into this Kingdom of Ireland which to the best of this Informants remembrance was to be about 20000 men and Artillery Armes and Amunition for 20000 men more which were to be raised in Munster and they then and there consulted how the 20000 men should be raised and resolved it should be by their Clergy and made a Computation and appointed how many each Priest should raise in his Parish and likewise appointed the Officers that should Command and saies that the Lord of Brittas Colonel Pierce Lacy Sir John Fitz-Gerald John Macnamarra of Cortlaigh John Power Captain Sulivan of Beere-haven one Carty and several others were to be Colonels That John Bourke of Cahirmokill was to be Lieutenant Colonel and that Captain Thomas Mac-Inerina was to be Lieutenant Colonel or Major to Captain Sulivans Regiment and that Captain John Purdon Captain Richard Stephenson Mr. John Hurley and Mr. Eustace White were to be Field-Officers and that he hath heard That Mr. John Anktill was to be Lieutenant Colonel and that Mr. William Bourke Mr. Theobald Dowdall Mr. Oliver Stephenson Mr. David Fitz-Gerald now in London This Informant and several others were then appointed Captains and that John Bourke of Ardagh and several others were appointed Lieutenants and that John Dury and Tady Quin were to be Captains and that Nicholas Bourke and many others of Limerick were then pitched on for the surprize of Limerick whose names at present he remembers not and saith That on notice from Captain Sulivan of Beerehaven of the Frenches landing there was a Massacre of all the English resolved in one Night and persons particularly assigned to the Massacre or Murther of every Family and saith That the Popish Servants in each Family were to betray and open the doors or some other way let in those Irish and so murther the English in their beds and after if they could not surprize they were imediately to besiege Limerick and saith That by reason of the Emperors the King of Spain and other the Confederates joyning and assisting the Dutch the French King was hindred from sending out those Forces and Arms he promised and so all things were at a stand till about Michaelmas 1679. That all the aforenamed persons and John Macnamarra of Cratellaigh John Anktill of Farochy Captain Levallin and several others met at Mr. William Bourke's House at Lisnekilly and continued there two or three daies together and that the said Captain Levallin brought and produced a Commission for the raising of those 20000 men and uniting them with what Forces should be sent out of France and raysed in other parts of this Kingdom and saith That he hath heard that the Earl of Tyrone was to be a General Officer and Colonel Fitz-Patrick and Sir Wiliam Talbot were to have some great Commands and saith That all then present at Lisnekilly bound themselves by strict Oaths and by an Instrument under their Hands and Seals to be true and faithfull and stand by each other and saith That the Plot is still and that they have dayly hopes of the French Kings invading and that he hath heard there was some Powder lately landed in the County of Clare side of the River of Shanon and that he will labour to discover it and saith That he hath some papers which he will peruse and hopes by them other things may occur to his memory which he will be ready to add to this his Information and saith That he hath been told That David Fitz-Gerald discovered the said Plot both to Sir Thomas Southwell and John Piggot Esq And this Informant saith That in case this Information should be known he and his Family are in danger of being murthered London ss The Information of Maurice Fitz-Gerrald Gent. taken the one and twentieth day of March 1680. upon Oath before me Sir John Frederick Knight and Alderman one of the Kings Majesties Justices of the Peace for the City of London THis Informant saith that David Fitz-Gerrald was a Grand Plotter and also to be a Captain to assist the French King as he hath formerly sworn and declared and that there was a difference between one Collonel Lacy and the Lord Brittis which of them should have the said David to be their Captain in their said Regiments And further the said Maurice Deposeth that the said David did use all his endeavours to stifle some of his Majesties Evidence as himself one Edmond Morphew John Moyer Hugh Duffey George Coddan Paul Garmley and Mortaph Downing from declaring the truth concerning the horrid Popish-Plot in Ireland And further saith that the said David-Fitz-Gerrald did desire him this Informant and the rest of his Majesties Evidence to go back for Ireland that the said David might be Captain over all the said Evidence and have all the benefit to himself Also the said Informant saith that the said David Fitz-Gerrald did send one Thomas Fitz-Gerrald to one John Fitz-Gerrald to perswade him the said John Fitz-Gerrald to retract his Evidence And the said John being come to the said David Fitz-Gerrald this Informant was ordered by the said David to withdraw into a private Chamber that he might not hear their Contrivance and Discourse As also the said John was to be one of the three Eitz-Gerralds