In March, 1713, the French agent in England, the Abbé GAUTIER, wrote to the Marquis de TORCY an account of an interview he had obtained with the Lord Treasurer:—‘M. Vanderberg’ [_i. e._ Lord OXFORD], he says, ‘sent for me, seven or eight days ago, to tell me something of importance. Indeed, he opened his mind to me, making me acquainted with his feelings towards Montgourlin [_i. e._ the Pretender], and the desire he had to do him service, as soon as the Peace shall be concluded.... It will not be difficult, because the Queen is of his opinion. But, in the mean time, it is essential that Montgourlin should make up his mind; that he should declare that it is not his intention to continue to reside where he now is. He must say, publicly, and especially before his family, that when the Peace is made he means to travel in Italy, in Switzerland, in Bavaria, even in Spain. [Sidenote: Gautier to De Torcy; 1713, March. [Printed in _Edin. Review_, from notes of Mackintosh.]] This is to be done, that it may be believed in England that his choice of a residence is not dictated by a mere desire to be near his relatives, and to be close at hand should measures have to be taken on an emergency.’ After the communication of this statement to the Pretender he made repeated attempts to enter into correspondence with Queen ANNE. By OXFORD these attempts were uniformly and effectually foiled. To the insincerity of OXFORD’S advances—such as they were—to the Jacobite emissaries, there can be no witness more competent, none more unexceptionable, than the Duke of BERWICK. His testimony runs thus:—‘We wrote,’ he says, ‘to all the Jacobites to support the government; a step which had no small share in giving to the Court party so large a majority in the House of Commons that it carried everything its own way.... After the Peace, the Treasurer spoke with not a whit more of clearness or precision than before it.... [Sidenote: _Mémoires du Maréchal Duc de Berwick_ (in Petitot’s _Collection_, tom. lxvi, pp. 219 seqq.)] He was merely keeping us in play; and it was very difficult to find a remedy. To have broken with him would have spoiled all; for he had the reins in his hand. He governed the Queen at his will.’ [Sidenote: _Ib._, pp. 224, 225.] In all his advances, adds the Duke, in another passage, ‘OXFORD’S only motive had been to win over Jacobites to side with the Tories, and to get a sanction for the Peace.’