilty of since His Majestie 's Restauration and too soon by much now If his Majesty thinks my Death will do him more good than my Life God's Will and His be done Vntil I sent your Honour this Letter my Life was in my own power but now it is in the Kings to whom I do most humbly propose That if his Majesty desires it I will Discover to him all that I know relating to England Scotland or Ireland which I suppose may be something more than the Original Discoverer was able to acquaint His Majesty with especially as to Ireland There is not any thing His Majesty shall think fit to ask me but I will answer him the Truth as pertinently and as fully as I can My intimacy with a Scotch Minister through whose Hands much of the Business went I judge occasioned my knowing very much And I do further humbly Propose That ●f His Majesty thinks it advisable I will f●llow those Lords and Gentlemen that are fled into Holland as if I fled thither and had made my Escape also and will acquaint the King if I can find it out what Measures they resolve of taking next I do assure His Majesty the Business is laid very broad or I am misinformed And I am sure as to that particular if my being with His Majesty and your Honour be not Discovered I shall be ten times abler to serve him than either Mr. Freeman or Mr. Carr for they will trust neither of them There 's scarce any thing done at Court but is immediately talk'd all the Town over therefore if His Majesty thinks what I have presumed to propose Advisable I do then further most humbly Propose That my waiting upon His Majesty may be some time within Night that your Honour will acquaint me the Time and Place where I may wait upon you in order to it and that it may be within Night also and that no body may be by but his Majesty and your Honour And if His Majesty pleaseth to Pardon my Offences for the Time past he shall find I will approve my self very Loyal for the future if not I Resolve to give His Majesty no further Trouble but to lie at his Mercy let him do with me what he pleaseth I purpose to spend much of this Day in Westminster-Hall at least from Two of the Clock to Four I beg your Pardon I send your Honour-this by a Porter I assure your Honour it was for no other reason but because I would not have a Third

that the Negotiation which he had with my Correspondents was going on and in good Condition and it was earnestly desired I would come to Town this was the middle of September I notwithstanding was willing to see the result of that great Affair upon which all Mens Eyes were fixed which was the Determination of the Sherivalty about that time So I ordered it to fall into Town and went to my own House on Saturday night which was Michaelmas day On Sunday he came to me and Dined with me and told me after a general Account given me of the Affairs of the times that my Lord Shaftesbury was secretted and withdrawn from his own House in Aldersgate-Street and that though he had a Family setled and had absconded himself from them and divers others of his Friends and Confidents yet he did desire to speak with me and for that purpose sent him to shew me the way to his Lodging He brought me to a House at the lower end of Wood-street one Watson's House and there my Lord was alone He told me he could not but be sensible how Innocent soever he was both he and all honest Men were unsafe so long as the Administration of Justice was in such Hands as would accomodate all things to the Humor of the Court. That in the Sense of this he thought it but reasonable to provide for his own Safety by withdrawing himself from his own House into that Retirement That now he had ripen'd Affairs to that head and had things in that Preparation that he did not doubt but he should be able by those Men that would be in readiness in London to turn the Tide and put a stop to the Torrent that was ready to overflow But he did complain to me that his design and the design of the Publick was very much obstructed by the unhandsome Deportment of the Duke of Monmouth and my Lord Russel who had withdrawn themselves not only from his Assistance but from their own Ingagements and Appointments For when he had got such a formed Force as he had in London and expected to have it answered by them in the Country they did recede from it and told him they were not in a Condition or Preparation in the Country to be concurrent with him at that time This he looked upon but as an artificial Excuse and as an instance of their Intentions wholly to desert him but notwithstanding there was such Preparation made in London that if they were willing to lose the Honour of being concurrent with him he was able to do it himself and did intend speedily to put it into Execution I asked him what Forces he had he said he had enough sayes I what are you assured of Sayes he there is above Ten Thousand brisk Boys are ready to follow me when ever I hold up my Finger Sayes I how have you methoded this that they shall not be crushed for there will be a great Force to oppose you Yes