CONTRIVANCES OF THE Fanatical Conspirators, In carrying on their TREASONS under the Umbrage OF THE POPISH-PLOT, LAID OPEN: WITH DEPOSITIONS Sworn before the Secretary of STATE. Wherein it most plainly appears, This Present Horrid Rebellion Hath been Designed by the Republicans many Years. AND THAT JAMES the late D. of Monmouth, etc. Were long since highly Concerned therein.  
With some Account of Mr. DISNEY, who was lately apprehended for Printing the Rebellious Traitorous DECLARATION.  
Written by a Gentleman who was formerly Conversant amongst them.  
LONDON, Printed for the Author, and Sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster, Anno Dom. 1685.   

INTRIGUES OF THE POPISH PLOT, etc.  
I Intent not with a long preamble to trouble the Reader, or to wheedle ignorant unthinking Fops, or malicious ill natured Hypocrites into a good Opinion of me; the censure or approbation of both these, I neither dread nor value: it is before the Charitable, Virtuous, and Judicious person I will arraign myself; and waving all excuses, disclose what I know, and then clear myself so far as the subject will bear, and my ability will extend without Rhetorical flourishes; endeavouring to bring my Matter to Words, and not Words to my Matter.  
I lived (after I was burnt out of Merchant Tailor's School) at Islington Twelve Years, where the Company of Brewers were my Patrons; who stukk showed such favour to me, as I never requested any kindness of them they ever denied me; and even in my greatest extremity certified for me under their Hands (as shall appear afterwards;) neither even to this day, did they eject me: And the Neighbourhood, consisting mostly of Ale-men, Cow-men, or Hog-men, I believe never injured or defamed me, or will to this hour.  
Two or Three Years after I was at Islington came several Persons thither and to Clerkenwell, who set up Schools without Licenses, and were backed by two Vicars, which was injurious to the Public School, and directly against the Canon. I could get little or no remedy against them; the reason I shall rather think, than express. Two of these were Mr. Robert Ferguson (a Man since well known for his Treasons) and Mr. Thomas Singleton, who is there at this time. One of Ferguson's Boarders dying, I think of the Small Pox, the Vicar buried, or permitted to be buried, without a Word of the Liturgy, even in his Church. And to the latter of these Worthies, the other Vicar, sent his only Son to be instructed, as he himself had been at the feet of such another Gamaliel.  
Notwithstanding I suffered much, Teaching the Poor Children for a very small Salary, and these two Dissenters canting the Rich to themselves, I bore all patiently: and persevered to discharge my duty justly and honestly, and rubbed on, doing all the good I could, but harm to no body; which has been, and is a great comfort to me; yet though I believe I can make Panegyrics upon others, I am unskilled in making one upon myself: Therefore I desist.  
The first time I saw Titus Oates, after he went from Merchant-Taylor's School, where he was my Scholar, in the year 1665, was about Bartholomew-tide 1676. He was brought to me by Mr. Matthew Medburne (who had picked him up in the Earl of Suffolk's Cellar at Whitehall that day they came to me) undoubtedly under a fatal Position of the Heavens. Titus was in his Canonical Garments: I knew him not, till he told me who he was. To the Sun-Tavern in Aldersgate-street they had me. Truly I was very melancholy, though I knew no cause for it. May be it pleased the Almighty Providence, in that little prelude to give me some forebodings of the miseries that were ordained me from this unfortunate renewing of our old acquaintance.  
After this, Matthew Medburne introduced Oats into a Club that met at the Pheasant in Fuller's Rents, at that time kept by one Mr. Mekins, consisting of several persons, some Roman Catholics and some Protestants; where I never heard any Disputes about Religion or State Affairs, it being a particular Article of our Club, that all such Discourses should be forbidden upon the penalty of Six pence forfeit for every default of that nature by any Member of the Society.  
I had almost forgotten to tell the Reader, That before Medburne found him at Whitehall, and brought him into our Society, he had been silenced by the Archdeacon of Canterbury, whom afterwards he endeavoured to have brought into his Plot, as he will justify for me, having very hardly escaped his snares, all honest and good. Men being ever the greatest mark of his malice. Upon this silencing having lost his Vicarage of Bobbing in Kent, (where, amongst many other notorious exclamations against him, he was remarkable for petty Thefts, his Neighbour's Pigs and Hens never escaping his Rapacious Clutches) and also his Faculty from the late Earl Marshal, then Earl of Norwich, being taken from him, he began to rail against the Church of England; intending thereby to wind himself into the good opinion of the Roman Catholics, which indeed made his conversation the more acceptable to Matthew Medburne, as being a zealous Romanist.  
By this means he ingratiated himself to Medburne, professing himself a convert to the Church of Rome, and by him was, as aforesaid, introduced into our Club, his Principles and himself being wholly strangers to the rest of the company. And truly, for my part, I had that very indifferent Opinion of him, That I sometimes advised Medburne not to repose any confidence in him, remembering his perverse and wicked pranks, when he was a School Boy; which, indeed, was all I knew of him then: for his Suspension and Misdemeanours in Sussex and Kent were then unknown to us both.  
All this while he continued in the habit of a Church of England Man; and coming one day to see me at Islington, after we had dined, we intended to go into London to meet Medburne: But in our way, passing by Sadler's Music-house we met Dr. Slater, the Vicar of Clerkenwell, who complemented his seeming Brother Clergyman very gravely, and desired him to accept of a Glass of Ale with him, upon which, growing more familiar, he desired him to give him a Sermon next Sunday, which Oats after much entreaty promised. But I took the Dr. aside, and besought him not to accept of it, for some private Reasons I knew, which I did not particularise to him. But he thinking it might be only an Excuse, resolved to accept Oates' proffer, and accordingly Oats preached; and in his Sermon speaking all along very bitterly against Calvin, he called him always Jack. This Sermon gave very heinous offence to Two great admirers of Calvin, Mr. Barker, and Mr. Walsh, then in Commission of the Peace. Who therefore sending for the Dr. gave him a very severe Reprimand, for suffering such a Fellow to appear in his Pulpit. The Dr. to excuse himself, acquainted their Worships, 'Twas I that introduced him; which story, though false, proved very prejudicial to me, these persons being my utter Enemies ever after. This Sermon, by the by, after Oates' Exaltation, and Renown of being a Discoverer, for the credit of the Author, was sold by him to Mr. Sawbridge for 40 or 50 Guineas; but answered not expectation, for no other fault but the satire against their darling Calvin in it; which indeed was no small crime in that season; and for which, had not his other Virtues atoned, might have proved very injurious, not only to his Narrative, but, also, his Reputation too, amongst his greatest Friends and supporters, the fanatics.  
Soon after this, Oats cast off his Habit, and put himself into a Campagne Coat and a Sword; and being entertained by the Jesuits, he was by them sent into Spain, where they were soon weary of him, and remitted him to England; where applying himself again to the Jesuits, especially to Father Whitebread (whom afterwads he so fairly requited) by his Interest he was sent over to St. Omers.  
From thence returning in the year 78, he sculckt about the Town in a Secular Habit, and came to visit me as formerly; being very intimate also, as before, with Medburne, who was instrumental in obtaining him some assistance for his relief from persons of Quality of the Romish Religion. This Familiarity continuing between us, one thing was remarkable, That about that time that we had an account of the Battle of Mons, he met Medburne, and Mr. Thomas Hughes (who is now living, and a Member of the Church of England, and ready to attest it) and complaining of his extreme necessity, he told them, He had not eaten a bit of Bread in Three Days; upon which, they carried him into the Cock in the Hay-market, and made him Eat and Drink, giving him also some Money, notwithstanding this was the very time, when in his Discovery after he was in the height of his pretended Plot, and daily interested and engaged with so many persons of such great Quality to carry on the Cause of Rome.  
From the middle of July till the latter end of August I saw him not, and the first week of September Medburne and John filips brought him to me at Islington: we went to the Catherine-Wheel, where we drank a Bottle or two of Claret, and my Boy brought me some new Acts of Parliament, then newly published. Upon reading of them there happened a very great Debate between Medburne and Titus Oats, concerning the Three Estates; Titus affirming, the King to be one of the Three Estates, and answerable to the other Two which he called the Lords and Commons. Medburne contradicted him, and told him he lied; insomuch that they grew to very hard words; Philip's justifying Oats, and I Medburne: I showing my reason in the preamble of one of the Acts, wherein 'twas expressed; Be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty, with the Consent and Advise of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons Assembled in Parliament, etc. urging, That if the King had been One of the Three Estates it would have run thus, Enacted by the King, Lords and Commons, etc. Here 'tis observable, The very time when Oats was just upon Discovering a Plot in Zeal for the Preservation of His Majesty's Life, he was nevertheless talking Treason against his Prerogative.  
