A Further DISCOVERY OF THE PLOT, Drawn from the NARRATIVE AND DEPOSITIONS OF Dr. Titus' Oats: And Fairly Submitted to the Consideration of all Indifferent Readers.  
No man so blind as he that will not see.  
LONDON, Printed for Henry Brome at the Gun in S. Paul's Churchyard, 1680   

A Farther Discovery of the PLOT.  
AS it cannot be denied, but that the King's Witnesses have ventured as far, and done as much as men could do, (under their Circumstances) to make out the Truth of a Damnable, and Hellish Popish Plot upon the Life of his Sacred Majesty, our Religion and Civil Government: So neither must it be denied, on the other hand, but that the Justice and Wisdom of this Nation have emprov'd all Discoveries, by the strictest Inquisition, and scrutiny imaginable; and done all that was possible also toward the suppressing of the Conspiracy, by the highest Instances of Political zeal and Rigour. Insomuch, that after so many Priests and Jesuits, and other Leading men of that Party removed by the stroke of Public Justice; so many of them under Confinement; so many more reduced to shift for themselves beyond the Seas, beside the severe Penalties of the Law upon the rest, with all sorts of Encouragement, both for their detection and punishment: After all this care taken (I say) to tear up the accursed Plot by the Root, We are yet assured, that (all this notwithstanding) the Plot is still carried on with Confidence, and Vigour. And this we have, even from those very Persons themselves that formerly wrought in the same Mine with the Conspirators; till through the Grace of a better Light they came to govern themselves by other Measures. This is a truth no more to be doubted, then that of the Plot it self; which has stood the Trial of so many Solemn and Public Tests: Beside that we have the same Authority for the One as for the Other; only the Circumstances not being brought into Proof, the matter of Fact lies a little more in the Dark.  
Whether or no the Plot goes on still, after all this Havoc made of the Papists, is the Common subject of every Coffee-house Discourse. They that must be presumed to know best, are of opinion that it does; and those that are upon the Negative, reason the point after this manner. What? (say they) Is it a Plot that will work without hands? Where are the Papists, the Instruments that should drive it on? Are they in the Air or under Ground; or are they Invisible? For as they are now dispersed, and broken, (beside the Terror that overawes them) there are at least three Thousand Protestants, in sight, to one Papist. But do they ask where they are, because we cannot see them? Why do they not rather ask where they are Not? because they may be any where, and we not know them: For, as I have been told by persons of Great Quality, they'll endue all shapes, and Exercise all Professions. They speak of one Jesuit that cried work for a Cooper; another that wrought upon the Trade of a Shoemaker; Priests in Red coats Innumerable: And it is observed that upon the bringing of the Late Plot to Light, all the little Frenchmen with their Marionets or Puppet-shows vanished in a trice: which gave a suspicion that they were only a kind of Itinerant Agents for the Faction: To say nothing of their skill and Industry, in the managing of all our Divisions, and discontents, to the advantage of their own Party. These are stories (I know) that are much more easily Contradicted, then Proved: and therefore without laying any stress at all upon Common Fame, or Hearsay, I shall now apply myself to that farther Discovery of the Plot, which I have promised in my Title; and support my undertaking, upon the Authority of Dr. Oates himself; with a respect both to the Validity of his Testimony, and to the weight of his Observations; being a Person that hath dived deeper into the Mystery of this Iniquity (with favour of the rest) than any other man.  
As to the Hellish Design upon the Life of our Gracious Sovereign, by Pistol, Sword, or Poison, we hope that the Neck of that Particular Plot is broken, to all Intents and purposes: But we are beholden also to Dr. Oats for the Discovery of Other and of Farther Plots that are still carried on by the same restless Party; tending to the defaming of his Majesty's Person, and Government; the Subversion of our Established Religion, and the Disturbance of the Public Peace. So that unless the remaining, and the still growing Difficulties, and Hazards be encountered with Timely and Effectual Remedies, the work of our Deliverance is but half done, and we shall yet run a risk of being ruined at last even in the very Port.  
Dr. Oates tells us in his Narrative, Printed by Authority of Parliament, that the Pope, Society of Jesus, and their Confederates in this Plot, have a Design to reduce England, Scotland, and Ireland, to the Romish Religion and Obedience, by the Sword: Pag. 63. which they hope to accomplish, among Other means, by disaffecting the King's best Friends at home and abroad, and Subjects, against his Person and Government; charging him with Tyranny, and Designs of Oppressing, Governing by the Sword, and without Parliaments, Pa. 67.  
