very Obsequious to the Strumpets that were about him yet do but observe what Credit the Parliament of England gave the Witnesses and that through the Power of Truth and Energy that was in the Testimony they gave 1. Upon the Testimony they received from me when I was a single Testimony upon the first of November 1678 the Lords and Commons past this Vote viz. Resolved Nemine Contradicente That upon the Evidence that hath already appeared to this House that this House is of Opinion that there hath been and still is a Damnable and Hellish Plot Contrived and Carried on by the Popish Recusants for the Assassinating and Murthering the King and for the Subverting the Government and Rooting out and Destroying the King To which Vote the Lords agreed Nemine Contradicente 2. The Lord Chancellour Finch that famous Tool reported upon the 28th of November 1678 the effect of a Conference desired by the Commons that upon hearing of the Testimony of Mr. Bedloe and my self that they were in an Amazment when they considered in what danger the Person of the King your Brother was and his Government whereupon they prepared an Address to be presented to the King your Brother to which they desired the Concurrence of the House of Lords and they had the Concurrence of the House of Lords in the said Address and it was accordingly presented to the said King on the 29th by both Houses so that you and your Villains may see that the Discovery of the Popish Plot was not so small a Matter as you would seem to make of it 3. Observe the Address of Parliament on the 21st of March 1679 in which the Parliament did lay before the King your Brother the great Sence they had of the sad and Calamitous Condition of this Kingdom occasioned chiefly by the Impious and Malicious Conspiracies of the Popish Party who had not only Plotted and intended the Distruction of the King your Brother but the total Subversion of the Government and the true Religion established amongst us and therefore they Prayed that a Day might be set a part for Fasting and Prayer and accordingly a Day was set apart but I suppose though you knew of that Day you nor none of your Villains ever kept it 4. Observe the Vote of the 24th of March 1679 Resolved Nemine Contradicente by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and by the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled That they are fully satisfy'd by the Proofs that they have heard that there now is and for divers Years last past hath been a horrid and Treasonable Plot and Conspiracy contrived and carried on by those of the Popish Religion for the Murthering of his Majesties Sacred Person and for the Subverting of the Protestant Religion and the ancient and well established Government of this Kingdom To which Vote Sir give me leave to remind you of the Impeachment of the five Popish Lords upon which Impeachment the Lord Viscount Stafford was tried and found Guilty and suffered the Pains of Death as a Traytor to the King and Kingdom and so fully satisfyed was the Parliament of the Integrity and Truth of the Witnesses that they intended to have proceeded against the rest of the Traytors that none of them could have escaped the Justice of the Nation had not they been dissolved in a most Arbitrary manner 5. Observe the Proceedings of the Parliament against Nathaniel Reading Esq who Corresponded with the Lords in the Tower that stood Impeached for the Popish Plot in their Address to the King your Brother upon the 8th of April 1679 in which they set forth the Inquiry they had made into the Hellish Design that was carried on by the Papists against the Person and Government of the King your Brother and upon Examination they found that he the said Reading had used his utmost endeavours to prevent and suppress the Kings Evidence and as much as in him lay to stifle the Discovery of the said Plot and and thereby to render the same Fallacious and of no Reality and by such undue Means to prevent the Malefactors from coming to Justice therefore they prayed that a Commission of Oyer and Termâ—er might be issued forth for the trying of the said Reading for that Offence Reading was tried and was found Guilty and therefore would have you take notice of what was said by the then Lord chief Justice North when he gave Judgment upon the said Reading I will tell you says he your offence is so great and hath such a Relation to that which the whole Nation is concerned in because it was on attempt to baffle the Evidence of that Conspiracy which if it had not been by the mercy of God detected God knows what might have befallen us all by this time and still the Parliament have it under their Consideration how to prevent any farther mischief by it but this Villain of a Cut-throat had the grace to join with your Brother and you to stifle it as I shall shew you in the next Part of this your sweet Picture 6. Observe the Address of the House of Commons upon the 14th of May upon the Assurance that the King your Brother had given the then Parliament of his constant Care to do every thing that might preserve the Protestant Religion and Government they did upon the said Assurances represent to the King your Brother the deep Sense they had of the state of Religion and shewed the King that the Papists by their Designs against his Person and Government which the said Parliament was resolved to defend gave themselves hopes of Success therefore the Parliament were resolved to apply themselves to the making such Laws as might defeat those Popish Adversaries of their Hopes of gaining any Advantage by any Attempt they should at any time Form against the Person of the King your Brother 7. Another Instance of the Credit the Discovery of the Popish Plot had you may see in this Address of the House of Commons to the King your Brother The ADDRESS to his Majesty from the Commons Saturday Nov. 13 th 1680. May it please your most Excellent Majesty WE your Majesty's most loyal and obedient Subjects the Commons in this present Parliament assembled having taken into our most serious Consideration your Majesty's gracious Message brought unto us the Ninth Day of this instant November by Mr. Secretary Jenkins do with all Thankfulness acknowledg your Majesty's Care and Goodness in inviting us to expedite such Matters as are depending before us relating to Popery and the Plot. And we do in all humility represent to your Majesty that we are fully convinced that it is highly incumbent upon us in discharge both of our Duty to your Majesty and of that great Trust reposed in us by those whom we represent to endeavour by the most speedy and effectual Ways the suppression of Popery within this Kingdom and the bringing to publick Justice all such as shall be found guilty of the horrid and damnable Popish
