to change Government it was lawful for the Catholicks to work that change for the advancing and securing the Catholick Cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn from his Heresie This was answered affirmatively after which the same persons went to Rome where the same Question being propounded and debated it was concluded by the Pope That it was both lawful and expedient for the Catholicks to promote that alteration of State c. When that horrid Parricide had taken effect the Pope commanded all the Papers about that Question to be gathered and burnt In obedience to which Order a Roman Catholick in Paris was demanded a Copy which he had of these Papers but the Gentleman who had time to consider and detest the wickedness of that Project refused to give it and shewed it to a Protestant friend of his relating to him the whole carriage of this Negotiation with great abhorrency of the Practices of the Jesuits And when these Jesuits returned from Rome they brought many more after them to help on the same Work which at last they effected to their great joy The Roman Priest and Confessor is known who when he saw the fatal stroak given to our holy King and Martyr flourished with his Sword and said Now the greatest Enemy that we had in the world is gone A Protestant Lady living in Paris was perswaded by a Jesuit to turn Catholick when the dismal news of the King's Murther came to Paris this Lady as all other good Subjects was deeply afflicted with it and when this Jesuite came to see her and found her melted in Tears for that Disaster he told her with a smiling countenance That she had no reason to lament but rejoyce rather seeing the Catholicks were rid of their greatest Enemy and that Cause was much furthered by his death Upon which the Lady in great anger put him down the stairs saying If that be your Religion I have done with you for ever and God hath given her grace to make her words good hitherto Many intelligent Travellers can tell of the great joy among the English Convents and Seminaries about the Kings death as having overcome their Enemy and done their main work for their settlement in England of which they made themselves so sure that the Benedictines were in great care that the Jesuits should not get their Land and the English Nuns were contending who should be Abbasses in England An understanding Gentleman visiting the Fryars in Dunkirk put them on the discourse of the King's death and to pump out their sence about it said That the Jesuits had laboured very much to compass that work To which they answered That the Jesuits would ingross to themselves the glory of all great and good works and of this among others whereas they had laboured as diligently and effectually for it as they So that both the Jesuits and Seculars had laboured to bring the King to death and the Army of Fanaticks were their Instruments to put it in execution Monsieur de Bourdeaux the French Embassadour being resident in London when General Monk had gotten the power of the City and the affections of the People earnestly desired to interest the King of France and Cardinal Mazarine in the Revolution of Government and made way for an Address to the General by his Brother-in-law Clergis to whom he imparted that Cardinal Mazarine would be glad to have the honour of his friendship and assist him faithfully in all his Enterprizes and that the General might be more confident of the Cardinal he assured him that Oliver Cromwel kept so strict a League with him that he did not assume the Government without his privity and was directed step by step by him in the progress of that action and therefore if he resolved on that course he should not onely have the Cardinals friendship and counsel in the attempt but a safe Retreat and honourable Support in France if he sailed in it But Mr. Clergis assured him that the General did not intend to take the Government upon him but to submit all to the determination of the next Parliament The King being in the Territories of the King of Spain when the General was minded to declare for him Sir Jo. Greenvil was dispatched by the General to his Majesty to desire him to depart out of the King of Spain's Dominions to Breda or some other place under the Government of the States of the Vnited Provinces for that he had certain intelligence he would be detained by the King of Spain's Ministers if he stayed in his Dominions Upon which Advice within two or three days he went to Breda where he continued till he was invited to his Kingdoms There was found in the Study of Francis Young after his death a Paper containing Advices given to him by Seignior Bellarini concerning the best way of managing the Popish interest in England upon the Kings Restauration The first Advice is to make the obstruction of Settlement their great designe especially upon the fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdom whereunto if things should fall they would be more firm than ever Secondly To remove the Jealousies raised by Prynne Baxter c. of their designe upon the late Factions and to set up the prosperous way