They thought themselves absolved from all allegiance to him.

They were not disposed to recognise the authority of a Parliament convoked by his writ.

They were averse to an armistice; and they could not conceive why, if there was to be an armistice, it should be an armistice on equal terms.

By all the laws of war the stronger party had a right to take advantage of his strength; and what was there in the character of James to justify any extraordinary indulgence?
Those who reasoned thus little knew from how elevated a point of view, and with how discerning an eye, the leader whom they censured contemplated the whole situation of England and Europe.

They were eager to ruin James, and would therefore either have refused to treat with him on any conditions, or have imposed on him conditions insupportably hard.