Right Honourable when last your Honor vouchsafed me admittance to present myself to your Honor, though far unworthy the favour, your Lordship then desired me to declare circumstances with the names of such parties whom the matter concerns. If please your Honor to remember, I then said as my conscience and zeal enforced me, out of meere dewtie loyaltie and integritie to His Majestie, the State and religion, and discover those things that came to my knowledge, which I fear may concern all more than is imagined, or as yet dreamt of hitherto, for which others not long since have been like to suffer innocentlie, and as I doe not expecte anie reward from His Majestie, and the State for what I declare for their service, nor have or can have anie end therein, so on the other side I told your Lordship my conscience alsoe restrained me from naming parties, least anie should receive detriment in body or goods, by anie thing that should proceede from me, which your Honor was pleased to promise me, none should that I should name, nor myselfe be published for author of this service; presuming thereon I doe now cite to your Lordship the substance of what I have to utter, together with the names of so many of the parties whom it concerneth, as I can at present call to minde, humblie beseeching your good Lordship upon my knees that you will be pleased to remember alwaies your honorable promise to me your unworthy poore servant, in their behalfes, as I shall be both quite disabled, and altogether dishartened to doe anie service for the future, according my most loyall intent, neither (under favor) must suddaine notice be taken of things; onlie an undelayed fortifying and securing of all those places as I shall name.
The Partie.
The partie by whom I came to knowledge of what shall
now followe, was one Condon, an Irishman in a Towne
called Burbrook in Flanders, this somer was twelvemonth
as I take it.
The Irish, their plott to be tould
Certen Irish their plott to sack, burne spoil and kill a
whole new planted Towne of English, of great trading,
where he said they were sure tohave armour for a thousand
men, and money to maintain them a good while;
as also the sacking and spoiling of all the new planted
English townes through the whole province of Monster and totake and
fortifye Limebrick a cittie there, and make it their residence of State,
being neere the center of Ireland, and at hand for the discontented of all
partes to repayre to, and for that two winds serves thence to Spaine
and back, and manie from England.
The Parties undertakers herein
both temporall and spirituall both
openly and underhand both living
and dead.
First Condon's own chefe and
kinsman called Mr. David Condon,
who though he be one of the
meanest among all the rest, was chefe
actor or hatcher of this plott. The
names of the rest is as followeth.
1st. The Lord Kierry deceased
Mr. McDonogh, alias Dermond Mac
Carthy, deceased.
The Lord of Muskree, that
lives.
According to Condon's relacion
The temporall, openly so soon as things
were executed and otherwise.
Mr. Morrice Roche the Lord his son & heir.
Mr. John Power, son and heir to Sir Wm. Power.
Mr. Edmund Fitz John Gerald of Ballymarter.
Mr. O'Sullevan Beere, besides divers I remember not.
The temporal underhand assistants for as many
as Condon knew, who said he was sure there were
others.
The Lord Earle of
Barrymore.
The Lord Sarsfield,
chefe Justice of
the Common Pleas.
The Spirituall Papists
according to Condon's relacion,
and as I can remember
at present.
The Archbishop of Tuam called Flahry,
resident, and dead since, in Spaine.110
The Archbishop of Cassell, dead since also.111
The Bishop of Corke, now living in
Ireland, and brother in law to the Lord
Sarsfield.
Robert Fitz David Barry, Prior of Ross.
Owen Field, of eminence alsoe.
Richard Connelo, the lyke.
Philip Holyhan, alsoe one Strang, or Strange, whose christen name
I know uot, with a far greater rabbel that I cannot remember.
This is, my Lord, a true relacion of soe much of the discourse happened twixt me and Condon, in Burbrook. I have other things to acquaint your Honor withal, both of passages that shall confirm, in a maner, those things to your Lordship's judgment which are partlie of myne owne knowledge, and partlie of Condon's, and make the actions or practices of others known to your Honor, and when your Lordship is at full leisure to heare, I will imparte, which are much as I can remember, what else shall come to my knowledge or remembrance your Lordship shall be alsoe acquainted therewith from time to time, and surelye much more was tould beyond seas by many, but I neither remember them, nor what they said, as yet onlie this much I remember, and I thank God I remember it, and I think it is well I doe, and truelye I had remembered the rest had I thot your Lordship would esteeme my accompt; what I remember I humblie, truelye, freelye, and ingenuouslye imparte it to your Lordship, without desire of harm to anie, as your Honor may well perceive, or glorie, gain or reward, or end, but that onlie end, which of all ends I hould myself bond in dewtie and conscience to have alwaies chefe regard unto, which is the preservation and welfare of His Majestie, the State and Religion. If your Lordship shall be displeased because I have not presented your Honor with these things so soone as I arrived here, be pleased to blaim my dejected state through my manifold crosses and misfortunes, and not my good will or loyaltie, that wanted nothing but a bringer on, being doubtfull and fearfull who to reveale these things unto in this uncerten age, least I should be discovered as author of the service. I humblie crave both your Lordship's pardon and patronage If your Honor will be pleased to make use of me or hould me worthy tobe your Honor's servant, your Lordship shall finde me both faithfull, trustie, and serviceable to my power; and will, if your Honor will give me leave, prescribe a waie without charge to His Majestie wherebye I may be best made serviceable to work in time what may be most acceptable in bringing hidden things to light; for as I said to your Honor that your Lordship nor anie could make me more willing, readie, loyall and faithfull, but far more able your Honor may, which I humblie leave to your Honourable consideration, whereunto I refer myself, humblie kissing your Honor's hands, taking leave and remaining
The meanest of Your Lordship's servants,
GEORGE WATTS.