verity of the punishment; the man was seized with an universal trepidation, and he struck a feeble blow, upon which the duke raised his head from the block, as if to reproach him; he gently laid down his head a second time, and the executioner struck him again and again to no purpose. He at last threw the axe down; but the sheriff compelled him to resume the attempt, and at two more blows the head was severed from the body. 15. Such was the end of James duke of Monmouth, the darling of the English people. He was brave, sincere, and good-natured, open to flattery, and by that seduced into an enterprise which exceeded his capacity. 16. But it were well for the insurgents, and fortunate for the king, if the blood that was now shed had been thought a sufficient expiation for the late offence. The victorious army behaved with the most savage cruelty to the prisoners taken after the battle. Feversham, immediately after the victory, hanged up above twenty prisoners. 17. The military severities of the commanders were still inferior to the legal slaughters committed by judge Jefferies. who was sent down to try the delinquents. The natural brutality of this man's temper was inflamed by continual intoxication. He told the prisoners, that if they would save him the trouble of trying them, they might expect some favour, otherwise he would execute the law upon them with the utmost severity. 18. Many poor wretches were thus allured into a confession, and found that it only hastened their destruction. No less than eighty were executed at Dorchester; and, on the whole, at Exeter, Taunton, and Wells, two hundred and fifty-one are computed to have fallen by the hands of the executioner. Questions for Examination. 1. In what manner did James act on succeeding to the thro 2, 3. What was the first disturbance in this reign? and wh cipals concerned in it? 4. What success attended Argyle's attempt? 5-10. Relate the particulars of Monmouth's invasion. 11. In what situation was he found? 12. What was his conduct after he was taken? 13, 14. Relate what happened at his execution. 15. What was his character? 16. How were the prisoners treated? 17. What was the conduct of judge Jefferies? 18. How many rebels are said to have been executed? 3 the prir. SECTION II. With persecution arm'd, the sacred code Of law he dashes thoughtless to the ground. Valpy. 1 (A.D. 1686.) IN ecclesiastical matters, James proceeded with still greater injustice. Among those who distinguished themselves against popery was one Dr. Sharpe, a clergyman of London, who declaimed with just severity against those who changed their religion by such arguments as the popish missionaries were able to produce. 2. This being supposed to reflect upon the king, gave great offence at court; and positive orders were given to the bishop of London to suspend Sharpe, till his majesty's pleasure should be further known. The bishop refused to comply; and the king resolved to punish the bishop himself for disobedience. 3. To effect his design, an ecclesiastical commission was issued out, by which seven commissioners were invested with a full and unlimited authority over the whole church of England. Before this tribunal the bishop was summoned, and not only he, but Sharpe, the preacher, suspended. 4. The next step was to allow the liberty of conscience to all sectaries; and he was taught to believe, that the truth of the catholic religion would then, upon a fair trial, gain the victory. He, therefore, issued a declaration of general indulgence, and asserted that non-conformity to the established religion was no longer penal. 5. To complete his work, he publicly sent the earl of Castlemain ambassador extraordinary to Rome, in order to express his obedience to the pope, and to reconcile his kingdom to the catholic communion. Never was there so much contempt thrown upon an embassy that was so boldly undertaken. The court of Rome expected but little success from measures so blindly conducted. They were sensible that the king was openly striking at those laws and opinions, which it was his business to undermine in silence and security. 6. The jesuits soon after were permitted to erect colleges in different parts of the kingdom; they exercised the catholic worship in the most public manner; and four catholic bishops, consecrated in the king's chapel, were sent through the kingdom to exercise their episcopal functions, under the title of apostolic vicars. 7 Father Francis, a Benedictine monk, was recommended by the king to the university of Cambridge, for a degree of master of arts. But his religion was a stumbling-block which the university could not get over; and they pre sented a petition, beseeching the king to recall his mandate. 8. Their petition was disregarded, and their deputies denied a hearing the vice-chancellor himself was summoned to appear before the high commission court, and deprived of his office; yet the university persisted, and father Francis was refused. 9. The place of president of Magdalen college, one of the richest foundations in Europe, being vacant, the king sent a mandate in favour of one Farmer, a new convert to popery, and a man of bad character in other respects. The fellows of the college made very submissive applications to the king for recalling his mandate; they refused admitting the candidate; and James, finding them resolute in the defence of their privileges, ejected them all except two. 10. A second declaration for liberty of conscience was published about the same time with the former; but with this peculiar injunction, that all divines should read it after service in their churches. (A. D. 1688.) The clergy were known universally to disapprove of these measures, and they were now resolved to disobey an order dictated by the most bigoted motives. They were determined to trust their cause to the favour of the people, and that universal jealousy which prevailed against the encroachment of the crown. 