■WILLIAM AND MAKY.

61

The Lords unanimously assented to this amendment: hutthe Commons unanimously rejected it. The cause of the-rejection no contemporary writer has satisfactorily explained.One Whig historian talks of the machinations of the repub-licans, another of the machinations of the Jacobites. But itis quite certain that four fifths of the representatives of thepeople were neither Jacobites nor republicans. Yet not asingle voice was raised in the Lower House in favour of theclause which in the Upper House had been carried by acclama-tion.* The most probable explanation seems to be that thegross injustice which had been committed in the case of Oateshad irritated the Commons to such a degree that they were gladof an opportunity to quarrel with the Peers. A conference washeld. Neither assembly would give way. While the disputewas hottest, an event took place which, it might have beenthought, would have restored harmony. Anne gave birth toa son. The child was baptized at Hampton Court with greatpomp, and with many signs of public joy. William was one ofthe sponsors. The other was the accomplished Dorset, whoseroof had given shelter to the Princess in her distress. TheKing bestowed his own name on his godson, and announced tothe splendid circle assembled round the font that the littleWilliam was henceforth to be called Duke of Gloucester.** Thebirth of this child had greatly diminished the risk against whichthe Lords had thought it necessary to guard. They mighttherefore have retracted with a good grace. But their pridehad been wounded by the severity with which their decision on

* Oldmixon accuses the Jacobites, Burijet the republicans. ThoughBurnet took a prominent part in the discussion of this question, his accountof what passed is grossly inaccurate. He says that the clause was warmlydebated in the Commons, and that Hampden spoke strongly for it. But welearn from the Journals (June 19. 1G89) that it was rejected nemine contra-dicentc. The Dutch Ambassadors describe it as “ccn propositie ’twelckgeen ingressie schynt te sullen vinden."

** London Gazette, Aug. 1. 1G89; Narcissus Luttrcll’s Diary.

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