At the Court at White-hall the 29th. of January 1678/9. Preſent the Kings Moſt Excellent Majeſty.

The Lords of the Committee of Examinations, having this day repreſented to his Majeſty in Council, the neceſſity of having a ſtock of three or four Hundred Pounds, to anſwer the Occaſions of the Committee, did among other particulars make mention of the Service which had been done by Mr. William Boys, who had for a long time left his own occaſions, and the following of his Trade, to obey the Orders of the ſaid Committee, and frequently to reſort to his Neighbour Mr. Prance, in order to Diſcover the truth of the Evidence which he had given touching the Murther of Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey, and their Lordſhips praying that his Majeſty would pleaſe to beſtow ſome mark of his Favour upon him to the value of 30 l. His Majeſty was pleaſed to Order, and it is hereby Ordered accordingly, That the Right Honourable the Lord High Treaſurer of England do forthwith cauſe to be paid to the ſaid William Boys the Sum of Thirty Pounds Sterling, as of his Majeſties free Gift and Bounty to him, out of the Stock, which by the ſaid Committee is deſired to anſwer the Service which is under their Care.

Robert Southwell.

After the Tryals of the Murtherers were over, I waited upon the Right Honourable, the Earl of Eſſex to intreat his favorable Aſſiſtance and his kind word to his Majeſty and Council in behalf of Mr. P. that he might be releas'd out of Priſon; That as I had been an Aid and Succour to him in the time of his Trouble, I might not be thought to leave the work imperfect, which I had in Friendſhip begun; having no other end or aim in all my Actions Relating to this Affair, than to approve my ſelf a good and Loyal Subject, a true Proteſtant and a Cordial Friend. Neither am I conſcious to my ſelf of having fail'd in any one of theſe particulars; for which, my Innocency will at no time refuſe with all humility to make its appeal to thoſe Noble Lords who were the diſcerning Witneſſes of my behaviour, as having frequent occaſion to attend upon them, during Mr. Prance's Impriſonment.

Therefore for ſeveral reaſons, I thought it but neceſſary to give this ſhort account and Narrative to the world as being, Firſt,

1. An Eye-witneſs of his Majeſties moſt Princely and Tender Care, and unwearied pains, which he took at that time for the publick Security of the Nation, and to bring the Offenders to Condign puniſhment. And that the Lords of the Council were no leſs vigorouſly Active to ſecond his Soveraign Reſolutions with their moſt prudent Advice, and continual and laborious Scrutinies.

2. To confirm the Relation of the Murther made by Mr. P. as being firſt received by my ſelf from his own Mouth, which I do Atteſt before God and the whole world to agree in all particulars with what he himſelf has Publiſhed, and ſo abſolutely conſent, that I ſhould but have incurr'd the blame of tyring or abuſing the Reader with a Repetition of the ſame words again. Nor was it extorted from him by any other Wrack or Torture, then that of a Diſmaid and Diſtracted Conſcience, which could not Disburthen it ſelf till it had thrown off the Shackles of thoſe fears and jealouſies that uſually perplex the Guilty, eſpecially conſidering the remedileſs Dilemma that was put upon him; that Labyrinth of Life or Death, wherein he found himſelf intrigu'd without hopes of ever getting forth, unleſs he made uſe in time of the Silken Clue that was offer'd.

3. In the third place, I thought it was a duty owing to my own Reputation, to diſengage it from the Scandals throw upon me by the Papiſts, who would make the world believe me to be a Phanatick. As alſo to reſcue it from ſome ill thoughts of the Proteſtants who ſuſpected me to be a Papiſt, in regard of my frequent Converſe with thoſe of the Roman Catholick Profeſſion.

As for the Papiſts, it was no more than I exſpected from them, who being unwilling to believe ſo horrid a Murther, perpetrated by the contrivance of their dignifi'd Prieſts and Confeſſors, or aſhamed that ſuch an eternal Blur ſhould contaminate their Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, care not what Blemiſhes and Scandals they throw upon others, to wipe off the Reproach from themſelves. Which in regard it has been their continued practice from the beginning of the firſt Diſcovery of that Villanous Murther, the Effects whereof have only redounded to their farther ſhame and Confuſion, I have great reaſon not to queſtion but that the Reports which they have rais'd upon me, will be as little regarded, as thoſe vilifying Imputations, which they vainly caſt upon others. Although, were it true, that I were a Phanatick, I ſhould not account my ſelf ſo ignominious, as if I were in the number of the Papiſts, with that weight of Blood and intended Maſſacre upon their Shoulders. I lightly paſs over that other Reproach of theirs, That I was a Presbyterian Raſcal, and that if it had not been for ſuch a Presbyterian Rogue as I, Mr. P. had never made his Diſcovery, as being of little or no value.

