City and impoverish her Inhabitants before they could possibly be able to bring any of their Contrivances to maturity Richard Strange once Provincial of the Jesuites took the care of a Fact so worthy the Order of Jesus upon himself To which purpose having made Gray Pennington Barton all three Jesuites and others privy to his Criminal Intentions they all met together at a public House call'd the Green Dragon near Puddle Dock kept by one West a Taylor There after several Consultations they agreed to have done their work in February 1664. but not having assistance sufficient nor materials enow ready for Execution they desisted for that time In January 1666. they again renewed their meetings at the same West's House and under the pretence of being Fifth Monarchy Men they first inveagled one Green into their Society and with a bait of 30 l. wherewith they furnish'd him for his present Necessities soon caught the hungry Fish Green thus deluded by their Charity and their Canting joyn'd with them in their design both for Firing the City and Murdering the King and in farther gratitude for their kindness brought into their acquaintance eight more of the same Gang who as they were a hotheaded and inconsiderate sort of Cattel soon closed with a Combination so sutable to their own Natures and were no less zealous in the business then the Jesuites themselves Upon this they were all eager to have gone to work in February following before the Return of the Inhabitants to London But Green opposed that Resolution representing to the Jesuites that then they should be the sooner discover'd in regard that the greater the Uproar was the safer they should be More then this he put them in mind That the King would not then be much in Town if at all who as Green at that time adviz'd was to be cut off when the people were all in Consternation and hurrey by reason of the Fire This advice pleased the subitle Jesuites well and for those reasons the business was delay'd Soon after Green and the rest of the Cabal were suspected by their Host the forenamed West and forwarn'd his House Upon this the wary Jesuites like Foxes fled immediately to their Holes and Earth'd themselves at St. Omers leaving their poor deluded Fifth Monarchy Brethren to suffer the deserved Punishment of their rash Zeal For those Fifth Monarchy Bigots being all taken the next Sessions were indicted at the Old Baily by the Names of John Rathbones William Saunders Henry Tucker Thomas Flint Thomas Evans John Miles William Westcott and John Cole for Conspiring the Death of his Majesty and the overthrow of the Government having lay'd their Plot for surprizal of the Tower killing the Lord General Monk Sir John Robinson and Sir Richard Brown and then to have declar'd for an equal division of Lands The better to effect which the City was to have been fir'd the Portcullices to have been let down to keep out assistance and the Horse guards to have been surpriz'd several Officers having been gain'd for that purpose Of all this they were found guilty and soon after Executed all but Green who dy'd in prison before he came to his Tryal All which nothing grieved the Jesuites believing that now whatever mischief happn'd afterwards the burthen of the Crime would be laid upon the Fanaticks As to the Fathers that brought them into those noozes the poor condemned Hotspurs never mentioned a word concerning them neither knowing their Names nor suspecting them to have been Jesuites but of their own Faction and therefore the more chary of detecting them Upon notice therefore given to Strange by Fitzgerald an Irish Jesuite and one Neal of White happel that the Fifth Monarchy Cullies were all safe out of this World without the least Information given or notice taken of their Names or Persons Strange and his Companions returned in June following and fell again to their employment which had been in some measure managed by their Associates in their absence To be short they got fifty or sixty Irish to ply the Work and were also in fee with several French Men who were faithful in the business to speak the Phrase of Strange himself All things being ready and the places pitch'd upon Strange in August 1666. removed his Quarters and lay at a House in Fenchurch Street by the Name of Wâ—lker Pennington and Barton lodg'd at an Apothecaries in Shoo Lane Gray and Fitzgerard took up their Querters in White Chappel at the House of Neal beforenamed who was to manage the Fire from Thames Street to the Tower Just at the Time prefix'd one Pie-de-loup and Hubert both French Men and Companions came to an Alehouse in Pudding Lane adjoyning to Farriner the Baker's and observing their opportunity convey'd at the end of two long poles three Fire-balls first lighted with Matches through a hole in the Wall into Farriner's House not stirring till the Room was in a Flame This was the Confession of Hubert himself and what moreover he acknowledged at his Execution For he was sometime after Try'd Condemn'd and Executed for this very fact And now the Fire being thus begun while Night and Consternation bred a general confusion the Devils Agents were no less busie in employing their Masters own Element at their several stations till it grew to such a height that I need not repeat the dismal havock which it made as being yet too fresh in Memory But as if this had not been Impietie enough for the Order of Jesus to boast of they had a sort of unsanctified Villains and Jades to the number of fourscore or fourscore and six who made it their business to Plunder Steal and carry away the Goods of the Miserable in the height of their distraction for which purpose the Holy Order had their Warehouses and receptacles of Stollen Goods in Wild Street besides what they concealed in Somerset House so that they got by the Fire of London above 14000 l. Among the rest they carried off a Casquet of Diamond Stones which was sold by the same Jesuites in Flanders for 3500 l. Sterling It is also ascertain'd from the Mouth of Strange himself that there were spent in this Destruction of theirs above Seven hundred of those little Hand Granado's which they flung into Houses and call'd by way of Joke and Secrecy Tewksbury Mustard-Balls now better known by the name of Jesuites Fire-Balls The next considerable Fire was that in Southwark which happened in the Year 1676. This Fire was begun by one John Groves who had several Fire Works made for that purpose and three Irish Men that were his Assistants so prosperous in their Villany that they set an Oyl shop near Saint Margarets Hill on Fire For which noble Act the said Groves had 400 l. and the three Irish Men 200 l. a piece paid them by the Jesuites here in London that set them on Work However the Jesuites were no losers by the Bargain for by the Dexterity of their plundering Emissaries they got
great Seal of England bearing date at Westminster the said first day of March in the one and thirtieth year of his Majesties reign and here into this most High and Honourable Court produc'd under the said great Seal of his special Grace certain Knowledge and meer Motion hath pardon'd remised released to him the said Earl of Danby all and all manner of Treasons Misprisions of Treasons Confederacies Insurrections Rebellions Felonies Exactions Oppressions publications of words Misprisions Confederacies Concealments Negligences Omissions Offences Crimes Contempts Misdemeanors and Trespasses whatsoever by himself done or with any other person or persons or by any other by the command advice assent consent or procurement of him the said Thomas E. of Danby advis'd committed attempted made perpetrated conceal'd committed or omitted before the 27th day of Feb. then and now last past being also after the time of the said Articles exhibited although the said Premises or any of them did or should touch or concern the person of his said Majesty or any of his publick Negotiations whatsoever and also his Majesties affairs with foreign Embassadors sent to his said Majesty or by not rightly prosecuting his Majesties Instructions and Commands to his Embassadors residing on his Majesties behalf in foreign parts And as to all and singular accessories to the said premises or any of the indicted impeached appealed accused convicted adjudged out lawed condemned or attainted and all and singular Indictments Impeachments Inquisitions Informations Exigents Judgements Attainders Outlaries Convictions pains of Death Corporal punishments Imprisonments Forfeitures Punishments and all other pains and penalties whatsoever for the same or any of them and all and all manner of suits Complaints Impeachments and demands whatsoever Which his said Majesty by reason of the Premises or any of them then had or for the future should have or his heirs or successors any way could have afterwards against him the said Thomas Earl of Danby And also suit of his Majesties peace and whatever to his Majesty his heirs or successors against him the said Earl did or could belong by reason or occasion of the Premises or any of them And his Majesty hath thereby granted his firm Peace to the said Tho. E. of Danby And further his Majesty willed and granted that the said Letters-Patents and the said Pardon and Release