of fears and jealousies of the King and Bishops Thirdly To make it appear under-hand how neer the Doctrine Worship and Discipline of the Church of England comes to us at how little distance their Common-prayer is from our Mass and that the wisest and ablest men of that Way are so moderate that they would willingly come over to us or at least meet us half way hereby the most stayed men will become more odious and others will run out of all Religion for fear of Popery Fourthly That there be an Indulgence promoted by the Factious and seconded by You. Fifthly That the Trade and Treasure of the Nation may be engrossed between themselves and other discontented Parties Sixthly That the Bishops and Ministers of the Church of England be aspersed as either worldly and careless on one hand or so factious that it were well they were removed All these Directions will appear to have been followed precisely by both Parties The Grandees of the Committee at Derby-house and the Army sollicite the detaining of the Prince in France and delaying his Journy for England lest he should trouble the yet-unsetled Kingdom of the Saints To negotiate which they have an Agent lying Lieger with Cardinal Mazarine who is so well supplied with Money and so open-handed that it hath been heard from Mazarine's own mouth that all the Money the Queen and Prince had cost the Crown of France came out of the Parliaments Purse with a good advantage It is likewise said Mazarine had an Agent here to drive on the interest of France in England Hist of Independ 2 part p. 112. And it is known that Cromwel's interest with France when the present King fled thither after
Bill for the purpose to Bar and Exclude the said Duke from the Succession to the Crown and to banish him for ever out of these Kingdoms of England and Ireland But the first means of the King and Kingdoms Safety being utterly rejected and we left almost in despair of obtaining any real and effectual security and knowing our selves to be intrusted to advise and act for the preservation of his Majesty and the Kingdom and being perswaded in our Consciences that the dangers aforesaid are so imminent and pressing that there ought to be no delay of the best means that are in our power to fecure the Kingdom against them We have thought fit to propose to all true Protestants an Vnion amongst themselves by solemn and sacred promise of mutual Defence and Assistance in the preservation of the true Protestant Religion his Majesties Person and Royal State and our Laws Liberties and Properties and we hold it our bounden Duty to joyn our selves for the same intent in a Declaration of our united Affections and Resolutions in the form insuing I A. B. Do in the presence of God solemnly promise vow and protest to maintain and defend to the utmost of my power with my Person and Estate the true Protestant Religion against Popery and all Popish Superstition Idolatry or Innovation and all those who do or shall endeavour to spread or advance it within this Kingdom I will also as far as in me lies maintain and defend his Majesties Royal Person and Estate as also the Power and Priviledge of Parliaments the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subject against all Incroachments and Usurpation of Arbitrary Power whatsoever and endeavour entirely to disband all such Mercenary Forces as we have reason to believe were raised to advance it and are still kept up in and about the City of London to the great amazement and terrour of all the good People of the Land Moreover J. D. of Y. having publickly professed and owned the Popish Religion and notoriously given life and birth to the damnable and hellish Plots of the Papists against his Majesties Person the Protestant Religion and the Government of this Kingdom I will never consent that the said J. D. of Y. or any other who is or hath been a Papist or any ways adhered to the Papists in their wicked Designs be admitted to the Succession of the Crown of England but by all lawful means and by force of Arms if need so require according to my abilities will oppose him and endeavour to subdue expel and destroy him if he come into England or the Dominions thereof and seek by force to set up his pretended Title and all such as shall adhere unto him or raise any War Tumult or Scdition for him or by his command as publick Enemies of our Laws Religion and Country To this end we and every one of us whose hands are here under-written do most willingly bind our selves and every one of us unto the other joyntly and severally in the Bond of one firm and loyal Society or Association and do promise and vow before God That with our joynt and particular Forces we will oppose and pursue unto destruction all such as upon any Title whatsoever shall oppose the Just and Righteous Ends of this Association and maintain protect and defend all such as shall enter into it in the just performance of the true intent and meaning of it And lest this just and pious Work should be any ways obstructed or hindered for want of Discipline and Conduct or any evil-minded persons under pretence