what the grand Plotters in France thought would be the most expeditious and effectual Project to restore the late King James viz. Killing King William for which Action there would quickly be sent a Commission from the late King to command the doing of it and an Order to all his General Officers which were then in England to be aiding and assisting in the Enterprize And that in the mean time all things ought to be so well adjusted among themselves here that there might be no time lost nor nothing to do when the Commission came but to put it in Execution At this Juncture comes Major Crosby also from France March 20. 1094. with Assurance That he saw the Commission sign'd and under Seal in France that it was sent away before him and if not already come he was certain it was upon the Road and would be here in a few days This was communicated to all the Assassinates in order to cut off his Majesty before he went to Holland but that God that design'd him for a further Blessing to England prevented their Treachery and convey'd him safe to his Army in Flanders Now If the Jacobites enquire how I prove this Plot upon the King's Life so early as to be laid in January and February 1694 and to be executed in the beginning of April 1695 that was say they scarce heard off till a twelve Month after they may please to know that besides my being told of it by Captain Blaire Mr. De la Rue swears it at Mr. Charnocks Tryal p. 37. And Sir John Fenwick when living was one of the Kings Evidence in this Matter and declar'd it in a Paper annexed to the Lady Mary Fenwicks Petition praying a Repreive for Sir John Fenwick deliver'd into the House of Lords January 22th 1696 * Vidahe Lords Journal in these Words The beginning of the Weck the Parliament was prorogu'd I was walking in the Court of Requests and there came to me Sir William Perkins Mr. Porter and Mr. Charnock * * Mr. Waugh was there also with the same Company but Sir John names him not and ask'd me if I did not know of an Order come from King James directed to those that had been General Officers under him I answered them I knew nothing of any Order from him and ask'd for what purpose it should be They told me they had for some time expected a Commission from King James to seize King William and that Mr. Crosby was newly come over and requir'd of them if they had not receiv'd such a Commission They told him they had not he said he wonder'd at it for he saw it sign'd before he came away from St. Germains and also an Order to the General Officers to be aiding and assisting to them I told them I believ'd what Crosby said was False that it was a Scandal upon King James and I was sure he never would give any such Commission or Order for so base an Action That they could intend no less by seizing the King than to Murther him upon which Sir W. Perkins said the Parliament would be Prorogu'd on Friday next and then the King would go for Flanders and that Saturday was the only day they had left to do it and tho' the Commission was not come they would not loose the Opportunity of attempting it as he return'd from Richmond that Night and swore he should never go out of England alive Mr. Porter and Mr. Charnock said they were resolv'd of it and tho the Commission was not yet come Crosby assur'd them it must be upon the Road for it was come away before him I used all Arguments against it and told them what Injury they would do King James and bring certain Ruin upon all his Friends here that if it was upon the Road as Crosby said it might be here on Saturday and with much Perswasions prevail'd with them to dine with me that day at Twelve a Clock at the Fountain-Tavern by the Temple-Gate and got them to Promise they would do nothing in it till they met me there that day We met accordingly And I kept them there discoursing upon the business and shewing them the baseness of the Action and the impossibility of their succeeding for none of King James 's Friends would back them in it till it was too late to make any such Attempt The King went for Flanders next Morning early this I attest for Truth and for this Reason I suppose they did not acquaint me with their Last Design John Fenwick Tho' the main end for which this Paper was design'd would admit of many severe Reflections as wanting that Sincerity which might be expected from one in Sir John's Circumstances and naming none of the Persons that manag'd that Treasonable Discourse in the Court of Requests but what are either Dead or in the Government when he knew what a large share Mr. Waugh had in it I shall content my Self and I hope satisfy my Reader only in observing three things as the natural Consequence of what the Paper acquaints us with Viz. That there was a Design to assassinate King William in the Year 1694 and 1695. That the late King James not only knew of it but commanded it That Sir John Fenwick knew of it but did not discover it and therefore no Objection lyes but that he might be acquainted with the last Design also