A REPLY TO SOME LIBELS Lately Printed against The Earl of Danby.  
Together with some OBSERVATIONS UPON Dr. oats his Narrative CONCERNING THE CONSPIRACY OF Knox. Lane, and Osborne.  
Printed in the Year, M.DC.LXXX.   

A Reply to some Libels, &c.  
THIS is a time when the Press does without Control take so great a Liberty of defaming both King and Government at their Pleasure, and the People do so easily believe whatever is in Print,( though never so false,) that it is not to be wondered to find any Subject of what quality soever exposed thereby to the most infamous Scandals and Untruth's: but when the authors are known, they cannot expect but that they who are concerned in such unjust Defamations, will require satisfaction at their Hands according to the Laws.  
Of this Sort are two late Libels against the Earl of Danby and divers of his Family; One called, The domestic Intelligence, dated friday the 28th. of November, 1679. Printed for Benjamin Harris at the Stationers arms under the Royal-Exchange; And the other entitled, The Reputation of Dr. oats Cleared, in the trial of Thomas Knox, formerly a Servant to the Earl of Danby and the Lord Dumblain his Son, and Printed for Robert Harford at the Angel in cornhill, 1679.  
In the first, It is said in one place, That Thomas Knox is belonging to the Earl of Danby's Family; whereas he hath been discharged from the said Earl's Family above 15 Moneths since. And in another place of the said Pamphlet, it is said, That on Tuesday the 25th of November last, Mr. Dangerfeild made it appear at the Kings-Bench, that the Earl of Danby and some others of the Family were concerned in managing the whole Accusation; and that the Earl of Danby was so confident of Success, that he thereupon surrendered up himself to the Usher of the Black Rod when the Parliament sat. All which is so notoriously false, that Mr. Dangerfield did not speak one such word in Court; but on the contrary, by a Narrative of the said Mr. Dangerfield's now in Print, there is enough to Convince any Impartial Reader, that what Contrivance may have been made by the Papists against any Protestant whatsoever, has been endeavoured to be put as maliciously in Execution against the said Earl.  
But to return to Benjamin Harris, I suppose he is in Fee to writ Lies particularly against the Earl of Danby, 〈◇〉 he is to sand 〈◇〉 every week all over the kingdom; in which I will appeal to every Reader, whether there be one truth in Ten in that Weekly Intelligence, any more than was in his Story of a great many Pistols taken in the Earl's Chamber in the Tower, though there never came one into the House where the Earl lodgeth: And so likewise in his Pamphlet of the 9th of December last, about the Judges Opinions concerning the Earl of Danby, where he tells a formal story of that matter; whereas they only answered, That the Petition of the said Earl could not legally be granted; and yet this so notorious Libel is weekly sent abroad with a Title to it of being published to prevent false Reports.  
Some few dayes after the said Libel of the 28th of November, came forth that other already mentioned, under the name of clearing Dr. oats his Reputation; but in truth doing so much the contrary, that the Doctor himself owns it to be false; as indeed it has had the impudence to falsify a Record ( viz.) the Doctors Indictment against Knox and Lane: And that this may the better appear, I have here inserted out of Dr. oats his own Narrative, the Abstract of the said Indictment, which is in page. 2 d. as followeth.  

Novemb. 25. 1679. Dominus Rex versus Thomam Knox & Johannem Lane. For the King.  
THe Indictment sets forth, That whereas Edward Coleman, William Ireland, and John Groves and other false Traytors to the Jurors unknown, 24th of April in the 30th year of the King that now is, at the Parish of St. Margarets Westminster, did traitorously Conspire, Consult and Agree amongst themselves to kill and destroy the King, and to raise War against his majesty within this Kingdom, and to change the Religion by Law established, to the Superstition of the Church of Rome; for which Treasons, traitorous Conspiracies, Consultations and Agreements, the said Coleman, Ireland and Groves were afterwards attainted and put to death for the same.  
And whereas William Earl of Powis, William Viscount Stafford, John Lord Bellasis, Henry Lord Arundel of Wardour, William Lord Petre, and Sir Henry Tichbourn, Baronet, the 30th of November last at Westminster were accused of the Treasons aforesaid, and thereupon according to due form of Law were committed to the Tower of London, to be there safely kept to answer the said Treasons whereof the said Earl of Powis and the other four Lords were by the Commons in Parliament assembled, Impeached.  
And whereas Thomas Earl of Danby afterwards, That is to say, the 30th of November last at Westminster, was in lawful manner accused of certain Treasons and other Misdemeanours, and thereupon according to due form of Law was committed to the Tower, there to be safe kept to answer the Treasons and Misdemeanours aforesaid; of which said Treasons and Misdemeanours, the said Earl of Danby is Impeached by the Commons in Parliament Assembled.  
