royalty restored-第60部分

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　line；　shall　find　from　me　a　ready　concurrence。〃

The　intended　address　was　therefore　abandoned　for　the　present；　but　the　bill　for　disabling　catholics　from　sitting　in　either　House　of　Parliament；　having　a　clause　which　excepted　the　Duke　of　York　from　that　indignity；　passed　on　the　30th　of　November。



CHAPTER　XVIII。

Reward　for　the　discovery　of　murderers。Bedlow's　character　and　evidence。His　strange　story。Development　of　the　〃horrid　plot。〃　William　Staley　is　made　a　victim。Three　Jesuits　hung。Titus　Oates　pronounced　the　saviour　of　his　country。Striving　to　ruin　the　queen。Monstrous　story　of　Bedlow　and　Oates。The　king　protects　her　majesty。Five　Jesuits　executed。Fresh　rumours　concerning　the　papists。Bill　to　exclude　the　Duke　of　York。Lord　Stafford　is　tried。Scene　at　Tower　Hill。Fate　of　the　conspirators。

Before　the　remains　of　Sir　Edmondbury　Godfrey　were　laid　to　rest；　a　proclamation　was　issued　by　the　king；　offering　a　reward　of　five　hundred　pounds　for　discovery　of　the　murderers。　　If　one　of　the　assassins　betrayed　those　who　helped　him　in　the　deed；　he　should　receive；　not　only　the　sum　mentioned；　but　likewise　a　free　pardon；　and　such　protection　for　his　security　as　he　could　in　reason　propose。　　Two　days　after　this　had　been　made　public；　a　man　named　William　Bedlow　put　himself　in　communication　with　Sir　William　Coventry；　Secretary　of　State；　declaring　he　had　a　certain　knowledge　of　the　murder　in　question。

Archdeacon　Eachard　tells　us　this　man　〃was　one　of　a　base　birth　and　worse　manners；　who　from　a　poor　foot…boy　and　runner　of　errands；　for　a　while　got　into　a　livery　in　the　Lord　Bellasis's　family；　and　having　for　his　villainies　suffered　hardships　and　want　in　many　prisons　in　England；　he　afterwards　turned　a　kind　of　post　or　letter　carrier　for　those　who　thought　fit　to　employ　him　beyond　sea。　　By　these　means　he　got　the　names　and　habitations　of　men　of　quality；　their　relations；　correspondents；　and　interests；　and　upon　this　bottom；　with　a　daring　boldness；　and　a；　dexterous　turn　of　fancy　and　address；　he　put　himself　into　the　world。　　He　was　skilful　in　all　the　arts　and　methods　of　cheating；　but　his　masterpiece　was　his　personating　men　of　quality；　getting　credit　for　watches；　coats；　and　horses；　borrowing　money；　bilking　vintners　and　tradesmen；　lying　and　romancing　to　the　degree　of　imposing　upon　any　man　of　good　nature。　　He　lived　like　a　wild　Arab　upon　prey；　and　whether　he　was　in　Flanders；　France；　Spain；　or　England；　he　never　failed　in　leaving　the　name　of　a　notorious　cheat　and　impostor　behind　him。〃

On　the　7th　of　November；　Bedlow　was　brought　before　the　king；　and　examined　by　two　Secretaries　of　State。　　Here　he　made　the　extraordinary　declaration　that　he　had　seen　the　body　of　the　murdered　magistrate　lying　at　Somerset　Housethen　the　residence　of　the　queen；　that　two　Jesuits；　named　La　Faire　and　Walsh；　told　him　they；　with　the　assistance　of　an　attendant　in　the　queen's　chapel；　had　smothered　Sir　Edmondbury　Godfrey　between　two　pillows；　that　he　had　been　offered　two　thousand　guineas　if　he　would　safely　remove　the　body；　which　on　his　refusal　was　carried　away；　a　couple　of　nights　after　the　murder；　by　three　persons　unknown　to　him；　who　were　servants　of　the　queen's　household。　　Hearing　this　statement；　Sir　William　Coventry　asked　him　if　he　knew　anything　of　the　popish　plot；　when　he　affirmed　on　oath　he　was　entirely　ignorant　regarding　it；　he　likewise　swore　he　knew　no　such　man　as　Titus　Oates。