By Aspersing, Deriding, Exposing, and declaiming against his Person, Councils, and Actions in Parliaments, and elsewhere, by Misreporting, and raising False News of his Affairs; by disaffecting his Majesty's Allies, Holland, Spain, the Germane Emperor, and Princes by False Intelligence. By Seditious Preachers, and Catechists, set up, sent out, Maintained, and directed what to Preach in their Own, or other Private, or Public Conventicles, and Field-Meetings. By setting up false pretended Titles to the Succession of the Crown; and Animating Different Parties, one against another, on this or such like False pretences, to Arm and put the People in blood, upon the King's Death.  
We have found Dr. Oates' Observations (as to these particulars,) so punctually true, that every syllable of what he has here delivered, is from point to point, the very matter now in Agitation. For there's not a day passes without a Libel upon his Majesty's Authority, Administration, Designs, and solemn Resolutions of State, and Council; belying the Condition of his Affairs, and endeavouring to create Distsrusts, and Jealousies among Foreign Princes, and States, by False Intelligence; animating, and Exciting of Turbulent Factions, and anticipating of Confederacies, to involve us all in Blood; upon a Remote and Undutiful SUPPOSITION of the KING'S DEATH. And finally, we have Sedition Preached as well as written, and our Conventicles both instructed themselves, and instructing Others, in the Methods and Principles of Rebellion, this may suffice for the Doctor's Judgement upon the present State of things, which in truth looks liker a Revelation, than a Conjecture.  
As to his Reflections upon the Interest which the Papists had in our Past troubles; these are his words in his Preface to the aforesaid Narrative.  
Who beside these were the First Authors and Contrivers of the late Unnatural War, by their Known Diabolical Art of enflaming Parties, and Passions against each other? And (addressing to the King) of your Royal Father's Unspeakable sufferings, and Barbarous Usage? It was these that brought him to his End, and flourished Swords, and Trumpets over his dead Body, whom they durst not approach when Living. The Putney Projectors (says he) were in most, if not all the Councils, that contrived his Ruin. What broke the Uxbridge Treaty, but the Romish Interest, and Policy? Who continued to baffle all designs of Peace, and Settlement to this Nation, and Prosperity to his Majesty's Family, but those Incendiaries, Milton was a known frequenter of a Popish Club; who more forward to set up Cromwell, and to put the Crown of our Kings upon his Head, thenPapists? And his new fangled Government was contrived by a Popish Priest; and Lambert a Papist, for above theseThirty years.  
I have inserted these Passages as a Curiosity in the History of those times; which may perhaps have escaped other men as well as myself. For though I never made any Question, but that the Church of England, as it stands Established by Law, in the Purity of Doctrine, and the Venerable Sobriety of Discipline, was ever an Eye sore to the Church of Rome; yet I was of Opinion too, that a Licentious Vein of Ambition and Schism among ourselves, had carried a great stroke also in that Fatal Revolution. But however, this is a point wherein a man may without loss of Honour, or Credit, admit the possibility of his being in a Mistake. Wherefore we shall now (with the Doctors Leave) advance to plain matter of Fact, whereupon we have his Deposition; the only Case wherein a man may, without Vanity pronounce himself within a degree of Infallible.  
We find Pag. 8. that Richard Nicholas blundel had every day in the Week his several places in the City of London, where he taught the Youth Treasonable, and Malicious Doctrine, against the Interest, and Person of his Sacred Majesty.  
Also (Pag. 25.) that Richard Ashby had a Conference for the sending of New Messengers into Scotland, to promote the Commotions there; and to inform the People, of the great Tyranny they did lie under, by reason of their being denied the Liberty of their Conscience; and that not being to be procured but by the sword, they must take that Course to purchase their Liberty: By which means (said the Fathers thus Assembled) we shall weaken both the Presbyterian, and the Episcopal Faction. At which Conference, the DEPONENT was PRESENT, and heard the Words.  
And again, Two Messengers were sent intoScotland, One by the Name of Father Moor, and the Other by the Name of Father Saunders alias Brown, with Instructions to carry themselves like NONCONFORMIST MINISTERS; and to Preach to the Disaffected Scots, the Necessity of taking up the Sword for the Defence ofLiberty ofConscience. These the DEPONENT saw Dispatched, etc.  