The Parliament was prorogu'd the 3d of May 1695 and the King set forward for Flanders the day following so there being no hopes of Executing their barbarous Design till his Majesties Return they resolve so to employ the Summer that Winter might find them ready to perform what they had so long and unsuccessfully resolv'd on And that the Invasion might still accompany the Assassination they revive the Latter that it might be in a readiness to follow the Former as soon as the fatal Stroke had made way for it For this Purpose several Meetings are appointed and particularly one was held in May 1695 at the Old Kings-Head in Leaden-Hall-street London where met the Lord Aylesbury the Lord Mountgomery Sir John Friend Sir William Perkins Sir John Fenwick Mr. Charnock Mr. Cook Captain Porter and Mr. Goodman who came in after Dinner * See Mr. Porter's Deposition in Sir W. Perkins Tryal p. 14. there they consulted of the best way to restore the late King James and all agreed to send a Messenger over to the late King to desire him to procure of the French King ten thousand Men viz. 1000 Horse 1000 Dragoons and 8000 Foot Mr. Charnock was the Person appointed to Manage this Affair who said he would not go on a foolish Errand and therefore would know what the Company would do if Forreign Forces could be procured whereupon they all unanimously promised if the late King would come over with such a Number of Men as was defired they would meet him at the Head of two thousand Horse where-ever he would appoint At the latter
concern'd my Health is well enough I am interrupted and so can say no more now engage Sir John Lowther the New Lord who hath more Interest than any Body Let my Lord Scarsdale engage Overkirk for me speak to my Lady Arlington if my Tryal would be put off till the King comes back there would be more Opportunity to sollicite him This Letter was brought to the Lords Justices and at his first Examination before them in which he deny'd every Thing he was charg'd with their Excellencies told him he was not of that Mind when he wrote that Letter which was then shew'd him to which Sir John Ferwick made no Reply but laid it down and was utterly silens'd by such a violent Presumption or rather ingenious Confession of his Guilt attested under his own Hand FINIS THE APPENDIX Affidavits of the Ships-Crew about Lunt's Coming from Ireland The Informations of John Preston of Cockeram Mariner who upon Oath saith THAT about a year ago John Cawson Part-owner of the Pink or Vessel called the Lion of Lancaster hired this Informant as a Mariner to serve in the said Vessel the Burden whereof is twixt 40 and 50 Tun and he hath ever since served in that Employment and the said Vessel in that time hath performed four Voyages to Dublin in Ireland one of which Voyages was about Christmass last and since Christmass last to wit about a Mouth ago she loosed out of Loyne or Lune River for the Isle of Man having then on Board only three Passengers viz Mr. Edmund Thrillfall and two Strangers who this Informant never saw before or since which said Thrillfall when he was on Board shewed Charles Cawson Master 〈◊〉 the said Vessel the Earl of Derby's Pass for the said Voyage And this Informant and others of the said Mariners made for the said Island but before they could compass it the said Owner proposed to this Informant and the rest of the Mariners so make for Ireland which they did accordingly and landed in Ireland and there continued about three Weeks during all which time the said Master continued a Shore and returned not Aboard till she was ready â—o sail And this Informant further saith That the said Vessel went out of Loyne in the night-time-without any Cocket or Certificate from the Custom-Office and without Fraught or any on Board save the three Passengers aforesaid and the said Master and five Mariners and a Boy And at her Return had nothing Aboard save a Tun and a half of Iron-pots and half a Tun of Iron Barrs and nine Barrels of Beef and two Passengers viz. the said Mr. Thrillfall and a young short Man wearing his own hair which said Passengers had two Cases of Pistols and one Sword and the said Thrillfall had a Hair Port-mantle Trunk which he took on Shoar with him And he further saith That on Thursday morning last the said Vessel came to Anchor in Loyne aforesaid a little before Sun-rise and by the Cock-boat belonging to the said Vessel sent the said Thrillfall and the other Passenger ashore at the Crook being on the South side of the said River before the Custom-house Boat came up to them And the said Passengers or the one of them left behind them in the said Vessel two Leather Baggs with Writings which the Custom-Officers when they came on Board took into their Possession And further saith not John Preston Jurat apud Preston in Com Lâ—ne ' xviiâ— Junii 1689. Corum me C. Brandon The Information of Henry Knowles one of the Seamer in the Pink or Vessel called the Lion of Lancaster Who upon Oath saith THAT he is a Pepist and