for the County of Stafford Nor is it to be omitted that among the rest of the Discoveries about this time made Lower Comes in Herefordshire was detected to be a Colledge of Jesuites and was let them at a low rent by one Hutton of St. Giles's Merchant for one and twenty years which lease was witness'd by William Ireland Fenwick and Groves The House was contriv'd for the purpose with lodging Chambers and Studies and seated with all the privacy imaginable at the bottom of a rocky and woody Hill There were found in the house several Popish Books a Box of white Wafers stamp'd several Popish Pictures and Crucifixes some Reliques a little Saints-bell and an Incense pot Soon after one Father Lewis was taken near the same place and sent to Monmouth Jail He had couzen'd a poor maid of all the Money she had in the world to the value of 30 l. and made her give him a bond and confess a judgement to him for payment of the said money upon a pretence of praying her Fathers Soul out of Purgatory January 1678. Toward the beginning of this month the Earls of Salisbury and Clarendon were sworn of his Majesties Privy Council Neither do we find the beginning of it signaliz'd with any transaction of remark till the Execution of Ireland and Grove for Pickering had a further reprieve till May 1679. The other two were both hang'd drawn and quarter'd according to the Sentence pronounc'd against them upon the 24th of this Month. The last words of Ireland were mainly taken notice of and there were some whose Charity was almost deluded to believe him hearing those imprecations of Damnation which he made to impose upon the world that he was not in Town all August and consequently that the witnesses had sworn falsly against him Yet after all these solemn Imprecations to advance his own and depress the credit of the Kings witnesses as if his Salvation depended upon his giving a meritorious sparring blow to the Kings Evidence at his departure after all these Imprecations I say that he was absent in Staffordshire from the fifth of August till the fourteenth of September in comes one Mr. Jenison a person of worth and credit and positively deposes upon oath that he saw Mr. Ireland at his Chamber at the Hart in Russel street upon the nineteenth day of August being then newly return'd from Windsor He further depos'd that after a short salute Mr. Ireland ask'd him what news at Windsor and how the King spent his time To which when Mr. Jenison answer'd that the King spent his time in Hawking and Fishing went very thinly and meanly guarded the Old Priest reply'd that then it would be an easie thing to take him off A circumstance so remarkable and consequently so convincingly apparent that many doubters were very well satisfy'd to see it finding the credit of the traduc'd witnesses so well supported and such a slur put upon all the vows and protestations of a sufferer so desperately engaging heaven in the defence of his untruths Much about this time his Majesties Forces that had been recall'd out of Flanders began to return again into England But that which was the nine days wonder of the whole Nation was the dissolution of the second long Parliament which had been continu'd by Prorogations and Adjournments from the eighth day of May in the 13th year of his Majesties reign and was lastly prorogu'd till the fourth of February in the twenty fourth year of his Majesties Government with an intention to have met again By this Proclamation his Majesty did publish and declare his Royal will and pleasure to dissolve the present Parliament and that he did dissolve the same accordingly However to the intent his Majesties Loyal Subjects might perceive his confidence in their good affections and how desirous his Majesty was to meet his people and have their advice by their representatives in Parliament His Majesty was also pleas'd to declare that he would forthwith issue out his Writs for calling a new Parliament to be holden at Westminster on Thursday the sixth of March 1678 9. And thus if it might be thought to be a wound he that gave it at the same time heal'd it and stopp'd as well the Insinuations as the Clamours of disaffected male-contents Toward the latter end of this month the middle Temple happen'd to be fir'd though whether on purpose or by accident is yet undetermin'd this is certain that had it gone on it had destroy'd one of the most stately Piles of Law in the whole world February 1678. January having thus made its Exit February succeeds remarkable in the first place for the change of the Secretaries of State For Sir Joseph Williamson having resigned the Seals of the Secretaryship into his Majesties hands the right honourable Robert Earl of Sunderland was sworn into his room Not long after several Queries were presented to his Majesty in Council by the Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex in order to their proceeding as to Papists and Popish Recusants 1. Whether Foreigners Popish Recusants that are and have long been settl'd House-Keepers following employments for their own advantage as Chirurgions Taylors Perriwig-makers c. but not otherwise Merchants though certifi'd to be Merchant strangers shall be excus'd