LIFE OF ARCHBISHOP SANCROFT. 85 



seems to be the blot upon his character as a 

 public man which it is least easy to wipe off. 

 Still it may perhaps be deemed, in the event of 

 things, a fortunate circumstance that he did 

 follow this course. For the addition of his name 

 and authority to the party adverse to the esta- 

 blishment of a Protestant succession would pro- 

 bably have turned the balance in the House of 

 Peers against the decision of the Commons* 

 Thus either a prolonged disagreement would 

 have taken place between these two branches 

 of the legislature : or else a decision might have 

 been adopted favourable to the eventual re- 

 sumption of the sovereignty by James ; which 

 would in fact have been, to leave the nation to 

 the probable risk of another struggle for its 

 reliofious and civil liberties. 



That, after the Revolution, he betrayed some 

 indecision and weakness on inferior points; w^hile 

 on the great matter of refusing to act against 

 his conscience, he remained ever most firm 

 and stedfast : that he showed some little frac- 

 tiousness of temper in retaining possession of 

 Lambeth Palace, without any possible advan- 

 tage, till he was ejected by law ; and that he 

 departed from all sound views when he pro- 

 vided for the establishment of a permanent 

 schism in the church, must be allowed by those 

 who are most partial to his memory. Much 



G 3 



