direction he mixed something that was less dangerous which the Maid afterwards told him was so weak that it signified nothing and therefore ordered him to mix somewhat a great deal stronger Mr. Cellier being askt about the Paper of the Nativity saith He read it not himself but that his Daughter read it to him He remembers only something of Prophesie or a Mans Fortune That there were in it the words Horoscope Venus Mercury c. That the man should be hang'd the latter end of his life but he knows no more of it or of whom it was but that he burned the Paper and owns that he is a Roman Catholick and a French Merchant But Mr. Blasden in whose House the Paper was read says it set forth How that his adventure should be very various and that he should come before some judge and be in danger in a Sea-Fight Willoughby asked Cellier if he did not remember when in the presence of his Wife He said he was then come from the Lord Shaftsbury This he denies and also that he heard any Discourse extraordinary between Willoughby and Rigaut but that Rigaut had supped twice at his House and Willoughby and he played at some Game together He denies also That he saw any Dagger in his House or that ever any was hid under his Beds-side He acknowledgeth to have seen the Lady Powis at his House but not six times But Mr. Blasden says He has seen her Ladyships Coach a dozen times which he can see plain from his Shop but does not remember to have seen her Ladyship go into Mr. Cellier's above twice The Lord P. is call'd in and having been told what was objected against him as having encouraged Mr. Willoughby at Gadbury's House to go again to the Lord Shaftsbury and to be sure to dispatch him the third time His Lordship flatly denies any such thing and then in a large discourse Appeals to the known Method of his Life and Conversation his constant Services to the Crown and how little he is concern'd in this matter as being known by all good Men not to be capable of such a thing That as to the Earl of Shaftsbury he came lately over with great expectation of his aid and favour in Parliament touching an unhappy difference arisen with a great Ally meaning his Son-in-Law's Father and that the Earl of Shaftsbury had already testified so much Countenance in this matter that he came over full of Inclinations to do that Lord greater Services than he can well express That before his Daughter was disposed of in Marriage then a very Noble Lady The Lady Powis who had testified very great Inclinations to have her married to her Ladyships Nephew Upon which Obligation he then grew Intimate with the said Lady and being a person that is not wont to forget his friends in their afflictions had often gone to that Lady to give her the best Comfort he could That waiting on her Ladyship when he came lately from Flanders she recommended to him just at parting a very charitable Woman one Mrs. Cellier unto whom the late Dutchess of York was a Debtor in 5 or 600 l. That his Lordship being one of the Duke's Commissioners did promise to further her business That in further recommendation of this Woman the Lady added That she was a great Servant to the Duke and also to the King and also being a Woman of great Understanding and getting acquaintance by her opportunity of being a Midwife into many considerable Families she had wrought about several incensed Persons to be of better Principles and Inclinations both to the King and the Duke and more particularly That this Woman had now found out a man who was very able to discover very dangerous practices against the King That Mrs. Cellier came soon after to his Lodgings That she gave a great Character of one Willoughby who had much improved himself abroad in the Service of the Prince of Orange and under the D. de Villa Hermosa That this man coming over and resorting to the Coffee-houses was much scandalized at the Rebellious discourses that he heard but that concealing his thoughts he grew familiar with the most mutinous who liked him so well that they carried him to their Clubs and private meetings and being admitted to their secrets he found that great and dangerous things were preparing against the Parliament That she desired his Lordship but to procure a Warrant for making a search and that all the whole matter would be plainly discovered but she desir'd that this Warrant might be obtain'd without the Kings knowledge That of all this Information his Lordship gave an account to the Duke who refusing to have any thing acted therein without the Kings knowledge Willoughby came with Mrs. Cellier to his Lodgings where the Duke saw him and he was afterwards handed to the King That when VVilloughby came afterwards to his Lordship he mention'd the difficulty of getting a Warrant and complaining of want of Zeal in the Kings Ministers he said he would yet do his business without a VVarrant and by the Custome-house way That as concerning the Lord Shaftsbury Willoughby told him that there was some woman about the Duke that Writ to the Earl of Shaftsbury all the dangerous things she could invent and to make proof of this came afterwards to shew two Letters which his Lordship presently saw were Written in Sir Rich. Bulstrodes hand and contained nothing touching the Duke but such matters of common intelligence from Bruxells as he himself or any other man might fitly write Whereupon Willoughby pretended to him that there was a third Letter of greater