An Impartial and Exact ACCOUNT OF THE DIVERS Popish Books, Beads, Crucifixes and Images, taken at the Savoy, BY Sr. WILLIAM WALLER, One of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace.  
AND Burnt by Order, in the New Palace-yard Westminster: the 11th. of February.  
Written in a Letter to a Friend in the Country.  
LONDON: Printed for R. G. 1678.   

A LETTER TO A Friend in the Country.  
SIR,  
THIS comes Posthaste to give you a full and true account of what our diligent Justices have performed in order to the better finding out and discovering this damnable and malicious PLOT; not only against yours or my own, but the Life and Safety of our most Gracious Sovereign.  
You are not, I suppose, ignorant of one of our Justices of the Peace for the Liberty of Westminster, Sir William Waller by name, who has taken all the care a man in his Office could do; not only to subvert, but totally to destroy this pest of Popery, and root it out from amongst us: having made it his whole delight as well as his duty, ever since he received Commission from his Majesty, to put the Laws in Execution against all Popish Priests, Jesuits, Benedictines, Monks or others, of the like pernicious and plotting principles and persuasions: and this in a time as well dangerous to his own Life as the Kingdoms good and safety.  
And it were well for poor England if all its Officers, Magistrates and Ministers, were so well disposed, since it appears to be the plainest demonstration that our Gracious King, our wholesome and profitable Laws, with our surest and safest Religion, are such as no Nation in the World can parallel; and if we do Justice amongst ourselves, and take care to put all the Laws in Execution as they ought to be, we need not fear that either the Priests or Jesuits on Earth, or the Devils in Hell can do us any harm.  
But all this I did not intent to you, but only to give you an account of our present days work, which thus I do.  
Sir William Waller having some days since searched the Benedictine Monks Lodgings in the Savoy (some of whom are in Custody) found there several Popish Books inter alia, which afterward you have a particular of: and giving an account thereof to the Committee of their Lordships of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council, received Order from their Lordships to commit them all to the flames on some public day, and in such public place and manner as might satisfy the World that such proceeding against them was not only intended and purposed, but prosecuted according to Law.  
And in obedience to this Order of their Lordships, chose this day at eleven of the Clock, being full Term, to show his readiness herein. The place was the New Palace-yard, Westminster, where after a long stake was set upright in the ground, about which were a quantity of faggots placed and lighted, the said Sir William with the Constables and Guard about him, brought three Cart load of the ensuing fallibilities.  
First, There was several Popish and Jesuitical Vestments, Copes and Hoods, most of them of silk embroidered with silver and gold lace, in pictures, effigies of Crosses and other Popish Hieroglyphics, and these words endorsed in letters of golden embroidery, ORA PRO ANIMA M. O. etc. which were placed upon the long stake over the fire.  
To them were adjoined several Popish Pictures with frames and without, together with Crucifixes and Images of brass and ivory, Beads an innumerable quantity, one or two Popish Bulls in Parchment of a considerable length, having broad leaden Seals; many Popish Trinkets and Relics, and bones of Saints, or such presumed.  
To which I will only add seven Trunks full of Popish Mass-Books, Catechisms, and others of various kinds, tending to the subversion of the Protestant and promoting of the Popish Religion and Interest.  
All these were burning within the hours of 11. 12. and 1. of the Clock, at which time they were wholly extinguished.  
Now, Sir, I have no more at present but only to wish we may proceed by degrees, till we have prevented if not overcome our fatal Enemies, till than I am  
SIR, London, Febr. 11. 1678. Your most humble Servant.