CHAPTER VI.

CHAP.

VI.

1685 .

The

power ofJames atthe

height.

James was now at the height of power and prosperity.Both in England and in Scotland he had vanquished hisenemies, and had punished them with a severity which hadindeed excited their bitterest hatred, but had, at the sametime, effectually quelled their courage. The Whig partyseemed extinct. The name of Whig was never used exceptas a term of reproach. The Parliament was devoted to theKing; and it was in his power to keep that Parliament to theend of his reign. The Church was louder than ever in pro-fessions of attachment to him, and had, during the late insur-rection, acted up to those professions. The Judges were histools; and if they ceased to be so, it was in his power to re-move them. The corporations were filled with his creatures.His revenues far exceeded those of his predecessors. Hispride rose high. He was not the same man who, a few monthsbefore, in doubt whether his throne might not be overturnedin an hour, had implored foreign help with unkingly suppli-cations, and had accepted it with tears of gratitude. Visionsof dominion and glory rose before him. He already saw him-self, in imagination, the umpire of Europe, the champion ofmany states oppressed by one too powerful monarchy. Soearly as the month of June he had assured the United Pro-vinces that, as soon as the affairs of England were settled, hewould show the world how little he feared France. In con-formity with these assurances, he, within a month after thebattle of Sedgemoor, concluded with the States General adefensive treaty, framed in the very spirit of the TripleLeague. It was regarded, both at the Hague and at Ver-sailles, as a most significant circumstance that Halifax, whowas the constant and mortal enemy of French ascendency,