eyes may be opened to see what is done Holloway I would not advise any one to go that way to work to do any thing by force of Arms and I wish the Kings eyes may be opened that he may see his Enemies from his Friends and I think he hath cause to look for them near his home Have you any Papers to deliver Holloway I have no other Papers what Paper I Wrote the Council had I did Wrâ—te I Paper that it might be some satisfaction to the Opinions of people of what I knew that care might betaken to prevent other Opinions if there were an errour And that Paper the Council had though they took it very hainously of me that I should presume to Write such a thing I looked upon it that I could not do more for the King than to acquaint him of what I knew that if they were misinformed there might be care taken to alter the Opinion Mr. Sh. Dashwood You have delivered to Paper to your Wife or to any Friends Holloway That I suppose is well known to the Goaler Mr. Sh. Dashwood You know better than any body whether you have or not You may say ay of no. Holloway I could not be admitted to Write any for I could not have Pen and Ink to Write any thing but this Mr. Sh. Dashwood And you have not delivered any Paper Holloway I have Written to some Friends I know it is supposed that I had delivered a Copy of that Paper that the Council had and I think if it had been known publickly it would have done no great hurt Mr. Sh. Daniel You speak of several peoples Opinions what do you mean Holloway As concerning the Times Sir the management of Assairs Mr. Sh. Daniel Pray Sir under what denomination do you reckon your self Holloway I reckon my self a Protestant Mr. Sh. Daniel Of what sort Of the Church of England or of the Dissenters from them Holloway I am not a Dissenter from the Church of England Mr. Sh. Daniel Nor joyned with them Holloway Nor joyned with them altogether But I thought that if any good had been designed for England that I had done enough to merit a Pardon for I had Wrote so much of Truth and was so fair and plain in it that I thought it would have merited a Pardon if any good were designed If I could have discovered more that had been for the King and Kingdoms interest I would have done it For I did not do it rashly but considered of it some time before I gave it in I hope it will be a satisfaction that there was such a Plot what other mens Opinions might be of it I can't tell but leave every one to their own Judgment It was feared that Arbitrary Government and Popery was designed and truly I think at this present time by what I can understand that there is little better designed Cap. Richardson This is reflecting upon the Government Mr. Sh. Dashwood This is not sit Holloway I say it is contrary to the Kings knowledge Sir Mr. Sh. Daniel Sir We have neither a Reprieve nor a Pardon for you Holloway I don't expect it Sir if Truth and Plainness would have merited a Pardon I might have had it Cap. Richardson The King is the best Judge of his own mercy Holloway Had the Law been executed against Popish Offenders I had never been concerned in any Plot. Cap. Richardson You know the King was very earnest in that to have the Laws put in execution against them and that he moved in to the Parliament to have it done Have you any thing else to say that more nearly concerns you Holloway I wish I could have been any otherways serviceable to the King and Kingdom before I left them I should have been very willing and it was always my design to promote the King and Kingdoms Interest more than my own Mr. Sh. Damel Well Sir you say some things very well but others ill Holloway What I say Sir I leave to peoples Judgments if I am mistaken I hope they will be otherwise Mr. Sh. Damel Well Sir have you any thing farther to say Holloway No Sir Mr. Sh. Dashwood I suppose you used to keep a Meeting or Club at Bristol with several there Holloway I know some have represented a Club very bad in Bristol A Club we had about the Choice of Parliament men Mr. Sh. Damel The Horse-shoe Club. Mr. Sh. Dashwood Or the Marmaid Club. Holloway The Horse-shoe Club it was only for the carrying on the Election of Parliament men If all such things should be called Clubs there were greater Clubs kept by another Party Mr. Sh. Dame Well Sir you had best fit your self for Death you have no long time to live Then he opened his Bibel and read the 62 Psalm and part of two Chapters in the Hebrews and afterwards asked the Sheriffs if he might have liberty to Pray which being gramed be Prayed as follows BLessed and holy Lord our God thou art before all Men thou art the only true God the Almighty God the Fountain of all Goodness Thou art the Discerner of all hearts the secret thoughts of men are not unknown to thee Oh Lord what am I that thou shouldst be mindful of me or that thou shouldst suffer me now to call upon thee when thou mightest have taken me away in the Commission of some sin against thee But thou hast been a merciful God a long-suffering God a patient God O Lord I trust it is for my Souls Welfare in bringing me to this though it is an untimely end for thou cuttest off my days in the midst but Lord I trust it is for my Souls