therein contain'd as to all the things Pardon'd and Releas'd should be good and effectual in the law though the Treasons Misprisions of Treasons Insurrections Rebellions Felonies Exactions Oppressions Publications of words Misprisions of Confederacies Concealments Negligencies Omissions Offences Crimes Contempts Misdemeanors and Trespasses were not certainly specified And notwithstanding the Statute by the Parliament of King Ed. 3. in the 14th year of his reign made and provided or any other Statute Act or Ordinance to the contrary thereof made and provided And moreover his said now Majesty by his said Letters Patents of his farther Grace did firmly command all and singular Judges Justices Officers and others whatsoever That the said Free and General Pardon of his said Maj. and the general words clauses and sentences abovesaid should be construed and expounded and adjudged in all his Majesties Courts and elsewhere in the most beneficial ample and benign sense And for the better and more firm discharge of the said Earl of and from the crimes and offences aforesaid according to the true intents of his Majesty and in such beneficial manner and form to all intents and purposes whatsoever as if the said Treasons Crimes Offences Concealments Negligencies Omissions Contempts and Trespasses aforesaid and other the said Premises by apt express and special words had been remitted released and pardoned and that the said Letters Patents of Pardon and the Release and Pardon therein contain'd shall be pleaded and allowed in all and every his Majesties Courts and before all his Justices whatsoever without any Writ of allowance any matter cause or thing whatsoever in any wise notwithstanding as by the said Letters Patents themselves more at large appeareth which said Letters Patents follow in these words Carolus Dei Gratia Angliae Scotia Franciae Hibernae Rex Fidei defensor c. Omnibus ad quos prasentes Literae nostrae pervenerint Salutem Sciatis quod nos pro diversis bonis causis considerationibus Nos ad hoc specialiter moventibus de Gratia Nostra speciali mero motu Nostris Pardonavimus Relaxavimus c. And the said Earl doth averr that he the said Thomas Earl of Danby in the said Articles named is the said Thomas Earl of Danby in the said Letters of Pardon here produced likewise named Which Pardon the said Earl doth rely upon and pleaded the same in Bar of the said Impeachment and in discharge of all the Treasons Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences contained or mentioned in the said Articles of Impeachment and every of them And this the said Earl is ready to averr Whereupon he humbly prays the judgement of your Lordships and that his Majesties most Gracious Pardon aforesaid may be allowed And that he the said Earl by vertue hereof may be from all the said Articles of Impeachment and all and every of the Treasons and Crimes therein alledg'd against him acquitted and discharg'd The Earl of Danby having thus put in his Plea to the Articles of Impeachment the Commons referr'd it to the Committee of Secresie to examine the matter of the Plea of the Earl of Danby and to enquire how Presidents stood in relation to the Pardon and in what manner and by what means the same was obtained Who thereupon made their Report That they could find no President that ever any Pardon was granted to any Person impeach'd by the Commons of High Treason and depending the Impeachment So that they presently order'd that a Message should be sent to the Lords to desire their Lordships to demand of the Earl of Danby whether he would rely upon and abide by his Plea or not In the midst of these disputes a business of another Nature intervenes For one Mr. Reading having been accus'd to the Commons for going about to corrupt the Kings Evidence in the behalf of the five Lords in the Tower they presently order'd him to be secur'd and made an Address to his Majesty that he would be pleas'd to issue forth a Commission of Oyer and Terminer for the Tryal of the said Mr. Reading wherein they made the more hast to the end his Tryal might be over before that of the Lords which it was then thought was near at hand Hereupon the Commission was expedited and upon the 24th of this Month the Commissioners met at Westminster-Hall in the Court of Kings Bench. The Commissioners were the twelve Judges of England Sir James Butler Sir Philip Matthews Sir Thomas Orby Sir Thomas Byde Sir William Bowles Sir Thomas Stringer Sir Charles Pitfeld Thomas Robinson Humfrey Wirley Thomas Haryot and Richard Gower Esquires The Prisoner was endicted by the name of Nathaniel Reading for
soliciting suborning and endeavouring to perswade Mr. William Bedlow to lessen stifle and omit to give in evidence the full truth according to his knowledge against the Lord Powis Lord Stafford Lord Peter and Sir Henry Tichborn but to give such evidence as he the said Reading should direct as also for giving the said Mr. Bedlow fifty Guineys in hand and promising him greater rewards for the ends and purposes aforesaid The Jury were Sir John Cutler Joshuah Galliard Edward Wilford Thomas Henslow Thomas Earsby John Searle Esquires Thomas Casse Rainsford Waterhouse Matthew Bateman Walter Moyle Richard Paget and John Haynes Esquires Mr. Reading at first challeng'd Sir John Cutler as being in the Commission of Peace and labour'd very much to have his challenge made good But his Challenge was over-rul'd by the Court first in regard that Sir John was not in the particular Commission then sitting and secondly for that he could not challenge him peremptorily the Indictment not endangering his life as it might have been laid but only for a Misdemeanour Thereupon the Court proceeded and First in point of Evidence Mr. Bedlow swore that he began with him as a friendly adviser admonishing him to be cautious and not to run at the whole Herd of Men. That he would make the Parliament his friends by proving the Plot the King his friend in not charging all the Lords and the Lords his friends by being kind to them That the persons he most sollicited for were the Lords Powis Petre and Stafford Sir Henry Tichborn Mr. Roper Mr. Caryl and Corker a Jesuite That he should have Money and an Estate by the negotiation of the Prisoner at the Bar to shorten the Evidence and bring them off from the charge of High Treason That he and Mr. Reading had several Consultations about this matter That the Prisoner in assurance of his reward told him he had order to draw blank deeds to be sign'd in ten days after the discharge of those for whom the sollicitation was made That Reading Mr. Bedlow had a private Consultation at what time Mr. Bedlow was to pen his Testimony as Mr. Reading should direct him for the mitigation of the Evidence That when that Paper was finish'd the Prisoner carry'd it to the Lords to consider of it and that after they had consider'd of it and mended it as they pleas'd Reading return'd with the emendations written with his own hand and deliver'd them to Mr. Bedlow in the Painted Chamber who held them so behind him that Mr. Speake as it was agreed walking after him came and took them out of his hand And that two Witnesses more being privately conceal'd by Mr. Bedlow in his own chamber overheard the main of the Consultation and overture of Mr. Reading After this the Paper was produc'd which contain'd the short and tender Evidence that Mr. Bedlow was to give according to the Correction of the Lords and read in open Court all under Readings own hand Which done Mr. Speake was sworn and depos'd that being privately conceal'd in Mr. Bedlow's Chamber he over-heard Mr. Bedlow's and Mr. Reading's Negotiation together That Mr. Bedlow ask'd Mr. Reading what the Lords said to the business and what my Lord Stafford said to the Estate in Glocestershire To which Mr. Reading made answer that the Lord Stafford had faithfully promis'd him to settle that Estate upon Mr. Bedlow and that he had Orders from that Lord to draw up a blank Deed in order to the settlement which the said Lord had engag'd to sign and seal within ten days after he should be discharg'd by Mr. Bedlow's contracting of his Evidence That Mr. Reading added That the Lords Powis and Peter and Sir Henry Tichborn had faithfully engag'd and promis'd to give Mr. Bedlow a very fair and noble reward which should be suitable to the service he should do them in bringing them off from the Charge of High Treason To which when Mr. Bedlow reply'd that he would not rely upon their promises only but expected to have something under their hands Mr. Reading reply'd That they did not think it convenient so to do as yet but that Mr. Bedlow might take his word as he had done theirs adding withal for a further confirmation That he would engage his life for the performance With much other discourse all tending to the same effect The third Evidence which was Mr. Bedlows man and was conceal'd in the Chamber to the same intent as the former witness was gave the same Evidence upon oath as to what had been discours'd of in the Chamber between his Master and the Prisoner without any thing of material alteration of the words themselves which therefore need no repetition The defence of the Prisoner was very weak more especially considering