he answered but they would possess themselves of the Gates and these Ten Thousand Men in twenty four Hours would be multiplied into five times the Number and be able to make a Sally out and possess themselves of White-Hall by beating the Guards I told him this was a fair Story and I had reason to think a Man of his figure would not undertake a thing that might prove so fatal unless it were laid on a Foundation that might give a prudent Man ground to hope it would be Successful He said he was certain of it but confessed it was a great disappointment that these Lords had failed him I told him I was not provided with an Answer at that time That he well knew me and knew the general frame and bent of my Spirit But I told him I looked upon it as dangerous and ought to be laid deep and to be very well weighed and considered of and did not think it a thing fit to be entred upon without the Concurrence of those Lords And therefore desired before I discovered my own Inclination to discourse with those Lords He did consents with much ado but sayes he you will find they will wave it and give doubtful and deferring Answers but you will find this a Truth I went to Moor-Parke the next day where the Duke of Monmouth was and told him the great Complaint my Lord Shaftesbury had made that he failed him Sayes he I think he is mad I was so far from giving him any incouragement that I did tell him from the beginning and so did my Lord Russel there was nothing to be done by us in the Country at that time I did not then own I had seen my Lord but spake as if this were brought me by a third Person because he had not given me Liberty to tell them where his Lodging was Sayes I My Lord I shall be able to give a better account of this in a day or two Shall I convey it to my Lord that you are willing to give a Meeting Yes sayes he with all my Heart This was the Second Third or Fourth of Octobre I came to Town on Saturday and was carried to him on Monday and I suppose this was Tuesday the Second of October On Wednesday I think I went to him again but 't is not very material and told him I had been with the Duke of Monmouth and given him a punctual Account of what I had from him and the Duke did absolutely disown any such thing and told me he never did give him any incouragement to proceed that way because the Countries were not in a disposition for Action nor could be put in readiness at that time Sayes my Lord Shaftesbury 'T is false they are afraid to own it And sayes he I have reason to believe there is some artificial Bargain between his Father and him to Save one another For when I have brought him to Action I could never get him to put on and therefore I suspect him And sayes he several honest Men in the City have puzled me in asking how the Duke of Monmouth lived Sayes he they puzled me and I could not answer the Question for I know he must have his Living from the King and sayes he We have different Prospects We are for a Common-Wealth and he hath no other Design but his own personal Interest and that will not go down with My People now so he called them they are all for a Common-Wealth And then sayes he 'T is to no purpose for me to see him it will but widen the Breach and I dare not trust him to come hither Sayes I My Lord That 's a good one indeed Dare not you trust him and yet do you send me to him on this Errand Nay sayes he 'T is because we have had some Mis-understanding of late but I believe he is true enough to the Interest Sayes I 'T is a great unhappiness to take this time to Fall out and I think 't is so great a Design that

so little concern for his own life to make this Discourse his ordinary Conversation No it must be a particular Consult of Six that must be intrusted with this I tell you 't is not the Divines of the Church of England but an Independent Divine that is to be concerned in this they must be persons of their own complexion and humour For men will apply themselves to proper instruments Gentlemen I would not labour in this case for far be it from any man to endeavour to take away the life of the innocent And whereas that Noble Lord says he hath a vertuous good Lady he hath many Children he hath Vertue and Honour he puts into the Scale Gentlemen I must tell you on the other side you have Consciences Religion you have a Prince and a merciful one too consider the life of your Prince the life of his Posterity the consequences that would have attended if this Villany had taken effect What would have become of your Lives and Religion What would have become of that Religion we have been so fond of preserving Gentlemen I must put these things home upon your Consciences I know you will remember the horrid Murder of that most pious Prince the Martyr King Charles the First How far the practices of those persons have influenced the several punishments since is too great a secret for me to examine But now I say you have the life of a merciful King you have a Religion that every honest man ought to stand by and I am sure every Loyal man will