Bastard endeavour'd by a Book under the counterfeit name of Doleman by the Approbation of Cardinal Allen and Sir Francis Inglefield to disprove his Title to the Crown but he being in despight of all the Contrivances of the Papal Vermin establish'd on the Throne they shew'd the First fruits of their Loyalty to him they welcom'd him with a Conspiracy contriv'd by Watson and Clark two secular priests but wheedled into that Contrivance by the Jesuites but this scribbling Conspiracy of theirs failing the Jesuites who were unwearied Enemies to the peace of Mankind and are so still they I say commenc'd another Plot and that was one that was to all intents and purposes an evident demonstration of their Principles and a Testimony of their Good-will to the Protestant Interest in England therefore that they might do all their business at once they attempted the blowing up of the King Lords and Commons and were quickned in this Design in two Breves from your Roman Grandsire but you know they were disappointed in that piece of Villany the greatness of which awaken'd the Kingdom to provide against that Party of Men by many wholsome Laws made in the Reign of the said King James your said Grandfather And tho' the whole World stood amaz'd at the blackness of this Conspiracy and many of the Papists in a most hypocritical manner expressed their detestation of the same and of the Principles that produced it but it was indeed because it wanted the success they desir'd yet the Pope and Court of Rome took all imaginable care to have the Traytors magnified and honour'd especially Garâ—et the Provincial of the Jesuites who tho' he confessed under his own Hand that he dy'd for Treason yet his Name was inserted in the Book of their Villanous Martyrs and precious Relicks made of his Bones and his miraculous Picture kept at St. Omer's and a glorious Picture of his set over their Altars And two other Principal Jesuites that escap'd the Halter were by the then Pope caresâ—ed with Preserments at Rome And when upon this occasion the Oath of Allegiance was enacted to be impos'd upon the Subjects of your said Grandfather Pope Paul the Fifth publish'd several Bulls against the said Oath and several of the Româ—sh Communion wrote against it as Becanus and Bâ—llarmin c. Another Instance of their villanous practices was against your Father who tho' he had been a Bosom friend of theirs yet he was not thought sit to live as you may see in Habâ—râ—field's Discovery to Sir William Boswell then your Father's Ambassador at the Hague And who but men of such Villanous Principles could have engag'd your Mother to have fomented that unnatural War in your Father's ancient native Kingdom of Scotland which was the Foundation of the never to be forgotten Civil War in England And wheâ— the King your Father was by the just Judgment of God brought to Prison because he made some Concessions not out of Choice but of Necessity against that party of Men the Jesuites condemn'd him before he was brought to his Tryal and when dead Dr. Gâ—ffe a Priest of the Oratory brandish'd his Sword over his Head saying Now is the Enemy of God fallen But that of the Massacre in Ireland was a bloody demonstration of their Faith and Zeal there was no other reason that ever they could give but that those whom they murder'd were Protestants and that in killing them the Cathâ—lick Cause was promoted for at no time did thâ— Irish enjoy their Estates and the exercise of their Religion with greater peace than when they broke out into that dreadful Rebellion Nor was that Quiet and Security they possess'd the fruits only of a Connivance but the effects of many Acts of Grace which had a little before passed in favour of them They attempted the betraying your Brother in his escape at Worcester and to root out your whole Family if the then Protector would have but given them liberty by a Law they would have murder'd him at Bruxels too to have obliged you with the Crown Is not this Evidence enough against them that they had in conjunction with your self their Head design'd as well to destroy his Person as his Government and our Religion I pray consider this Topick while you are in the peaceable enjoyment of your Apartment at St. Germains before you are forced to take up your Bed and walk 3. A third Witness that appear'd to prove the Popish Conspiracy is the impudent Claims that the Bishop of Rome makes to the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland It is noâ— Sir unworthy of your Observation what your Bellarmine hath written upon that point The King of England â—aith he is subâ—â—ct to the Pope by a twofold Right first by reason of his Apostolick Power and secondly by right of proper Dominion Sir your Rascally Crew do not only plead Henry the second 's submitting his Crown to the Pope but also King John's resigning his Crown to the Pope and receiving it again as a Fee oâ— the Church of Rome And as for Scotland you know that Pope Boniface the Eighth did make a Claim to that Kingdom And at Madrid in the Year 1677 there was a Scotchman that was Robed and call'd the King of Scotland and he in the Jesuites College there resign'd into the Hands of James Lynce the pretended Archbishop of Tuam of the Kingdom of Ireland and took the Crown of the Kingdom of Scotland from the said Archbishop to revive the Claim of Pope Boniface over that Kingdom all which was done by vertue of a Bull from Innocent the Eleventh for that purpose And as for the Kingdom of Ireland it is matter of Fact that Henry the third did swear Homage to the Bishop of Rome for that Kingdom and did oblige himself to pay him Tribute for it in recognition of the Right of that Prelate You may mimp up those Canvas Chaps of yours but it is certain that you promis'd to your Jesuites to hold the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland as a Fee of the Papacy or else they would have made bold to have sent you the same way they design'd to send your Brother and did at last accomplish their Design by your gracious aid and assistance And had Popery been establish'd in England in the time of your gracious Tyranny and had the People been brought under the Soul-sanctifying Conduct of the Jesuits who as they have been true Dragoons to the Chair of Rome in the pervertion of the Nation we should have found how they would have improv'd these Claims for the service of the Romish Antichrist In case any difference should have risen between him and you your Bellarmine tells you roundly That these Kingdoms are the Dominions of the Church of Rome and that the Pope is our natural Lord and that the King at best is but his Vassal And in the time of the Rebellion you cannot but have heard that Innoceâ—t the Tenth did not only claim these three
