THe papists have envied the prosperity of this Kingdome a long time, and have daily studied to kindle a fire of dissension, and distraction among the true protestants, and have di­ligently plotted to bring the whole State of this Nation to a destructive ruine. Their Councels have bin alwayes imployed to advance the court of rome, and their popish Hierarchy, and as their Councels have bin conjoyned to depopulate this Realme, so their actions have beene sputred forward to a grea­ter instigation thereof. Wherefore to bring their nefarious intentions, and intestine conspiracy to some ripenesse, & maturity of perfection, they have oftentimes intruded themselves to become the Kings favorites: that so by this meanes being advan­ced to places of great dignity, and high command in this Kingdome, they might more easily execute their Plots (which they have a long time hatched against us) and with greater felicity, Sir William Balfour Lieutenant of the tower, having with great fidelity, faithfulnesse of affection, and reall zeale to [Page] the publique good and accommodation of this ci­ty of London, performed his Office very faithfully, being a constant enemy to the papists, and their ad­herents, had some occasion of necessity to goe into Ireland, having a great estate there, and in great dan­ger to lose it, if he did any longer procrastinate the time: as soone therefore as he was prepared to go, Col: Lunsford hearing of it, and obtaining the let­ters of many popish Lords, hee presented himselfe unto the King, as a very true and loyall subject to his Majesty and the State: and thus by great coni­vance he was elected to be Lientenant of the tower, although indeed hee was a great Signior of the Pa­pists, stigmatized with the Papall Piploma, and a se­cond Faux or Executioner of their popish designs. Hereupon the Jesuits and papists having their Ro­mish Captaines, and chiefe Conduct in so great a Command of the City of London, did immediatly convocate their Hell-nourished Councels, and as­sembled themselves together at a publicke Masse, every one striving to defend the Popes premacy, to inlarge his Kingdome, and by all possible means to subvert and supplant this famous City of London, wherefore their resolutions were thus moulded, when as Col: Lunsford should have free liberty, and immunity in the Tower, divers of the Guard should be feed and suborned, having great sums of money given them to conceale, and manage their Coun­cels, and about the dead time of the night they should place the Ordinance lower, and being charg­ed should incontinently blow up the City.

[Page] About which time of the night the other papists would provide a sudden Army, and sufficient num­ber of men to set Westminster and the Parliament house on fire, and at the very same time they would provide shipping for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop Wren, and many other popish Doctors, who should have bin all transported into Spaine, where the one should have bin made a Cardinall, & the other Sainted. Their designe was sealed with an Oath, that every one shovld be constant to Rome, and put this new-hatcht conspiracie into execution, with all possible care and expedition. Whereupon eight of the Guard were sworne to their machina­tion, the Ordinance were in agitation to be suddenly placed lower in the Tower against the City, and shipping was in great preparation for the Arch pre­late, and the other popish affected Doctors.

But marke the successelesse event of their wicked intentions, and nefarious imaginations, and consider the miraculous providence of the mighty and Al­mighty God, who delivered us from their cruell hands. The Apprentices having great suspition (as indeed they had great cause) of some treacherous plot which hereby might insue upon the City, did forthwith rise, and presented themselves unto the Parliament, totally and universally petitioning a­gainst the papists, and the Col: that was a papist in the Tower, shewing that great danger the city was in, Thus they went to Westminster to the parliament house 3 or 4 dayes together, and vvere then unani­mously resolved to pull him out of the Tovver, vvhich induced the King and Parliament immediatly to dis­place him.

[Page] Thus we see how all the plots of the papists are brought to nought, and how miraculously God hath preserved us from all their conspiracies & impious machinations: whose malicious envie hath bin al­wayes kindled against us, yet notwithstanding the flame of their sin-aspiring thoughts have bin quen­ched they have divers times came upon us like great Goliah threatning our perpetuall destruction, yet we like little David, have alwayes become victori­ous, witnesse that formidable Armado in 88. when like ravenous wolves they thought to have devou­red us, to the utter demolition of this whole king­dome, yet by the divine providence assisting us, their whole Navie was dissipated, their forces dis­jected, and repelled. Witnesse againe that Hell-begot­ten Plot of Gun-powder treason, when the King, Peers, and Commons of this Land had bin all blowne up with a stupendious sufflation to the eternall ruine of this whole Nation: yet by Gods supreame omnipotencie, when this Realme was almost at the last gaspe, when the divellish Plot was almost come to the last period, and execution thereof, their conspiracy was miraculous­ly discovered, themselves apprehended, their Plot blasted, and the Actors therof condemned, witnesse their open rebellion in Ireland at this time, where they reigne in trecheries and conspiracies, whose disloyalty denyes obedience to the Kings Imperiall Crovvne and Royall dignity, who wash their hands daily in the bloud of Protestants, and study with their cruelty to make a Sepulchre for the holy Go­spell: but, we hope as all their former trecheries [Page] have beene confounded, so this especially will sud­denly be.

And finally witnesse those daily plots, which are found out amongst us here in England, the Authors of all which have bin the Papists; who have most nefariously conspired against this Kingdome, at sun­dry times, yet by Gods providence all hath come to naught, and this last amongst the other especially against this famous City of London & Westminster have beene confounded.

God grant that we may still bee preserved and defended from all their plots, Trecheries, and Con­spiracies,

Amen.