of the designs of the Papists But he hearing that the Irish Plot was discovered in England by Mr. Hethrington to the King and Council comes over for England and gave Information before the King and Council and both Houses of Parliament against several Persons that were concern'd in the Popish Plot in Ireland but his wants being very great insomuch that had not his Landlord given him Credit for Meat Drink and Lodging he must either have starv'd or followed the old Trade that he formerly practised in Ireland and being a fellow naturally proud ambitious false treacherous and disposed as well by his Constitution as former Conversation for any kind of Villany the Papists or some of their disguised Factors and Abettors fell in with him and manag'd him so as he not only began to Retract his Evidence against Sir John Fitz-Gerald Colonel Lacy and others And also used all the means he could by Threats Discouragements and Temptations to get the rest of the Witnesses against them and others to Retract also which ill Practises being found out by Mr. Hetherington he immediately made a Complaint and Exhibited the following Articles against him to the House of Commons at Westminster Articles of High Misdemenour preferred against David Fitz-Gerald to the House of Commons and there proved fully by Mr. William Hetherington and afterwards before the King and Council but not there brought io hearing 1. THe said Fitz-Gerald at the first coming of the Witnesses out of Ireland to prove the Hellish Popish Plot did seem to be very glad of their coming to justifie their Evidence and in particular that of Eustace Comins saying that he was an honest man and was wrongfully clapt up in prison by the means of Sir William Davis for discovering of the Plot which he the said Fitz-Gerald swore he could say more to than any of them all and that he could charge the greatest men or man in Ireland therewith or in words to that effect but after he saw Comins's Narrative Printed and found that several of his Friends as he pretended were charged there then he began to rail and reflect upon him and threaten to be the death of him and afterwards took accasion to abuse and revile the rest of the Witnesses 2. That amongst other matters that he pretended he could prove touching the Plot he said he could prove the day and time that the Duke of York was to be Proclaimed King in Ireland and that he would tell the King of it and that he did acquaint the Earl of Burlington coming out from the Committee of the Lords that he could and would hang those he had accused and bring great ones to prove the matters he had charged them with 3. That notwithstanding the said Fitz-Gerald hath since endeavoured by many waies and means to bring this Informant and the said Witnesses into His Majesties disfavour and to cast reproaches upon them the better to Invalidate their Evidence alledging untruly That they had received three thousand pounds from the City of London or some of the Citizens thereof or some others whom he would mention if he could 4. That the said Fitz-Gerald hath sometimes by threats other times by feasts treats moneys promises and other waies of perswasion laboured to take off the said Witnesses from giving their Evidence on His Majesties behalf particularly in the Case of Sir John Davis and when all that would not prevail upon them told them that His Majesty was displeased with this Informant's Proceedings and would be so with them if they followed his directions and by these devices so affrighted them that he got them to sign to a Petition to His Majesty which he drew for the purpose Intimating That they were informed His Majesty did not look upon them as coming to doe him Service and that if it were so they should readily desist appearance further though their intentions were really to serve His Majesty 5. That the said Fitz-Gerald when he knew the said Witnesses were to be called into either Houses of Parliament or some Committee relating to them to give in their Evidence hath endeavoured to hide them or some of them that they could not be found and when they have been found he hath laid violent hands on them or some of them and would not permit them to go untill they forced themselves away from him and then he threatned them and those that called them and with an Oath said he would break Shaftsbury's Knot and the better to prevail with the Witnesses acknowledged he had received for his Service 100 l. of his Grace the Duke of Ormond 500 l. from the King and a Commission to be a Captain and that His Majesty had given him two Blank Pattents for Baronets the one for his Father-in-Law and the other to be at his own disposing and a Grant of the Lands of Rakeale and all the Commons of Knockgreny in the County of Limerick 6. That the said Fitz-Gerald had not only villified and threatned the said Comins but had also informed several of the Members of the House of Commons that the said Comins was a very Rogue and that he could produce many Records against him and that he was not fit to be credited and also terrified and threatned to kill him the said Comins so that he was forced for some time to keep himself in