He owned that he had undertaken to bribe Leeds, had been for that purpose furnished with five thousand five hundred guineas, had offered those guineas to His Grace, and had, by His Grace's permission, left them at His Grace's house in the care of a Swiss named Robart, who was His Grace's confidential man of business.

It should seem that these facts admitted of only one interpretation.

Bates however swore that the Duke had refused to accept a farthing.

"Why then," it was asked, "was the gold left, by his consent, at his house and in the hands of his servant ?" "Because," answered Bates, "I am bad at telling coin.

I therefore begged His Grace to let me leave the pieces, in order that Robart might count them for me; and His Grace was so good as to give leave." It was evident that, if this strange story had been true, the guineas would, in a few hours, have been taken-away.