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.

TO Both Houses OF THE PARLIAMENT OF ENGLAND.

Right Honourable! Honourable! and Worthy Patriots!

AFter the Gospel, in its free∣dom and restored Purity, had for above a hundred years gloriously shone in our Meridian, sealed with the Bloud of Martyrs, wa∣tered with the painful Industry of many thousands of learned pious Divines, as∣serted by the Pens of some, and Power of several Illustrious Princes, firmly establi∣shed

by so many Laws passed within those venerable Walls, whose signal Pre∣servation from the Gun-powder Devasta∣tion, is enough to inspire every Breast that enters them with just Indignation against the barbarous Treacheries of Rome. After the Popish Errours, destru∣ctive of all Christianity, have been so unanswerably confuted, their vile Practi∣ces so notoriously display'd, their horrid Treasons so clearly and miraculously de∣tected, who could have thought it pos∣sible, that these Kingdoms should again have been in danger from the so-oft-de∣feated Popelings! That ever that loath∣some baffled Cause should dare lift up its bruised Head to disturb our Tranqui∣lity! That those groveling Serpents should presume one more to Hiss and spit their Venome to such a perillous de∣gree; or that there should be found amongst us any such indifferent Prote∣stants, of so absurd irregular Appetites, as loathing the Celestial Manna, to long for the Onions and Garlick of Egypt; or that could be content not only to submit unto, but with their own hands endeavour to put about their own Necks that accursed York, which our Noble

Ancestors with so much Zeal and gene∣rous Disdain had shaken off!

But too plain it is, that our own over∣great Security, the restless Conspiracies of those sworn Enemies of our Peace, and the Connivance and base Practices of a too prevalent Faction, have within some years past, by dark Intrigues and silent Steps, so far advanc'd their Hellish De∣signes, as justly to awaken our most seri∣ous Apprehensions. Their late discove∣red and still growing Plots are such, and so effrontedly carried on, that we stand in need of the most prudent Councils, and the greatest Zeal, and the most active Cou∣rage, to prevent the accomplishment of their Contrivements, viz. the Murder of our King, the Extirpation of our true Religion, the Violation of our Liberties and Properties, and the final Confusion and Destruction of these once-happy Kingdoms.

The main Policy of these Engineers of Hell is, to conceal their Stratagems, out∣brazen their Villanies, and create a Dis∣belief, or at least raise Misrepresentations of their detestable Designes. To obviate which, and possess all good Subjects with a true sense of Affairs at one entire view,

and for a small Charge, we have in the following Leaves set forth a punctual Summary of their Actings, and all Pro∣ceedings that have hitherto been had for bringing some of the Conspirators to Ju∣stice, and to prevent the Mischiefs threat∣ned by the Rest.

'Tis true, my Lords! and Gentlemen! some Prints have already pretended to give the world such an Account; but we conceive, upon impartial perusal, they will be found not to answer that End. The several TRYALS of the Malefa∣ctors carefully taken, and published by Authority, are ('tis acknowledged) very satisfactory, as to the Judicial procee∣dings; but besides that many other Col∣lateral passages are most requisite to a true understanding of this voluminous Plot, the said Tryals (for we know not whose private advantages) are swel'd to such a price, that every honest man can neither spare money to buy, nor time to peruse them.

With pretence to remedy the latter, there was some time since emitted an A∣bridgment of those Tryals, under the Ti∣tle of THE HISTORY OF THE PLOT, though many cannot apprehend how it

should deserve that Name, since it men∣tions not one word of the Original Con∣trivance, the Preparatives, manner of Discovery, and other Remarkables essen∣tial to an History; but onely epitomizes the Tryals, and even of them, omits Staley's and Reading's which yet sure had some relation to the Plot. Besides, the witty Epistle prefixt, seems to drown the Popish Plot with Suggestions of an Imagi∣nary one of the Protestants, no less (for∣sooth) to be dreaded; and yet even the amusing people with such Stories, is no∣toriously a Part of the grand Popish De∣signe. And whereas it tells us, That not one material point is omitted, most Rea∣ders cannot finde the substantial part of Mr. Bedloe's Evidence against Wakeman (p. 46. of the Tryal) so much as hinted at; not to mention the gross Shuffles and O∣missions in p. 77. and elsewhere. So that had not the Ingenious Mr. Roger L'Estrange in a late Pamphlet, intituled, The FREE-BORN SUBJECT, been pleased to own himself Compiler of that petite History, its Author might have lain under Ill Suspitions. And yet even there he happens to give but an unhappy Reason for his undertaking that pains, viz.