hath been a Mariner or Seaman in the said Vessel in several Voyages betwixt England and Ireland and more particularly in two Voyages since Christmass last And he further saith that this day five Weeks last past about two a Clock in the Morning the said Vessel weighed Anchor from the River Lune being designed as this Examinant and the other Mariners on Board understood for the Isle of Man without any Fraught or Persons on Board her saving Mr. Thrillfall and two other Passengers who this Examinant knows not besides Charles Cawson the Master five Mariners whereof this Examinant was one and a Boy But in the Voyage and before they did reach to the said Isle Mr. Thrillfall proposed that they should go strait for Dublin in the Kingdom of Ireland where the said Mr. Thrillfall pretended he had business to this the Master readily consented saying he also had business at Dublin to get in some Debts which Voyage they performed accordingly and Landed at Dublin the Saturday following and there continued at Anchor some days above three Weeks during which stay this Examinant several times saw the said Mr. Thrillfall in Dublin And in order for their Return to England there was brought on Board the said Vessel at Dublin only one Tun and a half of Iron pots half a Tun of Iron Barre and nine Barrels of Beef and upon Monday was seven night the said Vessel set sail from Dublin for England no Persons being in her besides the said Ships-Company the said Mr. Thrillfall and one other Person to this Examinant unknown who brought with them into the Vessel only a Trunk Portmantle covered with Hair that this Examinant knows of And this Deponent saith that the said other Person was low of stature wearing his own Hair and went under the Name of Mr. Lunt who pretended to come to an Uncle of his in England And this Examinant further saith That the said Vessel about two or three a Clock last Thursday Morning came to an Anchor in the River Lune in that County And the Master immediately after their coming to Anchor Ordered the Cock-boat to be let down and appointed this Examinant and Richard Whiteside another of the said Seamen to set the said Mr. Thrillfall and Mr. Lunt on shore upon Cockeram side which accordingly they did and carried with them which they delivered to the said Thrillfall the said Trunk and as this Examinant and the said Whiteside were rowing the Boat back towards the Vessel the said Lunt called back of them that he had left his Baggs on Board but said that he and the said Mr. Thrillfall would go to refresh themselves at Cookeram and desired this Examinant to bring his said Baggs thither to him But before this Examinant was return'd to the Vessel a Boat with some Officers belonging to the Custom-house were come up to the Vessel who searching the Vessel did after this Examinant's Return to her find in the Hold of the said Vessel two Leather-baggs with several written and Printed Papers in them as this Examinant afterwards saw which this Examinant believes to be the said Lâ—nâ—'s Baggs And this Deponent further saith that he believes the said Vessel had no Cocket when she went for Ireland And hath heard that the said Mr. Thrillfall gave ten Pounds for her that Voyage Henry Knowles Capt ' Jurat '
Thomas Yarnol Mayor of Evesham in the County of Worcester Richard Earl Bellemont Sir James Rushout William Bromly Edmund Letchmore and Richard Doldswel Esquires Justices of the Peace for the County of Worcester viz. That there was a design on foot to raise a Rebellion against the King and Queen in Lancashire That divers Persons in that and the adjoyning Counties had receiv'd Commissions from the late King to raise two Regiments of Horse two Regiments of Dragoons and three Regiments of Foot that great numbers of Irish Souldiers and Arms for them were privately kept in divers Places in that County Particularly that Mr. Thomas Tatlock of Simmondswood * Ferguson in his Letter to the Lord chief Justice Holt Printed 1694. near Sefton did harbour above threescore Men for the Service of the late King And that Arms for them were hid in that Wood. That Mr. Molyneux of Marborow did harbour above twenty Irish Souldiers for the same Service And that Arms Saddles Bridles Holsters and other Necessaries for them were hid in a Cellar under a Tower at the Entry of the House of Mr. Blundel of Ince in the Parish of Sefton That John Holland of Prescot and his Partner and a Sadler in Legh made Saddles and Holsters for them and were privy to the Design And that he saw and heard read a Letter in the Hands of the Lord Molyneux 's Son from the late King James 's Queen incouraging the Insurrection intended in Lancashire and giving Assurance of Assistance from the French King of Men and Arms. This Information caus'd many of the Lancashire Papists to be Imprison'd but others who tacitly confest their Guilt by flying and were look'd upon to be dangerous Persons absconded * See the Justices Letter from Middleton and would not be found till they had also