that it was dangerous to his Majefty, as well as the publick Peace, to remain in London; and fo defired his immediate going to Ham, a Houfe near it, belonging to the Dutchefs of Lauderdale.

The King understood the Meffage, as well as his Danger in being refractory; therefore only defired Ham might be chang'd for Rochester, a Town not far from the Sea-coaft of France, to which the Lords foon brought him the Prince's Confent; and fo he was convey'd thither by Water, under a Guard of fifty Dutchmen, whofe Officer had private Orders to jet him escape afterwards to France.

The fame Night that the King was sent thus to Rochefter, the Prince of Orange came to London; where the People were fo frighted with a Report fpread about of fome Irish Papifts intending a Masfacre, that he was receiv'd with Satisfaction.

The next Day he fummon'd all the Lords in Town to St. James's, where he kept his Court; and after he had in a few Words opened the Cause of his coming, he defir'd them to confider of the fittest Means to accomplish the good Ends and Promises in his Declaration.

The Lords accordingly met next Day, where they only chofe the Marquis of Hallifax for their Speaker, and made an Order against any Papifts appearing about the Houfe of Parliament. But on Monday following, Notice was brought to the Lords of the King's being escaped from Rochester, according to the before-mention'd tacit Agreement about that Matter between him and the Prince.

They all agreed alfo now in two Things, the most important that could be. The firft was, that a Convention fhould be summoned by circular Letters in the Prince of Orange's Name, to all thofe Places which have a Right of chufing Members of Parlia

ment:

ment: And fecondly, that the Prince fhould be de fired to manage all publick Affairs, as well as the publick Moneys, in the mean Time.

This Addrefs of the Lords, invefting the Prince with almost regal Power, yet was a little perplexing; for, as he could not but think it dangerous to dally with fuch an Offer: fo, on the other Hand, it was not very fafe to accept it, without the Approbation of the Commons also.

The Difficulty lay in this; that he could have that Approbation neither formally, nor plainly, without firft affembling a Parliament; which yet itself alone was fo great an Act of Sovereignty, that to call it by the Lords Advice only, was in a Manner accepting the regal Power from them.

He was advised in this, for a good Expedient was refolved on. He replied, that he would confider of their Address: and in the mean Time affembled at St. James's all thofe in Town who had been Mem-bers of King Charles's two laft Parliaments; together with the Lord Mayor, Court of Aldermen, and fifty Reprefentatives of the Common-Council; whom he defired to confider the Neceffity of coming preently to fome good Resolution.

Accordingly they all went to Westminster next Day, where in the ufual House of Commons (chufing Mr. Powel for their Speaker) they imitated the Lords, in making exactly the fame Addrefs,

As foon as they had thus publickly addrefs'd to the Prince, and every Man had privately adjusted his own Conditions with him; both Houfes diffolved themselves, in order to go into their feveral Countries to influence the approaching Election of that Convention which was to settle all Things.

The Pretenfions of the Princess of Denmark were cafily accommodated: For, fince the Lord Churchill (who

(who governed that Family) was like to be highly favoured in this Reign, therefore, the Prince had no more to do but to promise the Princess a great Penfion by a Settlement in Parliament; which being in prefent Money, and enough to keep her Court in Splendor, was then thought an Equivalent to three Kingdoms in Reversion.

The House of Commons was the most unanimous in new Courtship, and therefore it was thought wifeft to begin this great Business there; from whence they fent up to the Lords this following Vote, "that "the King, by having broken the Original Con"tract, and by having withdrawn himself out of "the Kingdom, had abdicated the Government, and "fo the Throne was become vacant." The House of Lords concurr'd, and the Prince of Orange was elected King, and the Princefs Queen of England.

By which we obferve, that it feem'd that a facerdotal Star did not rule at Mr. Pope's Birth, for the Hopes of the Papift Families leffened from this Time, and many were induc'd through interested or other Views, to come over to the Proteftant Intereft; but Mr. Pope's Father and Mother being fo very hearty and indeed honeft Papifts, that he knew no fuch Thing as his fwerving from their Faith, would have broke their Hearts, and no Son ever lov'd Parents more tenderly than he did; when he speaks or writes about them a certain filial Regard is feen ripe as Manhood, but at the fame Time foft as Infancy; it does not appear that ever he did one Thing to difoblige them, and they also were doatingly fond of him, who in his Infancy called for much Care, continually fick almoft, and when well, weak, and in Danger from every little Accident to relapse into former Disorders: His Mother liv'd to a very great Age, being more than 93; fhe died on the feventh of June, 1733, VOL. II. Τ and

and Mr. Pope according to a Refolution before form'd, had her Picture drawn after fhe was dead, by the famous Mr. Richardfon, the Letter which he wrote him from Twickenham bearing Date the tenth of June, has fomething remarkably expreffive in it, an unruffled and calm Grief, confiderate Sorrow, and great Love.

Dear Sir,

;

S I know you and I mutually defire to fee one another, I hoped that this Day our Wishes would have met, and brought you hither. And this for the very Reason which might poffibly hinder your coming, that my poor Mother is dead. I thank God, her Death was as eafy, as her Life was innocent; and as it cost her not a Groan, or even a Sigh, there is yet upon her Countenance fuch an Expreffion of Tranquility, nay almoft of Pleasure, that it is even amiable to behold it. It would afford the finest Image of a Saint expir'd, that ever Painting drew and it would be the greateft Obligation which even that obliging Art could ever beftow on a Friend, if you could come and sketch it for me. I am fure, if there be no very prevalent Obftacle, you will leave any common Bufinefs to do this; and I hope to fee you this Evening as late as you will, or Tomorrow Morning as early, before this Winter-flower is faded. I will defer her Interment till Tomorrow Night. I know you love me, or I cou'd not have written this -I could not (at this Time) have written at allAdieu! May you die as happily!

Your affectionate Friend and Servant,

A. POPE.

After the Death of his Father and Mother, it was too late in Life for Mr. Pope to leave a Profeffion of

that

that Faith which he had long been in, of which fome People were in Expectation, as he had at Times fhewn great Moderation, and openly confefs'd that

he was

Papist nor Proteftant but both between,
Like good Erafmus in an honest Mean.

For which and other like Declarations he was feverely cenfured by the holy Vandals, and had Sentences pafs'd upon him, which he did not fail to remember, and gave in Return, that he thought himself not af-、 fected by it, and that he believ'd that the beft Service that could be done to true Religion, was openly to exprefs a Deteftation and Scorn of thofe mean Artifices and Pie Fraudes, which it ftands fo little in Need of.

'

Another Thing which was very odious to him, was that peremptory and uncharitable Affertion of an utter Impoffibility of Salvation to all but Papiffs, invincible Ignorance excepted, which would introdúce almoft univerfal Damnation; for befides the fmall Number fuppos'd faithful in the Romish Church, they must again fubdivide; the Fanfenift is damn'd by the Jefuit, the Jefuit by the Janfenift, the Scotift by the Thomift, and fo forth; this he afcribes to their Want of Humility and Charity, from whence it proceeds, for St. Auften finely fays, Where there's Charity, there's Humility, and where Humility is, there is

Peace.

Of thefe Things Mr. Pope had confidered much, it being customary for him to walk in warm fine Nights, wholly for the Sake of Contemplation, one Set of fuch Reflections he confeffes to: I have been (fàys he) juft taking a folitary Walk by Moon-fhine, full of Reflection on the Tranfitory Nature of all human Delights; and giving my Thoughts a Loose in the T 2

Con