importance which he had lost but as to those two Letters his Lordship says they were given to the King Soon after this Willoughby came to him at midnight and said he was going to Prison to which his Lordship could only say that if he were guilty of any harm he knew not how to help him but if he were to suffer by mistake the Kings Ministers would soon discover it and set him again at liberty His Lordship upon Willinghbies Question did own that he being at Dinner at Lambs Willoughby did there come to him about a meeting to be had at Mr. Gadburies with Sir Robert Peyton and perhaps it might be upon a Letter from the Lady Powis as Willoughby affirms His Lordship doth acknowledge that he gave his Servants charge to admit Willoughby when ever he came and that he did also call him Captain Willoughby but the occasion was that he telling his Lordship that he hoped His Majesty would gratifie him and provide him as good an employment as he had refused from the otherside his Lordship did say Doubtless His Majesty would provide for him and that when ever any forces were sent abroad he need not fear but that he should have a Company That he did not wonder at all at Willoughby's confident words since they have been the best Cards he had to Play for his Life
I Do Appoint Thomas Cockerill and Benjamin Alsop to Print this Narrative and that no other Print the same RODERICK MANSELL Novemb. 17. 1679. An Exact and True NARRATIVE OF THE LATE Popish Intrigue TO FORM A PLOT And then To cast the GUILT and ODIUM thereof UPON THE PROTESTANTS Wherein are contained I. The Contrivance it self with the Principal Agents and Instruments viz. The Lords in the Tower Mr. Dangerfield c. II. The manner of carrying on the said Contrivance III. The Continuance of the Popish Plot to Assassinate the KING IV. The Book found in the House of Mrs. Cellier in a Meal-Tub by Sir William Waller V. The several Attempts to Murther the Right Honourable Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury VI. The manner of Conveying a List of Names and other Treasonable Papers into the Chamber of Col. Roderick Mansell VII The full Examination of the whole Affair before the Lords of His Majesties Most Honourable Privy Council With the Exemplification of divers Informations Examinations Depositions c. relating to the said Intrigue Faithfully Collected by Col. RODERICK MANSELL LONDON Printed for Tho. Cockerill and Benj. Alsop at the Three Legs and at the Angel and Bible in the Poultrey against the Stocks-Market 1680. A Solemn ADDRESS TO All true ENGLISH PROTESTANTS BY Col. RODERICK MANSELL Most Honoured and Worthy Gentlemen WHat accursed Designs have formerly been set on foot to undermine and blow up the Religion that is The true interest of England your own Concerns therein have made you too apprehensive to need a Remembrancer and that your Enemies are no Changelings but as unwearied as pregnant and thanks be to God as unsuccessful in their malicious Contrivances as ever had you no Friends they themselves will do you that one and only friendly Office to become your faithful Monitors Some have observ'd that Quick-silver the Devil and a Jesuite can assume a thousand various shapes and yet under all those Disguises Mercury will be Mercury the Devil a Devil and a Jesuite a Jesuite when he ceases to Be he may cease to be mischievous and when he puts off his Essence may possibly put off his pragmaticalness In all their other Plots they have out-done the World in this last tryal of their skill they have out-done and we hope undone themselves for 't is a Question and must remain so for any solution of mine whether their Malice in contriving their Activity in pursuing their Impudence in denying their Fruitless Attempts for corrupting the Evidence or this their last Essay to devolve the Odium of their execrable Treason against the King and Kingdom upon the Protestants have been more though all have been beyond example Devillish I acknowledge this is no modern Artifice nor the Invention of junior Heads their Ancestors have travelled in the same Argument wrought in the same Mine for when they had formed the Powder-Plot they consulted to lay the Bastard at the Puritans Door and what they had the pleasure to beget others must have the reproach to Father though the Deformed Brat to all discerning eyes would apparently own its Sire Now although in laying the ground-work of their late Project they had a confused Idea or rude draught of that Ancient Policy yet could they not lick that unformed lump into a perfect shape till time had ripened and sharpened their Inventions Mr. Dugdale in his Evidence against Mr. Whitebread and his Accomplices pag. 25. swears That a Letter came from Paris through Mr. Harcourt 's hands into the Country to prove That it was the Opinion of them at Paris and St. Omers to fling all this upon the Presbyterians that is The death of the King that if any thing of this nature should happen they should be ready to give the first Allarm and give it out that it was the Still-King-killing Presbyterians that had done the Fact and so they thought they should bring the Protestants into their company to revenge themselves of the Presbyterians to which the Lord Chief Justice replyed It was pretty Advice indeed to have it first laid on the Presbyterians that they might get the Episcopal to joyn and cut their Throats and then their own Throats should be cut But because it was