Freake Sen. Mr. Richard Goodenough Mr. John Trenchard Mr. Henry Trenchard Mr. William Trenchard Mr. Claypole Mr. Griffith Mr. Joseph Clarke Mr. Richard Spicer Mr. Freake Jun. Dr. Harrington Mr. John Aylif Mr. Percival Mr. Overton Mr. Hutchinson Mr. Starkey Mr. Bugdel Mr. Howard Mr. Thompson Mr. Gibson Mr. Waller Mr. Combe Mr. Ireton Mr. Whitlock Sen. Mr. Rey. Mr. Coxlow Mr. Whitlock Jun. Mr. Merry Mr. Chettwyn Mr. Bethal Mr. Speake Sen. Mr. Speake Jun. Mr. Trinder Mr. Littleton Mr. West Mr. Smith Mr. Harbert Mr. Aron Smith Mr. Blount Mr. Washenden Mr. Potter And others whose Names I know not At the Green Dragon Tavern in Fleetstreet MR. Bennet Mr. Chaire Mr. Baker Mr. Chumley Mr. Young Sir William Hartop and his Son Mr. Hartop Mr. William Campion Mr. Appesley Mr. Bowles Mr. Roger Pope Mr. Kent Captain Fitz-Williams Mr. Robert Reeves Mr. Hodges Mr. Minns Mr. Barrel Mr. Isted Mr. Mazemore Sir Edm. Bacon Mr. Jennings Lord Lovelace Mr. Bainton Sir John Wild Mr. Robert Creswel Sir Richard Atkins Mr. George Long. Mr. Holeman Mr. Villers Mr. Ashburnham Mr. George Pitt Mr. Barth Ashburnham Mr. Daniel Osborne Captain Bennet Mr. Henry Harris Mr. Blithe Mr. Henry Wynne Mr. Natchpole Mr. Edw. Dering Mr. Sandes Mr. Hubbert Besides many others whose Names I know not At the Sun Tavern behind the Royal Exchange ALderman Bence Alderman Booth Sir Francis Clarke Mr. Saunders Mr. Twisdel Mr. Stavely Mr. Cowel Mr. Parker Captain Collier Mr. Phelps Mr. Davis c. In Westminster-Market at a Chandlers House COlonel Blood Sir William Waller Colonel Mansel Colonel Browne Colonel Barrington Colonel Hart. Colonel Jenks Major Coult. Then the Lady Powis the next Day by Mrs. Cellier recommended me to the Lord Peterborough and desired him by a Letter that Mrs. Cellier carried then as she told me to take me to his Royal Highness In order whereunto Mrs. Cellier and my self were commanded to go directly to his Lordships Lodgings in the Stone-Galery at Whitehal where we were told he would come to us as he did and told me I should presently see the Duke But in the mean time asked me What I would say to his Royal Highness Or if the Lady Powis or any Person else had instructed me what to say We were carried then into his Lordships Closet where I shewed him my Business in Writing and told him what I had to acquaint his Royal Highness with by word of mouth which his Lordship well approved of and highly commended me Which gave me great encouragement to proceed For had his Lordship not been too Credulous of the said Story it must certainly have been discovered long before it was for as I suppose his Credit and good Character of me to his Royal Highness brought me to the Honour of Communicating the whole matter to His Majesty to whom I did deliver it as a Real thing though indeed it was an absolute falshood and only a Story contrived and consented to in general by the Popish Party and intended for a Mask hoping whil'st the King if His Majesty should believe it was preparing for the safety of His Sacred Person and the Government against the pretended Conspiracy of the Presbyterian Party that they might have the more time to move on with their own Plot which was still to possess the the King with the real belief of the said Sham-Plot There we waited till his Royal Highness came from Supper for 't was that time of Night then the Lord Peterborough bid us follow him where we were brought into his Royal Highness's Closet and immediately the Duke came in and had some discourse with Mrs. Cellier whose Business was to acquaint his Royal Highness about Sir Robert Payton then turning to me I fell on my Knee and had the Honour to Kiss his Royal Highness's Hand I presented the Duke with the Paper of my Business and to the Questions which his Royal Highness asked me I returned such Answers as I was directed Then the Duke told Mrs. Cellier he would stay there till Sir Robert Payton came whereupon we both withdrew and returned to the Lord Peterborough's Lodging where we waited till his Lordship came which was not till above an hour after When we left his Royal Highness the Lord Peterborough introduc'd Sir Robert Payton to the Duke where as his Lordship told us afterwards Sir Robert Payton did behave himself much to the Duke's satisfaction He told me likewise That his Royal Highness liked me well and had promised his Lordship I should be Encouraged and then he told Mrs. Cellier Sir Robert Payton had promised upon his Troath to employ all his Interest for the Duke's Service And that his Lordship had moved her Business to his Royal Highness which was That his Royal Highness would grant an Order for the Payment of some Money due to her Husband which Order soon after was granted and at Sir Allen Apselyes Mrs. Cellier and her Husband received One hundred Pounds part of the said Debt Then turning again to me his Lordship also promised to assist me in the making my Fortune for the good Service I had done and was still like to do and he bid me proceed in the said Discovery and from that time his Lordship called me Captain Willoughby And as Mrs. Cellier and I were coming away his Lordship called in some of his Servants and ordered that at what time soever either of us should come to enquire for his Lordship they should be sure to let him know it forthwith which they promised to do and we returned home where Mrs. Cellier could not rest till she had seen the Countess to let her know what had hapned and how we were received And in order to it the next morning early she went to the Tower and related the whole matter to the Lords as at her return she told me who were extreamly satisfied and some of them were pleased to say They hoped to find me an honest and an active Person Soon after this the Lord Peterborough told me I must go again to the Duke to whom I was again brought by his Lordships means and his Royal Highness told me I must wait on the King to whom he had delivered the Paper I had before presented him with and gave His Majesty an account more at large of the Contents thereof and his Royal Highness then told me the King would order me money to proceed in the said Discovery of that new Plot and then with his own hand gave me twenty Guineys to encourage me and also promised provided I could produce a clear proof to make good the account I had given of it to make my Fortune And I did really think that his Royal Highness did believe there was truth in this Sham-Plot Then I returned home and told Mrs. Cellier I had been with the Duke wereupon she perswaded me forthwith to send the Lord Powis word of it for 't would be great satisfaction to him and the rest of the Lords Accordingly I dispatcht my
Boy to the Tower with a Letter that contained the whole Relation and likewise desired that since I was to wait upon His Majesty the next day their Lordships would be pleased to give me some Directions how to behave my self there That night I received no other answer then that the Lady Powis would be with me the next day at three a Clock in the afternoon So she was at Mrs. Celliers house where I received from her these following Directions viz. That I should be sure to lay all the burthen I could upon the Presby terians but particularly upon the Lord Gray Lord Howard of Eserick Duke of Monmouth Duke of Buckingham Sir William Waller Colonel Blood and some others and that I should explain to His Majesty the meaning of the several contents of the Paper I had before presented to the Duke and how the Presby terians were resolv'd to use their utmost endeavors for the reducing the present Government and setting up a Commonwealth once more and setling the Duke of Monmouth in it and that the Lord Shaftsbury and other Persons of Quality were issuing out Commissions to that purpose and had promised some to divers persons This was the Story I was to tell the King as I did and then I thought His Majesty believed the same to be true but His Majesty has since been pleased to declare in Council he did not give Credit to it for that it was so impossible a thing but yet to shew that he would not wholly slight it till better satisfaction was pleased to order me money by Mr. Secretary Coventry to encourage me in the farther discovery thereof and soon after I