of raising Forces for the service of this Association should attempt or commit Disorders we will follow such Orders as we shall from time to time receive from this present Parliament whilst it shall be sitting or the major part of the Members of both Houses subscribing this Association when it shall be prorogued or dissolved and obey such Officers as shall by them be set over us in the several Counties Cities and Burroughs until the next meeting of this or another Parliament and will then shew the same Obedience and Submission unto it and those who shall be of it Neither will we for any respect of Persons or Causes or for fear or reward separate our selves from this Association or fail in the prosecution thereof during our lives upon pain of being by the rest of us prosecuted and suppressed as perjur'd persons and publick enemies to God the King and our Native Country To which Pains and Punishments we do voluntarily submit our selves and every one of us without benefit of any colour or pretence to excuse us In witness of all which Premises to be inviolably kept we do to this present Writing put our Hands and Seals and shall be most ready to accept and admit any others hereafter into this Society and Association This is evidently a Plot to retrieve the Good Old Cause and to second this the Bill against the Succession of which I have also given you a Copy is violently prosecuted A Copy of the BILL against the Duke of York FOrasmuch as these Kingdoms of England and Ireland by the wonderful providence of Almighty God many years since have been delivered from the slavery and superstition of Popery which had despoiled the King of his soveraign power for that it did and doth advance the Pope of Rome to a power over Soveraign Princes and makes him Monarch of the Vniverse and doth withdraw the Subjects from their Allegiance by pretended Absolutions from all former Oaths and Obligations to their lawful Soveraign and by many Superstitions and Immoralities hath quite subverted the ends of the Christian Religion but notwithstanding that Popery hath been long since condemned by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm for the detestable Doctrine and treasonable attempts of its Adherents against the Lives of their lawful Soveraigns Kings and Queens of these Realms yet the Emissaries Priests and Agents for the Pope of Rome resorting into this Kingdom in great numbers contrary to the Laws thereof have for several years late past as well by their own devillish arts and policies as by counsel and assistance of foreign Princes and Prelates known enemies to these Nations contrived and carried on a most horrid and execrable Conspiracy to destroy and murder the Person of his most sacred Majesty and to subvert the ancient Government of these Realms and to extirpate the Protestant Religion and massacre the true Professors thereof And for the better effecting their wicked designes and encouraging their villanous Accomplices they have traiterously seduced the Duke of York presumptive Heir of these Crowns to the Communion of the Church of Rome and have inveigled him to enter into several Negotiations with the Pope his Cardinals and Nuntio's for promoting the Romish Church and Interest and by his means and procurement have advanced the power and greatness of the French King to the manifest hazard of these Kingdoms that by the descent of these Crowns upon a
to maintain it against all the Arguments of Papists and Fanaticks whereby it will also appear how impotent and malicious their Accusations have been in that they have declaimed most vehemently against those as Papists that have most learnedly and successfully defended the established Church against Popery and Fanaticism which have been equally pernicious to it Insomuch that if any loyal Clergie-man or other hath in a time of need written for Loyalty or Conformity they have been marked out for Papists which is a plain Argument that the Popery and Tyranny which they decry is Christian Loyalty and Conformity And to manifest to all sober men how little of good nature as well as of Christian Piety and Charity these men have I have given many undeniable instances of their acting on the same Principles and in the like Practices as the most dangerous Papists sometimes in actual confederacy with them for the ruine of the Government For however they seem opposite to each other they are agreed to do the Government a mischief and Duo quum faciunt idem non sunt Duo They that agree in Treason are all Traytors Facinus quos inquinat aequat And of this take the following instance On October 3. 