The finger of God is heere It hath found credit Indeed our Nation or a great part of it hauing rejected many Diuine sauing Truths reuealed by the H. Ghost the spirit of Truth preacht by the Apostles the Doctors of Truth handed down to vs by the Church the Pillar of Truth deserues such blindness as to beleiue improbale Lyes suggested by the Deuil the Father of Lyes desiuered by you who are a faithfull Disciple of that Faithlesse master to whose instructions of Lying you haue always adhered in whose school you are such a Proficient that no hystory to my remembrance furnishs your equall Hear the Apostle Quia charitatem veritatis non receperunt vt salui fierent ideo mittet illis Deus operationem erroris vt credant MENDACIO Vt iudicentur omnes qui non crediderunt veritati sed consenserunt iniquitati Because they receiued not the loue of Truth that they myght be saued therefore God shall abandon them to the Working of Errour illusion so that they shall beleiue a LYE that all may bee Iudged damned who would not beleiue the Truth brt consented to this vnjustice 2. Thessal 2.10.11 Narrat p. 62. Titus Oates Clerk maketh Oath that the Information set down in these Papers containing 81. articles all written subscribed by his own hand are tru in the whole in euery particular thereof 7. September Titus Oates Obseru Here is a Periury not vnlike to Hobs's Leuiathan for he represents this as one Body composed of many thousands of Persons so is this one PERIURY Composed of many thousands of Periuryes You swear all you haue sayd is tru we know will prooue all is false You stand alone in asserting the Truth of this Oath we shew its falshood by many Witnesses To you lying Perjury is as familiar as eating or Breathing our Witnesses are of vnblemisht Reputation You story is incredible morally impossible ours euidently probable morally certain your Tale is euery day changed as being the Ofspring of your fancy hauing no substance but from it ours always the same as being grounded on reall Facts In fine all your Art though directed by some more Wise then your self seconded by Bedlow such fellows could neuer make out the Truth of any one materiall point questioned by vs nor the Falshood of any materiall point alleadged in our Defence So the lying spirit doth euidently discouer it selfe in your Narratiue the spirit of Truth is as cleerely seen in our Apology We suffer with Truth we suffer for Truth Truth will free vs Veritas Liberabit vos Ioan. 8.32 J P. 40. Not finding what to say to this Chapter is content to let it passe Yet he very wittily as he thinks retorts the Wise man's saying vpon me for says he there is some Truth in Homer's Aesops fables ergo there is some Truth in this Plot. What say you Courteous Reader to this Is this not a man who can draw oile out of a Pumice stone proue the snow is Black well J will grant them alike tru The truth in Homer's fables is that they are vntru storys of the Gods that of Oates's Narratiue is that they are vntru storys of God's seruants Those had all their Being from the Poet these had theirs from the Deponent those are sacrilegious vntruths of God these are a sacrilegious taking God to Witnesse Vntruths Jn Aesop's Fables vnder false storys of Beasts Birds are couched some Passions of men moral directions precepts these are wanting in the Narratiues vnder which is couched only Oates's ground lesse spyght to those who neuer did him any hurt an endlesse malice of the implacable enemys of the Catholick Church That Noble-man spoke a great truth who sayd We who haue no Religion are going to Persecute those who are thought to haue some Yet in Aesop there is one fable much like their proceeding with vs viz that a wolfe accused a Lamb of troubling the water with which he was to quench his Thirst And althô the Lamb replyed that could not be because the place where he drunk was much lower then that where the Wolfe was yet this play was ouer born the Lamb sentenced to Death worryed Anonimus tells we p. 35. I bewray my nest But he is very much mistaken I do only shew what he some factious spirits doe to the defiling of it Jf this be a fault Daniel was to blame who trauerst the sentence of the wicked Iudges past vpon chast Susanna Hester is vnexcusable in pleading the Innocency of her Nation after a solemne sentence had been pronounced against it by Assuerus All the Christians are to be condemned who assert the Innocency of Christ his Apostles notwithstanding their conuictions condemnations by the Supreme Magistrates of those times Are we returning to the Pagan superstition when Rapes thefts murthers Adulterys were consecrated when committed by those men whom the credulous vulgar adored as Gods Doth God Alm-contrary to scripture admit of any distinction of Persons Is not his Law Common to all And if it be broken by any how great soeuer may not he be minded of his