James Edward, the Old Pretender; The Stanhope Essay, 1904 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1904. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... IV. James Edward was now in his twenty-seventh year. If he looked back on the roll of English Kings, he might have reflected that no less than six of the number had carried their title at the point of the sword, while two more had been adopted at the ostensible wish of the nation. But all those rulers boasted some qualifications which were not shared by the Chevalier de St. George. There dwelt in him neither the iron will of the Conqueror, nor the fierce energy of Henry the Second; the fourth Henry and the fourth Edward alike possessed a ripe experience of English politics, with the further advantage of having kings of feeble character to oppose. James Edward appealed to the nation neither as a spoilt child, like Charles the Second; nor a deliverer like Dutch William; nor a makeshift like Protestant George. The English monarch whose early vicissitudes may perhaps be compared with his own is Henry the Seventh. The first of the Tudors, at the time of his attainment of the crown, was in his twenty-ninth year. Both had lived for many years in exile; both had to contest the throne with a sovereign who was newly seated, who was unpopular, but whose title had been ratified by Parliament: both had attempted, unsuccessfully, to land with the help of a foreign fleet. The claim of Henry was an exceedingly bad one, but the facts were at least admitted; that of James was the best possible, but by no means undisputed. Here the resemblance between them is at an end. Fortune favoured the Tudor in three important ways: his native kingdom was better situated than that of James for penetrating into the heart of England; the course of statecraft in his day was comparatively straightforward; and above all there was as yet no Protestant religion. But greater differences, and not fort...