nly by the
council, but by the nation. The king universally passed for a man of
great sincerity and great honor; and as the current of favor ran at that
time for the court, men believed that his intentions were conformable to
his expressions. "We have now," it was said, "the word of a king, and a
word never yet broken." Addresses came from all quarters, full of duty,
nay, of the most servile adulation. Every one hastened to pay court to
the new monarch:[*] and James had reason to think, that, notwithstanding
the violent efforts made by so potent a party for his exclusion, no
throne in Europe was better established than that of England.

* The Quakers' address was esteemed somewhat singular for
its plainness and simplicity. It was conceived in these
terms: "We are come to testify our sorrow for the death of
our good friend Charles, and our joy for thy being made our
governor. We are told thou art not of the persuasion of the
church of England, no more than we, wherefore we hope thou
wilt grant us the same liberty which thou allowest thyself.
Which doing, we wish thee all manner of happiness."

The king, however, in the first exercise of his authority, showed, that
either he was not sincere in his professions of attachment to the laws,
or that he had entertained so lofty an idea of his own legal power, that
even his utmost sincerity would tend very little to secure the liberties
of the people. All the customs and the greater part of the excise
had been settled by parliament on the late king during life, and
consequently the grant was now expired; nor had the successor any right
to levy these branches of revenue. But James issued a proclamation,
ordering the customs and excise to be paid as before; and this exertion
of power he would not deign to qualify by the least act or even
appearance of condescension. It was proposed to him, that, in order to
prevent the ill effects of any intermission in levying these duties,
entries should be made, and bonds for the sums be taken from the
merchants and brewers; but the payment be suspended till the parliament
should give authority to receive it. This precaution was recommended as
an expression of deference to that assembly, or rather to the laws: but
for that very reason, probably, it was rejected by the king; who thought
that the commons would thence be invited to assume more authority, and
would regard the whole revenue, and consequently t