At Colledge’s trial, Dugdale and Turbeville, formerly co-witnesses of Titus Oates, appeared against him, whilst Oates himself took Colledge’s part, and vilified his old associates. The wretched combination against the Roman Catholics now broke up: the conspirators were quarrelling, the house divided against itself could not stand, the Nonconformist, who in his Protestant zeal had mixed himself up with discreditable people, now appeared as the victim, his own eagerness to sweep away religionists whom he disliked, had stimulated his enemies to imitation; and, as we conclude this singular history, it is impossible to forget the words of Divine wisdom--“With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” The same reaction which destroyed the Protestant Joiner, struck down another person who declared himself the Protestant Earl.[80] Shaftesbury, after the dissolution of the Royal Parliament, being accused of entering into a conspiracy against the King, found himself within the gloomy walls of London Tower. His spirits and wit did not forsake him; and when accosted by one of the Popish lords, whom he had been instrumental in sending there not long before, he replied, “that he had been lately indisposed with an ague, and was come to take some Jesuit’s powder.” Everything which ingenuity, prompted by malice, could suggest was done to injure in public estimation the late popular nobleman, and to prejudice his trial. The clergy inveighed against him as “the Apostle of Schism;” and the Catholics called him “the Man of Sin.” By the Tories he was styled “Mephistopheles,” and “the Fiend;” and by Dryden he was satirized in his _Absalom and Ahitophel_. The Bill at the Old Bailey having been ignored, the popular favourite prosecuted his accusers; and would, if he could, have raised an insurrection against the Government. Finding that enterprise impossible, he escaped to Holland, and died there in February, 1683, enjoying the hospitality of the Republic, which he had threatened to overthrow. “_Carthago_,” was their generous and graceful retort--“_non adhuc deleta, Comitem de Shaftesbury in gremio suo recipere vult_.”[81] [Sidenote: 1681.] [Sidenote: RENEWED PERSECUTION.]