FOrasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God, out of his good esse within these few dayes to make a discovery to both the Houses of an intended practise upon the Parliament and City, and so by consequence upon the whole Kingdome. And in respect, that the Stage whereup­on this designe was to have been acted, were the Houses of Parliament, and principally this City, and that some of the Actors in that Tragedy (for so I may call it) were mem­bers of this Citie: And likewise in respect of that neere Conjunction between the Houses and you, That as Hypo­critus twins, they are like to live and dye together, There­fore they have commanded me and diverse other Gentle­men of the House of Commons to make known unto you, what this designe and practice was.

But before I tell you either what it was, or the dange­rous consequence of it, I think it will not be amisse, that you should heare it from one of themselves who was an Actor and projector of it, that is, from the Lord Digby, who in a letter writ to Sir Basil Brooke concerning this bu­sinesse doth professe, That since these troubles did begin, There [Page 3]was no design, nor no practise that was so likely to have taken, that was so likely to have produced that good effect (as they stile it) as this.

You may very well remember the bloody Designe upon the Parliament and this City discovered about half a yeare since: he himselfe said, That this is above all that hi­therto hath been in agitation. This is their sence upon it, that were the Projectors, and were to have been the Actors in it.

The Vote.The thing in brief is thus: It was a seditious and Iesuiticall Practice and Designe, under the specious pre­tence of Peace, to have rent the Parliament from the City, and the City from the Parliament; To have severed and disjoyned the Parliament within it self, the City within it self, Thereby to render up both Parliament and City to the Designes of the Enemy, which is not all; for the destruction and nulling of this present Parliament was intended; as likewise the ingaging our selves in a Treaty of Peace with­out the advice or consent of our Brethren of Scotland, contrary to the late Articles solemnly agreed upon by both Kingdomes, to the perpetuall dishonour of this Nation, by breach of our publique Faith, ingaged therein to that Nati­on, thereby not only utterly to frustrate our expectation of assistance from Scotland, but which is worse (in all likeli­hood) to ingage the two Nations in broyles, if not in a war.

This in briefe was the design, the particulars whereup­on it was framed, and the parties that were Actors in it, I shall likewise discover to you.

There was one Read, who called himselfe Collonel Read, a man I suppose well known by name to this City: He had been heretofore many yeares since, a common Agent for the Papists, he was a principall person to whom the Pac­kets and addresses from Rome were made; it was he that did disperse them abroad in the Kingdome, with whom for the advancing of the Popish Cause, continued consul­tations were held, who for advancing of the Catholique Cause (as they call it) went over into Ireland, there fo­mented the Rebellion, having been one of the Plotters of it, and was taken Prisoner there and sent hither; This was the man, who was the principall contriver and Actor in the present businesse.

Who together with Sir Basil Brooke (a known Jesuited Papist, a great Stickler in all the Popish transactions, and Treasurer of the monies lately contributed by the Papists in the War against Scotland) both prisoners having laid the designe here, M ^r Reads enlargement must be procured that he might act his part at Oxford; Sir Basil Brooke must lye ledger here.

But because so great a businesse required more manna­gers, therfore one Violet a broken Goldsmith, and a Pro­testant in shew, must be brought in as a fit person to go between these Papists and the parties in the City; M ^r Ryley by reason of his place of Scoutmaster of the City, and his reputation amongst the Commoners must be gained, who in these respects might be very usefull, both in the way of Intelligence between Oxford and them, as likewise by promoting it with the Citizens; others in the City of principall note amongst the people are dealt withall.

The first thing M ^r Ryley must act, is the exchange of Read (a prisoner for the Treason and Rebellion in Ireland) ardor the name of Captain Read, taken prisoner at Bur­leigh Ho [...] in this Kingdome, for one of no greater ranke [Page 5]than a Quarter-master. That being done a Character of Intelligence was agreed on between Read, Ryley, and Violet, Read to be knowne by the name of Collonel Lee, Ryley by the name of The Man in the Moone, and Violet by the name of James Morton.

