28

HISTORY OP ENGLAND.

CHAP

XXI.

this was the real explanation of Marlborough’s dark and com-■ plicated plots was, as we have seen, firmly believed by some ofthe most zealous Jacobites, and is in the highest degree pro-bable. It is •certain that during several years he had spared noefforts to inflame the army and the nation against the govern-ment. But all was now changed. Mary was gone. By the Billof Lights the Crown was entailed on Anne after the death ofWilliam. The death of William could not be far distant. Indeedall the physicians who attended him wondered that he was stillalive; and, when the risks of war were added to the risks of dis-ease, the probability seemed to be that in a few months hewould be in his grave. Marlborough saw that it would now bomadness to throw every thing into disorder and to put everything to hazard. He had done his best to shake the thronewhile it seemed unlikely that Anne would ever mount it exceptby violent means. But he did his best to fix it firmly, as soonas it became highly probable that she would soon he called tofill it in the regular course of nature and of law.

The Princess was easily induced by the Churchills to write tothe King a submissive and affectionate letter of condolence.The King, who was never much inclined to engage in a com-merce of insincere compliments, and who was still in the firstagonies of his grief, showed little disposition to meet her ad-vances. But Somers, who felt that every thing was at stake,went to Kensington, and made his way into the royal closet.William was sitting there, so deeply sunk in melancholy that hedid not seem to perceive that any person had entered the room.The Lord Keeper, after a respectful pause, broke silence, and,doubtless with all that cautious delicacy which was characteristicof him, and which eminently qualified him to touch the soreplaces of the mind without hurting them, implored His Majestyto be reconciled to the Princess. “Do what you will,” saidWilliam; “I can think of no business.” Thus authorised, the