AS nothing of Public Con­cernment has been so va­riously discours'd of at home and abroad, as the Lancashire Plot, and that perpetual Train of Conspiracies that have annually succeeded it; some en­deavouring to sham the whole by scandalous Invectives against the Dis­coverers, whilst others searching in­to the bottom of the several Designs, are not only convinc'd of the Truth of them, but also of the Honour and Integrity of the Government in rela­tion to these Affairs; I cannot imagin, but that a True and Impartial Account [Page 2]of them, will be equally useful, and acceptable, to the Public, and because the Lancashire Plot has had the Ho­nour not only to be the Parent, but Companion of all the other Conspiracies, I find my self oblig'd to begin, tho' the Series of the Narration will not permit me to conclude with it.

The Contrivance then of this Plot is owing to the Politics of the late King James; who finding himself ut­terly lost in the love and affections of his People, and the Crown fallen from his Head by his own mal-Admi­nistration, yet flattering himself with the vain hopes of regaining by the Sword, what he had forfeited by brea­king the Laws of the Land, and en­deavouring to subvert the Constitution: He fled into France for shelter till he could put his Affairs into such a Po­sture as might facilitate his Return, and enable him to establish Popery and Ar­bitrary Power in these Protestant King­doms.

But before he took his Voyage for France to gain Assistance from that po­tent Monarch, 'twas concerted by him and those Popish bigotted Friends, that had espous'd his Interest, that they [Page 3]should also endeavour at the same time to raise a Ferment in England, Scotland and Ireland to concur with the Designs that carryed him into France, and therefore that some Per­son of known Experience, Courage and Secresy should be dispatch'd on that Er­rand to imbroyl the three King­doms.

Mr. Bromfeild, a pretended Quaker, and so dexterous and bold a Counter­feit, that he was able to personate the the Disciple of any Sect, Member of any Faction, or Person of any Quality, had this Office assign'd him, and from the Earl of Salisbury's by the Name of Thompson advanc'd towards Scotland: Not forgetting (according to the In­structions given him by the late King) to sow such Seeds of Discontent and Jealousy as he pass'd through the North of England, as might ripen into an Insurrection and Rebellion, at his Re­turn.

He had not been long in Scotland before he effected his wicked Purposes, in laying a Foundation for a Civil War in that Kingdom, and from thence sail'd into Ireland on the same Errand: Where he acquaints the Earl [Page 4]of Tyrconnel, how successful he had been in his Negotiations in Scotland, viz. That the Duke of Gourdon had garrison'd Edenbrough Castle, and that the Viscount Dundee would be sudden­ly at the Head of a great Army there, and both declare for the late King James; but Mr. Bromfeild finding the Earl of Tyrconnel, so zealous for the Cause, that he wanted no Arguments or Preswasions, to make him more active and daring, in promoting the late Kings Service; he sail'd from thence into Lancashire where he might be more useful; intending to make that and the adjacent Countrys the Provinces he would act in.

When Bromfeild landed in Lanca­shire, he intended for Croxteth, the Seat of the Lord Molineux; but for fear of be­ing too much observ'd there, he alter'd his purpose, and took up his head quarters at Mr. Fitz Herberts of Wa­pra Vid Mr. Ed­ward's, and Wilson's Depo­sitions in the Appendix. and sometimes at Mr. Wilson's in Redland, where the Jacobites resorted to him in great Numbers, to concert what was necessary to be done for the Restauration of their old Master.

From Wapra he often made Excur­sions into the neighbouring Countys, [Page 5]and through by-ways to Croxteth to confer with the Lord Molineux, and his Son, and other considerable Per­sons of the Roman Character. And having adjusted Matters there for an Insurrection, he return'd into Ireland with his Dispatches, and so backward and forward, as the Emergency of his treasonable Affairs requir'd. Having a safer Conveyance for his Lancashire Pacquets to, and Answers from France by the way of Ireland, than to hazard them through the several Post-Offices in England.

This treacherous Imployment was carry'd on by Mr. Bromfeild for some Months, the Habit of a Quaker secu­ring him from the Suspition of a Jaco­bite; but at length his Visor dropt off, and the trayterous half-fac'd Papist was seen through the demure Looks and canting Dialect of the Quaker. The Vessel that Bromfeild bought to transport him to, and from, Ireland, was seiz'd by Mr. Morston for the use of the Government, and Bromfeild had certainly been committed to Pri­son, and try'd for his Life, had not the means of his Escape out of Lanca­shire Vid Depositi­ons pradict. been contriv'd by his quondam [Page 6]Host and intire Friend and Confident Mr. Wilson.

Mr. Bromfeild and his Intelligence being once more landed in Ireland May. 1689. (where the late King James was arriv'd also) he acquaints the late King with the Effects of his Travails, viz. That his Friends were up in Arms in Scot­land, and that the Lancashire Papists, and others were ready to ingage in his Quarrel, in Order to re-inthrone him, as soon as they were commissioned by him to undertake it. Nor did he forget to acquaint the late King how narrowly he escap'd a Goal, and the Gallows at his last being in Lancashire; and that since he was too well known there to be sent again into that Country, he begg'd some other Person might he imploy'd in carrying over the Commis­sions desir'd: Which the late King com­ply'd with, and as a Reward of these Services, made Mr. Bromfeild one of the Commissioners of his Irish Mint, in which Post he continued till the Redu­ction of Ireland by King William.

If any object that Bromfeild's Agen­cy in Scotland has no Authorities to support it, let the Reader know, 'tis not for want of them they are not pro­duced; [Page 7]but for prudential Reasons 'tis thought fit to conceal them at present, there being other and farther Uses to be made of them by the Government here after at his Tryal, whensoever he falls in­to the hands of Justice. However that I may not be thought to impose upon my Reader, if Mr. Bromfeild be told, that the Proof of that Matter is contain'd in the Papers under his own hand, which he sent out of Ireland by the Carver, I am almost confident he will not deny it. I equally abhor a false and partial Author; but Mr. Bromfeild's Crimes are of themselves so heinous and execrable that his Historian need not give himself the Trouble to add to their Blackness, therefore I have rather abbreviated than inlarg'd the Share he had in the Plot, and made no other use of him, but what serves to trace the Conspiracy from its dark Original at the late Kings going off, and lets the Readers into the Methods that began the Treasonable Confede­racies.

Here you see the Foundation of the Lancashire Plot, to involve the Nation in Blood and Ruin. And as if this would not prove a Tragedy deep e­nough [Page 8] Si nequeant Superos, Ache­ronta move­bunt. the Murther of the King (as it has done ever since) must either pre­cede or go hand in hand with the In­vasion. For no sooner was King Wil­liam setled on the Throne, but he re­ceived Information Vid. the Hi­story of the late Conspiracy written in French. that several Per­sons were sent into England to Assassi­nate him. The same Discovery was made to a great Man in Holland, and to the Right Honourable the now Earl of Romney in England, though Thanks be to God, they found no Opportunity to execute their barba­rous Design.

'Tis impossible for a sober Man to imagine a Provocation strong enough, to excuse either the committing or incouraging such a Villany; but it seems, his Majesties Enemies were more afraid of the Kings single Person, then of the united Strength of all the Allies. And therefore resolv'd to take off his Majesty, by ways peculiar to such degenerate Wretches, that dare commit the basest and most unmanly Sort of Treason to advance their Inte­rests. And this I think will suffice at present to convince the Reader of what will be more plainly prov'd to him in the Sequel, viz. That the Lancashire [Page 9]Plot and the Assassination of the King were Twins of the same Birth. And agrees exactly with Mr. De la Rue's Depositions at Mr. Charnock's Tryal. Vid. his Try­al, pag. 29. The Conspiracy (says he) to Assassi­nate his Majesty has been carrying on a great while, for some years, and it origi­nally came from Col. Parker, especially, as to my knowledge of it, and that was about six years ago at St. Germains, when I was there, he propounded it to me, Vid. Mr. Geo. Harris's Depo­sitions as to Par­ker's being pri­vy to it. and said he would propound it to my Lord Melfort. So that 'tis clear, that from 1689 till 1696, there was a De­sign to murther his Majesty, and that Col. Parker, who managed the Insurre­ction and Rebellion in Lancashire, was one of the cheifest in the Assassination Plot also. My next Work is to ac­quaint you, how Bromfeild, having agre'd the Plot when he was in Lan­cashire, sent over Commissions from the late King to the Northern Conspirators, to raise a Rebellion against their Maje­sties in those Parts. Which was to be carry'd on after this Manner.

Mr. Lunt, who followed the late King into France immediatly after his Vid. Lunt's and Langley's Affidavit in the Appendix. Abdication, was sent from thence with the rest of his Guards into Ire­land, [Page 10]and in May 1689, renewed his Acquaintance with Mr. Bromfeild, who was lately come out of Lanca­shire; and a general Report being spread upon his Arrival, that Lanca­shire and the adjacent Counties would rise, in order to re-inthrone the late King, and that they only waited for Commissions from him for that Purpose. Mr. Lunt asks Bromfeild, if there was any Truth in that Report? Bromfeild avers it to be true, and knowing that Lunt was a bold and active Fellow, laid hold on this Advantage, to perswade him to be one of the Persons that should carry over, and deliver Com­missions to some of the late Kings Friends and Confederates in England. Lunt at first refus'd that dangerous Of­fice, but being further press'd and courted to it by many of his pretend­ed Friends, and particularly recom­mended to the late King for that Ser­vice, by the Lords Vid. Lunt's Depositions in the Appendix. Thomas and George Howard, and thereupon sent for by Bromfeild to the Lord Melfort's Office, he was there over-perswaded to shut his Eyes against the visible Danger to which they were exposing him, by ven­tring on such a hazardous Imployment, [Page 11]which was no wonder, for what will not Men of a Senceless Bigottry, and desperate Fortune undertake, who hope to raise themselves upon the Ruin of their Country?

The Lancashire Papists having now received the News, that the late King was arriv'd in Ireland, and had raised so great an Army there, that (as they fondly thought) he would soon be Master of that Kingdom and from thence sail into Lancashire, as had been concerted between Bromfeild, and the Heads of the Conspiracy, and not knowing what Care was ta­king in Ireland to send over their Com­missions: These Gentlemen, I say, grow­ing impatient for them, resolv'd to send a Messenger of their own to fetch them, that they might be in a Condition to to join the late King with their Forces at his Arrival among them. Mr. Ed­mund Thrillfall of the Ashes in Goosner, was pitched upon for this Service; and the means for his safe and unsuspect­ed Passage into Ireland, as well as his secure Returning again into Lancashire, was thus contrived.

The Right Honourable the Earl of Derby sending every Year to fetch Cat­tle [Page 12]from the Isle of Man into Lanca­shire Vid. John Cawson 's De­positions taken before John Patten of Pre­ston Esq and John Cawson of Cockram in the County of Lancaster or his Son Charles Cawson, having for some years past been imploy'd in this Service (and had now leave from one of that noble Peer's Servants to enter again upon that Voyage as soon as he pleased) Mr. Thrillfall treated Vid. his Affi­davit taken Jun. 17. 1689 before John Patten of Preston Esq with John Cawson for his Passage to the Isle of Man, and being deny'd by the Father, treats with his Son Charles who was to go Master of the Vessel; and finding him more plyable, trusts him with the Secret, and for ten pounds in See John Knowles's Af­fidavit taken be­fore Mr. Pat­ten. hand, and ten pounds more at his return, hires the Master to land him at Dublin, and bring him back into Lancashire; but this Design was to be kept Private, and none of the Ships Company were to be acquainted, that they were going upon any other, or farther Voyage, then to fetch Cattle from the Isle of Man.

About the beginning of May 1689, the Pink called the Lyon of Lancashire, (Charles Cawson Master) being ready to sail, Mr. Edmund Thrillfall and two Strangers (yet unknown) came on board the Vessel, shew'd the Master and Mar­riners the Earl of Derby's Pass, and [Page 13]then the Pink with her Passengers, and five Marriners and a Boy Jo. Preston. Hen. Knowles. Ja. Tompson. Jo. Barrowe. Ri. Whiteside. in the Night time, without any Cocket, or Certificate from the Custom House, or any Lading; loosed out of Lune Road near Lanca­ster, and as all the Saylors believed were bound for the Isle of Man; See John Preston's Af­fidavit sworn before the now Earl of Ma­clesfeild, Jun. 17. 1689. but be­fore they could compass it, Mr. Thrillfall propos'd Sayling to Ireland, to which the Master readily consented, saying he had some Debts to get in there, according­ly they went to Dublin and continued there three wekes. All which is proved by the Oaths of the whole Ships Company whose Affidavits are to be found in the Appendix.

Now are the Commissions preparing or the Northern Conspirators. Thrill­fall and Lunt are brought acquainted, and instructed in the Affair they were ingag'd in: And Passes provided for each of them under the Hand and Seal of the Lord Melfort (one of which was ready to be produc'd at the Tryal at Manchester, but Sir W. W. for reasons best known to himself would not suffer it.) All things being ready in the three weeks time the Pink continu­ed at Dublin, Thrillfall and Lunt went aboard the same Vessel there, the former [Page 14]carryed with him a Portmantle Trunk cover'd with Hair, and a Sword and a pair of Pistols, the latter only a pair of Leather Baggs and Sword and Pistols, and arrived in Lune See the Affi­davit of the Ships Crew. River near Cockram in Lancashire in the beginning of June 1689.

As soon as the Pink came to an An­chor Lunt and Thrillfall pressed to be set on Shoar, and the Master was no less concerned to be quit of them, least they should be seis'd by the Officers of the Customs, who come on board every Vessel, as soon as it comes into Har­bour. To escape this Danger, the Offenders make such hast, that Lunt leaves his two Bags wherein were some Commissions, Declarations, Blanks and other written and printed Papers, be­hind him in the Ship. Which Lunt missing when he landed, he desired the Boats Crew to fetch them and bring them to him at Cockram See the De­positions of Hen. Knowles and Ri. Whit­ride who rowed the boat ashore. but before the Cock-loat could reach the Ship, the Of­ficers of the Customs came on board the Pink, seised the Papers, and find­ing them of dangerous consequence pur­sue Thrillfall and Lunt; but not over­taking them deliver the Commissions, Declarations, and the other written, and [Page 15]printed Papers, into the hand of Autho­rity.

These Papers being further enquir'd into, Charles Cawson conscious of his own guilt, absents himself; but his Fa­ther and the Ships Crew viz: Preston, Knowles, Whiteside, Thompson and Bar­row being call'd to account, they all of 'em deposed either in the whole, or in part, all that is related in the six fore­going Paragraphs.

This early and open Design against their Majesties, and the Government, making no small Noise in Lancashire, the Matter came also to be examin'd at Manchester by the then Earl, now his Grace the Duke of Devonshire, the now Earl of Macclesfeild, the Earl of Scarbrough and the Lord Wharton. All these noble Peers being at that time in Lancashire to view and regulate the Army. And their Lordships all agreed that the Earl of Macclesfeild, as Lord Leiutenant of that County, should immediatly issue out his Warrant a­gainst Lunt and Thrillfall, which was done accordingly.

Thus far you have found Lunt's and Thrillfall's bringing Commissions into Lancashire from the late King, [Page 16]substantially, and credibly prov'd, and where Interest or Prejudice can no way suspect any Collusion. I shall therefore proceed in the next Place to shew you how they dispos'd of 'em.

Thrillfall and Lunt having escap'd the Officers of the Customs, they hasten to Mr. Tildesly's of the Lodge, vid John Wilson's Depo­sitions. and there divided their Pacquets. The Commissions directed to Gentle­men in Yorkshire, the Bishoprick of Durham, &c. were taken Care of by Mr. Thrillfall: Who having a Guide provided for him, began his Journey thither, as soon as he had refresh'd himself. The rest of the Commissions appointed for Lancashire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, &c. were committed to the Care of Mr. Lunt.

Thrillfall, pursuant to the late Kings Orders, having delivered his share of the Commissions, and what else he had in charge to the more Northren Gentle­men; he privately returned to his own House at Goosner in Lancashire, and, having notice there, that his treasonable Practices were discover'd by Mr. Kelly, Mr. Dodsworth, and the Commissions left in the Ship, he took all imaginable Care to secure himself there, [Page 17]till he could find an Opportunity of returning to the late King in Ire­land.

But this Designincounter'd a severe disappointment, and he with the Re­ward of his Treachery. For it being whisper'd among the Party that he was return'd, it quickly took Air; and a Warrant (as I said before) being out against him from the Lord Lieute­nant, he was sought after by a Party of the Militia, and found by the Corporal in a hollow Place made for that purpose in a Stack of Turffs. As soon as he was discover'd, the Corporal attempting to seize him, Thrillfall violently snatcheth the Mus­ket out of the Corporals hand, and knock'd him down with it; but the Corporal recovering himself, and find­ing his own Life, and the Prisoners Escape in such apparent Danger, he drew his Sword, and run Mr. Thrillfall through the Body, of which wound he died immediatly.

And what but the Sense of his own Guilt, and the Dread of the shameful Death, that he knew must attend it, could have forc'd him to such a de­sperate Resistance of lawful Authority. [Page 18]For tho' we allow him to be a Man o­never so great Courage, yet we can not suppose he would have thrown a­way his Life as he did, if he had not known his Crimes were so great, and the Proof of 'em so plain, that 'twas impossible for him to escape the Punish­ment inflicted for Treason, if he should have been apprehended and brought to a Tryal.

When Mr. Lunt and George Wilson his Guide, had deliver'd his Vid. Lunt's and Wilsons Depositions, in the Append. share of the late Kings Commissions to the Gentlemen, whose Names and Places of Abode, they give you a List of in their Depositions, Lunt was sent by the Conspirators to London to buy Arms, list Men and send them into Lancashire to be subsisted at the Charge of the Conspirators, till they had occasion to imploy them in the Service of the late King. And this Lunt perform'd as appears upon the Oaths of the several Persons whose Names are in the El. Langley, Mr. John Ed­wards, George Wilson, Law. Brandon, Ro­bert Bradly, John Wilson, Anne Elliot, Eliz. Hearst, Edw. Browne. Margin. And now having so stock'd that County with Irish and other Souldiers that it be­came the public Discourse and Conver­sation of the whole Country, a fresh Discovery is transmitted to the Govern­ment [Page 19]of the Lancashire Plot, in a Let­ter to the Right Honourable the Earl now his Grace the Duke of Shrews­bury, His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State. Dated from the Quarter Sessions of the Peace holden by Ad­journment at Manchester, the 18th of October 1689.

This Letter, next to finding the Commissions in the Ship and the Deposi­tions of Mr. Cawson, and the five Seamen, is the first Discovery I meet with of the Lancashire Plot. And truly it's so full, plain, particular and convincing, and stands upon such un­questionable Authority and Truth: The Subscribers being Persons of known Honour and Integrity, that 'twere a Boldness exceeding all Hopes of Par­don, or Belief, to raise an Ob­jection against it. Having thus ac­quainted, and I hope convinc'd, my Reader, that there was a dangerous Plot forming against the Government [Page 22]in 1688 and 1689. That they were then modelling of Officers, and Soul­diers, to assist an Invasion, and raise a Rebellion. And were providing them­selves with Scarlet Cloaks, War-Sad­dles, Swords, Pistols and other Re­quisits for that bloody Enterprise; my next Affairs is to acquaint you by what Persons and Methods, it was transacted, as well as the several Disappointments that attended it, till it was more fully discovered in 1694.

The Tools they wrought with, were first Papists in general See Mr. Kel­ly 's, Mr. Dods­worth 's & Ro­binson's Depo­sitions. who thought themselves oblig'd to restore that Prince, who had sacrific'd his Crown, to advance their Religion and Interests. The Second were those whose Safety depended upon the subversion of the Laws, and fishing in troubled Waters. And the last were disbanded Irish Souldiers, who look'd upon our Hap­piness with Envy, and could no longer endure to be Subjects to those they once hop'd to Enslave. And truly such Men as these were the fittest to be employ'd in a Conspiracy of this Nature: And in all Probability would have prov'd, if success had accompa­nied their Endeavours, the most effe­ctual [Page 23]Instruments, for the Destruction of our King, Religion and Country.

Mr. Lunt having (as is before re­cited) sent many Souldiers into Lan­cashire, was returning thither in Com­pany of Mr. Abbot then, and now, Ste­ward to the Lord Molyneux, to give an Account to his Masters of his Nego­tiations in London; but in Coventry they were both seiz'd and imprison'd, as E­nemies to the Government, August 1689.

A while after Lunt's and Abbot's Confinement in Coventry, Providence so order'd it, that Charles Cawson, Ma­ster of the Vessel that brought Lunt and Thrillfall out of Ireland, being ap­prehended in Lancashire was carrying up to London a Prisoner for that Fact: And lodging at Coventry was told as a piece of News, that two of his Country-Men were commit­ted to that Goal as Enemies to the King and Government. Cawson de­sires to see them, the Kings Messenger that had Cawson in Custody consents to it, and walking together into the Prison, Cawson knows Lunt at first sight, charges him with being one of the Per­sons he brought out of Ireland in June last, and who brought over the Commis­sions, [Page 24]Declarations and other Papers which were left in his Ship, and for which Cawson was now in Trouble; and being examin'd in London by the Council, acquaints the Government with the whole Relation of Thrillfall's going into Ireland, and his, and Lunt's coming back, landing at Cockram, leaving the Papers behind them, and that Thrillfall was kill'd, and Lunt in Coventry Goal. Which being heard, and attested by the Kings Messenger, Cawson was bound over to give Evidence against Lunt, and for the present discharg'd. And if this and the foregoing Testi­monies do not prove, that Lunt was an Agent for the Lancashire Papists, and his bringing over Commissions from the late King, I know not what can.

Matters appearing so plainly a­gainst Lunt, he and Abbot, Steward to the Lord Molyneux, were removed from Coventry to London, examin'd by the Privy Council, and both commit­ted to Newgate for Treasonable Practi­ces, November, 1689. Where I shall leave them, and proceed to prove the Lancashire Conspiracy by other Testi­monies, and let the World see, what little Credit is to be given to that har­dy [Page 25]Man, that with so much Confidence deny'd the whole Plot, and call'd it a sham Contrivance of some little Mini­sters to ruin those that were accused without Cause.

