Page:History of the Kings and Queens of England.pdf/17

 JAMES II., second son of Charles I., was born at London, October 14, 1633; and on the death of his brother he was proclaimed king, having promised to preserve the government both of church and state, though he violated this promise two days afterwards, by going publicly to mass. He was proud, cruel, vindictive, and unrelenting ; his good qualities were rendered ineffectual by mistaken notions of the prerogative, excessive bigotry to the Romish church, and an inflexible severity of temper. The nation, alarmed by the king's attempt to re-establish popery, applied for assistance to William, prince of Orange; on whose arrival, in 1688, James abdicated his throne, and retired privately to France. He died at St. Germains, on September 16, 1701, aged 68.

WILLIAM III. and MARY II. William III. was the son of William Nassau, prince of Orange, by the eldest daughter of Charles I. He was born November 14, 1650, and in 1677 married the princess Mary, eldest daughter of James II. They were proclaimed king and queen of England, on the 10th of February,1689, and crowned the 11th April following.

On the 28th of December, 1694, Mary fell a victim to the small-pox. She enjoyed the most perfect felicity with her consort.

William was sagacious, religious, and temperate; and in courage, fortitude, and equanimity, he rivalled the greatest warriors of antiquity. He was on all occasions, an enemy to oppression. He died on the 8th March, 1702, in the 52d year of his age, and the 14th of his reign.