Being come to the place of Execution, he spoke to the sheriffs as follows: Holloway, May I have liberty, Sir, to speak what I desire to speak? Sheriff Daniel. Yes, Sir, you may. What you have, I suppose, will be by way of discovery to the world of what you are brought here to die for. Holloway. You have my Paper, captain. Sheriff Daniel. Have it you about you? Capt. Richardson. I have it in my pocket. Sheriff Daniel. Shew it him (which he did.) Is it your own hand-writing? Holloway. Yes, Sir. Sheriff Daniel. Is it your own handwriting? Holloway. That is my own hand-writing. A discovery of what I knew, I made to his majesty, but a great many people think that I have not discovered what I knew: but I have discovered what I knew of the Plot, and I am heartily sorry I was any way concerhed in that way: as to the endeavouring any thing by arms. I do think several things have been ill. managed in England, there have been many things done against the king and the kingdom's interest, and I wish the king was well satisfied of it, and that a course might be taken to prevent it. And, I think, one way to prevent plotting (according to my weak capacity) is, that his majesty would be pleased to call a parliament, and pass an Act of Oblivion for all plotters whatsoever. There was a damnable Popish Plot, and I look upon the stifling of that, to be the only cause that any man did any thing in this. Had all the Popish Plotters been Sheriff Daniel. By the way, Sir, how do you know it was stifled?" Holloway. Sir, we have known that the laws could not be suffered against them, and the parliament could not be suffered in the prosecution of them. I wish the king would consult his own safety, and the safety of the nation, and that an Act of Oblivion might pass, for I believe there are many concerned; and that there might be an end put to all news-mongers, that write into the country letters of news; I look upon that to do the king and the kingdom more hurt than any thing else. Capt. Richardson. Mr. Holloway, I beg one thing, have you discovered all? I desire you would declare those (you did not name their names) that, if occasion were, would be ready; but that you had not spoke to them. Wade and others were to maintain their posts. Holloway. No, Sir, I had not spoke to them. Sheriff Daniel. And that you promised a number of men in this design. Holloway. Promise it! I did propose I might do it. Capt. Richardson. What do you know of the contriving the business of the Rye, for lopping, or taking off the king and the duke? Holloway. I was not with them till after the time a good while; till about a month or six weeks after the time I was not acquainted with them. I looked upon it as a business not likely to take any effect at all, for I could never find above five that were concerned in it. Sheriff Dashwood. But did they not tell you at some one time, they were concerned in such a thing? Holloway. Yes, Sir, they did so. They told me more than once. a Sheriff Daniel. In Bristol, or in London ? Sheriff Dashwood. Mr. Holloway, you have liberty to say any thing you have a mind to. Holloway. I have little to say more upon that way, to do such a thing as to take up arms. that account. I am sorry I was concerned in But as to the design I had, and the Plot I was acquainted with, it was nothing against the king's life. Capt. Richardson. Sure it was the same Plot, while there was a design to seize the king, and take him from evil company. Holloway. We had a design to take -them that were guilty of the Popish Plot, and were enemies to the privileges and liberties of the subject. Sheriff Daniel. And as a thing that tended to that, the king was to be seized till he consented to these things. Holloway. It was supposed by them that told me of it, that many things that have been acted of late, were done contrary to the king's knowledge, and that the king knew nothing of it; and I am perfectly of that belief too, that many things are done contrary to the king's knowledge. And I was farther informed, that if the king could be but once acquainted with these things, that the king would presently come in to those that should stand for his assistance, and give up all those offenders to justice. Sheriff Daniel. And if you could not tell him otherwise, you would take him first, and tell him afterwards. Holloway. You may interpret it how you please, Sir. It was that all such differences amongst the king's subjects might be prevented for the future; for I believe there were never greater differences in the spirits of men, though some think the times were never better than now, because all things go according to their own humour; but I suppose many in the nation are satisfied that many things have been done contrary to law. Sheriff Daniel. Was it fit you should set up for a politician, or a