The History of the whiggish-plot, or, A brief historical account of the charge and deefnce [sic] of [brace] William Lord Russel, Capt. Tho. Walcot, John Rouse, William Hone, Captain Blague, [brace] Algernoon Sidney, Esq., Sir Sam. Barnardiston, John Hambden, Esq., Lawrence Braddon, Hugh Speak, Esq. together with an account of the proceedings upon the outlawry against James Holloway, and Sir Thomas Armstrong : not omitting any one material passage in the whole proceeding : humbly dedicated to His Royal Highness.

THE Charge and Defence OF William Hone.

UPON Friday the 19th, of July, William Hone having been Arraign'd the Day before, and after some frivolous Ev••sions pleaded not Guilty, was brought to his Tryel for C••nspiring and Int••nding the Death of the King, and the Subversion of the Government, and for providing himself with Arms to that purpose, To this being a second time asked ac∣cording to the usual Custom, whether Guilty or not Guilty, he would have retracted his Plea of not Guilty and pleaded Guilty. Up∣on * 1.1 which being demanded by the Court whether he did confess the whole Indictment? He answered Y••s, but being asked again whether he confessed that he did conspi••e the D••ath of the King, and provide Arms to do the wicked Act? He answered that he did not provide any Arms, that his Deposition before Sir William Turner was true, and that he was asked by Mr. Richard Good∣enough to go along with him, that he asked whether? and then understood it was to kill the King and the Duke of York, but was not told the place.

Which not being taken for a full Confession, the Kings Serjeant desired he might be tryed. So that the Jury were sworn with∣out any Challenges.

• ...Nicholas Charleton
• ...Christopher Pitts
• ...Robert Beddingfield
• ...John Pelling
• ...William Winbury
• ...Thomas Seaton
• ...William Rutl••nd
• ...Thomas Short
• ...Theophilus Man
• ...John Jenew
• ...John Short
• ...Thomas Nicholas.

Which done and the Endictment opened, Mr. Josias Keeling was * 1.2 sworn, who declared, that he saw the Prisoner at the Dolphin Ta∣vern, where the Arms were agreed upon. That at the same time were present Mr. West, Mr. Goodenough, and Mr. Rumbold, and that he remembred the Prisoner particularly. That it was then discoursed of the Kings coming home from Newmarket the Saturday after the Fire, and the several Reports of the Town con∣cerning it. That upon their hopes that the King would not re∣turn upon Munday, Mr. West asked Rumbold how many Swans∣quills, Goose-quills and Crows-quills, and what Sand and Ink he

must have; and that the Prisoner was by, and heard all the Di∣scourse. Being asked what was meant by all that? He answer'd, that by Swans-quills were meant Blunderbusses, by Goose-quills, Muskets, and by Crows-quills, Pistols, and by Sand and Ink, Pow∣der and Bullet. That after that Meeting the Prisoner took acquain∣tance with him, and after some time told him, that he was one of those that was to Assassinate the King. That after that, at a * 1.3 Coffee-House in Swithins Alley, the Prisoner told him, that it would never be well till the Black-bird and the Gold Finch were knock'd o'th Head, and that asking him what he meant by those Terms, he answered the King and the Duke of York.

Then the Prisoner being admitted to ask the Witness any Que∣stions, he said that he own'd it as to the Black-Bird, but that as to the Goldfinch he never heard a word of it till then.

Mr West being sworn, declared that he was at the Meeting be∣fore * 1.4 mentioned when Mr. Keeling came in; that several things were said of Swans-quills, &c. but that this Man did not come in till that Discourse was over, and that he was sure he did not speak of any thing of that nature before this Man in his Life. That Mr. Goodenough did undertake to provide the Man, and said he would try him whether he would attempt upon the Duke with∣out the King. That he asked the Prisoner, whether he had seen Mr. Goodenough? Who answered, that he had; and that he had spoke to him about a little Job for the Duke; and that Mr. Goode∣nough said he had spoken to him fully about the thing. That he saw him often in the Company of Manning, who was design'd to be another of the Aslassinaters. That being once at his Chamber, the Prisoner said to him, Master, shall we do nothing? adding, that if the Duke of M. would be but true, and appear, he would bring 50 or 60 honest Men of the other side of the Water, who would do the business. That upon asking him what business? he answered either a Brisk Push, vvhich the Witness took for an Insurrection, or the two Brothers. That upon asking him what two Brothers he meant? He reply'd, the Captain and Lieutenant, which were the Terms they us'd since the Van Herring was Printed. Here Mr. VVest put in, that he thought the Prisoner was a good honest Fellow before that time, but that he thought he was deluded by Goode∣nough.

Upon which the Lord Chief Justice ask'd him, whether he came to justifie those things?

Mr. West reply'd that he had been basely deluded, and that he was sorry for the poor Fellow.

Which caus'd the Lord Chief Justice to tell him that it was an unusual thing for men in his Condition to use such Expressions in such a Case. And being afterwards told by the Kings Serjeant, that he found him not worthy the Mercy the King had shewn him, then Mr. West reply'd. that it was a word he put from him unawares.

Then Sir Nicholas Butler being sworn, declared, That he had * 1.5 known the Prisoner for many Years, and had always known him Guilty of Plotting and Contriving, and upon all occasions ready to embrace any thing for those purposes laid to his Charge. Particularly, that when Sir Francis Chaplain was Lord Mayor, and that the King stood at Mr. Waldo's, the Angel being much

shaken, the Prisoner came to his House and told him, that now they had a fair Oppor••unity to take off the King and the Duke at once; to which purpose there were to be half a dozen with Cross-Bows, who would go into the Steeple, where there was a Window just opposite to the Balconey. That thereupon he went to the King and the Duke of York, and gave them this accompt, and desired them to set some to watch the Place, and to search if any were got into the Steeple before they came. That one Hor∣sel was appointed to watch them accordingly, but none came. And that when he was examined before the King, the Prisoner confessed all those things.

Captain Richa••dson being sworn gave evidence, That he went along with Sir Nicholas when he examined the Prisoner as to this thing. Who then said, that Mr. Goodenough came to him and told him he wanted L••bo••rers. That Mr Goodenough told * 1.6 him, it was to kill the King and the Duke of York, and that he confess••d he did agree to be one of the Persons would undertake it; and that Goodenough promised him Twenty Pound to buy him an Horse and Arms. That he confessed the business of Rye, which place he did not know, but said it was the place where the King was to be murder'd.

To all this the Prisoner said little or nothing, only that he did not know the place where, nor when it was proposed about the Rye, and that he was drawn into it by Mr. Goodenough.

That as to the Cross-bows, he was only told it, but never de∣signed it.

Being asked what Religion he professed, he answered, That he heard sometimes Baptists, sometimes Independents, and some∣times Presbyterians.

After a short Charge, the Jury brought him in Guilty, without stirring from the Bar.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hone desires to retract his Plea and plead Guilty.
• * 1.2

  Mr. Keeling Sworn.
• * 1.3

  He told the Witness he was put down to Assassinate the King.
• * 1.4

  Mr, West's Testimony.
• * 1.5

  Sir Nicholas Butler proves the Prisoner always ready for such evil design••.
• * 1.6

  He agrees with Goode∣nough to kill the King and the Duke of York.