364

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

X.

1688 .

He had charged them to declare that he was willing to submitall the questions in dispute to the Parliament which he hadsummoned; and, while they were delivering his message, hehad burned the writs, made away with the seal, let loose thearmy, suspended the administration of justice, dissolved thegovernment, and fled from the capital. Halifax saw that anamicable arrangement was no longer possible. He also felt,it may be suspected, the vexation natural to a man widely re-nowned for wisdom, who finds that he has been duped by anunderstanding immeasurably inferior to his own, and thevexation natural to a great master of ridicule, who finds him-self placed in a ridiculous situation. His judgment and hisresentment alike induced him to relinquish the schemes of re-conciliation on which he had hitherto been intent, and to placehimself at the head of those who were bent on raising Williamto the throne.*

A journal of what passed in the Council of Lords while Ha-lifax presided is still extant in his own handwriting.** Noprecaution, which seemed necessary for the prevention ofoutrage and robbery, was omitted. The Peers took on them-selves the responsibility of giving orders that, if the rabblerose again, the soldiers should fire with bullets. Jeffreyswas brought to Whitehall and interrogated as to what had be-come of the Great Seal and the writs. At his own earnest re-quest he was remanded to the Tower, as the only place wherehis life could be safe; and he retired thanking and blessingthose who had given him the protection of a prison. A Whignobleman moved that Oates should be set at liberty: but thismotion was overruled.***

* Reresby was told, by a lady whom he does not name, that the Kinghad no intention of withdrawing till he received a letter from Halifax,who was then at Hungerford. The letter, she said, informed HisMajesty that, if he staid, his life would be in danger. This is certainlya mere romance. The King, before the Commissioners left London,bad told Barillon that their embassy was a mere feint, and had ex-pressed a full resolution to leave the country. It is clear from Reresby’sown narrative that Halifax thought himself shamefully used.

** Harl. MS. 255.

**’ Halifax MS.; Cilters, Dec. 168S.