that he was a man of the Gown No more indeed than what after a tedious multiplying of words amounted to the Confession of the whole Charge For he could not deny but that he did carry the Kings Evidence to the Lords in the Tower but that it was purely out of Conscience to prevent the shedding of innocent blood The other part of his Evidence consisted in bespattering the witnesses for which he was so often corrected by the Court that it betrayed in him more of presumption than Law Therefore the Jury so little believ'd him that after a very short absence from the Bar they brought him in Guilty upon which the Court proceeded to Sentence which was That he should be fin'd a thousand pound That he should be imprison'd for the space of one whole year and be set in the Pillory for the space of one hour in the Palace-yard at Westminster Thereupon in order to the Judgement of the Court he was set in the Pillory on the Munday after his Tryal And as the Court were so kind as not to endite him for his life so they were careful to give the Sheriff a particular Charge of his Person lest the rage of the People understanding his Crime should have depriv'd him of what the mercy of the Law had granted him with so much favour May 1679. If Doctor Oates may be believ'd whom we have not found yet to fail he tells us that the Jesuites had sent several Emissaries of their own to foment the discontents and rebellious fermentations of the people of Scotland The mischief was laid upon the Presbyterians whether it were so or no God knows but the effect and consequence was dire nothing but Papistical murther which it is to be fear'd will come to be the Character of that Religion In England no less a sacrifice would serve them than a King though Heaven detested their oblation In Scotland there was no King and therefore they resolv'd to cut off the Primate of the Church A strange doctrine to preach that there could be no greater gift made to Jesus Christ than to send the Arch-bishop of St. Andrews head in a Silver Box to the King And yet this doctrine prevail'd with one James Mitchel to
setting up a Pardon to be a Bar against an Impeachment defeats the whole use and effect of Impeachments and should this point be admitted or stand doubted it would totally discourage the exhibiting any for the future Whereby the chief Institution for the preservation of the Government and consequently the Government it self would be destroy'd And therefore the case of the said Earl which in consequence concerns all Impeachments whatsoever ought to be determin'd before that of the five Lords which is but their particular case And without resorting to many Authorities of greater Antiquity The Commons desire your Lordships to take Notice with the same regard they do of the Declaration which that Excellent Prince King Charles the I. of blessed Memory made in this behalf in his Answer to the nineteen Propositions of both Houses of Parliament Wherein stating the several parts of this Regulated Monarchy He says The King the House of Lords and the House of Commons have each their particular Priviledges And among those which belong to the King he reckons Power of pardoning After the Ennumerating of which and other his Preaogatives His said Majesty adds thus Again that the Prince may not make use of this High and perpetual Power to the hurt of those for whose good he hath it and make use of the Name of public Necessity for the Gain of his private Favourites and Followers to the Detriment of the People the House of Commons an excellent preservative of Liberty c. is solely entrusted with the first Propositions concerning the Levying of Mony and the Impeaching of those who for their own ends though countenanc'd by any Surreptitiously gotten Command of the King have violated the Law when he knows it which he is bound to protect and to the protection of which they are bound to advise him at least not to serve him to the contrary And the Lords being entrusted with a Judiciary power are an excellent Skreen and Bank between the Prince and People to assist each against any encroachments of the other and by just Judgment to preserve the Law which ought to be the Rule of every one of the three c. Therefore the Power plac'd in both Houses is more then sufficient to prevent and restrain the Power of Tyranny c. III. Untill the House of Commons have right done them against this Plea of Pardon they may justly apprehend that the whole Justice of the Kingdom in the Case of the five Lords may be obstructed and defeated by Pardons of the like nature IV. And Impeachments are virtually the voice of every particular Subject of this Kingdom crying out against Oppression by which every member of that Body is equally wounded And it will prove a matter of ill consequence that the Universality of the People should have occasion minister'd and continu'd to them to be apprehensive of utmost danger from the Crown from whence they of right expect Protection V. The Commons exhibited Articles of Impeachment against the said Earl before any against the five other Lords and demanded Judgment upon those Articles Whereupon your Lordships having appointed the Tryal of the said Earl to be before that of the other five Lords and now having inverted the said Order gives a great cause of doubt to the House of Commons and raises a jealousie in the Hearts of all the Commons of England That if they should proceed to the Tryal of the said five Lords in the first place not only Justice will be obstructed in the case of those Lords but that they shall never have right done them in the matter of this Plea of Pardon which is of so fatal Consequence to the whole Kingdom and a new device to frustrate the public Justice in Parliament Which Reasons and Matters being duly weigh'd by your Lordships the Commons doubt not but your Lordships will receive satisfaction concerning their Propositions and Proceedings And will agree That the Commons neither ought nor can without deserting their Trust depart from their former Vote communicated to your Lordships That the Lords Spiritual ought not to have any Vote in any proceedings against the Lords in the Tower c. This Narrative and the Reasons being deliver'd as is already mention'd were the next day read and debated and then the Lords read their own Vote of the 13th of May and their Explanation thereupon and the Question being put whether to insist upon those Votes concerning the Lords Spiritual it was Resolv'd in the Affirmative Eight and twenty of the Lords dissenting What the issue of the dispute would have been is not here to be disputed but this is certain that while both Houses were thus contesting His Majesty himself put an end to their Debates For that very day being come in His Royal Robes into the House of Lords and seated in His Throne the Commons also attending His Majesty was pleas'd to give His Royal Assent to A Bill for the better securing the Liberty of the Subject A Bill for reingrossing of Fines burn'd in the late Fire in the Temple And A Private Bill concerning Charles Dale of Rutlandshire Esq And then having intimated His Resolution to the two Houses to Prorogue them till the 14th of August The Lord Chancellor Prorogu'd them accordingly by His Majesties Command Little else of moment was done this Sessions onely the House of Commons having order'd a Committee to inspect the Miscarriages of the Navy upon their report of the Heads of an Information against Sir Anthony Deane and Mr. Pepys Members of the House they were both by Order of the House committed to the Tower by virtue of which commitment they still remain under Bail Presently after the Prorogation of the Parliament came the News of the Rebellion that was broken out in the West of Scotland where they Proclaim'd the Covenant and set up a Declaration of which the substance was That AS it was not unknown to a great part of the World how happy the Church of Scotland had been while they enjoy'd the Ordinances of Jesus Christ in their Purity and Power of which we had been deplorably depriv'd by the reestablishment of Prelacy So it was evident not only to impartial Persons but to profess'd Enemies with what unparallell'd Patience and Constancy the People of God had endur'd all the Cruelty and Oppression that Prelates and Malignants could invent or exercise And that being most unwilling to act any thing that might import Opposition to lawful Authority though they had all along been groaning under Corruptions of Doctrine slighting of Worship despising Ordinances Confining Imprisoning Exiling their faithful Ministers Fining Confining Imprisoning Torturing Tormenting the poor People Plundering their Houses and Selling their Persons to Forraign Plantations whereby great Numbers in every Corner of the Land were forc'd to leave their Dwellings Wives and Children and to wander as Pilgrims none daring to Supply or Relieve them nor so much as to speak with them upon their Death-beds for fear of making themselves obnoxious
