But he had now, by corruption and extortion, accumulated great riches; and he was more anxious to secure them than to increase them.
His slackness drew on him a sharp reprimand from the royal lips.

In dread of being deprived of the Great Seal, he promised whatever was required of him: but Barillon, in reporting this circumstance to Lewis, remarked that the King of England could place little reliance on any man who had any thing to lose.

[309] Nevertheless James determined to persevere.

The sanction of a Parliament was necessary to his system.

The sanction of a free and lawful Parliament it was evidently impossible to obtain: but it might not be altogether impossible to bring together by corruption, by intimidation, by violent exertions of prerogative, by fraudulent distortions of law, an assembly which might call itself a Parliament, and might be willing to register any edict of the Sovereign.