The Embassy of Everaard van Weede 9 



And lastly, he strove to keep England as far as possible from the 

 coalition of Europe against France. Many of the apparently 

 foolhardy actions of Louis are unaccountable except on the single 

 assumption of Van Praet that he had little confidence in the fidelity 

 of James. 20 



During the first weeks of 1687 affairs were fast approaching a 

 climax in England. The highest places in the three kingdoms were 

 in the hands of Lord Rochester, Lord High Treasurer of England, 

 Henry Earl of Clarendon, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and the 

 Duke of Queensbury, the royal leader in Scotland. 21 They were all 

 strong adherents of the Episcopal Church, and did all they could 

 to support it effectually. It was proposed to remove them. Sun- 

 derland was eager to get Rochester out of the way in order to 

 work out his own selfish aims. Tyrconnel, who had gradually 

 been endowed with greater powers in Ireland, soon displaced the 

 less popular Clarendon. 22 Queensbury was easily deprived of his 

 offices on account of his attitude toward the Scottish Proclama- 

 tion. Moreover, James was encouraged in his plans to give the 

 chief places in the country to Catholics, despite the provisions of 

 the Test Act. Other dismissals followed. Officers in the army 

 gave up their commissions, and Catholics were put in their places. 

 The Prince of Orange was aroused from his silence. England saw 

 only one gleam of light in the darkness of those untoward days. 



20 Van Praet, Essaies sur I'hisloire Politique, Traite d'Utrecht et Negociations 

 anterieures de Louis XIV, p. 92. 



21 D'Adda, the papal envoy sensed the popular feeling regarding the dismissal 

 of Rochester and wrote to his master, January 10, 1687: 



"Presentamente pare che gli animi suono inaspriti della voce che corre tra il 

 popolo d'esser cacciato il detto ministro per non essere Cattolico, percio tirarsi 

 al esterminio de Protestanti." (Mackintosh, p. 234). 



22 Fruin, Prins Willem III in zijn verhouding tot Engeland, p. 150. 



"Hij verkoos, na eenige aarzeling, heen te gaan, en onttrok zoodoende het 

 vertrouwen van een groote gematigde partij aan de regeering. Het ontslag van den 

 anderen lord Clarendon, was nog ontrustbarender, omdat hij als lord-luitenant 

 van Ierland werd opgevolgd door den Roomschen Ier, Tyrconnel, die reeds aan 

 het hoofd van het leger daar te lande stond. Die vervanging deed vermoeden, 

 wat ook waarlijk het geval was, dat de koning omging met het plan om het eiland 

 geheel los te maken van Engeland, en bij voorbaat tot een wijkplaats in den nood 

 voor zijn handlangers in te richten." 



93 



