and appeared, according to his way, aukwardly affiduous, and as if he would endeavour to fhew himself with politenefs; but I foon perceived, that it was not the poor man's province nor fault, that he was not fo well in that way as might be expected; for nature and inftruction, I faw, were both deficient; and told him, I would not fup there, nor go into a bed, till I got to London; and defired a post-chaise to be got ready immediately, which, as foon as it came to the door, I got into, with my guide, and set off from Harwich about eight o'clock in the evening, continuing our journey the whole night, without ftopping, unless to change horfes, and arrived in town about five o'clock next morning.

I had learn'd on the road from my conductor, that his name was Watson, and that he was one of the messengers of state: he brought me to his house in Crown Court, neither commodious nor agreeable for a perfon who was come to London, even by his majesty's order and invitation, as well as under his royal protection, with thofe lights and intelligences, which, I was perfuaded, would defeat the dangerous and formidable defigns of his enemies, and after fo many dangers and risks as I had run for that purpose. When bed-time approached, he made an apology, that he had not a bed, but what was engaged for his own family; but faid, he had provided me one at a brother messenger's, within a few doors of his house: and accordingly conducted me to one Blackmore's, about an hundred yards from thence: where I was, I found, detained as a prifoner, not being permitted to go out; for fear, I supposed, that any attempt fhould

should be made upon me, or left I should be fo unguarded as to talk of this affair.

As foon as, I prefume, it was thought I had recovered from my fatigue, I was conducted by Watson in a coach to the secretary of state's office, then lord B's. I was shewn into a chamber, where I met a gentleman, whom I had never feen before, who told me his name was J

and that he was fecretary to his lordship, whofe orders he had received to meet me, and to take down my intelligence and discoveries, according to the letters I had wrote; or to that 'effect. I faw paper, pens, and ink, on the table, with my first letter to Sir Jofeph Yorke, and, I think, my fecond lay alfo by it. In a word, I saw a kind of apparatus, as if it was for to take an examination or information before a magiftrate, which I thought was not the thing, or at least not the method, I apprehended, would have been used in my cafe; my intentions being first to have the honour of delivering my papers to his majesty in perfon, or to the minifter himself; my expectations being, that, after fuch delivery, I should be examined, and permitted to explain and recite all other particulars, and give all the neceffary eclairciffements to the minister, or perhaps before his majesty in council, where I imagined the business might be immediately carried.

and

For thefe reafons I declined communicating any thing particular to this gentleman; but told him, I was ready to give the lights mentioned in my letters, and to do all I had therein proposed, but would not deliver my papers but to his majefty or his minifter. We difcourfed, however, for fome VOL. II.

little

釋:

o egoons sits gaibual rol little time, wherein I gave him fuch lights to communicate to his lordship, who, I did not doubt, but to have the honour to fee and attend in a day or two, on this important fubject, as would fatisfy him of my integrity, and power to answer his moft ardent expectations, in refpect to the matter in queftion. This interview finished, I was reconducted back by Watson, who attended for that purpose, to Blackmore's, where I was confined as before, not being as yet permitted to ftir

out.

His lordship being then made firft lord of the treasury, in fome few days after, I was again conducted in a coach by Watfon, to the fame office, and told, I was to go there before the honourable Mr. Gwho was just then appointed one of his majesty's minifters of ftate. On coming into the room to this gentleman, Mr. W was with him; but he leaving the room, Mr. G began, by telling me, he was

come to the office to meet me, to be informed in the business I had mentioned in my letters. I replied, I did not doubt of his majesty's goodness and generofity in my recompence for the fervice I propofed, that I relied upon his royal bounty and liberality, and that I would now have the honour to give fuch lights and difcoveries of the defigns of the enemy, as would defeat their schemes and enterprize, and enable the minifter to knock them all on the head, whenever they fhould attempt the invasion: that I infifted on no terms, but submitted myself to his majesty's bounty, and then took out of my pocket, and delivered to him the papers, of which the following is an exact copy, being the inftructions 1 to Dumont for to examine the coaft, towns, and harbours," Stined

for

for landing the troops and making the invafion; with the report or answer of Dumont; together with a chart of the coaft made in pursuance of the faid inftructions for landing the French troops, artillery, &c. of which chart I kept no copy, or otherwife should set it forth; but which still remains in the hands of the ministers.

pour

INSTRUCTIONS pour le Sieur Dumont, commandant St. Efperrie,

1

IL fe rendra, en choififfant le tems le plus propre, (c'est à dire la nuit) par le vent le plus favorable, et l'heure de

la marée pour pouvoir aller et revenir à Beachyhead,

i

fur-la

côté d'Angleterre. Il examinera cette côte depuis ce point, jufqu'à Arundel, ou la partie qu'il en pourra faire avec le moins de rifque, de vouloir tout reconnoitre à la fois, pour ne faire courir le danger d'être pris.

Il paroitroit devoir commencer par Arundel, pour qu'en revenant le long de cette côte, il put paffer pour Anglois. Mais au refte, je laiffe à la prudence du Sieur Dumont, ces Tarangemens. Bafilm Italy on

1.

* {

Les objects qu'il doit reconnôitre, font les differens, mouillages, de mefurer l'entendue des plages, en longueur, ikubuns an a Cc2

et

et largeur, de connôitre les fondes en avant ces mouillages, pour favoir la distance aux atterages, où des frégates ou des vaiffeaux ennemis, y pourroient venir troubler les batteaux, qui fervent échouer fur ces plages; quelles font les villes, ou ports qui confinent à ces plages; l'etendue de ces ports pour contenir les transports, et les mettre à couvert, aprés la decente; de connôitre les routes et débouches qui conduifent du bord de la mer dans le pays: la nature de l'inte-rieur, s'il eft poffible: fi ce font des marais, des prairies, des terres labourées, des communes; fi ce font plaines, ou rideaux, fi coupés de ruiffeaux, fi couvert de bois, en fin le plus de détail poffible, fur ces objéts; les dunes, les fallaifes, les forts, et les batteries, qui defendant cette côte; et qu'a-prés avoir pris ces connoiffances, il les ecrive; et qu'il entrance les figures, fur le champ; auffi tôt fait, il reviendra à Boulogne,, s'il fe peut, fi non, à tout autre port, jusqu'à' Dieppe; compris eftapes, eftapes St. Valory, &c. fi par hazard il tomboit entre les maines des Anglois, il aura attention de jetter fes papiers, pour que l'ennemi ne connoiffe pas, quelles font les points qu'il à reconnu.

Qu'il penfe fur tout, qu'il ne doit courir, ní aprés la gloire ne aprés le butin: fon seul objét, eft la reconnoiffance indiqué cydeffus, la vrai gloire, eft de rendre des fervices, auffi effentiels, que l'objét qu'on lui confie, et non de chercher à combattre, mais en tout, de fuivre exactement les ordres, de ceux qui le roi commet pour les commandemens: laiffant entiérement au capitaine Dumont, de faifir le moment favorable, en consequence des ordres, que j'ai recu par les lettres ... de