After Reads going to Oxford, the Queene, the Dutches of Buckingham, and the Lord Digby are consulted with; These are the Managers at Oxford with his Maiesties knowledge: Reade from Oxford, by Letters to Master Rily by the name of the Man in the Moone assures him, The businesse goes on well at Oxford; Promises of reward are made to Ryley and Vio­let: Peace being the pretence; Therefore Propositions are fra­med and agreed on, six in number, by Read Sir Basil Brooke, Ryley, and Violet, and seene by others, and afterwards sent to Oxford. A Petiton for Peace being intended, the better to induce that, It was agreed that his Majestie must write a powerfull and promising letter to the Lord Major and Citi­zens, to be read at a Common Hall, and fit Instruments thought upon to be imployed to prepare my Lord Major before hand: The Letter was written and agreed upon here by Sir Basil Brook, Master Ryley and Violet and sent to Ox­ford, Violet a prisoner by Master Ryleys means was procu­red to be exchanged, that he might from Oxford bring the letter and advises, for the carrying on of the businesse: At Oxford the businesse was so diligently sollicited by Read, that at Violets coming, all things were ready, and after three houres discourse in his Majesties presence, with the Queene, the Dutches of Buckingham, & the Lord Digby, Violet the same day, (being the Munday before the discovery) dispatched from Oxford with his Majesties Letter, altered in nothing save the Title, and with another Letter from the Lord Digby to Sir Basil Brooke, whereby the whole managing of the businesse is intrusted to Sir Basil Brook, and it is wholly left to his Wisdom and Discretion, whither [Page 6]the letter to the City shall be delivered or not.

Violet brought both the Letters to Sir Basil Brooke the Wednesday after, and one Wood having formerly brought a Letter from Oxford to the City, the same in matter with this that Violet brought, which will be read unto you; Sir Basil Brook delivered the Letter that came last from Oxford to Wood to be delivered to my Lord Major: the next day after which was Thursday, and with direction, That it should have been published on the Fryday; The delivery of it to my Lord Major, by the discovery of it the same day was prevented, and Sir Basil Brooke, Ryley and Vi­olet that night were examined.

Before the Reading of the Examinations, Letters, and Propositions unto you at large, That the main designe to be made out by them, as they are conjoyned and have relation to the precedent narrative, may be the better un­derstood, I shall in brief touch upon the matter of them, as likewise upon such Conclusions as may necessarily be deduced from them.

As first, That no Peace was really intended, appears throughout the whole transaction: The propositions, which upon the Supposition that this is no Parliament, if a­nything, were to have been the ground-work & foundation of it, which upon the reading you will finde so slight and frivolous, that no man can conceive that our Peace could have been built upon such a foundation; Nothing so much as spoken of concerning Ireland, or the disengaging of of our selves from the Articles of Agreement with our Brethren of Scotland; No provision for Reformation of Religion, or preservation of that we have, or of our Lawes and Liberties: But in stead thereof there are quaedam iniqua, the Excise must be continued beyond the war, that out of it the King might have a benefit, and the debts of the Enemies to the Parliament repayed: and [Page 7]the City immediatly to be Treated with.

That no Peace was intended, appeares further from the L: Digbies Letter (written within a day or two of that to the City) to the Ki: Agent at Brussels, who writes that the French Treaty was at an end, because the Parliament must not be acknow­ledged to be a Parliament, that as the King for a long time had taken that for a ground, so he held the same resolution still, be­ing thereunto advised by all his Lords at Oxford; and by his resolution of holding a Great Counsell in the nature of a Parliament at Oxford the 22. of this Moneth. And when his Majesties Letter shall be read, you will finde no parti­culars whereupon a Peace should have been built, save on­ly kinde words in generalls.