1643. there was a Letter sent from Dublin to a Member of the House of Commons which shews by what example they acted as followeth There was a Fryar taken the last Expedition into Conaught about whom was found a Collection of all your Votes Ordinances and Declarations carefully marked with short marginal Notes out of which he composed a large Manuscript intituled An Apology of the Catholicks of Ireland or a Justification of their defensive Arms for the preservation of their Religion the maintenance of his Majesties Rights and Prerogatives the natural and just defence of their Lives and Estates and the Liberty of their Country by the practice of the State of England and the Judgment and Authority of both Houses of Parliament It was penned with so little variation of Language that the name of Ireland being changed for England and the chief Actors there for those under the Parliament your own Clerk would scarce know it from one of your own Declarations All that they do is for the good of the King and Kingdom he is intrusted with all for the good of the People if he dischargeth not his trust but is advised by evil Counsellors and persons they cannot confide in 't is their duty to see this Trust discharged according to the condition and true intent thereof That they saw their Religion and Liberty in danger of extirpation and therefore had reason to put themselves in a posture of Defence but are ready to lay down their Arms as soon as the great Offices of the Kingdom are put into such hands as they can confide in c. Mutato nomine de te Anglia narratur There is lately printed an excellent Treatise vindicating the Church of England from the imputation of Popery in Doctrine Worship and Discipline to which I refer my Reader as to those points That which I designe is to vindicate our Governours in Church and State principally those who have been most accused from the like Aspersions and to retort the calumny of their Accusers by shewing their Harmony and Intrigues with the Papists both in Principles and Practices that the mouth of such Slanderers may be stopped The following Collections may serve to convince all well-affected persons that both the Papists and Fanaticks how contrary soever to each other are well agreed to attempt the Ruine of our Church as it is now established the Papists under the pretence that we are Hereticks and the Fanaticks that we are Papists but the true reason is that the Papists may regain those Profits and Dignities which for a long time they usurped in this Nation which was the most fruitful Garden that ever the Pope claimed as belonging to his Palace and the Fanaticks that they may retrieve their former sacrilegious Purchases of Crown and Church-lands and divide them among themselves Of the first we have this evidence That the Pope fills up the places of our Bishops Deans and other Dignitaries to encourage his Emissaries of which we have this Specimen in print BISHOPS CANTERBURY Cardinal Howard YORK Perrot Superior of Secular Priests LONDON Corker President of Benedictine Monks WINCHESTER White alias Whitebread DURHAM Strange late Provincial of Jesuits SALISBURY Dr. Godden NORWICH Nappier a Franciscan ELI Vincent Provincial of Dominican Monks EXETER Wolfe one of the Sorbone PETERBOROUGH Gifford a Dominican Fryar LINCOLN Sir Jo. Warner Baronet a Jesuit CHICHESTER Morgan a Jesuit BATH and WELLS Dr. Armstrong a Franciscan CARLISLE Wilmot alias Quarterman CHESTER Thimbleby a Secular Priest HEREFORD Sir Tho. Preston a Jesuit BRISTOL Mundson a Dominican OXFORD Williams Rector of Watton in Flanders St. DAVIDS Belson a Secular Priest St. ASAPH Jones a Secular Priest BANGOR Joseph David Kemash a Dominican ABBOTS WESTMINSTER Dr. Seldon a Benedictine Monk SION-HOUSE Skinner a Benedictine Monk DEANS CANTERBURY Belton a Sorbonist St. PAULS Libourne a Secular Secretary to Cardinal Howard WINDSOR Howard with twelve Benedictine Canons CHICHESTER Morgan a Secular WINTON Dr. Watkinson President of the English Colledge at Lisbone Many other Dignities are by the Popes Bull disposed of to Foreigners but these being of our Kings Dominions have been many of them diligent Promoters of our Wars that they might kill and take possession Judge now what temptation our present Bishops have to bring in Popery when the coming in of that will turn them out of their Dignities and Livelihoods if not out of the World too as in the Marian days And that the Fanaticks aim at the same end is demonstrable not onely from the unlimited power which some of their Ministers exercised over their Brethren far beyond any of the Bishops but their dividing the most profitable Benefices among themselves sequestring those loyal Clergie-men that were legally possessed of them As also from a late Proposal of Baxter Humfrys and Lob in the name of other Nonconformists who would still retain the name of Bishops so they might have the power and profit for they would have some chosen out of the several Parties of Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists onely they desire that the Bishops should be declared Ecclesiastical Officers under the King acting Circa Sacra onely by vertue of his Commission and Authority upon which account if any of the eminent among the Nonconformists were chosen Bishops they could not refuse it as they say And indeed at the time of making this Proposal these wise men like the wise Ladies of Sisera's Mother had divided the Spoil to every man a prey of two or three Dignities besides the Garments of divers colours Judg. 5.30 Now I desire all rational men to consider that as it is a great folly and meer fascination in some to serve the lusts of those that are the Slaves of him that stiles himself the Servum Servorum Domini so it