And having already prov'd the bringing over Commissions, and the de­livery of them, I proceed to acquaint my Reader with the Use the Papists made of those Commissions, and that will appear by the Depositions of Mr. Kelly, taken in November, 1689. be­fore Thomas Yarnol Mayor of Evesham in the County of Worcester, Richard Earl Bellemont, Sir James Rushout, William Bromly, Edmund Letchmore and Richard Doldswel Esquires, Justices of the Peace for the County of Wor­cester, viz. That there was a design on foot to raise a Rebellion against the King and Queen in Lancashire. That divers Persons in that and the adjoyning Coun­ties, had receiv'd Commissions from the late King, to raise two Regiments of Horse, two Regiments of Dragoons, and three Regiments of Foot, that great num­bers of Irish Souldiers and Arms for them were privately kept in divers Pla­ces in that County. Particularly that Mr. Thomas Tatlock of Simmonds­wood Ferguson in his Letter to the Lord chief Ju­stice Holt, Prin­ted 1694. [Page 26] near Sefton did harbour above threescore Men, for the Service of the late King. And that Arms for them were hid in that Wood. That Mr. Mo­lyneux of Marborow did harbour a­bove twenty Irish Souldiers for the same Service. And that Arms, Saddles, Bridles, Holsters and other Necessaries for them, were hid in a Cellar under a Tower at the Entry of the House of Mr. Blundel of Ince in the Parish of Sefton. That John Holland of Prescot, and his Partner, and a Sadler in Legh, made Saddles and Holsters for them, and were privy to the Design. And that he saw and heard read a Letter in the Hands of the Lord Molyneux 's Son, from the late King James 's Queen, in­couraging the Insurrection intended in Lancashire and giving Assurance of As­sistance from the French King, of Men and Arms.

This Information caus'd many of the Lancashire Papists to be Imprison'd; but others who tacitly confest their Guilt by flying, and were look'd upon to be dangerous Persons absconded, See the Ju­stices Letter from Middle­ton. and would not be found till they had also prevented the Punishment, by removing Kelly into another World. I [Page 27]suppose by private Murther, for as soon as it was known that Mr. Dods­worth had also discovered the Conspi­racy, that the King might not have two Witnesses to prove the Treason, Kelly was made away, and could never be heard off to this time. His Fate con­tinues a Mystery; but whether he was kill'd or carry'd away, 'tis certain the Conspirators from that very time be­gan to resume their Courage, which was extreamly sunk upon the notice of Mr. Dodsworth's discovery. And that these were the Artifices by which they conceal'd the Plot so long, and frighted others from discovering it, for fear they should meet the like Fate, is too plain to he deny'd.

In December, 1689. the Lancashire Plot was discover'd also by Mr. Dods­worth, to his Kinsman Roger Kirkby of Kirkby Loinsdale Esq and Governour of Chester Castle, and on the 27th of March, 1690 to the Right Ho­nourable the Earl of Macclesfeild, which his Lordship laying before One of his Majesties Principal Secretaries of State, Mr. Dodsworth was sent for to London, to declare his Know­ledg of the whole Matter, and on May [Page 28]the 16th 1690. gave Information up­on Oath of this Conspiracy, before the Lord chief Justice Holt. And the Clamour that was made, upon several Persons of Note being seised, and Search made after others, brought it to be examin'd before the Honourable the Commons assembled in Parliament. The substance whereof was,

That certain Roman Catholic Gentle­men and others in the County Palatine of Lancashire, and Parts adjacent (of whose Names and Dwellings he gave a List into the House of Commons, where the Original still remains) were entred into a treasonable Conspiracy to make War against the King and King­dom, with design to reinthrone the late King James, and in order to accomplish these Designs, had receiv'd Commissions from the late King James, brought over from Ireland by Mr. Thrillfall to raise some Regiments of Horse, and Dragoons. To furnish which, Ammunition was pro­vided, Arms and other Necessaries bought, and hid in divers Places by the confederated Collonels. Which Troops were to be joyn'd by the late Kings For­ces from Ireland, whilst the French that were to be landed in Cornwal gave [Page 29]the King Diversion there, and the Duke of Berwick in Scotland: And all to be kept close and still, till the late King ar­riv'd in Lancashire, which according to the late Kings Promise, should be in a Month or two at the farthest.

With this Discovery the Honourable House of Commons were so well satis­fied, that they recommended Mr. Dods­worth to the King for a Reward of his Service to the Public. His Majesty gratify'd him with a present Reward in Money, and recommended him to the Lords Commissioners of his Treasury, for what Employment he was capable of; but Mr. Dodsworth being a Papist, and consequently uncapable of any Place under his Majesty, was too long forgot, and had no other Reward but what was given him by the Jaco­bites to stop his Mouth for ever, viz. Murthered, for as soon as that Party (who have their Spies and Intelligen­cers in all Places) heard there was a Correspondence between Dodsworth and Lunt, and that it was whisper'd, that Lunt would also discover, Mr. Dodsworth was Murther'd by Mr. Deane a known and profess'd Jaco­bite.

[Page 30]Mr. Edward Robinson also made a Discovery of this Conspiracy on the 17th day of March, 1690, before Richard Wright Esq One of his Ma­jesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Lancaster, in Substance thus.

That Mr. Fitzakerly at Spello House in Lancashire, shew'd this Deponent a Commission from the late King James, for the raising Men for his Service, and Arms wrap'd up in Straw, and hid un­der the Tyles of the House. That Mr. Fitzakerly had promis'd all his Tenants that would serve under him in the Ser­vice of King James, that upon the Death of any of them, he would renew their Leases to their Children. That they heard from the late King James very often, and that he had sent them Word by a Ser­vant of the Lord Molyneux 's, that he would be with them in two Months. That John Harrington of Egboth Esq told this Deponent, that he also had re­ceiv'd a Commission to be a Captain un­der King James, and that Mr. Moore then in the House (who had been a Cap­tain of Dragoons in the late Irish Army) was to be his Lieutenant.

[Page 31]Thus have I proved without any help from Mr. Lunt, Mr. Wilson, or Mr. Womball, that there was a Con­spiracy against the King and Govern­ment form'd by Mr. Bromfeild and the Lancashire Papists, his Confederates, as early as the latter end of the Year, 1688. That Commissions were sent from the late King James to the Con­spirators in June 1689. That Arms were provided, and Souldiers listed and maintained by the Lancashire Pa­pists to be ready at the Invasion in August 1690. That at the same time the Duke of Berwick was to invade Scotland, and the French England, and give the King Diversion in the West, while the late King was doing the like in the North. And now he that dis­believes the Lancashire Conspiracy, af­ter he has seen it thus separately and singly prov'd, by Persons at great di­stance from, and utter Strangers at the times of their Discoveries to one ano­ther, his Incredulity carries such dan­gerous Symptoms with it, that I de­spair of seeing it ever confuted by a Miracle.

Objection. But perhaps some will object, if the Discovery of the Conspiracy was so [Page 32]True and Manifest, why was not the Prosecution and Conviction of the Offenders as Public at the same time?

Answer. I answer because the Jacobites were too nimble for the Kings Prosecutors, and Murther'd the Kings Witnesses, before the Conspirators could (by the Formalities of Law) be brought to a Tryal.

Objection. If the late King intended to invade England in August 1690, what was the Reason he came not? All the Duke of Schombergs Forces were not able to hinder him.

Answer. Because King William landed in Ire­land June 14. 1690. in June, routed the late King James's Army at the Boyn, and drove him out of Ireland in July July 1. 1690. and that was the Reason he came not into Lan­cashire in August, as he solemnly pro­mis'd.

The News of this glorious Victory was no little Mortification to all the Jacobites as well as the Lancashire Pa­pists. Yet still persisting in their rest­less Designs of destroying King Wil­liam, and restoring the late King James, the Lancashire Plot must sleep while a­nother is devised, and that was to gain [Page 33]Assistance from France Vid. Lord Preston 's Try­al. pag. 50. to invade Eng­land, and to compass this End the Heads of the Jacobites in all Countys immediatly repair to London, and there consult what new Measures were to be taken after this fatal and unexpected Disappointment by the Victory at the Boyn. Now Clubs are set up in all quarters of the Town, for finding they could make no Archievements in the Field of Honour, like Moles they endeavour to undermine the Govern­ment by working deeper and darker. And because the Conspirators were then generally speaking but of one Faction, and they such as made no great Figure in England, it was resol­ved, that the Plot to restore the late King should be laid wider, extended farther, and more Interests be united in private Cabals of their most considerable Friends, Lords and Gentlemen, both Whigs and Tories, See the Result of a Controversy between some Lords and Gen­tlemen both Whigs and Tories, in order to re­store the late King. Lord Prestons Tryal p. 49. and 56. and that at every Meeting they should propose and debate the most effectual ways to restore the late King, and when come to a Resolution, they should transmit their Sentiments to the Royal Club (so called) in Covent-Garden, [Page 34]and they select the most Ra­tional among the various Opinions, and digest them into such Methods for Practice, as should govern the whole Party.

This Stratagem gratify'd all the Jacobites, by making their Persons and Opinions, considerable in what they thought so Great and Glorious a Work, and took so mightily, that in two or three Months, all were agreed to ruin their Native Country, by their una­nimous Consent to these two Propo­sals.

First, that the Jacobites being unable to reinthrone the late King by their own strength, they should endeavour to obtain Assistance from Lord Pre­ston's Tryal, p. 49 and 60. France, who had formerly made them such Promises.

Secondly, since delays were dangerous, sending Letters into France hazardous, Lord Pre­ston's Tryal, p. 50 and 56. the Court at St. Germans Factious and Treacherous, that some Men of Qua­lity, and known Ability, should go over into France to transact that Matter for the whole Party. Now,

Every Cabal being Ambitious of the Honour of sending some Member of their own Club on this promising En­terprise, it took up more time to ad­just [Page 35]this particular, then to agree the other Preliminaries. At length viz. in December 1690, all centred in the Nomination of the Lord Preston, Mr. Ashton and Mr. Elliot, some would have had their number increased, but were over-rul'd by this standing Ma­xim among them Lord Pre­stons Tryal. pa. 55. viz. Choose well, but have to do but with a few, for a Mul­titude may give, but can never keep Counsel.

These Gentlemen thus appointed by the Party were not long before they were ready for their Voyage. And having hired a Vessel of Mrs. Jane Pratt of Berkin in Essex to go into France See her Depos. Lord Prestons Tryal. pa. 30. and 31. they went on board her near Battle Bridge in December the 30. 1690, and were all taken by Captain Billup the same day a little below Gravesend. In Mr. Ashton's Bosom was found See Cap. Bil­lups Aiffidavit in Lord Pre­stons Tryal. pa. 38, and 39. a Pacquet of Letters and Papers, which declar'd they were going to France to promote the treasonable Designs of that Party, against the King and Queen. To invade the Realm, sub­vert the Government, and to restore the late King by the Assistance of French Forces. So that the Invasion Plot did still continue, only that from Ireland [Page 36]is translated into one from France, which is but shifting of Hands, for the Conspirators are still the same Per­sons.

In January 1690, the Lord Preston and Mr. Ashton were brought to their Tryals: And being found guilty of high Treason, receiv'd the Sentence of Condemnation, Mr. Ashton was Executed, and the Lord Preston discovering the Design upon Oath, had his Life given him; but how well he deserv'd that Favour, let his future Demeanour justify. However it quash'd the Conspiracy, and all hopes of an Invasion and Insurrection are laid aside for the Present, till the Jacobites could meet with a more lucky Opportunity to revive them. And this concludes the Jacobites Conspiracies and Disapoint­ments from the Years 1688 to the Year 1690. And ingages our Thanks to God and the King, for our Delive­rance.

Now, who would not believe but that after all these Disappointments, our Enemies should have been recon­cil'd to their own Quiet and the King­doms Tranquility; but instead of gi­ving Demonstrations of their peacable [Page 37]Tempers, like sworn Enemies of their own and our Happiness; they begin the Year 1691 with fresh Attempts to destroy the King and subvert the Govern­ment. And to accomplish these horrid Designs, are continually sending Intel­ligence to, and receive Advices from, France, by such hardy Persons as were thought qualifi'd to undertake it: And the Courrers, by the Assistance of Mr. Shelton of Canterbury, Mr. Nowel and Paul Peper of Dover, and Hunt of Rumny-Marsh, for some time pass'd to and fro with the grea­test Security. Not to name every lit­tle Runner on these detestable Errands, some of the chief of them were Coll. Parker Mr. Bromfield and his Son, Mr: Waugh, Mr. Charnock both the Cros­bies, Johnson the Priest, Mr. David Lloyd Sr. — Sympson a Scotchman, who pass'd by the Name of Jones, Mad. Sackvile, Ingram, Mrs. Alred, and many others of both Sexes, (who upon occa­sion can be named:) All which in their several Turns, perform'd their Parts with great Applause of the Party. By this means the Court at St. Germans kept up the Spirits of the English Ja­cobites, and they made large Offers [Page 38]to the French Court, who fed them with as large Promises of Assistance with Men, Arms and Money, as rais'd their Hopes and Expectations into moral Impossibilities; viz. That Eng­land should be speedily Invaded and Conquer'd: If a Project that was then on Foot did not accomplish the Work by a quicker Dispatch and restore the late King without the Loss of much Blood. With these dark Sayings the Jacobites entertain'd themselves, and thought they oblig'd others, when with great Seriousness and seeming Favour, they told them there was a great thing on Foot, that would quickly re­establish the late King and confound the Williamites. And when most Men were wondring, what this great Thing should be, Providence (to the eternal Reproach of the Contrivers and En­couragers) discover'd it to be the Murther of King William. For,

His Majesties Enemies having fail'd in other Attempts, and unwilling to wait any longer the uncertain Fate of War, thought this Project the best Ex­pedient for their purpose, and this Time most agreeable. For the King being now in Flanders to murther him [Page 39]there would admit of more Excuses then in another Place. this horrid Enter­prise with the Promise of great Re­wards; Grandvalle was to be made a D. and to have an Estate proporti­onable, and Du­mond to be a Knight of St. Lazar & have 20000 Livers in Estate. being communicated to Granvalle, a Captain of Dragoons in the French Service, he and Dumond un­dertook it, and travail'd to Loo while the King was there to effect it; but missing their Opportunity, follow­ed the King to his Royal Camp in Flanders, where Granvelle return'd to the French Army, and Dumond, accor­ding to the Orders given him, entr'd him­self into the Confederate Army, that he might take his Opportunity, when his Majesty went to visit the Grand-guards or the Lines, to Shoot him behind his Back, and then make the best of his way to a Body of Horse, that Gran­valle, and Parker should have in readi­ness, upon a previous Intimation; to rescue and carry him off. But Heaven took Care of the Preservation of Eu­rope, that so visibly depended upon one single Life; and whether Dumond's Heart fail'd him, or whatever else was the Cause, after some weeks Attendance, not being able to effect his Design, he re­turns to the Court at Hanover, and for this Year gives over the acursed Design of Assassinating his Majesty.

[Page 40]In November 1689, we lest Mr. Lunt and Mr. Abbot committed to Newgate, where they reinain'd twen­ty weeks, and then were bail'd to appear at the Assizes at Lancaster. Lunt appear'd according to his Recognizance, and in August 1690 was committed to Lancaster Goal for high Treason, where he conti­nu'd a close Prisoner till about A­pril 1691, and was not only main­tain'd at the Charge of the Lancashire Gentlemen; but was Caress'd and Ap­plauded, as their principal Favorite; and now if you ask, after all this plain Proof, why Lunt was discharg'd, it happen­ed on this Manner.

When the Officers of the Customs feiz'd the Commissions, Declarations and other Papers that Lunt left behind him in the Vessel, they forgot to set such a mark upon them before they deliver'd them out of their Hands, as might enable them to know the Pa­pers again, when produced, and for want of such Mark, being unable to swear 'em to be the very same Pa­pers, after they had been so long out of their Hands; the Government that always express'd an Unwillingness to [Page 41]prosecute for Life, where the Proof was doubtful, would not produce them as Witnesses against the Prisoner. Nor will I for that Reason recite their Affidavits.

Nor was this the only Cause of Lunts Acquittal, but Mr. Cawson falling sick a little before the Assizes, of a Di­sease that carry'd him to his long Home, and the Marriners being all at Sea, there was now but one Witness against him ( viz Mr. Dodsworth) which is not sufficient, in a Case of high Trea­son, and thus Lunt was discharg'd.

Thus you have heard it prov'd, be­yond all Possibility of Contradiction, that Lunt did bring Commissions from the late King, that he deliver'd those Commissions (excepting those few that were lost) as directed, that he listed Souldiers, and bought Arms for the Lancashire Papists, that two of those Commissions were seen by Mr. Robinson, See his De­positions. that the Jacobites were modelling Officers and Men, preparatory to an Insurrection: That many of 'em ab­sconded till Kelly was made away, that Lunt was accused, imprison'd, in­dicted and arraigned for these Treasons, and had certainly been hang'd, if it [Page 42]had not been for those intervening Ac­cidents. And now let the Reader judge, how ill this agrees with Lunt's inventing the Lancashire Plot, as Taffe falsly charges him at the Tryal at Manchester: and what little Rea­son the Jacobites had to slander him with the Names of perjur'd Cannibal, when what he deposed is so strongly confirm'd, by Honourable, Irreproa­chable and Uncontroulable Testimo­nies.

Lunt having the good Fortune to be thus discharg'd from Imprisonment, is again entertain'd and imploy'd by his Lancashire Freinds in listing Men, and buying Arms, that if the King should be taken off in Flanders, they might be ready for an Insurrection in England, as soon as the Blow was gi­ven. These Preparations having spent the Summer, and the Campaign in Flanders ended, and no News of the Kings Assassination, nor the Invasion. In November 1691 they sent Lunt in­to France, See his De­positions. to acquaint the late King, that they were in a Condition to receive him, and therefore desired him to in­form them, when his Affairs would per­mit him to make a Descent into this King­dom. [Page 43]Lunt returns again in December following with Advice, That the late King would be in England the next Spring, and that in the mean time Col. Parker and others should be sent over with full Instructions, how to put them­selves into a Posture fit for his Recepti­on; for now the Descent from la Hogue was agreed on.

Col. Parker and Johnson the Priest, two of the Infamous Cabal, that in Conjunction with some of the F— C— contriv'd the intended Murther of the King, and Invasion of England, having digested the Theory of both in France, landed in England about the latter End of Jan. 1691 to put 'em in Practice. The Murther of the King was their darling Project; and being the only Means they thought would make their Invasion practicable, and their Conquest of England speedy, was the great thing they primarily drove at, and therefore communicated it to all they could trust, See Good­man's Depositi­ons in the Se­cretaries Office. in hopes to have done it before the King went to Hol­land; but were so long in contriving how, by whom, when, and where it was to be done, that the Time elaps'd, be­fore their Resolves came to Maturity. [Page 44]But this Loss of Time gave them no great Trouble, since Parker had assur'd them that the Assassination-Plot would (notwistanding the late Disappoint­ment) be re-assumed by the same Per­sons, the next Campaign in Flanders, who had their good Wishes, while they were busying themselves about what was to follow, namely, the In­vasion.

The Scheme of this Descent was laid in France, and Parker and others sent over to communicate it to the Par­ty here. Vid. Captain Blaire's Depo­sitions before the Councel. This he did by calling their General Officers and Collonels to­gether, and acquainting them (but very privately) That their old Master had now obtain'd * of the most Christian King, thirty thousand effective Men, and that when the Spring was a little more advanc'd, the late King, who was al­ready marching into Normandy, would be wafted over with them into England, with Assurance, Vid. Blaire's Dopositions in the Secretaries Office. that if that Number was not great enough to reduce his rebel­lious Subjects; France would spare him thirty thousand more. Therefore desir'd all to be in Readiness with the great­est Speed and Secresy imaginable; To Captain Blaire he address'd himself [Page 45]more particularly (at the Instance of Johnson the Priest) telling him, he was going to his Command in Lancashire, but intended to move Southward at the late Kings Landing; and therefore desir'd Capt. Blaire to join him, in Regard his own Men were raw, and the Captains for the most part were all old Officers and Souldiers.

When Parker went into Lanashire, he took with him Blaire's Depo­sitions in the Secretaries Of­fice. several good Offi­cers, some of which stay'd with him in Lancashire, and others he dispos'd of in Yorkshire, and the Bishopric of Durham. His head Quarters were at Mr. Vid. Deposi­tions of Geo. Wilson, and Oliv. Pearson. Walmsley's at Dungan-hall, and from thence issued out necessary Or­dens for that County. And because their Arms were (for fear of Disco­very) hid in Woods, and Grounds, bu­ried between Walls, and in Cellars and Out-houses, he order'd them all to be taken out, and forthwith distributed Jo. Wom­ball's Affidavis in the Appen­dix. among their Officers: For now the late King and his Army of English, Scotch, Irish and French Papists Ap. 1692. were at la Hogue, imbarking for England.

This Allarm being early given a­mong the Party, all the Officers are rallying together the Souldiers they [Page 46]had under Subsistence, and listing others. Among the rest,

Mr. James Fountain, as Lieutenant Coll. to the Lord Montgomery, had rais'd a Regiment of Horse in London, and was ready to have join'd the late King, if he had landed. His usual listing Places were three Ale-houses in Fullers Rents, and at Redman's at the Bottle in Devoreaux Court, near the Temple. To the Truth of which, tho I need call no other Witnesses, than Mr. Day, Mr. Cousins, Mr. Wil­loughby, Mr. Holmes the Japanner, and Mr. Symms, who were all Officers un­der him, and brought Men to him to be listed, yet having by me an Authen­tic Affidavit, be pleas'd to take the Contents of it as followeth;

Collonel Holman was at the same time raising, and had almost compleated, another Regiment to joyn the French at their Landing: And to subsist those that were actually listed, he paid fifty Pounds one Week, fifty Pounds the next Week, and thirty Pounds the Week following, to Captain Brice Blaire, See Mr. Blair's and Mr. Bertram's De­positions in the Secreta­ries Office. who distributed it among the Souldiers, by the Hands of Mr. Bertram, as appears by their Depositions in the Hands of the Go­vernment, but after the Defeat at la Hogue, Mr. Holman would pay no more. To these Instances of the Jaco­bites Attempts to ruin the Govern­ment, add but the Share that Sir John [Page 48]Friend, Sir William Perkins, and the Persons of Quality in other Parts of the Kingdom mention'd in Crosby's Pa­pers had in it, See Crosby's orginal Papers page.— and then tell me, whe­ther the Enemies of the Government, and their repeated Conspiracies, ought to be so much flighted and despis'd; and rec­koned so inconsiderable in their Num­bers, and weak in their Power and In­terests, as some (out of no good design I fear) would have them thought to be. For all these wicked Confederacies, and those mention'd by Crosby, are but Branches of the Lancashire Conspiracy, which at first was thought but the Ca­pricio's of light Heads, but you now see it spread almost over the whole Kingdom: And justly rous'd the Go­vernment, to prosecute the first Con­trivers of so much intended Mischief, to the King and Kingdom.

