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not live by preaching. He traded largely; his credit on theExchange of London stood high; and he had accumulated anample fortune. Perhaps no man could, at that conjuncture,have rendered more valuable services to the Court. Butbetween him and the Court was interposed the remembranceof one terrible event. He was the grandfather of the twoHewlings, those gallant youths who, of all the victims of theBloody Assizes, had been the most generally lamented. Forthe sad fate of one of them James was in a peculiar mannerresponsible. Jeffreys had respited the younger brother.The poor lad’s sister had been ushered by Churchill into theroyal presence, and had begged for mercy; but the King’sheart had been obdurate. The misery of the whole familyhad been great: but Kiffin was most to be pitied. He wasseventy years old when lie was left desolate, the survivorof those who should have survived him. The heartless andvenal sycophants of Whitehall, judging by themselves,thought that the old man would be easily propitiated by anAlderman’s gown, and by some compensation in money forthe property which his grandsons had forfeited. Penn wasemployed in the work of seduction, but to no purpose. TheKing determined to try what effect his own civilities wouldproduce. Kiftin was ordered to attend at the palace. Hefound a brilliant circle of noblemen and gentlemen assembled.James immediately came to him, spoke to him very graciously,and concluded by saying, “I have put you down, Mr. Kiffin,for an Alderman of London.” The old man looked fixedlyat the King, burst into tears, and made answer, “Sir, I amworn out, I am unfit to serve your Majesty or the City. And,Sir, the death of my poor boys broke my heart. That woundis as fresh as ever. I shall carry it to my grave.” The Kingstood silent for a minute in some confusion, and then said,“Mr. Kiffin, I will find a balsam for that sore.” AssuredlyJames did not mean to say anything cruel or insolent: on thecontrary, he seems to have been in an unusually gentle mood.Yet no speech that is recorded of him gives so unfavourablea notion of his character as these few words. They are thewords of a hard-hearted and low-minded man, unable to con-

CHAP.

VII.

1687 .