frequently to profess in plain Terms That if their great Darling the Duke of Monmouth should be squeamish as they worded it in approving and Confirming what had been done in Heat of Blood then he himself should fare no better than the rest when their Swords were in their Hands A sufficient Admonition to all Men of Quality and Estate how hazardous their condition is and how mean their Servitude whilst they are heading popular Tumults tho for a little time perhaps they may seem to others and fancy themselves to have an absolute sway over them But their particular Head of Discourse in which the Conspirators chiefly delighted and were wont in their Meetings most amply to enlarge their inventions was concerning their resolutions of several kinds of vengeance to be Executed on those Eminent Persons of all Professions whom they thought most capable and willing to oppose their Bloody Enterprize In that part indeed their Passion transported them beyond all bounds of common Prudence even to the highest Degree of ridiculous Vanity and extravagant Ostentation of their full assurance to succeed in the dire Attempt Having first Gloried in the Imagination of imbruing their Hands in Royal Blood they scrupled not to profess they would continue the Assassination on all the principal Officers of the Crown and Ministers of Justice and spightfully projected all Circumstances imaginable which they thought might aggravate the Terrour or Ignominy of their Punishment Sir John More the Lord Mayor of the former Year and Sir William Pritchard the Lord Mayor and Mr. North and Mr. Rich the Sheriffs of that present Year were concluded fit to be Murder'd and their Skins stuff'd and hung up in Guild-Hall for a dreadful Warning to Posterity Alderman Cornish or Gould was to be declared Lord Mayor Papillion and Dubois Sheriffs If they refused they were to undergo as bad a fate Some others also were doom'd to the like destiny who might think they deserved well of the Faction by their Moderation But they resolved that Neuters should be treated as ill as their most avow'd Enemies Most of the Judges were to be kill'd for their pretended Illegal and Arbitrary Judgments and their Skins in the same manner hung up in Westminster-Hall Some of the principal Abhorrers Addressers and reputed Pensioners in the late Long Parliament under which Titles in their Modern Opprobrious Language they had been us'd to comprehend the most steddy Adherents to the Crown and True Sons of the Church of England were to be brought to Tryal and Death The Skins too of those they styled Pensioners were to be hung up in the House of Commons The Church-men they hated and despised in general as Men whose Interest could never be divided from the Crown and of course would fall with it The Marquiss of Hallifax the Duke of Beaufort the Earl of Rochester Sir Leolyn Jenkins the Lord Keeper and divers others who had been his Majesties most faithful Councellors in the time of extream hazard were nam'd as Men whose Destruction was certain and who could not possibly escape the first rage of the Massacre Particularly it was determin'd the Lord Keeper should be sent to Oxford and hang'd on the same Gallows on which the Infamous College had been Executed In this furious manner they proceeded to lay about them in their common Discourses with all the Infernal Malice that is so agreeable to their Principles and inseparable from them there never having yet been found in all Records of Time any pretended Conscientious Zeal but it was always most certainly attended with a fierce Spirit of implacable Cruelty During all this time as it cannot be imagin'd that either of the Cabals was altogether unacquainted with what the other was doing so it is manifest some of their great Men understood the dark Hints that were sometimes given them of Striking at the Head and Shortning the Work by removing two Persons And also that these Inferiour Instruments proceeded on assurance That when they came to Action they should be Headed by Men of much higher Quality and Condition than as yet openly appear'd amongst them Wherefore of the Debates and Resolutions of their great Council thus much has been already testified upon Oath That shortly after that the Earl of Shaftsbury fled it was thought expedient for the furtherance of the Design projected in his time that a small Select Number of the most eminent Heads of the Party in and about London and Westminster should be united into a close Cabal or secret Council who might have their frequent Assemblies and be ready on all occasions to guide and direct the motions of the Lower Agents The Persons who undertook this Universal care and inspection were the Duke of Monmouth the Earl of Essex the Lord Gray the Lord Russel the Lord Howard Colonel Algernoon Sydney and Mr. John Hambden Junior Besides that Romzey Armstrong Ferguson Shepard and some others were admitted as occasion serv'd on some particular Debates Their first Meeting was in January of that Year at Mr. Hambden's House Where some general Heads were propounded of things to be resolv'd on in their more mature thoughts As Where the Insurrection should first be made in City or Country or in both at once What Counties were most disposed for Action What places would be most proper for their Rendezvouses What Arms were necessary how to be provided where to be laid in What Mony needful at first to be rais'd and where to be deposited so as to Administer no Ground of Jealousie And by what means the discontented Party in Scotland might be brought into the Confederacy This last was look'd on as the principal Point and deserving their first Direction Wherefore at their next Meeting about ten days after at the Lord Russel's House they began with considering a way of Setling an Intelligence with the Earl of Argyle beyond the Seas and with his Complices in Scotland Upon this a Messenger was Ordered to be sent into Scotland It was committed to Colonel Sydney to choose the Person and to furnish him with Instructions The Man chosen by Mr. Sydney at the recommendation of Nelthrop for his known merits towards the Cause was Aaron Smith The Sum given him to defray his Expenses was Three or Fourscore Guinea's The substance of his Message was to invite up Sir John Cockran the Cambells of Cessnock and some others to treat in London Here the Lord Howard's Information stops For then the managers seem'd to agree amongst themselves to have no more constant Assemblies till the return of the Messenger Tho since it appears the said Lord was thereafter excluded from their Consultations for having been too lavish with his Tongue in reporting abroad what had been there transacted However it has been proved by unquestionable Evidence that presently after this Aaron Smith did set forth towards Scotland arrived there the Spring of that Year and by some indiscretion had like to have spoil'd the whole business Which to recover and to remove all suspicions
it was such as rather became the Subtilty Artifice and Equivocation of some crafty hypocritical Confessor or Presbyterian Casuist than the Noble plainness and simplicity of a Gentleman especially of One who in this very Paper so much boasts of the Sincerity and Candour of his whole Life and of his perpetual hatred of Tricks and Evasions Among divers other notorious Shifts and Prevarications contain'd in it this is observable That in this Paper he declares solemnly he never was at Shepard's in that Company but once as in his Tryal he had affirm'd absolutely he never was there but once whereas besides what Shepard positively swore That he was more than once there and in that very Company the said Lord Russel himself also when he was Examin'd in the Tower by his Majesties Command June 28th confess'd He had been at Shepard's House frequently which Confession after it was written down read and repeated by himself he in great Agitation of Mind desir'd he might alter it And the Alteration he made was to put in divers times in stead of frequently The Truth of which appears by the Original thus subscribed and corrected by the the Lord Russel and by the known Integrity of Sir Leolyn Jenkins Sir John Ernly and his Majesties Atturney-General and Sollicitor-General who receiv'd the Examination and have attested the Alteration The Lord Russel likewise in the Printed Speech affirms His intention of going to Shepards was to taste Sherry and in his Tryal he said He staid not above a quarter of an Hour there tasting of Sherry Though presently after in the very same Paper forgetting what he had said he acknowledges He was desir'd to go thither by the Duke of Monmouth upon a business of greater consequence than the tasting of Sherry Which was That the Duke of Monmouth call'd upon him to tell him that the Earl of Shaftsbury and some other hot Men would undo them all if great care were not taken and therefore intreated him to go with him to Shepards To this he adds That when he came thither there were things spoken by some with much more heat than Judgment Things of the same Nature no doubt with those he confess'd to have heard before in the Earl of Shaftsbury's Company which made the Duke of Monmouth himself cry out Did you ever hear so Horrid a thing However all these Treasonable Discourses about making some Stirs as he stiles them the said Lord would fain have had pass only for Misprision of Treason Though it is remarkable that in all those his last Words there is no more sign of his asking Forgiveness of God or the King for his confess'd Misprision than for the High Treason Moreover in the same printed Paper he solemnly avows There was no undertaking at Shepards for seizing the Guards none appointed to view or examine them only that there was some discourse then and at other times about the feasibleness of it adding That several times by accident he heard it mention'd as a thing might easily be done By which and other the like concessions in that Speech he well nigh grants himself Guilty of the Crime whereof he was accus'd since the Judges often assur'd him that those discourses and consultations not reveald are High Treason He farther says it was by a strange fetch that a design of seizing on the Guards was construed a design of killing the King But that this construction was no such strange fetch Colonel Walcot himself might have inform'd him who both at his Trial and his Execution did with far more Truth and Ingenuity allow that it was the same thing for him to engage the Kings Guards whilst another kill'd him as to kill him with his own Hands Though to put this whole matter out of question touching that Consultation at Shepards for seizing the Guards his Majesty declares on the Faith of a King appealing also to the Memory of his Royal Highness to confirm the same That the Duke of Monmouth did in express Terms confess this very particular and all the circumstances of it to his Majesty at the time of his rendring himself Namely That the foresaid debate of surprizing the Guards was at Shepards that the Lord Russel was one of the Persons debating it