as to
send the news across the sea, and at that signal James was to come
over, in French ships. When the plot thickened, Berwick made his
escape, and met his father changing horses at Clermont. Having learnt
how matters stood, James pursued his way to Calais, and there, while
he watched the northern horizon for the desired signal, he wrote
edifying letters to the Abbe de Rance. When the plot was betrayed he
showed the deepest sympathy with the assassins, and never lamented
their crime.

The series of measures by which he lost the crown form a drama in
three acts. First, he tried to obtain the co-operation of the
Established Church. When that failed, he turned against the Church
and worked through the Dissenters. And then he brought on that
quarrel with the clergy which proved fatal to him. James did not
believe in the reality of Protestant religion. Sunderland assured him
that in two years not a Protestant would be left in England, if
compulsion ceased, and his mind was bewildered by two very remarkable
facts. One of these was the theology of recent Caroline divines.
Archbishop Bramhall could hardly be distinguished from a Gallican.
Archbishop Leighton was in close touch with Jansenists. One Roman
doctrine was adopted by Montagu, another by Thomdike, a third by Isaac
Barrow. Bull received the thanks of the French clergy for his
vindication of the early fathers against the most learned of the
Jesuits. To an ignorant and narrow-minded man all these things
pointed to one conclusion, the instability and want of solidity in the
Anglican system. Then there was the astounding collapse of the French
Huguenots. Lewis boasted that, in a few months, without real
violence, he had effected 800,000 conversions. And James was eager to
believe it. He asked himself, says Barillon, why he could not do as
much in England. He desired the Roman congregations to examine the
question, whether the English bishops might retain their sees. Some
said they would be better than the Catholic clergy, who were accused
of Jansenism. One thing he considered absolutely certain. The Church
would never resist his authority. The Bishop of Winchester entreated
him not to rely on the passive obedience of Churchmen. James replied
that the bishop had lost his nerve.

Having decided to risk a quarrel with loyal Anglicans, he assumed the
dispensing power. The judges approved. There was a precedent in his
favour. He had support not only