114

HISTORY 01? EjreiAHD.

CHAP.

XI.

HiS9.

framed in a manner favourable to the clergy. All lay func-■ tionaries were required to swear fealty to the King and Queenon pain of expulsion from office. But it was provided that everydivine who already held a benefice might continue to hold itwithout swearing, unless the Government should see reason tocall on him specially for an assurance of his loyalty. Burnethad, partly, no doubt, from the goodnature and generositywhich belonged to his character, and partly from a desire toconciliate his brethren, supported this arrangement in theUpper House with great energy. But in the Lower House thefeeling against the Jacobite priests was irresistibly strong. Onthe very day on which that House voted, without a division,the address requesting the King to summon the Convocation,a clause w r as proposed and carried which required every pgrsonwho held any ecclesiastical or academical preferment to takethe oaths by the first of August 1689, on pain of suspension.Six months, to be reckoned from that day, v'ere allowed to thenonjuror for reconsideration. If, on the first of February 1690,he still continued obstinate, he was to be finally deprived.

The bill, thus amended, was sent back to the Lords. TheLords adhered to their original resolution. Conference afterconference was held. Compromise after compromise w’as sug-gested. From the imperfect reports which have come downto us it appears that every argument in favour of lenity wasforcibly urged by Burnet. But the Commons were firm: timepressed: the unsettled state of the law caused inconvenience inevery department of the public service; and the peers veryreluctantly gave way. They at the same time added a clauseempowering the King to bestow pecuniary allowances outof the forfeited benefices on a few nonjuring clergymen. Thenumber of clergymen thus favoured was not to exceed twelve.The allowance was not to exceed one third of the income for-feited. Some zealous Whigs were unwilling to grant even this