and therefore we will call the witnesses, and let them tell you what it is they have to say. Mr. Ward. There are some things laid in this indictment, that are to be previously proved, in order to the charging of the pri soner; as the execution of Coleman, and the rest; and the impeachment of the lords. If Mr. Reading stands upon it, we have those here that will prove it. L. C. J. Mr. Reading, those public passages that are laid in the preamble of the Indictment, do you insist they should be proved first? Reading. My lord, I am very willing to save your lordship's time. L. C. J. Do you admit that Coleman and Reading. Yes, my lord, and very justly. Reading. Yes, my lord, I do. L. C. J. Then you ease them of the reading those records. Reading. And, my lord, I do further say, I do verily believe there never was a greater plot laid in hell than this. I have abhorred it in my thoughts, and have not only endeavoured to encourage the discovery, but always gave it as my counsel, that nothing that was true should be left out in the evidence. And I do, and will, save your lordship's time as much I can. May it please your lordships, and you gen- | formed, you will have the matter fully proved; tlemen of the jury, I am of counsel for the king in this case: gentlemen, this indictment is not an indictment of high-treason, nor of misprision of treason; and truly the gentleman at the bar hath something wond erd at the king's lenity to him; the fact in the indictment does indeed sound of another nature, than what it bears the name of; it does in this indictment carry the most moderate character that the fact will bear: it is only an indictment of trespass and misdemeanor, but it is a very high misdemeanor; it is to stifle the king's evidence, and that not in an ordinary case, but where it is attended with the greatest aggravations that can be in any case whatsoever. If a man should endeavour to stifle the evidence in an action betwixt party and party, in the courts of Westminster-hall, for a business of about 40s, those courts of justice would find a ready way to punish him. This is a crime of another nature, for it is set forth in the indictment, that Coleman, Ireland, and Grove had a traitorous design in hand, for the which they were executed, that is, the Plot; and when I have said that, I have said all, that implies all; you all know what was thereby designed. It is set forth in the indictment, that such lords, and s.r Henry Titchburn, were privy to the Plot, and accused for it, and to prevent the evidence to be given against these lords, three of them, (for the bargain was only made for three, viz. my lord Stafford, my lord Powis, and my lord Petre; the rest were out of the bargain, and had not, it seems, found out the way of commerce now used by these persons was this gentleman, Mr. Reading's business. It was to diminish and lessen the evidence that was to be given against them, who were charged and accused to be as highly guilty of the Plot as any that were executed for it. And when I have told you this, you will surely conclude it is an high offence, and an high misdemeanor: for if the life of the king, if the law of the land, if the religion established, if the settled government be valuable; if your own lives, your own liberties, and your own fortunes, have any consideration with you, this is a very high misdemeanor; for you must look upon these as all at stake: this plot, as it was laid, did reach to all: so that an endeaYour to conceal the evidence that should discover, and thereby prevent the execution of so horrid a conspiracy, is a very heinous misdemeanor; and you will easily believe, that the gentleman at the bar, the prisoner whom you are to try, had reason to doubt within himself, why it should be called so small an offence as an high misdemeanor: but I will not, I need not aggravate this offence, and the rather because the gentleman that stands accused for it, of a profession (for which I am sorry) which obliges him to know and understand all the aggravations of his own crime. I will not open the evidence, nor tell you what the wit-voured to have me stifle the whole Plot, but Desses will say, I had rather you should have only for some particular people that he solicited it from themselves; but if I am rightly in- for; not but that he believed them guilty, as Sir Cr. Levinz. Then, if your lordship please, we will call our witnesses, and prove the fact; and if there be any thing that Mr. Reading doubts of, we will prove it afterwards. Swear Mr. Bedlow. Which was done. Mr. Ward. Mr. Bedlow, I shall only ask you the general question. Will you be pleased to tell my lords and the jury, what you know of this business? tell the whole story, what discourse and bargainings there have been between you and Mr. Reading, for the diminishing and lessening of your evidence. Bedlow. My lord, Mr. Reading was altogether a stranger to me, till sir Trevor Williams brought me acquainted with him; he was always very just to me in whatsoever he did for me, and wherein he was employed by me. I found him very honest, in reference to my own concerns. And though Mr. Reading will bring a great many people, perhaps, that he hath pressed me to discover the whole of the Plot; I do confess, he did it in a very high measure in all public company, and that I would not be baulked in any point: and for the discovery and convicting, and executing, of those that had died about this Plot, he never denied but they suffered justly and lawfully enough; but in private counsels where we have been together, he hath spoken to me to be cautious. Indeed he hath never endea well as the rest; but