It was not without a long struggle and a bitter pang that James stooped to this last humiliation.
Indeed he did not yield till the Vicar Apostolic Leyburn, who seems to have behaved on all occasions like a wise and honest man, declared that in his judgment the ejected President and Fellows had been wronged, and that, on religious as well as on political grounds, restitution ought to be made to them.

[489] In a few days appeared a proclamation restoring the forfeited franchises of all the municipal corporations.

[490] James flattered himself that concessions so great made in the short space of a month would bring back to him the hearts of his people.

Nor can it be doubted that such concessions, made before there was reason to expect an invasion from Holland, would have done much to conciliate the Tories.

But gratitude is not to be expected by rulers who give to fear what they have refused to justice.