IT cannot but very much afflict the minds of all sober and good men, that Forgeries and Subornations have been of late so fre­quently practised that Perjury seems to become a Trade, which any indigent profligate man, who has nothing left but his Soul to dispose of, may as his last Refuge plausibly set up for. By the original Laws of Society, every man has such a Right to Truth, and his good Name, so long as he does nothing to forfeit it, is so much his Property, that it is an act of high Injustice for any one to endea­vour by a false Accusation to deprive him of it. But of all Attempts of this kind none are of so pernicious consequence as those that are level'd against the Esteem and Reputation of persons of Quality and Magistrates, and thereby tend to weaken that Authority by which they are rendred useful and serviceable to the Publick. This I have said in short, and without spinning it to the length of a solemn Pre­face, only to point the Reader to the Nature of what he is to expect in the following Papers, which contain a villanous Design laid to stab the Reputation of three of His Majesties Justices of the Peace for the County of Surrey, and through their sides the Government it self; a Plot hatch'd by one who has since acknowledged himself to be a Rogue, and nursed up by others who are concerned to wipe off the just su­spicion of their being such, which with some not uncharitable men they do at present lie under. I for my part shall do no more than the duty of an Historian, give you the Names and Characters of the per­sons concern'd, set down matter of Fact, and publish Letters whose Originals I have by me to warrant it, with such necessary Connexions, Transitions and Remarks as may give the Reader a clear Prospect of so much of the Contrivance as has as yet come to light: Which take as followeth.

One John Fitz-Gerrald, an Irish man, and formerly a Romish Priest, professing himself to have forsaken the Errours and Superstitions of that Church, came into England upon pretence of making some Disco­very concerning the Plot, which was said to be carrying on in Ireland by the Popish Faction, and was one of them who came to the Bar of [Page 4] the Honourable House of Commons, when divers other Irish men did upon the same Account there appear. This Fitz-Gerrald living here a considerable time without such supplies as it is probable he might ex­pect, ran deeply in Debt to his Landlord for Diet and Lodging, and up­on default of payment was arrested and imprisoned in the Marshalsea in Southwark. Some kind of Acquaintance it appears he had contract­ed, though by what means I know not, with Mr Sclater, Mr. Sylvester, Nonconformist Ministers, and other Separatists; from whom he received (upon what score I leave the Reader to judg) several Contributions at such seasons and in such measures as they thought fit. But whe­ther his Allowance from them were too scanty, or was wholly with­drawn, certain it is, that having Acquaintance with one Mr. Isaac Cooper, formerly a Servant to Dr. Tongue, he wrote and sent to him the following Letter,

I Need not prompt the Reader to take notice of his peculiar way of phrasing, viz. Loyal Magistrate and upon reasonable Terms; intimating plainly that he was inclinable to be on the Loyal side, if he might thereby procure his Enlargement or have other Encouragement; but that he would not discover any thing without hire.

Well, this Letter was communicated to a Person of great Quality and by him transmitted to Mr. Reading, Mr. Daniel and Mr. Rich, Gentlemen of known Prudence and Integrity, and to whom as being not only in the Commission of the Peace for the County, but also living in the Neigh­bourhood, it was thought most proper to commit the business of ta­king his Information. Accordingly on Friday the last of September, they went to him in the Marshalsea, and shewing him his Letter to Cooper, he own'd it to be his Hand-writing. Hereupon they ask'd him, ‘whe­ther he was ready to make any such Discovery, as he therein men­tion'd?’ He replyed, ‘It was not a seasonable time, because Sir James Butler kept Court there that day, and many people being about, great notice might be taken, which he desired might be avoided.’

What his private reason was, why he would have the taking of his Information conceal'd, they being Gentlemen more wisely tenacious than to divulge the matter to a Croud, I leave the Reader the same freedom of guessing with my self; but this I know, that one of the Ju­stices thereupon fairly told him, ‘that he would do well to take his own time and draw up what he had to discover in writing under his own hand at his leisure, and they would come any other time that [...] he would appoint to receive it,’ Their condescention herein he seem­ed very much to admire and prayed that it might be the Monday fol­lowing. But before their going away Fitz-Gerald began to speak faintly concerning Dr. Tongue, [...]that he could discover something of him; but says he again presently, correcting himself, ‘he is dead, and why should I be believed of him?’ He added further, ‘that he could give an ac­count of his coming from Dunkirk, and who they were that sent him [...] into Ireland about the Letters in the Wall.’ Upon this the Justices said to him, Mr. Fitz-Gerald, Draw up in writing what you can discover, but withal be careful you charge no man wrongfully, Remember there is a day appreaching wherein we must all give an account of our doings and sayings.

