royalty restored-第51部分

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　fanatical　divine　urged　Oates　to　present　himself　once　more　before　them；　bewail　his　misconduct；　promise　amendment；　and　seek　readmission　to　their　midst。　　Following　his　advice；　Oates　was　again　received　by　the　Jesuits；　and　sent　to　their　famous　seminary　at　St。　Omer's；　where；　though　he　had　reached　the　age　of　thirty　years；　he　was　entered　among　the　junior　students。　　For　six　months　he　remained　here；　until　his　vices　becoming　noted；　he　was　turned　away　in　disgrace。　　Again　he　presented　himself　before　the　rector　of　St。　Michael's；　knowing　as　little　of　popish　plots　as　he　did　on　his　previous　return。　　But　Tonge；　though　disappointed；　was　not　disheartened；　if　no　scheme　existed；　he　would　invent　one　which　should　startle　the　public；　and　save　the　nation。　　Such　proposals　as　he　made　towards　the　accomplishment　of　this　end　were　readily　assented　to　by　Oates；　in　whose　breast　wounded　pride　and　bitter　hate　rankled　deep。　　Therefore；　after　many　consultations　they　resolved　to　draw　up　a　〃Narrative　of　a　Horrid　Plot。〃　　This　was　repeatedly　changed　and　enlarged；　until　eventually　it　assumed　the　definite　shape　of　a　deposition；　consisting　of　forty…three　distinct　articles；　written　with　great　formality　and　care；　and　embodying　many　shocking　and　criminal　charges。

The　narrative　declared　that　in　April；　1677；　the　deponent　was　employed　to　carry　letters　from　the　Jesuits　in　London　to　members　of　their　order　in　Spain；　these　he　broke　open　on　the　journey；　and　discovered　that　certain　Jesuits　had　been　sent　into　Scotland　to　encourage　the　presbyterians　to　rebel。　　Arrived　in　Valladolid；　he　heard　one　Armstrong；　in　a　sermon　delivered　to　students；　charge　his　majesty　with　most　foul　and　black…mouthed　scandals；　and　use　such　irreverent；　base　expressions　as　no　good　subjects　could　repeat　without　horror。　　He　then　returned　to　England；　and　was　soon　after　sent　to　St。　Omer　with　fresh　letters；　in　which　was　mentioned　a　design　to　stab　or　poison　his　majestyPere　la　Chaise；　the　French　king's　confessor；　having　placed　ten　thousand　pounds　at　the　disposal　of　the　Jesuits　that　they　might；　by　laying　out　such　a　sum；　the　more　successfully　accomplish　this　deed。　　While　abroad　the　deponent　had　read　many　letters；　relating　to　the　execution　of　Charles　II。；　the　subverting　of　the　present　government；　and　the　establishment　of　the　Romish　religion。　　Returning　again　to　England；　he　became　privy　to　a　treaty　with　Sir　George　Wakeham；　the　queen's　physician；　to　poison　the　king；　and　likewise　with　an　agreement　to　shoot　him；　made　between　the　Jesuits　and　two　men；　named　Honest　William　and　Pickering。　　He　had　heard　a　Jesuit　preach　a　sermon　to　twelve　persons　of　quality　in　disguise；　in　which　he　asserted　〃that　protestants　and　other　heretical　princes　were　IPSO　FACTO　deposed　because　such；　and　that　it　was　as　lawful　to　destroy　them　as　Oliver　Cromwell　or　any　other　usurper。〃　　He　also　became　aware　that　the　dreadful　fire　had　been　managed　by　Strange；　the　provincial　of　the　Jesuits；　who　employed　eighty…six　men　in　distributing　seven　hundred　fire…balls　to　destroy　the　city；　and　that　notwithstanding　his　vast　expenses；　he　gained　fourteen　thousand　pounds　by　plunder　carried　on　during　the　general　confusion；　a　box　of　jewels；　consisting　of　a　thousand　carat　weight　of　diamonds；　being　included　in　the　robbery。

