If not, he will find that these are no jesting matters." Rochester communicated the admonition to Clarendon.

Clarendon, who was in constant correspondence with Dublin and Saint Germains, protested that his only wish was to be quiet, and that, though he had a scruple about the oaths, the existing government had not a more obedient subject than he purposed to be, [654] Among the letters which the government had intercepted was one from James to Penn.

That letter, indeed, was not legal evidence to prove that the person to whom it was addressed had been guilty of high treason; but it raised suspicions which are now known to have been well founded.

Penn was brought before the Privy Council, and interrogated.

He said very truly that he could not prevent people from writing to him, and that he was not accountable for what they might write to him.