aid, and rejects a domestic plot. If the letter is genuine, the writer was probably Lord Orrery. The Jacobites believed it was written by Atterbury; first, that it might reach the Government and lull their fears; next, that his allies might see his real opinion of the futility of Ormond's Plot. The writer speaks of a Junta of Five, in which he forms part: one of the Five is in the country. There was such a Junta, consisting of Orrery, Arran, Gower, Atterbury, and North and Grey. The scheme of self-help is that of a landing by Ormond and Dillon, with officers and Irish enlisted abroad. Now, in November 1722, Commodore Scott, of the Dragon, not having the Laws of Nations before his eyes, calmly seized a vessel named The Revolution, Captain Galway, lying in the harbour of Genoa, and having on board the son of 'Captain Will Morgan" (whose letter Atterbury had read), with several other Jacobites. Some of their papers the prisoners destroyed; others were found, and established the following facts. Since 1718, three ships of the exiled king's had been prowling about from Morlaix to Cadiz: one of them had been meant to convey Charles XII. to Scotland, others had been intended to carry Ormond to England, before the futile Rising crushed at Glenshiel, in 1719. The commanders were Galway, Morgan, and Forbes, with two Wogans, Nicholas, younger of Rathcoffy, and his cousin, also Nicholas, brother of Sir Charles Wogan, who had just rescued Maria Clementina Sobieski from Innspruck, and carried her to the Chevalier. The original affair of 1718 and the sequel of 1719 being failures, we find Morgan telling Nicholas Wogan, in June 1721, that Dillon and Sir Henry

Goring will soon have business for him. The same pseudonyms (Chivers and Hoare) are used as in Atterbury's correspondence, to mean Dillon and Goring, and Kelly, Atterbury's secretary, is quoted by Morgan. Goring's plan of June 1721 had failed by September 1721. The crew were described by Morgan as "Hellish," and the adventurers, in disgust, were thinking of private commercial enterprise. "All Goring's partners are cowards in trade" (Nov. 7, 1721). Worthy Captain Morgan could get no money, the seamen were suspicious, and he was actually going to Madagascar on ordinary business, when, between February and April 1722, the ships were again chartered by the Jacobites to transport Ormond, with Irish recruits, for the attack on London. But, in addition to other warnings, Sir Luke Schaub from Paris sent news on April 29, 1722 (probably from Cardinal Dubois), and thereby exploded the whole plot of Atterbury's "young merchants." "They think they have no further occasion for foreign assistance. They reckon upon the greatest part of his Majesty's troops. The Pretender himself is ready to begin his journey. . . The middle of May is still their appointed time." Lord Lansdowne, James's friend in Paris, by asking the Regent to remain neutral, had, in fact, revealed the plot, which was then communicated by Dubois to the English ambassador, Schaub, and by him to his Government. Ormond had also asked leave to pass through France. This was refused. He was next denied permission to embark from Spain. James's movements in Italy were watched and reported. The Earl Marischal was stopped in in Spain. "Digby," of Atterbury's letters,

by a simple manœuvre, was tracked from Waters's, the banker's, and proved to be Dillon. A scheme for carrying Prince Charles (aged two!) to Scotland was frustrated. On May 19, Kelly, Atterbury's secretary, was arrested in London. By the beginning of June a camp was formed in Hyde Park, where the soldiers could not easily be corrupted. From Rome James was reported to be " more melancholy than ever," which is not surprising. By the middle of June 1722, in fact, the whole plot for overthrowing the Government by aid of Ormond, some officers, some Irish recruits, and a Scotch rising under an innocent unhappy baby, was overthrown. The Wogans retired to Paris.

Now, in this collapse of hope, comes on the scene Mr Christopher Layer, barrister-at-law, with "The Scheme." "The Scheme" was only a development of that in which Ormond was to lead; his place was to be taken by Lord North and Grey (appointed by James in January), a general who was in the Junta of Five, with Atterbury, and who had lost an arm at Blenheim. That such a man should even glance at such a plot proves the incredible infatuation of the Jacobites. North soon declined into a forlorn exile, all because he, a nobleman of courage and character, chose to mix himself up with the most harebrained chatterer whom Jacobite frivolity ever begot.

