Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1886 — James II. of England. [ARTICLE]

James II. of England.

James 11. of England was the second son of Charles I. and Queen Henrietta Ma,ria. He was created Duke of York in infancy. He accompanied his father during the civil war, and was taken prisoner, but escaped, disguised as a girl, in April, 1648, and went over to Holland. He served with distinction in both the French and Spanish armies, and after the restoration returned toEngland and was made Lord High Admiral of the English navy. In the ensuing war with the Dutch he commanded the English fleet ably. In 1660 the Duke had married Anne, daughter of Edward Hyde, the Earl of Clarendon. In 1671 this lady died, leaving two daughters, both of whom subsequently sat upon the throne of England. Before her death she disavowed Protestantism, through the influence of her husband, who several years before had become a Catholic. In 1673 the Dukewas compelled by the conditions of the “test act” to resign the office of Ad-mii-al. This same yeir he married Mary of Modena, a Catholic princess. So strong was the feeling in Parliament and through the kingdom against him for his change of religion, that he was obliged to go to the continent to reside for a time, and a bill excluding him from succession to the English crown passed the House of Commons, but failed to pass the House of Lords. He returned while this bill was pending and was made Lord High Commissioner of Scotland, but was so unpopular there that he did not remain long. However, in 1685, after his brother’s death, he succeeded to the throne without opposition. His reign was brief, however, being filled with contentions with Parliament and tho Established Church. He seemed utterly wanting in the tact of his brother, but, like his unfortunate father, rashly contended for the right of personal government which he believed the “divine right” of a king. In the first year of his reign occurred Monmouth’s rebellion. This was not generally upheld by the people, and was soon overthrown, all those implicated in it being punished with great severity The subsequent acts of the King, his claim to the power of dispensing with laws athis will, and dismissing the Parliament whenever it would not carry out hiswishes, convinced the people that his permanent rule could not be tolerated, and in 1688 William of Orange, James’ son-in-law, was called over “to protect the liberties and religion of the English William came, and James was forced to abdicate the throne. James made an effort to regain his crown by undertaking an expedition to Ireland in 1689. The troops and money for this expedition were furnished byKing Louis XIY. of France. The cxKing was received kindly in Ireland, but at the battle of the Boyne his army was totally routed. The remaining eleven years of his life were spent at St. Germain* in France, in vain intrigues for recovering possession of his lost kingdom.— lnter Ocean.