222

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

IX.

JU88.

Conductof Wary.

great body of the English people had formed respecting thelate birth. He had, on the contrary, sent congratulations toWhitehall, and had thus seemed to acknowledge that the childwho was called Prince of Wales was rightful heir of the throne.This was a grave error, and had damped the zeal of many.Not one person in a thousand doubted that the boy was sup-posititious ; and the Prince would be wanting to his own inter-ests if the suspicious circumstances which had attended theQueen’s confinement were not put prominently forward amonghis reasons for taking arms.*

This paper was signed in cipher by the seven chiefs ofthe conspiracy, Shrewsbury, Devonshire, Danby, Lumley,Compton, Russell and Sidney. Herbert undertook to be theirmessenger. His errand was one of no ordinary peril. Heassumed the garb of a common sailor, and in this disguisereached the Dutch coast in safety, on the Friday after the trialof theBishops. He instantly hastened to the Prince. Bentinckand Dykvelt were summoned, and several days were passedin deliberation. The first result of this deliberation was thatthe prayer for the Prince of Wales ceased to be read in thePrincess’s chapel.**

From his wife William had no opposition to apprehend.Her understanding had been completely subjugated by his;and, what is more extraordinary, he had won her entireaffection. He was to her in the place of the parents whom shehad lost by death and by estrangement, of the children whohad been denied to her prayers, and of the country fromwhich she was banished. His empire over her heart wasdivided only with her God. To her father she had probablynever been attached: she had quitted him young: many yearshad elapsed since she had seen him; and no part of his con-duct to her, since her marriage, had indicated tenderness onhis part, or had been calculated to call forth tenderness onhers. He had done all in his power to disturb her domestichappiness, and had established a system of spying, eaves-dropping, and talebearing under her roof. lie had a far

* See the invitation at length in Dalrymple.

** Sidney’s Letter to William, June 30. 1088; Avaux Keg., July IS. 12.