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CHAP. II. evidence both of their declaration and their conduct. Obedience without reserve, an abhorrence of all resistance, as contrary to the tenets of their religion, are the principles which they professed in their addresses, their sermons, and their decrees at Oxford; and surely nothing short of such principles, could make men esteem the latter years of Charles the Second, and the opening of the reign of his successor, an æra of national happiness, and exemplary government. Yet this is the representation of that period, which is usually made by historians, and other writers of the church party. "Never were fairer promises on one "side, nor greater generosity on the other," says Mr. Echard. "The King had as yet, in no instance, in"vaded the rights of his subjects," says the author of the Caveat against the Whigs. Thus, as long as James contented himself with absolute power in civil matters, and did not make use of his authority against the church, every thing went smooth and easy; nor is it necessary, in order to account for the satisfaction of the parliament and people, to have recourse to any implied compromise, by which the nation was willing to yield its civil liberties as the price of retaining its religious constitution. The truth seems to be, that the King, in asserting his unlimited power, rather fell in with the humour of the prevailing party, than offered any violence to it. Absolute power in civil matters, under the specious names of monarchy and prerogative, formed a most essential part of the Tory creed; but the order in which Church and King are placed in the favourite device of the party, is not accidental, and is well calculated to show the genuine principles of such among them as are not corrupted by influence. Accordingly, as the sequel of this reign will abundantly show, when they found themselves compelled to make an option, they preferred, without any degree

of inconsistency, their first idol to their second, and CHAP. II. when they could not preserve both church and King,

declared for the former.

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It gives certainly no very flattering picture of the Situation of the Whigs. country, to describe it as being in some sense fairly represented by this servile Parliament, and not only acquiescing in, but delighted with, the early measures of James's reign; the contempt of law exhibited in the arbitrary mode of raising his revenue; his insulting menace to the Parliament, that if they did not use him well, he would govern without them; his furious persecution of the Protestant dissenters, and the spirit of despotism which appeared in all his speeches and actions. But it is to be remembered, that these measures were in no wise contrary to the principles or prejudices of the church party, but rather highly agreeable to them; and that the Whigs, who alone were possessed of any just notions of liberty, were so out-numbered, and discomfited by persecution, that such of them as did not think fit to engage in the rash schemes of Monmouth or Argyle, held it to be their interest to interfere as little as possible in public affairs, and by no means to obtrude upon unwilling hearers, opinions and sentiments, which, ever since the dissolution of the Oxford Parliament in 1681, had been generally discountenanced, and of which the peaceable, or rather triumphant accession of James to the throne, was supposed to seal the condemnation.

CHAP. III. 1685.

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CHAPTER III.

Attempts of Argyle and Monmouth.....Account of their followers..... Argyle's Expedition discovered.....His descent in Argyleshire.....Dissensions among his followers.....Loss of his shipping..... His army dispersed, and himself taken prisoner.... "His behaviour in prison..... His execution.....The fate of his fol"lowers....Rumbold's late declaration examined....Monmouth's "Invasion of England..... His first success and reception.....His delays, disappointment and despondency.....Battle of Sedge. more.....He is discovered and taken.....His Letter to the King..... "His interview with James..... His preparations for death.....Cir"cumstances attending his execution.....His Character."

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IT is now necessary to give some account of those attempts in Scotland by the Earl of Argyle, and in Earl of Ar- England by the Duke of Monmouth, of which the gyle. King had informed his Parliament in the manner recited in the preceding Chapter. The Earl of Argyle was son to the Marquis of Argyle, of whose unjust execution, and the treacherous circumstances accompanying it, notice has already been taken. He had, in his youth, been strongly attached to the royal cause, and had refused to lay down his arms, till he had the exiled King's positive orders for that purpose. But the merit of his early services could neither save the life of his father, nor even procure for himself a complete restitution of his family honours and estates; and not long after the restoration, upon an accusation of Leasing-Making, an accusation founded, in this instance, upon a private letter to a fellow-subject, in which he spoke with some freedom of his Majesty's Scottish ministry, he was condemned to death. The sentence was suspended, and finally remitted ; but not till after an imprisonment of twelve months and upwards. In this affair he was much assisted by

1685.

the friendship of the Duke of Lauderdale, with whom CHAP. III. he ever afterwards lived upon terms of friendship, though his principles would not permit him to give active assistance to that nobleman in his government of Scotland. Accordingly, we do not during that period, find Argyle's name among those who held any of those great employments of state, to which, by his rank and consequence, he was naturally entitled. When James, then Duke of York, was appointed to the Scotch government, it seems to have been the Earl's intention to cultivate his Royal Highness' favour, and he was a strenuous supporter of the Bill which condemned all attempts at exclusions, or other alterations in the succession of the crown. But having highly offended that Prince, by insisting on the occasion of the Test, that the royal family, when in office, should not be exempted from taking that oath which they imposed upon subjects in like situations ; his Royal Highness ordered a prosecution against him, for the explanation with which he had taken the Test oath at the council board, and the Earl was, as we have seen, again condemned to death. From the time of his escape from prison, he resided wholly in foreign countries, and was looked to as a principal ally by such of the English patriots as had at any time entertained thoughts, whether more or less ripened, of delivering their country.

James Duke of Monmouth was the eldest of the Duke of late King's natural children. In the early part of his Monmouth. life, he held the first place in his father's affections; and even in the height of Charles's displeasure at his political conduct, attentive observers thought they could discern, that the traces of paternal tenderness

were by no means effaced. Appearing at Court in the His characbloom of youth, with a beautiful figure, and engaging ter, manners, known to be the darling of the Monarch, it

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CHAP. III. is no wonder that he was early assailed by the arts of flattery: and it is rather a proof that he had not the strongest of all minds, than of any extraordinary weakness of character, that he was not proof against them. He had appeared with some distinction in the Flemish campaigns; and his conduct had been noticed with the approbation of the commanders, as well Dutch as French, under whom he had respectively served. His courage was allowed by all, his person admired, his generosity loved, his sincerity confided in. If his talents were not of the first rate, they were, by no means contemptible; and he possessed in an eminent degree, qualities which, in popular government, are far more effective than the most splendid talents; qualities by which he inspired those who followed him, not only with confidence and esteem, but with affection, enthusiasm, and even fondness. Thus endowed, it is not surprising that his youthful mind was fired with ambition, or that he should consider the putting of himself at the head of a party, (a situation for which he seems to have been peculiarly qualified by so many advantages,) as the means by which he was most likely to attain his object,

and ambition.

His private motives,

Many circumstances contributed to outweigh the scruples which must have harrassed a man of his excellent nature, when he considered the obligations of filial duty and gratitude, and when he reflected, that the particular relation in which he stood to the King rendered a conduct, which in any other subject would have been meritorious, doubtful, if not extremely culpable in him. Among these, not the least was the declared enmity which subsisted between him and his uncle, the Duke of York. The Earl of Mulgrave, afterwards Duke of Buckinghamshire, boasted in his Memoirs, that this enmity was originally owing to his contrivances; and while he is relating a conduct, upon