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HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

"-iCr.

™ap. William, a week before, her approbation of his enterprise.

Teas - She assured him that she was entirely in the hands of herfriends, and that she would remain in the palace, or takerefuge in the City, as they might determine.* On Sundaythe twenty-fifth of November, she, and those who thoughtfor her, were under the necessity of coming to a suddenresolution. That afternoon a courier from Salisbury broughttidings that Churchill had disappeared, that he had beenaccompanied by Grafton, that Kirke had proved false, andthat the royal forces were in full retreat. There was, asusually happened when great news, good or bad, arrived intown, an immense crowd that evening in the galleries ofWhitehall. Curiosity and anxiety sate on every face. TheQueen broke forth into natural expressions of indignationagainst the chief traitor, and did not altogether spare his toopartial mistress. The sentinels were doubled round that partof the palace which Anne occupied. The Princess was indismay. In a few hours her father would be at Westminster.It was not likely that he would treat her personally withseverity; but that he would permit her any longer to enjoythe society of her friend was not to be hoped. It could hardlybe doubted that Sarah would be placed under arrest andwould be subjected to a strict examination by shrewd andrigorous inquisitors. Her papers would be seized. Perhapsevidence affecting her life might be discovered. If so theworst might well be dreaded. The vengeance of the im-placable King knew no distinction of sex. For offences muchsmaller than those which might probably be brought home toLady Churchill he had sent women to the scaffold and thestake. Strong affection braced the feeble mind of the Prin-cess. There was no tie which she would not break, no riskwhich she would not run, for the object of her idolatrousaffection. “I will jump out of the window,” she cried, “ratherthan be found here by my father.” The favourite undertookto manage an escape. She communicated in all haste withsome of the chiefs of the conspiracy. In a few hours everything was arranged. That evening Anne retired to her* The letter, dated Nov. 18 ., will be found in Dalrymple.