from taking the Oaths or giving sureties 2. Whether such Foreigners being certifi'd by Embassadours or other foreign Ministers to be their Servants should be excus'd 3. Whether Foreigners Popish Recusants settl'd as House-keepers but neither Tradesmen Travellers or Foreign Ministers Servants shall be excus'd 4. Whether Native subjects of our Soveraign Lord the King that are Menial servants of Foraign Ministers shall be excus'd 5. Whether married women being Popish Recusants but their Husbands Protestants shall be excus'd 6. Whether Popish Recusants that have taken the Oaths found Sureties have appear'd and are convict shall find Sureties or be continu'd over These Queries were by his Majesty referr'd to the Judges who return'd an answer in writing that they had met and consider'd of the Questions propos'd and gave it for their Opinions 1. That Foreigners being Popish Recusants and exercising ordinary Trades but not Merchants were not excus'd from taking the Oaths or finding Security 2. That Foreigners though certifi'd by Embassadors to be their servants except they were their menial servants were not excusable 3. That Foreigners though settl'd House-keepers being no Travellers or Foreign Ministers servants were not to be excus'd 4. That the Kings native Subjects were not excus'd from taking the Oath by being menial servants to Foreign Ministers 5. That they found no Law to excuse a Feme covert being a Papist from taking the Oaths though her Husband were a Protestant 6. That a Popish Recusant having taken the Oaths was not bound to find new Sureties unless upon a new tender of the Oaths he should refuse to take them This report and opinion of the Judges his Majesty was graciously pleas'd to approve and thereupon an Order was
careful of himself Thus much for the Preliminaries which give a fair insight into the Age and Series of this detestable Contrivance It will now be requisite to embody the Design and to display the whole Mystery that thereby the Crimes of every Malefactor for I cannot in Conscience call them Martyrs that has hitherto been justly Executed may more clearly appear The grand and general Design then of the Pope the Pious and Zealous Society of Jesuits and their Accomplices and Associates in this as disingenious and raskally as unchristian Conspiracy was to have reduc'd the flourishing Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland to the Romish Religion and under the Papal Jurisdiction To accomplish this the Pope had Entitl'd himself by way of Confiscation and Forfeiture to the Kingdoms of England and Ireland He had sent the Bishop of Casal in Italy into Ireland to make out his Title to that Kingdom and to take Possession in his behalf and had constituted Cardinal Howard his True and Lawful Attorney for the same intent and purpose in England But these fair Vineyards could not be enjoy'd so long as the right owner liv'd and had pow'r to defend his own Inheritance Therefore was the King himself by his Holiness impiously condemn'd and by the Consults of the Jesuits and Priests at London applauded and encourag'd by the Birds of the same Feather abroad dispos'd and destin'd to a lewd Assassination And to make good the Attempt the Papal Force in both Nations was to be Armed and that under Officers and Commanders commissionated by St. Peter's Authority given to the General of the Jesuits at Rome and by him convey'd to the Provincial of the same Order in England In this somewhat mannerly that the King was not to fall alone but to be attended by some of his nearest Relations and choicest Peers of which number was his own Brother if he did not fully answer their Expectations the Prince of Orange the Duke of Ormond and the Earl of Shaftsbury Into Scotland twelve Scotch Jesuits were sent by Order from the General of the Society and had a Thousand Pound given them by Le Cheese the French King's Confessor to keep up the Commotions in Scotland and had Instructions given them to carry themselves like Nonconformists among the Presbyterians the better to drive on their Design The Conquest and Subduing of Ireland was contriv'd and design'd by a general Rebellion and Massacre of the Protestants in that Kingdom for which the Actors had a late Precedent to go by For the carrying on whereof the Pope had been so liberal as to disburse Eight Hundred Thousand Crowns out of his own Treasury And for fear their own Power might not be sufficient there was a French Plot cunningly and a-la-modely interwoven with their English Conspiracies to bring in Foreign Assistance and Correspondencies held for that purpose between them and the King of France's Confessor at Paris But Heaven that saw and with indignation beheld the dark and infernal Practices of them that by acting contrary to all Piety and Virtue were bringing a Reproach and Scandal upon Heaven and Christianity it self would no longer suffer them to proceed in such an Execrable Tragedy A Crime that had it come to Execution Hell would have blush'd and the Devils in union among themselves might have had a prospect of some probability of Mercy beholding men more wicked then they The Discovery then being fully resolv'd upon in the Breast of