mony by the anti-court party, but to no purpose. It was observed there was no man so eager as the earl of Essex, to prosecute the lady Powis, and to make use of him as well as colonel Mansel, who appeared to be of his side, to accuse and tax the court of a Sham Plot: which was wondered at, when he had been so forward to affirm that he believed there was reality in it.

"This Dangerfield was bred a clerk, being an attorney's son, and his father deeply engaged in the late times. He could write well, and was a handsome, proper young fellow, of a versatile wit; so that if he should have been accepted to testify, by probability, he would have far outgone all the former witnesses."

"The turn here given to this affair, we see, is, That Dangerfield was a decoy for the exclusionists, and that they themselves were at the bottom of the very intrigue they afterwards so loudly clamoured against. On the other hand, according to bishop Burnet, he was a tool of the papists: and the great drift of the device was, to fasten a plot on those who had fastened a plot upon them whence his lordship takes occasion to say

:

"This was a great disgrace to the popish party, and the king suffered much by the countenance he had given him.”

"This is certain, that Dangerfild, rogue as he was known to be, was subsisted at Cellier's, at the expence of the countess of Powis: This the lady herself owned at the councilboard; as also, that he had told her of treasonable papers laid at Westminster; and that on the secretary's refusing to grant a warrant to search for them without an affidavit, Mrs. Cellier had, in her presence, given the advice of seizing them by custom-house officers. It is moreover certain, that the very Gazette, No. 1,458, sets forth, that three several persons, one no friend to Dangerfield, had acknowledged several circumstantial matters which strengthened his evidence: And as certain it is, that the earl of Castlemaine, the countess of Powis, and others, were committed on the credit that was given to it by the council. On the other hand it is certain, likewise, that Dangerfield confessed at the council board, that he had several times discoursed with the lord Shaftesbury And if it is not equally certain, it is extremely probable that there was an understanding between them; there being no other satisfactory way to account for his having these two letters from sir Richard Bulstrode to that lord, in his possession: So that the most natural conclusion that had been drawn upon the whole, is, That both parties were equally disposed by any meaus whatever, to ruin each other: And that Dangerfield, with all the dexterity of a master genius, applied himself to raise contributions from both. Agreeable to which, the Lord Chancellor observed to him, when before the council, "That he was a fine fellow, fust to come to his majesty with one story, then to the lord Powis, and from him to lord Shaftesbury, disco vering to one what discourse he held to another."

:

What Roger North says more immediately concerning this Trial is:

"It is pleasant to observe how that versatile rogue deluded the midwife Mrs. Cellier, and indeed several others of the Catholic party; and much to that purpose we shall have from the madam herself. For, however dexterous the captain was at his pen, having published various sorts of narratives (which, by the way, is no small avails of a discoverer that has the selling the copies) trenching upon her honour, she was as good at that sport as himself, and, I think, outwrote him; and though her person was untowardly handled, yet she has done right to her fame in deathless narrative; whence we may gather, not only the history of ber troubles, but be entertained as with a comedy. And, in the quality of such (which kind of writing they say shews best the manners of any age) I must needs recommend hers. It will be but just to take her own tale of herself, as I have done the captain's; though I must prognosticate somewhat of the tragic also to suc ceed; enough to feed the humour of a melancholy genius, in a lively representation of so much wickedness and folly as ramped in that age. As for the gentlewoman's veracity, it is to be said that she wrote when all the persons were living that were named or concerned in her narrative. Therefore it could be no profit to write what might be straight proved false; and, in such a circumstance, folk's are careful of what they affirm. She dealt in acts of charity, and stood much upon her credit with persons of quality and honour, on account of her profession, who would not countenance a har in print. For which reasons I make no doubt of saying, that all she writes of her own dealing and knowledge, is most likely to be critically true; and the rest she believed sincerely to be so, and, if she fails, it is out of female preju dice and fond credulity, as will appear. She was not disproved in any thing, but reflected on sufficiently, and most of all by her former friend and admirer the captain; and Miles Praunce hath a fling at her in print. But, whatever her religion and modesty might pretend to, she did not deserve to be put in a bag with such fellows as those were.

"She tells first of her having assumed the charitable post of relieving distressed prisoners, and procuring their liberties. These were, as must be presumed, Catholics, and committed mostly on account of the Plot. She tells us of strange cries she heard in the dungeon at Newgate, which she insinuates was Praunce examined by torture, and she says he run stark mad in prison. She names a coachman tormented to own carrying the body of Godfrey out of town, where he lives, and may be heard to own it every day. She relates other strange cruelties and barbarities used in that cursed place. She found here this Willoughby, alias Dangerfield, fast by the heels for debt. First, she says, he begged to partake of her charity. His first service was to draw up articles, setting forth the

cruelties of the prison, for which she gave him 2s. 6d. those she presented to the judges; but nothing came of it.