sake Our times are in thy hands and it is my Sins that have brought me to this Oh give me a true sense or them as I trust thou hast done and that thou hast heard my Prayers and wilt be my God my Comforter and receive me in and through the Merits of Jesus Christ our Lord who offered himself a Sacrisive for our Sins even for the Sins of the whole World and now sâ—… at thy right hand interceeding for us Lord hear me in and through him Lay not any of my Sins to my charge let not the least Sin be unpardoned The least Sin deserveth Damnation Lord I trust thou hast pardoned them all and that thou hast heard my Prayers and the Prayers of others for me Lord in mercy look down upon me in mercy look down upon this Nation pardon the crying Sins thereof Lord thou seest to what a height of Sin it grows and thou seest what Wickedness is promoted in all Places and what little encouragement there is to that which is good Lord bless the King and keep him from all Conspiracies Lord give him a sense of his Condition and make him know his Enemies from his Friends O Lord let him look close about him to see who are about him and Lord put an end to all Plottings O Lord make him a happy Prince give
from New-Market in order to which he had provided Arms for fifty men Pistols Carbines and Blunderbusses and that they were promised the House of one Rumbald a Maltster which lay in the Road and the King must come by his Door there the men should have been Lodged Then we asked who was to have acted it to which he could give but a slender Answer and could or would name but two men who were Rumbald and his Brother saying if they could have raised six or eight hundred pounds to have bought Horses and something to encourage men they should have had men enough so that we found they had few men if more than two and no Horses only a parcel of Arms which afterwards he shewed us at a Gun-smiths House in a little Lane near Temple-Bar Then we asked him what they designed if it had taken effect to which he answered that the men should have come up with all speed to London and dispersed themselves immediately declaring for the Duke of Monmouth and that the King and Duke being dead no opposition could be made then we asked who were for this Design he named Collonel Rumsy and Richard Goodenough and as far as I can remember no more so we found it was carried on by them contrary to the knowledg or approbation of those who managed the General Design then we declared our great dislike of it telling him it was a base Dishonourable and Cowardly Action and would seem odious to all the World that any pretending themselves Protestants should be concerned in such a Bloody Action and that we thought it was his Cowardize put him upon it to which he said that he could not Fight but would be as forward with his Mony as any one of his Capacity Then we went to Collonel Rumsy who we found to be wholly of West's Opinion saying that except something be done that way I know nothing will be done at all for he knew the other Managers would do nothing so we had little Discourse at that time After this we went to Ferguson who told us how things stood we then found that he knew of both Designs but was only for the Insurrection and told us that the Managers had been Treating with some Scotch Gentlemen that they were almost agreed and that the Mony they were to be supplied with would be ready in three or four days being ten thousand pounds which was to be returned to Holland to buy Arms c. for Scotland He also told us that the Scotch Gentlemen had made another Proposal to the Managers thus if they would supply them with thirty thousand pounds they would begin it in Scotland first which they could soon have and then would Invade England desiring the Managers only to get a Party in the North of England ready to oppose any Force from coming out of England against them before they had setled Scotland but this was not approved of the Managers chusing rather to supply them with 10000 l. and to begin it in England the same time Then we daily expected to hear when the Mony would be paid but still found nothing but delays the Managers not agreeing how to raise the Mony and that if the Mony had been ready they were come to no Conclusion as to any method more than they were nine months before having done nothing but talked to ensnare people reporting about in all parts how the Liberties of the people were daily more and more infringed and that Arbitrary Government and Popery was coming in apace which incensed people very much and made such a grumbling in all parts that we fear'd longer delays would make the common people in many parts mutiny it being as we thought so gen'rally known except something was suddenly done it was impossible it should remain undiscovered so the next time we met with Rumsy and Ferguson tho never together we declared our dissatisfaction by Reason of such long delaies and spoke it so as that it might come to the managers Ears as we suppose it did being to this effect That we thought they had only a designe to betray people drawing many thousands into a snare for their actions shewed little otherwise being so long