Chancery-lane, began to make
himself known among the enemies of the
Hanoverian succession by his restless zeal,
his untiring energy, and his unceasing
activity in the cause of the Pretender, then
resident in Rome.

In April, 1722, an Irish adventurer of
the name of Lynch, who had been brought
up in the camp, and had afterwards
disgraced himself by disreputable conduct in
the Canary Islands, returning to London
from Flanders, met with a Dr. Murphy,
an old acquaintance, who informed him
of an intended Jacobite rising, enlisted
him in the cause, and promised to introduce
him to the gentleman who had the
management of the whole affair. The
interview with the mysterious man, who
proved to be our friend Layer, took place
at last in the pleasant month of June, at
the Griffin Tavern in Holborn. Mr. Layer
spoke of an intended rising, to be backed
by a great many of the army, especially
the Guards, expressed his rapidly
conceived confidence in Lynch, and told him
he wanted a man of resolution to seize a
person of note, a general, or some such
great man. Lynch, ready for any rascality
that would bring in guineas, at once
undertook the job. Two or three days after,
Lynch again strolled into the Griffin, and
sent a boy for Mr. Layer, who came and
took a glass of wine with his new recruit.
Lynch was then told that Layer
had pitched upon him to seize the Earl of
Cadogan, the new commander-in-chief, a
step which would discourage the king's
party, and he (Lynch) was to choose as
many persons as he thought fit, to help
him in the design. Layer also told him in
a whisper, and no doubt with many furtive
glances at the curtained door, that a
certain great man, who wanted neither wit,
courage, nor resolution, was at the centre
of the plot, and at the proper time would
give the order. The next interviews were
at the Castle Tavern in Holborn, and at
Mr. Layer's lodgings, where Layer gave
Lynch several guineas to maintain him,
and told him to keep a good heart, for
the people were uneasy, the common
soldiers were disaffected, and all was going
well for King James.

One day, in July, Layer, having real or
pretended business with Lord Cadogan,
took Lynch with him in a coach to Lord
Cadogan's house to reconnoitre the premises.
The unsuspecting nobleman being out or
engaged, the two conspirators examined at
their leisure parts of the house, the lower
part of the garden, the court-yard, and
the approaches, and decided that for
resolute men the matter was feasible enough.
Layer then became a little more confidential,
and told Lynch that the Tower was
to be surrendered by a Jacobite officer,
who would mount trustworthy guards at
the gates; the mob in the Mint (Southwark)
was also to be armed, and would
be glad to shake off their restraints.

On the 24th of August, the day Bishop
Atterbury was seized in his house at
Westminster and sent to the Tower for
conspiring in favour of the Pretender, Layer,
nothing daunted, proposed to Lynch to
ride down with him on the morrow, and
take the air in Essex. The next morning,
on going to Southampton-buildings, Layer
asked Lynch if he "mounted with furniture,"
meaning fire-arms. Lynch replied
no, but that he had a double-barrel
fowling-piece, which Layer's servant could
carry if he chose. Layer then desired his
fellow-plotter to go and wait for him outside
Aldgate, and bring his gun loaded, for
he should have that about him which he
would not lose for anything in the world.
At about eleven o'clock Layer met Lynch
in Aldgate, and Lynch gave the servant
the loaded gun to carry. On the quiet
country road, with London well behind
them, Layer told Lynch that he was
going to see Lord North and Grey, and
that he would introduce him to his
lordship as a friend. At the Green Man,
at Leytonstone, however, they stopped to
have a steak, as Layer said dinner would
be finished before they could reach Lord
North and Grey's. The steak disposed of
and the cloth removed, Layer spoke of the
uneasiness of the nation, and of its wish
to shake off the calamities and miseries it
endured under the present government;
and, finally, pulled a paper from his pocket,
containing the sketch of a proclamation
to be posted up directly Lord Cadogan
(appointed commander-in-chief on the
demise of the great Duke of Marlborough in
the June previous) was arrested, announcing
his capture, and urging the army to revolt.
It offered three guineas to every horseman
and sergeant, two guineas to every
corporal, and one guinea to every common
soldier, to be paid immediately on their
coming over; and there was also a promise
to all such renegades of further preferment.
Layer then told Lynch he was well satisfied
with him, and that he only wished he could
give him the sole direction of seizing Lord
Townsend, Lord Cartaret, Mr. Walpole,