Dr. Oates he makes his first Applications to Dr. Tongue both for his Advice and Assistance Who upon Monday the 13th of August 1678 acquainted Mr. Christopher Kirkby with the detection of a Popish Conspiracy against the King's Sacred Person and the Protestant Religion shewing him withall the Three and Forty Articles as he had receiv'd them in Writing from Dr. Oates and requesting him not to make the business known at first to any other person then the King himself Many difficulties shew'd themselves in the Management of this Affair which requir'd the more wariness in proceeding So that Mr. Kirkby not finding an Opportunity to speak in private with the King that Afternoon prepar'd a certain Paper to put into his hands the next Morning as he went to walk in the Park His Majesty having receiv'd and read it call'd Mr. Kirkby to Him who then only gave him this short Account That his Enemies had a design against his Life and therefore besought him to have a care of his Person for that he knew not but that he might be in danger in that very Walk which he was about to take desiring withall a more private place for a more particular Account Thereupon his Majesty commanded him to wait his return out of the Park At what time calling Mr. Kirkby into his Bed-chamber he commanded him to declare what he knew Mr. Kirkby thereupon inform'd the King that there were two persons that were set to watch an opportunity to Pistol him That his Friend was at hand and ready with his Papers to be brought before him when his Majesty should command In answer to this his Majesty appointed between the hours of Eight and Nine in the Evening at which time Mr. Kirkby and Dr. Tongue attended and being commanded into the Red Room deliver'd the Forty Three Articles or rather Heads of the Discovery to his Majesty who being to go to Windsor the next Morning was pleas'd to promise that he would transmit the Papers into the hands of the Earl of Danby then Lord Treasurer upon whom they were likewise order'd to attend the next day after That day about four of the Clock in the Afternoon they were admitted into the Treasurer's Closet who read the Papers and found them to be of the greatest Concern imaginable The third of September Mr. Kirkby went to Dr. Oates and having receiv'd from him what he had to communicate appointed to meet him the next morning Accordingly the next morning being the fourth of September Mr. Kirkby and Dr. Oates met at what time the latter told the former that Whitebread Provintial of the Jesuites was come to Town and had strucken him and charg'd him with having been with the King and with the discovery of the Plot which he deny'd it being true that he had not seen the King Upon this it was concluded that seeing the discovery was smoak'd Dr. Oates's Information should be sworn before some Justice of the Peace which was accordingly the first time done before Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey the sixth of September who nevertheless was not permitted to read the particulars of the Information it being alledged that his Majesty had already had a true Copy thereof and that it was not convenient that the business should be communicated to any body else as yet So that Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey was satisfied without reading them and only underwrit Dr. Oates's Affidavit That the Matters therein contain'd were true Dr. Tong at the same time making Oath that they had been made known to the King In
another nor interfer'd with those papers that have been found elsewhere or with those Informations that have been separately given in by other Persons Nor was it possible that the Grand Assembly of the Nation consisting of so many perspicacious Judgments and by whom he was fully examined should be so imposed upon by one Man as to Vote upon his Information that there was a Plot to Murder the King alter the Government and subvert the Religion established by Law had they not been highly satisfied in the Credit and soundness of the Evidence As to the time of his Discovery had he made it upon his first knowledge he had acted with less prudence and the Opposition he has met with plainly shews that the Kingdom might probably have lost the advantage of his delay had he come unprovided to attest those things which he could not so well have proved Nor was he at his own disposal when first he enter'd into their Society So that had he moved or acted either without or contrary to their Order he had presently been suspected watched and found out but as soon as he had enough to convince the World or at least the Rational part and that he was sent from Saint Omers into England he shewed his real intentions to preserve his Majesties Person and his Native Country from the bloody Contrivances of a bosom Enemy But what needs all this Justification Heaven it self assisted the Discovery and so directed their infatuated Councils that contrary to all the dictates of common Sence and Reason the Politic Jesuites rang that bloody peal themselves which wakened the drowsie unbelief of those that scarce gave credit to the Story and by closing the Eyes of one unfortunate Gentleman opened the Eyes of the whole