confest there that he did not know Sir George Wakemans hand and only knew the Letter in question to be his Letter by being subscrib'd G. Wakeman Concluding from thence that the Witness would have told more at that examination had he known more To which the Dr. reply'd that he had been so over-toyl'd with watching and searching after persons detected that he was not able to make good his charge Which was also confirm'd by the testimony of Sr. Thomas Doleman But Sir Philip Floyd one of the Clerks of the Council was more express in behalf of the Prisoner who acknowledg'd indeed that Dr. Oates did make mention of Sir Georges undertaking to poyson the King as he had understood by a Letter from Whitebread to Harcourt and that he was inform'd by the same Letter that Coleman had pay'd him five thousand pound of the fifteen thousand pound agreed upon But that being demanded of his own personal knowledge what he could tax Sir George withal he solemnly deny'd that he had any thing more against him To which the Doctor gave the same answer of his extreme weakness and indisposition as before After that Sir George recommended one obser vation more to the Court That in the Doctors Narrative there was not one Letter which came from beyond Sea to which he did not swear positively both as to the date and as to the receipt yet that in the case of life he would not be confin'd to a Month. Concluding with a solemn Imprecation and disclaiming all the Crime in this Matter that had been charg'd against him Corker Rumley and Marshall were charg'd of being privy to the Consult for killing the King and to the carrying on the rest of the grand design toward which they had undertaken the raising and payment of 6000 l. by the Benedictine Monks As to Corker Dr. Oates swore him to be a Benedictine Monk and privy to the promise of the 6000 l. which was to be rais'd for carrying on the design That he gave Le Chaise and the English Monks at Paris an accompt of the Jesuites proceedings in England and that he had a Patent to be Bishop of London which the Witness had seen in his hand and that he dispos'd of several parcels of money for advancing the design That he was privy to the Grand Consult in April and excepted against Pickerings being made choice of for killing the King in regard that he being engag'd to say High Mass an opportunity might be lost in the mean time Mr. Bedlow depos'd against Corker that he had been with him in the Company of others at Somerset-house where he heard him discourse in general concerning the Plot of Letters of intelligence and raising an Army what Agitators the Conspirators had in the Country and what Interests they had made As for Marshall he was charg'd by Dr. Oates with being present when the six thousand pound was agreed upon and that he made the same exceptions against Pickering that Corker had done Mr. Bedlow depos'd against him that he had carry'd several Letters to the Catholick party that were in the design and particularly one to Sir Francis Ratcliff And that he had sent Letters of his own twice to others concerning the subverting of the Government and introducing Popery Rumley was accus'd by Dr. Oates of being privy to the Consult for the raising the six thousand pound and that he pray'd for the success of the Design Corker offer'd in his defence that not knowing his accusations he could not come with Evidences to support his Plea That there was nothing more easie than to accuse an innocent person and that the Circumstances ought to be as credible as the Witnesses of which there was neither to be found in his case using many flourishes to move the Court and the Jury raising his Arguments from Improbability of Witnesses to maintain his Allegations and the more to invalidate the Dr.'s testimony he brought witnesses to testifie that one Stapleton was President of the Benedictines and not himself and that the said Stapleton had so been for many years Marshall threw himself upon the Court whom he besought to manage his cause for him as having had so much Tryal of their Candour and Ingenuity After which he made some flight reflections upon the Kings Evidence and desir'd the Court to consider how little concern'd he was at his being apprehended which was no small sign of his Innocency But the main of his defence lay upon this Stress that Dr. Oates was a stranger to him and had mistaken him for some other person which was evidently made out to the contrary and beside that the Prisoner brought no proof of what he affirm'd in that particular At length the Conclusion of his defence was a smooth harangue ad captandum populum and in justification of the Crimes of them that had already suffer'd which because it was look'd upon as an affront done to the Justice of the Court he was desir'd to forbear his Flowers of Rhetorick which were all to no purpose As for Rumley there being but one Witness against him he did not think it needful to trouble the Court with a defence and indeed it was the opinion of the Court deliver'd to the Jury that they ought to discharge him Upon the whole it was the opinion of the Court that the Defences of the Prisoners were very weak of which the Jury could not choose but take notice The main thing wherein the Court were dissatisfy'd was Dr. Oates's excuse of his own weakness and infirmity for not giving his full charge against Sir George Wakeman at the Council Board Since he might have charg'd him in the same breath that he denied that he had any thing more against him Whether this or any other more prevailing argument over-rul'd them certain it is that the Jury found them all Not Guilty and so contrary to expectation they were all acquitted All this while his Majesty kept his Court at Windsor where in consideration of the many and faithful services perform'd unto him by the Right Honourable George Lord Viscount Hallifax John Lord Roberts and Charles Lord Gerrard of Brandon he was pleas'd to confer upon them the Titles of Earls of this Kingdom creating the Lord Viscount Hallifax Earl of Hallifax the Lord Gerrard Earl of Newberry Viscount Brandon which title was afterward chang'd into that of Macclesfeld and the Lord Roberts Earl of Falmouth Viscount Bodmin And to shew that he took the same care of his Dominions abroad as at home His Majesty order'd recruits to be forthwith rais'd under the commands of Captain George Wingfeild Captain Charles Wingfeild Captain William Langley and Captain William Matthews to reinforce the Garrison of Tangier At home the Fort of Sheerness and the Garrison of Portsmouth had both the Honour to be survey'd by the King himself who to that intent departed upon the 30th of July from Windsor to Hampton-Court attended by the Duke of Albemarle and several of the Nobility
the mean time Mr. Kirkby goes to Windsor and shews himself to the King but his Majesty was not pleas'd to speak to him either that day or the next whereby it was conjectured that some persons had made it their buness to dispossess the King of the belief of any such thing as a Plot. Wherefore upon the seventh of September he went to the Treasurer's Lodgings and meeting with Mr. Lloyd he told him that the person who had given the Information was discovered and had been abus'd and beaten by the Conspirators and therefore desired my Lord Treasurer's farther directions but though he waited all that day and the next my Lord was not to be spoken with Thereupon he returned and meeting with Doctor Tong and Oates at the place which before they had appointed he carried them to his Lodgings at Fox-hall for their better security Nevertheless the business was not so far neglected but that upon the twenty seventh Mr. Lloyd before mentioned was sent to Fox-hall to signifie to Mr. Kirkby that he had Orders to bring Doctor Tong before the Council but the Lords being risen ere the Doctor could be brought he was Order'd to attend the next Morning In the mean while they went all three again to Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey carrying the first Depositions sworn the sixth of September and two Copies more written by Doctor Oates to have them also sworn which being done Doctor Oates was sent back to Fox-hall and Mr. Kirkby and Doctor Tong attended the Council according to Order who being call'd in were Order'd to bring Doctor Oates thither which was soon after done And then it was that Doctor Oates being the first time examin'd and also sworn again at the Council board to the Heads of his Discovery both he and Doctor Tong were Ordered Lodgings at Whitehall Being thus secure of the Discovery and the Discoverer as well secured the main business now lay all in good proof and fair Testimony Which as on our side there was all care taken to find out so on the Conspirators behalf there was no stone left unturn'd no Labour of imagination omitted to vilifie and enervate and to reproach and scandalize what ever witnesses appear'd And therefore before we go any farther it will be requisite to say something in Justification of his person who was the First and main Discoverer and to whom the Nation is most chiefly beholding All the World cannot but be very apprehensive that it is the Interest of the Roman Catholics to vindicate their reputation if they can which there is no way under Heaven to do but by fixing those Imputations upon Doctor Oates which may render him ridiculous perjur'd and consequently unfit to be believ'd In the first place the Papists accuse him of debauchery and for being turn'd