On the following day he went again to Saint Germains, and, attended by a splendid retinue, entered James’s bedchamber.  The dying man scarcely opened his heavy eyes, and then closed them again.  “I have something,” said Lewis, “of great moment to communicate to Your Majesty.”  The courtiers who filled the room took this as a signal to retire, and were crowding towards the door, when they were stopped by that commanding voice:  “Let nobody withdraw.  I come to tell Your Majesty that, whenever it shall please God to take you from us, I will be to your son what I have been to you, and will acknowledge him as King of England, Scotland and Ireland.”  The English exiles who were standing round the couch fell on their knees.  Some burst into tears.  Some poured forth praises and blessings with clamour such as, was scarcely becoming in such a place and at such a time.  Some indistinct murmurs which James uttered, and which were drowned by the noisy gratitude of his attendants, were interpreted to mean thanks.  But from the most trustworthy accounts it appears that he was insensible to all that was passing around him.24

As soon as Lewis was again at Marli, he repeated to the Court assembled there the announcement which he had made at Saint Germains.  The whole circle broke forth into exclamations of delight and admiration.  What piety!  What humanity!  What magnanimity!  Nor was this enthusiasm altogether feigned.  For, in the estimation of the greater part of that brilliant crowd, nations were nothing and princes every thing.  What could be more generous, more amiable, than to protect an innocent boy, who was kept out of his rightful inheritance by an ambitious kinsman?  The fine gentlemen and fine ladies who talked thus forgot that, besides the innocent boy and that ambitious kinsman, five millions and a half of Englishmen were concerned, who were little disposed to consider themselves as the absolute property of any master, and who were still less disposed to accept a master chosen for them by the French King.

James lingered three days longer.  He was occasionally sensible during a few minutes, and, during one of these lucid intervals, faintly expressed his gratitude to Lewis.  On the sixteenth he died.  His Queen retired that evening to the nunnery of Chaillot, where she could weep and pray undisturbed.  She left Saint Germains in joyous agitation.  A herald made his appearance before the palace gate, and, with sound of trumpet, proclaimed, in Latin, French and English, King James the Third of England and Eighth of Scotland.  The streets, in consequence doubtless of orders from the government, were illuminated; and the townsmen with loud shouts wished a long reign to their illustrious neighbour.  The poor lad received from his ministers, and delivered back to them, the seals of their offices, and held out his hand to be kissed.  One of the first acts of his mock reign was to bestow some mock peerages in conformity with directions which he found in his father’s will.  Middleton, who had as yet no English title, was created Earl of Monmouth.  Perth, who had stood high in the favour of his late master, both as an apostate from the Protestant religion, and as the author of the last improvements on the thumb screw, took the title of Duke.