IT is not so much a regard unto your Commands, which is great, as Loyalty unto my King, and Zeal for the Protestant Religion, that compels me, in short, to give you my thoughts concerning the Validity of Mr. Dangerfield's Evidence, ac­cording to the account I have received of it. You mention his Felonies and Perjuries, as reason sufficient to engage the Wise and Judicious to neglect all that Evidence he hath given in concerning the Popish Plot; for, say you, if such a Villain may be credited in matter of Life and Death, what honest man can be secured either of his Estate or Life?

Sir, there is much seeming strength of Argument in what you suggest; and had there not been more real strength of Reason to over-ballance it, I would submit. But since it may be made with the greatest clearness to appear, That notwithstanding all this, Mr. Dangerfield's Evidence may be as good as that of any Papist, whether a continued Bigot to that Superstition, or one who hath abandon'd the abominations of that sort of people; I cannot but presume to be free in the Communications of my thoughts: which [Page 2] I the rather do, because His Majesty's Life and the Protestant Re­ligion are so much concern'd herein.

I say, that notwithstanding the Felonies and Perjuries you sug­gest that Mr. D. may have been guilty of; I assert, that his Evi­dence is as good as that of any other Papist whatsoever, that hath shewn himself a thorough Papist, that is, a vile Traytor to a Pro­testant (which they term Heretical) King.

1. That his Felonies cannot make his Evidence less evident than that of the Papists, is demonstratable to such as shall but consider, that if a greater and more heinous Crime than that of Felony cannot Invalidate the Evidence of such an one, then surely, Fe­lony, the lesser Crime cannot. But a greater Crime than Felony, namely, High-Treason against His Majesties Sacred Life (of which Hellish Diabolical Treasons, most English Papists, but in special all the Discoverers of the Plot have been guilty), cannot spoil the Testimony of such; for should High-Treason, that is a Crime that deserves the backest title, Invalidate the Evidence of a Reforming, Repenting-Traytor', the worst of Rogues may es­cape the just severity of our Laws, and the best of Princes be expos'd to the merciless Rage of the vilest of Traytors; And if this great Transgression, that is inconsistent with all the Rules of Christian Religion, cannot after a Pardon spoil the Evidence, How is it that Felony, the less (though an odious) evil should? I hate Felony with my very Soul, but I hate a Traytor much more so.

But the great thing that sticks, is Perjury. To which I offer, that though I know not whether Mr. D. hath been Convicted as a Perjurer; yet be it so, this cannot Invalidate his Evidence, any more than the Evils of a like nature, in the which the Plotting-Papists have fully involv'd themselves. For let it be but duly con­sidered, and you'l find that the true Reason why Perjury should weaken his Evidence, is because a Perjur'd person is suppos'd to be one who hath so far debauch'd his Conscience, and raz'd out of his Soul the Characters of Truth, that 'tis become impossible he should be ever a true man for the future. To which I answer.

1. Sincere Repentance is not in this case impossible; Perjury, for certain, is not the Sin against the Holy Ghost, neither is it embowell'd with Final Unbelief and Impenitence; whence if you can but find the Characters of a sincere Penitent on Mr. D. our Church, though it had Excommunicated him, would have given him his Absolution, whereby he would have been fit for our Communion; and for which reason, all his old Sins, even his Perjury must be blotted out of our Remembrance. And can all [Page 3] this be, and his Testimony for the King an idle thing? But,

2. Supposing Mr. D. a Perjur'd person, yet nothing more cer­tain than that he hath not prostituted himself more to lyes than the Papists, nor debauch'd his Conscience more than the other Plotters have done. For,

