Up to this time the succession to the throne after James rested with his two daughters,—­Mary, who had married William, Prince of Orange (S477), President of the Dutch republic, and resided in Holland; and her younger sister Anne, who had married George, Prince of Denmark, and was then living in London.  Both of the daughters were zealous Protestants, and the expectation that one of them would receive the English crown on the King’s death had kept the people quiet while James was endeavoring to restore Catholicism.

But while the seven bishops were in prison awaiting trial (S489) the alrming intelligence was spread that a son had been born to the King (1688).  If true, he would now be the next heir to the crown, and would in all probability be educated and come to power a Catholic.  This prospect brought matters to a crisis.

Many people, especially the Whigs (S479), believed the whole matter an imposition, and it was reported that the young Prince was not the true son of the King and Queen, but a child that had been smuggled into the palace to deceive the nation.  For this report there was absolutely no foundation in fact.

On the very day that the bishops were set at liberty (S489) seven of the leading nobility and gentry, representing both the Whigs and the Tories (S479),[1] seconded by the city of London, secretly sent a formal invitation to William, Prince of Orange, “the champion of Protestantism on the Continent and the deadly foe of James’s ally, the King of France.”  Admiral Herbert, disguised as a common sailor, set out on the perilous errand to the Prince.  The invitation he carried implored William to come over with an army to defend his wife Mary’s claim to the English throne, and to ensure “the restoration of English liberties and the protection of the Protestant religion.”

William decided to accept the invitation, which was probably not unexpected on his part.  He was confirmed in his decision not only by the cordial approval of the leading Catholic princes of Europe, except, of course, Louis XIV of France, but also by the Pope himself, who had more than once expressed his emphatic disgust at the foolish rashness of King James.[2]

[1] The seven gentlemen who signed in cipher the secret letter to William, Prince of Orange, were Henry Sidney, brother of Algernon Sidney (S480); Edward Russell, a kinsman of Lord Russell, beheaded by Charles II (S480); the Earl of Devonshire, chief of the Whig party; Lord Shrewsbury; Danby, the old Tory minister of Charles II; Compton, Bishop of London, whom James II had tyrannically suspended; and Lord Lumley.  See the letter in J. Dalrymple’s “Memoirs of Great Britain,” II, Appendix, p. 228. [2] Bright’s, Guizot’s, Lingard’s, and Von Ranke’s Histories of England.

491.  The “Glorious Revolution of 1688; William comes, James goes.

William’s ship, which led his fleet, displayed this flag.

I WILL MAINTAIN THE LIBERTIES OF ENGLAND AND THE PROTESTANT RELIGION