104

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

chap, another leader. They sent an embassy to that solitary retreati6s5, on the shores of Lake Leman where Edmund Ludlow, onceconspicuous among the chiefs of the parliamentary army andamong the members of the High Court of Justice, had, duringmany years, hidden himself from the vengeance of therestoredStuarts. The stern old regicide, however, refused to quithis hermitage. His work, he said, was done. If Englandwas still to be saved, she must be saved by younger men.*

The unexpected demise of the crown changed the wholeaspect of affairs. Any hope which the proscribed Whigsmight have cherished of returning peaceably to their nativeland was extinguished by the death of a careless and good-natured prince, and by the accession of a prince obstinatein all things, and especially obstinate in revenge. Fergusonwas in his element. Destitute of the talents both of a writerand of a statesman, he had in a high degree the unenviablequalifications of a tempter; and now, with the malevolentactivity and dexterity of an evil spirit, he ran from outlaw tooutlaw, chattered in every ear, and stirred up in every bosomsavage animosities and wild desires.

tie no longer despaired of being able to seduce Monmouth.The situation of that unhappy young man was completelychanged. While he was dancing and skating at the Hague,and expecting every day a summons to London, he was over-whelmed with misery by the tidings of his father’s death andof his uncle’s accession. During the night which followedthe arrival of the news, those who lodged near him coulddistinctly hear his sobs and his piercing cries. He quitted theHague the next day, having solemnly pledged his word, bothto the Prince and to the Princess of Orange, not to attemptanything against the government of England, and having beensupplied by them with money to meet immediate demands.*** Wade’s Confession, Harl. MS. 6845.

** Avaux Neg. Feb. 20. 22. 4685; Monmouth's letter to James fromRingwood.