An abstract the Verdic●… ●gainst Johnso●… Whereas it is unlawful and wicked to Suborn and procure any Witnesses whatsoever by Bribes and Gifts for their Testimony ; nevertheless John Ireton late of London Esq ; and George Johnson Gent . one of the Attorneys of Kings-Bench , falsly , wickedly , and maliciously practicing and tending the said Theodosia to molest , vex and disturb , and Title of the same Theodosia to the Tenements aforesaid to preju●… and destroy ; did on the 4th . day of June in the 29th . year of h●… Majesty's Reign , wickedly and deceitfully , divers great Sums of Mo●… to one Thomas Duffe●t promise and give , and caused to be given a●… procured , that the said Thomas Duffet , or any other by his procurati●… Testimony should give when occasion should be , that the Writing afo●…said , ( viz. ) ( Glovers Lease for 56 years ) was false and counterfeit ; a●… for the fuller reward of such Witness and Testimony 350 l. w●… by the said John Ireton and George Johnson put in a certain Trunk be disposed and paid according to a certain Agreement between one Jac●… Holton on the part of the said Thomas Duffet , and the said Geor●… Johnson had , for and in Reward of such Witness and Testimony manner and form following , viz.

Thus was the Plot laid close and deep , and the Lady Ivie as like ●… hen as ever , to suffer by the Subornation and Perjury of proffligate ●… illains , had not providence very opportunely discovered the whole ●… ystery of Iniquity ; Duffet was resolv'd like a Whirlwind , to sweep ●… ll away , and leave none of the Ladies Deeds and Evidences with●… ut the Stain of his infectious breath : But the apprehension of the ●… uilt he was to wade through , and of his being catch'd in his own ●… nare , so daunted his resolution , that he drop'd some words before ●… he Attorney-General , which occasion'd the discovery of the whole ●… ombination . For Sir Robert Cotton and he drew the two following Petitions to His Majesty , in order to get the Pardon he agreed for with Johnson , which were immediately referred to Sir William Jones ●… hen Attorney-General ; but Sir William , though of Councel at that time against the Lady Ivie , yet thinking it unreasonable to grant an absolute Pardon to any , before he made appear he deserv'd the Kings mercy , made the ensuing Report upon the said Petitions , which spoil'd the whole contrivance .

Now Duffet very much doubting the success of his desperate undertaking , and being still apprehensive of some danger , after he owned the pretended Forgery , till he had obtained the Kings Pardon , goes with Johnson to Sir William Jones , to know what Report he had made upon his Petition ; and finding there was a Block put in his way , which he could neither , remove nor leap over , no absolute Pardon to be granted till he had made out his discovery , he grew very angry with Johnson before the Attorney General , and told him , That was none of his agreement with him . Mr. Attorney startled at this and , some other expressions to the same purpose that drop'd between them in their Passion , smelt there was something more than ordinary in the Case , and no doubt a great deal of Roguery in the bottom ; and therefore was so just , ( though engaged then against the Lady Ivye , ) as soon after to give her an account of what had happen'd . The Lady very much surpriz'd at the Intelligence , enquired with all possible diligence into the matter , and in few dayes found out the Combination . For Holton being ask'd about it by a Friend , did freely confess the whole Contrivance ; and Duffet to save his own Bacon , charged it upon Ireton and Johnson ; whereupon the latter was Convicted of Subornation , the other very narrowly escaping .

