illors,
and several of the members of the English Ministry, Marlborough
himself being more than suspected of having a secret understanding
with the little court at Saint Germain.

He only said, however, "Your Majesty has in your hands the power
of compelling the English Government to alter their determination
in this matter."

"How so, my lord?" the king asked, in much surprise.

"You have, sire, many prisoners, Frenchmen of the reformed
religion, who had entered the service of the Protestant
princes--your enemies--and who were taken in Dutch and Flemish
towns we have captured. These stand in the same relation towards
Your Majesty as the Irish officers towards England. You have,
then, but to inform the government there that, if they in any way
harm the Irish officers and noncommissioned officers in their
hands, you will at once execute a similar number of these French
Protestant officers, whom you have hitherto treated as prisoners
of war. Then, possibly, an exchange might be effected.

"Your Majesty will, I think, pardon me for saying that, unless
steps are taken to save these officers' lives, the matter is
likely to have a very bad effect on the Irish and Scotch
regiments, whose ardour will not be improved by the knowledge that
in case of a reverse they will, if not killed in the field, be
executed as traitors; for nearly half of the men who are now
serving have joined since the formation of the Brigade, and are
not protected by the terms of the Limerick treaty. They are
devoted to Your Majesty's service, and are ready to lay down their
lives freely for the cause of France; but it would not be fair
that they should also run the risk of execution, if they are by
misfortune made prisoners."

"There is much in what you say, Lord Galmoy, and you certainly
point out a way by which these officers can be saved. A messenger
shall start, in an hour's time, with a letter to the English
Government. It shall be delivered at their headquarters in
Flanders by noon tomorrow, with a request that it shall be
forwarded by special messenger to the British minister; and we
will have a proclamation posted in Paris, and in the various camps
of the army, saying that we have warned the English Government
that, unless the officers and men captured off the coast of
Scotland are treated as prisoners of war, we shall retaliate by
treating all French officers taken in foreign service in the same
way; and that we have furthermore offered