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
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
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
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