THE DEPOSITION OF Mr. William Carstares, When he was Examined before the Lords of Secret Committee, given in by him, and renewed upon Oath upon the 22. of December 1684. in presence of the Lords of His Majesty's Privy-Council.  
Edinburgh- Castle, September 8. 1684.  
MR. William Carstares being Examined upon Oath, conform to the Condescension given in by him, and on the Terms therein-mentioned, Depones, That about November or December 1682. James Stuart, Brother to the Laird of Cultness, wrote a Letter to him from Holland, importing, that if any considerable sum of Money could be procured from England, that something of importance might be done in Scotland: The which Letter, the Deponent had an inclination to inform Shepherd in Abb-Church-lane, Merchant in London of; but before he would do it, he wrote to Mr. Stuart abovenamed, to know from him if he might do it; and Mr. Stuart having consented, he Communicate the said Letter to Mr. Shepard, who told the Deponent that he would Communicate the Contents of it to some persons in England; but did at that time name no body, as the Deponent thinks: Some time thereafter, Mr. Shepard told the Deponent, that he had Communicate the Contents of the Letter abovenamed, to Colonel Sidney, and that Colonel Danvers was present, and told the Deponent, that Colonel Sidney was averse from employing the late Earl of Argile, or meddling with him, judging him a man too much affected to the Royal Family, and inclined to the present Church-Government; yet Mr. Shepard being put upon it by the Deponent, still urged, that one might be sent to the Earl of Argile; but as Mr. Shepard told him, he was suspected upon the account of his urging so much; yet afterwards he pressed, without the Deponents knowledge, that the Deponent being to go to Holland however, might have some Commission to the Earl of Argile, which he having informed the Deponent of, the Deponent told him, that he himself would not be concerned, but if they would send another, he would introduce him; but nothing of this was done: upon which the Deponent went over, without any Commission from any body, to Holland, never meeting with James Stuart abovenamed: He was introduced to the Earl of Argile, with whom he had never before conversed; and did there discourse what had passed betwixt Mr. Shepard and him; and particularly, about remitting of Money to the said Earl from England; of which, the said Mr. Stuart had written to the Deponent, namely of 30000 pounds Sterling; and of the raising of 1000 Horse and Dragoons; and the securing the Castle of Edinburgh, as a matter of the greatest importance: The method of doing this was proposed by the Deponent, to be one hour, or thereby, after the relieving of the Guards: But the Earl did not relish this proposition, as dangerous; and that the Castles would fall of consequence, after the work abroad was done. James Stuart was of the Deponents Opinion, for seizing the Castle; because it would secure Edinburgh, the Magazines and Arms. As to the 1000 Horse and Dragoons, my Lord Argite was of Opinion, that without them nothing was to be done; and that if that number were raised in England to the said Earl, he would come into Scotland with them; and that there being so few Horse and Dragoons to meet them, he judged he might get the Country without trouble, having such a standing Body for their Friends to Rendezvous to; and the said Earl said he could show the Deponent the convenient places for Landing, if he understood; and as the Deponent remembers, where the Ships could attend. The Deponent remembers not the Names of the places. The Deponent spoke to the Lord Stairs, but cannot be positive that he named the Affair to him, but found him shy: but the Earl of Argile told him, he thought Stairs might be gained to them: And that the Earl of Lowdoun being a man of good Reason and disobliged, would have great influence upon the Country, and recommended the Deponent to Major Holms, with whom the Deponent had some acquaintance before, and had brought over a Letter from him to the Earl of Argile; but the Deponent had not then communicate any thing to the said Holms. James Stuart laid down a way of correspondence by Ciphers and false Names, and sent them over to Holms, and the Deponent, for their use (which Ciphers and Names are now in the hands of His Majesty's Officers, as the Deponent supposes,) and did desire the Deponent earnestly to propose the 30000 pound Sterling abovenamed to the Party in England, and did not propose any less; for as the Earl told the Deponent, he had particularly calculate the Expense for Arms, Ammunition, etc. But James Stuart said, that if some less could be had, the Earl would content himself, if better might not be, but the Earl always said that there was nothing to be done without the body of Horse and Dragoons abovementioned; During the time of the Deponent his abode in Holland, though he had several Letters from Shepard, yet there was no satisfactory account, till some time after the Deponent parted from the Earl of Argile, and was making for a Ship at Rotterdam to transport himself to England. James Stuart wrote to him that there was hopes of the Money. The next day after the Deponent came to England, he met with Sir John Cochran, who with Commissar Monro, and Jerviswood, was at London before he came over; and depones, That be knows not the account of their coming, more than for the perfecting the Transaction about Carolina: and having acquainted Sir John Cochran with the Earls demands of the 30000 pound Sterling, and the 1000 Horse and Dragoons, Sir John carried him to the Lord Russel, to whom the Deponent proposed the Affair, but being an absolute Stranger to the Deponent, had no return from him at that time; but afterwards having met him accidently at Mr. Shepherds house, where he the Lord Russel had come to speak to Shepherd about the Money abovenamed, as Mr. Shepard told the Deponent. The Deponent (when they were done speaking) desired to speak to the Lord Russel, which the Lord Russel did, and having reiterate the former Proposition for the 30000 pound Sterling, and the 1000 Horse and Dragoons, he the Lord Russel told the Deponent, they could not get so much raised at the time, but if they had 10000 pound to begin, that would draw People in, and when they were once in, they would soon be brought to more; but as for the 1000 Horse and Dragoons, he could say nothing at the present, for that behoved to be concerted upon the Borders. The Deponent made the same proposal to Mr. Ferguson, who was much concerned in the Affair, and zealous for the promoting of it. This Mr. Ferguson had in October or November before, as the Deponent remembers in a Conversation with the Deponent in Cheapside, or the Street somewhere thereabout, said, that for the saving of innocent Blood, it would be necessary to cut off a few, insinuating the King and Duke, but cannot be positive whether he named them or not▪ To which the Deponent said, that's work for our wild People in Scotland, my Conscience does not serve me for such things; after which the Deponent had never any particular discourse with Ferguson as to that matter; but as to the other Affair, Ferguson told the Deponent that he was doing what he could to get it effectuate, as particularly that he spoke to one Major Wildman who is not of the Deponent his acquaintance. Ferguson blamed always Sidney, as driving designs of his own. The Deponent met twice or thrice with the Lord Melvil, Sir John Cochran, Jerviswood, Commissar Monro, the two Cessnocks, Montgomery of Langshaw, and one Mr. Veatch, where they discoursed of Money to be sent to Argyle, in order to the carrying on the Affair, and though he cannot be positive the Affair was named, yet it was understood by himself, and as he conceives by all present, to be for rising in Arms, for rectifying the Government. Commissary Monro, Lord Melvil, and the two Cessnocks were against meddling with the English, because they judged them men that would talk, and would not do, but were more inclined to do something by themselves, if it could be done. The Lord Melvil thought every thing hazardous, and therefore the Deponent cannot say he was positive in any thing, but was most inclined to have the Duke of Monmouth to head them in Scotland, of which no particular method was laid down. Jerviswood, the Deponent, and Mr. Veatch, were for taking the Money; at one of these Meetings it was resolved, that Mr. Martin, late Clerk of the Justice Court, should be sent to Scotland, to desire their Friends to hinder the Country from Rising, or taking rash Resolutions upon the account of the Council, till they should see how matters went in England. The said Martin did go at the Charges of the Gentlemen of the Meeting, and was directed to the Laird of Polwart and Torwoodlie, who sent back word, that it would not be found so easy a matter to get the Gentry of Scotland to concur: But afterwards in a Letter to Commissar Monro, Polwart wrote that the Country was readier to concur than they had imagined, or something to that purpose. The Deponent, as abovesaid, having brought over a Key from Holland, to serve himself and Major Holms: he remembers not that ever he had an exact Copy of it, but that sometimes the one, sometimes the other keeped it, and so it chanced to be in his custody when a Letter from the Earl of Argile came to Major, Holms, intimating, that he would join with the Duke of Monmouth, and follow his Measures, or obey his Directions: this Mr. Veatch thought fit to communicate to the Duke of Monmouth, and for the Understanding of it was brought to the Deponent, and he gave the Key to Mr. Veatch, who as the Deponent was informed, was to give it and the Letter to Mr. Ferguson, and he to show it to the Duke of Manmouth; but what was done in it the Deponent knows not. The Deponent heard the Design of Killing the King and Duke, from Mr. Shepard, who told the Deponent some were full upon it. The Deponent heard that Aaron Smith was sent by those in England to call Sir John Cochran, on the account of Carolina, but that he does not know Aaron Smith, nor any more of that matter, not being concerned in it. Shepard named young Hamden frequently as concerned in these Matters.  
Signed at Edinburgh Castle, the 8th of September, 1684. and renewed the 18th of the same Month. William Carstares. PERTH CANCEL. I. P. D.   

