THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND. CHA P. I. Continuation of the Reign of CHARLES II. O fered for a N the third of December, the A.D.1678 fame Day Coleman was executed, the King iffued a Procla- 30 Car.II. mation, (in Pursuance of an A Reward Addrefs of the Lords) offer- of Two ing a Reward of Two hun- hundred dred Pounds and a Pardon to any one, who Pounds ofShould make a farther Difcovery of the late further Difhorrid Defign against his Majefty's Sacred covery of Perfon and Government, which gave fuch the Plot. Encouragement to Oates and Bedloe, that they Oates and proceeded to charge the Queen herfelf, before Bedloe acthe Privy Council, as an Accomplice in the cufe the Plot: Bedloe depofed, That about the latter Queen. VOL. XXIII. B End 30 Car.II. A.D.1678 End of April, 1677, there was a Confultation held in the Chappel-Gallery of Somerfet-Houfe, where were prefent the Lord Bellafis, Mr. Coleman, Le Phaire, Pritchard, Latham, and Sheldon, (Priefts) and two Frenchmen, whom he took to be Abbots, with the Queen, and feveral others whofe Faces he did not fee; and that Coleman and Pritchard told the Deponent, after the Confultation was over, that the Queen wept at what was propofed, but was over-perfuaded to confent by the two Frenchmen. To fupport this Evidence, Oates depofed, That in the Month of July the prefent Year 1678, Sir George Wakeman, in a Lettcr to Afbby the Jefuit, wrote, That the Queen would affift him to poifon the King: That a few Days after, Father Harcourt and four other Jefuits went to attend the Queen at SomersetHoufe on her fending for them: That after they were gone into a Chamber, the Deponent waited without, and heard a Woman fay, that she would no longer endure the Violations of her Bed; and that she would affift Sir George Wakeman in poifoning the King; that he was afterwards admitted into the Room, and faw no other Woman but the Queen; and heard, while he was within, the fame Voice ask Father Harcourt, If he had received the laft thousand Pounds? fecuring all The Com- This Evidence, how improbable foever, had mons Ad- fuch an Effect on the Houfe of Commons, drefs for that they addrefs'd his Majefty, that the Papists. Queen, and all her Family, and all Papifts, and reputed Papifts, fhould be forthwith removed from Whitehall; and immediately after refolved to address his Majefty, That all Papists, and suspected Papifts, in England and Wales, might be apprehended and fecured. Buc |