346 THE HISTORY OF NEWMARKET. [Book XIIT. 



The king, partly through a feeHng of resentment, 

 partly through jealousy of his connection with the 

 popular leaders, affected to hesitate ; and, when he 

 gave his consent, made it an express condition that 

 William should leave England before the meeting of 

 Parliament. At the close of the campaign he joined 

 his two uncles at Newmarket. The Lord Treasurer, and 

 Sir R. Temple, who was returned from the embassy, 

 were devoted to his interest ; and their united efforts 

 extorted from the easy monarch' his consent to the 

 immediate solemnization of the marriage, though he 

 had previously arranged with the Duke of York that 

 it should only follow the acquiescence of the prince in 

 their views with respect to the peace of the continent. 

 The duke was surprised and mortified ; but deeming 

 it his duty to submit to the will of the sovereign, he 

 accompanied his brother to the council-chamber, where 

 the kinof announced to the lords that he had concluded 

 a marriage between his nephew, the Prince of Orange, 

 and his niece, the Princess Mary, for the purpose of 

 uniting the different branches of his family, and of 

 proving to his people the interest he took in the 

 security of their religion.* 



Miss Strickland supplies the following description 

 of the royal nuptial negotiations at Newmarket : " The 

 campaign of 1677 being concluded the Orange hero 

 having nothing better to do, condescended to go in 

 person to seek the hand of one of the finest girls in 

 Europe, and the presumptive heiress of Great Britain. 

 For this purpose he set sail from Holland, arrived at 



* Lingard, vol. ix., p. 317. 



