Some, amid universal applause, made their
escape from the Tower, and only two were sent to the scaffold. At the
last moment, when repentance did not avail, Derwentwater retracted the
declarations of loyalty he had made at his trial, and died protesting
his unswerving fidelity to the House of Stuart. The Tories were
effectually ruined. The militant part of them had been crushed. The
remainder had proved helplessly weak, and the last dying speech of
their honoured champion was taken as a proof that they were traitors
at heart, and that their professions of loyalty were interested and
insincere. Parliament displayed an enthusiastic attachment to the
dynasty and its ministers; they were ready for any expenditure, for
any armaments, and a force of 16,000 men was raised, for the better
security of the Whigs.

On this state of feeling the government introduced septennial
parliaments. Under the Triennial Act a general election would have
fallen due in 1717, too soon for safety after the Jacobite rising.
Opinion in the country had not been impressed by recent events, by the
utter weakness of the rebels, the overwhelming success of the
government, the significant menace of the dying leader, so deeply as
the House of Commons. The new establishment would be in peril with
the constituencies, but safe with their representatives. This was so
certain that the philosophic arguments, for legislative independence
and for popular control, were superfluous. The victors secured their
victory and perpetuated their power by extending their mandate from
three years to seven. The measure strengthened the House of Commons,
and prepared the long reign of the Whigs. The funds rose, and the
king took advantage of the improved situation to spend some months in
Hanover. There he had greater scope to devote himself to foreign
affairs, and to bring the Englishmen who attended him under the
influence of experienced foreigners. Thus, while the Tories were
prostrate and the Whigs supreme, a schism arose between the ministers
at Hanover and the ministers at home. Walpole and Townshend went out
of office; Stanhope and Sunderland formed a new administration, which
the South Sea Bubble overthrew. A great question of constitutional
principle opened between them and their former colleagues. The enmity
between the king and the Prince of Wales made it probable that the
ministers who had the confidence of the father would be dismissed on
his son's