Thus was this wicked Plot happily discovered , and thereby so great a blow given to Ireton and his Confederates , that they never since durst come to any further Tryal upon that Title ; though Duffet's Wife , since her Husbands death , longing for the 500 l. he was so unluckily disappointed of , boldly offer'd to supply his place , being resolv'd ( since all other Trades fail'd her , ) to Swear through thick and thin to gain an Honest Livelihood , though by the Sweat of her Conscience ; which to be sure is very nice and tender , and therefore cannot well be suppos'd capable of wilful Perjury , though perhaps she makes no great scruple to have liv'd many years , and with many men in Adultery . Yet Mr. Ireton , afraid it seems of being catch'd a second time , as a burnt child dreads the fire , durst not all this while make use of her powerful breath , and thinking perhaps that another might prove more dextrous at palming than himself ; he recommends her at last , with some other Auxiliares , to our famous Groom-Porter , who has since imployed her with good success to the amazement of a great many . 'T is no wonder indeed , especially in this Swearing Age we live in , that a Lewd , Loose Woman might be found , that would Swear any thing for Bread and Revenge ; but that People of Sense and Judgment should conclude the Lady Ivye Guilty upon the bare Oath of such an Evidence , and with such unlikely Circumstances , is very much to be admired . For all she Swore at the Tryal , was , That she saw her Husband Forge for the Lady Ivye several Deeds , and among the rest , a Lease to Glover some things 〈…〉 years agoe , ( and to confirm the matter , added , ) That the Lady her self was so dextrous at it , that she often directed Duffet , and shew'd him how to Counterfeit such Writings . But that Glovers Lease then under Examination , or any other there produced by the Lady Ivye was Forg'd , she had not the Confidence , though Conscience large enough to Swear it ; she would not be positive , no more than the Ignoramus Doctor , for fear of being catch'd by the Tongue . Yet Mr. Neal thinks she has done mighty matters by Swearing these Generals , without offering any particular instance ; and because she chanc'd to gain belief at that time with People that knew her not , not her good Qualities , he is Cock-sure of the Victory , and cryes , All the Lady Ivyes Deeds are sound Counterfeit . But I am satisfied , he will e're long find his mistake , and Glovers Lease made out to the full by several persons of good Credit many years before Duffet was Married , and by some before the was Born .

As for the other Leases of Carter and Roper in Philip and Mary's time , which he makes such a clamour about , because they seem mis-stil'd , whether they stand or fall , is not very Material to the Lady Ivyes Title : For I find they were not made by any of her Ancestors , but by a Tenant of the Dean of St. Pauls to his Under-Tenants , and found many years since amongst their Writings ; as appears by an old Manuscript of Mr. Wtnterburns own Hand-writing , wherein he mentions all the Leases relating to the Deans Lands in Wapping from the 2 d . and 3 d . of Philip and Mary to the begining of King Charles the First , with the several Assignments from one Tenant to another , and the Butts and Bounds of every Lease , and those of Carter and Roper recited amongst the rest . And to think the Lady Ivye so notorious a Fool ( let us suppose her never so wicked ) as to Forge other Peoples Leases , which made little or nothing for her purpose , when she might as well , and with a prospect of far greater Advantages , have Forg'd some of her own , is an odd sort of a fancy . For I remember soon after the Fire , she complain'd to have lost several Deeds and Papers of great consequence , and in vain got them cryed about the Town ; which , if found , I am confident , would now be very useful to her ; can any man then believe , but she wou'd rather Counterfeit those Deeds she formerly lost , which made her Title unquestionable , than Forge other Peoples Leases very im●… nt to her pretensions ? Or if she was so dextrous at Forging , as this Baggage has Sworn , was she not the maddest of Mortal●… ; make use of another , that cou'd afterwards betray her , and am●… all pitch upon one she had but lately very much disoblig'd ? A●… was it not double maddness to make Duffet's Wife privy to the w●…edness , whose help was altogether needless ?

But I will make no further remarks at present , only tell you 〈…〉 Rooks are often successful in their Tricks and Legerdemains ; 〈…〉 when their False Dice happen to be discovered , they are forc'd 〈…〉 pay for all , to their great shame and confusion . Johnson contr●… his Plot with a great deal of Art and Cunning , having it seems 〈…〉 Advice of one of our Ablest Serjeants to direct him ; yet he was ca●… at last , and expos'd to the World , as he deserv'd , for a notorious●…postor . What measures others have since taken to the like purp●… is not my business to examin ; only this I can say , 't is not unrea●…able to suspect there must be something extraordinary in the ma●… when Mr. Neal refus'd the Fairest Offers imaginable , made to him the Lady Ivye in order to an amicable accomodation , without●…hausting each other with endless Suites at Law .