statesman? Holloway. No, Sir, I did not take it upon me; that was for the scribblers that write news. I do not reckon myself worthy to direct in such a case. Sheriff Daniel. Mr. Holloway, you do not remember to give the names of those persons you spake of. Holloway. It would be a folly for me, Sir, to go to abuse men that I did not know whether they would be concerned or no. Sheriff Dashwood. But that there were persons that would be concerned, you say. Holloway. That we did think so; and if we should name every one that we thought would be concerned, I believe we might name three parts of London. Capt. Richardson. I hope you are in a great mistake there. Holloway. For that design, I believe above three parts would be for. I never had any design but for the king and the kingdom's interest; though I know that design that was carried on by Rumsey and West was a very heinous design, but I believe they would not have found many in England that would have been for it; I never heard of above five for it. Sheriff Daniel. Were you acquainted with Walcot ? Holloway. I was in his company once or twice, but I heard him speak against it. Sheriff Daniel. Was you ever with my lord Shaftesbury? Holloway. No, Sir, I was never with my lord Shaftesbury but once, and that was about a design I was promoting in parliament, about the linen manufacture. Sheriff Daniel. Was you ever with my lord of Essex ? Holloway. Never but once, and that was about that business. Sheriff Daniel. Were you ever acquainted with my lord Russell? Holloway. Never with him at all. Sheriff Dashwood. You were saying you knew the names of five; who were they that were to be concerned in that matter? Holloway. I have declared them to his majesty. Sheriff Daniel. Did you know Ferguson? Holloway. I knew him, Sir, but I know Ferguson to be against any such design, and, indeed, we did look upon it to be a thing that would come to no effect. Sheriff Dashwood. Do you mean the seizing the king? Holloway. I mean the insurrection. Sheriff Daniel. Did you know of any money raised or promised to buy arms? Holloway. No, Sir, never. I heard of money that was to be raised, but I did not know who was to raise it. Sheriff Daniel. It is not our business to ask you many questions, if you have any thing to say you may. Sheriff Dashwood. If you have any thing to say for the discharge of your conscience, do it. Holloway. I thank God, I never had any design against his majesty's person; what I intended was only for the good of the king and kingdom, and I did take it that it would have been so; and I am very sorry that any things should have gone contrary to law, as they have done; and I hope care will be taken to prevent any such things for the future. Sheriff Dashwood. The king hath said he will govern according to law; he hath done so, and will do so. Holloway. That I leave to the judgment of all; many know better than I. Sheriff Daniel. Such glossy pretences are very strange, to carry on such a design, for the seizing a sovereign prince, that you have sworn allegiance to, or ought to have done. Holloway. I think those pretences, the grounds that we went upon, were no glossy pretences at all. Sheriff Daniel. I think it is, that when things are not done as you would have them, you must immediately rebel. Holloway. No, Sir, not that; we did not design a rebellion. Sheriff Daniel. The seizing the king is certainly a rebellion, and one of the highest steps of rebellion. Holloway. We say this, that all ways were. used against Protestants; several Sham-Plots; but no justice could be had against Papists. Sheriff Daniel. Several of them were executed here. Holloway. There were some executed at first, Sir; but afterwards, when so many great persons came to be concerned, there was nothing could be had against them. Sheriff Daniel. There were mighty searches made about London, for that great number of Papists talked on. Holloway. There was a great many seized, Sir; but what became of them? Sheriff Daniel. Generally tried, and brought to condign punishment. You would not have had every Irishman believed against honest men. Some people were called papists in masquerade. Holloway. Irishmen were believed against Protestants; after they had turned about, and had sworn against papists, they were believed then. It was well observed, that while the Irish evidences did continue in the first discourse of the popish plot, and in the first evidences, then, it is well known, they were slight ed, and all cried out against; but when they came to swear against Protestants, then things were altered presently. Sheriff Dashwood. I pray God all men's eyes may be opened to see what is done. Holloway. I would not advise any one to go. that way to work, to do any thing by force of arms; and I wish the king's eyes may be opened, that he may see his