him not, on the eve of
the meeting of Parliament, to drive the most eloquent and accomplished
statesman of the age into opposition. They represented that Halifax
loved the dignity and emoluments of office, that, while he continued to
be Lord President, it would be hardly possible for him to put forth his
whole strength against the government, and that to dismiss him from
his high post was to emancipate him from all restraint. The King was
peremptory. Halifax was informed that his services were no longer
needed; and his name was struck out of the Council-Book. [9]

His dismission produced a great sensation not only in England, but also
at Paris, at Vienna, and at the Hague: for it was well known, that he
had always laboured to counteract the influence exercised by the court
of Versailles on English affairs. Lewis expressed great pleasure at the
news. The ministers of the United Provinces and of the House of Austria,
on the other hand, extolled the wisdom and virtue of the discarded
statesman in a manner which gave great offence at Whitehall. James was
particularly angry with the secretary of the imperial legation, who did
not scruple to say that the eminent service which Halifax had performed
in the debate on the Exclusion Bill had been requited with gross
ingratitude. [10]

It soon became clear that Halifax would have many followers. A portion
of the Tories, with their old leader, Danby, at their head, began to
hold Whiggish language. Even the prelates hinted that there was a
point at which the loyalty due to the prince must yield to higher
considerations. The discontent of the chiefs of the army was still more
extraordinary and still more formidable. Already began to appear the
first symptoms of that feeling which, three years later, impelled so
many officers of high rank to desert the royal standard. Men who had
never before had a scruple had on a sudden become strangely scrupulous.
Churchill gently whispered that the King was going too far. Kirke, just
returned from his western butchery, swore to stand by the Protestant
religion. Even if he abjured the faith in which he had been bred, he
would never, he said, become a Papist. He was already bespoken. If ever
he did apostatize, he was bound by a solemn promise to the Emperor of
Morocco to turn Mussulman. [11]

While the nation, agitated by many strong emotions, looked anxiously
forward to the reassembling of the Houses, tidings, which increased the
prevailing exci