Discourse about the Design of Killing the King did say that he was a Bastard and did endeavour to rule by the Sword Which Words the Deponent did hear and so did Keines and Fenwick who after one another replied the Bastard should not trouble the World long XLIX Item That on the Tenth of August styl vet the Deponent did meet with John Groves in Wild-street in the Afternoon and as near as the Deponent can remember it was about Five of the Clock and he having made several promises to the Deponent to give him an account of the Fire of Southwark in the Year 1676 the said Groves took the Deponent into Wild-house Garden and thus began He said that he had certain Fire-works made for that very purpose and he with Three Irishmen that were his Assistants went into the Borough and not finding an opportunity nor a fit place went to St. Margarets-Hill where they found an Oyl-shop which the said Groves bragg'd he sir'd The Deponent asked the said Groves how he came acquainted with the said Irishmen He said his acquaintance with them was not much but they were procured by Dr. Fogarthy the Irish Doctor for which the Society Richard Strange then Provincial gave them 1000 l. viz. 400 l. to Groves and 200 l. a piece to the Three Irishmen And the said Groves told the Deponent that the Society got at least 2000 l. by that fire which was also told the Deponent at another time by Richard Strange L. Item That on the Eleventh of August being Sunday the Deponent saw Letters from St. Omers bearing date August 17th New style written by Father Ireland in the Name of the Provincial Thomas White aliàs Whitebread to John Fenwick in which Letter by the Contents thereof there were Letters to John Keines Mr. Jennison and Mr. Blundel and others which the Deponent did not see but in this to John Fenwick it was specified what diligence was used for the destruction of the Duke of Ormond and for the procuring another demonstration of zeal for the promoting the Catholick Religion and Interest in that Kingdom and that which Arguments could not effect the Sword should to the great vexation of the Protestants there and he intimated the great joy that he had that there was yet great hopes that the disaffected Scots would not lay aside their endeavours for and after the Defence of their Liberty and Religion and that the Catholicks of Scotland had promised to use the utmost of their Interest to keep up the Commotions there and the said Father Ireland bad the said Fenwick exhort the Fathers to be earnest in their Designs for now was the time that the English Nation was to be reduced And furthermore ordered in the Name of the Provincial that Letters should be written to all the Society in England that they made it their business to encourage the Friends to braveness of mind for that God had hitherto given them such a hopeful Prospect of things and that no Opportunity on his part was or should be lost and that they in London if they thought it fit to communicate these things should have a care that they did it to no more than to one at a time lest they should be baffled in their Enterprise Which Letter when read by the Deponent the said Fenwick to whom the Letter was directed told the Deponent that it was his Duty to offer up a Mass or two that God would prosper those Holy Endeavours of the Fathers of the Society in promoting Catholick Religion and Faith and told him further That if he the Deponent lived till Christmas he should see a good Change of things either that Forty Eight should be taken from the World or the World especially the little he was concerned in should be taken from him And one that was a Catholick should play such a Game as never was plaid since the Conquest All which the said Fenwick told the Deponent in his Chamber and the Deponent asked the said Fenwick Who this Catholick was And Fenwick said it was the Duke of York And the Deponent saith the Ciphers 48 are put for the King LI. Item That on the said 11th of August in the Evening the Deponent went to the Lodgings of John Keines where he found another Jesuit with him whose Name the Deponent doth not remember in whose presence the said John Keines told the Deponent that the Provincial had taken great care of Keeping Alive the Difference betwixt the Disaffected Scots and Duke Lauderdale and that the Affairs in Ireland went on with great Expedition and that all Means were now used to beget a Difference betwixt the Dutch md the Prince of Orange and if that could be effected there was no question to be made but that the Protestant Interest would fail in Holland and that Forty Eight would not last long in England for it was high time to hinder Forty Nine from being effected That Barly-Broth-Trade should grow dead and Twelve would be Cut off and that Mum and Chocolate should be put down and the Order of Mag-Pies should be turned into their Primitive Institution and Habit. Now the Deponent saith that the words hinder Forty Nine from being effected is an Odd Expression that is amongst them used for the Cutting off the King that he may not live to be compleat Forty Nine Years of Age. And by Barley-Broth is meant the House of Commons which shall be turned out and Sit no more And by Mum and Chocolate is meant the Protestant Peers which if not destroyed shall never have any Vote in the House of Peers more after the Death of