regard to his judgment, inasmuch as their chief votes are transcribed from one of his paragraphs. "We are now, says he, fallen upon times in which the most extravagant and almost impossible things are swallowed without chewing, and the plainest truths outfaced."
This Tract was answered by Bohun, the author of "A History of the Desertion," containing an account of all the proceedings connected with the Revolution. This gentleman, in his reply to Collier, enters upon a review of the King's Acts, which led to the attempt of the Prince of Orange. He shews, that Whigs and Tories acted in unison in receiving the Prince: that, on the King's departure, it was necessary to do something: and that a convention of the Three Estates was the most unexceptionable expedient in their difficulty. He adds, that his Majesty would have been in no danger by remaining in the country: and that, so far from being forced away, he was persuaded to go by his counsellors, rather than remain and redress the grievances of the nation. He contends, that had he summoned a Parliament, he need not have withdrawn; and that, by quitting the country, he had voluntarily abdicated the throne. He thinks, that the judgment of the three estates was conclusive, though the public might not be acquainted with all the reasons, by which they were influenced in the settlement of the crown. This last argument probably was conclusive with many persons, and in general it must be regarded as sufficient to satisfy the majority of a nation, in any change of government.[1]
- ↑ Collier was again imprisoned in 1692, on a charge of having maintained a correspondence with King James. The charge was