out of the Colledge at Saint Omers and that he does all this out of Revenge Then they suggest that his Information must needs be fictitious because it is a thing unlikely that he should come to such a distinct knowledge of so many particulars in so short a time Or if he had heard or seen them that he should so perfectly remember them and then again if he were so conversant among the Conspirators why he should not do it sooner In the last place they alledge that it is not probable that they who so chearfully blended their Blood with that of his Majesties most faithful Protestant Subjects in the late Wars should so strangely alter their minds as with such an unheard of Unanimity to combine to murder the King for whose Father they had so Religiously fought and destroy the Liberty of a Nation which they had endeavoured to maintain with their Lives Plausible insinuations indeed but of no moment when judiciously weighed and considered For as to the Education of Doctor Titus Oates he was bred a Student in Saint John's Colledge in Cambridge neither is it probable that he forgot his Learning but rather highly improved it by his going out Doctor in Divinity at Salamanca in Spain where he did all his Exercises more difficult than what are performed among us here He was also for some time a Minister at Chichester and at length Chaplain to the Duke of Norfolk In all these Stations the sobriety of his Life and Conversation was such as freed him altogether from the stain of Debauchery In which respect he may well appeal to the Jesuites themselves who would never have esteemed him as they did by conferring their Order upon him and trusting him so far had they not found him a sober person and fit for their purpose When he was Chaplain to the Duke of Norfolk he overheard some whisperings among the Priests by which he collected that there were some great designs on Foot though he could not find out what they were This and some other dark Intimations which he received from his Protestant friends bred in him an earnest desire to sound the depth of the Intrigue and if it were possible to Countermine it To which end he pretended himself to certain Priests dissatisfied in some points relating to the Discipline of the Church of England desiring withal for the Solution of his doubts to confer with some of their Jesuites which the Priests procured on condition he would not betray them After several disputes wherein he suffer'd himself to be overcome he was seemingly reconcil'd to the Church of Rome and then desir'd of the Fathers that they would admit him into their Order which they did after a debate of three days To this Grant of theirs they also added this farther kindness that because he was past the Years of Pupillage as being in the 28th Year of his Age they would not employ him as they usually did their Novices in drudgery for the first two Years but advance him to be a Messenger for the Society Nothing could more exactly have fitted his purpose So that being forthwith sent with Letters into Spain he opened them and thereby began to have some insight into the contrivance from which time he carried himself with that discretion and reservedness that after a little time he was admitted to their Consultations by which means he had not onely the opportunity to observe the present carriage of Affairs but also liberty to enquire into their former Proceedings By this means he came to understand how the City was Fir'd by the Contrivance of the Jesuites was informed how the Design was carried on and who were the Actors in the several Scenes of the Tragedy Which he might well believe when he himself was a Witness how they had Fir'd Southwark and were designing to have utterly laid wast both the Temple Westminster and the rest of the Suburbs He also kept short Memorandums of all passages of consequence that happen'd from the time of his first admission Of all which he has given such an exact Account confirmed by other Circumstances and collateral Evidence that among such a number of particular occurrences no one thing has contradicted
another nor interfer'd with those papers that have been found elsewhere or with those Informations that have been separately given in by other Persons Nor was it possible that the Grand Assembly of the Nation consisting of so many perspicacious Judgments and by whom he was fully examined should be so imposed upon by one Man as to Vote upon his Information that there was a Plot to Murder the King alter the Government and subvert the Religion established by Law had they not been highly satisfied in the Credit and soundness of the Evidence As to the time of his Discovery had he made it upon his first knowledge he had acted with less prudence and the Opposition he has met with plainly shews that the Kingdom might probably have lost the advantage of his delay had he come unprovided to attest those things which he could not so well have proved Nor was he at his own disposal when first he enter'd into their Society So that had he moved or acted either without or contrary to their Order he had presently been suspected watched and found out but as soon as he had enough to convince the World or at least the Rational part and that he was sent from Saint Omers into England he shewed his real intentions to preserve his Majesties Person and his Native Country from the bloody Contrivances of a bosom Enemy But what needs all this Justification Heaven it self assisted the Discovery and so directed their infatuated Councils that contrary to all the dictates of common Sence and Reason the Politic Jesuites rang that bloody peal themselves which wakened the drowsie unbelief of those that scarce gave credit to the Story and by closing the Eyes of one unfortunate Gentleman opened the Eyes of the whole Nation For understanding that Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex had taken the Discoverers Oath and Affidavit and presuming that much of the Plot might be confess'd and made known to him thinking to stifle his report in the Birth they concluded to commit a Murther that Villany laugh'd at and was Ridiculous to Folly it self The chief Instruments for there were several others unknown to the Discoverer set on and encouraged to act this fatal Tragedy were Father Girald and Father Kelly two Priests Robert Green Cushion-Man to the Chappel of Somerset-House Lawrence Hill servant to Dr. Goddin Treasurer of the Chappel Henry Berry Porter Lewson a Priest Philip Vernatti once belonging to my Lord Bellasis and Mr. Miles Prance by them deluded in to be an Assistant though soon after the Detector of the Fact and Persons These Men did not assign any particular reason for their malice but onely in general that Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey was a busie Person and going about to ruin all the Catholics in England and that it was necessary to destroy him or else they should be all undone This being their undoubted Maxim they laid several distinct Plots and employ'd divers separate Agents unknown to each other to accomplish their design Several Consultations they had at the Plow near Somerset-House and in other places but the ultimate Result of all their Debates was this That Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey should be dogg'd as he walk'd the Streets and that whoever of the Confederates should first lodge him in a convenient place should give the rest notice In pursuance of this Resolution having watched him several days and finding no opportunity at length upon Saturday the 12 of October 1678. in the Morning Hill Girald and Green went forth to observe his Motion and Kelley knowing what they were gone about went to Mr. Prance's House to acquaint him therewith and to charge him to be in a Readiness The first three went near to Sir Edmund-Bury's and while two stay'd at a distance Hill went up to the House and understanding he was within spake with him upon some pretended Story and so returned About ten or eleven a Clock Sir Edmund-Bury came forth all alone and his unknown Attendants dogg'd him with great diligence all the rest of the day to several places as his occasions led him till about six a Clock at night at what time he went into a great House in St. Clements where 't is thought he supp'd Then did Green leave the other two came to Mr. Prance and inform'd him that they had now set Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey in a House in St. Clements and bid him make all the hast down to the Water Gate belonging to Somerset-House where he should find Kelley the Priest and Berry the Porter Thereupon Prance went thither and found them walking in the Yard where they continued sometimes walking sometimes sitting till toward nine of the Clock About which time Sir Edmund-Bury coming out of the House aforesaid Hill ran before to give Notice that he was coming along and to wheedle him in he order'd that two should pretend to be a quarrelling Which done Hill returns to the Water Gate to expect his coming and entice him in In the mean time Kelly and Berry began a seeming quarrel but made no great Noise and Sir Edmund-Bury coming along just as he was passing by the said Water Gate Hill steps to him in a great deal of hast crying