THE Massacres and Murders committed by the Instigation and Incitement of Popish Priests and Jesuits, are so many, so barbarous and Horrid; that they cannot but minister Astonishment to any sober Christian that lays them to heart. For who can consi­der without amazement and confusion, that they that stile themselves the Society (and would be esteemed the followers) of the ever Blessed Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace, should be the only Boutefeus, and Au­thors of Strife and Contention in every place, where once they get but footing? And the Prime instigators, Contrivers and Actors of all those Bloody Massacres and Butcherly Cruelties that have been perpetrated upon the Stage of the Word, on the account of Religi­on, since the days of Ignatius Loyola their first Found­er? Can any man chuse but be confounded, to think that those men should take upon themselves the Title of Christians, all whose practices are so diametrically opposite to the Precepts of true Christianity? Christi­anity commands us to bless them that curse us; but these men curse even those princes, under whose Government they draw their Breath: Christianity commands us to [Page 4]return good for evil; but these men return evil for good: Christianity commands to pray for them that despiteful­ly use us, but these men have despitefully used and bar­barously Murdered those that never harm'd them.

Again, the precepts of Christianity enjoyns us to pro­voke one another to love, and to good works; but these Sons of Satan (for his work, they do, and therefore his Children they are) provoke their simple and de­luded Proselytes to Murder, Treason, and Rebellion; which last Instance they have too evidently made ap­pear. I doubt not, Sir, but you remember, that about the year 1663, there was a discovery of a certain De­sign against the Life of our Lord Lieutenant (which was then his Grace the Duke of Ormond, as you know he is now) & the subversion of the Government, and Firing the Castle and City of Dublin, &c. And for this, one Collo­nel Jephson and some others were Arraign'd condemn'd, and executed here. This Jephson had a Son (whose name was Joseph Jephson) who was sometimes after his Fathers death put an, Apprentice here in Dublin, where he was brought up in the Protestant Religion, and had his E­ducation in a Civil Family.

This Person the Jesuits resolved to make a Proselyte to the Roman Church, and then doubted not but he would be fit for their purpose, and that they might the more easily gain upon him; they first screw'd themselves into his acquaintance, and pretended a great deal of Love and kindness to him; by which means he enter­tain'd a good opinion of them: and the more to indeer their acquaintance to him, and ingratiate themselves with him, they also offered to help him to a Wife; which was indeed the only way to gain him: And these Factors [Page 5]for Hell had provided one for him, against whose Wealth and Beauty he could make no Exceptions and there­fore readily accepts of the Match. And now when Jephson thought upon nothing but being Married, there was a difficulty started that he was not a ware of, which was; that this Gentlewoman had made a Vow never to Marry any person but a Roman Catholick; and therefore he must either lose his Love or Change his Religion: In this doubtful case he repairs to his old Friends (the Iesuites) and tells them what Obstructions he met with, and desires their advice; which you may easily guess, was to change his Religion: For now they open themselves to him, and tell him that the Salvation of his Soul was as well concerned therein, as the obtaining of his Mistriss; and therefore advised him to hesitate no longer about it; giving him several other reasons to sway him to take their advice but whether it were the force of their Reasons, or the desire of obtaining his Mistris, that prevailed with him most, I am not able to determine, though I rather think it was the latter: However it was, he renounces the Pro­testant Religion, and declares himself a Papist; and now the Gentlewoman may Marry him, and yet not break her, Vow: In expectation whereof, he addresses himself to her, and gives her an account of his Conver­sion, (as he term'd it.) But the yong man found him­self extreamly deceiv'd, for their arose another Remora much more insuperable than the former. For he hav­ing declar'd himself a Papist, they now thought them­selves sure of him, and were resolved in the first place to have their designs upon him; and now an opportunity, as they thought, presented it self.

For you must know the Jesuits in Ireland are car­rying on the same design as those in England; and be­cause the Killing of the Lord Lieutenant (which 'tis strongly presumed they design'd) was a difficult and hazardous undertaking, they agreed to make this No­vice Jephson the Instrument of it; a Young and Rich Wife they knew was the Bait that drew him to change his Religion; and they were resolved upon the same account to draw him in to commit this Execrable Murder.

And therefore when Jephson urged that he might be Married, seeing he was become a Romanist, they told him that he was too hasty: For he must first do some­thing to assure her of the truth of his Conversion. They told him that he had done very well to come into the Bosom of the Mother Church, out of which there was no Salvation; but yet till he had done some noble and Meritorious Act to confirm his Faith, they should hard­ly believe his Conversion to be real. They told him also, that now there was an opportunity presented it self, wherin he might do God and the Church very great Service, and save his own Soul besides; and that was, in avenging his Fathers Blood upon the Duke of Ormond: Adding, that God and Nature seem'd to have ordained him for that very work; and that his Father must expect no Redemption from Purgatory, nor him­self any hopes of obtaining his mistress, till he had ef­fected it; (this is confidently reported to have been the method of the proceedings.)

Though this proposal did at first startle the Young man; yet either overcome by their perswasions, or out of a desire of Revenge, or (which I rather think) in [Page 7]hopes to obtain his Mistris, he resolves upon this despe­rate Attempt; which was to be done, as 'tis said either by Shooting the Duke out of a Garret window, as he went to Christ-Church, or in the Crowd going back▪ or in his Closet, or by Dogging him when he went privatly abroad, and then to dispach him by Shot, with a Horse well Mounted to bring him off.

But after the heat of his first Resolution was a little over, the hazard and difficutly of the Attempt did some­what discourage him; and then it pleased God to open his Conscience, (which was not yet quite seared,) and let him see his own rashness in undertaking to commit so Execrable a Wickedness, and the subtil Delusions of the Jesuits in alluring him thereto.

In this perplexity of Spirit, full of Grief and Distracti­on, he applyed himself to a worthy Magistrate of this City, to whom he discovered what I have here acquaint­ed you with. Adding, that the names of the Jesuits which put him a upon it, were Pluncket and Pourn; where­upon they were immediatly seized upon, and carried to Prison in order to their Tryals.

I hope Sir, this Letter will not seem troublesom to you, since by it we may see, that let men lay their wick­ed designs as deep as Hell, yet our gracious God (to whose all seeing eye nothing can be hid) dayly discovers them, and brings to light these hidden works of darkness; I hope God will preserve our King, Church and State, and cause all wicked contrivers of Mischief to be taken and snar'd in the works of their own hands. This is the day­ly Prayer of Sir.