450 persons who had absented themselves from the kingdom since or shortly before November 5th, 1688, were attainted unless they returned before September 1st.
A third clause, according to King, condemned nearly two hundred absentees who had left the country before November 5th, 1688, unless they returned before October 1st, but nearly sixty of this number whose usual residence was in England were excepted from the operation of the clause unless James went to England before October 1st and unless they then failed to show their loyalty.
In all, therefore, it would seem that, if we follow King as corrected by Davis, between eighteen and nineteen hundred persons were attainted; and if we follow Harris, and a pamphlet cited by Davis as "the List" the number may possibly be two thousand two hundred.[1]
Some writers have attempted to deny the existence of this Act, asserting that it is a forgery made by someone in the Williamite interest. This view according to Davis cannot be sustained. But it seems difficult to accept Archbishop King's statement that the terms of the Act were kept a secret, and that none of those named in it could ascertain whether they were included in it or not. That an Act debated on in both Houses, and known to clerks, printers, etc. could be thus kept secret appears quite incredible.
These two Acts have brought down volumes of
- ↑ The lists as given by King, Harris and the pamphlet published in 1690 differ widely. Davis treats of the whole question very fully. Murray does not attempt to decide the true number.The lists were hurriedly drawn up, and the same persons sometimes figure in more than one category.