Nor were these Preparations for the Invasion the only part of the Plot a­gainst England; for whilst the English Jacobites are bandying together to joyn their old Master at his Landing, the Kings Enemies beyond-Sea are as hot and forward in their cursed Design to Murther his Majesty in Flanders, that so the Invasion might find us all in a Con­fusion, [Page 49]and for want of a King and a Government, scatter'd like Sheep, with­out a Shepherd, and consequently the easier Prey to our Foreign and Inte­stine Devourers. For now Granvalle re­turning from Paris, where he had in­gag'd one Leefedale to joyn with Du­mont in the Murther of King William, appoints a Meeting at Uden, whither Dumont was to come from Hanover, and both to go from thence into Flanders: Where as soon as the Murther was committed, Mounsieur Chandlois, with a Party of 300 Horse from the Duke of Luxemburg's Army, was to be posted at the advanc'd Guards, to rescue the Murtherers, and perswade the World, the Assassination of King William was a Stratagem of War; but God Almigh­ty confounded their hellish Politics. Dumont and Leefedale discover'd the Conspiracy. Granvalle was taken, and receiv'd the Reward of his Villany, after he had made (without being put to the Torture) a full Confession of his Crimes. At his Execution he seem'd very Penitent, and declar'd with some Resentment, that he was ruined by the Authors of that detestable Project.

[Page 50]Matters being thus setl'd by the Kings Enemies on the other side of the Water for his Assassination in Flanders, and the Invasion carrying on by the Conduct of Collonel Parker and the rest of the confederate Collonels, and other Officers in England, and every one acquainted with the Design, all Jacobite Eyes were fixt upon the Weather-Cocks, and the first Saluta­tion was how's the Wind, which stand­ing long in a Protestant Quarter of Heaven, some of them were silly e­nough to curse it, saying 'twould serve them as Treacherously now as it did at the Revolution. However that nothing might be omitted on their Part, they send an Express to the Lord Melfort, by Captain Lloyd, acquainting his Lordship, that they had corrupted many of our English Sea Commanders, who would go over to the French, and with that Notice, a true List of the Num­ber and Rates of the English Fleet, and how long it would be, before it was possible they could be joyn'd by the Dutch. Praying his Lordship to lay it before the most Christian King, and procure his Command to Mares­chal Tourville, to seek and immedi­atly [Page 51]sight the English, before they could be joyn'd by the Dutch. And now the Jacobites thought they had no­thing to do, but to kill and take posses­sion. And therefore were as Insolent and Unsufferable in their Behaviour be­fore the Ingagement, as their Fears' and Cowardise were apparent after it.

Whilst the Jacobites were pleasing themselves with the hopes of approch­ing Wealth and Opulence, the great thing that put a damp upon their Mirth, was the various Reports a­bōut the joyning of the English and Dutch Fleets. Once they had notice they were joyn'd, but being contra­dicted the next day, least that Re­port should have Influence upon the French, they send over Sir Adam Blaire, to assure the French they were not joyn'd. But so it happened before that Gentleman could reach Dover, they had good Assurance, that the Fleets were joyn'd indeed; and there­fore Mr. Clark is now in Eng­land and I ap­peal to him for the Truth of it. Mr. Clark, better known by the nickname of Count Cl. is posted into France to acquaint them with this fatal Junction; but the Count was so far from gaining Credit to his Report (Sir Adam Blaire averring the contra­ry) [Page 52]that Mr. Clark was imprison'd, as a spreader of false News, till the late King owning him, and their be­ing beaten, procured his Liberty.

But whilst the Queen's Majesty, of blessed Memory, was taking such mea­sures as might frustrate their wicked Designs, and secure the Nation; and all Men gazing in dubious Expecta­tions of the Event, comes the happy 20th of May 1692, with the joyful News, that through the Providence of our good God, and the Valour of our couragious Seamen, the French Fleet was beaten off la Hogue, and their Ma­jesties victorious Navy was pursuing, burning and sinking those that by flying endeavour'd to escape. And not long after, to make our Joy compleat, was brought the Notice of Granval's Exe­cution. Both, great and miraculous Deliverances. For,

This Year the ultra Marine and English Jacobites were resolv'd to play all their Engins at once. The French King was to be in Flanders, Namure was to be besieged, King James was to land in England, and his Majesty was to be murther'd all about the same time. Here are Plots with a Witness, and all so [Page 53]substantially prov'd, that the very Thought so crushes me with Horror and Amazement, that I tremble to think what the Consequences of them would have been, if they had succeeded, for 'tis much more easy to imagin then ex­press, what a dismal Scene of Barbarity and Cruelty, of Blood and Horror, must have follow'd in England, and the great­est Part of Europe; but the Snare is broken, and we are delivered for which we ought to be Eternally thankful.

This is the fifth Disappointment of the Jacobian Plot, began in Lancashire in 1688. First, by Kelly's and Dods­worth's Discovery in 1689. Then, by King William's Victory at the Boyne in July 1690. Next, by seizing the Lord Preston and Mr. Ashton in De­cember 1690. Fourthly, by Dumont's Disappointment. And Lastly, by the detecting of Granvalle, and beating the French at la Hogue in 1692.

However, that they might prove themselves such, as neither Mercies not Judgments could effect, about Michaelmas 1692, these Malecontents, through the Clemency of the Govern­ment, assum'd the Confidence to cabal again, to find out some new Conspira­cy, [Page 54]or rather to revive those two old ones, of Assassination and Invasion, by some more secret Methods than they had hitherto found out. And that they might not commit the same Sole­cisms again, like grave Politicians, they first enquire into the former Miscarri­ages, and particularly that at la Hogue. And 'twas agre'd among them, that Mareschal Turville's not fighting the English, before they were join'd by the Dutch, was the Cause of the Overthrow that happen'd afterwards; That it was originally, if not designedly, the Lord Melfort's Fault: In not gi­ving the Notices which he receiv'd from England, time enough to the French Court (viz. to fight the English, be­fore they were join'd by the Dutch) but suffering the Time prefix'd by his Eng­lish Advices to be worn out, 'ere he communicated what he had in Charge to deliver immediatly. Hereupon great Complaints are made to the late King against the Lord Melfort's Mini­stry, and in plain Terms they tell the late King, unless Melfort be remov'd they will concern themselves no Vid. Letters against Melfort in Crosby's Papers. more in his Affairs.

The Popish Jacobites defend Melfort [Page 55]with their utmost Art and Interest, and lay the Miscariages at la Hogue Vid Letters on Melforts be­half. upon the Protestant Compounders, and so far ingage the Court of Rome in their quarrel, that the late King's Pen­sion from the Pope was taken off, for siding with Heretics. But the Prote­stants, who had gain'd some Papists to their Party against Melfort, making use of Sir— Sympson a Scotch Knight (then, and still residing at St. Germans by the Name of Jones) between whom and Melfort there was an old Grudg, he stagger'd the Lord Melfort in the O­pinion of the late King, and the French Court, and when Sir James Montgo­mery came over, he threw him quite out of Favour, insomuch that he was forc'd to leave St. Germans and retire to—

In the mean time two such strong Parties were form'd at St. Germans, that the late King (according to his usual Politics of altering his Measures according to the Variety of his Cir­cumstances) took the Lord Middleton into his Counsels, and employ'd both him and the Lord Melfort by Turns, as his Affaris requir'd. And these [Page 56]Transactions made an end of the Year 1692.

Both the Jacobite Parties being now seemingly pleas'd in having each their Favorite at the Helm (for Sir James Montgomery was not yet come into France) the Murther of King William, and the Invasion of England are again revived. The Management of the Invasion is committed to Sir Sympson, Major Crosby, Captain Lloyd and Mr. Walter Crosby. Sympson and Lloyd came and went over several times a­bout it in the beginning of the Year 1693, continued so doing till June fol­lowing; and then having laid the Plan for an Invasion, return'd into France in August following.

Major Crosby (as he was commonly call'd) came into England about Mi­chaelmas 1693, staid in London a while, went down into Lancashire, and from thence return'd into France.

Mr. Walter Crosby, Son of Sir Thomas Crosby (a Member of the late Kings Parliament in Ireland) was edu­cated in Dublin College, and left that Society, to carry Intelligence into France. From thence, through Flan­ders and England, he return'd into Ire­land, [Page 57]and under the Disguise of a Williamite, contributed his utmost to the Destruction of his Native Coun­try, till the Seisure of his Letters dis­cover'd him and made him a Prisoner; but being admitted to Bail he lest his Security in the Lurch, and escaped in­to France, and his former Management of Affairs gave him so much Credit at St. Germans, that the Revival of the Plot for an Invasion, Insurrection and Rebellion, was at last solely commit­ted to his Management.

November 1693, to the great Satis­faction of the Party, he lands in Eng­land; brings Collonel Parker again out of Lancashire to London, revives their former Cabals, and adds fresh Life and Vigour to their drooping Spirits. Jacobite Meetings are now more frequent and numerous, in or­der to draw up such Proposals as might satisfy the Court of France, that the Conquest of England was both practicable and easy.

I have now shew'd you by what means they were carrying on the Inva­sion, and must now leave Mr. Crosby at his Work (in collecting the Senti­ments of the Jacobites, and putting [Page 58]them into such a Method as might per­swade the French King to assist them with Men and Arms to restore the late King) and return to the Assassi­nation Plot, which always preceded or kept Pace with the Invasion. And this calls me back to one of the first Con­trivers of it;

The Lord Melfort, who had still some small share in the Management of public Affairs, finding his Interest sinking proportionably with the hopes of conquering England, resolves to recover his former Credit, by pushing on the Assassination of King William, by any Methods that would effect it. To this end, his old Confidents Col­lonel Parker Vid Mr. La Rue's Depositi­ons at Char­nocks Tryal. and Johnson the Priest being absent, he takes to his Assistance, Mr. Bromfeild and Captain Griffin, who promis'd in a short time to give him a good Account of his Project, from some Friends they had about Dover, which it seems they had already inga­ged in this wicked Vid Lunt's Depositions in the Appendix. Enterprise, at the Instigation of some more conceal'd and private Person. And whilst they were thus in Expectation from Dover, another Occasion to strengthen the [Page 59]Number of those already ingaged, seem'd to offer it self, thus,

The Lancashire Gentlemen being willing to pay their Devoir to the late King, and to receive his Commands as they usually did by a Messenger of their own from his Lips. Mr. Lunt whose Services and Sufferings had ren­dred him the Confident of the Party, was sent by the Lord Molyneux and o­thers on this Errand into France, July the 3d 1693. coming to St. Germans, he deliver'd his Message to the late King in his Closet, the Lord Melfort being present: Who thinking he had now a fit Opportunity to execute his Plot, and Assassinate King William, he sends Lunt to Mr. Griffin, telling him that Griffin had an Affair to ingage him in. Captain Griffin sends him to his old Friend Mr. Bromfeild, who after bewailing the ill Success that had so long attended the late Kings Affairs, told Lunt, they were now upon a quicker Expedient for their Masters Restoration, and that was, to cut off the Prince of Orange (for so they call King William) by any way or method the Vid Lunt's Depositions in the Appendix. Undertakers should think fit, and if Mr. Lunt would make one in that Ser­vice, [Page 60]he should have a Reward of five hundred Pounds a Year. Lunt consen­ted, and after various Discourses at sun­dry Times upon this Subject, Lunt ta­king his leave of the Lord Melfort, his Lordship told him, that if the Design that Grissin and Bromfeild had impar­ted to him took Effect, the late King would soon be in England. And Brom­feild at Lunt's departure gave him a Signet to carry to the Persons, that, as Bromfeild told him, were in the same Design.

In December 1693, Lunt arrived at Dover, and met with four of the six­teen Persons that were ingag'd in the Assassination of the King See Lunt's Depositions in the Appendix. viz. Captain Nowel of Dover, Captain Walton of Foulston, Mr. Pepper of Dover and Mr. Preston of Feversham; two of which acknowledg'd that they were in the Design of killing the King, and made no question but in a Month or two to Effect it. Lunt travelling from Dover to­ward London, told several Romish Priests of his Acquaintance (tho' not in Plain words) the Design he was ingag'd in. Some of the Priests were against it, as a damnable Sin, and others encourag'd him to it, as a meritorious Work; these [Page 61]different Opinions, and the dismal Re­flections that his awaken'd Conscience, made upon his ingaging in an Action so Inhuman and Barbarous, gave him so much Disquiet, that he resolv'd to act no further in it; but had then no Intention to discover it, till a good Friend made him sensible it was his Duty, and then he discover'd the whole Conspriacy beginning to his Knowledge in May 1689, and continuing till June 1694, which was the time he disco­ver'd it, and now I must return to Mr. Crosby. Who,

Having acquainted himself with the Sentiments of the Party, agre'd what Proposals to make to the French King, and collected the Names of those, that, according to his Account, were to assist at the Invasion and Insurection, was preparing to return to France with these Writings, of which for fear one should miscarry, there were two Copies. One kept by himself, and the other by Coll. Parker, but good Heaven discover'd this Treason also, and Mr. Crosby, who had com­pleated the Work he came about, and only waited for a Wind to Transport him into France, was apprehended, [Page 62] May the 9th and committed to New­gate, and Coll. Parker who was de­fign'd to supply that Fault, was ta­ken May the 20th committed to the Tower, May the 22th, and by this means the Carriage of the Papers was delay'd, till Parker broke Prison, which was August the 12th following.

The next day after Mr. Crosby was apprehended, the King's Messengers Mr. Legat and Mr. Hopkins search'd the Chamber where Crosby laid up his Papers. In the first Room they found store; but while they were there, Cosen Mally Mary Jones with another Fomale Jacobite, that lodg'd in the same House, ript up a Feather Bed and took out thence great quantities of written Papers and Letters directed to Mr. Crosby, and that they might tell no Tales, threw them into the House of Office and a Pail of Water after them, but strewing Feathers in the way (through the haste they made to de­stroy the Writings) they guided the Mes­sengers to retrieve them. Now,

Before I produce these Papers, give me leave to acquaint you, that the following Papers are truly copy'd from the Originals, sworn by two Wit­nesses [Page 63] Mr. Legat and Mr. Hop­kins. at Crosby's Tryal to be found either in his Pockets, in his Chambers, or in the House of Office, and were all mark'd by the Messengers at their first Seizing. the Names in Cant are ex­plain'd by a Key found among Crosby's Papers for that purpose, who seldom was call'd by his own Name in Eng­land, but by these that follow, viz. Philips, Williamson, Traveller, James. Clynch, Thompson and Jack Crue. I will next shew whither he was going, the Company he kept, and what he had been doing, and then produce the Scheme for an Invasion. Mr. Crosby had a Chamber at Mr. Pugson's house a Taylor in German-street, who gave the Information following;

In Mr. Crosby's Custody was found a Letter from Mr. Symon Har** [...] Cl— of the P— for the County of Mid—x.

directed to Mrs. Mary Jones at Mr. Pugsons over against the Coffee-House in German-street dated 13 Ap. 94.

In the same Chanber was also found a bantering Letter against the Govern­ment, written by Sir John Knight of Bristol, directed to Mr. Symon Har­court,

[Page 66]You see Mr. Crosby is invited by both these Gentlemen to a Conference, the Place where, and Time when, but about what they met, I will leave my Reader to judge, when I have told him that Mr. Crosby was taken by the Kings Messengers, with his Pockets full of Treasonable Papers, knocking at Mr. Har**t's Door in Lincolns-Inn-Fields, about eleven at Night; I shall make no Reflections on it, but me­thinks it is a Jest all over, that after this, and many other Instances of their Aversion, such Men should still enjoy such great Places of Trust and Profit under the present Government.

In Mr. Crosby's Chamber was like­wise found (among Scores of others) a Letter of the same Date, directed to Mr. Hatton,

Another directed to Mr. Crosby. Phillips, dated April 6. 1694.

Fergusen calls these Papers, for which Crosby was apprehended, Baggatells, and Stories of Robin Hood and little John, but if this be not such, there is none in Prince But­ler's Petition against Pamphylius; [Page 68]but if you explain the Canting Ori­ginal by the Notes in the Margin, which are all taken from Crosby's Co­py, you will find it a plain Indication, how ready the Lancashire Conspirators were for a Rebellion, which was then carried on by Coll. Parker, Crosby, Johnson, and their Accomplices.

I shall next present you with brief Heads of a Letter, written into France in Crosby's own Hand, and found in his Pockets when taken at Mr. Har**t's Door, directed to the late Queen Mary, Wife to the late King James, which gives Assurance of his utmost Endeavours in order to accomplish the late King's Re­stauration, complains of keeping Melfort. Mills in the Ministry, who has ruin'd all the late King's Affairs in England. That two of Melfort. Mills's Friends, viz. My Lord Alis. and Sr. Robert Ham, assur'd him there was no need of it, he had writ to Mills Melfort. to withdraw himself for some Time, and therefore hopes the late Queen will take better Measures for the future.

Another Letter dated March 1694, and directed to Mr. James Clynch, Crosby says,

I receiv'd yours of January the 26th [Page 69] with that inclos'd for Mr. Melfort. May, which was very full and satisfactory, he order'd me to make a fair Copy of it to send to Elizabeth The French Court. Ferguson. Franklin, that which our Friend * Robin writ did not a little quiet my Spirit, if some Persons had not ren­dred every thing falsly to Mr. French King. Knowles, we should not have wanted to supply all the Manufactories, wherein it is as plain to him as us, he could not lay out his Money to a more considerable Advantage. For if Things were upon this Foot, ho­nest Mrs. Sarah The Descent. Dolton's Match would not be now to make.

See how the Jacobites are bartering with France for England; and there is no Question to be made, if the Charge of a Descent must be out of the F— K—'s Pocket, all the three King­doms must be in his Power till the Debt is cancell'd: Which will never be till our Claims are extinguish'd in our Blood and Ruin; and yet upon this Foot would the Jacobites have their native Country invaded. I will trouble the Reader but with one Let­ter more, before I produce the Scheme for the Invasion, and that was dated March 1694. and sent by Mr. Bolton, and directed to Mr. Crosby. James Clynch.

[Page 70]I Had yours of the 26th of January, and Mr. Nihil Mr. Neale, Lord Melfort's Secretary. shew'd me one of yours of the same date to Mr. May, Melfort. who has writ at large to you by this Pacquet, we are all pleased with the hopes you give us of uniting all Inte­rests, if this could be improved to a De­gree of collecting all their Sentiments, from time to time, into one Letter writ­ten by their Directions, it would have wonderful Effects here, and make all Answers expeditious and satisfactory.

Here are Directions how Crosby and his Accomplices are to proceed in or­der to form a Descent from France, and an Insurrection and Rebellion in Eng­land, all Parties must be cajol'd, Fa­ctions humour'd and such Promises made, as were never intended to be per­form'd. That's the true English of the Words, uniting all Interests, for according to the Jacobites settled De­crees, if they could Re-inthrone the late King James, none but the Papists must be sharers in the Government, or in their Kings Affection or Bounty; for they equally hate all Protestants under what Denomination soever, as I will prove by their own Words and Matter of Fact: It being one of their own deli­berate [Page 71]berate Advices, at a Consult, and sent to the late King James as a Rule to govern himself by, viz. That he should make use of the Whigs but never trust them, See Crosby's Papers. they might it seems be imploy­ed in promoting his Designs, and their own Ruin; but the Administration and Advantages of it must be given to the Papists.

Now since the Dissenters Hopes are all lopt off at one blow, sure there remains great expectation of Favour and Bounty, to the Church of England- Men? Vid. same Paper. No, they were the Papists first, and most formi­dable Enemies at the Revolution, as having the Law on their side, and must also be thrust behind the Door; nay they so load them with Reproaches now, for deserting a Popish King and their Doctrin of Passive Obedience toge­ther, that they can hope for no Mercy: As is plain from the Epithets given them in a Letter directed to Philips da­ted the 4th of May, and sworn to be found in his Custody by two Witnes­ses, which among others have these Words. Let Lord Middle­ton. Toncroft know I meant the Church of England by the pack of Rogues, and the Bishop of N. the Cler­gy-Man [Page 72]that was his Enemy; their Cha­racters now I will not venture to send him, being so various in their Politics. This is the true and undisguised Lan­guage of Popery among themselves, which I will make no other use of, than to perswade all Protestants of what Denomination soever, to Love fervently and Unite inseparably against these common Enemies of our Nati­on and Religion.

In the last Letter produced, Crosby had Orders from France to inform himself of the Sentiments of the whole Party, and digest them into one Let­ter. For this purpose he frequented all their Meetings, and was carressed and assisted in this Undertaking by all that bore a Figure or Name a­mongst the Jacobites, both in City and Country, and this great and finishing Stroke being given at their several Consults, he only waited for a Wind to waft himself and his Scheme into France, to be put in Practice; but Heaven crost their Designs, and threw into the hands of Justice both the Plotter and the Papers, some of which are these that follow, and contain the Scheme for an Invasion of his Maje­sties [Page 73]Dominions. Why 'twas fitting to be attempted then, the ways of ac­complishing it, and the Names of some Persons from whom as the Jaco­bites say, Assistance might be expected, directed to Mr. Toncroft. Lord Middle­ton.

The first Part of this Paragraph shews their Fears, and the last pro­claims their Falsehood.

Whereby all hopes for the future of a Restauration will become desperate, by undermining the Endeavours and emasculating the Courage and Constancy of the greatest Sufferers for their Loyalty and Integrity; and giving Leisure and Scope to his Enemies to make yet greater Barriers and Fences against it.

The hopes of a Restauration must needs be desperate, when it is attempt­ed by none but undermined and e­masculated Jacobites.

Whereas if it shall please his most Christian Majesty, by laying hold of this Opportunity, to deliver us from the Calamities and Oppressions we lie under, and the greater we are like to be exposed to, by restoring to us our law­ful Soveraign, ancient Laws and Con­stitutions, it will not only be a means to remove all Jealousie and Fears hi­therto entertain'd of his Power and Great­ness; [Page 79]but beget such a Confidence in him, and a mutual Love between the Subjects of both Kingdoms, as may be evermore the Grounds of an everlasting solid Happiness to them both.

Towards the attaining of which wish­ed-for-end, in which the Peace of Europe, the Happiness of our Native Country in particular is so much wrapt up in, and in which the Glory, Honour and Justice of his most Christian Majesty seems to be so eminently concerned. We shall hearti­ly and chearfully concur with our Lives and Fortunes, in Company of a great many more of all Ranks, Degrees and Professions, and upon your Directions, be ready to enter into Action in Conjunction with such Succours as the present Circum­stances of his M. C. Majesty will per­mit him to furnish us.