received from Colonel Halsel 40 l. but when he paid it me he told me I must endeavor to make things a little more plain or the King would not be well pleased which I promised to do and took my leave Then I came home and told Mrs. Cellier what had passed who went immediately to the Tower to let the Lords know I had not only given His Majesty a satisfactory Account but had likewise received 40 l. by His Order to encourage me which they were glad to hear and then I suppose thought fit to prepare something that might induce a stronger belief and gain more credit to the discovery but desired me to go no more to Colonel Halsel for it should seem they had some reason to be afraid of him lest he might trace the Business till he had discovered it This Order I followed for I went no more to Colonel Halsel though I had been commanded by the King as often as I made any new progress in the Business to give Colonel Halsel an account of it When His Majesty was at Newmarket I was advised to send an account of some new Discovery made since the former and this I was to deliver to Colonel Halsel to be sent for it was before I had received the 40 l. from him and an Order from the Lords to apply my self to him no more The Paper I sent was to this Effect viz. SIR May it please Your most Sacred Majesty I Have discovered a great Correspondence between the Presbyterians and the Dutch and believe at your Majesties return to give a good Account of the same by God's help till which time I shall use my utmost endeavor to approve my self Your MAJESTIES Most Faithful and Obedient Subject WILLOVGHBY Soon after the King returned from New-market which when the Lords heard of they ordered me to wait on His Majesty with a supplemental Story but much to the same effect with my former and to apply my self to Master Cheffinch to be brought to His Majesties presence Col. Halsel being the person that had brought me to him before which I did and His Majesty ordered Mr. Cheffinch to bring me to Him where I related my business and withdrew then I met the Countess again at Mrs. Celliers house and gave her an account of my having been with His Majesty To which She answered The next time I should carry something of greater moment but that in the mean time she ordered me to make diligent enquiry after one Colonel Mansfield for so she said his Name was which I did and with some difficulty found by Curtice where he lodged and sent word by Mrs. Cellier of it to the Tower who when she came back told me The Countess ordered I should be at home in the Afternoon and her Ladiship would come to me but in the mean time that I should go to Mr. Sharp to Confession and receive the Sacrament which is a custom the Roman Catholicks constantly practise either before the undertaking or after the effecting some damnable enterprise and sometimes both that their Father Confessor may palliate the thing to them under a colour of Religion so as to make it appear meritorious be it never so criminal for the next Orders I should receive would be for the putting in execution what had been resolv'd on with relation to the Lord Shaftsbury on this I took some time to pause but at last did go to Father Sharp and Confess and Receive after which according to his usual custom he conjured me by all that was good to use all the possible speed to stabb the said Lord after I had received Orders from the Lords so to do I promised I would and so left him About three dayes after that Mrs. Cellier had received a Letter from the Lady Powis which made mention that that very night I should make my self ready and go to Lord Shaftsbury's house in Aldersgate street and desire to speak with him privately but from Mrs. Cellier her self I received a particular charge not to enter into any discourse with my Lord when I had him alone but after a little Apology for my coming to his Lordship though an absolute stranger to him and neither sent nor introduced by any other person and desiring to know whether if it should fall out to be in my power to serve him I might have his Lordships favour c. to do my business and come away Then she gave me a short French Dagger as I suppose 't was by the make I asked whence she had it she answered that on Sunday last the Virginia Merchant had brought her three or four such and out of a Cubbord in the same room took the rest and bid me chuse which I liked best but I kept that which I had already and made no further choice and went directly to Lord Shaftsbury's house where I was admitted but there being divers persons in the Room where his Lordship was I desired privacy lest some of them might know me and I be discovered then his Lordship sent me with one of his Gentlemen up stairs whither his Lordship came to me in a little time I repeated my story to him and his Lordship seemed desirous to have entred into some farther discourse but I was not willing to engage my self in any neither had I opportunity to do
what I went for for there were some persons at the other end of the Room but if they had been away it pleased God to strike me with a sudden fear and horrour of mind insomuch that I was utterly disabled to have done him any mischief and the apprehension of being discovered was so terrible to me that I was in torment to be gone So that I took leave and came home putting on the best countenance I could lest my face should discover to Mistress Cellier the great dread and terrour I was possest with then she was very earnest to know what progress I had made I answered I had been at Lord Shaftsburys and discoursed with him but there being more persons in the Room I thought it not safe to attempt any thing at that time but withall pretended 't was easie enough to be done and promised to do it the next time I went The next morning early she sent my Boy to the Tower with a Letter to give an account to the Lords that I had entered my self at Lord Shaftsburies and promised not to fail the second time The Countess her self wrote an Answer to that Letter and Ordered me to go to the King and acquaint His Majesty that I had been with Lord Shaftsbury in order to some farther Discovery of the New Plot and tell His Majesty verbatim what I had said to the Lord Shaftsbury and I was also to tell the Kings Majesty that his Lordship had promised me an Imploy and that he would take care of me whereupon I went the next Morning to Whitehall to Mr. Cheffinch and he brought me to the King to whom I repeated my Lesson and the King bid me proceed About two days after I met the Countess at Mrs. Celliers House whom I told I had been with the King and done according to order then she told me I must repair to Lord Shaftsbury that night to make the second attempt and frame a discourse to him to this or the like effect viz. That I was now come with something that very nearly concerned both his Lordships Honour and Person to wit that if his Lordship should be sent for before the King and Council and there have several Accusations of High Treason brought in against him and thereupon be committed to the Tower and that the Evidence to maintain those Accusations should prove to be Letters written by his Lordships own hand that then I hoped his Lordship would believe I was his faithful servant This I promised to do and in the dusk of the Evening Mrs. Cellier having delivered me a Dagger I went the second time and sent for Mr. Shepherd one of his Lordships Gentlemen to the door and desired to speak privately with his Lord he went in and returned desiring me to come in which I did and he took me into a Room which I supposed to have been his Lords Closet and desired me to stay there and said his Lord would come to me presently but assoon as the Gentleman was gone I looked about the Room and found another door besides that at which I came in and openâ—â—g it I found that it led into the Room where I had been with his Lordship before then I concluded if his Lordship had come into the Closet that my way would have been to have Stabbed him and having my chocie of two ways out to have put out the Candle and pretended to go some where to light it and if any of the Servants should have seen me with the Candle unlighted to give it him or them and tell them their Lord was in the dark