prevented the Punishment by removing Kelly into another World I suppose by private Murther for as soon as it was known that Mr. Dodsworth had also discovered the Conspiracy that the King might not have two Witnesses to prove the Treason Kelly was made away and could never be heard off to this time His Fate continues a Mystery but whether he was kill'd or carry'd away 't is certain the Conspirators from that very time began to resume their Courage which was extreamly sunk upon the notice of Mr. Dodsworth's discovery And that these were the Artifices by which they conceal'd the Plot so long and frighted others from discovering it for fear they should meet the like Fate is too plain to he deny'd In December 1689. the Lancashire Plot was discover'd also by Mr. Dodsworth to his Kinsman Roger Kirkby of Kirkby Loinsdale Esq and Governour of Chester Castle and on the 27th of March 1690 to the Right Honourable the Earl of Macclesfeild which his Lordship laying before One of his Majesties Principal Secretaries of State Mr. Dodsworth was sent for to London to declare his Knowledg of the whole Matter and on May the 16th 1690. gave Information upon Oath of this Conspiracy before the Lord chief Justice Holt. And the Clamour that was made upon several Persons of Note being seised and Search made after others brought it to be examin'd before the Honourable the Commons assembled in Parliament The substance whereof was That certain Roman Catholic Gentlemen and others in the County Palatine of Lancashire and Parts adjacent of whose Names and Dwellings he gave a List into the House of Commons where the Original still remains were entred into a treasonable Conspiracy to make War against the King and Kingdom with design to reinthrone the late King James and in order to accomplish these Designs had receiv'd Commissions from the late King James brought over from Ireland by Mr. Thrillfall to raise some Regiments of Horse and Dragoons To furnish which Ammunition was provided Arms and other Necessaries bought and hid in divers Places by the confederated Collonels Which Troops were to be joyn'd by the late Kings Forces from Ireland whilst the French that were to be landed in Cornwal gave the King Diversion there and the Duke of Berwick in Scotland And all to be kept close and still till the late King arriv'd in Lancashire which according to the late Kings Promise should be in a Month or two at the farthest With this Discovery the Honourable House of Commons were so well satisfied that they recommended Mr. Dodsworth to the King for a Reward of his Service to the Public His Majesty gratify'd him with a present Reward in Money and recommended him to the Lords Commissioners of his Treasury for what Employment he was capable of but Mr. Dodsworth being a Papist and consequently uncapable of any Place under his Majesty was too long forgot and had no other Reward but what was given him by the Jacobites to stop his Mouth for ever viz. Murthered for as soon as that Party who have their Spies and Intelligencers in all Places heard there was a Correspondence between Dodsworth and Lunt and that it was whisper'd that Lunt would also discover Mr. Dodsworth was Murther'd by Mr. Deane a known and profess'd Jacobite Mr. Edward Robinson also made a Discovery of this Conspiracy on the 17th day of March 1690 before Richard Wright Esq One of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Lancaster in Substance thus That Mr. Fitzakerly at Spello House in Lancashire shew'd this Deponent a Commission from the late King James for the raising Men for his Service and Arms wrap'd up in Straw and hid under the Tyles of the House That Mr. Fitzakerly had promis'd all his Tenants that would serve under him in the Service of King James that upon the Death of any of them he would renew their Leases to their Children That they heard from the late King James very often and that he had sent them Word by a Servant of the Lord Molyneux 's that he would be with them in two Months That John Harrington of Egboth Esq told this Deponent that he also had receiv'd a Commission to be a Captain under King James and that Mr. Moore then in the House who had been a Captain of Dragoons in the late Irish Army was to be his Lieutenant Thus have I proved without any help from Mr. Lunt Mr. Wilson or Mr. Womball that there was a Conspiracy against the King and Government form'd by Mr. Bromfeild and the Lancashire Papists his Confederates as early as the latter end of the Year 1688. That Commissions were sent from the late King James to the Conspirators in June 1689. That Arms were provided and Souldiers listed and maintained by the Lancashire Papists to be ready at the Invasion in August 1690. That at the same time the Duke of Berwick was to invade Scotland and the French England and give the King Diversion in the West while the late King was doing the like in the North. And now he that disbelieves the Lancashire Conspiracy after he has seen it thus separately and singly prov'd by Persons at
