BEing adjudged to dye by a Publick Judgment, for the Crime of High-Treason, Charged and Sworn against me at my Tryal by two Witnesses, namely Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe; And having both before my Tryal, and after the Judgment given, declared my Innocency to All with whom I have had the Liberty to converse since my first Imprisonment, I take it to be my Duty to leave a Testimony under my Hand, for the farther Justification of my Innocency, and of the Truth, against all those Calumnies which have been, and may be laboured by ill Men to be cast upon me; And the rather, be­cause I do not know whether it will be allowed me to speak with freedom at my death; or if that should be permitted, yet I well know that what I may then say, may be misrepresented to the prejudice of Truth.

I am not in the mean time ignorant, what prejudice I lie under, and how difficult it is for me to express my self in such words, as may gain Belief with the World But my design being only to satisfie good Men, who accustom themselves to judge according to the Rules of right Reason; And as they would have others judge of them; I shall not much care for the Censure of the Multitude.

The Crime which I am Charged, is the most heinous of all Crimes; But whether I am in Truth Guilty, can only lie within the knowledge of the Great God, who is the Searcher of all Hearts, my own Conscience, and the Consciences of my before-named Accusers. My God, I am sure, knows my Innocency, and will acquit me at the great day of Judgment. My Conscience with great Joy and Peace bears me witness, that I am so perfectly innocent of the Treason for which I stand Condemned, That it invokes Almighty God to witness, that I was never in the whole course of my life guilty of so much as one Disloyal Thought against my Sovereign Lord King CHARLES the Second, whom I here own in the presence of God, to be my True and Lawful King and Sovereign, taking the words in the same sense in which they are taken and intended, in the Oath commonly called, The Oath of Alle­giance.

As to all other Persons who have judged, or shall take upon them to judge of me, whether I am Guilty or not Guilty of that Crime, of which I here profess my self to be Innocent, I am sure that according to Reason they must disclaim, to make any Judgment up­on science or strict knowledge; And must own, if that they can make no other Judgment, than what must be grounded upon their Belief, which can never have, or pretend to have any greater or higher certainty, than the Motives of the Credibility upon which it is built and grounded.

I do not, nor would I be taken to arraign the Justice of the King, of the Government, of the Judges, before whom I was Tryed; or of the Jury who gave the Verdict upon which Judgment was given against me, whilest I pretend to examine the motives of Credibility upon which a Judgment of Belief in this Case is to be grounded In the mean time I hope that neither His Majesty, nor my Lords the Judges, nor my Jury will take it ill, if I presume to say, That neither the Judges, nor the Juries of England do, or ever did claim to be gui­ded in their Proceedings in Cases of this nature, by any Spirit of Infallibility. The Lord Coke, in his Pleas of the Crown, reports a sad, but very true Case of a Person Condemned and Executed for the Murther of a Girl, who, after the Execution of the Party so Condemn­ed, was found to be living, and in perfect health. And I think it is well known to most Men of our Times, that even since His now Majesties Happy Restauration to His Crown and Dignities, there hapned a more sad Accident, where three Persons, viz. the Mother and two Sons were Condemned, Executed, and Hanged in Chains, for the Murther of a Person, who was afterwards found to be living, and never to have been any wayes assaulted, or hurt by those who were Executed for his Murther. Here then there were innocent Persons Con­demned and Executed by Publick Verdicts and Judgments; And what hath happened, may again happen; and yet the Juries, the Judges, the Justice, the King and Government no way blemished, they proceed, and must always be taken to proceed according to the Rules of Law and Justice. But there was certainly great Faults somewhere in those two Notorious Cases before-mentioned; as there is likewise in my Case, supposing it to be true what I here af­firm in the presence of God, to be true in relation to my Innocency, notwithstanding the Judgment given against me.

Having therefore disclaimed, as I here again do, all Intentions of Arraigning the Justice of my King, my Judges, or my Jury, I will recommend to be considered the Motives of which a right Judgment grounded upon Belief is to be made by Men not byassed by Passion or Pre­judice, touching my being Guilty or Innocent of that horrid Crime, of which by Judgment of Law I stand Condemned; which Motives of Credibility can only be truly and clearly known and represented, by a just, true, and sincere stating of my Case, with all its Circum­stances, with as much brevity as it is capable of, which I here give as followeth.