As for the Proteſtants, I muſt confeſs that their Suſpicions do not a little trouble me, and I cannot but look upon their unkindneſs as proceeding from ſomewhat of Ingratitude; ſince that Familiarity with which they ſo upbraid me, happened to be ſo Fortunate for their Advantage.

But for their ſatisfaction, I do declare that I never was a Papiſt, nor of any other Profeſſion then that of the Church of England, in which I alſo intend to live and die. Nor was I ever concern'd in any of the foul Actions of the Papiſts relating to the Plot, or the Barbarous Murther of Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey, but as an Inſtrument to Diſcover the Truth: being look'd upon by his Majeſty and his moſt Honourable Privy Council as the fitteſt, and moſt likely perſon to Succeed, by reaſon of my Acquaintance and Familiarity with Mr. Prance.

And to ſhew how Careful and Faithful I was in the Management of that Secret wherewith I was entruſted by his Majeſty, I muſt farther declare, That when Mr. Redding, who had often ſought for me at my houſe, and having at laſt found me out, and by all Perſuaſions and Arguments imaginable, had endeavoured to get from me a Copy of Mr. Prance's Confeſſion and Depoſitions (which was highly preſs'd upon me at the Dog Tavern near Ludgate) I refus'd him with Indignation of all his promiſed Encouragements and Rewards; telling him withal, that as I had been entruſted by his Majeſty in the Buſineſs, I would by no means or perſuaſions in the world Falſifie ſo great a Truſt, nor Diſcover what Mr. P. had revealed before the ſeaſon of due allowance.

When Mr. Reading had given me over, there came two other Gentlemen to me with the ſame Propoſals; aſſuring me of a great Reward in hand, to let them have Mr. Prances Confeſſion, and what he had Diſcover'd concerning the Murther, and the Plot. But all their Promiſes could not move me in the leaſt to betray a Truſt, ſo Graciouſly repos'd in me by my Sovereign; and with the Honour and Satisfaction of having ſo done, I hope to live with a more quiet Conſcience upon the ſmall gains of my Lawful Induſtry, than upon the more abounding ways of Treachery, and Infidelity.

Neither may I here omit to tell my Revilers, that while I was in the midſt of that Service which I performed, I was not without ſome diſencouraging Apprehenſions of being in danger of my Life. For being one Evening at Mr. Sexton's Houſe in Princes-ſtreet, three perſons living hard by, and well known to be of the Popiſh Gang, were obſerved to ſtand waiting at the Corner of the ſame Street, who when they perceived that I was coming forth, withdrew themſelves towards Lincolns-Inn-Fields, which was my directeſt way home; of which, Notice being given to Mr. Sexton, both he and the reſt of my Friends advis'd me to take another way, in regard it was dark, and fearing thoſe perſons were upon the Watch to do me a Miſchief. The perſons names were, one Tarleton, a Guilder, ſince Fled for being concerned in Guilding Mill'd Shillings, and one Aldrige a Turner, and Neighbour thereby, with one more who was a Stranger; which, with what I have already ſaid, I hope may ſerve to quaſh the Miſtruſts of my Religion, and ſatisfie all good Proteſtants of the reality and ſincerity of my Intentions.

