THis Author first de­clares, that, whether the Birth of the pre­tended Prince of Wales were Legitimate, or supposititious, has not been questioned or thought [Page 2] worthy to be examined publick by authority, and therefore seems to add, that the Birth must be Legitimate because the pre­sent Government has not expo­sed that vile Imposture: As, I am sure, they justly might; though the Clemency of our present King, and his late Royal Consort of Blessed Memory, (whose goodness, have always been equal to their Royal Births and Great­ness) having in this as in ma­ny other Cases, been willing to pass by the Greatest Abuses, and Injuries, committed against [Page 3] them; for which their Ma­jesties have been only abused by those they spared; which the Queen was very well as­sured of, and did once com­mand Mrs. Labaddies Letters, and other Papers relating to this supposititious Birth to be Published: And how little soever this Quality, or rather Billingsgate Writer wou'd make me appear, I shall prove him much in the wrong: and assure him, that this matter concerning Mrs. Mary Grey, has been examined before Great and Lawful Authority; as the Chief Ministers of [Page 4] State of this Kingdom; and the positive and corroborating Proofs of several Persons of Quality and others, have all agreed sufficiently to convince the World of the reality of this Impostor.

And that I published it for filthy Lucre, is basely false; for my Printer and Publisher will Depose upon Oath, that I gave the Copy gratis, and would never accept of any Pre­sent: No, on the contrary I did it to serve my King and Country, and will maintain so just a Truth to my last breath.

[Page 5] Next, he charges me with calling in the assistance of a Poet, to exert so much of his Wit and Eloquence, as might help me to entertain the Multitude with this so diverting a Tragy Comedy (as he calls it) as my Discovery of the Mother, and the Murther of the Mo­ther of the pretended Prince of Wales. I cannot but stand amazed at his Frenzy, or Im­pudence, to charge me with such a notorious falsity, which is known to be so to the King himself, and several of the Ministers of State, to whom I gave the above mentioned [Page 6] Narrative of the True Mother of the pretended Prince of Wales, as is now Published; and I can produce a hundred Gentlemen to whom I shewed the said Narrative, and gave them exact Copies: Soon after my lost coming from France, which was some years before I knew Mr. Settle.

And as to the latter part of that Narrative, relating to my own unhappy credulity, occasioned by the immaturity of my Judgment, and the per­fidy of Dalleval and Hays, for whose appearance I engaged to [Page 7] the House of Commons, with the relation of what I discovered to the King, concerning several former Designs against his Sacred Person and Govern­ment, was all writ by my own Hand at Canterbury; where I expos'd it to several the same day I writ it, and I do Declare, that neither Mr. Set­tle, nor any other Persons gave me any assistance in ei­ther of my Books; only the Dedication, which I confess he did; I having not been acquainted with things of that kind: nor shou'd I indeed pretend to Publish any thing [Page 8] but This, which is matter of Fact, and a Truth, which I defie the World to Dis­prove.

As for my Birth, I gave an account of it in my last Book. And if it were not so, certainly this Great Zea­lot for this sham Princes Cause, might easily disprove me: Those of his Stamp sel­dom want Witnesses to Swear at Pleasure: But it is evi­dently known, that I have had all opportunities of an ingenuous Education; and had once the great Sabran (now [Page 9] Tutor to the pretended Prince) for my School-Master, or Governour.

And as for what he men­tions pag. 3. of a Plot upon a Worthy and Reverend Prelate of this Kingdom, I cannot ima­gine; and especially, since he says, And how shamefully and visibly his (meaning my self) veracity came by the Lee, and the lye too, in the Affair: This assurance of his, I look on but as a pure piece of Po­pish Principles, by which they wou'd yet indeavour, by palpable lyes, to support [Page 10] a bad Cause; for I do de­clare, I never gave any in­formation against any Bishop, but the late Bishop of Ely; only it was my misfortune, to read a Copy of a pretended Address to the French King, which Mr. Hayes carried to the late Queen at St. Ger­mains; to which there was fixed the names of several Bishops and others, whom I always believed knew nothing of it: which I declared to the House, when I presented it, as it was my Duty so to do. Therefore I may justly affirm this Charge as false as his others

[Page 17] Next, He tells you, that my Secretary seems to Envy for my sake, that Mr. Pendergrass, Mr. Porter, and Mr. De la Rue, with their Companions, shou'd go away with the whole Glory of the late Dis­covery, &c. But, for this Con­jecture, he can have no more ground, then for the former; but resolves, if possible, to ban­ter such truths, as no honest or Conscientious man can deny: Such were my discoveries, which have been evidently confirm'd by the Lord Preston, Mr. Crowe, and others; which, I think, do in no wise lessen the services of the above said Gentlemen, in their Discoveries of the Conspiracies against the Kings sacred Person and Government▪ as this Spark wou'd Insinuate, Confidently af­firming, [Page 18] That his Majesty, nor the Government, would hardly take notice of my Informations.