that the result was the Duke of Monmouth the Lord Gray and Sir Thomas Armstrong should go view the Guards in order to seize them that accordingly they three did go and take a view of them to that end and that the report they made to the same Company at their next Meeting was that the thing might be done if they had any considerable strength But what need any farther Proof of the insincerity of the Lord Russel's last Justification than the foremention'd Deposition of Carstares An Evidence not only by Law unquestionable but such as cannot but be esteem'd by the very Conspirators themselves of invincible strength and conviction Since he was a Man eminent in their Party and one of their principal seducing Teachers And what the said Carstares deposed relating to the Lord Russel his Majesty thinks fit to be repeated here again It was That when he return'd into England out of Holland where he had been to concert matters with the Earl of Argyle for promoting the General Conspiracy the next Day he met with Sir John Cockran and having acquainted him with the Earl of Argyle ' s demands of 30000 l. Sterling and the Thousand Horse and Dragoons Sir John Cockran carried the said Carstares to the Lord Russel to whom he proposed the affair but being then a perfect stranger had no return from him at that time That afterwards the Deponent met with the Lord Russel accidentally at Shepard ' s House where as Shepard affirm'd the said Lord was come to speak with him about the Money before mention'd That when the other two had done talking Carstares himself desir'd to speak with the Lord Russel and that in his discourse with him having reiterated the former proposition for the 30000 l. and the Thousand Horse and Dragoons the Lord Russel answer'd in these very Words They could not get so much Money rais'd at the time but if they had 10000 l. to begin that would draw People in and when they were once in they would soon be brought to more But as for the 1000 Horse and Dragoons he could say nothing at the present for that behoved to be concerted on the Borders By which plain Deposition agreeing with so many other Witnesses it is manifest that when they whom the Lord Russel trusted with Composing his last Speech permitted him to affirm on the word of a Dying Man He knew nothing of any Design against the King or Kingdom either they did grosly prevaricate with him or he with them His Majesty has judg'd it convenient that the whole Proceeding with the Lord Russel should be thus particularly recollected as well that one great Instance for all might be given of the Impartiality and fair course in which the publick Justice was
Public Cause First communicating his Suspicions and Jealousies to the Lord Howard who had been so lately the Companion of his restraint and Gaol-Delivery The Lord Howard was retir'd some Days before into Essex waiting the result of that great Day in the City whence he receiv'd frequent intimations from his Friends of the Faction in a Style obscure but by him well understood and concerted between them That now the business which had been Transacting so long amongst his Correspondents was coming to good Issue and call'd for his speedy presence That occasioned his return on the same Michaelmas-Day and presently after Walcot came to him from the Earl of Shaftsbury with a Message expressing his earnest desire to speak with him in his Concealment at one Watson's in Woodstreet Accordingly the Lord Howard giving him a Visit the substance of the said Earl's first discourse with him was That finding the Due Elections as he call'd them of the City frustrated and the Pseudo-Sheriffs establish'd he could no longer think any honest Man safe and had therefore hid himself there having first made what Preparations were needful for a sudden Rising That many Thousands were ready in the City to Master the Gates and attack Whitehal That they within were to be assisted from the Countries adjacent with 1000 or 1200 Horse under good Officers Only he complained of the Duke of Monmouth's and the other great Mens backwardness who had promised by Rising in other remote Counties at the same time to give a Diversion to the standing Forces The Sum of this the Lord Howard the next day Communicated to the said Duke who also on his part complain'd of the Earl of Shaftsbury's acting of late on a separate Bottom and that his present Fears had blinded his usual Prudence and therefore he required a speedy Meeting with him to re-establish a better Understanding and Union of Counsels between them all for the future This discourse being reported back to the said Earl he replied His People were impatient of longer delays having advanc'd so far that there was no retreat the Design being imparted to so many that it was impossible but it would quickly take Air. Upon this he proceeded to declare his vehement suspicion of the Duke of Monmouth That his Dilatoriness proceeded from some private Correspondence between him and his Majesty That it was to be fear'd the said Duke acted with a prospect very different from theirs only minding the advancement of himself whereas his own Resolutions were that since it was now manifest their Liberties were no more to be secur'd but under a Commonwealth he alone with his Interest would attempt the Deliverance of his Country If the rest of the Lords would concur with him they might share in the Glory else he hoped he should be able to effect the Work without them by the help of an honest brisk Party in the City Upon this Answer the Duke of Monmouth suspecting that before their People could be ready in the Country the Earl of Shaftsbury's unseasonable Anxiety for his own Safety might put him on attempting some rash Action in London which would be easily quell'd by the form'd and disciciplin'd Guards and so the whole Design might be stifled in a moment he did therefore the more earnestly press the Lord Howard to make another essay to procure an Interview The Lord Howard did so and got from the said Earl a promise of meeting the Confederate Lords the next Day in the Evening which yet when the time came he put off with an excuse by Colonel Romzey However some Days after they did meet their Differences were in some measure piec'd up and they began to act jointly again towards a speedy Insurrection To this purpose several Days were proposed One about the latter end of October but it was delay'd a little longer till the concurrence of the the several Counties could be signified up Then that of Queen Elizabeth being Novemb. 17. was named but rejected because all his Majesties Guards were commonly in Arms to watch and suppress the wonted Tumults of the Rabble on that Day At last the Nineteenth of November was fixt on which happening that Year to be on a Sunday whilst some excepted against it for that reason Ferguson with his usual impious Virulency reply'd That the Sanctity of the Day was suitable to the Sanctity of the Work The Day being thus determin'd they all presently fell to prepare as their several parts were allotted Especially the great Managers held Assemblies to receive Accounts how the Counties were dispos'd and to consult upon surprizing the Guards for which end the Duke of Monmouth the Lord Gray and Sir Thomas Armstrong undertook to view the posture of their Quarters and reported back to their Principals That the seizing them was a thing very feasible which very particular the Duke of Monmouth afterwards confess'd in so many words to his Majesty when he rendred himself In the mean time the Earl of Shaftsbury was very uneasie and weary of lurking in Holes where every sound and breath of Air began to frighten him Wherefore with repeated and importunate Messages he press'd the other Lords to keep to their Day expostulating with them upon their former slowness whereby they had lost so many advantageous Opportunities The case being now so much alter'd that he who once presum'd his driving out the King would prove but a leisurely walk to him when the danger drew near himself was become so apprehensive and rash as not to afford his own wicked Counsels leisure enough to come to any tolerable Maturity At length one Day when their great Council about London was assembled at Shepard's House in Abchurch-Lane the said Earl sent Colonel Romzey to quicken their Debates and once for all to learn the result of their final Determinations But they having just before received several Advices out of the West that their Friends there especially in Taunton and Devonshire could not possibly be ready on so short a warning presently sent him back such word concluding it could not be helpt but he and they must be content to respite the time of Execution to a longer day This positive Answer broke all his Measures and made him instantly resolve to leave England Wherefore first he removed his lodging into Wapping Then the very Night that place was Burnt being also the Night of the same 19th Day of November on which he had expected to set the whole Nation in a Flame he privately sculk'd down the River Attended only by the two chief Complices and Witnesses of his Treasons Walcot and Ferguson the latter of them having been forc'd for some time before to abscond too because of a Warrant out against him for Publishing some one or other of his many Treasonable Pamphlets That was the last considerable Effort made by the Earl of Shaftsbury against the King and Kingdom After this nothing more was heard of him but that being got into Holland in a Panick fright he lived obscurely and