this King And by Mag-Pies they understand the Bishops whose Habit in Parliament is Black and White which shall be changed into Purple And by Twelve is meant the Duke of Monmouth Whilst the said Keines with the other Jesuit entertained the Deponent with these Treasonable Expressions Mr. Jonnison came to the said Keines and told him that he had lost a Letter which he had received from Tho-white the Provincial at St. Omers in a Walk he took to Islington and would give ten pounds to any friend that would give it him and was afraid that some Inconvenience might follow if found by some Heretick Which words put the said Keines into such a Consternation that he asked him Whether he had a mind to ruine them all But Jennison bad the said Keines be quiet for none could understand it which words the Deponent did likewise hear LII Item That Mr. Keines on the 12th of August determined to go for Windsor in order to settle some business there in and towards the dispatching Forty Eight which the Deponent saith is by them understood the King at Windsor if the King should go down thither And it was judged that the said Forty Eight would go to Windsor to make his abode there for some weeks but the said John Keines told the Deponent that he might chance to fall short of his Return again These words were spoken by John
them being the Prefect of Studies and the other Procurator for the Seminary and by them wrote Letters to Thomas White Provincial and to the Rector of Saint Omers viz. Richard Ashby Of that to the Provincial the Deponent can give no account but of that to Ashby the Deponent saith that there was in it expressed that the Father General of the Society of Jesus would contribute eight hundred thousand Crowns to be paid in the moneth of June next ensuing and that his Holinesse the Pope would not be wanting to supply them when they had made some progresse in that glorious attempt ITEM XIX That another Packet arrived at Saint Omers directed to Richard Ashby Rector of the English Seminary there The Date of which is not well remembred by the Deponent but as near as he doth remember it was about the beginning of the Parliament for there came the Speeches of the King and Lord Chancellour and the Votes of the Parliament which were put into ridiculous phrases in contempt of the King and both Houses of Parliament for the Fathers and Scholers to laugh at and then translated into the French Tongue and presented to the Governor of Saint Omers who sendeth them to the French King his Master and in the Packet was contained an account of the attempt of one Pickering a lay Brother that waits upon the Jesuits lying at Somerset house to shoot the King as he was was walking in Saint James park when he was at some distance from his Nobles and Attendants but the Flint of his Pistol being somewhat loose he did defer the action till another opportunity and if he had done it and had suffered he should have had thirty thousand Masses said for the health of his soul Which Letters were signed by Thomas White alias Whitebread Provincial which Letters when read the Fathers in the English Seminary were in great trouble for the negligence of the said Pickering and the Deponent saw and read them in the latter part of January and the Votes put into such mock Phrases as also the Speeches of the King and Lord Chancellor in the moneth of February ITEM XX. That the Deponent went on the nine and twentieth of January to know of his Confessarius whether he might keep the thirtieth of January as a fast the Confessor replyed that the account with them was on the ninth of February because the account of England did differ from the account on that side the Water The Deponent asked him whether then he might keep the ninth of February as a day of Fasting The Confessor asked him why The Deponent replyed because of the Martyrdome of the late King the Confessarius answered that the late King was no Martyr but an Heretick and withal added that he was none of King James Son but a Bastard begotten upon the body of Anne of Denmark by her Taylor This Confessarius is a Jesuit and his name Charles Peters Prefect of the Sodality ITEM XXI That Letters bearing date February the first Stylo novo from Thomas Whitebread John Keines John Fenwick Father Ireland and Father Micho to Richard Ashby Rector of Saint Omers then ill of the Gout and to the English Fathers there did let them understand that they had sent William Morgan into Ireland to see how affairs stood in that Kingdome and expected his return by the end of March next and that he set out the six and twentieth of January and that they had given him instructions to order the affairs in hand and to encourage the Irish Natives to defend their Religion and Liberty And his Companion was one Father Lovel who was to go into the North of Ireland to see the Fathers of the Society there and carried two thousand pound to supply their present wants and to promise them four thousand pound more in case there should be any action ITEM XXII That another Pacquet came from Thomas White alias Whitebread Father Micho Father Ireland Father Harcourt and others of the Society in London bearing date February the seventh 1678. Stylo novo In which was contained an account of the Fathers progress in Berkshire Oxfordshire and Essex in perswading the Catholicks that were Votaries