and they must make hast up with a Candle by which means I might have opportunity to make my escape But as providence had better ordered both for his Lordship and my self he came not into that Room but sent for me into the next but before I saw him I had waited near two hours in the Closet where in a Table-drawer I found many Papers and Letters some of which I put into my Pocket which when they came to be perused proved to be Letters from Sir Richard Bulstrode His Majesties Agent now at Brussels but the Contents imported no more than the present posture of Affairs in that Country When I was sent for into the next Room to his Lordship I was feiz'd with the same trouble and confusion of mind that I had upon me the first time I came then I began to consider with my self which of these two courses it would be most advisable for me to take whether to yield obedience to the laws of an infinite God who had power to save or damn my Soul or to the commands of my Lords and Masters in the Tower who treated me as the Devil does his Vassals putting me daily into new methods of Destruction and incurring Everlasting Damnation But through the grace of God I then made a wise choice and resolved to obey God rather than them I was about to hint something of danger his Lordship might be in but other Discourse arising it went out of my memory So I left his Lordship to meditate on this confused story which I had repeated and returned home with such a chearful countenance that Mrs. Cellier laughed and said he has done the business but when I answered I had not but would take some other time she seem'd not a little concerned and the next morning sent my Boy with a Letter to the Tower to relate the story I had told her and in the Letter inclosed Sir Richard Bulstrodes Letters which I brought from the Lord Shaftsbury's with me the night before I suppose the Lords were no less concerned than Mrs. Cellier was for they assur'd themselves that the thing would be done as certainly as that of Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey's was already done But soon after my Boy came back who returned without any answer came Mr. Wood and told me his Lord admired that I of all people should be so great a Coward c. but it was his Lords pleasure to try me once more and in the mean time that I must make hast and go to Whitehal and tell the King all the discourse I had with Lord Shaftsbury and shew His Majesty these Letters of Sir Richard Bulstrode's that he might give the more credit to me and lest Lord Shaftsbury should suspect me and be with the King before me which he said might be more prejudicial to me perhaps than I was aware of c. and that I must tell the King that a great quantity of Papers very dangerous and relating to the design of the Presbyterians were in the Lodgings of one Mr. Mansfield and pray a Warrant to search the said Lodgings Presently after I went to Mr. Cheffinch who placed me in a Room which his Majesty was to pass through the King seeing me asked what I had to say to him whereupon I repeated what I was bid to say and humbly prayed a Warrant his Majesty commanded me to go and acquaint Mr.
Secretary Coventry with the thing and said he would make me out a Warrant so I went to Mr. Secretary Coventry and acquainted him with it and told him 't was the Kings pleasure that I should wait on him for a Warrant but Mr. Secretary refused to grant one unless I would make Affidavit that there were such Papers and whaâ— the Contents of them were which I could not do for I knew not of any Papers in his Chamber then for I suppose they were to have been put there after the Warrant granted and if the Papers had been there at that time and I had been able to swear the Contents it would have been plain that they were of my putting there for else how was it possible for me to know the Contents of Letters in a Gentlemans Chamber whom I never exchanged two words with in all my life so that I concluded the safest way for me was to let it alone Then I returned home where I found Mrs. Cellier who sent me to the Lord Peterborough's to let him know what had happened and how I had been twice at Lord Shaftsbury's who had received me kindly and told me he would take some care of me I went accordingly to his Lordship and acquainted him who seemed to be well pleased that I had been with Lord Shaftsbury and his Lordship told me When any Forces were raised he would put in for a Regiment of Horse and would give me a Troop in the same but withal his Lordship bid me be sure to do his business the third time meaning the Lord Shaftsbury's Whereupon I went home and just as I came in Mrs. Cellier came from the Tower and told me Some Persons had been with the Duke to destroy my credit with him by giving him an Account of my Life but said she That storm is over for the good Lady Powis and Lord Peterborough have both waited upon the Duke and not only perswaded his R. H. not to believe it but prevailed with him not to speak of it to the King which Mrs. Cellier told me his R. H. had promised not to do By this time Lord Peterborough had been divers times with Sir R. P. at Gadbury's and once at least if not oftner at Mrs. Cellier's and Sir R. P. had seen and spoke with his Royal Highness the second time and Lord Peterborough told me the Duke had promised Sir R. P. to treat with the King about putting Sir R. P. and some others into the Commissions for the Peace again which they had been formerly put out of by His Majesties Order Then the Countess of Powis came to Mrs. Cellier's and desired to speak with me which I hearing of came down out of my Chamber expecting to be chid severely but the Lady was very mild and only enquired how His Majesty resented my going a second time to the Lord Shaftsbury's and of bringing the Letters from thence and if I had gotten a Warrant I told her The King I thought was well pleased with me but I could not by any means get a Warrant unless I would make Affidavit that I had seen the Papers in Mansfield's Lodging and knew the Contents of them which I said I could not do Then the Countess and Mrs. Cellier were both very angry with me for refusing to make oath that there were Papersthere and the Contents of them such as that the Secretary might think fit to issue a Warrant to search for them And began to argue the case with me according to the usual equivocating way of that Party First telling me that I might have saved my Oath for that I had formerly seen and been at the writing of some of them Secondly It could be no Perjury if Oath were not made in'Court of Record And lastly That I was by my Religion obliged to part with my life for the good of the Cause and much more to swear a thing that was not inconsistent with truth Then the Countess endeavoured to perswade me to go the third time to the Lord Shaftsbury which I refused telling her that I had such a discomposure in my mind for having been there twice already that I should not be easie in a little time then Mrs. Cellier being present the Countess struck me gently over the hand with her Fann and said Away cowhearted Fellow I my self will go No Madam said Mrs. Cellier that shall not be for I will go and let the World know that some of our Sex are brave and more daring than the men and promised to do the Work the first time or dye upon the Spot At the same time the Countess complain'd that all their Men of Courage were sent out of the World or secured in order to be so Then the Countess asked me If I knew where Mr. Mansfield's Lodging was I answered Yes and that I had been much troubled to find it out then said She You timorous Person here will you take these Papers and convey them privately into some part of his Cloaths or into his Coat Pockets or into any part of his Room or his Trunks I answered 'T was impossible for me to do that because I knew him not The Countess told me I must find some way to be acquainted with him and take him to a Tavern and drink smartly and then take an opportunity to lodge the Papers in some part of his Cloaths and immediately upon pretence of his having spoke Treason or some such thing call a Constable and have him apprehended and search'd and carry the Papers to the King and Council and so have him