And that the Defendants knowing the said Lords to be accused of the Treasons and Misdemeanours aforesaid; and the said Defendants being diabolically affencted towards the King their natural Lord, and Contriving and endeavouring with all their might to disturb, hinder and stifle the discovery of the said Treasons by the said Earl of Powis, Viscount Stafford, Lord Bellasis, Henry Lord Arundel, William Lord Petre, supposed to be Committed as aforesaid; and as much as in them lay to elude the due course of Law and retard the Prosecution of Justice against the said Five Lords, Sir Henry Tichborne, and Thomas Earl of Danby.  
They the said Defendants the 30th of April last past at the Parish aforesaid in the County aforesaid, falsely, maliciously and unlawfully amongst themselves did consult and agree to scandalise Titus oats, Clerk, and William Bedlow, Gent. who had given Informations of the Treasons aforesaid, and whom the said Defendants knew to have given Informations aforesaid against the Earl of Powis, Viscount Stafford, Lords Bellasis, Arundel and Petre, and to represent them upon the trial of the said Five Lords, to be Persons of Evil Conversation, and Witnesses not to be believed.  
And that the Defendant Knox afterwards, that is to say, the 30th of April last at Westminster aforesaid, in the names and with the consent and agreement of the Defendant Lane, and William Osborn, to vilify the Information of the said Titus oats, and William Bedlow, to be given for the King against the said Five Lords last mentioned; falsely, maliciously, subtly and advisedly did writ and cause to be written four Letters, and those Letters so written falsely &c. did direct and cause to be delivered to himself the said Defendant Knox; by which said Letters it was falsely, Craftily and Deceitfully declared, That the said Lane and Osborn were very much troubled in their Consciences by reason of certain matters, which they well knew and did conceal concerning the unjust Contrivances of the said Titus oats, and William Bedlow, in accusing the said Earl of Danby to be guilty of the Treasons and other Misdemeanours aforesaid.  
And that the said Titus oats was a Person of a wicked and vicious Life, and did make an Assault upon the said John Lane, and did endeavour to commit with him, the said Lane, Sodomy.  
And further, That the Defendant Knox, the sooner and more effectually to persuade the said Lane and Osborn falsely to accuse the said Titus oats and William Bedlow, that they the said Titus oats, and William Bedlow had unjustly, contrary to all truth, accused the said Earl of Danby of the Treasons and other Misdemeanours aforesaid, and so to affirm against the Kings Evidence upon the trial to be had of the said Earl of Danby for the Treasons and Misdemeanours aforesaid, afterwards the 30th of April last at Westminster, falsely, advisedly, corruptly and against the Duty of his Allegiance, did give to the said Lane and Osborn divers great Sums of Money. And did promise to the said Lane and Osborn, within a certain time by the said Defendant Knox proposed, That the said Lane and Osborn should have and receive other great Sums and other Rewards for the same, to the great delay, obstruction and suppression of Justice, &c.  
Although I shall by and by say something to what concerns the Earl of Danby in the said Indictment, yet my present aim in reciting it, is, to show the Egregious malice as well as falsehood of the aforesaid Libel against the said Earl and his whole Family;( for almost all the Errors in falsifying the said Indictment do concern his Lordship or Family) and to prepare the Reader for his Poison, he says Knox was formerly Servant to the Earl of Danby; which he never was, but only to one of his Sons, and discharged long before any of those Contrivances are pretended. But because the libeler is resolved to do his business as home as lay in his power, he would rather bely a Record, and run the hazard of any Scandal, than not venture to say, That the Indictment set forth,  
First, That the said Knox had obliged himself to introduce one Wiggens and Lane into Company with the Earl of Danby at any hour in the night Season.  
Secondly, That the Countess of Danby( who well approved of what Lane had engaged to endeavour) did likewise offer to introduce the said Wiggens and his Mother to her Lord in her own Coach at any time.  
Thirdly, That they( meaning Knox, Lane, and Osborn) delivered their Information against Dr. oats to the Lord Latimer, who kept it a few daies, and then delivered it back to be conveyed to the Lord Powis to amend.  
Fourthly, That Knox did promise them beneficial places either in the Treasury or customs, as from the Earl of Danby.  
Fifthly, That they did believe that the Earl of Danby only, in confidence of the Success of the design, did render himself to the Black Rod.   