enemies from his friends; and I think he hath cause to look for them near his home. Sheriff Dashwood. Have you any papers to deliver? Holloway. I have no other papers; what paper I wrote, the council bad. I did write a paper, that it might be some satisfaction to the opinions of people of what I knew, that care might be taken to prevent other opinions, if there were an error. And that paper the council had; though they took it very heinously of me that I should presume to write such a thing. I looked upon it that I could not do more for the king, than to acquaint him of what I knew, that if they were misinformed, there might be care taken to alter the opinion. Sheriff Dashwood. You have delivered no paper to your wife, or to any friends? Holloway. That, I suppose, is well known to the gaoler. Sheriff Dashwood. You know better than any body whether you have or not. You may say Ay, or No. Holloway. I could not be admitted to write any, for I could not have pen and ink to write any thing but this. Sheriff Dashwood. And you have not delivered any paper? I Holloway. I have written to some friends. know it is supposed that 1 had delivered a copy of that paper that the council had; and, I think if it had been known publicly, it would have done no great hurt. Sheriff Daniel. You speak of several peoples opinions; what do you mean? Holloway. As concerning the times, Sir, the management of affairs. Sheriff Daniel. Pray, Sir, under what denomination do you reckon yourself? Holloway. I reckon myself a Protestant. Sheriff Daniel. Of what sort? Of the church of England, or of the Dissenters from them? Holloway. I am not a Dissenter from the church of England. very earnest in that, to have the laws put in execution against them; and that he moved it to the parliament to have it done. Have you any thing else to say that more nearly concerns you? Holloway. I wish I could have been any otherwise serviceable to the king and kingdom, before I left them. I should have been very willing; and it was always my design to promote the king and kingdom's interest more than my own. Sheriff Daniel. Well, Sir, you say some things very well; but others ill. Holloway. What I say, Sir, I leave to people's judgments; if I am mistaken, I hope they will be otherwise. Sheriff Daniel. Well, Sir, have you any thing farther to say?-Holloway. No, Sir. Sheriff Dashwood. I suppose you used to keep a meeting, or club, at Bristol, with several there. Holloway. I know some have represented a club very bad in Bristol. A club we had about the choice of parliament-men. Sheriff Daniel. The Horse-shoe club. Sheriff Dashwood. Or the Mermaid-club. Holloway. The Horse-shoe club, it was only for carrying on the election of parliamentmen. If all such things should be called clubs, there were great clubs kept by another party. Sheriff Daniel. Well, Sir, you had best fit yourself for death, you have no long time to live. Psalm, and part of two chapters in the HeThen he opened his Bible and read the 62nd brews, and afterwards asked the Sheriffs if he might have liberty to pray; which being granted, he prayed as follows: Sheriff Daniel. Nor joined with them? Holloway. Nor joined with them altogether. But I thought that if any good had been designed for England, that I had done enough to merit a pardon; for I had wrote so much of truth, and was so fair and plain in it, that I thought it would have merited a pardon, if any good were designed. If I could have disco- "Blessed and holy Lord our God, thou art vered more, that had been for the king and before all men, thou art the only true God, the kingdom's interest, I would have done it; for I Almighty God, the fountain of all goodness. did not do it rashly, but considered of it some Thou art the discerner of all hearts, the secret time before I gave it in. I hope it will be a sa- thoughts of men are not unknown to thee. Oh tisfaction that there was such a plot; what Lord, what am I that thou shouldst be mindful other men's opinions might be of it I cannot of me, or that thou shouldst suffer me now to tell, but leave every one to their own judg-call upon thee, when thou mightest have taken ment. It was feared that arbitrary government and popery was designed: and truly, I think, at this present time, by what I can understand, that there is little better designed. Capt. Richardson. This is reflecting upon the government. Sheriff Dashwood. This is not fit. Holloway. I say it is contrary to the king's knowledge, Sir. Sheriff Daniel. Sir, we have neither a reprieve nor a pardon for you. Holloway. I do not expect it, Sir; if truth and plainness would have merited a pardon, I might have had it. Capt. Richardson. The king is the best judge of his own mercy. Holloway. Had the law been executed against popish offenders, I had never been concerned in any