NOt to trouble the Reader with Prefaces, which are so much Exploded by the Wits of the Age, I cannot but take Notice of an Excel­lent Observation made by a Worthy and In­genious Divine of the Church of England; who Discour­sing concerning Papists, expresses himself thus: I doubt not, but Papists are made like other Men; Nature hath not generally given them such Savage Dispositions, but their Religion hath made them so: I am loth to say it, and yet I am confident 'tis very True, That many Papists would have been Excellent Persons, and very Good Men, if their Religion had not hind'red them, if [Page 2] the Doctrines and Principles of their Church had not perverted and spoyled their Natural Dispositions. And in relating some of their Meritorious Acts of Treason and Murther, de­signed by the Papists, and applauded by some of that Party, the same Excellent Person speaks thus: Good God! That any thing that is called Religion▪ should so perfectly strip Men of all Humanity, and transform the Mild and Gentle Race of Mankind, into such Wolves and Tygers. And this is the Exact Character of a Papist; and least we should for­get what they are, they dayly give us fresh Occasions to satisfie us, that they are still the same Men, and that no Favour nor Kindness on our Parts, can alter their cursed Natures, nor secure us from their Designing the utter Destruction of any that dare appear against their Villanous Contrivances: And this we have a new In­stance of, in the following brief Account, as it is rela­ted by the Inhabitants and Neighbours in and near the Place where it was Acted.

Upon Thursday the Fifteenth of this instant April, John Ar­nold, Esq one of his Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Monmouth, was at a Tavern with some Per­sons of Honor, near Temple-Bar; and going from thence he had occasion to pass through a Place called Bell-Yard, near Chancery-Lane, between Nine and Ten a Clock the same Evening, toward his Lodging in Fleet-Street; as he was going along, he observed Two or Three Persons to follow him, which he supposed to be his own Ser­vants; but coming nigh a little Lane, called Jack-a-Napes Lane, one of these Persons stept before him, and threw a Cloak over his Head; and dragging him a little out of the way, threw him down; and instantly Three Men fell upon him, and with their Swords or Daggers, endeavoured to Murder him, stabing him in the Head, Brest, and Arm, and run him quite through the Side; but finding their Weapons met with some Opposition, they swore Dam 'um, he wore privat Armour, or a Coat of Mail, or words to that purpose; whereupon one said, God Dam the Dog, Cut his Throat, or to that effect, which one of them Immediatly endeavored to do, kneeling down upon him, and cutting him from one Ear to the other, and likewise [Page 3] up to his mouth in a most Horrid manner, yet happily mis­sed his Wind-Pipe; one of the Villains said, Dam me ye Dog, now Pray for the Soul of Captain Evans. This E­vans it seems being a Jesuit, who was lately Executed for High Treason in the County of Glamorgan in Wales, and who somtime before his Apprehension had threatned to Pis­tol the said Mr. Arnold; One of them attempting to give another Wound to Mr. Arnold, struck one of his Compa­nions into the Leg, which made him swear God Dam me, you have Wounded me; While they are proceeding in their bloody Purpose to dispatch him, it happened that a Gen­tleman having occasion to send his Servant out, and the Villany being Acted very near his Door, the glance of the Candle it is thought affrighted them, for they Immediat­ly fled, and Mr. Arnold Crying out Murder, several of the Neighbors came in and found him there weltring in his own Blood, who desired they would help him to his Lodg­ing, which was at the Post-House in Fleetstreet, where he now remains.

He hath received no less than Seven Wounds from the Hands of these Cursed Villains: One in the Throat, one in the Head, two in the Arm, two in the Breast, and one in the Side; and yet it is very much hoped that through Gods Assistance he may escape with his Life, though no question the same Fate was designed for him as was for that Worthy and never to be forgotten Gentleman Sir Edmundbury-Godfrey.

One of his Majesties Justices of Peace, who Lives near that Place, having an Account of this horrid Fact, was pleased to take a particular Information of all Cir­cumstances, and humbly presented it to His Majesty, who was extreamly concerned at this Villanous Attempt; and his Majesty was further Graciously pleased to order one of his own Chyrurgeons to Visit Mr. Arnold: and up­on hearing the whole matter in Council, His Majesty was Graciously pleased to Order, that the Lord Mayor of London, and the Justices of Peace of Middlesex, and City of Westminster, do cause diligent search to be forthwith made within their several Jurisdictions for the said Per­sons, or any of them, or any that did incite, incourage, [Page 4] or set them on to make this Attempt: And for an En­couragement, his Majesty is pleased to promise an Hun­dred Pound to any who shall Discover or Apprehend a­ny one of the said three Persons, or any who did incite them thereto; and if any of the three Persons, shall Dis­cover his Accomplices, His Majesty is Graciously plea­sed to promise him his Pardon for the same, besides the said Reward.

John Arnold Esq is known to be a very good Prote­stant, and a strong Opposer of the Plots and Designs of the Papists, and has been likewise very Instrumental in the Discovery of the late horrid Conspiracy; and we may therefore Reasonally suppose he was marked out for Popish Vengeance, and that this cursed Attempt came from their Hands, as their words at parting seem very much to confirm, bidding him Pray for the Soul of Captain Evans, who was lately▪ Legally Condem­ned, and Executed as a Jesuit; so that it seems Papists can take up any shapes, (and both Captains and Cob­lers) as well as Act the greatest Crimes for advancing the Catholick Cause.

The occasion of Mr. Arnold's being in London, was (as hath been often Published) about an Accusation of one Master Herbert in Monmouth-shire, concerning some Transactions in that Country; and Mr. Arnold had now brought several Witnesses from thence, to make good the Accusation, and the Cause was ordered to be heard the very next Day, that is the Sixteenth Instant before his Majesty in Council: Now by Reason of some Words uttered by Mr. Herbert, a while before, and other Cir­cumstances: Mr. Herbert was ordered to be taken into Custody; and we hear that notwithstanding this misfor­tune upon Mr. Arnold, there will be a hearing of the Cause by Council of both sides at the time appointed.

In the mean time let all good Protestants beseech Al­mighty God to Discover and bring to Justice, these, and all other our Cursed, Popish Adversaries, who design the Destruction of his Majesty and his Protestant Sub­jects, and the overthrow of our Religion and Govern­ment Established, and to this let all the People say,

Amen.