6

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAT, forced into his mouth. He recovered his senses; but he was— evidently in a situation of extreme danger.

The Queen was for a time assiduous in her attendance.The Duke of York scarcely left his brother’s bedside. ThePrimate and four other Bishops were then in London. Theyremained at Whitehall all day, and took it by turns to sit up atnight in the King’s room. The news of his illness filled thecapital with sorrow and dismay. For his easy temper andaffable manners had won the affection of a large part of thenation; and those who most disliked him preferred his un-principled levity to the stern and earnest bigotry of hisbrother.

On the morning of Thursday the fifth of February, theLondon Gazette announced that His Majesty was going onwell, and was thought by the ph)'sicians to be out of danger.The bells of all the churches rang merrily; and preparationsfor bonfires were made in the streets. But in the evening itwas known that a relapse had taken place, and that themedical attendants had given up all hope. The public mindwas greatly disturbed; but there was no disposition to tumult.The Duke of York, who had already taken on himself to giveorders, ascertained that the City was perfectly quiet, andthat he might without difficulty be proclaimed as soon as hisbrother should expire.

The King was in great pain, and complained that he feltas if a fire was burning within him. Yet he bore up againsthis sufferings with a fortitude which did not seem to belong tohis soft and luxurious nature. The sight of his misery affected.his wife so much that she fainted, and was carried senseless toher chamber. The prelates who were in waiting had fromthe first exhorted him to prepare for his end. They nowthought it their duty to address him in a still more urgentmanner. William Sancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury, anhonest and pious, though narrow-minded, man, used great