This Paragraph that so loudly pro­claims a Plot against the Government, and humbly begs help to ruin their Na­tive Country, gives us the true Effigies of the Jacobites, who represented our Affairs to the French, not as they tru­ly were; but after such a manner as might tempt the French King to assist them; but the French, it seems, had more Kindness for themselves, then to [Page 80]be again deluded by their repeated Falsifications; and therefore would neither credit their Assurances, nor comply with their Requests, in ha­zarding 30000 Soldiers, and a Fleet of Ships and Seamen, for Moon-shine'ith Water; having lately sound by a dear bought Experience, that our English Seamen and Soldiers were not so few, nor so false, nor the Nation so poor, nor so factious; but that they were always a­gre'd to be irreconcileable Enemies to all that were so to King William and the English Nation, and being so united, would exert their Courage and Fidelity, and Chastise the Insolency of all that oppos'd them at their Pleasure; as a late Event had already justified. Now,

That this solemn Invitation had no Effect, was not want of Will, but Power in the Jacobites, since they pusht it so far, and made it so public, and is not this Project enough to astonish all that consider the Design, and its Conse­quences. That the Jacobite having devour'd the English Man, a Monster should grow up in the room of him; who cares not if Great Britain might but be Lost, who gains it; so our Re­ligion [Page 81]were but destroy'd, whether Pope­ry, or Mahometism, were placed in it's stead. And that so England be but In­vaded, they are neither afraid, nor asham'd, to see it accompany'd with the Desolation of our Cities, demo­lishing of our Temples, converting the whole Land into one Forreign slaugh­ter-House, and leaving a rich and fertile Kingdom to be possess'd by a pack of beggarly, hunger-starv'd, naked Slaves and Vassals.

Much more might be added upon this Head, if the Author could take any Pleasure in so melancholy a Sub­ject: And that it were not to make little Account of the Wisdom and Ju­stice of English Men to whom he writes, that he did not think them capa­ble of resenting the Jacobites Treache­ry, and were not of Ability, Skill and Honesty, to countermine them, and all their Confederates.

Unless the Jacobites pretend to invade the Prerogative of God Al­mighty and know Mens Hearts, I am very confident they are grievously out in their Reckoning.

If any in that August Assembly do so, they will scarce thank the Ja­cobites, for assigning their hopes of a Revolution as the Cause of it.

By the delays of the House to supply the present necessities of the Government. This is so False, that in other Places they complain of the contrary, surely they have a bad Cause or very trea­cherous Memories.

[Page 79] The many open and scurrilous Speeches against the Ministry.

Scurrility is not the Language of that honourable Assembly.

The constant Divisions at the Council Board.

The slowness to condemn State Crimi­nals.

That is a Fault indeed, tho' I did not expect the Jacobites would have complain'd of it; but where they cannot arraign the Government for it's Severity, they quarrel at it's Lenity and Mercy.

The Discontents of the Seamen and Admirals.

The many open Declarations of the Officers and Soldiers of the Army, of their Respect and Duty to the King.

The great Alteration that appears e­very where upon the least Alarm of the Kings Coming.

They did not find it so at the late Action off la Hogue.

In the City, upon the Exchange.

In the Country, the many Mortgages made by Men of the greatest Fortunes, upon the least Report of his coming: From whence 'twas generally concluded, those [Page 92]Men had thereby prepared themselves to joyn his Majesty upon Occasion.

What a strang Inference is this, they will not give a Gentleman Leave to raise Money to pay his Debts or serve his other Occasions, but they will construe it, contrary to his Intention, that he is equipping himself for a Re­bellion.

The general desponding of the Kings Enemies on such Reports.

The Resolution of all Men in Office throughout the Kingdom, except it be the very Military Officers alone, nay and many of them will lye quiet or go into the King.

If they had known any such they would not have forgot their Names to encrease the Number of their Party.

Add to this the general Influence it has upon money'd Men.

I know not how money'd Men can be interessed in an Invasion, Insur­rection and Rebellion, unless it be to hide their Cash.

An assurance of Forts and Places of Retreat, which holds beyond Expectati­on.

[Page 93]Now let us examin what Reason they had for these Representations. For that the City of London would not op­pose an Invasion made near it by the French, is such a horrible Abuse up­on that Honourable and Loyal City, that none would have been guilty of it, but such a Set of Men as are ashamed of nothing. And as to their Boasts of great Numbers to support the Descent, 'tis a piece of the same Dye.

Bristol, it's true, might be represented by that turbulent Man Sir John Knight, who held Correspondence with Crosby, to be in the late Kings Interest, but if he had put it to the Tryal, he would have found a vigorous and sturdy Op­position: The ablest Merchants and greatest Traders in the Town being all Williamites, as appear'd at the E­lection of Citizens to serve in Parlia­ment, when they threw out Sir John Knight and Sir Richard Hart, from being Members of Parliament by a great Majority.

What they say of the Towns of Dorchester and Weymouth in particular, I am well assured is wholy false, for they are both known to be universally well affected to the present Govern­ment; [Page 82]and few, if any Towns, in the West so entirely: For there are not in either of them above three Jacobites, and those in no Credit, but discountenan­ced and contemned by every Body for being so. I wish I were as able to do Justice to other Places and Persons, as a worthy Gentleman hath made me in this. And now,

What need is there of producing Lunt, Womball or Wilson for further Proof of a Plot in general, or of a Lancashire Plot in particular, when the Managers of the whole Party say, that there were in the North four thou­sand Men actually listed for the Service of the late King James, and were ready to march upon Occasion, and would be hea­ded by Men of great Consideration. For the Kings Evidences have said no more than what is here confest by the Ja­cobites themselves.

The foregoing Papers do also give you an Account of the State of our Fleet, and of the Inclination of seve­ral Persons in the Government, as af­fected or disaffected (if you can be­lieve them) all which I find in Letters taken in Crosby's Custody dated 22d, [Page 83]26th, February 1693, but neither subscribed nor directed.

About 10 days ago here was News of King James 's Coming, and it was not dis­believed at Court, but now quite fall'n to the ground. The Jacobites say, there was never a better Disposition in all gene­rally to receive King James and give their Reasons for it. Which are the same contain'd in the foregoing Pa­pers which having briefly repeated the Letter proceeds, the rest regard their own more then any King's Interest, and will not hazard any thing for either, if the Practice now in Design don't engage all the Presbyterians. Lord Ca***n laid aside, M***ne to succeed, S***y solicited to be Secretary, Lord Mar***h to be General of the English Foot, Lord S***e ruling Minister behind the Cur­tain, Lord B*h turn'd out of all; he with many other Offenders would have King James restored, if they thought their Crimes could be pardoned, nothing can hinder raising Money but an Invasion. Bristol declares mightily for King James; Worcester disaffected, but if any Di­sturbance should happen we have some thousands of Hugonites in this Town privately subsisted, on whom we depend [Page 96]not a little; As to what Business Mr. K. James. Vandeleur and you may have I will be deligent in it, but what may relate to any of the Trading Ships being taken Prizes, there is one Mr. Anselme, who was Secretary to the Admirals last Year, Crosby. and understands the Business very well, but will not be mercenary in it, and with his Help something may be done; 'twill therefore be necessary that he see something from Mr. Vandeleur, or by his Order, to that purpose. Some of Mr. Anselm's Letters falling into the Hands of the Government, he was sent for from on board and discharg'd: The Jacobites knew him their own before, but since his Discharge treat with him above­board, as you may see by the forego­ing Letter, and another from Philips to Mr. Abraham Anselm, dated May 5. 1694.

I must needs see you before I go into the Into France. Country, which will be to morrow, you will hear of me at Barnsley's Coffee­house to night at 11, or to morrow at 7 in the morning, let me see you, that we may settle some Matters.

Thus they endeavoured to corrupt [Page 97]the Officers of the Fleet, Army and Militia and tamper'd with the Clerks and. Secretaries of those, who either were or had been imploy'd in emi­nent Posts under the Government, that by their assistance they might get Intel­ligence of what they wanted to know, thus they obtain'd an Account of the Na­val Forces of one, a List of the Army of another; and transmitted them in­to France, that the Enemy might take his measures accordingly, so that no­thing is more apparent than that the whole Design against the Government was always carry'd on by Men of no es­sential Honour or Vertue; but by such a confused Medley of disaffected Persons, as were the Creatures of the late Reign, who had lost either their Imployments or Expectations by the Revolution, or Disbanded Officers and Soldiers, who delight in Tumults and Insurrections.

I have now done with Mr. Crosby and his Papers, by which the Reader will soon find that the Plot for an Inva­sion, Insurrection and Rebellion was carryed on by the Jacobites in General in the Year 1693, and part of the Year 1694, and since the Lanca­shire [Page 98]Gentlemen, instead of Blessing their Stars for so strange a Delive­rance, have aggravated their guilt, by indeavouring to represent the legal Prosecution of some of their Party as a State-trick, a Sham-Plot, and the Contrivance of some lit­tle Ministers to enrich themselves by the Ruin of others: I shall descend to the particular shares which they and their Friends had in the whole Con­spiracy to subvert the Government, to Destroy the King, and reinthrone the late King James; and then leave the Reader to judge, what little Reason they had to raise such loud Clamours for bringing Criminals to Justice, and because I have hitherto proceeded An­nually, and given an Account of the several Conspiracies in order of time, as they were discover'd; I hope the Reader will think it no impertinent Digression to refresh his Memory with a brief Rehearsal of their Proceedings, till they were discover'd in 1694, as they occasionally occur in the follow­ing Depositions.

[Page 99] In June 1694, Lunt made this Dis­covery, viz that he Vid, his whole Depos. in the ap­pendix taken be­fore Sir John Trenchard. fellowed the late King James into France, thence into Ireland, from Ireland was sent into Eng­land with Commissions from the late King James to certain Gentlemen in Lan­cashire, Cheshire, &c. To raise War a­gainst King William and Queen Mary, that he and George Wilson his Guide delivered those Commissions to whom they were directed (whose Names you have in his Narrative) that at the Instance and proper Costs of those Gentlemen to whom he had delivered Commissions, he bought Arms and listed and subsisted many Soldiers, for the Service of the late King James, in order to an Invasion and Insurrection in that Country, that he was twice sent by those Gentlemen into France to the late King to signify their Readi­ness, and receive his further Commands. Tho' I don't question but the Reader has had already sufficient Reason to believe what is above rehearsed, I think it not amiss to shew him, for confir­mation sake, something that Lunt dis­covered in 1694, that hath since pro­ved it self, he says in one part of his Depositions, That when he was in Lon­don, besides his Imployment of buying [Page 100]Arms, and listing Souldiers, he help'd some Jacobites over to France, and se­cur'd others that came from thence, who all of them told Mr. Lunt, that gene­rally Sr. John Friend furnished Money for those Expeditions, and paid Subsi­stence Money to them as Souldiers. Which was the Crime he dyed for in 1696. And no doubt was one of the things that enrag'd the Party so much against him, knowing that that Hint might in Time be attended with a fuller Discovery.

George Wilson deposeth, Taken before Sir John Trenchard. That he keeping an Inn in Redland, near the Ci­ty of Chester; there came a Stranger to his House, whose Name he afterwards understood was Dr. Bromfeild, recom­mended thither by Mr. Fitz Herbert of Wapra in Flintshire, where Bromfeild had been conceal'd some time for a Pas­sage into Ireland, that Bromfeild bought a Vessel to transport him, which Vessel was seized by Mr. Morston, an Officer in the Government, and Bromfeild escap'd into Lancashire, and thence into Ireland. He further deposeth, That being known to be accessary to See Mr. Ed­wards's Affida­vit in the Ap­pendix. Bromfield's Es­cape and harbouring and furthering the Escape of many of the late King [Page 101]James's Friends; he was sought after by Souldiers from Chester, and the Civil Officers of the County, insomuch that he was compell'd to fly from his own House, and never durst return; but after ha­ving hid himself in Woods, got at length into Lancashire, whither his Wife and Family followed him, and was receiv'd into the Houses of the Lord Mollyneux, Mr. Tildesly, Mr. Standish, Sr. Rowland Standley, Sr. James Pool, Sr. Wm. Gerrard, Mr. Townley and others; sometimes at one House, and sometimes at another. That being at Mr. Tildesly at the Lodge, and the Wind fair, he was commanded by the Gentle­men aforesaid to look out about the Sea­coasts for any Gentlemen that should land; for they expected some Friends and News from Ireland. Wilson did so, and about the Beginning of June 1689, Mr. Edmund Thrillfall of the Ashes in Goosner Lancashire, and Mr. Lunt arrived at Vid. the Ma­ster of the Ves­sel's and the Seamens Depo­sitions in the Appendix. Cockram in Lancashire, and came immediatly to Coll. Tildesly's with several Bundles of Papers, which they immediatly open'd, and took out di­verse Commissions, Declarations, Blanks, and sealed Papers from the late King James, directed to several Persons of [Page 102]Quality in that County and Yorkshire, and divided them. Those for York­shire Mr. Thrillfall put up, and under­taking to deliver them had a Guide immediatly provided him. The Com­missions and other Papers for Lanca­shire. Cheshire and Staffordshire, and Parts thereabouts Mr. Lunt charg'd himself with the Delivery of, and took this Informant with him from Place to Place to guide and assist him. After they had deliver'd Mr. Tildesly a Commis­sion for being a Collonel, with Blanks for his inferiour Officers, which he receiv'd on his Knees, and kissed. They went to the Lord Mollyneux's, and deliver'd a Commission for a Coll. of Horse to his Son, Mr. Wm. Mollyneux, with Blanks for his inferiour. Officers. Coll. Molly­neux fill'd up the Blank for Lieutenant Coll. and deliver'd it in their Sight and Presence to Mr. Wm. Gerrard, who was with Mr. Mollyneux when Mr. Lunt and Wilson came into the House; and so he went on with Lunt from place to place, till he had deliver'd all the Commissions and Blanks to the Gentle­men mention'd in Mr. Lunt's Depositi­ous. He further deposeth, That to his own Knowledge Lunt did list Men in [Page 103]London, and sent them down into the Country, and that the Soldiers so listed and sent down were subsisted by the Lanca­shire Gentlemen. That he did (in or a­bout February. 1692) see Mr. Walms­ley then newly come out of France at his dwelling House at Dungan-Hall in Lanca­shire, and that the said Mr. Wamsley did employ this Informant in the Year 1692 and 1693, to list Souldiers under him for the Service of the late King James, and had Money from Mr. Walmsley, Captain Penny and Mr. Standish of Standish-Hall to maintain those Soldiers, he fur­ther Deposeth, That he hath seen great Quantities of Arms in the Houses of several Persons mention'd in Mr. Lunts Depositions.

Here are in substance the Depositi­ons of Ten several Persons (some at great distance from, and utter Stran­gers one to another) all agreing in the Lancashire Conspiracy, the Time when, Places where, and the Persons who were to be the principal Actors in that bloody Tragedy; and tho Lunt and Wilson name some more Persons to be concern'd than were nam'd by Mr. Dodsworth and Mr. Kelly, being three years longer in the Conspiracy than [Page 104]the first Discoverers; yet for so ma­ny as each of them have nam'd, they exactly agree, which there is no Que­stion, but the scribling Party among the Jacobites were fully possest of; but finding it so directly cross their Designs in shamning the Plot, and scan­dalizing the Government, they take no more notice of Mr. Dodsworth's, Mr. Kelly's, Mr. Robinson's, or the Master and five Seamen's Discoveries, nor of the Informations that were sent to his Grace the Duke of Shrewsbury from the Sessions of the Peace at Man­chester, than if there had been no such Persons, or Things in the World; which willful and design'd Omissions in Mat­ters of Fact, shews a greater Disinge­nuity and want of Integrity, than can be equalized in other Authors.

Thus much for the Listing and Maintaining of Souldiers, and recei­ving Commssions from the late King James, to levy War against the King and Kingdom. The next thing is pro­viding Arms for these Souldiers, and they were for the Generality bought by Lunt, Righy, Hatton and Minns, at the holy Lamb in long-Acre, by the Order of Mr. Townley, Coll. Parker, [Page 105]Mr. Standish and the rest of the Con­spirators, and carryed into Lancashire▪ by several Carriers, that travel from thence to London, particularly by John Womball of Wiggan-Lane in that Coun­ty, who begun to be employ'd in this Service at the latter end of the Year 1688, and in the beginning of the Year 1689.

These Arms were commonly put in­to large Boxes and Trunks, and for fear of discovery in London, they were for some time lodged for him at Barnet Vid Oliver Pearsons Affi­davit in the Appendix. where he took them up, and to prevent Suspition in the Country, the Gentlemen commonly sent their Serviants, to meet Womball or his Servant upon the Road, there to receive them from him, and carry them to their Masters Houses upon their own Horses. When this way fail'd, Womball and his Servants carryed them to the several Gentlemens Houses by Night, and at other unsuspected Seasons.

Notwithstanding, as privately as they manag'd their Design, the watch­ful Eye of the Government discover'd their Practices, and at one time in Litchfeild, Vid. Oliver Pearsons and Clayton's De­positions. as Womball was carrying down Arms into Lancashire, the Go­vernment took from him there, one [Page 106]hundred and two Swords, which came to pass on this Manner.

Womball accidentally discovers his Carriage of Arms to Mr. Green of Wiggan, who was at that Time in London, Mr. Green apprehending that the Discovery of what Womball had told him might be serviceable to the Government, repairs forthwith to the Earl of Macclesfield, Lord Lieutenant of Luncashire, and acquainting him with it. His Lordship sends for Wom­ball, who was going out of Town that morning, commands one of the Boxes to be open'd, and seeing it fill'd with Horse-Mens Swords, very prudently orders Womball to carry them down; and in the mean Time, his Lordship gave private Directions to some Friends of the Government in Wiggan, to ob­serve where these Boxes were deliver'd, with these Orders his Lordship ac­quaints the Earl of Portland, who well approv'd the Management of the whole Matter; but by whose Directi­ous these Arms were seiz'd at Litchfield, that they might not be traced to the Owners in Lancashire is worth enquiring after.

[Page 107]All this was done before Wombull came into the Government, and per­ceiving there was no further Enquiry into the Matter, he renew'd his former Trade of carrying Arms, and among many other weighty Burthens, he re­ceived four Packs of Arms from Mr. See Womball's Depositions in the Appendix and El. Lang­ly's [...]. Lunt, and deliver'd them at Preston, Standish and Croxton. In the Year 1691 and 1692, he carryed down great quantities of Arms in Trunks and Boxes, to Mr. Standish of Standish to Mr. Tildesley of the Lodgo, to Mr. Ashton, Mr. Stanford, Mr. Eccleston, Mr. Dickinson, Mr. Gradill and others; but this continual carrying of Arms made so great a Noise, that Womball (the Confident they trusted in this great Affair,) was forc'd to be more cautious for the future, for two Boxes of Arms were seiz'd in his Custody at Wiggan in Lancashire, and this made him forbear a while, but other Car­riers being entrusted, and with worse success, Womball was again employ'd, to carry up Money to buy Arms, and bring them down when bought; in which Service he acquitted himself so much to the Satisfaction of his Ma­sters, that he was invited to their [Page 108]Meetings, and trusted in most of their Affairs: Nay, in that which they fan­cied would crown all their hopes, for the late King James being almost ready to embark at la Hogue to invade England, they thought it a necessary piece of Service to disperse these Arms that lay buried under Ground and crowded up in particular Houses, [...] Brown's A [...]davit, Kel­ly's Depositi­ons in the Ap­pendix. amongst all the Officers concern'd, that every thing might be in a readi­ness at their old Masters Landing. Now who so fit to pack them up and make this Distribution as their trusly Womball which he perform'd, and by this means came to the open sight and view of great Quantities of Arms and Warlike Equipage. As Kettle Drums, Trumpets, Jack-Boots and Saddles, of which he could not have such particu­lar Knowledg when made up in Packs, Trunks and Boxes, and assisting in the Dividends, packing them up in Boxes, and helping to load the Horses, he might also readily guess at their Num­bers, which he computes to be as many as would equip a Thousand Horse-Men See his De­positions in the Appendix. and further believes, that if a proper and secret Method had been taken (and all Notice thereof prevented) for seizing [Page 109]of Horses in Lancashire provided for this wicked Purpose in the Hands of the Conspirators, there might at that Time have been seized five hundred good Horses fit for Service.

This is the Substance of Mr. Wom­balls Evidence, which tho' I have thought needless to confirm by more Testimo­nies, the Jacobites themselves making no Exceptions against him, yet I can­not forbear telling my Reader, that having some Discourse with Captain Porter upon this Subject, he was pleased to tell me, that at the Request of Coll. Parker he bought two pair of the best Kettle-Drums that London aforded, they cost him seven Pounds a Pair, and sent them to Mr. Standish of Standish-Hall, and that Coll. Parker return'd Money to reimburse him by Johnson the Priest, who at the same time complai­ning of the great Necessities of many of that Party, Cap. Porter gave Johnson, part of the Money that Coll. Parker sent him for the Drums, to be distribu­ted amongst them, Mr. Porter told me also, that, to his own knowledg, Mr. Minns at the Holy-Lamb in Long-Acre, very often bought Arms for the disaffected Gentlemen in Lancashire, as well as for [Page 110]himself. More than this he was plea­sed to say, he personally knew not of the Lancashire Plot, but well remem­bers, that Mr. Charnock told him, that Mr. Tempest of Durham was to be a Coll. of Dragoons, Mr. Townley of Townley was to be a Coll. of Horse, Mr. Tempest that marryed Mr. Farmers Si­ster was to be a Coll. of Horse, and one Sir Huge Smith was to be a Cap. of Horse un­der Coll. Parker in the Army they were forming in Lancashire, which is a greater confirmation of the Plot, and it's con­tinuance than could (not long since) have been expected.