for the order of Saint Ignatius to contribute for the Irish rebellion and maintaining a Civil War in that Kingdome in case the French King should break with the King of England And also that they had received Letters from Scotland in which they were informed that the people would rise to oppose Duke Lauderdale and the Royal party in that Kingdome and also that they would endeavour by themselves their Agents and their Purse to provoke the Scots against the English and withal told the Fathers of Saint Omers to whom this Pacquet was directed and by whom it was received that they should be glad to effect such a design Which Pacquet the Deponent saw and read Letter by Letter ITEM XXIII That the Fathers of Saint Omers viz. Richard Ashby Rector Edward Hall Edward Nevill and others of the English Seminary did write to Thomas Whitebread and other Fathers in which was expressed that it was now apparent that the Catholick Religion was to be brought in the same way that they had used for the destruction of the Father of this King and as that could not be effected till much blood was spilt on both sides so this must be effected by effusion of blood And withal prayed them to prosecute their design in taking away the King and if his Royal Highness should not comply with them to dispatch him too for they did fear that never any of the Stuarts were men for the effecting of their ends and purposes And in this Letter instructions were given to the Fathers to feel how his Royal Highness stood affected Which Leter bore date February the tenth Stylo novo and was signed by the persons abovenamed in the presence of the Deponent who did compose these Letters for them according to direction given him by them Which Letter was to the Deponents knowledge carried into England by one Father Every who then went for England ITEM XXIV That an answer of the aforesaid Letters of February the tenth Stylo novo dated February the twentieth Old style came from Thomas White John Keines and Basil Langworth Richard Peters John Fenwick Father Ireland Father Harcourt Father Blundel Father Matthew VVright and Father Thomas VVright Father Jennison and one Father Simmons who some time belonged to Somerset House who also signed with the rest the said answer which told the Fathers at Saint Omers viz. Richard Ashby to whom the Letter was directed and the rest that they had found that although the Duke was a good Catholique yet he had a tender affection to the King and would scarcely be engaged in that concern and if they should once intimate their designs and purposes unto him they might not only be frustrated of their design but also might lose his favour Which Letter the Deponent saw and read in the month of February
ITEM XXV That the Fathers of the English Seminary at Saint Omers did oblige one brother George a Day-brother in the said Seminary to go for Ghent in Flanders to the English Jesuits there with a Letter from Saint Omers dated February 26. Stylo veteri In which they had an account of that letter of February 20 Stylo veteri and the said brother George arrived there February 28 Stylo veteri and the Jesuits there advised the Fathers in one of March the first Stylo veteri that the secular Clergy should be treated withal about the business but they finding them then at that time to be men inclined to live in peace and obedience to their Prince the Fathers viz. Thomas VVhite c. answered them in one of March 10 Stylo veteri That the Clergy were a sort of rascally fellows that had neither wit nor courage to manage such a great designe and did pray them of Ghent and them of Saint Omers to be of good Cheer for their designes went on well both in Scotland and Ireland and the fatal blow should be given to the black boy at Whitehal with all the speed that might be Which letters to them at Ghent and from them at Ghent to the Provincial they being brought back to Saint Omers before they went to the Provincial and also these of March 10. the Deponent saw and read ITEM XXVI That there was an attempt to make an assassination upon the person of his sacred MAJESTY in the month of March several days as he was walking in the Park and once as he was going to the Parliament-house by this honest William and Pickering but opportunity did not offer it self for the which the former viz. honest William was chidden and the latter had a Penance of twenty strokes with a Discipline on his Shoulders it being judged by the Fathers the effect of his negligence Which Passage the Deponent saw mentioned in a Letter from Thomas White to Rich. Ashby bearing Date March the 26th 1678. Item XXVII That of the 5th of April Letters came from Thomas White and the Fathers in London to Rich. Ashby and those of the English Seminary at S. Omers in which the Fathers at London did give them of S. Omers an account that Will. Morgan and Father Lovell were returned out of Ireland who gave them to understand That the Irish were ready to rise at ten day warning with 20000 foot and 5000 horse and would let the French King into that Kingdom if he should come to land an Army there and that Father Lovell did give an account that 15000 horse and foot would rise in the North of Ireland and that the people were very patient but very resolute and that the Duke of Ormond now Lord Lieutenant is in a great perplexity to see Catholick Religion thrive so well in Ireland and that there are persons that have secretly taken Commissions from the General of the Society of Jesus by vertue of a Breve from the Pope dated Octob. 