A Full Discovery of the Late Fanatical Plot in Scotland, Part 1 – Part 3
A FULL DISCOVERY OF THE Late Fanatical PLOT IN SCOTLAND. OR, The Depoſition of Mr. William Carſtares, when he was examined before the Lords of Secret Committee, given in by him, and renewed upon Oath; upon the 22. of December 1684. in preſence of the Lords of His Majeſties Privy Council.
Edinburgh-Caſtle, September 8. 1684.
MR. William Carſtares being Examin'd upon Oath, conform to the Condeſcention given in by him, and on the Terms therein mentioned; Depons, That about November or December 1682. James Stuart, Brother to the Laird of Cultneſs, wrot a Letter to him from Holland, importing, that if any conſiderable Sum of Money could be procured from England, that ſomething of importance might be done in Scotland: The which Letter, the Deponent had an inclination to inform Shepard in Ab…-Church-lane, Merchant in London of; but before he would do it, he wrot to Mr. Stuart above-named, to know from him, if he might do it; and Mr. Stuart having conſented, he Communicat the ſaid Letter to Mr. Shepard, who told the Deponent that he would Communicat the Contents of it to ſome perſons in England; but did at that time name no body, as the Deponent thinks: Some time thereafter, Mr. Shepard told the Deponent, that he had Communicat the Contents of the Letter above-named, to Collonel Sidney, and that Collonel Danvert was preſent, and told the Deponent, that Collonel Sidney was averſe from imploying the late Earl of Argile, or meddling with him, judging him a man too much affected to the Royal Family, and inclined to the preſent Church-Government; yet Mr. Shepard being put upon it by the Deponent, ſtill urg'd, that one might be ſent to the Earl of Argile; but as Mr. Shepard told him, he was ſuſpected upon the account of his urging ſo much; yet afterwards he preſſed, without the Deponents knowledge, that the Deponent being to go to Holland however, might have ſome Commiſſion to the Earl of Argile, which he having informed the Deponent of, the Deponent told him, that he himſelf would not be concerned, but if they would ſend another, he would introduce him; but nothing of this was done: upon which the Deponent went over, without any Commiſſion from any body, to Holland, never meeting with James Stuart above-named: He was introduced to the Earl of Argile, with whom he had never before converſed; and did there Diſcourſe what had paſt betwixt Mr. Shepard and him; and particularly, about remitting of Money to the ſaid Earl from England; of which, the ſaid Mr. Stuart had written to the Deponent, namely of 30000 pounds Sterling; and of the raiſing of 1000 Horſe and Dragoons; and the ſecuring the Caſtle of Edinburgh, as a matter of the greateſt importance: The method of doing this, was propoſed by the Deponent, to be one Hour, or thereby, after the relieving of the Guards: But the Earl did not reliſh this Propoſition, as dangerous; and that the Caſtles would fall of conſequence, after the work abroad was done. James Stuart was of the Deponents Opinion, for ſeizing the Caſtle; becauſe it would ſecure Edinburgh; the Magazines and Arms, as to the 1000 Horſe and Dragoons. My Lord Argile was of opinion, that without them nothing was to be done; and that if that number were raiſed in England to the ſaid Earl, he would come into Scotland with them; and that there being ſo few Horſe and Dragoons to meet them, he judg'd he might get the Countrey without trouble, having ſuch a ſtanding Body for their Friends to Rendezvouze to; and the ſaid Earl ſaid he could ſhow the Deponent the convenient places for Landing, if he underſtood; and as the Deponent remembers, where the Ships could attend. The Deponent remembers not the names of the places. The Deponent ſpoke to the Lord Stairs, but cannot be poſitive that he named the Affair to him, but found him ſhy: but the Earl of Argile told him▪ he thought Stairs might be gain'd to them: And that the Earl of Lowdoun being a man of good Reaſon and diſoblig'd, would have great influence upon the Country, and recommended the Deponent to Major Holms, with whom the Deponent had ſome acquaintance before, and had brought over a Letter from him to the Earl of Argile; but the Deponent had not then communicate any thing to the ſaid Holms. James S…uart laid down a way of correſpondence by Cyphers