Nation For understanding that Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex had taken the Discoverers Oath and Affidavit and presuming that much of the Plot might be confess'd and made known to him thinking to stifle his report in the Birth they concluded to commit a Murther that Villany laugh'd at and was Ridiculous to Folly it self The chief Instruments for there were several others unknown to the Discoverer set on and encouraged to act this fatal Tragedy were Father Girald and Father Kelly two Priests Robert Green Cushion-Man to the Chappel of Somerset-House Lawrence Hill servant to Dr. Goddin Treasurer of the Chappel Henry Berry Porter Lewson a Priest Philip Vernatti once belonging to my Lord Bellasis and Mr. Miles Prance by them deluded in to be an Assistant though soon after the Detector of the Fact and Persons These Men did not assign any particular reason for their malice but onely in general that Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey was a busie Person and going about to ruin all the Catholics in England and that it was necessary to destroy him or else they should be all undone This being their undoubted Maxim they laid several distinct Plots and employ'd divers separate Agents unknown to each other to accomplish their design Several Consultations they had at the Plow near Somerset-House and in other places but the ultimate Result of all their Debates was this That Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey should be dogg'd as he walk'd the Streets and that whoever of the Confederates should first lodge him in a convenient place should give the rest notice In pursuance of this Resolution having watched him several days and finding no opportunity at length upon Saturday the 12 of October 1678. in the Morning Hill Girald and Green went forth to observe his Motion and Kelley knowing what they were gone about went to Mr. Prance's House to acquaint him therewith and to charge him to be in a Readiness The first three went near to Sir Edmund-Bury's and while two stay'd at a distance Hill went up to the House and understanding he was within spake with him upon some pretended Story and so returned About ten or eleven a Clock Sir Edmund-Bury came forth all alone and his unknown Attendants dogg'd him with great diligence all the rest of the day to several places as his occasions led him till about six a Clock at night at what time he went into a great House in St. Clements where 't is thought he supp'd Then did Green leave the other two came to Mr. Prance and inform'd him that they had now set Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey in a House in St. Clements and bid him make all the hast down to the Water Gate belonging to Somerset-House where he should find Kelley the Priest and Berry the Porter Thereupon Prance went thither and found them walking in the Yard where they continued sometimes walking sometimes sitting till toward nine of the Clock About which time Sir Edmund-Bury coming out of the House aforesaid Hill ran before to give Notice that he was coming along and to wheedle him in he order'd that two should pretend to be a quarrelling Which done Hill returns to the Water Gate to expect his coming and entice him in In the mean time Kelly and Berry began a seeming quarrel but made no great Noise and Sir Edmund-Bury coming along just as he was passing by the said Water Gate Hill steps to him in a great deal of hast crying For God's sake Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey be pleas'd to come in for here are two Men quarrelling and I fear there will be Bloodshed between them Pugh-pugh said Sir Edmund-Bury refusing at first to trouble himself but Hill still urging and insisting that he was afraid there might be a great deal of mischief done and how glad he was to meet so opportunely with his Worship Sir Edmund Bury not suspecting any harm but desirous to prevent any mischance that might be occasion'd by a quarrel was persuaded to follow him Hill enter'd the Gate first Sir Edmund-Bury follow'd and behind him immediately clapp'd Girald and Green These all making down in this order toward the Rails near the Queens Stables where Kelley and Berry were pretending a quarrel Prance who stood close by the wall conceal'd goes up to secure the Water Gate while Berry slipp'd to secure the Stairs and Passage by the Chappel And now having got him safe Green who kept close behind and had a large twisted Handkerchief in readiness on a suddain threw it about his Neck and immediately Girald Kelly Green and Hill fell upon him secur'd his Sword threw him down and throtl'd him so that he could neither call out nor speak then drew him behind the Rail and gave him many violent punches on the Breast with their Knees After they had thus manifestly bereaved him of his breath Girald the Priest fearing he was not quite dead would have run him through with his Sword But the rest would not yield to that for fear of being discovered by the Blood However to make sure work Green got upon him and punching him with his Knee upon the Breast with all his force wrung his Neck quite round Thus fell this unfortunate Gentleman a needless
