William must for some time have been expecting overtures. They would not find a man of so much forecast unprepared; yet not a little remained to be done that the proposed descent might prove a success. The remainder of summer and the early part of autumn were spent in secret military preparations at home, in secret diplomatical negotiations abroad. He even decoyed the Pope into his toils, by baits which did more credit to his statesmanship than to his honesty. He persuaded His Holiness to advance money for an attack, as he thought, upon France, in reality upon England. Rome, ever trying to over-reach others, was herself over-reached; and help, supposed to be rendered for the humiliation of a power then inimical to the Papal Court, came to be applied to the overthrow of a Popish Sovereign and the strengthening of the cause of European Protestantism.[12] [Sidenote: PREPARATIONS FOR REVOLUTION.] When the military movements in Holland became generally known, they were given out to be intended for a campaign against France, in which the Prince was to receive support from the Imperial army on the Rhine; yet, whatever dust might be thrown in men’s eyes, the real truth appeared to many. Even as early as the 7th of August, news of the Prince’s intention to come over with an army reached the quiet cloisters of Westminster Abbey; and Dr. Patrick, at four o’clock in the afternoon, received at his prebendal residence tidings of the important secret through his friend, Dr. Tenison, who came “to have some private conversation.”[13] But almost up to the last hour James remained in the dark, partly through his own obtuseness, partly--and much more--through the selfish designs of France, through the treachery of courtiers, and through denials made by the Dutch Ambassador. No doubt a clear-headed man, with a sharp eye, would have caught signs of the true direction of the brewing storm; but a man like James, narrow-minded and prejudiced, might easily be duped by diplomatic arts and courtierly deceit. He persuaded himself into the belief that the rumours of a Dutch invasion of England were raised by the Court of France to promote his political interests and to bring him into closer alliance with Louis[14]--a policy at that moment appearing to him most perilous, because it would be sure to increase his unpopularity with his subjects. His conduct after the acquittal of the Bishops proves that he had not learnt wisdom from that significant event. His treatment of the lawyers, in the face of public opinion, seems incredible. He honoured with a baronetcy Williams, the Solicitor-General, who led the prosecution, and Holloway and Powell, who gave it as their opinion that the Bishops’ petition did not amount to a libel, he punished by dismissal from the Bench. [Sidenote: 1688.]