In some few days after this, he came to me again in the Evening, and desired me, with all entreaties imaginable, to write him a Paper of Verses, in Latin, upon our Blessed Saviour and the Virgin Mary, which he intended, as he said, to carry to the Jesuits as his own, to demonstrate his Learning, and try if thereby they would reentertain him, or get him into some Catholic Family, where he might teach some Children, he being then totally destitute of any livelihood. The Verses I made for him, and he fetched them the next morning, forcing upon me, as a gift, a pair of Tweezers, which he said he brought out of Flanders. He particularly desired me, in the afore-named Verses, to make a long harangue in the praise of the Virgin Many, pretending it would very much please the Jesuits. But truly I thought not fit to do so, and omitted it.  
The next, and last time he came to me was on a Saturday, some few days after in September: on a Saturday which happened to be the day before the great noise of the Popish Plot broke out; and I invited him to the Katherine-Wheel, where he pulled out a handful of money, which seemed to be about 30 or 40 shillings, offering me the acceptance of it, in return of the many Reckonings I had paid for him, and the Treats I had made him; but I refused it. Then he asked me if I had heard any thing of a Plot: I told him, No: upon which, he said, There had been great complaints at Whitehall about a I lot of the Jesuits, against the King. He promised to come and Dine with me next day, but I saw him no more till the First day of November, when he appeared at the Lords Bar, and swore falsely against me. The reason why I mention these two passages is this: He told me, after I was got into his favour, That he came both those times to me to trapan me. This I avoided by the great mercy of God, not my own Prudence, I being always too credulous and easy to be imposed upon; never laying Snares for any Man, and thinking no body would lay any for me. If I had writ what he desired me of the Blessed Virgin, he had made me under my own hand a Papist. If I had taken his money he had swore me into his Plot: yet I was brought into the Briars for all this.  
Oats in the interim had given into the Council, Depositions of his Plot, wherein he gave in my Name for meeting at a Club in Fuller's Rents. Hereupon the Lord Bishop of London sent for me to the Vestry in Islington Church. His Lordship asked me, How I happened to be concerned in such a Club. I replied, I never had any ill intent in going thither, neither ever saw, or heard any bad Action or Discourse in the Company; one reason that caused me to be there now and then, was this; The person that kept the House was a Gentleman fallen to decay; having many Children: This being his last shift, I conceived it to be a sort of Charity, when I could spare a six pence to spend it with him, rather than another; especially having the Society of ingenuous Men. His Children likewise I taught, and was not paid, nor ever expected I should: Nor am I to this day. His Lordship seemed to be satisfied. It was then urged against me, by a Doctor there present, That I kept company with one Medburne a Player, who was a rank Papist; intimating thence, that I must be so too; and blundering out the old bald Verse, Noscitur a Socio qui non dignoscitur a se: I replied, I reckoned it no crime to keep company with a Man, to whom I had seen the greatest Men in the Kingdom speak kindly; and amongst others his Lordship's Brother, the Earl of Northampton; but if that matter gave offence, I would forbear his company. His Lordship asked me, If I Catechised the Children: I assured his Lordship, That I had not one in the School but had his Catechism as perfect as A, b, c; yet those two Doctors, my Neighbours, had never Catechised since I came thither, which was then Twelve Years. His Lordship was displeased at it; however all things were patched up for that time.  
About that time Sir Edmundbury Godfrey was found dead in a Ditch, near Primrose Hill, and the main cry was, That the Papists had murdered him. This business happened well for Oats, as he afterwards often told me: He would usually say, I believe not a Word on't; but my Plot had come to nothing without it; It made well for me; I believe the Council would never have taken any farther notice of me else, if he had not been found: He was a Cowardly Rascal, for when I went with my Depositions to him, he was so frighted, that I believe he beshit himself; for there was such a stink I could hardly stay in the Room. This Character he would frequently give of that their pretended Protomartyr to Popery; and the very person, whose misfortune, even by his own confession, was the very support of his Pocket.  
Notwithstanding this made well for Oats, and his future Colegue, Bedloe, it turned to a scurvy account for many honest Men, and put the unthinking Rabble into such a rage, that most of Mankind, except fanatics, were accounted Papists; of which number, I was soon adopted a Member. And a certain Worthy and Learned Vicar sent up and down his Parish for Witnesses, to make out I was such, or something worse: At length, he found Two Men, as honest as himself, to swear a blind sort of Treason against me; The One formerly a Gold-finder, and one of Cromwel's Jannizaries; the Other a Miscreant, that has scarce been in a Church since he was Christened. These Hellhounds, accompanied with the Noble Vicar, took their way into Aldersgate-Street, and proffered to swear against me before the Lord Bishop of London; who generously did refuse to meddle in the Affair. Thus repulsed, they applied themselves, in all Humility, to Oats, the Saviour of the Nation, (whom the Vicar had accustomed to mention kindly in a long, swinging thing, he calls a Prayer) and, after Three low Reverences, unfolded their Supplications to him in words to this Effect: That William Smith, the Schoolmaster of Islington, had spoken Treason against his Majesty; that they were ready to aver it: But, he being a Person of greater Authority, it would be much better for him to swear, than for them. (This I had from Otes' own Mouth.) Oats readily accepted the Offer; though he knew no more than the Man in the Moon, any thing of the matter, but what they told him. Now,— Actum est de vitâ & sanguine Turni. Oats with great diligence procures a Warrant from some Peers, (whose Names I forbear) to Apprehend me, and bring me before the House of Lords. This Warrant and Work was recommended to one Sarracoal, a flagitious and profligate Rascal: He, with about twenty Villains of his own Gang, (who, I believe, would have murdered me, had it not been for thirty Soldiers, which, with an Officer of the Guards, attended them) came about One of the Clock in the Night, and, without knocking, broke open my outward Door, the other being open to them. They rifled my House, frighted a Child of about Five Years I had, that he died soon after. I was carried by these Persons into Black-Spread-Eagle-Court in the Strand, over against Somerset-House, to one Mr. Tomsons. This House the Varlet Sarracoal had seized upon, and converted into a kind of Goal. There was I confined in a little Room, in which, I believe, Forty or Fifty smoked; and though I smoked myself, I was almost smothered. Before Morning, Sarracoal brought in several Persons more: And in the Morning, this impudent Fellow marched us one by one, between two Musquetteers, to Westminster; and into the Painted-Chamber he brought us; where we were placed upon the Forms, and made a public Spectacle.  
Now a Porter with a Note in his Hand, would have been enough to have commanded me before the House of Lords: But the Children of Edom, who managed such like Designs in those Days of Wickedness, knew very well, that their Conspiracy would soon fall to the Ground, unless kept up by needless Noise, Clamours, Tumults, Fears, Jealousies, Shamms, and abominable Lies.  
After about an Hour's space, we were all brought into the House of Lords by Sir George Charnock, than the Sergeant at Arms attending the House. After we had kneeled sometime, the Lord Chancellor bade us rise: And in comes Oats very gravely, habited in his Canonical Vestments. He having sworn very profoundly against two or three, my Turn came. The Lord Chancellor asked him, What he had to say against me? Oats pretended much Modesty, replying, He was ashamed to declare the Words I had spoken of the King. After a seeming reluctancy, he swore, That I, in Company, refusing to drink the King's Health, wished the King's B— in a cleft Stick. His Majesty was then present sitting amongst the Barons, near the Bar: And being pleased to smile at this ridiculous Story, I could hear him say, I believe, he would drink my Health. I humbly requested the Chancellor, that I might speak. His Lordship told me, I might speak what I would. I than besought his Lordship, to ask Oats, Where and when I spoke these Words, and if he heard me? My Lord reminding him, that he was upon his Oath, exactly put these Three Questions to him. To the First, Oats answered, He knew not where the Words were spoken: To the Second, He believed, it was some Years ago. To the Third, That he did not hear me speak them, but he could produce those that did hear me. After Leave to speak, I said thus to the Lords: My Lords, I am very certain, I never spoke any such Words in all my Life; for never any such wicked Thought entered into my Heart: And if I mistrusted, that my Tongue did, or ever would utter such vile Words concerning my King, I would myself here cut it out, and cast it down at your Lordship's Bar: And as to the King's Health, I am sure, I never denied it. I than made my humble Request to my Lord Chancellor, to ask Oats, If I was in the Plot, or a Papist? Oats answered to both in the Negative.  