Obscurity That the said Fitz-Gerald hath not only villified and abused him this Informant and the Evidence which he was concerned for but also Mr. Thomas Sampson who came over upon his own accord to serve His Majesty in that matter and who by his Testimony therein hath given great satisfaction to both Houses of Parliament 7. That the said Fitz-Gerald being examined by a Committee of the House of Commons against Sir John Fitz-Gerald refused to give his Evidence being his Relation unless the Committee would promise to Intercede to His Majesty for his the said Sir John's Pardon and before a Committee of the Lords in his Evidence he charged Colonel John Fitz-Pattrick and Sir Edward Scot to be Confederates in the Plot but at the Lords Barr would not though asked and left their names out in his Narrative published in Print of his own knowledge in that matter his mind being since altered upon what considerations may well be judged he also said before the said Committe that he fared the worse because they knew that the King had a kindness for him 8. That the said Fitz-Gerald asked the Witnesses or some of them whether they retained the Romish Religion still who replied they did for which he the said Fitz-Gerald commended them for so doing for that the Protestants would only make use of them for their own purpose and advantage and afterwards would hang them 9. That the said Fitz-Gerald also told the said Witnesses or some of them that the King was satisfied that the late Lord Stafford was innocent denying the Fact at his death or words to that Effect and that His Majesty was resolved
not to try any more of the Lords in the Tower and after the Parliament was Prorogued he told the said Witnesses or some of them that he would remove their Nests 10. That the said Fitz-Gerald had kept continuall correspondency and familiarity with the four Witnesses which were brought over by a Messenger from Ireland and a Person of Quality perceiving it told him that he had not observed the Orders the Committee gave him which was That he should not come near any of the Evidence nor Converse with them The said Fitz-Gerald replyed that he was Commanded by the King to come there and also gave the said Person of Quality very scurrilous abusive language 11. The said Fitz-Gerald also abused the said four Witnesses or some of them and asked them if they came to hang poor Plunket 12. That the said Fitz-Gerald said he was abused because he would not accuse the Duke of Ormond and the Chancellor of Ireland which he knew to be as honest men as any in the three Kingdoms THe Examination of these Articles being referred to a Committee Mr. Hetherington produced all the Evidence that Fitz-Gerald had been tampering with and gave full satisfaction to the Committee of his villanous Practises of which indeed his own Insolent Behaviours before the said Committee might alone have been a very pregnant proof And the Chair-man of that Committee was making his Report to the House when the Black Rod came to Prorogue them soon after which a Dissolution followed otherwise 't is probable this Plot-shammer would have been severely dealt with according to Law But escaping Justice then so luckily has encouraged him and his Accomplices to proceed since more boldly in their endeavours to sham the Popish Plot and Suborn Witnesses against the Earl of Shaftsbury Mr. Hetherington c. The first course he took to shock the Integrity of the other Witnesses was to fright them with impudent lies and scandalous Aspersions upon the Person and Honour of His Sacred Majesty assuring them with Horrid Oaths That His Majesty did not send for them nor regard whether they were all hang'd or drown'd That His Majesty did not believe there was any Popish Plot at all nor care for prosecuting it That they should never get any allowance if they would not be ruled by him c. Such brazen-fac'd slanders on the best of Monarchs who on all occasions has so vigorously shewn himself a true Defender of the Protestant Faith that no good Subject can repeat them without Horror and Wonder that the Villian that broach'd them has so long escaped the Pillory or rather the Gallows In the next place he braves it out with fine clothes and Insults over the other Witnesses poverty and shews them whole handfulls of temptation bright charming Gold Insinuating that they should have the like encouragment if they would but embark with him in the same design Some of them indeed had so much conscience and sparks of honesty remaining or at least such regard to their future repute and safety as for some time to struggle with these Temptations and then freely upon Oath discovered the profered Subornations and wheadling devices yet afterwards as may reasonably be judged by the sequel over-swayed with the suggestions of the Devil and his Instruments so as to value neither Truth nor Conscience nor even their former Oaths pinched with necessities and Brow-beaten with the frowns of Grandees and abandoned almost by all the World they began to hearken to the voice of this Man-catching Syren and forget the Popish Plot and set up the Irish Ha-loo-loo against Protestants and being once