The Government being thus fully inform'd of the Plot in all the parts and dimensions of it, Warrants are issued out to seize the Conspirators, and tho' for the greater Secrecy, the Names of the Offenders were not put into the Warrants at the Secretary's Office by those that drew the Warrants, but were afterwards put in by the Secre­tarys themselves, yet by some trea­cherous Correspondence between the Lancashire Gentlemen and their Bifari­ous Friends that lurk about the Court, they had notice given them of all Proceedings here, as appear'd by Ma­dam Standish's telling Captain Henry [Page 111]Baker, when he came with the Kings Messengers to search her House, that he might have saved himself the trouble, for they had notice from London of his comming ten days before. And I believe it to be true, or greater Discoveries had been made of Persons and Arms, than could be expected after notice was given them to provide for their Safety, by concealing what ever might give cause of Suspition; for thereupon they burnt their Commissions See Dods­worth's Depo­sitions. and the Arms and other Warlike Equi­page were buried under ground, or otherwise disposed of, and the great­est Part of the Conspirators fled, or absconded; yet through the extraor­dinary Care and Diligence of those imploy'd in that Service, some of the Plotters were apprehended, and Arms enough found to convince the World, that there was a wicked Design on foot against their Majesties and their Government. For,

In the House of Mr. Standish of Standish-Hall, whither Lunt deposeth he sent, and Womball deposeth he deliver'd, great Quantities of Arms and other Habiliments of War, tho' the notice they had from London caused them all to be See Brown's and Kelly's Depositions. [Page 112]concealed, and the Lady of the House and Servants by many Execrations and Asseverations avowed no such Things were in the House: Yet after five hours diligent search by Captain Baker, and the Kings Messengers, there was found walled up in an upper Room or Garret, Thirty new War Sadles, furnished with Breast-plates, Cruppers, Girths and all other necessarys for Troopers Saddles; forty new Curb-Bridles, sixty new Am­munition Horsemen's Swords, with a great Bunch of Swivels for Carbines. Which certainly could be for no other Service then the intended Rebel­lion.

Nor may I omit a Dialogue be­tween Madam Standish and Mr. Peter Morisco, one of the King's Messengers, who coming to make a narrower Search in her Bed-chamber, finding the Hang­ings near the Chimney loose, and look­ing in at the Hole, that was behind it, the Lady told him it was needless; for there was nothing; The Messenger attempting to pull aside the Hangings, and make the Hole wider, the Lady endeavour'd to divert him by her repeated Asseve­rations, and laying her Hand upon her Breast, said, Upon my Honour [Page 113]there [...] nothing; but the Messenger re­ply'd, upon my Honour, Madam, there is something, and immediately drew out a great Bundle of Horsemens Swords ne­ver used; and if these Arms, that were hid so close, were not intended for ill purposes, they would do well to as­sign some other use of them for I can­not. For not to reproach Mr. Stan­dish with a small Estate, and being much in Debt, a great House not half fur­nished, and those few Goods he had in it very Mean and Poor, there were but four Men Servants in the whole Family; and for a private Gentleman, and a known Enemy to the Government, to make all this Warlike Provision, what other Construction can be made of it, than that some ill Design was forming against the Government.

These Saddles could not be intend­ed for his own use, since more of the same kind were found (and left) in his Stables, than (according to the Number of his Servants) could be worn out in seven Years. And if we could suppose him to be so prodigal under a narrow fortune; to make so great pro­vision of Saddles and Swords for his own use, why were they all War Saddles, of [Page 114]what use were the Swords, Breast, plates, and so great a quantity of Carbine-swi­vells and large Curb-Bridles, without so much as one Pad or Hunting Sad­dle among them.

Are Hares in Lancashire such formi­dable Enemies; that all this Warlike Provision is made to encounter them? In other Countries we kill those time­rous Animals with Dogs, and equip our Horses for the Chase with the lightest Furniture; seldom carrying any other Weapon into the Field than a long Whip and a short Hanger; but it seems these Lancashire Gentlemen ride a Hunting like Troopers into a Cam­pain, with heavy War Saddles, great Horsemens Swords, Pistolls, Carbines, Jack-Boots, Kettle-Drums and Trum­pets. Why else did their Solicitors Mr. Banks and Mr. Beresford avouch them in a great Audience to be only Hunting Saddles, tho' they were then, and still are, in the custody of Sir John Sweet-Apple and Sir William Cole late Sheriffs of London, and ready to be produced before the Parliament, as E­vidences to convict them both of Falsity; but to end this: If they were bought for his own use as others would [Page 115]suggest, what Cause had Mr. Stan­dish to keep them soprivately, and put himself to the Charge and Trouble of walling them up in a Garret, and leaving no kind of Door or Entrance into the Place where they were hid; besides, what Reason had Mr. Stan­dish to hide See Brown's Affidavit in the Appendix. so great a Quantity of Arms and Ammunition at his Tenant Emer's. Those found in the House (when they had no other Shift or Ex­cuse to make) Mr. Banks and Mr. Be­resford say were for the Defence of it; but others think that Excuse was as foolish as needless: Since there was scarce any thing in the House worth the Stealing, and his known Poverty was a greater Security against Thieves, than Swords or Pistols.

And now I thought (having an­swer'd all these Objections) I might have taken my Leave of Standish-hall, and paid a Visit to Mr. Tildesly of the Lodge; but a Person of Quality, that made Observations on the whole Proceedings, both in Parliament, at Manchester, and at Lancaster, tells me. I have another Objection to answer, viz.

Object. Mr. Standish was a Captain in the Militia in Lancashire, in the [Page 116]Reign of the late King James, and in all Pro­bability these Saddles, Carbines, Swords and other warlike Equipage had remain'd in his Custody ever since that Time.

Answ. To which I must answer, That all their Objections require more Trouble to raise then to lay; For Mr. Standish was a Capt. of Foot to the late King James, and there was no need of so much Horse-furniture for a Foot Company.

At Mr. Tildesly's of the Lodge in Lancashire, was found in a private Cupboard, behind a Wainscote wall'd up with Bricks, where also lay his Money, Plate, Rings, Jewels and o­ther things of Value, an extraordi­nary Provision of Silver embroidered Housings These are al­so yet in being in the Hands aforesaid. and Caps on Velvet, and Scarlet embroidered Housings and Caps; which though I think a greater Quan­tity and much finer Caparisons than are usually provided for that Family: Yet I had not mention'd them, but to tell you at the same Time and Place Mr. Sutton, the Kings Messenger, found among other Papers, one of the late King James's old Commissions.

But Lunt and Wilson deposed, That he had receiv'd a new Commission from the late King James, and Mr. [Page 117] Dodsworth's Depositions say, that Mr. Tildesly being advis'd by Mr. Dalton upon the Noise of the Discovery to burn it, he said, He would burn himself before he would do it.

At Mr. Massey's of Puddington in Cheshire, Mr. Jackson Vid. Dods­worth's Depo­sitions in the Appendix. the Constable found, July the 4th 1694, put into a Chest, cover'd over with an old long Pil­low, Nine new Dragoon Saddles, with Buckles, Rings and Staples fixt to them for Breast-plates, Holsters and Cloaks with Cruppers, Girths and Stirrups to them, all new, and six new Half-cheek Bit-bridles. This, I suppose, was Mr. Mas­sey's Share upon the general Dividend, mention'd by Mr. Womball to be made a little before the Battle at la Hogue.

But if in Favour to Persons of these Gentlemen's Characters and Qualities, the Government was oblig'd to wink at, or overlook, all these Preparations for War; how will Mr. Shakerley, Mr. Banks, Mr. Beresford, Sr. W. W. Mr. Taffe or Mr. Hat, Vid. his De­positions in the Appendix. desend them­selves against a virulent Paper, found in Mr. Standish's Closet at the Search made at Standish-Hall July 16. 1694, Found by Capt. Baker & the Original de­liver'd by him into the House of Commens. containing Heads for a Remonstrance, or Declaration, to be Printed and Pub­lished [Page 118]at King James's Landing, which according to Mr. Crosby's Papers and Mr. Robinson's Depositions, to be attempted very speedily. The original Paper was deliver'd into the House of Commons when the Plot was examin'd, and there it still remains. The whole is so sttuffed with Scandal, Malice and bitterness of the Party against the King and Government, that I think it not worth the charge and trouble of procuring a Copy, much less to recite it unless I designed to affright the Modest, or poyson the unwary Reader.

Now after all this, I cannot but stand amaz'd at the Confidence of those Gentlemen, who industriously sought to sham and ridicule the Lanca­shire Plot; for if all that has been pro­ved already, might, in Compliment to their Quality, pass for nothing (which it can never do among uninteressed Men,) yet this very Scandalous, Mutinous and bloody Paper, as any Man will judge it to be that reads it and never was deny'd to be found in Mr. Standish's Custody, is sufficient to prove that a Conspiracy against the King and Go­vernment was hatching, and almost came to Perfection among them; and [Page 119]that having form'd a Rebellion and In­surrection in the Northern Parts, this Paper (when finish'd by the rest of the Club) was to be Printed to justify their Proceedings, and encourage others to joyn with them; for no other Con­struction can be put upon it, tho' the unbiass'd Reader had all the Charity and good Nature, which these Gentle­men seem to want.

As many of the Gentlemen and others accused, as could be found, being taken into Custody, they are brought up to London to be examined; and after Examination, some were committed to the Tower, and others to Newgate, where they continu'd about a Month: During which time their Friends and Solicitors, exerted all their diligence to take off the Kings Evidences, by See Agnes Baker's Depo­sitions, Eliza­beth Hearft's Deposition and Mr. Claytons Desition, in the Appendix. offering them large Sums, that failing to find out Persons who either out of Malice, or hopes of a future Reward, would load the Kings Witnesses with such Crimes as would take away the Credit of their Evidence. And truly this was all the Game they had now to play, for Matters of Fact be­ing so legible and the Truth as ap­parent as the Sun on the Meridian, there was no way to prevent the Gen­tlemen's [Page 120]being found guilty, but by re­presenting the Witnesses under such heinous Characters, as the Jury might not believe what they depos'd. To ac­complish this end in Scandalizing the Evidences, many Persons were practi­sed upon, See Claytons Brown's Affi­davit, Eliz. Hearst's and Ann Elliot's in the pendix. some of which refused so base an Action, but others through great importunities and promises of large Rewards, were brought to say such things against some of the Evi­dences, both at Manchester and in the Parliament-House, which the Procu­rers had dictated to them; all which were utterly False and Scanda­lous, as hath since been Acknowledged upon the Oaths of the very Persons, who were prevailed upon to declare them in the House of Commons.

But that which raised the great Cla­mour against the Discovery of the Plot, and put a new Life into the Plotters, was gaining Mr. Taffe to the other side, which happen'd on this Manner.

When Mr. Lunt came last out of France, December 1693 (being troubled in Conscience for having engaged in the barbarous Design of assassinating the King, and resolving to atone for that Crime, by discovering all he knew that had been acted, or was then plot­ting [Page 121]against the Kings Majesty and his Government,) his coming over was made known to Mr. Taffe ( a too fa­miliar acquaintance of Lunt's Wife,) who was represented to Lunt as a Per­son that had done some considerable Service to the Public: To him Lunt's Wife had told, that her Husband was lately come out of France; which made Taffe (who pretended to be zealous for the Government) enquire how Mat­ters stood at St. Germains, adding, that if Lunt could discover any thing that might be serviceable to their Majesties, he would introduce him to a Person of Quality that would receive his In­formation. Lunt giving Credit to Taffe's pretended kindness, immediatly shew'd his willingness to make a Dis­covery, and accordingly Taffe brought Lunt to the Right Honourable the Earl of Bellemont, told his Lordship, that Lunt was an honest Man, and Credit might be given to the Discovery he intended to make. After his Lordship had heard Lunts relation, he comman­ded him to wait on him again in two or three days, which Lunt obeying, and his Lordship being somewhat in­dispos'd, he sent Lunt with his Lord­ships [Page 122]Letter to Sir John Trenchard. Taffe accompanied him thither, and Mr. Secretary hearing what Lunt had to discover, first sent him into Kent, and afterwards commanded Lunt to put his Depositions into Writing and bring them to him. Lunt perform'd it. Taffe heard all the Information read, aggravated the Crimes, and ap­pear'd the most zealous and forward of any to have the Persons accused and brought to Justice; accordingly pre­tending to be serviceable in knowing the Country and People there, went down into Lancashire, assisted the Mes­sengers in searching at Standish-Hall, and seizing the Arms; directed and assisted the Kings Messengers in other Searches: Seizing some Persons, and bringing the Prisoners to Town, and in every thing shew'd an extraordinary Zeal in his Majesties Service. Not withstanding;

Whilest Taffe was in the Country I must not forget to acquaint my Rea­der, that tho' he seemed very Offici­ous, and might have been much more useful than he was, in finding concealed Arms and Persons (if he had been Ho­nest, and had made more use of his Head, [Page 123]and less of his Fingers;) the Manager of that Affair, and the Kings Messen­gers, quickly perceiving his pilfering Practices to be very Injurious to the Inhabitants, as well as Scandalous to themselves, were forced to have as watchful an Eye upon him, as the bu­siness they were employ'd in; tho' notwithstanding all their Care, he com­mitted some egregious Felonies, from Mr. Bartholomew Hesketh a Romish Priest near Preston in Lancashire, he stole a Silver Chalice and three or four Damask-Napkins, two of which Napkins he gave to a Whore he lay with at Salford near Manchester, whose Husband catching them in Bed together, had beat his Brains out, and spoyled his Evidence at Manchester, if People in the House had not prevented it, and the Cha­lice he was compell'd by Captain Ba­ker to restore (as Mr. Hesketh had directed) to Mrs. Taylor of Standish near Wiggan.

At Mr. Molyneux of the Lodge, he seized a great Sum of Money, and had carryed it off, if he had not been for­cibly hinder'd by one of the Kings Messengers; however tho' he lost the great Prize, which was thought to be [Page 124]near a thousand Pound, he found an opportunity of playing a small Game, and stole from thence also a Silver Chalice, an Altar Cloth, five or six Damask-Napkins, and a walking Cane, which Mr. Morisco the Kings Messen­ger, with a little rough handling made him restore again to the Owner: These and other his scandalous Be­haviours every where, was the only Reason that Mr. Aaron Smith and Mr. Baker, sleighted and contemn'd him, as unfit to intermeddle in any public Business, which he perceiving, took up Resolutions to provide for him­self, and make his Fortune among the Jacobites. However, to make a fair Shew, and seem what he was not.

Soon after he came to London, he waited on my Lord Bellemont, gave his Lordship an Account what Persons and Arms had been seiz'd, that seve­ral Gentlemen had made their escapes, and that others absconded, and fled from Place to Place, to secure them­selves; whereupon my Lord Bellemont asked Taffe, if this was the Business Lunt had discovered. Taffe answered it was, and that Lunt was the main Evidence and Discoverer of the Con­spiracy, [Page 125]had been with them in the Country, was very well known at the respective places he had menti­on'd in his Depositions; and had done greater Service at his being there, if the Lancashire Gentlemen had not recei­ved notice from London of their coming ten days before they came to Standish-Hall. This fit of pretended Zeal, I know the Reader will think it very strange, when he arrives to the follow­ing Part of this History: But what can be expected from steady harden'd Wretches of his Complexion but a train of Villanies to the end of the Chapter.

This Account being given to my Lord Bellemont, Taffe addressed him­self to Mr. Aaron Smith and Captain Baker, for the Reward of his Service, but finding himself slighted and repri­manded for his scandalous Behaviour, and (as he thought) not sufficiently rewarded for his Journey into Lanca­shire, he grew very angry and vow­ed a Revenge upon the Government even to the spoiling of the Plot, as he pleased to call it, and, if it were pos­sible, the Ruin of all those that were concern'd in it, particularly of Mr. [Page 126] Smith and Mr. Baker who had dealt so ungratefully by him.

In order to execute this wretched Design, in acquitting the guilty and punishing the innocent, he is immediatly upon the hunt after the Friends and Relations of the Prisoners, and know­ing Mr. Legh of Lime was reputed the richest among them. Taffe was very solicitous to be acquainted with any Person, that was concerned for Mr. Legh's Safety.

Whilst he was upon this Enquiry (in the Temple-walks) he meets with one Mr. Wybrand, desires him to speak to Captain Cottingham to bring him acquainted with some Friends of Mr. Legh's of Lime. For, saith he, Smith and Baker have used me barba­rously, and I will be even with them and spoil the Plot. See Wy­brand's Depo­sitions in the Appendix. Mr. Wybrand desires Taffe to be ingenious with him, and tell him, whether he was concerned in the Plot, for he heard it would come to nothing. Taffe replies, he was no Evidence nor knew any thing of the Plot himself; but he knew there was good E­vidences against the Prisoners, and e­nough (as he worded it) to hang them all; but if he could speak with any [Page 127]Friend of Mr. Legh's, he might get a good Summ of Money and make his for­tune, by telling him away how to save all their Lives; but Taffe after further Discourse, finding this Gentleman Mr. Wybrand not for his purpose, he leaves him; but gives not over his Search, till he is first met by Mrs. Dickinson, Wife to one of the Prisoners, and afterwards by Mr. Banks and Mr. Beresford, who were Freinds, Relati­ons, and as they demean'd themselves, were thought Solicitors for all the Pri­soners. Taffe no sooner acquaints them with his Designs of spoiling the Plot and saving all the Prisoners Lives, but the Bargain was struck, his Terms agreed to, Twenty pounds is paid him in hand Sworn in the House of Lords and Commons. with assurance (as it's common­ly reported) of a good Annuity for Life, to be settled in Lancashire, and now (least he should cool) he is sent im­mediatly into the Country to be their Champion Evidence, when the Tryals should commence at Manchaster.

This was the first Step that Taffe made towards spoiling of the Plot, the greatest Part whereof was either confess'd by him, or proved against him in the House of Lords and Com­mons. [Page 124]But the Certainty of the Au­nuity, and how much it amounts to, I cannot yet learn, tho' I have reason to believe it is considerable, since Mr. Dickinson told his Cousin Barker at the Tryal at Manchester, that See Mrs. Bar­ker's Affidavit in the Appen­dix. the gain­ing Taffe on their side, had cost them very dear.

Here you see is a great Point gain'd (tho' after a very ill Manner) for the Prisoners. And this Success upon Taffe so flesh'd their Solicitors, that they are now fit to attempt any thing for the Service of their Friends and Kindred.

The next step they made is atempt­ing upon Lunt, to which end Mr. Banks counterfeits himself Drunk, and afterwards by mean and little Artifices insinuates himself into a Familiari­ty with him, squeezes out of unwary Lunt the names of the Kings Witnesses, and the whole Matter of their Evi­dence, with design to destroy it, which by the way was very unfair and dan­gerous Practice, and rather exceeds than equals Reading's Case in the Reign of King Charle's the Second; and I be­lieve, if prosecuted in Westminster-Hall, would there have been judged one of [Page 129]the highest Crimes (under those that are Capital) and have met with a Sentence accordingly; but how great so­ever this Crime is, it will apear a very minute and inconsiderable one, when compar'd with these Gentlemens nefarious Practices, when the Mat­ter was examin'd in Parliament, which shall be produc'd in due Time and Place.

Having thus gained Taffe [...] a Morsel fit for the Devils Sto­mack, into the Bowels of their Par­ty, and by the like Clandestine Me­thods got the Names of the Kings Wit­nesses and a Knowledge of what they could depose against the Prisoners, the next Attempt for Shamming the whole Plot, and setting the Prisoners in Statu quo prius, was engaging Ferguson to write in their Defence, to set up the Jacobites in general, and the Prisoners in particular, as an innocent and peaceable People, and to render their Accusers the very dregs of Mankind: To the end, that Peo­ple might be prepossessed with favou­rable Opinions of the Gentlemen ac­cused, and enraged with prejudice at the dismal Representation which Ferguson [Page 130]should make of the Witnesses before the Tryals could begin, and this Stra­tagem had such a notable Effect, that the Popish Mob at Manchester anima­ted by reading Ferguson's Libel (which was almost in every Hand in that Country) had resolv'd to prevent the Tryals of the Prisoners, by stoning the Kings Evidences to death, as they came into the Town; but those that knew the Scene, was better and closer laid for the Acquittal of the Gentlemen, than to do it by Force, prevail'd with the Mob, under Assurance the Prisoners would be acquitted, to forbear the Execution of that inhuman Resolution till the Tryals were ended; but no sooner was the Tryal over and the Witnesses leaving the Town, but the Popish Mob endeavour'd to stone them to death, and that in such a rude, barba­rous and tumultuous Manner, that not only the Witnesses but an honest and worthy Gentleman of Counsel for the King, the Kings Prosecutor, and the Kings Clerk in the Crown Office, ve­ry narrowly escap'd with their Lives, and all this done too, without fear or shame, in the very sight of my Lords the Judges in the Town of Manchester.

[Page 131]The Tryal begun at Manchester the 16th October 1694, where the Kings Evidences prov'd, See their se­veral Deposi­ons in the Ap­pendix. that the Prisoners at the Bar had received Commissions from the late King James, to raise War against their present Majesties and Go­vernment, and to that end had bought Arms, listed and subsisted Soldiers at their own Charge, and had frequent Cor­respondence with the late King James for the carrying on an Invasion and Re­bellion against King William and Queen Mary, which having been already re­lated, as to the Time, Manner and all other Circumstances, I shall forbear a further Recital here, and proceed to tell my Reader, that whilst the Kings Witnesses were delivering their Evi­dences, Sir W. W. (tho he afterwards treated the Prisoners Evidences with all imaginable Respect and Civility,) was observ'd to brow-beat them, and by cross, impertinent and extraneous Questi­ons, foreign to the Matter in Hand, endeavour'd to baffle, puzzle, confound and entrap them, in what they Swore, but failing in that main Point of his Skill; he requires Mr. Lunt to point at the several Prisoners by Name: In doing which, some say he pointed at [Page 132]the wrong Man, tho' they were so hud­led and crowded together, it was hard to say which was the Person he pointed at; however this gratified the Popish Mob, and raised a loud Laugh: But their Mirth continu'd not long; for one of my Lords the Judges commanding Lunt to Touch and Name all the accused Gentlemen with the Cryers Staff, he named them all Right, nor had it been Material (in my Opinion) if he had been Guilty of a Misnomen, since Lunt had said upon Oath, that he ne­ver saw that Gentleman but once, which was in the Night too, and that also 'twns two Years since be saw him, that was pretended to be misnamed.

However it gave Sir W. W. an Op­portunity (tho he was then one of the Kings Counsel) to shew which side he was on now as well as at the Tryal of my Lords the Bishops.

The Kings Witnesses having delive­red their Evidence against the Prisoners, and all agreeing with one another as to Matter of Fact; Witnesses were pro­duc'd for the Prisoners, to invalidate the Testimony of those who had Sworn for the King; and such a Noise had the Jacobites made with these Witnes­ses, [Page 133]that greater Matters were expe­cted from them, than perform'd by them, for at length their mountainous Boasting was deliver'd of a ridiculous Mouse. All that their Witnesses said, was only accusing the Kings Witnes­ses of some petty Immoralities, that they pretended to have gather'd from their own Mouths, in Ale-Houses and at other Compotations; but not one Word in disproof of what they had sworn against the Prisoners.

And truly 'tis a wonder they said no more, nor no worse things against the Kings Witnesses, when we consi­der by what Means they procur'd those that were Witnesses against the Kings Evidences in Parliament, viz. Down right Bribery, and by telling them they were not to be put to their Oaths, and therefore not being in danger of Perju­ry, might safely and confidently tell all the Stories that Clark and Beresford had dictated to thembefore-hand: All which is now undeniably prov'd upon Oath, by the Persons themselves that were See Clay­ton's and Brown 's Depo­sitions in the Appendix. bribed.