1. 1673. and that they resolve to cut the Throats of the Protestants again when once they rise And in the said Letters the Provincial summoned a General Consult to be held in London and therefore commanded the Fathers on the other side of the Water to be present In which Letter the Deponent did see himself summoned to assist at that Consult as a Messenger from Father to Father This Letter the Deponent saw in the Month of April Item XXVIII That in order to this Command on April 24. 1678. Stylo Novo Father Warren Rector of Leige Sir Thomas Preston Baronet Father Marsh Rector of Ghent Father Williams Rector of Watton and Master of the Novices Sir John Warner Baronet Rich. Ashby Rector of the English Seminary at S. Omers being sick of the Gout could not go but out of the said Seminary went Sir Robert Brett Baronet Father Poole Edward Nevill there were in all with the Deponent about 9 or 10 who met in London in Consult with Tho. Whitebread Father Harcourt senior and Father Harcourt junior John Fenwick Basil Langworth Willam Morgan John Keines Father Lovell Father Ireland Father Blundell Rich. Strange Father Mico Father Gray and others to the number of Fifty Jesuits met at the White-horse Tavern in the Strand where they plotted their Designs for the Society and ordered Father John Cary who was also there to go Procurator for Rome At which Consult thus held in the Month of May the Deponent was present to attend the Consulters and delivered their Concerns from Company to Company and then a little after they left the White-horse Tavern and divided themselves into several Clubs or Companies Some met at Mrs. Saunders house in Wild-street others at Mrs. Fenwicks at Ayre 's House in Drury-lane others at Mr. Ireland's in Russel-street near Covent-Garden and in other places all which though in several Companies 5 or 6 in a Company did contrive the death of the King In order to which there were Papers sent from Company to Company which the Deponent carried containing the Opinions of the timeing their business and the manner how it was to be done And within 3 or 4 days after the Deponent went to S. Omers with the Fathers that came from the other side of the Water Item XXIX That on the 10th of June Stylo Novo came Thomas White to S. Omers in order to visit his Colledges in Flanders and Germany and in his Chamber the 11th day where the Deponent was present together with Rich. Ashby Rector he there told the Deponent and the said Ashby That he hoped to see the Fool at White-hall laid fast enough and that the Society need not fear for he that is the King was grown secure and would hear no complaints against them and if the Duke should set his Face in the least measure to follow his Brothers Foot-steps his passport was made to lay him to sleep Item XXX That the said Thomas Whitebread on the 13th of June did tell the Rector of S. Omers That a Minister of the Church of England had scandalously and basely put out the Jusuits Morals in English and had endeavoured villanously to render them odious to the people and asked the said Rector whether he thought the Deponent might possibly know him and the Rector not knowing called the Deponent who heard these words as he stood at the Chamber door of the said Provincial and when the Deponent went into the Chamber of the said Provincial he asked him If he knew the Author of the Jesuits Morals the Deponent answered his Person but not his Name The said Thomas Whitebread demanded then Whether he would undertake to poyson to assassinate the Author which the Deponent undertook to do having 50 l. reward promised him by the said Provincial and appointed to return to England And the Deponent doth farther testifie that at the same time the said Provincial did in his Chamber say That he and the Society in London would procure Dr. Stillingfleet to be knockt on
ubique never long in one place LXIII Item That on Wednesday twenty first of August a Consult was held by the Jesuits then in London with certain Benedictine Monkes about three of the Clock in the afternoon concerning a Pacquet that came from Talbot Archbishop of Dublin to the fathers of the Society In which they were given to understand that Four Irish Jesuits had undertaken the death of the Duke of Ormond and that upon his death the Irish were ready to rise In this Letter he told them that a Legate was arrived in Ireland and had asserted the Popes right in that Kingdom and that the Kings of England being no longer Catholiques they did cease from being concerned there it being given to them during the good pleasure of his Holiness and therefore did incourage the said Arch-Bishop to contrive and use all means for the recovery of the said Kingdom out of the hands of the English And in the said Letter it was mentioned That if opportunity did not permit the said Jesuits to do their business that then they should send one Doctor Fogarthy now lodging at Mrs. Simmonds the Widow of one Simmonds an Apothecary in Drury-Lane and that he and the Fathers in Ireland together with the said Fogarthy would find out an expedient way for the death of the said Duke And furthermore he did specify that they had