The history of the damnable popish plot, in its various branches and progress published for the satisfaction of the present and future ages / by the authors of The weekly pacquet of advice from Rome.

Articles of Impeachment of High Treason, and other high Crimes and Offences, a∣gainst William Earl of Powis, Willi∣am Viscount Stafford, Henry Lord A∣rundel of Warder, William Lord Pe∣tre, and John Lord Bellasis, now Priso∣ners in the Tower.

THat for many Years now last past, there hath been contrived and carri∣ed on a Traiterous and Execrable Conspiracy and Plot within this Kingdom of England, and other places, to alter, change, or subvert the Antient Government and Laws of this Kingdom and Nation, and to sup∣press the true Religion therein established, and to Extirpate and destroy the Professors thereof; which said Plot and Conspiracy was contrived and carried on in divers places, and by several ways and means, and by a great number of Per∣sons of several Qualities and Degrees, who acted therein, and intended to execute and accomplish the aforesaid Wicked and Traiterous Designs and Purposes.

That the said William Earl of Powis, William Viscount Stafford, Henry Lord Arundel of War∣der, William Lord Petre, and John Lord Bellasis, together with Philip Howard, commonly called Cardinal of Norfolk, Thomas White aliàs White∣bread, commonly called Provincial of the Je∣suits

in England, Richard Strange, late Provinci∣al of the Jesuits in England, Vincent, commonly called Provincial of the Dominicans in England, James Corker commonly called Pre∣sident of the Benedictines, Sir John Warner aliàs Clare, Baronet, William Harcourt, John Keines, Nicholas Blundel, Pole Edward Mico, Thomas Bed∣dingfield, Bazil Langworth, Charles Peters, Richard Peters, John Conyers, Sir George Wake∣man, John Fenwick, Dominick Kelly, Fitz Gerald, Evers, Sir Thomas Preston, William Lovel, Jesuits, Lord Beltamore, John Carrel, John Townely, Richard Langhorn, Willi∣am Foggarty, Thomas Penny, Matthew Medbourn, Edward Coleman, William Ireland, John Grove, Thomas Pickering, John Smith, and divers others, Jesuits, Priests, and Fryars, and other persons, as false Traitors to his Majesty and this Kingdom, within the time aforesaid, have Traiterously con∣sulted, contrived and acted to, and for the ac∣complishing of the said wicked pernicious and Traiterous Designs, and for that end did most wickedly and Traiterously agree, conspire and resolve, to Imprison, Depose, and Murther his Sacred Majesty, and to deprive him of his Royal State, Crown, and Dignity, and by malicious and advised speaking, writing, and otherwise, declared such their Purposes and Intentions, and also to subject this Kingdom and Nation to the Pope and his Tyrannical Government.

And to seize, and share amongst themselves the Estates and Inheritances of his Majesties Pro∣testant Subjects, and to Erect and Restore Abbies, Monasteries, and other Convents and Societies,

which have been long since by the Laws of this Kingdom supprest, for their Superstition and Idolatry, and to deliver up and restore to them the Lands and Possessions now Invested in his Ma∣jesty and his Subjects, by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm.

And also to Found and Erect new Monasteries and Convents, and to remove and deprive all Pro∣testant Bishops, and other Ecclesiastical Persons from their Offices, Benefices & Preferments, and by this means to destroy his Majesties Person, extirpate the Protestant Religion, overthrow the Rights, Liber∣ties, and Properties of his Majesties good Sub∣jects, Subvert the Lawful Government of this Kingdom, and subject the same to the Tyranny of the See of Rome.

That the said Conspirators and their Compli∣ces and Confederates, Traiterously had and held several Meetings, Assemblies, and Consultations, wherein it was Contrived and Designed amongst them, what means should be used, and what Persons and Instruments should be employed to Murther his Majesty, and did then and there re∣solve to effect it by Poisoning, Shooting, Stab∣ing, or some such like ways or means; and of∣fered Rewards, and promises of Advantage to several Persons to Execute the same, and hired and employed several Wicked Persons to go to Windsor and other places, where his Majesty did re∣side, to Murther and destroy his Majesty; which said Persons, or some of them, accepted some Rewards, and undertook the Perpetrating there∣of, and did actually go to the said places for that end and purpose.

That the said Conspirators, the better to com∣pass their Traiterous Designs, have consulted to Raise, and have procured and raised Men, Mo∣ney, Horses, Arms, and Ammunition; and al∣so have made Application to, and Treated and Corresponded with the Pope, his Cardinals, Nuncio's, and Agents, and with other Foraign Ministers and Persons, to raise Tumults within this Kingdom, and to Invade the same with Foraign Forces, and to surprize, seize and de∣stroy his Majesties Navy, Forts, Magazines, and places of Strength within this Kingdom: Where∣upon the Calamities of War, Murthers of inno∣cent Subjects, Men, Women, and Children; Burnings, Rapines, Devastations, and other Dreadful Miseries and Mischiefs must inevitably have ensued, to the Ruin and Destruction of this Nation.

