Marmaduke, and states that the agent who had visited him, and who
is spoken of as Mr. H, had assured them that your father was
perfectly ready to join, in any well-conceived design for putting a
stop to the sufferings that afflicted the country, through the wars
into which the foreign intruder had plunged it, even though the
plan entailed the removal of the usurper. The writer assured Sir
Marmaduke of the satisfaction that such an agreement on his part
had caused at Saint Germains, and had heightened the high esteem in
which Sir Marmaduke was held, for his long fidelity to the cause of
his majesty. It then went on to state that a plan had been already
formed, and that several gentlemen in the south were deeply pledged
to carry it out, but that it was thought specially advisable that
some from the north should also take part in it, as, from their
persons being unknown near the court, they could act with more
surety and safety. They would, therefore, be glad if he would take
counsel, with the friends he had mentioned, as to what might seem
to them the best course of proceeding. There was no occasion for
any great haste and, indeed, some weeks must elapse before the blow
was struck, in order that preparations should be made, in France,
for taking instant advantage of it.

"The rest of the letter was to the same purpose, but was really a
repetition of it. The second letter was dated some time later, and
was, as before, an answer to one the knight was supposed to have
written. It highly approved of the suggestions therein made; that
Sir Marmaduke and his friends should travel, separately and at a
few days' interval, to London, and should take lodgings there in
different parts of the town, and await the signal to assemble, near
Richmond, when it was known that the king would go hunting there.
It said that special note had been made of the offer of Sir