Take notice, in the First place, that here's a Design carried on for the Destruction of the King, and the Embroiling of the Government. Secondly, the pretence of the Quarrel is to be matter of Liberty and Conscience. Thirdly, it is to be promoted by Popish Emissaries, in the Councils, and Conventicles of the Non-Conformists. Fourthly, the means by which the Papists propound to compass their Ends, are by making Interests with the Separatists, under the Disguise of Ministers, and Teachers, respectively of the several Parties they have to do withal. And Fifthly, Let me recommend this Particular to your Special Remark, that Dr. Oates, throughout the whole Course of his Depositions, charges no part of the Popish Design upon any Intelligence, or Communication with the Church of England; but makes it only to be a practice upon the Dissenters from the English Communion, to transport them into Tumults, and Distempers against both Church and State.  
We have here in few words, a Scheme of the whole business; Here's the Design, the Pretext, the Instruments and the Methods: and upon the whole matter, here is the Church of England acquitted, as to any point of unwarrantable affinity with the Principles or Practices of the Church of Rome; however that Testy Frenchman is pleased to speculate in his Fanatical Reve'ryes upon our approaches to That Communion: Wherein it may be a Question, whether he is more out in his History, or in his Morals. We are, in short, very much obliged to the Doctor, for clearing our Church to all Gainsayers, from those obloquys which by both the Extremes are indifferently cast upon us.  
It must not be any longer a supposition, that which Dr. Oates has given us his Oath for; so that taking it for granted, that there is such a Project on foot, that the Papists are in the bottom of it; and that it is promoted by the Sectaries, only as Passive Agents that are blindly bringing about the others ends: the Question is now how the Government may fairly discriminate the Protestants from the Papists; being so blended in their Interest, as well as in their Councils; and masked under such Resemblances, the One, of the Other, that they are not easily to be distinguished. It cannot be expected that a pretending Protestant shall own himself to be a Papist; so that there's no believing any man in the Case. And then the Epithet of a Reputed so or so, is so slender an Evidence, that many a Reputed Papist is found to be a True Protestant, and many a Reputed Protestant as true a Papist. The known and Legal Expedient which has been hitherto found Competent enough to answer the Reason and Intent of State, is the Test of the Two Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy: and yet this very provision will not reach all cases: For there are many Papists that will Take them without any difficulty; and there are several that call themselves Protestant's, that will as obstinately refuse them. Now though the Latter (Primo Eliz.) was a Provision for the abolishing of Foreign Power, and the Former (Tertio jac.) an Act for the discovering and repressing of Popish Recusants; the Scope and Equity yet of Both these Provisions has a regard to the securing of the Government against any sort of people, and against any Pretensions whatsoever: So that whoever Refuses, upon a Lawful Tender, to take these Oaths, he's a Papist in the eye of the Law, let his Persuasion be what it will: For it is the only Privilege of Omniscience to read the Heart: or if (for discourse sake) we should suppose him to be no Papist, he is yet in the prospect of Common Reason, liable to that Imposition, because it is exacted as a Proof of his Allegiance, not of his Faith; and men of Different Judgements in Religion may yet agree in Common Principles of Disloyalty.  
And then again, there's no appealing in this Case from the Prudence and Caution of the Law (which is always presumed to intend the Common Good) to the Testimony of a Friend or Neighbour in favour of a Recusation. For the Law is a General Rule, that takes no notice of any Exceptions to it. The Law requires me to Take These Oaths in proof of my Allegiance to the Government; and my answer is, that I am a very Honest man, but I cannot take them. What is this to the Law, that takes no Cognizance of my Honesty, but of my Obedience? And this Rule holds in Common, as well to the Papist as to the Protestant Recusant; They both vouch for their own Loyalty, and at the same time they do both of them Refuse to comply with the Law. The Common way of Reply in this Case, is to cast it in a man's Teeth; But what? will you make no difference betwixt a Papist that refuses and a Protestant? Yes, I would, if you would but show me how I may certainly know the One from the Other. Who knows not that Interest governs the World? and that for Reasons best known to themselves, he that is a Protestant in his heart may be induced rather to appear a Papist; and the Other, though a Papist in his heart, may find it his Interest yet to seem a Protestant? But we'll yield that Point too; and put the Case, that the Law should be relaxed, on the behalf of any man living, Does not This open a Gap (let him be never so Honest) to the admittance of ten Thousand men that may plead Honesty too, and yet betray their Duties? And is it not better then, that some few particulars should suffer by keeping firm to the Law, then that the whole should be endangered by Remitting it? so that there is neither Reason nor Safety, nor Equity, in such a Relaxation, nor any regard of Common Justice and Duty in demanding it.  