Now ſo ſoon as I had obtain'd Mr. Prance's abſolute Enlargement, I brought him to Princes-ſtreet to ſee his Wife, whom he had not ſeen all the time of his Confinement, and there alighted at Mr. Sextons Houſe. At that time the ſame Aldrige above-mentioned, with his Wife and ſome others, began to renew their former Malice, muttering one to another that the Rogue P. was come out of Priſon, and that the Presbyterian Rogue Boys was with him; which not ſufficing, they alſo began to vent their Spleen in irreverent Language againſt his Majeſty himſelf; for which I had them ſeiz'd by vertue of a Warrant from ſeveral of the Juſtices of the Peace, who Committed them to Cuſtody, where they remained two days, and were then carried before the Lords of the Council, who were pleaſed to Diſcharge them upon their Submiſſion. After this, I took Mr. P. together with his Wife, home to my own houſe near Ludgate, where he continued for a Month. Thither alſo came ſeveral of the Relations of both to Viſit him, as I thought, out of love, but indeed for nothing but to Teaze and perplex him, by Pealing continually in his Ears, That they were afraid he had wrong'd his Conſcience, and wiſhing that the Blood of thoſe that died might not lie at his door. All which for a while Mr. P. took patiently enough, but told them withal, that he had done nothing but what Juſtice oblig'd him to do, and that had it not been for thoſe wicked Prieſts and Papiſts who had deluded him before, he had never come into that Trouble and Diſgrace which he had undergone. Perceiving then, that they came rather to vex him, than Congratulate his Delivery, I made bold to tell 'em, that I believ'd they were ſorry that his Life was Sav'd, and that they had rather he ſhould have Died than have Diſcover'd the Truth, and ſo with Mr. Prance's leave, forbade them all my houſe, excepting only his Wife.

Being thus diſguſted, and meditating new Projects, they endeavour'd all they could, to get Mr. P. from a place ſo inconvenient for their purpoſes. Which when they had effected, then they began to form New Deſigns, for the bringing about whereof, they thought they could find no better way, than to create a difference between Mr. P. and my ſelf, which they intended to heighten afterwards to an abſolute Quarrel and breach of Friendſhip.

The Deſign was very ſilly and like the reſt of their vain Imaginations; however they were reſolv'd to put it in execution, hoping that when they had ſet us once at Defiance, that ſome ſtrange Incongruities and Incoherencies would have dropt from us for them to lay hold on, and to make their advantages of. So carefully is that great Maxim of the Pope, Divide and Reign, diffus'd from the Hand to every particular Member of the Romiſh Doctrine.

To this purpoſe the women were the firſt that attempted to make Tryal of their Female Cunning. The firſt that began to lay her Trains to blow up the long Friendſhip between Mr. P. and my ſelf was one Mrs. Billing, as Mr. P. himſelf acknowledg'd, a profeſt Roman Catholick, ſet on by thoſe of her own Religion.

But her Plot failing, Mrs. Prance her ſelf went to one Mrs. Dorothy Sherborn, her own Siſter, and a zealous Papiſt ▪ and Cunningly inform'd her, that the time was now come to be reveng'd upon me for being Inſtrumental in the Diſcovery of the Murther of Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey; for that her Husband and I were quite fall'n out. Though I have ſo much Charity for Mr. Prance's Wife, to believe, that ſhe had no unkindneſs for me, but upon the Score of her Religion.

This Wheedle encouraging Mrs. Sherbons Zeal, away goes ſhe to the Lady Powis, and inform'd her of the difference which themſelves had forg'd between Mr. P. and my ſelf, and advis'd her not to let ſlip the Opportunity that offer'd it ſelf of making their Advantage of it. The Lady, believing the overture real, and conſequently a thing probable to take effect, employed Mr. Dangerfield, a perſon at that time altogether unknown to me, to make his way into my Company, and to uſe his Art to the beſt advantage of their Deſign, which was to entrap me, if poſſible, by Prolixity of Diſcourſe, and to gain what ever Diſconcurrencies of former Evidence he could, relating to the Tranſactions between me and Mr. P. To which end he came to me by no name, but only as from Mr. P. upon a pretence of deſiring me to cut him ſome Amber. To which I made him anſwer, that it was a thing quite out of my rode, and wonder'd that Mr. P. who knew me better, ſhould ſo far miſtake my calling. The Gentleman perceiving his Errour, deſir'd to be more private with me over a glaſs of Wine. As for Wine I refus'd him, conſidering how he had fail'd in his Addreſs, which had rendered him very ſuſpicious to me; but in regard he came from Mr. P. as he ſaid, I yielded to drink a Diſh of Coffee or a Glaſs of Ale with him, yet with this Caution to my ſelf, that I reſolv'd the Maſter of the Houſe, as much as poſſible he could, ſhould be by, all the time of our ſtay. When we were together, Mr. D. then as I ſaid before) unknown to me, began with the Death of Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey. Upon which he applauded my Kindneſs to Mr. P. by telling me how great a Friend I had been to him in Saving his Life. But then coming to his point, he fell on the other ſide to bemoan my Misfortune that I ſhould be ſo ill requited for my Kindneſs, for that Mr. P, ſtrangely ungrateful and forgetful of my ſucceſsful Friendſhip, did nothing but rail at me, and ſpeak ill things of me, behind my Back. To all which I made only this ſhort reply, That I was very ſorry for it, but for the occaſion, left it to God and Mr. Prances own Conſcience to be the Judges.