of their Religion And doubting of their own strength they consult of ingaging the King of France against their own King to which end they agreed on the following Letter directed Au Roy which Title is not wont to be given to any but their Liege Lord from his Subjects of which his Majesty in his lesser Declaration 1640. took special notice and complained that they courted a Forreign power against him SIR YOur Majesty being the Sanctuary of afflicted Princes and States we have found it necessary to send this Gentleman Mr. Colvil to represent to your Majesty the candor and ingenuity as well of our actions and intentions which we desire to be written with the beam of the Sun as well as to your Majesty We therefore humbly beseech you Sir to give faith and credit to him to what he shall say on our part touching us and our affairs being assured of an assistance equal to your wonted Clemency heretofare and so often shewn to our Nation which will not yield the glory to any other whatsoever to be eternally SIR Your Majesties most humble most obedient and most affectionate Servants Rothes Montross Lesly Marr Montgomery Loudon Forester This Letter was discovered and brought to the King and was proved to be the hand-writing of Loudon who being in London was committed to the Tower and on examination confessed it to be his hand but excused the matter because it was written before the Pacification However they had really engaged Cardinal Richlien who governed the affairs of France He sent one Chamberline his Chaplain a Scot by birth to assist the Covenanters and to attempt all ways for exasperating the first heats with order not to depart till he might return with good news He appointed one of his Secretaries also to reside in Scotland and to march with them into England to be present at the Council of War and direct their business Hamilton's Chaplain also had free access unto Con the Popes Nuncio and a Scotch-man then in England on the same designe And if Mr. Rushworth the Parliaments Historian may be credited there were also at that time some Applications made to the King of Spain who was then the most potent Monarch For p. 970 971. he says That in the year 1639 when the Spanish Armado came on the Coasts of England Scotland being then in a great ferment by the Covenanters some of them thus argued That there could be no Fleet strong enough to attempt them by Sea except all the Kingdom did contribute to it which say they cannot be done except all the States joyn of which we of the Confederacy shall be the greater part and so the Enemy shall be forthwith forced to give liberty of Conscience to the Catholicks or put themselves in danger of losing all From whence it is collected 1. That the Scots thought no Enemies so great as the King and his Party 2. That liberty of Conscience was desired for the Papists as well as themselves 3. That the Covenanters thought themselves the greater part of the States And 4. That there was a secret Confederacy between them and the Papists and this Armado was designed for their assistance And as for the King of Great Britain the Relator says If he will not give liberty of Conscience he shall be reduced to it with no little damage As for Argyle whose Father was a known Papist I suppose he was as much of that as of any Religion though he were the Head of the Covenanters his interest was his Religion as this Action of his doth demonstrate His Father left a second Wife by whose last Will there was given to the Daughters 12000 l. sterling and Argyle prevailed to be admitted Administrator he giving security to perform the Will but shortly after he caused the eldest whose Portion was 5000 l. to marry a Gentleman who accepted onely 1000 l. with her which was paid by Argyle's Surety and not repayed to this day saith my Author As to the other Daughters there was a clause in the Will That if any of them should enter into Nunneries for it seems they were inclinable to the Popish Religion they should have onely 300 l. And being defrauded of their due Maintenance two of them did enter into Nunneries and the third through his neglect was ready to do the like But the Covenanter cared for none of these things See the History of Independency Appendix p. 7. Nor was Hamilton whom the King intrusted as his Commissioner in that Kingdom free from a shrewd suspicion of corresponding with the Papists his Chaplain making frequent Applications to Con the Popes Nuntio by whom he was commended as a man fit for his purpose as shall appear in the discovery made by Sir Will. Boswell of which hereafter The King during the interval of Parliaments which was for thirteen years resolved on a Journy to Scotland to be there crowned He had requested that the Crown might be sent into England to save that Journy but the Covenanters and Papists sent word they durst not do it Marquess Huntly who obtained a Toleration of Popery there told the Council there When his Majesty shall come