Duty Nay is there not an obligation imposed on all Church men others to mind them of it with that Respect which is du to their calling was Nathan was Elias were the other Prophets blame worthy who admonisht Dauid Achab others Princes Preists People of their faults How shall we excuse S. Paul's second Chapter to the Romans our B. Sauiours rebukes of the Scribes Pharisys the writings of the Prophets Moyses in which are recorded the sins of the People of God Are all these foul birds that bewray their own nest Jf so which are the clean Where will these men's extrauagancyes end To what absurdityes will they lead their silly Disciples When they shall shew vs greater Authority then that of the Holy Scriptures greater precedents then those of Christ his Apostles the Prophets better rules of morality then those of God his Diuine spirit we will own our selues Guilty althô we are not so But not till then CHAPTER X. A word of Aduice to the Deponent I Haue followed you through all your wandrings with greater tediousnesse then may be imagined finding no entertainment all the way but euident vntruths infamous perjurys sometimes some insipid lests It hath been some labour to examin all the particular Facts you mention when Persons concerned are at so great a distance Yet I haue gone thorough all willingly for the publick satisfaction for a cleer conuiction of such as though there was some fire where there was so much smoke if still there are any such in the world I hope it may be for your own good too who by this discouery of so many shamefull Periuries being disabled to follow the trade of a Witnesse may be obliged to take to some more honest though lesse gainfull way of liuing This may be
stupidest sillyest creatures that walk on the face of the Earth For such must be the cheifest of tâ—â—m if what is here sayd be tru What I know of that meeting is this You made your addresses again to Mr White after his return to London to be admitted into the society But your Petition was as coldly receiued as before Then you desired à Gentleman to intercede for you ether to procure your admission or a Pension to subsist with beyond seas told him that if either of these things were granted you would giue vp to him an Accusation consisting of aboue fifty articles which at the next Parliament would be exhibited against the Iesuits which you sayd you knew would be beleiued althô they conâ—ained not one word of Tâ—uth We haue since learnt by Printed Pamphlets composed by such as had reason to know all the particulars that some part of this Narratiue had been presented to his Majesty before you in your preface to the Reader say so too haply Mr. White had receiued some inkling of it by that you had engaged your selfe to make it as good as little wit great Mâ—lice perjury could What could then haue moued you to renew that request which you were sure would be rejected I know not vnlesse it be that had either of the two things been granted you would haue thence either confirmed your intimacy with Iesuits or alleadged it as a bribe profred to corrupt you At least for these reasons Mr White resolued to leaue you to your own courses to vent your malice as you had begun would continu relying the mean while vpon his own Innocency the Iustice of the nation the Mercy of the King arming himsâ—lf as he had reason with Patience to suffer what extremity myght befall him his Accordingly he kept his ordinary lodging remoued no Papers left all those vnder his conduct in their ordinary stations c. Which had he or they been conscious of the least Guilt could neuer be This alone to Posterity will be a conuincing proofe of his Innocency were there nothing else Narrat p. 55. § 18 On the 6. of September Piâ—kering told the Deponent that Coniers was gon to Windsore would thence go to my Lord Brudnel's house Obseru This Periury is incredible for by that time all about the Court many Papists in the suburbs knew you to haue malicious designes But this vntruth may comfort the Iesuits because others are represented as great fooles or Mad men as themselues Narat p 55. 79. § The Deponent at nyghâ— heard White others talke of disposing of a Person wâ—o had betrayed them by feeing a Coach man to take him vp carry him beyond seas there make him confesse who had been with the King Hearing this he slank away changed his lodging that nyght Obseru What should so fryght you now who were so vnconcerned before when the Prouincial declared to you that very method of conueyghing you away I cannot guesse vnlesse it were that before you were certainly meant here you knew it only by conjectures no body being named Narrat p 56 § 81. That the Deponent returned to his lodging the day following where Grigson told him the danger he wâ—s in for offending â—he Iesuits That that nyght one Stratford employed by Iesuits assaulted the house with intention