The House had long been quite unmanageable; and veteran members bitterly regretted the old gravity of debate and the old authority of the chair, [553] That Somers disapproved of the violence of the party to which he belonged may be inferred, both from the whole course of his public life, and from the very significant fact that, though he had charge of the Corporation Bill, he did not move the penal clauses, but left that ungracious office to men more impetuous and less sagacious than himself.
He did not however abandon his allies in this emergency, but spoke for them, and tried to make the best of a very bad case.

The House divided several times.

On the first division a hundred and seventy-four voted with Sacheverell, a hundred and seventy-nine against him.

Still the battle was stubbornly kept up; but the majority increased from five to ten, from ten to twelve, and from twelve to eighteen.

Then at length, after a stormy sitting of fourteen hours, the Whigs yielded.