Page:Public School History of England and Canada (1892).djvu/125

 CHAPTER XIX.

THE REVOLUTION.

1. James II.—James, Duke of York, now became king. He promised to support the English Church, and people thought that as he had honestly acknowledged he was a Roman Catholic when the Test Act was passed he would be as good as his word. He was known to be stubborn and narrow-minded, but at the same time he was believed to be sincere and well meaning. His first Parliament was as loyal as he could wish, for it was elected at a time when the tide of public opinion had turned against his opponents, and had been chosen under the control of sheriffs appointed by the Crown in the towns and cities from which charters had been taken.

It was soon seen that James did not intend to support the Established Church, for before he was crowned he went publicly to mass in his own chapel. He told the Bishops they must stop the English Church clergy from preaching against the Roman Catholic religion, and he opened the prison doors to all who were confined for religion's sake. This last act was good in itself, but it was done against the law of the land, and proved that James did not intend to abide by the laws.

2. Monmouth’s Rebellion—When Parliament met it voted the King an income of two million pounds a year for life. It was anxious to show James how loyal it was, for a rebellion had just broken out to make Monmouth king. Monmouth and the- Duke of Argyle had escaped to Holland toward the close of the reign of Charles II., and were now urged by their friends in England and Scotland to return. They were led to believe that most of the English and Scotch. people would gladly join them in driving James from the throne. Finally, Argyle crossed over to Scotland, and a little later Monmouth landed in England. Argyle's clan, the Campbells, rose at his call, but the Covenanters were afraid to rebel, and the rising was soon crushed. Argyle was taken prisoner and executed; and his followers were cruelly punished, many being sold into slavery in America.

Monmouth landed at Lyme, in Dorset, and thousands flocked to