A Narrative of the Popish-Plot,
Shewing the Cunning Contrivance thereof.
To the Tune of, Packingtons Pound.
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The Contents of the First Part.
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How Sir Godfrey is kill'd, his Body they hide,
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Which brought out in Chair, a Horseback does ride;
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How Jesuits disguis'd our Houses do fire;
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How subtly they Plot, and the King's death conspire;
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Of divers great Lords drawn in, to their Bane,
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An Irish Army, and Pilgrims from Spain.
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I.
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GOod People, I pray you, give ear unto me,
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A Story so strange you have never been told,
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How the Jesuit, Devil and Pope did agree
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Our State to destroy, and Religion so old:
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To murder our King,
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A most horrible thing!
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But first of Sir Godfrey his death I must sing;
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For howe'r they disguis't, we plainly can see,
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Who murder'd that Knight, no good Christian cou'd be.
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The truth of my Story if any man doubt,
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W' have Witnesses ready to swear it all out.
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II.
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AT Somerset-house, there is plain to be seen
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A Gate which will lead you into the back-Court;
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This * place for the Murder most fitting did seem,
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For thither much People do freely resort:
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His Body they toss'd
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From Pillar to Post,
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And shifted * so often, t' had like t' have been lost;
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To watch with dark-Lanthorns the Jesuits did go,
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But no ways distrusted our honest * Bedlow.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Vid. Hills
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Tryal, p. 16.
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III.
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LEst such close Contrivements at length might take air,
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When as his dead Body corrupted did grow,
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They quickly did find an * invisible Chair,
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And set him on * Horse-back to ride at So-hoe:
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His * own Sword to th' Hilt,
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To add to their Guilt,
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They thrust through his Body, but * no Blood was spilt;
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T' have it thought he was kill'd by a Thief they did mean,
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So they left * all's Money, and * made his Shoes clean.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*The-Senti-
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nels saw
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none, p. 69.
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*Vid. Coro-
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ner's Inquest
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IV.
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TO shew now th' excess of Jesuitical Rage,
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They this Loyal City to ruine would bring,
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'Cause you Citizens are so religious and sage,
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And ever much noted as true to your King:
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T' your Houses they go
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With * Fire and with Tow,
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Then * pilfer your Goods, and 'tis well you 'scape so;
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Y' have seen how they once set the Town all in flame;
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Yet 'tis their best Refuge, if we believe Fame.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Vid. Dr.
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Oatess Nar.
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p. 22.
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V.
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BY * Bedlows Narration is shewn you most clear,
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How Jesuits disguis'd into Houses will creep;
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In a Porters or * Carmans Frock they appear,
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Nay, will not disdain to cry Chimney-sweep;
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Or sell you Small-Cole,
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Then drop in some hole
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A Fire-Ball, or thrust it up by a long Pole.
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But I now must relate a more tragical thing,
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How these Villains conspir'd to murder our King.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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VI.
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AT th' * White-horse in April was their main Consult,
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Where a * Writing these Plotters wickedly frame;
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The * Death of our Sovereign was the result,
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To which at least * Forty all signed their name:
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They would not do that
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In the place where they sat,
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Trusty Oates must * convey't from this man to that;
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To make sure work, by * Poyson the Deed must be done,
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And by a * long Dagger, and * shot from a Gun.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Vid. Irelands
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Tryal, p. 19.
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*Vid. Picke-
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rings Tryal
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p. 23, etc.
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VII.
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FOr fear at St. Omers their Oates might might be miss'd,
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They agreed with a Devil t' appear in his place,
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In a Body of Air, (believ't if you list)
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Which lookt just like Oats, and mov'd with the same grace;
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cou'd Plot, it cou'd Cant,
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Turn eyes like a Saint,
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And of our great Doctor no feature did want:
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Thus * hundreds might swear they * saw Oates ev'ry day,
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But true Oates was here, and the Devil say they.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Vid. St. O-
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mers Certi-
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ficate.
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*Vid. Jesuits
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Try. p. 47,
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etc.
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VIII.
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FRom Father Oliva * Commissions did come,
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To raise a great Army much Treasure is spent;
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The Old Man did once think to take Post from Rome,
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For to ride at the head of them was his intent;
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But * Bellas was fit
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(Who can deny it?)
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To command in his place, when his Gout wou'd permit;
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Lord * Stafford was proper'st to trust with their Pay
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Old * Ratcliff to range them in Battel-Array.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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IX.
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TH' High-Treasurers place the Lord * Powis did please,
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(Men of desp'rate Fortunes oft venture too far;)
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Lord * Peters would hazard Estate, and his Ease,
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And Life for the Pope too, in this holy War;
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Lord Ar'ndel, of old
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So war-like and bold,
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Made choice of a * Chancellors Gown we are told;
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All these did conspire with the Lord Castlemain,
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Who now his good Dutchess will * ne'r catch again.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Dr, Oates
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saw my Lords
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Divorce, as
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he swore be-
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fore the K.
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& Councel.
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X.
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GReat store of wild * Irish, both civil and wise,
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Designed to joyn with the Pilgrims of Spain,
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Many * thousands being ready all in good guise,
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Had vow'd a long Pilgrimage over the Main:
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To arm well this Host
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When it came on our Coast,
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* Black Bills forty thousand are sent by the Post,
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This * Army lay privately on the Sea-shore,
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And no man e'r heard of 'em since or before.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Vid. Lords
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Journal, as
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also Lang-
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horns Tryal
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p. 20.
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*Vid. Colcm.
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Tryal, p. 23.
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*Vid. Journ.
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and Tryal,
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ut supra.
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The Second PART.
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The Contents of the Second Part.