"His next employ.was to sift one Strode, his fellow prisoner, to find out a subornation of the earl of Shaftsbury, who, as she presumed, was about to launch that Strode for a new Plot-evidence; and, upon application, Strode gare encouragement, pretending, by papers he had, to invalidate Bedlow. The captain's next work was to filch these papers from Strode, and, for that end, she sent him a narcotic. And she says that the papers were those that sir William Waller found in her house upon search. She adds some affidavits and testimonials about this Strode, to shew his engageinents with Bedlow. Fellow padders, it seems. And one may guess he and Dangerfield were as well acquainted, and these papers were the joint imposture of both; but Strode, being of another regiment, kept out of this, and left it wholly to his fellow.

"Now Dangerfield is out of prison, by Mrs. Cellier's charity, and, being a towardly young fellow, was constituted a waiter upon the jesuits at their trial; for which purpose he was put in good cloaths, and people wondered what double diligent fellow that was. He was set to scout and bring her in intelligence of factious designs, and she tells what she understood was intended, if the king had died at Windsor. So she encouraged him to trade on as a spy, and, at several times, he wrote those papers, which were found in her meal-tub, whereof the revelation is coming forwards. She carried him to the earl of Peterborough, and he to the duke. He gave his paper to the duke, and he sent it to the king, and the king to secretary Coventry, Dangerfield was ordered to go with colonel Halsall to the secretary's to be examined, and he had 401. given him. Then he brought word, in good earnest, to Mrs. Cellier, of a Plot just breaking out, but it seems, in a drunken huff, he had made a quarrel, and swore he would go over to the Presbyterians; but this was hid from her. When he pretended the Plot-papers lodged at Mr. Mansel's, and could not get a warrant to search, she advised him to the custom-house way.

"After that was over, he comes to her in a most lamentable condition, and tells her he should be committed to Newgate. Alack a day! they both wept; and she sets down the mournful dialogue betwixt them. He gave her his Plot-papers, great secrets! And she, as he must observe, put them in her meal-tub. And it was from this cleanly conveyance, the Meal Tub-Plot had its denomination; which single word is all that the author of our Complete History affords of the whole matter. Then comes sir William Waller, the Middlesex justice, to search her house, and would have her straight to my lord Shaftsbury; but, at length, he took her parole, and let her alone at that time. But Willoughby sent to her from Newgate, for relief, in his great distress. She dispatched a servant, to whom he howled, and (to

meet her credulous fancy) said he had been tortured. He would have his allowance made firm to him by writing. She sent him word he should have his provisions continued, with her motto, I never change,' adding some short instructions. Then comes again the knight, with his myrmidons, ransacked her house, and, by a wonderful sagacity, found the papers in the Meal-tub; so she was sent to the Gate-house. After this, she was brought to the council to be examined, where she down of her knees to the king, and begged she might not be tortured. The king said it could not be done by law. Then she sets down her examination, by way of dialogue, most divertingly. As, for instance, a certain lord, who spoke often, said nothing, without-put up your hood, madam. In the end, she was sent to Newgate, and there she was honoured with diverse visits from sir William Waller. She writes the conversation in dialogue, which is an excellent portrait to shew the method of working a witness; for it seems there was great hopes of bringing her to what was called confessing, or telling all. And, for that end, Dangerfield, in the same prison, was permitted to court her at a window some distance off. That is dialogue also, and a choice piece. He shewed her gold, and moved her to become the king's evidence, and to swear against the duke of York, viz. that his royal highness gave her the original of the papers in the Meal-tub; and that his royal highness bid her set him to hide those that were found at Mausel's, and to kill the earl of Shaftsbury; telling her what vast advantages she should have from the lords, who were privy to all. The next day, he would have had her to own that the lord Peterborough gave her the papers, and that sir Allen Apsley (the duke's servant) paid her 1,000l. which was to pay her for killing the king and the earl of Shaftsbury, and for raising soldiers; and, at these passages, he would howl most hideously.

"But, no good coming of this interview, the windows, (as upon a secret commerce discovered) were nailed up. Then she was examined again, and the dialogue no less comical; and her servants were brought to oppose her. She begged the favour of the earl of Shaftsbury to protect her from sir William Waller, and she says, that he said many good things to her. And sir William made her another visit, of which she gives the conversation as before; the sum of it was to make her a witness. She was again at the council, and was always urged to confess, and she was told that, otherwise, she should die for it. If these accounts of hers be true, as I see no reason to doubt them, there never was a woman more magnanimous and undaunted than she appeared to be.

