Oates's Narrative

Summary

Volume 1

[P8] De Machina Papistica concerning the first [contriving] of the Popish Plot [or at least] the execution of it designed to have been made Anno 1677 : 1678 / by Sir Francis Throgmorton : and many other […] gentlemen at the George shipyard and at the Pipe Office in Holburne / v. this book 3 December February 1691 and my 4th Booke in that moneth and year /p : 1353 [blank]

[P9] Mr Oates His Diary beeing An Abstract of The Plott

April 14/29 1677. Plotting Rebellion in Scotland of the Presbyterians against the Episcopall Government. Three Jesuitts sent into Scotland to preach to the disaffected Scotts. no hopes of Liberty and Religion but by the Sword, The Tyranny of Episcopacy, The King addicted to his Pleasures and Carisses, an Intrest gott in his Royall Highnesse, but they would deale with him as they thought fitt. a resolution 〈to〉 use all meanes to weaken the King of Englands interest, by informing his freinds of his intent to betray them into the hands of a forreigne Power. Strange the Provenciall of the Jesuitts wrote to Father Swettnam an Irish Jesuitt at Madrid Procurator Generall of England and Ireland. The Letters were opened by Mr Oates their Messenger at Burgos in Spaine.

September 29 1677. A Mission of 12 Students to Valydolid and Madrid in the Deponents hearing obliged to renounce all Allegiance to his Majesty of Great Brittaine. Daniell Armest〈rong〉 Minister of the English Colledge at Valydolid in a Sermon taught them That the Oath of Allegiance is Hereticall Antichristian and Devillish ; That Charles Steward is noe Lawfull King but of a Spurious Race, a Bastard, nor the Son of King Charles the first but of a black Scotchman.

June 10 1677. The Father of the Society in England wrote to them at St Omers, and they to the Colledge at Valydolid they had procured Father Benefeild to bee Confessor to his Royall Highnesse but if they saw that his Royall Highness did not answer their Expectations, they would dispose of him as they did intend to dispose of his Brother (the new King) which they hoped to effect within a yeare wrote by the Said Armestrong alias Jos : Montford.