on of conspiring to kill him. John went to the prison where he
was, to take him away to exile, in his coach; and a great mob who
collected on the occasion, then and there cruelly murdered both the
brothers. This left the government in the hands of the Prince, who was
really the choice of the nation; and from this time he exercised it with
the greatest vigour, against the whole power of France, under its famous
generals CONDE and TURENNE, and in support of the Protestant religion. It
was full seven years before this war ended in a treaty of peace made at
Nimeguen, and its details would occupy a very considerable space. It is
enough to say that William of Orange established a famous character with
the whole world; and that the Merry Monarch, adding to and improving on
his former baseness, bound himself to do everything the King of France
liked, and nothing the King of France did not like, for a pension of one
hundred thousand pounds a year, which was afterwards doubled. Besides
this, the King of France, by means of his corrupt ambassador--who wrote
accounts of his proceedings in England, which are not always to be
believed, I think--bought our English members of Parliament, as he wanted
them. So, in point of fact, during a considerable portion of this merry
reign, the King of France was the real King of this country.

But there was a better time to come, and it was to come (though his royal
uncle little thought so) through that very William, Prince of Orange. He
came over to England, saw Mary, the elder daughter of the Duke of York,
and married her. We shall see by-and-by what came of that marriage, and
why it is never to be forgotten.

This daughter was a Protestant, but her mother died a Catholic. She and
her sister ANNE, also a Protestant, were the only survivors of eight
children. Anne afterwards married GEORGE, PRINCE OF DENMARK, brother to
the King of that country.

Lest you should do the Merry Monarch the injustice of supposing that he
was even good humoured (except when he had everything his own way), or
that he was high spirited and honourable, I will mention here what was
done to a member of the House of Commons, SIR JOHN COVENTRY. He made a
remark in a debate about taxing the theatres, which gave the King
offence. The King agreed with his illegitimate son, who had been born
abroad, and whom he had made DUKE OF MONMOUTH, to take the following
merry vengeance. To waylay him at night, fifteen armed m