But that which (I suppose) pre­vail'd with the Jacobites to instruct these Witnesses no better, was the great Dependance they had on Taffe, [Page 134]and the stress they laid upon his Testi­mony, which in short was, that there was no Truth in the pretended Plot, the whole being a villainous Contrivance be­tween himself and Lunt.

Or rather to speak Truth was a wicked Contrivance between Taffe and Mrs. Dickinson and Clark and Beres­ford to shamm the Plot, and acquit the Gentlemen accused; for if Lunt was as bad a Man as Taffe would render him, it no way destroys the Reality of the Plot (which to the eternal Re­proach of them that contriv'd to ridi­cule it, or defend the Plotters) will remain True and stand as firm as a Rock (notwithstanding all the Batte­ries the Jacobites can raise to demo­lish it) if there was no such Man in the World as Mr. Lunt. And this I shall further prove, when I have taken leave of this Father Vincent, Thomas O Mul­len, John Taffe, Teague O Devilly, who for making his Fortune has confest him­self one of the greatest Villains in the World, nay to gratify his Lancashire Benefactors, has made himself a greater Rogue than he was in attributing such Hellish Contrivances to his own, and Lunts Invention, which was only a Calumny [Page 135]invented by the Devil against Lunt and ramm'd down Taffe 's Throat by the Lancashire Papists.

Some Men undergo hard Censures in the World from the ill Character given them by their profest Enemies, out of Malice and Hatred, and these are to be pittyed if not wholly excused; but for the Man that calls himself the worst of Men (and that in solemn Judicial Proceedings where his Affirma­tive ought to have equal Credit with an Oath,) there is no Apology, for tho' it destroys what he says of another, 'tis the best Evidence in the World a­gainst himself, and will be so esteemed by all Mankind: And yet this Mans single say-so without any Oath, contrary to the Oaths of twenty several Wit­nesses for the King, which corroborate the Testimonies of ten positive Wit­nesses that discover'd the Plot, was all the ground the Jacobites had to re­dicule it and rail against the Govern­ment for prosecuting the Offenders, and call the Plot a shamm-Contrivance of some little Ministers to enrich them­selves by the ruin of the Persons ac­cused; tho' now that Calumny too is proved a meer Invention of the Merce­nary [Page 136]Scribler, by making the whole a Contrivance between Lunt and Taffe, which having no better Authority than the former will have a like Dismission in the Sequel.

Diverse Excuses and Apologies have been made by the Jacobites for Taffe, in owning himself to be so vile a wretch, some say it amounts to nothing unless he were also guilty of Perjury; and if that be true, then there is no Cre­dit at all to be given to him, for he See Mr. Wy­brand's Affida­vit. swore his Name was John Taffe, when it may be proved by the Oaths of hun­dreds, that his Name is Thomas O Mul­len; but having committed so many egregious Crimes under that Name, that he was forced to fly his Native Country, Ireland, and Lucifer-like leave his right name behind him, he assum'd that of John Taffe; tho' it seems there is no greater Sanctity in this than the other. For under this Name he also forswore himself in the House of Lords in the Service of the Lancashire Gentle­men; for which their Lordships com­mitted him, and for which he had been Prosecuted in the Kings-Bench to a Conviction, if he had not fled from [Page 137]Justice, and hid See the Se­cretary's War­rant (to appre­hnd him) in custody of Mr. Barker of War­rington in Lan­cashire. himself so privately among his Friends in Lancashire that he could not be apprehended.

Others plead in his Excuse, that his saying Lunt and himself made the Plot, was an effect of his Repentance, and the only Satisfaction he could make for having gone so far, and con­trived so much Mischief already; and truly I should not only have allowed this Excuse; but highly commended and encouraged the Action, if it had been true, and Conscience had been the Motive to this Discovery; but see­ing the Plot prov'd by other credible Witnesses whilst Lunt acted in it, I cannot believe what Taffe would sug­gest to the contrary, especially when fil­thy Lucre, putting a great summ of rea­dy Money into his Pockets, See Mr. Wy­brand' s Deposi­tion in the Ap­pendix. and making his Fortune for the future is proved to be the only Inducement he had to de­clare what he did at Manchester. For,

If Mr. Smith, or Mr. Baker, had conceal'd their Resentments of his base and dishonest Practices and answe­red his over-large Demands, you had heard nothing of all this; but in com­plying with the Conspirators he both [Page 138]gratified his Revenge and his Cove­tousness together, for no other end does he propose to Mr. Wybrand in desiring to be acquainted with some Friend of Mr. Leghs; but because there was Mo­ney enough and he might make his For­tune: Nor was it in kindness to the Gentlemen to save their Lives, but in kindness to himself, that he Mortgag'd his Soul to purchase an Annuity. And that there was no Truth in what he said at the Tryal at Manchester is plain, for he acknowledges, that there was not only Witnesses enough to take away all the Prisoners Lives, but these Wit­nesses were good ones, and very Honest Men; and being told by Mr. See Mr. Wy­brands Deposi­tions in the Ap­pendix. Wybrand, that it look'd like a Contradiction, or an Impossibility to save Mens Lives ac­cused of High Treason, and that Treason (by his own Confession) pro­ved against them by several creditable and substantial Testimonies, Taffe alias O Mullen reply'd, it was no mat­ter for that; if the Gentlemen would give him Money to make his Fortune, he would contrive a way to do it.

Again, if Conscience had been the Motive, why did he go so far in it? Why was he so active in seizing of [Page 139]Arms, and apprehending the Conspi­rators? If he knew it to be a Piece of Roguery, he must know it to be so from the Beginning; for he introduc'd Lunt to the Earl of Bellemont, read Lunt's Depositions taken before Mr. Secreta­ry Trenchard: And knew the Trans­actions of the whole Matter, why then did he not relate it before? Why did he not declare it to the Lord Bellemont, Mr. Secretary Trenchard, Mr. Attorney General, Mr. Aaron Smith or some other proper Officer. This had been the honestest and easiest Way to have put a Stop to all Proceedings? And had been fair, candid and upright Dealing, as well on the behalf of the Government as the Gentlemen. But, alass, this would have quite spoil'd the making of his Fortune.

Again, if what Taffe says (in relation to Mr. Lunt's Evidence) had any kind of Truth in it, it no way answers the End for which it is design'd; for the Truth of the Plot does not (as I have said before) depend only upon Lunt's single Evidence, but upon the Discove­ry of Mr. Kelly, Mr. Dodsworth, Mr. Robinson, Mr. Cawson and the Ships Company, the Custom-house-Officers, and several Persons of Quality and [Page 140]others in Lancashire, whilst Lunt was acting in it; nor was the Discovery from Manchester the Act of any sin­gle Person, who might be liable to be impos'd upon; but the premeditated Act of the whole Bench of Justices at their Sessions in Manchester, as appears by the Letter to his Grace the Lord Duke of Shrewsbury; which was also seconded by several others of his Ma­jesties Justices of the Peace in their Session from other See the Letter from Middle­ton in the Ap­pendix. Parts of the County, as well as from many private Gentlemen. So that Taffe must say something to disprove all these Mat­ters of Fact, attested by so many Honourable Persons, and others of known Reputation before he or any of that Party can hope to gain Cre­dit to what they said against Lunt. But this was the subtile Trick of the Conspirators and their Multinominal Friends, to leap over all former Disco­veries, and fall foul upon Lunt, and endeavour to perswade the World, that he invented and contriv'd the Plot in May and June, 1694. Where­as Lunt, and all the rest of the Kings Evidences depose the Plot begun in the latter end of the Year 1688, and [Page 141]in the Year 1689, and by several Progressions continu'd till 1694. So that what Taffe says, must of neces­sity be false, both as to the Fact and Time. Besides,

What Taffe says (without reflect­ing upon his former vile and lewd Conversation, in being a Renegado Irish Popish Priest, changing his Name, and being manifestly guilty of Felony and Perjury) is only his own naked Affirmation procured by Bribery; but what Lunt has sworn as to the Plot in general, nay almost in every Parti­cular, is confirm'd by the best and surest Testimonies in the World.

But since what Taffe had the Impu­dence to affirm has made so much Noise abroad, and seem'd the only Reason why Sr. W. W, threw up the Tryal, I will sum up both their Evi­dences, and leave the Reader to judge which of them is most reasonable to be believ'd among the sober and unpre­judic'd Part of Mankind. Father Vincent, All these Names be went by. alias Thomas O Mullen, alias John Taffe says (but not upon his Oath) There was no Truth in the Plot, but that the Whole was a Contrivance between him and Lunt, in or about [Page 142]May 1694, but has no Evidence or Circumstance to confirm what he so boldly affirms, nor has any thing to say further in the Whole.

Mr. Lunt deposeth, that he fol­low'd the late King James into France, and from thence into Ireland, and confirms it by a Which is now among the rest of the Papers in the Custody of the Clerk of the Parliament. Pass under the Hand and Seal of the Lord Melfort.

Lunt deposeth, that in France and Ireland he was acquainted with Brom­feild, who negotiated Affairs (in Or­der to a Rebellion) between the late King James and the Lancashire Gentle­men: But being discover'd, the Ves­sel he had bought, taken, and him­self in great Danger, he thought it not safe to go any more thither, but having brought word that the Gentle­men had embrac'd the late Kings Commands, and only wanted Com­missions, the Carriage of the Com­missions was to be perform'd by Mr. Thrillfall and himself, and this he con­firms by the Oaths of Mr. John Ed­wards, See their seve­ral Depositions in the Appen­dix. George Wilson, John Wilson, Elizabeth Langley, Elizabeth Hearst, and the Master of the Vessel and five Seamen.

Lunt deposeth, that in or about [Page 143] June 1689, he and Mr. Thrillfall of Goosner in Lancashire sailed from Ire­land in Mr. Cawson's Ship, landed at Cockram in Lancashire; brought over several Commissions to the Lancashire Gentlemen, some of which were left in the Ship, and taken by the Officers of the Customs, and are now in the Hands of the Government, this is prov'd by Mr. Cawson the Master of the Ship, that brought Lunt and Thrillfall out of Ire­land, all the Seamen in the Ship and by the Officers of the Customs, that sei­zed the Commissions, besides the Noble Peers aforenamed that examin'd the whole Matter in Lancashire, and the Commissions themselves seen by Mr. Robinson, and are now in the Custody of the Clerk of the Parliament.

Mr. Lunt deposeth, that after he deli­vered the Commissions above named, the Lancashire Gentlemen having for­med a Rebellion, employ'd him and o­thers to list Men and send them into Lancashire, which he did, and subsisted them at the charge of the Gentlemen accused, in order to be ready for the Service of King James when called for, and this is prov'd by the Affida­vits of John Wilson, Lawrence Brandon, [Page 144]Robert Bradly, Elizabeth Hearst, Eli­zabeth Langley, and many others, as also virtually confirm'd by the Letter from the Quarter Sessions at Manche­ster, sign'd by eight Justices of the Peace, See the Letter in the Appen­dix. dated 18th October 1689, where they desire his Grace the Duke of Shrewsbury to acquaint the Kings Ma­jesty, That there hath been some mo­delling of Officers and Men, preparatory to their hopes of an Invasion or Insur­rection; and tho' our Goals (say they) are full of Irish Papists, yet we have frequent Account of many others at Po­pish Houses.

Mr. Kelly in his Information, See his Infor­mation in the Appendix. tells you also, that, to his own knowledg, Mr. Thomas Tatlock of Symonds-Wood in the Parish of Sefton Lancashire, did for above a Month together harbour threescore Irish Men, who had been Soldiers to the late King James, and disbanded at Hounslo-Heath, and were then listed under Gentlemen in Lanca­shire for the same Service; that Arms and Furniture fitted for them were hid in that Wood, and that Mr. Molyneux of Mosbrow did harbour about twenty Irish Men for the Service of King James: Nay some of the very Persons accused [Page 145]by Lunt 1694 were inpeach'd by Mr. Kelly in the Year 1690 and were then looked upon as very dangerous Persons to the Government, as appears by a Letter to a Minister of State, dated at Middleton April 9th. 1690 Se the Letter from Middle­ton in the Ap­pendix. and signed by five Gentlemen, to which we add, that Crosby's Papers in the Appen­dix. affirm there were four Thousand Men actually listed in the North for the Service of that King, there needs no more be said in the Matter.

So that the Plot in Lancashire a­gainst the King and Government could not be a Contrivance of Taffe and Lunt in 1694, it being thus credibly discovered, and Search made after the Conspirators in 1690, whilst Mr. Lunt was acting in it, and had been prosecured with effect then, if the Ja­cobites had not provided for their own Safety by removing Mr. Kelly into an­other World; as not long after they served Mr. Dodsworth by Murthering him as soon as they heard of this Correspon­dence will be proved by Mrs. Dodsworth who was privy to it. a Corre­spondence and Letters passing betwixt him and Lunt.

Now were not the whole Proceed­ings in behalf of the Conspirators so plainly prov'd to be made up of [Page 146] Fraud, Fallacy, Bribery and Barbarity, a Man would wonder with what Face they could impose Taffe's Lies upon the World, or endeavour to baffle Lunt's Testimony, which hath so many undeniable Witnesses to confirm it. But,

Sir W.W. laying so great stress up­on what was said by Taffe, as to refuse to proceed further in the Tryal at Manche­ster, I beg his Worships Leave to ask him a few modest Questions, viz.

When the Master of the Vessel brought Lunt and Thrillfall out of Ireland, was apprehended and carry­ing up to London for so doing, and by accident hearing of Lunt's being a Prisoner in Coventry, charged him to be one of the Persons that brought those Commissions from the late King James; which were found in his Ves­sel; Whether that was of Taffe 's Contri­vance?

When Lunt was committed to Newgate upon the Oath of Mr. Caw­son and the five Seamen for bringing over these Commissions, and after­wards (in great Danger of Hanging) committed to Lancaster Goal for high Treason (where he lay three Assizes) Was that of Taffe's contriving?

[Page 147]When Mr. Thrillfall having delive­red the late King James's Commissions in Yorkshire, and being accused for it by Mr. Dodsworth, and like to be ap­prehended by the Lancashire Militia, chose rather to be kill'd than to be taken? Was that Mr. Taffe's Contri­vance?

Was the Discovery of the Kettle-Drums that were bought by C. P. by Order of Coll. Parker and sent to Standish-Hall, of his contrivance? The first hiding, and than finding and seizing (wall'd up in a Garret) all the Arms and Saddles aforementi­oned, Was that also of Taffe's Contri­vance?

If so I assure you Sir W.W. he is a very Wagg, and for ought, I know, that the Gentlemen when accused of high Treason and Prisoners in the Tow­er, had by their Friends frequent Con­sultation with, and Advice and Directi­ons from, one that was then of the Kings Council. Before they consul­ted with Sir Bartholomew Shower, might be of his Contrivance also.

Nay since Taffe is so excellent at contriving, the very procuring Sir W.W. to be the sole Manager of the [Page 148]Tryal at Manchester (from which many honest Men foretold what hap­pen'd) might be of his Contrivance too, and if it was the Lancashire and Che­shire Gentlemen are more oblig'd to Taffe for that peice of excellent Service, than for all that he swallow'd in London, or disgorg'd at Manchester. For if all the Kings Witnesses might have been heard, what Taffe said there would have signifi'd nothing.

However, a Contrivance there was, and tho' it does not effect Lunt (as they would have it) in forging the Plot. It lies very close and heavy on Mr. Dickinson, Mr. B*ks and Mr. B***ford; for bribing Taffe to say so: And also Sir W.W. who upon Taffe's Evidence would proceed no further in the Tryal at Manchester; but sat down like a winning Gamster, unwilling to tempt his Fortune, and positively re­fused any more of the Kings Witnesses to be heard, tho' at the same time he knew there were many, whose Names were in his Breviat, more especially one that was a Prisoner for the same Treason with the Gentlemen, which could have cleared all the seeming, or preten­ded [Page 149]difficulties in the whole Matter, might he have been heard.

This Politick Piece of Chicanery strongly amazed the Kings Prosecutors, that one of the Kings Council should so far influence the rest, as all (but one) should refuse or neglect to let all the Kings Witnesses he heard; whereup­on Mr. Bale the Kings Prosecutor (being put upon it by Captain Baker) prayed Sir W. W. twice, that the rest of the Kings Witnesses might be called, and being refused by Sir W.W. Mr. Bale addresses himself to the Court, insomuch, that my Lords the Judges urged the Witnesses being heard, that had not yet depos'd: But all was to no purpose, Sir W. W's. having gained the Point for the Prisoners, and knowing he could not proceed further without eminent Danger, would not conde­scend to open, but kept his mouth as close as if his Lips had been seal'd with cross Scepters; till Richard Knapp Esq who was also of Council for the King at the Tryal, desir'd Sir W. W. that the rest of the King's Witnesses (whose Names and what they could swear was in his Breviat) might be called and heard, and then, in great Passion, but with [Page 150]little Decency, Sr. W. W. reply'd, He would not suffer it, and none but a Knave or a Fool would desire it. Sworn by Mr. Knapp in the House of Lords. Thus the Session ended, and if this was not a horrible Contrivance against the Government, certainly there never was one in the World: Yea so open and bare-fac'd was this Lancashire Juggle, that some of the Jacobites themselves were asham'd of it, and Mr. Upton (who was one of the Coun­cel for the Prisoners) banter'd Mr. Aaron Smith with it at Manchester, saying, If the Judges intended to try Mr. Legh at Chester, Mr. Legh re­solv'd to retain Sr. W. W. for his Coun­cel, for he believ'd, none of his own Councel could do his Business so effectu­ally.

Sr. W. W. having thus gratify'd his old Clients, Friends and Neigh­bours with an unexpected Deliverance, to compleat the Scene (for Malice is like one of the four Things that never say, 'Tis enough) away he posts from Manchester to London, and there makes such a black and dismal Re­presentation of the Kings Witnesses for forging a Plot (before any could reach the Court to disprove him) [Page 151]that the Government, in Abhorrence of such a Fact, as it was represented to be by Sr. W. W. immediatly order'd the Witnesses to be indicted in the Court of Kings Bench, for a Conspi­racy against the Lives and Estates of the Lancashire and Cheshire Gentle­men, and the Witnesses, at their re­turn to London, were accordingly committed to the Kings Bench Prison, in order to their Tryal upon that In­dictment.

This strange Turn being given, many of the wiser Sort, of those that were Friends to the accused Gentle­men, and dreaded the Consequence of a melius inquirendum, advis'd them to sit down quietly; and leave it to the Government to punish their Accu­sers, if they saw fit (and happy had it been for the Gentlemen, if their Advice had been follow'd) but some Lawyers, and their hot-headed Solici­tors over-rule this Advice, and not being contented, unless some of the tallest Cedars might be rooted up, and sacrific'd to their Humour or Lust of Revenge.

The Lancashire and Cheshire Gen­tlemen brought the Affair into the [Page 152] Honourable House of Commons. And to know how they and their Solicitors manag'd the Matter there, it will be worth the Reader's Time to read over Mr. Clayton's and Brown's Informati­ons in the Appendix, which will show him by what base, unjust and indirect Methods they carried on the Affair of slandering the Kings Evi­dences, and vilely abus'd Earl of Mac­clesfield. a Noble Peer, who for being a known Friend to the Government, they thought of consequence was their mortal Ene­my.

The Honourable House of Commons, after several Hearings and long De­bates, which continu'd at the several appointed Times, See the Jour­nal of the House of Commons. the Space of seven­teen Weeks: On Wednesday the 6th Day of February, according to the Order of the Day, proceeded further in read­ing the Informations and Papers deli­ver'd into the House by Mr. Aaron Smith, touching the late Proceedings and Tryals in Lancashire and Cheshire, and Mr. Lunt's Information was read through, and also Mr. Wilson's and Mr. Womball's Informations, and the other Papers deliver'd into the House by Mr. Aaron Smith were also read, [Page 153]among which were several Printed Papers. And it was then Resolved.

That it does appear to this House, that there was sufficient Grounds for the Prosecutions and Tryals of the Gentle­men at Manchester.

Resolved,

That upon the Informations and Exa­minations before this House, It does appear there was a dangerous PLOT carried on against the King and Govern­ment.

Neither was this all, but that Ho­nourable House (after an Order of the House, That Mr. Standish of Stan­dish-hall in Laneashire should be taken into Custody, and their Messenger return'd and reported he was fled) ad­dressed the Kings Majesty to issue out His Royal Proclamation for the appre­hending Mr. Standish; but he upon Notice of it, fled into France, the then Common Sanctuary for the Ene­mies of the English Nation.

This Disappointment in the House of Commons so contrary to the Expectations of the Party, and the Promises they fed themselves withal, tho' it was a great Mortification to the whole Party, yet in hopes of better Success, they lay [Page 154]their Complaint also before the Right Honourable the House of Peers, where after examining some Witnesses, and many Debates had, the Question be­ing put, Whether the Government had sufficient Cause to Prosecute the Lanca­shire and Cheshire Gentlemen. It was carry'd in the Affirmative.

All this while the poor Creatures, who were Witnesses for the King, were left in a starving Condition, and under barbarous Usage four Months in the Common-side in the Kings-Bench Pri­son, upon the Indictment of Conspiracy be­fore named; till their Councel in Hillary Term 1694, moving the Court of Kings-Bench, that they might either be try'd or admitted to bayl; the latter was granted them; but the Time for their Tryal could not be yet ascer­tain'd.

In Easter-Term following, they ex­pected to be try'd, but were not. In Trinity-Term following they pressed for a Tryal, and were assured by Mr. Aaron Smith they should be try'd, ei­ther the last day of the Term, or the Sitting after the Term, and in order to their Tryal Mr. Smith call'd them to­gether, [Page 155]and jointly ask'd them these questions.

Whether (Sir John Trenchard being dead) they would admit of the Informa­tions they gave before Sir. John upon Oath, as Evidence, without further Proof of the same being so given?

Whether they would admit of the Tryals and Acquittals of the Gentlemen in Lancashire, without producing Records, Witnesses, &c.

To which they unanimously re­plyed (being very desirous of a Tryal) That they would, and for the ease of the Government, saving Expence, and that Truth might appear in a Legal Tryal, would also be oblig'd by a Rule of Court, not only to admit the Things there pro­pounded by Mr. Smith, but every Mat­ter, or Thing else, that might expedite their Tryals, save only owning themselves guilty.

