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HISTORY OP ENGLAND.

chap. garrisoned, and was under the government of Berwick. The~ i688. ~ commanded by Dartmouth lay close at hand: and it wassupposed that, if things went ill, the royal infant would, with-out difficulty, be conveyed from Portsmouth to France.*

On the nineteenth James reached Salisbury, and took uphis quarters in the episcopal palace. Evil news was now fastpouring in upon him from all sides. The western countieshad at length risen. As soon as the news of Cornbury’s de-sertion was known, many wealthy landowners took heart andhastened to Exeter. Among them was Sir William Portmanof Bryanstone, one of the greatest men in Dorsetshire, andSir Francis Warre ofFIestercombe, whose interest was greatin Somersetshire.** But the most important of the new comersSeymour, was Seymour, who had recently inherited a baronetcy whichadded little to his dignity, and who, in birth, in political in-fluence, and in parliamentary abilities, was beyond compari-son the foremost among the Tory gentlemen of England. Athis first audience he is said to have exhibited his characteristicpride in a way which surprised and amused the Prince. “ Ithink, Sir Edward,” said William, meaning to be very civil,“ that you are of the family of the Duke of Somerset.” “Par-don me, Sir,” said Sir Edward, who never forgot that he wasthe head of the elder branch of the Seymours, “the Duke ofSomerset is ofimy family.” ***

wnhan^ The quarters of William now began to present the ap-Eieter. pearance of a court. More than sixty men of rank and for-tune were lodged at Exeter; and the daily display of richliveries, and of coaches drawn by six horses, in the CathedralClose, gave to that quiet precinct something of the splendourand gaiety of Whitehall. The common people were eager totake arms; and it would have been easy to form many bat-talions of infantry. But Scliomberg, who thought little ofsoldiers fresh from the plough, maintained that, if the expe-

* Clarke’s Life of James, 220, 221,

* # Eachard’s History of the Revolution.

* # * Seymour’s reply to William is related by many writers. It muchresembles a story which is told of the Alanriquez family. They, it issaid, took for their device the words, “Nos no descendemos ac losReyes, sino los Reyes descienden'de nos.” — Carpentariana.