JAMES THE SECOND.

505

giment of Foot Guards. He seems to have been at this timecompletely under Churchill’s influence, and was prepared to ■desert the royal standard as soon as the favourable momentshould arrive. Two other traitors were in the circle, Kirkeand Trelawney, who commanded those two fierce and lawlessbands then known as the Tangier regiments. Both of themhad, like the other Protestant officers of the army, long seenwith extreme displeasure the partiality which the King hadshown to members of his own Church; and Trelawney re-membered with bitter resentment the persecution of hisbrother the Bishop of Bristol. James addressed the assemblyin terms worthy of a better man and of a better caus'e. Itmight be, he said, that some of the officers had conscientiousscruples about fighting for him. If so he was willing to receiveback their commissions. But he adjured them as gentlemenand soldiers not to imitate the shameful example of Cornbury.All seemed moved; and none more than Churchill. He wasthe first to vow with well feigned enthusiasm that he wouldshed the last drop of his blood in the service of his graciousmaster: Grafton was loud and forward in similar protesta-tions; and the example was followed by Kirke and Tre-lawney.*

Deceived by these professions, the King prepared to setout for Salisbury. Before his departure he was informed thata considerable number of peers, temporal and spiritual, de-sired to be admitted to an audience. They came, withSancroft at their head, to present a petition, praying that afree and legal Parliament might be called, and that a negotia-tion might be opened with the Prince of Orange.

The history of this petition is curious. The thought seemsto have occurred at once to two great chiefs of parties whohad long been rivals and enemies, Rochester and Halifax.They both, independently of one another, consulted theBishops. The Bishops warmly approved of the suggestion. Itwas then proposed that a general meeting of peers should becalled to deliberate on the form of an address to the King. Itwas term time; and in term time men of rank and fashion then

* Clarke’s Life of James, ii. 219. Orig. Mem.

Macaulay, History. III. 30

CHAP.

IX.

1688.

Petitionof theLords fora Parlia-ment.