JAMES THE SECOND.

331

Bristol, the second city of the realm, opened its gates to CI jAP.Shrewsbury. Trelawney, the Bishop, who had entirely un- 1C3 jlearned in the Tower the doctrine of nonresistance, was thefirst to welcome the Prince’s troops. Such was the temper of -the Inhabitants that it was thought unnecessary to leave anygarrison among them.* The people of Gloucester rose anddelivered Lovelace from confinement. An irregular armysoon gathered round him. Some of his horsemen had onlyhalters for bridles. Many of his infantry had only clubs forweapons. But this force, such as it was, marched unopposedthrough counties once devoted to the House of Stuart, andat length entered Oxford in triumph. The magistrates camein state to welcome the insurgents. The University itself,exasperated by recent injuries, was little disposed to pass cen-sures on rebellion. Already some of the Heads of Houseshad despatched one of their number to assure the Prince ofOrange that they were cordially with him, and that theywould gladly coin their plate for his service. The Whigchief, therefore, rode through the capital of Toryismamidst general acclamation. Before him the drums beatLillibullero. Behind him came a long stream of horseand foot. The whole High Street was gay with orange ribands.

For already the orange riband had the double significationwhich, after the lapse of one hundred and sixty years, it stillretains. Already it was the emblem of the Protestant English-man of civil and religious freedom, to the Roman CatholicCelt of subjugation and persecution.**

While foes were thus rising up all round the King, friendswere fast shrinking from his side. The idea of resist-ance had become familiar to every mind. Many who hadbeen struck with horror when they heard of the first defectionsnow blamed themselves for having been so slow to discern thesigns of the times. There was no longer any difficulty *or

* Citlers, Dec. -,V 1688. Letter of the Bishop of Bristol to the Princeof Orange, Dec. 5. 1688, in Dalrymple.

" Citters, ^ ° v j 1688; Clarendon’s Diary, Dec. 11.; Song on LordLovelace’s entry into Oxford, 1688; Burnet, i. 193.