cellor Hyde, by which it was settled, that the clergy should be included in the money bills passed in parliament. From this period the convocation gradually lost its civil importance as a part of the constitution.

It may be mentioned also, that the appellations of Whig and Tory began to distinguish the two great political parties in the country in this reign. The former is said to have been a nickname of the ultra-Protestant fanatics in the west of Scotland, and the latter to have been a familiar designation of certain Popish outlaws in Ireland. Whig was used, at this time, to designate those who were opposed to a Roman Catholic prince. Tory, those who had no objection to see such a person on the throne. But we shall see that these terms expanded in signification soon afterwards.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

JAMES II.

Born at St. James's Palace. Buried in the Nunnery of the Benedictines, at Paris. Reigned 4 years. From A.D. 1685 to A.D. 1689.

Archbishop of Canterbury.

William Sancroft, A.D. 1677-1691.

Ar the council which assembled on the death of Charles, the new king declared his purpose of maintaining the Church and constitution of the country as established by law. His conduct soon made his people mistrust the sincerity of this declaration. He went publicly to Divine service celebrated according to the Romish ritual, relaxed the enforcement of laws against Romanists, and sent the Earl of Castlemain as his ambassador to Rome. His measures for the reconciliation of his kingdom to that see appeared so imprudent to the pope, that the earl was coldly received; and though a nuncio was sent to England, he did not openly assume that character at first. Monks in the

habit of their order now appeared at court, as well as in all parts of London; and the alarm which was excited by these signs of the king's intention was greatly increased, when he claimed the power of dispensing by his own act with the execution of all laws.

The opponents of James in the late reign had on several occasions put forward the Duke of Monmouth as his rival,

though Charles invariably declared that he was never married to that nobleman's mother. The discontent, however, which was felt at James's evident design to introduce popery into his kingdom, encouraged Monmouth to raise his standard against his uncle. He was assisted in his enterprise by the Earl of Argyle, who had long been in exile; but the scheme was ill prepared, and Argyle, who landed in Scotland, was taken and executed in Edinburgh. Monmouth collected some troops, but they dispersed at the approach of the royal army; and the duke was himself taken in the fields, with nothing but some peas in his pockets, the only sustenance which he had had for some days. He was beheaded on Tower-hill, to the great regret of the people, with whom he was generally a favourite.

The king was relentless, not only in the case of his nephew, but also in wreaking his vengeance on all who had assisted his rebellion. Judge Jeffries (who was soon afterwards made lord chancellor) was sent into the west, and behaved with the most savage insolence and cruelty in the trials over which he presided. In his circuit, which James always spoke of as "Jeffries' campaign," more than 250 prisoners were executed with dreadful severity, and vast numbers sent as slaves to the plantations.

Elated by his success in putting down Monmouth's rebellion, the king was less careful to conceal the purpose which he had in view. The army was filled with papists, and persons of the same persuasion were promoted to the highest offices in the state. The Church was next attacked in the universities, and on the death of the president of Magdalene College (Oxford), the fellows were commanded to elect one Anthony Farmer, a man of dissolute character, who had become a proselyte to the Church of Rome. The college disregarded this mandate, and elected Mr. Hough as their president. For this disobedience, twenty-five of the fellows, with Hough himself, who afterwards became Bishop of Worcester, were expelled from the university. The king issued an order in council, that a declaration which he had put forth in favour of liberty of conscience, should be read in all churches. Seven of the bishops refused to

5

5 Sancroft, archbishop of Canterbury; Lloyd, bishop of St. Asaph; Turner, bishop of Ely; Lake, bishop of Chichester; Ken, bishop of

obey this proclamation, and presented a petition to the king. James sent them to the Tower, and caused them to be prosecuted for sedition. As they were conducted down the river, the banks were lined with people, who fell on their knees, and implored the blessing of their spiritual fathers, who thus suffered for the truth. "The demeanour of the seven prelates strengthened the interest which their situation excited. On the evening of the Black Friday, as it was called, on which they were committed, they reached their prison just at the hour of Divine service. They instantly hastened to the chapel. It chanced that in the Second Lesson were these words: 'In all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments.' All zealous churchmen were delighted by this coincidence, and remembered how much comfort a similar coincidence had given, near forty years before, to Charles the First, at the time of his death"." Notwithstanding the efforts of the court, the bishops were acquitted on their trial; and the acclamations of the people at their escape reached even to the camp at Hounslow, where the king was dining in the tent of Lord Feversham. Inquiring the cause of the shouts which he heard, he was told that they were nothing but the acclamations of the people at the acquittal of the bishops. "Call you that nothing?" said the king; “but so much the worse for them."

