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They could not venture to show any of the private apartments.Blackhead, therefore, after begging importunately, but in-vain, to be suffered to have one look at the study, was forcedto content himself with dropping the Association into a flower-pot which stood in a parlour near the kitchen.

Every thing having been thus prepared, Young informedthe ministers that he could tell them something of the highestimportance to the welfare of the State, and earnestly beggedto be heard. Ilis request reached them on perhaps the mostanxious day of an anxious month. Tourville had just stood outto sea. The army of James was embarking. London was agi-tated by reports about the disaffection of the naval officers.The Queen was deliberating whether she should cashier thosewho were suspected, or try the effect of an appeal to theirhonour and patriotism. At such a moment the ministers couldnot refuse to listen to any person who professed himself ableto give them valuable information. Young and his accomplicewere brought before the Privy Council. They there accusedMarlborough, Cornbury, Salisbury, Sancroft and Sprat of hightreason. These great men, Young said, had invited Jamesto invade England, and had promised to join him. The elo-quent and ingenious Bishop of Rochester had undertaken todraw up a Declaration which would inflame the nation againstthe government of King William. The conspirators were boundtogether by a written instrument. That instrument, signed bytheir own hands, would be found at Bromley if careful searchwas made. Young particularly requested that the messengersmight be ordered to examine the Bishop’s flowerpots.

The ministers were seriously alarmed. The story was cir-cumstantial; and part of it w'as probable. Marlborough’sdealings with Saint Germains were well known to Caermarthen,to Nottingham and to Sidney. Cornbury w'as a tool of Marl-borough, and was the son of a nonjuror and of a notorious

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