he swore that to his knowledge Coleman had given four ruffians eighty
guineas to stab the king, and Sir George Wakeham had undertaken to
poison his majesty for ten thousand pounds. When, however, he was
brought face to face with these men, he was unable to recognise them,
a fact he accounted for by stating he was exhausted by prolonged
examination.

All England was scared by revelations so horrible; "the business of
life," writes Macpherson, "was interrupted by confusion, panic, clamour,
and dreadful rumours." In London, two thousand catholics were cast into
prison; houses were daily searched for arms and treasonable documents;
and in good time merciless executions filled up the sum of bitter
persecutions.

One of the first victims of this so-called plot was William Staley,
a catholic banker of fair renown. The manner in which his life was
sacrificed will serve as an example of the injustice meted to those
accused. One day, William Staley happened to enter a pastrycook's shop
in Covent Garden, opposite his bank, where there chanced to stand at
the time a fellow named Carstairs; one of the infamous creatures who,
envious of the honours and riches heaped on Oates and Bedlow, resolved
to make new discoveries and enjoy like rewards. At this time he was, as
Bishop Burnet states, "looking about where he could find a lucky piece
of villainy." Unfortunately the banker came under his notice, and Bedlow
and an associate pretended to have heard Staley say the king was a rogue
and a persecutor of the people whom he would stab if no other man was
found to do the deed. These words Carstairs wrote down, and next morning
called on the banker, showed him the treasonable sentence, and said
he would swear it had been uttered by him, unless he, Staley, would
purchase his silence. Though fully aware of his danger, he refused to
do this; whereon Carstairs had him instantly arrested and committed for
trial. Hearing of his situation, and knowing the infamous character of
his accusers, Dr. Burnet thought it his duty to let the lord chancellor
and the attorney-general know "What profligate wretches these
witnesses were." His interference was received with hostility. The
attorney-general took it ill that he should disparage the king's
evidence; Lord Shaftesbury avowed those who sought to undermine the
credit of witnesses were to be looked on as public enemies; whilst the
Duke of Lauderdale said Burnet desired to save Staley because of the
reg