that were to joyn with the said David against his Majesties Evidence Furthermore the said David did order me to write in my Information that one William Hetherington and the rest of his Majesties Evidence were but all Rogues and Thieves and Goale-breakers and Turbalent persons and that their Evidence ought not to be taken either by King or Parliament And the said David Fitz-Gerald did likewise tell this Informant that his Majesty told him the said David Fitz-Gerrald that he would not give or Order any money for his said Evidence that are in the City unless the said persons would go back from their Evidence and joyn with the said David Fitz-Gerrald meaning one Moyer Morphey and Duffey that were to have thirty pounds a piece to joyn with the said David against the rest of his Majesties Evidence Further being demanded whether David Fitz-Gerrald had been at any time in Company with the Earl of Aron and Sir John Davis since the last Sessions of Parliament saith several times at their respective Lodgings and likewise that the said David had been several times with Sir John Fitz-Gerrald in the Gatehouse likewise this Informant saith that he hath seen David Fitz-Gerrald in Company with Robert Poor a person charged for Treason at the said Davids Lodging where the said David Fitz-Gerrald gave the said Robert Poor Instructions to draw up the Articles against Mr. Hetherington Maurice Fitz-Gerrald Jurat Vicessimo primo die Martij 1680. Coram me John Frederick The informatton of Owen Callaghan and Murtagh Downing taken upon Oath before the Right Honorable Sir Patient Ward Knight Lord Mayor of the City of London the 4th of May 1681. THe said Informants being duly sworn and examined upon the holy Evangelist deposeth and saith That
not to try any more of the Lords in the Tower and after the Parliament was Prorogued he told the said Witnesses or some of them that he would remove their Nests 10. That the said Fitz-Gerald had kept continuall correspondency and familiarity with the four Witnesses which were brought over by a Messenger from Ireland and a Person of Quality perceiving it told him that he had not observed the Orders the Committee gave him which was That he should not come near any of the Evidence nor Converse with them The said Fitz-Gerald replyed that he was Commanded by the King to come there and also gave the said Person of Quality very scurrilous abusive language 11. The said Fitz-Gerald also abused the said four Witnesses or some of them and asked them if they came to hang poor Plunket 12. That the said Fitz-Gerald said he was abused because he would not accuse the Duke of Ormond and the Chancellor of Ireland which he knew to be as honest men as any in the three Kingdoms THe Examination of these Articles being referred to a Committee Mr. Hetherington produced all the Evidence that Fitz-Gerald had been tampering with and gave full satisfaction to the Committee of his villanous Practises of which indeed his own Insolent Behaviours before the said Committee might alone have been a very pregnant proof And the Chair-man of that Committee was making his Report to the House when the Black Rod came to Prorogue them soon after which a Dissolution followed otherwise 't is probable this Plot-shammer would have been severely dealt with according to Law But escaping Justice then so luckily has encouraged him and his Accomplices to proceed since more boldly in their endeavours to sham the Popish Plot and Suborn Witnesses against the Earl of Shaftsbury Mr. Hetherington c. The first course he took to shock the Integrity of the other Witnesses was to fright them with impudent lies and scandalous Aspersions upon the Person and Honour of His Sacred Majesty assuring them with Horrid Oaths That His Majesty did not send for them nor regard whether they were all hang'd or drown'd That His Majesty did not believe there was any Popish Plot at all nor care for prosecuting it That they should never get any allowance if they would not be ruled by him c. Such brazen-fac'd slanders on the best of Monarchs who on all occasions has so vigorously shewn himself a true Defender of the Protestant Faith that no good Subject can repeat them without Horror and Wonder that the Villian that broach'd them has so long escaped the Pillory or rather the Gallows In the next place he braves it out with fine clothes and Insults over the other Witnesses poverty and shews them whole handfulls of temptation bright charming Gold Insinuating that they should have the like encouragment if they would but embark with him in the same design Some of them indeed had so much conscience and sparks of honesty remaining or at least such regard to their future repute and safety as for some time to struggle with these Temptations and then freely upon Oath discovered the profered Subornations and wheadling devices yet afterwards as may reasonably be judged by the sequel over-swayed with the suggestions of the Devil and his Instruments so as to value neither Truth nor Conscience nor even their former Oaths pinched with necessities and Brow-beaten with the frowns of Grandees and abandoned