in Flanders who had their good Wishes while they were busying themselves about what was to follow namely the Invasion The Scheme of this Descent was laid in France and Parker and others sent over to communicate it to the Party here * Vid. Captain Blaire's Depositions before the Councel This he did by calling their General Officers and Collonels together and acquainting them but very privately That their old Master had now obtain'd * of the most Christian King thirty thousand effective Men and that when the Spring was a little more advanc'd the late King who was already marching into Normandy would be wafted over with them into England with Assurance * Vid. Blaire's Dopositions in the Secretaries Office that if that Number was not great enough to reduce his rebellious Subjects France would spare him thirty thousand more Therefore desir'd all to be in Readiness with the greatest Speed and Secresy imaginable To Captain Blaire he address'd himself more particularly at the Instance of Johnson the Priest telling him he was going to his Command in Lancashire but intended to move Southward at the late Kings Landing and therefore desir'd Capt. Blaire to join him in Regard his own Men were raw and the Captains for the most part were all old Officers and Souldiers When Parker went into Lanashire he took with him Blaire's Depositions in the Secretaries Office several good Officers some of which stay'd with him in Lancashire and others he dispos'd of in Yorkshire and the Bishopric of Durham His head Quarters were at Mr. * Vid. Depositions of Geo. Wilson and Oliv. Pearson Walmsley's at Dungan-hall and from thence issued out necessary Ordens for that County And because their Arms were for fear of Discovery hid in Woods and Grounds buried between Walls and in Cellars and Out-houses he order'd them all to be taken out and forthwith distributed * Jo. Womball's Affidavis in the Appendix among their Officers For now the late King and his Army of English Scotch Irish and French Papists * Ap. 1692. were at la Hogue imbarking for England This Allarm being early given among the Party all the Officers are rallying together the Souldiers they had under Subsistence and listing others Among the rest Mr. James Fountain as Lieutenant Coll. to the Lord Montgomery had rais'd a Regiment of Horse in London and was ready to have join'd the late King if he had landed His usual listing Places were three Ale-houses in Fullers Rents and at Redman's at the Bottle in Devoreaux Court near the Temple To the Truth of which tho I need call no other Witnesses than Mr. Day Mr. Cousins Mr. Willoughby Mr. Holmes the Japanner and Mr. Symms who were all Officers under him and brought Men to him to be listed yet having by me an Authentic Affidavit be pleas'd to take the Contents of it as followeth M. Seaton maketh Oath That James Fountain was Captain in the Lord Montgomery's Regiment of Foot and thereafter Major to the said Regiment At the Revolution he follow'd the late King James into France thence into Ireland where he was made Lieutenant Coll. to Coll. Cannons Regiment From Ireland he went into Scotland and joyn'd the Viscount Dundee and a little after the Highlands were reduc'd he came to London and lived Incognito but when the French were at la Hogue in order to invade England Fountain did buy a considerable Number of Horses and Accoutrements for Horses and Riders he had provided for them and did keep the said Riders under Pay and Subsistence to serve King James and joyn him and the French at their Landing Jurat 2 Julij 1694. Coram me James Vernon M. Seaton Collonel Holman was at the same time raising and had almost compleated another Regiment to joyn the French at their Landing And to subsist those that were actually listed he paid fifty Pounds one Week fifty Pounds the next Week and thirty Pounds the Week following to Captain Brice Blaire * See Mr. Blair's and Mr. Bertram's Depositions in the Secretaries Office who distributed it among the Souldiers by the Hands of Mr. Bertram as appears by their Depositions in the Hands of the Government but after the Defeat at la Hogue Mr. Holman would pay no more To these Instances of the Jacobites Attempts to ruin the Government add but the Share that Sir John Friend Sir William Perkins and the Persons of Quality in other Parts of the Kingdom mention'd in Crosby's Papers had in it * See Crosby's orginal Papers page and then tell me whether the Enemies of the Government and their repeated Conspiracies ought to be so much flighted and despis'd and reckoned so inconsiderable in their Numbers and weak in their Power and Interests as some out of no good design I fear would have them thought to be For all these wicked Confederacies and those mention'd by Crosby are but Branches of the Lancashire Conspiracy which at first was thought but the Capricio's of light Heads but you now see it spread almost over the whole Kingdom And justly rous'd the Government to prosecute the first Contrivers of