Having this Assurance of a Tryal, the Witnesses took out Post-Warrants, bespoke Subpoenas, and engaged Persons to serve them; but when ready for their Journey, the Defendants had no­tice from Mr. Attorney General Ward, that he could not try them that Term, it's said he consulted with some of the [Page 156] Kings Councel, and they for Reasons, best known to themselves, resolv'd they should not be try'd.

Now a new Scene appears, and in­stead of trying them upon the Indict­ment of Conspiracy, which above all things, one would think, the Gentle­men should have been most solicitous for.

The next Lancaster Assizes, August 1695, the Gentlemen having a Grand-Jury wherein were four or five Persons, which had never taken the Oaths of Fide­lity to their Majesties, See the Pan­nel in the Of­fice. but were known Enemies to the Government. A Sheriff, and consequently a Pettit Jury, for their Turn, which were most of them Te­nants to the Popish Gentlemen, they brought on Tryals upon an Information of Perjury against three of the Witnesses, without giving Notice to any of the Defendants, and manag'd the Tryals with so much Scandal, and so animated the Popish Mob to awe the Court by a great Con­course of disaffected Persons from all Parts of England, that one of their own Party exclaim'd against it to a Person of great Quality, who was then in the Country: And besides all this, one of the Persons, which the Witnesses had Ac­cused [Page 157]of High-Treason, was a Witness against them, upon the Indictment of Perjury; and then none will scruple believing, but they would acquit them­selves and load their Adversaries, ha­ving this advantage of being their own Compurgators. And so as it was laid, it happen'd, the Witnesses were all found Guilty.

This Advantage over the Innocent Evidences, so exalted the Party, they could not forbear expressing their Joy at it, by ungrateful Reflections upon his Majesties Government in all pub­lic Companies, and because some Bo­dy in the Government (they care not who) must always be blam'd as the Cause of their Trouble, some of the Party were so void of shame, as (af­ter the Witnesses were convicted of Perjury) to tell the Honourable Judge Turton, that the Earl of Macclesfeild, being Lord Lieutenant of the County of Lancashire, had sent down thither great Quantities of Arms, and immediatly added this malitious Innuendo, and what if his Lordship designs thereby to entrap us. An Inference so full of Venom, and so wickedly False, that nothing could be guilty of it, that had [Page 158]a Grain of Honesty or good Manners, for his Lordship was never acquainted with any thing in that Prosecution.

In Michaelmas-Term following, the Witnesses mov'd the Court of Kings-Bench, that the aforesaid Tryals might be set aside, for that the Defendants had no notice of them, and after very hard struggling with the Popish Gen­tlemen's Councel, Sir Bartholomew Shower, Mr. Northey, Mr. Harcourt, &c. for four or five Days, notwithstand­ing several odd Affidavits, made, and procur'd to be made by Mr. Legh and Mr. Symon Harcourt of the Crown-Office these Tryals at Lancaster (upon the irregular Practices that appear'd to have been committed) were set a­side by the Court.

The same Term Mr. Attorney Gene­ral, by the Kings Councel Mr. Cooper, mov'd the Court of Kings-Bench, that Lunt, VVomball and VVilson, might be try'd upon the Indictment of Con­spiracy the next Term, being Hillary, a Rule of Court was made for it, and Mr. Robert VVintour the Kings Clerk in the Crown-Office was order'd to give the Defendants notice of it, and be ready for it at their own Perils.

[Page 159]The Defendants receiv'd this No­tice with great Satisfaction, as the on­ly means to acquit themselves of the horrid Imputations they had long suf­fered under, and in order to it, engage all their Friends to assist them with what Money they could, and at a ve­ry great Expence, Subpaena'd and brought up to London out of Lanca­shire, Cheshire and North-VVales, more than twenty VVitnesses, besides fifteen or sixteen more they had in or about London, which would have clear'd and justifi'd every Article in their Informa­tions against the Gentlemen.

The Term being come, the Witnesses brought to London, and no certain day appointed by the Kings Prosecutors for the Tryal, Mr. Attorney General was attended, and requested to name a short one, in respect of the great Charge the Defendants were at in keeping so many Witnesses in Town; to which his Honour was pleas'd to answer, he would take care of it; but three or four days after, when all the Witnesses out of the Country, and in or near the Town, were ready, and their Councel retain'd, Mr. Attorney General gave notice, he would not [Page 160]bring on the Tryals, and order'd Mr. Wintour the Kings Clerk in the Crown-Office, to countermand it.

Next day after, the Defendants gave notice they would move the Court (tho they were told they could have no remedy there against the King) whereupon the Kings Managers, in the Attorney Generals Name, offer'd to pay the Defendants Costs, if they would for bear the Motion, but the Defendants refused the Offer, and the Court was mov'd the next day; and Mr. Attor­ney General and Sergeant Gold, being sent for into Court, the Court ask'd them, why they refused to try the Defen­dants, since there was a Rule of Court made the last Term for their being try'd in this?

Mr. Attorney and Sergeant Gold, answer'd, they had no VVitnesses (which was not his Fault.) For how was it possible for Mr. Attorney to have Witnesses, unless the Lancashire Gen­tlemen or their Solicitors furnish'd him with them; and truly their refusing to do it, after such timely Notice given them, by Mr. Attorney's Order, looks so like a Trick, or an Abuse put upon Mr. Attorney by the Jacobites, that [Page 161]he must have Abundance of good, Na­ture if he forgive them) the Court reply'd in Words to this purpose, how Mr. Attorney, do you indict Men for a Conspiracy, keep them in Prison, or under Bayl above a twelve Month, move your self for a Tryal the last Term, give the Defendants Notice they must be try'd in this, and their Witnesses being in Town, do you say you have no Witnesses against them, these are very strange Proceedings and hard upon the Defendants. We cannot award Costs against the King; we can only recommend it to Mr. Attorney, and so we do. Upon which Mr. Attorney General promi­sed to pay the Defendants Costs. And here I suppose is an end of all the Gentlemen's Pretences against the Kings Witnesses; for since they have declin'd their Proof, and will not suffer the Law to decide it, especially, when all the Prosecutions were carryed on at the Kings Charge; it is an evident Presumption they have no Proof to make, that will bear the Scrutiny of Westminster-Hall.

[Page 162]The Lancashire Plotters and the rest of the Conspirators, being thus disappointed in the Year 1694, one might reasonably expect the Jacobites would have given over a Toyl and Trouble, that had so often endanger'd their Lives and Fortunes, by it's ill Successes and repeated Discoveries; but on the contrary, they are more en­rag'd at their Misfortunes, grow de­sperate at their Disappointments, and carry on both their Plots (of Assassi­nation and Invasion) at the very Time, when the Lancashire Gentlemen were en­deavouring to prove themselves peacea­ble Subjects to the King and Govern­ment in both Houses of Parliament: For Capt. Waugh of Brentford, who was sent over by the Jacobites in November 1694, to concert their Affairs in France, addresses to Coll. Parker, Mr. Caryl, and the other Confederates of the Party, who tel­ling him, the French were not yet at Leisure to furnish the English Jacobites withso many Men as were desir'd for the Invasion, fell upon what they thought would more speedily accomplish their Designs in the Restoration of their [Page 163]old Master, and that was, Murdering King WILLIAM.

These Persons had been so long in the Secret, that they agre'd upon the Methods, but because there were some Jacobites that had not yet so far extinguish'd all Sense of Honour and Conscience, but that they utterly re­fus'd to be concern'd in such a black and horrid Enterprise, as the Assassina­tion; and others scrupl'd engaging in it, unless they had a Commission from the late King for that Purpose, and that this Year would also be lost, unless the Design were quickly put in Exe­cution; it was agre'd, that Mr. Waugh should forthwith return into England, and give the Jacobites Assu­rance, that those that would engage in the Assassination should have the Commission desir'd immediatly sent them by a safe Hand; and those that were for the Invasion, should have their Spirits kept up with the Hopes of a Powerful Assistance from France, as soon as the Blow was given, and these two Things they thought would effectually employ both the Factions, without clashing or intersering; that [Page 164]both the Plots might succeed to their Wishes.

About the latter end of February 1694., Mr. Waugh returns from France, visits his Friends the Jacobites in Lon­don, and gives them an Account what the grand Plotters in France thought would be the most expediti­ous and effectual Project to restore the late King James, viz. Killing King William, for which Action there would quickly be sent a Commission from the late King to command the doing of it, and an Order to all his General Officers which were then in England to be aiding and assisting in the Enterprize: And that in the mean time all things ought to be so well adjusted among themselves here, that there might be no time lost, nor no­thing to do when the Commission came, but to put it in Execution.

At this Juncture comes Major Crosby also from France, March 20. 1094. with Assu­rance, That he saw the Commission sign'd, and under Seal in France, that it was sent away before him, and if not already come, he was certain it was upon the Road, and would be here in a few days. This was communicated [Page 165]to all the Assassinates, in order to cut off his Majesty before he went to Hol­land, but that God that design'd him for a further Blessing to England, pre­vented their Treachery, and convey'd him safe to his Army in Flanders. Now,

If the Jacobites enquire, how I prove this Plot upon the King's Life, so early as to be laid in January and February 1694, and to be executed in the beginning of April 1695, that was (say they) scarce heard off till a twelve Month after, they may please to know, that, besides my being told of it by Captain Blaire, Mr. De la Rue swears it at Mr. Charnocks Tryal, p. 37. And Sir John Fenwick, when living, was one of the Kings Evidence in this Mat­ter, and declar'd it in a Paper annex­ed to the Lady Mary Fenwicks Petiti­on, praying a Repreive for Sir John Fenwick, deliver'd into the House of Lords, January 22th 1696 Vidahe Lords Journal. in these Words.

Tho' the main end for which this Paper was design'd, would admit of many severe Reflections, as wanting that Sincerity which might be expe­cted from one in Sir John's Circum­stances, and naming none of the Per­sons that manag'd that Treasonable Discourse in the Court of Requests, but what are either Dead, or in the Government; when he knew what a large share Mr. Waugh had in it, I shall content my Self, and I hope sa­tisfy my Reader, only in observing three things as the natural Conse­quence of what the Paper acquaints us with; Viz.

That there was a Design to assassinate King William in the Year 1694 and 1695.

That the late King James not only knew of it, but commanded it.

That Sir John Fenwick knew of it, but did not discover it, and therefore no Objection lyes, but that he might be [Page 169]acquainted with the last Design also.

The Parliament was prorogu'd the 3d of May 1695, and the King set for­ward for Flanders the day following, so there being no hopes of Execu­ting their barbarous Design till his Majesties Return, they resolve so to employ the Summer, that Winter might find them ready to perform what they had so long and unsuc­cessfully resolv'd on. And that the Invasion might still accompany the Assassination, they revive the Latter, that it might be in a readiness to fol­low the Former, as soon as the fatal Stroke had made way for it. For this Purpose several Meetings are appointed, and particularly one was held in May 1695, at the Old Kings-Head in Leaden-Hall-street London, where met the Lord Aylesbury, the Lord Mountgomery, Sir John Friend, Sir William Perkins, Sir John Fen­wick, Mr. Charnock, Mr. Cook, Captain Porter and Mr. Goodman who came in after Dinner, See Mr. Por­ter's Depositi­on in Sir W. Perkins Tryal, p. 14. there they consulted of the best way to restore the late King James, and all agreed to send a Messenger over to the late King to de­sire him to procure of the French King [Page 170]ten thousand Men, viz. 1000 Horse, 1000 Dragoons and 8000 Foot. Mr. Charnock was the Person appointed to Manage this Affair, who said, he would not go on a foolish Errand, and there­fore would know what the Company would do, if Forreign Forces could be procu­red, whereupon they all unanimously pro­mised, if the late King would come over with such a Number of Men as was de­fired, they would meet him at the Head of two thousand Horse where-ever he would appoint. At the latter End of June 1695 or beginning of July, they had another meeting, where after ma­ny public Discourses and private Whisperings, Mr. Charnock desiring the Company to acquaint him, whether they continu'd their former Resolutions, they assur'd him they did, and would meet him with the Number of Men pro­mised at the former Meeting. Upon which Mr. Charnock told them, he would begin his Journey in a few days.

The Invasion being thus promoted by dispatching Mr. Charnock into France, that the Assassination might not lagg behind it; some of the As­sassines calling to mind, that nothing [Page 171]would be attempted in that kind till the Commission, which Crosby said was upon the Road, was come to their Hands. See Goodman's Depositions ta­ken April 24 1696, Capt. Porter and Mr. Good­man communicate the Project to Sir George Barclay who was then in Eng­land, and upon his Departure for France telling him what Difficulties they labour'd under for want of it, and that a longer Delay of the Com­mission would extreamly embarrass the Affair. Sir George not only approves, but commends the Design, and that such a hopeful Project might not mis­carry, promis'd to use all his Interest, when he came to St. Germains, that such a Commission should no longer be wanting.

This Encouragement from so con­siderable a Favorite as Sir George Bar­clay (whose Biggotry to the Romish Per­swasion, and the late Kings Interest, would prompt him to any thing, in favour of them) employs all their Heads, and opens all their Purses, to contribute the last Assistance for the Accomplishment of the Assassinati­on.

The beginning of August 1695, brings Mr. Charnock again to London [Page 172]with the unwelcome News, that the French King was not in a Condition to spare the See Char­nocks Tryal. Jacobites such a Number of Men as they defired, which being impar­ted to the Chief of that unruly and blood-thirsty Faction, the two Branches of the Conspiracy to over­throw the establish'd Government, were both laid aside till the approach­ing Winter should give them another Resurrection. But,

Notwithstanding this positive An­swer to the English Jacobites, our Fo­reign Enemies were at the same Time taking such Measures as might suit with the Request made by the Jacobites, tho' they durst not trust them with the Se­cret: For a great Politician being at Marli, and considering the Posture of Affairs in England, as represented to him in Crosby's Papers, he thought this the fairest Opportunity he could wish for the Invading of England: Whilst Mr. Caryl the late Queens Secretary, Coll. Parker, &c. were carrying on the Plot to Assassinate his Majesty; for no question but a certain great Man in the World, that shall be nameless, knew what they were contriving at St. Germains, tho' they [Page 173]were utter Strangers to the Invasion-Plot, that was laying at another Place, which as it had the Honour of a great Mans own contriving, so it was not communicated even to the late King James himself, till the Squadron of Men of War, and four hundred Trans­port Ships were fitted, and the French Army consisting of thirty Battalions were ready to embarque, and Money and Orders sent him to go on Board, and take possession of England.

In November 1695, Sir George Bar­clay with several Officers and Soldiers and eight hundred Pounds in Money comes into England, and brings with him a Commission from King James (all written with his own Hand) to Seise King William, which Sir Wil­liam Perkins confesses to a Committee of Parliament See the Jour­nal of the House of Commons April 2, 1696. And C. Por­ters Depositions in Perkins Try­al, p. 14. that he saw: But nei­ther Sir George Barclay, nor the Com­mission, being yet in the Hands of the Government, and the Jacobites asha­med to set up their late King and themselves under the inglorious Title of Murtherers, they mince the Mat­ter into more relishable Terms, and say it was only to levy War upon the Prince of Orange and all his Adhe­rents. [Page 174]Others say it was to attach the Prince of Orange in his Winter Quar­ters, which are all meer Tricks and Evasions, invented by the Party to disguise the Horror of the Action; for the very Gloss they themselves put upon it, sets it in its true Light; for all the Party knew the meaning of attaching the Prince of Orange as appears by Mr. De la As appears by Mr. De la Rue's Oath in Charnocks Try­al. Rue's Oath, who deposeth, that when the Muscatoon was lent by Mr. Porter to Mr. Pendergrass, that would carry six or eight Bullets, Mr. King desired him when he shot at his Majesty's Coach he would not be a­fraid of breaking the Glasses.

Sr. George Barclay after his Arrival at London loged in Covent-Garden, and kept very private, till he could speak with Sr. William Perkins, Capt. Waugh and Mr. Charnock; and that the two and twenty Men that were sent by King James out of France, and appointed to obey his Orders were come to London also; and now they endeavour to strengthen their Party by the Ad­dition of more Friends. And Mr. De la Rue, Mr. Pendergrass, Mr. Rook­wood, Major Lowick, Mr. Knightly, Mr. Bertram, Chambers, Durant, [Page 175]Cramburne, Kendrick, Grimes, Waugh and Goodman, some of which were en­gag'd in the Assassination the Year be­fore, were now again confirm'd in it.

As for Capt. Porter (who has now so Honourably and Honestly atton'd for his former Offences,) they were sure of already, to others in whom they had not more than ordinary Confidence they discours'd of the Assassination at a distance, See Captain Blairs Depositi­ons in the bands of the Govern­ment. and if they found any Reluctancy, or Indisposition to the Assassination, they turn'd them over to the Invasion Plot, and desired them to be ready to meet their old Master at his Landing; but to those whom Wick­edness had made fit for any Impressi­on, they imparted their Villany in words at length, and so secured the whole Party to be either Rebels, or Mur­derers.

Those that came from France knew not what Affair they were sent up­on, till they arriv'd at London; but were kept in a blind Obedience to Sr. George Barclay's Order, as appears by the Depositions of Mr. George Harris, Taken April, 15, 1696. who saith, he was an Ensign of Foot under the late King James in Scotland, [Page 176] and has since served his second Troop of Guards in France, that about the 14 of January 1695, King James sent for this Deponent and Michael Hare his Come­rade, and in the Queens Bed-Chamber told him, that he had an Opportunity of doing something for him, as a Reward of his faithful Service; that he would send him into England, where he should be subsisted, and that he should follow Sr. George Barclay's Orders, and in so do­ing he would take Care of him. That he had ordered them Money for their Journey, which they should receive from Mr. Caryl, the late Queen's Secretary, and farther told this Informant, that he should find Sr. George Barclay every Monday and Thursday, between six and seven at night, in Covent-Garden Square, whom they should know by a white Handkercheif, hanging out of his Coat Pocket, and thereupon the late King James pulling a List out of his Pocket told this Deponent, that when he was in England he must go by the Name of Jenkins, and his Comerade Hare by the Name of Guiney, and further this Depo­nent saith, that Coll. Parker was present, heard all that the late King said, and went with this Informant and his Comerade to [Page 177]Mr. Caryl, who told them, that the King had order'd each of them Ten Louis d' Or's which would be sufficient to carry them into England, and if they should be Wind-bound, he had writ to the Pre­sident Tosse at Calais to furnish them with what they should have occasion for; the rest of the Assassins were all Men of desperate Fortunes, hangers-on at the Court at St. Germains, or Soldiers ta­ken out of several Regiments, whose Characters render'd them fit for such an inhuman Enterprize.

All the Assassins being come to Lon­don, that were expected from France, and their Number compleated by the Addition of others that were in Eng­land, the execrable Design was com­municated to all the Desperados: Some of which were startled and a­mazed with horror at the first Relation of it; but all the Scruples that Con­science could raise were soon extin­guish'd by the Authority of the late King James 's Commission, and their Phanciful Prospects of Wealth and Honour, that would attend the Acti­on: And therefore all consented to forfeit their Honours, and hazard their Lives in it.

[Page 178]Now several ways are proposed by the Conspirators to execute their long design'd Attempt against his Majesties Person. Some proposed the seizing his Majesty and carrying him alive into France, and to that purpose a faint was made, that a Castle on the Sea-side was secured to detain the King in, till a Ship was ready to transport him thither; but the wiser and more wicked among them, that understood what was meant by seizing the King's Person, laught at this as a meer Chimera.

Others proposed, to kill his Majesty at Kensington, by attaching his Guards and forcing his Pallace in the dead of the night; but this upon debating was also thought wholly impractica­ble.

Some were for Murthering the King as he came on Sunday to St. James 's Chap­pel, and for this purpose forty Men well ar­med were to Assault his Majesties Guards, which commonly do not exceed above twenty five, while six Men on Foot should shut Hide Parke-gate, and the rest As­sassinate his Majesty, See Mr. Fishers Deposi­tion Feb. 25 1695. 'twas agreed also to kill the Coach Horses as they were entring into the Park, that the Passage being stopt, the Guards might not be [Page 179]able to come up, till they had done their Work.

Another Proposal was, to Murther the King as he returned from Hunting, in a narrow Lane by a Wood-side, leading to the Thames on the other side of the Water, about a hundred and fifty paces long, in which there is a Gate that when 'tis shut, hinders Coaches, or Horses, from passing that way: One of the Assassins was sent to view this Ground, and another to view the Lane afore­mentioned; but Sr. George Barclay who was to command this infamous Party did not approve that Lane, and the Difficulties that arose in the De­bate, caused that Project to be reject­ed, at last they fix upon a Place be­twixt Brentford and Turnham-Green. In a bottom where the Ground is moo­rish there is a Bridge where diverse Roads meet, and cross one another; on the North side there is a Road that goes round Brentford, and on the South a Lane that leads to the River, so that one may come thither by four several Ways. After you past the Bridge, the Road grows narrow, having on one side a foot Path, and on the other a tall and thick Hedge; and this Place was pitcht [Page 180]upon for the Execution of their bar­barous Design: And truly, if Heaven had not discover'd their Treasons (all Circumstances consider'd) a more un­lucky Place and Time could not have been found out. For,

His Majesty very often return'd late from Hunting, and usually crost the Water at Queens-Ferry by Brent­ford, with no greater Attendance than five or six of his Guards. 'Twas also his Majesties Custom to enter the Ferry-Boat without coming out of his Coach, and as soon as he lan­ded on this side the Water, the Coach drove on, without expecting the rest of the Guards, who could not cross the Thames, till the Boat return'd to Surry-side to bring them over; and so the King must inevitably have fallen into the Hands of his Murtherers, be­fore the rest of his Guards could have come up to his Assistance.

Neither was the Time and Place more cunningly and devilishly contri­ved, then their Men were disposed of; for having secured several Places at Brent­ford, Turnham-Green and in scatter'd Houses thereabouts, to set up their Hor­ses till the King should return from [Page 181]Hunting, One of the Conspirators was order'd to wait at Queens-Ferry till the Kings Guards appear'd in sight on Surry-side of the Water, and then to give speedy Notice to the rest, to be ready at their respective Ports, while the King was crossing the Thames. For this wicked end, they were divided into three Parties, which were to make their Approaches by three seve­ral ways, one of which was to come from Turnham-Green, another from the Lane that leads to the Thames, and the third from the Road that goes round Brentford. One of these Parties were to attack the Guards in the Front, and the other in the Rear, whilst ten or twelve Men of the bloodiest Sort were to assassinate his Majesty in his Coach: And put a Period to that Sacred Life, whose Safety and well Being is a Ter­rour to the Common Enemy of Eu­rope, as well as the particular Joy, Delight and Safety of England.

