THE PAPISTS PLOT OF FIRING DISCOVERED, IN A Perfect Account of the late FIRE IN Fetter-Lane, London, The Tenth Day of April last.  
Whereby it plainly appears who are the Instruments of this Work; As also the Rewards they are to have; And what would be the DISMAL EFFECTS if this Firing Trade had gone on.  
Published by way of Caution to all Masters of Families to beware what Servants they enrertain into their Houses.  Rom. 3 
15 Their Feet are swift to  shed blood.  
16, Destruction and misery or● in their ways.  
17, And the way of Truth th●y have not known.  
18. There is no fear of God before their eyes.  
LONDON, Printed for A. B. 1679.   

THE PAPISTS PLOT OF FIRING DISCOVERED;  
In a Perfect Account of the late FIRE in FETTER-LANE.  
MR. ROBERT bide, whose House it was that was set on Fire, informed, That his Wife retained one Elizabeth Oxley to be her Servant( supposing her to be a Protestant) upon Monday the 24th. of February last, but she came not to her Service until the 6th. of March after. That upon Wednesday night the 9th. of April, about two or three of the Clock in the morning, the said Servant came to his Bed-side and awaked him, telling him There was a Fire in Halborn: Whereupon he asked her, How she knew it? she answered, By the noise in the Street. Whereupon he arose, and looked into the Street, but there was little noise or light; so he stayed at his Street-door, until he was informed by two men that passed by, that there had been a Fire, but it was put out again: whereupon he returned to Bed, well pleased he had so watchful a Servant, and fearful of Fire: But none of his Family heard any thing thereof, until informed by the said Oxley, as he believeth. That on Thursday the 10th. of April he was  told, the said Oxley went not up to Bed till about 11 a Clock: That before he went to Bed, he looked to the doors, windows, and rooms, to s●e if all were safe from Fire and Thieves,( as his custom was) and was the last up in the Family, as he thought. That being in Bed and asleep, about 12 of the Clock that night he was awaked, with a great beating at the door by the Watch, and the said Oxley coming immediately to him,  told him There was a Fire: To which he said, He was sure it was not in his House, but gave her the Key of the Street-door; who ran down, and let in the Watch and Company; and he coming down, found a large Press in his Closet( for keeping Books, Papers and Writings) on a light Fire, but by the mercy of God, and the great help he had, the Fire was put out, and his House preserved. That his Wife with some Neighbours immediately going to the said Oxley's Lodging Room to see if all was safe, found that she had packed up her Clothes and things ready to carry away, and her Trunks locked up, but nothing left in them of value: Whereupon he demanded of the said Oxley why she had packed up her Cloths? She answered, that she and his other Maid Martha had packed up her things to save them. Then he asked the said Martha why she had packed up in that time, when the Lives of the Children and Family were in that danger; who positively denied that she packed up any thing: Whereupon, and for that he was sure when he went to Bed there was no● a spark of Fire in the Closet, and considering that the said Oxley at the first knocking at the door, though she lay two pair of Stairs above his Chamber; and being informed that she had 〈…〉 put out her Candle into the Candlestick, nor burnt it, but pulled it out, and hide the Candlestick; and from the manner of her Carriage used when she perceived she was suspected, he positively Charged the said Oxley with Firing his House, and caused her to be kept safe all that night: And the next day being Charged by Neighbours with Firing the House, she at last Confessed the same, by setting the Press in the Closet and his Papers on Fire about Twelve of the Clock when he and his Family were a sleep. And he said, that she the said Oxley, might have gone out at a Back Door of his House, and carried away any of his Goods and Plate, if she pleased at any hour in the night, without Firing his House, the Key of the Back Door lying in the kitchen, and laid there by her self. And he said nothing of value was found in the said Oxleys pack made up by her as aforesaid, but her own things.  
