Street: and Carte appears on some occasions to have assisted him in his labours. On the Sunday he also performed divine service in his own family. In 1715, he was obliged to conceal himself, from an active search of the king's troops, in the house of Mr. Badger, the Curate of Coleshill. In the year 1722, a charge of Treason was alleged against him, a reward of 1000 being offered for his apprehension. To avoid a prosecution he escaped to France, where he resided under the assumed name of Philips, spending his time in laborious study, various public and private libraries being opened to his researches. His great works, The Life of the Duke of Ormond, and the History of England, are now much better known and much more valued than they were at the time of, and many years subsequent to, their publication. Queen Caroline obtained permission for him to return to England, sometime between the year 1728 and 1730. Falling under suspicion in 1744, he was taken into custody: but his liberation was soon accomplished. The Duke of Newcastle asked him, during the examination to which he was subjected, whether he were not a Bishop? "No, My Lord," he replied, "there are no Bishops in England but what are made by your Grace; and I am sure I have no reason to expect that honour." The first volume of his History of England was finished in 1747: and its credit was very materially damaged by a note respecting The King's Evil. An account is given of an individual, who went over to the Pretender in 1716, to be touched for the disease, according to the custom in such cases, and who, as was alleged, was cured of the malady under which he laboured. The author was sharply attacked on account of this note. In his reply he states, that having occasion to speak