For God's sake Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey be pleas'd to come in for here are two Men quarrelling and I fear there will be Bloodshed between them Pugh-pugh said Sir Edmund-Bury refusing at first to trouble himself but Hill still urging and insisting that he was afraid there might be a great deal of mischief done and how glad he was to meet so opportunely with his Worship Sir Edmund Bury not suspecting any harm but desirous to prevent any mischance that might be occasion'd by a quarrel was persuaded to follow him Hill enter'd the Gate first Sir Edmund-Bury follow'd and behind him immediately clapp'd Girald and Green These all making down in this order toward the Rails near the Queens Stables where Kelley and Berry were pretending a quarrel Prance who stood close by the wall conceal'd goes up to secure the Water Gate while Berry slipp'd to secure the Stairs and Passage by the Chappel And now having got him safe Green who kept close behind and had a large twisted Handkerchief in readiness on a suddain threw it about his Neck and immediately Girald Kelly Green and Hill fell upon him secur'd his Sword threw him down and throtl'd him so that he could neither call out nor speak then drew him behind the Rail and gave him many violent punches on the Breast with their Knees After they had thus manifestly bereaved him of his breath Girald the Priest fearing he was not quite dead would have run him through with his Sword But the rest would not yield to that for fear of being discovered by the Blood However to make sure work Green got upon him and punching him with his Knee upon the Breast with all his force wrung his Neck quite round Thus fell this unfortunate Gentleman a needless
concluding Conference having agreed to the Bill without further amendments and therefore desir'd the concurrence of the Commons Thus at length the Commons agreed to the amendments made by the Lords and sent a message to acquaint the Lords therewith This was done upon the fourteenth day of this month But upon the sixteenth a Message was sent by the Lords to acquaint the Commons that the night before the Earl of Danby had render'd himself to the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod and that being call'd to the Bar they had sent him to the Tower Thereupon a Committee was appointed to prepare and draw up further Evidence against him and such further Articles as they should see cause Soon after his Majesty was pleas'd to dissolve his Privy Council and to make another consisting of no more than thirty persons And for the management of the Treasury and Navy five Commissiones were appointed for the Treasury and seven for the Admiralty Then the Commons took into consideration the disbanding of the Army and having voted a supply of 264602 l. 17 s. 3 d. to that intent they then voted that Sr. Gilbert Gerrard Sr. Thomas Player Coll. Birch and Coll. Whitley should be Commissioners to pay the disbanded forces off But now to return to the Earl of Danby upon the 25th of this month a message was sent by the Lords to acquaint the Commons that the said Earl had that same day personally appear'd at the Bar of their House and had put in his plea to the Articles of Impeachment against him The Articles were these as they were deliver'd into the House of Lords in the name of the Commons of England by Sir Henry Capel December 23. 1678. I. That he had traiterously encroacht to himself Regal Power by treating in matters of Peace and War with Foreign Ministers and Embassadors and giving instructions to his Majesties Embassadors abroad without communicating the same to the Secretaries of State and the rest of his Majesties Council against the express Declaration of his Majesty in Parliament thereby intending to defeat and overthrow the provision that has been deliberately made by his Majesty and his Parliament for the safety and preservation of his Majesties Kingdoms and Dominions II. That he had traiterously endeavour'd to subvert the ancient and well-establish'd form of Government of this Kingdom and instead thereof to introduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannical form of Government and the better to effect this his purpose he did design the raising of an Army upon pretence of a war against the French King and to continue the same as a standing Army within this Kingdom and an Army so rais'd and no war ensuing an Act of Parliament having past to disband the same and a great sum of money being granted for that end he did continue the same contrary to the said Act and mis-imploy'd the said money given for the disbanding to the continuance thereof and issued out of his Majesties Revenues great sums of money for the said purpose and wilfully neglected to take security of the Pay-master of the Army as the said Act required whereby the said Law is eluded and the Army yet continued to the great danger and unnecessary charge of his Majesty and the whole Kingdome III. That he trayterously intending and designing to alienate the hearts and affections of his Majesties good Subjects from his Royal Person and Government and to hinder the meeting of Parliaments and to deprive his Sacred Majesty of their safe and wholsom counsel and thereby to alter the constitution of the Government of this Kingdom did propose and negotiate a peace for the French King upon terms disadvantagious to the Interest of his Majesty and Kingdom For the doing whereof he did procure a great sum of money from the French King for enabling him to maintain and carry on his said traiterous designs and purposes to the hazard of his Majesties Person and Government IV. That he is Popishly affected and hath traiterously concealed after he had notice the late horrid and bloody Plot and Conspiracy contriv'd by the Papists against his Majesties Person and Government and hath suppress'd the Evidence and reproachfully discountenanc'd the Kings Witnesses in the Discovery of it in favour of Popery immediately tending to the destruction of the Kings Sacred Person and the subversion of the Protestant Religion V. That he hath wasted the Kings Treasure by issuing out of his Majesties Exchequer several branches of his Revenue for unnecessary Pensions and secret services to the value of 〈…〉 within two years and that he hath wholly diverted out of the known method and Government of the Exchequer one whole branch of his Majesties Revenue to private Uses without any accompt to be made of it to his Majesty in his Exchequer contrary to an express Act of Parliament which granted the same And he hath removed two of his Majesties Commissioners of that part of the Revenue for refusing to consent to such his unwarrantable actings therein and to advance money upon that branch of the Revenue for private uses VI. That he hath by indirect means procured from his Majesty to himself divers considerable gifts and Grants of Inheritances of the ancient Revenues of the Crown contrary to Acts of Parliament For which matters and things the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Commons in Parliament do in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England impeach the said Thomas Earl of Danby Lord High Treasurer of England of High Treason and other high Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences in the said Articles contained And the said Commons by Protestation saving to themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other accusation or Impeachment against the said Earl and also of replying to the answers of which the said Thomas Earl of Danby shall make to the Premises or any of them or any Impeachment or Accusation which shall be by them exhibited as the cause according to proceedings of Parliament shall require Do pray that the said Thomas Earl of Danby may be put to answer all and every the Premises that such proceedings Tryals Examinations and Judgements may be upon them and every one of them had and used as shall be agreeable to Law and Justice and that he may be sequester'd from Parliament and forthwith committed to custody To these Articles the Earl of Danby soon after put in his Plea as follows The Plea of the Earl of Danby late Lord high Treasurer of England to the Articles of Impeachment and other High Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences Exhibited against him by the name of Thomas Earl of Danby Lord High Treasurer of England THE said Earl for Plea saith and humbly offers to your Lordships as to all and every the Treasons Crimes Misdemeanors and Offences contained or mention'd in the said Articles That after the said Articles exhibited namely the first of March now last past the Kings most excellent Majesty by his most gracious Letters of Pardon under his