able to work their Wills Such Discourses as these kept the Confederates and our Male Contents in heart and made them weather on the War in spight of all our Prorogations Therefore I press'd as I have said a Dissolution until February last when our Circumstances were so totally Changed that we were forced to change our Councels too and be as much for the Parliaments Sitting as we were before against it Our Change was thus Before that time the Lord Arlington was the only Minister in Credit who thought himself out of all danger of the Parliament he having been Accused before them and Justified and therefore was Zealous for their sitting and to increase his Reputation with them and to become a perfect Favourite he sets himself all he could to Persecute the Catholic Religion and to oppose the French To shew his Zeal against the first he revived some old dormant Orders for prohibiting Roman Catholics to appear before the King and put them in Execution at his first coming into his Office of Lord Chamberlain And to make sure work with the second as he thought prevailed with the King to give him and the Earl of Ossory who marryed two Sisters of Myne Heere Odyke 's leave to go over into Holland with the said Heere to make a Visit as they pretended to their Relations But indeed and in truth to propose the Lady Mary Eldest Daughter of his R H. as a Match for the Prince of Orange not only without the consent but against the good Liking of his R. H. in so much that the Lord Arlingtons Creatures were forced to excuse him with a Distinction that the said Lady was not to be looked upon as the Dukes Daughter but as the Kings and a Child of the State was and so the Duke's consent not much to be Considered in the disposal of her but only the Interest of State By this he intended to render himself the Darling of Parliament and Protestants who look'd upon themselves as secured in their Religion by such an Alliance and designed further to draw us into a Close Conjunction with Holland and the Enemies of France The Lord Arlington set forth upon this Errand the Tenth of November 1674. and returned not till the Sixth of January following During his Absence the L. Treasurer L. Keeper and the Duke of Lauderdale who were the only Ministers of any considerable Credit with the King and who all pretended to be entirely Vnited to the Duke declaimed Loundly and with great Violence against the said Lord and his Actions in Holland and did hope in his absence to have totally Supplanted him and to have routed him out of the Kings Favour and after that thought they might easily enough have dealt with the Parliament But none of them had Courage enough to speak against the Parliament till they could get rid of him for fear they should not succeed and that the Parliament would Sit in spight of them and come to hear that they had used their endeavours against it which would have been so Vnpardonable a Crime with our Omniporent Parliament that no Power could have been able to have Saved them from Punishment But they finding at his Return that they could not prevail against him by such Means and Arts as they had then tryed resolved upon New Councels which were to out-run him in his own Course which accordingly they underâ—oâ—k and became as fierce Apostles and as zealous for Protestant Religion and against Popery as ever my Lord Arlington had been before them and in pursuance theâ—eof perswaded the King â—o issue out those severe Orders and Proclamations against Catholics which came out in February last by which they did as much as in them lay to extripate all Catholics and Catholic Religion out of the Kingdom which Councels were in my poor Opinion so Detestable being lâ—velled as they must needs be so directly against the Duke by People which he had Advanced and who had professed so much Duty and Service to him that we were put upon new Thoughts how to save his R. H. now from the Deceits and Snares of those Men upon whom we formerly depended We saw well enough that their design was to make themselves as grateful as they could to the Parliament if it must Sit they thinking nothing so acceptable to them as the persecution of Popery and yet they were so obnoxious to the Parliaments displeasure in general that they would have been glad of any Expedient to have kept it off though they durst not engage against it openly themselves but thought this Device of theirs might serve for their purposes hoping the Duke would be so alarm'd at their proceedings and by his being left by every body that he would be much more afraid of the Parliament than ever and would use his utmost power to prevent its Sitting Which they doubted not but he would endeavour and they were ready enough to work underhand too for him for their own sakes not his in order thereunto but durst not appear openly and to encourage the Duke the more to endeavour the Dissolution of the Parliament their Creatures used to say up and down That this Rigour against the Catholics was in favour of the Duke and to make a Dissolution of the Parliament more easy which they knew he coveted by obviating one great Objection which was commonly made against it which was That if the Parliament should be Dissolved it would be said That it was done in favour of Popery which Clamour they had prevented beforehand by the Severity they had used against it As soon as we saw these Tricks put upon us we plainly saw what men we had to deal withalâ— and what we â—ad to trust to if we were wholly at their mercy but yet durst not seem so dissatisfied as we really were but rather magnified the Contrivance as a Device of great Cunning and Skill all this we did purely to hold them in a belief that we would endeavour to Dissolve the Parliament and that they might rely upon his R. H. for that which we knew they long'd for and were afraid they might do some othâ—r way if they discovered that we were resolved we would not At length when we saw the Sessions secured we declared that we were for the Parliaments meeting as indeed we were from the Moment we saw our selves â—andâ—ed by all the Kings Ministers at such a rate that we had Reason to believe they would Sacrifice France Religion and his R. H. too to their own Interest if occasion served and that theâ— were lead to believe that that was the only way they had to save themselves at that time For we saw no Expedient fiâ— to stop them in their Carrier of persecution and those other destructive Councils but the Parliament which had set it self a long time to dislike every thing the Ministers had done and had appeared violently against Popery whilest the Court seemed to favour it and therefore we were Confident that the Ministers