engaged and having slung their Consciencies over-board nothing remains that they will Boggle at or which their grand Plot-shamming Masters and dayly Feeders please to put them upon This may seem a bold charge and would appear very unjust had we only suspitions and probable proofs or violent presumptions to justifie it but we have it under several of their own hands nay more upon their Oaths which for the Readers satisfaction we shall here faithfully recite The following Depositions being by several of them ere they were so totally debauched voluntarily sworn before the respective Magistrates therein mentioned London ss The Information of Maurice Fitz-Gerald Gent. taken this Eighteenth Day of March 1680. upon Oath before me Sir John Frederick Knight and Alderman one of the Kings Majesties Justices of the Peace for the City of London THis Informant being duly sworn saith That whereas it is reported in and about the City of London and Westminster and other places That he hath retracted from the Evidence and Information that he gave upon Oath before John Odell Nicholas Mouncton and George Aylesmer three of His Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Limerick in the Kingdom of Ireland against several Persons in the said Information mentioned being concerned in the Horrid Popish Plot contrived against His Majesty and His Protestant Subjects there it is altogether false and untrue And further declareth That whatsoever he hath related in the said Information is altogether true and will upon no account whatsoever retract from the same but will justifie the same Information whensoever he this Informant shall be thereunto required And further saith That whereas there was a Petition lately presented in the name of this Informant and others as he hath heard to the King and Council by David Fitz-Gerald That he this Informant had disowned any Information that he had given against Sir John Fitz-Gerald and Colonel Pierce Lacy He this Informant doth declare That he knew nothing of the said Petition till after it was presented and was not any waies concerned in the same Maurice Fitz-Gerald Jur. Coram me John Frederick Vera Copia E. B. Which Information given by the said Maurice Fitz-Gerald in Ireland follows in these words Com. Limerick The Information of Maurice Fitz-Gerald Gent. taken before us John Odell Nicholas Muncton and George Aylsmer three of His Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Limerick THe Informant being duely sworn on the Holy Evangelist saith That on or about Winter 1676. after Captain Thomas Mac-Inerina returned out of Flanders and France whether he had been imployed as Agent from the Irish Gentry there was a very great meeting at Colonell Peirce Lacy's House at Curroe where met besides the said Colonel the Lord of Brittas Molowney the Popish Titular Bishop of Killalow Brenan the Popish Bishop of Waterford Duley the Popish Bishop of Limerick two Jesuits whose names this Informant knows not Sir John Fitz-Gerald John Power Son to David Power late of Killbolan John Hurley Eustace White John Bourke of Cahormohill William Bourke his Brother Captain John Purdon Captain Thomas Mac-Inerina Captain Richard Stephenson David Fitz-Gerald and he this Informant and several others whose names this Informant knows not where and at which time the said Captain Mac-Inerina gave an account of his Agency and what Force the French King had promised to send over
into this Kingdom of Ireland which to the best of this Informants remembrance was to be about 20000 men and Artillery Armes and Amunition for 20000 men more which were to be raised in Munster and they then and there consulted how the 20000 men should be raised and resolved it should be by their Clergy and made a Computation and appointed how many each Priest should raise in his Parish and likewise appointed the Officers that should Command and saies that the Lord of Brittas Colonel Pierce Lacy Sir John Fitz-Gerald John Macnamarra of Cortlaigh John Power Captain Sulivan of Beere-haven one Carty and several others were to be Colonels That John Bourke of Cahirmokill was to be Lieutenant Colonel and that Captain Thomas Mac-Inerina was to be Lieutenant Colonel or Major to Captain Sulivans Regiment and that Captain John Purdon Captain Richard Stephenson Mr. John Hurley and Mr. Eustace White were to be Field-Officers and that he hath heard That Mr. John Anktill was to be Lieutenant Colonel and that Mr. William Bourke Mr. Theobald Dowdall Mr. Oliver Stephenson Mr. David Fitz-Gerald now in London This Informant and several others were then appointed Captains and that John Bourke of Ardagh and several others were appointed Lieutenants and that John Dury and Tady Quin were to be Captains and that Nicholas Bourke and many others of Limerick were then pitched on for the surprize of Limerick whose names at present he remembers not and saith That on notice from Captain Sulivan of Beerehaven of the Frenches landing there was a Massacre of all the English resolved in one Night and persons particularly assigned to the Massacre or Murther of every Family and saith That the Popish Servants in each Family were to