A true DISCOVERY OF A Bloody plot INTENDED TO HAVE been put in practice on Thursday the 18. of this present November, against some of the chief of the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled by bloody minded Papists.  
As also a relation of intended insurrections in six several parts of this Land on the same day; discovered by Thomas Beale, and by him presented to the high Court of Parliament, in protestation against divers other libellous Pamphlets printed already by false, scandalous, and lying Copies.  
LONDON Printed for the Author, to be presented to the high Court of Parliament, and are to be sold by Henry Walker. 1641.   

TO THE honourable AND HIGH court OF Parliament now assembled.  
Right Honourable:  
whereas there hath been several Pamphlets printed of this Relation, one for John Greensmith, the other for John Thomas, both which your Honours may be pleased to take notice are both false and impious, and as many do conceive, composed rather by some Papist, than any well affected person to the Protestant party; I am therefore importuned under your honourable Patronage to present a true copy of it to the view of the world, that so people may not be seduced, but understand the truth.  
Your honour's humble attendant, ready to my last breath to do service. THO: BEALE.   

A true RELATION OF A BLOODY PLOT INTENDed, November 18. 1641.  
BY the way give me leave to take notice of one special property in the providence of God, which falleth out according to David's prayer, Psal. 59 ver. 11. Slay them not, lest my people forget it, but scatter them abroad in thy power, and put them down O Lord, our shield. The people of God are so subject to forget the goodness of God, that although he in mercy both discover the plots of their enemies, and prevent them, yet many times he is as it were compelled to suffer the enemies to escape the hand of Justice, that so his people grow not secure.  
And herein the Lord dealeth like a loving father, who having a spendthrift son, that by his creditors is cast into prison, comes, and unknown to his son, dischargeth all his debts (yet so, that the bonds in his knowledge, stand still in force) and causeth him to be released, that thereby he might still make him afraid of running behind hand again.  
And after this manner it hath pleased God (for aught I can perceive yet) to deal at this time with the Nation in this last discovery of that damnable and cruel plot which should have been put in practise the 18 day of this present month of November.  
Before I come to the matter, I shall first show the manner of the discovering it, which was thus.  
On Monday, the 15. day of this November, I was in my own house at dinner at twelve of the clock, when I had dined (having no employments at the work of my calling) I took a little writing book in my hand, which formerly I had written, and did intend to peruse it, and correct some faults, and supply some things wanting, but having no conveniency in my own house, by reason of the frowardness of my child, I thought best (it being a calm day) to go into a secret field not far off, which formerly I had frequented for my own private meditations, the field lieth above Oldstreete, between the way that cometh from the Pest-house, and the way that cometh from Brick-lane in Oldstreete; all men that use to go that way, know that the first of those fields hath a common path, which goeth from the Kings-gate at the further end of Brick-lane towards the Pest-house, over against this path, all the way on the other side of the field is a high bank cast up, which on the further side of it is shelving, like the side of a house eaves, and on that side the path is, it is straight down like a mudwall, with a little dry ditch cast up on this side.  
On the farther side of this bank, I walked a turn or two, and as I had occasion I stooped, and on my knee wrote a word or two, and as I was stooping and writing, I heard a man him, which made me look if I could see him, and going softly up the bank, I perceived in the little ditch stood a couple of men, on the sudden I began to retire to my former business, but as I turned, I heard them speak of State affairs as I thought, which made me stand still to hear more, which when I had, I couched myself close on my knees, and on my elbows, with my head close to the bank, where with much ease I heard this following discourse.  
I shall omit nothing that I can remember, but (as I related it to the house of Parliament) only their desperate and bloody oaths, with which almost each sentence was ushered in, the first I could understand was this: as it followeth.  Geroge. 
What a wicked thing was it, that that plot did not take effect?  Philip. 
Oh 'twas a wicked thing indeed! but I hope it was dismissed, that a better might take place.  George. 
I hope it will prove a better, if it be not unluckily prevented.  Philip. 
For my part I do not fully understand the matter, for I came but last night to Town, and as soon as I came to my Lords, they told me I must needs come again this morning; and when I came, I was conveyed up into my Lord's Chamber, and there was my Lord and Father Jones, and Father Andrew's: and Father Andrew's related to me what service I was for, but yet I could not fully understand the scope of it.  George. 
