New medieval and modern history, (Essentials in history)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1918 edition. Excerpt: ...one side stood the Tories, who laid stress upon the ideas of hereditary succession, divine right, and the duty of nonresistance. They were usually stanch supporters of the established church. On the other side were the Whigs, who leaned to toleration of Protestant dissenters, and looked upon the king as a mere official who was subject to the law, and bound to act through ministers responsible to Parliament. The reign closed in 1685, with the Tories completely triumphant, and Charles at the height of his power. The greatest gain to liberty in Charles IPs reign was the passage of the Habeas Corpus Act (in 1679), by which Englishmen were better protected against arbitrary and illegal imprisonment. The French did not gain such safeguards until after their Revolution of 1789. Two great calamities of this reign deserve notice. In 1665 a terrible plague swept away a hundred thousand persons in London alone. Next year, fire destroyed a great part. of the city. The fire ended the plague by burning the don plague old rat-infested quarters;, and out of the ashes soon rose re a new and finer London. In spite of his Catholic faith the duke of York, as James II, was allowed quietly to succeed his brother.1 James possessed Charles I's narrow-mindedness and tenacity of opinion, without his ennobling traits. It has been said of him that, "by incredible and pertinacious obstinate folly, lie irritated not only the classes which had fought against his father, but 496. Tyr-also those that had fought for his father." The opposiJamesn on arose chiefly from James's efforts, through the ex 1685 1688) ercise of the "dispensing power," to free Catholics from the provisions of the Test Act and to set aside all laws imposBagehot, ing religious tests for...