and be crowned here he will no doubt be sworn to our Laws mean while seeing he hath intrusted us with them we will look they shall be observed And both Papist and Covenanter agreed to tell the King that should he long defer that duty they might perhaps be inclined to make choice of another King The King therefore goes into Scotland and is crowned with great solemnity But being there he makes a revocation of such Lands as had been taken from the Crown in his Fathers minority And by the foresaid Commission of Surrendries upon a Petition of many of the Gentry Ministry and Commons he frees the Ministers and People from the Vassalage of some great men that had ingrossed the Tythes of the Nation allowing the Ministers onely an inconsiderable Pension keeping the generality of the People in dependance on them and so oppressing them that no one durst carry home his nine parts until the Lay-Impropriator had housed his Tenth For this the King received great Honour and Thanks from the greatest part of the Nation but the Lords that were concerned caused it to be reported abroad that this was done to the prejudice of their Religion and to make greater provision for the power and splendour of Bishops and from this time they confederate against the King and provide for a Rebellion Et hinc illoe Lachrymoe But to look back a little into England In the last Parliament called by King James Feb. 19. there was as the King called it a stinging Petition presented against the Papists on which the King spake thus It hath been talked of my remisness in Religion and a suspicion of a Toleration but as God shall judge me I never thought or in word expressed any thing that savoured of it It is true that for reasons best known to my self I did at times forbear
must die as well as others and they have not alway the choice of their Successors He had intimated what one such man as Felton could do and that some great men might be dealt with as Cardinal Beton was The King must be delivered from evil Counsellors and the House purged of Pensioners Petitions are procured from the City and thanks given the Petitioners for their care c. Appeals are made to them and the people who are encouraged to joyn Tumults with their Petitions Mr. Hunt p. 30. of his Preface says So strong is the tye of duty on him i. e. the King from his Office to prevent publick calamities as no respect whatsoever no not of the right Line can discharge nor will he himself ever think if duly addressed that it can And p. 34. At this time if ever the applications of an active prudence are required from all honest men If any loyal persons make their Addresses and publish their dislike of such Seditious Petitioners they are branded as Abhorrers as if the Votes for No more Addresses to the King in 1648. were still in force The lawfulness of Resistance is publickly printed and even to this day defended by several Writers Page 22. of Mr. Hunt The Nation says he begins to be impatient by the delays of publick Justice against the Popish Plot That the dissolution of Parliaments gives us cause to fear that the King hath no more business for Parliaments p. 27. That the number of the Addressers may be reduced to the Dukes Pensioners That the Addresses were obtained by application and the designe was to make Voites for discontinuance of Parliaments and for a Popish Successor And p. 12. That such as plead for the established Government are a hired sort of Scaramouchy Zanies Merry Andrews and Jack Puddings That the Succession to the Crown is the Peoples Right And to this end Doleman or Parsons the Jesuit's Tract of Succession is reprinted and recommended to the People And p. 172. the King is told if he will follow the counsel of that excellent Bill he may live long and see good days as if he were in danger if it pass'd not and so he expresseth p. 171. If this Bill do not pass they will take him for a wicked King too viz. as they took his Father and will say he hath no lawful Issue to succeed him for his own sins and many other remarks of wickedness will they make on him And as to the Duke he adds p. 193. Let him attempt the Crown notwithstanding an Act of Parliament for his Exclusion he is all that while but attempting to make us miserable If he be not excluded he doth it certainly and we will not entail a War upon the Nation though for the sake and interest of the glorious Family of the Stuarts And to effect this he tells the People That the Original and Rise of Government is in the People and that as they gave so they may take it away as they see occasion That Government is the perfect creature of men in society made by pact and consent and not otherwise most certainly not otherwise and therefore most certainly ordainable by the whole Community for the safety and preservation of the whole The active men of the Fanatick Party had with great industry and cost got in many Members to serve in Parliament of whom they had a very great confidence that they would promote their designes Those men that had been actually in Arms against the Royal Martyr are now esteemed the Patriots of their