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.

CHAP. XIX. (Book 19)

The Procedings against Richard Lang∣horn, Esq

THis Gentleman was a Counsellor at Law of the Temple, and Transacted much busi∣ness for the Jesuits, being well skill'd in Con∣veyancing: He was oft imployed by divers of the Catholick Gentry, and almost his whole pra∣ctice lay between Papists and Quakers; for of the latter, many of the most eminent frequently re∣sorted to him for Advice and Direction. He was Committed to Newgate by the Lords of the Pri∣vy-Council, by a Warrant dated the seventh of October, 78. for High-Treason; and on the first of Nov. he had a Son, named likewise Richard Langhorn, sent to the same Goal, under the same Charge, who there still remains, having not yet been brought to his Tryal.

The Father came on at the Sessions in the Old-Bailey, on Saturday the 14th of June, 1679. be∣ing next day after the Conviction of Whitebread and his Associates.

The Jury consisted of able Citizens of Lon∣don, viz.

• Arthur Young,
• Edward Beeker,
• Robert Twyford,
• Tho. Barnes,
• Francis Neeve,
• John Hall,
• William Yapp,
• John Kirkham,
• Peter Pickering,
• George Sitwell,
• James Wood,
• Richard Cauthorn.

As for the Proofs against this Prisoner, they were as home and positive as against the rest.

1. Dr. Oates declares how he came acquainted with him, by bringing him * 1.1 Letters from his Sons from a Semina∣ry in Spain; and then swears, That Langhorn did hold Correspondence with Le Chese and others, and that the Witnesses carried several Letters to persons beyond the Seas; in one of which he saw under his own hand, words to this purpose, That now they had a fair opportunity to begin, or give the blow; with other expressions plain enough con∣cerning the Plot: and these he saw signed Richard Langhorn, and that the Prisoner himself delivered them to him.

2. That he had order from the Pro∣vincial to give Mr. Langhorn an Account * 1.2 of the Resolve of the Jesuits Consult for Kil∣ling the King, and that he did acquaint him therewith; and that the said Langhorn thereupon lift up his Hands and Eyes, and prayed to God to give it a good success.

3. That he saw at his Chamber cer∣tain Commissions, which they call Pa∣tents; * 1.3 and that on his desire he permitted the Witness to peruse several of them; and that there as one Commission to the Lord Arundel of Wardour, and another to the Lord Powis, for the one to be Lord Chancellour; and the other Lord Treasurer of England; and one to Mr. Lang∣horn himself, to be Advocate of the Army; and that they were signed Johannes Paulus d'Oliva, by Vertue of a Brief from the Pope: and Mr. Lang∣horn also told him, that he had sent one of these

Commissions by his Son, to be delivered to the Lord Arundel of Wardours Son.

4. That Mr. Langhorn, being employed as Solicitor for several of the Fathers of * 1.4 the Society, did prevail with the Benedictine Monks to raise six thousand pounds for carrying on the Cause; and did say in the hearing of the witness, That he would do his utmost for procu∣ring the said Money.

5. That Mr. Langhorn was disgusted that Sir G. Wakeman was not content with ten thousand pound to poison the King, and call'd him nar∣row-spirited, narrow-soul'd Physician: for being a publick concern, and to carry on the Cause, it was no matter if he did it for nothing.

6. An Instrument was produced in Court, signed by Paulus d'Oliva, found in Mr. Langhorns Chamber, long after Mr. Oates had given in his Testimony. Now Mr. Oates swore, that the be∣fore-mentioned Commissions were signed by the same hand, and had the same mark; but they were all conveyed away; and this being onely concerning an Ecclesiastick business, wherein they thought there was no danger, was left. How∣ever, this much confirmed Mr. Oates's Evidence, by shewing that Mr. Langhorn did use to receive Pa∣tents from, and had Commerce with the Superi∣our of the Jesuits at Rome.

In the next place comes Mr. Bedloe, and he swears that he went with Mr. Coleman * 1.5 to Mr. Langhorns Chamber, and there Mr. Coleman gave him his Letters to le Chese, and the Popes Nuncio and others, open, to read and Register in

a Book by him kept for that purpose; and that he saw him read these Letters, which were con∣cerning these designs in hand; and that he Regi∣stred them in a Book in his Closet, whilst he and Mr. Coleman walkt in the outer room; and that afterwards Coleman sealed up these Letters, and delivered them to the Witness, who carried them to le Chese; and that some of the expressions in those Letters were, That all things were now in readiness, and they onely wanted Money: That the Catholicks were now in safety; that Places and Offices had been disposed to them, and that all the Garrisons either were, or suddenly would be in their hands; and that now they had a fair opportunity, having a King so easie to believe what was dictated to him by their Party; and that if they missed this advantage, they might despair of ever introducing Popery into England. These were the very Expressions of some of them.