disclos'd to make out all the rest For at what time Fenwick Ireland and some others were first apprehended Mr. Praunce happening to be at a Coffee-house where some Gentlemen were talking somewhat severely against the said Prisoners zealously and officiously began to speak so favourably in their defence that notice was taken of his words and as he was told some information given against him To avoid therefore both charge and trouble he absented himself from his house the next three nights together After which time understanding the business was over he return'd home again and continu'd there as he was wont to do This happen'd about a fortnight before Sir Edmundbury was murther'd Yet upon this occasion so providence order'd it was he twelve weeks after apprehended and call'd in question For it chanc'd that one of his neighbours and he fell out who having got some intimation that Mr. Praunce lay out of his house three nights one after another began to question whether those three nights might not be the night that Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was kill'd and those that follow'd And upon this bare surmise or presumption that had no ground or bottom in the world that either he or any that he knew were guilty or any way concern'd in the fact a warrant was obtain'd from the Lords of the Council to apprehend Mr. Praunce and to take him into a strict examination Being thus taken by vertue of the warrant he was first carry'd into the Lobby of the House of Commons where Mr. Bedlow whom he knew not as being a person that had seen him but once before that is to say between the Murther and the carrying forth of the Corpse but then taking some little notice of him knew his face again and positively charg'd him to have been concern'd in the murther whereupon he was examin'd and committed to Newgate the 21st of this month Within two days after he made a full discovery upon Oath impeaching Fits-Girald Kelly Hill Berry and Green Green was before in the Gate-house for refusing the oaths Hill and Berry were presently apprehended But the cunning Priests got away Upon the 24th he was carried before the King and Council to whom he gave a faithful and particular accompt of all the circumstances of the Murther Which because it contain'd so many descriptions of benches doors entries and rooms his Majesty was pleas'd to order the Duke of Monmouth the Earl of Ossory the Earl of Clarendon and Sir Robert Southwell to go with the prisoner and take his Examination upon the place At which time he gave such an exact accompt of the places which he had mention'd before viz. the very spot upon which the murther was committed where he himself where Berry stood as also the door stairs dark entry c. mention'd in the Narrative that his Majesties Commissioners return'd very well satisfy'd with the truth of his Relation and Confession True it is that Mr. Praunce did afterwards seem to retract by a bare affirmative what he had formerly confess'd upon Oath saying before the King and Council That he was innocent and the rest whom he had accus'd were also innocent But these words were extorted from his own fears and consternation that set before his eyes the danger of his life and the undoing of his wife and family For he had no sooner done it but his Conscience troubling him above all those considerations he recoyl'd from those false assertions and so strenuously and regularly maintain'd the Truth to which he had sworn by an addition of farther discoveries that the King was pleas'd with his own Lips to assure him of his Pardon which was afterwards delivered to him in due form under the Great Seal Kelly was afterwards taken up by the name of Daniel Edmunds in some place in Surrey and sent to the Marshalsea for refusing the Oaths but being deeply sensible of the danger he was in he so wrought upon the Poverty of that place that he procur'd bail for ten shillings apiece and got away this very Month before his true name of Kelly was known Much about this time the Parliament took into their serious consideration certain transactions of the Earl of Danby then Lord High Treasurer and after a strict Scrutiny into the business upon the 19th of this Month resolved that there was sufficient matter of Impeachment against him and order'd a Committee to draw up the Articles and to receive any further Informations or Evidence that should come in Within two days after several Articles of Impeachment were brought into the House severally put to the Question and agreed upon the same day they were order'd to be engross'd and votes further pass'd that the said Earl should be sequester'd from Parliament and committed to safe Custody Which that it might be the sooner effected they sent up Sir Henry Capell with the Articles to the Lords who accordingly went and deliver'd them to the Chancellour in a full assembly of that house but the house being prorogued at the latter end of the Month till the 4th of February nothing more was done for that Sessions However before they were prorogu'd they pass'd several resolves for impeaching the five Lords in the Tower of Treason and other high Crimes and Misdemeanors and the same day which was the 5th of this