This further appeares from the persons who were the first Designers and Contrivers, and were to have been the chief managers from first to last of the businesse, Read and Sir Basil Brook known Iesuited Papists, and alwaies active in promoting Popish practizes; This Peace must have been such as these persons shall contrive; The prayer for our deliverance from the Gunpowder Treason agreed upon in Parliament, saith, That the Faith of such Papists is faction, Their practises, the murdering of the soules and bodies of men; Read he hath been a Contriver and prosecuter of of the bloody Tragedies of the Protestants in Ireland; the other not without suspicion to have had his hand in it; what is said concerning the Queen in that particular, is set forth by the Declaration of both or one of the Houses, and the Articles of her Impeachment, the Countesse of Buckingham (beside that her husband hath appeared visibly in that Rebellion) is not free of other cause of sus­pition: These as was said before, assisted with the Lord Dig­by, must be the Instruments of this Peace; which as it is set forth in his Majesties Letter, must be such as that whereby the true Protestant Religion, the Lawes and Liberties of [Page 8]the Kingdome must be maintained.

These Papists you see, who had done so good service for the Protestant Religion in Ireland, must lay the foun­dation for the preservation of it here.

Sir Basil Brook, and Read, well knew that the Pope and and Popery have been banished this Kingdome by the Parliaments of England, and that the succeeding Parlia­ments to this time have alwaies endeavored the suppression of popery, and therefore Degenerating from their Prede­cessors, who in the Gun-powder Treason endeavoured for that cause to have blown up the parliament, They must now endeavour the Preservation of the Parliament, and the Lawes and the Liberties of the Kingdome.

The things which from this briefe Narrative, the rea­ding of the Examinations, Propositions, and Letters, will appeare to have been designed, are these;

First the dividing the Parliament from the City, and the Parliament and the City within themselves.

First in respect that this Treaty of Peace was to have been immediately between the King and the City, and that whereupon the Peace of the whole Kingdome should have been setled, as appeares by his Majesties Letter, what wide rents such a Treaty must have produced between the City and Parliament is obvious. Again, for the prosecu­tion of the Treaty when entertained by the City; safe conducts were to have been granted, not only to those of the City, but to such of the Members of either House, as would have repaired to Oxford for that purpose; Every man sees by this, what division and confusion would have followed both in City and Parliament. The Projectors were well acquainted with Machivels maxime, divide & Impera.

The second was no lesse then the utter destruction, the nulling and making voyd of this present Parliament, as [Page 9]will appeare by the Lord Digbyes letter to De vic, and the summoning of the great Councell or Parliament at Ox­ford compared with the third of these Propositions. By the letter to De vic this Parliament, as the resolution then was at Oxford, must not be acknowledged; and by this third Proposition for that very cause, the Parliament must be waved, and the Treaty must be immediatly between the King and City. The consequence whereof had been no lesse then the rendring of the Kingdome for ever unca­pable of having any more Parliaments; This Parliament, It was called and continued according to the knowne Lawes and Usages of the Kingdome, was afterwards by an Act of Parliament, assented unto by his Majestie, so acknowledged, and made indissolvable without its own consent; (a greater Testimony of the validity of this Par­liament, then I think was ever given to any:) If neither the Common Lawes and usages of this Kingdome, nor the concurrent Authority of an Act Parliament be able to support this Parliament, when his Majestie shall declare the contrary, I shall without more words leave to your judgements, whether this doctrin doth not at once blow up the fundamentalls of all Parliaments, Lawes of the Kingdome, Libertie of the Subjects, and of the whole pollicie and Government of this Kingdome, which being destroyed, what security you could have devised for the maintaining of the Religon, Lawes, and Liberties of the Kingdome, as is promised you in his Majesties letter, I know not.