Now, as you see, there is not one word of all this in the aforesaid Indictment. So( if this libeler may be believed in any thing) he tells you, That Mr. Thomas Willoughby, alias Dangerfield, drew the Affidavits himself out of Lanes papers: and I desire the Reader both to take notice from Mr. Dangerfield's own Narrative, whose Agent he the said Mr. Dangerfield was, as appears page. 14. and to observe from what follows, what Acquaintance or Correspondence there has been at any time betwixt the Earl of Powis and the Earl of Danby or Lord Latimer, or any of the Family. But having laid open the great falsehood of those Libels, I shall trouble you no further with them at present, but leave their Authors to their due prosecutions of the Law, which I doubt not but will meet with them.  
I now come to what I am sorry to find in Dr. oats his own Narrative concerning the said Earl, because it is not suitable to his present work of defending the Protestant Interest, to endeavour the destruction of any Protestant, without great reason so to do; and in the person of the Earl of Danby he ought to have been more sparing than of most men, unless he could have made out some evident demonstration of his Guilt; whereas he did never before pretend to accuse the said Earl of any thing, nor through the whole Narrative does he charge him with any one Crime, but only with Suppositions and Reflections, without any ground for them; I say, that without clear proof of some fault, the Doctor ought to have been more sparing of this Lord, because he knows very well how long he received protection by his care, when although Dr. oats was not personally known to the Earl, yet himself knows, and Dr. tongue can testify, that it was for many weeks in the Earl's power to have put an end to the Plot, and to have given both of them into the Hands of their Enemies, without appearing at all in it himself, if he would but have given the least intimation to the Papists of what they were about, and the place of their meetings, which both the said Doctors do know his Lordship was several times Privy to. It is to be observed also, That for a great while after the publication of Dr. Tong's Informations in Council, and that the Earl knew the name and had seen the person of Dr. oats, the said Doctor was so sensible of these Obligations to the Earl, that instead of saying any thing to his prejudice, he gave him several good Characters; until the King and Councils Orders about money for him were short of his Expectations; and then indeed, but never till then, he began to complain of the said Earl as the cause of his not being better rewarded; and since that time has expressed several dislikes of the said Earl; but that it may appear to be his dislike only, and nothing which could be materially objected against the Earl, I have touched all the points in his Narrative which concerns the said Earl, and leave it to the judgement of the Reader, whether such way of proceeding can be thought just towards any man. And,  
First, For the Indictment itself, which I have already recited out of his own Narrative, and by which there appears too much forwardness to hurt the said Earl, and to throw ill Reflections upon him, but that there was such want of matter, that it could only set forth against the Earl,  
First, That on the 30th of November last the said Earl stood Impeached in Parliament of High Treason.  
Secondly, That the Defendants( meaning Knox, Lane and Osborn) knowing the Five Popish Lords in the Tower and the Earl of Danby to be accused and impeached of Treasons, and the said Defendants contriving and endeavouring to disturb, hinder and stifle the discovery of the Treasons supposed to be committed by the said Five Popish Lords, and to elude the due Course of Law, and retard the prosecution of Justice against the said Five Lords, and Sir Henry Tichborne and Thomas Earl of Danby; did on the 30th of April last consult and agree to scandalise Dr. oats, and Mr. Bedlow, whom the Defendants knew to have given Informations of the Treasons against the Five Popish Lords, and with intent to represent them Witnesses not to be believed upon the trial of the said Five Lords.  
Thirdly, That the Defendant Knox the 30th of April last, did agree with Lane and Osborne to have 4 Letters written to himself, in which it was falsely &c. declared, That the said Lane and Osborne were troubled by reason of matters they knew and concealed concerning the contrivance of Dr. oats and Mr. Bedlow in accusing the Earl of Danby of the Treasons &c.  
Fourthly, That the said Knox to persuade the said Lane and Osborn to accuse Titus oats and William Bedlow that they had unjustly accused the said Earl, and to affirm against the Kings Evidence against the trial to be had of the said Earl for the Treasons aforesaid, did falsely &c. give great sums of money to the said Lane and Osborn, and did promise the said Lane and Osborn, that they should have other great sums and other Rewards for the same.  
Here the Doctor doth not add( as the Pamphlet Printed for Robert Harford) the words as from the Earl of Danby; for he very well knew, that the first Letters of their Correspondence were but in April, and that the Earl of Danby had quitted his Place in March before, so that he had no places in the Treasury or Customs to promise; but I wonder he should in the 4th Paragraph say these words( viz.) against the trial to be had of the said Earl for the Treasons aforesaid, when there were no Treasons at all alleged against the said Earl, either by Mr. oars or Mr. Bedlow.  
Now I pray the Reader to take notice what pains has been taken to get the name of the Earl of Danby crowded amongst the Popish Lords.  
For as to the first Paragraph, every body knew before. As to the second, it is only pretended, That on the Earl of Danby's be half the Defendants designed to retard the prosecution of Justice against the Five Lords and him. In the third the Earl of Danby is only name about Lane and Osborne's tender Consciences concerning him. And in the fourth, that Knox did give great Sums, and promise other great Rewards( but says not from whom) to make Lane and Osborn affirm against the King's Evidence upon the trial to be had of the Earl for the Treasons aforesaid, which I have already Remarked.  