he desired me that II was in their affairs. It was impossible I would not be so hot against them. And after should be so much a stranger to them, as I said he had made me easy, (that was his word that I was, but it was because Mr. Reading had then he himself used) he would have had me made made me easy, and I intended to carry on the Mr. Dugdale easy too. At several times, when intrigue with him, till it could be handsomely we have been together, his very expressions discovered. But my lord chief justice asked have been to me, Mr. Bedlow, Though there me whether that was all I could say? And I has been so damned a design on foot, and so told him, my lord, I have something more to terrible a one, yet it is not for your safety nor say, when time and place require it, and when credit to run at the whole herd of men: For II can be safe in telling it; that is, when I had was this day, or yesterday, he said, with my lord chief justice, and he told me, That at this rate that Mr. Bedlow accuses men, none are safe, for he runs at the whole herd; and seemed to me to intimate, that my lord chief justice was not pleased with my forwardness. And he told me likewise, You gain your point with the parliament, and with the king, and with the kingdom, if some suffer, as I believe you can do it, and not run at the whole herd; and it is an indifferent thing to you, so you make the parliament your friend, by proving there is a Plot, and the king your friend, in not charging all these lords, and you will make all the lords your friends, by your kindness to them. You shall take my instructions, I will never advise you any thing that is ill, but I will tell you how far you shall proceed. If you can fix any thing for them, you shall be sure to be well gratified. L. C. J. Did he name any lords to you? Bedlow. This was the beginning of the discourse, my lord; and I answered him, Mr. Reading, This is a very nice point, and I know them to be guilty of all the things I charge them with, and I can prove it. If your advice be so, I will consider of it. I think it was after the prorogation of the last parliament, and then my encouragement for discovery was not so great. But, said I, if any of them deny it to you, that they are guilty, then they must expect no kindness from ine at all, for I will swear all that I can against them; but if they acknowledge that I do them a piece of service in not swearing too severely against them, then I will be ready to take your advice and instructions. He told me many times, that sir Henry Titchburn did think he had seen me in Paris, but he did not use this expression to me, That 1 charged him with bringing commissions over from Rome. I answered again, You may tell sir Henry Titchburn, if he denies any thing of the fact that I have sworn against him, he does me and himself a great injury. And to take him off as an innocent man, I cannot do it, I will never do it. But upon acknowledgment, I may do them some kindness So likewise my lord Powis and Caryll. The gentlemen that he most solicited for, were, my lord Powis, my lord Petre, my lord Stafford, sir Henry Titchburn, Mr. Roper, Mr. Caryll, and one Mr. Corker a Jesuit. And likewise he made me easy, upon that day that Mr. Whitebread and Mr. Fenwick were upon their trials, for I have enough against them, because I could be no stranger to Whitebread and Fenwick, two such considerable men, being so much concerned as found out all that Mr. Reading intended to do, how far he would go, and then I thought it would be a proper time, when I could make out some such information as I now do; but I would not stifle that treaty that was between him and me, about the lords in the Tower, which I knew was of greater consequence than two old priests. After the dissolution of the parliament, he told me, We must see other times and other changes, and that the lords did not think themselves in so much danger as when the parliament was sitting. But at several places, the Palsgrave-Head Tavern, and others, we have had discourse to the like effect. He would very frequently come to me, and talk with me about it. Now I asked counsel of no man, for I have no need of it in my matter; it is not matter of law, but matter of fact, that I am to make out, therefore I had no need of his advice, but he would be at my bed-side very often in a morning, aud before I was dressed, and then we used to discourse together about this business, and the manner and form how it should be done, and how well I should be rewarded if I got off those lords; that is, my lord Petre, my lord Powis, my lord Stafford, and sir Henry Tichburn; these were the four that made the promises: but Mr. Reading solicited for the other lords too; they did promise a noble reward, but I could never settle or fix what it should be, but I should have acknowledgments both in money and estate, from the lords, for shortening the evidence, and bringing them off from the charge of high-treason. We had several consultations about this. The Monday that my lord Danby was sent for by the Black Rod, Mr. Reading came to me in the Speaker's chamber, and told me, Mr. Bedlow, here is a great turn, my lord Treasurer is sent for by the Black Rod, and things are like to go quite another way. Well, said I, when were you with the lords in the Tower? Said he, I have not been there these two or three days, but said he, I intend to go to-morrow, and then I will bring you word what they say. And the next day, or the day following, he came to me, and told me, that the lords did think, that I was in great measure capable of serving them now; and they would have an account of what I could