an I identify them?" said Holland, "I never saw
them." "You must contrive to see them," answered the tempter, "as soon
as you can. The Bishop will be at the Abbey. Anybody about the Court
will point out my Lord Marlborough." Holland immediately went to
Whitehall, and repeated this conversation to Nottingham. The unlucky
imitator of Oates was prosecuted, by order of the government, for
perjury, subornation of perjury, and forgery. He was convicted and
imprisoned, was again set in the pillory, and underwent, in addition to
the exposure, about which he cared little, such a pelting as had seldom
been known. [282] After his punishment, he was, during some years, lost
in the crowd of pilferers, ringdroppers and sharpers who infested the
capital. At length, in the year 1700, he emerged from his obscurity,
and excited a momentary interest. The newspapers announced that Robert
Young, Clerk, once so famous, had been taken up for coining, then that
he had been found guilty, then that the dead warrant had come down, and
finally that the reverend gentleman had been hanged at Tyburn, and had
greatly edified a large assembly of spectators by his penitence. [283]

CHAPTER XIX

Foreign Policy of William--The Northern Powers--The Pope--Conduct of
the Allies--The Emperor--Spain--William succeeds in preventing the
Dissolution of the Coalition--New Arrangements for the Government of
the Spanish Netherlands--Lewis takes the Field--Siege of Namur--Lewis
returns to Versailles--Luxemburg--Battle of Steinkirk--Conspiracy
of Grandval--Return of William to England--Naval
Maladministration--Earthquake at Port Royal--Distress in England;
Increase of Crime--Meeting of Parliament; State of Parties--The King's
Speech; Question of Privilege raised by the Lords--Debates on the
State of the Nation--Bill for the Regulation of Trials in Cases of
Treason--Case of Lord Mohun--Debates on the India Trade--Supply--Ways
and Means; Land Tax--Origin of the National Debt--Parliamentary
Reform--The Place Bill--The Triennial Bill--The First Parliamentary
Discussion on the Liberty of the Press--State of Ireland--The King
refuses to pass the Triennial Bill--Ministerial Arrangements--The King
goes to Holland; a Session of Parliament in Scotland

WHILE England was agitated, first by the dread of an invasion, and then
by joy at the deliverance wrought for her by the valour of her seamen,
important events were taking place on the Continent. On the si