Then he proceeded to swear against one Mr. Preston; declaring he was a Romish Priest, and his Confessor. This Mr. Preston was known to be so deaf, that he could scarce hear, when he was whooped and hollowed to; so that Oats and his Confessor must have chose Salisbury-Plain for their Chapel, unless they had a mind all People should hear them: Yet Mr. Preston upon this Oath lay in Newgate two or three Years. Well, we were ordered all to withdraw, and replaced upon the Benches, in the Painted-Chamber, in worse condition than before; for now we had a Soldier planted betwixt each of us. In an hour's time, the Lords Adjourned till Four in the Afternoon; and Sir Edward Carteret, the Black Rod, came to us with a Paper in his Hand, importing our Doom: Some were ordered to the Gatehouse; some to Newgate; some discharged: I was left among the Soldiers, whom the Black Rod discharged; telling me, I was his Prisoner. He recommended me to one Button, a Messenger, and charged him to treat me civilly; which truly he did. This was on Friday the First Day of November, 1678. And notwithstanding Mr. Latimer, and Mr. Hughes (whom with Gratitude I here mention) proffered to be bound Body for Body in my behalf, I was kept in Custody; so strong was the Ferment of that Season. In the Afternoon, Dr. Dean, and Mr. Wells a Minister, visited me; and next Morning, Mr. Gadbury and Major Fisher came to me: And these were all the Friends I saw in this unhappy Juncture.  
All things were in a most violent hurry; and I was in such a great Consternation, that I knew not which way to turn myself, or what to do. Between Seven and Eight at Night, out came my Lord Shaftsbury, in a great Cloak, to warm himself at a Fire in the withdrawing Green-Lobby: By the Messenger's Persuasion, I followed him. I told his Lordship, I was clearly Innocent of what Oats had sworn against me in the Morning; and I hoped, his Lordship, out of Pity and Commiseration, would stand my Friend. He told me, He would not speak for any one, nor be a Friend to any one, that spoke against the King. I replied, His Lordship was too Wise, to believe all Reports to be true. No, (says he) I believe not all Reports to be true; and I think, what was spoke of thee in the Morning, was an idle Story: But I have this Afternoon an Account of thee from Dr. Tonge and Mr. Ferguson, Men that know thee, as well as thou knowest thyself, which will prove of dangerous Consequence to thee. I desired his Lordship to let me know, what dangerous things they had informed against me? He told me, I had made a Practice of talking for, and descending the Church of Rome, in every Place where I came, which was Treason. I humbly did beseech him again, to stand my Friend. He replied; If thy Friends can get thee out of these Briars, Wilt thou be an honest Man? I told him, Yes, I would to my Power. I than told him again, I could justify myself against that which Oats had sworn. But, (says he) if thou goest about to justify thyself, thou'lt be utterly lost; for thy Friends had very much ado to keep the House from sending for those Two Persons Oats mentioned: Petition therefore the Lords, to be discharged. And so he left me, promising he would assist me the best he could; which I believe, he did. I shall make a short Observation upon this Dialogue.  
I had not, to my Knowledge, ever before that Day seen Tonge; and with Ferguson I had never been in Company, save once; and I'm sure, we talked nothing of the Church of Rome: So that, I believe, these Men were then as busy to bring People into the Plot, as Oats; and doubtless, were as deeply concerned. It may be considered likewise, that I then was intended for the future Work, because I was to be, in his Lordship's Sense, an Honest Man; A term of Art I have had cause to understand the meaning of very well, since. Thus, instead of getting out of the Briars, I got much faster in.  
I had not stayed so long, as the Reading this Digression, in the Lobby, but a Prelate repaired thither to warm himself, as I imagine: I made my Address, as well as I could, to him for his Help and Assistance: It seems, Dr. Tonge was this Prelate's great Confident; which, I presume, made me far the worse. The Prelate told me plainly; That I, having kept company with so many Papists, and perhaps one myself, must needs either be in the Plot, or know something of it; and that it would be best for me to deal freely with the Lords, they having been so kind to me, as not to commit me to Prison; I might imagine, they meant not to ruin me, but only to make me an Honest Man. I protested, by all that is Sacred, I knew nothing of any Plot. Here I cannot but remark, that this Prelate was much severer than the Lord Shaftsbury; for now I was a Papist, and a Plotter; notwithstanding the very Oracle, Titus himself, had upon Oath cleared me from being either of them, and that but just before, in his Lordship's Hearing.  
This Good Man had certainly read all the Major and Minor Prophets, together with the Book of Revelations, with incomparable Judgement, and singular Advantage to himself, else he could never have known more of me, than I knew of myself; and that I must be undone, before I could be made an Honest Man. This was a sharp use of an Evening Consolation, and more severe than Otes' Morning-Lecture.  
Saturday came, and I Petitioned the House to be discharged; my Petition was read, an Order being made to this effect; That my Licence for teaching School was to be taken from me, and that I was to give an Account of what I could, that might deserve the Favour of the House.  
In the mean time, my old Friend, the Vicar aforementioned, was not idle; he being all this while as strenuous and sedulous to take away my Livelihood, as others were to take away my Life: He, I say, together with a broken Brewer, introduced one Clatterbuck (a Parson's Son) into my House and Employment, without any Order from the Company of Brewers, who are the Patrons; they being of a different Opinion, as this following Certificate, given at that time, will evince:  

We the Master, Wardens and Assistant, of the Company of Brewers, London, Governors of the Lady Owen's Free-School at Islington, whereof William Smith, Master of Arts, hath been for Twelve years' Schoolmaster, who now is suspended from his said Employment; Do, on the behalf of the said William Smith, humbly Certify, That he was an Industrious and Careful Person in his Place; and is a very Loyal Subject to his Sacred Majesty and Government, for any thing we know to the contrary.  


James Reading, Master.  


Joseph Laurence,  
Thomas Morton,  
William Courtis,   Wardens.  


Ralph Bowes,  
Richard Hammond,  
Jo. Raymond,  
David Knight,   Assistants.     
Now the Vicar had achieved his Design; namely, he had got me fast enough, and almost in as ready a Road to the Gallows, as Mr. Staley: He had put the aforesaid Clutterbuck into my Place; yet he ceased not to persecute me still: Trudging to Brewer's-Hall to say Grace, and replenish his Gut, he there most falsely bespattered me in a Fustian-Harangue after Dinner; having not leisure, I suppose, till he had filled his Belly, to rail against, and abuse the Innocent. Yet observe what came of all this: Clutterbuck has since spent his Patrimony, which was considerable, and ruined, by his illiterature and negligence, the School, with his own Reputation; and even flown in the Face of his Promoter and Patron, the Vicar.  
On Saturday in the Afternoon, I was Examined by a certain P—. He persuaded me, That I was one of the Black-Bill-Men, or one of the Dagger-Men of Drury-Lane. This struck me into a profound Amazement, I not having heard of any such kind of Creature, till that very minute. But how unknown soever those dreadful Names might be to myself, certainly the Apparition must be not a little terrible, which even Gravity, Learning, and Wisdom was so apprehensive of. However, all I could offer to clear myself from being either of the forementioned dangerous Things, or any other sort of guilty Person, it all availed the little▪ For now I was not only a Papist, but a Plotter, and a small Officer into the Bargain. Really, I then believed myself gone. In the Interim, such speedy Care was taken to send the Lord's Order to Doctor's-Commons, as that Night, by the Exemplary Vigilance of Sir Thomas Exton, and his careful Register, Newcourt, I received a Command, To deliver my Licence (which I had bought and paid for) to the Messenger, and not to teach School in the Diocese, or any where else.  
My Licence thus taken from me, it was impossible that I, under my Circumstances, should ever be so connived it, as to teach without One; as some others did then, and do so to this Day: Therefore I was, if not in Duty, yet in fear of the Statute, obliged to desist, otherwise I might have proceeded in my School, for the Governors thereof never discharged me.  
Here 'tis observable, that my whole Livelihood, and all I had in the World being thus taken from me, and that upon no other ground, than either the forementioned unintelligible Treason, swore to by Oats, without either the How, When, and Where to it, or else, for my being suspected one of the abovenamed Dagger, or Black-Bill-Men: either of these Chimeras having Influence enough to undo me. Here was Ruin and Poverty (laid-on) my back, but Two necessary Preparatives, to make me embrace that Honesty, that was so requisite to give my Lord Shaftsbury Satisfaction. A Blow of this kind being but too apt to make Men malleable to Purposes and Impressions, not so easily taken and received in Prosperity.  
