WILLIAM AND MANY.

107

that danger had subsided, when the lenity of the government ciiap.had permitted some conspirators to leave their prisons and had —encouraged others to venture out of their hidingplaces, thefaction which had been prostrated and stunned began to givesigns of returning animation. The old traitors again musteredat the old haunts, exchanged significant looks and eagerwhispers, and drew from their pockets libels on the Court ofKensington, and letters in milk and lemon juice from the Courtof Saint Germains. Preston, Dartmouth, Clarendon, Penn,were among the most busy. With them was leagued the non-juring Bishop of Ely, who was still permitted by the governmentto reside in the palace, now no longer his own, and who had,but a short time before, called heaven to witness that hedetested the thought of inviting foreigners to invade England.

One good opportunity had been lost; but another was at hand,and must not be suffered to escape. The usurper would soonhe again out of England. The administration would soon beagain confided to a weak woman and a divided council. Theyear which was closing had certainly been unlucky; but thatwhich was about to commence might be more auspicious.

In December a meeting of the leading Jacobites was held.*

The sense of the assembly, which consisted exclusively of leaili ”s

J 1 v oonspira-

Protestants, was that something ought to be attempted, but tors,that the difficulties were great. None ventured to recommendthat James should come over unaccompanied by regular troops.

Yet all, taught by the experience of the preceding summer,dreaded the effect which might be produced by the sight ofFrench uniforms and standards on English ground. A paperwas drawn up which would, it was hoped, convince both James

* My account of this conspiracy is chiefly taken from the evidence, oraland documentary, which was produced on the trial of the conspirators.

See also Burnet, ii. 69, 70., and the Life of Janies, ii. 441. Narcissus Lut-trell remarks that no Roman Catholic appeared to have been admitted tothe consultations of the conspirators*