impossible and therefore incredible that ever Protestants should so grosly mistake their Interest as to conspire the destruction of their King who is the Center and Head of it they had been long preparing the People to entertain the belief of it against that happy juncture of time which should invite them openly to assert it for these Theologico-Political Quacks knew well that so great a Dose of Improbabilities would work too rigidly upon the Body Politick without due Preparatives to mittigate its surly Operation and therefore some good while before they had been slily insinuating into the credulous Brains of those whom either simplicity or a bad Interest had made capable of such Impressions That the Presbyterians were a dangerous Generation of men that their Principles and Practices were inconsistent with Government but carried a specifick malignity against Monarchy that they were certainly a brewing some desperate mischief which a little time would discover and they could have told us the time to an hour That whoever were tolerated the Presbyterians were intolerable and still with great Zeal they reminded us of forty one that we might not dream of seventy nine Marchemont Needham in his Scurrulous Advice to the men of Shaftsbury the Author of the Countermine and R. L'Estrange in their Politick Burlesques always bore hard and down-right upon the Presbyterians but what is more remarkable a day or two before the attempt to fasten this imaginary Treason upon my self the World was saluted with a Pamphlet under the name of Tom. the Joyner wherein we are gravely advised to come out from amongst them the Presbyterians and not to partake of their Sins lest we received of their Plagues which God had prepared for them for they were conscious to themselves what Plagues they had prepared for them and 't is but the priviledge of their great Familiarity with God to make him espouse their Quarrels and employ his Thunder according to the direction of the Consult but he goes on That we should not fear their Power it would be but a Summers Storm but e're long within two days if Mr. Dangerfield's Flint was but well fixed their turn of suffering would come about for God would make their Hearts to melt and their Loyns to tremble and for his part he could be content his life were given in Sacrifice that the King and his good Subjects might be preserved from the most Damnable Havock John Presbyter design'd to make amongst us but was it not easie to tell the World what the Presbyterians would do when the Papists had form'd for them a piece of Villany which they must do whether they would whether they knew it or no The Devil can certainly prognosticate those Plagues which he has Commission or Permission to execute and the Pope is
not more infallible in his Determinations de fide than John Gadbury in his Predictions de facto when he 's a part of the Confederacy and privy to the Intrigue Yet though these Pamphlets which were only the Title-Page to the Plot suggested danger only from the Presbyterians Providence having unsealed and opened the Book it self we read there that the main Body of the Protestants were to be involv'd in the design They had preferred the Right Honourable the Earls of Essex and Radnor the Lord Hallifax all Members of His Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council to be Counsellours in this their feigned Rebellion nay they had introduced the Lord Wharton and re-introduced his Grace the Duke of Bucks and the right honourable the Earl of Shaftsbury into the Plot they had Commissioned the Lord Gray the Lord Gerrard and his Son and Sir Thomas Armstrong to be Lieutenant Generals but above all his Grace the Duke of Monmouth was most beholden to them whom to compensate the loss of his General-ship over an Army of real men on Earth they had now created Generalissimo over an aiery Army of their own listing mustered in the Clouds and that they might not seem ridiculously contradictory to themselves to pretend a Presbyterian Plot without one Presbyterian in it they had graciously given a Commission for Major-General to Sir William Waller and sprinkled here and there a Dissenter like a Train to the Trap and so from the less part and almost no part had denominated by Jesuits Logick the whole to be Presbyterian which gave occasion to an ingenious Clergy-man to say That Mr. Dangerfield had made more Presbyterians in a day than they withal their Conventicles and preaching could make in twenty years It is a stated Maxime That Interest will not lye No man in his wits would cut down that Bough of the Tree upon which he stands nor shear asunder that single Cord upon which he hangs How then is it credible that Protestants should conspire to take away that life by which they live Can they be so vain as to promise themselves fairer Quarter under any Successor whom the Laws favour than under the Auspices of his Majesty When the combined fates of both are so interwoven that they must weep and laugh live and dye together but the Papists have drawn a Protestants face by a Jesuites heart and whatever of Devillism they find in their own breasts fancy it to be lodged in other mens brains I cannot but admire too at the imprudence of some who seem to be Protestants and of those some some are I hope really such that understand their own Interest no better than to joyn with the Papists if not directly in their Counsels yet obliquely in their