take exceptions at our not subscribing this our Testimony being so solemnly gone about for we are ready always to do it if judg'd necessary with all the faithful suffering Brethren of the Land June 1679. This Declaration they intended to have put up at Glasgow but the Neighbouring Parts being hotly alarum'd by these ' proceedings Captain Graham of Clover-House upon intelligence of a great number of Men being gather'd together upon Loundoun Hill march'd thither with his Troop and a Company of Dragoons and there found a Body of Fourteen or Fifteen hundred Men well arm'd and in good Order The Foot were Commanded by one Weir the Horse by Robert Hamilton and three more whose names were Patton Balfour and Haxton of which the two last were deep in the Murder of the Archbishop of St. Andrews The Rebels upon the approach of Captain Graham sent out two Parties to skirmish with him which he beat into their main Body Upon which they advanc'd upon him with their whole Force Yet notwithstanding all their Number and though his own Horse were kill'd under him being soon mounted upon another he made good his ground till at last being overpower'd by Number after a great slaughter of the Rebels with the loss of his Cornet two Brigadeers eight Horse and twenty Dragoons he was forced to retreat toward Glasgow being after all this constrain'd to Fight his way thorow the Townsmen of Strevin who were got together to oppose him of whom he left ten or twelve dead upon the place The Rebels thus finding themselves superior in Force had the confidence the next day to attack the City of Glasgow at two several times But all the Streets were so well barricado'd by the Lord Ross and the Souldiers there put into so good and advantagious posture of Defence that the Rebels were beat off with a considerable loss besides many Prisoners that were taken Whereupon the Horse and Foot in the Town sally'd out upon them and forc'd them to retire But now to leave Scotland for a while let us return to London to which place Transactions no less signal call us back For upon the seventh of this Month the Marquis d'Auronches Embassador extraordinary from the Crown of Portugal made his public Entry having been receiv'd at Greenwich by the Earl of Kent and Sir Charles Cotterell Master of the Ceremonies and from thence brought by Water in the King's Barge with several others of his retinue to Tower-Hill Where when he Landed he was saluted with a discharge of several pieces of Cannon put into his Majesties Coach of State and conducted to Westminster His Equipage was very splendid consisting of six Pages who with the Gentleman of his Horse rod on Horsback and twenty Foot-men And his three Coaches one of which was more remarkable for its richness were follow'd by a numerous train of others with six Horses a piece Being come to his Lodging he was complimented from the King by the Lord Berkley of Stratton and from the Queen by Sir William Killegrew her Majesties Vice-Chamberlain The next day but one he was conducted to his Audience of their Majesties in the Banquetting-House by the Earl of Shrewsbury and Sir Charles Cotterell being splendidly attended from Westminster in the King's Coach of State As for the Papists they were still as great misbelievers as ever cry'd up the innocency of their own pretended Martyrs exclaim'd against the Injustice of their Condemnation and labour'd by all means imaginable to persuade the World into a concurrence with their pretended suggestions As that Religion seldom wants weak and improbable Arguments among the Wise to stumble mean and Vulgar Capacities Therefore it was now thought convenient to bring the rest of the crue that were in hold before the face of Justice that by their Tryals and Condemnations they might silence the folly of vain Insinuation and confirm the Impiety of those that had preceded them in Punishment To which purpose toward the middle of this month Thomas White aliàs Whitebread Provincial of the Jesuits in England William Harcourt the pretended Rector of London John Fenwick Procurator for the Jesuits in England John Gaven aliàs Gawen Anthony Turner and James Corker were brought to the Bar of the Session's-House in the Old-Baily As for Corker he presented a Petition to the Court setting forth that he was absolutely surpriz'd and unprepar'd for his Tryal and therefore besought the Court that he might not be try'd till the next Sessions To this the Court seem'd inclinable enough nor did the Attorney General gain-say it upon condition that he could really make it out that he wanted Witnesses without which he could not make his Defence However it was thought fitting that he should hear the Charge that was against him read to the end he might be able to give the Court an accompt what witnesses he had that might avail him in reference to his defence against it Which being done the former question was put to him again and then he nam'd a witness to prove that he was not in Town upon the 24th of April So that being respited till the next day the Court said nothing farther to him that sitting The other five stood charg'd of High Treason the particulars whereof were That upon the twenty fourth of April in the thirtieth Year of the King's reign they with others did Conspire to raise up Sedition and Rebellion to cause a most bloody Massacre of the King's Subjects to depose the King of his Government and bring him to an untimely Death to alter the Government and Religion establish'd by Law and to levy War against the King It was further lay'd to their Charge in the Indictment That in pursuance of their evil Intentions and the better to accomplish their Designs They met together held Consultations and agreed to murther the King and upon that bloody foundation to build the progress of their Villany which was to introduce the Superstition of the Church of Rome instead of the Religion establish'd by Law It was concluded that Grove and Pickering should commit the Murther for which Whitebread and the other persons Indicted Contracted with the one for such a number of Masses and with the other for a certain sum of Money That they did also make diligent enquiry for four other Persons unknown and when they came to them did both animate and embold'n encourage and abet them to kill the King at Windsor And all this advisedly and out of a Traiterous Malice and Hatred against the King and the National Government and Religion The Indictment being read Whitebread represented to the Court that in regard he had been try'd upon the 17th of December before upon the same Indictment at what time the Jury being impannell'd and the Evidence found insufficient which came in against him the Jury was discharged without a Verdict he was inform'd that no man could be try'd and consequently be put in jeopardy of his life twice for the same cause For which reason he made
of Monmouth return'd for England where he had that reception from his Majesty which his Valour and Conduct had well deserv'd With him the Series of the History returns also and being arriv'd at London there the first thing remarkable which it meets with is the Dissolution of the Parliament To which purpose the King was pleas'd to issue forth His Royal Proclamation That whereas the present Parliament was lately prorogu'd till the 14th of August the Kings most excellent Majesty being resolv'd to meet his people and have their advice in frequent Parliaments had thought fit to dissolve the present Parliament and that he had given directions to the Lord Chancellor for the issuing out of Writs for the calling of a new Parliament to be holden on Tuesday the 7th of October next ensuing It was now a whole month since Mr. Langhorne had receiv'd sentence of Condemnation All this while he had been repriev'd partly for the sake of his Clyents that he might discharge himself of such business of theirs as he had in his hands partly for his own sake to the end he might have retriev'd himself from the ignominy of his execution by a candid and sincere Confession He had sent a Petition to his Majesty wherein after he had given his Majesty most humble thanks for prolonging his life he further set forth that he was ignorant of the subject of the Earl of Roscommons Letter as also of the Grounds upon which it was written That in obedience to his Majesties commands he had made the utmost discovery he could of the Estates he was commanded to disclose and therefore besought his Majesty to grant him his Pardon or at least to give him leave to live though it were abroad and in perpetual banishment he having as he pretended fully obey'd his Majesties Commands But whether he spake truth or no may be fairly appeal'd to the world For it is impossible to think otherwise but that if he had so fully and sincerely obey'd those Commands which it was thought requisite which no question the insight of a wise and discerning Council well knew he could perform his Majesty so punctual to his Mercy as they who have peculiarly tasted it well can testifie would never have swerv'd in the least tittle from the Grace which once he had offer'd him So that when he saw so much confidence in a dying man as to approach the throne of mercy with so much untruth his favourable eye could not look upon that Canting Declaration which follow'd but as the Speech of a Prosopopoeia hammer'd for him in the Popish Forge By which figure he might have enforc'd his Protestations ten times more solemnly without any disadvantage to his credit among his Confessors Having thus therefore spent a month in plausible prevarications at length the fatal warrant came by vertue whereof he was drawn to Tyburn and there executed according to the Sentence pronounc'd against him As for the Speech which he left