All these( save the last) are so frivolous, that they need no Answer; and how any of them are proved, appears not, unless the Informations of men swearing one thing to day, and another to morrow, be good evidence, which the Court has justly agreed them not to be; but if they were, it amounts to no more concerning the Earl of Danby, than things said to them by Knox, who might probably be employed in this as well as other matters by those who Mr. Dangerfield has proved to have released and maintained him; and who was never considerable enough in the Earl's Family, to be trusted by the said Earl in any business at all. Besides that, in February before these practices, the Earl had caused him to be called before the Council, and to be severely rebuked there, for having used his Lordships name in matters of the like nature about one Wiggens, without his Lordship's privity, as was then confessed by the said Knox: and I am credibly informed, that during his Abode in the said Family, he never had any admittance to his Lordship, other than as any inferior Servant in the House. But not to dwell any longer upon Circumstances, it had been necessary for the making their story good on any side, to have found first, That Dr. oats or Mr. Bedlow had been Witnesses to be used against the Earl at his trial, or else how could the Affirming against their evidence signify any thing, either to the retarding the Earl's trial; or the doing him prejudice at his trial? And consequently why should either Money or other Rewards be promised on the Earl's behalf, for that which could not have availed him six pence, if all had been effected which those Defendants were about to prove? But I confess, it is very possible the Popish Lords might have found benefit by blasting the Kings Evidence against any body; and those who would make this Earl bear the burden of their Murders, might probably enough, find him the fittest Subject to sacrifice for any other of their purposes. But to show that Dr. oats nor Bedlow were not concerned as Witnesses against this Earl,  
First, It is known, That the Earl's Accusation is contained in an Impeachment of six Articles from the House of Commons, and brought up to the Lords the 23th of December 1678.  
Secondly, It is known likewise, That Dr. oats and Mr. Bedlow have sworn both in Parliament and before the Council, that they had nothing to say against any Peer but those name in their Accusations, of whom the Earl of Danby is none.  
Thirdly, It is known, That what Mr. Bedlow pretends to say against the said Earl, is in the February after the Impeachment of the Earl, and upon new matter;( so great a Fool must the Earl be, if that should prove true) but yet if it were so, it is not charge of Treason, not does it relate to the proving of the Charge of which the Earl stands accused in Parliament.  
All this I say is so well known, that I wonder every man's Memory should not serve him, to vindicate the Earl from those aspersions; but I suppose the calling them to mind will be sufficient, and must also necessary satisfy all men, that the Earl's delivery of himself to the Black Rod, could not possibly proceed from any success he hoped or needed from what either those Defendants or any body else should prove against Dr. oats or Mr. Bedlow, in relation to the Earl's trial, who was not accused by them.  
But I must needs say, I wonder yet more( and with some men it would be apt to create a hard opinion) why Dr. oats should be the Author of so many ill Reflections on this Earl, as are scattered through the whole Narrative, when his safety depended so long upon the care of that Lord, that in all places abroad, and by many at home, he is to this day thought to have been a contriver of the Plot with the Doctor. He says in his 3d page., That when he had informed the Reader that Knox had formerly been a Servant to one of the Earl's Sons, he would easily suggest to himself the reason why he was so active an Instrument in this great Affair,( although he knows it could only have been to serve the Popish Lords, and do himself no good) and the Doctor himself observes at the bottom of page. 4th, That if a Conspiracy could be proved against the late Lord Treasurer, it would make the Evidence against the Popish Lords vanish into smoke; in which I agree with the Doctor, That the design might be to falsify the Testimony of Mr. oats and Bedlow about the Earl of Danby, to the end they might be of no Use against any others: but I am sure the Doctor cannot believe the following words( viz.) That the Earl's Confidence of Success made him surrender himself; because he knows( as I have said already) that he was no Witness against the Earl: Besides, the Earl delivered himself the 15th. of April, and it appears these Defendants were not with Justice Dewy till the 19th, and after that with the Secretary of State, and the Privy Council, so that on the 15th that matter was not ripe enough for any body( who had been concerned) to promise themselves success: and who ever knows the Earl, will scarce believe of him, that if he had needed them,( as he did not) he would have relied upon the words of two inferior Fellows, who were servants to the Doctor himself, and whom the Earl had never seen nor heard of before, and of whom the Doctor himself says at the bottom of page. 9th, That as it is great pitty all false accusers have not their Crimes engraven in their fore-heads with an hot Iron, so the Doctor and Capt. Bedlow must be supposed to be bereaft of their Understandings, that would contrive this villainy against the Lord Treasurer, in the Hearing of a shabby Servant, who for bread came into his Service, and for better fare would quit it at a days warning. It had been equally credible, had they sworn that they had Proclaimed it by the Common crier. How much less credible must it therefore be, that they should be trusted by one who is a stranger to them, and when their Treachery to their own Master must alone have been sufficient to deter any other from putting confidence in such Persons.  