That　night　he　was　lodged　in　Whitehall；　in　company　with　Tonge　and　Oates；　and　next　morning　appeared　before　the　House　of　Lords；　when　it　was　evident　his　memory　had　wonderfully　improved　since　the　previous　day。　　His　story　now　assumed　a　more　concise　form。　　In　the　beginning　of　October；　he　stated；　he　had　been　offered　the　sum　of　four　thousand　pounds；　to　be　paid　by　Lord　Bellasis；　provided　he　murdered　a　man　whose　name　was　withheld　from　him；　This　he　refused。　He　was　then　asked　to　make　the　acquaintance　and　watch　the　movements　of　Sir　Edmondbury　Godfrey。　　With　this　he　complied。　Soon　after　dusk　on　the　12th　of　October；　the　magistrate　had　been　dragged　into　the　court　of　Somerset　House　by　the　Jesuits；　and　asked　if　he　would　send　for　the　documents　to　which　Oates　had　sworn。　　On　his　refusal　he　had　been　smothered　with　a　piece　of　linen　cloth；　the　story　of　suffocation　by　pillows；　being　at　variance　with　the　medical　evidence；　was　now　abandoned。　　One　of　the　Jesuits；　La　Faire；　had　asked　Bedlow　to　call　at　Somerset　House　that　night　at　nine　o'clock；　and　on　presenting　himself；　he　was　conducted　through　a　gloomy　passage　into　a　spacious　and　sombre　room；　where　a　group　of　figures　stood　round　a　body　lying　on　the　floor。　　Advancing　to　these；　La　Faire　turned　the　light　of　a　lantern　he　carried　on　the　face　of　the　prostrate　man；　when　Bedlow　recognised　Sir　Edmondbury　Godfrey。　　He　was　then　offered　two　thousand　guineas　if　he　would　remove　the　body；　which　was　allowed　to　remain　there　three　days。　　This　he　promised　to　accomplish；　but　afterwards；　his　conscience　reproving　him；　he　resolved　to　avoid　the　assassins；　and　rather　than　accept　the　sum　proffered；　he　had　preferred　discovering　the　villainy　to　the　Government。

This　improbable　story　obtained　no　credit　with　the　king；　nor　indeed　with　those　whose　minds　were　free　from　prejudice。　　〃His　majesty；〃　writes　Sir　John　Reresby；　〃told　me　Bedlow　was　a　rogue；　and　that　he　was　satisfied　he　had　given　false　evidence　concerning　the　death　of　Sir　Edmondbury　Godfrey。〃　　Many　circumstances　regarding　the　narrator　and　his　story　showed　the　viciousness　of　the　one　and　the　falsity　of　the　other。　　The　authority　just　mentioned　states；　when　Bedlow　〃was　taxed　with　having　cheated　a　great　many　merchants　abroad；　and　gentlemen　at　home；　by　personating　my　Lord　Gerard　and　other　men　of　quality；　and　by　divers　other　cheats；　he　made　it　an　argument　to　be　more　credited　in　this　matter；　saying　nobody　but　a　rogue　could　be　employed　in　such　designs。〃　　Concerning　the　murder；　it　chanced　the　king　had　been　at　Somerset　House　visiting　the　queen；　at　the　time　when；　according　to　Bedlow；　the　deed　had　been　committed。　　His　majesty　had　been　attended　by　a　company　of　guards；　and　sentries　had　been　placed　at　every　door；　yet　not　one　of　them　had　witnessed　a　scuffle；　or　heard　a　noise。　　Moreover；　on　the　king　sending　Bedlow　to　Somerset　House；　that　he　might　indicate　the　apartment　in　which　the　magistrate's　remains　had　lain　three　days；　he　pointed　out　a　room　where　the　footman　waited；　and　through　which　the　queen's　meals　were　daily　carried。

