It was immediately ordered that Fenwick should be brought to the bar with all speed.  Cutts, who sate in the House as member for Cambridgeshire, was directed to provide a sufficient escort, and was especially enjoined to take care that the prisoner should have no opportunity of making or receiving any communication, oral or written, on the road from Newgate to Westminster.  The House then adjourned till the afternoon.

At five o’clock, then a late hour, the mace was again put on the table; candles were lighted; and the House and lobby were carefully cleared of strangers.  Fenwick was in attendance under a strong guard.  He was called in, and exhorted from the chair to make a full and ingenuous confession.  He hesitated and evaded.  “I cannot say any thing without the King’s permission.  His Majesty may be displeased if what ought to be known only to him should be divulged to others.”  He was told that his apprehensions were groundless.  The King well knew that it was the right and the duty of his faithful Commons to inquire into whatever concerned the safety of his person and of his government.  “I may be tried in a few days,” said the prisoner.  “I ought not to be asked to say any thing which may rise up in judgment against me.”  “You have nothing to fear,” replied the Speaker, “if you will only make a full and free discovery.  No man ever had reason to repent of having dealt candidly with the Commons of England.”  Then Fenwick begged for delay.  He was not a ready orator; his memory was bad; he must have time to prepare himself.  He was told, as he had been told a few days before in the royal closet, that, prepared or unprepared, he could not but remember the principal plots in which he had been engaged, and the names of his chief accomplices.  If he would honestly relate what it was quite impossible that he could have forgotten, the House would make all fair allowances, and would grant him time to recollect subordinate details.  Thrice he was removed from the bar; and thrice he was brought back.  He was solemnly informed that the opportunity then given him of earning the favour of the Commons would probably be the last.  He persisted in his refusal, and was sent back to Newgate.

It was then moved that his confession was false and scandalous.  Coningsby proposed to add that it was a contrivance to create jealousies between the King and good subjects for the purpose of screening real traitors.  A few implacable and unmanageable Whigs, whose hatred of Godolphin had not been mitigated by his resignation, hinted their doubts whether the whole paper ought to be condemned.  But after a debate in which Montague particularly distinguished himself the motion was carried.  One or two voices cried “No;” but nobody ventured to demand a division.