The Doctor is also often pleased to call the Earl their great Patron, although he does many times quot Mr. Dangerfield and Colonel Mansel's Proofs, of their being Agents for the Popish Lords, and they being rewarded by them, and has no other Argument against the Earl of Danby, saving, That Knox was formerly a servant to one of his Sons; and he would seem to reflect upon one of the Earl's Sons, because Knox made Use of his name to a Justice of Peace; which is probably not true, because the Justice declared in Court, he was not known to him; but if it had been so, I think the fault had been on the other side, if a Son hearing any thing which concerned the Life of his Father, had not endeavoured by all ways and means to get the truth discovered.  
These things, I must confess, to me do not seem suitable to the Doctor's other good services, nor to the Introduction of his own Narrative, nor to the profession of a Divine, who( as he says of himself, page. the 9th.) who ever knows must confess him a Person, who has learnt the moderation of the Tongue to that exactness, that he could not possibly be guilty of such Extravagances as are said against him. And in the Introduction, page. the 3d. he calls it a Cursed Design to in validate his Testimony and Mr. Bedlow's, by fixing upon them a Conspiracy against the Life of the Earl of Danby; and immediately in the same page., he justly accuses those men of prostituted Consciences, who attempt the Murder of his good name; I cannot therefore but hope from that good and pious Rule, that the Doctor intends not those Reflections so ill against the Earl, as they are generally understood( unless, as I have said before) he had had some demonstration of a Crime to be objected against the said Earl; whereas nothing does appear through the whole Narrative, but what arises out of Lane and Osborn's Informations, who have been so many times forsworn, and which at best would have been but Hear-sayes from Knox, whom Mr. Dangerfield shows to have been one of the Popish Agents at the same time with himself; out of whose Narrative I will refresh your Memory with some passages which relate to this matter.  
In the beginning of it, Mr. Dangerfield relates his being taken out of Prison, and employed by the Papists only; and in page. the 7th he tells you, That they gave him Money to compound his Debts, which were near 700 l.( so considerable an Agent Mr. Dangerfield was designed to be for them;) and one of the first Services which he was to be employed in, was, to destroy at least the reputation if not the Life of the Earl of Danby; by being put to disperse the Danby-Reflections, written by Nevile, at the same time when the said Nevile sent him the Letter about giving Opium to strand; and the Countess of Powis used to sand for the said Reflections as they were transcribing; and once sent him 5 guineas to encourage him, as appears page. the 5th.  
In the 8th page. the said Countess tells him, he was yet but upon small business, but there were other Affairs cut out for him, which appears, by the following discourse, to be,  
First, Endeavours to kill the King, or at least the Earl of Shaftsbury.  
Secondly, To lay the murder of Sir Edmund-bury Godfrey to the Earl of Danby.  
Thirdly, And to lay the Plot to the Presbyterians.  
And of these Designs, they begin with Charging the said Murder on the said Earl of Danby, as appears in the pages 16 and 17.  
By the 11th page., It appears, that Nevile was a principal man, both for his Pen and his Advice, in giving Instructions; and we find that Pen as bitterly employed against the Earl of Danby, as any other against whom their Contrivances were designed.  
In the pages 12, 13, 14, 15. is the History of the Contrivances about Dr. oats; which pages I have caused to be Printed and Annexed, because it will thereby clearly appear,  
First, That the Papists were the sole managers of that whole business against the Doctor.  
Secondly, That Lane in his first Letter( page. 13) writes, That he will do the catholics the greatest service imaginable, by discovering what he knows.  
Thirdly, That Mr. Dangerfield released Lane. And Mr. Nevile( the Earl of Danby's good Friend) released Knox, who( notwithstanding) must now be thought the Earl of Danby's Agent( so ill do the designs of the Earl's Enemies agree with their malice.)  
Fourthly, That Knox, when released, came to Powis-House; where by the said Countesses Order, he treated with Mrs. Celliers about Indicting of oats.  
Fifthly, That his Papers were delivered to Mr. Dangerfield.  
Sixthly, That Dangerfield sent them to the Tower( and by the way, amongst Mr. Dangerfields many Journeys to the Tower, none of them was ever to the Earl of Danby.)  
Seventhly, That he drew an Affidavit for Lane.  
Eighthly, That the Indictment against oats was penned by the Lord Castlemain, and Nevile.  
