He had known him for a fool, a weakling, a babbler, and a bibber of wine.

Out of such elements a villain is soon compounded, and Trenchard had cause to fear the form of villainy that lay ready to Richard's hand.

For it chanced that Mr.
Trenchard was second cousin to that famous John Trenchard, so lately tried for treason and acquitted to the great joy of the sectaries of the West, and still more lately--but yesterday, in fact--fled the country to escape the rearrest ordered in consequence of that excessive joy.

Like his more famous cousin, Nick Trenchard was one of the Duke of Monmouth's most active agents; and Westmacott, like Wilding, Vallancey, and one or two others at that board, stood, too, committed to the cause of the Protestant Champion.
Out of his knowledge of the boy Trenchard was led to fear that if he were leniently dealt with now, tomorrow, when, sober, he came to realize the grossness of the thing he had done and the unlikelihood of its being forgiven him, there was no saying but that to protect himself he might betray Wilding's share in the plot that was being hatched.

That in itself would be bad enough; but there might be worse, for he could scarcely betray Wilding without betraying others and--what mattered most--the Cause itself.