by Dr. Littleton, who succeeded
him in the office from which he was dismissed; and the prisoners were
executed as traitors. The Jacobites did not fail to retort those
arts upon the government which their adversaries had so successfully
practised in the late reign. They inveighed against the vindictive
spirit of the administration, and taxed it with encouraging informers
and false witnesses--a charge for which there was too much foundation.

The friends of James in Scotland still continued to concert designs
in his favour; but their correspondence was detected, and their aims
defeated, by the vigilance of the ministry in that kingdom. Secretary
Johnston not only kept a watchful eye over all their transactions, but
by a dexterous management of court liberality and favour, appeased the
discontents of the presbyterians so effectually, that the king ran no
risk in assembling the parliament. Some offices were bestowed upon the
leaders of the kirk party, and the duke of Hamilton, being reconciled
to the government, was appointed commissioner. On the eighteenth day of
April the session was opened, and the king's letter, replete with the
most cajoling expressions, being read, the parliament proceeded to
exhibit undeniable specimens of their good humour. They drew up a very
affectionate answer to his majesty's letter; they voted an addition of
six new regiments to the standing forces of the kingdom; they granted
a supply of above one hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling to his
majesty; they enacted a law for levying men to serve on board the royal
navy; they fined all absentees, whether lords or commons, and vacated
the seats of all those commissioners who refused to take the oath of
assurance, which was equivalent to an abjuration of king James; they
set on foot an inquiry about an intended invasion; they published some
intercepted letters supposed to be written to king James by Nevil Payne,
whom they committed to prison and threatened with a trial for high
treason; but he eluded the danger by threatening in his turn to impeach
those who had made their peace with the government; they passed an
act for the comprehension of such of the episcopal clergy as should
condescend to take the oaths by the tenth day of July. All that the
general assembly required of them was, an offer to subscribe the
confession of faith, and to acknowledge presbytery as the only
government of the Scottish church; but they neither submitted to
these