as a Legacy to the world believing he should not have opportunity to utter it by word of mouth it was nothing but an absolute denyal of what had been so clearly prov'd against him 'T is true 't was farc'd with strange imprecations and solemn Asseverations of his Innocency But how true those Protestations were he himself discovers by a bold untruth that unmantles the fallacy of all the rest For what man of reason can imagine it possible that his Majesty or the Council should think his attainted life so considerable as to turn his Priests and for his dear sake to take upon them the office of the Ministry to convert him from Popery 'T was very likely indeed that they should offer him Great Advantages Preferments and Estates after the judgement was against him to make him forsake his Religion as if the King had wanted a Judge Advocate for his Guards But when he could not beg a Banishment he was resolv'd to bespatter that favour of life which was offer'd him only to be ingenuous in the farther discovery of the foul design wherein he was engag'd but neither for his parts or endowments Not long after Sir George Wakeman William Rumley William Marshall and James Corker Benedictine Monks were brought to their Tryals at the same Bar. The Jury were Ralph Hawtrey Henry Hawley Henry Hodges Richard Downtin Rob. Hampton Esquires William Heydon John Bathurst John Baldwyn Will. Avery Esquires Richard White and Thomas Waite Gent. The Charge against Sir George Wakeman was that whereas there was a design among several of the Popish party to subvert the Government of the Nation by altering the Laws and Religion therein establish'd and taking away the life of his Majesty he the said Sir George had undertaken to do the latter by Poyson That for that piece of service he was to have fifteen thousand pounds of which sum he had already receiv'd five thousand pound in part And that for a further gratuity he had accepted of a Commission to be Physician General of the Army That he receiv'd the Commission from the Provincial of the Jesuites in England and that he read it kept it in his possession and agreed to it with a design to have enter'd upon his employment so soon as the Army should be rais'd To make good the Charge Dr. Oates was sworn and depos'd That he saw a Letter of Sir George Wakemans written to one Ashby a Jesuite then under his directions at the Bath wherein after he had given him the prescriptions he was to observe he sent him word that he was assur'd of a certain person that was to poyson the King That he was present when Ashby offer'd him the 10000 l. in the presence of Harcourt and Ireland to poyson the King That he refus'd it not in abhorrency of the crime but because as he said it was too little for so great a Work That afterwards five thousand pound more was offer'd him as he was credibly inform'd by the order of the Provincial Whitebread But that he certainly saw the Prisoners hand to a receipt in the entry book at Wild-house for five thousand pound part of the said fifteen thousand pound Mr. Bedlow depos'd That he was in Harcourts Chamber where he saw Harcourt deliver to Sir George Wakeman a Bill of two thousand pound which was charg'd as he suppos'd upon a Goldsmith near Temple bar And that Sir George upon receipt of the Bill told Harcourt that if the Bill were accepted he should hear from him suddenly That the Bill was accepted and the money paid by the Confession of Sir George to the Witness That the said 2000l was soon after made up 5000 l. and as Harcourt told this Deponent all upon the same accompt and in part of the 15000 l. Sir George pleaded to all this that he had been left at liberty twenty four days after he had been before the Council and that upon Dr. Oates's being sent for to the House of Lords to repeat his Evidence against Sir George he
and from thence in his Barge to Deptford where after he had taken a view of a new Third-rate Frigat call'd the Sterling Castle he proceeded on to Sheerness and so forward to Portsmouth where he safely soon after arriv'd by Sea and having made a short stay in the Town return'd again by Land to Windsor August 1679. Soon after his return his Majesty was seiz'd by a fit of sickness which though Heaven kind to three Kingdomes was pleas'd not to suffer to grow upon him yet the short continuance bred no small terrour and consternation in the hearts of all his Loyal Subjects The City soon took the sad Alarm and immediately deputed two Aldermen to attend his Majesty during his sickness of whose attendance he was pleas'd to accept till the danger was over His Royal Highness the Duke of York also receiving the unwelcome news hasten'd out of Flanders to Windsor But in a short time these affrights were happily over September 1679. In the mean time Mr. Jenison had been several times examin'd and at length made publick a Narrative containing a farther discovery of the Plot with a confirmation of the truth of the Kings Evidence which Ireland had so fairly ventur'd at his death to invalidate at the expence of his Salvation Thereupon his Majesty was pleas'd to publish a Proclamation against the four Ruffians who were design'd to have murder'd him at Windsor Wherein he summon'd them by the names of Captain Levallyan .... Karney Thomas Brahall and James Wilson to render themselves before the twentieth day of October next or else to suffer the extremity of the Law with promise of a hundred pound to any person that should apprehend or discover any of them While the King continued at Windsor upon the noise of the Duke of York's being return'd several Citizens of whom the Chamberlain of London was the chief alledging their jealousies and fears arising as they said from the Dukes encouragement of Popery and the continu'd practices of the Enemies of the Protestant Religion made their applications to the Lord Mayor desiring that the guards of the City might be doubled His Lordship gave them thanks for their care and zeal and told them that he could not answer their desires of himself but that he would summon the Lieutenancy together which being done though neither Sir Thomas Player nor other person appear'd and the address of the absent Gentlemen being debated it was concluded that there was no necessity to put any farther charge upon their fellow Citizens at present as was desir'd till more urging causes of danger appear'd which was the determination of that grand affair But the City it self had a nobler design For the Lord Mayor and Aldermen having the week before order'd two of their members to attend the King at Windsor humbly to desire leave to wait on his Majesty to congratulate his happy recovery from his late indisposition they accordingly went in a full body toward the middle of this month with a fair Retinue to Windsor Where being introduc'd into the Royal presence the Lord Mayor set forth the exceeding joy of the City and of all his Majesties Protestant Subjects for so great a blessing declaring withal the happiness they enjoy'd in his Majesties most excellent Government and his preservation of the publick Liberty Property and above all the Protestant Religion To which his Majesty was pleas'd to return for answer That he had ever a high esteem of his City of London and would never omit any opportunity of giving them the marks of his kindness assuring them that he would employ his care to maintain them in peace and secure them in their properties and in the Protestant Religion and then admitted them to the Honour of kissing his hand After that his Majesty retiring out of the Royal Presence my Lord Mayor was ask'd whether he with the Aldermen would not wait on the Queen and Duke of York To which his Lordship answer'd that he had done all that was in his Commission but that he was heartily glad he had done so much as being with the rest of his brethren transported with an extraordinary joy to behold his Majesty in so good a condition of Health After the Ceremony was over the Lord Maynard by his Majesties Order entertain'd the Lord Mayor and Aldermen at a splendid Dinner which being done they return'd home the same night highly satisfy'd with the favour and treatment they had receiv'd On the 17th of this month His Majesty return'd to London with the Queen and Duke of York whereupon the Lord Mayor immediately gave order for the ringing of the bells and making bonfires which was perform'd with all chearfulness and joy by the Inhabitants Soon after that is to say upon the 27th of this month his Grace the Duke of Monmouth took shipping in one of his Majesties Yachts for Holland and the next day his Royal Highness the Duke of York departed for Flanders Whose said remarkable Departures out of this Land may well suffice to give a memorable conclusion to the story of these few last years wherein the Transactions have been so various and worthy observation that the like have rarely happen'd in a Kingdom notwithstanding all these violent underminings of her Tranquillity still bless'd with Peace and which the prayers of all good Men implore from Heaven may still continue so under the protection of a merciful God and Gracious King FINIS * Fairly promis'd when he was going to be hang'd Swear and Forswear But the main Secret to betray forbear