The first news which I had, and the first mention which I ever heard of this Plot and Treason against His Majesty, for which so many have been lately Executed, and for which I stand Condemned, was on the 29th of September last, when I heard several Priests were ta­ken, and in Custody, being Charged by one Mr. Oates for High Treason. On Monday come seven-night after, being the 7th of October, I was my self seized on in my Chamber in the Temple, by a Messenger of the Council, by vertue of a Warrant under the hands of Four Privy Councillors, issued out against John Langhorne Esq my name being Richard, I told the Messenger that he could not seize me by vertue of that Warrant. To which he answer­ed, That he believed me the Person intended, and would run the hazard; whereupon I sub­mitted, and went with him to Newgate. And though upon my coming thither, I told the chief Gaoler Captain Richardson, that he could not justifie the detaining of my Person by vertue of that Warrant; He not only told me, that he would run the hazard of it, but im­mediately made me a close Prisoner, and continued me so, with the utmost strictness, for about eight Months. From hence it must in all reason be agreed, that there being a full Week passed from the time wherein I heard of Persons being Committed for the Plot, to the time of my being seized, I must be a perfect Mad-man to appear publickly, and not to slie or conceal my self, if I were conscious of any the least imaginable Guilt. And the same con­clusion must necessarily follow, upon my so quiet submitting my self upon a Warrant made against one of another name, to one who had no Title by his Warrant to make me a Pri­soner. And it may reasonably also be conceived, that Mr. Oates, upon whose sole Informa­tion (as I have since heard) that Warrant was issued, was not so well acquainted with me as at my Tryal he swore himself to be, since he knew not my right Christian name, of which scarce any Persons were ignorant, who ever had any manner of Conversation or Business with me.

After Michaelmas Term, having continued under the before-mentioned close Imprison­ment for two Months, without ever having been so much as Examined, or told what I was Committed for; I considered that too long a silence on my part, might possibly be rather taken for a Sullenness, than Patience. And that there being a Sessions then very near, it im­ported me to prevent, as far as I could, that I should not be surprized by a Tryal; and hur­ried from my close imprisonment to a Bar, without being permitted to speak with any of my Friends, or to prepare for my Tryal. Hereupon I addressed my self to the said Captain Richardson, to procure leave to address a Petition to His Majesty; and having leave, I did about the 10th day of December, deliver a Petition to my said Keeper, to be Humbly pre­sented by him to His Majesty, there being no possibility for me to put the same into any other hand to be delivered. Whether this Petition did ever come to His Majesty, or not, I could not know with certainty, but I believe it did; the substance of it was, to represent the miseries of my close Imprisonment, together with my Innocency, and total Ignorance of all particular matters with which I could be Charged; and to pray, that I might be ad­mitted to an Examination; and confronted with my Accusers, as I conceive the Law requi­red, to the End I might justifie my self before His Majesty, and be discharged, if there should appear no just Cause for my being longer detained; or otherwise, that by knowing what was Charged against me, I might be enabled to make my just Defence at my Tryal; and might for that purpose have the liberty of the Gaol, and of speaking freely with my Friends, and of sending for such Witnesses as I should have occasion to use for my just De­fence; and might not be surprized and hurried to a Tryal, without any possibility of being able to make any Defence.

To this Petition I could never obtain any Answer; but about the 16th day of December, I was sent for down out of my Chamber, into Captain Richardson's House, where I found three Noble Lords of Parliament, who professed to come to me in Charity, as I believe they [Page 3]did. These Noble Lords, when I was brought into their presence, were pleased to tell me, That I stood Charged with High-Treason (but of what in particular, they did not say) and that there was great and evident Proof against me, which would most certainly take away my Life. And that they had heard so good a Character of me in the World, That they were moved in Charity and Compassion to come to me, to advise me to make a free and full Confession of the Plot and Treason against His Majesty and the Government, with which I stood Charged, and thereby save my Life. And they were pleased to offer me to become my Mediators for a Pardon, for the saving of my Life, and of my Estate, in case I would make such Confession. I was much amazed to hear of such a Charge against me, when my Conscience cleared me from all Guilt of that nature, so much as in thought. I therefore asked their Lordships, Whether from the Character they had received of me in the World, they did believe me to be an Honest man? To which it was answered by one of their Lordships, That their Answer to that Question of mine was to be distinguishing, viz. That I had so good and unblemished a Reputation in the World, that if I were to give Evidence in any Concern of Ten or twenty thousand Pounds, he should value my Evidence as highly as any Mans Evidence whatsoever; But that in this present Case, if I should swear my Innocency, or that I knew nothing of the Plot or Treason with which I was Charged, his Lordship would not believe one word that I should swear. This Answer made me see, That it would be in vain for me to make any Asseverations to their Lordships of my Innocence and Ignorance of any Plot designed against His Majesty; wherefore omitting that, I humbly represented my condition to their Lordships, as to my close Imprisonment, and my never having been Examined, so as to make me capable of making a just Defence, by a fore knowledge of what was Charged against me. And I told them, That although it was supposed by the Law, that in Criminal Cases the Affirmative was to be proved by the King's Witnesses, and that a Negative could not be proved; yet it was known by all, that there might in many Cases such Affirmatives be proved by the Prisoner as to many cir­cumstances, as might clearly prove the Affirmative, sworn by the King's Witnesses, to be impossible to be true. And that for this Reason, if I should be surprized by a sudden Tryal, without knowing what was Charged against me, and the circumstances of the Charge, and without having the liberty of the Gaol, and of my Friends coming freely to me, in order to my preparing for my Tryal, and for my just Defence, it would be the same thing as to mur­der me. To all which, one of the said Lords replied, (it was the Earl of Shaftsbury) That he took this way of close Imprisonment to be Illegal, and that to be so surprized by a Tryal, would be the same thing as to cut my Throat; and his Lordship did thereupon tell me, That care should be taken, that I should have a just liberty and freedom in the Gaol for my Friends to come to me, and should not be surprized by a Tryal, as I seared to be.

