his End; for 'tis pretended by those who are willing to represent
him as always a Friend to King _James_, that in despute of the Articles
of _Utrecht_, he came into the Measures of the Duke of _Ormond_, Lord
_Bolinbroke_, the Earl of _Mar_, &c. and had not Death in the mean time
taken him off, wou'd have furnish'd 'em with all Things necessary to
have made a Head against King _George_. This, I say, is confidently
reported by _Lewis_ XIV's Admirers. But then they will have the
inconsistancy to account for, why he shou'd not scruple to raise an Army
to succour the Pretender, who a little before scrupled to let him pass'd
with a Couple of Servants, through his Country. For my own Part I am
enclin'd to believe he never was so much his Friend, but died as he
cou'd, a juggler, and that if he sign'd any thing in form of the late
Insurrection 'twas in one of his delirious Fits which were not
infrequent in his latter Years. If the Regent be a just Interpreter of
his Actions.

And to come home to the present Time, has not _France_ still the same
regardless Dispositions towards the Pretender? Are they not ready to
enter into any Engagement whatever to stand by the Articles of _Utrecht_
to the greatest nicety? I know it has been aprised about, that _France_
was in the Design against King _George_; but as the Regent reply'd very
pertinently to the Earl of _Stairs_'s Memorial. There needs no more
convincing Proof that _France_ has not been meddling, than to understand
that both in _Scotland_ and _England_, the Rebels have been destitute
both of Arms and Money? The Custom-house Officers of _Great-Britain_,
have no Authority to search _French_ Ships as they go out of their own
Ports, and had it not been an easy Matter to have sent what Arms they
pleas'd into _Scotland_? What occasion was their for the Pretender to
have sculk'd so long upon the Shoar, and stolen privately out of one of
their Havens, if the Regent had encourag'd him.

It was no Secret to me and several others above Twenty Eight Years ago,
that _France_ was never sincere in this Affair; but as their Projects
came nearer to a Conclusion, they took less care to conceal the Secret.
Till they had a Prospect of settling the _Spanish_ Monarchy in the House
of _Bourbon_, they were loud and high in their Demands concerning King
_James_; but the Hopes they conceiv'd that way, made 'em clap up a
Peace at _Reswick_, and lay King _James_'s Interest to Sleep. When the
_Spanish_ Proj