Selected quad for the lemma: master_n
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A36351
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Mr. Tho. Dangerfields 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.
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Dangerfield, Thomas, 1650?-1685.
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1679
(1679)
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Wing D192; ESTC R13969
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73,229
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82
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had been imported and was stowed in such a place But here Mansel understood that his Papers were all returned and more than his own for the Treasonable Papers were return'd with them and accordingly when he was come back to his Lodging he found the Box restored and the Papers lying on the Dresser suprescribed by the Master of the House For Colonel Mansel These Papers he opened in the presence of Mr. Harris desiring him to take notice of them and how many there were and desired Mr. Harris to set a mark on them that he might be the better able to swear they were the same when they should come to be examined before Authority which he resolved they should presently be In order to which he carried them with him to advise with a Friend what to do in the Case who perswaded him to go forthwith to a Secretary of State which he endeavoured to have done but not finding my Lord sunderland or any of his Clerks at the Office the Earl of Essex and Sir Henry Capel being also from home he addrest himself to a Worthy Gentleman Mr. Justice Warcup to whom he laid open the whole Affair and having got together the Officers of the Custom-house the Master and Mistress of the Lodgings and whatever other Evidence they then had Mr. Justice Warcup was pleased to take their Depositions Upon the whole matter it appeared to have been a Malicious Design of mine and thereupon he made out a Warrant to apprehend me which having delivered to a Constable they went along with him to Mr. Celliers who is a French Merchant and a Papist where I did then and the St. Omers Boys formerly had lodged there the Justice Constable and Warrant found me As soon as I understood their errand I pretended that this was Mr. 〈…〉 What said I has he cryed Whore first but I have been this day with the King my self and with Mr. Secretary Coventry and have acquainted them with the business so that I suppose there will be some enquiry made for him at his Lodging before he get back Col. Warcup answered me That if I would find sureties to appear at the Council-Board next Morning by Nine of the Clock he should give me no further trouble at present And accordingly Mr. Cellier the French Merchant and Mr. Blasedale the Apothecary entering into Recognizance for my appearance I was Bail'd On Thursday October 23. in the Forenoon when the persons concerned attended the Council in the Lobby I met with a very unhappy Rencounter for as I was going down the Stairs of the Lobby I met with one Mr. D'oiley an Officer belonging to the Mint who had formerly known and prosecuted me for uttering false Guinies Espying him and being conscious to my self of my former Crimes I began to Curse without any provocation and demanded what D'oiley had to say to me threatning if I had him out of the Court to cut his Croune and that whenever I should meet him in a convenient place I would be revenged on him at which I suppose D'oiley was surprized But my Lord Chief Justice North passing by towards the Council and overhearing what words passed betwixt us Mr. D'oiley made his application to his Lordship and presently Mr. Justice Warcup was sent for in and ordered to take Mr. D'oiley's information against me and a Messenger was likewise ordered to take me into Custody Mr. Justice Warcup directed the Messenger to take me to the Kings-Head Tavern whither he promis'd to come himself as soon as the Council was up during our stay there I writ a Note to Mrs. Cellier to go to the Lord and Lady Powis and acquaint them that I was apprehended for they knew what This Note the Messenger would not suffer the Boy to carry till himself had read the Contents of it and then he dismist him who carryed it according to direction That Morning the Council had before them the affair of Mr. Dugdale so that when Colonel Warcup had delivered in the Examinations that he had taken the day before about me we were all commanded to appear in the Afternoon at Four of the Clock Thursday Octob. 23th Afternoon when the Council was sitting I was called in first and presently after me Mansel was call'd whom the Lord Chancellor asked What Correspondencies these were that he held Here are Papers says he of dangerous consequence such as import the Levying Men and Raising Rebellion against His Majesty Here is also a Catalogue of mens Names whom you have Listed Mr. Mansel replyed That he knew nothing of these Letters and Papers That he neither had held nor ever would hold any Treasonable Correspondence with any person living He humbly prayed the favour of the Honourable Board That he might be permitted to give an Account how he came by the sight of these Papers and he did not question but to make it appear that these Papers were brought into his Chamber out of some malicious design or other by me Then he gave to their Lordships a full and clear account of what he knew or had been informed of by those of the Family where he lodged and the Officers of the Custom-House and being commanded to call in his Witnesses he did so Mr. Alexander Harris was first Sworn who Witnessed That the Papers before that Honourable Board were the same that had been left at his House for Colonel Mansel by an Officer of the Custom-House Mr. Stretch and Mr. Bostock were Sworn next who deposed among other matters That I having informed them of certain prohibited Goods concealed in Ax Yard appointed them to come to me at Mr. Celliers House in Arundel Buildings the last Monday whither being come in order to the Search and Seizure I told them I was not yet ready having not yet Lodged at my new Quarters but would not fail to be there that Night and therefore appointed them to come thither on Wednesday Morning That at that time they came and found me with my Friend in the Chamber that then I took them aside lest Bedford should hear what I said and whispered to them that the Goods were in the Room above Stairs and desired them to charge me to assist That after a narrow search finding no such Goods as they were informed of I pointed towards the Bed which they drew from the wall and searched very narrowly but still the Papers not appearing that I pointed again to the Beds-head whereupon Stretch went once more behind the Bed with a Candle but with the like ill success At last I went behind the Beds-head and called to the Officers What 's that hangs there shewing them a Pacquet of Papers pinned to the Beds-head the Officer taking them down I snatcht one of them out of his hand and cryed out Here is Treason The Officer taking another Paper and reading it In the Paper that I read were words to this purpose I wonder at your delay and that the Four Lords have left us for now the Tyrant has
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