The religious settlement had re-established the Church of England, but presbyterians and other dissenters were suspicious of what they considered its 'Popish' practices.
[citation needed] Paul Hobson, a Particular Baptist preacher who was involved in the planning of the rebellion, was arrested on 20 August.
One was Joshua Greathead, a local squire who had fought in the Civil War in Oliver Cromwell's army and had led his own squadron.
Farnley, lying halfway between Leeds and Morley and largely wooded, provided an ideal location to meet in numbers.
The declared objectives of the plot were "to re-establish a gospel ministry and magistracy; to restore the Long Parliament; to relieve themselves from the excise and all subsidies and to reform all orders and degrees of men, especially the lawyers and clergy".
On the morning of 12 October 1663, a poor turn-out of only 26 men had convened, mostly Presbyterian local farmers and businessmen, who were not prepared to fight in battle.
However, Greathead had turned informer after being overruled in favour of the plans made by Oates and had alerted the authorities, who set in motion the arrest of the 26 people.
Three of the men (Robert Atkins, John Errington and Henry Wilson) had managed to escape to Leeds.
This legislative step has been attributed to the effect on domestic politics of the uncovering of the ramifications of the plot for a northern rebellion.