Ninthly, That Knox not being in a Condition to defend his trial ( having often desired to borrow money of Mr. Dangerfield) the said Countess promised him Money; and if he should want at any time, Mr. Dangerfield should furnish him.  
Tenthly, That Lord Powis sent Lane out of the way into Essex, and took Care for their Lodgings.  
In the pages 68 and 69 appears Nevil's own Confession, That the Danby-Reflections passed by his Hands:  
That he gave his Advice upon the Papers of Knox, Lane and Osborn; and he acknowledges,  
That he had twenty times advised the Indicting oats and Bedlow.  
Now as all these are matters of Fact( if Mr. Dangerfield's Evidence be good) so I think this alone would be sufficient to clear the Earl of Danby, or any of his Family, from those base foregoing aspersions which are thrown upon them.  
By a Clause in page. 23 they seem to join the Earl of Shaftsbury with the Earl of Danby for the Murder of Sir Edmundb. Godfrey, where the Lord Powis( speaking how easily his man Wood might have killed Lord Shaftsbury) says, If we were rid of him( as they were of Sir Edmundb. Godfrey) &c. by which they must certainly intend the Earl of Shaftsbury, to be understood for one, as by the same Lord or Lady, or both, the Earl of Danby has been name for another; and to say truth, the only difference of their usage betwixt the Earl of Shaftsbury and Earl of Danby has been, that they would have Murdered the first by a dagger, and the latter by a pretence of Justice, together with the infamous Murder of his good Name.  
Although what has been said, cannot but be sufficient to satisfy all reasonable men of the falsehood of the foregoing Aspersions; yet to such a degree is the malice of some men raised against the said Earl, and all untruths of that kind are so readily believed, that it may perhaps be necessary to let it be known, That the Earl of Danby nor his Son Latimer, who ought to have great intimacy with the Earl of Powis( if some of the foregoing Reflections were true) have scarce any acquaintance with the said Earl, saving that the Earl of Danby hath sometimes had occasion of sending to the said Earl for Rent due to him; but I have great reason to believe them to be so much strangers to one another, that although both of them have been divers Months Prisoners in the Tower, I am satisfied by enquiry, there never passed one Visit betwixt them, nor do I believe they have ever spoken to one another in the whole time of their Imprisonments; and truly by what is informed by Mr. Dangerfield, and in a manner confessed by Mr. Nevile, the Earl of Danby hath as little Obligation to the Earl of Powis, as he hath Acquaintance with him.  
I fear he is not much more beholding to any of that Religion; nor can I imagine why they should be thought to mean better to the Earl of Danby, than to those on whom they would have laid the Presbyterian Plot; when the same hand( viz. Nevile) was the Instrument of framing the contrivances against both, and to the destruction of both, if their Designs could have taken effect: for in page. the 10th Mr. Dangerfield tells you, That the Method and Management of the Plot against the Presbyterians, was to be Trusted only to the 5 Lords in the Tower, and Mr. Nevile; so that the Earl of Danby was to be entrusted in nothing, but the prosecution of Dr. oats, which( as I have already made appear) concerned none but those Lords.  
By all this you may see what a man their Malice hath found of this Earl, to make a Partner with those, who are not only seeking his ruin by all the ways they can invent, but from whom the said Earl is separated by the greatest difference both of Principles and Religion that is possible.  
And as it is apparent, that those base Slanders, of the Earl's being privy to the Murder of Sir Edmundb. Godfrey, and being an inventor of the Plot &c. do come from the Papists against him; so I do from my Soul believe, a great cause of his Persecution and Restraint proceeds from them. Nay so inveterate are they against him, that some will father the Lord Stafford's knowledge of the late Prorogation( before it was declared in Council) to come from the Earl of Danby's Telling it to the Lord Stafford; and yet I have heard the said Earl had not then stirred out of his Chamber, by reason of sickness, in 11 or 12 weeks; and, I am confident, had not seen the Lord Stafford in some time before.  
Nor have I ever heard that the Earl hath given any Visits, nor receive any from any of the Popish Lords in the Tower ever since his Confinement.  
Having red and heard these foregoing false Stories, and many such Invectives against this Earl, I thought myself bound in conscience to inform the World of them; that by comparing things which are public( as I have done) they may convince themselves of the great Injuries done every day to this Lord, and thereby judge whether all who profess themselves good Protestants, ought not rather to commiserate this Lord's Unjust sufferings, than have any Share in adding to his Misfortunes.  

Here follow the Pages 12, 13, 14, & 15. of Mr. Dangerfield's Narrative in his own words, which are referred to, in page. 7, 12, 13, 14. of this Discourse. Viz.  
