88

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

CHAP.

IV.

1685 .

Additio-nal taxes\oted.

Sir

Dudley

North.

insist on liis persecuting to the death the teachers of that faithin which alone, on his principles, salvation could be found,was monstrous. In mitigating by a lenient administration theseverity of the bloody laws of Elizabeth, the King violated noconstitutional principle. He only exerted a power which hasalways belonged to the crown. Nay, he only did what wasafterwards done by a succession of sovereigns zealous for thedoctrines of the Reformation, by William, by Anne, and bythe princes of the House of Brunswick. Had he sufferedRoman Catholic priests, whose lives he could save withoutinfringing any law, to be hanged, drawn, and quartered, fordischarging what he considered as their first duty, he wouldhave drawn on himself the hatred and contempt even of thoseto whose prejudices he had made so shameful a concession;and had he contented himself with granting to the membersof his own Church a practical toleration by a large exercise ofhis unquestioned prerogative of mercy, posterity would haveunanimously applauded him.

The Commons probably felt on reflection that they hadacted absurdly. They were also disturbed by learning that theKing, to whom they looked up with superstitious reverence,was greatly provoked. They made haste, therefore, to atonefor their offence. In the House they unanimously reversedthe decision which in the Committee they had unanimouslyadopted, and passed a resolution importing that they reliedwith entire confidence on His Majesty’s gracious promise toprotect that religion which was dearer to them than life itself.*

Three days later the King informed the House that hisbrother had left some debts, and that the stores of the navyand ordnance were nearly exhausted. It was promptly re-solved that new taxes should be imposed. The person onwhom devolved the task of devising ways and means was SirDudley North, younger brother of the Lord Keeper. Dudley* Commons’ Journals, May 27.1C85.