This Promise of this Noble Lord gave me great comfort; but notwithstanding this, my close Imprisonment continued. My opinion was, that I was forgotten; and therefore I did several times send to Captain Richardson, to put their Lordships in mind of it; and when that was without effect, I apprehended that Captain Richardson neglected me. But I find since, that those Lords must have been understood to have intended to move the House of Lords, in relation to the making good of that Promise; and that by the Dissolving of that Parliament, (which hapned shortly after, though unknown then to me) there was no possibility for the making of such motion.

My close Imprisonment continuing in January or February following, my poor Wife pro­cured leave from His Majesty to see me; but not otherwise, than in the presence of my Keeper. Upon her coming, I bemoaned my self to her, that I was totally ignorant of what was Charged against me; and had still a continuance of my Fear, that I should be surpri­zed with a Tryal, without being able to make any Defence. My Wife, much troubled to hear this, could not give me any answer to remove my apprehension, because Captain Richardson was present; but against the time of her next coming to me, she procured an Abstract to be made of the several Narratives of Mr. Colemans and Mr. Irelands Tryals; and when she came next, she endeavoured to give it to me, to the end I might from thence know what was at those Tryals given in Evidence relating to me. But Captain Richardson discovering her intention, took the Paper; and though he told me he would restore it to her, he carried it to the Privy Council, and would not permit my Wife to see me any more.

Upon the delivery of the before-mentioned Paper to the Council, (which was on the first day of March) a most worthy Friend of mine had Licence from His Majesty to come to me, to exhort me to confess my knowledge of the Plot, to represent unto me my danger, if I refused; and to give me hopes of a free Pardon, in case I complied therein In truth he represented my condition to me so dismally, that had not Almighty God been very mer­ciful unto me, his discourses would have been of sufficient force to have deprived me of my understanding. In short, he both told me I was to expect no Mercy, without a discovery made by me of the Plot, and that there was two or three express Witnesses against me, who had been believed already by several Juries; and that it was unreasonable in me to expect, that other Juries should not believe what former Juries had believed. He added, That the whole People were so possessed of a full belief of the Plot, from the Testimony of those Witnesses, and of such strange an Abhorrence against all of my Religion, that whatever could be said against me, would be believed by every Jury; and whatever I should pretend to give in Evidence for my Defence, would be disbelieved and rejected, though an Angel should come from Heaven to confirm it. To all which I gave answer, That my Trust and Reliance was in my God, and onely in Him, that I had no doubt but my God, who knew my Innocency, would stand by me and assist me, and find some way for the justification of my Innocency, which to him I did averr and declare in the Presence of God, and by invoking his Divine Majesty, to testifie the Truth of what I so averred and declared, with all the So­lemnity that I could use, and that can be used by a Christian in any case of like nature. I told him that there must be two several Persons perjured, or I must be safe; and I could not think that two Persons should conspire in Perjury, for the destroying of so inconside­rable a Person as I knew my self to be. And I added, that in case my God should so far withdraw his Grace from me, by abandoning me to a Reprobate Sense, as to leave me to submit to the Temptation of charging other Persons faslly with any Crime or Plot, by which I should endanger the Lives of others, for the saving of my own Life, I was totally igno­rant how to frame a Plot that should seem credible; and could not in possibility frame any thing that could agree with what was at the present affirmed by my Accusers, I being to­tally ignorant of what they had affirmed

After this Person had left me, I was in the beginning of March, and about one or two days before the meeting of the now Parliament, again sent for down into Captain Rich­ardson's House, where I found two most Honourable Lords of His Majesties Council, who gave me the same Exhortation and Invitation, in order to a discovery of the Plot, as I had received before from my other Friend; with this great addition, That their Lordships shew'd me an Order of Council to secure me of my Pardon, in case I should make such Discovery; but with this Condition, that I must make it then, or else the assurance of Par­don, promised by that Order, to be void.

My Conscience being clear and innocent, I made the same Answers to these Noble Lords, as I had done to the former Person who had been sent to me; whereupon, before their de­parture, they delivered into my hands that Paper which my Wife had formerly prepared for me, it being (as I found) the Opinion of His Majesty, and of the Council, that I should have it.

Upon all these Circumstances duely considered, I hope it will appear to every charitable Judgment, That if I had been in the least measure conscious to my self of any Treason, I must (as I have said before) be esteemed to have totally lost my understanding, and to have become a perfect Lunatique, in refusing to Discover what (in case I had been Guilty) I could not but see would be proved against me, especially when my Discovery was so fully secured, of producing me a Pardon.

