The Embassy of Everaard van Weede 23 



might make them to assist them in the elections of parliament. He was also to 

 instruct them of a full toleration; and likewise of a comprehension, if possible, 

 whensoever the crown should devolve upon the princess. He was to try all sorts 

 of people, and to remove the ill impressions that had been given them of the prince : 

 for the church party was made believe he was a presbyterian, and the dissenters 

 were possessed with a conceit of his being arbitrary and imperious. 90 ? 91 



Despite all the efforts of Louis XIV and his ambassadors, Dyk- 

 velt sailed for England with the almost united support of his 

 country. Avaux exerted every energy to prevent his departure; 

 Barillon and the more skilful Bonrepaux busied themselves at the 

 English court with Sunderland; 92 Louis warned the English king 

 against the embassy. 93 But it was without avail. The departure 

 of Dykvelt was an initial victory for William. Skelton, who had 

 been the English ambassador at the Dutch court and was now 

 serving at the French court in the same capacity, wrote to Sunder- 

 land on the first of February, 1687, as follows: 



Mons. de Croissy took notice to me of Mons. Dykvelt 's going into England, and 

 I find it is not appro ven here, fearing he does not design any good to his Majesty; 

 and they hope the King will give them a short and speedy dismission. 



In England, too, events favored the coming of Dykvelt. On 

 February 12, a Proclamation of Indulgence was published in 

 Scotland. 94 It was an indiscretion on the part of James, but he 

 maintained that the laws of the preceding reign upon which his 

 opponets so insisted had in reality been aimed by a factious Par- 

 liament against himself and not at all against the Catholics. 95 



90 Burnet, p. 450. 



91 Mackintosh, History of England, Continuation, p. 454. 



"One article only of Dyckvelt's instructions came within the legitimate range 

 of the rights and duties of an ambassador; that which related to his course of pro- 

 ceeding with the King. The rest was warrant for improper practice with the 

 King's subjects. But the nearest interests of the Prince of Orange were at stake; 

 the subjects of James conspired with a foreign Prince for their laws and liberties; 

 and in such a case men do not look very narrowly into the obligations of interna- 

 tional and municipal jurisprudence." 



92 Mazure, Histoire de la Revolution en 1688 en Angkterre, vol. ii, p. 186. 



93 Ransome, History of England, p. 660. 



94 De Grovestins, Guillaume et Louis XIV, vol. v, p. 347. 

 93 Ibid, idem. 



107 



