50 THOMAS KEN AND IZAAK WALTON 



sent to the tower (of whom Ken was one) for 

 refusing to read the second Declaration of In- 

 dulgence, June 1 8, and their acquittal, June 30, 

 1688 ; the abdication of James II. — till we come 

 to the proclamation of William and Mary, February 

 13, 1689. 



On January 22, 1689, he voted for the request 

 that the Prince of Orange should continue the 

 administration, for the declaration against govern- 

 ment by a popish prince, for a regency^ and against 

 the declaration that the throne was vacant. 

 (D. N. B.) 



Unfortunately for Ken, from a worldly point of 

 view, he could not, conscientiously, accept William 



as he had been for King Charles II. Lloyd, the friend 

 of Ken, gave the following harrowing description — 



" Having laid himself down, and the sign given, the 

 executioner gave a slight stroke, at which he looked him in 

 the face, and then he laid him down again, when the execu- 

 tioner gave him two strokes more, and then threw down his 

 axe, crying, ' HE COULD NOT FINISH HIS WORK ! ' but being 

 threatened by the sheriffs, he took up the axe again and at 

 two strokes more cut off his head." 



That was a terrible scene for Ken to witness. 



" He then (D. N. B.) went down to Wells, interceded with 

 the King to put a stop to the cruelties of Kirke, and is said 

 to have saved a hundred prisoners from death. , . . The 

 remaining prisoners at Wells he visited day and night, 

 supplied their wants as far as he was able, and urged others 

 to do the same." 



