Page:Ruffhead - The Statutes at Large - vol 5.djvu/495

 A.D. 1722. Anno nono Georgii Regis. C. 16, 17. 449 CAP." XVI. An Aft to inflict Pains and Penalties on George Kelley alias Johnfon. 1 I. J HEREAS in the Years one thoufand feven hundred and twenty-one, and one thoufand fevert ' VV hundred and twenty-two, a deteftable and horrid Confpiracy was formed and carried on by di- < vers Traitors for invading your Majefty's Kingdoms with Foreign Forces, for raifing an Infurrection and ' Rebellion againft your Majefty, for feizing the Tower and City of London, and for laying violent Hands ' upon your Majefty's mod facred Perfon, and upon his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales, in order to ' fubvert our prefent happy Eftablifhment in Church and State, and to place a Popifh Pretender on your ' Throne : And whereas for the better concealing and eftecling the faid Confpiracy, divers treafonablc ' Correfpondencies were, within the Time aforefaid, carried on by Letters written ill Cyphers, Cant 1 Words and Fictitious Names ; which Confpiracy, had not Almighty God in his great Mercy difap- ' pointed the fame, would have deprived your Majefty's Kingdoms of the Enjoyment of their Religion, c Laws and Liberties, involved them in Blood and Ruin, and fubjected your People to the Bondage and ' OpprelTion of Romijl) Superftition and arbitrary Power: For which execrable Treafon Cbri/lophcr Layer ' ing with divers Perfons to procure a Foreign Force to invade this Kingdom,' and to raife an Infurrection ' and Rebellion againft your Majefty within the fame, with Defign to depofe your Majefty, and place f the Pretender on your Throne ; for treafonable Practices in which Confpiracy the faid George Kelley alias ' John/on being arrefted, and divers Papers then found about him feized, in Purfuance of a Warrant un- l ing him the faid George Kelly alias John/on, together with his Papers, and the faid George Kelley alias ' 'Johnfon being in Cuftody of a Meflenger by Virtue of the faid Warrant, did by Force and Violence, ' with a drawn Sword, make an Affault upon and refift the faid Meflenger, with an Intent to deftroy ths ' faid Papers, and did burn the fame :' Therefore to manifeft our juft Abhorrence of fo wicked and abo- minable Confpiracy, and our Zeal and tender Regard for the Prefervation of your Majefty's Perfon and Government, and of the Proteftant Succeflion in your Majefty's Royal Family, the folid Foundation of our prefent Happinefs and future Hopes ; and to the End that no Confpirator may, by any Contrivance or Practice whatfoever, efcape Punifhment, and that all Perfons may by the Juftice of Parliament be for ever hereafter deterred from engaging in any traiterous Confpiracies or Attempts, We your Majefty's moft dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in Parliament aliembkd, do humbly befeech your Majefty, that it may be enacted, &c. PR. CAP. XVII. An Act to inflict Pains and Penalties on Francis Lord Bifhop of Rochejler. I. IT THEREAS in the Years one thoufand feven hundred and twenty-one, and one thoufand feven VV hundred and twenty-two, a deteftable and horrid Confpiracy was formed and carried on by di- vers Traitors for invading your Majefty's Kingdoms with Foreign Forces, for raifing an Infurrection and Rebellion againft your Majefty, for feizing the Tower and City of London, and for laying violent Hands upon your Majefty's moft facred Perfon, and upon his Royal Highnefs the Prince of Wales, in order to fubvert our prefent happy Eftablifhment in Church and State, by placing a Popifh Pretender on your Throne : And whereas for the better concealing and effecting the faid Confpiracy, divers treafon- able Correfpondencies were, within the Time aforefaid, carried on by Letters written in Cyphers, Cant Words, and Fictitious Names -, which Confpiracy, had it not been difappointed by the Goodnefs of Almighty God, would have deprived your Majefty's Kingdoms of the Enjoyment of their Religion, Laws and Liberties, involved them in Blood and Ruin, and fubjected your People to the Bondage and Oppreffion of Rom ijh Superftition and Arbitrary Power: for which execrable Treafon Chrljlopher Layer hath been indicted, tried, convi£ted and attainted. And whereas Francis Lord Bifhop of ' Rochcfler, notwith- standing the many folemn Aflurances by him given of his Faith and Allegiance to your Majefty, by ta- king the Oaths by Law appointed to be taken inftead of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, which Oaths he had likewife taken at fundry Times, during the refpective Reigns of their late Majefties King William and Queen Mary, and of her late Majefty Queen Anne ; and notwithstanding he had frequently abjured the Pretender, hath, in direct Violation of his faid repeated Oaths and Obligations, and to the great Scandal of Religion, and his holy Function, been deeply concerned in forming, direct- ing and carrying on the faid wicked and deteftable Confpiracy, and hath been a principal Actor therein, by traiteroufly confulting and correfponding with divers Perfons to raife an Infurrection and Rebellion againft your Majefty within this Kingdom, and to procure a Foreign Force to invade the fame, in or- der to depofe your Majefty, and place the Pretender on your Throne ; and by traiteroufly correfpond- ing with the faid Pretender, and Perfons employed by him, knowing them to be fo employed :' There- fore to manifeft our juft Abhorrence of fo wicked and abominable a Confpiracy, and our Zeal and tender Regard for the Prefervation of your Majefty's Perfon and Government, and of the Proteftant Succeflion in your Majefty's Royal Family, the folid Foundations of our prefent Happinefs and future Hopes; and to the End that no Confpirator may, by any fubtile Contrivance or Practice whatfoever, efcape Punifh- Vol, V, M m m ment,
 * hath been indicted, tried, convicted and attainted. And whereas George Kelley alias John/on hath been
 * a principal Actor in the faid horrid and deteftable Confpiracy, by traiteroufly confulting and correfpond-
 * der the Hand and Seal of one of your Majefty's Principal Secretaries of State, for feizing and apprehend-