committed For this was to be the Introduction to their real Plot. If this had been done the whole Plot had gone on and I was to have moved the King and Council to have impowered me to make Search in many other Gentlemens Lodgings and Houses both in City and Country Then the Countess advised me to go and take a Lodging some where near his and endeavour to insinuate my self into his acquaintance and take my own way for the management of the business Then 't was that her Ladyship gave me fifteen Letters and a List of Names one of which Letters and the List being writ by her own hand She desired they might be transcribed which I offered to do But She told me that must not be for the King had some Remarks already under my hand and would know it again and so we might be discovered for these must be brought to the King and Council Then She gave me order to go to a Scrivener over against Somerset-house because I had no person that I durst make privy to such a Secret and bid me to leave them with him and pay the person for writing them then She went away and I went to the Scrivener and got the Papers transcribed and brought them back and finding Mrs. Cellier and Mr. Webb together by the fire I took the Letters out of my pocket and shewed 'em them telling them those were the papers I
had that day of the Lady Powis they both perused some if not all of them and wish'd me good success and warranted me I should be well rewarded for what I did in that business Now the next Day being Wednesday October the 15th 1679 I went into Ax-Yard in Kingsstreet Westminster and enquired for Lodgings and being met by some that lived thereabout I was directed to Mr. Alexander Harris's House which was the place where the said Mansfield lodged where under the feigned Name of Thomas I enquired for Lodgings the people readily took me into the house to shew me what Rooms they had but none would please me but the two Rooms on a floor one pair of Stairs high one of which being disposed of the Gentleman could not be dispossess'd without his consent which could not then be obtain'd because he was out of the way So that for that time I departed I had then many Irons in the fire and some of them if I were not very nimble would cool for I was not to take a step without directions from my great Masters in the Tower which having received I went again on Fryday Octob. 17 and agreed for those two Rooms giving the Gentlewoman of the house her price for a little mony I thought must not break squares in an Affair of that weight and Colonel Mansel for that is his true name was willing to remove one pair of Stairs higher that he might not hinder the house of so beneficial a Lodger as I appear'd likely to be When I came that Day the Gentlewoman of the House being abroad I was conducted by a Woman into the room whither Mansel was to remove and there I was left alone for about half an hour at which time as appears by my own Confession I lodged the treasonable papers behind the Beds head I promised to come that Night with my Friend for whom I pretended to have taken one of the rooms but having an opportunity to let the Lords in the Tower know what I had done and how I proceeded they ordered me by Mrs. Cellier to go again to the King and desire a Warrant to search whereupon I went to Mr. Cheffinch and was brought to His Majesty whom I earnestly entreated to let me have a Warrant His Majesty sent me again to Mr. Secretary Coventry But no Warrant could be obtained of which I sent the Lords word Then they Ordered Mrs. Cellier to direct me to some of the Custom-house Officers who had power to search the house that I might pretend to inform them where a considerable quantity of prohibited Goods that had been imported were concealed The next day being Saturday Octob. 18. I went to the Lodging and enquired if my Trunks were come but they heard of none after some discourse I departed promising to come and take possession the next Night for that Night I could not my Friend being out of Town but I failed then also On Monday 20. I visited them again and enquired whether my Trunks were yet come and being answered in the Negative I vanish't again On Tuesday Night having by that time got full Instructions how to proceed about ten of the Clock at Night I went again with one Bedford who I told the House was that Friend for whom I had taken the other Lodging but that Night we both lay together in one Bed in the Room one pair of stairs forward On Wednesday between seven or eight a Clock in the morning Mansel being gone out about his Occasions came two Officers of the Custom-house with a Constable according to my appointment to search for prohibited or uncustomed Goods They first went into the Chamber where I and my Friend lay and from thence were conducted by me into Mansels Chamber where they made a thorow search breaking open the Trunks and Boxes examining the Bed-clothes and at last after intimation given by my self they proceeded to remove the Bed which they did three foot from the wall or more but could find nothing till I went behind it and there espied a packet of Papers he that hides can find and presently asked What 's that there The Officer having first taken them down I with great hast snatched a Paper out of his hand and cryed out Here 's Treason It was a List of Names some at length others only the two first Letters The Searcher opening another paper and beginning to read I again cryed out There 's Treason against his Majesty and not only the Papers but the Person in whose Room they were found if he were present ought to be secured The Officers knowing better what belongs to their own Office than that of a Justice of Peace took the Papers and carried them not to a Secretary of State as I directed them but to their own Masters at the Custom-house then I left the House and returned to Mrs. Celliers and sent word by my Boy to the Lord Powis that the Papers were seized by two of the Custom-house Officers then the Lords fearing lest there might be some trick played Ordered me to go forthwith and tell the King the manner how I caused the Papers to be seized which I did And His Majesty sent me for Mr. Secretary Coventry to give some Order in it After that I returned to Mrs. Cellier and told her I had the honour to be in a Room with His Majesty alone Oh! said she What an opportunity have you let slip And soon after the Countess of Powys came to whom I related the same thing Mrs. Cellier being then present the Lady looked on her and said How bravely might he have killed the King if he had been provided By this time Mrs. Harris being in great perplexity at this unexpected and surprizing seizure sends her Brother and presently follows her self to find out Mansel at the sign of the Cat in St. Paul's Church-yard where he left word when he went out he might be spoke with at Eleven of the Clock she met him just going to the place as I am informed by his own Pen she relates to him in a great astonishment the History of this Affair and out of her tender care for his safety advised him to take lodgings in the City promising to send him the rest of his Goods but he rejected her well intended but in it self pernicious Counsel for his withdrawing would have been interpreted a flight which would have argued guilt and his personal guilt would have involved hundreds of Innocent Persons in the same Condemnation He told her therefore that he was not conscious to himself of any crime and that he would go to the Custom-house to know by what Authority his Box was seized and learn what was become of these pretended Papers accordingly he went thither where he met with one Mr. Bostock who was one of those that had searcht his Chamber He told him That one Mr. Willoughby the Monday before came and informed them of two thousand pounds worth of Flanders Silver and Gold Lace that
