The Names of the Grand-Jury for the County of Middlefex, who without going from the Bar found the Bill of Indictment again the Earl of Danby, upon the fingle Teftimony of Edward Fitz-Harris, in open Court, then a Prifoner at the Bar, and arraign'd, afterwards executed for High-Treason. Sir William Roberts of Wilfdon, Baronet, Sir William Cowper, Baronet, Thomas Marsh, Es/; William Bourne, Efq; Edward Hutchins, Gent. Jofeph Ratcliffe, Gent. The Names of the Grand-Jury for Edward Fitz-Harris. Mr. Michael Godfrey of Edmonton, The Names of the Petty-Jury Thomas Johnson of Mile-end, Esq; Alexander Hofea of Hackney, Gent. John Page of Pinner, Gent. William Withers of Cripplegate, The Names of the Grand-Jury for Stephen Colledge the Joiner. John Wilmore, Leather-feller, William Mackley, Strong-water man. Samfon Puller, Taylor. Thomas Cope, Upholsterer, Thomas The Presentment of the Grand-Jury at the Affizes held at Northampton, W July 17th, 1683. E the Grand-Jury, fworn to inquire for the Body of the County of Northampton, at the Affizes held at Northampton for the faid County, &c. have with great Horror and Deteftation received an Account of the moft Impious and Bloody Confpiracy against the Perfon of his most Sacred Majefty, and his Royal Brother, which (Thanks be to God) He by his providential Care has prevented, and brought to light their hellish Purposes; and not knowing how far their wicked Defigns may proceed, we held it our Duty, in this Juncture of Affairs, to prefent, that we have ftrong Apprehenfions of great Danger from a difaffected Party in this County, who did openly shew their Principles, by presenting a feditious Addrefs to Miles Fleetwood and John Parkhurft, Efquires, at the laft Election of Knights of the Shire, tending to the Alteration of the Succeffion of the Crown, and an intended Affociation in it to that Purpose; with an Affurance that they would ftand by them with their Lives and Fortunes, without any Regard or Notice taken of the King's Authority, or their Allegiance or Duty towards their Sovereign. And having obferved, that fince that Time they have had and held several Meetings, Clubs and Cabals, which which we cannot but think was to carry on the faid Purposes, and other dangerous Designs against the Government; and their Difcourfes being notoriously bold, and their Party generally furnished with a Proportion of Arms rather for fome dangerous Defigns, than for the Ufe of Private Perfons, which upon Search could not be found, but were hid and conceal'd. We therefore prefent it very expedient and neceffary for fecuring the Peace of this County, that all ill-affected Perfons may give Security for the Peace, and particularly To which Prefentment as abovesaid, we the faid Grand-Jury have fubfcribed our Names as follow, viz. 402 A Second Collection of The Duke of Monmouth's Cafe, with all the very ftrange Crimes and great Mifdemeanors alledged against his Grace, in a whole Dozen of Articles. T HE Tories have always the ill Luck to over-do and ill-time their Bufinefs; their Malice and Rage is fo great against the Proteftant Religion that it blinds them, or elfe they never would have made an Information of a Riot committed by a Perfon of that Rank, Blood and Fortune, as the Duke of Monmouth is, who, in Spite of all their abufive Inftruments, Machinations and Difgrace, continues his Loyalty to his Prince, together with his Love to his Religion, Country, and the English Nation; I fay, had they not been blinded with Rage, Folly and Madnefs, they would not have accused such a Perfon on fo frivolous Occafions. O bleffed Act of Parliament! that fecures the English Liberties, and renders an Englishman bailable, that he may not be fent to the Tower, or Newgate, or any other Prifon, upon every objected Crime. God defend our Prince and our Laws, our Religion and our Liberties, and continue both Nobles, Gentry and Commonalty, in their Obedience and Loyalty: We need not fear whilft we have fo good and gracious a King; and yet fome Things feem ftrange to the Chriftian World, that the meaneft of the Rafcality dare abufe the Royal Blood, and that others are permitted to alledge, on fo groundless an Occafion, a Riot upon a Person that has borne fo great a Figure in the World, that has commanded an Army, that has fhewn invincible Courage and Bravery, that has the Blood of Charles the Good and the Great running in his Veins.-Some would fain render him Abfalom a Traitor, who is rather like the young Scipio, ready with his Sword to rescue his Father from the Danger of his Enemies, or like Æneas, ready to carry him in his Arms from amidst the Flame of a burning City, and who is ready, together with his Prince, to defend his Country and the established Religion of the Land; hence arifes the Hatred, the Malice, the Rage of undermining Enemies, for the Sake of his Religion, and because he is beloved by the People; and though nothing in all his Actions can be picked out to render this noble and loyal Perfon criminal, or that by the fevereft of our Laws tends any ways to it; yet, rather than not fhew their Malice to his Grace, whom fome think they may tread upon with Impunity, they have drawn up Articles purporting a Riot, which Allegations for the Satisfaction of the World are here printed: The Strange Crimes and Misdemeanors alledged against his Grace James Duke of Monmouth. IMPRIMIS, That the Lord Colchester had caused to be hired fifteen PoftHorfes for the Duke of Monmouth and his Retinue, to ride to a Horse-Match beyond Chefter. II. That the Lord Colchester was feen to whisper with another Gentleman for almost half an Hour. III. That III. That his faid Grace was met by feveral Companies of People on the Way as he paffed along, to the Number of fome Thousands, and most highly broke the Peace in crying, God bless the King, the Proteftant Religion, and the Proteftant Duke. IV. That he had willingly affented to be moft fplendidly treated by all the truly loyal Gentlemen of the Country, to the great Grief and Sorrow of Heart among all the Tories. V. That on the fame Day his Grace won the Plate at Walefie, several Perfons made Bonfires at Chester, and drank the King's Health with great Joy and Acclamations, though fome of the difaffected Tories flung Chamber-Pots on their Heads, for which the others returned a Volley of Stones at their Windows in Requital of their Rudeness. VI. That divers Gentlemen met together to dine without any Braces of Bucks fent them by Mr. Cch; and did highly derogate from the Principles of the Tories, in drinking the King's Health before the Duke of York's. VII. That fome Perfons in his Grace's Company were heard to affirm, that a Popifo Succeffor was no very good Expedient for the Establishment of the Proteftant Religion. VIII. That his Grace should ride with several Tory Gentlemen for the Plate at Walefie, and win it from them, to the great Grief of the Nation. IX. That the faid James Duke of Monmouth fhould be heard to declare, that he would willingly lay down his Life in Prefervation of his Majesty's Perfon and Government as by Law established. X. That his Grace believed there was a Popish Plot, and no Proteftant or Presbyterian Plot whatsoever, as the Tories would fain have the People believe. XI. That in like Manner he did not believe the five Jefuits and Coleman (executed at Tyburn) died Martyrs. XII. That he should declare, he would never confent or affent to the establifhing Popery here in England. To all which Articles and Allegations his Grace was told he must give in Sureties for the Peace, or otherwife ftand committed to the Serjeant at Arms till he should be released by due Course of Law. His Grace found Noblemen and Gentlemen enough to be his Bail very readily, and accordingly his Grace gave fufficient Bail, whofe Names are here inferted, viz. The Lord Ruffel. Lord Clare. Lord Gray. |