I Anne Hussey comming to Good­wife Walker, a stocking mender in the Strand, who said to mee, I would your Countryman were as honest as you, that lyes at my house, then I asked her, who hee was? Goodwife Wal­ker answered mee, and said hee is a Priest, and a servant to the Queen-mother, and if any had wit to search it out, they would find out a great deal of Treason in him, then I said to Goodwife Walker, if you will be true to me, and not discover me to be a Protestant, I will fetch it out of him if I can, and Goodwife Walker promised, that shee would not discover mee, so the next day early in the morning, I went up to his chamber at the said Goodwife Walkers house, and [Page 2]was directed to it by her Husband, and when the Priest had opened his door, and I in his chamber, he asked me, if I knew him? I answered no, but I in­quired for an Irishman, that came with the Queen-mother, and hearing that he was one, I was bold to come up to him, to entreate him to enquire for an Uncle of mine, one Master Nicholas Hussey (a Priest) at the Spanish Ambassadours, whether he was alive, or come over into England, William O Conner answe­red me, why doe you not go and enquire your self? I answered, I being a woman, was loath to goe a­mongst so many men.

Are you a Catholike?

I was born, and bred one.

What house of Ireland are you of?

Of the house of Galtrum.

They are Royall Catholikes, and worthy people, then he asked mee what my name was? I told him Anne Hussey, so hee brought mee to Mistris Pinocks house, and so departed for that time.

At a second meeting on Saturday after, William O Connor the Priest came againe to Mistris Pinocks house to aske for mee, and desired mee goe drinke with him at a Tavern, which I refused, but went with him to one Master Hils an Alehouse, and there we fell into this following discourse.

I told him I was troubled in minde about one thing that I desired to know.

You must relate it to a Priest.

If I knew an Irish Priest, that would tell mee faithfully, I would.

I am one my selfe, and immediatly he crossed me over the forehead.

I asked him, whether the number of the pro­testants, or the papists in England were the greatest?

He said the papists were.

Then they will conquer our Country (mean­ing Ireland.)

First, we must begin with England.

How, or in what manner will they begin with England? and when will it be?

When the King goes to Scotland.

There is no hope of the Kings going to Scot­land.

I'le warrant you he doth.

Can not you procure me Letters from beyond Sea, to help me to be a Nun.

It is a hard taske for you to performe, to be a Nun.

Why, I can live chast, I never mean to marry.

Although you do not marry, you may ly with a man.

I but that is a sin.

But the Priest can forgive it.

I know he can.

Yes you may ly with a man, steale, kill a man, or any man may kill a King, for the advancement of the Church of Rome, and the Priest can forgive him.

I have heard there is a protestant book called a Bible, and by their report it saith, that whosoever sheds mans bloud, by man shall his bloud be shed, and we must feare God, and honour the King, and pray for the King, that wee may live a peaceable, a quiet, and a holy life.

For your life read not that book, for I wil not [Page 4]read it for a thousand worlds, and further said, whe­ther doe you goe to Masse?

To a private house I doe goe.

I praise God there is many of them, and bid me come next day (being Sabbath day) to Saint Jameses, and I should heare him say Masse before the Queene-mother.

I have businesse to morrow, that J cannot go thither to Masse, nor to any other place, but will some other time.

So ended our discourse at that time. At an other meeting, &c.

At his request I went to his Chamber at Mistris Scarlotts house in Coven Garden, in Black­moore streete, at the signe of the Sedan (about a fortnight after) one day in the after noone, where I found him upon his Bed, and hee gave mee three shirts of fine holland of about sixteene shillings an ell (as they were judged) to mark for him upon the brest or bosome, in this manner following.

Iesus Maria. William O Conner.

At which time hee shewed mee his beads, and o­ther knacks, and clothes made of black plush, scarlet, and as I think a hairecolour satten, after this I left him and carried away the shirts to bee marked, but instead of marking them as hee directed, I marked them onely with a Crucifix and his name, and the same night about nine of the clock, hee-came to mee for his Shirts, and brought an Irish man with him in a long gray coate, with a sword girt close to his side, [Page 5]under his arme, I asked the priest who he was?

He is one of the number of 7000, that is in private pay, and in readinesse to aide the Catho­likes, & to cut the protestants throats that should resist them.

What office hath this man with them?

Hee is one that blows the Pipe, with the Drum.

Let mee see it, and immediatly hee drew it out and would have played on it, but I desired him to forbeare, lest hee was discovered, which advise they liked well, and praised me highly, and offered me the lives of any, that I would desire to be saved.

And so they departed.

About the latter end of July 1640, he came to me at Mistris Pinock's house aforesaid, and said he came upon great occasion, and in great hast, and he must immediately return back.

I asked him the occasion?

I have three Letters from the Queen-mo­ther, to be delivered to three Ambassadors, the Spanish, the Venetian, the French.

Wherefore?

To send to the Pope.

Can you doe nothing without the Popes leave?

Either by himself, or his Legate, wee must know when to begin.

To begin what?

The subduing of the Protestants.

I doe not like their fury, if they once draw the sword, they are like Lions.

What are they, if their King be cut off?

You can never overcome the King by the Sword.

If we cannot that way, we can another.

How?

Do you think my Lady and Queen is a fool?

I do not think she is a fool.

If no hand will do it, this hand shall.

Do what?

Kill him.

Who?

The King.

What, you kill the King?

Aye, kill an Heretike at any time for the ad­vancement of the Mother-church of Rome, and swore by Saint Francis, and Saint Dominick, that he would doe it, and promised to come again, on Munday after, to pay me for marking of his shirts, and to bestow some Bracelets upon mee, but hee never came to me afterwards.

This William O Conner, the Priest, would not suffer me to speak a word in all this discourse, but in Irish, and confessed he hath bin long employed by the Queen-mother in her businesse with all the Princes in Christendome, and with the great Turke, and hee professed further to Goodwife Walker, (as shee told me on Munday last) much of his care in the keeping of the Queens secrets, and that he would be burnt in a fire before hee would reveal them.