I think▪ I have in my former sufficiently set forth the Indea­vours made use of, to Invallidate me to the King and Parliament, which the World has now found, by experience, was the only means to secure the late King's Friends, and cover their bloody Designs; which from the Year 1689. They have been contriv­ing against the present Govern­ment.

He now begins to bring toge­ther the Testimonies, of several upon Oaths, who, he tells you, Ʋnanimously declare the Late Queen to be the true Mother, &c. Which Depositions are already Printed.

[Page 19] By these you may see, what pains this Gentleman has taken, to Collect those Depositions; and after a serious view of them, I presume, most will allow his time but wasted: For I cannot find, that any one but the Midwife does affirm, That they saw the Child come from the Queens Body. But on this subject I will not dis­pute for modesty sake; Besides, the weakness of those feeble Al­legations is a subject that has been often publickly exposed, and that lately too, which this Quality-writer, wisely takes notice of, as being unable to An­swer. I shall therefore quit that needless Argument, and proceed to inform you, what I know concern­ing Mrs. Mary Grey, and which hath already, and will be suffici­ently [Page 20] prov'd, by a great number of Witnesses.

First, that the said Mary Grey, with another Gentlewoman, came over from Ireland, both big with Child, with the Lady Ty­conel, some short time before the late Queen pretended to be deli­vered of the supposed Prince of Wales, which was on the tenth of June, near ten in the Morning. Mrs. Mary Grey being several days before Lodged privately in St. James, in the narrow Gallery, which was near the Queens a­partment; It is certain, that on Saturday the 9th of the same June, Mrs. Grey was taken Ill; upon which the Queen came suddenly to St. James; and one Sunday, when her Majesty pretended to be in Labour, Mrs. Grey, until [Page 21] nine the same morning, was heard to Groan, and make faint screeks; and at her ceasing, the Prince was soon Born. After which she continued three weeks at St. James, and was then sent to France, and there Cloystered up in a Convent of the Be [...]n [...] ­dict [...]-Nuns in Paris; where there was a breach in the Garden Walls in Febuary 1689/90. At which time she made her escape; which Alarm'd the French King, and the late Queen, and occasion'd my being sent in order to imbark for England to get her dispatcht, at her Landing there; and that she was carried to St. Germains to the late Queen, after her being taken in Paris, and also to the French King at Merli, I do affirm to be truth; nor cou'd the French [Page 22] Court at this time so cuningly disguise the Consternation they were under, but it took breath: And wou'd our Male-contents, who are lately come from France, speak truth; I am sure they can­not but Remember part of what I relate: However I don't questi­on, but this matter will be plain­ly made out, to the satisfaction of all Europe, very suddenly, by a sufficient Number of Witnes­ses.

Now, to return to the other objections against me, alledged by this malicious Gentleman, who tells you, I have been confessed guil­ty of Ingratitude to my best Friends and pretended Relations, and have been openly Convinced of most Villa­nous and Malicious Forgery, against a Reverend Bishop; and of a wicked [Page 23] design against the whole Church of England. To these I Answer, and appeal to any moderate Judici­ous, and Christian tempered Reader, that my Duty to my Country ought to be valued a­bove any private Interest, or Friend. And I must confess, I have always had the greatest va­lue and respect for the Persons of my Friends at St. Germains: But the Barbarity of the Intriegues they had imploy'd me in, gave me sufficient cause to leave their ser­vice, in order to prevent the effu­sion of my Countrys blood, and the Ruine of the Liberties of England, by bringing it under a French power; which looked ve­ry dangerously at the time of my coming over: For the full Rela­tion of which, I refer my Reader [Page 24] to my other Books; only I beg leave to inform you, that I did not leave the late King and Queens terms, without sufficient cause, and a serious consideration; I mean, in regard to the publick good for which I have suffered, and glory in my wrongs.

But as for any Forgery commit­ted by me against a Bishop, I stand amazed that a Person of Quality shou'd persist in so known a Lye. I have heard, I confess, of some such Villany committed against the Bishop of Ro [...]chester; but sure I am, that his Lordship, had never any Reason in the least to suspect me concern'd; besides the Persons were convicted; and I never till now was charged with such a crime.