Plot. Capt. Richardson. You know the king was me away in the commission of some sin against thee? But thou hast been a merciful God, long-suffering God, a patient God. O Lord, I trust it is for my soul's welfare in bringing me to this, though it is an untimely end, for thou cuttest off my days in the midst, but Lord, I trust it is for my soul's sake. Our times are in thy hands, and it is my sins that have brought me to this. Oh give me a true sense of them, as I trust thou hast done, and that thou hast heard my prayers, and wilt be my God, my comforter, and receive me in and through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord, who offered himself a sacrifice for our sins, even for the sins of the whole world, and now sitteth at thy right hand interceding for us. Lord, hear me, in and through him. Lay not any of my sins to my charge; let not the least sin be unpardoned. The least sin deserveth damnation; Lord, I trust thou hast pardoned them all, and that thou hast heard my prayers, and the prayers of others for me. Lord, in mercy look down upon me; in mercy look down upon this nation; pardon the crying sins thereof." Lord, thou seest to what a height of sin it grows, and thou seest what wickedness is promoted in all places, and what little encouragement there is to that which is good. Lord, bless the king, and keep him from all conspiracies. Lord, give him a sense of his condition, and make him know his enemies from his friends. OʻLord, let him look close about him, to see who are about him; and Lord put an end to all plot. tings. O Lord, make him a happy prince, give him a sense of his sins, and a sense of whose servant he is. Lord, make him thy true and faithful servant. Lord, bless all thy people wheresoever they are, and continue thy Gospel every where, let it not be rooted out. O Lord, thou knowest what contrivances have been made against it. Lord, continue it here; let it flourish more than ever it hath done. Lord, make England a place thou wilt delight to dwell in, and make them know thou hast not dealt so with every nation. Lord, hear the prayers of all thy people. Lord, continue the Gospel in England; Let not popery, let not arbitrary government come in, O Lord, there are good laws in England, Lord, let them be put in execution. Lord, hear me for thy mercies sake. I am now coming unto thee. Lord, I have but a minute or two to be here, let thy spirit receive me, to thee I commit my spirit. Lord, hear me, and answer me for thy Son's sake, who is at thy right hand interceding for me, to whom with thee and thy eternal Spirit be all honour, and glory, and praise, both now and evermore." (Then being asked, Who was in council at the delivery of the letter? He answered,) Holloway. There was the duke of York, and the lord keeper; I did not deliver it: It was intercepted in a letter, or given in. I did not know how it was; for I have been kept, so that I had not the liberty to see any friend, till yesterday in the afternoon I had the liberty of two or three hours with my wife. Capt. Richardson. You had your wife with you before, and your sister, and some other friends. Holloway. But that was never without a keeper, Sir. Capt. Richardson. You are in the right. Sheriff Daniel. They do not use to allow men under your circumstances such a liberty as you talk of. Holloway. I pray God that no other people may concern themselves with public affairs, out of their own way; and that the scribblers might be put down, for they do more hurt to the kingdom than any thing else. Sheriff Daniel. Have you any thing more to say-Holloway. No, Sir. Sheriff Daniel. Then God have merey upon your soul. Soon after which he was turned off. The PAPER delivered to the Sheriffs. April 26, 1684, To stop the mouths, &c. of all pamphleteers, and news-scribblers, who have done more pre. judice to his majesty and kingdoms, by their impudent endeavours to sham all plots, and to fill the country with false news, than they will ever be able to retrieve; and to satisfy all I leave behind me, I thought good to draw up a short account of what I knew of the late Protestant Plot, how I came to be concerned, what induced me to it, and how far I was concerned, also my now opinion of it, &c. It was my unhappiness to have too public a spirit for one of my capacity, and as soon as I came to be a free man, to prefer the king's and kingdom's interest before my own; for having some knowledge in linen-cloth, upon the prohibitions of French linens, &c. I thought the linen manufacture might be brought to perfection in England, to the very great advantage of the poor, and so made some trial of it in Warwickshire, where I employed some hundreds of poor, and in about eighteen months time brought it to such perfection, that I could make as good cloth as the French, and so well imitate it, that few