274

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

II.

would have been his resolve, can only be conjectured. Earlyin the year 1685, while hostile parties were anxiously awaitinghis determination, he died, and a new scene opened. In a fewmonths the excesses of the government obliterated the im-pression which had been made on the public mind by the ex-cesses of the opposition. The violent reaction which had laidthe Whig party prostrate was followed by a still more violentreaction in the opposite direction; and signs not to be mis-taken indicated that the great conflict between the preroga-tives of the crown and the privileges of the Parliament, wasabout to be brought to a final issue.