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The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 2Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron

History

The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 2

Name: The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 2
Author: Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron

Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron

Great Britain -- History -- James II, 1685-1688; Great Britain -- History -- William and Mary, 1689-1702

The rage of James flamed high. He had always been more than sufficiently
prone to the angry passions. But none of his enemies, not even those
who had conspired against his life, not even those who had attempted
by perjury to load him with the guilt of treason and assassination, had
ever been regarded by him with such animosity as he now felt for
Burnet. His Majesty railed daily at the Doctor in unkingly language,
and meditated plans of unlawful revenge. Even blood would not slake
that frantic hatred. The insolent divine must be tortured before he was
permitted to die. Fortunately he was by birth a Scot; and in Scotland,
before he was gibbeted in the Grassmarket, his legs might be dislocated
in the boot. Proceedings were accordingly instituted against him at
Edinburgh: but he had been naturalised in Holland: he had married a
woman of fortune who was a native of that province: and it was certain
that his adopted country would not deliver him up. It was therefore
determined to kidnap him. Ruffians were hired with great sums of money
for this perilous and infamous service. An order for three thousand
pounds on this account was actually drawn up for signature in the office
of the Secretary of State. Lewis was apprised of the design, and took
a warm interest in it. He would lend, he said, his best assistance to
convey the villain to England, and would undertake that the ministers of
the vengeance of James should find a secure asylum in France. Burnet
was well aware of his danger: but timidity was not among his faults.
He published a courageous answer to the charges which had been brought
against him at Edinburgh. He knew, he said, that it was intended to
execute him without a trial: but his trust was in the King of Kings, to
whom innocent blood would not cry in vain, even against the mightiest
princes of the earth. He gave a farewell dinner to some friends, and,
after the meal, took solemn leave of them, as a man who was doomed to
death, and with whom they could no longer safely converse. Nevertheless
he continued to show himself in all the public places of the Hague so
boldly that his friends reproached him bitterly with his foolhardiness.
[263]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 2Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron

History

The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 2

Macaulay, Thomas Babington Macaulay, Baron

Great Britain -- History -- James II, 1685-1688; Great Britain -- History -- William and Mary, 1689-1702

The rage of James flamed high. He had always been more than sufficiently
prone to the angry passions. But none of his enemies, not even those
who had conspired against his life, not even those who had attempted
by perjury to load him with the guilt of treason and assassination, had
ever been regarded by him with such animosity as he now felt for
Burnet. His Majesty railed daily at the Doctor in unkingly language,
and meditated plans of unlawful revenge. Even blood would not slake
that frantic hatred. The insolent divine must be tortured before he was
permitted to die. Fortunately he was by birth a Scot; and in Scotland,
before he was gibbeted in the Grassmarket, his legs might be dislocated
in the boot. Proceedings were accordingly instituted against him at
Edinburgh: but he had been naturalised in Holland: he had married a
woman of fortune who was a native of that province: and it was certain
that his adopted country would not deliver him up. It was therefore
determined to kidnap him. Ruffians were hired with great sums of money
for this perilous and infamous service. An order for three thousand
pounds on this account was actually drawn up for signature in the office
of the Secretary of State. Lewis was apprised of the design, and took
a warm interest in it. He would lend, he said, his best assistance to
convey the villain to England, and would undertake that the ministers of
the vengeance of James should find a secure asylum in France. Burnet
was well aware of his danger: but timidity was not among his faults.
He published a courageous answer to the charges which had been brought
against him at Edinburgh. He knew, he said, that it was intended to
execute him without a trial: but his trust was in the King of Kings, to
whom innocent blood would not cry in vain, even against the mightiest
princes of the earth. He gave a farewell dinner to some friends, and,
after the meal, took solemn leave of them, as a man who was doomed to
death, and with whom they could no longer safely converse. Nevertheless
he continued to show himself in all the public places of the Hague so
boldly that his friends reproached him bitterly with his foolhardiness.
[263]

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 2

The History of England, from the Accession of James II — Volume 2

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