to kill him broke down a dore but being obserued by seruants he broke some quarryes of Glasse retired Obseru Your suddain return to your own lodging your inclination to the sex giues occasion to surmise your loging abroad that nyght to haue proceeded from something else then fear of Iesuits Otherwise you would not so soon haue exposed your precious self to such mercilesse Ruffians as it seemes the Iesuits are especially your fear being renewed by Grigion Suppose your lodging was really assaulted of which J doubt as hauing no ground to beleiue it besides your Lying word how do you know the Assailant was Stratford or that he is a Papist or intended to kill you not to steal or that he was set on by Iesuits Why was not he pursued or taken in Flagranti being obserued by many seruants Here you slept as all great wits do sometimes or else you would after your ordinary manner haue introduced some Iesuit acquainting you with all But which is more in Irland's tryal you swore White breade was the man who assaulted your lodging And when any man else is to be tried it shall be he if you haue no other matter against him Narrat p. 57. § 81. The eyght day Neuil a Papist told the Deponent he must either destroy the Iesuits or they would destroy him Item that the Bishop of Rochester sayd he the Bishop would lead them such a dance as they neuer followed since the sool their Founder appeared in the world Obseru You haue made as good vse as you could of that freindly aduice haue don more towards the ruin of Iesuits then could haue been imagined considering the cleernesse both of their Innocency of your vntruths Perjurys Yet your worke is not don some Iesuits are yet aliue the world begins to be weary of shedding their Innocent blood to satisfy your desire of Reuenge Which is an Antidote against your Poyson As to the Bishop of Rochester I neuer heard he had a Papist of his bosome counsel nor that he thought the Iesuits Founder a Foole the wise learned world of which he is a Part hath a far different opinion of the Iesuits Founder It is also news that he or any other Protestant Bishop amongst whom I scarce reckon him of Lincolne lead this dance if any did they soon desisted foreseing it would dance them out of their Reuenues Churches the whole state into Confusion At which the Presbiterian Party whose Instrument you are aimes which they endeauour by a Persecution of Papists in 1679. as they compast it by another lesse violent 1642. J. P. p. 33. aduises me to come to Newgate where I may learn a better way of Pleading It seemes his going thither was not only to suborn Witnesses perswade honest men such as Medburn to turn Knyghts of the Post He went to learn Eloquence substantiall ways of Pleading I perceiue he is so perswaded perswaded of the advantages of that Schoole that he endeauours to draw others to it too But I think no honest man wil follow his counsail but leaue that place to such as it is intended for such as his freind Oates himself P. 35. You are to consider whom this braine of a Taylor calls the Rabble None but the Lords Commons of England the whole body of the Nation Answer This is a most malicious slaunder I mean only those factious fellows who at the Old Bayly houted shouted clamoured as if they had been at a Beare baiting Those who offred violence struck wounded were like to Kil the Wit-nesses who were
reparation of a building there sir T. P. stayd at Liege sir Rob. Bret. at S. Omers Moreouer he declares that the Congregation met only on two days the 24. 26 of April that was nether at the white horse Tauern nor any other place in the strand that it neuer diuided into clubs or Companys nether was there euer any proposition made of Diuiding in that nature To the contents of the 38. Art he says in a like manner vpon Oath that during the seuen yeares of his Rectorship at Watten no Missioner designed for Holland came to that house that it appeares by the day-book of the house that on the 31. of Iuly 1678. not one stranger lodged at Watten that at that time Mr. White was at Liege on the borders of Germany as can be proued by Letters dated thence which are to be seen at Watten yet Oates sweares Mr. White was then at S. Omers which two places Liege S. Omers are 50. leagues or 150. miles asunder The Deponent doth declare in general that the English Iesuits neuer treated or deliberated about any matters of state or any conspiracys had he perceiued any such thing he would neuer haue entred amongst them That Titus Oates could neuer be employed by them in any businesse he being vnknown to them till the year 1677. that then he was receiued as a meer Neophit without any Language but his Mother-Tongue a little Latin wherefore they sent him to Valladolid That althô he gaue so little satisfaction there that he was turned away after about four months stay yet by his importunity promises of