On Monday-Night following, the Lords discharged me; and in their very Order, as will appear by the Journal of the House of Lords, they expressed me a Protestant, Yet see, the Caprice of Fortune, and what Fatality attends the Unhappiness of some Men. By this most Just and Generous Acquitment of their Lordship's, from the Imputation of Popery, and the Dangers thereunto belonging, I was reinstated into my former Innocence. Nevertheless, though by this Re-instatement, all my Daggering, Black-Billing, Treasoning, and Plotting, wholly disappeared, yet the Gild vanished, but the Punishment remained: For my Licence, and my School, were never restored me again, though the Phantom that took them from me, was dissolved into Air.  
Soon after this, Oats spoke to Major Fisher, to find me out and bring me to him, which the Major promised him to do▪ for indeed, the Major then lodged in the same House with me, though he did not tell Oats so, as suspecting it might be to my prejudice, because Oats threatened, it should be the worse for me, if I came not. Considering this Menace, I attended my Lord Bishop of London, and prayed his Advice; who counselled me to go to Oats, but to be cautious of what I said, and likewise, to have a Friend with me, to be Witness (if occasion required) of what passed between us; and also, to attend his Lordship again, to give him an account of the Particulars: All which I performed; Mr. Thomas Hughes (before mentioned in this Discourse) being the Friend I made choice of to go along with me.  
We came to Whitehall, and were permitted to speak with Oats, whom we found in his Chamber, and Mr. Thomas Smith, a Counsellor of the Temple, with him. After we had talked of some indifferent Things, Oats asked me, What I knew of Matthew Medburne? (who was then in Prison, and whom he had preferred to be a Captain.) To which I answered, I knew no ill of him. Then he questioned me, If I had never heard him cry up the French King and disparage and speak ill of the King of England? I replied; That truly I heard him often applaud and extol the French King; but I never heard him speak an ill Word against our King; but on the contrary, defend him to his Power against others, that spoke reflectingly of him.  
Then Counsellor Smith began to speak; and, in a long Harangue, told me to this effect: That he believed, I was an Honest Man, and that I would do what Service I could to my King and Country, as became a Good Man, and Loyal Subject: And therefore, since it had pleased God to make Discovery of this Hellish Design and Conspiracy, if I had heard or known any thing done or said tending thereunto, I ought to disclose it. And therefore, he pressed me very earnestly, to be frank with the Doctor, in my Knowledge and Conversation with Medburnet and in the Questions made me by the Doctor, concerning him. But to all this I still positively Answered him, That I neither knew any thing at all of a Plot, or any thing against Medburn. Then Oats desired me to step in with him into his Closet; where he privately told me, That if I would appear against Medburne, he could procure an Order from the King to the Brewers, to reinstate me in my School; which he promised to perform, upon the Condition aforesaid. The Answer I made him, to excuse myself, was, That the School would be little worth to me now, under my present Aspersions and Circumstances. Upon this, he offered me his Power and Interest, in promising me any thing else I could find convenient; with reiterated Protestations of serving me, and Entreaties to accuse Medburne. All this I refused, with a Compliment, That I would consider of it: Upon which we returned into the Chamber, to our Company again: And soon after, parted friendly.  
This Interview was about Christmas, in the Year 1678. After which time I saw Oats no more, till June 1679. though he desired Major Fisher, who sometimes visited him, to tell me, He would have me call upon him: And the Reason why I was but a little while troubled with that Importunity from him, was, That Mr. Medburne soon after died in Newgate.  
However I cannot omit one divertive story that intervened: Oats being exalted with his high Dignities and Great Name of, The Saviour of the Nation, wanted to know his Coat of Arms; and Major Fisher sometimes waiting on him, and being also skilled in Heraldry, the Doctor communicated himself to the Major for his assistance herein. The Major, to favour so comical a Request of the Doctor, consulted with Mr. Wright and Mr. Blackamoor, two Herauld-Painters, who readily embraced the search into Records for the Honourable Original of so Illustrious a Personage as Titus the Famous; but after diligent and tedious Inquiry, it so fell out that Titus Oats was either the First Hero of his Family, or the Heralds had been unkind in not transmitting his Name and Arms to posterity, for neither could be found. Our Discoverer, it seems, being like the Champion mentioned by Silius Ita icus, 
Ast illi sine Luce Genus, surdumque Parentum  
Nomen—   
These men being unwilling nevertheless to defeat the Doctor's Honourable expectations, or that the Major should lose his Reward expected for this eminent piece of service to him, found out a Coat which they believed no body now could claim, viz a Chevron between three Crosses Croslet Fitchee. Being the Achievement of Sir Oats Swinford, Husband to the Lady Katherine Swinford, afterwards married to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. This the Doctor believed, and joyfully received, and most Triumphantly Engraved it on all his Plate, and in a large Seal Ring, requiting the Major with 20 s. but into the Bargain obliged him to bring him his Pedigree, all which he would pay for; but that being as hard to be produced as one of his own Commissions, the Major's non-performance quite lost the Doctor's favour.  
But to return to our purpose. In May 1679. the Parliament then sitting at Westminster, I met one Mr. Barrow, since Prebendary of Windsor; we went into a House to drink together; after some common discourse, he began to tell me a long story, how the Saturday last he had met the Bishop of Chester's Chaplain, who enquired of him concerning me: I ask him for what, and also telling him I knew not the man; He made answer, That the Parliament being going to try the Lords in the Tower, I was wanted to prove Oates' being in Town, for which end he told me the Chaplain had sent for him to inquire me out. I was very much surprised at this, and reminding him of the great Troubles I had lately been in, which he very well knew, I desired to be excused from any such thing, as being mighty unwilling to be brought upon the Stage again. I confessed indeed I very well remembered he had been with me several Times that last Summer, as indeed he had; but however I besought him not to desire any such thing of me, expressing my great aversion thereunto; but he urged the great service I should do to the public, and told me, I should be highly gratified by the Parliament: Nevertheless I persisted in my Denial, continuing to express several reasons for my dislike in doing any such thing; till at last he plainly told me he had order to bring me, and that if I would not go, he would send for a Constable, and I should not stir from thence till he had sent the Parliament word of me; in which finding him in earnest, rather than be so compelled, I thought it better to go quietly along with him; and to Westminster we went, and coming to the House of Lords, we sent in to the Bishop of Chester, but he being that day ill of the Gout, and not there, we sent in to the Bishop of London, who was pleased to come forth to us: we signified to his Lordship the intention of our coming, who was pleased to say, I did ill I had not told him of this thing before; to which I replied, I did not know there was any occasion for my testifying any such thing: My Lord was pleased to say, I had done well if I had come sooner, there being testimony wanting in that point; but now the Papers concerning the Popish Plot being this morning carried down to the House of Commons, the Lords would say nothing to me; we than desired his Lordship to instruct us what we should do, who ordered us to go to the House of Commons, and send in a Note to Sir Thomas Meers, letting him know we came from his Lordship. But before we went, his Lordship gave me caution that I did nothing but what was just and honest, and that I should no ways wrong my Conscience. Accordingly we went, and coming into the Lobby, where the Crowd was great, after the Note was sent in, I lost Mr. Barrow, whom I then saw no more, but Sir Thomas Meers came out to me: I acquainting him with the business, he required me to stay in that place till he went back into the House, which he thought would soon adjourn, and returned to me. I stayed a little while, and the House adjourning, he came to me again, and told me I must go to the Secret Committee in Lincolns-Inn-Fields, at Sergeant Maynard's House, about six a Clock at night, and in his Name inquire for Sir Thomas Lee: But, says he, I shall see him before then, and prepare him to send for you in presently, when you come thither.  
At six I went, where I found the Committee sitting, where meeting Mr. Banister of Grays-Inn, who was ordered to be their Doorkeeper; as a confiding man, and signifying my desire of speaking with Sir Thomas Lee, he went in, and Sir Thomas immediately came out, and told me I should be presently called in, which was done, and the door very carefully shut after me with two Locks, as I remember: Sir Thomas Lee sat at the upper end of the Table, I suppose as Chairman, who made an Harangue, much such another as Councillor Smith had done before, expressing the great Deliverance this Kingdom had received from the late Discovery, and how it was every man's duty to do all that lay in his power to be instrumental in serving the Nation and the Protestant Religion, etc. He required me to inform him what time Oates was with me the Summer before; I answered, several times about Midsummer and after, to the best of my Remembrance. Another of the Committee asked me if I did not see him in April, or the beginning of May 5. I told him I could not remember certainly: But they all pressed upon me that it must be in April or May; promising me, that if I would tell the Truth, they would endeavour with the King and House of Lords, to have me restored to the place I lost, or a better; urging withal, That if I would not tell the Truth, things would be worse with me, and much more to that threatening purpose. I being apprehensive of danger, and having already suffered too much considering too I was not upon my Oath, I ventured to say that truly I thought it might be about May; which Sir Thomas Lee wrote down, and afterwards required me to subscribe to; which I not suspecting they would ever demand of me, was surprised into, and durst not deny them. They enquired likewise where I lodged, and to find me again wrote down that too, which I durst not deny likewise; fearing to be laid by the heels upon refusal. Then they all said we are now ready, and will acquaint the House to morrow morning; and something else they said they would do with the House of Lords, which I cannot particularly remember. When they had put down the place I lodged at, one of them stood up and said, We shall have all the Rogues out of every hole and corner by degrees; which not a little troubled me (though now too late) to think how they had drawn me in, and before I went out of the Room with what a course appellation they treated the tool they had made. However at parting they returned me thanks, and promised me also the whole House of Commons would thank me too, and so with much Civility, and many good words, dismissed me.  
