JAMES THE SECOND.

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service •which he had performed at the time of the Westerninsurrection, abhorred at Whitehall, not only as a heretic but ■ 16g3 _ -as a renegade,- and who was therefore more eager than mostof those who had been born Protestants to take arms in de-fence of Protestantism. *

During June the meetings of those who were in the secret inviia-were frequent. At length, on the last day of the month, the Viliamday on which the Bishops were pronounced not guilty, the despaich-decisive step was taken. A formal invitation, transcribed bySidney, but drawn up by some person more skilled thanSidney in the art of composition, was despatched to theHague. In this paper William was assured that nineteen twen-tieths of the English people were desirous of a change, andwould willingly join to effect it, if only they could obtain thehelp of such a force from abroad as might secure those whoshould rise in arms from the danger of being dispersed andslaughtered before they could form themselves into anythinglike military order. If his Highness would appear in the islandat the head of some troops, tens of thousands would hastento his standard. He would soon find himself at the head of aforce greatly superior to the whole regular army of England.

Nor could that army be implicitly depended on by the govern-ment. The officers were discontented; and the commonsoldiers shared that aversion to Popery which was general inthe class from which they were taken. In the navy Protestantfeeling was still stronger. It was important to take somedecisive step while things were in this state. The enterprisewould be far more arduous if it were deferred till the King,by remodelling boroughs and regiments, had procured aParliament and an army on which he could rely. The con-spirators, therefore, implored the Prince to come among themwith as little delay as possible. They pledged their honour thatthey would join him* and they undertook to secure the co-operation of as large a number of persons as could safely betrusted with so momentous and perilous a secret. On onepoint they thought it their duty to remonstrate with his High-ness. He had not taken advantage of the opinion which the

* Burnct,.i. 703,; Lumley to William, May 31.1688, in Dalrymple.