amendment he got admittance into the Seminary at S. Omers where he was put to study amongst the Rhetoricians That within a fortnyght after his setling there he was found to be of a bad hypocondriacal humour rash indiscreet turbulent vindicatiue a great flatterer boaster Lyer Jn so much as some reflecting on his little Deuotion bold inquisitiue humour suspected him to be sent as a spy by some enemy to Religion His greatest freinds thought him to be but half a Catholick all suspected in him a secret auersion to Monarchicall Gouernment to the Royal family of England for which he being reprehended by the Deponent he excused it by alleaâ—ging his breeding amongst the Puritans All which this Depenent knows to be certainly tru as hauing been of the Consult when M. Whitebread proposed his admission into the Society in which it was resolued to dismisse him as being nether a good Christian to God nor a good subject to his King That the Deponent writ to Mr. Ireland to acquaint Mr. Keynes Mr. Fenwick others to haue care of dealing with him because of his murmurations calumnyes threates of spyght desire of Reuenge By which any one may guesse how probable it is he should be so intimate with all those Iesuits after his return to London The same day appeared before vs R. F. William Sanky alias Dichseild named in the 17. Article of the Narratiue as joying with the Rector Sir I. W. to send a Letter to the Confessor of the Emperour Who deposed vpon oath that he neuer saw nor heard of any such Letter nor euer held any Correspondence with the sayd Confessor or any other Person or Persons of the Imperial Court In witnesse of this we haue ordred this deed to be signed by our Greffier sealed with the seale of our Lordship Preuosté This 27. of October 1679. Loco †Sigilli DE LA FOSSE ATTESTATION G. Of Mr. Stange Concerning tumults in Scotland Burnings of London c. WHereas Titus Oates in his Narratiue through many §§ most falsly injuriously slanders me Richard Strange of many treasonable horrid Proceedings in vindication of my Innocency from them all J do by these in the sight of God vpon the word of a Preist Religious man by all that is sacred testify assert that nether in the generality of them nor in any one Particular there is not one tru word much lesse Deposition I take it vpon my Saluation that I neuer treated with the sayd Titus Oates in all my life about any Matters of such a Nature And to descend to Particulars whereas he says § 1. that I. Ric. Strange writ a Letter to F. Swiman or Sweeteman in Spain about the embroyling of Scotland sending some thither for that end I call God to witnesse there is not one word tru As nether in the 4 § where he deposes that the Prouincial of New-Castile writ to F. I. K. me that if the King could be dispatcht we should haue 10000. l. for our paines As also what is contained in the former § 7. of which as to the one or the other or any part of them not one word of Truth Item what he deposes § 11. of a Letter sent by me the sayd R. Str. others of the Society at London to those at S. Omers about stirring vp the Presbiteriam in Scotland all the other Riff Raff of that § is as false as any thing the Deuil euer spoke Item what he deposes in the 9. § of a Letter writ by me others of an intent to stab the King at Whitehall to the FF at S. Omers or by a Physitian to Poyson him what he writes § 13. of another Letter sent to S. Omers for F. Leshee about aduancing designing the Death of the K his R. H. Item what he deposes §§ 34. 49. so long lowd with Lyes about the burning of London Southwarke by the sayd Ric. Str. what hand he had in it what booty plunder he made in it which none will beleiue but such as are as great fooles as himself In disclaim of all these damnable ealumnyes I appeal to the God of truth subser the my name At Gant 24. Nouember 1679. Richard Strange ATTESTATION H. Of Liege That Sir Th. Preston stirred not thence WE the Escheuins of the Hygh court of Iustice of his most serene Hyghnesse in the Citty Country of Liege To all those to whom these presents shall come greeting We do certify attest That a Petition being presented to vs in our ordinary Consistory in the Palace of his sayd Hyghnesse on the be halfe of Sir Thomas Preston Knyght Baronet residing at the English Colledge of this Citty that whereas the sayd Sir Th. Preston during the greatest part of the yeare 1678. more especially in the months of March April May Iune did constantly reside in the sayd Colledge he the sayd Sir Th. Preston hauing petitioned that we in fauour of the Truth would hear a great many witnesses which he had to produce we condescended vnto his sayd Petition as reasonable iust haue accordingly heard vpon Oath fourteen Creditable Persons who haue all vnanimously vpon their respectiue Oaths declared attested that the sayd Sir Th. Preston Knyght Baronet did reside all the