26 LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SANCROFT. 



There was little chance that a plot, resting 

 on the bare testimony of two men of no cha- 

 racter, should fail of being confuted by clear 

 circumstantial evidence, as soon as the test of 

 close examination was applied to it. When 

 these wretched contrivers were confronted with 

 the Bishop before the Privy Council, the train 

 of their falsehood was soon laid open, and the 

 innocence of himself and of the others con- 

 cerned, proved beyond the possibility of doubt. 



It appears that one of the conspirators, 

 Young, had been concerned before in various 

 impostures, in the course of which he had 

 made frequent applications to Archbishop San- 

 croft with forged papers, and under several 

 false pretences. The Bishop of Rochester 

 thought it right, after the detection of the foul 

 conspiracy, to trace out, and publish to the 

 world, all this man's infamous proceedings. 

 With this view, he wrote to Archbishop San- 

 croft in his retirement to inquire all that he 

 knew respecting him. The Archbishop an- 

 swered him in the following terms. 



'^ Fresingfield, July 13th, 1692. 



" My good Lord and Brother, 



'* I have just now received your's of 

 July 5th, and having read it over, immediately 

 take up my pen to tell you, that, in compliance 



