said William Banckes answered again that he believed and durst ingage this Informant that I might have the said Rushton if this Informant would be but favourable to the rest and that he would inquire of his Friend and bring him an answer on Thursday next This Informant further says That William Banckes he discourseing about his Majesties former Proclamation concerning the 20 l. due for every Priest taken the said William Banckes added That it were better for him this Informant to take 20 l. and not to appear against the said Thomas Thwing than to have a hand in his blood To which this Informant answered that he would return him an answer next Thursday and that he would not appear against the said Thomas Thwing if he could but discover Rushton so that he might be taken this Informant knowing very well that there are several others which have already given Information against the said Thomas Thwing there being three besides this Informant to prove him a Priest and two of them to prove him a Traytor The CONCLUSION THus have I in Honesty and Sincerity of heart Communicated to my Country-men the deep Designs of the Roman parties and the danger England is in of Subverting it's Government by their attempts I confess my Informations are but plain in their Language not couched in a Rhetorical Style but Calculated for the understanding of all the Commonality of this Land how illiterate soever I acknowledge my self to be much inferiour to many of my fellow Witnesses in acquired parts and abilities yet nevertheless the Spirit of Man according to the expression in the Proverbs is as the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the Belly That Ordinary reason and understanding which it hath pleased God to bestow upon me being heightned and advantaged by Conversation and Trading in the World and especially having the opportunity of being informed in these subtle Intrigues by my residence in that Family where many of those matters were Contrived and Acted could easily make a Judgment without much Logick or Philosophy to what Conclusion such Premises did tend whilst I was One with them in the Design I did often please my self with some pretty Evasions and quirkes which I was taught by my Leaders in case of discovery to evade or at least alleviate the sense of my Punishment They were such as these That it was lawful for a Roman Catholick to deny the truth have some Mental Reservations to himself That owning another Power and Ecclesiastical Supremacy than what is established in the Land I was not bound to declare what really I knew fancying my Examiners to have no Authority to ask me and that I was otherwise obliged by my Religion That if I were Guilty of such Crimes that deserved death yet I might assert my Innocency having before received the Benefit of Absolution Upon these false Maximes I was encouraged to proceed till the Horridness of the Crimes to which I was tempted as to be an Agent in the Kings Death and the Nations ruine and that for Money did stare me in the Face and God affording his gracious Conviction on which I stood and so enabled me to Consider how I might find out a way to extricate my self from these great evils Hence arose my return to Protestantisme and my resolution to discover which discovery I have undertaken and 〈◊〉 aged not out of particular grudge animosity or revenge against any of that Family to which I was related or any other person whatsoever God is my Wilness and my own Conscience also his Vicegerent much less out of any hopes of gain priviledge or preferment which are Motives too for did for Vpright and Faithful minds but only out of love to Religion King and Country who would be all highly concerned if such flagitions and execrable undertakings should attain their designed end But as I in my poor Sphere have Contributed to the prevention of those Evils so I hope others of that Religion will follow my Example and be reclaimed from those Wickednesses which whatever their Priests talk of Indulgences and Pardons would certainly involve them both in Temporal and Eternal destruction 'T is not in my power to Convert that is Gods work and requires an Immediate concurrence of his Grace but methinks the present Informations should at least Convince and stop the Mouths of the most obstinate Gain sayers I know many Clammours are and further will be raised against me by those whom I have deserted as of my being an Heretick Apostate c. But I leave it to the Judgment of all uninterested persons whether it be not much more just and equal for me though of an inferiour Class to speak the Truth for preventing such high inconveniences as are impending upon us than for persons of Nobility eminency and worth to be instrumental in bringing such mischiefs on us And as it is a comfort to me that I have aimed at Gods Glory and the good of this Land in what I have done so being encouraged and warranted by my superiours I shall not shun the Vtmost hazard in case I may be further instrumental for the detection of evil and promoting of good but still with this Provisoe that I would not accuse any man wrongfully or be a false witness against my Neighbour for any worldly encouragement whatsoever I grant that many deep heads were engaged in these designes but they with whom I conversed had as much