would never be out of a Plot as long as he liv'd and that he hoped yet to meet some of them at Dunbar before Michaelmas Now a day or two before this their final separation the King and his Council began to be convinc'd of the truth of Keeling's Evidence by a full knowledge of the Witnesses Character and by the firmness and consistency of his Testimony besides many other concurring Circumstances VVherefore his Majesty order'd VVarrants should be issued out against the Persons accus'd whereof some absconded others were taken Of these last divers confirm'd what Keeling had sworn and named others as Partakers in the Treason Whereupon more and more appearing every day to have been engaged Proclamations were Publish'd in England and Scotland for their speedy Apprehension By this means through the Providence of God so many of them were either seiz'd or deliver'd themselves up as have irrefragably confirm'd every part of the foregoing Account What became of the several Conspirators will appear by the following List. Of the ENGLISH SIR Thomas Armstrong presently after fled beyond the Seas where he remain'd till the next Year when he was surpriz'd at Leyden in Holland brought into England and received the deserv'd reward of his Horrid Ingratitude and Treasons John Ayloff fled and withdrew from Justice and stands Outlaw'd upon that account Andrew Barber was taken and freely confess'd Robert Blaney came in and confess'd what was done and said at the Trayterous Meeting at Colonel Romzey's House James Burton fled and is also Outlaw'd for Treason William Blagg a Sea Captain was taken try'd and acquitted there being but one positive Evidence against him Zechary Bourn was seis'd on in Essex as he was making his escape into Holland and largely confess'd afterwards Colonel Danvers of Newington was taken and dismis'd upon Bail He has since Publish'd a most Malicious and Scandalous Libel against his Majesty For which he is fled The Earl of Essex taken at his House in Hertfordshire and committed Prisoner to the Tower Richard and Francis Goodenough both fled and since Outlaw'd The Lord Gray of Wark was seiz'd on examin'd before his Majesty and order'd to be sent to the Tower But in his going thither by the negligence of the Serjeant at Arms he made his escape got beyond Sea from the Coast of Sussex and is now also Outlaw'd John Hambden Junior taken Tryed for High Crimes and Misdemeanors Condemn'd in 40000 l. Fine and Imprisonment Major Holms taken in London he confess'd the Correspondence with the Earl of Argyle whereof the Key was intrusted with him and some others James Holloway fled was taken at Mevis in the West-Indies and sent back into England confess'd and was Executed William Hone in his flight was taken in Cambridgeshire He made his first Confession at Cambridge the substance of which he afterwards own'd upon all occasions to his Death Joseph How was taken and confess'd The Lord Howard of Escrick was taken in his House at Knightsbridge hid behind the Hangings of his Chamber and at length confess'd Thomas Lea the Dyer was taken and confess'd The Duke of Monmouth withdrew upon the first Proclamation wherein he was Named and lay hid for divers Months till he render'd himself and confess'd Edward Norton fled and is Outlaw'd John Nisbet fled was taken in Essex ready to go beyond Sea He was the Author of the Letter of Trade Written to Gourdon a Scotch-Man under the Name of Pringle John Rouse taken Try'd Condemn'd Executed making at his Death a Penitent Confession John Row once Sword-Bearer of Bristol fled upon the first Discovery as did also both the Rumbalds they are all three Outlaw'd Colonel Romzey first absconded then render'd himself and confess'd The Lord Russel taken at his House in Souththampton-Square Try'd Condem'd Beheaded He confess'd enough to shew his Crime but not his Repentance Thomas Shepard hid himself but soon came in and frankly confess'd Aaron Smith had kept secret some time before because of a Sentence against him for high Misdemeanors But was taken and is still a Prisoner Colonel Algernoon Sydney taken Try'd Condemn'd Beheaded William Wade Joseph Tyley fled and are Outlaw'd Colonel Thomas Walcot first retired then sent a Letter to Mr. Secretary Jenkins plainly acknowledging That the Plot was laid very deep and wide promising to discover more if he might have hopes of Pardon But before he could receive an answer the Conscience and fright of his own Guilt made him withdraw from the place where he had appointed to stay for it He was soon after taken Arraign'd Condemn'd Executed persevering to the last in the main of his Confession Robert West withdrew for a time but then gave himself up and has amply confess'd Besides these there were divers others at first secured but afterwards dismiss'd by course of Law as the Lord Brandon Mr. Booth Major Wildman Mr. John Trenchard Major Breman Mr. Charlton this last having been taken in disguise Of the SCOTS MR. James Steuart Brother to the Laird of Cultness had fled out of Scotland a short time after the Earl of Argyle upon occasion of dangerous Papers taken in his keeping Thereafter he transacted only by Letters and Negotiations remaining out of danger beyond the Seas Commissary Monroe and the two Campbells of Cessnock were taken The Lord Melvin Sir John Cockran and Ferguson escap'd divers ways though Ferguson stay'd some time in Town after the Discovery in hopes still of obtaining Bills of the Money to be remitted into Holland William Bayley of Jerviswood was seiz'd on in London convey'd to Edenburgh and there Try'd and lately Executed William Carstares William Spence Alexander Gourdon of Earlston taken the two first in Town the last at Newcastle By the positive Confession of these three Scotchmen together with that of Major Holms who were the Earl of Argyle's chief Agents in this business was the first greatest light given of the said Earls part in the Conspiracy Of these Alexander Gourdon Laird of Earlston was a Zealous Field-Conventicler and had been a Bothwel-Bridge-Rebel Where upon the rout of their Army his Father was kill'd and he taken Prisoner Having afterwards got his Liberty he became Sollicitor for the Faction in England and Holland under pretence of collecting Contributions for maintaining such of them as were denounc'd Fugitives for which purpose he had a formal Commission sign'd and seal'd in the Name of the General Assembly of their Party at Edenburgh Before any Discovery he was taken at Newcastle under a feigned Name endeavouring to get a passage beyond the Seas About him were seiz'd divers Original Papers which as soon as he was made Prisoner he try'd to make privately away but the Kings Officers observing his design secur'd them Amongst these Papers there was one very remarkable Letter Written to him under another Counterfeit Name of Pringle The composer of it was John Nisbet one of Argyle's Agents in London It was dated March the 20th of that Year when the Conspiracy was in the heigth It gives
To all this Hone made no other answer but that he was drawn in by Goodenough and as for killing the King from Bow-steeple he was told of it by another So the Jury found him Guilty without going out of the Court. At his Execution he own'd himself Guilty of the Crime for which he stood condemn'd Only alledging again that he was drawn in He confess'd also he did say he was for killing the King and saving the Duke of York On which last expression the Factious party immediately laid hold And they have since most impudently made use of it in their Libels both at home and abroad to take the aspersion of this Conspiracy off from themselves insinuating that this saying of Hones a Notorious Fanatick must needs prove him to have been a conceal'd Papist Whereas it is apparent he said it upon a quite different account Since it was a common opinion among them that if they could but do the Kings business their work against the Duke would be much easier A Lesson first taught them by their great Master the Earl of Shaftsbury For when in one of their Trayterous Cabals among other Considerations of time and place for killing the Royal Brothers that between Hampton-Court and Windsor was proposed and some excepted against it because his Majesty and his Royal Highness seldom went that way together the said Earl advised them not to stand upon that and not to omit the opportunity of making the King away for any such Objection giving this wicked reason for his advice That if the King were once dispatched they should easily be able to deal with the Duke of York grounding his Judgment on a most false Supposition that the People were generally averse from his Royal Highness The next Criminal arraign'd was William Lord Russel who was brought to his Tryal July the 13 th of that year Against him Colonel Romzey deposed That in the end of October or the beginning of November 1683. there met at Mr. Shepard's House in Abchurch-Lane the Duke of Monmouth the Lord Gray the Lord Russel Sir Thomas Armstrong and Ferguson That the Earl of Shaftsbury desired him to go to them thither to know what resolution was taken about the Rising of Taunton That he did go Mr. Shepard carried him up where they were and he deliver'd his Message That the Answer was Mr. Trenchard had fail'd them and there could be no more done in the matter at that time That there was at the same time a discourse by all the Company about seeing what posture the Guards were in that they might know how to surprize them That some of them undertook to go and see That my Lord Russel in particular did speak about the Rising and gave his consent to it Then Mr. Shepard swore That in October last Ferguson requested of him in the Duke of Monmouth's Name the conveniency of his House for some Persons of Quality to meet in That the same Day in the Evening the Duke of of Monmouth the Lord Gray the Lord Russel Armstrong and Ferguson came That they desir'd to be private and none of his Servants to come up That their discourse was How to surprize the Guards That the Duke of Monmouth the Lord Gray and Armstrong went one Night to the Mues to view them That the next time they came Armstrong said The Guards were remiss and the thing was feasible That they had two Meetings of this kind at his House That in one of them something was read by Ferguson in the nature of a Declaration setting forth the Grievances of the Nation in order to a Rising That he could not say positively the Lord Russel was there when it was read but the said Lord was there when they talk'd of seizing the Guards Then the Lord Howard of Escrick gave his Deposition consisting of two parts a general Declaration of what he knew of the whole Conspiracy and his particular Evidence touching the Lord Russel's being engaged in it In the general part his Testimony was agreeable to what has been already cited out of his Confession to his Majesty only in some passages he was more particular as to Persons especially concerning Lieutenant Colonel Walcot the Earl of Shaftsbury the Lord Gray and the Duke of Monmouth as appears by the Printed Tryal But what peculiarly related to the Lord Russel was to this effect That after the Earl of Shaftsbury's Flight the chief Persons concern'd in the Conspiracy in his time began to consider they had gone so far it would be unsafe for them to make a retreat and that so great an Affair consisting of so many Particulars which were to be manag'd with so much fineness it would be necessary to have some General Council That therefore they resolv'd to erect a Cabal among themselves which was made up of six Persons the Duke of Monmouth the Earl of Essex the Lord Russel Colonel Algernoon Sydney Mr. Hambden Junior and the Deponent That this was about the middle of the January before That then they met at Mr. Hambden's House where it was presently agreed their proper Province was to take care of the whole That the chief things they debated were Whether the Insurrection should begin first in London or the Country the Duke of Monmouth insisting it should be first in the Country then what Countries and Towns were fittest and most ready for Action then what Arms were to be got and how to be disposed then that it was necessary to have a common Bank of 25 or 30000 l. to answer the occasions of such an Undertaking but that the greatest point was to order it so as to draw Scotland into a consent with them because it was requisite all diversion should be given to the Kings Forces That about Ten Days after every one of the same persons met again at the Lord Russel's House That they then came to a resolution of sending some Persons to the Earl of Argyle to settle an Understanding with him and that a Messenger should be dispatch'd into Scotland to invite some Scoth-Men hither who best understood the Estate of Scotland to give an account of it That the Persons agreed on to be sent for were Sir John Cockran the Lord Melvil and one of the Name of Cambel That to this purpose it was order'd a Person should be thought on that was to be sent That Colonel Sydney was intrusted to take care of that business That the said Colonel told the Deponent he had sent Aaron Smith That then they agreed not to meet again till the return of the Messenger who was gone about a Month before they heard any thing of him though the Letter he carried could have done no great hurt had it been taken because it was Written in a kind of a Cant under the disguise of a Plantation in Carolina That all this Debate at the Lord Russel's went without contradiction all there present giving their consent That as for raising Money every one was put to think of such a