month the five several Impeachments were carry'd up to the Lords and a Committee appointed to draw up Articles against the parties impeach'd to which purpose the said Committee was impowr'd to inspect the Journals and consider of Presidents for Impeachments In the Lords House so soon as the Articles against the Earl of Danby were exhibited he himself desir'd copies of all papers and proceedings nevertheless it was then resolv'd that at that time he should not withdraw Thereupon the said Earl toward the latter end of the month having still his liberty mov'd again in the Lords House that he might have a copy of his charge and that he might not long lye under it Upon which a Motion follow'd that the House would consider of the desire of the House of Commons touching his confinement Thereupon it was the next day resolv'd that he should not be confin'd as then and that he should have a copy of the Articles to which he was appointed to bring in his answer before the third of January And as to the Lords concern'd in the Conspiracy it was referr'd to the Lords of the Committee for priviledges to consider the state of the Impeachments and of all the incidents thereunto relating and to make their report which is the sum of what was done in reference to these matters till the sitting of the new Parliament of which more in due place As yet the stress of the discovery lay upon Dr. Oates and Mr. Bedlow but this month came in the substantial assistance of Mr. Dugdale who upon the twenty fourth of this month submitted himself to the examination of Mr. Lane and Mr. Vernon two of his Majesties Justices of the Peace
made That the Justices of the Peace in their several precincts should in the execution of their duties touching these particulars take notice of the Judges opinions and conform themselves thereto And whereas his Majesty had receiv'd a complaint in Council that several Justices of the Peace in several Counties Cities and Liberties notwithstanding the many Proclamations issu'd forth for the security of his Majesties person against the Plots of the Papists did refuse and neglect to put the same in execution It was therefore about this time order'd in Council That all his Majesties said Justices of the peace should with all care and diligence pursue his Majesties commands in the execution of the premises with further directions also to the Lord Chancellor forthwith to put out of Commission all such as should refuse or neglect their duty as persons disaffected to his Majesties Government and the Protestant Religion Yet notwithstanding all this publick diligence the Papists were still in the very face of countermanding Authority no less active to undermine the very Plot it self and utterly to extirpate the very proofs and evidence of the discovery For one James Nettervile formerly a Clerk in the Court of Claims in Dublin being at this time a prisoner in the Marshalsea sent for an acquaintance of his one Captain John Bury an Irish Gentleman and there communicated to him a great design of the Papists to turn the Plot another way that is to say to turn the Plot upon the Protestants for the destruction of the Papists To effect this the said Nettervile propos'd to the Captain that he would swear to such and such heads as should be drawn up for him to discredit and invalidate the testimony of Dr. Oates in reference to the Plot and that for his reward he should have 500 l. to be deposited in a third hand by one Russel for better security to be paid him immediately upon his doing the business This design was manag'd by the same Russel a rank Papist and an Irish man But it seems they made their addresses wrong For such was the fidelity and loyalty of the Captain to his Prince that he made a timely discovery of the contrivance and so spoyl'd the Market of those Traders in Subornation What this piece of subtilty meant may be easily conjectur'd but this was more observable that a little before this discovery several persons by these very people appointed were at the houses of certain eminent Presbyterians in London to pray their charitable Contributions toward the maintenance of Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedlow falsly pretending that the Kings allowance was not sufficient for their support But the parties to whom they made their application smelling the cheat slighted their charitable diligence and sent them away empty And indeed who knows what use they might have made of it had those persons encourag'd their design In the mean time that is to say upon the fifth of this month Robert Green Henry Berry and Lawrence Hill were brought to their Tryals at the Kings Bench Bar for the Murther of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey The names of the Jury were Sir William Roberts Sir Richard Fisher Sir Michael Heneage Sir Thomas Bridges William Avery Charles Umphrevile John Bathurst Richard Gowre Thomas Hensloe John Sharp John Haynes Walter Moyle Esquires The general Indictment was for the murther of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Middlesex the manner of which Murther has been already related as also the reasons for which they did it The stress of the Evidence