declared himself a Papist At which words I cryed out Did not I tell you these were Treasonable Papers They ought to be secured and the person whose Chamber this is if he had been here and carryed either before the Council or a Secretary of State Stretch also Swore these to be the same Papers that were taken from behind the Beds-head and that he did verily believe they were put there by me It being late and the Council rising Mr. Justice Warcup took Bail for me to appear the next day at Four in the Afternoon Friday October 24 Afternoon at the Council Board The Council being met Mr. Mansel put in his Petition That the rest of his Witnesses might be heard upon which His Majesty was pleased to Order the Cause to be heard the next Council-Day Then I moved that till then I might be Bailed the King in Council Ordered that I should be taken into the Messengers Custody with which Order the Messenger acquainted me I stormed and said I was confident there was no such Order for I knew there were those persons that would not suffer me to be so treated But the Messenger insisted upon his Order and demanded my Sword which I refused to deliver but to another Messenger then I was conducted to the Messengers House But before my departure thence I did endeavour to prevail with Col. Warcup by offer of a reward to Bail me a third time desponding of my success in that ill affair but Mr. Justice refused my impertinent offer The Council that Night after a short Recess sate again And His Majesty was graciously pleased to appoint the business to be heard on Monday following at Four a Clock in the Afternoon And then I moved that Mansel might be Committed likewise but the Right Honourable the Lord Chancellor opposed the motion and so it fell Monday October 27. 1679. At the Council-Board About Five or Six of the Clock in the Afternoon Mr. Mansel and I were called in where after a short Repetition of the Charge against Mansel which was grounded upon those Papers I prepared to make my defence having received fresh instructions how to manage it and addressed my self to His Majesty affirming That there were in all Sixteen Papers found in his Chamber and desired to know what was become of all the rest besides those Nine And likewise what was done with the Box of Treasonable printed Pamphlets and two or three hundred Letters Adding that Mansel had got together a Company of Witnesses to disparage the Kings Evidence and to palliate his own Treasonable practices then I desired I might have leave to ask him some Questions which being granted I proceeded thus First Whether he did not frequent a Club held at one Streets House a Chandler in Westminster Market Secondly Whether he did not know one Disney Grange England Lisle and one Captain Brown Thirdly Whether he did not bring into that Club one Night a Scandalous Pamphlet called A Word without Doors and there publickly read it And Fourthly Whether after he had read it he did not utter Seditious words against his Royal Highness Mansel owned that he knew many of the Gentlemen that I had named but that they were all very honest Gentlemen and good Subjects and all of them Inhabitants in Westminster saving only Captain Brown who had been Lieutenant to Major Russel's Troop of Horse in his Royal Highnesses Regiment But all Treasonable Discourse with them or any other he did utterly disavow and was thereupon commanded to call the rest of his Witnesses Mr. Harris and Mrs. Harris first appeared who Witnessed as before that there were not Sixteen Papers but Nine only Bostock testified the same thing and further That these Papers then before the Honourable Board were the same Papers found behind the Beds-head and that he did verily believe I had placed them there Stretch being sick did not appear but his Depositions were read tending to the same effect Then Bedford was called in who gave a full relation how I came to him on Tuesday Night before to desire him to Lodge with me at some new Lodgings that I had lately taken He confirmed the Evidence of Mrs. Harris and the rest as to the manner of searching the Chamber and finding the Papers Adding further That he went to Mr. Celliers House to speak with me and told me what an ill thing I had done and how I had not only injured Mr. Mansel but himself by engaging him in so vile a business which now was so clearly laid open And therefore desired me to discover the whole truth to him and who had put me upon it To which I replyed not caring to enter into discourse with one who I knew had given Testimony against me That I doubted not but to come off for the Greatest man in England had ingaged me in it That he asked me whom I meant whether I meant the King To which I made no answer That he further told me he understood I held Correspondence with the Lord Powis in the Tower and that he had seen the Lady Powis her Coach the Saturday before standing before my Lodgings D'oiley was the next Witness that was called in who Deposed That he had prosecuted me at two several Sessions held in the Old Bayly for uttering false Guineys I was askt what I could say to that and answered That indeed I had been twice prosecuted there by D'oiley but all was out of pure malice I confessed that I had been Fined fifty pounds for the first offence and had obtained His Majesties Gracious Pardon but was acquitted the second time so that I hoped those matters would not be remembred against me now The Right Honourable the Earl of Essex demanding of me Who had sollicited His Majesty for my Pardon I answered Captain Richardson Afterwards John Cook my Boy was examined who testified That he was sent with a Message and a Note from me when I was in the Messengers hand to Mrs. Cellier desiring her to acquaint the said Lord Powis that I was taken in Custody for the old business that he knew of That two Months since I had lodged in the Lord Powis his house in Queen-street That he had several times waited on me to the Lord Powis his Lodgings in the Tower which he described to be in the Mint That he had rode behind the Coach to attend me thither That he had several times carried Letters or Papers from me to the said Lord Powis and brought me Answers back And lastly That the Lady Powis had several times been at Mrs. Cellier's and that particularly on Saturday was sevennight the said Lady had been alone with me in a lower Room in private Discourse above half an hour The Lord Chancellor was then pleased to ask me Whether I had been at the Lord Shaftsbury ' s To which I answered That I had been several times with him and had discoursed with his Lordship And I there repeated part of what passed betwixt us To which
sayes that looking upon my Horoscope it Prognosticated a bold and Adventurous man but does not remember that he said to Mrs. Cellier that I would be hang'd but that it was possible I might That he cast likewise the Lord Powis his Nativity as he used to do of all persons of Quality the certain time of whose Birth he could be assured of 2. Matthew Hopkinson a Scrivener over against Somerset House acknowledged that he subscribed a List of Names and a Letter of mine in a Room two pair of stairs high but he did not remember that it was of a Womans hand-writing and the List and Letters being shewn to him he owned them to be his own hand 3. Sir James Butler owned the Taking of an Affidavit of Lane about Buggery charged upon Mr. Oates and that a Woman came with the said Lane to him 4. Thomas Jolly the Tayler being sworn said he carried a Letter from Mrs. Cellier to the Lady Powis and brought back an answer and that when he returned I was present and that he had seen me half a dozen times at Mrs. Celliers Upon full hearing of these several Informations and Examinations this was the result of the Council Whitehall November 2. Mr. Thomas Dangerfeild alias Willoughby having been examined the twenty seventh past by the Lords of his Majesties Privy Council concerning certain dangerous and Treasonable Papers seized in Mr. Roderick Mansell's Chamber which it appeared to their Lordships had been by him conveyed thither was thereupon by Order of the Board committed to Newgate And having since given in an Information to the Lord Mayor of London of several Treasonable practices against his Majesties Person and Government and of hishaving been prevailed with by several of the Popish Religion to Counterfeit the above-mentioned Papers and Letters by which divers Noble-men and other Protestants were to have been brought under a suspicion of carrying on a Plot against his Majesties Government And the said Information being yesterday morning brought to his Majesty by