in 1718 he entered into a correspondence with william wake, archbishop of canterbury, with a view to a union of the english and gallican churches; being suspected of projecting a change in the dogmas of the church, his papers were seized in february 1719, but nothing incriminating was found. the same zeal for union induced him, during the residence of peter the great in france, and at that monarch's request, to draw up a plan for uniting the greek and roman churches. he died at paris on 6 june 1719.