Elizabeth Oxley upon her Examination said; that about Michaelmas last she became acquainted with Nicholas Stubbs, who had several times used many persuasions to turn h●r Papist; and after her showing a liking to it, and that he supsupposed she embraced that persuasion; in his Discourse ●● her at several times, he  told her, that before the 28. h. ●● June next, she should see all the Protestants destroyed that were in England; that the Pope should be King over England, that all that would turn to the Popish Religion should live far better then now they did, that all the Land were heretics, and it were a Meritorious Act to destroy them, and that all such as were Papists should have Marks upon their Hats whereby to distinguish them from Protestants, that they might not be destroyed amongst them: Adding, that the Nation do believe that all things will b● over before the 23th. day of June, but they would be d●ceived, for all should be destroyed at or before that ti 〈…〉 That the Duke of York was the bravest Prince living, ●n● that he was gone out of the Kingdom least the heretics should cut off his Head, and he would not return till they were destroyed; that the Lords in the Tower would not one of them suffer, for they would come off well enough, being to be tried by the Lords; and that the Scaffolds were set up but for fashion sake. That she telling the said Stubbs that she was Hired to Live with one Mr. bide about the middle of Fetter-lane, he used persuasions to her at several times to set Fire on her Masters House; telling her, if she would do it, he would give her 5 l. and gave her half a Crown, and said, he would have other Houses in Holbourn Fired at the same time by others: That she being with the said Stubbs on Sunday before the said Fire, promised to Fire her Masters House on Thursday or Friday night following, and accordingly on Thursday night she took a Candle and set Fire to her Masters Papers in his study which were in a kind of a Press; and they being on a Light Fire, she shut the Doors and went up Stairs into her own Chamber in the Top of the House, and packed up her own Things, and Undressed her self, least her Master should suspect her, and there stayed till a great Knocking was at the Door, and the Watchmen crying out Fire; whereupon she run down Stairs and cried out Fire, and her Master gave her the Keys to open the Door; which done, all hands were employed to quench the Fire. And she saith, she did not set Fire on her Masters House out of any Malice to him, nor with intent to Rob him, but merely to carry on the Design which Stubbs had proposed to her, and out of hopes of his Reward.  
Nicholas Stubbs upon his Examination, owns, and sets forth to have used such Discourse to the said Elizabeth as she declareth in her Examination; and saith, he did persuade her to Fire her Masters House, and was to give her five guineas for doing it, besides half a Crown in hand: And saith, that one Father Gyfford a Priest and his Confessor had put him on this business, and  told him it was no sin to Fire all the Houses of heretics and Hugonites.  
That he Acquainted Flower alias, derby, a Barber in German-street, and one Roger 〈…〉 another Irish man that Lodged at the Coach and Horses in the same Street. That the said Father Gyfford promised him 100 l. for the same, and  told him he was to have the Money from the Church. That they used to meet the said Gyfford and other two persons in St. James-fields in the dark of the Evening, and to Discourse of these matters; and that the several Informations that he had given the said Elizabeth Oxley, he had from the said Father Gyfford; and saith Flower and Roger 〈…〉  told the said Stubbs, they would carry on the said Fire, and that they had Fire Balls for that purpose, and that they would Fire other Houses in Holbourn at the same time: That he was at the Fire in the Temple, but was not engaged to do any thing in it. And said, that Gyfford  told him that there were English, French and Irish Roman catholics enough in Lordon to make a very good Army; and that the King of France was coming with 60000 men, under pretence to show the Dauphin his Dominions; but it was to lay his men at Deep, Bulloign, Callis and Dunkirk, to be in an hours warning to be Landed in England, and he doubted not but it would be by the middle of June, and by that time all the catholics here will be in readiness; all were to rise in order to bring him in. That the Papists here were to be distinguished by Marks in their Hats; that the said Father Gyfford doubted not but he should be an Abbot or a Bishop when the work was over, for the good service he hath done. That at their meeting Father Gyfford used to tell them, it was no more sin to Kill a heretic then a Dog, and that they did God good service in doing what Mischiefs they could by Firing their Houses. That it was well Sir Edmondberry Godfrey was Murdered, for he was their devilish Enemy; That Coleman was a Saint in Heaven for what he had done. And saith, he is fearful he shall be murdered for this Confession, Father Gyfford having Sworn him to secrecy, and  told him he should be Damned if he made any Discovery, and should be sure to be Killed; and that he should take the Oaths because he was a House-keeper, and that it was no sin: And saith, that Gyfford and Roger  told him, when their Forces meet about the middle of June then have at the—  
FINIS.