28

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

C vn P ' un< ^ er the rule of a man bred among Dutch Presbyterians,-77577- and well known to hold latitudinarian opinions about robes,ceremonies, and Bishops: but, since that beloved Churchhad been threatened by far more formidable dangers froma very different quarter, these apprehensions had lost almostall their power. Thus, at the same moment, both the greatparties began to fix their hopes and their affections on thesame leader. Old republicans could not refuse their con-fidence to one who had worthily filled, during many years,the highest magistracy of a republic. Old royalists conceivedthat they acted according to their principles in paying pro-found respect to a prince so near to the throne. At thisconjuncture it was of the highest moment that there shouldbe entire union between William and Mary. A misunder-standing between the presumptive heiress of the crown andher husband must have produced a schism in that vast masswhich was from all quarters gathering- round one commonrallying point. Happily all risk of such misunderstandingwas averted in the critical instant by the interposition ofBurnet; and the Prince became the unquestioned chief of thewhole of that party which was opposed to the government,a party almost coextensive with the nation.

There is not the least reason to believe that he at this timemeditated the great enterprise to which a stern necessityafterwards drove him. He was aware that the public mindof England, though heated by grievances, was by no meansripe for revolution. lie -would doubtless gladly have avoidedthe scandal which must be the effect of a mortal quarrelbetween persons bound together by the closest ties of con-sanguinity and affinity. Even his ambition made him un-willing to owe to violence that greatness which might be hisin the ordinary course of nature and of law. For he wellknew.that, if the crown descended to his wife regularly, allits prerogatives would descend unimpaired with it, and that,if it were obtained by election, it must be taken subject tosuch conditions as the electors might think fit to impose. Hemeant, therefore, as it appears, to wait with patience for theday when he might govern by an undisputed title, and to