Thus you see, they treated him with a Can [...]or becoming Gentle­men and a sense of Religion befitting Divines, for which he himself thank'd 'em and repeated his request, that they would come again on Monday following, by which time his Information should be ready; upon which they took leave of him. But as they were going down stairs, he begg'd of them for the Lords sake to pity his poor condi­tion and give him some relief for he was ready to starve. To which when Mr. Daniel replyed, ‘that though they commiserated his condi­tion and would give order to Mr. Lowman the keeper of the Prison, [...] that he should not be famish'd,’ yet they thought it not proper to give him any Money. Fitz-Gerald said, Do you think, Gentlemen, if you should bestow your Charity I should tax you for subornation? and Mr. Daniel replied again, we will not trust you.

But before I go on directly to the matter, 'tis necessary I make only a short digression thereby to give the Reader some light into the story of the Wall, which he may collect from the following Deposition of Mr. Cooper before Justice Warcup in the presence of three Witnesses.

Let the Reader hereupon make what judgment he pleases concern­ing Fitz-Gerald's veracity, I return to the place where I left off. The Justices having parted with him in the manner before-related, not without expectation of some Discoveries he would make on Monday; He, instead of drawing up any Information, in probability the same day contriv'd, but manifestly on the next day sent two Letters, one to a Person whom he calls Madam Jordan, with another enclosed to Mr. Slater a Non-conformist Minister, which are as followeth,

Who this Madam Jordan is I know not, nor have any acquaintance with Mr. Slater; but 'tis manifest that they were both known to him, that they had given him hopes of procuring his Liberty, and that he thought the most likely way to prevail with them to expedite that Affair was to make dismal Outcries of the danger he might pretend to be in for the Protestant Cause; and to blacken the Reputation of these three Loyal Magistrates. For, when he had been so ingenuously and fairly dealt with by these Gentlemen, what else should move this Cai­tiff immediately to load with so many Reproaches Persons of such un­spotted Integrity as they are? Did ever any professed Actor upon a Stage alter the Muscles of his Face, or counterfeit a turn of his hu­mour, in less time than this man tack'd about his Conscience? No sooner were their Backs turn'd upon him, but he wrack'd his Inven­tion to fasten the greatest infamy in the World upon them. But his Liberty was that which he aimed at, and as it appears he was resolved to be a Protestant on their side, who should accept the service of his Conscience to make a Purse for the procuring it. Now I appeal to all men who have any Reputation left them to lose, whether they are not concern'd to express a just detestation of all such palpable and per­nicious Forgeries, and of all those that countenance them? Who can be secure of his Credit, if it shall be in the power of a fellow who will sell his Soul for 20 l. and fresh Air, to impair it? But I am confident the honest Reader's Indignation at such foul practices will out-go any words which I can use to express mine by. To proceed therefore,

[Page 8] Fitz-Gerald, whether his consciousness of having injured these Gentlemen in so high a manner did really strike that terrour into him, which he only pretended in his Letter; or whether he flatter'd himself with hopes that if he could carry it cleverly on both sides, he should gain his Releasment by one means or other; whatever his Reason was, he endeavoured to decline the Visit of these Gentlemen, upon some slight pretences mentioned in the following Letter, which he wrote to Mr. Rich on the third of October, the day he appointed for the Justices coming to take his Information. The Letter was in these words:

Mr Rich himself having very well replied to this Letter, I think my self not concern'd to make any Remarks upon it, but shall insert the the Reply as it was pen'd by him, after I have told the Reader that Mr. Rich having extraordinary business that kept him from home that day, both missed of the Letter, and failed in the meeting, but that the other two Justices, Mr Reading and Mr. Daniel, not knowing of any such Letter sent to Mr. Rich, went to Fitz-Gerald and asked him if his In­formation were ready; To whom he answered, It was not, neither would he be examined by them; carrying himself very rudely and insolentiy towards them. Mr. Rich's Answer to Fitz-Gerrald the next morning was this,

Mr. Lowman having read this Letter with Fitz-gerrald, presently ask'd Fitz-gerrald whether he could charge Mr. Rich, or either of the other Justices that came to examine him, with any Correspondency held with him, or any dealing or tampering? He replyed, no, he could not; but said he would write an Answer to this Letter, and appeared very angry that it should be sent unsealed, and Mr. Lowman be desired to read it.

