t House visiting the queen, at
the time when, according to Bedlow, the deed had been committed. His
majesty had been attended by a company of guards, and sentries had been
placed at every door; yet not one of them had witnessed a scuffle, or
heard a noise. Moreover, on the king sending Bedlow to Somerset House,
that he might indicate the apartment in which the magistrate's remains
had lain three days, he pointed out a room where the footman waited, and
through which the queen's meals were daily carried.

But the dishonesty of his character and falsity of his statements by
no means prevented the majority of his hearers from believing, or
pretending to believe, his statements; and therefore, encouraged by
the ready reception they met, he ventured to make fresh and startling
revelations. Heedless of the oath he had taken on the first day of his
examination, regarding his ignorance of the popish plot, he now asserted
he was well acquainted with all its details. For some four years he
had been in the secret employment of the wicked Jesuits, and knew
they intended to stab and poison his majesty, establish catholicity
in England, and make the pope king. So far, indeed, had their evil
machinations been planned, that several popish peers already held
commissions for posts they expected to fill in the future. Lord Bellasis
and Lord Powis were appointed commanders of the forces in the north
and south; whilst Lord Arundel of Wardour had permission to grant such
positions as he pleased. Then the Dukes of Buckingham, Ormond, and
Monmouth, with Lords Shaftesbury and Ossory, together with many others,
were to be murdered by forty thousand papists, who were ready to rise up
all over the country at a moment's notice. "Nor was there," he added,
"a Roman Catholic of any quality or credit but was acquainted with these
designs and had received the sacrament from their father confessors to
be secret in carrying it out."

It by no means pleased Oates that Bedlow should surpass him in his
knowledge of this hellish plot. Therefore, that he might not lose
in repute as an informer, he now declared he was also aware of the
commissions held by popish peers. He, however, assigned them in a
different order. Arundel was to be made chancellor; Powis, treasurer;
Bellasis general of the army; Petre, lieutenant-general; Ratcliffe,
major-general; Stafford, paymaster-general; and Langhorn,
advocate-general. Nay, his information far outstripped Bedlow's, for