Actions to ruine any who are firm to an English Interest pleasing themselves that they shall deliver up Dissenters to the Romish Polyphemus when their only priviledge must prove to become the last if the last Morsel Nor could I ever yet discern the Truth or Justice of that Charge which loud Clamour has drawn up against those who bear the name of Presbyterians that they are Enemies to Monarchy I have read that about threescore of them have openly protested against the Tryal and Execution of the late King when some others were then silent who are most clamorous That they refused the Engagement whereby the Royal Family was renounced when yet others swallowed it that many of them were sequestred for their Loyalty when some others enjoyed considerable Benefices That some of them were Imprisoned Executed for adhereing to his present Majesty's Interest when others declined it and that a considerable Army of that Perswasion asserted his Majesty's Right with their Swords and Lives in their hands when of the numerous Zealous Royalists scarce three hundred in the three Kingdoms appeared to joyn them How forward they were with the formost and actively instrumental in the restoration of His Majesty to his Crown and Throne the World remembers and his Majesty has not forgotten and how they have ever since demeaned themselves without any spot of Disloyalty that could justly be fixt upon them is so well known that their Enemies can sooner envy it than deny it Nor can I perceive that they have repented of their Loyalty though some have order'd matters so to tempt them to it They have fallen under the severities of the penal Laws even those made against Papists and yet haue suffer'd with as much chearfulness as I believe 't was possible for flesh and blood to do And that they should be brought under a suspicion of hatching Treasonable designes had been utterly unaccountable but that the Discovery of this late horrid Contrivance has convinced me that the Master-piece of Papal policy lies here To forge a false Plot against them that they might conceal a real one of their own and then to perswade the credulous world that the Protestants had forged an Imaginary Plot for the Papists last year that they might hide that which they had designed to execute this present year In which hellish Intrigue though I cannot tell whether there was a greater Mixture of Policy or folly yet this is evident there was a great Mixture of both of which with your Patience Gentlemen I will now give you some short Account that you may have a through light into this work of darkness I. The Policy of the Papists in contriving this present horrid Plot. 1. The Papists finding the Sword of Justice which so long had slumber'd in the Scabbard drawn against them for their Devillish Treason judg'd it necessary to divert the edge another way if therefore they could bring the Protestants under a suspicion of that guilt whereof they stood clearly convicted 't was hoped the Current of the peoples fury together with the just indignation of the Magistrate would turn also and not run so violently against their Party for all men naturally fortifie against the present evil and set themselves against the latest and freshest Enemy and therefore it could not otherwise fall out but that they must ease their own Shoulders whilest they loaded other mens Backs and the Fire which threatned to burn them up would slake when they had provided it other Fewel Their former Treasons would be buried in the Grave of new Protestant Rebellions and fresh Crimes would be a kind of an Act of Oblivion for their State-Villanies 2. They promis'd themselves that if their Plot had made those Impressions upon his Majesties belief as to look upon so considerable a number of his Protestant Subjects as Enemies to his Person and Government they should then be the only White-boyes and immediately jump into the Embraces of his Royal Arms for what other Consequences could follow from those Premises If the Protestants lose ground they must win it and pitch their conquering Tents upon the deserted Field 3. It must be Infinite satisfaction to their Revengeful Spirits could they once see the most Eminent Protestants drawn to Tyburn in the
there are intimations of great havock that would suddenly be made by John Presbyter but that vengeance would suddenly overtake them And this may further be observed that this Thompson has been a notorious Engine in all Popish Designs and to this day abuses the World with his weekly Domestick Intelligence And lastly let me note but one Paragraph more out of his Information I met says he the Lady Powis soon after at Mris. Celliers and told her of their proceedings who liked it well but told me I must go forward with all speed in some Intrigue against the Duke came to Town to make him believe the Presbyterians were plotting against the King then the Way was consulted and the next day upon Mris. Celliers return from the Lady Powis who had sent for her to the Tower she told me I must give Money to some people that were idle and appear'd well to go to the Coffee-houses and Clubs and endeavour to learn how things stood where I sound all things very hot against the Presbyterians and that the Plot was discover'd to be theirs This being first set on foot by some of our Accomplices as Wood Dormer the Virginia Merchant Gadbury and divers others and I was to further it But because this was a matter of