Because he found in the printed Tryals MANY gross Incoherences, and VERY MATERIAL MISTAKES (yet instances but One, and corrected too, as an Erratum at the end of the next Tryal printed.) Now though the Gentleman, being so well a known Protestant, meant, no doubt, very honestly, yet 'tis not im∣possible a scurvy mischief may thence happen: For when our Posterity shall urge these Tryals for proof against Pa∣pists (which certainly was the designe of taking them so curiously, and not a little paltry profit) how easily may the subtle Villains stop their mouths, by al∣leadging from this Author, That no heed is to be given to the said Tryals, being so publickly own'd by a person of his Note and late Qualification, to be guilty of so many and such very MATERIAL MISTAKES? But the Gentleman that discovers so many Errours, may be allow'd to make some, especially since he was so perplext in the mighty business, that he assures us, That reflecting upon the Er∣rours of the printed Tryals, together with the almost-inextricable difficulty of re∣triving the Truth out of such a confusion of Tautologies and Forms, the Collection

being so bulkie too, and the Particulars lying so scatter'd, it was next to the Work of a RESƲRRECTION, to set every part in its right place.—Free-born Subject, p. 15.

The POPISH COMPENDIUM was the next that attempted any thing of this kinde; whose Author in the Preface scandalizes the last-mentioned, by saying, That he jumpt with him in the same De∣signe; and addes, That he has past by, or slubber'd over several things which the Parties concern'd may justly insist upon to be of great force in their business. This we are sure of; The Designe of this Compendium is to vilisie the King's Evi∣dence, slubber over the Plot, and make people as stupid in Politicks as they would have them in Divinity, even to believe contrary both to their Reason and their Senses.

What we have here performed, or how far useful it may be, is left to im∣partial Censure, and the Issue of Time: Such as it is, it humbly casts itself at the feet of this Illustrious Great Council for Pardon and Protection; for it may have need of both; though the Errours being all involuntary, may better hope for

Excuse, and the End being honest, doth not much dread the Snarlings of mali∣cious Slanderers, nor the Frowns of mighty Criminals.

We acknowledge your Lordships, and most of you the Honourable Gentlemen of the House of Commons, cannot but already know these matters much better than they are here related, having taken the Examinations, and had the view of many Papers and Informations before the Secret Committee and else∣where, which to us were inaccessible. However, the main matters being thus couch'd in so small a Volume, may not be unserviceable to the Common People, who in their degree are not uncon∣cerned to be faithfully informed of the Progress of this Hellish Plot: And so much the more grateful we know will the Book be to them, in that it is Dedi∣cated to this August Senate, for whose Session they have throughout the Na∣tion expressed such hearty Desires, and on whose sage Proceedings they so much depend.

Whenever it shall please our Gracious Sovereign, and be necessary for the weighty Affairs of the Publique to

Assemble You, (in the midst of whom, Majesty is in its brightest Splendour, and from that lofty Orb darts Rays as Abso∣lute and Formidable, as any Monarch under Heaven) may Omnipotent Wis∣dome mercifully direct all your Counsels: We wait for you as for the Rain, and our Mouths are opened wide as for the latter Rain; The Blessing of her that is ready to perish waits to descend upon you. Suffer not the Ruine of the Protestant Religion to bear date under, or expire with the best of Princes: Let not the Reformed Churches throughout the World charge their Destruction on the Imprudencies or Neglects of the most Enlightened Na∣tion of the Earth. May the Spirit of Prudence, Courage, Loyalty, and Ʋnity rule in your Debates; May there ever be a sweet Harmony between these Two Houses, and a dutiful Deportment of both towards his Majesty; that our pre∣sent Fears may be removed, Grievances redrest, and the Child yet unborn find∣ing his best Inheritance (the Protestant Religion and Liberties of an English∣man) secured to him by your Endeavours, may rise up in After-times and call you Blessed.

Amen.