The　document　containing　these　remarkable　statements　was　finished　in　August；　1678。　　It　now　remained　to　have　it　brought　before　the　king　or　the　council。　　Tonge　was　resolved　this　should　he　done　in　a　manner　best　calculated　to　heighten　the　effect　of　their　narrative；　at　the　same　time　he　was　careful　to　guard　the　fact　that　he　and　Oates　had　an　intimate　knowledge　of　each　other。　　Not　knowing　any　one　of　interest　at　court；　he　sought　out　Christopher　Kirby；　a　man　employed　in　the　king's　laboratory；　of　whom　he　had　some　slight　knowledge；　and；　pledging　him　to　the　strictest　secrecy；　showed　him　the　〃Narrative　of　the　Horrid　Plot；〃　and　besought　his　help　in　bringing　it　under　the　notice　of　his　majesty　in　as　private　a　manner　as　possible。

This　aid　was　freely　promised；　and　next　day；　the　date　being　the　13th　of　August；　when　the　monarch　was　about　to　take　his　usual　airing　in　the　park；　Kirby　drew　near；　and　in　a　mysterious　tone　bade　his　majesty　take　care；　for　his　enemies　had　a　design　against　his　life；　which　might　be　put　into　execution　at　any　moment。　Startled　by　such　words；　the　king　asked　him　in　what　manner　was　it　intended　his　life　should　be　taken；　to　which　he　replied；　〃It　might　be　by　pistol；　but　that　to　give　a　more　particular　account　of　the　matter；　required　greater　privacy。〃　　The　monarch；　who　quickly　recovered　his　first　surprise；　resolved　to　take　his　usual　exercise；　and；　subduing　his　curiosity；　he　bade　Kirby　attend　him　on　his　return　from　the　park；　and　tell　him　what　he　knew　of　the　subject。

When　the　time　arrived；　Kirby　saw　his　majesty　alone；　and　related　to　him　in　brief　that　two　men　waited　but　an　opportunity　to　shoot　him；　and　Sir　George　Wakeham　had　been　hired　to　poison　him；　which　news；　he　concluded；　had　been　imparted　to　him　by　a　worthy　man　living　close　at　hand；　who　would　attend　his　majesty's　pleasure　when　that　was　manifested。

Bewildered　by　such　intelligence；　yet　suspicious　of　its　veracity；　the　king　ordered　Kirby　to　summon　his　informant　that　evening　by　eight　o'clock。　　When　that　hour　came　his　majesty　repaired　to　the　Red　Room；　and　there　met　Dr。　Tonge；　who　delivered　his　narrative　into　his　hands。　　The　rector　was　convinced　the　great　moment　he　had　so　long　awaited；　in　which　he　would　behold　the　monarch　aroused　to　a　sense　of　his　danger；　had　arrived。　　He　was　doomed　to　bitter　disappointment。　　His　majesty　coolly　took　the　narrative；　and　without　opening　it；　said　it　should　be　examined　into。　　On　this　Tonge　begged　it　might　be　kept　safe　and　secret；　〃lest　the　full　discovery　should　otherwise　be　prevented　and　his　life　endangered。〃　The　monarch　replied　that；　before　starting　with　the　court　to…　morrow　for　Windsor；　he　would　place　it　in　the　hands　of　one　he　could　trust；　and　who　would　answer　for　its　safety。　　He　then　bade　him　attend　on　the　Lord　Treasurer　Danby　next　morning。

In　obedience　to　this　command；　Tonge　waited　on　his　lordship　at　the　appointed　time；　and　by　the　character　of　his　replies　helped　to　develop　his　story　of　the　plot。　　When　asked　if　the　document　he　had　given　his　majesty　was　the　original　of　the　deponent；　Tonge　admitted　it　was　in　his　own　handwriting。　　On　this；　Lord　Danby　expressed　a　desire　to　see　the　original；　and　likewise　become　acquainted　with　its　author。　　Nothing　abashed；　the　rector　replied　the　manuscript　was　in　his　house；　and　accounted　for　its　possession　by　stating　that；　singularly　enough；　it　had　been　thrust　under　his　doorhe　did　not　know　by　whom；　but　fancied　it　must　be　by　one　who；　some　time　before；　had　discussed　with　him　on　the　subject　of　this　conspiracy。　　Whereon　his　lordship　asked　him　if　he　knew　the　man；　and　was　answered　he　did　not；　but　he　had　seen　him　lately　two　or　three　times　in　the　streets；　and　it　was　likely　he　should　see　him　soon　again。