My close Imprisonment continued until two or three days before Whitsunday, about which time it was allowed to some of my Friends to come to me with freedom, in order to my preparing for my Tryal, which was appointed to be at the end of Whitson week. By these Friends, I had the Printed Narrative brought to me of all the former Tryals relating to this Plot, but I could have no light (otherwise than from them) of what would be Charged against me in Evidence.

I found it given in Evidence by Mr. Oats at Mr. Coleman's Tryal, That he communicated the substance of a Treasonable Consult unto me, on the 25th of April 1678 The very next [Page 5]day (as he then swore) after the Consult, and saw several Commissions then in my Cham­ber lying before me; and that after that time, he had never seen me. And I was glad to find that he had (as I conceive by what he then swore) lockt himself up by his Oath to a time, and could not, without Perjury, charge any thing against me as done after that time. And so far as I could make any Judgment of what was deposed by Mr. Bedloe against me at Mr. Ireland's Tryal, touching my Registring the Consults of the Jesuits, I conceived it was only intended by him upon his hear-say. This was the whole (so far as I could ga­ther from the printed Narrative) of what appeared to be charged. I did remember the name of Oates, having once by his hand received a Letter; but I did not remember his Per­son. And as for Mr. Bedloe, I did not remember ever at any time to have heard his name.

I found also from the said Narratives, That the Court had declared both those Witnesses to be Ill Men. And as to Mr. Oates, I found that he had owned himself to have been first a Protestant, then a Roman Catholique; and now upon this Charge laid by him upon me, and others, (of more Value in the World by much, than my poor self) to profess himself again to be a Protestant. I also found, That upon comparing the several Evidences which he had given against others, he had apparently contradicted himself, and affirmed several things which could not subsist to be all true, because they were contradictory one to the other. And as to Mr. Bedloe, I found by the Narrative of Mr. Reading's Tryal, That he swore himself at that Tryal to be slatly Perjured, when he gave Evidence against Mr. White­bread and Mr. Fenwyck at Mr. Ireland's Tryal; for being then sworn to speak the Truth, the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth against the said Mr. Whitebread and Fenwyck. And having then affirmed upon his said Oath, That he was a Stranger to them, and knew no­thing to give in Evidence against them, he did at the said Tryal of Mr. Reading, swear that it was impossible that he should be such a Stranger to Mr. Whitebread and Mr. Fenwyck, as he affirmed himself to be at their Tryals, when he was sworn to give Evidence against them. I was also informed, (and there was a Witness to prove the same) That when at one of the former Tryals Witnesses were tendred, to prove that Mr. Bedloe was a very Ill Man, and that for that Reason no Credit was to be given to him. He answered in the Court publickly, That they might save their labour to prove how Ill he had been, for he readily owned the worst things that could be said of him; but that having the King's Pardon, he was safe. And as to both Mr. Oates, and Mr. Bedloe, I was informed from good hands:

• 1. That they had owned themselves (with what Truth I will not undertake to say) Guilty of the same Treason that they now charged upon me and others; and this was evi­dent, from what they swore at every Tryal.
• 2. That they had received their Pardons more than once each of them.
• 3. That they had received great Rewards for the Evidences by them given against others in the same case.
• 4. That they expected greater and farther Rewards for the Evidence to be given against me, and others.

All which, I conceived, would render their Evidence unfit to be credited by any Jury, if not wholly invalid in Law.

Having gained these Lights, after my long Imprisonment, I did with very great longing expect my Tryal, and with great joy went to it when the day came, (which was Saturday in Whitsun-Week, being the 14th of June now past) though in my passage from the Gaol to the Court, I found my self condemned by the Multitude before my Tryal, which (I thank my God) put me in remembrance of what my blessed Jesus suffered, from the like Vote of the People.

I shall forbear to repeat the Particulars of my Tryal, because I will give no occasion to think, That I have any intention to Arraign the Justice of my King, or of the Government, or of my Judges, or Jury; onely I shall crave leave to observe these following Particulars, viz.

• I. That the Two first Witnesses which were Sworn for the King, Deposed nothing against me; Those were Mr. Dugdale, and Mr. Prance.
• [Page 6]II. That Mr. Oates, who was the Third Witness Sworn for the King, and the first whose Evidence charged me, Deposed, That he had two several Communications with me since the Month of April 1678. namely, in July and August 1678. whereas at the Try [...] of Mr. Coleman, he had expresly Sworn, That after the Month of April 1678 he had never seen me to his knowledge or remembrance.
• III. That Mr. Bedloe Deposed, That as he and Mr. Coleman were together walking in my Chamber in the Temple, he saw me Entring several Treasonable Letters into a Loo [...] in my Study; and that the said Book was a great Book, lying upon the Desk in my Study: Whereas every person who knows my said Chamber, and the scituation of my Study, cannot but know, that it is impossible to look out of my Chamber into my Study, so as to see any one Writing there, and that I never had at any time any Desk in my Study.

