eans disposed to be the lieutenant of a debating
society such as that which had ruined the enterprise of Argyle. The
subtle and restless Wildman, who had some time before found England an
unsafe residence, and had retired to Germany, now repaired from Germany
to the Prince's court. There too was Carstairs, a presbyterian minister
from Scotland, who in craft and courage had no superior among the
politicians of his age. He had been entrusted some years before by Fagel
with important secrets, and had resolutely kept them in spite of the
most horrible torments which could be inflicted by boot and thumbscrew.
His rare fortitude had earned for him as large a share of the Prince's
confidence and esteem as was granted to any man except Bentinck. [478]
Ferguson could not remain quiet when a revolution was preparing. He
secured for himself a passage in the fleet, and made himself busy among
his fellow emigrants: but he found himself generally distrusted and
despised. He had been a great man in the knot of ignorant and hotheaded
outlaws who had urged the feeble Monmouth to destruction: but there was
no place for a lowminded agitator, half maniac and half knave, among the
grave statesmen and generals who partook the cares of the resolute and
sagacious William.

The difference between the expedition of 1685 and the expedition of 1688
was sufficiently marked by the difference between the manifestoes which
the leaders of those expeditions published. For Monmouth Ferguson had
scribbled an absurd and brutal libel about the burning of London, the
strangling of Godfrey, the butchering of Essex, and the poisoning of
Charles. The Declaration of William was drawn up by the Grand Pensionary
Fagel, who was highly renowned as a publicist. Though weighty and
learned, it was, in its original form, much too prolix: but it was
abridged and translated into English by Burnet, who well understood the
art of popular composition. It began by a solemn preamble, setting forth
that, in every community, the strict observance of law was necessary
alike to the happiness of nations and to the security of governments.
The Prince of Orange had therefore seen with deep concern that the
fundamental laws of a kingdom, with which he was by blood and by
marriage closely connected, had, by the advice of evil counsellors, been
grossly and systematically violated. The power of dispensing with
Acts of Parliament had been strained to such a point that the whole
legislativ