ruine any Man that stands in either of your ways the Doctrine you have been taught will induce any thinking Man to believe your Practice and both your Practises and his do sufficiently prove the Damnableness of the Doctrin you have received 3. A third Testimony that I shall urge in this case is the Evidence that was given in by William Johnson and Joseph Wright upon the Fifteenth day of May 1679 before the Lords Committees sitting in the Lord Privy Seals Lodgings who say that one Jonathan Smith a Papist supposing these two Informants to be of the same Religion said that he knew the King was a Papist and the rest of the Nobles of the Kingdom also and that there was scarce one of them but that had Romish Priests in their Houses this Smith also declared that he had his Maintenance from the Lord Stafford's House that Mr. Smith the then Steward to the Lord Stafford was his Uncle and believed that several Priests were in the Lord Stafford's House Upon which the Lords Ordered to search the Lord Stafford's House and to seize all dangerous Papers and Persons but notice being given to the Conspirators the Priests and Papers were conveyed to St. Jameses to be graciously disposed of as you should think fit and when the Lords had notice of it there could be nothing further done in the Affair because your Brother the King to give the Rogues a Taste of his Royal Favour raised the Parliament and sent them home when they were in the midst of their Work in Discovering the horrid Villanies of your self and Party 4. That Evidence that Mr. Prance gave in to the then Marquiss of Winchester now Duke of Bolton on the Nineteenth of March 1678 9 The said Marquiss being then One of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex and City and Liberty of Westminster THIS Examinant saith That he and Mr. Maddison a Barber in Holborne and Mr. Staley were Drinking at the Cross Keys Tavern over against Staleys House about a Fortnight before the said Staley was taken where complaining of the great Persecution that the Papists lay under and if that they did not take some speedy course to destroy their Enemies they should be ruined the said Staley and Maddison resolved to Kill the Earl of Shaftsbury as the ring leader of the Mischief that would fall upon them Maddison said that he would engage three to wit Adamson a Watchmaker and Prosser a Silversmith and Bradshaw an Upholster and the said Maddison coming afterwards to this Deponents Shop shewed the Deponent a Pistol he had prepared for that Purpose this Deponent further saith That meeting the said Adamson at one Pettleyes at the White-posts in Veres-street and discoursing of News Adamson said they should be undone if they did not look about them therefore they were resolved to Kill the Lord Shaftsbury he also speaking the same thing to this Deponent at the Grid-iron in Holborn this Deponent further saith That the aforesaid Prosser told him he was undone and that he intended to Kill the Lord Shaftsbury for he with other of the Lords intended to undo the Lord Arundel of Wardour who was one of his best Customers the said Prosser telling the said Deponent another time That he was to be an Ensign under the Lord Arundel this Deponent further saith That Bradshaw in discourse with him saith that he would make no more to kill a Protestant than to kill a Dog or a Cat and that he was resolved to Kill some of the busie Lords but the first should be the Lord Shaftsbury and the said Bradshaw also shewed him the Deponent a Pistol at the same time this Deponent further saith that he the Deponent and Mr. Messenger Prosser and Maddison were at Bradlies in Holborn about five weeks before Staley was taken where the said Messenger was complaining of the severity of the Laws against the Papists and much fearing they would be put in Exeâ—ution against them by some that were no lovers of them and particularly by the Lord Shaftsbury who did most busie himself about them said that there must be speedy Course taken to prevent it And this Deponent further saith that some time after the said Prosser told him that the said Messenger was the Person that Promoted the killing the Lord Shaftsbury the Deponent further saith That Mr. Goseen told him both in Covent Garden and in the Deponents Shop that the King and Parliament would undo them and that if he were to kill a Man he would as soon kill the King as any Man and if he had him in Spain he would have killed him ere this This Deponent further saith that about six Months since he heard Mr. Matthews the Lord Peters Priest say that his Lord and the Lord Belasys with some other Lords would have a great Army and that he hoped the Catholick Religion would be setled in England This Deponent further saith That about a Year since he heard Mr. Singleton a Priest say in the presence of Mr. Hall that he hoped he should be setled in a Parish Church before a twelve month and that he did not fear but that the Catholic Religion would Reign in England and that he would not make any more matter of Stabbing forty Parliament Men than to eat his Dinner This Deponent saith that he hath also heard Mr. Byflet and Dr. Guilding say several times that they turned divers People from the Protestant Religion and that they hoped they should turn many more the Deponent also believeth that the said Hall knows where the said Singleton Byfleet and Guilding are for that they used to be always at Halls house and the said Hall always received the Money for the said Singleton which was to be distributed for Masses for the Dead This Deponent further saith that Mr. Groves told him that this was no Plot but a Plot of the Protestants own making and when his Vncle was Condemned he said they were all Rogues that Swore against him the Deponent then asking him what he thought of the four thousand Men which he knew were to be raised the said Groves replied that might be in Jest the Deponent further saith that Mr. Ridley a Chyrurgeon at the Lord Baltimores house in Wild-street told him several times that he hoped to be Chyrurgeon to a Catholic Army in England and that the Lord Belasis would stand his Friend in the Concern This Deponent further saith that the Lord Arundel of Wardours Butler told him that Mr. Messenger was to kill the King and that he was to have a good Reward if he saved his Life and if he were killed the said Reward should be distributed amongst such Friends as he should appoint by the Lord Arundel the Earl Powys and the rest of the Lords that were in the same Plot This Deponent further saith that meeting with Mr. Messenger after that he asked the said Messenger why he would kill the King the said Messenger answered who told you of it the