administer'd against the Conspirators as also that it might appear with what weak Cavils Ambiguities and Tergiversations they defended themselves both living and dying For the others who were afterwards brought to condign Punishment it will not be so needful to descend into every minute part of their Tryals Condemnations and Executions which have been already faithfully published especially since those that followed made most of the same Objections in Law and Fact as were before most solidly answer'd It will be enough only to make some few Observations where any new Matter shall arise for the fuller Demonstration of the wicked Design On July the 13th of that Year was John Rouse brought to Tryal Against him there was ample Evidence given First by Thomas Lea That the said Rouse undertook to provide 100 Arms for the City-Divisions That he said Nothing could be done unless the King were seiz'd adding We remember Forty One when the King went and set up his Standard therefore we will seize them that they shall not set up their Standard That he farther said It would be convenient to have a Ball plaid on Black-Heath to that end some Sea-Captains must be spoken to he promising to speak to Ten That when the Ball should be won every Captain might take his Party and tell them they had other VVork and then go with long Boats and Arms to seize the Tower That the said Rouse had several such Discourses and went divers times to view the Tower to that end That after the Discovery he said to Goodenough and Nelthrop Be not discourag'd but let the Business go on That he said Take off the King and the Duke and then no Man can have Commission to fight for them That he also affirm'd He was under an Oath of Secrecy never to trust but one at a time with the Design Then by William Leigh That the said Rouse farther endeavour'd to get Seamen to seize on and Command some of the Kings Ships lying as Guard-Ships at Woolwich and Deptford That being ask'd What he would do with Ships without Powder and Shot with which they could not be provided except the Tower were surpriz'd He reply'd We must secure the Tower and Whitehal both or we can do nothing And farther to prove the said Rouse's former Trayterous Temper of Mind against his Majesties Government it was sworn by Mr. Corbin That upon some discourse concerning the Parliament at Oxford Rouse said He foresaw it would be a short Sessions but that these frequent Prorogations an Dissolutions of Parliament would not avail him For whatever the King has the Parliament gave him and they may take it away when they please That the King had forfeited his Crown and had no more Right to it than he had Against this all the Defence Rouse made was That the words attested by Corbin were spoken upon a Supposition of the Popes Power over Princes That as for William Lea he had nothing to say against him but hoped he was an honest Man and for Thomas Lea that the said Lea himself first began those Treasonable Discourses which Rouse intended to have revealed had not the other got the start of him But this being only supported by his single Yea and Nay without the Credit of any one Witness to strengthen it the Jury presently gave their Verdict that he was Guilty For divers Years before he had been a most Notorious Boutefeu in the City of London and was one of the many scandalous Examples of the gross Corruption and Iniquity of the Ignoramus-Juries of that time he having been unjustly acquitted by them when in the Year 1681. he was Indicted of high Crimes particularly for those Trayterous VVords mentioned in Corbin's Evidence But at last the Divine vengeance overtook him in this manner At his Death among other things he ingenuously confess'd he had deserved the Sentence pass'd against him that he had heard and understood too much in several kinds of Meetings especially of some who though they call'd themselves True Protestants were Ten Thousand times worse than any others On November the 7th of the said Year 1683 was Colonel Algernoon Sydney arraign'd having sued out his Habeas Corpus and on the 21st he was brought to his Tryal He was Indicted for being one of their Great Council of Six for sending Aaron Smith into Scotland and for Writing a most Treasonable Libel against the Government which was found in his Closet on the Table when his Papers were seiz'd As to the said Colonels having been one of their Council of Six and present at and consenting to all their Deliberations at Mr. Hambden's and the Lord Russel's the Lord Howard deposed to the same sense as he had done at the Lord Russel's Tryal adding now one particular which more especially affected Colonel Sydney That the said Colonel the Duke of Monmouth and the Deponent were the first Movers of erecting that Council the Duke of Monmouth undertaking to incline the Lord Russel to it and Mr. Sydney promising for the Earl of Essex and Mr. Hambden Touching the Second Article His sending Aaron Smith into Scotland to invite some Scotch-Men hither the Lord Howard farther witness'd That at their first Meeting at Mr. Hambden's amongst other matters it was chiefly debated how to make a coalition of Councils between them and Scotland That to this purpose it was propos'd some fit Person should be thought on to send thither to unite them and the English Conspirators into one sense and care That this was discours'd of at the first Meeting That at the next which was at my Lord Russel's House every one of the same Persons being present they fell to Consult of what they had charg'd themselves with the time before concerning sending into Scotland and also the setling a Correspondence with Argyle That the Scotch Gentlemen Named to be sent to were Melvin Cockran and the Cambels That Colonel Sydney offer'd he would take care of the Person to be sent saying he had one in his thought 's whom he judg'd a fit Man to be trusted naming Aaron Smith for the Man That as many of the Company as knew him thought him a very proper Person for that employment That the Duke of Monmouth undertook to invite Melvin hither and a Letter was to be sent to Cockran by Smith That these Scotch-men were to be desired to come and acquaint their Council here how they found Scotland temper'd what opportunities or advantages there might be of putting that Kingdom into a Commotion and how they might there keep time and place with the English That shortly after this the Deponent went to Colonel Sydney's and found him just going into London That the said Colonel took out of a Cabinet several Guinea's saying They were to be given to Aaron Smith for his Expences That he was sent accordingly and the Colonel told the Deponent afterwards He was gone and was upon the Road and that he had heard from him when he was about Newcastle It was next plainly prov'd
little Ear and slow Credit to this Information as little suspecting as deserving such usage from the worst of his Subjects Which generous Caution that his Majesty took not to be impos'd on by New Rumours of Plots and his Gracious Tenderness not to believe so ill of his very Enemies but upon certain Demonstration was one of the chief Occasions that divers of the principal Agitators and Managers of the whole business took the Alarm and got time to scatter and withdraw beyond the Seas However by Gods Providence continually watching over his Majesties and these Nations safety so many of the Traytors soon after fell into the Hands of Justice who did either voluntarily acknowledge their being Partakers of the Treason or were Convicted of it by Evident Proof that henceforth who ever shall pretend not to believe the Truth of the whole they must either be such as were Parties in the Design or so monstrously unreasonable as to believe there never can be a Real Plot against any Prince or State but what does actually succeed and take effect Thus much is certain of this Conspiracy and it is so remarkable and extraordinary that perhaps the like cannot be affirm'd of any other mention'd in all History that there was scarce a Man Attainted or Executed for it who did not more or less add some new Light to the several parts of the dark Contrivance either by a plain Confession of it or by their very manner of denying it and by the weakness of the Subterfuges whereby they endeavour'd to palliate their Crimes Upon the whole Matter though his Majesty doubts not but the Treasonable Infection was in some degree or other spread into most Quarters of these Kingdoms amongst the Ringleaders of the Republican Clubs and lawless Conventicles in Town and Country there being no reason for any Man to think otherwise since it was the usual boast of their principal Factors That more than Twenty Thousand Persons were made privy to the very beginnings of it before the late Earl of Shaftsbury's Flight Yet his Majesty utterly abhorring that bare Suspicions though never so probably grounded should prevail to conclude any Man Guilty has resolved no Reflection shall be made on the Fame of any but only such whose part in it was made out by positive Testimony And in the Kingdom of England besides the Earl of Shaftsbury who during his time was the Prime Engineer in contriving and directing all the several Motions and Parts of the whole Conspiracy next under him the Persons who are already Judicially found to have been deeply concern'd as Actors some in the Insurrection part others in the Assassination divers of them in both together are these The Duke of Monmouth whom the Factious Party had long Corrupted and Alienated from his Duty and Gratitude to the King and his Royal Highness by suggesting and increasing in him groundless Fears and poys'ning his Mind with unjust and forbidden Hopes The Lord Gray of Wark who for some Years had been ingaged in the most furious Designs of the Faction of late especially after he found that the Wickedness of his private Life could neither be so well hidden or go unpunish'd in a quiet State as in publick Disturbances The late Earl of Essex whose dark and turbulent Spirit and insatiable Ambition had carry'd him on