Lord Powis asked me whether I had a faculty of Writing abusively, and like a satirist, and was Master of such a Style as would look well in Print? for, said his Lordship, that Sot Nevil is so very dilatory, it is not to be endured; therefore if you dare undertake the Writing of some sound Pamphlets, it might be of very great Use to us. To which I replied, That I was not a Competent Judge of my own abilities, but would do my best.  
Then Lord Powis  told me, Mrs. Cellier should be allowed Ten shillings per Week to diet me, and his lordship would allow me Three pound per Week for my expenses in Business; and what ever happened to be beyond that, I should put into a Bill, and bring or sand it to his Lordship, and I should forthwith have it paid; the said Three pound ten shillings per Week was constantly paid me, whilst I served them.  
Then I was advised by both the Lords to lodge at Powis-House, which advice came very seasonably; for I knew very well, that I had given my Landlord just occasion to harbour strange thoughts of me, and conceive suspicions to my disadvantage.  
About the eighteen of June, the Countess, who knew that I was then lodged in Powis-House, and by her Lord's order, sent me with a Letter to the Lady Tukes Lodgings in Scotland-Yard; which Lady seemed to take particular notice of me, and was pleased to say she liked me very well, and gave me two guineas, and demanded if I durst undertake a desperate Enterprise? I answered Yes; then she went into her Closet, and wrote a Letter for the Countess of Powis, and gave it me to carry her, and so I took my leave.  
In my Return, I went to wait on my Lord Castlemain, who asked where I had been? I answered, at the Lady Tukes, and so  told his Lordship how she received me; at which he seemed to be well-pleased, and smiled, and demanded if the Countess of Powis had not delivered to me, her self, or caused to be delivered some Papers relating to a business of oats, for which one Knox and Lane were in Prison in the Gate-House. To which I answered No Then said he, I will writ to the Countess about it, and order you Money, and give you directions how to proceed in it. There I waited till his Lordship writ a Letter, which I carried to Lady Powis; but first being sent for up, I gave her Ladyship the Letter, who, before she opened it,  told me, Mrs. Cellier would give me Money to get Knox and Lane out of Prison. I then asked what they were in Custody for? The Lady modestly answered, 'twas by Oates's means; but if I could get them out, he should not reign long in his Roguery. From thenceforth I undertook it, and had all the business, and Papers delivered me, by one Lawson an Attorney of Clement's-Inn, who had been endeavouring two Terms to remove them by Habeas Corpus, but could not: I forthwith went to the Gate-house, and found means to supply them both with Money, though they were close confined; and, by a course that I took upon advice with the Priests, there they had Pen, Ink, and Paper conveyed to them both, but especially Lane, who writ the first Letter, which was to this effect,  
I will die, before I will comply with that Villain oats, 
Note.  and if any good People will work my Liberty, I will do the catholics the greatest Service imaginable, by Discovering what I know of oats; This is from the bottom of my heart, and what I will die with,  
So help me God.  
This Letter was taken from Lane's hand under the door, by one Tempest, then a Prisoner in the Gate-House; and by him given to one Mrs. airy, who brought it to me at Powis-House, and I shewed it the Countess, who was more transported with joy than I can express; and breaking out as it were into a Rapture, Has God given us this unexpected help, said she? Well, we will( God willing) employ it to the best advantage; 
Note.  charging me to use all expedition to get them both out; and then I withdrew. But as I understood the next day, the good Countess, was the greater part of that day on her knees, to render Thanks to Almighty God, for this new occasion of strength, that she supposed he had been pleased to bless their Cause with.  
From that time I was very industrious in this business; and had several Motions in the Kings-Bench, before I could get either of them to the Bar; but at last I brought Lane out upon Bail, to the great Satisfaction of the whole catholic Party, 
Note.  but Knox I could not get out; but have since been informed by himself, That Nevel  told some Friends of his, that he did it; and had Money from the Lords in the Tower for that purpose.  
Now when I had got Lane out, the Countess ordered me to bring him to Powis-House; and lodge him there for the present, and she would allow Mrs. Cellier Ten shillings per Week for His diet also, as she did for mine; then came Mr. Wood, the Countesses Gentleman, one day, and said his Lord had ordered that Lane should go by the name of Johnson, as he did afterwards, during the time he continued there, which was about three Weeks; and Lady Powis in my Hearing gave order to the Porter, that he should bid the rest of the Servants take care that Mr. Johnson went not abroad, for they were in a thousand fears and Jealousies concerning him.  
First, lest Mr. oats should find him, and clap him again in Prison.  
Secondly, lest he should run away of his own accord to Mr. oats, and be prevailed with to give some Testimony against the Lords. And  
Thirdly, lest the whole Design of this Plot should miscarry thereby; for they thought it concerned them as much, to invalidate the King's Evidence, and render the persons of his Witnesses infamous; as to act any other part whatsoever.  