This Mr. Rich did on purpose to shew that he would have nothing to do with him privately and without Witness, which was what him­self desired in his Letter; but Mr. Lowman it seems was not a Witness of that sort which he intended, and from thence arose his passion upon a circumstance which so ill comported with his design. For not only from hence, but also from a clause in the conclusion of his foregoing Letter to Madam Jordan, wherein he desires her not to let the Bearer know the Contents of it; from both put together, I say, it is clear that he intended to hold a Correspondency, as he calls it, that is, covertly to treat with his dissenting Acquaintance and with some Loyal Magi­strate at the same time, that so he might feel which of the two would bid highest to make a Discoverer on their side. But these honest Gentle­men, you see, refused to give him the least encouragement of any Re­ward of any kind, but only according to their Duty shewed themselves ready at his own time to receive any such Information as he should vo­luntarily and without a Bribe give in to them. Whereas on the other side, this Letter which contain'd such black Calumnies upon three Gentlemen whom he says to be Justices of the Peace, though he crafti­ly conceals their Names, was cherished by Madam Jordan and Mr. Slater; and though they were bound by the Laws of Justice and Cha­rity to have conveyed this Letter forthwith to some Magistrate whom they might expect to be so well-affected to the Government, and so tender of the Reputation of Gentlemen, as instantly to have went to Fitz-Gerrald, and learnt from him who these Justices were, and then have communicated the Letter to them, that if they were innocent they might have a speedy opportunity to vindicate themselves; instead of this, they shewed the Letter about to their own Friends and Con­fidents only, who made frequent Transcriptions of it, and long brooded upon it. Nay, to shew how willing they were to believe, or how much concern'd to have the Letter true, by order from the superiour Juncto, a Committee of four persons, viz. Mrs Jordan, Mr. Parkhurst a Bookseller, one Mr. Serjeant, and Mr. Evans at the Bridg-foot in Southwark, on the 13th of October went to him in the Marshalsea, to know if he would abide by that Letter, and satisfie them who the Ju­stices were which he accused therein; and upon Fitz-gerrald's owning all the Contents of it, and naming the Justices he meant in it, 'tis more than probable he received from them Promises of Enlargement, as appears by the following Letters written to Mr. Parkhurst and Ma­dam Jordan.

Will not any man who reads these Letters conclude that he apprehend­ed himself to have got a Hank upon them, as having receiv'd great as­surances of his liberty from them upon conditions which he thought they would be unwilling to have divulg'd? For he seems now not so much to crave as to demand their Charity, and his Letter is plainly begging and menacing party per pale. For what can he be thought to design by those expressions, in that to Madam Jordan, of efficacious prevailings, and it would prove Prudence, and his fear of being surprized unawares, and his desire of having no reason to stumble; and his knowing not what mischief might ensue; and in one of those to Mr. Parkhurst of the great profession of Religion which several persons make, and his seeing clearly that they do not mean as they profess, and that he must not be blinded with such ex­cuses; how, I say, can all this in the connexion wherein it stands in his Letters be otherwise plainly englished than thus, ‘Sir and Madam, you know very well, that you and others your Friends have been practi­cing with me, and encouraging me to persist in my groundless accu­sations of the three Justices, and have made me promises of procuring my Liberty if I would not reflench from my Testimony. My Consci­ence indeed you did at first with a small Fee retain, but I find daily more and more that you are, what you delight to call your selves, Professours, and nothing else. And therefore I advise you to con­sider that mortal man, as you know, is frail, and that if you do not spee­dily get me releas'd, I may possibly be surpriz'd, and be apt to stumble, and think my self obliged to tell the whole truth of the matter.’

