JAMES THE SECOND.

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selves absolved from all allegiance to hiin. They were not CI |£ P 'disposed to recognise the authority of a Parliament convoked - 1688 ,by his writ. They were averse to an armistice; and theycould not conceive why, if there was to be an armistice, itshould be an armistice on equal terms. By all the laws ofwar the stronger party had a right to take advantage of hisstrength; and what was there in the character of James tojustify any extraordinary indulgence? Those who reasonedthus little knew from how elevated a point of view, and withhow discerning an eye, the leader whom they censured con-templated the whole situation of England and Europe. Theywere eager to ruin James, and would therefore either haverefused to treat with him on any conditions, or have imposedon him conditions insupportably hard. To the success ofWilliam’s vast and profound scheme of policy it was necessarythat James should ruin himself by rejecting conditions ostenta-tiously liberal. The event proved the wisdom of the coursewhich the majority of the Englishmen at Hungerford wereinclined to condemn.

On Sunday, the ninth of December, the Prince’s demandswere put in writing, and delivered to Halifax. The Com-missioners dined at Littlecote. A splendid assemblage hadbeen invited to meet them. The old hall, hung with coatsof mail which had seen the wars of the Boses, and with por-traits of gallants who had adorned the Court of Philip andMary, was now crowded with Peers and Generals. In such athrong a short question and answer might be exchanged with-out attracting notice Halifax seized this opportunity, thefirst which had presented itself, of extracting all that Burnetknew or thought. “What is it that you want?” said thedexterous diplomatist; “do you wish to get the King intoyourpower?” “Notatall,” saidBurnet; “we would not dothe least harm to his person.” “And if he were to go away?”said Halifax. “There is nothing,” saidBurnet, “so muchto be wished.” There can be no doubt that Burnet expressedthe general sentiment of the Whigs in the Prince’s camp.

They were all desirous that James should fly from the country:but only a few of the wisest among them understood how