But the Commons soon afterwards falling upon the Succession, the Parliament was Dissolved in some few days after. Upon which I heard no more of this business, and indeed expected to hear no more on't. But in June I coming late home one night, found a Subpana for me to appear at the Old-Baily by 8 a clock next morning; the Subpana imported a Cause depending between the King and Thomas Whitebread, whom I do declare in the presence of God, I did not then know what or who he was, for though all the Town at that time was full of no other discourse than of the Jesuits in Newgate, and other Popish Criminals; yet their Names I never troubled myself to inquire into, being then very melancholy under my long Adversity, and scarce daring to show my head abroad. Now to show the oddness of the circumstances that surprised me in this thing, I was found out at my Lodgings by the Paper Sir Thomas Lee had made me sign. Neither should they have done this, had I had the least suspicion that I should have been Subpoena'd in this cause; for when I appeared before the Committee, their pretensions were wholly of using me in the Trial of the Lords; which the Parliaments Dissolution made me conclude was now over, and therefore not in the least imagining I should have been called upon in this Case at the Old-Baily, I had not provided me any other Lodgings, or sought any concealment or preventions against it.  
To the Old-Baily accordingly in the morning I went, and coming to the door, I spoke to an Officer, and showed him my Subpana, not then knowing what I was summoned thither for, by reason I came home late the night before, and this was the first enquiry I made, for the Fellow that brought the Subpoena staying till 11 a clock at night for me at my Lodgings, and not finding me come in, left it with strict orders with my Landlord to deliver it me; and being asked what it concerned, he would give him no account of that, but in general terms told him it was business of great consequence, and so repeated his strict charge of not failing the Delivery of it, and sending me next morning accordingly; The Officer made me no other answer, than that I must go to the Fountain Tavern at Snow-hill; where coming, I found the two Oates, Father and Son, (that being the first time that I had ever seen the Father) together with Counsellor Smith, and many other persons, strangers to me. This likewise was the first time (as beforementioned) that I had seen Oats from about Christmas before. After a Glass or two of Wine drank to me, and some other usual Civilities passed, the two Oats and Councillor Smith retired, and in some minutes after sent a Messenger to tell me there was one would speak with me in another room; whereupon I went out, and found it was they: They had likewise a Bottle of Wine there, and after some further Civilities, Councillor Smith began to speak much to the purpose he had done at Whitehall, which for brevity I pass by. But at length they came to insist upon my Testimony for Oats his being in Town in the month of May beforementioned, which I endeavouring to evade, they answered, I had confessed it to the Committee, and subscribed my Hand to it, which they said they had ready to produce against me, if I retracted from it, and refused to do him Justice, and own the Truth (for Justice and Truth were then words of course with him) till, in fine, they plainly told me, This I must aver, or there was a Jail ready hard by to receive me; which truly would have been soon done, for the Court was then sitting, and undoubtedly that accursed and unlucky Paper, with the strength of Oats his credit and sway at that time of day, would have laid a bigger man than myself by the heels. Reflecting upon the impending Danger, and withal my own already too ruinous condition, I being then under that extreme poverty that I had long lain in a Lodging of but 13 d. a week, and was reduced to the most pressing want; and more than all this, having been lately informed of the dismal effects of Newgate, of those great numbers of Priests and other Prisoners on the Popish Account, that daily died through the unhealthiness of the place, occasioned by the infinite swarms there: My own Poverty, and the imminent Danger of my Life, not only this way, but also by some of the old Stories formerly charged upon me at the House of Lords, which might still have been revived, with other Additions that the malice of Oats and his great Abettors, upon that refusal, through the prevailing Wickedness of those times might have raised against me. All this, I say, together with my own want of Money, Advice, or Friends at that time, and indeed not leisure enough throughly to consider the fatal consequences, the Trial then hastening on, my own Weakness at last forced me to comply, whilst my Apprehensions, Surprise, and Fears overpowred my vanquished Reason, and hushed all other sentiments.  
Thus was I unfortunately ensnared by a continual Chain of cross contingencies, together with an Humane Frailty which some time or other attends all mankind. Yet truly, that the World may not lie in a mistaken Opinion, I profess before God, Men and Angels, that I neither had any malice against any of the persons then impeached, whom till then I had never seen; nor did I comply through any prospect of Reward, or Mercenary end whatever, having never had so much as one farthing from that day to this, no not so much as one shilling at the delivery of the Subpoena.  
The rest of the Summer I was very quiet, being very kindly treated by Oats whenever I came to visit him. And after Michaelmas following Dangerfield sets up his Plot; which when I heard of, in Curiosity I went the next morning to Oats to hear his opinion of it; he was in his Chamber, and when I had stayed some small time with him, in came Sir Will. Waller, Coll. Mansell, Peter Gill, Mr. Chetwyn, and Tho. Merry, with some others. Waller had a very great bundle of Papers which he pulled out from under his Coat, they having that night searched Mrs. Celliers House, and brought these from thence: Oats than asked Sir William how matters went, Sir William made a discourse of half an hour long; as much of which, as I remember, was to this purpose: We, says he, have searched Celliers house from top to bottom, with all the care and diligence that men could use, and we thought we might have found some Priests or Jesuits, or such ill persons, or else some Treasonable Papers, but we found none, and so we went out of the House; but when we were in the street, in Troth Doctor I had an impulse upon my Spirits to go back and search again; so were entered, and I remembering a Meal-Tub which I had seen before there, but had not searched; I examined that, and under some Flower at the bottom of it, I found all these Papers. Likewise afterwards I found some Papers, but of no great consequence behind a Pewter Dish in the Kitchen: Says Oats to this, What are those Papers, what is there in them? Quoth Sir William, the Papists have thrown a Plot upon us; They have made the Duke of Monmouth a General, and my Lord Macklesfield a Lieutenant General, and a great many other Officers (which Sir William named, but I forgot) but Sir William proceeded, nay, they have done me the honour to make me a Colonel. From thence they went to the Council with the Papers, and only Oats and I were left behind; and no sooner were their Backs turned, but says Oats; By the Lord they have put these Papers into the Meal-Tub themselves, and found them when they have done. And truly taking the circumstances all together, and Sir Williams True Protestant impulse for the safety of the Nation that made him return again into the House after so through a search before; Oates' plain dealing in this matter, looked with a shrewd suspicious face of Truth and Reason.  
But having mentioned Sir William, I cannot omit another prank of his, which was his producing of Pickerings Gun: He and his gang got a Gun of a confiding Brother, a Gunsmith in the Minories, which cost them a considerable sum of Money. After this purchase, Sir William, with the aforenamed gang, pretended to make a search into Pickerings House in the Savoy; and in this shame search they conveyed the Gun into the House, and amongst a parcel of Featherbeds, which with other goods lay in a confused heap, they opened the Seam in one of the Beds, and clapped in the Gun, and sowed up the Seam again; and next night making a new search, upon pretence of some second impulse of Sir Williams, that he had not searched narrowly enough before, they found the Gun where they had left it; and though this King killing Trophy was undiscovered till this second search, yet a more harmless and softer Metal in the same room, viz. 3 or 400 l. in old Gold and Silver, did not scape him at first search; with the forementioned Trophy, thus heroically gained, these True Protestant Champions marched in great Triumph to the King and Council, where Sir William upon his Knees made a present of it to his Majesty, who commending it for a very pretty Gun, made a present of it back again to Sir William. But that Sir William brought the Money to his Majesty as well as the Popish Gun, Historians make no question.  
