the convention to a more
speedy settlement of England; and that therefore the Prince ought not to
make too much haste to relieve Ireland.--_Swift._ That is agreed to be
the true reason, and it was a wicked one.

P. 810. _Burnet_, speaking of Archbishop Sancroft, says:--He was a poor
spirited, and fearful man; and acted a very mean part in all this great
transaction.--_Swift._ Others think very differently.

P. 811. _Burnet_, speaking of the proposal to establish a regency,
says:--The much greater part of the House of Lords was for this, and
stuck long to it: And so was about a third part of the House of Commons.
The greatest part of the clergy declared themselves for it.--_Swift._
And it was certainly much the best expedient.

_Ibid. Burnet._ The third party was made up of those, who thought that
there was an original contract between the King and the people of
England; by which the kings were bound to defend their people, and to
govern them according to law, in lieu of which the people were bound to
obey and serve the king.--_Swift._ I am of this party, and yet I would
have been for a regency.

P. 813. _Burnet_, it was argued that this scheme of a regency was:--both
more illegal; and more unsafe, than the method they proposed. The law of
England had settled the point of the subject's security in obeying the
king in possession, in the statute made by Henry the Seventh. So every
man knew he was safe under a king, and so would act with zeal and
courage. But all such as should act under a _prince-regent_, created by
this convention, were upon a bottom that had not the necessary forms of
law for it.--_Swift._ There is something in this argument.

P. 814. _Burnet._ It was believed, that those of his [King James's]
party, who were looked on as men of conscience, had secret orders from
him to act upon this pretence; since otherwise they offered to act
clearly in contradiction to their own oaths and principles,--_Swift._
This is malice.

_Ibid. Burnet._ [Others thought] that in our present circumstances the
extremity of affairs, by reason of the late ill government, and by King
James's flying over to the enemy of the nation, rather than submit to
reasonable terms, had put the people of England on the necessity of
securing themselves upon a legal bottom.--_Swift._ This was the best
reason.

P. 815. _Burnet._ There were good authorities brought, by which it
appeared, that when a person did a thing upon which his leaving