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sympathy. The trial of the bishops took place in Westminster Hall, and ended in a verdict of Not Guilty.

Eleven of the jury soon determined on acquitting; but one held out for a long time. He would not argue nor allow himself to be convinced. He was not used, he said, to debating; he was satisfied the bishops were in the wrong, and he would not acquit them. "If you come to that," said a fellow juryman, "look at me, I am the largest and strongest of the twelve; and before I find such a petition as this a libel, here I will stay till I am no bigger than a tobacco-pipe." This speech seems to have had the desired effect. The news of the acquittal was received with acclamations that spread all over London. Even the camp on Hounslow Heath shared in this demonstration of joy. James inquired what the soldiers were shouting for. "Nothing," was the reply; "the soldiers are glad that the bishops are acquitted." "Call you that nothing," said James; "but so much the worse for them." That evening all London was illuminated. Bonfires blazed in the streets, and every window was lighted with seven candles.

12. Whilst these proceedings were going on the queen gave birth to a son. This event immediately induced the great Protestant leaders of the kingdom to implore the Prince of Orange to rescue the kingdom from Romanism and despotism. Their petition was favourably received, and preparations were silently made for the expedition to England. James now discovered his error, and tried to recover the popular favour by concessions; but it was too late. William landed at Torbay with an army of 4,500 horse and 11,000 foot. He immediately published a declaration, stating the grievances under which the nation suffered, and declaring the object of his invasion-viz., to ensure a constitutional redress of these grievances, to protect the church, and to inquire into the circumstances of the birth of the heir-apparent. As he advanced, his forces were swelled by deserters, both of officers and men, from the army of James, who meanwhile remained inactive in London. The defection of the army was followed by well-organized movements all over the country in favour of the prince. After a fortnight spent in irresolution, James advanced to meet the invaders, but on

the desertion of Lord Churchill (afterwards Duke of Marlborough) and other nobles, on whose support he had confidently calculated, he retired to Whitehall, where he learned that his daughter Anne, and her husband, Prince George of Denmark, had also gone over to the Prince of Orange.

On hearing this last intelligence, he exclaimed, "God help me! my very children forsake me." Prince George had concealed his plans by a stupid sort of ingenuity. Every time he heard of any fresh desertion he would exclaim" Est-il-possible?" (Is it possible?). This phrase became quite a catchword, and when he himself deserted, James observed, "What! is Est-ilpossible gone too? After all, a good trooper would have been a greater loss."

13. William was thus enabled to march on London without encountering any opposition. All the great towns in the kingdom gave him their support, and the university of Oxford even made him an offer of its plate. Completely prostrated by this sudden reverse of fortune, James determined on escaping to France, whither he had already sent his wife and child. He was intercepted on the coast, and compelled to return to London. Here his presence was by no means desirable, and he was allowed to retire to Rochester, whence, not considering himself safe, he fled to France.

"Let me go!"

On his arrest his conduct was most abject. he cried; "get me a boat. The Prince of Orange is hunting for my life. If you do not let me fly now, it will be too late. My blood will be on your heads." Most of his intimates filed the country at the same time. The papal nuncio escaped in the disguise of a footman. Jeffreys was arrested at Wapping in the disguise of a sailor, and was dragged by the mob before the lord mayor, who was so frightened at having to try him, that he fell into fits, and shortly after died of apoplexy. Jeffreys, at his own request, was sent to the Tower, and two regiments of militia found it a difficult task to save him from the infuriated people. In convulsions of terror he wrung his hands, rushed from one window of his carriage to another, and shouted to his guards, Keep them off, gentlemen! For God's sake, keep them off!" The fright thus occasioned aggravated a malady, from which he was suffering, and within a short time he died.

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INTERREGNUM.

(1688-1689.)

