THE INTERREGNUM.

413

to -whom he had hired himself out for ivork which no honestman in the Inns of Court would undertake, and from whomhe had, within six months, accepted a baronetcy as the rewardof servility.

Only three members ventured to oppose themselves towhat was evidently the general sense of the assembly. SirChristopher Musgrave, a Tory gentleman of great weight andability, hinted some doubts. Heneage Finch let fall some ex-pressions which were understood to mean that he wished anegotiation to be opened with the King. This suggestion wasso ill received that he made haste to explain it away. He pro-tested that he had been misapprehended. He was convincedthat, under such a prince, there could be no security for re-ligion, liberty, or property. To recall King James, or totreat with him, would be a fatal course; but many who wouldnever consent that he should exercise the regal power hadconscientious scruples about depriving him of the royal title.There was one expedient which would remove all difficulties,a Regency. This proposition found so little favour thatFinch did not venture to demand a division. Richard Fan-shaw, Viscount Fanshaw of the kingdom of Ireland, said a fewwords in behalf of James, and recommended an adjournment:but the recommendation was met by a general outcry. Mem-ber after member stood up to represent the importance ofdespatch. Every moment, it was said, was precious: thepublic anxiety was intense: trade was suspended. The mino-rity sullenly submitted, and suffered the predominant party totake its own course.

What that course would be was not perfectly clear. Forthe maj'ority was made up of two classes. One class consistedof eager and vehement Whigs, who, if they had been able totake their own course, would have given to the proceedingsof the Convention a decidedly revolutionary character. Theother class admitted that a revolution was necessary, but re-garded it as a necessary evil, and wished to disguise it, asmuch as possible, under the show of legitimacy. The formerclass demanded a distinct recognition of the right of subj’ectsto dethrone bad princes. The latter class desired to rid the

CHAP.

x.

1688 .