to be one of the Principal Authors of all the late Distractions in Publick Councils and Popular Heats against the Government Till after many such ill Practices unworthy the Son of such a Father God left him at last to fall into this Precipice and permitted him to punish himself for it more severely than the King could ever have found in his Heart to do had he but given his Majesty time to make use of the excellent Goodness of his Nature The Lord Howard of Escrick who had always been a busie Promoter of Fanatical and Republican Projects for Alterations in Church and State and was therefore for a time the second Favourite of the Disaffected whilst he was Imprison'd with the Earl of Shaftsbury Nor did they ever make any Objections against the Honesty of his private Life till he came to the honestest part of it The Lord Russel a Person carried away beyond his Duty and Allegiance into this Traiterous Enterprise by a vain Air of Popularity and a wild Suspicion of losing a great Estate by an imaginary return of Popery whereby he was the more easily seduced by the wicked Teachers of that most Unchristian Doctrine which has been the cause of so many Rebellions and was so conformable to his Presbyterian Education That it is lawful to Resist and Rise against Soveraign Princes for preserving Religion Colonel Algernoon Sidney who from his Youth had profest himself an Enemy to the Government of his Country and had acted accordingly As he lived so he died a Stubborn Assertor of the Good Old Cause Mr. John Hambden the Younger who has renew'd and continued the Hereditary Malignity of his House against the Royal Family his Grandfather having been the most Active Instrument to widen the Breach between the late Blessed KING and the seduced part of his People The Usurper Cromwel often own'd That Mr. Hambden was the very Man who advised him to oppose the Justice and Honour of his Majesties Cause with an affected Zeal of Conscience and pure Religion Sir Thomas Armstrong a Debauch'd Atheistical Bravo one of those who with an Hypocrisie peculiar to this Age would have pass'd for the most forward Reformers of Church and State whilst they themselves both in their Practise and Opinions were the greatest Corrupters of Virtue and all Good Manners Lieutenant Colonel Walcot an Old Officer in Cromwel's Army who after Pardon and Indemnity receiv'd and a plentiful Estate secured to him by his Majesties most Happy Return yet was actually ingaged in all the Plots against the Government ever since Particularly in that of Ireland some Years ago to surprize the Castle of Dublin He was Introduced by the Lord Howard under the Character of a Stout and Able Officer into a strict Familiarity with the Earl of Shaftsbnry from whom he never after parted till his Death accompanying him in his Flight into Holland and returning thence with his Corps he and Ferguson having this peculiar Mark of his Kindness to be named Legatees in his Last Will and Testament as his special Friends Colonel John Romzey who had gotten Credit abroad in Portugal by his Courage and Skill in Military Affairs He was recommended to the Earl of Shaftsbury as a Soldier of Fortune resolute and fit for his turn in any desperate Attempt By his Majesties Favour upon his Royal Highnesses Intercession he got possess'd of a very considerable Office in the Customs of Bristol which having sold he afterwards most ungratefully became the said Earls entire Creature and Dependant Nor was he ever a profess'd Papist as since his Confession the Party has given out that he was according to their wonted Impudence of Lying Thomas Shepard
less could be had the Earl would content himself That when the Deponent was ready to ship for England Steuart writ him word there was hope of the Mony That the Day after he arrived here he acquainted Sir John Cockran with the said Earls demands of the Sum of Mony and the Horse and Dragoons That Sir John Cockran carried him to the Lord Russel to whom the Deponent propos'd the Affair but being a stranger had no answer from him at that time That afterwards having met the Lord Russel at Shepard's House where Shepard told him the said Lord was come to speak with him about the Mony the Deponent reiterated to the Lord Russel the former proposition for 30000 l. and the 1000 Horse and Dragoons the said Lord answering They could not get such a Sum rais'd at the time but if they had 10000 l. to begin with that would draw People in and when they were once in they would soon be brought to more but as for the Horse and Dragoons he could say nothing at present for that behoved to be concerted on the Borders That the Deponent made the same proposal to Ferguson who was much concerned and Zealous in promoting it and told him he was doing what he could to get it effected always blaming Colonel Sydney for driving on designs of his own That the said Deponent met twice or thrice with Melvil Cockran Jerviswood Monroe the two Cambells of Cessnock Mongomery of Langshaw and Veatch where they discours'd of Mony to be sent to Argyle That Monroe Melvin and the Cessnocks were against medling with the English Conspirators as Men that would talk but would not do That therefore it were better for the Scots to attempt something by themselves That Veatch Jerviswood and this Deponent were for accepting the Mony That at one of their Meetings it was agreed one Martin late Clerk of the Justice Court should be sent into Scotland to hinder the Country from rising till they saw how Matters went in England That the said Martin did go at the Charge of the Gentlemen there met and was â—â—â—cted to the Lairds of Polwart and Torwoodâ—â—â—â— who sent back word It would not be so easie a matter to get the Gentry of Scotland to concur yet that afterwards Polwart writ to Monroe That the Country was readier than they imagined That the said Deponent had the Key of the Cypher agreed on in his keeping when a Letter came from Argyle to Major Holmes intimating that the said Earl would joyn with the Duke of Monmouth follow his Measures and obey his Directions That for the Decyphering of this he gave the Key to Veatch who was to deliver the Letter to Ferguson and he to the Duke of Monmouth To all this Carstares added in his Deposition of Sept. 18. 1684. That he himself had communicated the Design on foot to three famous English Conventicle-Preachers Griffith Mede and Dr. Owen who he affirm'd did all concur in promoting it and were desirous it should take effect which part of Carstares's Oath is the more remarkable because the King solemnly affirms that the Duke of Monmouth in his Confession to his Majesty and his Royal Highness did particularly name those very three Men as conscious of the Plot and withal declar'd in these very words That all the considerable Nonconformist Ministers knew of the Conspiracy An instance that alone if there were not many more such were a sufficient Instruction to all Separatists of what tender Consciences the Men are whom they chuse for the principal Guides of their Consciences Since after all this Mede deposed before his Majesty That he never heard of any Disturbance intended against the Government but that on the contrary he himself had once advised Ferguson upon discourse of some Libel of his then newly made publick That it was not their part to do such things Nay their great Oracle Dr. Owen being examin'd upon Oath before the Lord Chief Justice Jones and being ask'd Whether he had not heard of a horrid Plot against the Life of the King did not long before his Death take God to witness and subscrib'd to it with his dying Hand That indeed he had heard of such a Plot by the means of the Kings Proclamation but no otherwise But that which still farther undeniably confirms the Scotch part of the Conspiracy with the English was the Confession of William Spence a Scotch-Man and of Major Holmes an English-Man the former being a Menial Servant to the Earl of Argyle the other his long Dependent and Friend a Man active in the times of Cromwel and always disaffected to his Majesties Government Major Holmes being taken in London in the beginning of the Discovery with several of the Earl of Argyle's Original Letters about him and being examin'd confess'd He knew of the Earl of Argyle ' s proposing to some principal Men in England That for 30000 Pounds he might be furnish'd for his Expedition into Scotland That the English at last condescended to send him 10000 Pounds That though he had not personally converst with the Great Men who were to raise the Money yet he had often heard the Duke of Monmouth the Lord Gray the Lord Russel named That he himself was appointed by the Earl of Argyle to convey Letters to and from his Countess and others his Correspondents That he could not Decypher those taken about him but that William Spence could That this Spence went under the Name of Butler and was just then come over in the Packet-Boat from Holland to dispose of the Libel call'd The Earl of Argyle's Case This Deposition was given by Major Holmes on June 29. 1683. the very day that Spence being arrived from Holland was apprehended under the Name of Butler Besides this Evidence of Holmes concerning Spence it appears plainly by the Earl of Argyle's own words in several passages of his Letters taken in Holmes's possession especially in that part of the long Letter of the 21 of June which was not written in Cypher That the said Spence alias B. as he afterwards own'd himself for the Man knew his the said Earls Address and how to write to him adding That he could instruct Holmes in this Cypher else he had lost six hours Work Wherefore upon this assurance that Spence could Decypher the Letters he was examined before the King but not confessing any thing material and seeming resolv'd not to do it he was sent into Scotland where he was brought to discover the whole Intrigue acknowledg'd That he himself was the B. or Butler mention'd in the Letters That those superscrib'd to West and Robert Thomson were directed to Major Holmes under those false Names That he the said Spence could open the Letters and explain the way of reading them which he did and then justified upon Oath the Explanation he had made to be according to their true sense It happen'd also at the same time whilst Spence was under close Examination that Mr. Gray of Crechie a Scotch Gentleman
