"It is enough to drive one to become a Whig," he exclaimed. "I am
ready to fight Dutch William, for he occupies the place of my
rightful sovereign, but I have no private feud with him, and, if I
had, I would run any man through who ventured to propose to me a
plot to assassinate him. Such scoundrels as Barclay would bring
disgrace on the best cause in the world. Had I heard as much as a
whisper of it, I would have buckled on my sword, and ridden to
London to warn the Dutchman of his danger. However, as it seems
that Barclay had but some forty men with him, most of them foreign
desperadoes, the Dutchman must see that English gentlemen, however
ready to fight against him fairly, would have no hand in so
dastardly a plot as this.
"Look you, Charlie, keep always in mind that you bear the name of
our martyred king, and be ready ever to draw your sword in the
cause of the Stuarts, whether it be ten years hence, or forty, that
their banner is hoisted again; but keep yourself free from all
plots, except those that deal with fair and open warfare. Have no
faith whatever in politicians, who are ever ready to use the
country gentry as an instrument for gaining their own ends. Deal
with your neighbours, but mistrust strangers, from whomsoever they
may say they come.
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