The History of England Volume VI

LXX: James II

HistEng6_401-450.indd 49 6/17/11 11:23 AM LXX JAMES II King's first transactions A parliament - Arguments for and against a revenue for life - Oates convicted ofperjury Monmouth 's invasion- His defeat- and executionCruelties ofKirke - and ofJefferies - State of affairs in Scotland- Argyle's invasion- defeat- and execution - A parliament - French persecutions The dispensing power- State of Scotland- State of Ireland - Breach betwixt the king and the church - Court of ecclesiastical commission Sentence against the bishop of London Suspension of the penal laws - State of Ireland - Embassy to Rome - Attempt on Magdalen College- Imprisonmenttrial , and acquittal of the bishops Birth of the prince of Wales f~,) 0!!'!;) 01 9 ~~~ THE FIRST ACT of J ames's reign was to assemble the privy council; where, after some praises bestowed on the memory of his predecessor, he made professions of his resolution to maintain the established government, both in church and state. Though he had been reported, he said, to have imbibed arbitrary prin449 r685. King's first transactions . HistEng6_401-450.indd 50 6/17/11 11:23 AM 450 HISTORY OF ENGLAND ciples, he knew that the laws of England were sufficient to make him as great a monarch as he could wish; and he was determined never to depart from them. And as he had heretofore ventured his life in defence of the nation, he would still go as far as any man in maintaining all its just rights and liberties. This discourse was received with great applause, not only by the council, but by the nation. The king universally passed for a man of great sincerity and great honour; and as the current of favour ran at that time for the court, men believed, that his intentions were conformable to his expressions. "We have now," it was said, "the word of a king; and a word never yet broken." Addresses came from all quarters, full of duty, nay, of the most servile adulation. Every one hastened to pay court to the new monarch.r And James had reason to think, that, notwithstanding the violent efforts made by so potent a party for his exclusion, no throne in Europe was better established than that of England. The king, however, in the first exercise of his authority, shewed, that either he was not sincere in his professions of attachment to the laws, or that he had entertained so lofty an idea of his own legal power, that even his utmost sincerity would tend very little to secure the liberties of the people. All the customs and the greater part of the excise had been settled by parliament on the late king during life, and consequently the grant was now expired; nor had the successor any right to levy these branches of revenue. ButJames issued a proclamation, ordering the customs and excise to be paid as before; and this exertion of power he would not deign to qualify by the least act or even appearance of condescension. It was proposed to him, that, in order to prevent the ill effects of any intermission in levying these duties, entries should be made, and bonds for the sums be taken from the merchants and brewers: But the payment be suspended till the parliament should give authorr The quakers' address was esteemed somewhat singular for its plainness and simplicity. It was conceived in these terms: "We are come,to testify our sorrow for the death of our good friend Charles, and ourjoy for thy being made o ur governor. We are told thou art not of the persuasion of the church of England, no more than we: Wherefore we hope thou wilt grant us the same liberty, which thou allowest thyself. Which doing, we wish thee all manner of happiness." HistEng6_451-500.indd 1 6/17/11 11:23 AM 451 CHAPTER LXX ity to receive it. This precaution was recommended as an expression of deference to that assembly, or rather to the laws: But for that very reason, probably, it was rejected by the king, who thought, that the commons would thence be invited to assume more authority, and would regard the whole revenue, and consequently the whole power, of the crown, as dependent on their good will and pleasure. The king likewise went openly, and with all the ensigns of his dignity, to mass, an illegal meeting: And by this imprudence he displayed at once his arbitrary disposition...