2. That he brought other Letters from Har∣court to Langhorn to be Registred, and Langhorn writ back, that he had received and would Regi∣ster them; of which Letters one was from the Rector of the Irish Colledge at Salamanca, which specified, That the Lord Bellasis and the rest con∣cerned, should be in readiness, for that they had sent some Irish cashier'd Souldiers, with many other Lay-Brothers, under the notion of Pilgrims for St. Jago, who were to take shipping at the Groin, and to land at Milford-Haven in Wales, and there to meet and joyn with the Lord Powis.

The onely defence Mr. Langhorn could maket was like that of the rest of his Party, by stou∣denyals,

and endeavouring to invalidate the cre∣dit of the Witnesses, by intrapping or confront∣ing them in point of time or place.

1. He would make Doctor Oates an Approver, as having been pardoned for the * 1.6 same Crime; and alleadged, that the Witnesses had received Rewards and gratifications for swea∣ring against them. But to this the Court answe∣red, That it could not be supposed the King would Bribe his Witnesses; and unless he could prove any reward to be given by Contract, or subornation, it was no Objection, for that allow∣ance of sustenance was usually given of old to Approvers, &c.

2. He mustered up again their baffled Evidence from St. Omers, of whom one * 1.7 being askt how he came to take notice of Mr. Oates being at St. Omers all April and May, and not in June and July as well, plainly answered, (being not well instructed, or more simple than the rest)—It was—Because the Question he came for did not fall upon that time: Which gives more light to the suspicion that they came with their Lessons in their Mouths, to save these mens lives, and their Churches sinking Credit; not to speak truth, but only right or wrong confront the Kings Evidence: but in vain, for Dr. Oates sufficiently asserted his Testimony by seven Witnesses, who now again proved, as they had done the day be∣fore, his being in London at the time controverted.

3. Then Mr. Langhorn produced the Woman at the White-horse Tavern, where * 1.8 Mr. Oates had said the Consult was held; and she boldly averred, that there was never a room in

her House would hold above a dozen people, and therefore there could not meet 50, or 18 or 20 persons at a time. This was an Objection Doctor Oates could not fore-see, not thinking any body would have had the confidence to alleadge it, and so was not provided with any Witnesses to con∣fute it: but as Providence ordered it, no less than three several strangers stood up in Court, that knew the House well, and being sworn, Attested, The first, that he had known sixteen to dine of∣ten in one Room of that House; the second, that he knew two Rooms, one backwards and the o∣ther forward, where Thirty might Dine at a time; and the third, that at a Wedding he knew of above Twenty that Dined together in one Room next the street. Nay farther, there was a Gentleman of good Quality in Court, who declared there have been fifty in a Room there; so that this Evidence, by such a peremptory falshood, did but add to the suspicion already too apparent on the rest of his Witnesses.

The matter being thus plain, the Jury did not find any difficulty that might require a te∣dious Consultation, and therefore returning af∣ter a short retirement, into Court, pronounced the prisoner Guilty; and then Whitebread, and the other Four Convicted the day before, being brought to him to the Bar, Mr. Recorder pro∣ceeded to pass Sentence of Death upon them all Six. But Mr. Langhorn, either in consideration of the affairs of others in relation to his Practice, which it might be convenient to adjust; or ra∣ther in hopes he might have been wrught upon

to make some ingenuous Confession, was Re∣prieved for a Month, and then Executed on Munday the Fourteenth of June, persisting in the most solemn and studied expressions of his Innocence; which, that they might be home and full, and consequently the more taking with the people, he had written down in a paper, whe∣ther of his own penning, or prescribed unto him by some Priest, is uncertain; and this he delivered to the Sheriff, referring himself thereunto, as the last Expressions of his mind; and desiring it might be seen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See the Try∣al, P. 9.
• * 1.2

  P. 10.
• * 1.3

  P. 11.
• * 1.4

  P. 13.
• * 1.5

  P. 19.
• * 1.6

  P. 27.
• * 1.7

  P. 33.
• * 1.8

  P. 46.