Mr Layer is said to have been the son of a lace-merchant in Holborn, and he told his examiners that he had imbibed Jacobite principles from an uncle in Norfolk. He practised at the Bar, and had an ill name for a loose life. Mrs Layer, however, was his associate in his schemes, and was greatly pleased at making the

acquaintance of "dear Lady" this, and "charming Lady" the other. On April 1, 1721, Layer went to Rome by way of Venice, in company with one John Plunket, a Jesuit, or a person trained by the Jesuits. Now, whereas Layer represented himself always as an amateur Jacobite, unacquainted with and unaccredited by the party, this Plunket had certainly been in the foremost rank of conspirators, since 1713 at least. Among his papers were letters from the Duke of Berwick, dated 1713, with other letters, proving his intimacy with Mary of Modena, the exiled widow of James II. Now, on March 22, 1721, Plunket wrote from London to the Chevalier, saying "The gentleman I mentioned to you formerly is come out of the country, with instructions to wait on you, and tender you their service. He offers to bear my expenses if I go with him. . . . I believe I shall accept of his offer." This gentleman was Layer, who, as we saw, left England for Rome with Plunket on April 1, ten days after Plunket's letter to James. Thus Layer, far from making a tour of curiosity, and visiting James as a mere amateur Jacobite, was accompanied by a veteran and trusted conspirator, and bore a List of Norfolk gentlemen, with their salutations to James. Rome he was led, at night, up the stair out of the cellar into James's rooms that stair, according to Jacobite gossip, was very familiar, in after-years, to the Duke of Bedford, of all people! Layer was, later, introduced to Clementina, and it was arranged that the exiled King and Queen should stand sponsors, by proxy, to Layer's child. And, consequently, Lord North and the Duchess of Ormond did act as proxies, much,

In

aid, and rejects a domestic plot. If the letter is genuine, the writer was probably Lord Orrery. The Jacobites believed it was written by Atterbury; first, that it might reach the Government and lull their fears; next, that his allies might see his real opinion of the futility of Ormond's Plot. The writer speaks of a Junta of Five, in which he forms part: one of the Five is in the country. There was such a Junta, consisting of Orrery, Arran, Gower, Atterbury, and North and Grey. The scheme of self-help is that of a landing by Ormond and Dillon, with officers and Irish enlisted abroad. Now, in November 1722, Commodore Scott, of the Dragon, not having the Laws of Nations before his eyes, calmly seized a vessel named The Revolution, Captain Galway, lying in the harbour of Genoa, and having on board the son of "Captain Will Morgan" (whose letter Atterbury had read), with several other Jacobites. Some of their papers the prisoners destroyed; others were found, and established the following facts. Since 1718, three ships of the exiled king's had been prowling about from Morlaix to Cadiz: one of them had been meant to convey Charles XII. to Scotland, others had been intended to carry Ormond to England, before the futile Rising crushed at Glenshiel, in 1719. The commanders were Galway, Morgan, and Forbes, with two Wogans, Nicholas, younger of Rathcoffy, and his cousin, also Nicholas, brother of Sir Charles Wogan, who had just rescued Maria Clementina Sobieski from Innspruck, and carried her to the Chevalier. The original affair of 1718 and the sequel of 1719 being failures, we find Morgan telling Nicholas Wogan, in June 1721, that Dillon and Sir Henry

Goring will soon have business for him. The same pseudonyms (Chivers and Hoare) are used as in Atterbury's correspondence, to mean Dillon and Goring, and Kelly, Atterbury's secretary, is quoted by Morgan. Goring's plan of June 1721 had failed by September 1721. The crew were described by Morgan as "Hellish," and the adventurers, in disgust, were thinking of private commercial enterprise. "All Goring's partners are cowards in trade" (Nov. 7, 1721). Worthy Captain Morgan could get no money, the seamen were suspicious, and he was actually going to Madagascar on ordinary business, when, between February and April 1722, the ships were again chartered by the Jacobites to transport Ormond, with Irish recruits, for the attack on London. But, in addition to other warnings, Sir Luke Schaub from Paris sent news on April 29, 1722 (probably from Cardinal Dubois), and thereby exploded the whole plot of Atterbury's "young merchants." "They think they have no further occasion for foreign assistance. They reckon upon the greatest part of his Majesty's troops. The Pretender himself is ready to begin his journey. The middle of May is still their appointed time." Lord Lansdowne, James's friend in Paris, by asking the Regent to remain neutral, had, in fact, revealed the plot, which was then communicated by Dubois to the English ambassador, Schaub, and by him to his Government. Ormond had also asked leave to pass through France. This was refused. He

by a simple manœuvre, was tracked from Waters's, the banker's, and proved to be Dillon. A scheme for carrying Prince Charles (aged two!) to Scotland was frustrated. On May 19, Kelly, Atterbury's secretary, was arrested in London. By the beginning of June a camp was formed in Hyde Park, where the soldiers could not easily be corrupted. From Rome James was reported to be melancholy than ever," which is not surprising. By the middle of June 1722, in fact, the whole plot for overthrowing the Government by aid of Ormond, some officers, some Irish recruits, and a Scotch rising under an innocent unhappy baby, was overthrown. The Wogans retired to Paris.

more

Now, in this collapse of hope, comes on the scene Mr Christopher Layer, barrister-at-law, with "The Scheme." "The Scheme" was only a development of that in which Ormond was to lead; his place was to be taken by Lord North and Grey (appointed by James in January), a general who was in the Junta of Five, with Atterbury, and who had lost an arm at Blenheim. That such a man should even glance at such a plot proves the incredible infatuation of the Jacobites. North soon declined into a forlorn exile, all because he, a nobleman of courage and character, chose to mix himself up with the most harebrained chatterer whom Jacobite frivolity ever begot.