and committed for High Treason and you had two Villaiâ—◠〈…〉 him out of his Life just before I discovered the Plot and when 〈…〉 your â—â—pish Witnesses disappeared and Clapool in January or February following was 〈◊〉 I have said pretty much of that business in my first Parâ— to which 〈…〉 4. Give me leave to add another Particular and that is you did no◠〈…〉 true blew Church of England Protestants that were aiding and abâ—tting youâ— Popish Crew in the Country of which there might be many Instances given 〈…〉 not too much burden your Sacred Soul I will only mention this One 〈…〉 out by Mr. Dugdale against Sr. Thomas Whitgrave of Bridgford in the County of Stafford who was a Person applyed unto on the Papists behalf to evade the Penaâ—â—iâ—s and Punishments of the Penal Laws against Papists as a Justice of the Peace in open Sessions assisting the Papists on all occasions particularly directing Presentments against Papists to be omitted which he had to the Knowledg of this Dugdale practised for ten Years together and also he was one that laboured with the Inhabitants of the Town of Stafford to choose the Lord Stafford for their Steward and further acquainted the House that this Whitgrave received Money of the Lord Aston for his said Practices on the behalf of the Papists and not only so but that he the said Whitgrave had for some time before the Discovery of the Popish Plot fraudulently purchased divers Papists Estates to the value of 40000 l. and upwards to defraud the King and that he was acquainted with the Secrets of the Papists and with the Orders and Decrees of the Popish Priests as he was told and could if he might have been heard have proved the same 6. The next Witness that I shall use is John Smith this Man upon his Return to England was planted as a Priest in the House of Mr. Robert Jenison before mentioned who wâ—â—â—he fourth Witness and in his time there was a great Collection of Money on fooâ—â—mongst the Popish Party to the promoting of which Collection the Assistance â—â— Mr. Smith was desired but he did not only refuse but disswaded Mr. Jenison and 〈◊〉 â—amily where he then was from contributing Money upon any occasion 't is true â—â—â—retence for which this Money was raised was the Repair of the English Colâ—â—â—â— â—oway but the Collection was so universal and the Sum collected so great that 〈…〉 could not believe that such a Treasure could be all sacrificed to the repair of a Câ—â—â—ge but feared that there was some design on foot for the carrying on of which so large a Sum of Money was raised but the thing dyed with Mr Smith and revived not till the Discovery of the Popish Plot then Mr. Smith did not only acquaint the Parliament with this Passage but gave in an Information that tended mightily to corroborate Mr. Jenison's Evidence which is as follows Part of the Information of John Smith of Walworth in the County Palatine of Durham Gent. taken upon Oath the 8th day of September 1679 before me Edmund Warcupp Esq One of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace in the said County and City THis Informant that Mr. Robert Jenison came to his Fathers Midd. ss House in Sept. 1678 where after he had been some Days Sir Edward Smith came to Walworth and produced a Letter signifying a Discovery of a Popish Plot in London and upon Inquiry who were in it Ireland and Whitebread were named about three or four days after which Mr. Robert Jenison before his Father Sisters and this Informant said That he believed there was something of a Plot for that he had heard Mr. Ireland say it was an easie matter to take off the King whereupon this Informant asked what that Ireland was who answered that he was a Jesuit and his Cosen and Mrs. Katharine Jenison his Sister asked when he saw Mr. Ireland Who answered a little before he came out of Town at his Lodging in Russelstreet which was on the day that himself came from Windsor and the same day that Mr. Ireland came post out of Staffordshire and that he then found him pulling off his Boots Mrs. Katharine Jenison asked him how her Aunt in Staffordshire did Who replied Mr. Ireland said she was well and that he had been with her in Staffordshire at that time This Informant then asked him what a kind of man Mr. Ireland was Who answered that he was a fine Countenanced smiling man and Swore if he be Guilty of this Plot I will never trust a smiling man again thereupon this Informant asked him what he thought of him Who answered I doubt there is some Guilt in him because he had inquired of him when he came from Windsor how the King diverted and how he was attended whereunto he answered in Hawking and Fishing attended only with three or four Persons Mr. Ireland replied he would go so slenderly guarded he were easily taken off and then he paused but sometime after Mr. Jenison repeated that he feared there was something in that Plot for that Mr. Ireland had said to him at another time That there was but One in the way and were he removed the Catholic Religion might flourish again in England whereupon this Informant said those were damnable suspicious things which Mr. Ireland had spoken about the King thereupon old Mr. Jenison rose up and swore Mr. Ireland was a Rogue and so left the Room and determined the discourse at that time but sometime after in this same Month this Informant walking on the Leads with Mr. Robert Jenison discoursing of the Jesuits being in the Plot the said Robert Jenison told this Informant that Mr. Ireland had at another time told him that Sir George Wakeman was a fit Person to Poyson the King being the Queens Physitian and a Papist upon which this Informant said he hoped the King would not take Physic of any Papist in regard they might be Jesuitically inclined and the Jesuits were against Monarchy in temporal Princes though appointed by God himself upoâ— which the said Mr. Robert Jenison asked are the Jesuits against Monarchy whereto this Informant replied you may easily Judge that by their taking off many Kings and Princes and by their holding it lawful for the Pope to deprive Kings of their Kingdoms and to dispose of them at his pleasure so that though a King be the Annointed of the Lord and One that should not be touched with violent Hands yet not only his Kingdom but his sacred Life lies at the Popes Pleasure Mr. Jenison answered doth the Pope allow of this This Informant answered yes they have often practised it in this and other Kingdoms and thereby brought more Schism and Division into the Church than ever was before such damnable things were practised by the Pope and his Emissaries whereto Mr. Jenison replied you Seculars are generally against the Jusuits and in many things against the Pope whereunto this Informant replied if you please to consider