the Lord Mayor and by his Majesty sent to the Council Board Mr. Dangerfeild was sent for and farther examined by their Lordships who thereupon the last night Committed the Earl of Castlemaine to the Tover and Mrs. Cellier to Newgate and did this day likewise Commit Mr. Gadbury to the Gate-house and Mr. Rigaut to Newgate several other persons accused being in the Custody of his Majesties Messengers And their Lordships have appointed the further examination of this matter on Tuesday next Middlesex and Westminster The Information of Mrs. Jane Bradley of Westminster Widdow taken upon Oath this first day of November 1679. before me Edmund Warcup Esquire one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace in the said County and City THis Informant saith that upon a Saturday about three weeks ago one Thomas Curtice late of Lancashire now in or about London came to Heaven where this Informant lives and as she was lighting him out of Doors he told her that he heard there were Commissions giving forth and that Mr. Bloud had the giving them out and added that if he could get one of them it would be five thousand pounds in his way and that this Informant should have part of it Whereupon this Informant asked him what way he propounded to get one of them who answered by Captain Brown who was one of his Countrey-men with whom he was acquainted Some time after which the said Thomas Curtice brought the said Capt. Brown to the same house but they then discoursed nothing of the business in her hearing but this Informant did and doth apprehend that the said Curtice meant that those Commissions were to be given out against the King And she further saith that she sent for Mr. Bloud and acquainted him with the said discourse who answered 't was very well done to tell him thereof but there was no such thing in being and about a week after Mr. Bloud gave this Informant a Broad piece of Gold saying you are a poor woman and directed her to know as much as she could of the matter And accordingly this Informant did enquire of the said Curtice about the 5000 l. but could get nothing out of him more than that he was well assured of the 5000 l. And she further saith that Mr. Bloud and Captain Brown had been at Heaven together before that time And she remembers that she did tell the said Brown that one Lawton one Pember and one Tresby were acquainted with the said Curtice And she heard the said Lawton was a Priest-taker And further saith not at present Jane Bradley Jurat Die Anno supradict Coram me Edmund VVarcup The said Jane Bradley doth further say upon her Oath that the last time she spoke to the said Thomas Curtice which was when he fetcht a Straw-hat from Heaven she said unto him words to this effect When is it that we must get the 5000 l. to which he answered I will not meddle in it it troubles my Conscience and it were but Treachery in me if it were done and it is to no purpose to meddle in it for there is a list found out or to that effect Jane Bradley Jurat Die Anno supradict Coram me Edmund VVarcup November 2 the same day 1. The Deposition of William Woodman taken upon Oath on Novemb. 2. 1679. before the Lords of His Majesties Most Honourable Privy Council WHO saith That he hath known Mr. Willoughby at the Lord Powis his house for about two Months time and that he hath seen him and Mrs. Cellier write together very often That he carried a Pacquet of Letters from Mr. Willoughby or Mrs. Cellier to the Lady Powis at the Tower and that her Ladyship opened the Pacquet and read some of the Letters and gave others to him the said woodman who carried them to one Nevill in the Kings Bench and that he hath carried Letters divers times between Mrs. Cellier and Mr. Willoughby and Nevill William Woodman 2. The Information of Mary Ayray taken upon Oath the second day of November 1679. before the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council THis Informant saith upon her Oath That she went with Willoughby and Duddell to Nevill in the Kings Bench and left VVilloughby at a Coffee-house by the way and carried a sheet of Notes taken at Langhorn's Tryal which VVilloughby writ but was given her by Mrs. Cellier to carry to Nevill And she saith she carried a Letter from Nevill to Mrs. Cellier and a Letter from Mrs. Cellier to the Lady Powis she hath also seen Singe with Mrs. Cellier and she has seen VVilloughby write the Speeches of the five Jesuites the which Mrs. Cellier did dictate to him and saith also that she hath seen Lane at Powis-house who went by the name of Johnson and that Mrs. Cellier ordered him to be called by that name This Informant also saith that she went with my Lady Abergavenny last Winter to the Earl of Shaftsbury about her being Indicted as a
Mr. Tho. Dangerfeilds PARTICULAR NARRATIVE OF THE LATE Popish DESIGN To Charge those of the Presbyterian Party WITH A PRETENDED CONSPIRACY AGAINST His MAJESTIES PERSON AND GOVERNMENT Written by Himself LONDON Printed for Henry Hills John Starkey Thomas Basset John Wright Richard Chiswell and Samuel Heyrick 1679. TO THE READER HAving Lately been Engaged through the Wicked and Malicious Instigation of the Countess of Powis the five Popish Lords in the Tower and their Accomplices in a horrid and damnable Design of Charging the Presbyterians with a Pretended Plot against the Present Government and Religion by Law Established And through God's great Mercy to my Self and to many Hundreds in this Kingdom and I hope to the whole Nation in General coming to have a true sense of the Guilt that I had thereby contracted I resolv'd to make a full and perfect Discovery of whatsoever I had been made Privy to in order to the same and accordingly with my own hand did freely and voluntarily Write a True and Faithful Account thereof without being Allur'd or Threatned so to do or Prompted in the doing of it by any person whatsoever And to prevent all Suspicion of any such thing I desir'd to be and was accordingly confin'd to an Apartment and there kept without Conversing with any person till I had finish'd the same which was on Fryday the last of October at which time I desir'd to be brought before the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of the City of London before whom I Exhibited what I had so Written and in the presence of his Lordship the Right Honourable the Earl of Bridge-Water and other worthy Magistrates of the City I did attest the same upon Oath Since which time some others have undertaken without my privity to Publish Relations of what I then Deposed In which upon perusal of the same I find some things omitted others mistaken or not so fully and particularly related as I could wish And so resolving with my self that since I was the first and am hitherto the sole profess'd Discoverer of the said Design and Conspiracy it would be very Satisfactory to all Protestants to receive a particular and exact Relation of the Designs that were Formed against themselves from my own hand I set pen to Paper and digested what I then Deposed into this ensuing Discourse in which I have not omitted any thing that is material of what I was ingaged in or otherwise admitted to the knowledge of but have given a faithful Relation of things as they followed in course of time to the end that all such as are concern'd for the Welfare and Prosperity of their Religion and Country may be the more fully convinced how much it is for their interest to endeavour the disappointing all future Contrivances of that Party that is so active and industrious to promote their own interest under a pretence of Religion which is the benefit that I hope will accrue by the Publishing of this Narrative to all English men and Protestants In vain is the Net spread in the sight of any Bird. Thomas Dangerfeild The Contents of the ensuing Narrative MIstress Cellier undertakes to procure Mr. Dangerfield his Liberty in order to the employing him in some matter of great Concern pag. 2. 3 Mr. Dangerfield at the Instigation of Mrs. Cellier Mr. Munson and Mr. Kemish two Priests treats with one Stroud a Prisoner in the Kings-Bench to overthrow Bedlow 's Testimony and lay heinous Crimes to his Charge p. 3. 