WILLIAM THE THIBD.

31

the Third were saints. Nevertheless Janies, during some years,refused to sanction any attempt on his nephew’s person. Thereasons which he assigned for his refusal have come down to us,as he wrote them with his own hand. He did not affect to thinkthat assassination was a sin which ought to he held in horror bya Christian, or a villany unworthy of a gentleman: he merelysaid that the difficulties were great, and that he would not pushhis friends on extreme danger when it would not be in his powerto second them effectually.* In truth, while Mary lived, itmight well be doubted whether the murder of her husbandW'ould really be a service to the Jacobite cause. By his deatlithe government would lose indeed the strength derived from hiseminent personal qualities, but would at the same time be re-lieved from the load of his personal unpopularity. His wholepower would at once devolve on his widow; and the nationwould probably rally round her with enthusiasm. If her politicalabilities were not equal to his, sheliad not his repulsive manners,his foreign pronunciation, his partiality for every thing Dutchand for every thing Calvinistic. Many, who had thought herculpably wanting in filial piety, would be of opinion that now atleast she was absolved from all duty to a father stained with theblood of her husband. The whole machinery of the administra-tion would continue to work without that interruption whichordinarily followed a demise of the Crown. There would beno dissolution of the Parliament, no suspension of the customsand excise: commissions would retain their force; and allthat James would have gained by the fall of his enemy wouldhave been a barren revenge.

The death of the Queen changed everything. If a daggeror a bullet should now reach the heart of William, it was pro-

* Life of James, ii. 545,, Orig. Mem. Of course James does not usethe word assassination, lie talks of the seizing and carrying away of thePrince of Orange.

CHAP.

XXI.

16U5.