Anne, after wavering long, after contradicting herself at various times, and keeping all around her and connected with her in suspense, at last consented to postpone her claim in favour of the Prince of Orange; stipulating at the same time for an ample revenue, to support her dignity as next heir to the throne.[137] This step, which was, under all circumstances, the wisest for herself, and the most considerate for the good of the nation, that Anne’s counsellors could have advised, was attributed to Lady Churchill,—“one,” says Dalrymple, “of the most interested of women, who possessed at that time the dominion of her spirit, and who hoped to serve her own interest and her husband’s by betraying those of her mistress.”[138] It will here be necessary, and we think not uninteresting to the reader, to insert Lady Churchill’s account of the share which she had in the transaction. “Quickly after this,” (speaking of the Princess Anne’s flight to Nottingham,) “the King fled into France. The throne was hereupon declared vacant, and presently filled with the Prince and Princess of Orange. The Parliament thought proper to settle the crown on King William for life, and the Princess of Denmark gave her consent to it. This was another event which furnished simple people with a pretence to censure me. It was intimated that, to make my court to the King and Queen, I had influenced the Princess to forego her undoubted rights. The truth is, I did persuade her to the project of that settlement, and to be easy under it after it was made. But no regard to the King nor the Queen, nor any view of ambition, had the least share in moving me to this conduct, any more than to what inconsiderable part I acted in the business of the Revolution.”[139]