The birth of a Prince of Wales (June 10, 1688) seems to have convinced the principal people in the country, that it was now necessary to act with energy, if the Church and liberties of England were to be preserved. An invitation Iwas sent to William Prince of Orange, (the Stadtholder, and chief officer of the government of the Dutch provinces,) who was the son-in-law of James, as well as the grandson of Charles I., to request his aid in preserving the religion and laws of the land from the danger which threatened them. Every thing was prepared for the arrival of the prince, before James was aware of the estrangement of his people. On learning it, he endeavoured to regain their affections by

Bath and Wells; White, bishop of Peterborough ; Trelawney, bishop

of Bristol.

• Macaulay, Hist. of England, vol. ii. p. 367.

though Charles invariably decla ried to that nobleman's mother.

which

was felt at James's ev

popery into his kingdom, encou his standard against his uncle. terprise by the Earl of Argyle, bat the scheme was ill prepared, Scotland, was taken and executed collected some troops, but they of the royal army; and the duke fields, with nothing but some pea sustenance which he had had for headed on Tower-hill, to the great

generally a favourit The king was relentless, not

whom he was

nephew, but also in wreaking his v assisted his rebellion. Judge Jeff wards made lord chancellor) was behaved with the most savage ins trials over which he presided. In always spoke of as "Jeffries' cam prisoners were executed with dr numbers sent as slaves to the plan Elated by his success in putting

was less careful to co lion, the king he had in view.

persons of the same persuasion wer est offices in the state. The Chur the universities, and on the death dalene College (Oxford), the fello elect one Anthony Farmer, a man who had become a proselyte to the college disregarded this mandate, as their president. For this disob the fellows, with Hough himself, Bishop of Worcester, were expell The king issued he had put forth in favour of liber be read in all churches. Seven

5

Sancroft, archbishop of Canterbury Turner, bishop of Ely; Lake, bishop of

1694-1715

England was

The had steadily op

unce; and was

an able, though not often a successful general. He had a strong sense of religious duty, and was upright, and generally correct in his conduct; though not devoid of faults from which his high principles ought to have induced him to abstain. He was, however, tenderly attached to his queen, who conducted herself with much piety and wisdom in the difficult duties which she had to discharge. William shared the cold and phlegmatic character which is usually ascribed to his countrymen; and his dry and unpleasant manners contrasted unfavourably with that winning affability, to which the English had been accustomed in Charles, and which had engaged their affection to that monarch notwithstanding his many faults.

The limits of the royal prerogative were now defined and settled by the Bill of Rights, to which William gave his assent; embodying most of the points for which, even from the days of the Plantagenets, the country had been contending. The administration was in the hands of the Whigs, of whom the Earl of Shrewsbury, Lord Danby, and John Somers, were the chief. Danby, who had been minister to Charles II., and was impeached in that reign, became Duke of Leeds; and Somers was afterwards made Earl Somers and lord chancellor.

The oath of allegiance to William, which was now imposed, was declined by Archbishop Sancroft and several of the bishops, some of whom were the same men who had gone to the Tower rather than give way to James. These prelates were deprived of their sees; and many of the clergy for the same reason lost their benefices. This party among the clergy were called non-jurors'. However we may lament this division in the ecclesiastical body at such a time, it is impossible not to respect the conscientious and disinterested conduct of these prelates, who were content to suffer imprisonment for their resistance to James's illegal measures, and yet resigned their sees, rather than violate the oath of allegiance to that prince by which they

7 The non-juring bishops were, Sancroft, archbishop of Canterbury; Lloyd, bishop of Norwich; Turner, bishop of Ely; Frampton, bishop of Gloucester; Ken, bishop of Bath and Wells; White, bishop of Peterborough. They were deprived. Thomas, bishop of Worcester, and Lake, bishop of Chichester, were non-jurors also, but died before they could be deprived.