But what if it be said, that it is not the Thing Sworn, but the Oath itself, that is Scrupled? and that there are several sorts of Persuasions that will not bear any swearing at all? This I must confess, is a Case somewhat nice, and unhappy, to those people that are so straight-laced in that Particular: But then, on the Other side, it is to the Government the most dangerous of all Pretensions, and lets in all the Priests and Jesuits in Nature, under That Colour. So that now take it both ways; If the Law be partially Executed, the Jesuits and Priests will shelter themselves under That Indulgence: Or, if the Law should be suspended, out of a respect to those that would be thought to make a Conscience of an Oath, the Priests would all flow into Those Parties that should be exempted from this Test, and carry on their Designs without either Trial or danger.  
Now to wind up this Discourse, in a plain and clear Dilemma. It must be granted, either that the Papists have a Design upon the King, Religion, and Government, and that they advance it by acting the Parts of Quakers, Anabaptists, Presbyterians, and Other Sectaries, or not. No man, I presume will dare to Question the Truth of the Doctor's Deposition; for in so doing he would imply a strange abuse imposed upon the Nation. But on the other side, admitting it to be true; there can be no security to this Government, without either dissolving all separate Meetings, or bringing all Dissenters to this Legal Test; for otherwise, the Papists have all sorts of Liberty, and Security in herding themselves among the Conventicles; where upon the beating of a Bush, it will be an even wager whether you start a Jesuit, or a Fanatic. And in effect, in this case, there is not much difference betwixt them, where the Jesuit plays the Fanatic, and the Fanatic the Jesuit.  
If the main assertion be true, there's no way of finding out the Papists, but by this Test: and the Dissenters themselves, if they would have Popery ferretted out in good Earnest, cannot choose but encourage the Proposition. Either they have Priests among them or they have not: If they have, why do they not do the best they can to find them out? if they have not, why do they say they have? And again, either the Non-Conformists are influenced by the Jesuits or they are not: If they be, why do they not do all that is possible toward the Purging of their Congregations? If they be not so Influenced, why do they pretend that they are, and so set the Saddle upon the wrong Horse? And yet again; either it is possible to clear their Conventicles of this dangerous Mixture, or it is not: If it be Possible, why do they still complain of it, and do nothing in't? If it be Impossible, there is no way of Extirpating Popery, but by rooting out Fanaticism.  
Let the World judge now, with what injustice, the Order, and the rituals of the Church of England are charged with a Tincture of Superstition, and Popery, when upon Manifest proof, the Calumniators themselves of our Ecclesiastical State are, throughout the whole Body of them, tainted with this Leaven. We are now come to the Bottom of the Popish Plot. This Liberty of wandering from the Rule, is the Trojan Horse, which under a Religious colour, we have entertained within our Walls; with Discord, and Destruction in the Belly of him.   

An ADVERTISEMENT.  
WHereas the Subjects Right of Petitioning has been of Late in such manner Asserted, as if his Majesty had no Right of Refusing, this is to Advertise, that from the 3d of Ed. 3. to Hen. 8. (as appears upon the Parliament Rolls) it was constantly the First thing done, upon the opening of all Parliaments, after the Cause of Summons declared, to appoint out of the Lords Spiritual, and Temporal, certain Receivers, and Tryers of Petitions; and still as they found any Petition not fit to be admitted, it was Rejected with a Non est Petitio Parliamenti, (as we find it endorsed upon the Rolls) and there was an end on't. Note, that all Petitions were Dedicated to his Majesty, and that in many Cases, when the Parliament had not time to go thorough with them all, the King referred divers of them to the Chancery.  
Now why the King may not as well Reject a Petition Out of Parliament, as In Parliament, and why he may not as well Reject it by Anticipation, and Prevention in a Previous and Express Prohibition and Exception to the Matter of it, as afterward, is a point worthy of a Resolution: and when his Majesty ever lost the One Right, or the Subject gained the Other: This Postscript is wholly Foreign to the Subject of This Pamphlet, but more accommodate to the Season.  
The End.