The Popish Plot: A study in the history of the reign of Charles II

by John Pollock

MATERIALS FOR THE HISTORY OF THE POPISH PLOT

1. Manuscripts.

Public Record Office.

State Papers Domestic, Charles II 407–416. The state papers of the period have not been calendared and are preserved in loose bundles, some of which are ill arranged. Thus in referring to the S.P. Dom. Charles II 407, I have been compelled to add e.g. i. 285, ii. 23, as there are two sets of papers in the bundle bearing the same numbers.

State Papers, Ireland 339.

Transcripts from Paris: dispatches of the French ambassadors.

Transcripts from the Vatican archives in Rome.

British Museum.

Additional MSS.: 11,058, 17,018, 24,136, 28,042, 28,053, 28,054, 28,093, 34,195.

Harl. MSS.: 3790, 4888, 6284.

Land. MSS.: 1235.

Stowe MSS.: 144, 180, 186, 302.

Longleat.

MSS. belonging to the Marquis of Bath. Coventry Papers xi. xx. lx. By the generous permission of the Marquis of Bath and the courtesy of the authorities at the British Museum I have been enabled to use these important papers (of which an unsatisfactory account will be found in the appendix to the 4th report of the Hist. MSS. Com.) in the Manuscript department of the Museum. I am greatly indebted to Mr. S. Arthur Strong, librarian of the House of Lords, for his kind offices in obtaining access to the papers for me.

I have also to express my thanks to Mr. Warner and Mr. Bickley of the British Museum, and to Mr. Hubert Hall and Mr. Salisbury of the Record Office for much kind help and courtesy shewn to me during my work in their departments. The manuscripts in the Vatican archives of which I have made use were copied for me by Mr. Bliss, who most generously interrupted his other work to make the transcripts.

Cambridge University Library: “Persecutionis Anglicanae et Conjurationis Presbiterianae Historia.” Autore P. Warner, S.J., Regi Jacobo II^do a sacris. 181 pp. fol. Letter-book of John Warner, S.J.

These manuscripts, of which the former is the more important, have, I believe, never been used before. They were seen by Henry Foley, compiler of the Records of the English Province, S.J., but do not appear to have been used by him. A notice of them is so deeply buried in his laborious and unordered work (v. 289) that it has escaped the notice of the author of Warner’s life in the Dictionary of National Biography. Foley left inside the cover of Warner’s History a note, which I quote below. Few are likely to agree with him that it is “probably the best, the fullest, and the most truthful ever recorded.” The account of the Jesuit father is naturally prejudiced in favour of his society and partakes of the nature of a martyrology. There are nevertheless points of considerable interest contained in it. The euphuistic style of Warner’s writing marks him as a man of learning and culture.

Note by Henry Foley. 13 Nov. 1876.

“The original draft of this valuable MS. in the hand of the Rev. Father John Warner, S.J., is in the British Museum, Harlean MSS. 880.

“It is closely written, divided into 8 chapters—f.c. 4^to [sic]. The writing is so bad that it is difficult to make it out.

“Father Warner succeeded Father Thomas Whitbread, who suffered at Tyburn 30 June 1679, as Provincial of the English Province, S.J., and remained in that office for three years.

“In 1686 he was appointed confessor to King James II. He died at the court of St. Germains the 2nd of Nov. 1692, aet. 64. He was a very learned man and wrote several controversial works.

“Henry Foley.

“The history of these terrible times is probably the best, fullest, and most truthful ever recorded. The learned author was upon the spot and had his own personal share in the sufferings.

“The facts recorded are fully borne out by the Litterae Annuae, Prov. Angl. S.J. of the time, and likewise by contemporary writers. Vide Echard, Hist. Engl., etc.

“One new fact is ascertained—that the meeting of the Fathers in London (upon the affairs of their body) was not held, as sworn by Oates and his associates, at the White Horse Tavern, Strand, but at St. James’ Palace, the residence of the Duke of York. The Fathers who were tried and suffered death could have proved this upon the trial, but were silent, preferring death to the danger of compromising the Duke.”