procured several Irish to be made Commission-Officers in the Garrisons in Ireland and that he and the rest had dispenced with them to take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy And that the Irish who had gotten Commissions by means of the Arch-Bishop had promised to betray their interest into their hands when the business should be ripe and desired the Fathers to be as diligent in England as he and the rest of the Clergy were in Ireland which Letter John Keines did shew the Deponent and was read by the Deponent And Kenies and Blundel gave him an account of the Consult and the said Fogarthy did himself tell the Deponent the same and on the said Twenty first of August did say That he had a great interest in the Court of Ireland LXIV Item That the said Fogarthy is a main Agent in this Hellish-Plot and hath promised That if this Bishop Talbot will make use of him he will do all the service he can which the Deponent is ready to justify to the face of the said Fogarthy who did tell the Deponent that he and Coleman were in the Consult when Wakeman was contracted withal in order to Poyson the KING and said That if he had the interest in the KING as Wakeman had he would have undertaken it himself And all this was told the Deponent on the Twenty first of August in die Chamber of the said Fogarthy And furthermore the said Fogarthy then and there did tell the Deponent That he had hired Four Irish Russians whose Names he did neither tell the Consulters that met on the Twenty first of August nor the Deponent and these Irish Russians were to mind the KING's Postures at Windsor But the Deponent telling the said Fogarthy that he heard the KING was going to Portsmouth he was wonderfully troubled at it and said It did very much impede their Design and nothing would be Attempted so long as he was absent from Windsor LXV Item That the Lord Embassador Sr. William Godolphin at the Court of Spain holdeth great Correspondence with Hierom Swiman the Irish-Jesuit who as beforementioned was Procurator for the Jesuits of the Kingdom of England and Ireland and with the Irish Arch-Bishop of Tuam now at Madrid and is a friend in this business as the said Swiman did inform the Society in one of July the thirtyeth New-style and likewise in one to the Deponent wherein he did specify that Sir William was as industrious as any Man could be to answer the expectation of the Society and that he had but one Protestant-servant then in his House viz. the Cook and the Parson when there made up a goodly Couple And the Deponent knows that Godolphin is a Papist and hath perverted a Kinsman of his own and the Deponent knoweth that the said Embassador is very familier to the said persons the Irish Jesuit at Madrid and the Irish-Arch-Bishop of Tuam And the Deponent doth verily believe that Mr. Hodges sometimes Chaplain to the said Lord Embassador can if required Testify as much and the Deponent doth furthey say That when he was at Madrid the said Chaplain of the Embassador left the employ because of the Embassador's being a Papist and the Deponent hath seen the said Embassador at Mass and he hath a Jesuit that comes to his House who hath Read both Philosophy and Divinity to the said Embassador of which the Deponent was personally informed by the said Hierome Swiman an Irish Jesuit and by the said Irish Arch-Bishop when at Madrid but the Letters of which the Deponent speaks he saw and Read them at Mrs. Saunders House in Wild street the Twenty second of August LXVI Item That on the 22th of August Money was sent from the Society by a Servant of theirs to supply the Expences of the four Irish Russians above-mentioned who were gotten to Windsor on the 21th at night and the sum so sent was Eighty pound which the Deponent saw told And they were written to and informed that if more were wanting they should have it And they were bidden not to be frequent in one anothers Company and always to profess but small Acquaintance one with another Which Order and Money was dispatcht away by Harcourt Rector of London in the name of the Provincial and whole Society LXVII Item That the Deponent went to the Chamber of the said John Fenwick who told him that he was to go to St. Omers with some Students thither about ten or eleven as near as the Deponent can remember and the said Fenwick was to attend the Provincial and was to return as he said within tenor twelve days together with Mico and the rest And whilst the Deponent was with the said Fenwick a Messenger came in viz. John Grove with order from Harcourt Rector of London John Keines Richard Blundell Mr. Jennison Mr. Wright Basill Langworth and four other Jesuits that lay at Somerset house to pray the Provincial that he would write to Leshee the French King 's Confessarius and give him to understand how well the business in Ireland stood and that in his Letters to Leshee he should pray him to certifie the French King thereof The Deponent asked Grove where those Fathers were met Who said they met again at Mrs. Sanders house And the Deponent after he had read the Order or Memorial as indeed the Title was and saw their Names about two in the Afternoon went to the house of Mrs. Sanders where the Deponent saw those Fathers who told him of the said Order and after a short stay took his leave of them and by them was ordered to meet them at four