too fast possession of men's minds, to be removed by so
feeble a remedy as this new council projected by Temple. The commons,
soon after the establishment of that council, proceeded so far as to
vote unanimously, "That the duke of York's being a Papist, and the hopes
of his coming to the crown, had given the highest countenance to the
present conspiracies and designs of the Papists against the king and the
Protestant religion." It was expected, that a bill for excluding him the
throne would soon be brought in. To prevent this bold measure, the king
concerted some limitations, which he proposed to the parliament. He
introduced his plan by the following gracious expressions: "And to show
you that, while you are doing your parts, my thoughts have not been
misemployed, but that it is my constant care to do every thing that may
preserve your religion, and secure if for the future in all events; I
have commanded my lord chancellor to mention several particulars, which,
I hope, will be an evidence that, in all things which concern the public
rights, I shall not follow your zeal, but lead it."

The limitations projected were of the utmost importance and deprived the
successor of the chief branches of royalty. A method was there chalked
out, by which the nation, on every new reign, could be insured of having
a parliament which the king should not, for a certain time, have it in
his power to dissolve. In case of a Popish successor, the prince was
to forfeit the right of conferring any ecclesiastical preferments: no
member of the privy council, no judge of the common law or in chancery,
was to be put in or displaced but by consent of parliament: and the same
precaution was extended to the military part of the government; to the
lord lieutenants and deputy lieutenants of the counties, and to all
officers of the navy. The chancellor of himself added, "It is hard to
invent another restraint; considering how much the revenue will depend
upon the consent of parliament, and how impossible it is to raise money
without such consent. But yet, if any thing else can occur to the wisdom
of parliament, which may further secure religion and liberty against a
Popish successor, without defeating the right of succession itself, his
majesty will readily consent to it."

It is remarkable, that, when, these limitations were first laid before
the council, Shaftesbury and Temple were the only members who argued
against them. The reasons which they emp