law initially moved to brussels on 22 december 1720 in impoverished circumstances as his properties in france were voluntarily confiscated. he spent the next few years gambling in rome, copenhagen and venice but never regained his former prosperity. law realised he would never return to france when orléans died suddenly in 1723 and law was granted permission to return to london, having received a pardon in 1719. he lived in london for four years and then moved to venice, where he contracted pneumonia and died as a poor man in 1729.