discoursing a thing of that nature and done so little towards it few daies after meeting with Rumsy again he told us they were of different opinions concerning a method some for beginning the Insurrection only in London and Scotland some for it in all places at once as at first proposed others for leveral places in England and Scotland and not in London saying that if it was not begun in London but in other places there would be forces raised in London to send out against them which would take out most of their strength and that then London might be casily secured somtimes they were for beginning it only in London and Scotland and to have people come up to London from all parts of England to which we answered that we thought no way better than what was first proposed viz. the beginning of it in many places at once as before mentioned for although we had engaged none in or about Bristol nor should not endeavour it till all things were concluded yet with the assistance we were promised from Taunton did not doubt but to get men enough to secure it and that we knew not where to get ten men that would come for London and supposed it might be so in other places men might be willing to secure their own Countrey who would not be willing to leave all and come for London Rumsy then said if he knew where to get at the head of 1000 men he would begin it presently and desired that we might meet the next night with some others and consider of things so the next afternoon we met at Richard's Coffee-House near Temple-Barr and from thence to a Tavern near I think called the little or young Devil Tavern were met eight persons viz. Collonel Rumsy Robert West Capt. Norion Capt. Walcot Richard Goodenough Francis Goodenough Nathaniel Wade and my self this was the first time I knew Walcot When we were all sit Collonel Rumsy spoke to this effect as near as I can remember the same words Gentlemen if we can raise three thousand men in and about London there is a person of Honour will appear at the head of them and begin the business which we supposed to be the Duke of Monmouth and do not well remember whether he mentioned his name or not Which proposal much surprized Mr. Wade and I that he should then question the raising of 3000 men whereas when it was first mentioned to us we thought they had been sure of many thousands in London at an hours warning Then it was considered how 3000 men might be raised and how they might do something to the purpose then we declared what method we had concluded on for the management of Affairs in Bristol which was as followeth and they could think of no better way so
Messengers into Scotland and Ireland to know their minds naming one Aaron Smith sent into Scotland and at the return of the Messengers would come to a resolution as to time and method but he was confident they could not be ready before Midsomer by reason they had done so little in order to it Mr. Wade was then design'd into the West upon the Earl of Stamford's business and said if he could understand any thing more before he left London he would take Bristol in his way and acquaint us with it This Journey he brought me to Coll. Rumsey with whom we had little discourse he being going forth with his Lady The sixth of March I left London and went directly for Bristol about the twelfth of March Mr. Wade came to Bristol but then could say no more than as above the Messengers being not come back from Scotland nor Ireland and was of his former opinion that if any thing were done it could not be before Midsomer he then expected to be about two Months in the West and said that if any thing was agreed upon sooner one Mr. West a Councellor had promised to write to him in the name of Inglestone and direct his Letter to be left at his Brothers in Bristol who Wade ordered that if any such Letter came to open it and if any thing material in it to send it by a Messenger to him into the West About the 17th of March came a Letter for him from West in the name of Inglestone which his Brother opened and not understanding the Stile brought it to me but I knew not the meaning thereof The Contents was to desire Mr. Wade to get his Clients together the next Saturday come Fortnight for that was the day appointed to Seal the Writings and neither of us understanding it his Brother sent it by a Messenger after him who found him at Taunton and his Answer by the Messenger was that he knew not the meaning of it but should be within ten miles of Bristol the next Saturday desiring that if any other Letter came to send it to him About three days after came another Letter as above desiring him not to call his Clients together for the time of Sealing was put off which Letter was also sent to him but he understood it not saying it was some rash business or other and so went back again The fifth of April I came to London and that evening went to Mr. West's Chamber in the Temple where I found him who then did not know me but when I told him my Name from whence I came and mentioned the two Letters Mr. Wade received from him he began to be somewhat free in Discourse with me I then told him that Mr. Wade and his friends were surprised