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Of Arms under-ground for Horse and for Foot,
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The King almost kill'd, but Gun will not shoot,
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For which Pic'ring is whip'd. All of them swear
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To be true to the Plot; yet Oates, not for Fear,
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But Revenge, being turn'd away, and well bang'd,
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Discovers them all; the Jesuits are hang'd.
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I.
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THe Plot being thus subtly contriv'd, as you hear,
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To God knows how many this * Secret th' impart;
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Some famous for Cheats, yet their Faith they don't fear,
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To tie a Knave fast they had found a new Art:
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They * swore on a Book,
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And * Sacrament took;
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But you'll find, if into their grave Authors you look,
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To forswear's no sin (as th' * Recorder well notes)
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Nor Treason, Rebellion, nor cutting of Throats.
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The iruth of my Story, etc.
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*As appears
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in the seve-
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ral Tryals.
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*Vid. Ire-
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lands Try-
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al, p. 23.
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*Vid. Hills
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Tryal, p. 32.
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*Vid. his
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Speech in
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Irelands
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Try. p. 81.
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II.
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STill blinded by Zeal, and inveigl'd by Hope,
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Store of Arms they provide for Fight and Defence;
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The Lords must command as Vice-Roys of the Pope,
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And all over England they raise * Peter-pence:
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Their Letters they send
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By * Bedlow their Friend,
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Or else by the * Post, to shew what they intend;
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Some hundreds * Oates saw, which the Jesuits did write,
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'Tis a wonder not one of them e'r came to light.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Vid. Jesuits
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Try. p. 33.
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*Vid. Dr.
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Oatess Nar.
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all along
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III.
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POunds two hundred thousand they to * Ireland sent,
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Fifteen thousand to * Wakeman for Potions and Pills,
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Forty thousand in Fire-works we guess that they spent,
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And at least ten thousand for the 'foresaid Black-Bills;
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Fifteen hundred more
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* Grove shou'd have, they swore,
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Four Gentleman-Ruffians deserv'd * Fourscore;
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Pious Pickering they knew was of Masses more fond,
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And for * thirty thousand they gave him a Bond.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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IV.
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THese two, to kill the King by promises won,
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Had now watch'd for * some years in St. James's Park,
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And Pickering (who never yet * shot off a Gun)
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Was about to take aim, for he had a fair mark:
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Just going to begin't,
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He * missed his Flint,
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And look in Pan there was no * Powder in't;
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For which he their Pardon does humbly beseech,
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Yet had * thirty good lashes upon his bare Breech.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Vid. Ire-
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lands Tryal,
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p. 24.
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*Vid. Jesuits
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Tryal, p. 33.
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*Vid. Ire-
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lands Tryal
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p. 24.
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V.
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BUt a sadder mischance to the Plot did befall,
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For Oates their main Engine fail'd, when it came to't;
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No marvel indeed if he cozen'd them all,
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Who turn'd him a * begging, and * beat him to boot.
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He wheeling about,
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The whole Party did rout,
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And from lurking holes did ferret them out,
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Till running himself blind, he * none of them knew,
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And fainting at * Councel, he could not swear true.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Vid. Wake-
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mans Tryal,
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p. 73.
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*Vid. Jesuits
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Tryal, p. 91.
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*Wak. p. 30,
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55. Colem.
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p. 30.
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VI.
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TO strengthen our Doctor, brave Bedlows brought in,
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A more credible Witness was not above-ground;
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He vows and protests, what'er he had been,
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He wou'd not swear false now for five hundred pound:
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And why should we fear
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They falsly would swear,
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To damn their own * Souls, and to lose by it here;
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For Oates, who before had no peny in Purse,
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Discov'ring the Plot, was * seven hundred pound worse.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Vid. Wake-
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mans Tryal.
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p. 40.
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*Thus Dr.
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Oates & Mr.
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Bedlo affirm
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in Langhorns
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Tryal.
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VII.
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TWo Witnesses more were let loose from the Jayl,
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Though * One, 'tis confest, did run back from his word;
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(In danger of life a good man may be frail)
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And th' * Other they slander for cheating his Lord:
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T' each one of these men
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The Jesuits brought * Ten,
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To disprove 'em in time and in place; but what then?
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One Circumstance lately was sworn most clear,
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By a * Man who in hopes has four hundred year.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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*Vsd. Jesuits
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Tryal all
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along.
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*Viz. That
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Ireland was
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in Town,
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Aug. 19.
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Wak. Tryal,
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p. 22.
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VIII.
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BEsides 'twas oft urg'd, We must always suppose,
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To murder the King a great Plot there has been;
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And who to contrive it so likely as those
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Who Murders and Treasons do hold for no sin?
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Things being thus plain,
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To plead was in vain,
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The Jury instructed again and again,
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Did find them all Guilty, and to shew 'twas well done,
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The People gave a Shout for Victory won.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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IX.
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TIs strange how these Jesuits, so subtle and wise,
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Should all by the Pope be so basely trepann'd,
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To hang with much comfort when he shall advise,
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And go the Devil too at his command.
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He may give them leave
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To lye and deceive;
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But what when the Rope does of Life them bereave?
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Can his Holiness, think you, dispense with that pain,
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Or by his Indulgences raise them again?
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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X.
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YEt, like Mad-men, of Life a Contempt they express,
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And of their own happiness careless appear;
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For Life and for Money not one wou'd confess,
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They'd rather be Damn'd, than be Rich and live here.
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But surely they rav'd,
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When God they out-brav'd,
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And thought to renounce him the way to be sav'd,
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And with Lies in their mouths go to Heav'n in a string:
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So prosper all Traytors, and God save the King.
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The truth of my Story, etc.
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