A BLOODY MASACRE PLOTTED BY THE PAPISTS intended first against the City of London, and consequently against the whole Land.  
Discovered by the care of Alderman Towes, and some other godly and well affected Citizens.  
With a Relation of the great uproar on Monday last: First occasioned by some words between the late Bishop of Lincoln (now Archbishop of York) and some London-Apprentices and secondly by Lunsford and his Company.  
And the bloody skirmish at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday night.  
With the combustion then in the City, and shutting of the City Gates.  
With the Noble courage and valour, expressed by Sir Richard Wiseman at the same Time.  
LONDON: Printed for M.R. 1641.   

A BLOODY PLOT INTENDED BY THE PAPISTS to massacre the City of London, and (consequently) the whole Kingdom, etc.  
ON Friday night last, (being Christmas Eve) a French man passed through the Watch, and being examined as the manner is, who went there; he answered something chubbedly: but being pressed upon the matter where he had been, he said at Summerset-House. And being asked what he did there so late, he answered, that he had been at Mass: then being asked what he did at Mass so late, he said because it was Christmas Eve; to celebrate the Eve of Christmas, which he said, was a work of the night.  
Then they demanded of him, if he had not been about some Popish plot against us; And he made answer peremptorily, That he had been about such a plot as they should hear further on before the Twelve days were expired. This man was heard to speak thus by Alderman Towes, and others that were then present; and was therefore committed to the Counter: and the next day being brought before the Lord Major, he was examined, and put in Bail to the Lord Major: upon which he was released, till he be called for again to be further examined.  
There were also two Frenchmen coming to London by water, who did discourse in French, now the waterman did undestand French, but took no notice of what they discoursed, but carried himself as if he did not understand any thing at all. Thus he rowed them along: and when he had landed his Fair, and taken his money, he tied his boat to the stairs, and went after them, and caused them to be apprehended, and carried before a Justice: so they went before Sir John Lenton: To whom the waterman did testify, that they did talk to this effect, that the Catholics did intent to make Monday and Tuesday to be the bloodiest days and nights in the City of London, that ever was in this place; upon this he should have been committed, but he sent for Bail. And so upon security for his forth coming, was discharged till be be again called for.  
There was also a letter sent from a Gentleman in France to a Citizen (a friend of his in London) to this effect: That he would desire him to make what speed he could out of England, and especially out of London, as he tendered his life: for he was verily persuaded by the rumours he heard in France, that before Twelft day, there would be bloody designs wrought in this kingdom of England by the Papists, and especially in the City of London, which place the Papists malign most.  
Now the City hath been the more distracted since the placing of Colonel Lunsford to be the Lieutenant of the Tower, which the City did conceive to be of dangerous consequence; and that in these and divers other respects. 

1. Because he is held to be a Papist.  
2. He hath been Colonel under the King of France.  
3. He is so desperate a man, that to pick out one to run in the mouth of a Cannon, or to perform some desperate design, h● is held to be the only man in the whole kingdom.  
4. The Ordnance are placed against the City upon the Tower, and want nothing but only mounting, which with help may be done in two or three hours; and on a sudden (for aught we know) batter down our houses over our heads ere we be ware.  
5. He hath been a shedder of blood in this Land.  
6. When the Lord Major that now is, was Shoriffe of London, he was his prisoner then in Newgate: besides other prisons that he hath been in.  
7. He is so deboyst a man, that he is generally reported to be as lascivious even as Sir john Suckling, or, etc.    
Upon the great and just complaint against him, it pleased his gracious Majesty to put him out again, and to put in one Sir Johnn Biroon, whom we hope is better affected▪  
ON Monday being Saint John's day, there was a great uproar at Westminster, caused by the aforesaid Lunsford.  
About noon the said Monday, the Archbishop of York, the late Bishop of Lincoln, passing to the Parliament House, by many Apprentices of London; some of those Apprentices expressed themselves, that their desires was to have Bishops removed, no Bishops. At which the Archbishop was very, angry; and turning to wards them, seemed as if he would have struck some of them. But they were not any thing daunted with him, but stood to the matter, yet offering him no abuse, only crying, No Bishops.  
Then turned a Gentleman like man and drew his sword, as if he would fall upon them, or to defend the Bishop, lest they should have fallen upon him. The mean while the Prelate got away. Now whilst this Spark was vapouring with his blade, an honest man, fearing some mutiny might ensue herefrom, laid hands upon him, and with some other aid, he was orderly carried before the House of Commons.  
About two or three hours after came Colonel Lunsford, and with him about 30. men more all with Swords and Rapiers, who came in through the great Gate at Westminster Hall; and taking great notice of the Citizen's Apprentices, and Sailors, that were there passed by them quite through to the further door, and some means being used for the shutting of the further door, returned back again, as if they would have gone forth. But having passed all the people, they turned back on a sudden, and all drew their swords and Rapiers, and fell upon the people with great violence. The people being for the most part unweaponed, fled before them, and when they came to the further gate it was shut; and so they could not pass out that way, but were forced some to run into one Court, some into another: others came up stairs into the Court of Request, where was Sir Richard Wiseman, who seeing this sudden mutiny, and perceiving how it went, spoke most bravely to animate them to return with such weapons as they had. I will (quoth Sir Richard) spend my dearest and best blood in defence of the House of Commons, come (quoth he) fall on; There were Sailors that had good Truncheons in their hands, and Sir Richard with his Sword fell upon them as well as he could. But Sir Richard Wiseman was sore put to it, for he did not only hold play with two of them, but again the third also did run full at him with his Rapier: (but God prevented them) and Sir Richard with his sword strake at the others Rapier, and did make it fly in two pieces.  
One of the Sailors was foiled with 4. or 5. of them at once having no other weapon, save only a truncheon wherewith he quit himsel very stoutly against them all.  
And (such was the Providence of Almighty God) by this time, those Citizens and Apprentices (having no weapons about them, had borough down Brick-battes' in the laps of there cloaks, which they had pulled up in the Court of Requests, and with there thowing of the said Brick-bates, did (immediately) cause Lunsford, and his Company to Retreat, and forced them to fly: But some of them were raken and carried before the House:  
Lunsford himself was said to wade above the deepness of his boots to take boar and so made an escape by water.  
Hereupon the City was again distracted, the Train. band and Watch and Ward was raised, the Gates of the City were shut up and every man bestirred himself, for his our defence.  
There were some 8. or 9 Citizens carried unto the Garchouse by an Officer in Westmilster, but he did foone (again) release them.  
On Tuesday being Childermas Day there was some Apprentices in the Abbey at. Westminster, upon whom certain in the Abbey with some of the Bishop of York, (late Bishop of Lincoln) his Scholars or Attendants or some appointed (as it seems) for that design.  
About 5. of the clock at night they were shut into the Abbey as Prisoners: And what they have done with them, God knows.  
Sir Richard Wiseman and M. Lilhorn and some others hearing of it, went to inquire after them and when they came to the Abbey: Those within the Abbey shot at them, and some of them also came forth with naked swords and after a cruel and a most Bucherly manner fell upon them, and have wounded Sir Richard and M. Lilborne and divers others: and what the event will be, God knows.  
The Lord protect us, 〈◊〉 AMEN   
FINIS.