382

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

X

1688 .

Flight ofJamesfromRoches-ter.

that there was no ground for such an apprehension, tlmt. com-mon sense, if not principle, would restrain the Prince olOrange from incurring the guilt and shame of regicide andparricide, and that many, who never would consent to deposetheir Sovereign while he remained on English ground, wouldthink themselves absolved from their allegiance by his deser-tion. Fright overpowered every other feeling. James de-termined to depart; and it was easy for him to do so. He wasnegligently guarded: all persons were suffered to repair tohim: vessels ready to put to sea lay at no great distance; andtheir boats might come close to the garden of the house inwhich he was lodged. Had he been wise, the pains which hiskeepers took to facilitate his escape would have sufficed toconvince him that he ought to stay where he was. In truth thesnare was so ostentatiously exhibited that it could impose onnothing but folly bewildered by terror.

The arrangements were expeditiously made. On theevening of Saturday the twenty-second the King assuredsome of the gentlemen, who had been sent to him from Lon-don with intelligence and advice, that he would see themagain in the morning. He went to bed, rose at dead of night,and, attended by Berwick, stole out at a back door, andwent through the garden to the shore of the Medway. A smallskiff was in waiting. Soon after the dawn of Sunday thefugitives were on board of a smack which was running downthe Thames.*

That afternoon the tidings of the flight reached London.The King’s adherents were confounded. The Whigs couldnot conceal their joy. The good news encouraged the Princeto take a bold and important step. He was informed thatcommunications were passing between the French embassyand the party hostile to him. It was well known that at thatembassy all the arts of corruption were well understood; andthere could be little doubt that, at such a conjuncture, neitherintrigues nor pistoles would be spared. Bariflon was mostdesirous to remain a few days longer in London, and for that

* Clarendon, Dec. 23.16S8; Clarke’s Life of James, ii. 211, 213, 215.Grig. Mem.