But there was a third class in the war, who, while claiming to be faithful to one government, were, at heart, in favor of the other; who only wore the "garb of heaven" that they might the better "serve the devil;" who were ever ready to make promises to both sides, but who were true to neither; men who, like Marlborough, while pretending to be faithful to William III., was really plotting to restore James II. So well laid were Marlborough's plans, that Macaulay says, "Had Marlborough, therefore, after securing the cooperation of some distinguished officers, presented himself at the critical moment to those regiments which he had led to victory in Flanders and in Ireland, had he called on them to rally around him, to protect the Parliament, and to drive out the aliens (William's friends), there is strong reason to think that the call would have been obeyed." Writing of the disloyalty and treachery of many who surrounded the throne of William and Mary at that time (1691), Macaulay says: "Wicked and base as their conduct was, there was nothing in it surprising. They did after their kind. The times were troubled. A thick cloud was upon the future. The most sagacious and experienced politician could not see with any clearness three months before him. To a man of virtue and honor, indeed, this mattered little. His uncertainty as to what the morrow would bring forth, might make him anxious, but could not make him perfidious. Though left in utter darkness as to what concerned his interests, he had the sure guidance of his principles. But, unhappily, men of virtue and honor were not numerous among the courtiers of that age. Whitehall had been, during thirty years, a seminary of every public and private vice, and swarmed with low-minded, double-dealing, self-seeking politicians. The politicians now acted as it was natural that men profoundly immoral should act at a crisis of which none could predict the issue. Some of them might have a slight predilection for William; others a slight predilection for James; but it was not by any such predilection that the conduct of any of the breed was guided. If it had seemed certain that William would stand, they would all have been for William. If it had seemed certain that James would be restored, they would all have been for James. But what was to be done when the chances appeared to be almost exactly balanced? There were honest men of one party who would have answered, 'To stand by the true king and the true church, and, if necessary, die for them like Laud.' There were honest men of the other party who would have answered, 'To stand by the liberties of England and the Protestant religion, and, if necessary, die for them like Sidney.' But such consistency was unintelligible to many of the noble and the powerful. Their object was to be safe in every event. They therefore openly took the oath of allegiance to one king, and secretly plighted their word to the other. They were indefatigable