Note 362 — Chapter II

Sidney’s diary in Sidney’s Charles II i. 82, 163, 165, 166, 174–176. Sidney, Letters 154. Domestic Intelligence, September 26, 1679. C.J. March 26, 1681. Foley v. 80, 81, 460–467. Burnet ii. 228.

It has been supposed that John Sergeant who bore witness against Gavan was a different person from the eminent controversialist of the same name (see his life in Dict. of Nat. Biog. by Mr. Cooper). His identity is however placed beyond question by the advertisement in the Domestic Intelligence above cited, by despatches of Roman ecclesiastics which refer to “il Dottore Sargentio” without hinting at any change of person, and by the indignant exclamation of Warner (MS. hist. 132), “et, proh dolor! Johannes Sergeantius et David Mauritius” in speaking of the witnesses for the Plot. So too Luttrell (Brief Relation i. 21): “One Sergeant, a secular (who hath writ against Dr. Stillingfleet), is expected from Holland, and ’tis said he will discover several matters about the plot.” The letter of the internuncio from Brussels of March 20/30, 1680 contains the following passage: Ho pregato S. A. di discorrere opportunamente col Sig^r Duca d’Jorch, excitandolo ad opporsi ad ogni tentativo che potesse tentarsi dal Frate Valesio, e delli Dottori Sergeant e Mauritio accioche non si propongà a Catt^ci il giuramento di Fedeltà, gia censurato dalla S. Sede, ò non se ne inventi nuova formula che non sia precedentemente approvata da S. B^ne quale ho assicurato esser per mostrarsi sempre propenso verso le convenienze di S. A. Reale. Vat. Arch. Nunt. di Fiandra 66.