Being　next　questioned　as　to　whether　he　had　any　knowledge　of　Honest　William；　or　Pickering；　the　villains　who　sought　the　king's　life；　he　answered　he　had　not。　　Immediately；　however；　he　remembered　it　was　their　habit　to　walk　in　St。　James's　Park；　and　said；　if　any　man　was　appointed　to　keep　him　company；　he　was　almost　certain　he　would　have　opportunities　of　letting　that　person　see　these　abominable　wretches。　　Finally；　Lord　Danby　asked　him　if　he　knew　where　they　dwelt；　for　it　was　his　duty　to　have　them　arrested　at　once；　but　of　their　abode　Tonge　was　completely　ignorant；　though　he　was　hopeful　he　should　speedily　be　able　to　obtain　the　required　information。

He　was　therefore　dismissed；　somewhat　to　his　satisfaction；　being　unprepared　for　such　particular　examination；　but　in　a　couple　of　days　he　returned　to　the　charge；　determined　his　tale　should　not　be　discredited　for　lack　of　effrontery；　On　this　occasion　he　said　he　had　met　the　man　he　suspected　of　being　author　of　the　document；　who　owned　himself　as　such；　and　stated　that　his　name　was　Titus　Oates；　but　requested　Tonge　would　keep　it　a　strict　secret；　〃because　the　papists　would　murder　him　if　they　knew　what　he　was　doing。〃　Moreover；　Oates　had　given　him　a　second　paper　full　of　fresh　horrors　concerning　this　most　foul　plot。　　Taking　this　with　him；　the　lord　treasurer　hastened　to　Windsor；　that　he　might　consult　the　king；　having　first　left　a　servant　with　Tonge；　in　hopes　the　latter　might　catch　sight　of　Honest　William　and　Pickering　in　their　daily　walk　through　the　park；　and　have　them　arrested。　　On　Danby　recounting　Tonge's　statements　to　the　king；　his　majesty　was　more　convinced　than　before　the　narrative　was　wholly　without　foundation；　and　refused　to　make　it　known　to　his　council　or　the　Duke　of　York。　　Therefore　the　lord…treasurer；　on　conclusion　of　a　brief　visit；　left　Windsor　for　his　country　residence；　situated　at　Wimbledon。

For　some　days　no　fresh　disclosure　was　made　concerning　this　horrid　plot；　until　late　one　night；　when　Dr。　Tonge　arrived　in　great　haste　at　Lord　Danby's　house；　and　informed　him　some　of　the　intended　regicides　had　resolved　on　journeying　to　Windsor　next　morning；　determined　to　assassinate　the　king。　　He　added；　it　was　in　his　power　to　arrange　that　the　earl's　servant　should　ride　with　them　in　their　coach；　or　at　least　accompany　them　on　horseback；　and　so　give　due　notice　of　their　arrival；　in　order　that　they　might　be　timely　arrested。　　Alarmed　by　this　intelligence；　Danby　at　once　hastened　to　Windsor；　and　informed　the　king　of　what　had　come　to　his　knowledge。　　Both　endured　great　suspense　that　night；　and　next　day　their　excitement　was　raised　to　an　inordinate　pitch　by　seeing　the　earl's　servant　ride　towards　the　castle　with　all　possible　speed。　When；　however；　the　man　was　brought　into　his　majesty's　presence；　he　merely　delivered　a　message　from　Dr。　Tonge；　stating　the　villains　〃had　been　prevented　from　taking　their　intended　journey　that　day；　but　they　proposed　riding　to　Windsor　next　day；　or　within　two　days　at　farthest。〃　　Before　that　time　had　arrived；　another　message　came　to　say；　〃one　of　their　horses　being　slipped　in　the　shoulder；　their　trip　to　Windsor　was　postponed。〃

Taking　these　foolish　excuses；　as　well　as　Dr。　Tonge's　prevaricating　answers　and　mysterious　statements；　into　consideration；　the　king　was　now　convinced　the　〃Narrative　of　a　Horrid　Plot〃　was　an　invention　of　a　fanatic　or　a　rogue。　　He　was；　therefore；　desirous　of　letting　the　subject　drop　into　obscurity；　but　Lord　Danby；　foresee