[Page 25] And he would insinuate, that I designed against the whole Church of England, &c. Certainly this Author knows me not; for I presume most that do, can answer, That I profess my self, tho unwor­thy, a Member of that Church; To which I was brought o­ver, and convinced of the Er­rors of the Church of Rome, by the late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Tillotson.

He continues to repeat my misfortune before the House of Commons, and is hardly put to his shifts for Arguments a­gainst me, to invalidate my [Page 26] Testimony, and cover the cunning management of the Impostor-Prince, which will be made Good by no less Number of prevailing Wit­nesses than his mighty Troop of Thirty Seven: For Truth, tho oppressed and stifled for a time, Will at last break forth, and maintain its Property against all such scribling lying Opposers, as this Gentleman has expos'd himself to be.

He would reflect on the Papers and Letters which I purpose suddenly to Publish; but neither himself nor Party will have much cause; for [Page 27] they shall have them as soon as the Parliament sits, and which had e're this been publisht; only the extraor­dinary consequence of them will, I hope, at that time, be more serviceable to the true Interest of the present Government.

I must confess, I cannot positively affirm, that Mrs. Mary Grey was murthered; but after what I had seen and heard from the late Queens, Mrs. Grey and Fa. Sabran's own mouths, and missing her from the time of Conveying her from the [Page 28] French King's back stairs, I had sufficient reasons, and did really believe she was murthered.

He adds, That any Man, that has not a very strong Faith, would Hardly believe (without very good proof) the escape of such a poor Woman should so mightily Alarm the French King and late Queen; when her escape could have done them little harm; since it had been more Innocent for them to pretend, that whate­ver the woman, when in Eng­land, declared, she was hired, and words put into her mouth, [Page 29] by King William and his A­gents, &c.

To this I answer, and it is known to most in Europe; that the French King is the most unfit person to impose such an untruth on the World: For his Gallick Majesty very well knows▪ that had Mrs. Grey come over to England, and de­clar'd this matter, all his De­clarations, or charges against her, wou'd have signified but little: For the many false Impositions of the French King, and his abdicated Bro­ther, are too well known, for [Page 30] any to trust, or believe them for the future, without good security. And on the other hand, all must allow King William never gave incourage­ment to Villanies, nor false Imputations, to support his cause or Interest in any kind; His Throne is Establish'd on the Basis, of true Justice and Vertue.

This Author adds, There was no need of the French Kings being there at the personal Ex­amination, of Mrs. Grey; and says, It was below him; nay it was none of his concern; but the late King and Queens, [Page 31] &c. But in this, as in other cases, he shews his Vanity, in opposing truths; and sure he must willfully forget, that King James was at this time in Ireland, which almost eve­ry one knows: And the late Queen never did any business of concern, without consult­ing the French King; to whom, at this time, she was in a more special manner obliged to ap­ply her self for his assistance; fearing without it, it might prove Impossible for her to be any longer secured from being expos'd, in this her Master-piece of Intriegue on which all her hopes, [Page 32] and even those of the late Kings success depended.

As for their confining Mrs. Grey in some remote Convent, as tHat of Oublies, &c. If ever the late Queen or French King had any such thoughts, it must needs be stifled by the late Queens extraordinary Consternation, which she had not then recovered: But, as in the case of the Duke of Monmouth, no­thing but blood could satisfy her: besides as their might happen a breach in those Garden Walls too, or some other Contrivance, which might afford Mrs. Grey a second opportunity of Leaving them, her Death was therefore undoubt­edly thought most secure, and might easily be practised where 'tis not thought so great a sin, but may be absolved, especially in so important a Cause.

[Page 33] This Gentleman now falls hard on Mr. Settle, for assisting me; which, God knows, he did not; for I have no need of help in a Relation of a Matter, where I was so nearly concerned; And as for his Advice, When he writs next for me, &c. I do tell him, That, as in the two former Trea­tises, so in This, I have writ no­thing but what is true, and what I will maintain against all Op­posers whatever; of which I will give the World a further Proof, as soon as my business will per­mit me: And, by reason I never heard of any Bishop, that writ a­gainst me, I have no occasion to trouble my Self with the mat­ter: And, as for that of the [Page 34] House of Commons, I hope to have a just Hearing; and am con­tented, that my Life should lie at stake, in case I prove not what I have writ, or said in This, or Others, in my just Defence.

