ld-clocked red stockings, and white
red-heeled shoes, sitting up in the bed, and stepping down from it. The
trunks were ready packed for departure in her ante-room, and the horses
ready harnessed in the stable: about all which the Captain seemed to
know, by information got from some quarter or other; and whence Esmond
could make a pretty shrewd guess in after-times, when Dr. Tusher
complained that King William's government had basely treated him for
services done in that cause.

And here he may relate, though he was then too young to know all that
was happening, what the papers contained, of which Captain Westbury had
made a seizure, and which papers had been transferred from the japan-box
to the bed when the officers arrived.

There was a list of gentlemen of the county in Father Holt's hand
writing--Mr. Freeman's (King James's) friends--a similar paper being
found among those of Sir John Fenwick and Mr. Coplestone, who suffered
death for this conspiracy.

There was a patent conferring the title of Marquis of Esmond on my
Lord Castlewood and the heirs-male of his body; his appointment as
Lord-Lieutenant of the County, and Major-General.*

* To have this rank of Marquis restored in the family had
always been my Lady Viscountess's ambition; and her old
maiden aunt, Barbara Topham, the goldsmith's daughter, dying
about this time, and leaving all her property to Lady
Castlewood, I have heard that her ladyship sent almost the
whole of the money to King James, a proceeding which so
irritated my Lord Castlewood that he actually went to the
parish church, and was only appeased by the Marquis's title
which his exiled Majesty sent to him in return for the
15,000L. his faithful subject lent him.

There were various letters from the nobility and gentry, some ardent
and some doubtful, in the King's service; and (very luckily for him) two
letters concerning Colonel Francis Esmond: one from Father Holt, which
said, "I have been to see this Colonel at his house at Walcote, near to
Wells, where he resides since the King's departure, and pressed him very
eagerly in Mr. Freeman's cause, showing him the great advantage he would
have by trading with that merchant, offering him large premiums there as
agreed between us. But he says no: he considers Mr. Freeman the head of
the firm, will never trade against him or embark with any other trading
company, but considers his duty was done wh