your Nose and say nothing and let them Play the Game as they lifted and when they were strengthened by your Interest and the French Kings Power they could send you Trudging into the Kingdom of Darkness as you did your Brother But to come home to your Jesuits Sir let me put you in mind that upon the fifth of April we had notice from Thomas VVhite and the Fathers in London that a General Consult was to be held on April the 24th and the Fathers of Leige and Ghent and VVatton and St. Omers were ordered to attend the said Consult and the Summons was to this effect Thus all that had Jus Suffragij was to be there and that they were not to hasten to London long before the time appointed nor to appear much about the Town till the meeting was over least occasion should be given to suspect the Design and Secrecy as to the time and place was much Recommended to all those that were Summoned as it would appear of its own Nature necessary this was the Summons and to this Summons we all obeyed and to London we came and there met about 50 or 60 of the Society from all parts of the Kingdome who before the Consult was disolved did resolve upon the Death of the King either by Shooting Poysoning or Stabbing Conyers the Benedictin was pitcht upon and four Irish Russians to Stab him and Pickering and Grove were pitcht upon to shoot him and Sir George VVakeman to Poyson him thus your Brothers death was resolved upon and what they could not effect in 1678 they did in 1684 and to this of 78 your Servant Coleman was not only Privy too but was aiding and advising and consenting and how could you be Ignorant of it then For what you did in 1684 you had long designed of which Sir no doubt in the least can be made and therefore it s in vain for you or any of your Villains to dispute it can you deny that you sought the Destruction of the Prince of Orange whilst he was in that Station only because he had Married your Daughter can you or your Brother of France deny that the Papists were to have your Aid and Power to subdue the Northern Heresy Can you deny that Coleman laboured for a Peace that the French King might be at leasure to assist you here in England And that you might not have one to hand a Party against you was not the Duke of Monmouth kept under the Hatches by you and your Party And was not the Parliament to be disolved And by the Dissolution of the Parliament a Peace could be procured upon more Advantageous Terms to the French and in order to your regaining your Power and Interest which was hurt by quitting the Office of Lord High Admiral it was contrived that you should be restored and that the King your Brother should put the Fleet into your Hands as the only Person that could give a good account of it and farthermore that for all the Places of importance of the Kingdom put into his Hands till the Popish Religion and Arbitrary Power was fixed and you at the Hand of it in which Post you were to be but a Royal Tool to serve their base Ends and Purposes and if you did not comply they knew how to dispose of you even in no worse way than they designed upon your Brother which I say through Gods Mercy to England and your Clemency they did effect and then Popery had but two Legs whereas in his time she had four such as they were Objection That it was objected against me that I was not in Town in the Months of April and May this was one main Objection against my Discovery and to this end the Jesuits produced a Number of rascally Boys from St. Omers to prove my being there those Two Months nay some of them Swore from December till June And to answer this Objection I brought in Seven or Eight Witnesses to prove my being in Town which gave the Court great Satisfaction 1. The first Witness I called was Mr. Walter sometimes Vicar of Rainham in Kent who did declare that he had known me several Years and had met me in Newgate Market and in the Month of April he saw me in a Disguise in a grey Serge Coat and a grey Hat at the first Sight this Minister did not know me to be the Man but upon due recollection he found me to be the Man that he had seen and to confirm his Judgment in it he went to a Gentlewoman whose Name also he did not know he went to her because he had seen me at her House to enquire of her what was become of me and how I did and the Gentlewoman not knowing the End of my going beyond the Seas answered him thus Oh says she he is an undone Man he is turned to the Church of Rome and Absconds and hides himself I know not where Can all this be true Then Mr. Walter told her That he had seen me later than she had done for he had seen me the Day before at the upper end of St. Martin's Lane near Leicester House 2. Sarah Ives was another Witness in the Case to confirm what Mr. Walter had said this was the Woman of whom he enquired concerning me who owned she had not seen me but my Friends had told her that they judged me about the Town Incognito and she proved that Walter had the aforesaid Discourse with her concerning me and that he had told her that he had seen me the Day before and she tells you a particular Token That my Father came then unto her House to see her and she did ask my Father to eat some thin Cheese that was newly come in and the first she had come in and she enquired of my Father when he did see me my Father told her That he had not seen me of late then said she I can tell you News of your Son here was one Mr. VValter in my Shop that says he met him in Leicester Fields but in a Disguise and that he had told her what Habit I was in 3. A third Witness that proved me in Town at that time was one Butler that was Coach man to Sir Richard Barker who said That he was about his Coach which stood in the Gate-way and that I came in and asked him whether Dr. Tonge was within and he answered No At the first Sight he did not know me by reason of the Disguise that I was in but had known me well before because that I wore a Minister's Habit as I did then at the Tryal of the Jesuits but upon calling to mind who I was he did bid me welcome into England again but he said I took no notice of him but went on forward into the House But I made but little stay in the House because a young Fellow had affronted me for the sake of the Habit I was then in and this he swore was in the Month of May
