A brief history of the times, &c. ...

CHAP. IX.

The Design of Tong's Plot was upon the Duke of York.

[THe Main, and Principal Design, (says Young Tong in one of his Letters) was to Disinherit His Royal Highness.] Popery was the Colour; The Duke of York was brought in Consequently as the Head of the Roman Catholiques; The Queen not Spar'd; and the Late King Himself more then Innuen∣do'd into the Conspiracy. Plain-Dealing Otes gives his Late Majesty a Touch on't in the Preface to his Nar∣rative: And if it be True (as it comes from a very Good Hand, and I believe it) when Bedloe was Press'd to say Whom he saw about the Murder'd Body of Sr Edmundbury Godfrey, he did Heroically Declare, that he would not Name the Man; Nay, and though he was Adjur'd to do it by an Eminent Pa∣tron of the Cause that is now in the Grave, His An∣swer was Short, and Resolute, that there was He, and He, and a Tall ••l••ck Man, but he would go no Fur∣ther. So that the King, and the whole Royal Family were brought into the Toyle, as well as His Royal Highness: For Excluding for Popery, Involves Deposing; and Monarchy it self was to Fall too, with his Maje∣sty: Witness the Association; that was render'd In∣separable from the Exclusion, and Carry'd in the Pro∣ject of it, the very Lines, and Method of a Common-Wealth. Simpson Tong follows the Blow at His Royal Highness, (with some Particular Names, which, out

of Decency, and Respect, I shall forbear) making Men∣tion of the Lord Shaftsbury, &c. by whom the Mat∣ter was Publiquely, and in Truth, Carry'd-on: But it was no Great Wonder, when a Company of Fools had put so many Shams together, and given them the Countenance of a Discovery, or a Narrative, for a Pack of Crafty Blades to Vernish it over afterwards and to put Popular Glosses upon it.

As to Tongs Aversion to the Duke of York,* 1.1 with a Regard both to his Title, and Religion; the Vein of it runs quite thorough All his Papers where-ever he can but bring in That Subject, thoug•• by Head and Shoulders; particularly in the Bus'∣ness of Mr Coleman, and in the Cheat of the Five Windsor Letters, where he lays the Blasting of That Discovery at the Door of his Then Royal Highness, by Possessing his Majesty against the Belief of Be∣dingfields Letters, and over-ruling the Credit of them, whereas it is made Sufficiently Notorious already, that when the Faction afterward were Audaci∣ous, and Powerfull enough to ••ress, and to Procure his Banishment; to Attempt his Exclusion, Impeach∣ment; nay the making a Traytor of him; they had not yet either the Face, or the Heart to venture so much as One Syllable, of All These Letters into E∣vidence. But One Instance shall serve for All.

In Tong's Iesuits Assassins, (being the Enformation of One Green a Weaver, drawn up, and made Parli∣ament-Proof, by Dr Tong) he brings in a Discourse betwixt One Mr ••oyer, and Green a Weaver, con∣cerning the Titles of the Duke of York, and Duke of Monmouth.

If there be a Difference (says Green) between the Duke of York,* 1.2 and the Duke of Monmouth, and the Parliament do not Settle it; I believe that All the Protestants in England will venture thei•• Bloud, before the Duke of Monmouth shall lose his Birthright, and We lose the Liberty of Our Reli∣gion too.

B••y••r. And We will Venture All our Lives and Fortunes on the Behalf of the Duke of York, and for the Interest of Our Religion.

Green. What can You do? for You be Nothing to Vs.

Boyer. Do not you Think so; for although we are but Thin here, yet there be Many in Other Pla∣ces, and Powerfull Persons too. I will raise a Com∣pany, &c. I am now gotten into the Acquaintance of them, by whose Assistance I can get a Commissi∣on from the Duke of York as well as Another. fol. 2.] And now comes Tong with a Politique Nota Be∣ne upon't.

N. B. This agrees well with Mr Jenisons Relation of a Commission promised Him, &c. And here it may be Noted by what False, Sly, and Pernicious Suggestions, and Insinuations, the Jesuits Sow the Seeds of Sedition, and Rebellion in the Minds of Simple, and Well Meaning Persons of All Degrees, as here in the Present Case; pre∣tending and Raising False Titles to the Crown, and thereby Dividing the Loyal Subjects thereof, into Bloudy Feuds, and Resolutions.] This Pretended Discourse pass'd in 1675. So that Tongs Plot was much before his Discovery.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tong's 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to the Duke 〈◊〉〈◊〉 York.
• * 1.2

  Tongs Malice to the Duke of York.