a Button on the Breast the word was Harmony That it was agreed among them all that the best time for Argyle to Land was when there should be a Stir in England Stir being the word which these Scotch Traytors and the Lord Russel used to express what in plain English is call'd open Rebellion In the like manner Commissary Alexander Monroe depos'd upon Oath That the Earl of Tarras did propose to him that Mr. Baillie might be made one of the Commissioners for the Affair of Carolina That he did go along with Mr. Baillie to London and heard him by the way regretting the hazard their Laws Liberties and the Protestant Religion were in That Mr. Baillie spoke to the Deponent more than once at London for getting Money from the English to be sent to Argyle to bring home Arms for the said Argyle's use to raise an Insurrection in Scotland That in Baillie's Chamber in London William Veitch a Forefault that is a declared Traytor being present Sir John Cockran did expresly speak of Money to be sent to Argyle for the foresaid purpose That on another occasion he heard some of them say there would be 20000 Men in Scotland ready to assist the Rebellion That Mr. Robert Martin was sent down from that Meeting in Baillie's Chamber to Scotland to try what the Scots would do for their own Safety That it was agreed the People of Scotland should rise when there was a rising in England That the Commission was granted to Martin by all the Persons present who were the Lord Melvil Sir John Cockran the Cessnocks Elder and Younger Mr. William Carstares Mr. William Veitch Jerviswood and the Deponent who did all contribute Money towards his Journey That Martin at his return from Scotland meeting with the Deponent told him Matters were in such a Condition there as a little would kindle the Fire in order to a Rebellion Then also James Murray Laird of Philiphaugh confess'd and deposed upon Oath That in May 1683. upon a Letter from Mr. Pringle of Torwoodlie to invite him to his House he came where he found Mr. Martin lately come from London That upon discourse Martin told them the City was much irritated through some Attempts upon their Privileges but that all honest Men were of good heart and very brisk That Torwoodlie then told the Deponent he expected the Earl of Tarras having sent for him because Martin had a Letter directed to him from Jerviswood Torwoodlie adding That there were great Matters in Agitation at London that Martin was come down with a Commission to their Friends here but he was to Communicate his Instructions only to Polwart and himself who were to pitch on such Persons as they thought fit to intrust with the Affair That he had great confidence in the Deponent and therefore had sent to acquaint him that things were now come to a Crisis That he had reason to think England would shortly be in Arms That it was no Project of an inconsiderable Party but a Design through the Kingdom That many of the finest Men and of greatest Interest and Credit were engaged in it there and had agreed for the advancing Money to furnish Arms here That Polwart would be at Gallowshiels that Night and it would be necessary the Earl of Tarras and the Deponent should confer with him fully on the Business That about this time the Earl of Tarras came who retired a little to discourse with Martin That then Torwoodlie told the Deponent that although Martin would not Commune with them upon his Commission directly yet it would be fit they conferr'd and without taking notice of his Commission discours'd of things as their own private Notions abstracted from any prospect of a present Design That accordingly after Dinner they four retired to a Chamber and after some general talk of the Discontents of both Kingdoms these Suppositions following were discours'd of Martin starting all or most of them If the Country Party in England should have thoughts of going into Arms what could be expected here in such a case Would it not be expedient to have a setled Correspondence between that Party there and here Might it not be so adjusted that both Kingdoms should draw out in one day Might not as many be expected in these Shires and about Edenburgh as would surprize the Rulers and some to joyn with the English on the Borders and seize on Berwick others to attempt Stirling-Castle If Argyle should at the same time Land in the West and raise that Country would not these Measures contribute much to the Advancement and Interest of the Party Incourage all that had an Inclination to them and scare many others from acting against them And so they might have leisure to joyn from all places And then might it not be expected there would be as many in this Kingdom as would be able to deal with the Forces here at least divert them from troubling England These Queries being propos'd it was answered That as to setling a Correspondence it was very convenient for those of a Common Interest but none could be found here fit to manage it that would undertake it That as to trysting that is to say rising at the same time that could not be done without divulging the Design to all Ranks of People which none would consent to except those already in desperate Circumstances and they would not generally have much Influence That the thing was not at all adviseable for Scotland because if those in England especially in London the Spring of their motions should happen to have an Interruption near the time appointed then the Scots not having timely notice might rise alone and so be expos'd as a Prey That Argyle's coming was not much to be relied on by reason of the uncertainty of Sea-Voyages That he might himself be suspected of private Designs that despair might blind his usual prudence and prompt him to indigested Methods so it was expected few of the Gentry but such as were under very hard Circumstances would embarque with him That as to the surprizing their Rulers it was inveigh'd against as an Action not to be thought of amongst Protestants That then Martin told the Company if any had a mind for a suit of Armour he could provide as many as pleas'd of a new Fashion very light and of an easie rate from one who had made a great many lately for honest Men in London That then all the Company except Martin went to Gallowshiels House where they met him and Polwart That after Supper having given and received mutual assurance that they were free to commune with Gallowshiels and he with them touching matters of great Secrecy and Importance they sate close together Polwart beginning the discourse And signifying to them he was credibly inform'd that the Country Party in England would draw into the Fields shortly and as he heard before Lammas That Gallowshiels seem'd visibly surpriz'd at it saying he loved better to be walking in his own
Parks than to be medling in such matters However assuring them if there came any troublesome work he would joyn with them firmly That the Earl of Tarras also disapproved of doing any thing during the Kings Life because that might strengthen the Dukes Interest That therefore he suspected it was a project of the Common-Wealths-Men with whom he believed few Scotch Gentlemen would joyn and that he was almost persuaded the Duke of Monmouth would not concur in any Rising during the Kings Life That to all this Polwart answer'd he heard the English had once agreed on that Principle but it seem'd they found they must either do their business now or lay aside all hopes of doing it hereafter For if the Charter of London were let fall they should not only lose all safe Opportunity of digesting Matters but also a great part of their Strength Adding that he heard all things were concerted mutually between Monmouth's Friends and the Heads of the Common-Wealth Party and though Monmouth was shy on that account yet he hoped he would engage or he would be deserted by that Party That then Polwart mentioned the former Queries as overtures agreed on between other Friends in London and the Principal Men of that Party there That the Earl of Tarras and the Deponent repeated their former answers Gallowshiels joyning forwardly with them That Polwart replied he was fully of their Opinion if things were entire but refer'd it to be consider'd whether it were not better to comply with some of these Methods though not so justifiable as could be wish'd rather than disappoint the business totally That there was another argument urg'd against rising with the English because it was talk'd there had been a Day appointed in England in Shaftsbury's time which did not hold so they were not to be relied on That then it was proposed to be deliberated what Methods were most proper in the Companies Opinion for Scotland to follow in case of of Englands Rising first That it was said All that could be expected or desired from Scotland was that upon certain News of Englands being in the Field those of the Southern Shires should presently rise and as soon as so many could convene as would be able to deal with stragling Parties March to joyn the English on the Borders that then it would be seasonable for Argyle to Land in the West and these Parties on the Borders might divert the Forces till he had time to put himself into a posture That it was left to Polwart to Commune with others to this purpose That all the Company seem'd to agree they should move nothing in the Affair till they had a certain account what England propos'd and who were to be their Heads that if they design'd any thing against the Kings Person or for overturning Monarchy they should not be clear to joyn That it was recommended to all the Company to be inquiring indirectly about the affections of their Neighbours and what Arms were amongst them that so if they should resolve to joyn with the English they might know where to seek Men and Arms suddenly That here it was said by one by Polwart as the Deponent thinks That if the Earl of Tarras Torwoodlie Gallowshiels and he took Horse most part of Tiviot-Dale and Selkirk-Shire would soon come to them especially when they heard that England was risen That they all agreed to meet there again at Midsummer-Fair when the account from England might be expected but in case it came to any of their hands sooner each promis'd to advertise the rest The Deponent farther added he was told in private by Polwart or Torwoodlie That Polwart kept Correspondence with their Friends at London naming the Lord Melvil Sir John Cockran Jerviswood and Commissary Monroe That the Money to be advanc'd by the English Partie to Scotland was ready when Martin left London That it was expected within few days after it would be dispatch'd with some Confident to Holland that it was 10000 l. and was to be employ'd by that Confident at Argyle's sight for buying of Arms and providing Shipping to transport them with Argyle That as soon as the Scots at London got Notice of their Confidents arrival in Holland and that all other things were concluded with the English which might be about the middle of June then they would come down into Scotland and give them a particular Account of all Resolutions taken That the Deponent was told all Letters were written by both Parties as about the Carolina Business or concerning some Houshold-Furniture That there was a Sign and a Word agreed on that they might know with whom to use freedom the Word was Harmony and the Sign was the Opening of Buttons on the Breast-Coat and shutting them presently That the Deponent never saw it used except when he visited Parkhay in Edenburgh about the end of June who asking whether he had the Word and Sign of the Carolina-Men and the Deponent having given them said He was afraid the Carolina Business did not go well for there had been some of the Managers expected there eight days past but none were come Nor could he learn any of