Public School History of England and Canada/England/Chapter 19
CHAPTER XIX.
THE REVOLUTION.
1. James II.—James, Duke of York, now became king. He promised to support the English Church, and people thought that as he had honestly acknowledged he was a Roman Catholic when the Test Act was passed he would be as good as his word. He was known to be stubborn and narrow-minded, but at the same time he was believed to be sincere and well meaning. His first Parliament was as loyal as he could wish, for it was elected at a time when the tide of public opinion had turned against his opponents, and had been chosen under the control of sheriffs appointed by the Crown in the towns and cities from which charters had been taken.
It was soon seen that James did not intend to support the Established Church, for before he was crowned he went publicly to mass in his own chapel. He told the Bishops they must stop the English Church clergy from preaching against the Roman Catholic religion, and he opened the prison doors to all who were confined for religion's sake. This last act was good in itself, but it was done against the law of the land, and proved that James did not intend to abide by the laws.
2. Monmouth’s Rebellion—When Parliament met it voted the King an income of two million pounds a year for life. It was anxious to show James how loyal it was, for a rebellion had just broken out to make Monmouth king. Monmouth and the- Duke of Argyle had escaped to Holland toward the close of the reign of Charles II., and were now urged by their friends in England and Scotland to return. They were led to believe that most of the English and Scotch. people would gladly join them in driving James from the throne. Finally, Argyle crossed over to Scotland, and a little later Monmouth landed in England. Argyle's clan, the Campbells, rose at his call, but the Covenanters were afraid to rebel, and the rising was soon crushed. Argyle was taken prisoner and executed; and his followers were cruelly punished, many being sold into slavery in America.
Monmouth landed at Lyme, in Dorset, and thousands flocked to greet the popular and handsome young Duke. He marched to Exeter, and thence to Taunton, where he was received with rejoicings by the lower classes. The gentry, nobles, and clergy were against him, for they hoped that when James died he would be succeeded by his daughter Mary, the Princess of Orange. Soon James’ troops under Lord Feversham, and Captain Churchill, were moving against the poorly-armed followers of Monmouth. On the night of July 5th, 1685, Monmouth endeavored to surprise the royal troops at Sedgemoor. When he reached their lines he found they were protected by a deep trench, full of water, and although he had some success at first, James’ soldiers soon rallied and easily routed his brave peasants and colliers. Two days after Monmouth was found concealed in a ditch, half-starved. He was brought to London, and, although he begged his uncle to spare him, his plea for mercy was not listened to, and he was executed.
3. The Bloody Assizes.—Perhaps nothing gives us a better idea of James’ revengeful disposition than the events which followed the Battle of Sedgemoor. Colonel Kirke was left in command of some troops in the neighbourhood of the battle, and he at once began to hang whole batches of prisoners, without troubling himself to find out their share in the rebellion. To add to their miseries, the people of the western counties had Judge Jeffreys sent among them. His mission was to convict as many as possible, and to sentence them to death. In the “Bloody Assizes” which followed, 320 people were hanged, and over 800 sold into slavery in the West Indies. This brutal judge browbeat witnesses and juries to secure sentences against the prisoners, and made the unfortunate, and often innocent victims, the butts of his coarse jokes and his savage insolence. Among those who suffered at his hands was Alice Lisle, an aged lady, whose only crime was hiding two fugitives from the battle-field, thinking they were persecuted puritan preachers fleeing from their enemies. Some were spared through their friends bribing the judge and the queens “maids of honor;” others were given to the courtiers to be sold into slavery.
4, James violates the Test Act.—Jeffreys was rewarded for his infamous conduct with the position of Lord Chancellor; and James thought it a favourable occasion to increase his standing army, and to put Roman Catholic officers in command. This was against the Test Act; but James cared nothing for the law, and replaced those advisers who found fault with his actions by men like Sunderland and Jeffreys. This made the English people uneasy, and when in October, 1685, Louis XIV. revoked the Edict of Nantes, and took away from his Protestant subjects their right to religious freedom, James' subjects became very much alarmed. Louis’ persecution of the Huguenots was a good thing for England, for many of them found refuge there, and brought with them their skill in silk-weaving and other industries. When Parliament met it complained of the violation of the Test Act, but James, now grown bold, prorogued Parliament, and two years after dissolved it. This was the last Parliament that met in his reign. In this way he managed to get rid of an unpleasant opposition; but he could not prevent people from talking about the way the law was being broken to please Roman Catholics.
After Parliament was dissolved he asked his judges if he had the right to dispense with the Test Act, and when four of them said he had not, he dismissed them from the bench, and appointed others in their stead. He then had a test case brought before the judges, and they decided that James could, if he wished, do away with laws against Roman Catholics. James now felt free to make all the appointments he wished, and began to turn leading Protestants out of office, and to put Roman Catholics in their places. His own brothers-in-law, the sons of Clarendon, were dismissed because they would not change their religion to please him. Lord Tyrconnel was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland in place of the elder Clarendon, and the younger Clarendon was dismissed from his post of High Treasurer.