11. The first champions of this service of danger were Loyde, bishop of St. Asaph; Ken, of Bath and Wells; Turner, of Ely; Lake, of Chichester; White, of Peterborough; and Trelawney, of Bristol. These, together with Sancroft, the pri mate, concerted the address, in the form of a petition to the king, which, with the warmest expressions of zeal and submission, remonstrated that they could not read his declaration consistent with their consciences, or the respect they owed the protestant religion. 12. The king in a fury summoned the bishops before the council, and there questioned them whether they would ac knowledge their petition. They for some time declined giving an answer; but being urged by the chancellor, they at last owned it. On their refusal to give bail, an order was immediately drawn for their commitment to the Tower, and the crown lawyers received directions to prosecute them for a seditions libel. Questions for Examination. 1. In what way did Dr. Sharpe give offence to the king! 2 What was the conduct of James on that occasion? 3 By what means did he effect his design? 4 What was his next step? 5. Whom did he send ambassador extraordinary to Rome? and how wes the embassy received? 6. Relate the further proceedings of James. 9. What took place at Magdalen college? 10. What were the consequences of another declaration? 11. Who were the first that disobeyed the king's mandate! 12. In what manner did James act on this occasion? SECTION III. Forsaken thus, he other thoughts revolves 1. (A.D. 1088.) THE twenty-ninth day of June was fixed for their trial; and their return was more splendidly attended than their imprisonment. The cause was looked upon as involving the fate of the nation; and future freedom, or future slavery, awaited the decision. The dispute was learnedly managed by the lawyers on both sides. 2. Holloway and Powel, two of the judges, declared themselves in favour of the bi hops. The jury withdrew into a chamber, where they passed the whole night; but next morning they returned into court, and pronounced the bishops not guilty. 3. Westminister-hall instantly rang with loud acclamations, which were communicated to the whole extent of the city. They even reached the camp at Hounslow, where the king was at dinner. in lord Feversham's tent. His majesty demanded the carse of these rejoicings, and being informed that it was nothing but the soldiers shouting at the delivery of the bishops, "Call you that nothing?" cried he; "but so much the worse for them!" 4. It was in this posture of affairs that all people turned their eyes upon William, prince of Orange, who had married Mary, the eldest daughter of king James. William was a prince who had, from his earliest entranc into business, been immersed in dangers, calamities, an politics. The ambition of France, and the jealousies of Hollaud, had served to sharpen his talents, and to give him a p.opensity for intrigue. 5. This politic prince now plainly saw that James had incurred the most violent hatred of his subjects. (A.D 1688.) He was minutely informed of their discontents; and by seeming to discourage, still farther increased them, hoping to gain the kingdom for himself in the sequel. 6. The time when the prince entered upon this enterprise was just when the people were in a flame about the recent insult offered to their bishops. He had before this made considerable augmentations to the Dutch fleet, and the ships were then lying ready in the harbour. Some additional troops were also levied, and sums of money raised for other purposes were converted to the advancement of this expedition. 7. So well concerted were his measures, that, in three days, above four hundred transports were hired; the army fell down the rivers and canals from Nimeguen, with all ne cessary stores; and the prince set sail from Helvoetsluys, with a fleet of nearly five hundred vessels, and an army of above fourteen thousand men. It was given out that this invasion was intended for the coast of France; and many of the English, who saw the fleet pass along their coasts, little expected to see it land on their own shores. Thus, after a voyage of two days, the prince landed his army at the village of Broxholme, in Torbay, on the fifth of November, which was the anniversary of the gunpowder treason. 8. But though the invitation from the English was very general, the prince had for some time the mortification to find himself joined by very few. He marched first to Exe. ter, where the country people had been so much terrified at the executions which had ensued on Monmouth's rebellion that they continued to observe a strict neutrality 9.. He remained for ten days in expectation of being joined by the malecontents, and at last began to despair of success. But just when he began to deliberate about re-embarking his forces, he was joined by several persons of consequence, and the whole country soon after came flocking to his standard The nobility, clergy, officers, and even the king's own ser vants and creatures, were unanimous in deserting James 10. Lord Churchill had been raised from the rank of a page, and had been invested with a high command in the army; had been created a peer, and owed his whole fortune to the king's bounty; even he deserted among the rest, and carried with him the duke of Grafton, the natural son of the late king, colonel Berkeley, and some others. 11. The prince of Denmark, and Anne, his favourite |