and falſe Names, and ſent them over to Holms, and the Deponent, for their uſe (which Cyphers and Names, are now in the hands of His Majeſty's Officers, as the Deponent ſuppoſes,) and did deſire the Deponent earneſtly to propoſe the 30000. pound Sterling above-named to the Party in England, and did not propoſe any leſs; for as the Earl told the Deponent, he had particularly calculate the Expence for Arms, Ammunition, &c. But James Stuart ſaid, that if ſome leſs could be had, the Earl would content himſelf, if better might not be, but the Earl always ſaid that there was nothing to be done without the body of Horſe and Dragoons above mentioned. During the time of the Deponent his abode in Holland, tho he had ſeveral Letters from Shepard, yet there was no ſatisfactory account, till ſome time after the Deponent parted from the Earl of Argyle, and was making for a Ship at Roterdam to tranſport himſelf to England. James Stuart wrot to him that there was hopes of the Money. The next day after the Deponent came to England, he met with Sir John Cochran, who with Commiſſar Monro, and Jerviſw…od, was at London before he came over; and depons, that he knows not the account of their coming, more than for the perfecting the Tranſaction about Carolina: and having acquainted Sir John Cochran with the Earls demands of the 30000. pound Sterling, and the 1000. Horſe and Dragoons, Sir John carried him to the Lord Ruſſel, to whom the Deponent propoſed the Affair, but being an abſolute Stranger to the Deponent, had no return from him at that time; but afterwards having met him accidently at Mr. Shepards houſe, where he the Lord Ruſſel had come to ſpeak to Shepard about the Money above named, as Mr. Shepard told the Deponent. The Deponent (when they were done ſpeaking) deſired to ſpeak to the Lord Ruſſel, which the Lord Ruſſel did, and having reiterate the former Propoſition for the 30000. pound Sterling, and the 1000. Horſe and Dragoons, he the Lord Ruſſel told the Deponent, they could not get ſo much raiſed at the time, but if they had 10000. pound to begin, that would draw People in, and when they were once in, they would ſoon be brought to more; but as for the 1000. Horſe and Dragoons, he could ſay nothing at the preſent, for that behoved to be concerted upon the Borders. The Deponent made the ſame propoſal to Mr. Ferguſon, who wa… … …oncerned in the Affair, and zealous for the promo…ing of it. This Mr. Ferguſon had in October or November before▪ as the Deponent remembers in a Converſati… …ith the Deponent in Cheap-ſide, or the Street ſomewhere thereabout, ſaid, that for the ſaving of innocent Blood, it would be neceſſary to cut off a few, inſinuating the King and Duke, but cannot be poſitive whether he named them or not, to which the Deponent ſaid, that's work for our wild People in Scotland, my Conſcience does not ſerve me for ſuch things; after which the Deponent had never any particular diſcourſe with Ferguſon as to that matter; but as to the other Affair, Ferguſon told the Deponent that he was doing what he could to get it effectuate, as particularly that he ſpoke to one Major Wildman who is not of the Deponent his acquaintance. Ferguſon blamed always Sidney, as driving deſigns of his own. The Deponent met twice or thrice with the Lord Melvil, Sir John Cochran, Jerviſwood, Commiſſar Monro, the two Ceſsnocks, Montgomery of Langſhaw, and one Mr. Veatch, where they diſcourſed of Money to be ſent to Argyle, in order to the carrying on the Affair, and tho he cannot be poſitive the Affair was named, yet it was underſtood by himſelf, and as he conceives by all preſent, to be for riſing in Arms, for rectifying the Government. Commiſſary Monro, Lord Melvil, and the two Ceſsnocks were againſt medling with the Engliſh, becauſe they judged them men that would talk, and would not do, but were more inclined to do ſomething by themſelves, if it could be done. The Lord Melvil thought every thing hazardous, and therefore the Deponent cannot ſay he was poſitive in any thing, but was moſt inclined to have the Duke of Monmouth to head them in Scotland, of which no particular method was laid down. Jerriſwood, the Deponent, and Mr. Veatch were for taking the Money at one of theſe Meetings. It was reſolved, that Mr. Martin, late Clerk of the Juſtice Court, ſhould be ſent to Scotland, to deſire their