Zeal as any and besides were advantaged by fair possessions and estates which they were free enough of to encourage others in these black enterprizes that so those who had no Principle of zeal for the work but were meerly Mercenary might be engaged therein by Pecuniary considerations I pray God for the future all such Mischievous designs may be prevented that the Protestant Religion may flourish amongst us and that the Kings Majesty may have a long and prosperous Reign over us in Truth and Righteousness to the Glory of God and the Comfort of Protestant Professours who though divided and subdivided amongst themselves yet have ALL reason to say Amen The Particular Names of the Persons accused by Robert 〈◊〉 Gent. to be engaged or Abetâ—â—â—â—â—… the Plot. 1. SIr Thomas 〈◊〉 Barronet in the Homer 2. Sir Mâ—â—â—â— Stapylton Barronet in the Messengers Custody 3. Charles Ingleby Esq in the Kings Bench. 4. Thomas Riddall Esq in Morpeth prison 5. Sir Thomas Haggerstod Barronet all out upon security 6. Richard Townley Esq 7. Robert Doleman Esq 8. Dr. Peter Vavesour Gent. 9. Richard Iles Gent. 10. Robert Stanfield Gent. 11. Lady Tempest 12. Thomas Pressicks Gent. 13. Richard Sherbourne Esq in Lancaster Prison both in Newgate 14. Mary Pressicks 15. Tho. Thwing Priest 16. John Pracid alias Cornwallis Priest Prisoner in York Castie both Prisoners in Owse Bridge in York 17. Mrs. Lashalls 18. John Andrews Priest Corker Harcourt and Pinckering are mentioned in the Informations Mrs. Lashalls before mentioned Mrs. Beckwith Mrs. Benningfield Mrs. Cornwallis Ellin Thwing Mary Root Elizabeth Butcher all belonging to the Nunnery These following persons are not as yet apprehended Thomas Gascoigne Esq Richard Sherburne the younger Sir Francis Hungate Barronet Lord Mollyneux Frances Calvert and his Wife Stephen Tempest Gent. Richard York These three are deceased Sir Walter Vavesore John York Christ opher Mitcalfe Priests untaken Winter Gerald or Gerard Jennings John Sturey Francis Brown Nicholas Brown alias Gascoigne Benedictine Monks Robert Killingbeck Fincham Francis Gascoigne Robert Dolman Mr. Ellis Thomas Thwing Thomas Thwing Dr. Stapylton William Rushton Farneby Lodge John Pracid alias Cornwallis William Hardwick Francis Blaxton John Andrews Thomas Addinson Richard Gascoigne Metham FINIS
where if I had served out my full Time with my Master I had not had the opportunity of knowing and consequently of discovering what I now do but after some Years Service upon some private discontents I left my Master and listed my self a Soldier in His Majesties Army in which Military Employment if I had also persisted I had been abridged of these matters I must therefore look upon it as the Providence of God who made both the Lives of an Apprentice and of a Soldier uneasie to me that so I might be carried into that Family where the things mentioned in my subsequent Informations were managed and transacted and without my residence therein as one of their Religion and Family I could never expect to know for the Papists are very Sly to communicate any thing but to their own Confidents and that too under the strictest Bonds and Oaths of Secresie And indeed they keep their Proselytes in great awe and subjection by those Sacramental Obligations I my self am a great proof thereof who had many such Tyes imposed upon me not to discover the Treason in which I was engaged And if it were discovered by others still to deny it And I must confess if I had persevered in the Popish Religion I should hardly have got over the Obligations I had layn under thereby But by the Protestant Doctrine I am better informed viz. That Oaths binding either to do or conceal unlawful things the sin lyes in taking not in breaking them Being then by Gods Providence redeemed from those insnaring bonds I am free to discover what I know 'T is true my Condition did confine me to my Employment in the Countrey and therefore I was not privy to the Consults of the Jesuits in London until the Heads of those Consultations were communicated to us in the Countrey which I must needs acknowledg was very speedily done For the Emissaries of Rome have an incredible celerity in conveying their Intelligence not only to the several Parts of this Land but even to Rome it self and all the World over which is an old Complaint commenced against the Jesuits by them of the Order of Seculars I have heard it affirmed by some understanding men That the Jesuits and the Jews are the greatest Intelligencers in the World for being both of them Close and Compact Societies united by the Oppositions generally made against them their Communications are much Circumscribed within their own Bodies there being a constant Intercourse of Intelligence maintained betwixt all the parts even as in the natural Body the spirits are diffused through the whole Compositum that so speedy Remedies may be applyed to any appearing evil in the very bud and opportunities of advantage may be taken by them at the first hop And therein certainly their care and pains if they were employed about lawful designs do not deserve reproof Rather the too much Supineness and unactivity amongst Protestants is to be taxed as giving great advantage to the Adversary to grow upon them 'T were well if this inconvenience were remedied and that