I cannot pass by one more of Sir William's Adventures; amongst the many Apparitions of Popery, visible only to True Protestant eyes, there happened an information of a Lady Abbess and a House of Nuns at Hammersmith; this was about March 1680. Sir William procured a Warrant from the Council to search this Popish Seminary; which was accordingly done, Oats himself going along with him; and to make the greater bustle in so doughty an undertaking, they put the whole Town of Hammersmith into an uproar, and then most manfully broke open the doors, where they found an old Gentlewoman, with 3 or 4 little Girls which she taught Needlework; and to make out this formidable Discovery they found out a Discipline, which they had formerly taken amongst the spoils of some Popish Houses: and which Oats had a long time before carried in his pocket. With this infallible demonstration of a Monastery they returned: Which Relic Oats kept afterwards in his pocket still, and I have seen him flaug his menial Ganymedes with it.  
But to return to Titus again. His great and stupendious Fortune brought his Mother up to Town from Hastings in Sussex, where she was a Midwife, to see her Son; which was a little before Christmas in 79, who lay with her Husband at his Lodgings in York Buildings, where one day I happened to dine with them. Some time after dinner the old man went out, and left only me and the old woman together; I staying indeed the longer for a Friend, whom I had ordered to call upon me there. The old woman, (much unlike her Husband and Son) was looked upon by all that knew her to be a very Pious and Virtuous woman in her way, and at this time treated me very kindly; where discoursing with me, she said thus: Mr. Smith, you have known my Son Titus a great while, pray what do you think of him, and this business; (meaning the Plot) to which I answered, Very well; not thinking fit to tell her my real sentiments: The old woman shaking her head, replied, Indeed I do not like it well. Pray God bless him. You know, Mr. Smith, I have had a great many Children, and by my profession I have skill in women's concerns. But I believe never woman went such a time with a Child as I did with him. I could seldom or never sleep when I went with him, and when I did sleep I always dreamt I was with Child of the Devil. But when I came to my Travail, I had such hard Labour that I believe no woman ever had; it was ten to one but it had killed me: I was never so of any of my other Children. Then when he grew up I thought he would have been a Natural; for his Nose always run, and he slabbered at the mouth, and his Father could not endure him; and when he came home at night the Boy would use to be in the Chimney corner, and my Husband would cry take away this snotty Fool, and jumble him about, which made me often weep, because you know he was my Child.  
This is verbatim what his Mother said of him, for I took special Notice of her Words. He was Born at Oakam, in the County of Rutland, his Father being then Chaplain to Colonel Pride, where he was brought up in his Childhood. In the Year 1664. he was brought to Merchant-Taylors-School, as a Free-Schollar, by Nicholas Delves, Esq now Living; he happening to be in Books that were Taught in my forms, I was sent for down to Receive him into the School, which I did in a very unlucky hour. And truly, the first Trick he served me, was, That he Cheated me of our Entrance-Money which his Father sent me, which the Doctor generously confessed in his Greatness at Whitehall, and very Honestly paid me then. I wish he had been as just in all his other greater Matters; if so, the Kingdom had not been in such Tormoyls, nor so many Honest Men Destroyed and Undone.  
Coming one Evening to Visit him at Whitehall, I found Bedloe and Prance with him; amongst other Discourses, they Talked of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey: Oats Laughed at the business, and said, Here is Bedloe, that knew no more of the Murder than you or I did. But he got the Five Hundred Pound, and that did his work, and gave this Blockhead 30 l. of it. He picked him up in the Lobby of the House of Lords, and took him for a Loggerhead fit for his purpose; at which Bedloe laughed heartily, and Prance looked a little dull, as displeased. At this Rate I have heard Oats and Bedloe Discourse very often, who used always themselves to make the business of Godfrey a Ridiculous Story, and Entertained themselves when Private with the Jest on't.  
At the Lord Staffords Trial, I got in for Curiosity amongst the Witnesses against him; and that Morning the Sentence was past, when the Question of Guilty or not Guilty passing among the Barons, we being so near them as to hear what past, when the Major Voices at first went Not Guilty, Dugdale walked about very Melancholy and Dejected, muttering to himself: I asked him, what was the matter? he Replied, I believe he'll be Quit, and I am undone; but let what will come on't, I am Ruined. I happened the Winter after this to be in Dugdales' Company, in the Kitchen at the Three-Tun Tavern at Charing-Cross one Night; where an Old Gentleman happening to come to the Bar to Inquire for some Person there, I observed Dugdale to startle and stare: I asked him, what was the matter? he made me no Reply, but in much disorder rose up, and went to the Woman at the Bar, (the Gentleman being then gone) and asked, who that Ancient Gentlemen was? she told him, she knew him not. God bless me, said he, I believe 'tis my Lord Stafford! (as the Woman Informed me afterwards) and returning again to me, I asked him what he went out for? Lord! says he, Did you not see a Gentleman come to the Bar, and Speak to the Woman of the House? No, said I, My Back was towards the Bar, and I saw him not. I Protest, replied he, I thought it had been my Lord Stafford; and continued so terrified with the Apprehension, that he was very uneasy, and went away.  
This story coming to his Landladies Ear, who lived within a few Doors of the place, her Name Mrs. Beak, she and I discoursing this Matter, she told me also something of the like Nature of him, which was this: Having occasion to come into his Bedchamber for something, one Night, that she wanted from thence, when Dugdale was in bed, she went in softly with a candle in her hand, and a white Apron on, designing if asleep not to wake him; no sooner came she in, but Dugdale in a very great Fright and start, cried out, Stafford! Stafford! Stafford! with many other expressions of a most Terrible Fear, till the Woman with much ado at last undeceived him.  
It will not be amiss, in this place, to add the Relation of Turbevils' Death, the other great Witness against the Lord Stafford: Falling sick of the Smallpox at his Landladies, Mrs. Holmes in the Savoy, near his Death he began to Rave extremely of Stafford, crying, Take away Stafford! Take away Stafford! with several other continued cries upon the same subject; which several Persons, both the Landladies Relations and others will Testify: and at the Minute of his Death, his Bed shook so extremely, that his Landlady and several other People then present, thought it would have fallen to pieces. Nay, and there came such a strong blast of Wind, that the People were afraid the House would have been blown down. And 'tis not unknown also, that a much greater Man than Turbevil, at his Exit demonstrated an extraordinary Remembrance of Stafford.  
I have given the Reader these particulars of my Conversation and Knowledge of those Villains, hoping that this small detection, (being what lay in my Reach) of these Hellish Impostures, which then Ruled our Ascendant, will not be ungrateful: And how unhappy soever I have been to myself, I have nevertheless always been a Faithful and Loyal Subject, and in those worst of Times, in my greatest Familiarity with Oats, I have used my little Power with him, to divert him from his Wickedness, having at several times, (as far as I durst with safety) dissuaded him from divers of his Malicious Accusations. In the Year 1681. I wholly deserted his company, and have never spoken to him since, and also gave Mr. Secretary Jenkins an Honest Account of things that I heard and saw, intending it as a Service to the King, as these following Depositions will Attest for me.   

September 19th 1681. I delivered this to Mr. Secretary Jenkins at his Office in Whitehall.  
ABout the time that Mr. College was taken, I well remember one Mr. William Smith, a Fifth-Monarchy-man, asked me in Oats ' s Chamber in Whitehall, in the presence of James Creswel, William Dalby, and William Powel, (the two first being Oats ' s Menial Servants) where Smith the Priest, Macnamarra, and the other Irish Witnesses Lodged? I asked him why he enquired their Lodgings? he replied, That himself and others would take them and carry them to Tyburn, and hang them on the Gallows, and pin papers on their Backs, to inform the World why they were Hanged. The said Smith likewise told me at Greys in Scotland-yard, That he and others would be about Henly, and meet College, and Rescue him as easily as they formerly Rescued Mason. This was in the presence of the aforesaid Powel and Dalby; Smith then called Dalby into the next Room, and talked with him some time.  
About Bartholomew-tide 1680, Alderman Wilcocks gave a Treat at the Crown Tavern without Temple-Barr to divers Gentlemen, of which (he being my very good Friend) I was one, the time appointed was one a Clock, about which time Oats, his Brother Sam, and Counsellor Smith came; and about half an hour after, up comes John Smith and College; I not then well knowing College, asked John Smith, who he was, which he told me, saying, It was Mr. College the Protestant Joiner: One of the Company (I think it was College) produced a Pamplet in Quarto of two sheets, about the Duke of York, which was Read: It was long before Dinner came up, which being ended, Mr. Oats, Mr. Savage, and Mr. John Smith, fell into a friendly dispute in Divinity; Mr. College was so far from sleeping during their Discourse, that he was often interrupting them with his Quibbles and Rhime-doggrel, for which Oats rebuked him. I am very certain, neither College, nor any body else, slept in the Room before Dinner or after: We parted, and I left Oats, Smith, College, and others of the Company in an Alley by the Palsgraves' head.  