lay upon Mr. Praunce who swore in general that he met the Murtherers in reference to the carrying on their work several times at the Plough Ale-house near Somerset-house that Girald and Kelley seduc'd him and inveigled him into the Conspiracy That Hill Girald and Green dogg'd him all Saturday from his first going out That at night they lodg'd him in a house in St. Clements That at his coming out from thence Hill ran before and gave the rest notice and then went and stay'd for his coming by That it was Hill that perswaded him to follow him into the yard under pretence of a quarrel That it was Green who threw the twisted Handkerchief about his neck and that then Hill Girald and Kelley came in to Green's assistance pull'd the Gentleman down and help'd to throttle him while Berry and Praunce watch'd the avenues into the yard And that Green afterwards for the more sure dispatch wrung his neck round That after the Murther was done all the six actors carried the body into Hills Lodgings That when the body was to be remov'd from Somerset-house which was on the Wedsnesday night following Praunce and Girald were the first that carry'd the Sedan and were reliev'd by Green and Kelley That at Soho Hill met them with the horse that there they all mounted the dead body by forcing the leggs open upon the said horse that Hill rode behind and that Green Kelley and Girald walk'd by till they came to the place where the body was thrown It was farther sworn by Mr. Praunce that after all this Girald met several persons at Bow namely Luson Vernatti Dethick and one more and there rejoyc'd together for the cleverness of the Murther committed and the good fortune they had had for the disposal of the Body Mr. Bedlow swore That after the said Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was murther'd he met one Le Faire a Priest in the Cloysters of Somerset-house by appointment and that the said Le Faire carry'd him into a Room where were several persons looking upon the body by the help of a Candle and Lanthorn and that at that time he also among the rest saw Sir Edmundbury Godfrey lye dead and that he knew him as he lay This Evidence was also fortifi'd by several other circumstances By the Constable who found the body in the same posture they themselves reported they had left it By the master of the Plough and his servant who confirm'd the several meetings of the Murtherers at the same house And by Sir Edmundbury's maid who sware to the enquiries made for her Master at his house by Green and Hill In answer to these facts thus made out Hill defended himself by affirming that Mr. Praunce had perjur'd himself by denying or recanting what he had sworn before the King but that was over-ruled by the Court for that Mr. Praunce's first Impeachment of the Conspirators was done upon oath and his recantation but only a bare denyal Green brought his witnesses to prove that he was constantly at home by nine of the clock at night and never stirr'd after that out of the house and that such a thing could not be done in the house but they must know of it but because they did not exactly make out what they averr'd there was no credit given them The most considerable testimony was that which Berry produc'd which was that of the Sentinels who kept the Guard one of which
Petition into the House of Lords wherein he set forth that he was then attending their Lordships according to Order and expected to have met the Council assign'd him by their Lordships but that he had receiv'd a Message from every one of them that they durst not appear to argue for him by reason of a Vote which the house pass'd yesterday Who thereupon order'd that the Petition should be communicated to the House at the next Conference to know of them whether any such Vote were by them made or no. But here arose a new debate concerning the Bishops which much entangled the interest of the Earl of Danby and the other five Lords in the Tower in reference to their Tryals for the Commons would not prosecute the latter before the first nor the first before such and such things were concluded So that it will be necessary to relate the proceedings of both Houses against the Lords which at length happen'd to be the occasion that neither the one nor the other came to their Tryals as was expected The House having pass'd five resolves for the Impeaching Henry Lord Arundell of Warder William Earl of Pomis John Lord Bellasis William Viscount Stafford and William Lord Peter of Treason and several other Misdemeanors the same day five several Impeachments were accordingly carried up to the Lords but they did not desire they should be sequester'd from Parliament and committed to custody because they were at the same time under restraint in the Tower The Impeachments were first in general That for many years last past there had been contriv'd carried on a trayterous execrable Conspiracy and Plot within this Kingdom of England other places to alter change and subvert the ancient Government Laws of this Kingdom Nation to suppress the true religion therein establish'd to extirpate destroy the professors thereof which said Plot and Conspiracie was Contrived and carried on in divers