Having thus answered all the Objections of this malicious Au­thor against me, I now proceed to solve some other Queries, which have been spread abroad by other Male-Contents; who knowing their Instability, only Mole-like, work under Ground, and try all Shifts and Arts to Trap me: One of these is Mr. S—, a Zealous Roman Catho­li [...]k, who was in France some­time, though now obliged to re­turn for Bread, and sets up for [Page 35] an Opposer of my Narrative; laying hold of an Error in my first Book, committed by the Printer, viz. in these words, I Embark'd with the late Queen, her pretended Son, &c. from White-Hall; whereas, in my Original, the words were, That I Embark'd in the same Barge which carryed the Queen; and the next Day following, we arrived at Callais, in a Yatch: I confess, I should at first have enlarged on the full Account of this Mat­ter; but that I thought it might be too tedious for to trouble my Reader with, by reason so many have writ formerly on the same Subject

[Page 36] Next, it is alledged by some, who are either wilfully igno­rant, or malicious in their Re­ports, That I never was Page of Honour to the late Queen, &c. I confess, it was in France: But if the Testimony, or Confession of one upon his Tryal, for his Life and Death, may be credi­ted▪ I hope, Mr. Crone's words may; which were on his Try­al these, viz. I confess, I was in France, and introduced to the Queen by Mr. Fuller, her Ma­jesty's Page, that was in waiting, when I came to St. Germains: To which he adds, (and just before his Condemnation) That, had he but known on what Ac­count I was in France, when he [Page 37] was with me, he would have used me as I had done him. Thus far his Irish Assurance prompted him to Express his Zeal for King James's Cause, even when he was found Guilty of High Treason; for which he was Con­demned at the Old Baily, and Reprieved from time to time, which he obtained by repeated Promises of making a full and in­genuous Confession of what he knew to the Government; which he perform'd, after having had Twenty Four Reprieves from the King and Queen; upon which he was Pardoned, and set at Liberty; and Orders were gi­ven for the Indictments to be drawn up against such as the [Page 38] said Crone, in his Confession, had Discovered; as also, against those, to whom, with him, I brought Commissions, and In­structions from the late King and Queen, and the French King, for the furthering the Designs, then on Foot, to Kill King William, and His Royal Consort Queen Mary, and to seize them Dead or Alive; with private Instructi­ons, to secure, in the like man­ner, Alive or Dead, all Lords and Others, which should op­pose King James's Interest, or the Authority of those to whom he had given Com­mission, under his Broad Seal, bearing Date at Dublin, to [Page 39] Act for him as Deputies, or Lords Justices of England.

Concerning this, I cannot forbear to acquaint my Reader; That these Lords, trusted in so great a Concern, were ap­pointed by the French King: For a Commission of this kind, was sent over from Dub­lin to St. Germains in Janu­ary, 1690. But the French King, being displeased with some Persons that King James had Authorized, sent it im­mediately back to him by an Express, to notifie his dis­like; wh [...]ch King James did not Dispute; but instantly dispatched the Lord Thomas Howard to the French King, [Page 40] upon the adjusting of that Matter: And, on his Voyage, that unhappy and ingenious Lord had the misfortune to be Cast away; and his Fate not being known in some time, oc­casioned a tedious delay, in this Matter: But the French King, recommending such Per­sons as he thought fit for this weighty Affair, sent his Opinion, or rather Commmand, to King James; and so instantly passed a new Commission, as the French King Nominated.

To this Affair I was Privy, as being sent by Monsieur Lovie, (recommended by the Queen) to King James in Ireland; where I staid until the News was Con­firmed [Page 41] of my Lord Thomas Howard's hard Fate: Upon which I returned from King James at Dublin, to France, with a Gentle­man, who brought the last Com­mission to the French Court; with which Mr. Crone, and my Self, was dispatcht for England, with several other Commissions, as soon as the French Court had News, that their Fleet was ready to Sail, in the Year 1690. being the time King James's Party had procured so great an Intrest and Provision, in England, in order to assist a French Army: The Services I performed for the present Go­vernment, on this occasion, I need not mention; since the King, in [Page 42] part, was Graciously pleased to declare it to the Parliament; imme­diately after my Coming from France.

I having writ this former Nar­rative at Tunbridge-Wells, and coming Post to Town the Day following, in order to Publish it, a Friend of mine brought me a few Lines, which he tells me, were writ by an Eminent Citizen, and one of the Gentle­men, that was of Mr. Crone's Ju­ry: The words as I have them fairly written, are as followeth, viz.

[Page 45] I shall Conclude this Narra­tive with the Observations this Gentleman makes, That Crone endeavoured to invalidate me, by the basest and vilest means, which the Devil or Malice could invent; and such has been the restless Endeavours of the late King's party, ever since; and particularly, the practice of this late Author; whom I advise, in return of his Kindness to Me, to be better inform'd, before he pre­tends to write again