their Friends had heard from them for several Posts The said James Murray of Philiphaugh deposed farther That at their Meeting at Gallowshiels it was resolv'd they should keep their Cess or Tax unpaid till their next Meeting at Midsummer and should deal with all those they had influence upon to do the like and that upon the Supposition mention'd in his former Oath Next Hugh Scot Laird of Gallowshiels confess'd and deposed That the Earl of Tarras and Philiphaugh did come to his House in May 1683. That Polwart came likewise thither where there were Discourses and Proposals That if the English did rise in Arms their Friends in the South-Shires should rise with them That they should seize the Horses belonging to the Kings Troops where they grazed and attempt the Town of Berwick and the Castle of Stirling That it was likewise there discour'd of the late Earl of Argyle ' s coming to invade Scotland but because of the uncertainty of Sea-Voyages there was not much stress laid upon it That it was also proposed such of the South-Country whom they trusted should be acquainted with it That Endeavours should be used to learn what Arms were in the Country That the Earl of Tarras Philiphaugh Torwoodlie Polwart and some others should draw to Horse with the first when the rising should be in a readiness and that it might be expected the South parts of Tiviot-Dale and Selkirk-Shire would joyn with them The said Gallowshiels had also deposed before the Lords of the Secret Committee That the Earl of Tarras and Philiphaugh being in his House in May discours'd of an intended Rising in England and in London in particular and of Proposals made to the Scots to rise with them That Polwart was there present and told them he was sure the English intended so That they discours'd it was fit
to seize Berwick and Stirling It was also talk'd of bringing the Duke of York to his Tryal The said Gallowshiels deposed farther before the Lords of the Committee That in the Month of May 1683. the Earl of Tarras Hume of Polwart the Elder and the Laird of Philiphaugh came to the Deponents House where they spake of the security of the Protestant Religion and of a Party in England who would secure or seize the King or Duke That if any should rise in Arms to defend or rescue them there was another Party who would rise against them That it was proposed some Country-men should be spoken to to try their Resolutions That it was likewise proposed to seize the Officers of State That it was there said Sir John Cockran was to come to the West from England to advance the Design That the Earl of Argyle was to Land in the West Highlands to raise that Country That of these Matters all that were present discours'd as of an Affair they were agitating and wherein themselves were particularly concern'd These several plain and full Proofs together with the Depositions of Carstares before mentioned being also strengthen'd by the Confessions of Thomas Shepard and Zechary Bourn and all exhibited at the Trial of William Baillie of Jerviswood were not only over-abundantly sufficient to convince the Person accused of his particular share in the Guilt but they also remain as so many standing and indubitable testimonies of the truth of the whole Conspiracy between the English and Scotch Rebels After all this how is it possible that the most audacious of the Factious Party of both Nations notwithstanding their being so expert in driving on the Trade of Lying and traducing their Governours should ever have any tolerable colour of probability to invalidate or discredit the undoubted Evidence of so many Witnesses most of them Men of high Quality great Estates potent Interests all of them Zealous and indefatigable assertors of the Rebellious Cause and this Evidence given in by them at first voluntarily and often again reiterated and adher'd to against Baillie their Chief Companion in Iniquity their near Kinsman and Friend As for Baillie of Jerviswood himself the Persons who pass'd upon his Assize did with one Voice find the Crimes of Art and part in the Conspiracy and of concealing and not revealing the same clearly proved against him Whereupon he was adjudg'd to suffer the Punishment of a Traytor His Life and Death being such as might be expected from the Nephew and Son-in-Law of the Old Arch Traytor Warriston in whose Family he was bred up and tutor'd under his Discipline according to his Principles Such were the chief Steps the Scotch Conspirators had made in their part of the Treasonable Design as far as through the Divine Favour it has been hitherto traced out by the Extraordinary Diligence Wisdom and Integrity of his Majesties present Ministers in that Kingdom For the Readers clearer comprehending the whole progress of the Villany the King thought best to have it thus represented in one view and put all together in an uninterrupted course of Narration Though by this Method divers things have been already spoken of which in the natural course of time happen'd after the several material passages that remain yet unmention'd relating to the English part of the Conspiracy Wherefore to return to the Year 1683 and to what happen'd in England that Summer shortly after the first Discovery His Majesty having now received irresistible Proof of the certainty of the Wicked and unnatural Design that the World might have the like conviction resolv'd speedily to bring some of the most Notorious Malefactors to a fair and open Tryal The first Person who was put upon justifying himself was Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Walcot on the Twelfth of July of that Year Against him divers Witnesses were produced who in their Depositions first gave some distinct account of the Plot in General and then of the particular share the Prisoner at the Bar had in it As to what concern'd Walcot himself Colonel Romzey first deposed That the said Walcot came out of Holland with Ferguson after Shaftsbury's Death That he came to West's Chamber where he was present when a List was brought of the Assassines and agreed to joyn with them intending to Command a Party to charge the Guards That he undertook to go and view Rumbald's House and bought a Horse for that purpose That he was present at the dividing of London into twenty parts in order to an Insurrection and at the Consult for buying of Arms after the disappointment at the Rye That he was at the Meeting for carrying on the Conspiracy on Thursday before the Discovery That after it they met at Captain Tracies Walcot's own Lodgings himself being present Next Josiah Keeling swore that Walcot was at the Trayterous Assembly at the Salutation-Tavern when the Deponent was called Gulick and a Health drunk to the English Gulick West saying that Gulick in Dutch was Keeling in English adding He hoped to see Keeling at the Head of as good an Army at Wapping as it was reported one Gulick was then at Cologne Then Zechary Bourn witnessed That Walcot used to come to Ferguson when he lodg'd at his House That Walcot and several others met at the Dragon on Snow-Hill and often in other places in order to raise Men and divide the City into twenty parts for securing the King and the Duke That almost every time they met at least three times the Prisoner at the Bar was there That he was at the Meeting at Tracies where they debated of standing to it with Swords in their Hands and of killing Keeling for having made the Discovery Robert West's Testimony concerning him went somewhat farther back He deposed That he became acquainted with Walcot the Summer before when he told the Deponent the Carolina Business was only a Pretence That he ask'd the Deponent upon the Election of the Sheriffs Will the People do nothing to secure themselves Thereupon acquainting him with an Insurrection then design'd within three weeks or a month That Shaftsbury was in the Design and had engaged him also That he had an Expectation of being Colonel of Horse asking the said West Whether he would have any Command under him That upon his refusal he desired him to lend him a Suit of Silk Armour That the said Walcot told him of several Designs to Attack the King and the Duke That in the Business of the Rye he undertook to Command the Party that was to set upon the Guards That after the Disappointment he met with the other Conspirators where they discours'd of it and complain'd they had not Arms in readiness That he sometimes made one in the Trayterous Discourses at the Deponents and at the Young-Devil-Tavern That he was present at the Meeting at Tracies relating to their escape the Prisoner at the Bar himself then saying God would still deliver the Nations His Letter to Mr. Secretary Jenkins was also produced
which he was proved to have own'd before the Council to be his Hand The substance of it being That he was come to Town to lay himself at his Majesties Feet That this was the first Crime he had been Guilty of since the Kings Return and too soon by much now That he was ready to discover to his Majesty all that he knew in England Scotland and Ireland which might be something more than the first discoverer could acquaint him with especially as to Ireland That his intimacy with a Scotch Minister through whose Hands much of the business pass'd occasioned his knowing very much and that it was laid very broad or he was mis-inform'd concluding with a proposal that he would follow the Traytors who were fled and give notice what Measures they should take with other the like expressions There was likewise a Paper given in Evidence that was taken about him in Newgate wherein he desir'd Romzey and West to spare him saying They had ground enough to serve the King upon other Men. But as to his private Confession to the King upon his first Examination that was not produc'd against him though in that he had told divers new Particulars of the Conspiracy and named the Men of Quality who had undertaken to raise the several Shires Against all this Walcot's defence only consisted in his own denial of having had any Hand in the Assassination saying He knew well enough if he should have undertaken to charge the Guards whilst others kill'd the King he was equally Guilty with those that kill'd him but that he was sick of the Gout during the Meetings whilst the King was at Newmarket Moreover that those Witnesses were sufficiently dipped themselves and swore against him to save their own Lives That Goodenough and Rumbald he never knew That the last Meeting at his Lodgings was appointed by Romzey he himself knowing nothing of it That he came accidentally to the other Meetings only to hear News He confessed he heard there was a Design amongst divers great Lords and Gentlemen for asserting Liberties and Properties but that he was not at their Consultations The Sum was that he had heard a great deal of an Insurrection but had no hand in it and therefore his fault could be only Misprision of Treason And as to his Letter he alledged he had only heard what he promised to discover from Ferguson To the most material parts of this Defence it was answer'd by his