[The History of England from the Accession of James II. by Thomas Babington Macaulay]@TWC D-Link book
The History of England from the Accession of James II.

CHAPTER VIII
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Gloucester, Bedford, and Lichfield, were among the places which were distinguished by peculiar zeal: but Bristol and Norwich, which stood nearest to London in population and wealth, approached nearest to London in enthusiasm on this joyful occasion.
The prosecution of the Bishops is an event which stands by itself in our history.

It was the first and the last occasion on which two feelings of tremendous potency, two feelings which have generally been opposed to each other, and either of which, when strongly excited, has sufficed to convulse the state, were united in perfect harmony.

Those feelings were love of the Church and love of freedom.

During many generations every violent outbreak of High Church feeling, with one exception, has been unfavourable to civil liberty; every violent outbreak of zeal for liberty, with one exception, has been unfavourable to the authority and influence of the prelacy and the priesthood.

In 1688 the cause of the hierarchy was for a moment that of the popular party.


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