WILLIAM AND MAEY.

67

Was it not probable, then, that calumny might have deprivedhim of his master’s favour in January?

Young’s resources were not yet exhausted. As soon as hehad been carried back from Whitehall to Newgate, he sethimself to construct a new plot, and to find a new accomplice.He addressed himself to a man named Holland, who was in thelowest state of poverty. Never, said Young, was there sucha golden opportunity. A bold, shrewd, fellow might easilyearn five hundred pounds. To Holland five hundred poundsseemed fabulous w'ealth. What, he asked, was he to do for it?Nothing, he was told, but to speak the truth, that was to say,substantial truth, a little disguised and coloured. There reallywas a plot; and this would have been proved if Blackhead hadnot been bought off. His desertion had made it necessary tocall in the help of fiction. “You must swear that you andI were in a back room upstairs at the Lobster in Southwark.Some men came to meet us there. They gave a password beforethey were admitted. They were all in white camlet cloaks.They signed the Association in our presence. Then they paideach his shilling and went away. And you must be ready toidentify my Lord Marlborough and the Bishop of Rochesteras two of these men.” “How can I identify them?” saidHolland, “I never saw them.” “You must contrive to seethem,” answered the tempter, “as soon as you can. TheBishop will be at the Abbey. Anybody about the Court willpoint out my Lord Marlborough.” Holland immediately wentto Whitehall, and repeated this conversation to Nottingham.The unlucky imitator of Oates was prosecuted, by order of thegovernment, for perjury, subornation of perjury, and forgery.He was convicted and imprisoned, was again set in the pillory,and underwent, in addition to the exposure, about which hecared little, such a pelting as had seldom been known. * After* Baden to the States General, Feb. 1693.

5 *

CHAP.

XVIII.

1692 .