And here it may be worth observing, how unanimous a concurrence there is between some persons once in great power, and a French papist; both agreeing in the great end of taking away Mr. Harley's life, though differing in their methods; the first, proceeding by subornation, the other, by violence; wherein Guiscard seems to have the advantage, as aiming no farther than his life; while the others designed to destroy at once both that and his reputation. The malice of both against this gentleman seems to have risen from the same cause, his discovering designs against the government. It was Mr. Harley, who detected the treasonable correspondence of Greg, and secured him betimes, when a certain great man, who shall be nameless, had, out of the depth of his politicks, sent him a caution to make his escape, which would certainly have fixed the appearance of guilt upon Mr. Harley: but
whom he transmitted the proceedings of both houses of parliament with respect to the augmentation of the British forces, and other papers of great importance. Greg, when he was indicted of this treason, pleaded guilty, which gave occasion to Mr. Harley's enemies to insinuate, that he was privy to Greg's practices, and had by assurances of pardon prevailed upon him to plead guilty, in order to prevent the examination of witnesses: the house of lords appointed a committee of seven, of whom lord Sunderland was manager, to inquire into the affair; the committee presented an address to the queen, in which complaint was made, that all Mr. Harley's papers had been long exposed to the meanest clerks in his office; and it was requested, that more caution might be used for the future. Upon this address the execution of Greg was deferred a month; during which time he was solicited, threatened, and promised, but still persisting to take the whole guilt upon himself, he was at length executed, having, in a paper which he left behind him, justified Mr. Harley in particular; which he would scarce have thought necessary, if no particular attempt had been made againist him. Hawkseworth.