almost by all the World they began to hearken to the voice of this Man-catching Syren and forget the Popish Plot and set up the Irish Ha-loo-loo against Protestants and being once engaged and having slung their Consciencies over-board nothing remains that they will Boggle at or which their grand Plot-shamming Masters and dayly Feeders please to put them upon This may seem a bold charge and would appear very unjust had we only suspitions and probable proofs or violent presumptions to justifie it but we have it under several of their own hands nay more upon their Oaths which for the Readers satisfaction we shall here faithfully recite The following Depositions being by several of them ere they were so totally debauched voluntarily sworn before the respective Magistrates therein mentioned London ss The Information of Maurice Fitz-Gerald Gent. taken this Eighteenth Day of March 1680. upon Oath before me Sir John Frederick Knight and Alderman one of the Kings Majesties Justices of the Peace for the City of London THis Informant being duly sworn saith That whereas it is reported in and about the City of London and Westminster and other places That he hath retracted from the Evidence and Information that he gave upon Oath before John Odell Nicholas Mouncton and George Aylesmer three of His Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Limerick in the Kingdom of Ireland against several Persons in the said Information mentioned being concerned in the Horrid Popish Plot contrived against His Majesty and His Protestant Subjects there it is altogether false and untrue And further declareth That whatsoever he hath related in the said Information is altogether true and will upon no account whatsoever retract from the same but will justifie the same Information whensoever he this Informant shall be thereunto required And further saith That whereas there was a Petition lately presented in the name of this Informant and others as he hath heard to the King and Council by David Fitz-Gerald That he this Informant had disowned any Information that he had given against Sir John Fitz-Gerald and Colonel Pierce Lacy He this Informant doth declare That he knew nothing of the said Petition till after it was presented and was not any waies concerned in the same Maurice Fitz-Gerald Jur. Coram me John Frederick Vera Copia E. B. Which Information given by the said Maurice Fitz-Gerald in Ireland follows in these words Com. Limerick The Information of Maurice Fitz-Gerald Gent. taken before us John Odell Nicholas Muncton and George Aylsmer three of His Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Limerick THe Informant being duely sworn on the Holy Evangelist saith That on or about Winter 1676. after Captain Thomas Mac-Inerina returned out of Flanders and France whether he had been imployed as Agent from the Irish Gentry there was a very great meeting at Colonell Peirce Lacy's House at Curroe where met besides the said Colonel the Lord of Brittas Molowney the Popish Titular Bishop of Killalow Brenan the Popish Bishop of Waterford Duley the Popish Bishop of Limerick two Jesuits whose names this Informant knows not Sir John Fitz-Gerald John Power Son to David Power late of Killbolan John Hurley Eustace White John Bourke of Cahormohill William Bourke his Brother Captain John Purdon Captain Thomas Mac-Inerina Captain Richard Stephenson David Fitz-Gerald and he this Informant and several others whose names this Informant knows not where and at which time the said Captain Mac-Inerina gave an account of his Agency and what Force the French King had promised to send over
further told me that there was a Collection made for the Irish Evidence in the City of London and that the King had notice of it And if we would take Fitz-Grralds advice we might have what mony we would and told me that he had five hundred pounds Sterling and a Commission for a Captains place from his Majesty and that he was to go suddenly for Ireland he further told me that his Majesty was informed that we the Kings Evidence came over not to serve him but to cast an Aspersion upon his Majesty which we utterly then and always absolutely do deny Hereupon we drew and presented a Petition to his Majesty setting forth the occasion of our coming over which was to serve his Majesty and the Kingdom and that when he pleased we were willing to return home after this he told me that his Majesty intended to impeach Mr. Hetherington Vera Copia London ss The Information of Mary Cox Spinster taken upon Oath the eighth day of July 1681. before Sir John Frederick Knight one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the City of London MAry Cox of Stoke Newington in the County of Middlesex Spinster maketh Oath that being at Mr. Robert Boulters a Stationer in Cornhil London the night before Mr. Plunket was Tryed Mr. Bernard Dennis came to speak with Mr. Boulter aforesaid and in Discourse of the Tryal of Plunket Mr. Dennis said that coming from the other end of the Town in Fetter-Lane by the Cross-Keys he saw a Crowd of people and enquiring what was the reason of it they told him it was a Subpena served