at the Letters not knowing what he meant by them and did desire to know concerning which he seemed a little shy but after little Discourse began to tell me saying there was a Design to take off the King and Duke coming from New-Market which they expected would have been that Saturday mentioned in his Letter had not the Fire happened which caused them to come sooner nay said he had we known they would have stayed so long as they did their business should have been done I then asked him what he meant by desiring Mr. Wade to get his Clients together by that day and what he could propose they should have done to which he could say little only that they might be ready I then told him that I thought it a very rash thing and that few in England would approve of it that I was sure none about us would being a most Cowardly dishonourable Action besides the basest sin of Murther then said he what is designed by the General Design but to take them both off and if it had been done that way it would have prevented a great deal of Bloodshed in the Nation no said I no such thing is designed as I know of the General Design being only to get the King off from his evil Counsels who had advised him to put a stop to Proceedings against Popish Plotters by Dissolving of Parliaments c. and to bring all Popish Offenders to Justice and such who had betrayed the Liberty of the Subject and this I think was all the Discourse we had at that time being the first of my Acquaintance with him that Night I went with him to a Tavern in Fleetstreet where was Captain Norton Richard Goodenough and one Mr. Aylif who to my knowledg I never saw before nor since whilest I was with them there was no Discourse of any business but I soon left them together The next day Mr. Roe of Bristol brought me to Mr. Ferguson at the House of one Mr. Bourne a Brewer but was not admitted to see him himself Ferguson then went by the Name of Roberts who when I had told my Name and from whence I came was pretty free in Discourse with me and told me the Design went on very well that there were some Scottish Gentlemen come up who were treating with the Managers and did hope they would agree in few days and come to a resolution both as to time and method of which we should have timely notice but by all his Discourse at that time I could not perceive that he knew any thing of the New-Market Design That day I had some Discourse with Collonel Rumsey at his House who I found was privy to the New-Market business and his Opinion was that the General Design would come to nothing for he did not approve of the Managers Actings and said there was nothing like the other Design for that would put an end to all in a little time then I told him that I thought none in our Parts would be for it which I think was all the Discourse we then had only he promised that if any thing was agreed before Mr. Wade came up I should hear of it so I took leave and went for Bristol the next morning About ten days after hearing nothing from them Ferguson having told me that he thought all would be agreed in four or five days and promised to advise I wrote to Mr. West desiring to know how they went on who wrote me that they still met with delays and were come to no Conclusion after that I heard no more 'till May. About the beginning of May I came up to London again in Company with Mr. Wade and some other Bristol men but when we came up my business being in the City and theirs about the Temple we parted after two or three days I met with Mr. Wade and asked how he found things who told me he doubted all would prove a Sham for he thought there was nothing intended finding nothing materially done in order to what had been so long discoursed Then we went to Mr. West and discoursed him fully about the Contents of his Letters who told us they were resolved to kill the King and Duke as they came
it was concluded that London and the Suburbs should be divided into Twenty parts and one man made choice of in each division who should chuse out ten in his division that he could trust and each of those ten to find out fifteen which would make 161 in each division so that twenty divisions would produce 3220. in order to which a Map of London was to be bought the nex day and each division drawn out in a particular paper mentioning every Street and Lane of note in it with the North East South and West bounds thereof and to be brought the next meeting two or three nights after at the first meeting it was agreed that none should know of this Design viz. of the chief Managers till all the men were secured and that those seven I being not to stay long in London should meet every two or three nights till all was compleated At this meeting Rumsy and West would be often saying there was nothing like the lopping business meaning the taking off the King and Duke and that it might be easily done as they went to or from Windsor or to or from the Play-House but I never heard any agree with him in it Next day a Map was bought and brought to West's Chamber in the Temple where some met to divide it and draw out the divisions against the next meeting The next place we met at I think was the