A new court was now called into existence to control the Church. This was the Ecclesiastical Commission, which had for its head Judge Jeffreys, and concerned itself with the acts of the English Church clergy. The king built Roman Catholic chapels in London, and expected his lords to attend him when he went to service; but most of them refused. Orders of monks began to settle in London, and a Jesuit school was opened. All these things: made James’ subjects angry, and to overawe the people of London, James placed an army of 13,000 men inacamp at Hounslow. He next published a "Declaration of Indulgence," in 1687, hoping to get, by his liberality, the support of the persecuted Dissenters. Some were glad to get their freedom, and praised James for his kindness and justice; but the more thoughtful saw that if the king could do away with one law, then he could do away with all laws, and this would make the government of England a despotism.
5. Attack on the Universities.—James' own friends saw that in his zeal for his church he was doing it harm, and advised him to be more prudent and cautious. But James thought he was right and would take no advice. His next step was an attack on the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, about the only places in England where a good education could be obtained. The clergy and the sons of the nobles and gentry were educated there, but no student could take a degree or hold an office in these colleges unless he belonged to the English Church. James wished to open the Universities to Roman Catholics, and so placed at the head of one college a Roman Catholic, and when a vacancy occured in the headship of Magdalen College, he told the Fellows to elect Dr. Parker, also a Roman Catholic. The Fellows refused, and James drove them forth from the college walls. Cambridge University was also attacked, and men began to fear that the chief seats of learning would soon be under the control of the Roman Catholics.
6. Birth of James the Pretender.—It was at this time, in 1687, that Parliament was dissolved, and James began his preparations for a new election. He asked the Lord-Lieutenants and sheriffs in the counties to send up members who would vote to repeal the Test Act; and when he met with a general refusal, he dismissed them from their offices, and replaced them by others.
Many were disposed to bear patiently James' tyranny, in the hope that his reign would soon be at an end, and then his daughter Mary would undo all his tyrannical acts. But this hope disappeared when it was given forth that a son was born to James, in June 1688. It was now felt there was likely to be a succession of Roman Catholic kings, and in that event, there was great danger England would lose her religion and freedom. It was then resolved that William of Orange should be invited to come over with an army to help to drive James from the throne. The nation was afraid to rise against the king, for it remembered the terrible vengeance that followed Monmouth's rebellion. So messengers were sent to William to ask for his aid, and he promised to go to England if Louis XIV. did not invade his country. Louis, as it happened, sent his army against Germany, and this left the way open for William to go to England.
7. Declaration of Indulgence.—In the meantime James had resolved on issuing another “Declaration of Indulgence,” and, as his former “declaration” had been little heeded, he ordered that the clergy should read it from their pulpits. Most of the clergy refused, and seven bishops, with Archbishop Sancroft at their head, drew up a respectful petition to James asking him to withdraw his order to the clergy. When James read this petition he was so angry that he had the bishops charged with libel and sent to the Tower.
8. Trial of the Bishops.—The bishops were in due time brought to trial, and thousands came flocking to London to see they suffered no wrong. So great was the anxiety to hear the trial that crowds stood for miles around the court. Able lawyers, lke Somers, defended the bishops, and showed that the petition was not a libel at all; and the jury, after a night's discussion, at last agreed upon a verdict of “Not Guilty.” Such ascene of excitement as followed is seldom witnessed. Bells rang, bonfires blazed, the people thronged the churches, and returned thanks in sobs of joy. James' own soldiers in Hounslow camp took up the cheers of the multitude, greatly to James' dismay and chagrin.
9. The Revolution.—And now Admiral Herbert went in disguise to Holland with an invitation from Whigs and Tories, Churchmen and Dissenters, the Army and Navy, Peers and Commoners. William began to prepare an army and fleet, and issued a proclamation to the nation that he was coming to restore its rights and liberties. James was now thoroughly alarmed, and hastily began to undo his illegal acts; but it was too late. William landed, November 5th, 1688, at Torbay, with 13,000 men, and though, at first, coldly received, he was soon joined by the leading men of England. James thought his forces were strong enough to defeat his opponent; but, as the armies approached each other, Churchill took his troops over to William, and James saw he was deserted. Even his daughter Anne and her husband left him, and nothing remained for James but to send his wife and child to France, and make his own way there as best he could. William was glad to have him go, and left the way open for his escape. So, on Dec. 23rd, 1688, James found his way to the court of Louis XIV., and England saw him no more.
10. Declaration of Rights.—Before William reached London some rioting took place, and an assembly formed of some members of the Commons in the time of Charles II., the Aldermen of London, and a few others, joined the House of Lords in asking him to take charge of affairs and keep order until a Parliament could decide what was best to be done. William then called a Convention Parliament in January, 1689, which, after considerable discussion, agreed that William and Mary should be joint King and Queen, and that William only should rule. It was now thought wise to make the new king and queen agree to certain principles before they were crowned; and so Somers drew up for Parliament a “Declaration of Rights,” which after William became king was changed into a law. This “Declaration,” after reciting the misdeeds of James, declared that the king had no power to suspend or dispense with the laws, nor raise money, nor keep a standing army without consent of Parliament; that subjects may petition the king; that elections of members must be free, and that free speech in Parliament must be allowed; and that Parliaments should meet frequently to redress grievances. The Bill of Rights afterwards added “that no Papist should ever again hold the Crown of England.” William and Mary agreed to be bound by these conditions, and were crowned April 11th, 1689.