1. During the two months which followed James's flight, the kingdom was in reality without a sovereign. The Prince of Orange carried on a provisional government; and, at the request of the peers, convened a parliament for the purpose of disposing of the crown. In this assembly the Whigs formed an immense majority, and through their influence the following resolution passed the House of Commons:-"That King James II., having endeavoured to subvert the constitution by breaking the original contract between king and people, and, by the advice of Jesuits and other wicked persons, having violated the fundamental laws, and withdrawn himself out of the kingdom, has abdicated the government, and that the throne is thereby vacant." This resolution was strongly opposed by the Tory peers, and an angry dispute sprang up in consequence between the two houses. William interfered at this juncture, and stated that he would not accept the regency if it were offered him; that he would take no part in the government unless the sovereignty should be vested in himself; and that if these terms were not agrecable he would willingly return to Holland. The peers then withdrew their objections; and a resolution was drawn up declaring William and Mary joint sovereigns, but conferring the actual administration of the government solely on the king. The settlement of the crown, however, was made conditional upon their giving assent to the Declaration of Rights, the articles of which were afterwards embodied in the famous Bill of Rights.

This document, after setting forth the illegal acts of the late king, declared (1) That the crown had no power to suspend or dispense with laws without consent of parliament; (2) That the levying of money for the use of the crown, without consent of parliament, is illegal; (3) That subjects have a

right to petition the king; (4) That the raising or keeping a standing army within the kingdom in time of peace, without consent of parliament, is illegal; (5) That Protestant subjects may bear arms as allowed by law; (6) That elections of members of parliament ought to be free; (7) That the freedom of speech in debate, or proceedings in parliament, ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of parliament; (8) That excessive bail ought not to be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and arbitrary punishments inflicted; (9) That jurors ought to be fairly elected; (10) That all grants of fines and forfeitures before conviction are illegal and void; (11) That for the redress of grievances, parliaments ought to be held frequently. A further proviso was added, "That all persons, who shall hold communion with the Church of Rome, or shall marry a papist, shall be for ever incapable to possess, inherit, or enjoy the government of this realm: and in all such cases the people of these realms shall be dissolved from their allegiance, and the crown shall descend to the next heir." Subject to these conditions, the crown was to devolve upon the heirs of William and Mary, or, in default of issue, upon the princess Anne and her issue.

WILLIAM III. AND MARY II.

William born A.D. 1650; Reigned 14 years (1688-1702). Mary died A.D. 1694.

Family.-1. William was the posthumous son of William Prince of Orange, and grandson of Charles I. of England. Mary was the daughter of James II., by his first wife, Anne Hyde. They were married in 1677, but left no issue.

Chronicle. 2. Early in 1689 a bill was passed changing the convention into a legal parliament, and imposing a new oath of allegiance. Many of the rigid Tories refused to take this oath, and were hence styled non-jurors. Among them were the primate, seven of the bishops, and about 400 of the inferior clergy, who were, in consequence, deprived of their sees and

benefices. The laity, who still clung to the cause of James, complied with the oath, but with a secret reservation in favour of their former sovereign. They, with the non-jurors, formed what was afterwards called the Jacobite party, which gave great annoyance to William all through the reign, by engaging in perpetual intrigues for the restoration of the exiled king. Their cause was considerably strengthened by William's unpopularity, for, noble as was the service he had rendered to England, his reserved disposition, frigid manners, and attachment to his countrymen, prevented him from ever winning the love of his English subjects. "To the last," says Macaulay, "he was a foreigner in speech, tastes, and habits."

3. The Act of Toleration was passed the same year, freeing dissenters from all the penal statutes then in force, and giving them a modified toleration. Another important measure of this parliament was the settling of the revenue of the crown. It was now limited to 1,200,000l. for the current year, one half of which was to be appropriated to the sovereign for the civil expenditure, and the other half to the defence of the kingdom.

4. The Scotch parliament decided, without hestitation, that James had forfeited the throne, and almost unanimously recognized the authority of William, but a few Romanists stood out for some time. The Duke of Gordon held Edinburgh Castle for James, until compelled by force to surrender, and Viscount Dundee (Graham of Claverhouse) raised the Highlanders in behalf of his former master. He was slain, however, in the battle of Killicrankie, and his partisans, though victorious, disheartened at the loss of their leader, gradually dispersed to their homes. Induced by bribes, most of the Highland chiefs took the oaths to the government, though a few still clung to the cause of James. An order was in consequence issued, that military execution should be denounced on all who did not give in their allegiance by a certain day. This stern measure had the desired effect. Macdonald of

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