Charles's Embarrassments--Exclusion Intrigues--Parliament Dissolved--The King again Pensioned by Louis--New Parliament at Oxford--Violence of the Whigs--Charles Dissolves the Oxford Parliament--Execution of Archbishop Plunket--Arrest of Shaftesbury--Dismay of the Gang of Perjurers--Oates turned out of Whitehall--Shaftesbury's Lists--Visit of William of Orange--James in Scotland--Defeat of the Cameronians--Cargill's Manifesto--The Duke of York's Tyranny--Flight of Argyll--The Torture in Edinburgh--Arrogance of Monmouth--Contest between the Court and the City--Death of Shaftesbury--Rye House Plot--Suicide of the Earl of Essex--Trial of Lord William Russell--Extraordinary Declaration of the University of Oxford--Trial of Algernon Sidney--The Duke of Monmouth Pardoned--Base Conduct of Monmouth--Trial of Hampden--Trials in Scotland--Absolutism of Charles--Forfeiture of Charters by the Corporations--Influence of the Duke of York--Opposition of Halifax--Sickness and Death of the King 267 CHAPTER X. REIGN OF JAMES II. James's Speech to the Council--Rochester supersedes Halifax--Other Changes in the Ministry--James Collects the Customs without Parliament--French Pension continued--Scottish Parliament--Oates and Dangerfield--Meeting of Parliament--It grants Revenue for Life--Monmouth and Argyll--Argyll's Expedition--His Capture and Execution--Monmouth's Expedition--He enters Taunton--Failure of his Hopes--Battle of Sedgemoor--Execution of Monmouth--Cruelties of Kirke and Jeffreys--The Bloody Assize--The Case of Lady Alice Lisle--Decline of James's Power--He Breaks the Test Act--Revocation of the Edict of Nantes--Prorogation of Parliament--Acquittal of Delamere--Alienation of the Church--Parties at Court--The Dispensing Power Asserted--Livings granted to Catholics--Court of High Commission Revived--Army on Hounslow Heath--Trial of "Julian" Johnson--James's Lawlessness in Scotland and Ireland--Declaration of Indulgence--The Party of the Prince of Orange and the Princess Mary--Expulsion of the Fellows of Magdalen College--New Declaration of Indulgence--Protest of the Seven Bishops--Birth of the Prince of Wales--Trial and Acquittal of the Bishops--Invitation to William of Orange--Folly of James--William's Preparations--Blindness of James, and Treachery of his Ministers--William's Declaration--James convinced, makes Concessions--William lands at Torbay--His Advance to Exeter--Churchill's Treason--Flight of the Princess Anne and her Husband--James sends Commissioners to Treat with William--Flight of James--Riots in London--Return of James--His Final Flight to France--The Convention--The Succession Question--Declaration of Rights--William and Mary joint Sovereigns 289 CHAPTER XI. PROGRESS OF THE NATION FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE GREAT REVOLUTION.