"She pressed hard to be tried, and, at length, in very good earnest, she was brought to the bar in April 1680, and charged upon an indictment of high treason, for consulting and expending money in a Plot to kill the king, and to raise war for introducing popery, and turn

tors to the jurors unknown, the same 20th day of June, in the 30th year aforesaid, with force and arms, in the parish of St. Giles in the Fields aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, advisedly, devilishly, maliciously and traitorously did assemble, unite and gather themselves together, and then and there advisedly, devilishly, maliciously, subtilly, and traitorously did consult and agree to bring our said sovereign lord the king to death and final destruction, and to deprive him of his crown and government of England, and to introduce and establish the religion of the church of Rome, in this kingdom; and the sooner to fulfil and accomplish the same most wicked treasons and traiterous imaginations and purposes aforesaid, he then and there did falsly, inaliciously and traitorously promise divers great rewards, and did pay divers sums of money to several persons unknown; and then and there falsly and traiterously did write divers notes, to incite several other persons to accomplish the treasons aforesaid, against the life of our sovereign lord the king, his crown and dignity, and contrary to the form of the statute in such case made and provided.

are.

Cl. of the Cr. Upon this Indictment he hath been arraigned, and hath pleaded thereunto Not Guilty; and for his trial he puts himself upon God and his country, which country you Your charge is to enquire, Whether be be Guilty of the High-Treason whereof he stands indicted, or Not Guilty? If you find him Guilty, you are to enquire what goods and chattels, lands and tenements he had at the time when the High-Treason was committed, or at any time since? If you find him Not Guilty, you are to say so, and no more: and hear your evidence.

Crier. O yes! If any one will give evidence on the behalf of our sovereign lord the king, against Roger Palmer, esq. earl of Castlemaine, in the kingdom of Ireland, let him come forth and he shall be heard; for the prisoner now stands at the bar upon his delive

rance.

Mr. Bonithon. May it please you, my lord, and you gentlemen of the jury, the prisoner at the bar stands indioted for High-Treason; for that he intending to disturb the peace within this kingdom established, to destroy, and alter the government, and to bring the king to death and final destruction, and to alter our religion to the superstition of the church of Rome, did, on the 20th day of June, in the 30th year of the reign of our sovereign lord the king, consult and treat with several other persons, and that he with these persons did agree to destroy the king and alter the religion, and cause rebellion; and further to accomplish these treasons, he did promise and agree to pay several accounts, and deposit several sums of money, and did likewise write and publish several books. To this he hath pleaded Not Guilty; if we prove these things, you are to find him Guilty.

Alt. Gen. (Sir Creswel Levinz.) May it please your lordship, my lord Castlemaine here

stands indicted for High-Treason; that is, For designing to murder the king, and alter the government and law. And this is but a parcel of the Plot, which bath been carrying on a great while, and many persons tried for it, and some have suffered and been executed for it: and my lord, we will give your lordship evidence, That my Lord Castlemaine hath at several times conspired the death of the king, and he hath reproved persons for not doing it. And my lord hath been in consults among Jesuits, where these matters have been carried on, and this whole design hath been negotiated; and my lord Castlemaine hath been consenting and agreeing to all these matters. And my lord, when the trials were in hand, it did appear upon those trials there were many persons brought from St. Omers to be witnesses against Dr. Oates, to prove he was not in England at that time when he said in his depositions that he did consult with the Jesuits; and these persons my lord Castlemaine had the management and instruction of at that time and all along at the OldBailey my lord Castlemaine was present there, and did countenance these persons, and was an intercessor for them. These are but branches and circumstances; what is material we will prove by witnesses.

Att. Gen. Come, Dr. Oates, pray tell what you know.

Prisoner. My Lord, I have a long time wished for this day; and your lordship may very well remember it. The reason why I have so much desired a trial is, because I thought it a means, and the best means, and the only means to shew to the world my innocency, and also to shew to the world how much I have been calumuiated by this charge.

L. C. J. (Sir William Scroggs.) What have you to say? Have you any thing to say against, Dr. Oates?

Prisoner. No, my lord; I only say this, Here I am a prisoner at the bar, and I have pleaded Not Guilty, and throw myself upon this court; and therefore I am very willing to hear what this man will say.

Dr. Oates. My lord, I humbly move the court, Whether or no I may use my own method?

L. C. J. Give your charge, we direct nothing.

Oates. My lord, in 1677, I was sent over into› Spain by the Jesuits that were here in England; where I remained for several months, and transacted business for them, and, my lord, I returned from Spain in November, and brought several letters from some English fathers there; among which there was one directed for my lord Castlemaine. My lord, I did not deliver the letter to him; but, my lord, the contents of the letter was to this effect

L. C. J. How came you to see the contents? Oates. My lord, I was at the writing of the letter, and so I did see the contents of it.

L. C. J. Did the priests shew it you, or did. you only see it yourself?

Oates. No, my lord; it was shewn me by