What passed farther at my Tryal I forbear to mention, for the Reason before given, but refer to such Narrative of my Tryal, as I hear is published in Print; which if it be truly made, I thank the Reporter for his Justice; if untruly, I then beg of God to pardon the Reporter's Injustice. In the mean time I do here, in the Presence of the Great God, who is the God of Truth, and the Searcher of all Hearts, Declare and Protest:

1. That as to Mr. Bedloe, I do not know, remember or believe, that I ever saw him, or heard him speak, before that time that he appeared in the said Court, to give Evidence against me at my said Tryal.

2. That I did never see or speak with Mr. Oates at any time since the Month of Novem­ber 1677. so that I can with great Truth affirm, and do affirm, in the Presence of the All-knowing God, That whatever was given in Evidence against me by the said Bedloe, was ut­terly false and untrue. As likewise whatever was given against me in Evidence by the said Oates, as spoken by himself, or by me, in the Months of April, July and August, 1678. o [...] at any other times after the Month of November 1677. As also what was sworn in Evidence against me by the said Oates, at his first coming to me in the Month of November 1677. which related to my prejudice; and which I could have proved to be false by a very good Witness, in case I could have foreseen, that Mr. Oates would have had the confidence to have given any thing in Evidence against me, as pretended to have been spoken by me at that time. But Mr. Oates, at the Tryal of Mr. Coleman, gave a clear evidence of his skill in this kind of Fencing, and of his great care and cunning, to prevent that no Person, whose Life he designs to take away by his Evidence, shall ever be able to know what he intends to swear, or consequently to produce any Witness to discover or disprove his Perjuries: For be­ing then upon his Oath, and being interrogated what he had informed against Mr Coleman before His Majesty and the Council at Mr. Coleman's Examination there, before he was Com­mitted to Newgate, Mr. Oates did not blush to swear, That he did only at that time inform what he judged sufficient, whereupon to ground Mr. Coleman's Commitment; and conceal­ed what he had farther to say, lest he should by saying it, enable Mr. Coleman to produce Witnesses as to the circumstances of time and place, to disprove what Mr. Oates should say against him, or to the like effect.

Add to all this, that which Mr. Oates answered at my Tryal, when interrogated by me, (and to my best remembrance Bedloe gave the like answer to the same question) what Gratification or Reward he had received, for his pretended Discovery of this by him pre­tended Plot, and for giving Evidence against such as had been Tryed thereupon; and particularly, whether he had not received the Sum of 500 l. and did not expect to receive a farther Gratification for his farther Services therein? He boldly answered, That he was so far from having received any such Sum, or any Reward for his said Services, that he was out of Purse 750 l. of his own Monies, in the prosecution of the same. Which, how great an Untruth that is, I refer to His Majesty, and those who manage His Majesties Mo­nies and Treasury; and to all who knew the most extream Poverty of these two Persons, Oates and Bedloe, before they relieved their Wants, and found the way to supply their Ne­cessities, by charging those Persons with Treason who have been Executed, or remain still Prisoners upon their Accusations.

After Judgment was given against me, upon the Verdict found upon the Evidence of these two Men, there were two Persons came to me to the Gaol, as sent by the Earl of Shaftes­bury, or his Order, to propose something to me in Charity, for the saving of my Life. The first thing by them proposed to be done by me for that end, was a Discovery to be made by me of the Plot and Treason for which I stood Condemned. But when I had satisfied them so far, as to my Solemn Protestations made in the Presence of God, were of force to satisfie them touching my Innocency, and my total Ignorance of any Plot or Treason ever at any time design [...]d against His Majesty, other than the late Unparallel'd Treason and Rebellion, which was before His Majesties Happy Restauration. They were pleased to pro­pose farther, That it was well known, that I had been made use of as a Councel for the Jesuits, and in that Capacity could not but know what Estates they had in England, or at least a very great part of those Estates; and that if I would freely make a Discovery of such Estates of that nature as should be of a considerable value, I should thereby obtain my Pardon; the granting of which, upon such Discovery, might be well justified to the Parlia­ment at their next Meeting.

Having well weighed this latter Proposal, and considered, That it would be a Sin against Truth, to deny that I had knowledge of such Estates; and that all the Scandal which could be taken by my Discovery of them, could not be so great, as my Denial would be offensive to God. And having no Doubt, but that my frank and sincere discovering and owning what was within my knowledge, though to the Displeasure of those who were to be con­cerned therein, would make it evident to all Honest and Judicious persons, That in case I knew any of the Plot, or of any Treason intended against His Majesty, (the concealment of which by me would be a Sin unto Damnation) I would without Difficulty discover the same, for the saving of my Soul, as well as of my Life, since I was ready to make a Disco­very of such Estates, the concealment of which could be no Sin against God or the King. I freely engaged my self to Discover all that I knew touching such Estates, for the Service of His Majesty; and the Persons by whom the same was so proposed, went from me, with a resolution, to report my ready compliance therein unto his said Lordship.