4 A device to have Mr. Dangerfield Examin'd as a Witness for the King and in his Depositions to disclose such matter as should be Evidence for the Lords in the Tower p. 7 Mr. Dangerfield is furnished with Money by the Lords in the Tower to Compound his Debts and get out of Prison p. 7 Mr. Dangerfield is sent into Buckinghamshire to one Mr. Web 's House with a Letter to a Priest that lay conceal'd there and went by a Womans name and returns with Directions for the Fathering a Plot upon the Presbyterians p. 9. 10 A Conspiracy to procure an Indictment of Perjury against Dr. Oates p. 14. 15 Mr. Dangerfield and others sent about to several Coffee-Houses to spread a Rumour of a Plot carried on by the Presbyterians and to disperse Libells p. 16. 17 Counterfeit Letters fram'd by Nevel and Persons employed to Transcribe and disperse them in order to the giving false Allarms of a Presbyterian Plot. p. 17. 18. 19 The manner of Sir George Wakeman 's making his escape into Flanders p. 19. 20 Mr. Dangerfield sent for to the Tower and there dealt with by the Lord Arundel to kill the King for a Reward of 2000 l. and by the Lord Powis to kill the Earl of Shaftsbury for 500 l. The former of which Proposals he rejects but embraces the latter p. 21. 22. 23 The Lord Castlemain Author of the late Book call'd The Compendium p. 23 Mr. Dangerfield enjoyn'd Penance for refusing to kill the King p. 23. 24 Mr. Gadbury assures Mr. Dangerfield upon the Calculation of his Nativity That he might kill the King without any danger to himself p. 25. 26 Sir Robert Peyton at Mr. Gadbury 's Perswasion treats with the Lord Peterborough in order to a Reconciliation with the Duke of York and is by him introduced to his R. H. p 24. 25. 28. 29. 34. c The Lady Aburgaveny 's Project for Mr. Dangerfield to procure access to the Earl of Shaftsbury p. 28 A summary account of the Book together with the List of the four Clubs found in the Meal-Tub p. 31. 32 Mr. Dangerfield being introduced by the Lord Peterborough to the D. of Y. and by him ordered to go to the King acquaints them both with a Plot carried on by the Presbyterians to alter the Government p. 34. 35 The Countess of Powis gives Mr. Dangerfield Instructions how to behave himself and frame his Discourse when he should be brought to his Majesties Presence to give an account of the new Plot. p. 35 Mr. Dangerfield Confesses and Receives the Sacrament in order to his Murdering the Earl of Shaftsbury p. 37 Mr. Dangerfields first and second Attempt to Murder the Earl of Shaftsbury at his House in Aldersgate-Street p. 37. 38. 39 The Lord Peterborough 's Encouragement of Mr. Dangerfield to go on p. 40. Mr. Dangerfield by the Countess of Powis 's order lodgeth treasonable Papers in Mansell 's Chamber p. 41. 42 Mr. Dangerfield endeavours twice to obtain a Warrant from Mr. Secretary Coventry to search Mansell 's Lodgings which Mr. Secretary refuseth p. 40. 42. 43 Mansell 's Lodgings are search'd by Customhouse-Officers and the Papers found p. 43 Instructions given to Mr. Dangerfield by the Countess of Powis how to clear himself from the suspition of having lodged the Papers in Mansell 's Room p. 49. 50. 51 The Examination of Anne Blake Servant to Mrs. Cellier p. 51 The Examination of Mrs. Cellier p. 52. 53 The Examination of the Countess of Powis p. 53. 54
as I suppose and when she went from home desired me to call at Gadbury's for her that we might go together to Mr. Stamfords Accordingly I went to Mr. Gadbury's where I found her and from thence we went to the place beforementioned where Mr. Stamford told us he had been informed from very good hands that Dr. Tongue had at that time employed a considerable number of Writers to describe the whole manner of the Plot but said he I will acquaint the King with it and tell His Majesty my thoughts which are That the design of it is to direct Oats and Bedloe and the rest how to proceed and carry on the present Plot meaning I believe their own against the poor Catholicks but I do not know whether he informed his Majesty of it or not From thence Mrs. Cellier and I went home and the next morning she sent me to Gadbury's to enquire how the Lord Peterborough and Sir Robert Peyton entertained each other At their meeting Gadbury told me they agreed very well and stayed there several hours but what they treated on he did not yet know for he withdrew and left them together Then I returned and told Mrs. Cellier what he said who was very well pleased that their endeavors seem'd to succeed so well Soon after I met the Countess at Mrs. Celliers house who acquainted me that the Lord Peterborough had given her Ladiship an account of all that had passed between him and Sir Robert Peyton and also told me there were great hopes of him but at the same time she said I must go forwards with all speed to set some Intrigue on foot against the Presbyterians for his Royal Highness either was already come to Town or would be here the next day and something must be done to make his Royal Highness believe the Presbyterians were carrying on a Design against the King and Government Then we considered what course to take in order thereunto but could not agree without better Judgments or at least then mine was So the Countess went away and the next day sent for Mrs. Cellier to the Tower who when she returned told me the Lords had ordered that I should use all the speed I could to find out some idle persons that appeared well in apparel and give them Money to go to the Coffee-houses and make enquiry of all the Clubs and Meetings that were about the Town and get the names of such as frequented them and endeavour to learn how things went in all parts of the Town This I promised to do but not being acquainted with many such persons whom I durst trust in such an Affair I employ'd only two or three of whom I had a better opinion then of the rest viz. One Bedford by some called Captain though he never was in Commission to him I gave 40 s. in Cliffords-Inn Garden and endeavoured to make him sensible what it was for and he was to proceed He entred into a solemn Promise to use his utmost endeavors to give me satisfaction Soon after I employed one Curtice and gave him Ten Shillings Earnest and told him his business who also promised to use his utmost Endeavour Then was I my self very busie in visiting most Coffee-Houses about Town where I found all things very suitable to our Interests and Designs and many Persons very hot against the Presbyterians some saying The Plot was now most apparently discovered to be theirs This Rumour was very industriously spread about by all our Accomplices as Wood Dormer the Virginia Merchant my self and many others perhaps unknown to me By this time his Royal Highness was returned from Flanders and the Lord Peterborough sent for me to give the Duke an account of this New Plot by which it appears that his Lordship had heard something of it before And his Lordship has since declared to the King and Council That Mrs. Cellier had given him an account of one Willoughby as also of his behaviour in Flanders and some part of a Presbyterian Design that was then on foot But at that time when his Lordship sent for me I was unprovided and sent the Countess word of it who appointed me to wait on her at Powis House that Night at Four a Clock which I did and found her Ladyship there who bid me sit down and write which having done she dictated and I writ and this which follows is the Abbreviation of that which was found by Sir William Waller in the Meal-Tub for that was the Original and what the Countess dictated REMARKS c. Four Clubs or Meetings viz. Sir Robert Peyton at the Kings Head Tavern Mr. Bennet's at the Green Dragon Sir Francis Clark's at the Sun Tavern Colonel Blood 's at Westminster Market The three first being the Council Meetings and the last the Messengers for the Countries at present but when occasion shall require they are to be Field-Officers Mr. Gooding's promise to support D. M. if Banished Major Alsop's promise to me for a Commission Friday the 12th of September M. went to Sir Thomas Player The manner of sending Messengers to all parts of England The Manner of all their several Meetings and how the Converse with one another for the concurrence of matters The manner of their Contributing and to what