The Embassy of Everaard van Weede 39 



Barillon that he would omit nothing that was in his power to 

 establish the Catholic religion, and he hoped that the King, Louis 

 XIV, would aid him so that together they might do great things for 

 their religion. 172 It is hardly likely that James had undergone a 

 complete revulsion of feeling since the interview with Barillon 

 less than two months before. 



The Editor of Mackintosh in the Continuation pronounces 

 against the sincerity of James: 173 



He could not, without violences almost inconceivable, overcome his sympathies, 

 and sever his connection, religous, political, and pecuniary, with Louis XIV. It is 

 true he was a conscientious religionist, but his political morality was like that of 

 other kings and princes, and he would not scruple to deceive a son-in-law, whom 

 with good reason he hated and feared. His proposition, then, of joining the con- 

 federacy against France, may be regarded as a lure to obtain the assent of the 

 Prince to the repeal of the tests, for the purpose of ruining his credit in England. 



The month of April, 1687, was filled with excitement. It 

 had begun by James's inauspicious Declaration. The result was 

 a bitter struggle between the King and the leaders of the High 

 Church to gain the good will of the Protestant dissenters. Not 

 only in England, but also in Scotland was there an intense ri- 

 valry. 174 In the courts, James's "closetings" had produced ran- 

 cor and sharp antipathy. The struggle with the Universities also 

 occurred during this month. The fellows were unwilling that 

 their traditional rights and privileges should be over-ruled by a 

 King who desired that Catholics should be put in the chief places. 

 During all this time, Dykvelt had frequent interviews with the 

 King, and continually wrote to the States General of the King's 

 high regard for them. 175 



172 Avaux, February 13, 1687, p. 41. 



173 Mackintosh, Continuation, p. 456. 



174 In February James had declared a freedom of conscience in Scotland. See 

 Macaulay, History of England, vol. ii, p. 859 f . 



175 Burnet, p. 451. 

 Avaux, p. 49 ff. 



"Le Sieur Dickfeld ne faisait qu'entretenir les Etats Generaux des conferences 

 secretes qu'il avait tres-souvent avec le Roi d'Angleterre, et des assurances que 

 ce Prince lui donnait tous les jours de son affection pour les Etats Generaux, et 

 principalement pour le Prince d'Orange." 



123 



