Chap. X. ne HISTORy o/ the- PuRITANS, From this time to the end of the king's reign, we meet with little elfe King It J • f b h k" d h" J" jh 1 t · Charles • but aomejltc quarrt s etween t e mg an IS par tament; am pto s, 16 g_ and furious }allies if 1·age and revenge, between the court and country ~parties. The non-conformifts were very great fufferers by thefe conte!ls'; the penal laws being in full force, and the execution of them in the hands of their avowed enemies. No fooner was the nation at peace abroad, but a formidable plot broke 'Ihe popiJ!~ out at home, to take awa'y the king's life, to fubvert the conftitution, toP(•t. · d d ' · h 11. I" · d b h Eachard, p.i· mtro uce popery, an to extirpate t e proteiLant re 1g10n root an ranc • 934 • It was catled the POPISH PLOT, from the nature of the defign, and the qnality of the co'!fpirators, who were no lefs than pope ltmocertt XI. cardina•l Howard his legat ; and thegenerals if thejtjuits in Spain and at Rome. When the king was taken off, the duke of rork was to receive the crown as a gift from the pope, and hold it in fee. If there happened any diilurbance, the city of London was to be fired, and the infamy of the whole affair to be laid upon the prejbyteriam andfanatics, in hopes– that the churchmen in the heat of their fury would cut them in pieces, which would make way for the more eafy fnbveriion of the proteftant' religion. Thus an infurreCl:ion, and perhaps a {econd maifacre of the protefrants was intended; for this purpofe they had great numbers of po– piGI officers in pay, and fome thoufands of men fecretly lifted to appear as occafion required; as was depofed by the oaths of Bedloe, 'Tongue; . Dr. Oates, and others. The difcovery of this plot, fpread a prodigious alarm over the nation, .Alarms th 1 and awakened tbe fears of thofe who had been lulled into a fatal fecuri- nation. ty. The king's lif~ was the more valuable becaufe of the popijh focc~(for, who was willing to run all rifl.zs for the intr~ducing his religion. The murder of Sir Edmunbury Godfrey at this junCture, a zealous and active protefiant jufiice of peace, encreafed men's fufpicions if a plot, and the depoiitions upon oath of the above-mentioned witne!Tes, feemed to put it· beyond all doubt; for upon their impeachment, Sir G. Wakeman the queen's phyiician, Mr. Ed. Coleman the duke of YOrk's fecretary, Mr•. Richard Langhorne, and eight other romiG1 priefts and jefuits, were ap– prehended and fecured, When the parliament met they voted, that ther~ was a damn~ble hellijhplot contrived and carried on by popijh recujimts, agazl!fl the life o/ the king and the prot~jiant religion. Five popilh lords were ordered into cuilody, viz. lord Stafford, Powis, Arundel, Petre, . and Bellqjjs. A proclamation was iifued againfi papiils; and the king was addre!Ted to remove the duke of York from his perfon and counc;ils, Though; ...
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