No: why, thou knowest whether thou carriedst thy Letters.  Philip. 
Yes, I carried Letters into Buckinghamshire, and into Warwickshire, and into Worcestershire; but I did not know for what: but at one place I was bravely entertained, at Master Sh: as soon as ever he read the Letter, he caused me to be set to dinner; and when I had dined, he gave me a Letter to deliver to my Lord, and a piece for myself, and charged me to make all speed I could to London again: but prithee why dost thou bring me to stand here?  George. 
I stand here, because in yonder path (pointing to the rode-way before him) I promised to stay for Dick Jones: thou knowest him, dost not?  Philip. 
Yes, as well as I know thee.  George. 
He's a good lusty Fellow thou knowest, and he is appointed to kill that rascally Puritan Pim, him that hath been the chief cause of our misery.  Philip. 
But I fear still the Puritans will prevail.  George. 
Tush, tush, prevail; how can that be? being we have so many friends, both in the Lower and the upper House; and when all these base Puritans are killed, then on the sudden all the city will be in a tumult, and then on the instant will there be risings in six several places of the Land, to my knowledge: in Bucking-hamshire, in Warwickshire, in Worcestershire, in Lancashire, (the other two places I remember not.)  Philip. 
Yea marry Sir, this sounds well, if we can but escape, we shall all be made men.  George. 
If we escape we shall be brave fellows; Lords, and Knights, and Gentlemen; and we have as brave ways to escape as ever men had; for we can quickly change our names, and our clothes, and our faces too, and with that he plucked a false beard out of his pocket, saying, am I the man I was; putting it on as I conceive.  Philip. 
That is a dainty way indeed, we may thank Father Andrew's for that trick; for if we have but the least time, presently we can change our shapes: but if we should be taken, 'tis but our lives, and then we shall be Saints: for we to day took the holy Sacrament on it, and were shrieved.  George. 
So did we on Saturday, I was the 37. man, and we had forty shillings a man: and when that was gone, we might come and fetch more.  Philip. 
I think I was the last of all: for after I was in my Lord's Chamber, I stayed till five more came; and I understood that Father Jones said we were all, and I was last set down, and was the hundred and eight; and we had all forty shillings a piece, (shaking his pockets:) but how cunning Father Jones was, he set down all our names on the one side, and just against them the names of them we should kill: but prithee who must kill the Lords?  George. 
O they be brave fellows in their Scarlet coats, and their Cloaks lined with Plush, they had ten pounds a man; and if we should prevail, we shall every man have the Possessions and Lands of him that we killed: there be four Londoners Tradesmen, that are to kill the Puritan Citizens.  Philip. 
I do but think what a racket there will be when this is done; though all be not killed, yet it will make such a tumult for the time, that it will make them have little mind to send to Ireland.  George. 
Ay, that was Father Andrew's his wit, to prevent sending to Ireland, and I hope if they prevail there, we shall not need to fear here.  Philip. 
Thou knowest him that thou art for ay, as well as I know thee; and I (swearing most bloodily) will be his death, though it cost me my life a thousand times; (He is a great fatguts fellow) either coming down stairs, or in their Coaches, or at any other place.  
Having spoken thus, he that they looked for (Dick Jones) it seemeth did appear, which caused George suddenly to leap up, saying, now he is coming; and by his sudden starting, he descried me on the other side of the bank; which when he had, he desperately swore he would end me first; and with that, stepping up the bank on the sudden, ere I could recover my legs, (which were so numbed with kneeling, that indeed for the time I could not stand) he drew his rapier and ran me through both my cloak, short coat, breeches, shirt, and breeches on the other side; and by the mighty providence of God, ran betwixt my thighs, and yet did me no hurt at all: so thinking he had ended me (for indeed I lay still, being in such a sudden fear with the fight, and hearing him speak so bloodily, and fearing a second blow) he leaped back again, and ran away out of my sight, before ever I could recover my senses to take notice which way he ran; but as soon as ever I came to myself, I posted to the Parliament House, and first related it to Alderman sums; he and Master Pymme satisfied the Lower House of it, where I was examined, and afterward in the Lord's House three several times; and since that the place hath been seriously viewed, both by Lords and Commons, and the truth made apparent, and I hope some of the Plotters taken; which I pray God they may be, if it please him, for Jesus Christ his sake: to whom be praise for ever, Amen.  
FINIS.