venture his Life and Fortune for You have your Wives and Children Let not the greatness of any man corrupt you but discharge your Consciences both to God and the King and to your Posterity L.C.J. Gentlemen of the Jury the Prisoner at the Bar stands indicted before you of High Treason in compassing and designing the death of the King and in declaring of it by Overt acts endeavouring to raise Insurrections and popular Commotions in the Kingdom here To this he hath pleaded Not Guilty You have heard the Evidence that hath been against him it hath been at large repeated by the Kings Counsel which will take off a great deal of my trouble in repeating it to you again I know you cannot but take notice of it and remember it it having been stated twice by two of the Kings Counsel to you 't is long and you see what the parties here have proved There is first of all Col. Roms●y he does attest a Meeting at Mr. Sheppard's house and you hear to what purpose he says it was the Message that he brought and the Return he had it was to enquire concerning a Rising at Ta●nton and that he had in return to my Lord Shaftsbury was that Mr. Trenchard had failed them and my Lord must be contented for it could not be that time You hear that he does say that they did design a Rising he saith there was a Rising designed in November I think he saith the 17th upon the day of Queen Elizabeth's birth You hear he does say there was at that Meeting some discourse concerning inspecting the Kings Guards and seeing how they kept themselves and whether they might be surprized and this he says was all in order to a Rising He says that at this my Lord Russel was present Mr. Sheppard does say that my Lord Russel was there That he came into this Meeting with the Duke of Monmouth and he did go away with the Duke of Monmouth as he believes He says there was some discourse of a Rising or Insurrection that was to be procured within the Kingdom but he does not tell you the particulars of any thing he himself does not My Lord Howard afterwards does come and tell you of a great discourse he had with my Lord Shaftsbury in order to a Rising in the City of London and my Lord Shaftsbury did value himself mightily upon 10000 men he hoped to raise and a great deal of discourse he had with my Lord Shaftsbury This he does by way of inducement to what he says concerning my Lord Russel The Evidence against him is some Consults that there were by Six of them who took upon them as he says to be a Council for the management of the Insurrection that was to be procured in this Kingdom He instances in two that were for this purpose the one of them at Mr. Hambden's house the other at my Lord Russel's house And he tells you at these Meetings there was some discourse of providing Treasure and of providing Arms but they came to no result in these things He tells you that there was a design to send for some of the Kingdom of Scotland that might joyn with them in this thing And this is upon the matter the substance of the Evidence that hath been at large declared to you by the King's Counsel and what you have heard Now Gentlemen I must tell you some things it lies upon us to direct you in My Lord excepts to these Witnesses because they are concerned by their own shewing in this Design If there were any I did direct some of you might hear me yesterday that that was no sufficient exception against a mans being an Evidence in the case of Treason that he himself was concerned in it they are the most proper persons to be Evidence none being able to detect such Councils but them You have heard my Lord Russels Witnesses that he hath brought concerning them and concerning his own integrity and course of life how it has been sober and civil with a great respect to Religion as these Gentlemen do all testifie Now the Question before you will be whether upon this whole matter you do believe my Lord Russel had any design upon the Kings life to destroy the King or take away his life for that is the material part here 'T is used and given you by the King's Counsel as an evidence of this That he did conspire to raise an Insurrection and to cause a Rising of the people to make as it were a Rebellion within the Nation and to surprize the King's Guards which say they can have no other end but to seize and destroy the King and 't is a great evidence if my Lord Russel did design to seize the King's Guards and make an Insurrection in the Kingdom of a design for to surprize the King's Person It must be left to you upon the whole matter You have not evidence in this Case as there was in the other matter that was tried in the morning or yesterday against the Conspirators to kill the King at the Rye There was a direct evidence of a Consult to kill the King that is not given you in this Case this is an act of contriving Rebellion and an Insurrection within the Kingdom and to seize his Guards which is urged as an evidence and surely is in it self an evidence to seize and destroy the King Upon this whole matter this is left to