APPENDIX.
No. 1. (Vol. i. pp. 356, 368.)
A Brief Relation of the late Dangerous Plot for the
Destruction of his Highness's person.
The common enemy having failed in all their former plots and
conspiracies, for the ruin of his Highness (fn. 1) and the Government, resolved, (it seems) at last, to bring about their intended mischief,
by a vigorous and bloody attempt upon his person. For this
end and purpose, they sought out, and gained to themselves instruments in all points fitted for the execution of their inhuman cruelty.
The principal man employed, was a notable desperate fellow, named
Sindercomb, one who, heretofore, had been a quarter-master under
Sir John Reynolds, (fn. 2) in the army, and was about two years ago
cashiered by General Monk, among others in Scotland. As assistant to him in this wickedness, he associated to himself one Cecil;
and many others were engaged in the business, whom, we hope, time
will discover. In the mean time only these two persons are in
custody.
For the carrying on their work, they held correspondence with
some in Flanders, received directions thence from time to time, and
for their encouragement, Don Alonzo, the late ambassador of Spain,
in England, returned them over sums of money, with which they
were enabled to proceed. The most likely way, (as they conceived)
to accomplish the devilish purpose, was to contrive some means
how to dispatch his Highness, as he should be going to Hampton
Court; (fn. 3) and that they might do it with security to themselves, by
having an opportunity to escape, after the fact committed, they took
a house at Hammersmith, which house hath belonging to it a little
banquetting-room, which stands upon the road, at the said town, in
a narrow dirty place of passage, where coaches used to go but
softly, and that room they meant to make use of, by planting an
engine in it, which, being discharged, would have, upon occasion,
torn away coach and person in it that should pass by, and they had
such an engine preparing. And because it was necessary for them
to have information of the times when his Highness should go
abroad to take the air, and the places whither, Sindercomb cast
about in his mind, which way to draw in some one person near his
Highness, to be a partaker in the design, and acquaint them in what
part of the coach his Highness should sit, going to Hampton
Court, that so they might be sure not to miss him; and when the
execrable deed should have been executed, they intended to have
made an escape.
For this purpose they bought up divers of the fleetest horses
about London, which they kept in that house at Hammersmith; and
for conveuiency of escaping, the house they had hired stood down
at some distance from that road, and had an outlet to another road.
The person whom they made sure (as they thought) to be their informer, touching the out-goings of his Highness, was one of the life
guard, who had formerly been an acquaintance of Sindercomb in
the army, and they gave him ten pounds in money at first to engage
him, adding thereto a promise of fifteen hundred pounds. This
was one way that they resolved on, by making use of the place at
Hammersmith.
But they were not negligent in seeking other opportunities besides, and therefore (as occasion offered many times) they were wont
to thrust themselves in among those that rode abroad with his
Highness. Once they thought to have done their work as his
Highness was taking the air in Hyde-park; and, to make way for
their escape, they had, in one place, filed off the hinges of the gates,
and rode about with the train attending his Highness, with intent
then to have given him a fatal charge, if he had chanced to have
galloped out, at any distance from the company.
After several attendances of this nature, and pryings up and
down, (having recourse also many times to Whitehall) and finding
no occasion as yet to favour their purpose; thereupon they resolved to give their beyond sea correspondent a proof of their resolution, by firing of Whitehall. To this end they cut a hole in one
of the doors of the chapel, and so unbolting it, they, on the eighth
of this month, went in and placed the materials for firing, which
were discovered about nine o'clock that night; for in one of the seats
was found upon the floor, a basket filled with a strange composition of combustible stuff, and two lighted matches, aptly placed,
which matches had been rubbed over with gunpowder, on purpose
to keep them surely burning, and by the length of them, it was
conceived they would have given fire to the basket about one
o'clock in the morning. The basket being removed, and trial made
of some part of the ingredients, it appeared to be most active
flaming stuff.*
The next day the two persons being apprehended, they were
found to have screwed pistols, which, upon trial, appear notable instruments to do execution at a distance more than ordinary; and
they had also a strange sort of long bullets, in the nature of slugs,
contrived on purpose to rend and tear.
These things are made manifest, not only by many particulars of
discovery, but by the confession also of one of the parties, viz.
Cecil, who hath cast himself upon the good grace and mercy of his
Highness.
What other parties of men have been consenting in this treasonable conspiracy, and what other concurring design was to have
been put in execution, in case they had fired the house, we hope
that God will, in his good time, bring to light. In the mean space,
it is to be observed from hence, how restless the enemies are on
the other side of the water, to disturb the peace of the nation; and
that, for the compassing of their ends, they count it the more expeditious way to ruin the good people, if they could first destroy
his Highness's person, whom God preserve. (fn. 4)
A Narrative touching Colonel Edward Sexby, who lately
died a Prisoner in the Tower: dated
"Tower of London, Jan. 20, 1657–8."
The 12th of October, 1657, being well come to himself, and
having sent for the Lieutenant, he was so ingenuous as to confess
in part, saying unto him:
"Sir John, I sent to you, to tell you, that I am guilty of the
whole business of Sindercomb, as to the design of killing the Lord
Protector, &c. and to that purpose, I furnished Sindercomb with
money, and also with arms, and tied him to an engagement, that
he should not reveal the design." And further, he said: "The letters they have of mine, they could not prove them to be mine but
by my own confession, which I now confess and acknowledge that
they are mine, and that I was with Charles Stuart, (fn. 5) and acquainted
him that I was an enemy to the Lord Protector; and I also declare, that I received a large sum of money from the Spaniard, to
carry on my said design, and to make what confusion I could in
England, by endeavouring the killing of the Lord Protector, and
by what other ways I had in design. And to the end, the better to
effect it, I came into England in a disguised habit, and was the
principal in putting on others in the said design."
Many other like passages were spoken by him, in presence of
many credible witnesses; and within two days after, in the presence
of Mr. Caryl, (fn. 6) minister, and others, he did acknowledge the former confession to be truth. And then he again confessed, that he
was the only man that put on Sindercomb to kill the Lord Protector, and that the book called, "Killing No Murder," (fn. 7) he owned;
and said, he was still of that judgment; yet said, it was both foolishly and knavishly done in that book, to charge the Lieutenant of
the Tower, touching Sindercomb's death. (fn. 8)
The 13th of this instant, January, having said, "Lord have
mercy upon me, I am very sick!" about five of the clock, he
breathed out his last, and died. (fn. 9)