betray and open the doors or some other way let in those Irish and so murther the English in their beds and after if they could not surprize they were imediately to besiege Limerick and saith That by reason of the Emperors the King of Spain and other the Confederates joyning and assisting the Dutch the French King was hindred from sending out those Forces and Arms he promised and so all things were at a stand till about Michaelmas 1679. That all the aforenamed persons and John Macnamarra of Cratellaigh John Anktill of Farochy Captain Levallin and several others met at Mr. William Bourke's House at Lisnekilly and continued there two or three daies together and that the said Captain Levallin brought and produced a Commission for the raising of those 20000 men and uniting them with what Forces should be sent out of France and raysed in other parts of this Kingdom and saith That he hath heard that the Earl of Tyrone was to be a General Officer and Colonel Fitz-Patrick and Sir Wiliam Talbot were to have some great Commands and saith That all then present at Lisnekilly bound themselves by strict Oaths and by an Instrument under their Hands and Seals to be true and faithfull and stand by each other and saith That the Plot is still and that they have dayly hopes of the French Kings invading and that he hath heard there was some Powder lately landed in the County of Clare side of the River of Shanon and that he will labour to discover it and saith That he hath some papers which he will peruse and hopes by them other things may occur to his memory which he will be ready to add to this his Information and saith That he hath been told That David Fitz-Gerald discovered the said Plot both to Sir Thomas Southwell and John Piggot Esq And this Informant saith That in case this Information should be known he and his Family are in danger of being murthered London ss The Information of Maurice Fitz-Gerrald Gent. taken the one and twentieth day of March 1680. upon Oath before me Sir John Frederick Knight and Alderman one of the Kings Majesties Justices of the Peace for the City of London THis Informant saith that David Fitz-Gerrald was a Grand Plotter and also to be a Captain to assist the French King as he hath formerly sworn and declared and that there was a difference between one Collonel Lacy and the Lord Brittis which of them should have the said David to be their Captain in their said Regiments And further the said Maurice Deposeth that the said David did use all his endeavours to stifle some of his Majesties Evidence as himself one Edmond Morphew John Moyer Hugh Duffey George Coddan Paul Garmley and Mortaph Downing from declaring the truth concerning the horrid Popish-Plot in Ireland And further saith that the said David-Fitz-Gerrald did desire him this Informant and the rest of his Majesties Evidence to go back for Ireland that the said David might be Captain over all the said Evidence and have all the benefit to himself Also the said Informant saith that the said David Fitz-Gerrald did send one Thomas Fitz-Gerrald to one John Fitz-Gerrald to perswade him the said John Fitz-Gerrald to retract his Evidence And the said John being come to the said David Fitz-Gerrald this Informant was ordered by the said David to withdraw into a private Chamber that he might not hear their Contrivance and Discourse As also the said John was to be one of the three Eitz-Gerralds that were to joyn with the said David against his Majesties Evidence Furthermore the said David did order me to write in my Information that one William Hetherington and the rest of his Majesties Evidence were but all Rogues and Thieves and Goale-breakers and Turbalent persons and that their Evidence ought not to be taken either by King or Parliament And the said David Fitz-Gerald did likewise tell this Informant that his Majesty told him the said David Fitz-Gerrald that he would not give or Order any money for his said Evidence that are in the City unless the said persons would go back from their Evidence and joyn with the said David Fitz-Gerrald meaning one Moyer Morphey and Duffey that were to have thirty pounds a piece to joyn with the said David against the rest of his Majesties Evidence Further being demanded whether David Fitz-Gerrald had been at any time in Company with the Earl of Aron and Sir John Davis since the last Sessions of Parliament saith several times at their respective Lodgings and likewise that the said David had been several times with Sir John Fitz-Gerrald in the Gatehouse likewise this Informant saith that he hath seen David Fitz-Gerrald in Company with Robert Poor a person charged for Treason at the said Davids Lodging where the said David Fitz-Gerrald gave the said Robert Poor Instructions to draw up the Articles against Mr. Hetherington Maurice Fitz-Gerrald Jurat Vicessimo primo die Martij 1680. Coram me John Frederick The informatton of Owen Callaghan and Murtagh Downing taken upon Oath before the Right Honorable Sir Patient Ward Knight Lord Mayor of the City of London the 4th of May 1681. THe said Informants being duly sworn and examined upon the holy Evangelist deposeth and saith That