Hory of the Puritans, exarnin'd. 255 him to his Trial, and fo to enable him to make an efcape into foreign Parts. But as they thought not fit to publifh the whole Difcovery till three Months after, fo they made extraordinary ufe of it by Parts, from the Inftant they receiv'd the Secret ; it being their Cuftom, when they found the heat and diftem- per of the Houle (which they endeavour'd to keep up, by the fharp mention and remembrance of former Grievances and Preffures) in any de- ' gree allay'd by fome gracious Aet, or gracious Profeffion of the King's ; to warm and inflame them again, with a Difcovery or Promife of Dif- covery of fome notable Plot, or Confpiracy againft themfelves, to diffolve the Parliament by ' the Papills, or fome other way ; in which they would be lure, that fomewhat fhould always re- ' flee upon the Court.' And Mr. Baxter informs us, * ' That the Officers who were examin'd, con- ' fefs'd, that fome near the King (but not he him- ' felt-) treated with them about bringing . up the Army ; but none of them talk'd ofdeftroying, or forcing the Parliament.' For a fuller Account of this Sham Plot, I refer the Reader to the Au- thorities cited in the t Margin. Neal, p. 439. Lord Digby, in his famous Speech againfi the Bill of Attainder, wherein he wales his Hands of the Blood of the Earl of Strafford, has neverthelefs thefe Expreons : I confidently believe him to be the moll dangerous Mini/Zer, and the molt infupportable tofree SubjeEls, that can be charaEler'd ; I believe his Praa`ïices have been as High and T'yran nical, as any SubjeEl ever ventur'd upon ; and the Malignity of them as greatly aggravated by thole Abi- lities of his, whereof God has given him the Ufe, but * Baxter's Life, Folio, p. 27. -f- Clarendon's Hi(ì. Vol. I. p. 208, 209, zro. Echard's Hillory ofEnsland, Vol. II, p. 248. the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=