After this, I did by some Friends prevail to have a Report made to His Majesty, of what had passed between those two Persons and me, with which His Majesty seemed (as I was informed) to be well satisfied, and directed, That I should send unto, and intrust His Majesty with so much as I could remember (without having resort to Writings) of those Estates, which I with all readiness did: And I took that Command from His Majesty, to be an evi­dent implied promise of a Pardon, for the securing of my Life. This Engagement of mine, to make this Discovery, occasioned a Reprieve to be granted me for some dayes; but after the said Reprieve granted, my Lord of Shaftesbury was pleased to intimate unto me by one of the aforesaid Persons, by whom it was first proposed unto me to make such Discovery, That no Pardon should be granted to me, without a full Discovery made by me of the Plot. And his Lordship was also pleased to come to Captain Richardson's house, and send­ing for me thither, to tell me to this effect, viz. That as my Parts and Reputation in the World had made me fit for Employment, so I might rest secure, That in case I would make a full Discovery of the Plot, I should be put into as good a Post, both as to Honour as Estate, as my own Heart could wish; but if I failed to do that, no Discovery of Estates could or should procure my Pardon. I laboured, what I could, by Solemn Protestations to satisfie his Lord­ship of my Innocency, and my total Ignorance of any Plot or Treason whatsoever; and this I did so fully, (as I conceived) That in case Almighty God should have so far with­drawn his Grace from me, as to leave me to a Reprobate Sense, and to permit against truth, to have pretended a knowledge of a Plot, to the prejudice of any person, meerly for the sa­ving of my own poor Life, and the obtaining those advantages with which I was tempted, I ought not in any measure to have been believed. But blessed be my God, who hath by his Grace so far strengthned, as to enable me rather to choose and lose my Life in Innocen­cy, and save my Soul, than by Falsities to lose my Soul, and become Guilty of the Blood of others, against whom I could not with Truth testifie any thing of any Crime.

After his said Lordship had given me the Temptation before mentioned, I had several Per­sons applied to me, with Discourses tending wholly to make me despair of Pardon, unless I would discover a Plot; and to persuade me, that it was not Honourable nor Honest for me [Page 8]to discover any Estates, which His Majesty might seize on, in case I did not know, That the Owners of the said Estates were Traytors. But I took all these Discourses to signifie no more than a Repentance, for having proposed to me to make a Discovery of Estates: And therefore having sent such Discovery unto His Majesty, as I was able to make upon my Memory; I laboured by my Friends, and did obtain a farther Reprieve, together with an Order, requiring to send into the Council by a day limited, such Discovery as I could make; and a Licence to have all my Writings and Papers in my Chamber perused by such as I nominated, and according to such Direction as I should give, for the better enabling me to perfect such Discovery. This was conceived by me, and my Friends, to be intended by His Majesty, as an Assurance of a Pardon, it being to engage the whole Council, as His Ma­jesty was pleased to engage Himself before, when He Commanded me to trust Him; and it seemed evident, that this Discovery required, must be a Discovery of Estates, otherwise the perusal of Papers and Writings had been to no purpose.

