The concluding question was, "Whether King James having broken the original contract, and deserted the government, the throne was thereby vacant ?" This question was debated with more heat and contention than any of the former; and upon a division, the tories prevailed by eleven voices, and it was carried to omit the last article with regard to the vacancy of the throne.

The vote was sent back to the commons with these amendments.
The earl of Danby had entertained the project of bestowing the crown solely upon the princess of Orange, and of admitting her as hereditary legal successor to King James[*] passing by the infant prince, as illegitimate or supposititious.

His change of party in the last question gave the tories so considerable a majority in the number of voices.
The commons still insisted on their own vote, and sent up reasons why the lords should depart from their amendments.

The lords were not convinced; and it was necessary to have a free conference, in order to settle this controversy.

Never surely was national debate more important, or managed by more able speakers; yet is one surprised to find the topics insisted on by both sides so frivolous; more resembling the verbal disputes of the schools, than the solid reasonings of statesmen and legislators.