Though this Representation may seem somewhat comical, yet that the substance of it was the real apprehension of the persons concern'd is clear from hence, that Mr. Parkhurst was so terrified at the consideration of these Letters, that he thought it not safe to conceal the matter any longer; but looking upon it to be his best way to cry Whore first, he applyes himself to one Mr. Farding, an ancient Inhabitant of the Burrough of Southwark, who had long had the honour of being known to these three Justices, and who though he be an avowed Presbyterian, is yet, I verily believe, a man morrally honest. To him Mr. Parkhurst communicated all the foregoing Letters sent by Fitz-Gerrald to himself and others; upon the reading of which Mr. Farding said to him in his plain way, ‘Mr. Parkhurst, do not believe these things, but rather acquaint the Ju­stices with them, and hear what they can say in their defence.’ Ac­cordingly it was agreed upon, and in a day or two after Mr. Fard­ing accompanied Mr. Parkhurst to Justice Reading, who upon perusing all the Letters, told them that there was not a word of truth in them so far as concerned the Justices; and for their fuller satisfaction he pro­posed that himself with the other two Justices his Brethren might go at the same time with Mr. Parkhurst and his Friends to the Prison, where he doubted not but they would soon be convinc'd of their Cor­respondent's Knavery. Hereupon on Friday the 28th of October, the Justices with most of the other persons mentioned in these Papers, met at the Marshalsea Prison, where Mr. Reading spake to Mr. Fitz-Gerrald to this purpose.

‘Mr. Fitz-Gerrald, you know that about a Month ago, we who are the three Justices here, were with you to take your Informa­tion, upon a Letter you had directed to one Mr. Cooper. The Letter you did acknowledg to be your Hand-writing. Now I ask you, when we were with you, did we direct or threaten you to what you should say? Did we put any Questions to you? Did we not advise you to speak truth, and accuse no man wrongfully? Bad you remember that God is the God of Truth, and that there is a day of Account approaching? Did we not tell you, our Desire was that you should draw up your Information your self in Writing, and appoint your own time it should be ready at, and at that time we would return to you? Did you not appoint the Monday following, four o'Clock in the Afternoon to be the time? Were not Mr. Daniel and my self with you at that time? And did you not tell us you had not drawn your Information, neither would you be examined by us? Did you not say you had created a Correspondency with Mr. Rich, and to him you would give your Information? Did we not there­upon tell you, that you might have done well to have saved us this Labour? For the time we were all with you, did you not say we were all strangers to you, which made you so shy of us? Now that your Friends are come hither on purpose to be truly inform'd, give them a satisfactory account of the matter, and tell them the whole Truth.’

Fitz-Gerrald [...] pausing a while, and then said that he did not mean these three Justices, but others whom Cooper told him of. But he was soon con [...]u [...]ed in that, for those four persons before-mentioned, who went on the 13th of October to enform themselves therein, testified that he named Reading, Daniel and Rich to be the three Justices he meant in his Letter. Furthermore Mr. Cooper himself having heard that there was to be at that time a meeting in the Marshalsea concerning Fitz-Ger­rald, came thither, and being asked whether he had seen, heard of, or conversed with any of these Justices, he answered in the Negative; and proceeded to say, that it was true he had visited Mr. Fitz-gerald upon the score of a former acquaintance contracted while he was Dr. Tong's Servant; and being with y [...]u, says he, applying his Discourse to Mr. Fitz-gerrald, you know I said thus to you, ‘Sir, I am sorry to see you in this condition,’ and you made Answer, ‘Never worse.’ Then said I. ‘Mr. Fitz-Gerrald, you can discover a great deal of the Plot, for you was very conversant with my Master Tonge; was I in your stead I would [...] what I knew, for that might be the means to get you out of Prison;’ you made me this Answer, ‘that it was the joyfullest News you had heard since you came into Prison; and afterwards you wrote the Letter to me (viz. that mention'd in the foregoing part of this Narrative) wherein you desired to be examined.’ Fitz-Gerrald did not deny any thing that Cooper had said; but being then called up­on to give an Answer to what Justice Reading had question'd him about, he acknowledged that what he had said or written of the Justices was all false, and that he had groundlesly aspersed and traduced them. Here­upon a Gentleman there present asked him, ‘Why did you abuse the Justices in such a wicked manner, as to write that vile Letter where­in you say, they would have had you to reflench from your Testi­mony of the Popish Plot, and help to accuse the Protestants with it; for which they would release you, procure a Pardon from the King, and continual maintenance?’ To which He confidently replied, ‘He hoped thereby his Friends would have got him speedily discharged.’ Upon this bold Answer, one of the Justices said to Mr. Slater and the other persons there, ‘Gentlemen from this foul dealing, I suspect that the man is a Popish Priest still;’ therefore, pray, says he to Fitz-Ger­rald, ‘Tell us what Religion you are of.’ To which he answered, ‘I am a true Protestant.’ The Justices having put all the Questions they thought needful in order to clear themselves, desired Mr. Slater, Mr. Syl­verster or any other there, to put what Questions they pleased for their bet­ter satisfaction. But answer was made they were heartily sorry that they had believ'd so much as they had done, and were very sensible from Fitz-Gerrald's Letters to one and the other, and from what they heard from his own mouth, that he had been greatly abusive; of which they would acquaint their Friends.