Castle-Tavern in Fleet-street where some of the divisions were brought all being not done and then it was consider'd how they should be distributed being we were most strangers and agreed that Richard Goodenough who had been Under-Sheriff and so had a general Acquaintance should do it who was willing to undertake it the rest of the divisions to be ready against the next meeting which was two or three Nights after at the Green-Dragon Tavern upon Snow Hill where when Mr. Goodenough came he told us That he had disposed of some of them and did hope it would take effect and that in a week or ten days he should have fixed the twenty men the consideration how things should be manag'd was deferred till they were sure of the men only some mention'd their Opinions how the Tower White Hall and other places might be best surprised The Tower was thought might be best gained in the day time White-Hall and other places in the night with many such things in way of discourse Rumsy was still upon the old strain of killing the King and the Duke saying at this the last meeting I was at going for Bristol next morning that it might be done in Windsor-Park and that he would undertake it but not except every one there present would go with him to which not one consented I replying that I was for no such thing but seeing the other business had gone so far and was known to so many if they could bring it to bear in London and other places I rashly said rather than fail of Bristol we will undertake it at Noon-day with an hundred Men to which Rumsy said I was a bold Fellow they then promised when they were sure of the men to advise and take care for some Arms for us at Bristol and that we should have some Great Person come down to head us but I heard no more till the news of the Discovery came in publick Letters I remember one time when Wade and I was with Firguson he told us that the Duke of Monmouth was brought to a low Condition all his Places being taken from him and his Tenants in Scotland being so severely dealt with upon account of their Religion was not able to pay Rent so that his Estate there which was accounted worth Ten or Twelve Thousand Pound per An. did not yield him the last Year Two Thousand Pound that he was not well pleased with the management of Affairs and desired Mr. Wade to Appoint a place where he would meet the Lord Gerrard and Sir Thomas Armstrong to discourse them to which Mr. Wade replyed he would meet none of them for such Great Men had betrayed the Nation already and ensnar'd too many Thousands to no purpose How it was to have been acted in Bristol We concluded that the only way to secure Bristol would be by a suprize which with about 350 men 150 of which we depended on from Taunton the other 200. to be raised in and about the City might easily be done about 4 of the Clock in the morning as soon as the Watch were gone off without the bloodshed of one man thus dividing the City into fourteen parts so making thirteen Posts besides the main Guard which should at first have been at the Toulzy which is in Bristol as the Exchange here we supposâ—d 20. men might be sufficient for each Post and the remainder for the main Guard out of which might be spared 4. or 6. Files to be constantly marching about and to assist where there might be occasion The method we designed for the raising of 200. men in and about the Ctiy was thus first to find out 30 men 2 for each Post and 4 for the main Guard who might be able each of them to procure 6. and to command them which would have made 14. for each Post and 28. for the main Guard to whom the Taunton men should be added viz. 6. to each Post and the remainder to the main Guard who should have come in the day before some at every entrance of the City and lodge themselves at Inns and Ale-houses as near the Posts they were appointed for as they could each man being to know his Post and Commanders before they came the Bristol Men to Lodge themselves and Arms with Arms for the Taunton Men in an House as near as possible to their Posts and to send one out from each Post between Three and Four of the Clock in the morning to observe the motion of the Watch and to advise as soon as they were gone off that they might all immediately repair to their respective Posts calling the Taunton men and as soon as they had gained their Posts to send out a File of Musquetiers to fetch in such and such men in each of their divisions as they should have had an account of before and convey them to the main Guard which in the fourteen Divisions would have been about Sixty Persons Commission-Officers and others then to fetch in all the Arms and Ammunition they could find which two things being done as we supposed might be in a little time and without any opposition the Posts being so near each other that it would have been impossible for any Number to get together we resolved next to declare the reasons for our taking up Arms and to encourage all to come in to us that we could trust not doubting but we should soon have had many Thousands in the City and out of the adjacent Counties Gloucester Somerset and Wilts The Reasons why I did not come in c. When the