THe Invincible Impudence of the Roman-Catho­licks, is not a little remarkable, in that they still continue to endeavour to possess us, that there is no such thing as a Popish Plot; no, not although there is hardly any of our senses but have inform'd us on the contrary; for, alas! have we not seen our Famous City flaming about our Ears? have we not felt their perfidious Swords plunged in our Protestant-Bosomes? have we not heard them fairly Try'd, and found Guilty of the same Fact? have not our Fore-Fathers tasted of, and we been threatned with their Poysonous Cups? and had not the Nostrils of the whole Land like to have been choak'd with the fatal stench of their Pow­der-Plot? But if after all this we will not credit our senses, to what [...] were they given us:? what assurance have we that we Eat, Drink, Walk, or Sleep? or who shall be able to make Affidavit that he lives? for certainly there cannot be a firmer demonstration of any of these, Than that the Ro­man-Catholicks are our inveterate enemies, and would cor­dially rejoyce at our designed Ruine. Which that we may un­doubtedly believe, and stand o [...] our honest Guard, Indulgent [Page 2] Heaven has been very industrious in affording us frequent evidences of their hate and Treachery, the unparallel'd Mur­der of Sir Ed. B. Godfrey, had been of it self sufficient to depaint their Guilt: But as if Providence had condescended to take a particular cognizance of our fool-hardy incredulity: since then there has scarcely ever a Day passed over our heads which has not given us farther assurances of ther Hel­lish Designs. And that we may be left without all hopes of excuse, the Almighty has been pleased farther to Evidence their perfidiousness, and our danger, by a Miracle wrought on one of their Religion, which for its Truth and Rarity, ought never to be forgotten, but to be preserv'd and hoarded up like the Egyptian-Manna, as a Relick fit to be delivered to Posterity, that our Successors, as well as our selves, may see the Justice, as well as the Power of him that did it.

THe Person on whom it was effected, was a Woman well stricken in years, and one who had imbibed so many of the Popish-Princi­ples, that she was become a most Stickling Zealot in the Romish-Religion, and so passionate that she could not with any patience endure to hear any thing, either against it, or the professors of it, without run­ing unto many extravagant expressions against those who oppos'd her; and this her infirmity was much more visible, because she hap'ned to inhabit in a Lane where many Papists did likewise dwell, whose fre­quent [Page 3] Converse might in all probability increase her eagerness, and raise her Spirit in the defence of those Principles, into which (though she were subtly sedu­ced) she so dearly loved. The name of the place of her abode, is called Gardeners-Lane, neer Westminster; the Houses whereof are of an antient low sort of tim­ber-Building, and consequently the more dangerous if any Fire should either by design or accident happen therein. This it seems the Papists were very well ac­quainted withal, who according to the information of the Inhabitants thereabouts, had some time since condemned it to their merciless flames, and had so far proceeded to execution, that one of their Fire­housing-Agents had got into a great Bake-House at the upper end of it, with intention by setting the Bavens on fire, to consume the whole Lane, but by Gods mercy he was strangely prevented, by falling (in the dark) against a Glass-window, and the Panes burst­ing out on the other side, alarm'd a Maid-servant of the house, who taking him only for a Theif, indea­voured to apprehend him, by crying out, Stop Theif. But though at that time he escaped, he has since by the confession of another whom he had imployed a­bout a like concern, been apprehended, and has been so ingenious as to confess the Fact.

This narrow deliverance could not but possess the [...]autious Inhabitants to be more careful for the time [Page 4] to come; and in order thereunto, to extirpate, o [...] Root out (as possible they may) as many of the aforesaid Papists as they could: at which this Woman Elizabeth Middleton, seem'd more then ordinarily con­cern'd, nor would be perswaded to desert the City, though his Majesties Royal Proclaimation had been exhibited to that purpose. But she obstinate in her own ways, seem'd to take no Notice thereof; but stay'd at her usual habitation, openly proclaiming her opinion, and boldly commending those Principles, and vindicating the practicers thereof, insomuch that she was at length taken notice of by Authority, which according to the usual method followed in those cases, proceeded to render her a Papist Convict, in order to the farther Execution of the Law, long since provided for such Recusants.

But nothing could stop the fierce current of this Womans incorrigableness; she continued as Male­pert and bold as ever: and once about a fortnight since, it was her fortune to go into a Neighbours Victualling. House, known by the Sign of the Sun and Phenix, in the same Lane, and not above four Doors off her own home: there she fell afresh to the asper­sing of Non-conformists, and the aserting the Loy­alty and Innocence of those of the Romish Re­ligion. It could not be immagined but at such a juncture as this is, she should meet with some that [Page 5] opposed her, whom she patiently resisting, was by the Nervous strength of their reason, brought to the contrary of what she said, screw'd up to such an ex­cess of extravagent passion, that at last in a very con­cern'd posture, she openly wisht, That she might never see the Light, and that some Remarkable Iudgement might fall on her (for an Example) if there were any such thing as a Plot Designed, or carried on by the Roman-Catholicks, tending to the Destruction of the King, or the Subversion of our Religion or Government. There is no question but when she spoke this hidious Imprecation, she imagi­ned she might digest it with as much ease, and less harm, then others of her perswasion swallow Oaths, Tests and Sacraments, in attestation of their Loyalty, when they intend nothing but Blood-shed and Sedi­tion; But God will not always be Mocked, and though his Vengeance comes but seldom, yet it comes sure, and he will be Glorified either in afflicting us and making us thereby immediate and open Examples of his displeasure: or else in preserving us and render­ing us the happy Subjects of his care and Providence. This truth is Remarkable by those dispensations which the Almighty thought in his infinite wisdom, fit to lay on this rash woman, who must necessarily know that either her asseverations were not true, and so it was but just that her own Imprecations should fall on her, or else that she was ignorant in the thing [Page 6] she so confidently affirm'd, and so ought not to have challenged God at so high a rate, to inflict his Judge­ments upon her if it were not true.

Had she but thought of this, she might in all hu­mane probability have escaped those dreadful judge­ments which seiz [...]d her but Two days afterwards, for then according to her wish, she was strucken stark Blind, insomuch that when many of her neighbours went to visit her, she knew them by their Voices, but could not in the least distinguish who they were by her eyes or sight, being by her own acknowledg­ment stark blind; and being told of her rashness in making the aforesaid asseveration, she was heard to answer to no other purpose than this; Viz. That God was a just God, and would not be mocked. But Heaven thought not Blindness alone a sufficient penalty for so great an Impiety, and therefore added to it a dan­gerous fit of Sickness, with both of which, she re­mains miserably afflicted to this day.

And now behold honest Reader, the sad effects of Popish presumption, and the miserable condition of Popish Proselytes, who if they can by any clan­destine or daring Impiety, out-brave Mankind, think that God takes no notice of them; but let such take warning by this unhappy Example, and knew that if for such Sins they escape here, yet he will certainly light on them, and punish them hereafter.