ps that he was devoutly
attached to the English Church, while he knew he had bargained it away to
the King of France; and by cheating and deceiving them, and all who were
attached to royalty, to become despotic and be powerful enough to confess
what a rascal he was. Meantime, the King of France, knowing his merry
pensioner well, intrigued with the King's opponents in Parliament, as
well as with the King and his friends.

The fears that the country had of the Catholic religion being restored,
if the Duke of York should come to the throne, and the low cunning of the
King in pretending to share their alarms, led to some very terrible
results. A certain DR. TONGE, a dull clergyman in the City, fell into
the hands of a certain TITUS OATES, a most infamous character, who
pretended to have acquired among the Jesuits abroad a knowledge of a
great plot for the murder of the King, and the re-establishment if the
Catholic religion. Titus Oates, being produced by this unlucky Dr. Tonge
and solemnly examined before the council, contradicted himself in a
thousand ways, told the most ridiculous and improbable stories, and
implicated COLEMAN, the Secretary of the Duchess of York. Now, although
what he charged against Coleman was not true, and although you and I know
very well that the real dangerous Catholic plot was that one with the
King of France of which the Merry Monarch was himself the head, there
happened to be found among Coleman's papers, some letters, in which he
did praise the days of Bloody Queen Mary, and abuse the Protestant
religion. This was great good fortune for Titus, as it seemed to confirm
him; but better still was in store. SIR EDMUNDBURY GODFREY, the
magistrate who had first examined him, being unexpectedly found dead near
Primrose Hill, was confidently believed to have been killed by the
Catholics. I think there is no doubt that he had been melancholy mad,
and that he killed himself; but he had a great Protestant funeral, and
Titus was called the Saver of the Nation, and received a pension of
twelve hundred pounds a year.

As soon as Oates's wickedness had met with this success, up started
another villain, named WILLIAM BEDLOE, who, attracted by a reward of five
hundred pounds offered for the apprehension of the murderers of Godfrey,
came forward and charged two Jesuits and some other persons with having
committed it at the Queen's desire. Oates, going into partnership with
this new informer, had the au