A.D.168c. that no Power on Earth could authorife a his Hand against the 32 Car. II. The Prac Man to lift up As this Lord was the laft Perfon put to tices of the Death for this Popish, or Presbyterian Plot, it Faction to may not be improper here, to remember fome Witneffes of the Stratagems the Faction made ufe of, of the Plot. to procure Evidence against the unhappy Suf procure ferers: And it appears that Corral, Prance, and feveral more, were threatned and tortured to make them confefs what Shaftsbury and his Agents dictated to them; while other poor neceffitous Wretches were tempted by extravagant Rewards, to accufe fuch Perfons as were mark'd out for Deftru&tion: But when we observe further, the Promises of Life made to many condemned Men if they would confefs the Plot, and that every Man of them refused the Offer, chufing to die rather than become falfe Witneffes; when we fee Men, to whofe Lives no Objection could be made but their Religion, seriously and folemnly denying every Tittle of the Charge in their laft Moments; Can the Oaths of the moft profligate Villains, who acknowledged the changing their Religion, receiving Sacraments, and taking Oaths of Secrecy to be with an Intention, to betray the Perfons they were engaged with, and that for Years together, be of any Weight? Even Burnet gives up Oates and Bedloe, as Men whofe Credit could not be rely'd on. And tho' for a Time he is willing to allow Dugdale and Turberville to be unexceptionable Witneffes, yet we find when they come to teftify against Colledge, he makes them full as vile as the others, and to deferve as little Credit, as either Oates or Bedloe. And 32 Car II. And Page 509, Burnet fays, "And now 4.D.1680. Dugdale and Turberville, who had been the "Witnesses upon whofe Evidence Lord Stafford was condemn'd, being within a Year detected, or at leaft fufpected of this Villany, I could not but reflect on what he had faid to me, That he was confident I should fee within a Year, that the Witneffes would be "found to be Rogues." " It is further obfervable, That every one of the Witneffes of the Popish Plot improved daliy in their Evidence, and from fome flight Knowledge of it, which they pretended to at firft, became pofitive Witneffes against Perfons they had never feen before, and of Facts which they had folemnly protefted upon their Oaths they were Strangers to. We find alfo, upon the great Encouragement and Careffes the first Witneffes met with, others fprung up in all Parts of the Kingdom, pretending to make Discoveries of Plots: Many of whom were fo plainly detected, that they could obtain no Credit, even in thofe believing Times. It was pretended alfo, That this Defign of murdering the King, had been on Foot for many Years, and was become the Common Talk not only all over England, but almoft in every Kingdom in Europe; and every Popith Prince was faid to be concern'd in it: Great Forces were agreed to be raised, and great Quantities of Arms faid to be provided, and Commiffions iffu'd out, and yet nothing of all this appear'd; which is incredible, if there was any Truth in the Evidence given of thefe mighty Preparations. A.D.1680 32 Car.II. the Parlia ment. 'Tis obfervable alfo, That Oates in his first Discoveries made the Pope claim the British Dominions as his Right; and that the Duke was to be murdered, as well as the King: And yet afterwards, when he came under Shaftsbury's Management, he makes the Duke the principal Confpirator, and makes this a Handle for introducing the Bill of Exclufion; representing, that the Nation could never be fafe while there was the Profpe&t of a Popish Succeffor. Let any impartial Man confider these Circumftances, with thofe other Objections the Prifoners made in their Defence, and he will be easily convinced, that all that Part of the Plot relating to the Affaffination of the King was entirely a Fiction. That the Roman-Catho licks had a Defign then, and ever fince the Reformation, to have introduced their Religion; and that they had more than ordinary Hopes of effecting it on the Duke of York's coming to the Crown, is not to be doubted: But for their confpiring the King's Death, or inviting over foreign Forces to fubdue the Kingdom, there does not feem the leaft Foundation. And this will further appear, when we fee Oates convicted of Perjury by above forty Witneffes, among whom there were feveral Proteftants of Reputation, who could have no manner of Inducement to give that Evidence, if it had not been true. The King's In the mean time the King made a Speech Speech to to both Houfes, wherein he again put them in mind of granting a Supply to enable him to perform his Alliances, as well as for the Prefervation of Tangier; affuring them, That he was ready to concur with them in any Measures for the Security of the Proteftant Religion, that might confift with preferving 4.D.1680 32 Car. II. propofed ceffion; fmart Bills. Two Days after, they refolved, That a With fe- 32 Car. II. A.D.1680. with fuch other Articles as are contained in the abovefaid Refolutions: Which Requests being granted, they tell his Majefty they fhall be ready to affift him in the Prefervation of Tangier, and fitting out fuch a Fleet as might maintain the Sovereignty of the Seas, and defend the Nation. The King's About a Fortnight after, viz. the feventh Answer of January, the King fent the Commons a Meffage in Writing by Sir William Temple, in Anfwer to this Addrefs; wherein he tells them, That he was forry to find their Thoughts fo wholly fixed upon the Bill of Exclufion, as to determine that all other Remedies for fuppreffing Popery would be ineffectual; That his Majefty was confirmed in his Opinion against that Bill by the House of Lords, who rejected it; and therefore recommended to them the Confideration of other Means for the Prefervation of the Proteftant Religion. The Commons, on the Receipt of this Meffage, refolved, That until a Bill was paffed for excluding the Duke of York, they could not give any Supply, without Danger to his Perfon, extreme Hazard of the Proteftant Religion, and Unfaithfulness to those who entrusted them; and that they who advised the laft Meffage, were Promoters of Popery, and Enemies to the King and Kingdom; and voted an Address to his Majefty, to remove from all Offices of Honour and Profit, and from his Prefence and Council for ever, George Miniftry. Earl of Halifax, Lawrence Hyde, Efq; Henry Marquis of Worcester, Henry Earl of Clarendon, and Lewis Earl of Feverfham, whom they fufpected of giving his Majefty that Advice. They proceeded alfo to the following extra They address the King to alter his |