places and by several ways and means and by a great number of Persons of several Qualities and Degrees who acted therein and intended to execute and accomplish the aforesaid wicked and traiterous designs and purposes That the said five Lords together with Philip Howard commonly called Cardinal of Norfolk and divers others Jesuits Priests and Friers and other Persons as false Traitors to his Majesty and this Kingdom within the time aforesaid had traiterously consulted contriv'd and acted to and for the accomplishing of the said wicked pernicious and traiterous Designs and for that end did most wickedly and traiterously agree conspire and resolve to imprison depose and murther his sacred Majesty to deprive him of his Royal State Crown and Dignity and by malicious and unadvised Speaking Writing and otherwise declared such their purposes and intentions To subject this Kingdom and Nation to the Pope and his Tyrannical Government To seize and share among themselves the Estates of his Majesties Protestant Subjects To erect and restore Abbeys Monasteries and other Convents and Societies which have been long since by the Laws of this Kingdom supprest for their Superstition and Idolatry to deliver up and restore to them the Lands and possessions now invested in his Majesty and his Subjects by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm That the said Conspirators their Accomplices and Confederates had and held several Meetings Assemblies and Consultations wherein it was contriv'd and design'd among them what means should be used and what Persons and Instruments imployed to murder his Majesty and did then and there resolve to effect it by Poysoning Shooting Stobbing or some such like ways and means offer'd rewards and promises of advantage to several Persons to execute the same and hir'd and employed several wicked Persons to Windsor and other places where his Majesty did reside to destroy and murther his Majesty which said Persons accepted such rewards and undertook the perpetrating thereof and did actually go to the said places for that end and purpose That the said Conspirators had procur'd accepted and deliver'd out several Instruments Commissions and Powers made and granted by or under the Pope or other unlawful and usurping Authority to raise Mony Men and Arms and other things necessary for their wicked and traiterous Designs namely to the said Henry Lord Arundel of Warder to be Lord High Chancellor of England to the said William Lord Powis to be Lord Treasurer of England to the Lord Bellasis to be General to the Lord Petre to be Lieutenant General to the Lord Stafford to be Paymaster of the Army That in order to encourage themselves in prosecuting their said wicked Plots Conspiracies and Treasons and to hide and hinder the discovery of the same and to secure themselves from Justice and Punishment the Conspirators and Confederates aforesaid did cause their Priests to administer an Oath of Secrecy together with the Sacrament and upon Confessions to give them Absolutions upon condition that they did conceal the Conspiracy That the better to compass their traiterous Designs they had consulted to raise and had procur'd and rais'd Men Money Horse Arms and Ammunitions and had made applications to and treated and corresponded with the Pope his Cardinals Nuncio's and Agents and with other forreign Ministers and Persons to raise tumults within the Kingdom and invade the same with forraign Forces to surprize seize and destroy his Majesties Navy Forts Magazines and Places of Strength to the ruine and destruction of the Nation That when Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey a Justice of Peace had according to the duty of his Oath and Office taken several Examinations and Informations concerning the said Conspiracy and Plot the said Conspirators or some of them by the advice councel and instigation of the rest did incite and procure divers persons to lye in wait and pursue the said Sir Edmund-Bury several days with intent to Murder him which at last was prepetrated and effected by them That after the said Murther and before the body was found or the Murther known to any but the Accomplices the said Persons falsly gave out that he was a-live and privately Married and after the Body was found dispersed a false and malicious report that he had Murthered himself Which said Murther was committed with a design to stifle and suppress the Evidence he had taken and had knowledge of and to discourage and deter Magistrates and others from acting in the farther discovery of the said Plot and Conspiracy That of their farther malice they had wickedly continued by many false suggestions to lay the guilt and imputation of the aforesaid Horrid and Detestable Crimes upon the Protestants that so they might escape the punishments they had justly merited and expose the Protestants to great scandal and subject them to Persecution and Oppression in all Kingdoms and Countries where the Roman Religion is receiv'd and professed All which Treasons Crimes and Offences were contriv'd committed perpetrated acted and done by the said Lords and every of them and others the Conspirators against our Soveraign