18

HISTOBY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

VII.

1G87.

Relations

between

William

and

English

parties.

decisive interview took place. “I did not know till yester-day,” said Mary, “that there was such a difference betweenthe laws of England and the laws of God. But I now promiseyou that you shall always bear rule: and, in return, I ask onlythis, that, as I shall observe the precept which enjoins wivesto obey their husbands, you will observe that which enjoinshusbands to love their wives.” Her generous affectioncompletely gained the heart of William. From that time tillthe sad day when he was carried away in fits from her dyingbed, there was entire friendship and confidence betweenthem. Many of her letters to him are extant; and they con-tain abundant evidence that this man, unamiable as he was inthe eyes of the multitude, had succeeded in inspiring abeautiful and virtuous woman, born his superior, with a pas-sion fond even to idolatry.

The service which Burnet had rendered to his country wasof high moment. A time had arrived at which it was impor-tant to the public safety that there should be entire concordbetween the Prince and Princess.

Till after the suppression of the Western insurrectiongrave causes of dissension had separated William both fromWhigs and Tories. He had seen with displeasure the attemptsof the Whigs to strip the executive government of somepowers which he thought necessary to its efficiency anddignity. He had seen*with still deeper displeasure the coun-tenance given by a large section of that party to the preten-sions of Monmouth. The opposition, it seemed, wished firstto make the crown of England not worth the wearing, andthen to place it on the head of a bastard and impostor. Atthe same time the Prince’s religious system differed widelyfrom that which was the badge of the Tories. They wereArminians and Prelatists. They looked down on the Pro-testant Churches of the Continent, and regarded every lineof their own liturgy and rubric as scarcely less sacred than thegospels. His opinions touching the metaphysics of theologywere Calvinistic. His opinions respecting ecclesiastical polityand modes of worship were latitudinarian. He owned thatepiscopacy was a lawful and convenient form of church