James the Second [Hardcover]

Hilaire Belloc (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2010

THE SECOND By Hilaire Belloc Preserve tfie MLastery of the Sea 9 Jamess instructions to his heir as King of England J. B. Lippincott Company 192,8 IKT DEDICATED TO R. B. CUNNINGHAME-GRAHAM PREFACE THIS essay is not a biography, still less a chronicle. It is an attempt to portray a character of capital interest to English and European History, of which our academic historians give but a caricature. Were it either a biography or a chronicle, a great mass of detail would have been added, with which the book has no concern. Were it a biography, it would have been essential to describe all the main facts of the subjects life were it a chronicle, it would have had to include a conspectus of the world contemporary with James at home and abroad and to give the sequence of events in a regular and dated order. Neither of. these tasks appears in the pages that follow. Thus, James was conspicuous and successful as a British Aomiral in two great naval engagements the most important of those fought by the fleet which he had created, and the chief actions of the century. I have given the story of one only, as typical of his attitude in command. He was attacked and betrayed by a good score of men in the small clique of great fortunes all allied by marriage which destroyed the ancient monarchy of the English. I have described but two, as typical of their set, Shaftesbury and his brother-in-law Sunderland. He presided over, and in great part initiated, the making 6f the British Navy his chief work. That in itself would be material for a volume. I have given it but a chapter, and in that chapter have emphasized but two main points his new corps of professional officers j his new idea of a National Fleet independent of pressed merchant auxiliaries. But these are sufficient to show his creative role iii the setting up of that service. The characters and careers of his numerous vii PREFACE mistresses would be essential to a life I have concerned myself only with the very difficult problem of his own emotions in such amours, for that is the point of character. I have thus deliberately selected, because it is surely by such selection of special points in connexion with his temperament, achievement and failures that he can be best presented and, I think, in no other way. But that he should be presented truly is of the first value in understanding England during and sincd his day. The Revolution of 1688 completed the work of the Refor mation. From it dates the Modern Aristocratic England which is nearly all the nineteenth century and our own can conceive of as English. To know the man whose failure produced that Revolution is a thing the nine teenth century and our own has hardly attempted. It is high time the attempt should be made. I trust that in doing so I have exaggerated neither his vice, nor as is the temptation in face of our academic text-books his virtues neither his capacities, which were great and remarkable, nor his deficiencies which were startlingly pronounced and, combined with certain high moral quali ties, led to his ruin. HILAIRE BELLOC Kings Land Shipley Horsham CONTENTS PREFACE Vil I THE CHARACTER 13 II THE CIRCUMSTANCE 30 III THE FIRST EXILE 58 IV ADMIRALTY 8 1 V THE CONVERSION I08 VI THE CONFLICT 139 VII THE ORDEAL 175 VIII DERRY AND THE BOYNE 227 IX THE END 268 NOTE I ON THE NUMERICAL SITUATION OF CATHOLICISM IN ENGLAND DURING THE ATTEMPT AT TOLERATION UNDER JAMES II 28O NOTE II CONSULTATION OF THE COUNTIES AND BOROUGHS, LATE 1687 287 NOTE III ON THE BATTLE OF THE BOYNE 293 INDEX 295 FRONTISPIECE PORTRAIT OF JAMES II, AS DUKE OF YORK Reproduced from the painting by John Greenhill, in the Dulwich College Picture Gallery, by kind per mission of the Governors. JAMES THE SECOND

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: I H S Pr (June 30, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932528024
• ISBN-13: 978-1932528022
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Untold Story!, January 7, 2006

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Michael Tozer (San Antonio, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: James the Second (Hardcover)

Hilaire Belloc relates with profound feeling and a proper sense of wonder the amazing and largely unknown story of the last legitimate King of England, James II. It was this James Stuart who founded the British Navy and whose unyielding adherance to his Catholic faith brought about the so called "glorious revolution", which was really more of an invasion than a revolution.

It is critical to appreciate here that two primary factors set off the usurpation of James by the Dutch financial interests in league with well to do Englishmen, such as the traitorous Churchill. Those factors were the insistence of the rightful King, James II, on toleration of Catholics and, in fact, non-conformists as well, and the birth of his son and heir, James III of his Catholic spouse, Mary of Modena. The former posture would seem to be only reasonable, except for those who are fettered by Platonic totalitarian concepts. But, the latter fact, the birth of a Catholic heir, was what those who hoped to rid England of the influence of the Catholic Church forever could not bear.

Remarkably, while James II was leaving this Earth in French exile, his first cousin, Louis XIV, elected to recognize the dying man's son as James III, the uncrowned King of England. As James II left this Earth, having received the Blessed Sacrament in full knowledge of the Real Presence therein, his still loyal followers could exclaim,

"The King is dead. Long live the King!"

Of course, James III never took the throne. The exceptionally strange son-in-law of James II, William III, the tool and dupe of the Dutch interlopers, reigned in his stead, to be followed by Ann, the rather inept younger daughter of England's last legitimate monarch.

This remarkable story is packed with intrigue and drama not to be found in the best of modern fiction. The reason this powerful drama is not a part of our cultural consciousness can only be attributed to the truth that Belloc so eloquently demonstrates. He who would understand history has to deal with something very powerful. And that powerful thing is Catholic Truth. Those who would deny this truth, who virtually control media and publishing, will do all that is within their considerable power to assure that such truth remains hidden. We are truly and forever grateful for the skill and courage of Hilaire Belloc in bringing these truths to light.