Sometimes he lay hid in the garrets of London, imagining that every footstep which he heard on the stairs was that of a bailiff with a writ, or that of a King's messenger with a warrant.

He now obtained access to Shrewsbury, and ventured to talk as a Jacobite to a brother Jacobite.

Shrewsbury, who was not at all inclined to put his estate and his neck in the power of a man whom he knew to be both rash and perfidious, returned very guarded answers.

Through some channel which is not known to us, William obtained full intelligence of what had passed on this occasion.

He sent for Shrewsbury, and again spoke earnestly about the secretaryship.