JAMES THE SECOND.

339

asking for the Doctor, could not refrain from exclaiming,“If they get together there -will be fine tattling.” Burnet was ■forbidden to see the Commissioners in private; but he wasassured in very courteous terms that his fidelity was re-garded by the Prince as above all suspicion; and, that theremight be no'ground for complaint, the prohibition was madegeneral.

That afternoon the noblemen and gentlemen whose adviceWilliam had asked met in the great room of the principal inna,t Hungerford. Oxford was placed in the chair; and theKing’s overtures were taken into consideration. It soonappeared that the assembly was divided into two parties, aparty anxious to come to terms with the King, and a partybent on his destruction. The latter party had the numericalsuperiority: but it was observed that Shrewsbury, who of allthe English nobles was supposed to enjoy the largest shareof William’s confidence, though a Whig, sided on this occa-sion with the Tories. After much altercation the questionwas put. The majority was for rejecting the propositionwhich the royal Commissioners had been instructed to make.The resolution of the assembly was reported.to the Prince atLittlecote. On no occasion during the whole course of hiseventful life did he show more prudence and self-command.He could not wish the negotiation to succeed. But he was fartoo wise a man not to know that, if unreasonable demandsmade by him should cause it to fail, public feeling would nolonger be on his side. He therefore overruled the opinionof his too eager followers, and declared his determination totreat on the basis proposed by the King. Many of the Lordsand gentlemen assembled at Hungerford remonstrated: awhole day was spent in bickering: but William’s purpose wasimmovable. He declared himself willing to refer all thequestions in dispute to the Parliament which had just beensummoned, and not to advance within forty miles of London.On his side he made some demands which even those whowere least disposed to commend him allowed to be moderate.He insisted that the existing statutes should be obeyed tillthey should be altered by competent authority, and that all

CUAP.

IX.

1688 .