say against them, that so they might view it and correct it. Accordingly he did go, and appointed to meet the 28th of March. I omit several other times that we had consultations, and now come homeward to the business. Í had then a command from the lords to inspect the papers of the Spanish ambassador at WildHouse, and I could not meet Mr. Reading according to promise, and I think the other witnesses will give you reasons better than I. This appointment was on Friday night; on Saturday morning, he, having missed of me the night before, came to my lodging, where I had placed Mr. Speke and my man ready against be came. None of all these conferences did I conceal, but revealed them to some of the members of the privy council, to the prince, and to my lord of Essex. As soon as ever I had discoursed with Mr. Reading about this matter, I did write it in the very words, as near as I could, and gave it to the prince, and my lord of Essex, and I think your lordships are very well satisfied that the prince and my lord knew it. And I told it to several others, as counsellor Smith, Mr. Kirby, and several others, who I was certain would be true to the secret, fearing that Mr. Reading had laid a trap to catch me with, and therefore I was very cautious, that no particular of consequence should be unknown to them. Indeed, my lord, I was very sorry to see Mr. Reading should do so, for I had a very great respect for him; and he did use to give me public advice in general, for the discovery of the Plot; only for some particular people he did solicit me that I would be a little easy, those he did solicit for. Upon the 29th of March, which was Saturday morning, when he came into the room, he asked me, is there nobody here can overhear us? I told him, no, there was not. Now I had planted that gentleman, Mr. Speke, behind my hangings, and made an hollow place in my bed, and therein laid my man, and covered him with the rug so smooth, that it did appear as if it were but newly made, and he could not perceive there was any body there; he would have spoke to me in the dining-room, but I excused it, telling him, That madam Greves, who lay | in the next room, had over-heard several discourses that I had with some persons there, and therefore it would not be safe, but he had better go into my chamber (not that she could hear through the wall, but it was to bring him into my chamber); he commended my caution, and came in with me thither; and his first word, as I said, was, is there nobody that can over-hear? No, said I, it is my concern to look to that, that all be private : but, said I, what say the lords in the Tower? What says my lord Stafford, what do they intend to do? I must know speedily, for I am to give in my information to the Secret Committee of what I can say against them this night. And I can stay no longer, but must have their final answer, that I may know what to say when I come to the Secret Committee. Saith he, I will go and get their final answer, but pray put it off till Wednesday, if you can. Saith I, I cannot do that, put it off so long, but I will do what I can to put it off till Monday. Well, said he, on Monday you shall be sure to hear from me then, and I will have all things ready, as to what you have to say, and you shall have it from me. Accordingly I did stay till Monday, but the Committee of Secrecy knew it all this VOL. VII, time; and when I met him on Monday, I had ordered the witnesses that were by to over-hear us, to be present at the delivery of the paper; accordingly they were there, and Mr. Reading did bring it in his own hand-writing. Reading. What room was it you were in, pray, Sir? Bedlow. In the Painted-chamber. And as he gave me the paper, pretending to put my hand in my pocket, I clapped it with my hand privately behind me thus, and Mr. Speke took it out of my hand, and he and ny man went into my lord Privy-Seal's chamber, and there they read it, and had it three hours before I ever saw it. Well, said I, what will the lords do? Why, saith he, though I have not a full answer as to what they will do, yet you may expect a noble reward; and I have order to draw up blank deeds. Reading. Who did you give that paper to, Sir ? Bedlow. To Mr. Speke; the rest will justify it, it is your own hand-writing. But saith he, I have order to draw blank deeds to be signed in ten days after their discharge. And you may be sure that they shall be signed. Mr. Reading, said 1, this is but a verbal promise, and they may perhaps hereafter charge me, for all my bringing them off, and do me a great deal of injury. That cannot be, saith he, my soul and my life for it, I have taken their words, and, if there be any faith, honour and conscience in men, it shall be done : I dare answer for them. And, Mr. Bedlow, your safety doth most consist in it; for as they must never be false with you, so they must never be at enmity with you; for at last, if you charge them with corrupting of you, you will be able to ruin them, and it will not look ill upon you, so much as upon them. But, take my word for it, you shall have a noble and worthy acknowledgment. I have authority to draw blank deeds, both for sums and estates, which they will settle upon you, and likewise a speedy supply of money, as soon as they can get it in; for my lord Stafford said, he is now cutting down wood and selling it, and when he bath raised the money, you shall have it; but he protests, at present he hath not now money to defray the charges of his family; but I have order at any time to give you what you need for present occasions. And indeed accordingly I have had a great deal of money from him, several