so much intended Mischief to the King and Kingdom Nor were these Preparations for the Invasion the only part of the Plot against England for whilst the English Jacobites are bandying together to joyn their old Master at his Landing the Kings Enemies beyond-Sea are as hot and forward in their cursed Design to Murther his Majesty in Flanders that so the Invasion might find us all in a Confusion and for want of a King and a Government scatter'd like Sheep without a Shepherd and consequently the easier Prey to our Foreign and Intestine Devourers For now Granvalle returning from Paris where he had ingag'd one Leefedale to joyn with Dumont in the Murther of King William appoints a Meeting at Uden whither Dumont was to come from Hanover and both to go from thence into Flanders Where as soon as the Murther was committed Mounsieur Chandlois with a Party of 300 Horse from the Duke of Luxemburg's Army was to be posted at the advanc'd Guards to rescue the Murtherers and perswade the World the Assassination of King William was a Stratagem of War but God Almighty confounded their hellish Politics Dumont and Leefedale discover'd the Conspiracy Granvalle was taken and receiv'd the Reward of his Villany after he had made without being put to the Torture a full Confession of his Crimes At his Execution he seem'd very Penitent and declar'd with some Resentment that he was ruined by the Authors of that detestable Project Matters being thus setl'd by the Kings Enemies on the other side of the Water for his Assassination in Flanders and the Invasion carrying on by the Conduct of Collonel Parker and the rest of the confederate Collonels and other Officers in England and every one acquainted with the Design all Jacobite Eyes were fixt upon the Weather-Cocks and the first Salutation was how 's the Wind which standing long in a Protestant
been Guilty of a Misnomen since Lunt had said upon Oath that he never saw that Gentleman but once which was in the Night too and that also ' twns two Years since be saw him that was pretended to be misnamed However it gave Sir W. W. an Opportunity tho he was then one of the Kings Counsel to shew which side he was on now as well as at the Tryal of my Lords the Bishops The Kings Witnesses having delivered their Evidence against the Prisoners and all agreeing with one another as to Matter of Fact Witnesses were produc'd for the Prisoners to invalidate the Testimony of those who had Sworn for the King and such a Noise had the Jacobites made with these Witnesses that greater Matters were expected from them than perform'd by them for at length their mountainous Boasting was deliver'd of a ridiculous Mouse All that their Witnesses said was only accusing the Kings Witnesses of some petty Immoralities that they pretended to have gather'd from their own Mouths in Ale-Houses and at other Compotations but not one Word in disproof of what they had sworn against the Prisoners And truly 't is a wonder they said no more nor no worse things against the Kings Witnesses when we consider by what Means they procur'd those that were Witnesses against the Kings Evidences in Parliament viz. Down right Bribery and by telling them they were not to be put to their Oaths and therefore not being in danger of Perjury might safely and confidently tell all the Stories that Clark and Beresford had dictated to thembefore-hand All which is now undeniably prov'd upon Oath by the Persons themselves that were * See Clayton's and Brown 's Depositions in the Appendix bribed But that which I suppose prevail'd with the Jacobites to instruct these Witnesses no better was the great Dependance they had on Taffe and the stress they laid upon his Testimony which in short was that there was no Truth in the pretended Plot the whole being a villainous Contrivance between himself and Lunt Or rather to speak Truth was a wicked Contrivance between Taffe and Mrs. Dickinson and Clark and Beresford to shamm the Plot and acquit the Gentlemen accused for if Lunt was as bad a Man as Taffe would render him it no way destroys the Reality of the Plot which to the eternal Reproach of them that contriv'd to ridicule it or defend the Plotters will remain True and stand as firm as a Rock notwithstanding all the Batteries the Jacobites can raise to demolish it if there was no such Man in the World as Mr. Lunt And this I shall further prove when I have taken leave of this Father Vincent Thomas O Mullen John Taffe Teague O Devilly who for making his Fortune has confest himself one of the greatest Villains in the World nay to gratify his Lancashire Benefactors has made himself a greater Rogue than he was in attributing such Hellish Contrivances to his own and Lunts Invention which was only a Calumny invented by the Devil against Lunt and ramm'd down Taffe 's Throat by the Lancashire Papists Some Men undergo hard Censures in the World from the ill Character given them by their profest Enemies out of Malice and Hatred and these are to be pittyed if not