Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- BOOK XVI THE LATER YEARS OF CHARLES II, 1675—1685 WHIGS AND TORIES
- BOOK XVII REIGN OF JAMES II, FEBRUARY 1685 TO SEPTEMBER 1688
- BOOK XVIII THE FALL OF JAMES II IN ITS CONNEXION WITH THE EUROPEAN CONFLICTS WHICH MARKED THE CLOSE OF 1688
- INTRODUCTION
- CHAP. I Relations of James II to the Court of Rome and to the disputes of the Continental Powers
- CHAP. II The Prince of Orange and the Protestant Episcopalian party in England
- CHAP. III Preparations and German alliances of the Prince of Orange
- CHAP. IV Irresolute behaviour of the English Government. Landing of the Prince
- CHAP. V Decision of the struggle in England. Flight of James II
- BOOK XIX COMPLETION OF THE REVOLUTION IN THE THREE KINGDOMS, 1688—1691
CHAP. IV - Irresolute behaviour of the English Government. Landing of the Prince
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 September 2011
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- BOOK XVI THE LATER YEARS OF CHARLES II, 1675—1685 WHIGS AND TORIES
- BOOK XVII REIGN OF JAMES II, FEBRUARY 1685 TO SEPTEMBER 1688
- BOOK XVIII THE FALL OF JAMES II IN ITS CONNEXION WITH THE EUROPEAN CONFLICTS WHICH MARKED THE CLOSE OF 1688
- INTRODUCTION
- CHAP. I Relations of James II to the Court of Rome and to the disputes of the Continental Powers
- CHAP. II The Prince of Orange and the Protestant Episcopalian party in England
- CHAP. III Preparations and German alliances of the Prince of Orange
- CHAP. IV Irresolute behaviour of the English Government. Landing of the Prince
- CHAP. V Decision of the struggle in England. Flight of James II
- BOOK XIX COMPLETION OF THE REVOLUTION IN THE THREE KINGDOMS, 1688—1691
Summary
While an offensive and defensive alliance against the combination between France and England was thus being formed, it began to appear possible that the King of England might of his own accord turn away from France.
He had now declared his purpose of summoning a Parliament, and was busied with all sorts of precautions for exercising a favourable influence on the elections, when France resumed the great continental war against allied Europe. Charles II had always made it a condition of his alliances with France that there should be nothing of the sort, as the antipathies of English parliaments to the growth of that power would be aroused by such a step, and must necessarily touch the English crown also. All parliaments were like-minded in relation to this, however different their composition might be in other respects. An alliance with France would just then have had a most unpleasant effect upon the elections.
Just as the government was occupied in preparing for them, Bonrepaus, already well known to us, who then held a high post in the French marine, appeared again in England to propose an agreement as to an union of the two fleets, such agreement to be immediately adopted. In England even then the purposes of the Prince of Orange were not misunderstood; but it was thought that he would find difficulties in carrying the States-General with him in his undertaking.
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- A History of EnglandPrincipally in the Seventeenth Century, pp. 418 - 440Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010First published in: 1875