guineas. I had all I asked for, and many times gold I did not ask for; upon what terms, other witnesses will prove better than I hereafter. When we had done, said he, Let me see what papers you have, the copy of what you have accused the queen about, and the lords, that I may carry them to the lords, and have their answer. Said I, they are at my mother's. I must needs have them, said he. So, that I might give the witnesses leave to come out, I went with him to my mother's lodgings, and pretended to look for them, but found them not, for none but the Secret Committee knows what is in them. But when I T had looked over my papers, said I, my brother, perhaps, hath got them away with him, I will go back to my lodgings and see. Oh! said he, you should make sure of such copies as you have, in some friend's hands, to secure them as well as the original. I told him, I should be sure of them at night; so he was satisfied: though I never intended he should have them, because there was business of so great consequence in them. When we came back again, we found Mr. Speke and my man in the chamber, writing. I asked Mr. Speke how long they had been there? He told me, as soon as I went out. Then said I to Mr. Speke, pray withdraw, for now I am to have Mr. Reading's instructions; if you will go before by water, I will meet you at Westminster by and by. Then I locked up the street door, and came back to Mr. Reading, and then to work we fell to write out those things that he and I did conclude upon. Reading. You say that you and I were then alone, and your man gone away. Bedlow. I said, that then you and I concluded upon what I should say, and what I should pitch upon they were to correct, according to what they thought would most conduce to their own safety. And when there were any words that seemed to urge any thing home upon them, then he would tell me what was law, and that, perhaps, would reach them, and then altered it. And the Monday after brought a copy to me, of his own hand-writing, far from the words that were set down in the paper that he and I concluded of together, and delivered it to me privately, and I delivered it to this gentleman, carrying it behind me thus, and he came after me and took it from me. Sir C. Levins. Mr. Bedlow, this, you say, was for the shortening of the evidence; how was it to be shortened? Bedlow. To take off the whole charge of guilt, that I had sworn against them: Sir C. Levinz. Did that, which you agreed upon to shorten, take off from the treason? Bedlow. That which the witnesses had in writing did take off the charge of treason wholly. Sir C. Levinz. Was it less than the information you had given in against them? Bedlow. I told him, that it was not delivered into the Secret Committee, but indeed I had a great while before L. C. J. I will tell you what I apprehend he did say; if I mistake, he will set it right. He saith, When he came back with Mr. Reading, he found Mr. Speke and his man in the chamber together; he asked Mr. Speke how long he had been there, and how chanced he was up so soon? Mr. Speke said to him, I have been here ever since you went away. That, upon Mr. Bedlow's desire, he went away before him to Westminster, and they went together to consult, and great care was used, that they might not be hindered or surprized. Then Mr. Bedlow was to pen his testimony, and it was to be carried to the lords in the Tower, and they were to consider how to have it minced, that they might be out of danger. And Mr. Reading understanding the law, whenever Mr. Bedlow spoke plain, or dictated any thing that would come home to them, would tell him of it, and that Mr. Bedlow might correct and mitigate it himself. I understand you so, Mr. Bedlow. Bedlow. Yes, my lord, it was so. And that paper, which he brought me back, was ten times shorter than that he had of mine, which was forty times shorter than what I had given in to the Secret Committee. Mr. Ward. Mr. Bedlow hath fully proved the discourse and bargain between him and Mr. Reading, for the lessening of his evidence. Bedlow. All Mr. Reading's words were, that I would so shorten and lessen the charge against them, that they might come off, L. C. J. Mr. Reading, if you have a mind to it, you have liberty to ask him any questions. Reading. My lord, I humbly desire I may do it, when the evidence for the king is all given. L. C. J. It is most proper to do it now. Reading. With your lordship's favour, I have this reason for it, I do desire that the witnesses may be examined apart. Justice Wild. Mr. Bedlow, pray let me ask you one question. I am upon the indictment, for the jury is charged upon that, and we must judge upon that, Was the agreement between you and him, that you should swear what he should direct you? Bedlow. It was, to what he and the lords would direct. Justice Wild. Did the lords correct your paper? Bedlow. As he said, they have done it. L. C. J. Mr. Bedlow, I don't understand that you were to have any conference with the lords, but you were to be shy of that, lest it should be discovered, but what conference you were to have was with Mr. Reading. Bedlow. Yes, my Lord, and he was to give me an account what they would have me say. Justice Jones. Shew him the paper, I suppose he will own his own hand. L. C. J. Is that your hand, Sir? Reading. My Lord, this is my hand, and this is that paper that I did deliver to Mr. Bedlow before Mr. Speke in the Painted-Chamber. Ward. We desire it may be read, if your lordship think fit. Justice Atkins. Methinks it should be material to read the paper that he gave to Reading first. L. C. J. Have you it here, Mr. Bedlow? Bedlow. No; he