great moment and that upon the right conduct thereof the Prosperity of their whole Cause depended It was thought adviseable to crave Foreign Counsels and accordingly a Letter was sent to Bruxels to Mr. Holder stating the whole Design and earnestly desiring his Advice therein and further to procure the Impressions of several Coats of Arms to be cut there which were fixt to the Margin of the Letter which Letter was conveyed by one M ris Katherine Holder living in St. James's to her Uncle and in one of the Answers to these Letters I heard says Mr. Dangerfield the Lady Powis read as follows If you had taken this Course sooner much blood might have been saved but I doubt 't is now too late and fear the St. Omers Testimony being so baffled has much empair'd our endeavours yet to my power I will assist and advise you to goe on 7. Though matters seem'd so well concerted yet there were some difficulties in the way which in order to a happy procedure must be removed And the greatest Obstacle in their way was the Life of the Earl of Shaftsbury A person whose fixedness to the true Interest of his Majesty and the Protestant Religion they well knew whose profound Judgment to dive into all Mysteries and whose Wisdom to obviate their Designs they feared and therefore his Person was by them mortally hated and nothing can quench their fiery rage but his Blood The Lady Abergaveney told Mr. Dangerfield it was as easie for him to kill the Lord Shaftsbury as a Bird on a Tree and when he demanded How she then and there proposed Divers ways saying She was often with the said Lord who talked so cruelly against the Catholicks that she could not endure to hear it but yet was forced to hold a Candle to the Devil amongst others wherein Mr. Knolles and Mr. Sharp also agreed one was That Mr. Dangerfield should pretend himself a person good at Curing the Gout and that she would recommend him to the said Lord this the Lady Powis liked well but said she would let the Lords know it And now if by this Expedient he could be admitted to such a nearness to his Lordships person he might have pickt some convenient time to Cure him of that and all other Diseases We must remember that when Mr. Dangerfield was in the Tower with the Lords Powis and Arundel who offer'd 2000 l. for the Murder of the King that being refused Immediately 500 l. was offered for the Murdering the Earl of Shaftsbury and when Mr. Dangerfield asked them how it might be atchieved they both replyed Easily enough For said the Lord Powis two nights since my man Woods was there to deliver a Message and he sorely repented he was not provided though there more twenty or more persons in the Room But if he were out of the way said the Lord Powis we might easily overrun the rest of our Opposites Then says Mr. Dangerfield I promised I would and the Lord Powis gave me ten Guinneys and told me a Virginia Merchant should come to me the Sunday following to Mris. Celliers house and advise with me about it And accordingly this Merchant came at the time and place appointed who entred into discourse with me about it and I seem'd to be very willing to undertake it and he advised me to consult with Mr. Dormer and all the persons concern'd therein how to carry it on and on Munday I went to Confession to Mr. Knowles and received the Sacrament Yet still something or other Intervened which deferred the execution of the design against the Lord Shaftsbury till the Lady Powis came to me and bid me these are his own words go to Mr. Sharp to Confession and Receive for I must speedily or on the next Order go to the Lord Shaftsbury I did then go and Confess and Receive of Mr. Sharp who conjur'd me by all that was good to use all speed imaginable for the stabbing the Lord Shaftsbury which I promised to doe and left him But Mris. Cellier received a Letter that night that I must go to the said Lord and say as follows My Lord I am a Stranger and am neither introduced nor sent by any Person but desire to know if it be in my power to serve your Lordship if your Honour will shew me favour Then Mrs. Cellier gave me a Dagger three or four such being brought to her the Sunday before by the Virginia Merchant and dispatcht me away Mr. Dangerfield under the Name of Mr. Day addresses himself to this famous Exployt and coming to the Earls house desires a Servant to acquaint his Lord that a Gentleman had some Affairs with him of great Importance His Lordship commands him to be conducted into the Dining-room whither his Lordship as soon as he had dispatch those persons who attended him came waited on by his Servants Mr. Day intimates to him that he had something to discover to his Honour of the highest Concern for his Lordship to know but withall such as required the greatest secresie and therefore humbly requested that his Servants might be discharged their present attendance which his Lordship as peremptorily refusing as it was importunately urged Mr. Day replyed That because he had not his Proofs ready at present which yet in a little time he should he would take his leave at present and within a few dayes wait again on his Lordship and for that time he departed Mr. Dangerfield at his return gives an account to Mrs. Cellier That he was disappointed but would take some other opportunity she gives advice of this to the Tower And about two dayes after meeting with the Lady Powis at Mrs. Celliers she tells him he must go again to the Lord