370

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

X.

168S.

Consulta-tion at■Windsor.

fancied that London, so long the stronghold of Pro-testantism and Whiggism, was ready to take arms in hisdefence. He sent to ask the Common Council whether,if he took up his residence in the City, they wouldengage to defend him against the Prince. But the CommonCouncil had not forgotten the seizure of the charterand the judicial murder of Cornish, and refused to give thepledge which was demanded. Then the King’s heart againsank within him. Where, ho asked, was he to look for pro-tection? He might as well have Dutch troops about him ashis own Life Guards. As to the citizens, he now understoodwhat their huzzas and bonfires were worth. Nothing remainedhut flight: and yet, he said, he knew that there was nothingwhich his enemies so much desired as that he would fly. *

While he was in this state of trepidatibn, his fate was thesubject of a grave deliberation at Windsor. The court ofWilliam was now crowded to overflowing with eminent men ofall parties. Most of the chiefs of the Northern insurrectionhad joined him. Several of the Lords, who had, during theanarchy of the preceding week, taken upon themselves to actas a provisional government, had, as soon as the King re-turned, quitted London for the Dutch head quarters. One ofthese was Halifax. William had welcomed him with great sa-tisfaction, but had not been able to suppress a sarcastic smileat seeing the ingenious and accomplished politician, who hadaspired to be the umpire in that great contention, forced toabandon the middle course and to take a side. Among thosewho, at this conjuncture, repaired to Windsor were some menwho had purchased the favour of James by ignominious ser-vices, and who were now impatient to atone, by betraying theirmaster, for the crime of having betrayed their country. Sucha man was Titus, who had sate at the Council board in defianceof law, and who had laboured to unite the Puritans with theJesuits in a league against the constitution. Such a man wasWilliams, who had been converted by interest from a dema-gogue into a champion of prerogative, and who was now ready

Barillon, Dec. 1688; Clarke’s Life of James, ii. 211.