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THE FALL OF THE STUARTS.
1685-1688.

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JAMES II.

CCESSION and Character of James II.1-Charles, on being told by his brother. the Duke of York of a plot against his life, is said to have replied, "No, no, James; they will never kill me to make you king." The fact that James was a Catholic was sufficient to destroy his popularity. He possessed neither the personal charm nor the practical tact which

had enabled Charles to retain the attachment of his subjects notwithstanding the dissatisfaction caused by his connection with Louis of France. James was generally believed to have the merit of sincerity and honesty. He had boldly declared his conversion to Catholicism, and now stated that "although he meant to maintain the Church of England in her temporal dignity, he was unwilling to communicate with her in things spiritual."

His statement to the Privy Councillors, that he had no fondness for arbitrary power and that he was determined to "maintain the established government in Church and State," produced at once a sense of inexpressible relief. "We have now for our Church," it was said, "the word of a king, and of a king who was never worse than his word." The Parliament, accordingly, manifested their loyalty by a grant of a revenue

of two millions, and by the passing of a law that whoever should move to "alter or change the descent of the crown should be adjudged guilty of high treason."

Monmouth's Rebellion.-The hold which James possessed on public confidence was increased by the joint attempt at rebellion of Argyle in Scotland and Monmouth in England. These two noblemen had for some years been refugees in Holland.

The former landed in the west of Scotland; 2 but, after a vain attempt to seize Glasgow, he was captured 3 while attempting to escape, and was executed at Edinburgh on June 30th, 1685.

Monmouth appeared as the Protestant champion, and claimed to succeed to the throne on the ground that his mother, Lucy Walters, had been married to Charles at the Hague. He had intended to act simultaneously with Argyle, but was delayed by contrary winds, and did not land until the Scottish rising had failed.

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The south-west of England was strongly Puritan; and so rapidly did the people flock to his standard, which had been set up in the market-place of Lyme, that the day after his landing his followers amounted to 1500 foot and several horsemen. He next marched to Taunton in Somerset, where, on his arrival, the doors and windows were wreathed with flowers, and a train of young girls presented him with a gorgeously embroidered flag and a richly bound Bible.

Emboldened by his reception, he now proclaimed himself king. He had then 5000 infantry and 1000 cavalry-mostly farmers, peasants, and miners, who had never before borne arms. Finding Bath and Bristol too strong for attack, he marched in a haphazard manner through Somersetshire, closely followed and harassed by

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Churchill. Meantime, Feversham was coming to the assistance of the latter, with nearly 3000 men.

The two armies came in sight of one another near Bridgewater. Monmouth resolved to trust to a surprise by night to snatch a victory which he had no hope of obtaining over the disciplined soldiers of the king in fair fight in open day. Though the moon was then at the full, the thick fog which gathered on the marsh concealed the advance of his troops.

But for a deep ditch,' which, unknown to Monmouth, covered the front of the royal camp, his scheme might have been successful. This obstacle proved fatal to it. The accidental firing of some stray shots gave the alarm, and speedily the royal troops were drawn up facing the ditch in battle array. The cavalry of Monmouth were soon dispersed by the volleys of the guards; and, although his infantry for a time fought with a stubbornness worthy of veteran troops, he saw that his cause was lost, and fled from the field.

Deserted by their leader and separated from their ammunition waggons, the insurgents still resolutely held their own; but soon the guards, making a detour, charged them on both flanks; the artillery poured its shot amongst them, the cavalry advanced to the charge, and the rout was complete. Monmouth, some days afterwards, was discovered in a ditch, disguised as a peasant. He was taken to London, and vainly implored James to pardon him. "Your crime is too great," said the inexorable monarch. Nine days after the defeat of Sedgemoor the hapless nobleman suffered execution on Tower Hill.9

Kirke's Lambs, and the Bloody Assizes.—Thus ended the last battle fought on English soil.10 After

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the victory, the cavalry under Colonel Kirke searched all the villages round-putting the fugitives to a cruel death, and arresting all who had sheltered them. These troops bore a flag with the figure of a paschal lamb 11 upon it; and the people of Cornwall long remembered with horror the atrocities of 'Kirke's lambs.'

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This military massacre did not satisfy James, and it was followed by a commission known ever afterwards as the Bloody Assizes.' Under Judge Jeffreys, already notorious for his unscrupulous disregard of justice and his delight in cruelty, it placed on trial every one suspected of treason. More than 300 persons were executed, 1000 were sold into slavery, and a large number more were whipped and fined. The queen's

maids of honour had to be bribed with the sum of £2000 to obtain the pardon of the 'maids of Taunton' who had presented Monmouth with the banner.

The trial which showed most clearly the brutality of Jeffreys and excited the greatest indignation, was the first of the crimson list. The victim was the aged Lady Alice Lisle, who had lived long in retirement at Winchester, but was now accused of harbouring two of the rebels. The jury were literally bullied' into finding her guilty, and the exultant wretch who acted as her judge condemned the venerable lady to be burned alive. It was with the greatest difficulty that her friends persuaded the king to change the sentence, and she was beheaded at Winchester five days after her trial.

Such severity defeated its purpose, and helped to deprive the king of the attachment of the nation.

Unconstitutional Acts of the King. James's policy was directed to the attainment of two endsthe restoration of Catholicism, and the establishment of

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