upon Providence, since there is no longer any reliance on my troops, whose minds are undoubtedly corrupted by the pernicious instructions of their disloyal officers."1

Before King James succeeded to the throne, Churchill had assured the Earl of Galway that "if ever King James was prevailed on to alter the established religion, he would serve him no longer, but withdraw from him."

As Dumont observes in his history, a conflict must have gone on in Churchill's mind before he could desert his king. "On one side his country, his religion, and the liberties of the subject were in danger; on the other hand, the entire loss of his own fortune and the ruin of a king to whom he owed all. At least it must be allowed that it was very uncertain and scarcely probable he would meet with so much favour under any other government." He hesitated until Dr. Turner, Bishop of Ely, pointed out that he had a duty to a Higher Power. He thereupon determined to join the Prince of Orange as soon as he landed.

The Revolution was said to have been planned in the cellars of Hurley Priory, near Marlow, at that time belonging to Baron Lovelace. The house was pulled down in 1837, and only a few out-buildings and an ancient pigeon-cot and ruins of the chapel remain at the present day.

On hearing of William's arrival, Lord Lovelace set out on horseback with seventy followers to welcome him. They were stopped at Cirencester and taken prisoners by the King's troops, but were shortly after released. Lovelace immediately set to work to raise a mounted force, and entered Oxford at the head of 300 men willing to support the Prince of Orange.

James returned in despair to the capital on the 26th,

1 "The Military History of the Duke of Marlborough," by M. Dumont.

where a heavier blow awaited him-the desertion of his daughter Anne. She had been in correspondence with her sister Mary, and knew all about her husband's intended movements. Her conscience no doubt pricked her, for on her father's approach she told Lady Churchill "that, rather than see her father, she would jump out of window."

Sarah was therefore sent to the Bishop of London to acquaint him that the princess had determined to leave the court, and wished to place herself under his care. Accordingly, he agreed to come about midnight in a hackney coach to the near neighbourhood of the Cockpit, the name of that part of the Palace of Whitehall where the princess had her apartments.

What probably hastened their departure was the news that the Lord Chamberlain had received orders to seize Lord Churchill's houses, both in town and at St. Albans, and also the person of Lady Churchill, as a consequence of her husband's desertion. The princess persuaded the Lord Chamberlain to delay the execution of this order, with the result that they both escaped.

The princess retired to bed at the usual hour to avoid suspicion, but between 2 and 3 A.M. slipped out of the palace by a pair of narrow back-stairs, only used by the "necessary woman to go in and out when cleaning the room.

Accompanied by Lady Churchill and Lady Fitzharding, Anne drove away in a coach and six which had been provided by the Bishop of London and the Earl of Dorset. The consternation was great when the next morning her bed was found empty and cold, and her clothes of the day before lying about in disorder, even to her shoes and stockings, which in all the excitement had been forgotten. A rumour immediately went about that she had been kidnapped by the Papists. by the Papists. The King

arrived the same day, made inquiries, and instructed Samuel Pepys to write a full report of the princess's flight to Lord Dartmouth, from whose papers this account has been taken.1

From the palace Anne went to the bishop's house in Aldersgate Street, and on the following day, November 26th, to Lord Dorset's at Copthall-Lady Dorset providing everything they required. Once before her ladyship had risen to an emergency, as we have seen, on the occasion of James's seeking hospitality at Copthall when out hunting. Now Lord Dorset's former master and guest was shortly to be a fugitive in his own country and from his own people.

King James was undergoing terrible anxiety. In the news-letter of November 27th is the paragraph, "His Majesty gets little sleep but what is forced by opiates."

It was decided that the Queen was to make her escape to France, although she vainly entreated to be allowed to remain.

On the night of December 9th, the King and Queen retired to bed at the usual hour, but rose soon after and descended to the rooms of one of the suite who was in the secret, where the infant prince and his two nurses had already assembled. James handed the Queen, now wearing a disguise, to the Count de Lauzun and his friend M. de St. Victor, saying, "I confide my queen and my son to your care. All must be hazarded to convey them with the utmost speed to France."

Lauzun then escorted the Queen to a coach in waiting at the postern gate, followed by the nurses with the still sleeping child. St. Victor jumped on the box beside the coachman, who drove them rapidly to Westminster, where they embarked for Lambeth. From 1 H.M.C., Fifteenth Report.

thence they travelled to Portsmouth, and subsequently in a man-of-war to France.

The Queen's departure was the signal for others to do the same, and many coaches and waggons were seen on the Dover roads making for the coast.

Two days after, on the morning of the 11th, James departed disguised as Sir Edward Hales' servant, leaving a letter for Lord Feversham with orders to disband the army, and as there was no money to pay the soldiers, they were to be allowed to retain their arms. James had fifteen guineas and his watch, Sir Edward fifty guineas. This was all the money and valuables they possessed between them.

While the King was being rowed down the river he threw away the Great Seal. It was found some weeks after by a poor fisherman and taken to William, who had it destroyed.

Sir Edward Hales and his pretended servant were seized by those on the look-out for Papists and taken to Faversham.

Two gentlemen rode hastily to Windsor to acquaint the Prince of Orange of the capture, and to inform him that the mob would obey no one but the prince. William ordered one of his gentlemen to go immediately to Faversham to see the King safe. Accordingly, Lord Feversham started with his coaches to fetch his Majesty. As soon as the news of the King's arrest reached London, "the indignation that he had formerly inspired turned to pity and respect. As he came through the city he was welcomed with many expressions of joy."

The Prince of Orange consulted with officers and the great lords who had joined him, and they all agreed that it would be a mistake to allow the King to remain at Whitehall. A deputation, consisting of Lords

Halifax, Shrewsbury, and Delamere, was sent to request his Majesty to leave the capital. They found him in bed, and he was informed that the Prince of Orange was coming shortly to London, and that it would conduce to his Majesty's safety and the quiet of the town if he would retire to Ham.

James was much dejected, and asked if he was to go immediately. He was told he might take his rest first, and that a guard should attend him for the safety of his person.

The Earl of Middleton followed the deputation out, and inquired whether it would not do as well if the King retired to Rochester. It was evident that this was suggested in order to favour a second escape. The Prince of Orange willingly gave his consent to this proposal.

There can be little doubt that the fear of his father's fate was before the minds of both James and his immediate followers, and unnerved them through all these proceedings.

King James left next day for Rochester. He went by water to Gravesend, where his own coaches met him. He was attended by three lords of the bedchamber, a physician, Colonel Graham, and others, besides his household servants, and, at his own desire, a Dutch guard. He was allowed full liberty, the Dutch soldiers paying him rather more respect than his own guards had done of late. Most of these men were Catholics, so they assisted at mass very reverently. When asked how they could serve in an expedition that was intended to destroy their religion, one of them answered, "His soul was God's, but his sword was the Prince of Orange's." King James was so delighted with this answer that he repeated it to all who came about him.