in consequence of the liberality of King William, were allowed to remain
in the country, were with other discontented persons continually
plotting for the restoration of King James. At length, the two plots
which have been hinted at in the previous pages were concocted. One, in
which Mr Harwood and a number of noblemen and gentlemen of honourable
character were engaged, had for its object the rising of the Jacobites
generally throughout England, while Louis the Fourteenth undertook to
send an army of 20,000 men to their assistance. This was about the year
1693. At the same time, another plot of an atrocious character was
either proposed to James or suggested by him. He had himself, by this
time, become thoroughly imbued with Jesuit principles, being surrounded
by priests of that order. At all events, there is no doubt that the
plot met with his cordial sanction. The plan proposed was to
assassinate William as he was on his way to hunt in Richmond Park.
While the country by his death was thrown into a state of confusion, the
Jacobites were to fly to arms and the French army was to cross the
channel.

Towards the end of 1695, the Duke of Berwick, a natural son of Charles
the Second, came over secretly to England to try the temper of the
Jacobites, Louis having promised to send his troops across immediately
that they should rise. The Duke landed in Romney Marsh, where he took
up his abode at the house of a smuggler of the name of Robert Hunt. By
means of this man he was enabled to transmit the information he received
to France. It appears, however, that the Jacobites were unwilling to
risk their lives by rising while William remained firmly seated on the
throne, dreading the arm of that bold and sagacious monarch.

There is no doubt, that in consequence of the failure of the Duke of
Berwick's attempt in England to induce his friends to rise in arms,
James and Louis agreed to the plot which had before been suggested for
the assassination of William. The king was to be murdered on the 15th
of February, as he was leaving his palace at Kensington to hunt in
Richmond Park. Now it appears that a few days before this, James left
Paris, and journeyed to Calais, where he set himself at the head of an
army of about 20,000 men, who were drawn out of the garrisons which lay
near the frontier. A considerable fleet also assembled there from
Dunkirk and other ports, while transports, and more men-of-war to convoy
them over,