m to London, and
lodged him in the palace there, where he was surrounded with all the
emblems and marks of royalty, but was still, nevertheless, closely
confined.

[Sidenote: Parliament summoned.]

[Sidenote: The king.]

The Duke of York then summoned a Parliament, acting in the king's
name, of course, that is, requiring the king to sign the writs and
other necessary documents. It was not until October that the
Parliament met. During the interval the king was lodged in a country
place not far from London, where every effort was made to enable him
to pass his time agreeably, by giving him an opportunity to hunt, and
to amuse and recreate himself with other out-door amusements. All the
while, however, a strict watch was kept over him to prevent the
possibility of his making his escape, or of the friends of the queen
coming secretly to take him away.

As for the queen and the little prince, none knew what had become of
them.

[Sidenote: The duke's pretensions.]

When Parliament met, a very extraordinary scene occurred in the House
of Lords, in which the Duke of York was the principal actor, and which
excited a great sensation. Up to this time he had put forward no
actual claim to the throne in behalf of his branch of the family, but
in all the hostilities in which he had been engaged against the king's
troops, his object had been, as he had always said, not to oppose the
king, but only to save him, by separating him from the evil influences
which surrounded him. But he was now beginning to be somewhat more
bold.

[Sidenote: The duke comes to Parliament.]

Accordingly, when Parliament met, he came into London at the head of a
body-guard of five hundred horsemen, and with the sword of state borne
before him, as if he were the greatest personage in the realm. He rode
directly to Westminster, and, halting his men with great parade before
the doors of the hall where the House of Lords was assembled, he went
in.

[Sidenote: Scene in the House of Lords.]

He advanced directly through the hall to the raised dais at the end on
which the throne was placed. He ascended the steps, and walked to the
throne, the whole assembly looking on in solemn awe, to see what he
was going to do. Some expected that he was going to take his seat upon
the throne, and thus at once assume the position that he was the true
and rightful sovereign of England. He, however, did not do so. He
stood by the throne a few minutes, with his hand upo