The very day after (as I take it) that College was Condemned, about Nine in the Morning, I was walking through St. Margaret's Churchyard, Westminster, and Mr. Hunt the Lawyer humed to me; I met him, he complained of Colleges ill usage in many bitter expressions; among others, I very well remember, he said these words at our parting: By God, this pace will not carry it; we must take another course I asked him, what? he replayed, We must Dagger them, nothing but a Dagger will do it. Dagger who, quoth I? These Rogues the Judges, says he; we must make a Tumult in the street, and Stab them like Villains in their Coaches, for an Example to others; for no good will be done, we shall have no Justice, till these Rogues be served so.  
Mr. Merry said to me in Mr. Otes Chamber at Whitehall, when the Parliament was sitting at Oxford, 1680/1. That the King had a Design to seize upon all the Protestant honest Lords and Gentlemen at Oxford, and chop off their Heads; but, says he, They are well provided for Defence and Offence; yet the King will cut off all the honest Party, and bring in Popery at last by the help of the King of France; but if he Travels once more, neither he, nor any of the Race of him, will ever return.  
Rhoderick Mansel at Lambs Ordinary in March 1679. told Mr. Savage, Mr. hugh's, Mr. Button, and myself; That there were Commissions given out, that Sir William Waller had seized them, that he had seen them, that he knew of Twenty Horses in divers Stables ready, that he and Colonel Disney would Head the Prentices; that he would Fight for the Cause in Blood up to the Knees, and that the King resolved to bring in Popery. This was before the business of Captain Tom.  
Nicholson, when he was fitting up Otes' Pistols, a little before the Parliament met at Oxford, said to me; Come, come, we shall have occasion for these before we come back again from Oxford; I shall be once again on Horseback: I would I were Twenty Years Younger. He was a Trooper in Cromwell's Army.  
The aforesaid Creswel is a most Audacious Villain; His many Horrid Expressions against the King, and the great Ministers of State, would fill many Sheets. His ordinary Execrations against the King, are, The Devil confound him, he is a Papist; the Devil run through him with a Scythe at's Back: The Devil Run through that Papist Whore, that Bitch, the Queen with a Scythe at's Back. The like Curses against the Chancellor, Mr. Seymore, Secretary Jenkins, Privy Seal, etc. I have heard him express, (I do really think) above a hundred times.  
Doctor Oates hath in my hearing, I believe, a hundred times, affirmed very Peremptorily, That the Supreme Power was in the People, That the King was but the People's Servant and Steward; That the People had Power to Depose him, and set up another when they pleased: That the King was as deep in the Plot, and was as Errand a Papist as his Brother: That, the King had Suborned Witnesses to stifle the Popish Plot, and to throw it upon the Protestants; mentioning Dangerfield, Tongue, and Fitz-Harris.  
One day; when Tongue was Examined before the Council. Oats told me, All the Subornation will come up to our Master at last; meaning the King.  
Many times Oats has said to me, His Finger's Itches (meaning the King) to bring in Popery, and the French Government; But it will not do; we are ready, we are Provided against him with Men and Arms, upon any occasion: He may remember what became of former Kings that abused Parliaments: Let him Remember his Father; He must expect the same Sauce if he goes on.  
The Persons that most frequented Otes' Chamber, were, Councillor Smith, Starkey, Pascal, Charleton, Aaron Smith, Wilson, Burroughs, Nelthrop, West, Hunt, Snow, Halford, Blaney, Merry, Mansel, Sir Hugh Inglesby, Colonel Scot, Chetwin, College, Yarrington, Harrington, Dr. Jones, Dr. Butler, Dr. Pole, Dr. a Prebendary of Chichester, Cannon, Billing, Penn, and Whitacre.  
That Afternoon Oats Returned from Oxford after Colleges Trial, he laid him down on the Chairs in his Chamber at Whitehall, and said, Oh! there is a great Man fallen this day in Israel! I wish I may lay down my Life in so just a Cause: He is his Country's Martyr. Well! well! we may now see how the Game is like to go; Our Master (meaning the King) is resolved to bring in Popery: No Man ever had such foul Play as this poor College; all the True Protestants will be Murdered thus one after another.  
Major Wildman, and Mr. Charleton Furnished Oats at his going to Oxford to the Parliament with Forty Pound, his Collections are now gathered by Elias Best the Hop-Merchant in Thames-street.  
William Powel said to me one day in Scotland-yard, Damn this Dog Warcup! By God, if I could light on him handsomely, I would Cut his Throat, he hath been the cause of all this mischief; meaning the business of College. This Powel will commonly say, Our Family lost a great Estate by Windsor at the Kings coming in, but if things go on we shall get it again I doubt not.  
I have divers times in Oats' Chamber in Whitehall (particularly after the Dissolution of the Two last Parliaments, and during that at Westminster) heard Henry Starkey, Aaron Smith, Mr. Hunt, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Chetwin, Mr. Thomas Merry, Mr. Richard Halford, Mr. Whitaker, Colonel Mansel, and Doctor Oates, Affirm and Discourse thus, We have 20000 Horse and Foot, ready Armed upon occasion; we Value not the King's Guards a Fart; and if the Duke of Monmouth will but draw his Sword, he'll find Friends enough; and if the Parliament would but sit, their Friends could Protect them against the King, and all his Guards. The means how they can have 20000 Men so ready (as far as I could perceive) is this, The Gentlemen of the Three Great Clubs, and their Adherents of the better sort, and the meaner fort of the Trained-bands, are double Armed; I have heard many of them say, They would lose their Lives before they would part with their Arms, and if the King should come to demand them, they would Fire upon him.  
I Remember, when the matter of presenting the Guards was on Foot, that Mr. Merry said to me, The Grand Inquest are Cowardly and Timorous Fellows, and dare not go through with the work, they are too much of the Court Party; but afterwards upon advice from my Lord Shaftsbury, the business was laid aside: My Lord said, It was better to let the Guards alone, because they were of small moment to obstruct our Designs, and helped to Impoverish the King; This Dr. Oats told me, and I once heard my Lord Speak to that purpose. Oats often visited my Lord Shaftsbury, and was put upon Swearing against the Duke of York, by his Instigation; as Oats himself told me, and verily, I believe it was true. Dr. Oats, when I have asked him of my Lord Shaftsbury, hath often told me, my Lord was Well, and would say, what are they all Starved yet at Whitehall? The King will not be able to buy a Shirt to his Back in a short time.  
And I once heard my Lord say to Oats; I shall see thee Bishop of Winchester, or Canterbury before I Dye: This was occasioned by Otes' threatening my Lord Chancellor, and saying, He was a Rogue, and he would stick as close to him as the Shirt on his back. This was in August, 1679.  
Aaron Smith told me in Otes' Chamber, that a Name sake of mine made the Ballad of the Raree Show, I asked him, who, he then answered me, You see him.  
Mr. Burroughs the Glass-seller in York-buildings, commonly repaired to Otes' Chamber on Sunday in the Morning. His Province is to get to be a Jury Man at Hicks' Hall and Westminster, and to obstruct all business tending to the advantage of the Crown, to make a disturbance in the Parish, to Rail against the Bishops, to persuade the People the King is bringing in Arbitrary Power and Popery, and to Contribute, and Raise Money for Oats.  
Mr. Wilson one morning in March last, in Otes' Chamber Discoursed to me thus, We must draw our Swords, nothing will be done with these Pimps and Rogues without it, meaning the Ministers of State: The King will never be good till we force him to it; nor the Nation Happy till another course be taken; we shall fee Popery and Despotical Power overwhelm us, unless we draw our Swords, and Fight for our Religion and Liberty. This Wilson was continually Singing Bowdy and Treasovable Songs Reflecting on the King.  
Mr. Richard Halford is an old Leveller, and a Commonwealths man; He was an Agitator at Newmarket, and in Thompson's Broil at Burford, in 1647: and hath been (I do believe) in all the Pactious Cabals this Twenty Tears: He is a very close and dangerous Man, and hath had the Dexterity to Preserve himself undiscovered.  
Mr. Blaney of the Temple, the Shorthand Writer, did in my hearing in Otes' Chamber say, There was a Printing-Press, in the Temple, where they could do any thing: and by several hints I have heard, I am persuaded, most of the Treasonable Libels of late Years were Printed there. Mr. John Harrington did at the same time Demonstrate how easy it was for a Gentleman to Compose and Print, which, he said, Prevented all the Discovery by Mercenary Printers.  
Sir Henry Inglesby told me, one Afternoon in September last, in Otes' Chamber, That he believed all the True Protestants in Ireland, would have their Throats Cut in a short time by the Papists, and that by the connivance, if not command of the Duke of Ormond, and some body else.  
