JAMES THE SECOND.

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sacred ties of consanguinity, she only followed her father’s C ^J'-example. She did not assist to depose him till he had con- 1 J687 .'~spired to disinherit her.

Scarcely had Bonrepaux been informed that Lewis had re- Tbesolved to assist the enterprise of Tyrconnel when all thoughts pregnant,of that enterprise were abandoned. James had caught thefirst glimpse of a hope which delighted and elated him. TheQueen was with child.

Before the end of October 1687 the great news began to Generalbe whispered. It was observed that Her Majesty had absent-ed herself from some public ceremonies, on the plea of indis-position. It was said that many relics, supposed to possessextraordinary virtue, had been hung about her. Soon thestory made its way from the palace to the coffee-houses of thecapital, and spread fast over the country. By a very smallminority the rumour was welcomed with joy. The great bodyof the nation listened with mingled derision and fear. Therewas indeed nothing very extraordinary in what had happened.

The King had but just completed his fifty-fourth year. TheQueen was in the summer of life. She had already bornefour children who had died young; and long afterwards shewas delivered of another child whom nobody had any interestin treating as supposititious, and who was therefore never saidto be so. As, however, five years had elapsed since her lastpregnancy, the people, under the influence of that delusionwhich leads men to believe what they wish, had ceased toentertain any apprehension that she would give an heir to thethrone. On the other hand, nothing seemed more natural andprobable than that the Jesuits should have contrived a piousfraud. It was certain that they must consider the accession ofthe Princess of Orange as one of the greatest calamities whichcould befall their Church, It was equally certain that theywould not be very scrupulous about doing whatever might benecessary to save their Church from a great calamity. Inbooks written by eminentmembers of the Society, and licensedby its rulers, it was distinctly laid down that means evenmore shocking to all notions of justice and humanity than theintroduction of a spurious heir into a family might lawfully be