That the said Conspirators have procured, ac∣cepted, and delivered out several Instruments, Commissions, and Powers made and granted by, or under the Pope, or other unlawful and usurp∣ing Authority, to raise and dispose of Men, Money, Arms, and other things necessary for their wicked and Traiterous Designs, and name∣ly a Commission to the said Henry Lord Arundel of Warder, to be Lord High Chancellor of Eng∣land, and to the said William Earl of Powis, to be Lord Treasurer of England; another Com∣mission to the said John Lord Bellasis, to be Ge∣neral of the Army to be raised, and the said Wil∣liam Lord Petre, to be Lieutenant General of the said Army, and a Power to the said William Viscount Stafford, to be Paymaster of the Army:

That in order to encourage themselves in prose∣cuting their said wicked Plots, Conspiracies, and Treasons, and to hide and hinder the disco∣very of the same; and to secure themselves from Justice and Punishment, the Conspirators afore∣said, and Confederates, have used many wicked and Diabolical Practices, (viz.) They did cause their Priests to Administer to the said Conspira∣tors an Oath of Secrecy, together with their Sa∣crament, and also did cause their said Priests up∣on Confession to give their Absolutions, upon condition that they should conceal the said Con∣spiracy. And when about the Month of Septem∣ber last, Sir Edmundbury Godfrey, a Justice of Peace, had according to the Duty of his Oath and Office, taken several Examinations and In∣formations concerning the said Conspiracy and Plot, the said Conspirators or some of them, by Advice, Assistance, Councel, and Instigation of the rest, did incite and procure divers Persons to lie in wait and persue the said Sir Edmundbury Godfrey several days, with intent to Murther him, which at last was perpetrated and effected by them, for which said horrid Crimes and Offen∣ces, Robert Green, Henry Berry, and Lawrence Hill, have since been Attainted, and Dominick Kelly, and Gerald, are fled for the same.

After which Murther, and before the Body was found, or the Murther known to any but Complices therein, the said Persons falsely gave out, That he was alive, and privately Married; and after the Body was found, dispersed a false and malicious Report, that he had Murthered him∣self.

Which said Murther was Committed with de∣sign to stifle and suppress the Evidence he had taken, and had knowledg of, and to discourage and deter Magistrates, and others, from acting in the further discovery of the said Plot and Conspiracy, for which end also the said Sir Ed∣mundbury Godfrey while he was alive, was by them. their Complices and Favourites, threatned and discouraged in his Proceedings about the same.

And of their further Malice, they have wick∣edly contrived by many false Suggestions, to lay the imputation and guilt of the aforesaid horrid and detestable Crimes upon the Protestants, that so thereby they might escape the Punishments they have justly deserved, and expose Protestants to great Scandal, and subject them to Persecuti∣on and Oppression in all Kingdoms and Coun∣tries where the Roman Religion is received and professed.

All which Treasons, Crimes, and Offences, above mentioned, were Contrived, Committed, Perpetrated, Acted, and done by the said Willi∣am Earl of Powis, William Lord Viscount Staf∣ford, Henry Lord Arundel of Warder, William Lord Petre, and John Lord Bellasis, every of them, and others the Conspirators aforesaid, against our Soveraign Lord the King, his Crown and Dignity, and against the Laws and Statutes of this Kingdom.

Of all which Treasons, Crimes, and Offen∣ces, the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, in Parliament Assembled, do in the name of them∣selves, and of the Commons of England, Im∣peach the said William Earl of Powis, William

Viscount Stafford, Henry Lord Arundel of War∣der, William Lord Petre, and John Lord Bellasis, and every of them.

And the said Commons by Protestation, saving to themselves that liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any other Accusations or Impeach∣ments against the said William Earl of Powis, William Viscount Stafford, Henry Lord Arundel of Warder, William Lord Petre, and John Lord Bellasis, and every of them, and also of replying to the Answers which they and every of them make to the Premises, or any of them, or to any other Accusation or Impeachment which shall be by them exhibited, (as the Cause according to course, and proceedings of Parliament shall re∣quire,) do pray, that the said William Earl of Powis, William Viscount Stafford, Henry Lord Arundel of Warder, William Lord Petre, and John Lord Bellasis, and every of them, may be put to Answer all and every of the Premises, and that such Proceedings, Examinations, Try∣als, and Judgments, may be upon them, and every of them had and used, as shall be agreea∣ble to Law and Justice, and Course of Parlia∣ment.

To these Articles of Impeachment, the said Lords soon after put in their several Answers, as follows,