The Grand Designs of the Papists, Summary
The general Overture and Discovery of the Plot, sent with Sir Wllliam Boswel's first Letter.
The Kings Majesty, and Lord Archbishop of Canterbury are to be secretly informed by Letters.
1. THat the Kings Majesty, and the Lord Archbishop are both of them in great danger of their lives.
2. That the whole Commonwealth is by this means endangered, unless the mischief be speedily prevented.
3. That these Scotish troubles are raised to the end, that under this pretext, the King and Archbishop might be destroyed.
4. That there is a means to be prescribed, whereby both of them in this case may be preserved, and his tumult speedily composed.
5. That although these Scotish tumults be speedily composed, yet that the King is endangered; and that there are many ways, by which destruction is plotted to the King and Lord Archbishop.
6. That a certain Society hath conspired, which attempts the death of the King, and Lord Archbishop, and Convulsion of the whole Realm.
7. That the same Society every week deposits with the President of the Society, what intelligence every of them hath purchased in eight days search, and then confer all into one Packet, which is weekly sent to the Director of the business.
8. That all the Confederates in the said Conspiracy may verily be named by the Poll. But because they may be made known by other means, it is thought meet to defer it till hereafter.
9. That there is a ready means, whereby the villany may be discovered in one moment, the chief Conspirators circumvented, and the primary Members of the Conjuration apprehended in the very act.
10. That very many about the King, who are accounted most faithful and intimate, to whom likewise the more secret things are entrusted, ARE TRAITORS TO THE KING, corrupted with a Foreign Pension, who communicate all secrets of greater or lesser moment to a Foreign Power.
11. These and other most secret things, which shall be necessary to be known for the security of the King, may be revealed, if these things shall be acceptable to the Lord Archbishop.
12. In the mean time, if his Royal Majesty, and the Lord Archbishop, desire to consult well to themselves, they shall keep these things, onelyonly superficially communicated unto them, most secretly under deep silence, not communicating them so much as to those whom they judge must faithful to them, before they shall receive by name in whom they may confide; for else they are safe on no side.
13. Likewise they may be assured, that whatsoever things are here proposed, are no figments, nor fables, nor vain dreams, but such real verities which may be demonstrated in every small tittle. For those who thrust themselves into this business, are such men, who mind no gain, but the very zeal of Christian Charity suffers them not to conceal▪ these things: yet both from his Majesty and the Lord Archbishop, some small exemplar of gratitude will be expected.
All these premises have been communicated under good faith, and the Sacrament of an Oath, to Mr. Leger Ambassador of the King of Great Britain at the Hague, that he should not immediately trust or communicate these things to any mortal, besides the King and the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.
Subscribed, &c. Present, &c. Hague, Com. 6 Sept. 1640. in the Stile of the place. The Archbishops own Indorsment. Rece. Sept. 10, 1640. The Plot against the King.
REgiae Majestati, & Dom. Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi insinuandum per literas.
1. REgiam Majestatem, & Dom. Archiepiscopum, utrumque in magno discrimine vitae constitutum.
2. Totam Rempublicam hoc nomine periclitari, nisi properè occurratur malo.
3. Turbas istas Scoticas in eum finem esse concitatas; ut subisto praetextu, Rex, & Dominus Archiepiscopus perimeretur.
4. Dari medium, quo utrique hac in parte bene consuli, & tumultus iste cito componi possit.
5. Compositis etiam turbis istis Scoticis, nihilo minus periclitari Regem: esse plurima media quibus Regi, & Domino Archiepiscopo machinatur exitium.
6. Conspirasse certam Societatem, quae Regi & Dom. Archiepiscopo molitur necem, totiusque Regni convulsionem.
7. Eandem Societatem singulis septimanis, explorationis octiduae suum quemque quod nundinatus est, ad Presidem Societatis deponere, & in unum fasciculum conferre: qui Hebdomadatim ad Directorem negotii expeditur.
8. Nominari quidem posse omnes per capita dictae conspirationis conjuratos: At quia alio medio innotescent, differre in posterum placuit.
9. Medium esse in promptu, quo uno momento detegi poterit scelus: Conspiratores praecipui circumveniri, membráque primaria conjurationis in ipso actu apprehendi.
10. Astantes Regi plurimos, qui pro fidelissimis & intimis censentur, quibus etíam secretiora fiduntur, proditores Regis esse, peregrinâ pensione corruptos, qui secreta quaeque majoris, vel exigui momenti, adexteram Potestatem deferunt.
11. Haec & alia secretissima, quae scitu ad securitatem Regis erunt necessaria: quòd si haec accepta Dom. Archiepiscopo fuerint, revelari poterunt.
12. Interim si Regia Majestas sua, & Dominus Archiepiscopus bene sibi consultum volunt, haec superficialiter quidem tantum ipsis communicata, sub profundo silentio, & secretissimè servabunt, ne quidem iis quos sibi fidelissimos judicant, communicaturi, antequam de nomine acceperint, quibus fidendum sit: ab nullo enim latere alias tuti sunt.
13. Sint etiam certi, quicquid hic proponitur, nulla figmenta, nec fabulas, aut inania somnia esse; sed in rei veritate ita constituta, quae omnibus momentis demonstrari poterunt: Qui enim se immiscent huic negotio, viri honesti sunt: quibus nullus quaestus in animo; sed ipse Christianae charitatis fervor ista facere non sinit: Ab utroque tamen, sua Majestate, tum Domino Archiepiscopo, gratitudinis exemplar tale quale expectabitur.
Haec omnia antecedentia sub bona fide & juramenti Sacramento, Dom. Residenti Regis Magnae Britanniae, Hagae Comitum communicata esse, ne ulli mortalium, praeter Regem, & Dom. Archiepiscopum Cantuariensem immediatè ista fideret, vel communicaret.
Subscripta, &c. Praesentes, &c. Hagae Com. 6. Sept. 1640. St. loci. Detectio, &c. offerenda Serenissimae Regiae Majestati Britanniae, & Dom. Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi, &c. 6 Sept. 1640.