Country and such as acted loyally are branded fined and imprisoned The Earl of Sh. who had caused the Exchequer to be shut up broken the Triple League and advised a Delenda Carthago being now discontented by reason of a Pique between his Royal Highness and himself is made the Head of the Faction and either he or the Duke must fall and no consideration is had whether the King and Kingdom fall with the Duke or not Certain it is that by the intended Association whereof I shall here give you a Copy it was intended to reduce the Government to a Commonwealth WE the Knights c. finding to the great grief of our hearts the Popish Priests and Jesuits with the Papists and their Adherents and Abettors have for several years last past pursued a most pernicious and hellish Plot to root out the true Protestant Religion as a pestilent Heresie to take away the Life of our gracious King to subvert our Laws and Liberties and to set up Arbitrary Power and Popery And it being notorious that they have been highly encouraged by the countenance and protection given and procured for them by J. D. of Y. and by their expectations of his succeeding to the Crown and that through crafty Popish Counsels his Designes have so far prevailed that he hath created many and great Dependents upon him by his bestowing Offices and Preferments both in Church and State It appearing also to us That by his influence mercenary Forces have been levied and kept on foot for his secret Designes contrary to our Laws the Officers thereof having been named and appointed by him to the apparent hazard of his Majesties Person our Religion and Government if the danger had not been timely foreseen by several Parliaments and part of those Forces with great difficulty caused by them to be disbanded at the Kingdoms great Expence And it being evident that notwithstanding all the continual endeavours of the Parliament to deliver his Majesty from the counsels and out of the power of the said D. yet his Interest in the Ministers of State and others have been so prevalent that Parliaments have been unreasonably prorogued and dissolved when they have been in hot pursuit of the Popish Conspiracies and ill Ministers of State their Assistants And that the said D. in order to reduce all into his own power hath procured the Garisons the Arms and Ammunition and all the power of the Seas and Souldiery and Lands belonging to these three Kingdoms to be put into the hands of his Party and their Adherents even in opposition to the Advice and Order of the last Parliament And as we considering with heavy hearts how greatly the Strength Reputation and Treasure of the Kingdom both at Sea and Land is wasted and consumed and lost by the intricate expensive management of these wicked destructive Designes and finding the same Councils after exemplary Justice upon some of the Conspirators to be still pursued with the utmost devillish Malice and desire of Revenge whereby his Majesty is in continual hazard of being murdered to make way for the said D.'s advancement to the Crown and the whole Kingdom in such case is destitute of all security of their Religion Laws Estates and Liberty sad experience in the case Queen Mary having proved the wisest Laws to be of little force to keep out Popery and Tyranny under a Popish Prince We have therefore endeavoured in a Parliamentary way by a
was forming some Villains were carrying on that horrid and execrable Plot of Assassinating his Majesties person and his dearest Brother And a Massacre was to follow wherein they principally designed for slaughter the Officers of State the present Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London and others that had been most eminent for Loyalty Upon which Discovery James Duke of Monmouth the Lord Melvin Sir Jo. Cockrane Sir Thomas Armstrong Robert Ferguson Richard Goodenough Francis Goodenough Richard Rumbold William Rumbold Richard Nelthorp Nathaniel Wade William Tompson James Burton Joseph Elby Samuel Gibbs Francis Charleton Joseph Tyley Casteers and Lobb two Nonconformist-preachers Edward Norton John Row John Ayloff and John Atherton fled from Justice Ford Lord Grey made his escape Arthur Earl of Essex killed himself in the Tower William Lord Russel Thomas Walcot William Hone and John Rous were on their Tryals convicted and executed And it is observable that each of them confessed enough to clear the Justice of the Nation The most that they could plead for themselves was that their Crime could amount onely to misprision of Treason Algernoon Sidney another of the Conspirators was tryed condemned and executed afterward who professed to die for the Old Cause wherein he had been engaged from his youth And indeed he was so far engaged that being named for one of the Royal Martyr's Judges he often appeared at his Tryal And Manus haec inimica Tyrannis was his Motto The Earl of Shaftsbury had been indicted of High-Treason 24 Novemb. 