Coventry Papers xi. 397
Undated. Paper headed: An account of what the Earl of Barkeshire desired Colonel John Scot to communicate to His Maty. with what passed before the discourse. (Endorsed by Coventry in the same words.)
The Earl of Barkeshire, that had lain long of a languishing sickness in Paris, was pleased to let me know he desired to advise with me about a physician. This was in March last. I told his lordship I was acquainted with an able man of our own nation, and one of the college of physicians in London, but I was of opinion his Lordship’s Roman Catholic friends would not approve of him because he was not only a strict protestant, but one that did publicly defend the doctrine of the church of England, and as publicly declare the English Roman Catholics were prosecuted on just grounds. His Lordship said that mattered not, he should not dispute that point with him, nor did he value any man the worse for differing from him in judgment, and that he was not so strait-laced as others of his opinion, and did commit himself to the charge of the said Doctor Budgeon; but it did prove too late, for this gentleman soon told his Lordship what condition he was in, and he came to my lodgings and signified to me his Lordship’s great desire to speak with me, telling me his Lordship in all human probability could not live long; and I waited upon his Lordship the morning following, and he having commanded his servants out of the chamber, and to suffer nobody to come in till he called, spake to me as I remember these very words:—
Colonel Scot, you are my friend; I must commit a secret to you; there has been a foolish and an ill design carried on in England: I don’t tell you the Roman Catholic religion is a foolish business, for it is the faith I will die in, but ’tis the giddy madness of some of that religion I blame. I knew nothing on’t till my Lord Arundel, Mr. Coleman, and others told me the business could not miscarry, and that I should be looked upon as an ill man if I came not in in time, and truly I believed them. I was none of the contrivers, I was not consulted with till towards the latter end of the day, nor did I ever hear anything mentioned about killing the king; if I had, I would have discovered it, and so indeed I ought to have done what I did know, as well for the personal obligations I had to his Majesty as that which my allegiance obliges me to, and every man too; for my Lord Bellasis is an ill man; he and others were accustomed to speak ill of the king, indeed very irreverently.
Then I asked his Lordship who those others were; but he answered, prithee, good Colonel, ask me no questions; if I had known of approaching dangers to the king, I should have told him. He then fetched a great sigh and wept, but presently said, Friend, I see things will go as you will; for God’s sake promise me you will find some way to tell the king every word I say, and that though some passages in letters of mine may look a little oddly, I would have run any hazard rather than have suffered any injury to have been done to his Majesty’s person: ’tis true I would have been glad to have seen all England Catholic, but not by the way of some ill men. My Lord Stafford was all along a moving agent, and was here in France about the business; the man of himself is not very malicious. My Lord Powis his covetousness drew him in further than he would have gone. I believe and hope there will hardly be found matter against them to take away their lives, but pray the king from a poor dying man not to have to do with any of those four Lords I have named, for they love not his person.
My Lord Peeter has always had a great love and reverence for the king’s person; ’tis true this last wife of his is foolishly governed by priests and influences him; but he was ever averse to all things of intrigue in this matter. I need not desire you to be secret, your own safety will oblige you. My Lord Cardigan and others being at the door and calling to this Lord, the servants were ordered to let them in, and before them he said, pray don’t forget the hundredth we spake of, nor the business at Rohan. I was there once more with the Doctor, but he grew exceeding deaf; he said only then to me: Colonel, don’t forget what I said to you for God’s sake. This is the very manner he spake it.
John Scot.
Coventry Papers xi. 171
December 23, 1676. Hague. A letter, unsigned. Note by Coventry at head—To one Johnson: at foot—shewed his Maj. 23rd of Dec. 76.
In my last I made some observations to you of the working of the old spirit in the Popish party: at this time will now only add that the same seemeth not to be restrained to England.... The popish humour beginneth to spread itself over the English regiments, especially the regiment lately Col. Tanwicke. One Wisely is made Col., being Lieut. Col. before. Archer the major is made Lieut. Col., both Irish Papists, and the rest of the officers are generally papists and mad Irish, and for aught we know for the most part recommended by the Duke of York. Now albeit this be true that this congregating of Papists together in a body be in the dominion of another state, yet it is true they are subjects of England and in regard to the ... circumstances of England in my poor opinion worthy the public notice.