carried that paper to the lords, and brought me this again. L. C. J. But had you never that other paper again? Bedlow. No, I had not. L. C. J. Did you ever take a copy of it? Bedlow. No, I did not. But this is that corrected paper that I was to give in to the secret committee, and corrected by the Lords. Sir C. Levint. We do prove it in fact, that be had before given further evidence, and by this agreement he did contract to give less. L. C. J. Mr. Reading, what do you say to Mr. Bedlow? Reading. My Lord, if I have your lordship's direction that I may not examine my witnesses apart, I'll go on. L. C. J. But what say you to the paper? Reading. I do own the paper that was shewn to me, is my hand, and that I delivered it to Mr. Bedlow. L. C. J. Then it must be read. Sir C. Levinz. My Lord, we don't desire it should be read, for we cannot shew the former paper, that did contain more; and therefore what will the reading of the latter, which contains less, signify? L. C. J. If you do not desire to have it read, we won't read it. Sir C. Levinz. Mr. Bedlow's evidence is, that there was a paper much more large than this, and yet both those short of the information he had given in; now what will the reading of the dae signify, without the other? L. C. J. Dɔ you consent to the reading of it? Reading. My Lord, I would save your time, and make it plain. L. C. J. Mr. Reading, You must not come to make your defence yet, till the king's evidence is over. Reading. My Lord, I do it to open his evidence, and for your information. My Lord, Mr. Bedlow charges me, that I did write in his chamber, when his man and Mr. Speke were gone, a paper that was much larger than the paper your lordships have before you; he does say that he did desire me to go with that to the lords, and that they did correct it in several places, and being so corrected, I did bring him this paper back; and delivered it to him in the Painted-chamber, before Mr. Speke. My Lord, I do pray your lordship's favour in it; when I had the king's directions for giving in to the secret committee what information I had to give, I did deliver it into the chamber, where were Mr. Sacheverell and others, that very paper, which was written at his chamber. My Lord, I have sent to him several times, that he would deliver that to me in order to my own justification at my trial. I did desire likewise that some other papers which I did receive from Mr. Bedlow under his own hand, and which would be very material to my defence, might be brought to me, but I have not had the favour of an answer from Mr. Sacheverell, to this very hour. I do humbly desire that he may be sent to, for the delivery of them. | Reading. No, My Lord, but by my own intreaty. L. C. J. Do what you will, as from yourself. Mr. Reading, your wife was with me yesterday, and said, you could not get Subpœna's for your witnesses; and I sent for the clerk about it, and he told me, there never was any Subpoena's denied you, but you might have had them at any time. But what say you to this paper, you of the king's counsel ? Sir C. Leving. My Lord, we do not desire to have it read without the other. L. C. J. Look you here, this paper must be read, for we would see whether there was a paper under your hand, expressing what evidence Mr. Bedlow was to give in this matter, and whether you did one way or other put any thing in writing which he should swear, to lessen his evidence. As for the other matter of tampering, we shall hear from others concerning it; but let us have this read, not for comparing it with the other paper, to shew the testimony is less in this than in the other, but as an evidence of the fact in itself; for we will expect a good account from you Mr. Reading, what you had to do to prescribe him his evidence in writing; therefore pray read the paper. Then the Paper was read, in hæc verba : Lord Stafford. On discovery of the plot to me, I asked Harcourt and Le Faire low things were to be managed, they told me that his lordship was to be treasurer, and he, and Ireland, and Coleman, had money to defray all charges; I then said I never heard that his lordship was engaged before; they said he had not been long concerned, nor was he acquainted with the affair much; but that the money which was lodged with him was to be disposed of by him for the use of the church and the Catholics, and they had bound his lordship up by sacraments not to discover what the money lodged with him was to do till the time of using it, and then his lordship should know what great trust he had upon him for them; and till things were ripe he was not to be acquainted with the depth of the plot, for. they knew he would never consent to the king's death till it was done. His lordship always promised to be ready to serve the church with his life and fortune. Lord Powis. That the Lady Abbess of Panthois told me, That his lordship had sent his daughters over to be educated in the monastery, but that his lordship's Lady had declared to her by letter, that she meant them as pledges according to her promise, to assure her that her Lord was real to carry on what he had promised concerning the introducing the Roman Catholic Religion into England. I brought over a letter from the Monks in Paris directed to his lordship,with seve→ ral other letters to other popish gentlemen, tendL. C. J. But not by our direction, to bringing to the death of the king, and subverting of the them as by our command, L. C. J. I do not know how we can send for them, if the committee will not deliver them. Reading. Will your lordship give me leave to send to him? government; but what was in that letter to his |