In Obedience to the said last mentioned Command, I applied with all Diligence to com­pleat my Discovery, my Papers and Writings were examined by my Friends, and my Disco­very was perfected, and delivered in unto the Council, at the precise day for that purpose limited, and it amounted to the value (as I computed the same) of between Twenty and thirty thousand Pounds Sterling, and was annexed to a Petition, wherein I declared my In­nocency and Ignorance of any Treason or Plot, and my sincere dealing as to my said Disco­very; and oftered to submit my self to be examined upon Interrogatories upon Oath, or to undergo any Tryal of any Test, for the giving satisfaction, that the Discovery then by me made was complete, and that I knew of no other Lands belonging in any wayes to the Jesuits, other than what I had then and there Discovered; and likewise for the purging of my self touching any other matter, upon which it should be thought fit to Examine me. And in my said Discovery, I expressed every thing with such certainty as to the Names of the Estates, and the Places where they lay, and the Values (so far as I was able to give the same) and the Persons (so far as I knew) concerned therein, that it was easie to seize the same immediately for the use of His Majesty: So that I thereby did all that was in my power, in order to my giving a perfect Obedience to the said Commands of His Majesty, and to what was thereby required from me. And my Friends, as well as my self, had no Doubt, but that as Almighty God requires no more from us, for the obtaining his pardon of our Sins, and the salvation of our Souls, than what His Divine Majesty knows to be pos­sible for us to do on our parts; so the King's Majesty, and His Council, would require no more from me, for the saving of my poor Life, and the obtaining of my Pardon, than what was possible for me on my part to do. I also looked upon the Publick Honour and Faith to be now firmly engaged for the security of my Life, and the granting of a Pardon to me, I having fully performed my part, of that which was the Condition. And it being clear, that when once my Discovery was delivered in, and read in Council, it ceased to be a Se­cret, and that nothing therein contained, could afterwards remain as a thing undiscovered. It was likewise evident that by this Act I had done (as I believed) more than any other single person now living, who is meerly a Lay-man, could do for the Service of His Majesty. And that if there were any such Plot, as is affirmed by Oates and Bedloe, and that any per­son now charged therewith, had knowledge thereof, and should be required, as I had been, to discover what he knows for the saving of his Life, he would hardly be induced to make such Discovery, in case my Life should be taken away, after my so free Discovery of all that was within my knowledge to be discovered, was in obedience to so great a Command deli­livered out of my hands. However I rested satisfied, That in case my Life should be taken away for the Crime for which I stand Condemned, and after my Obedience given to His Majesties Commands, in making the said Discovery, I should dye with this great comfort, That I should have a double Martyrdom. First, as dying perfectly Innocent of the Crime for which I should lose my Life. And secondly, as choosing rather to dye, than to sin against my God, and my Neighbor, by charging others falsly, and becoming guilty of their Blood, and of the Ruine of their Families, by accusing them of a Crime, of which my own Conscience must bear me witness, that I did never know them, or any of them Guilty; but on the contrary, believe them to be perfectly Innocent. Whereas if I had on the other side denied my self to have known any thing of those Estates, which I was required to dis­cover, [Page 9]I must have sinned against the God of Truth, by affirming a Lye. And if Confes­sing, That I had knowledge of such Estates, I should rather have chosen to dye, than to have made a Discovery of such my knowledge for the saving of my Life, I should have ap­peared (in some sort at least) guilty of my own Blood, through my obstinacy.

Upon the delivering of this Discovery, and the reading of it in the Council, the Lord Viscount Hallifax produced a Letter written to him (as his Lordship affirmed) from the Earl of Roscommon from Bruxels, in which Letter the said Earl taking notice, that he had heard of my being Reprieved, affirmed himself to be much satisfied, That my Life should be saved; and gave this Reason, That my Life might be useful to the Publick, or to the like effect. These words were taken to my great Disadvantage, and to import, as if the Earl of Roscommon did know, That I was able to make a Discovery of the Plot. And though the words might well bear a more kind sense, and did not, without forcing, so much as in­cline to that unkind Interpretation; yet upon the reading of that Letter, my Discovery was rejected, after having been Publickly read, and ordered to be sent unto me by a Clark of the Council, and notice to be given to me, That by an Order of Council, I was Reprieved onely until the 14th day of July; and that if before that day I did not make a Discovery of the Plot, I was to expect no farther mercy.

My Friends were more astonished at this Order than my self was, and being now in this condition, I presumed yet once more, to address a Petition, in which I prayed, That my Life might be saved, though to be spent in Banishment; and to the end that I might do all that in me lay, to express and declare my Innocency, I did, to that Petition, annex this follow­ing Declaration, and Protestation, viz.

This, with my Petition, was Presented to His Majesty in Council on, Thursday, the 10th of July instant; and after the reading of my Petition, my said Protestation and Declaration was (as I am informed) begun to be read, but when the person that read the same, came to read that part of it, in which I aver my Innocency, he was not (as I am informed) per­mitted to read farther; and it was declared, That I was to expect no farther mercy, unless I would make a Discovery of the Plot, which (God is my Witness) I cannot do, because I know nothing of it directly or indirectly.

And now having related all the particular Circumstances of my Case, so far as my memo­ry can recollect them; and made such Protestations and Declarations as is before men­tioned, I shall only recommend to be considered by all impartial Judgments, those solemn and serious Protestations which were made by those others, who have lost their Lives already upon the Evidence given against them, by the same Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe, and pray that it may be duely weighed, Whether the Solemn Oaths and Protestations of sober Men, made by them immediately before their respective Deaths, and this Protestation of mine before mentioned, made at a time, when my Confession and Discovery of a Plot or Treason against my King (in case I had been privy unto, or known such Plot or Treason) would not only have saved my Life, and secured me of a Pardon; but would also have en­tituled me unto, and (in all probability) put me into the full possession of Preferments and Advantages, greater than I ever (I thank my God) coveted; Be not more conside­rable to move a Belief of my Innocency, than the Evidence given against me by my Accu­sers before-mentioned, to move a Belief of my Guilt? It is said, it is not upon the bare Oaths of those two Witnesses, but upon the Verdict of the Twelve Jurors, that I am found Guilty. I am sure that every judicious Person, who understands our Proceedings in our Law of England, in all Cases of this Nature, doth know, and can answer, That the Verdict of the Twelve Jurors is grounded wholly upon the Evidence given by the Witnesses. The Jurors Belief of the Witnesses produced and sworn to give Evidence against me, was the foundation of their Verdict, and justifies them in Law; and the Verdict given by the Jurors, doth in Law justifie the Judgment given by the Judges, for the taking away of my Belief. And I beseech God that the same Rule of Law, may, at the great and terrible day of Judg­ment, acquit as well the Jurors, who gave that Verdict, as the Judges, who gave that Judg­ment, from all Guilt of my Blood. But I must again refer it to the Consciences of all un­byassed, judicious, and good Men, whether in Christian Charity, the motives of Credibili­ty founded upon such Judgment, the Verdict, which was solely grounded upon the Evidence of Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe, be of greater force to a good and charitable Conscience to pronounce me Guilty, than the several other motives which I have here represented, will be found to pronounce me Innocent?

