Former Ages Never Heard of, Floating text 16
A full Narrative of the late Dangerous Designe against the State; written with Master Love's owne hand, and by him sent to the Parliam: declaring the severall Meetings, and secret Actings, with Major Alford, Major Adams, Colonel Barton, Master Blackmore, M Case, M Cauton, Dr. Drake, M Drake, Capt. Far, M. Gibbons, M. Haviland, Maj Huntington, M. Jenkins, M. Jaquel, M. Jackson, Liev. Jackson Cap. Massey, M. Nilton, Cap. Potter, M. Robinson, M. Sterks, Col. Sowton, Col. Vaughan, and others.
COnsidering how a clear and full Narrative may satisfie the State (al…hough it may prejudice my self) I am willing with an ingenuous freedome, and opennesse of heart to make known the whole matter, so far as I distinctly know and well remember, humbly hoping that this large acknowledgment of mine (which is more then any in the world can prove against me) shall not be taken as an aggravation of my fault, but as a demonstration of my ingenuity. Before I mention the matters of Fact, I humbly crave leave to signifie the time when, and manner how I came to be intangled in this unhappy businesse.
As for the time, it was after the breaking off the Treaty between the King and the Scots at Jersey; for before that time (to the best of my remembrance) I was not privy to, or acquainted with any meetings about the sending of Captain Titus (whose face I never saw) to Jersey, or sending Letters to him, or receiving Letters from him, while he was there; or about sending any Letters to, or receiving any Letters from the King, Queen, Jermyn, Piercy, or any other persons in forreign parts during the Treaty at Jersey, but after that Treaty was ended, Mr. Wil: Drake came to me, told me he had Newes to impart, and to that end, he desired to know (if he could get friends together) whether I was willing that they should meet at my house (it being conveniently scituate in the midst of the City) that so he might communicate what he heard of affairs abroad. To satisfie my curiosity to hear News, I was content to let him, with those he should bring to meet at my house. Thus for the time when, and manner how I came to be present at any meetings about Intelligence.
I now come humbly and truly to relate the matter of Fact, which is as followeth: It appeared to me by the testimony of the Witnesses, that there were freequent meetings by Mr. Drake, Alford, Titus, Adams, and others, soon after the death of the late King, and applications made to the King of Scots, the Queen his Mother, to Jermyn, and Piercy, both before and during the Treaty at Jersey, of which I know nothing, nor was I present: But the first meeting I was at, was at my House (and as I remember) at the reading of a Letter which came from Captain Titus, after the Treaty was ended at Jersey; the Contents of that Letter were (if I mistake not) to this effect: That the Treaty at Iersey was broken off through the violent and evill Counsels of desperate Malignants; and that he had something of concernment to communicate, which he durst not doe in person, being not safe for him to come over into England, nor could he well doe it by writing, he judging it not fit or safe to send by the Common Post scaring a miscarriage; wherefore he desired some body to be sent over to him to Calice, to whom he might give an account of all proceedings. Upon the reading of this Letter, Mr. Drake moved that some person should be desired to goe to Calice; for said he, we shall hear the whole relation of the businesse at Iersey; whereupon Major Adams or Capt. Farr were moved by Mr. Drake to goe. There was mention of Major Alford to goe, though he was not then present that I know of, nor was he ever within my house, as I remember, untill after he returned from Calice: so that there was none that I know of was gone, Mr. Drake told me, Major Alford was the fittest man to go over to Calice, having businesse of his owne to goe into France, to look after his Prodigall Son, so that it was (said he) a plausible pretence to concea…e his going over to meet with Titus. There were present at this first meeting, M. Drake, M. Ienkins, Maj. Adams, D. Drake, Cap. Far, Capt. Potter, and my selfe, with some others, but who more I cannot remember.
About 2 or 3 dayes after Maj. Alfords return from Calice, M. Drake told me he was come to London, and told me he would goe to severall Ministers and Citizens, to desire them to meet at my House, that so we might hear what Newes Maj. Alford brought with him from Calice; accordingly the next day in the evening they met at my house, Mr. Drake brought Maj. Alford with him, who gave an account of his conference with Titus, and his receiving a Copy of the Kings Letter from him, as also a Narrative of the Treaty at Iersey, and said, that he brought not over the Letters himselfe, but delivered them to a Passenger that came in the Ship, least himself should be searched; but after he came into England he received the Letter & Narrative from him (but who he was I know not) and so brought them to London, whether the Copy of the Kings Letter was read at my house, in my hearing, I remember not; yet I deny not but it was read there; I am sure I heard the Contents of it were to this effect, That he took in good part the affections and loyalty of those who formerly had Petition'd to him (of which Petition I know nothing) and if ever God restored him, or put him in a condition, he should remember them. The Narrative read in my House, was to this effect, He made a large description of the Scots, commending his prudent carriage, & good inclinations to an agreement with the Scots, but that his bad Councel about him hindred it; also he made a rehearsall of his lusterings from the Cavaliers at Jersey, how he was imprisoned in a close Room. There were present at this meeting, Maj. Alford, M. Drake, Mr. Case, Maj. Adams, Mr. Jaquel, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Jenkins, Dr. Drake, Capt. Potter, Mr. Sterks, Capt. Farr, and my selfe, with others, but who. I doe not remember.
A little before the Treaty at Bieda, there was a meeting at my House, Mr Drake proposed, that wee should thinke of some way to promote the agreement between the King and the Scots; where by the way I desire humbly to give notice, that this was the first and only meeting of this nature, at my house. Mr Drake took out some papers out of his pocket written in Characters, which he read in my Study, which went under the name of a Commission and Instructions to be sent to the Lord Willoughby, Alderm: Bunce, Massey, Graves, and Titus, to appoint them to advise with, and use their interests in persons of honour, to provoke the King to agree with the Scots, & take the Covenant; as also to advise with the Scots Commissioners, and perswade them, That in their agreement with their King, they would have speciall respect to the interest of Religion, and terms of the Covenant; the Commission ran in this form, as if it were in the names of all the Presbyteriall party in England: after I heard it read, I was against it alledging severall reasons, chiefly, that it was an act of high presumption for private persons to send a Commission with Instructions; and an act of notorious falshood, to say this was in the name of all the Presbyteriall party of England, when but a few persons knew thereof; many in the company also exprest a dislike thereof: Mr. Drake also read a Letter in this meeting, but to whom it was I know not, neither know I the Contents of it, I was at least a dozen times called out of the Room, whiles the Company were there, so that I am not able to give so ful and particular an accompt of the Contents of the Letter, and of the Commission and Instruction: What Mr. Drake did about the Commission and Instructions after he was gone from my house, I know not, what and by whom he sent I know not, until Maj. Alford declared before the High Court, That he received the Papers from Mr. Drake, carried them to Gravesend, and delivered to one Mason, and he caried them to Holland. There was at this meeting, Maj. Huntington, M. Drake, D. Drake, M. Jackson, M Jenkins, M. Cauton, Maj. Alford, M Gibbons, Maj. Adams, Cap. Farr, and my selfe, with others, whom I cannot remember. There is one thing more I make bold to mention, That there are other persons besides those I have named, who did now and then come to my house, as M. Robinson, M. Nalton, M. Haviland, M. Blackmore, Col. Vaughan, Col. Sowton, were present at one time or another, but at what particular meeting, I cannot positively say.
Thus I have cleerly laid open the whole matter of Fact, so far as I well remember, and distinctly know of passages about these meetings and Transactions at my House.
Tower of London, July 22. 1651. I attest the truth of this Narrative under my hand. Christopher Love.