Bull was obtained then in the latter part of 1677 Commissions began to appear pretty rife and in the year 1678 to the time the Plot was Discovered to your Brother which was some little time before you went to Windsor But to conclude this particular observe 1. that you were not to appear aâ— the head of the Conspiracy for fear of being Exposed to the Parliament 2. that if the thing were Discovered it should appear an unprobable Story and so not be Believed 3 That your Allie of France might not Expose himself to the Princes of Christendom 4 That the General of the Jesuits unwillingly engaged in the Affair of granting Commissions 5. That when he had undertaken the Province aforesaid the whole Body of Jesuits were engaged in the Work 6. And more closly Linckt to the Interest of the French King their General being his Creature to all Intents and Purposes 8. What Credit the Discovery of the Popish Plot obtained in the Nation this did not only obtain Credit in the Nation but might have been of great use to Charles your Brother and I am sure it was very Fatal to you and your Party but that which you sneer at were the Reasons why the Witnesses were so ill treated at Court and were not beloved by your Brother to this I must give you these two Answers 1. By way of Concession that is possible he might not be pleased to give that Credit to the Discovery of the Popish Plot and therefore its true he did not give the Witnesses that kind Treatment at Court the Nature of their Cause required and there where four Reasons for it 1. Your Brother was well acquainted with the new Government and the new Religion that was to be brought in but you were not so Civil as to acquaint him with the Design that was against his own Life so that when that part of your Design was Discovered you almost prevailed upon your Brother not to believe this part of the Plot because that you had so freely acquainted him with all the other Part of your Design and engaged him in it so that he being persuaded by you and your Party not to give Credit or at leastwise to own that he did believe that the self same Party with whom he himself was in a Conspiracy should have such another Plot against his Life the King your Brother was in the Design against the Religion and Government of the Kingdom because he was sold into an opinion that the Religion and Government thereof was inconsistant with Monarchy as he told the King of Poland by old Sir Cutbook Lockrom Jaws alias Mapleface quondam his Envoy then and that Rascal of a Book-Cutter had got such a notion of the uniting of the Church of England with the Church of Rome that I think it was as great an argument to induce you to prefer him as well as the cheating of your dear Brother by reason of his excellent Talent in the work of Book-Cutting and also at the destroying of the Discovery of the Popish Plot. 2. Another Reason why the King your Brother might not bee inclined to give the Witnesses that Credit and Reception they did deserve because of his affection to the Popish Crew tho I must tell you that had I been of your Brothers Council I should have given him this Advice viz. That if he would have preserved himself from a Conspiracy was obliged in Policy to have had an Eye upon those for whom he hath done the greatest Kindnesses rather than upon those to whom he hath been unkind for those that were disgusted they made not such frequent Opportunities nor such easy Accesses to him as your favoured Villains had and the Conspiracy that was begun against his Life was by you and those Popish Lords and Jesuits that had been most familiar with him for was it not his own only Life that kept you from the three Kingdoms and that you were in danger every day to turn your Party destroyed by the Parliament therefore it stood you in much stead to dispense with the Sixth Commandement rather then your Negotiations with the Cardinal Howard the French King and Father Farrier and Father Lachaise and Oliva General of the Jesuits and the Popes Internuncio at Bruxels nay with the Pope himself should fall to the Ground and you know that you found him but loose in his Religion which was that of Rome if he had any at all and that he had neither Resolution nor Courage nor Constancy and Popery was the thing you now Resolved upon and Arbitrary Government he was Privy to all this and liked the Project but would not run the hazard you did therefore because he was a Trotter only and not a Galloper you were resolved to destroy him and to blind him so that he might not see your Design nor believe it you and your Party urged this for a main Reason his Affection to them and his laying so many Obligations upon them was an Argument sufficient to support your Party against the Credit of the Witnesses that appeared to accuse them 3. Because the King your Brother was Swallowed up in the Pleasures of his Lusts he preferred the Amorous Glances of his Whores before the safety of the three Nations who were most of them of the Popish Religion and they having his Ear and his Heart did much prevail with him to discountenance the Discovery of the Popish Plot and the Discovâ—rers thereof as Portsmouth in particular who in Conjunction with you and your Party carried the King and his Ministers that were up to the Ears with you in all the other Parts of the Design and you know that when I appeared I stood a single Witness a great while and notwithstanding you and the Court Whores and Court Pimps and Court Bawds set your Faces upon me to destroy me nevertheless I stood like a Rock against all your Attempts 1. You know who it was that was acquainted with the Conspiracy by Order from the King your Brother and he was so far pursuing the Discovery that he chose rather to let the Conspirators have time enough to convey away their Person and their Papers and Madam Remarkable was as diligent a cast Whore as any in that Affair 2. Your Italian Comrade you know made a visit to the Princess of Orange in Flanders and by that Opportunity many of the Traytors had an opportunity to escape as also when you was sent to take the Air in that Country you took along with you several of your Villains 3. You know how Coleman's last two years Letters were Conveyed away 4. You bribed Scroggs to baffle the Testimonies of the Witnesses you and the Whores thus prevailing upon the King you might dispose him not to give the Witnesses that reception their Cause and Service did deserve 2. I answer in the second Place that notwithstanding the usage the Witnesses met withal from your Brother in private Capacity as he was a Man Wedded to his Pleasures and
