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.

The following Transactions happening after the Print∣ing this History, be pleased to take a summary account thereof, as follows.

THe 10th of December, 1679. was published a Proclamation signifying the Kings pleasure that the Parliament formerly Prorogued to the 26th of January, should at that time be Prorogued again to the 11th of November 1680. About this time, several persons Endeavouring to promote Petitions, and Nine Lords in the names of several other Peers of the Realm, actually presenting a Petition to his Majesty, for the Parliament to continue to sit on the said 26th of January, his Majesty thought fit to publish his Proclamation for the preventing of tumultuous Petitions; yet many conceiving such humble Petitioning not to

be forbidden by any Law of this Kingdome, did proceed therein; and on the 20th of December, three persons of the Parish of St. Martins in the Fields, sending for some others that were pro∣moting such a Petition, and having it produced, did tear the same; for which being carried before a Justice of the Peace (since discharged of the Commission) they were bound over, and the next Sessions a Bill being preferred against them, reciting, That whereas the subjects and liege people of England, by the Laws and Customes thereof have used to represent their grievances by Petition, or by any other way: And whereas such a Petition (re∣citing the words) was prepared and subscribed by many of the Kings Subjects and liege People; the Persons indicted, being ill-affected, and contriving, devising, and intending, as much as in them lay, to hinder the sitting of the said Parliament as was prayed in the Petition, and also to hinder the Tryal of the Offenders, and redress the Grievances therein mentioned, did as Rioters and disturbers of the Peace, &c. with Force and Arms, &c. unlawfully, rio∣tously, and injuriously, the said Petition (being deli∣vered to them at their request, and for the subscribing of their Names thereto, if they should think fit) did tear in pieces, in Contempt of our Soveraign Lord the King, and of his Laws, to the evil Example, &c. and against the Peace, &c. Which Bill was found by the Grand Jury.

And on the 13th of January, a Petition was presented to his Majesty, by Sir Gilbert Gerrard Baronet, Son in the Law to the late Bishop of Durham, Thomas Smith, Bencher of the Inner-Tem∣pel, and eight other Gentleman and Citizens, of

considerable Estates and Qualities; the words whereof were as follows.

To the King's most Excellent Majesty, the humble Petition of your Majesties most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects, In∣habitants in and about the City of London, whose Names are hereunder subscribed,

Sheweth;

THat whereas there has been, and still is a most Damnable and Hellish Plot, branched forth into the most horrid Villanies against Your Majesties most Sa∣cred Person, the Protestant Religion, and the well-established Government of this your Realm; for which several of the principal Conspirators stand now Im∣peach'd by Parliament:

Therefore in such a time, when Your Majesties Royal Person, as also the Pro∣testant Religion, and the Government of this Nation, are thus in most eminent danger; Your Majesties most Dutiful and Obedient Subjects, in the deepest sense of our Duty and Allegiance to your Majesty, do most humbly and earnestly pray, That the Parliament, which is Prorogued un∣til

the 26th day of January, may then Sit to try the Offenders, and to Redress all our Grievances, no otherwise to be re∣dressed.

And your Petitioners shall ever pray for Your Majesties long and prosperous Reign.

To this Petition was annexed a Roll of above 100 Yards long, containing many thousand Names of many of the most eminent Citizens and Inhabitants in and about London, that had subscribed the same. His Majesties Answer was to this effect: I know the substance of it already; and as I am Head of the Government, I shall take care of it.

The Papists, though so often bastled, resolve still to play a new Game; and therefore on the 7th of January, John Gadbury, Prisoner for the Popish High-Treason, as we have before related, sent to acquaint the Lords (appointed a Com∣mittee for Examination) that he had something to communicate to them: whereupon he was immediately sent for; but (being perhaps not sufficiently tutor'd) he then excused himself that he did not expect to be so suddenly called, and therefore desired further time; whereupon he was ordered to put what he had to say into writing. And on the 9th of January being again examined before His Majesty, did declare, That about September last, Sir Robert Peyton desiring to be reconciled to the Interests of his Majesty and the

