bloodthirsty of Barclays accomplices, was now comfortably settled
as prior of a religious house in France. Lewis denied or evaded
all these charges. "I never," he said, "heard of your Harrison.
As to Barclay, he certainly once had a company; but it has been
disbanded; and what has become of him I do not know. It is true
that Berwick was in London towards the close of 1695; but he was
there only for the purpose of ascertaining whether a descent on
England was practicable; and I am confident that he was no party
to any cruel and dishonourable design." In truth Lewis had a
strong personal motive for defending Berwick. The guilt of
Berwick as respected the Assassination Plot does not appear to
have extended beyond connivance; and to the extent of connivance
Lewis himself was guilty.

Thus the audience terminated. All that was left to Portland was
to announce that the exiles must make their choice between Saint
Germains and fifty thousand a year; that the protocol of Ryswick
bound the English government to pay to Mary of Modena only what
the law gave her; that the law gave her nothing; that
consequently the English government was bound to nothing; and
that, while she, her husband and her child remained where they
were, she should have nothing. It was hoped that this
announcement would produce a considerable effect even in James's
household; and indeed some of his hungry courtiers and priests
seem to have thought the chance of a restoration so small that it
would be absurd to refuse a splendid income, though coupled with
a condition which might make that small chance somewhat smaller.
But it is certain that, if there was murmuring among the
Jacobites, it was disregarded by James. He was fully resolved not
to move, and was only confirmed in his resolution by learning