1. Do we not know that the Popish Religion is but a heap of Lyes? What is it compos'd of, if not of Equivocations, Mental Reservations, Lyes, Falshoods, Perjuries, &c? I must be plain, and assure you, that I scruple more the Evidence of a Real Papist, that I do of a Perjur'd Protestant: And my Reasons are these. A Perjur'd Protestant doth never Swear falsly, but 'tis contrary to his principle, and may be the product of but a present temptation, of which he may soon repent; and because of the gripes of his awakened Conscience, like the burn't child dread the fire of such a sin; but the Papists principles, are to Lye, Equivocate, and Swear falsly, taking the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy, even when they are resolv'd for Treason against His Majesty, which they do without any rebukes of Conscience; or if any are so squeamish, as to boggle at it, 'tis but to scowr their Kettle, confess and receive Absolution, and all is well; yea they may have Dis­pensations, and what not.

2. It must be also remembred, that if Perjury will Invalidate Mr. D's. Evidence, what Plotting Papists Evidence, after the greatest remorse can be good? Are not all that are engag'd in this devillish Plot Sworn to the greatest secresie? yea with greater and more awful Solemnities, than the kissing the Bible; and if they discover, are they not all apparently perjur'd, if not according to the formality of our Law, yet as really and truly? Which be­ing so, you may see how dangerous 'tis to neglect Mr. Danger­field's Evidence, for the same thing being pleadable against the rest, we are all an undone people; for if the past Perjury of honest penitents will Invalidate their future Testimonies, what encou­ragement is this to the remaining plotters to make any further Discoveries? of what use is His Majesties Proclamation? and how are the past Plotters animated to go on, being confident that none without Perjury can discover them? whereby there is no possible guarding against the Papists plottings, nor no bringing them to condign punishment: All which tends to the ruine of His Majesty, the loss of our Religion, the destruction of our Li­berties and Lives.

But since 'tis as sure as that the Sun shines at Noon-day, that there is a Popish Plot, which hath been detected by admirable [Page 4] Providences; 'tis also as certain, that such as have been Perjur'd, have spoken true; that is, they have been by an over-ruling Power engag'd to repent of their devillish Treasons, their vile Perju­ries, &c. and are become honest and true men, good Protestants and Loyal Subjects, expiating their past Treasons by enduring, and a patient bearing great Discouragements in their stedfast adhering to the Truth. We have seen, that if these German Dogs would have been drawn aside by such Crusts as Popish Preferments, Thousands of pounds, &c. or driven from an Owning the Truth by such Menaces and Threats as have attended them, as the being Godfrediz'd or Arnoldiz'd, and the like, we might not have one man to give in Evidence against the Lords in the Tower, &c.

I had almost forgot to desire you to make a free Intimation of your mind, concerning what are the Qualifications you expect should be found in a Popish Plotter, who designs nothing less than the burning Cities, depopulating Countries, destroying Prote­stant Kings; What manner of persons must such be? what! must they fear an Oath, or a Lye? what! is there no Evil in Murder, and Treason, and the Torturings of thousands of Inno­cents? What! are all these things little things in comparison of Perjury? or can you in your Conscience imagine, that such as are men of principles bloody enough to engage in all these Cruel­ties, are yet afraid of a Lye, or of a false Oath? Sir, I do verily believe there are none fit for these detestable Treasons, unless they can Perjure themselves over and over; yea, and that there are ma­ny who can exercise their Tongues in Cursing and Damning them­selves and others, yea perjure themselves again and again, who yet could not embrue their hands in the Blood of Kings, and Thousands of Innocents. Let not past perjury then be so formi­dable a thing to stagger your Faith concerning a Plot, whose Be­ing hath been discover'd with so much Evidence and Conviction to all that hear on't.

I beseech you therefore, that you'l consider how you neglect the Evidence of such men, who once were perjur'd Popish, and false Traytors, but are now honest, good and loyal Protestants, whose Evidences hath been most miraculously brought to light, and con­firm'd, to the astonishment of all considering and thinking men, both at home and abroad. I need not beg your pardon, since if you are a Protestant, as I know you are, you cannot but approve of the Zeal of him, who is,