our Zeal and Labour for the propagation of the Truth did exceed theirs as it ought to do for the Disseminating of their Errors Eas est et ab hoste doceri The Jesuits amongst the Romanists are the most Zealous for the propagation of their Religion in their old Mumpsimus way and have the greatest abilities and opportunities to intermix themselves in Temporal affairs to the Disturbance of States and Kingdoms and therefore they are looked upon by this Nation as destructive to its Interest their true religious intent being to murther all Heretical Kings as they term them which will not submit to the Pope's obedience Though I do know they do value themselves much upon a Speech of King Henry the Fourth of France spoke in his latter dayes That to know the Iesuits is the only way to lâ—â—ve thâ—â— though indeed that Monarch being afâ—â—â—â—â—â—dered by their Instigations was but ill rewarded for his favourable opinion of them Mr. Gavan lately executed in his dying Speech did extol his Society upon the accompt of that great King's Opinion But if authority and not reason should take place we can oppose the Opinion for our own King James who in open Parliament 1605. speaking of Roman Priests and Jesuits hath these words Thi◠〈◊〉 of those who know and observe the whole grounds and scale conclusion of their Doctrines can either prove good Christians or good Subjects And indeed this Imposture is imposed upon the Jesuits That like Weather-Cocks they change their Opinions when their Interest requires it besides these excellent Casuists have this rare Pollicy to alter their Sentiments and Conscience upon any occasion when it may be for their profit to change I know the Jesuited Ecclesiasticks do value themselves much upon the account of the Spirituality innocency and Regular Conversation of their Order Good Epâ—â—â—â—tes if they did properly belong to them This puts me in mind of a Pleasant Story I have heard of a Jesiut who was Preaching in one of their Colledges and in his Sermon he compared their Order to a Clock which by the Regulanity of its Motion did direct all other things but just as he was â—â—â—ering his Similitude see the mischief the Clock of their Colledge being out of Order struck above 100 times which being heard by the Auditors administred inward â—â—â—ling and laughter and was a just reproof to the Preacher for his superlative but ill-timed praises of the Society And indeed such an accidental reflection may operate more on a Jesuit than a solid and well formed Argument in Mood and Figure For that Sect are great Fencers in Diâ—â—â—…tation and can ward a strong blow by Evasion or Quiâ—k But against such an Occasional and Providential check there is no Fence I will not assume to my self to be able to trace them in all the Maeanders of their Projects but I believe sufficient is herein discovered to convince the uninterested As for persons engaged The more is discovered the less they will believe The Lord grant That all True Protestants throughout the Land may impute This Discovery to his Glory not out of Animosity against any mans Person which I utterly detest much less out of a desire of any ones ruine and destruction but out of a just Zeal That Truth may be advanced and the great Mischiefs impending over this Land may be prevented So prayes A Servant to all his Country in Truth and Righteousness Robert Bolron The Informations of Robert Bolron of Shippon-hall in the Parish of Berwick in Elmet in the County of York Gent. taken upon Oath at several times before the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council THis Informant saith That he was born in New-Castle upon Tine and bred up in the Protestant Religion that he came to live with Sir Thomas Gascoigne who is now about Fourscore years of age at Barmbowhall in Yorkshire in the Year 1674. as Steward of his Cole-Works where he
and had gotten Licence from the said Justices of the Peace which said Licence Sir Thomas read and it conteined as is below expressed The one Licence or Certificate was to permit Thomas Gascoigne Esq and his man to Travail peaceably to London for that the said Thomas Gascoigne Esq his only occasion to go to London was to decide or make an end of a Controversie then depending in Chancery between Sir Thomas Gascoigne of Barmbow his Father and James Nelthorpe Esq living in London and that Mr. John Middleton of Stockhil-Hall had likewise gotten the Justices consent to Travel into the South who pretended that his only occasion was to Receive some Rents due to him in the South parts and that the Justices upon their Oaths had given them liberty to the last day of April or last day of May but whether of the two it was this Informant does not well remember but saith he thinks they had their Licence or Certificate to Travel but until the last day of April And he saith That he did hear the said Thomas Gascoigne Esq say unto his Father that as soon as he had done with James Nelthorpe Esq and set in Order that design they had in hand he and Mr. John Middleton would then fly into France for that they were resolved not to return again but both would if it were possible Cheat the Justices and that he did hope God would help and further their design which did tend so much to the Glory of God for they both were resolved to commit