2. Printed Documents and Sources.

Historical Manuscripts Commission: appendices to 1st Report (Lefroy MSS.); 4th Report (Bath MSS.); 7th Report, Part II. (Verney MSS.); 11th Report, Part II. (House of Lords MSS. 1678–1688); 11th Report, Part V. (Dartmouth MSS.); 12th Report, Part VII. (Le Fleming MSS.); 12th Report, Part IX. (Beaufort MSS.); 14th Report, Part VI. (Fitzherbert MSS.); 14th Report, Part IX. (Lindsey MSS.); 15th Report, Part II. (Elliot Hodgkin MSS.); 15th Report, Part V. (Savile Foljambe MSS.).

Ailesbury (Thomas, Earl of): Memoirs. Written by himself. Ed. W. E. Buckley. Roxburgh Club. 1890.

Arnauld (Antoine): Œuvres, 42 tomes. T. xiv. Apologie pour les Catholiques. Paris et Lausanne. 1775–1783.

Avrigny (Hyacinthe Robillard d’), de la campagnie de Jésus: Mémoires pour servir à l’histoire universelle de l’Europe. Paris. 1757.

Anglesey (Earl of): Memoirs. London. 1693.

Bedloe (William): Narrative and Impartial Discovery of the horrid Popish Plot. London. 1679.

Calamy (Edmund): An Historical Account of my own Life. Ed. J. T. Rutt, London. 1829.

Campana de Cavelli (Marquise de): Les Derniers Stuarts à St. Germain en Laye. Paris. 1871.

Clarke (Rev. J. S.): Life of King James the Second. London. 1816.

Dalrymple (Sir John): Memoirs of Great Britain and Ireland. Edinburgh. 1771.

Danby (Earl of): Impartial State of the Case of the Earl of Danby. London. 1679.

—— Copies and extracts of some letters written to and from the Earl of Danby (now Duke of Leeds) in the years 1676, 1677, and 1678, with some particular remarks upon them. Published by his Grace’s direction. London. 1710.

—— Memoirs relating to the Impeachment of Thomas, Earl of Danby (now Duke of Leeds) in the year 1678. London. 1710.

Evelyn (John): Memoirs. London. 1827.

Grey (Hon. A.): Debates of the House of Commons. London. 1769.

Florus Anglo-Bavaricus. Liège. 1685.

Groen van Prinsterer: Archives de la Maison d’Orange Nasau. 2nd série. T. v. Utrecht. 1861.

Hale (Sir Matthew): Historia Placitorum Coronae. London. 1736.

Halstead (Robert): Succintes Genealogies. London. 1685.

Hatton Correspondence. Camden Society. Ed. M. Thompson. 1878.

Journals of the House of Lords.

Journals of the House of Commons.

Jurieu (Pierre): La Politique du Clerge de France. 1681.

L’Estrange (Roger): Brief History of the Times. London. 1687, 1688.

Luttrell (Narcissus): Brief Historical Relation of State Affairs. Oxford. 1857.

Kirkby (Christopher): A Complete and True Narrative of the Manner of the Discovery of the Popish Plot to his Majesty. London. 1679.

North (Roger): Examen, London. 1740.

—— Lives of the Norths. Ed. Jessopp. London. 1890.

Oates (Titus): True Narrative of the Horrid Plot and Conspiracy. London. 1679.

Orléans (Pierre Joseph d’): History of the Revolutions in England under the family of the Stuarts. London. 1722.

Palmer (Roger), Earl of Castlemaine [ascribed to; see Wheatley’s note to Pepys’ Diary, Dec. 1, 1666]: The Catholique Apology, with a reply to the answer.... By a person of honour. 3rd Edition, much augmented. 1674.

Parliamentary History iv. London. 1808.

Pomponne (Marquis de): Memoires. Ed. Mavidal. Paris. 1860, 1861.

Prance (Miles): True Narrative and Discovery. London. 1679.

Reresby (Sir John): Memoirs. Ed. Cartwright. London. 1875.

Sidney (Algernon): Letters to the Honourable Henry Savile, ambassador in Paris in the year 1679. London. 1742.

Sidney’s Charles II. Ed. Blencowe. London. 1843.

Smith (William): Intrigues of the Popish Plot. London. 1685.

Schwerin (O. von): Briefe aus England über die Zeit von 1674 bis 1678. Berlin. 1837.

Secret Service Expenses of Charles II and James II. Camden Society. Ed. J. Y. Akerman. 1851.

Somers Tracts vii. viii. London. 1812.

State Trials 6, 7, 8, 10. Cobbett’s Collection. London. 1809.