Edinburgh Castle September 18. 1684.  
MR. William Carstares being again Examined, adheres to his former Deposition, in all the parts of it, and Depones he knows of no Correspondence betwixt Scotland and England, except by Martin beforenamed; for those Gentlemen to whom he was sent, were left to follow their own Methods. Veatch as the Deponent remembers, stayed sometimes at Nicolson, Stablers House at London-Wall; sometimes with one Widow Hardcastle in morefield's. The Deponent did Communicate the Design on Foot to Doctor Owen, Mr. Gr●ffil, and Mr. Meed at Stepney, who all concurred in the promoting of it, and were desirous it should take effect; and to one Mr. Fresh in the Temple, Councillor at Law, who said he would see what he could do in reference to the Money, but there having gone a Report, that there was no Money to be raised, he did nothing in it, nor does the Deponent think him any more concerned in the Affair. Nelthrop frequently spoke to the Deponent of the Money to be sent to Argile, whether it was got or not, but the Deponent used no freedom with him in the Affair. Goodenough did insinuate once, that the Lords were not inclined to the thing, and that before they would see what they could do in the City. The Deponent saw Mr. Ferguson, and Mr. Rumsay, lurking after the Plot broke out, before the Proclamation having gone to Ferguson, in the back of Bishop gate-street, at some new Building, whether he was directed by Jerviswood, who was desirous to know how things went. Rumsay was not of the Deponent his acquaintance before, but they knew as little of the matter as the Deponent. This is what the Deponent remembers, and if any thing come to his Memory, he is to deliver it in betwixt and the first of October; And this is the Truth, as he shall Answer to God.  
William Carstares. PERTH CANCEL. I. P. D.   

At Edinburgh, the 22 of December, 1684.  
THese foregoing four Pages, Subscribed by Mr. William Carstares Deponent, and by the Lord Chancellor, were acknowledged on Oath by the said Mr. William Carstares, to be his true Depositions, and that the Subscriptions were his, in presence of us Underscribers.  


William Carstares.  
David Falconer.  
George Mekenzie.   PERTH CANCELLARIUS. QUENSBERRY.ATHOL.   

Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Sacred Majesty; And Reprinted at London by Tho. Newcomb, for Susanna Forester in Kings-street Westminster. 1684.