Friends to hinder the Countrie from Riſing, or taking raſh Reſolutions upon the account of the Council, till they ſhould ſee how matters went in England. The ſaid Martin did go at the Charges of the Gentlemen of the Meeting, and was directed to the Laird of Polwart and Torwoodlie, who ſent back word that it would not be found ſo eaſy a matter to get the Gentrie of Scotland to concur: But afterwards in a Letter to Commiſſar Monro, Polwart wrot that the Countrey was readier to concur than they had imagined, or ſomething to that purpoſe. The Deponent, as above-ſaid, having brought over a Key from Holland, to ſerve himſelf and Major Holms: he remembers not that ever he had an exact Copy of it, but that ſometimes the one, ſometimes the other keeped it, and ſo it chanced to be in his cuſtody when a Letter from the Earl of Argile came to Major Holms, intimating, that he would join with the Duke of Monmouth, and follow his Meaſures, or obey his Directions: this Mr Veatch thought fit to communicate to the Duke of Monmouth, and for the Underſtanding of it was brought to the Deponent and he gave the Key to Mr. Veatch, who as the Deponent was informed, was to give it and the Letter to Mr. Ferguſon, and he to ſhow it to the Duke of Monmouth; but what was done in it the Deponent knows not. The Deponent heard the Deſign of Killing the King and Duke, from Mr. Shepard, who told the Deponent ſome were full upon it. The Deponent heard that Aron Smith was ſent by thoſe in England to call Sir John Cochran, on the account of Carolina, but that he does not know Aron Smith, nor any more of that matter, not being concerned in it. Shepard named young Hamden frequently as concerned in theſe Matters.
Signed at Edinburgh Caſtle, the 8 of Semptember, 1684. and renewed the 18 of the ſame MonethMonth. William Carſtares. PERTH CANCELL. I. P. D.
Edinburgh-Caſtle 18 September 168… ▪
MR. William Carſtares being again Examined, adheres to his former Depoſition, in all the parts of it, and Depones he knowes of no Correſpondence betwixt Scotland and England, except by Martin before named, for thoſe Gentlemen to whom he was ſent, were left to follow their own Methods. Veatch ſometimes as the Deponent remembers, ſtayed ſometimes at Nicolſon, Stabler's Houſe, at London-wall; ſometimes with one Widow Hardcaſtle in More-fields. The Deponent did Communicate the Deſign on foot to Doctor Owen, Mr. Griffill, and Mr. Meed, at Stepney, who all concurred in the promoting of it, and were deſirous it ſhould take effect; and to one Mr. Fre…h in the Temple, Councellor at Law, who ſaid that he would ſee what he could do in reference to the Money, but there having gone a Report, that there was no Money to be raiſed, he did nothing in it, nor does the Deponent think him any more concerned in the Affair. Nelthrop frequently ſpoke to the Deponent of the Money to be ſent to Argile, whether it was got or not, but the Deponent uſed no freedom with him in the Affair. Goodenough did inſinuate once, that the Lords were not inclined to the thing, and that before they would ſee what they could do in the City. The Deponent ſaw Mr. Ferguſon, and Mr. Ramſay, lurking after the Plot broke out, before the Proclamation having gone to Ferguſon, in the back of Biſhop-gate ſtreet, at ſome new Building, whether he was directed by Jerviſswood, who was deſirous to know how things went. Ramſay was not of the Deponent his acquaintance before, but they knew as little of the matter as the Deponent. This is what the Deponent remembers, and if any thing come to his Memory, he is to deliver it in betwixt and the firſt of October; And this is the Truth, as he ſhall Anſwer to God.
William Carſtares. PERTH CANCELL. I. P. D.
At Edenburgh, the 22. of December, 1684.
THeſe fore-going four Pages, Subſcribed by Mr. William Carſtares Deponent, and by the Lord Chancellor, were acknowledged on Oath by the ſaid Mr. William Carſtares, to be his true Depoſitions, and that the Subſcriptions were his, in preſence of us Underſubſcribers.
William Carſtares. PERTH CANCELLARIUS.
David Falconer. QUENSBERRY.
George Mekenzie. ATHOL.
Edinburgh, Printed by the Heir of Andrew Anderſon, Printer to his moſt Sacred Majeſty. Reprinted at London for Walter Davis in Amen-Corner. 1685.
End of the text · William Carstares, A Full Discovery of the Late Fanatical Plot in Scotland (1685)