wholly excused but for the Man that calls himself the worst of Men and that in solemn Judicial Proceedings where his Affirmative ought to have equal Credit with an Oath there is no Apology for tho' it destroys what he says of another 't is the best Evidence in the World against himself and will be so esteemed by all Mankind And yet this Mans single say-so without any Oath contrary to the Oaths of twenty several Witnesses for the King which corroborate the Testimonies of ten positive Witnesses that discover'd the Plot was all the ground the Jacobites had to redicule it and rail against the Government for prosecuting the Offenders and call the Plot a shamm-Contrivance of some little Ministers to enrich themselves by the ruin of the Persons accused tho' now that Calumny too is proved a meer Invention of the Mercenary Scribler by making the whole a Contrivance between Lunt and Taffe which having no better Authority than the former will have a like Dismission in the Sequel Diverse Excuses and Apologies have been made by the Jacobites for Taffe in owning himself to be so vile a wretch some say it amounts to nothing unless he were also guilty of Perjury and if that be true then there is no Credit at all to be given to him for he * See Mr. Wybrand's Affidavit swore his Name was John Taffe when it may be proved by the Oaths of hundreds that his Name is Thomas O Mullen but having committed so many egregious Crimes under that Name that he was forced to fly his Native Country Ireland and Lucifer-like leave his right name behind him he assum'd that of John Taffe tho' it seems there is no greater Sanctity in this than the other For under this Name he also forswore himself in the House of Lords in the Service of the Lancashire Gentlemen for which their Lordships committed him and for which he had been Prosecuted in the Kings-Bench to a Conviction if he had not fled from Justice and hid * See the Secretary's Warrant to apprehnd him in custody of Mr. Barker of Warrington in Lancashire himself so privately among his Friends in Lancashire that he could not be apprehended Others plead in his Excuse that his saying Lunt and himself made the Plot was an effect of his Repentance and the only Satisfaction he could make for having gone so far and contrived so much Mischief already and truly I should not only have allowed this Excuse but highly commended and encouraged the Action if it had been true and Conscience had been the Motive to this Discovery but seeing the Plot prov'd by other credible Witnesses whilst Lunt acted in it I cannot believe what Taffe would suggest to the contrary especially when filthy Lucre putting a great summ of ready Money into his Pockets See Mr. Wybrand ' s Deposition in the Appendix and making his Fortune for the future is proved to be the only Inducement he had to declare what he did at Manchester For If Mr. Smith or Mr. Baker had conceal'd their Resentments of his base and dishonest Practices and answered his over-large Demands you had heard nothing of all this but in complying with the Conspirators he both gratified his Revenge and his Covetousness together for no other end does he propose to Mr. Wybrand in desiring to be acquainted with some Friend of Mr. Leghs but because there was Money enough and he might make his Fortune Nor was it in kindness to the Gentlemen to save their Lives but in kindness to himself that he Mortgag'd his Soul to purchase an Annuity And that there was no Truth in what he said at the Tryal at Manchester is plain for he acknowledges that there was not
Constitutions are or at leastwise ought to be made Cum sensu humanae Imbecilitatis under reasonable Exceptions of unforeseen Accidents and Emergencies that may happen to human Affairs And so they ought to be intended and so interpreted otherwise we render our selves the most miserable People upon the Face of the Earth for want of a Power to preserve our selves and depose a Prince unable in Nature to support the Constitution and not only imbued with pernitious Principles but actually confederated and engaged to destroy it which is a sufficient Confutation of Sir John Fenwick's ill grounded Loyalty and renders what he thought a commendable Endeavour to be a treasonable Conspiracy If he means by his True and Lineal Course of Descent that the pretended Prince of Wales ought to succeed I must answer that the way they took to prove him so has made it very doubtful and suspicious and therefore we ought not to part with the Act of Settlement which has preserved the Right in the Blood tho' for good Reasons they have laid aside the forfeiting Person and the Suspitious Pretender He proceeds As for what I am now to dye for I call God to Witness I went not to that Meeting in Leaden-Hall-street with any Intention as to invite King James by Force to invade this Nation All this depends upon the Word Intention which as he uses it is meer Evasion or Equivocation for the Actions shews the Intention Men have no other way of judging for