THE CHARGE OF High-Treason: DELIVERED Into the House of Lords (upon Oath) by Mr. Richard Osburn, against Cap. Rolph.
ABOUT The Designe to have poisoned or made away the Kings Majesty.
AND The ORDERS of the House of Lords for Captain Rolphs Tryall.
LONDON, Printed for the generall satisfaction of moderate men. M DC XL VIII.
THE Substance of the Charge of High-Treason delivered into the House of
Lords (upon Oath) BY Mr.
Richard Osburne, against Cap-taine
Rolph, about the Designe to have
poysoned, or made away the KINGS MAJESTY.
I. THat Captaine Rolph, hath been privy to severall Letters, sent from some persons in the Lord Fairfaxes Army, intimating that the Kings person might by any meanes be removed out of the way.
II. That the said Captaine Rolph, had knowledge [Page 2] that the said Letters did some of them intimate His Majesties remove out of the way to bee by poyson, or otherwaies, to the great hazzard of His Majesties person.
III. That the said Captain Rolph hath used means to perswade the said Osburne to joyne with him in the designe concerning His Majesty.
IV. That in this joyning of the said Osburne with Captaine Rolph, the said Captaine Rolph propounded that it might be taken into consideration how to remove the King out of the Castle.
V. That the said Captaine Rolph propounded to him the said Osburne, That His Majesty might be removed to a place of more secresie.
VI. That the said Captaine Rolph did proffer to the said Osburne that they should take an oath, and sweare each to other.
VII. That to perswade the said Osburne to joyne with him therein: Hee the said Captaine Rolph, did proffer to doe what was propounded, without the privity of Collonell Hammond the Governour.
VIII. That the said Captaine Rolph hath said that the King was in too publique a place, in Carisbrooke Castle; from whence hee might be rescued.
IX. That the said Captaine Rolph declared to him the said Osburne, That if the King might bee convayed into some place of secrefic, they might dispose of His person upon all occasions, as they thought fit.
X. That this private conveyance (of the Kings person away) he declared hee was confident they might effect without the Governours privity.
THE Orders of the House of Lords for Cap-taine Rolphs Tryall
I. ORdered by the Lords in Parliament, That Captaine Rolph be apprehended by Mr. Thane, the Gentleman Vshur of this House, and carried to the Prison of the Gatehouse at Westminster.
II. Ordered by the Lords in Parliament that Serjeant Finch draw up an Impeachment of High-Treason against Captaine Rolph, And that Mr. Richard Osburne doe attend the said Serjeant Finch for that purpose.
Captaine Rolph being apprehended) declares that the said Charge against him is false, and desires only a faire legall Tryall, which he is to have suddainly, at the Lords Barre.
June 16, 1648.
For the Right Honourable the Lord
Manchester Speaker of the House of Peers, pro tempore.
I Did by a Letter of the first of June acquaint my Lord Wharton with what I send here inclosed, expecting it would before this have [Page 4] been communicated to both Houses: what should be the reason of concealing a businesse of this nature I know not, except it be to give those time that are concerned in it better to think of some stratagem to evade this discovery.
I humbly desire your Lordship upon sight of this relation, to communicate it to the House of Peers, which I shall be ready to attest upon oath in every particular, when ever their Lordships shall please to allow me that freedome and security which ought to be afforded to any Gentleman and Christian, in witnessing a truth.
1 June 1648:
For the Right Honorable the Lord
Wharton,
THough I cannot but imagine I stand so highly condemned in your Lordships and many persons thoughts, that any thing of vindication from me must come with all the disadvantage & prejudice that may be; yet (My Lord) being conscious of my own integrity, and confident that I shall be judged by your Lordship by no other rules but those of justice and reason, I cannot doubt but when I have discovered the grounds and reasons of my actions, that it will appear to your Lordship that what I have done hath bin agreeable to the severall duties I stand ingaged in, as I am supposed to have acted contrary before I am heard.
Not to detaine your Lordship in circumstances, I shall make this Protestation, that as no other thing but the danger of the Kings life could in reason excuse such attempt: So I do protest that no inferiour considerations did or could have moved to such an action; But my Lord having had such particular and well-grounded information, that so horrid a designe was intended and moved from those that could when they pleased have had power to put it in execution; I hope I shall not be censured for having post posed all other considerations to that Loyalty which cannot be questioned but I owe to the King.
But not to leave your Lordship unsatisfied with this generall account, the intelligence I speak of, concerning this design, I received from Cap. [Page 5] Rolfe, a person very intimate with the Governour, privy to all counsels and one that is very high in the esteem of the Army; he My Lord, informed me that to his knowledge the Governour had received severall Letters from the Army, intimating the King might by any means be removed out of the way, either by poyson or otherwise; and that another time the same person perswaded me to joyn with him in a design to remove the King out of that Castle to a place of more secresie, proffering to take an oath with me, and to do it without the Governors privity, who he said would not consent for losing the allowance of the house, his pretence to this attempt was, that the King was in too publick a place, from whence he might be rescued, but if he might be conveyed into some place of secresie, he said we might dispose of his person upon all occasions as we thought fit; and this he was confident we could effect without the Governours privity. My Lord, considering all these pregnant circumstances, I think it will appear that there were, if there are no such intentions concerning his Majesties person, as may well justifie my endeavors that have been made for his remove from so much danger: and for my own part, My Lord, I must be so plain as to declare concerning my own actings in relation to this businesse, that had I done this (having such grounds) I must believe I had then verified all those aspersions of disloyalty and breach of Trust, which I am contented to suffer from those whose interest is perchance opposed to my endevors to prevent such domnable designs.
My Lord, I have spoken nothing here, but what I shall be ready to testifie upon oath when ever I shall be called to it, with promise of freedom and security, till then I must bee content to support all censures, and satisfie my self with the vindication I receive from my own conscience.