For once to strain a courtesie, I will make bold in the names of these Justices to thank you, Gentlemen; but certainly you do not think that by such a faint pretence you have made sufficient amends for conceal­ing so long from them, and yet whispering privately among your own Party such foul aspersions cast upon them. Pray Mr Slater, Mr. Sylve­ster, [Page 16] and the rest of you be pleas'd to disperse your selves to your usual haunts, the Amsterdam Coffee-House, Richards, Bruens, &c. and ha­ving got your wonted select Congregations about you, declare plainly to them after the following manner. Truly Sirs, we have, as you know, for a considerable time entertained and propagated an ill opinion of three of the Kings Magistrates, upon the account of a Letter which you have often seen▪ or heard mention'd by us; but finding our selves for certain private reasons lately oblig'd to enquire into the matter, and looking upon those Gentlemen in a good light, we find their Repu­tations spotless, and that they are persons perfectly innocent of any such things as we told you were laid to their charge. Therefore as our boun­den duty is, we make this Declaration to disabuse you, and right them, asking God and those Gentlemen forgiveness; and not only resolving for our own part, but advising you our Friends, not to be forward to be­lieve or disperse scandalous Imputations laid against persons in Autho­rity for the future. This till you have done, I must tell you that you remain deeply in arrears to those Justices; and you will still stand inde­bted to them for their generosity, if they accept of this as satisfaction.

That what I have said concerning Fitz-Gerrald's clearing these Justices of the Imputations he before laid upon them, is true, will be fully con­firmed by the following Letter written with his own hand to Mr. Reading the very next day after these passages.

[Page 17] You see here that Fitz-Gerrald does in his way ask of Mr. Reading the Charity of Forgiveness and Alms at once; and I dare be bold to affirm that there is no Gentleman in Christendom more ready to grant both than He.

I have now done my story; the matter of Fact I have reported truly, and as occasion offer'd I have remark'd impartially; designing not to forestal or prepossess the Readers Judgment, but only to save him the trouble of deducing inferences himself, by directing his thoughts to that which naturally follows from the several occurrences contained in this Narrative. I would not have the Reader think that I have employed so much Paper and Ink meerly to prove a beggerly Irish-man to be a bad Evidence. Alas! Fitz-Gerrald is a little forfeited wretch, ready at any time to mortgage his Soul to Feed and Cloath his Body. But here were Loyal Gentlemen and Magistrates defam'd, and they ought to be vindi­cated: and here were men of high pretences to Religion that secretly abetted and encouraged the foul aspersions thrown upon them, and their practices ought to be detected. I am a man in whom of all passions in­cident to Humane Nature, Anger is least predominant; and for that reason possibly these Justices may con me little thanks for representing the Fact so calmly and indifferently, when it afforded such plentiful mat­ter for Satyr. But the meekest man upon earth cannot but express his re­sentments, that persons who appropriate to themselves the Name of TRUE PROTESTANTS should act thus contrary to the Rules of Old Heathen Honesty: That a person in Publick Office should on the last Lord Mayors Day, when a Gentleman offer'd to tell him how three Ju­stices his Neighbours had like to have been ensnared by an Irish-man, re­ply quick upon him, Sir, ‘I can sure you the thing is true, and it is sworn upon them, and neither Justice Reading, Justice Rich, or Justice Daniel, Shall be able to wipe it off from them as long as they live;’ and, to conclude, that they who so loudly decry Irish Evidence when their own Friends are concern'd, should yet so willingly receive and embrace Fitz Gerrald's Testimony against Gentlemen placed in Autho­rity by His Majesty.