Editing Popish Plot (section)

===Investigations===
As Kenyon points out, the government took seriously even the remotest hint of a threat to the King's life or well-being – in the previous spring a Newcastle housewife had been investigated by the Secretary of State simply for saying that "the King gets the curse of many good and faithful wives such as myself for his bad example".{{sfn|Kenyon|1985|p=61}} Danby, who seems to have believed in the Plot, advised the King to order an investigation. Charles II denied the request, maintaining that the entire affair was absurd. He told Danby to keep the events secret so as not to put the idea of [[regicide]] into people's minds.{{sfn|Pollock|2005|p=73–74}} However, word of the manuscript spread to the Duke of York, who publicly called for an investigation into the matter.{{sfn|Kenyon|1985|pp=68–69}} Even Charles admitted that given the sheer number of allegations, he could not say positively that none of them was true, and reluctantly agreed. During the investigation, Oates' name arose. From the first, the King was convinced that Oates was a liar, and Oates did not help his case by claiming to have met the regent of [[Spain]], [[John of Austria the Younger|Don John of Austria]]. Questioned by the King, who had met Don John in [[Brussels]] in 1656, it became obvious that Oates had no idea what he looked like.{{sfn|Kenyon|1985|p=80}} The King had a long and frank talk with [[Paul Barillon]], the French ambassador, in which he made it clear that he did not believe that there was a word of truth in the plot, and that Oates was "a wicked man"; but that by now he had come round to the view that there must be an investigation, particularly with Parliament about to reassemble.{{sfn|Kenyon|1985|p=84}}

On 6 September Oates was summoned before the magistrate [[Edmund Berry Godfrey|Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey]] to swear an oath prior to his testimony before the King. Oates claimed he had been at a [[Jesuit]] meeting held at the White Horse Tavern in the [[Strand, London]], on April 24, 1678.{{sfn|Williams|1958|pp=104-118}} According to Oates, the purpose of that meeting was to discuss the assassination of [[Charles II of England|Charles II]]. The meeting discussed a variety of methods which included: stabbing by Irish ruffians, shooting by two Jesuit soldiers, or poisoning by the Queen's physician, [[George Wakeman|Sir George Wakeman]].{{sfn|Williams|1958|pp=104-118}}

Oates and Tonge were brought before the [[Privy Council]] later that month, and the Council interrogated Oates for several hours; Tonge, who was generally believed to be mad, was simply laughed at, but Oates made a much better impression on the council. On 28 September Oates made 43 allegations against various members of Catholic [[religious order]]s – including 541 Jesuits – and numerous Catholic nobles. He accused [[Sir George Wakeman]] and [[Edward Colman (martyr)|Edward Colman]], the secretary to [[Mary of Modena]] [[Duchess of York]], of planning the assassination. Colman was found to have corresponded with the French [[Jesuit]] Fr Ferrier, confessor to [[Louis XIV]], outlining his grandiose schemes for obtaining a dissolution of the present Parliament, in the hope of its replacement by a new and pro-French Parliament; in the wake of this revelation he was condemned to death for [[treason]]. Wakeman was later acquitted. Despite Oates' unsavoury reputation, the councillors were impressed by his confidence, his grasp of detail and his remarkable memory. A turning point came when he was shown five letters, supposedly written by well-known priests and giving details of the plot, which he was suspected of forging: Oates "at a single glance" named each of the alleged authors. At this the council were "amazed" and began to give much greater credence to the plot; apparently it did not occur to them that Oates' ability to recognise the letters made it ''more'' likely, rather than less, that he had forged them.{{sfn|Kenyon|1985|p=79}}

Others Oates accused included Dr. William Fogarty, [[Archbishop Peter Talbot]] of [[Dublin]], [[Samuel Pepys]] and [[John Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse]]. The list grew to 81 accusations. Oates was given a squad of soldiers and he began to round up Jesuits.