charges, as they now existed, earlier than September 28, when they
were sent to him by Godfrey.

*See previous note (Pollock, p. 151, note 3.)
**Life of James II. i, p. 534.

It is Mr. Pollock's argument that, when Godfrey and Coleman went
over the Oates papers, Coleman would prove Oates's perjury, and
would to this end let out that, on April 24, the Jesuits met, not
as Oates swore, at a tavern, but at the Duke of York's house, a
secret fatal to the Duke and the Catholic cause. The Jesuits then
slew Godfrey to keep the secret safe.*

*Pollock, p. 153.

Now, first, I cannot easily believe that Coleman would blab this
secret (quite unnecessarily, for this proof of Oates's perjury could
not be, and was not, publicly adduced), unless Godfrey was already
deep in the Catholic intrigues. He may have been, judging by his
relations with Coleman. If Godfrey was not himself engaged in
Catholic intrigues, Coleman need only tell him that Oates was not in
England in April, and could not have been, as he swore he was, at
the 'consult.' Next, Godfrey was not the man (as Mr. Pollock
supposes) to reveal his knowledge to the world, from a sense of
duty, even if the Court 'stifled the plot.' Mr. Pollock says:
'Godfrey was, by virtue of his position as justice of the peace, a
Government official. . . . Sooner or later he would certainly
reveal it. . . . The secret. . . had come into the hands of just
one of the men who could not afford, even if he might wish, to
retain it.'* Mr. Pollock may conceive, though I do not find him