To this purpoſe he went on much further, and left no inſtigations and incentives uneſſay'd to heighten my Provocation againſt my Friend. However I ſtill perſiſted in my good Opinion of him, believing Mr. P. to be the ſame perſon in reference to his honeſt affections toward me; and therefore deſired M. D. to deſiſt from any further Attempts, which would be but vain and fruitleſs. Which, though it ſilenc'd his farther Proſecution at that time, yet he again the next morning, ſtill concealing his name, and pretending only came to be an admirer of Art; and therefore, ſeeing certain Counterfeit Necklaces in my Room, ask'd me, whether I made them or no? I told him, I did. Thereupon he bought ſome three or four, with ſome ſlight Queſtions beforehand, what the true value of them might be? To which I repli'd, That in regard he was Mr. Prances Friend, I would have no more of him, than what I ſold them for to the Exchange. But he repli'd, he was ſo much an admirer of Art, that he could not but believe himſelf oblig'd to give me a Price according to his own judgment, and the value, that he himſelf had ſet upon them; which was more than I demanded. After that we parted, and I ſaw him no more till about ten days, or a Fourthnight afterwards, at what time I met him accidentally in Fleet-ſtreet, when he would have preſs'd upon me a Bottle of Wine at the Caſtle Tavern. But I refus'd it, and excus'd my ſelf, by telling him, I did not care to Drink with ſtrange Company, as being known to have been Inſtrumental in the Diſcovery of Sir Edmund-Bury Godfrey's Murther, and therefore did not know what Deſigns ſome people might have upon me. After which, I only met him Paſſant upon a Sunday in Fleet-ſtreet with a Lady in his hand.

All this while Mrs. Dorothy Sherborn kept an Intimate Correſpondence with me and my Wife. But with no other Deſign than to blow the Coals of Diſcord between Mr. P. and me, with often Repetitions of my Kindneſs to her Brother-in-law Mr. P. and telling me how much he was beholding to me for his Life, for which reaſon, he was a very unworthy perſon to ſpeak ſo ill of me, as he did, in all Companies. On the other ſide I ſtill took his part, and juſtifying, that what he had done was no more than what it behoov'd him to do, told her, her Brother-in-Law could have no reaſon to ſpeak ill of me, and that therefore I ſhould be very cautious of believing what ſhe ſaid to be true.

Notwithſtanding all this, Mrs. Sherborn continu'd without ceaſing her undermining Projects, ſo that neither my Wife nor I could paſs by her Houſe, but ſhe call'd us in, and was ſtill exclaiming againſt the good Service Mr. Prance had done, which ſhe call'd one of the greateſt pieces of Villany that poſſibly could have been Committed. And ſo changing her Note, accus'd me, to have wrought him to make a Confeſſion of Tales and Stories to ſave his Life and hazard his Soul. So that it was no wonder her Brother-in-law was ſo much offended at me as he was. Applauding Providence therein, that would by means of their differences unfold the Myſteries of both our iniquities.

Which Inſinuation might perhaps have wrought ſome effect upon my belief, well knowing how Indefatigable the Papiſts are to Bugbear and Terrifie the Conſciences of perſons not well reſolv'd, and conſequently that Mr. P. might poſſibly be wrought upon to have ſome ill thought of me, but that I knew, that I had only compleated what Mr. P. himſelf had begun; by fortifying him in his reſolutions to ſtand to that Confeſſion which he had made before the Lords of the Committee, and to confirm him in the ratification of his own Act and Deed.

