it his duty to advert. He was indeed the only man of
his profession who could advert to that subject without being suspected
of an interested motive. The metropolitan see of York had been three
years vacant. The Archbishop implored the King to fill it speedily with
a pious and learned divine, and added that such a divine might without
difficulty be found among those who then stood in the royal presence.
The King commanded himself sufficiently to return thanks for this
unpalatable counsel, and promised to consider what bad been said. [486]
Of the dispensing power he would not yield one tittle. No unqualified
person was removed from any civil or military office. But some of
Sancroft's suggestions were adopted. Within forty-eight hours the Court
of High Commission was abolished. [487] It was determined that the
charter of the City of London, which had been forfeited six years
before, should be restored; and the Chancellor was sent in state to
carry back the venerable parchment to Guildhall. [488] A week later the
public was informed that the Bishop of Winchester, who was by virtue of
his office Visitor of Magdalene College, had it in charge from the King
to correct whatever was amiss in that society. It was not without a long
struggle and a bitter pang that James stooped to this last humiliation.
Indeed he did not yield till the Vicar Apostolic Leyburn, who seems to
have behaved on all occasions like a wise and honest man, declared that
in his judgment the ejected President and Fellows had been wronged, and
that, on religious as well as on political grounds, restitution ought to
be made to them. [489] In a few days appeared a proclamation restoring
the forfeited franchises of all the municipal corporations. [490]

James flattered himself that concessions so great made in the short
space of a month would bring back to him the hearts of his people. Nor
can it be doubted that such concessions, made before there was reason to
expect an invasion from Holland, would have done much to conciliate the
Tories. But gratitude is not to be expected by rulers who give to fear
what they have refused to justice. During three years the King had been
proof to all argument and to all entreaty. Every minister who had
dared to raise his voice in favour of the civil and ecclesiastical
constitution of the realm had been disgraced. A Parliament eminently
loyal had ventured to protest gently and respectfully against a
violation of the fundamental