Tonge, the ingenious inventor of the plot, had
sunk into insignificance by comparison with his audacious pupil.
Not only did the latter have apartments at Whitehall allotted
him, and receive a pension of twelve hundred a year, but he was
lauded as the saviour of his country, complimented with the title
of doctor of divinity, honoured in public, and entertained in
private. Eachard mentions "a great supper in the city," given in
compliment to Oates by "twenty eminent rich citizens;" and Sir
John Reresby writes of meeting him at the dinner-table of Dr.
Gunning, Bishop of Ely. Nothing could exceed the insolence and
arrogance of the impostor. He appeared in a silk gown and
cassock, a long scarf, a broad hat with satin band and rose, and
called himself a doctor of divinity. No man dared contradict or
oppose him, lest he should be denounced as a conniver of the
plot, and arrested as a traitor. "Whoever he pointed at was
taken up and committed," says North. "So that many people got
out of his way as from a blast, and glad they could prove their
last two years' conversation. The very breath of him was
pestilential, and if it brought not imprisonment, it surely
poisoned reputation." Sir John, speaking of him at the bishop's
dinner-table, says "he was blown up with the hopes of running
down the Duke of York, and spoke of him and his family after a
manner which showed himself both a fool and a knave. He
reflected not only on him personally, but upon her majesty;
nobody daring to contradict him, for fear of being made a party
to the plot.
Pages:
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375