Mr Layer is said to have been the son of a lace-merchant in Holborn, and he told his examiners that he had imbibed Jacobite principles from an uncle in Norfolk. He practised at the Bar, and had an ill name for a loose life. Mrs Layer, however, was his associate in his schemes, and was greatly pleased at making the

acquaintance of "dear Lady" this, and "charming Lady" the other. On April 1, 1721, Layer went to Rome by way of Venice, in company with one John Plunket, a Jesuit, or a person trained by the Jesuits. Now, whereas Layer represented himself always as an amateur Jacobite, unacquainted with and unaccredited by the party, this Plunket had certainly been in the foremost rank of conspirators, since 1713 at least. Among his papers were letters from the Duke of Berwick, dated 1713, with other letters, proving his intimacy with Mary of Modena, the exiled widow of James II. Now, on March 22, 1721, Plunket wrote from London to the Chevalier, saying "The gentleman I mentioned to you formerly is come out of the country, with instructions to wait on you, and tender you their service. He offers to bear my expenses if I go with him. . . . I believe I shall accept of his offer." This gentleman was Layer, who, as we saw, left England for Rome with Plunket on April 1, ten days after Plunket's letter to James. Thus Layer, far from making a tour of curiosity, and visiting James as a mere amateur Jacobite, was accompanied by a veteran and trusted conspirator, and bore a List of Norfolk gentlemen, with their salutations to James. In Rome he was led, at night, up the stair out of the cellar into James's rooms that stair, according to Jacobite gossip, was very familiar, in after-years, to the Duke of Bedford, of all people! Layer was, later, introduced to Clementina, and it was arranged that the exiled King and Queen should stand sponsors, by proxy, to Layer's child. And, consequently, Lord North and the Duchess of Ormond did act as proxies, much,

aid, and rejects a domestic plot. If the letter is genuine, the writer was probably Lord Orrery. The Jacobites believed it was written by Atterbury; first, that it might reach the Government and lull their fears; next, that his allies might see his real opinion of the futility of Ormond's Plot. The writer speaks of a Junta of Five, in which he forms part: one of the Five is in the country. There was such a Junta, consisting of Orrery, Arran, Gower, Atterbury, and North and Grey. The scheme of self-help is that of a landing by Ormond and Dillon, with officers and Irish enlisted abroad. Now, in November 1722, Commodore Scott, of the Dragon, not having the Laws of Nations before his eyes, calmly seized a vessel named The Revolution, Captain Galway, lying in the harbour of Genoa, and having on board the son of "Captain Will Morgan" (whose letter Atterbury had read), with several other Jacobites. Some of their papers the prisoners destroyed; others were found, and established the following facts. Since 1718, three ships of the exiled king's had been prowling about from Morlaix to Cadiz : one of them had been meant to convey Charles XII. to Scotland, others had been intended to carry Ormond to England, before the futile Rising crushed at Glenshiel, in 1719. The commanders were Galway, Morgan, and Forbes, with two Wogans, Nicholas, younger of Rathcoffy, and his cousin, also Nicholas, brother of Sir Charles Wogan, who had just rescued Maria Clementina Sobieski from Innspruck, and carried her to the Chevalier. The original affair of 1718 and the sequel of 1719 being failures, we find Morgan telling Nicholas Wogan, in June 1721, that Dillon and Sir Henry

Goring will soon have business for him. The same pseudonyms (Chivers and Hoare) are used as in Atterbury's correspondence, to mean Dillon and Goring, and Kelly, Atterbury's secretary, is quoted by Morgan. Goring's plan of June 1721 had failed by September 1721. The crew were described by Morgan as "Hellish," and the adventurers, in disgust, were thinking of private commercial enterprise. "All Goring's partners are cowards in trade (Nov. 7, 1721). Worthy Captain Morgan could get no money, the seamen were suspicious, and he was actually going to Madagascar on ordinary business, when, between February and April 1722, the ships were again chartered by the Jacobites to transport Ormond, with Irish recruits, for the attack on London. But, in addition to other warnings, Sir Luke Schaub from Paris sent news on April 29, 1722 (probably from Cardinal Dubois), and thereby exploded the whole plot of Atterbury's "young merchants." "They think they have no further occasion for foreign assistance. They reckon upon the greatest part of his Majesty's troops. The Pretender himself is ready to begin his journey. . . . The middle of May is still their appointed time." Lord Lansdowne, James's friend in Paris, by asking the Regent to remain neutral, had, in fact, revealed the plot, which was then communicated by Dubois to the English ambassador, Schaub, and by him to his Government. Ormond had also asked leave to pass through France. This was refused. He