purpose money is raised The posture they were in for a Rising if His Majesty had died and how they had a considerable Army posted in and about the Town for that purpose The Contrivance of the Bill against The Design to rise in the North in order to join with an Army of Scots commanded by Goodine's and others Accounts about their Government Lord Hallifax Lord Shaftsbury Lord Radnor Lord Essex Lord Wharton Duke of Buckingham and others for Counsel Duke of Monmouth to be General Lord Gray of Warke Lieutenant-General Lord Gerrard and his Son Lieutenant-Generals Sir Thomas Armstrong Lieutenant-General Colonel Blood Sir William Waller and others to be Major-Generals Colonel Mansel Quarter-master General Most of the Field-Officers meet at Bloood's Club and others at Cities and great Towns in the Countries The Detachment to be made from His Majesties Guards c. and also from the Trained-Bands and Militia both in City and Country Alsop's promise to bring me to my Lord Shaftsbury to be employed for an Intelligencer and to have his promise for a Commission Now I must obsrve to the Reader That though most of these Particulars were Dictated by the Countess yet I had them not all of her but some from Bedford Curtice Woods c. the which being by me afterwards abbreviated and the Lists of the persons named who I was informed met at the aforesaid Clubs being added to it Each of these Clubs consist of at least 200 persons all of good Estates and Substance These that follow are Lists of particular persons viz. At the Kings Head Tavern in Fleetstreet LOrd Howard Sir Robert Peyton Sir John Duke Sir Philip Matthews Sir Henry Blount Mr. John Gibson Mr. Charles Umphreville Mr. John
the Lord Chancellor replied That I was a fine Fellow to come first to His Majesty and tell him one Story then to the Lord Powis and from thence to my Lord Shaftsbury 's and discover to one what Discourse I had had with the other and bring one Story to the Earl of Shaftsbury and another to the Council Then all were commanded to withdraw there being no need of the rest of Mr. Mansel's Witnesses in a matter so plain and clear And presently a Warrant issued from the Board to commit me to Newgate and Order was given to Mr. Attorney General for my prosecution Here follows the Council Warrant for my Commitment to Newgate THese are in His Majesties Name to require You to take into your Custody the Person of Thomas Willoughby herewith sent You for forging of Letters importing High Treason and fixing the same privately at Mr. Mansel 's Chamber to render him guilty thereof without cause and You are to keep him safe till he shall be delivered by due course of Law for which this shall be your Warrant Council Chamber Whitehall October the 27th 1679. To the Keeper of Newgate or His Deputy Worcester J. Bridgwater Fauconbridge Fran. North H. Coventry Henry Capell H. Powle John Nicholas The Instructions which the Lady Powis delivered to me in the Stone-Gallery in Whitehall were as followeth viz. First I am suspected to have put the Letters behind the Bed when I went to take the Rooms I can easily make that to appear improbable For I neither knew what Room Mansel would lye in nor that I my self should lye there at all And when I was told which Rooms were to be let it appears I did not desire Mansel should quit his Lodging to give me place And after I had taken the Lodgings there is no proof that I was any more in Mansel's Lodgings till the search was made Secondly Stretch swears That whilst he was searching I went round the Bed and he believes I then put them there because I espied them first But 't is strange that the Mistresses Brother one Messenger more and others that were then in the Room should not take notice of any suspicious behaviour in me as well as Stretch I am likewise suspected because he swears I declared the Letters to be treasonable Papers before I saw the inside of any one of them and that none of them was ever read to me Which that it is false Mr. Bedford can witness for me I desired them to seize all the rest of his Letters and Pamphlets which were of great consequence and a considerable number of both and bring them immediately to the Council whither I went expecting to find them but it seems they were carried to the Lord Shaftsbury and afterwards sent to Justice Warcup and five or six of the Letters found behind the Bed taken out and all the Pamphlets and two or three hundred Letters more and a Parchment or two with great Seals returned to Mr. Mansel again and only such as were thought fit produced here I desire also to know when and where the Writings were delivered to him again and why they are not all produced as well as some And why they were not forthwith carried to some Secretary of State to peruse And by what authority he had examined the Boy And why he gave him Wine And why the Boy was threatned to be sent to Bridewel or delivered to a Constable And why he was afterwards encouraged and spoke kindly to and commended for the prettiest Boy they eversaw Now if the Boy who if asked can declare I never fore instructed him in the least would not tell the truth as they call it without threats and caresses I humbly conceive little credit will be given to what he says but if it were truth and had come freely from him as it did not he is not of age to understand an Oath Let Mr. Bedford be asked If this Mansel did not use to go to a Factious Club in Westminster Market And if he did not bring a Scandalous Pamphlet thither call'd The Word out of Doors and read the same there and applauded it I desire to know whether he is not acquainted with Captain Brown Mr. Disney Mr. Hamey Mr. Alsop Mr. Kenniston Mr. Phillips Mr. Wray Mr. Murray Mr. Pemberton Mr. Whittaker and others of the same Faction about the Town And if he has not frequented their Meetings If he has he may justly be suspected for these are most notoriously Factious Persons and disaffected to that degree that they cannot endure to hear any speak well of His Majesty or the present Government Now I would fain know how D'oiley could be so well acquainted with me as to know my Name to be any other than Willoughby and what Authority he had to Examine the Boy and when he saw me at the Tower and how often And how long he has had the Counterfeit Guiney and from whom And how he came to attend the Council just that morning I was there And if I mistake not he has since declared if I had not spoke to him he would have said nothing to me why then should Mr. D'oiley now pretend to produce the Counterfeit Guiney against me Or why not when he saw me in the Tower or since for he has met me divers times in the streets Can this appear to be any other than meer malice or some mercenary act procur'd by Mansel or some of his party to invalidate my Testimony and colour their own design Now my Lords I humbly conceive that to counterfeit Guinies is Treason and if Mr. D'oiley knew me the Authour of it it must be misprision of Treason at least in him to conceal it thus long He also went divers times to one William Leigh a prisoner in Newgate whom himself had apprehended for Clipping and Coyning and offered for sixscore pounds to procure him a Pardon and that he should be discharged without so much as being Indicted for the Crime which had been done had not others prevented it and the like proposals he made to divers others that were to be tryed in York-shire By all which Circumstances it seems to be very plain and clear that they have used all possible means to destroy me But I know I am before a Just and Wise King whom I humbly desire to consider my honest-endeavours to do Your Majesty Service The 29th of October Sir William Waller made a search in the House of Mrs. Cellier where in a Meal Tubb he found that Book which contained the Model of the designed Plot against the Protestants which hath been already mentioned The Examination of Anne Blake Servant to Mrs. Cellier taken upon Oath before Sir William Waller the 29th of October 1679. This Examinant saith that Mrs. Cellier delivered into her Custody two parcels of Papers desiring her to lay them up for her so as they might not be discovered or words to that effect and that in Obedience to her Mistress's Commands this Examinant hid