Majesties Learned Council at Law That there is nothing more just than to make use of some Traytors to Convict others else Treason might be hatch'd most securely That because the Witnesses had been concern'd in the Plot therefore they were to be believed for who should know it but those that were concern'd That better VVitnesses could not have been had except the thing had succeeded That the very being at Treasonable Consults and keeping them private is not only Misprision but High Treason And as to his having the Gout West told him he remember'd it very well by a good token that Walcot himself said He was afraid when the time came he should not be able to draw on his Boot But the whole Evidence against Walcot being clear and positive Testimony and what he pleaded for himself being only his own single Affirmation and Negation without any support of Witnesses the Jury immediately brought him in guilty of High Treason According to which Sentence he was Executed on the 20th of the said Month. At the time of his Execution he again acknowledg'd what he had told the King and writ to the Secretary of State That the Business was laid very deep he said An Act of Indulgence would do well because the King had a great many Men to take Judgment of He persisted he was to have had no hand in his Majesties Death though he confess'd it was proposed when he was present He declared he did not know that this Conspiracy was older than the August or September before but so old he own'd it was The next Offender that came under the Stroak of Justice was William Hone a Joyner who being brought to the Bar would presently have confess'd himself guilty of great part of the Accusation But refusing to confess all he was requir'd to plead and the next day was brought on his Tryal Then again he desir'd he might retract his Plea and offer'd to plead Guilty But since he would not own the whole Indictment for Satisfaction of the World the Evidence against him was produc'd Josiah Keeling swore That the Prisoner at the Bar was at the Dolphin-Tavern when several sorts of Arms were agreed on to be provided under the borrow'd Names of Swan-Quills Goose-Quills Crow-Quills That after that Meeting Hone told the Deponent He was to be one of them who were to go down to the Rye to Assassinate the King That he since also told him It would never be well till the Black-Bird and the Gold-Finch were knock'd on the Head explaining those terms to be meant of the King and the Duke To which Witness Hone reply'd in open Court That as to the Black-Bird he own'd it but not as to the Gold-Finch Then West deposed That Goodenough having told him he would try Hone whether he would attempt on the Duke without the King the Deponent ask'd Hone Whether he had seen Goodenough He answer'd He had and that he had spoken to him about a job for the Duke That at another time also Hone ask'd the Deponent Master shall we do nothing Adding That if the Duke of Monmouth would be true and appear he would bring 50 or 60 Men from the other side of the Water to help to do the Business And that the Deponent demanding what Business He answer'd A brisk Push at the two Brothers That being further question'd What Brothers He said The Captain and Lieutenant which were the counterfeit Names they sometimes used for the King and the Duke Then Sir Nicholas Butler deposed He had known Hone many years and always knew him guilty of plotting contriving and ready for such Enterprises as this particularly that he had proposed taking off the King and the Duke with Cross-Bows from Bow-Steeple whilst they were standing in a House directly over against it on the Lord Mayors Day That Hone confess'd this very thing when examined before his Majesty That he had also acquainted divers Persons that he was to make one to kill the King and the Duke Then Captain Richardson swore that the Prisoner confess'd to Sir Nicholas Butler in his presence that Goodenough came to him and told him he wanted Labourers That Hone asking him for what Goodenough said it was to kill the King and the Duke That he did agree to be one of the Number That Hone did say another time he was for killing the King and saving the Duke but that Goodenough was for both That he told them of the business of the Rye calling it the place where the King was to have been Murder'd
That the Scotch-Men sent for by Smiths Message did come and staid in Town till upon the Discovery of the Plot they were either taken or absconded By this plain Evidence of the several Stages of Smith's Journy that Treasonable intercourse with Scotland was made out beyond all possibility of Confutation So that from the very time of the Consultations at Mr. Hambdens and the Lord Russel's about sending a Messenger the Truth of Colonel Sydneys undertaking to send one of his naming Aaron Smith for the Messenger of Smith's going to Scotland of the Scotch Mens coming up that were sent for and of their being surprized endeavouring to hide themselves upon the first breaking forth of the Plot all this appears to be indisputably confirm'd and trac'd step by step almost from Day to Day especially if these Newcastle Mens Depositions shall be compar'd with the Testimony that is subjoin'd of two Scotch-Men Thomas Steil and Oliver concerning Aaron Smith's actual arrival in Scotland and what he did whilst he was there at that time The issue was Mr. Hambden was immediately found Guilty of the High Trespass and Misdeameanor and thereupon fined 40000 l. to the King and order'd to give Sureties for his Good Behavior during Life A Punishment that cannot but be esteem'd very moderate considering the Nature of his Crime which nothing but the want of another positive Witness could have made less than High Treason And the King cannot but here take this occasion once for all to give the World Notice of this Infallible Instance of his mild and merciful Proceedings towards the Conspirators For his Majesty does solemnly declare That if he had not granted the Duke of Monmouth's Request That he would not make him a Witness neither Mr. Hambden nor scarce any one Man of all those that were freed upon Bail had escaped Death Not to mention divers others whom the said Duke of Monmouth named as Parties in the Conspiracy that were never yet question'd On the 14th of June 1684. Sir Thomas Armstrong having been taken in Holland was brought to the Kings-Bench-Bar upon an Outlawry against him for High Treason Whereupon the Kings Atturney demanded An Award of Execution Since upon his not appearing when formerly Indicted of High Treason he was now by the course of Law attainted for the same Armstrong being ask'd What he could say for himself alledg'd He was beyond Sea at the time of the Outlawry and beg'd he might be Try'd It was answer'd That after a Record of Outlawry the Judges had nothing to do but to appoint Execution Against this Armstrong urg'd That by the Statute of the 6th of Edward the Sixth the Person Outlaw'd had a Years time to Reverse the Outlawry if he were beyond Sea The Bench reply'd That by the plain words of that Statute none could have the benefit of it but such as within one Year should yield themselves to the Chief Justice of England and offer to Traverse the Indictment upon which the Outlawry was Pronounc'd To this Armstrong pleaded That the Year not being yet out he did now render himself to the Chief Justice But that Plea not being admitted because he did not yield himself according to the sense of the Act but was brought a Prisoner and so could have no Advantage of the Proviso in the Statute Armstrong alledg'd That the same Favour had been lately granted to another meaning Holloway who though he was in the same Condition of Outlawry yet was offer'd to take his Tryal if he pleas'd It was answer'd That was done out of the meer Grace and Favour of the King who if his Majesty thought good might extend the like Favour to him also But that was not the business of a Court of Justice they were only to take care to satisfie the Law Moreover the Kings Atturney acquainted the Court That the Prisoner at the Bar deserv'd no sort of Indulgence or Mercy from the King not only for that when he was seiz'd beyond Sea Letters of fresh Communication with Foreign Ministers and other People were taken about him but also because it appear'd to his Majesty by full Evidence positively given That after the Disappointment of the Meeting at the Rye by Gods Providence in the Fire at Newmarket Armstrong was one of the Persons that actually engag'd to go upon the Kings hasty coming to Town and to destroy him by the way as he came Then was he order'd to be Executed June the 20th At the place of Execution he likewise deliver'd the Sheriffs a Paper wherein he continued to Object against the legal Course of the Proceedings upon him complaining That with an unordinary roughness he had been condemn'd and made a President though Holloway being also Outlaw'd had his Tryal offer'd him a little before As to the new Evidence against him which the Kings Atturney mention'd at the Kings-Bench he only answer'd it by a bold and flat denial affirming upon his Death He never had any Design against the Kings Life nor the Life of any Man both which may be easily allow'd to be equally true But to evince the contrary as to the Kings Life it will be sufficient to set down the very words of the Lord Howard's Deposition together with the Testimony of Colonel Romzey which the Kings Atturney had then ready to produce amongst many other old and clear Proofs to convince him of designing the Kings Destruction The Lord Howard having first confess'd some Discourse between the Duke of Monmouth and himself in October of 1683 wherein the said Duke had proposed the falling on the King at Newmarket goes on in these words Upon Reflection I am apt to think that from this time and not before the Design of way-laying the King in his return to London was first meditated And I am the more confirm'd in this Opinion from the Consideration of the Behaviour of the Duke of Monmouth and the Lord Gray who seem'd to be very big of expectation of some great thing to be attempted upon the Day of the Kings coming from Newmarket upon which Day as I have before observ'd Sir Thomas Armstrong was not be found till the Kings Coaches were come into Town And I do verily believe he was to have Headed the Party This very Particular the Lord Howard gave in upon Oath among his first Confessions to his Majesty Nor can any Man think it sufficient to invalidate the Truth of this that Armstrong in his last Paper calls it a base Reflection affirming He could have prov'd it to be a manifest Falshood considering that Colonel Romzey also upon notice of Armstrong's being taken made Oath in these very words Sir Thomas Armstrong did come to me the Sunday-Night after the Fire at Newmarket and told me That he just came from Ferguson and that notwithstanding the King and Duke were to return so soon yet Ferguson did not doubt to have Men ready by that time to do the Business and desired me to go with him to Ferguson's Lodging in his Coach