was called together. Would it be pretended by any Tory that the
Convention of 1660 had a more respectable origin than the
Convention of 1689? Was not a letter written by the first Prince
of the Blood, at the request of the whole peerage, and of
hundreds of gentlemen who had represented counties and towns, at
least as good a warrant as a vote of the Rump?

Weaker reasons than these would have satisfied the Whigs who
formed the majority of the Privy Council. The King therefore, on
the fifth day after he had been proclaimed, went with royal state
to the House of Lords, and took his seat on the throne. The
Commons were called in; and he, with many gracious expressions,
reminded his hearers of the perilous situation of the country,
and exhorted them to take such steps as might prevent unnecessary
delay in the transaction of public business. His speech was
received by the gentlemen who crowded the bar with the deep hum
by which our ancestors were wont to indicate approbation, and
which was often heard in places more sacred than the Chamber of
the Peers.32 As soon as he had retired, a Bill declaring the
Convention a Parliament was laid on the table of the Lords, and
rapidly passed by them. In the Commons the debates were warm. The
House resolved itself into a Committee; and so great was the
excitement that, when the authority of the Speaker was withdrawn,
it was hardly possible to preserve order. Sharp personalities
were exchanged. The phrase, "hear him," a phrase which had
originally been used only to silence irregular noises, and to
remind members of the duty of attending to the discussion, had,
during some years, been gradually becoming what it now is; that
is to say, a cry indicative, according to the tone, of
admiration, acquiescence, indignation, or derision. On this