A TRUE DISCOVERY OF THE Irish Popish PLOT Made by
Maurice Fitz-Gerald of
Killcowan in the County of
Lymrick,
Jan. the 20
th. 1680.
By way of
Quest.
Q. VVHat do you know of Collonel Lacy?
A. I know noting but he is an Honest Gentlemans.
Q. Were there not great and frequent Meetings of Papists and Popish-Priests, and Friers in his House?
A. Yis, and Protestants too, he will turn no man out, but is good, for Meat and Drink to every Gentlemans wid in and wid out.
Q. Did not you know him, together with Sir John Fitz-Gerald to have consulted and endeavoured the bringing in of the French Power into Ireland?
A. Bee my Shoul dey did never told me so.
Q. The reason why you discover it not, is because you have not yet your Pardon which shall be granted you, if you make a full discovery.
A. By my Shoul I don't care for your Pardons, I did Steal no Cowes, nor Horses, no Sheepes, nor Rob upon de Great way, nor Little way, nor break Prison, as Hetherington did to come over to be your Kings Evidence, so I don't care for your Pardons.
Q. But in your Narrative there is a great Discovery, I suppose you will confirm the Truth of that.
A. Po, po, de Parliaments did Vote an Irish Plot too upon my Narrative, and dey did Vote it upon a Lye, for I never saw my Narraty till I came here; but peoples makes Narratyes and Plots in London; and put it upon me Fait.
Q. Did you not know the Earl of Orrery?
A. Yis, I did know Old Roger and Young Roger too.
Q. Did you not hear of a Letter from him to Sir John Fitz-Gerald?
A. Yes, and see it too.
Q. What were the Contents of it?
A. It was to put de Plot upon de King and de Dukes.
Q. Do you know Hetherington?
A. Yis, but I did not know him here, he vas so Brave and Fine, and a Fite Perwig, and Shilver Buttons, and Gold Laces upon his Coats.
Q. What did he say to you?
A. He will say, I am sorry to see you in such Bad Cloads; And I said, my Cloads will be very good for me, and better then his when he vas in Ireland; He say den, he vill give me Fine Cloads and Moneys.
Q. For what?
A. For no good Feat, only for Lying and Swearing.
[Page] Q. What did Mr. St. Leger say to you?
A. He said, I vill not vant while I vill be in Town.
Q. Why was he so kind to you?
A. For noting but because I was de Kings Evidence to make a Plot.
Q. Are those your Holy-day Cloaths?
A. Yis, and my Unholy-day too.
Q. Have you not better for Sundays?
A. I have but one Cloads always, I wear better Cloads in my own Country den your Kings Evidence did.
Q. Who sent you hither as a Kings Evidence?
A. Why tree Justices da Peace in de County of Lamnagh sent vord to Lord Lieutenant and Council, dat I know I Plot, dey take me out of my Beds from my Vife and Childrens, and sent me to Dublin: Dere de D. of Ormond ask me did I owne dat Examination, so I look upon it, and say, I did not owne it, den I say I vill not declare till I come to de King Your Majesty; now peoples vill be giving me tings dat I shud say, as dey did make Narraty for me.
Q. It seems you will or can discover nothing, you are proffer'd your Pardon if you would.
A. By my Shoul, if you vill be giving Your Pardons and Your Moneys, you will have a tousand Kings Evidence; don't you tink when Cow-stealers, Horse-stealers and Murderers are to be Hang'd, but to Shave demselves from de Gallows, dey will come to London and be Your Kings Evidence; Fait Your Majesty did a tousand pounds wort of good, you brought a great many Rogue to be Your Kings Evidence.
Q. They did a wise peice of work that sent you hither as a Kings Evidence.
A. I have a Vife and Childrens at home, and I would beg dat I may be sent back to my Vife and my Childrens: I desire none of Your Pardons nor Your Moneys, but as much as Vill bring me home, and dat vill be very little: And I have but one ting more to beg of Your Majesty, dat is to send dese Gentlemens to their own Country; where dey are known, where Your Kings Evidence are known; den by my Shoul you will see who is de Rogue.
Q. You shall go to Your Wife and Children, and they are Fools or Knaves that sent you; These Gentlemen also shall be tryed in their own Country, and now declare your knowledge.
A. Fait I am ashamed to tell all, there is so much Rogury in the world, and by my Shoul Sir Henry Ingoldsby know it, and Mr. St. Leiger, and Mr. Odell, and me Shelf.
Q. Do you know Mortagh Downey?
A. Yes very well, he is my own Tennant Fait.
Q. How came he acquainted with Sir John Fitz-Gerald and Collonel Lacy?
A. Mortagh Downey did shee him often, but was never in deir Companies in his Life; for be my Fathers Shoul Mortagh Downey is better for a Kings Evidence for deir Company.
Q. Prethee what do you think of all Plots?
A. Be my Shoul dere is many Plots, and many Rogue, and de Devil take dem all but my Shelf. Amen.