Seeing then, that Mrs. Sherborn preſt theſe things ſo hard upon me, I reſolv'd to put the Queſtion as ſeverely to her, and deſired her punctually to tell me, whether ſhe thought there was any Plot or no? To which ſhe anſwer'd, that ſhe believ'd there was a Plot againſt the King and Government, but not that it was carried on by the Papiſts, but that I ſhould find in a ſhort time, that it was a Presbyterian Plot: which made me very much admire, in regard that neither by my Converſe with my Acquaintance of that Profeſſion, nor by my reading of their Books, I could find them inclin'd or Principl'd to any ſuch Acts of Irregular Violence.

Mrs. Sherborn being thus at a loſs, one James Pemberton, living near Ladgate, Tracing her Steps, undertook to accompliſh what ſhe had begun, though he made his Batteries with the ſame plauſible Inſinuations that ſhe had uſed before; as, that I had been a great Friend to Mr. P. &c. However that I had over perſuaded him to Confeſs things of which he was no way Guilty, meerly to ſave his Life; arguing from a ſuppoſition, that he was inſufficient to be entruſted with ſo great a ſecret, that he was altogether innocent. Finding my ſelf thus frequently and ſo ſeverely encounter'd, I retreated to my former Queſtion and ask'd him likewiſe, whether he thought there was any Plot or no? whoſe anſwer was to the ſame Tune that Mrs. Sherborn had Sung before, that he believ'd there was a Plot, though not of the Papiſts Contrivance, but by the Contrivance of the Presbyterians, and that in a ſhort time it would be ſo prov'd: And his Grand Argument was, that the Papiſts had died wrongfully, or elſe they would have made a true Confeſſion of themſelves. I repli'd, that was no true proof, and ſhewed him a Book upon the Tryal of Parry, wherein it was made out, that he firſt Confeſt the Treaſon againſt the Queen, and at his Execution denied it, againſt the Letters which were produced under his own hand Writing; which Book he deſiring to ſee, I lent it him; but he found it ſo ill for his Turn, that though I often re-demanded it of him, I could hardly get it again (by which I ſhrewdly conjectur'd that he had a mind to have embezel'd it, and diſpoſe of it as a Heretical Story) but at laſt I did.

All theſe Contrivances ill Succeeding, I receiv'd the following Letter from an unknown perſon at Weſtminſter.

Sir,

I Am informed by a Friend of mine that you are a very great Artiſt for making Artificial Eyes. I do want Two or Three, and if your Leiſure would give you leave; I am a Stranger to you, but I am in good hopes, you will do me the favour to come to me to the Dog Tavern in the Palace-yard at Weſtminſter to Morrow by Eleven of the Clock, and enquire for the Number 2. and there you may find me, for my Occaſions will not give me leave to come into the City, or elſe I would not give you the Trouble. So I remain hoping to be better acquainted.

Sir, I Am Yours, William Odriffe, Angel-Yard October 31. 1679.

This Letter I ſhewed to ſeveral Friends, but they all concurr'd that it was only a Trapan, and a Deſign laid to enſnare me, and advis'd me not to go without ſome other perſons to bear me Company. With this Caution I went, and enquired for the Number 2. but there was no ſuch perſon as had ſubſcribed his name to the Letter. I underſtood indeed that there was an honeſt Gentleman of the ſame Name that liv'd at Weſtminſter, but being ſent to by me, he utterly diſowned any knowledge of the Matter, or that he had appointed any Buſineſs at the ſaid Tavern. But it ſeems there was a Gang that Watch'd my coming, and hearing my ſmart enquiry for the Number 2. and my Expoſtulation with the Servant of the Houſe, one of them came to me, and told me, that he and ſome others ſtaid for Mr. Odriffe, and that it could not be long ere he come; and thereupon invited me to the reſt of the Company. Then I concluded twas time for me to march off; ſo I thank'd him, for his Kindneſs and took my leave with a reſolution not to come near him nor his Mr. Odriffe neither.

