JAMES THE SECOND.

139

longed to the Jesuitical faction. Among them was Petro, chap.who had just been sworn of the Council. Till he took his seat ■ l6ST ]—at the board, his elevation had been kept a profound secretfrom everybody but Sunderland. The public indignation atthis new violation of the law was clamorously expressed; andit was remarked that the Roman Catholics were even louderin censure than the Protestants. The vain and ambitiousJesuit was now charged with the business of destroying andreconstructing half the constituent bodies in the kingdom.

Under the committee of Privy Councillors a subcommitteeconsisting of bustling agents less eminent in rank was en-trusted with the management of details Local subcommittees TheBoardof regulators all over the country corresponded with the cen- ° a f t ors? u 'tral board at Westminster.*

The persons on whom James chiefly relied for assistancein his new and arduous enterprise were the Lords Lieutenants.

Every Lord Lieutenant received written orders directing himto go down immediately into his county. There he was tosummon before him all his deputies, and all the Justices of thePeace, and to put to them a series of interrogatories framedfor the purpose of ascertaining how they would act at a gene-ral election. He was to take down the answers in writing, andto transmit them to the government. He was to furnish a listof such Roman Catholics, and such Protestant Dissenters, asmight be best qualified for the bench and for commands in themilitia. He was also to examine into the state of all theboroughs in his county, and to make such reports as might benecessary to guide the operations of the board of regulators.

It was intimated to him that he must himself perform theseduties, and that he could not be permitted to delegate them toany other person.**

The first effect produced by these orders would have at Man?once sobered a prince less infatuated than James. Half the ueuie-Lords Lieutenants of England peremptorily refused to stoop

* Bonrepaux to Seignelay, Nov.Journals, Dec. 20. 1689.

** Citters

Oct. 28.5 jSov. 7.

1687.

Citters,

Nov. II.; Lords