Page 114 - A Jacobite Exile

"I do not know, sir. Anne was James' favourite daughter, and it may be she
will resign in favour of her brother, the lawful king. If she does so, there is

an end of trouble; but, should she mount the throne, she would be a usurper,
as Mary was up to her death in '94. As Anne has been on good terms with

William, since her sister's death, I fear she will act as unnatural a part as
Mary did, and, in that case, assuredly we shall not recognize her as our
queen."

"You have heard the news, I suppose, of the action of the parliament last

month?"

"No, sir, we have heard nothing for some weeks of what is doing in

England."

"They have been making an Act of Settlement of the succession. Anne is to
succeed William, and, as she has no children by George of Denmark, the
succession is to pass from her to the Elector of Hanover, in right of his wife

Sophia, as the rest of the children of the Elector of the Palatinate have
abjured Protestantism, and are therefore excluded. How will that meet the

views of the English and Scotch Jacobites?"

"It is some distance to look forward to, sire. If Anne comes to the throne at

William's death, it will, I think, postpone our hopes, for Anne is a Stuart,
and is a favourite with the nation, in spite of her undutiful conduct to her

father. Still, it will be felt that for Stuart to fight against Stuart, brother
against sister, would be contrary to nature. Foreigners are always
unpopular, and, as against William, every Jacobite is ready to take up arms.

But I think that nothing will be done during Anne's reign. The Elector of
Hanover would be as unpopular, among Englishmen in general, as is

William of Orange, and, should he come to the throne, there will assuredly
ere long be a rising to bring back the Stuarts."

Charles shook his head.

"I don't want to ruffle your spirit of loyalty to the Stuarts, Captain Jervoise,
but they have showed themselves weak monarchs for a great country. They