[525] He received their address ungraciously.

He assured them, indeed, that he passionately desired the meeting of a free Parliament; and he promised them, on the faith of a King, that he would call one as soon as the Prince of Orange should have left the island.

"But how," said he, "can a Parliament be free when an enemy is in the kingdom, and can return near a hundred votes ?" To the prelates he spoke with peculiar acrimony.

"I could not," he said, "prevail on you the other day to declare against this invasion: but you are ready enough to declare against me.

Then you would not meddle with politics.