Duke of York, Gadbury acquainted Mrs. Celier the Midwife therewith, between whom and Sir Ro∣bert there grew an intimate Correspondence; and that Sir R. Peyton did then say, he should hereby lose a considerable Interest, which could put him in the Head of 20000 men in two days time, and that could raise 60000 men in little more than a Week: And that these people, in case the King had died the last Summer at Windsor, would have seized the Tower, Dover-Castle, &c. secured the Mayor of London, and opposed all that should have proclaimed the Duke of York.—Mrs. Celier (though both pretended to be kept close Prisoners, he in the Gatehouse, and she in Newgate, yet being now brought up) confirmed in substance the same Sto∣ry; only adding, that they were to murder the Lord Mayor, destroy all Episcopists, set up a Commonwealth; and to that purpose allowed Pensions to several old Officers of the late Rebel∣lious Army. All these things and words Sir R. Peyton absolutely denied; yet was by Warrant from the Council committed to the Tower for High-Treason, for Conspiring to raise Arms a∣gainst the King, a close Prisoner; (though the Five Popish Lords, directly charged upon Oath, and Impeach'd by Parliament for a Designe to Murder the King and Subvert the Government, were admitted mutual Converse, and free access of Visitants, yet) no body without special War∣rant being admitted to visit him.

In the mean time, both Gadbury & Celier were flusht with hopes of procuring their respective Pardons; but that being stopt upon divers weighty Considerations by a most judicious and

Honorable Peer, Gadbury began to relent, and on the 14th discovered the whole contrivance of this Sham-Plot; that he knew no harm by Sir Robert, but was drawn in by Mrs. Celier, &c. to testifie such things against him, &c. whereupon there was an Order that Celier should be kept close Prisoner, and 'tis supposed Gadbury will at last make a full honest Discovery.

On Saturday the 17th of January, at the Sessi∣ons in the Old-Bayly, were Arraigned eight per∣sons, as Popish Priests, viz.

• David Joseph Kemish.
• Lionel Anderson, alias Mounson.
• William Russel, alias Napper.
• James Corker, and William Marshal, Two Benedictine Monks, for∣merly tryed for the Plot with Wakeman.
• George Parris, alias Parry.
• Henry Starkey, and
• Alexander Lumsdel.

Of whom the first, that is, Mr. Kemish, being very antient and sickly, was upon his humble request after Arraignment, referred to another time for Tryal, when he might be better able to make his defence.

The other seven being severally tryed, the chief Witnesses that gave Evidence against them, were Dr. Oates, Mr. Bedloe, Mr. Prance, Mr. Dugdale, and Mr. Dangerfield.

The particulars of their respective Charge and Defence, are too tedious here to be set forth: the

sum was, that they were severally proved by the Witnesses (some speaking as to some of the Pri∣soners, others to others) to have said Mass, conse∣crated and administred the Eucharist, and frequently performed such Functions as no Lay-man in their Church is allowed to meddle with. Particularly, it was proved by Mr. Dan∣gerfield, that Anderson, alias Mounson, having scowr'd his Kettle, that is, took his Confession, and given him Absolution, and ordered him to re∣ceive the Sacrament, which he did accordingly, did yet the same day perswade him to endeavour to get some secrets out of Stroud, then a Prisoner with them in the Kings-bench, against Mr. Bedloe, and to do it by drinking hard with Stroud: and the Witness seeming to be a little scrupulous of being drunk the same day he had Received, this holy Father said he might venture without dan∣ger; it was no harm if he were drunk, since he did it for the good of the Cause. The Defences made by them, were either silly, or else rather subtle than solid, alleadging that there was no way to convict them of being Priests, unless the Wit∣nesses saw them actually take Orders. Which if true, the Statute would be vain, and its whole force eluded. None of them had either so much zeal, as now to own himself a Priest (though one of them had confest it before to the Court, which he now denied) but rather all seeming to deny it, lying at catch with the Witnesses words, and urging them to name the very days they heard them say Mass, that they might by their Gang, prepared to affirm any thing, contradict them: Which ap∣pear'd evidently, in that Marshal was not ashamed

openly to declare, That let Mr. Oates name any time or place whatsoever, he would bring Witnesses to disprove him. This Marshal was their great Orator, who made long Speeches, but to very little purpose; there being nothing of weight or matter in what he urged. Starkey was an Old man, that said he had been a Major in the late King's Army; and 'twas proved that he had boasted, that he had said Mass twenty and twenty times in that Army; and of late the Witnesses had divers times and at several places heard him say Mass, &c. After a full and fair Tryal, the Jury brought in Six Guilty; who thereupon re∣ceived Sentence of Death. But Lumsdel, being a Scotchman, was left upon a special Verdict, it being doubted whether he were within the Sta∣tute of the 27 Eliz. cap. 2. on which they were Indicted: So that he must lye, till the Judges have determined that Point.