When all theſe Deſigns prov'd fruitleſs, then they gave it out, that I held a Correſpondence with the Earl of Danby, and that he had given me Ten pounds to pay my Rent; which, as they pretended was for ſome private Service, that I had either done or was to do his Lordſhip. A thing which I utterly diſown; for I cannot remember, that ever I ſo much as ſaw the Earl of Danby in my life but once, and that was, as I was coming down with Mr. P. from his Grace the Duke of Monmouths Lodgings in the Cockpit at White-hall, and the ſaid Earl was paſſing by through the place where the Sentinel ſtands; and then neither did I know who his Lordſhip was, till the Sentinel, of whom I ask'd the Queſtion, had inform'd me, nor did I ſo much as ſpeak to him, as all that were preſent can Teſtifie. And indeed it would have been a ſtrange confident. Preſumption in me to have gone to ſpeak to a perſon of Honour to whom I was utterly unknown, having no buſineſs with him, as I neither had at that, or at any other time. So that how his Lordſhip ſhould come to know my wants, and be ſo bountiful as to give me Ten Pound, I can by no means underſtand. However, if his Lordſhip were ſo Liberal, I had the Misfortune to be baſely Cheated, for I never had it. And I wiſh Mrs. Sherborn would do me the Kindneſs to inform me, who the perſon was, to whom his Lordſhip gave order to pay the money, for I promiſe her, did I know the perſon, I ſhould go and demand it. For if it were true, both his Lordſhip, and my ſelf, are very much abus'd. On the other ſide I ſhould have been extreamly to blame, that I ſhould not ere this have returned his Lordſhip my moſt humble Thanks for ſo great and ſpecial a favour: neither do I know of any perſon from whom I ever received a kindneſs, that can Tax me of ſo much Ingratitude. But this is like the reſt of the Actions of the Papiſts, that care not what they ſay, or Swear to, ſo it be to advance the Intereſt of their Holy Mother the Church of Rome, though never ſo much to the Prejudice and Defamation of the Innocent.

At length Mrs. Sherborn declares, that Mr. Dangerfield told her this Story, and that he came to have impoſed upon her. A Tale which ſeems very Incoherent with Truth, that he ſhould go about to Amuſe or Trapan her, when they were both at the ſame time in the fame Confederacy together. For Mr. Dangerfield hath ſince declar'd, that he never knew me, but by her means, and that they had a real Deſign to have ruin'd me, if they found that they could not win me to ſerve their purpoſes, though with this intimation, that my complyance with them would prove a Thouſand pound in my way.

But now that the Scene is chang'd, Mrs. Sherborn rails againſt Mr. Dangerfield as much, or more than ever ſhe did againſt me, and proſecutes his Failings with as loud Invectives and Aggravations, as her Anger can expreſs. So that it is evident that the Papiſts do not bear ſo much Malice againſt the perſons, or the Vices of men, as againſt their Reformations, and Recantations of their Errours. The wicked ſhall be Saints among them, ſo long as they will be Inſtrumental to carry on their Deſigns; but if once, out of an apprehenſion of their Miſtake, or an abhorrency of the Facts which they put upon them to Execute, they ſeek to retrieve themſelves and their Reputation, by a ſeaſonable Repentance and Detection of the Romiſh Treacheries, then the moſt ponderous Crimes and Scandals are too light to over-whelm their recover'd Reputations.

As for Mr. Prance himſelf, his own Relations began to be his moſt bitter Enemies, and rais'd a Report, that he was concern'd in making of Fire-balls; and that he was ſeen in Perpole-Lane, the Night before the New-Priſon was Burnt, and that ſeveral Fire-balls had been found near the place where he had been Drinking, in that Lane, the night before. This Report ſo terrifi'd Mr. Prance's Wife, as fearing it might ſwell to the prejudice of her Husband, that with a mind very much troubled and perplexed, ſhe came and found me out, in a place in the City, where I was with her Husband and ſome other Company, and calling me aſide, told me the whole Relation, and deſired my aſſiiſtance to ſearch out the Truth, which I promiſed her. Accordingly I went the next day to ſatifie her. But after I had made all the diligent enquiry I could, I found the whole buſineſs to be grounded only upon the Idle Twattle of an Old-woman that Lodg'd in Perpole-Lane, who the next day after the Fire went to a Female Relation of Mr. Prances in Bride-Lane, and a Proteſtant, and told her of the Fire that had happen'd the night before, and that Mr. Prance was ſuſpected about it: who made her anſwer, that ſhe knew nothing of the Fire, neither did ſhe believe her Kinſman any way concern'd in it. However ſhe went in Friendſhip to her Siſter, that was a Papiſt, and giving her an account of what the Old-woman had told her, deſir'd her to give Mr. Prance notice of it, as being more familiar with him. She on the other ſide meditating to make another ſort of uſe of the Information, improves the Surmiſe, intending to have Kindled a more deſtructive flame to Mr. Prances diſadvantage, and endeavour'd to have brought not only Mr. Prance but her Siſter into trouble about it. But it prov'd ſuch an idle and ſilly invention of Popiſh Contrivance as only ſerv'd to ſhew the inveterate Malice of their Dying Revenge, ready to lay hold upon any ſeeming opportunity to have blaſted the Credit of Mr. Prance's Evidence, as I made it clearly out.

