yal proclamation, arrogating to itself powers only Parliament
could rightly exercise, suspended the laws against Nonconformists and
Catholics. The latter were, indeed, allowed to say Mass only within
their private houses, but to dissenters of every other class was granted
the freest liberty of public worship.

The declaration of war followed close on the declaration of indulgence.
The immediate result of the latter was the release of John Bunyan from
an imprisonment of twelve years, and the publication of the "Pilgrim's
Progress." A more important and lasting result was the Revolution of
1688. Both declarations were unpopular, but the Declaration of
Indulgence was the most unpopular of the two. It was unpopular with the
zealous Churchman for the concessions it made both to Papist and
Puritan. It was unpopular with the Puritan because he was compelled to
share it with the Papist. It was unpopular with the Papist because it
was less liberal to him than to the Puritan. It was unpopular with all
classes of patriotic Englishmen alike, because it directly violated that
prerogative of the Legislature for which so much English blood had been
already shed. It was soon, indeed, repealed, and its repeal was soon
followed by the dissolution of the Cabal, the passing of the Test Act,
and peace with Holland. But though the fears of the nation were thus
laid to rest for a time, it now first became clear to those who could
look beyond the passing day, and whose vision was sharpened by the
memory of what had been, how surely England was moving under the son
back again to a state of things which had cost the father his crown and
his life.

But to return to the declaration of war. Lewis received, and probably
expected to receive, but little support from his English allies, and in
a furious action fought off the coast of Suffolk De Ruyter more than
held his own against the combined fleets of France and England. But on
land the French King carried all before him. Led by Conde and Turenne,
the ablest captains of the age, a vast host poured across the Rhine. The
Dutch were waked from the vain dreams of a French alliance, into which
they had been lulled by the chiefs of the great merchant class which had
risen to power on the fall of the House of Orange, only to find
themselves helpless. Town after town opened its gates to the invader:
three out of the seven provinces of the Federation were already in his
hands: his watch-fires were seen from