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    Bill of Rights had said that ‘to keep an Army in time of peace was against Law’. Only the fact that England was at war for very long periods during the next hundred years saved the Army from being abolished; and at every interval of peace it was reduced far too much for the safety of the country. In 1689 war with France was certain, for, as I told you, William had come to England mainly to induce England to help Holland and other countries whom France was threatening. Also the French King at once took up the cause of James.

James went to Ireland and called on the Catholic Irish to help him; French troops and money were sent after him. Ireland had now some real wrongs to avenge, for Cromwell's conquest had been cruel, and many old Irish families had lost their lands, to make room for English settlers; these Catholics, therefore, gave James a good army, with which, early in 1689, he advanced to try and subdue the most Protestant of the Irish Provinces, Ulster. But he failed to take the city of Londonderry, which held out against a most awful siege for three months and more. It was not till a year after this that William was able to muster enough English and Dutch troops to begin the reconquest of Ireland. He smashed James to pieces at the battle of the Boyne, and drove him once more into exile in 1690; 