■ffUITAM AND 1TAHY.

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the English exiles to worship God according to their national chai>.forms would be the best prelude to the great attempt. Thatattempt ought to be made early in the spring. A French forcemust undoubtedly accompany His Majesty. But he mustdeclare that he brought that force only for the defence of hisperson and for the protection of his loving subjects, and that,as soon as the foreign oppressors had been expelled, the foreigndeliverers should he dismissed. ITe must also promise to governaccording to law, and must refer all the points which had beenin dispute between him and his people to the decision of aParliament.

It was determined that Preston should carry to Saint Ger- T, '.° ™-

J t spiralors

mains the resolutions and suggestions of the conspirators, fleicr-John Ashton, a person who had been clerk of the closet to sendMary of Modena when she was on the throne, and who was to Saintentirely devoted to the interests of the exiled family, undertookto procure the means of conveyance, and for this purposeengaged the cooperation of a hotheaded young Jacobite namedElliot, who only knew in general that a service of some hazardwas to he rendered to the good cause.

It was easy to find in the port of London a vessel the ownerof which was not scrupulous about the use for which it might hewanted. Ashton and Elliot were introduced to the master of asmack named the James and Elizabeth. The Jacobite agentspretended to be smugglers, and talked of the thousands ofpounds which might be got by a single lucky trip to France andback again. A bargain was struck: a sixpence was broken;and all the arrangements were made for the voyage.

Preston was charged by his friends W'ith a packet containing Papersseveral important papers. Among these was a list of the Eng- topres-lishfleetfumishedby Dartmouth,whowas in communication withsome of his old companions in arms, a minute of the resolutionswhich had been adopted at the meeting of the conspirators, and