r,
at different times gave information to the Earl of Portland of the
contemplated assassination of the king.

William at first was very unwilling to believe in the plot, and it was
not without difficulty that the Earl of Portland could persuade his
Majesty not to go forth on his hunting expedition on that eventful 15th
day of February.

The greater number of the conspirators not having received such early
information as did Sir George Barclay, continued to meet, even on that
very day, hoping still to carry out their plan on the following
Saturday. They were nearly all seized, most of them in their beds,
before they had received any notice of the discovery of the plot.

Charnock, who had been a Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, and had
become its Popish vice-president, was an indefatigable agent of the
Jacobites. So completely imbued had he become with Jesuitical
principles, that he had persuaded himself that he had full right to
murder the king, having as he supposed a commission from the person he
considered the legal proprietor of the throne. He offered to disclose
all he knew of the consultations and designs of the Jacobites, if his
life were spared, and the reply of King William is worthy of note: "I
desire not to know them," feeling assured probably, that many were in it
whom he hoped still to win over by generosity and kindness.

Sir John Friend and Sir William Parkyns were next tried, and were
executed, on being found guilty, at Tyburn, on which occasion three of
the non-juring clergy attended them, and had the audacity at the place
of execution to give them public absolution, with an imposition of hands
in the view of all people, for the act in which they had been engaged.

Sir John Fenwick, was captured shortly after the discovery of the plot,
while attempting to escape to France. His trial lasted for a
considerable time. He was, however, clearly found guilty, and executed.
He richly merited the fate he met, for although he did not propose to
assassinate the king, his aim was to bring over an army of foreigners,
and subjugate those of his countrymen who differed from him in opinion,
and to re-establish the Romish faith in England.

The people had before this been grumbling at the British fleet being
detained so long at Spithead by contrary winds, but it was the presence
of this fleet which contributed greatly to prevent James from attempting
to cross the channel with an army placed under his comma