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counsels might prevail in the ecclesiastical senate. An addressrequesting William to summon the Convocation was voted'without a division: the concurrence of the Lords was asked:the Lords concurred: the address was carried up to the throneby both Houses: the King promised that he would, at a con-venient season, do what his Parliament desired; and Notting-ham’s Bill was not again mentioned.

Many writers, imperfectly acquainted with the historyof that age, have inferred from these proceedings that theHouse of Commons -was an assembly of High Churchmen: butnothing is more certain than that two thirds of the memberswere either Low Churchmen or not Churchmen at all. A veryfew-days before this time an occurrence had taken place, un-important in itself, but highly significant as an indication of thetemper of the majority. It had been suggested that the Houseought, in conformity with ancient usage, to adjourn over theEaster holidays. The Puritans and Latitudinarians objected:there was a sharp debate: the High Churchmen did not ventureto divide; and, to the great scandal of many grave persons,the Speaker took the chair at nine o’clock on Easter Monday;and there was a long and busy sitting *

This however was by no means the strongest proof which theCommons gave that they were far indeed from feeling extremereverence or tenderness for the Anglican hierarchy. The billfor settling the oaths had just come down from the Lords

* Commons’ Journals, March 28. April 1. 1689; Paris Gazette, April 23.Part of the passage in the Paris Gazette is worth quoting. “II y cut, cejour la (March 28), une grande contestation dans la Chambre Basse, sur laproposition qui futfaite de remettre les sdances aprbs les fetes de Pasqucsobservdes toujours par l’Eglise Anglicane. Les Protestans conformistesfurent de cot avis; et les Presbytdriens emportbrent h la plurality des voixque les stances recommenccroient le Lundy, seconde feste de Basques.”The Low Churchmen are frequently designated as Presbyterians by theFrench and Dutch writers of that age. There were not twenty Presbyte-rians, properly so called, in the House of Commons. Sec A Smith andCutler’s plain Dialogue about Whig and Ttory, 1690.

Macaulay, History. IV.

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