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338 HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAIN.

c H a v. pretended, that, even after they had resolved toiLXVii. betray the secret, many treasonable commission;

and papers had passed through their hands ; theyhad not had tlie precaution to keep any one ofthem, in order to fortify their evidence. But allthese difficulties, and a thousand more, were notsound too hard of digestion by the nation' andparliament. The prosecution and farther discoveryof the plot were still the object of general con-cern, The commons voted, that, if the kingshould come to an untimely end, they wouldrevenge his death upon the papists; not reflectingthat this sect were not his only enemies. Theypromised rewards to new discoverers; not con-sidering the danger, which they incurred , ofgranting bribes to perjury. They made Bedloea present of 500 pounds; and particularly recom-mended the care of his safety to the duke ofIYTonmouth. Colonel Sackville, a member, hav-ing, in a private company, spoken opprobrioullyof those who affirmed that there was any plot, wasexpelled the house. The peers gave power to theircommittees to send for and examine such aswould maintain the innocence of those who hadbeen condemned for the plot. A pamphlet hav-ing been published to discredit the informers,and to vindicate the catholic lords in the Tower,these lords were required to discover the author,and thereby to expose their own advocate toprosecution. And both houses concurred inrenewing the former vote, that the papists hadundoubtedly entered into a horrid, and tnasonable