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James the Second

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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.