But　the　dishonesty　of　his　character　and　falsity　of　his　statements　by　no　means　prevented　the　majority　of　his　hearers　from　believing；　or　pretending　to　believe；　his　statements；　and　therefore；　encouraged　by　the　ready　reception　they　met；　he　ventured　to　make　fresh　and　startling　revelations。　　Heedless　of　the　oath　he　had　taken　on　the　first　day　of　his　examination；　regarding　his　ignorance　of　the　popish　plot；　he　now　asserted　he　was　well　acquainted　with　all　its　details。　　For　some　four　years　he　had　been　in　the　secret　employment　of　the　wicked　Jesuits；　and　knew　they　intended　to　stab　and　poison　his　majesty；　establish　catholicity　in　England；　and　make　the　pope　king。　　So　far；　indeed；　had　their　evil　machinations　been　planned；　that　several　popish　peers　already　held　commissions　for　posts　they　expected　to　fill　in　the　future。　　Lord　Bellasis　and　Lord　Powis　were　appointed　commanders　of　the　forces　in　the　north　and　south；　whilst　Lord　Arundel　of　Wardour　had　permission　to　grant　such　positions　as　he　pleased。　　Then　the　Dukes　of　Buckingham；　Ormond；　and　Monmouth；　with　Lords　Shaftesbury　and　Ossory；　together　with　many　others；　were　to　be　murdered　by　forty　thousand　papists；　who　were　ready　to　rise　up　all　over　the　country　at　a　moment's　notice。　　〃Nor　was　there；〃　he　added；　〃a　Roman　Catholic　of　any　quality　or　credit　but　was　acquainted　with　these　designs　and　had　received　the　sacrament　from　their　father　confessors　to　be　secret　in　carrying　it　out。〃

It　by　no　means　pleased　Oates　that　Bedlow　should　surpass　him　in　his　knowledge　of　this　hellish　plot。　　Therefore；　that　he　might　not　lose　in　repute　as　an　informer；　he　now　declared　he　was　also　aware　of　the　commissions　held　by　popish　peers。　　He；　however；　assigned　them　in　a　different　order。　　Arundel　was　to　be　made　chancellor；　Powis；　treasurer；　Bellasis　general　of　the　army；　Petre；　lieutenant…general；　Ratcliffe；　major…general；　Stafford；　paymaster…general；　and　Langhorn；　advocate…general。　　Nay；　his　information　far　outstripped　Bedlow's；　for　he　swore　that　to　his　knowledge　Coleman　had　given　four　ruffians　eighty　guineas　to　stab　the　king；　and　Sir　George　Wakeham　had　undertaken　to　poison　his　majesty　for　ten　thousand　pounds。　　When；　however；　he　was　brought　face　to　face　with　these　men；　he　was　unable　to　recognise　them；　a　fact　he　accounted　for　by　stating　he　was　exhausted　by　prolonged　examination；

All　England　was　scared　by　revelations　so　horrible；　〃the　business　of　life；〃　writes　Macpherson；　〃was　interrupted　by　confusion；　panic；　clamour；　and　dreadful　rumours。〃　　In　London；　two　thousand　catholics　were　cast　into　prison；　houses　were　daily　searched　for　arms　and　treasonable　documents；　and　in　good　time　merciless　executions　filled　up　the　sum　of　bitter　persecutions。

One　of　the　first　victims　of　this　so…called　plot　was　William　Staley；　a　catholic　banker　of　fair　renown。　　The　manner　in　which　his　life　was　sacrificed　will　serve　as　an　example　of　the　injustice　meted　to　those　accused。　　One　day；　William　Staley　happened