At the same time that Mr. Wood gave order for the altering of Lane's name, I gave him a Bill of Lane's Charges to carry to the Lords in the Tower, which amounted to near Twenty pound; about Fourteen days after, the Lords had other occasions for raising a contribution, and amongst other Money, this was then collected, and paid to Mrs. Cellier; for she had furnished me with Money for Lane, as she did for my own business, to the value of near One hundred pound; and that very night that Wood paid Mrs. Cellier the twenty pound( for that was the Sum he brought) he smiled on me; and  told me, it would not be long e're the worst was finished; For, said he, the Lords have consulted, that before oats is indicted, there must a Rumour be spread abroad of a Plot amongst the Presbyterians; and something of it must be made appear, to beget a belief in the People of it; them anagement of it, he  told me, or at least a great part of it, would be for me in a little time.  
But after Lane came from the Gate-House, and before Knox could get out, one Mrs. airy, who went to Lane before, went then to Knox, or rather to the Priests; for they were so close confined, that 'twas very difficult, and dangerous to speak with either of them themselves; but some of the Priests there conveyed Pen, Ink, and Paper to him under the door, with which he also wrote; and as he has  told me since, he had that convenience of writing the Papers against Mr. oats, which, he said, were all penned by himself.  
Now when Knox was released out of Prison, he came also to Powis-House by the direction of Mrs. airy, where by the Countesses order he treated with Mrs. Cellier about the Indicting of oats; 
Note.  and Knox did by Mrs. Celliers Request enter into a correspondence with me; and a while after delivered me the Papers which Lane and Osborn had given the said Knox at first, before either of them were committed: Those Papers I sent to the Tower, from thence they were sent to Nevel in the Kings-Bench, who made what alterations in them, he thought fit; and sent a Letter to me by Mrs. Cellier's Boy( who used to carry Letters between his Mistress and me, and Nevil, and the Tower, &c.) with directions to draw up an Affidavit for Lane to Swear( which I did accordingly) before Sir James Butler.  
A little after this, Nevil sent Knox his Papers to Lord Castlemain to peruse, and make what additions or alterations his Lordship should think fit. He sent them to Mrs. Cellier, 
Note.  who gave them me to deliver to Knox, which I did; and he has since out of those Papers, drawn an Affidavit, and persuaded one Osborn, lately a Servant to Mr. oats, to swear the same before Sir William Dolbin Knight; and these are the Papers, out of which an Indictment was to be framed against Mr. oats; the Contents of the said Paper I cannot remember, farther than the bare matter of Fact, which was,  
That Mr. oats was to be Indicted, first for Perjury; and if he were not Convicted upon that, then a second Indictment was to be preferred against him for a Buggery pretended to have been attempted on the person of John Lane, who I suppose now offers to Swear the same: 
Note.  though the Indictment was drawn by the most venomous Pens of Lord Castlemain, and his true Second, Nevel; and what he should Swear, was by them, and others put into his Mouth.  
When Knox had prevailed with Osborn to Swear the said Affidavit, he came to show it me, and offered to let me take a Copy; but I being employed in other Affairs of greater importance, had not then time to Transcribe it, only I  told the Countess what Knox had done, who was very glad of it; and then believed what I said to be truth( though now her Ladyships opinion of me is much altered) and the Countess at the same time asked, 
Note.  if Knox were in a Condition to defend his trial. I  told her I supposed not, for that he had divers times desired me to lend him Money; Then the Countess promised he should have Money; and bid me tell him so, to encourage him,( which I did) and the Countesses farther Command was, that if Knox did at any time want Money, I should furnish him, and place it to account; and that all the Money, which should be Collected for him should pass through my name, and as Money lent him by me, lest any thing should be discovered.  
About the Fourteenth of July, I went to the Tower; for their Lordships had sent for me, where I received orders to have Lane sent out of the way from Powis-house; for, said the Lord Powis, I am informed that oats is making enquiry after him, which if it be true, and he should be found at my house, 'twould ruin us all; but I being employed in other business could not sand him away immediately, according to his Lordships Order.  
About a day or two after, the Countess, amongst other things, earnestly desired me to sand Lane into the country; for, said she, oats is bustling about after him. The next day Mr. Wood brought me Money, which I gave to Lane, and such necessaries as he had occasion for, and I sent him down to Greys in Essex; and promised to sand him ten shillings every week( for that was his constant allowance.) Soon after, he sent me word, that oats had by some means or other heard where he was; and therefore he desired to be removed to some other place; then by the Countesses order I took horse, and went to him, and sent him to Town again to Powis-house, where he continued two or three days longer.  
FINIS.