upon Murphy and he said Murphy had absconded for some time because he would not have been Subpened and he said Murphy did say he would not appear the next day according to the Subpena but what the Issue was he did not know but left them and came straight to Mr. Boulters After some Discourse of Mr. Dennis his being in Newgate and that Mr. Wilmore was Bayl for him and Macnamarra my self and Mr. Boulter aforesaid asked him some Questions about Mr. Hetherington and whether he thought him an honest Man he told us he thought him a very honest Man for what ever he did see or know concerning him Then we asked him what was become of his Man George he said he was gone from him over to Fitz-Gerrald and that he had new Clothes and was very fine and said so might he have if he would turn Rogue for he said he had a Letter in his Pocket which made him great proffers to retract his Evidence We ask'd him from whom he had this Letter he said from Fitz-Gerrald Then we asked him if he were sure it was from him and how he knew it he said it was writ with his own hand and his Name subscribed to it and that he knew his Hand very well and had seen it several times And he said in this Letter Fitz-Gerrald proffered him Gold and Silver enough holding out his hands as people do when full of Money and that he might have his change of Rayment and live Comfortably not only for the present for the future also But he said he hoped he should approve himself an honest Man and take Mr. Boulters Council to keep to the Truth and then he should never be ashamed There were present Mr. Boulters Wife one Mrs. Norton and my self We had several other discourses about divers Irish Men that were gone off and about the great endeavour Fitz-Gerrald made to get the Evidence over to his side which I cannot remember so particularly as I did the former Mary Cox Jurat octavo die Julij 1681. Annoque Caroli secundi nunc Angl. c. xxxiij Coram me John Frederick London ss The Information of Robert Boulter of Cornhil London Stationer taken upon Oath before Sir John Frederick One of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the City of London on the eighth day of July 1681. RObert Boulter of Cornhil London Stationer maketh Oath that he was present when the discourse happened between Mr. Bernard Dennis and Mrs. Mary Cox and himself as in her Deposition aforegoing is set forth and that the same is a just and true Account of the said Discourse Robert Boulter Jurat octavo die Julij 1681. Annoque Caroli secundi nunc Angl. c. xxxiij Coram me John Frederick A true Coppy of a Paper Remaining at the Council-Board attested in pursuance of an Order in Council Dated the fifth day of October 1681. William Blaithway Council-Chamber the fifth day of October 1681. BRyan Heynes of London Gent. Aged thirty years and upwards maketh Oath that Mr. David Fitz-Gerrald one of the Kings Evidence about the latter end of February last told this Deponent that he the said Fitz-Gerrald possessed his Majesty and also gave it under his hand and Seal that the late Plot was a Presbiterian Plot and invented by the Right Honourable Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury on purpose to extirpate the Family of the Stewarts and dethrone his present Majesty and turn England c. into a Commonwealth or else set the Crown upon the Earls own head which the said Earl told the said Fitz-Gerrald did more appertain to the said Earl then to his present Majesty as the said Fitz-Gerrald told this Deponant and this Deponant further saith that one Robert Power Agent for the Earl of Tyrone likewise the said Fitz-Gerrald did divers times tamper with this Deponant to speak to John Macnamarra to the end the said Macnamarra would retract his Depositions concerning the Popish-Plot against the said Earl of Tyrone and that in case the said Macnamarra would deny what he deposed against the said Earl of Tyrone the said Robert Power and David Fitz-Gerrald did to this Deponant promise the said Macnamarra should be provided for all the days of his Life c. Much more this Deponant can say And this Deponant further saith That the said Fitz-Gerrald told this Deponant he wanted but Mr. John Macnamarra to come in and joyn with him and he would have the said Earl of Shaftsburies Head off and Sham the whole Popish-Plot S. W. All these are exact Copies of Affidavits and Testimonies freely made by these Irish Evidence except only that of Mrs. Cox and Mr. Boulter which relate materially thereunto And not a man of those Irish-men that made these Oaths but has since been great with Fitz-Gerrald and submitted to his Conduct and really done what there they swear they were first tampered with and profferred to be subborn'd unto Whence we may most naturally raise these conclusions 1. Either what they swore then was True or False If True nothing is more apparent Than that this Fitz-Gerrald who is now so much in favour with Grandees and one of the preparers of Witnesses against Protestants is one of the worst of Men And that there were long since ill Designs set on Foot to corrupt them And who can doubt but they have swallowed the Bait that sees