Mr. William Snow, who belongs to the House of Lords, is a very great Confident of Dr. Otes': He, when the Parliament Sits, Informs the Factious Party what he hears about the House of Lords; shows Lists of the Lords Names, and tells which are Honest Protestants, and which are Rogues and Tories: He is a constant Singer of all the late Treasonable and Bawdy Ballads, that abuse the King and Government.  
Mr. William Dalby, Oats ' s Clerk, hath often told me, That the King was a Papist, that Mr. Parsons of the Temple had many times seen him at Mass at Somerset-House: That the King was drunk when he Dissolved the Parliament at Oxford, so Drunk that he could not stand or Speak. I have often heard Mr. Dalby say, This Popish Race of the Stewarts must be Rooted out, there must be a Change. He was formerly Clerk to the Committee of the Rebels in Rutland.  
Thus far Gentlemen, I have given you a small insight into this Grand Popular Cheat, this great Mystery of Iniquity, and as far as my little Walk amongst them has Empowered me to do. And truly, if all Persons farther concerned, would be as Candid as myself, undoubtedly the whole Imposture would be fully Detected, and the yet unsatisfied part of Mankind wholly undeceived.  
FINIS.   

POSTSCRIPT,  
SOme things being omitted in the preceding Discourse, it may not be thought impertinent to insert them in this Appendix; And first, I shall give an account (so far as fallen under my knowledge,) of the wrong, Dr. Goad Mr. of Merchant-Taylors School sustained in the late time of Fraud and Injustice, hoping that Pious and Learned Person, will not take my honest and fair Intentions otherwise than I mean them.  
The Factious Party of the Company had watched with malicious Eyes to gain any advantage for several years against Him; But either not finding any plausible one, or esteeming him a Man so extraordinarily qualified, that a better could not be found in the Three Kingdoms, (and there I'm sure they were in the right,) They attempted not to Eject him, but lessened him in Privileges belonging to his Place, some years (I think I may say) before Oates' Plot appeared aboveground. It so fell out, in the beginning of the year 1681, (as I take it,) that John Smith, (commonly called Narrative Smith, but his real name is David Barry,) happened to Dine with Elias Best the Hop-merchant in Thames-street; He having Sons at Merchant-Taylors-School, desired J. Smith to examine how they benefitted in Learning: These Boys producing their Books, drew out the Ch. of England's Catcehism with a Comment upon it; in which Comment Smith positively avowed there was plain Popery upon our B. Saviour's descent into Hell. This formidable Spectrum of Popery thus opportunely conjured up by Smith the Renegado Priest; the True Prot. Elias managed so effectually, that Bushel, Mallery, Keys, Delves, and other Fanatical Members of Merchants Tailor's Company, caused Dr. Goad to be summoned to the Hall to answer for his Comment; which he undertook, and unhappily did it under his Hand, which was the only thing they wanted. Next, they consulted their Oracles, Oats, Ferguson, and Dr. Owen the Independent; The first to Swear, and the latter to Evict the Popery of the Comment, and its Defence.  
Notwithstanding during the time that this Affair was transacted, I was very intimate with Oats, yet he cautiously concealed it from me, knowing I would endeavour to prevent it, having so great a Veneration for Dr. Goad, He being the best Friend I ever found; However he had before often tampered with me to have accused the Dr. of being a Papist; which, neither knowing, or Believing him so, I refused to do, telling Oats, that it would be the greatest piece of Ingratitude imaginable in Him to attempt any such thing; To which he would always answer, I did not spare You who were my Mr. too, and therefore why should I spare Him? And for this aversion of mine, I was then wholly kept a stranger to their projects against him, till they had fully done their work.  
But to give you the full account of this Comment, and the Dr's. Ruin that attended it; The matter of Fact is as follows. Upon a fit of Sickness that the Dr. lay under, the conduct of his School was wholly left to the Ushers, who driving (as is well known) a great Trade in Selling Books to the Scholars, did at that time, for their own private Lucre, Introduce this Comment upon the Church- Catechism into the School; which was so far from being Popish, that it was both Licenced, and Dedicated to the then Archbishop of Canterbury. Now tho' the Dr. did very honestly in defending it, it was more than he was obliged to do, because it was brought into the School without his knowledge; The Fault (if any had been,) lying only at the Ushers doors, who, by the Custom of that School ought first to have consulted the Dr. (which they never did,) and to have had his approbation, this Book being for the lower Forms only; The Catechism used in the Fifth and Sixth Forms under the Dr's. more immediate Care, being only in Greek, without any Comment at all.  
Now, though the Dr. did give his Enemies the abovenamed advantage against him, by getting it under his Hand; and for That only reason, (this being the only quarrel against him,) they deprived him of his School, and utterly blasted his Name and Reputation to the world, as a downright Papist, yet That whole Tenent on which they grounded their pretended Popery, was expressly a particular Doctrine of the Ch. of England, the descent of our Saviour into Hell being a special Article, even of our very Apostles Creed. But forsooth, because several fanatics descent from Us in that Point of our Belief, those very persons were set up for Judges in the Cause, and even a Defence of our Ch. of England (the Dr's. Defence of the Comment being no other,) Arraigned, Convicted, and Condemned as Popish and Antichristian, by the Sentence and Decree of Oats, Ferguson, Owen, etc. together with the Assent of Bushel, Mallary, Keys, and the rest of the Lay Brethren in Inquisition, assembled.  
Why the reforming Zeal of Dr. Owen was so active in Dr. Goad's Ruin, was, for the introduction of his Sister's Son Mr. Harcliff, into his place; a Person undoubtedly not unworthy of the Preferment, for having once Heroically attempted to Preach before His late Majesty, and not being able to utter one word of his Sermon, he descended from the Pulpit as great an Orator as he went up, Treating His Majesty with no other Entertainment than a silent Meeting.  
But to give you the farther management of this Affair, passing by all the Injustice done to Dr. Goad, here was a violation of the Custom of the School in introducing this Mr. It being agreed ab Origine, between Famous Sir Thomas White, Merchant Taylor, and Founder of St. John's College in Oxford, and the Company of Merchant Tailors, that the Mr. of that School should always be a Member of that College, which this man was not, being an Eton Scholar, and consequently of Cambridge.  
Now their reason for this illegal Election of a Schoolmaster, the Then overruling Factious Party of the Merchant-Taylors, (though offered an able Man by the College) suspended this Custom, pretending That the College of St. john's would send none but Persons that would propagate Popery; so that here's the Gown men of a whole College at one stroke branded with Popery by these Infallible Mechanic ●urs.  
About the time of this Business of Dr. Goads, Nat. Thompson had Published in his News Book the Apprentices intent of burning the Rump, which being no sooner viewed with a pair of Whig-Spectacles, but it was turned to a Popish Plot, and to be managed by Sir W. Waller; In order to which, he attempted to get a Warrant from the Privy Council for Thompson; But That Project failing, he decoyed him in another persons Name without Temple-Bar, and there by his own Warrant charged him with High Treason, and committing him to the Gatehouse; The next day Sir Will. made it his whole business to boast what great Service he had done to the Cause in securing Him; further telling me, that Thompson had said, and done such things that did amount to Treason, and he did not doubt but to Hang him. But as Providence ordered it, in few days after Sir Will. was fairly dismissed of his Justiceship, and consequently made incapable of Plundering any more: Upon which he stepped for Holland, and there turned his Plundered Relics, etc. into Gold, to the value of 6 or 700 l.  
One Slander more they cast upon me, was, that I writ Seditious Pamphlets for Oats; Truly I will not wrong him, he never desired any such thing of me; Indeed he promised me 20 l. per annum, and Diet, to Translate certain Books in Latin concerning the Institutions, Rules and Orders of the Jesuits; Some of which I put into English, and have part of them yet by me; all which if Printed, would no ways prejudice Jesuits, or other persons, but be useful to many curious men. Now for all my pains Oats never paid me one Peny, though he punctually satisfied John Philip's for writing the many Lies and Villainies that even yet remain under his Name on every Fanatical Booksellers Stall. Many other wrongs I have long laboured under, which I believe, if known, would draw compassion from my greatest Enemies; But those having no relation to the Public, shall be now concealed.   

ERRATA.  
PAge 4. l. 35. r. Bobbing in Kent. p 7. l. 19 r. October. p. 8. l. ult. r. Plot. p. 17. l. 11. r. Mr. Clare, Barester. p. 19 for 13 d. r. 18 d. a Week. p. 21. l. 36. for question r. mention. p. 33. l. 24. r. this Comment.