JAMES THE SECOND.

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such fallacies, the dregs of the Jesuitical casuistry, should CH ^ P -have had power to seduce men of heroic spirit, both Whigs J6 s5.and Tories, into a crime on which divine and human lawshave justly set a peculiar note of infamy. But no sophism istoo gross to delude minds distempered by party spirit.*

Argyle, who survived Rumbold a few hours, left a dyingtestimony to the virtues of the gallant Englishman. “PoorRumbold was a great support to me, and a brave man, anddied Christianly.” **

Ayloffe showed as much contempt of death as either Argyle 5y* 0 ff e “ for Rumbold: but his end did not, like theirs, edify piousminds. Though political sympathy had drawn him towardsthe Puritans, he had no religious sympathy with them, andwas indeed regarded by them as little better than an atheist.

He belonged to that section of the Whigs which sought formodels rather among the patriots of Greece and Rome thanamong the prophets and judges of Israel. He was takenprisoner, and carried to Glasgow. There he attempted todestroy himself with a small penknife: but, though he gavehimself several wounds, none of them proved mortal, andhehad strength enough left to bear a journey to London. He wasbrought before the Privy Council, and interrogated by theKing, but had too much elevation of mind to save himself byinforming against others. A story was current among the

* Wodrow, III. ix. 10.; Western Martyrology; Burnet, i. 633.; Fox'sHistory Appendix iv. I can find no way, except that indicated in the text,of reconciling Rumbold’s denial that he had ever admitted into his mindthe thought of assassination with his confession that he had himselfmentioned his own house as a convenient place for an attack on theroyal brothers. The distinction which I suppose him to have taken wastaken by another Rye House conspirator, who was, like him, an oldsoldier of the Commonwealth, Captain Walcot. On Walcot’s trial, West,the witness for the crown, said, “Captain, you did agree to be one ofthose that were to fight the Guards.” “What, then, was the reason,”asked Chief Justice Pemberton, “that he would not kill the King?”

“He said,” answered West, “that it was a base thing to kill a nakedman, and he would not do it.”

** Wodrow, III. ix. 9.