THE TRYALS OF WILLIAM IRELAND, THOMAS PICKERING AND JOHN GROVE; for Conspiring to Murder the King: who upon full evidence were found guilty of High Treason, at the sessions-House in the Old-Baily, December the 17th, 1678. And received sentence accordingly.
London: Printed for Robert Pawlet, 1678. First Edition. 4to, pp. 84. One inch cut to the foredge (not affecting any letterpress). Bound in later plain wraps, a very good copy. Wing T2268. Item #48599
From Wikipedia: "Ireland was the eldest son of William Ireland of Crofton Hall, Yorkshire, by Barbara, a daughter of Ralph Eure of Washingborough, Lincolnshire, by his first wife. Ireland was educated at the English College, St. Omer; admitted to the Society of Jesus at Watten, 1655; professed, 1673; and was for several years confessor to the Poor Clares at Gravelines.
In 1677, Ireland was sent on the English Mission and appointed procurator of the province. On the night of 28 September 1678, he was arrested by constables led by Titus Oates, and taken before the privy council. Among those who shared his fate was John Grove, a layman and the nominal occupier of that part of Wild House, London, occupied by the Jesuits and the Spanish ambassador; also Thomas Jenison and John Fenwick. Together with Thomas Pickering, Ireland and Grove were said to have planned on 19 August, in the rooms of the Jesuit William Harcourt, to assassinate the king Charles II at Newmarket. Oates and William Bedloe swore that Grove was to have £1500 for the job and Pickering 30,000 Masses. The sworn testimony of Gates and Bedloe impressed the jury, and Chief Justice William Scroggs summed up against Ireland. After confinement in Newgate Prison, Ireland was sentenced to death on 17 December. Ireland wrote a journal in Newgate, which accounted for every day of his absence from London between 3 August and 14 September, but a Sarah Pain swore that she saw him in Fetter Lane on 20 August. After two reprieves Ireland and Grove were executed together at Tyburn, Grove saying: "We are innocent, we lose our lives wrongfully, we pray God to forgive them that are the causes of it." A deposition against Ireland's alibi was subsequently published by Robert Jenison, and further charges were brought against Ireland in John Smith's Narrative containing a further Discovery of the Popish Plot of 1679.
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