could know it from French; but the prohibition being not so strict as at first seemed to be, French cloth was brought in cheaper than ever; so that I was forced to leave off with loss; but considering, that by an act of parliament for its encouragement, in a method I had thought upon, it might be settled much to the king's and kingdom's interest, advancing the king's revenue near two hundred thousand pounds a year, and would have employed about eighty thousand poor people, and about forty thousand acres of land; concerning which I was, about June 1680, brought acquainted with the earl of Essex, to whom I related the business, who immediately had me to the (now) earl of Rochester, then President of the Trea sury, and he had me to sir Edward Deering, who (when they understood my proposals) gave me something to bear my charges, and encouraged me to attend the next parliament, to endeavour the promotion thereof; which I did almost the whole sessions, and brought to the Speaker's chamber some of the cloth, which was compared with French, &c. and the design well approved of by all; which brought me into too large acquaintance for one of my capacity; from whom I heard too much (as hath proved, for my interest) of things that were in hand concerning the Popish Plot, which prevented the doing any thing as to my design. So that after I was encouraged to attend the Oxford parliament, which I did; and was desired there by the earl of Clarendon, and others, to prepare a bill; the heads of which I drew up, though it proved to no purpose but my ruin. I wish my king and country might reap the benefit of what I pay so dear for. The more I knew during my attendance on those two parliaments, the more I was desirous to know; and did by some scribblers and news-mongers constantly know most public affairs that were acted, which they undertook to represent according to their own humour; many actions being represented very illegal, much against the protestant interest, in favour of papists, &c shamming the Popish Plot, and laying sham plots upon protestants; abusing the rights and privileges of the subject, the truth of which I leave to the judgment of all; but hearing many such like things, was easily prevailed with to be concerned in the plot, according as it was proposed to me, viz. About July 1682, I met with a person who then being come from London, gave me a relation at large concerning the election of sheriffs that had been in June, the manner of which is well known to all; he represented it to me as a very illegal action, and that there was a devilish design of the papists in it, to cut off the king's friends, the stirring men in both the last parliaments, as to the prosecution of the Popish Plot, who I always took to be both the king's and the nation's friends. That there were witnesses had been ready a long time, to swear against them, but they could not get jurors to believe them, but now they had by force of arms, &c. got sheriffs who will find juries to believe them, and so hang them up at their pleasure; that there was none but had council about the king, who kept all ill actions from his knowledge; and if they procceded to swear North and Rich at Michaelmas, and to choose lord-mayor, as they had done sheriffs, the Protestant gentry were resolved (naming some) to remedy what was designed, by an insurrection in several parts of England; and, if possible, to get the king off from his evil council, and bring all popish offenders to justice, saying, that they were sure that, when the king knew the occasion of their rising, he would presently give up all offenders, and come in to them. That it should begin in November in London, Bristol, Exeter, Taunton, Chester, York, Newcastle; and that we should hear more of it in a month's time: therefore desired we might consider how it might be managed in Bristol; which we did; and concluded, that Bristol, with about 350 men, might be easily secured by a surprize, without the bloodslied of one man. About a month after that, came the person he mentioned we should hear more by; but he could deelare no more than the former did, only that the design went on, and there would be timely notice given to all parts; but we hear of nothing but disappointments and delays, putting it off from time to time. In April I heard of another design against the king, and duke of York, as they were to come from Newmarket, some time in March; but when I enquired into that, found it was carried on by three or four; and never could hear the names of above five that were for it. When I heard it, I declared my abhorrence of any such thing, and that I was confident none in our parts would be for such a base action. After that, I enquired further into it, and could find, that although it was intended to be done six weeks before, that they had only |