of
the spiritual and of the temporal peers were crowded. Hampden appeared
at the bar, and put the resolution of the Commons into the hands of
Halifax. The Upper House then resolved itself into a committee; and
Danby took the chair. The discussion was soon interrupted by the
reappearance of Hampden with another message. The House resumed and was
informed that the Commons had just voted it inconsistent with the safety
and welfare of this Protestant nation to be governed by a Popish King.
To this resolution, irreconcilable as it obviously was with the doctrine
of indefeasible hereditary right, the Peers gave an immediate and
unanimous assent. The principle which was thus affirmed has always, down
to our own time, been held sacred by all Protestant statesmen, and has
never been considered by any reasonable Roman Catholic as objectionable.
If, indeed, our sovereigns were, like the Presidents of the United
States, mere civil functionaries, it would not be easy to vindicate such
a restriction. But the headship of the English Church is annexed to the
English crown; and there is no intolerance in saying that a Church
ought not to be subjected to a head who regards her as schismatical and
heretical. [645]

After this short interlude the Lords again went into committee. The
Tories insisted that their plan should be discussed before the vote of
the Commons which declared the throne vacant was considered. This was
conceded to them; and the question was put whether a Regency, exercising
kingly power during the life of James, in his name, would be the best
expedient for preserving the laws and liberties of the nation?

The contest was long and animated. The chief speakers in favour of a
Regency were Rochester and Nottingham. Halifax and Danby led the other
side. The Primate, strange to say, did not make his appearance, though
earnestly importuned by the Tory peers to place himself at their head.
His absence drew on him many contumelious censures; nor have even his
eulogists been able to find any explanation of it which raises his
character. [646] The plan of Regency was his own. He had, a few days
before, in a paper written with his own hand, pronounced that plan to be
clearly the best that could be adopted. The deliberations of the
Lords who supported that plan had been carried on under his roof. His
situation made it his clear duty to declare publicly what he thought.
Nobody can suspect him of personal cowardice or of vulgar cupidi