First , she would refer the whole controversy to the King 〈…〉 Councel , with Bonds from both Parties to be concluded by T●… determination , and Security of her side , to settle on Mr. Neal , 〈…〉 case Judgement was given for her . ) 500 l. per annum out of 〈…〉 Lands in question . But this being rejected , to the admiration 〈…〉 great many , she offer'd again to refer all , upon the same terms 〈…〉 the Judges of the Common Pleas , and of the Exchequer . And 〈…〉 also being refused , she proposed at last the same Judges with 〈…〉 Lord Keeper , and the Bishops of Canterbury , London , and Winche●… with the like Bonds to be finally concluded by their Judgment ; 〈…〉 to give Mr. Neal , in case she got the better , the said Sum of 50 〈…〉 per annum out of the Estate recovered .

But all would not do , the Referees seem'd too great to be prev●… with , and too judicious to be imposed upon by little tricks and 〈…〉 not fit to be mentioned , for one of Mr. Neal's dexterity , to su●… their arbitration ; and therefore nothing will serve his turn , bu●… very dint of Law , though by his own confession vastly more cha●… able , having lately declared to some Friends , that his Tryal with 〈…〉 Lady Ivie had cost him Fifteen Thousand Pounds ; whereas by 〈…〉 old honest way of proceeding , 't is hardly credible , it could c●… ●… e Hundred ; and what the rest hath been laid out for , I leave to 〈◇〉 world to Judge .

Now Sir , if upon the whole matter , this seems to you a sure Title ●… ay out your Money upon , or venture in one day , what you have ●… n gathering for so many years , I have no more to say , but leave ●… to your own discretion . For my part , if I may judge by what ●… w of the Lady Ivies Deeds and Evidences , while I was of Coun●… or her , or by all that I could since learn from persons concern'd in 〈…〉 business , I can hardly believe that any thing of fair and honest ●… ling can defeat her Title . And this I can assure you , that I never ●… rd of any tricks or devices made use of by the Lady Ivie to sup●… t her Cause , or run down her Adversaries ; but am told of seve●… contriv'd by the other Party to deprive her of her Right ; As their ●… ainous contrivance before-mentioned , manag'd by their Agent ●… nson : Their keeping the Ladies Writings for several days after 〈…〉 Tryal was over , 'till they had got Copies of all : Their at●… pting to raze some of her Deeds , that they might afterwards ●… ar them forg'd ; a plain argument they could not otherwise dis●… ve them : Their reporting that the Lady Ivie had sent a present of 〈…〉 Guineys to my Lady Jeffriys , in order to gain my Lord Chief ●… tices favour ; which being no less an affront upon his Lordship , ●… n a malitious calumny upon the Lady Ivie , I am sorry the Story ●… not been further enquir'd into , and the Authors punish'd as they ●… rv'd ; for I am satisfy'd , and my Lord Chief Justice himself can ●… the Lady Ivie never did either by her self , or by any other make such application for his Lordships favour : But as she was ever of the justness of her Cause , so she did not in the least mistrust his ●… dships Justice and Integrity ; though her Adversaries were so impu●… as to report ( which no doubt is but such another malitious inven●… as the former , and coyn'd by the same Party ) that they had him sure ●… heir side : And to omit several other Stratagems , their buzzing 〈…〉 King , that unless the Lady Ivie be discountenanced , and her Deeds ●… ved counterfeit , she will go near to recover a Hundred Thousand ●… nds a year ; whereas 't is plain she never claim'd the fifth , and I ●… onfident , would quit all for the tenth part of that Sum ; besides , no honest man will think it just , to deprive any of his right , be●… e he has a Title to too great an Estate .