did ever Man grasp at the Power to do Mischief without the Purpose His Discourse about King James 's Restoration promising to meet him with two thousand Horse at his Landing and giving his Consent that Mr. Charnock should give the late King James that Assurance in all their Names that was the Treason proved upon him * See Captain Porter's Depositions at Sr. W. Perkin's Tryal and what he died for and 't would be a Piece of inexcusable Folly to say when a Man is setting his house on fire he had no Intention to burn it or whilst a Man was using the Means to say he never intended the End He was not himself provided he says with either Horse or Arms or engaged for any Number of Men. What Necessity was there he should be so provided of Horses when 't was his own Project * See Goodman's Depositions taken Ap. 24 1696. that they should take Horses whereever they could find them And some of the Party were so fond of this Project that they took a List of the Number of Horses that were kept in and about London and Westminster Nor did I says he give particular Consent for any such Invasion as was most falsly sworn against me Sir John Fenwick has confess'd a general Consent and he was not charg'd with a particular Consent For the Words sworn against him were And they all rose up and said to Charnock Yes you may * See Captain Porter's Depositions in Charnock's Tryal And therefore it looks with an ill Face upon the Writer of the Paper to stick in that Word Particular to give himself the Advantage of slandering the Evidence with Perjury upon the nice Distinction of a particular and general Consent who has had the Confirmation of so many dying Acknowledgments and Confessions to the Truth of what he has depos'd That he knew nothing of King James's coming to Calais I will not undertake to disprove since I know the English were trusted with no more of that Secret than F thought fit to communicate The Assassination which F had so often fruitlesly projected and carried a Face of Villany and Danger with it was allotted to them and if they perish in it let them perish and this Tragical Part * See the Paper annex'd to the Lady Mary Fenwick's Petition Sr. John was acquainted with but did not discover it and I wonder he should be ignorant of the Invasion that was immediatly to succeed it The rest of the dying Paper so far as it concern'd those he accus'd being only Hear-say and so obscure that it rather amuses than instructs the Reader I shall pass it over As for what relates to his own Guilt 't is so fully and clearly prov'd and confess'd under his own Hand in his Letter wrote with a black lead Pencil when he was taken in Kent directed to Mrs. Farrar Sr. John Fenwick's Lady's Woman at the Lady Carlisle's deliver'd to Mr. Webber the Companion of his Flight and afterwards intercepted by the Mayor of Rumney and so prov'd before the House of Lords and Commons That I shall need only produce that Letter which proclaims his Guilt louder than I can and leave the Reader to judge of the whole as he finds Cause in reading it It begins * See the Journal of the House of Lords WHAT I fear'd is at last happen'd had I gone alone I had done it but the other was betray'd from London It is Gods Will so we must submit I know nothing can save my Life but my Lord Carlisle's going over to him back'd by the rest of the Family of the Howards so beg it and offering I will live abroad all his Times where I cannot hurt him and that I will never draw my Sword against him I must leave to you what else to say all Friends must be made my Lord Devonshire may perhaps be made by my Lady my Lord Godolphin my Lord Pembrook by my Lady Montgomery Mr. Nelson by the Bishop of Canterbury My Lord Arran might engage his Brother Silkerke to use his Interest with Keppell I believe if my Lord Carlisle would go 't were best before my Tryal or else they may cut me short before my time if he can prevail with him for a Pardon he will procure it as well before my Tryal as after or at least he may prevail for a Reprieve till some can come over to him My Lord also will have an Opportunity to engage Benting and get my Lord Essex to joyn with him I can't think what else to say but the great Care must be the Jury if two or three could be got that would starve the next that or nothing can save me Money I know would do it but alass that 's not to be had nor shall I get enough for Counsel I beg of you not to think of being shut up with me I know 't will kill you and besides I have no such Friend as you to take Care of my Business tho' 't would be the Comfort of my Life that little time it lasts to have you with me and the only Comfort I have now left is that my Death will make you easy My dearest Life grieve not for me but resign me to God Almighty's Will. You will hear as soon as they bring me to Town where they put me and then I would have a Servant or some Body with me and a Night-Gown I am in a sad Condition with Riding that day I parted with you I rid above 100 Miles but be not