king would return, and thus they missed the opportunity, for Rumbold, who went down, said the king and duke passed the place with only fire life-guards. Various other plans were then laid—one to cut off the king betwixt Windsor and Hampton Court.
Secretary Jenkins, after listening to this recital, told Keeling that it would require another witness to establish a charge of treason against the conspirators, and Keeling fetched his brother John, who swore with him to these and many other particulars—namely, that Goodenough had organised a plan for raising twenty districts in the city, and that twenty thousand pounds were to be distributed amongst the twenty managers of these districts. That the duke of Monmouth was to head the insurrection, a person called the colonel was to furnish one thousand pounds, and different men in different parts of the country were to raise their own neighbourhoods. That the murder now was to come off at the next bull-feast in Red Lion Fields. Two days after they added that Goodenough had informed them that lord William Russell would enter heart and soul into the design of killing the king and the duke of York.
The Duke of Monmouth. From an authentic Portrait.
A proclamation was immediately issued for the arrest of Rumbold, colonel Rumsey, Walcot, Wade, Nelthorp, Thompson, Burton, and Hone; but it was supposed that John Keeling, who had been reluctantly dragged into the affair by Josiah, had given them warning, and they had all got out of the way. Barber, the instrument maker of Wapping, however, was taken, and declared that he had never understood that the design was against the king, but only against the duke. West soon surrendered himself, and in hope of pardon, gave most extensive evidence against Ferguson and a dozen others; like Gates and Bedloe, continually adding fresh facts and dragging in fresh people. He said Ferguson had brought money to buy arms; that Wildman had been furnished with means to buy arms; and that lord Howard of Escrick had gone deep into it. That
