hat was enough to answer the politick Ends
for which they were sent. 'Tis suppos'd after this Defeat at the
_Boyne_, that King _James_ was aware of the _French_ Politics, and so
would ne'er think of returning in Person again into _Ireland_, it being
abundantly sufficient if he left two or three active Generals among 'em
to Alarm the Enemy and do the Drudgery of the _French_ Court, in making
a Diversion to favour his Conquests in other Parts of the World. But to
return to the Series of my own Story, I had now obtain'd Liberty of the
City of _Dublin_ upon Paroll, and spent my Life pretty agreeable,
especially when I understood that a kind of a Cartel was fix'd, and
there was no Danger of a Halter. My long stay in _Dublin_ brought me
acquainted with several General Officers of King _William_'s Army, who
were my Countrymen and well acquainted with my Family. The great Respect
they showed me, was, as I perceiv'd at long run, in order to debauch me
from King _James_'s Service; but it was not in my power at that time, to
remove the Scruples I was entangled in as to the Revolution; besides I
had other Motives urgent enough not to engage in the _English_ Service,
till I had seen a little more Abroad. But in the midst of all the
Disasters I met with, nothing affected me with a more sensible Grief
than the Thoughts of _Lewis_ the XIVth's Insincerity, for though it only
rid my Mind in the Nature of a Scruple or first Impression, yet I found
it grow daily more and more upon me, and often in the height of my
Diversions it lay upon my Stomach like an indigested Meal; yet at the
same time I durst not mutter the least of this Matter to the greatest
Confident I had in the World; for I was sensible what would be the
Consequence of such a Liberty of Speech, and that nothing less than
perpetual Imprisonment in the _Bastile_ must have atton'd for the Crime,
and that King _James_ wou'd have look'd upon himself as oblig'd to have
justify'd the Conduct of _France_, though perhaps he lay under the same
Jealousies with myself in regard of _French_ Politics. How often have I,
when I have been alone, exaggerated my Folly in engaging in a Cause,
which the principal Agent never design'd to bring to an Issue? but then
again I have corrected my self for giving way to a false Impression, and
condemning the Conduct of so many Thousands who had more Experience than
I could lay claim to, and yet willingly went all the Lengths of the
_French_ Court. Now as I