IT is very incongruous to Reason, to think I can have any Hand, or be any Way concerned in this Plot, if these Things be duly weighed, That after the Discovery of the Conspiracy, and the Execution of many for it, that I should act such a lunatick Part, if I was guilty, as to continue in this City, join with Mr. Campbel, and not only so, but publickly advertize myself for teaching of Grammar; yea further, that I should still continue, even after the Caution Mr. Webb gave me, a Week and a few Days before I was taken into Custody: He told me, that Mr. Chambers told him, that the Eyes of this City were fixed on me, and that I was suspected to be a Roman Priest, and thought to be in the Plot. I answered, my Innocency would protect me, I valued not what the World said in that Case: Again, another Instance that must free me from this Plot, is, when Mr. Campbel went to take Possession of Hewson's House, his Daughter refusing to go out, and swear­ing like a Life-Guard Man, I took up the Cause, Mr. Campbel not exerting himself as I thought was proper at that Time, and told her, that if she would not go out quietly, I would take another Method with her, for I would have no such wicked Person live where I was to dwell. Now, Reason must pronounce me Innocent, for had I been engaged in their Schemes, my Guilt, my Fears would have forced me to have acted in a very different Manner; rather to have soothed her, and gave her Liberty to stay till provided for, instead of not shewing her the least Countenance. And further, what corroborates my Non-Knowledge of this Plot, is, That the Negroe, who confess'd, as it is said, that he set Fire to the Fort, did not mention me in all his Confession. If he was bound by any Oath or Oaths, as he confess'd it shewed he thought it or them of no Value; doubtless he would have confess'd and laid open the whole Scheme, and all [Page] the Persons he knew concerned in it, but more especially the Priest, as is said I am. And what is still more strong for my Innocency, is, That neither Hewson, his Wife, nor the Creature that was hanged with them, nor any that have been put to Death since, did once name me.

Certainly Gentlemen, if I am a Priest, as you take me to be, I could not be so foolish to [...]gage myself in so absurd a Contrivance, as to bind myself with a Cord, [...]or Negrees, or who are worse, pro [...]ligate Whites, [...] of this Earth, superior in Villany to The Knights of the Post, to [...] a Halter for me.

Gentlemen, as there is a great, unknown and tremendous Being, whom we call God, I never saw Hewson, his Wife, nor the Creature that was hanged with them, to my Knowledge, living, dying or dead; nor the Ne­groe that is said to have fired the Fort, excepting in his last Moments. But put the Case, I had known Hewson, and had been at his House, is it to be inferr'd from thence, that I must be acquainted with his Villany, or know his Secrets? And as he kept a Publick House, which is open and free for all, is it reasonable to think, that all, or any Man's being seen at Hewson's, must make him or them culpable or chargeable with his Villany? Surely, No: For if so, sad would be the Case of many Gentlemen, who, in travelling the Countries in England, have used bad Houses or Inns, and lit into the Company of Highway-Men, who by their Garb and Con­versation, they have taken for some honest Country Gentlemen or Trades­men; and these Highway-Men have been taken up, while in Company, and yet those Persons have not in the least been suspected, much less come into any Trouble. But I fear all that this Trouble of mine springs from, is grounded upon the Apprehensions of my being a Roman Priest, and therefore must be a Plotter; for, say they in the Chain of general Woes, The first and the last Link is most commonly tied to the Priest's Girdle.

But, Gentlemen, I must assure you, from Reading and Conversation, I believe no Priest would hold Confederacy with Negroes; they are too wise, too cunning, to trust such Sort of Gentry. It is not Men of For­tune, good Sense, and Learning, they care to meddle with or entrust, in such Affairs as Plots, excepting they be Men of their own Kidney, of their own Way of Thinking in Religion, supposing a Priest could be so foolish, or become so Non compos mentis, as to plot. In short, a Priest, a joint Contriver of Firing a Fort, a Celebrater of Masses, a Dispencer of Abso­lutions, as it is said I am, so long passed by, such a particular Person, forgotten! No, Gentlemen, you must think and believe, he would have been the next Person, after the Discovery of the Plot, that would have been brought on the Carpet. And further, what is of great Note, is, That Hewson, at the first Discovery of the Plot, was sworn to be the whole Projector and Carrier on of the Plot. And if these Witnesses knew me so well as they pretend to now, how came it about, what I not know any Thing of me before I came to Prison? Doubtless, they would have been eager to have betrayed me, when the Scheme was discovered; for, being a Priest, and consequently artful and cunning, they would have been afraid of my Escaping. No, if I had been engaged, they would have soon informed, thinking to have saved their own Lives, knowing how this Government stands affected to such Gentlemen as I am said to be, namely, a Priest.