It will no way concern me as to my own particular, whether the world shall adjudge me Innocent, or not; it is sufficient for me, That my Conscience doth with great Joy and [Page 11]Peace acquit me. And that the God of all Truth, my dearest Jesus, who is Truth it self, doth know me to be Innocent. And that the Consciences of those most Unhappy Men, Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe, will at the last day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be made manifest, be compelled, to the Glory of God, and their own shame, To proclaim me Inno­cent. I beseech Almighty God to give those miserable Men a true and sincere Repentance for the Sin which they have committed, and by which they have drawn upon themselves, the Guilt of my Innocent Blood.

I do here profess my self to dye a Member of the Holy Catholique and Apostolique Church, of which, the Bishop of Rome is the Supreme Visible Head of Government on Earth, as the Successor of the Holy Apostle St. Peter. And of which Church our blessed Lord Jesus is the Supreme, Invisible Head, of influence to Guide, Govern, and direct the same by his Holy Spirit. And I do take my Religion to be the sole Cause of my being the Object of the Malice of my Enemies, who are the Causers of my Death.

If what I here say be any wayes disbelieved because of my Religion, I humbly recom­mend it to the consideratioin of sober Men, whether such disbelief upon this ground, be not,

• 1. To cast a Reproach and Blemish upon the Honour and Reputation of all our most Pi­ous Ancestors, and our whole Nation, who lived and dyed before the 20th Year of King Henry VIII. and who did all live and dye in the same Faith, and Members of the same Church, of which by God's Grace I am now a Member, though unworthy.
• 2. To cast a like Reproach upon all the Princes, States and People of the World, who are Members of the same Church.
• 3. To give a just Occasion to the same Princes, States and People, never to give Credit to any thing affirmed or sworn by any English Protestant; and consequently,
• 4. To lay a Foundation for the total destroying of all Trade, as well as Conversation, with all those Princes, States and People.

We must learn to do unto others, as we would have others do unto us. And it is not a good Answer to say, That this Disbelief is only in relation to the Jesuits, and those who make use of them: For there is scarce any Prince of this Religion now living, who doth not make use of a Jesuit for his Ghostly Father; which will likewise be a clear Evidence, That those Princes (known to all the World not to be Fools or Mad-men) have not an Opinion, That the Doctrines and Principles of the Jesuits, are any wayes Pernicious and Dangerous to Government, as the Pulpits of England repute them to be. And certainly if an English Protestant should in France, cast the two Execrable Murthers of those two Kings of that Kingdom, who were killed by Clement and Ravillack, upon the Jesuits, or as an ef­fect of any Doctrine of our Church, That Church, and that Order, would with much greater ease clear themselves from such a Reproach, than our English Protestants could clear themselves, in case the Murther of Queen Mary of Scotland (our King's Great Grand-Mother) or of our last most excellent Prince King CHARLES I. should be cast as a Reproach upon the Doctrines of the Protestant Church of England, or of any other Party professing Protestancy, these Murthers being committed under the Solemn Species and Formalities of Publick Justice; when it is well known, That Clement and Ravillack were only two private Villains, who were disowned by all the World. Nor do there want Au­thors, who call themselves, and are reputed to be Protestants, who, in their Publick Wri­tings, justifie these two Murthers, of Queen Mary, and King Charles I. Nay, there may, peradventure, be found more Authors, reputed Protestants, who justifie the People to have a Power to Depose, and take away the Lives of Kings, than there are found Authors, re­puted to be Catholicks, who assert the Pope to have Power to Depose Princes. Yet, God [Page 12]sorbid, That I should call these Positions, or Opinions, the Doctrines of the Church of England; I impure these Actions, to the Passions of wicked and ambitious Men; and those Doctrines, to those onely, who write or own them; and certainly the same Charity can­not, without Sin, be denied to us, by all sober Judgments. But if this Justice be denied unto me, and those of my Religion, I beseech God to pardon such as are so uncharitable; And I do most heartily, and from my Soul, forgive those who want this Charity, as I do the before named Mr. Oates and Mr. Bedloe, and all others, who are any wayes guilty of my Death, or of my not obtaining my Pardon, or of rejoycing at the shedding of my Inno­cent Blood; and all who have done me any Injury whatsoever, SWEET JESƲS Forgive Them, They know not what they do.