About the beginning of January Mr. Prance came to me, and told me I was to be Examined in reference to a very great and weighty Concern. I asked him whether he knew what it was? To which he made Anſwer, that it was not convenient for him to ſpeak of it: but ſaid withal, that there was a woman to be examined alſo with me.

Upon which I endeavour'd to Recollect my Memory, but could not call to mind any perſon with whom I had had any Diſcourſe about any thing of State Affairs, as not becoming me to meddle with them.

Thereupon I ask'd him who the perſon was that ſhould cauſe me to be Examin'd? which he refus'd to tell me; a thing that I took ſomewhat unkindly from him, telling him that I could not have conceal'd any thing from him, which might have fore-arm'd him againſt the Information of any perſon whatſoever; but all I could ſay ſignifi'd nothing at that time.

Upon the Twenty Second of the ſame Month, he invited me to a Glaſs of Wine at the Feathers Tavern in Fleet-ſtreet, whither I went along with him. There we met (as I thought accidentally) with Mr. Warcupp, one of his Majeſties Juſtices of the Peace for the County of Middleſex, and Captain Creſſet, in whoſe Company I had not ſate long, but Mr. Warcupp ſent for Mr. Bedlow. After ſome Salutations that paſs'd betwixt us, in came another perſon, who Saluted me by the Name of Mr. Boys. I return'd him his Salute, but could not Divine who he was, till one in the Company taking up the Glaſs, preſented his Service to him by the name of Mr. Dangerfield. So ſoon as I hear'd that, I ask'd Mr. Prance if that were the ſame perſon who was employed to make the Plot as Acted by the Presbyterians? He told me it was. Then ſaid I, this is the perſon that came the laſt Summer to have inveigl'd me. Whereupon I ask'd him if this were the perſon who intended to have me Examined? To which he repli'd, it was: whereupon I ſtaid ſomewhat longer than I meant to have done; expecting what Mr. Dangerfield or any other perſon in the room might have to ſay to me; but there was nothing ſaid that night.

Upon the 29th. of January Mr. Dangerfield came to my Houſe, and told me I muſt appear before the Lord Mayor to be by him Examined, but told me nothing of the occaſion. Thereupon I went that day to my Lords Houſe, but his Lordſhip being that day buſie, I had Orders to attend the next, which accordingly I did. Before I went Mr. Prance came to me, and offered to go along with me; but I refuſed his Curteſie, becauſe he had Conceal'd the name of the Perſon from me, when I deſired him to let me know it: Telling him withal, that I did not Queſtion but to be able to anſwer any thing that ſhould be alledg'd againſt me.

When I came before my Lord I found the occaſion of my being Summoned to be quite contrary to what Mr. Prance had intimated, as that, I had talk'd at a ſtrange Rate of things of high and great Concernment. For indeed the buſineſs was only this (and I was conſcious to my ſelf it could not really be for any other reaſon) that I ſhould declare and juſtifie the Truth of Mr. Dangerfields coming to enſnare me, how I came to have a Diſtruſt of him, and the ways and Method which he us'd to engage me to a Diſcovery of the Secrets which the moſt Honorable Privy-Council had entruſted me withal, and what Mr. Prance had Confeſſed touching the Murther, and farther to atteſt my conſtant refuſal of his Temptations, and Reſiſtance of his plauſible Batteries. Of all which I made an Affidavit before his Lordſhip, ſince Printed in Mr. Dangerfields Second Narrative, to which I refer the Reader; which gave his Lordſhip Satisfaction, and ſerves as much as any thing, to confirm Mr. Dangerfields Evidence.

This is that which in Vindication of my ſelf, I thought not only fit, but neceſſary to declare to the world. A Relation altogether plain, and without any Fallacy of Expreſſion, which he that will go about to diſprove, may do it if he can.

FINIS.