the design into such hands as would not fail to do it but they would not stay to see the Execution for they were both resolved to fly with the first convenience And the said Sir Thomas Gascoigne did mightily commend Mr. John Middleton and his Sons Resolutions And the said Informant says he does not know what is become of the said Thomas Gascoigne Esq or Mr. John Middleton of Stockhil-Hall but he saith that both Thomas Gascoigne Esq and Mr. John Middleton of Stockhil-Hall did before their going to London sell or cause to be sold their Stocks from off their Grounds And that the said Mr. John Middleton did sell his very House-Hold-Goods which was only done with an intent to defraud His Majesty of them for they were in fear some Discovery should be made against them and that their Estates should be forfeited to the King This Informant further says That being with William Rushton at Confession who taking occasion to Discourse with him about this Horrid Plot as he had done several times before he the said William Rushton told him this Informant that when he heard at any time the word Design mentioned that he must understand by that word the Design they had in hand of Killing the King for Establishing the Roman Catholick Religion again in England and that except at some of their private Consults he this Informant should seldom hear mention made of Killing the King but that only they were resolved when they spoke of it to call it by the name of the word Design This Informant also saith That Sir Thomas Gascoigne with others hereafter mentioned did in the year 1677. between April and Lammas to the best of his remembrance assemble themselves together at Barmbow-Hall where was held a Conference to Establish a Nunnery which Nunnery they then agreed immediately to Establish at Dolbanck in hopes that their Plot or Design should take effect which was to have Killed the King and to alter the Government Established in England and to bring in the Roman Catholick Religion upon which account they all mutually resolved to venture their Lives and Estates 1. Whereupon Sir Thomas Gascoigne did promise to give to the Nunnery 90 l. per ann for ever upon which account the rest did agree that Sir Thomas Gascoigne should be Canonized a Saint to which they would procure the Popes consent 2. Sir Miles Stapleton promised to give 200 l. who made this Excuse that he was building his House which should be made fit for the Reception of Noble Persons according to their Degree and Quality but that in the mean time nothing should be wanting to his power for their assistance whereupon it was unanimously resolved that he should be made a Privy-Councellour to which they would procure the Dukes consent 3. Thomas Gascoigne Esq promised to give 500 l. and it was also there agreed that he should be made a Privy-Councellour to which the Duke should be intreated to give consent 4. Sir Walter Vavaser promised to give 200 l. but is since dead 5. The Lady Tempest said she would give 150 l. but promised a larger Contribution at her death 6. Sir Francis Hungate promised 50 l. who made an Excuse that he had a great many Debts to pay but that afterwards they should have more 7. Richard Sherbourne Eldest Son of Richard Sherbourne of Stonyhurst promised to give 300 l. 8. Mr. John Middleton of Stockhil-Hall yielded to give 200 l. to the said Nunnery and Plot of Killing the King 9. Mr. Charles Ingleby Lawyer concluded to give 30 l. 10. Robert Killingbeck a Romish Priest was also present at the said meeting and did promise in the name of his Master Thomas Riddal of Fenham Esq that he should Contribute Liberally for the carrying on the said Design and that his Master had given him such Instructions before he came from home but does not remember how much it was he promised for the carrying on of the said Design There was also a Letter read in the said Assembly wherein Stephen Tempest Mr. John York and Richard his Son did excuse themselves that they were not at the Meeting according to their promises and that the said Stephen Tempest was willing to give 50 l. Mr. York and his Son would give betwixt them 50 l. for the effecting of so Pious a Design and besides their well Wishes and Prayers should not be wanting for the Prosperous proceeding of so Meritorious and Pious a Design There was also present William Rushton and Thomas Thwing besides several others whose names this Informant does not know This Informant heard also that the Lord Mollyneux had given his Consent thereto but he does not know where he lives And according to the former agreement Sir Thomas Gascoigne did by Deed conveigh unto the said Nunnery a certain Estate for ever which was Purchased of Mr. Timothy Maceleverer of Arncliffe and lyes at Mauston in the Parish of Whitchurch near Leedes and is Rented of Sir Thomas Gascoigne by Alvery Lofthouse who enjoys by Lease the said 90 l. per ann And he did also in the said year between Lammas and Michaelmas Establish the said Nunnery at Dolbancke near to Ripley Broughton-Hall Hewoyth-Hall and Mistress Lashals House in York were made their places of Refuge that they might not be too great a Company together for avoiding suspition till the Plot or Design took effect Mistress Lashals was made Lady-Abbess Mrs. Beckwith her Sister and Mistress Benningfield