3. The third was not onely the preventing of the assi­stance of our Brethren in Scotland; But that which is worse, and must have necessarily followed thereupon, the embroiling of both the Nations in divisions, in all like­lihood fat all unto both; this will appeare by putting to­gether what hath beene done by the Parliament, those at [Page 10] Oxford, and the transactions in this designe.

The Parliament long since have invited that Nation to our assistance in this common cause upon weighty con­siderations.

As first, conceiving that by this meanes through Gods blessing, this great cause which concernes our Religion, Lawes, Liberties, and all we have, would be assured, and the event of the War, otherwise doubtfull, made more cer­taine.

2. Secondly, that by their assistance the war might be the sooner ended, and so by consequence the calami­ties which of necessity must accompany it, their assistance adding so considerable a strength to our party, besides the reputation which the concurrence of a whole Nation with us, will adde to the justnesse of the cause.

3. And thirdly, that as in likelihood by their joynt concurrence, a better Peace for present might be procu­red, so in all probability what shall be agreed upon would be the more lasting and durable, both Nations being equally interested in what should be agreed upon.

Besides the Covenant maturely sworn and agreed upon by both Nations for the maintenance and defence of Re­ligion, and of the mutuall Lawes and Liberties of each Kingdome, a solemne league and Treaty hath likewise beene mutually agreed upon between the Parliament here and that Kingdome, concerning the manner of their assi­stance (and great sums of money have been thereupon sent unto them.) In which Treaty one Article is, That nei­ther Nation shall entertaine any Treaty of Peace, without the ad­vice and consent of the other. This in briefe containes the transactions between that Nation and the Parliament. At Oxford by papers in the forme of Proclamations, they have stiled this assistance, an Invasion of the Kingdome, and one end of the calling of that great Councell or Par­liament [Page 11]is for opposing of the same.

In the carriage of the present designe, by one of Reads letters to Pyley he saith, That a dore is open by the comming in of the Scots for the destruction of this Kingdome; That there­fore this Peace must presently be concluded. That all is lost un­lesse it be done speedily. The maine intent of the letter is for the speeding of it to that end. The Lord Digbyes letter to Sir Basil Brooke, referring the delivering of his Maje­sties letter to my Lord Mayor to his discretion, he forth­with delivers it to Wood, to be the next day delivered to my Lord Mayor, and the next day after the delivery to be by him published; He saw it necessary, and so resolved at Oxford, That we must speedily breake with the Scots.

Their assistance, how necessary, and by Gods blessing how beneficiall it is like to be unto us, I think you see, but this must be prevented; The honour and publike faith of Nations how Sacred it is, and from the rules of Reli­gion and common policie, how tenderly to be preserved each man knowes, But this designe must violate and staine our honour in the highest: For contrary to the Article be­fore mentioned, this Treaty must presently be set on foot without them; such violations are alwayes deeply resented by the parties injured: how dangerous therefore the con­sequence must needs have beene, he that runnes may reade.

This was the Designe: It was too Ugly, It was too Black, Bare fac'd, to have been presented to your view, and therefore it must be masqu't; This hook must be bai­ted with the sweet word Peace; It hath been long since ob­served from the Ecclesiasticall proceedings of the Romish Church, That in nomine Domini Incipit omne malum, The Holy Name of God must bear out all their Spirituall wickednesses: The end of all Civill Policie is the pre­serving of just and Honourable Peace; and therefore [Page 12]these men when Divisions, Violence, and what is most contrary to Peace is intended, yet for the compassaing of these ends, Peace must be pretended. So was it by many of them about this time twelve-moneth Designed in their Pe­tition to the Parliament for a Peace, and so was it in the bloodie plot upon the Citie, and diverse Members of both Houses discovered the last Summer. For upon the exami­nations of diverse of them, It appeared that the ground of that plot was laid in the first Petition, and that the second was to have been guilded over with a Petition for Peace.

These men, (I speak of these designes) they cry Peace, Peace, that destruction might have come upon you as an armed man: You shal now hear the examinations and other things read at large unto you.