316

HISTORY OP ENGLAND.

chap, have been committed; for men who have once engaged in a—TtiiT - wicked and perilous enterprise are no longer their ownmasters, and are often impelled, by a fatality which is partof their just punishment, to crimes such as they would at firsthave shuddered to contemplate. Surely it was not withoutthe special intervention of some guardian Saint that a Kingdevoted to the Catholic Church had, at the very momentwhen he was blindly hastening to captivity, perhaps to death,been suddenly arrested by what he had then thought a disas-trous malady.

Retreatof All these things confirmed James in the resolution whicharmy from kc had taken on the preceding evening. Orders were givenSalisbury, for an immediate retreat. Salisbury was in an uproar. Thecamp broke up with the confusion of a flight. No man knewwhom to trust or whom to obey. The material strength of thearmy was little diminished: but its moral strength had beendestroyed. Many whom shame would have restrained fromleading the way to the Prince’s quarters were eager to imitatean example which they never would have set; and many, whowould have stood by their King while he appeared to be re-solutely advancing against the invaders, felt no inclination tofollow a receding standard. *

James went that day as far as Andover. He was attendedby his son-in-law Prince George, and by the Duke of Ormond.Both were among the conspirators, and would probably haveaccompanied Churchill, had he not, inconsequence of whathad passed at the council of war, thought it expedient to takehis departure suddenly. The impenetrable stupidity ofPrince George served his turn on this occasion better thancunning would have done. It was his habit, when any newswas told him, to exclaim in French, “Est-il-possible?” “Isit possible?” This catchword was now of great use to him.“Est-il-possible?” lie cried, when he had been made tounderstand that Churchill and Grafton were missing. Andwhen the ill tidings came from Warminster, he again ejacu-lated, “Est-il-possible?”

* History of the Desertion; Luttrell’s Diary.