1681. for endeavouring to depose and put to death the King and levy war within the Kingdom he having declared That in a short time the Parliament was to sit at Oxford and that he had inspected the Elections and was satisfied that the Parliament would insist on three matters viz. The Bill of Exclusion against the Duke of York The abolishing the Act of Parliament of the 35 of Queen Elizabeth and a new Bill for uniting Protestant Dissenters which he was confident the King would not consent to and if so that he and other Lords had provided strength to compel him under the command of Captain Wilkinson and John Booth he declared the King to be a man of no faith and there was no trust in him That he deserved to be deposed as well as King Richard the second And the said Earl further declared That 〈◊〉 would not desist till he brought this Kingdom 〈◊〉 a Commonwealth as Holland was That the King was a man of an unfaithful heart not fâ—â— to rule and govern being false unjust and crueâ— to his people and if he would not be governed they would depose him Though the Witnesseâ— swore positively to the particulars yet there was such a Jury provided as brought in an Ignoramus Sir Sam. Bernardiston being their Foreman who hath since been found guilty of Misdemeanors of a high nature During the late seditious Stirs and Tumults none was more active than one Stephen Colledge a Joyner of London a pragmatical person that pleased himself with the title of The Protestant Joyner he had been busie for a long time sowing Sedition and talking Treason so openly that his Friends advised him to forbear lest he came to the Gallows He made it his business to serve some dissenting Lords boasting of his acquaintance with the Earl of Shaftsbury Lords Gray Howard Clare Huntington Pagit Lovelace c. He had fitted his Raree Show and scandalous Songs and Pictures reflecting on the Royal Family The sole pretence for his treasonable actions was his zeal against Papists who he said had feigned seventeen or eighteen Sham-plots against the Protestants he affirmed that London was to be seized by the Papists and that they had a designe against the Parliament at Oxford and therefore he with some others whom he had perswaded came well armed thither Divers Ribbons were provided as a mark of distinction bearing this Motto NO POPERY NO SLAVERY one of which he gave to Turbervil and it was proved as the Lord Chief Justice said at the close of the Tryal whom he called Papists The King was a Papist the Bishops and the Church of England were Papists He was indicted for High-Treason the 17 and 18 of August 1681 it being proved that he said That nothing of good was to be expected from the King That he minded nothing but beastliness and the destruction of the people That he endeavoured to establish Arbitrary Government and Popery Dugdale Smith and Turbervil who had been Witnesses against the Lord Stafford were of the Evidence against him though there were enough if these had been laid aside to have proved him guilty Mr. Masters testified against him p. 31. That he said The Parliament in 1640. was as good a Parliament as ever was chosen To which Mr. Masters answered I wonder how you have the impudence to justifie their proceedings that raised the Rebellion against the King and cut off his head To which Colledge replied They did nothing but what they had just cause for and the Parliament at Westminster was of their Opinion p. 31. And being demanded what he had to say against this testimony he answers That Mr. Masters had said nothing material and that it was but a jocose discourse p. 39. To which Mr. Justice Jones replied Do you make mirth of the blackest Tragedy that ever was that horrid Rebellion and the murther of the late King Colledge answered I never justified that Parliament in any thing that they did contrary to Law One Mr. Jennings who was another Witness testified that on the bleeding of Colledge's Nose he said It was the first bloud that he lost in the Cause but it will not be long ere more be lost He saw him sell the Ribbons with NO POPERY NO SLAVERY to a Parliament-man as he supposed who tyed it on his Sword c. p. 32. It is observed in the Tryal that there was not one Papist that gave evidence against him and that they were such of whom Colledge had formerly given a good Character though now the case was altered The Jury were so well satisfied with the Evidence that they quickly agreed and brought him in guilty and so he was condemned and executed at Oxford on Wednesday 31 of August 1681. Captain Tho. Walcot was indicted for High-Treason at the Old-Baily July 12 c. 1683. for endeavouring to move and stir up War and Rebellion against the King to deprive the King of his Crown and to put him to death for which he conspired with divers other Traytors and had several meetings and consults to those ends and provided Blunderbusses Carbines and Pistols c. Which being proved by Col. Rumsey Mr. Keeling Mr. Bourne Mr. West and Captain Richardson he was found guilty sentenced and executed Then was William Hone arraigned on the like Indictment the Evidence against him were Mr. Keeling Mr. West Sir Nicholas Butler and Capt. Richardson upon whose testimonies he was found guilty and executed also July 13. the Lord Russel was tryed for