of conscience, and all who have any charity or conscience themselves, or the least respect for the Church of England, must give great regard to the dying words of two such Bishops, in whom their worst enemies can find nothing to blame, but that which shall be their eternal honour, that all the temptations and inducements, which probably can happen in any case, could never prevail with them to take an oath against their consciences."[1]
Thus the Bishop of Worcester made a Declaration, in his last moments, to the same effect as Lake's. It was taken by Hickes, then Dean of Worcester. It appears that the Bishop and the Dean stood almost alone in their refusal in that Diocese.[2]
Other opportunities will offer for pointing out the unreasonableness of the charge of Popery, so readily alleged against the Nonjurors: but I cannot refrain from remarking in this place, that the presumptions of insincerity were stronger in the case of those who complied, than in the case of those who refused to take the Oath: because it is always much easier to go with the stream than to run counter to it. Had the Bishops and Clergy consulted their worldly interests, they would have taken the Oath: while in refusing it they sacrificed all temporal advantages.
The old Oath of Allegiance bound the subject to the sovereign, as rightful and lawful King. It was argued, that these words implied a precedent title, which could not apply to William, who had no other title than the voice of the people expressed in the Convention. The words were, therefore, omitted in the new Oath: and it appears, that some of James's