When their execrable Design was accomplish'd, the Conspirators resolv'd to keep in a Body till they came beyond Hammersmith, and there to seperate, and by several Roads hasten to Lon­don, and from thence to the Sea-side, [Page 182]where the sudden Landing of the French might secure them from the Rage of the Multitude, and the Hand of Justice. Thus was the Assassination to make way for a French Invasion, and the Invasion to shelter the Murtherers of our King and Country.

Horses were now the only necessa­ries wanting, and Sir George Barclay Vid. Cap­tain Porter's Depositions in the Appendix. complaining, that the eight hundred Pound he brought over was already so far exhausted, that he could not out of the Remainder provide so great a Number as forty, they all agre'd he should find but half, and the other twenty should be supply'd by Sir W. Perkins, Mr. Porter and Mr. Char­nock.

All Things being thus agreed on, and the day appointed for the Execu­tion of this inhuman Conspiracy, the Duke of Berwick, who came into England to countenance the Action, and secure a Party among the great Ones to assist at the Invasion, having been three Weeks in England, left London on Fryday the 7th of February 1695, and having a speedy Passage, was po­sting towards Paris; but meeting his supposed Father the late King James [Page 183]upon the Read, travelling towards Calais, he acquaints him that all things were so well settl'd in England for his Restoration, that he would have little else to do than to take Possession of that Kingdom; there being an utter Impossibility, that Projects so well concerted, should miscarry.

With this Account the late King James sends the Duke of Berwick to the—, who not a little pleas'd, that a Design of his own Laying should succeed so luckily, communicated it to the Folks about him, and after some time spent in diverting themselves with the Ac­count of the Duke of Berwick's go­ing into England, and escaping from thence, the—sent the Duke back to accompany the late King James into England.

The 15th day of February, 1695. was the Day appointed to Murther the King, if kind Heaven had not prevent­ed it. And now the Leaders having quarter'd the Assassines in several Parts of the Town to prevent Suspicion, they all lay close and still, expecting Notice from their orderly Men of the [Page 184]Kings being gone to Richmond; but so it pleas'd God, that his Majesty did not go abroad that day.

This Disappointment and Fears of a Discovery made Plowden, Kendrick and Sherborn decline the Action, and withdraw themselves, but Sr. George Barclay, Sr. William Perkins, Capt. Porter and Mr. Good­man concluding the Design was not discover'd, because they were not taken up by the Government, had another Meeting February 21st, and there resolv'd to execute their bloody Pro­ject on Saturday 22d of February 1695.

The Forenoon of that Day was spent in a tedious Expectation of News, that the King was gone abroad; but instead of that Account, Keyes (one of the orderly Men, which they lodg'd at Kensington, to give them Notice when the King went out) tells them, that the Guards were all come back in a Foam, and that there was a Muttering among the People, that a damnable Plot was discover'd, and this unexpected News dispers'd all the Conspirators, and drove them [Page 185]to shift for themselves by a speedy Flight.

Nor were their Apprehensions of a Discovery groundless; for the Plot and the Progress that was made in it from time to time, had been disco­ver'd by Richard Fisher to the Right Honourable the Earl of Portland a considerable Time before any other Person discover'd it, and, as Things ripen'd for Action, his Lordship was acquainted with the Particulars. On the 10th of February, he acquainted that Noble Lord, how far it was ad­vanc'd, and promis'd to wait upon his Lordship with a fuller Account in a few days, accordingly he did on February the 13th 1695. And then gave his Lordship a full Account of the Design it self, and the Time, Place and Manner of it's Execution; but re­fusing to give to his Lordship the Names of the Conspirators, made his Discovery suspected, till the Ad­dition of other Witnesses gave an unquestionable Authority to the Truth of it.

Mr. Pendergrass, who was whol­ly ignorant of this barbarous De­sign, till he was sent for to London; [Page 186]and there acquainted with it; be­ing struck with Horror and Astonish­ment at the first Proposal of it, even then took up a Resolution to pre­serve his Majesties Life, and discover the Conspiracy. Accordingly on Fe­bruary 14th 1695, he waited on the Earl of Portland at his Lordships Lodgings at Whitehall, and being admitted to Privacy with his Lord­ship, though wholly a Stranger, with­out farther Address, accosts his Lord­ship with this surprizing Request, Pray, My Lord, perswade the King to stay at home to morrow, for if he goes abroad to hunt he will be murther'd. To this he subjoyn'd a Relation of the whole Plot, as it had been com­municated to him by the confederated Assassines: Which he said, he would have told the King himself, but that he durst not go to Kensington for fear of the two orderly Men, which were kept as Spies there, to give Intelli­gence of what occurr'd in that Court. He was introduc'd that Night to the King, tho' very late, and there in his whole Deportment shew'd himself to be a Man of Honour.

Neither was Mr. De la Rue short [Page 187]of Mr. Pendergrass in making a Dis­covery of the intended Assassination; though his Friend Brigadier Lewson, who he design'd should acquaint the King with it, being then out of Town makes his Information appear some­what latter than the former. For as he is a Man of too much Honour to be engag'd in a Murther, so his Concern to discover it was from the Beginning, though he did not declare it, till his Discovery might be serviceable to his Majesty, and then as soon as he had an Opportunity to impart the Secret, he did it; and Brigadier Lewson much about the same time acquainted the King, that Mr. De la Rue had inform'd him of a Design carrying on to assassi­nate his Majesty, and had given him a particular Account, by what Methods it was design'd to be accomplish'd, and propos'd a way, if the King thought fit, how all the Conspirators might be taken in Arms, when they thought to attempt it. But that which seems strange in all these Discoverers, though they punctually agre'd in the Act and in the Circumstances, yet they all peremp­torily refus'd to Name the Conspira­tors, which might have been of fatal [Page 188]Consequence, if the Earl of Portland had not found out the happy Expedi­ent to prevent it, by perswading his Ma­jesty to give himself the Trouble of exa­mining Mr. Pendergrass and Mr. De la Rue himself in his Closet. His Majesty overcome by the Reasons al­ledg'd by that Noble Peer, conde­scended to his Request, and exa­min'd them Feb. 21. 1695. both seperately.

At Mr. Pendergrass's Examination was present the Earl of Portland and the Lord Cutts; and Mr. De la Rue's Examination was heard by the same Noble Earl and Brigadier Lewson. After the Examination his Majesty shew'd himself extreamly well satis­fy'd in the Truth of their Discoveries, and in a very Obliging Manner express'd his Resentments of their Genero­sity in the great Care and Zeal they shew'd for the Preservation of his Life and the Safety of the Kingdom; and at last gave them such unanswerable Reasons, why as Men of Honour and Lovers of their Country, they should compleat their Duty and Kindness in discovering the Names of the Conspi­rators, as quite subdu'd their former Obstinacies, and prevail'd upon them [Page 189]to make a full and true discovery of the Names of the Assassins under the Promise of not being made use of as Evidences; but Mr. Pendergrass hea­ring that Mr. Porter, who engaged him in it, had discovered and accused him; he thought himself discharg'd from any Obligation of Honour in concea­ling it, and therefore afterward as an Evidence for the King freely told all he knew at Charnocks Tryal, p. 40.

The King having now a perfect Knowledge of the Conspiracy and the Names of the Conspirators, his Ma­jesty issues out his Royal Proclamation, requiring all his loving Subjects to apprehend the Conspirators, promising one thousand pound Reward for every Offender that should be taken and brought to Justice.

And here give me Leave to take No­tice of the extream Fury, Madness and Bigotry of Mr. Charnock, who meet­ing Mr. Bertram accidentally at Lin­colns-In back Gate, told him, See Mr. Ber­tram's Depositi­on in the Secre­taries Office. that War­rants were out against them (as he heard) and they had as good, if he would come to his Lodging, go out to Kensington, and do the Work at once, and take off [Page 190]the Spark, and then they should all be at quiet, and have the Meaning the late Kings James. King peaceably here, what a strange Infatuation this Ingeni­ous Man was under is a Wonder to all that knew him.

Immediately after the Proclamation was out Mr. George Harris, one of the Persons that was sent out of France to obey the Orders of Sir George Barclay, and was actually engag'd in the As­sassination, resigned himself to the Right Honourable Sr. W. Trumball One of his Majesties Principal Secetarys of State, and generously convinced him of the Reality of the Assassination and Invasion-Plots, tho' he was not able to declare the particular Circum­stances that attended them.

Every day still producing the King fresh Evidences of the Conspiracy, his Majesty was pleased to communi­cate it to both Houses of Parliament, in the following Speech.

His Majesties most gracious Speech was seconded by Sir William Trumball, who open'd the Matter more at large, in an excellent and seasonable Speech before the Honourable House of Com­mons. For his Honour knowing, that the disaffected Party were endeavou­ring [Page 193]to ridicule the Plot, and render the whole Discovery of it to be meer­ly fictitious, he took the Advan­tage of acquainting that Honourable Assembly with the Credibility of the Witnesses, the Concurrence of their Te­stimonies and the Improbability of their conspiring together to abuse the Credulity of the Nation, with what was either False, or Feign'd.

The Lords and Commons under a deep Sence of his Majesties Danger and Deliverance, Feb. 24. 1695. were pleas'd to ex­press their Duty and Affection, in the following Address to his Majesty, which for the greater Solemnity, was presented by both Houses in a Body, in these Words.

WE Your Majesties most Loyal and Dutiful Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament As­sembled, having taken into our serious Consideration what Your Majesty has been pleas'd to communicate to us this day, Think it our Duty, in the first Place, to give Your Majesty most humble Thanks for having acquainted your Parliaments with the great Danger your Sacred Per­son [Page 194]hath been so nearly expos'd to, and the Design of an Invasion from our Ene­mies abroad; we heartily congratulate Your Majesties Happy Preservation, and thankfully acknowledg the Signal Pro­vidence of God in it, and at the same time declare our Detestation and Ab­horrence of so Vilainious and Barbarous a Design. And since the Safety and Wel­fare of Your Majesties Dominions do so entirely depend upon Your Life, We most humbly Beseech Your Majesty to take more than Ordinary Care of Your Royal Person. And we take this Occa­sion to assure Your Majesty of our utmost Assistance to Defend Your Person, and Support Your Government, against the late King James and all other Your Enemies both at Home and Abroad, hereby declaring to all the World, That in case Your Majesty shall come to any Violent Death (which God forbid) we will Revenge the same upon all your E­nemies and their Adherents; and as an Instance of our Zeal for Your Ma­jesties Service, we will give all possible dispatch to the public Business. And we make it our Desire to Your Majesty to seize and secure all Persons, Horses and Arms, that Your Majesty may think fit to apprehend upon this Occasion.

[Page 195]To which His Majesty, in a very obliging Manner, return'd this most Gracious Answer.

February 25th 1695, Both Houses enter into an Association to defend his Majesties Life, and to revenge his Death: That of the House of Com­mons was presented to his Majesty A­pril the 3d 1696. In these Words.

His Majesty receiv'd it very Graci­ously, and express'd his Sence of their Extraordinary Zeal and Fidelity in the Words following;

The House of Lords also presen­ted their Association not long after, which being almost the same, for Bre­vity sake is here omitted: The House of Commons then proceeded to make Laws for the Security of His Majesties Person and Government, containing these Heads. First,

That such as shall refuse to take the Oaths of Fidelity to His Majesty, shall be subject to the Forfeitures and Penalties of Popish Recusants Con­vict. Secondly,

To inflict Penalties on all that by Writing, or otherwise Declare, that King William is not Lawful and Rightful King of these Realms. Thirdly,

[Page 198]To ratify and confirm the Associ­ation. Fourthly,

That no Person shall be capable of any Office of Profit or Trust, Civil or Military, that shall not sign the Association. Fifthly,

That whenever it shall please God to afflict these Nations by the Death of his Present Majesty, that the Par­liament then in being shall not be dis­solv'd thereby; but shall continue till the next Heir to the Crown in Suc­cession dissolve them.

Whilst the Parliament were thus providing Good Laws for the Preser­vation of His Majesty, and the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom, three of the Assassins, viz. Robert Charnock, Edward King and Thomas Keys were on the 11th of March 1695 try'd, and upon full Evidence being all found guilty of high Treason, receiv'd Sen­tence of Death accordingly at the Ses­sions-House in the Old-Baily: And upon March the 18th 1695, were all executed at Tyburn. Before their Ex­ecution the Malefactors severally deli­ver'd each his Paper to the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex, in which Pa­pers they all confest themselves Guilty [Page 199]of the Crimes they were accused of, and then about to suffer for; Mr. Char­nock in these Words, as concerning an Invasion intended by King James upon England, and that there was certain In­telligence of it from abroad, I presume every Body was satisfi'd; and to the fa­cilitating of which, I own that my self and some others did agree upon the Un­dertaking, to attack the Prince of O­range and his Guards, for which I am now to suffer. Mr. King in these Words, I am now within a few Moments of Eternity, brought to this Place by the just Hand of God, in Punishment of all my Crimes, but particularly of that, of which I have been lately Ar­raigned, and for which I stand here Con­demned. Mr. Keyes in these Words, God is just in all his Judgments, and I accept of this Death as the Punish­ment of my Iniquities.

Sir John Friend also own'd himself guilty of the Treason he dy'd for in en­deavouring to justify it in these Words. To assist King James in the Recovery of his Right, is Justifiable and our Duty. Sir William Perkins confessed at his Ex­ecution, that he was privy to the Design upon the Prince, meaning King William, that he was intirely in the Interest of [Page 200]King James, and looked upon it as his Duty to assist him in the Recovery of his Throne. Now that these two, con­trary to the Example of Charnock, justified their Treasons must be attri­buted to the blind Zeal and Rebelli­ous Principles of those Clergy Men, who administred Absolution without any Precedent Confession in direct Op­position to the Laws of that Church whereof they would be thought Mem­bers; but those Proceedings being Sen­tenc'd by fourteen See the De­claration of the Sence of the Arch-Bishops, Bishops, &c. Reverend Bishops, all that were then in London, and consented to by the rest that were ab­sent, I refer the Reader to their Lord­ships printed Paper for further Satis­faction and shall only add, 'tis the Lead­ers of these People that cause them to err.

Sir John Fenwick, who was attainted by Parliament, and beheaded on Tower-Hill, January 28, 1696, was the last that suffered for these treasonable Practices against the King and Govern­ment. At the place of Execution he delivered a Paper to the Sheriff, which can be called his, for no other reason but because he owned it to be so; for the Paper is so closely couch'd to avoid the [Page 201]danger of unwary Digressions, so cau­tiously writ to prevent Reflections and so artificially adapted to humour the Party, and not irritate the Govern­ment, that if compared with what was truly his own, no Man can think Sr. John was the Author of it, who, with­out Complement, had no such extraor­dinary Talent in speaking or writing; Let us take a transient View of it.

If Sir John Fenwick was of the Communion of the Church of Eng­land, this Paper does not truly represent him; for it is a Scandal to the Purity of her Doctrin, and wholly incon­sistent with the Simplicity, Fidelity and Candour, which that Church re­quires in her dying Members. The Author of Sir John's dying Paper would fain excuse him from the guilt of Trea­son, because he was for the lineal Descent; but if by lineal Descent he means the next in Blood, he is as great a Stran­ger to our Histories, as to our Laws; for the lineal Descent was broken as early as Edward the Confessor both in his taking and leaving the Crown at his Death, besides many other Presidents of it's Interruption since, By Will. 2d. By Hen. 1st By K. Ste­phen. By King John and King Ed. 2d and Rich. 2d both deposed by Parliament, &c. and in this I find he had a bad Tutor for our Laws, and not our Religion, does deter­mine [Page 202]our Loyalty, and in the Matter of Succession are the indubitable Guides of English-Men. He thinks the Deposing King James was Illegal, but that's a grand Mistake; for what can be more criminal and dangerous to the Being of any Polity, than to restrain and disable the Legislative Au­thority from providing a Remedy a­gainst the greatest Mischief that can happen to a Community: Since no Government can support it self with­out an unlimited Power to correct A­buses, and provide for the Happiness of the People, nor no civil Establish­ment in the World be of any Du­ration in Safety, unless it be controu­lable and alterable to the Publick Good.

All human Constitutions are, or at leastwise ought to be made, Cum sensu humanae Imbecilitatis, under rea­sonable Exceptions of unforeseen Acci­dents and Emergencies, that may happen to human Affairs: And so they ought to be intended, and so inter­preted; otherwise we render our selves the most miserable People upon the Face of the Earth, for want of a Power to preserve our selves, and depose a Prince unable in Nature to support the Constitution, and not only imbued with [Page 203]pernitious Principles, but actually con­federated and engaged to destroy it, which is a sufficient Confutation of Sir John Fenwick's ill grounded Loyalty, and ren­ders what he thought a commendable En­deavour to be a treasonable Conspiracy.

If he means by his True and Lineal Course of Descent, that the pretended Prince of Wales ought to succeed, I must answer, that the way they took to prove him so, has made it very doubtful and suspicious, and therefore we ought not to part with the Act of Settlement which has preserved the Right in the Blood, tho' for good Reasons, they have laid a­side the forfeiting Person and the Suspi­tious Pretender.

He proceeds. As for what I am now to dye for, I call God to Witness, I went not to that Meeting in Leaden-Hall-street with any Intention as to invite King James by Force to invade this Nation.

All this depends upon the Word In­tention, which as he uses it is meer Evasi­on, or Equivocation; for the Actions shews the Intention, Men have no o­ther way of judging; for did ever Man grasp at the Power to do Mischief without the Purpose? His Discourse a­bout King James 's Restoration, promising to meet him with two thousand Horse [Page 204]at his Landing, and giving his Consent that Mr. Charnock should give the late King James that Assurance in all their Names, that was the Treason proved upon him, See Captain Porter's Depo­sitions at Sr. W. Perkin's Tryal. and what he died for, and 'twould be a Piece of inexcusable Folly, to say, when a Man is setting his house on fire he had no Intention to burn it, or whilst a Man was u­sing the Means, to say he never inten­ded the End.

He was not himself provided (he says) with either Horse, or Arms, or engaged for any Number of Men.

What Necessity was there he should be so provided of Horses, when 'twas his own Project, See Good­man's Deposi­tions taken Ap. 24, 1696. that they should take Horses whereever they could find them. And some of the Party were so fond of this Project, that they took a List of the Number of Horses, that were kept in, and about, London and Westminster.

Nor did I (says he) give particular Consent for any such Invasion, as was most falsly sworn against me.

Sir John Fenwick has confess'd a ge­neral Consent, and he was not charg'd with a particular Consent: For the Words sworn against him were, And they all rose up, and said to Charnock, [Page 205] Yes you may: See Captain Porter's Depo­sitions in Char­nock's Tryal. And therefore it looks with an ill Face upon the Writer of the Paper to stick in that Word Par­ticular, to give himself the Advantage of slandering the Evidence with Per­jury (upon the nice Distinction of a particular and general Consent) who has had the Confirmation of so many dying Acknowledgments and Confes­sions to the Truth of what he has depos'd.

That he knew nothing of King James's coming to Calais, I will not un­dertake to disprove, since I know the English were trusted with no more of that Secret, than F— thought fit to communicate. The Assassination, which F— had so often fruitlesly projected, and carried a Face of Vil­lany and Danger with it, was allotted to them, and if they perish in it, let them perish; and this Tragical Part See the Paper annex'd to the Lady Mary Fenwick's Pe­tition. Sr. John was acquainted with, but did not discover it, and, I wonder, he should be ignorant of the Invasion that was immediatly to succeed it.

The rest of the dying Paper, so far as it concern'd those he accus'd, being only Hear-say, and so obscure, that it rather amuses than instructs the Reader, I shall pass it over. As for [Page 206]what relates to his own Guilt, 'tis so fully and clearly prov'd and confess'd under his own Hand, in his Letter ( wrote with a black lead Pencil, when he was taken in Kent, directed to Mrs. Farrar ( Sr. John Fenwick's Lady's Woman) at the Lady Carlisle's, deli­ver'd to Mr. Webber, the Companion of his Flight, and afterwards inter­cepted by the Mayor of Rumney, and so prov'd before the House of Lords and Commons.) That I shall need only produce that Letter, which pro­claims his Guilt louder than I can, and leave the Reader to judge of the whole, as he finds Cause in reading it. It begins, See the Jour­nal of the House of Lords.

WHAT I fear'd is at last hap­pen'd, had I gone alone, I had done it; but the other was betray'd from London. It is Gods Will, so we must submit, I know nothing can save my Life, but my Lord Carlisle's going over to him, back'd by the rest of the Family of the Howards, so beg it; and offering I will live abroad all his Times, where I cannot hurt him, and that I will never draw my Sword against him. I must leave to you what else to say, all Friends must be made, my Lord Devon­shire [Page 207] may perhaps be made by my Lady, my Lord Godolphin, my Lord Pembrook, by my Lady Montgomery, Mr. Nelson by the Bishop of Canterbury, My Lord Arran might engage his Brother Silkerke to use his Interest with Keppell. I believe, if my Lord Carlisle would go, 'twere best be­fore my Tryal, or else they may cut me short before my time; if he can prevail with him for a Pardon, he will procure it as well before my Tryal as after, or at least he may prevail for a Reprieve till some can come over to him. My Lord also will have an Opportunity to engage Benting, and get my Lord Essex to joyn with him, I can't think what else to say; but the great Care must be the Jury, if two or three could be got, that would starve the next; that or nothing can save me. Money I know would do it, but alass, that's not to be had, nor shall I get enough for Counsel, I beg of you not to think of being shut up with me, I know 'twill kill you, and besides I have no such Friend as you to take Care of my Business, tho' 'twould be the Comfort of my Life, that little time it lasts, to have you with me; and the only Comfort I have now left is, that my Death will make you easy. My dearest Life grieve not for me, but re­sign me to God Almighty's Will. You [Page 208]will hear as soon as they bring me to Town, where they put me, and then I would have a Servant or some Body with me and a Night-Gown. I am in a sad Condition with Riding; that day I parted with you I rid above 100 Miles; but be not concern'd, my Health is well enough, I am interrupted, and so can say no more now, engage Sir John Low­ther the New Lord, who hath more In­terest than any Body. Let my Lord Scarsdale engage Overkirk for me, speak to my Lady Arlington, if my Tryal would be put off till the King comes back, there would be more Opportunity to sollicite him.

This, Letter was brought to the Lords Justices, and at his first Exa­mination before them, in which he deny'd every Thing he was charg'd with; their Excellencies told him, he was not of that Mind when he wrote that Letter, which was then shew'd him, to which Sir John Ferwick made no Reply, but laid it down, and was ut­terly silens'd by such a violent Pre­sumption, or rather ingenious Con­fession of his Guilt, attested under his own Hand.