Treby (Sir George): A collection of letters. London. 1681.

—— The second part of the collection of letters. London. 1681.

Temple (Sir William): Works. Edinburgh. 1754.

Welwood (James): Memoirs. London. 1718.

Wood (Anthony à): Life and Times. Oxford. 1892.

3. Histories and Biographies, etc.

Acton (Lord): The Secret History of Charles II. Home and Foreign Review i. 146.

Airy (Osmund): The English Restoration and Louis XIV. London. 1888.

—— Charles II. London. 1901.

Boero (Giuseppe): Istoria della Conversione alla Chiesa Catholica di Carlo II, Rè d’Inghilterra. Roma. 1863.

Brosch (Moritz): Geschichte von England. Gotha. 1892.

Burnet (Gilbert): History of My Own Time. Ed. Airy. Part I. Oxford. 1897, 1900.

Campbell (Lord): Lives of the Lord Chancellors of England. London. 1856–1857.

—— Lives of the Chief Justices of England. London. 1849–1857.

Carte (Thomas): An History of the Life or James, Duke of Ormond. London. 1736.

Chantelauze (Régis de): Le Père de la Chaize. Paris. 1859.

Christie (W. D.): Life of Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of Shaftesbury. London. 1871.

Cooke (G. W.): History of Party. London. 1836.

Courtenay (T. P.): Life of Sir William Temple. London. 1836.

Cretineau Joly (J.): Histoire politique, religieuse, et literaire de la compagnie de Jésus. Paris. 1844.

Douglas (R. K.); Article on Titus Oates in Blackwood’s Magazine. February. 1889.

Echard (Laurence): History of England. London. 1707.

Foley (Henry): Records of the English Province of the Society of Jesus. London. 1879.

Forneron (H.): Louise de Kéroualle, Duchesse de Portsmouth. Paris. 1886.

Fox (Charles James): History of the Early Part of the Reign of James II. London. 1808.

Foxcroft (H. C.): Life and Letters of Halifax. London. 1898.

Gentleman’s Magazine: January 1866. Article on the conversion of Charles II.

—— July 1848. Notes on Sir E. B. Godfrey.

—— September 1849. Notes on the Popish Plot.

Gneist (Rudolf): History of the English Constitution. Trans. Ashworth. London. 1891.

Hallam (Henry): Constitutional History of England. London. 1884.

Hargrave (Francis): Opinion and Argument in support of Lady A. S. Howard’s right to the new Barony of Stafford. 1807.

Harris (Dr. William): Historical and Critical Account of the Life of Charles II. London. 1814.

Irving (H. B.): Life of Judge Jeffreys. London. 1898.

Jesse (J. H.): The Court of England under the Stuarts. London. 1855.

Kennet (Dr. White): A Complete History of England. London. 1706.

Klopp (Onno): Der Fall des Hauses Stuart. Wien. 1875–1888.

Lingard (John): History of England. London. 1831.

Macpherson (James): History of Great Britain. London. 1775.

Macaulay (Lord): History of England. London. 1849.

Madden (R. R.): History of the Penal Laws enacted against Roman Catholics. London. 1847.

Oldmixon (John): History of England during the Reigns of the House of Stuart. London. 1730.

Parker (Samuel): History of his Own Time. London. 1727.

Parkinson (Father): The Yorkshire Branch of the Popish Plot. The Month xviii. 393.

Ralph (James): History of England. London. 1736.

Rapin Thoyras (Paul de): Histoire d’Angleterre. La Haye. 1724–1736.

Ranke (L. von): Englische Geschichte. Leipzig. 1877.

Russell (Lord John): Life of William Lord Russell. London. 1853.

Shaw (W. A.): The Beginnings of the National Debt. Owens College, Manchester, Historical Essays. Ed. J. F. Tout and J. Tait. London. 1902.

Sitwell (Sir George Reresby): The First Whig. Privately printed. 1894.

Seccombe (T.): Titus Oates in Twelve Bad Men. London. 1894.

Spillmann (Joseph) S. J.: Die Blutzeugen aus den Tagen der Titus Oates-Verschwörung. Freiburg i. B. 1901.

Stephen (Sir J. F.): History of the Criminal Law in England. London. 1883.

Traill (H. D.): Shaftesbury. London. 1888.

Wilson (Walter): Life and Times of Defoe. London. 1830.