Kingdoms but did actually usurp a Royal Power over that Nation and accordingly gave forth all kind of Commissions by the hands of his Nuncio and you know that the wiâ—ty Knaves about Town said that the late Nâ—â—câ—o that was with you came to get his Countrywoman with Child but Sir to be plain with you I cannot â—ell what secret Service there might be to bring the Gentlewomans Milk but this I aâ— sure that the Nuncio that was with me in disguise with Keins the Provincial and Ned Petre and trusty Charles of Limestreet and Ned Neviâ—e told me That he expected to have found the Nation dispos'd to be reconciled to the Church of Rome and that his main business was to take your Homage to the See of Rome for your holding these three Kingdoms and that if the Nation had been reconciled that business would have been done So that it was plain that you were not only in a Plot to destroy your own Brother but to subjugate these Nations to the Obedience of the See of Rome and France 4. The Doctrines they publickly preach in their Churches and teach in their Schools to their young Students to be educated under them for it is as plain as the Sun at Noon day that the Popes pretend to have a power to depose Kings and that no King reigns but at the pleasure of the Pope And from hence Sir give me leave to observe two things 1. That by reason of the Doctrin they have taught and do still teach they publish themselves not only Rogues ready for any Design against the Peace and Safety of any Kingdom where-ever they shall be admitted but also publish themselves Traytors of the deepest dye and ought to have been proceeded against as such tho' never convicted of any Action suitable to such Principles for the Principle it self is the highest Treason that any foreign Power should have power to depose a Prince that owes him neither suit nor service tho' there be no Overt Act for the condemning such Villains And it is well known to your self that so far as the Popish Religion hath only an inâ—luence upon the future state of Men it was never punish'd with Death in England it is only upon the score of those damnable Doctrines which instruct and countenance them to over-throw the State and Government that your villanous Priests were justly made liable to suffer and therefore the Priests that were arraign'd in the time of the Discovery of the Popish Plot and were condemn'd and executed without being proceeded against for any thing but their being Priests and their withdrawing the Subject from the Religion by Law establish'd were as real Traytors as those which were executed for having a Design in conjunction with you to murder your Brother 2. Could any Government be secur'd of the Loyalty of such a person who taught such pernicious Principles as these No surely I will give you a home Instance of this There were some Irish Papists since the Year 1660 had in a Remonstrance prepar'd for the perswading the Government that they were persons of great Loyalty and owned King Charles their lawâ—ul King and that the Pope had no power to depose him you know that thereupon they were told from Rome that they had renounc'd the Catholick Faith and that they were fallen under the condemnation of the Apostolick See I pray sir put on your Irish Yokes and read the Letter from Bruxels bearing date July 21. 1662 where the Pope's Nuncio who wrote that Letter tells them how that their Remonstrance being examin'd at Rome by the Cardinals and Divines was found to contain Propositions condemn'd by Paul the fifth and Innocent the tenth an Acquaintance of yours and that Alexander the seventh then Pope was so far from approving it that he did not so much as permit or connive at it and therefore condemn'd as a thing that could not be kept without breach of Faith according to the Decrees of Paul the fifth and that it denied the Pope's Authority in matters of Faith according to the Decree of Innocent the tenth Sir give me leave to tell you and Mrs. Pugg my quondam â—andlady that your Rogues went farther in their Doctrines they taught those they had under their care and conduct in Rome in order to be sent to England to preach the same Doctrine that it was not only lawful to depose Heretical Kings excommunicate and declar'd to be Hereticks but also it would be a meritorious act to kill such they being unfit to live especially if they are Apostates Now you mâ—mble about your Mouth and slabber as if you had got a bunch of Thistles there and say that this was the prate of two or three â—ash Block-heads that knew no better Come come when you go to visit the bawdy Cardinal d' Este now Duke of Modena he can â—ell you other tydings so that you are as much out in this as you was in marrying my old Friend his Sister nay you your self can tell if there be any truth in you that this Doctrine was not preached by two or three but that it is the common received Doctrine of your damn'd Synagogue of Rome especially of the Jesuites under whose management you were and are still to this day And the little Welch Cubâ— is in the same condition and may improve in the knowledge of that point unless God provide better for him and 〈…〉 is Hâ—art as you used to say and incline him as graciously to return to his own dear Father's Trade But hence I must observe to you four things 1st That your Brother who was too loose a Papist â—ay by them condemned of Apostacy and Persidiousness to their Cause and Party was as much hated by them as if he had been the most zealous Protestant in the World so that his person was expos'd to the Mercy of any one that under the encouragement of meriting Heaven will dare to assassinate him whether in a Coach or in his Quarters at Newmarket or at Windsor or in St. James's Park or at White-hall by Pistol or Poison or Dagger or by Blunderbuss or what you please they are the main Arguments they us'd to convert Princes that were Hereticks to the Catholick Faith And why so good Sir why must Kings be so serv'd tho' they are Protestants And must your Brother be slain in this or that way tho' he did not refuse the passing the Test-Bill or sign Coleman's Declaration for the dissolving the Parliament Truly there was good reason for it said your Jesuites he had broke his word with the Catholicks all the World over and therefore he was excommunicate or if he was not his many Miscarriages entituled him to nothing better than a violent death For his Life would hinder the carrying on your design This I say was not the Doctrine only of a few that such Princes are ipso facto excommunicate and therefore may be destroy'd for if you will but read or let me send for your old Crackfart