rightly held that such views were utterly inconsistent with the principles of a limited constitutional monarchy. It was, they asserted, essential once and for ever to strike down a principle so fatal to freedom.

Accordingly, they advocated that parliament should boldly depose the king, and confer the crown on some other prince—not necessarily the hereditary heir. This course was in effect adopted. It was thus finally established that the English monarchy rests upon a compact between the king and people; and that, if the king defies the law of the country and attacks its liberty, he may with justice and in accordance with the constitution be deposed from the throne he has disgraced and from the office he has used for purposes so alien to its true function. This is the true purport of the Great Revolution of 1688.

The regency was then offered to William and the crown to the Princess Mary. But the prince refused to occupy such a position, and Mary nobly declined a throne unshared by her husband. It was therefore agreed that William and Mary should be joint sovereigns, and the crown was accepted by them on this condition."

Before they received the crown they gave their assent to the famous Declaration of Rights, by which for the first time a secure basis was obtained for a constitutional monarchy. Its more important provisions were those against the suspending and dispensing powers, and the levying of money without consent of Parliament. It was a clear limitation of the prerogatives of the sovereign in regard to legislation, taxation, the maintenance of a standing army, the liberty of the person, and the rights of private property.

This new charter of liberty received its name because

it is, in its own words, a Declaration' of the true 'rights' of the people of this realm; and it concludes. with the firm statement that they do claim, demand, and insist upon, all and singular the premises, as their undoubted rights and liberties.'

7

It was finally confirmed by the Bill of Rights passed by the first Parliament of William and Mary. This bill also provided for the succession of the crown to William or Mary, as the one survived the other; to the Princess. Anne if Mary had no children, and failing these, to any children that might be born to William.

8

clared illegal for a Catholic to hold the crown.

It was de

Resistance in Scotland: the Massacre of Glencoe.— As soon as the troops of James were withdrawn from Scotland to repel the invasion of William, the Covenanters proclaimed William king; and although the Duke of Gordon for a time held Edinburgh Castle on behalf of James, he gave up all resistance as soon as the majority of the Scottish Estates" declared in favour of William and Mary.

10

In the Highlands, however, Viscount Dundee summoned the clans to his standard. They had assembled to the number of 3000 at Blair Castle, commanding the wild pass of Killiecrankie," when the scouts brought intelligence that General Mackay, who had about an equal number of men under his command, was entering the pass. The soldiers of Mackay were tired with a long march, and did not expect to find the enemy either so near at hand or so completely prepared; accordingly, the majority of them, after passing the narrow defile, threw themselves on the ground to snatch a little repose until the others had come through the pass.

Suddenly some musket-shots were heard, and Mackay

had barely arranged his lines when the Highlanders were upon him. Firing one volley, they threw down their muskets and charged wildly down the pass with

their claymores. The rush was like a mountain torrent, and swept the troops of Mackay headlong before it.

Never was there a victory more brilliant and complete;

but the death of Dundee, by a chance shot, turned it practically into a defeat, and in the following summer nearly all the clans sent in a formal submission.

12

14

Only one clan, the Macdonalds of Glencoe, delayed taking the oath of allegiance till after the time fixed by the proclamation 13 offering pardon on submission. Their delay was due wholly to a misunderstanding; but William, who knew nothing of the circumstances,15 gave a written order "to extirpate that sept of thieves for the vindication of public justice." By means of the blackest treachery, the order was carried out to the letter.

16

Glencoe is a wild valley not far from Loch Leven," an inlet of the sea separating Argyleshire from Inverness. The valley is neither fruitful nor beautiful, and no one would choose it for a habitation except for the facilities it affords for defence. The Macdonalds did not number altogether more than 200, but would doubtless have sold their lives dear had not their murderers come in the guise of friends.

One hundred and twenty men of Argyle's regiment were sent to quarter on them; and the Macdonalds, believing that their submission had been accepted, received them hospitably. After they had completely lulled all lingering suspicions of unfriendliness, the Campbells suddenly fell on their hosts at daybreak, and massacred all except a few who escaped to the mountains only to perish from hunger and cold amid the winter's This crime forms the worst stain on the memory of William, who was, at the very least, guilty of the grossest carelessness in a matter of life and death.

snow.

War in Ireland: Battle of the Boyne.-Ireland was held for James by the Lord-Lieutenant Tyrconnel, who had under his command an army of 50,000 men.

The supporters of William, on learning the flight of James, had collected for security at Enniskillen and Londonderry, where they maintained a heroic defence against Tyrconnel. The latter city was only saved from surrender by the entry of an English ship with provisions. Meantime James had landed at Kinsale,18 and had been received in Dublin with the utmost enthusiasm. There he summoned an Irish Parliament, which passed an Act of attainder against the leading Protestants of Ireland.

19

But already the Protestants of Enniskillen had defeated the royal troops with great slaughter at Newton Butler, the blockade of Londonderry had been raised, and the north of Ireland conquered for William. Marshal Schomberg,20 taking advantage of the panic thus created, landed at Carrickfergus with 10,000 men and entrenched himself at Dundalk, till the advance of winter rendered operations impossible.

In the spring, reinforcements of Dutch and Danish soldiers, with several English regiments, brought his force to over 30,000 men; and, in a short time, William himself arrived to take supreme command. James, whose army, though augmented by 8000 French troops sent by Louis, did not muster much above. 20,000, resolved to await the attack of William on the south side of the Boyne,21 having Drogheda strongly garrisoned on his right, and the bridge of Slane on his left. William determined to attack strongly both flanks of the enemy, while his centre plunged boldly into the river. To save the left flank of James, the French troops were withdrawn from the centre; and the Irish infantry, left alone, broke and fled as soon as the troops of William made good their footing. For a