but Rochester had a pension of four thousand a year, which he
could not hope to retain if he refused to acknowledge the new
Sovereigns. Indeed, he had so many enemies that, during some
months, it seemed doubtful whether he would, on any terms, be
suffered to retain the splendid reward which he had earned by
persecuting the Whigs and by sitting in the High Commission. He
was saved from what would have been a fatal blow to his fortunes
by the intercession of Burnet, who had been deeply injured by
him, and who revenged himself as became a Christian divine.36

In the Lower House four hundred members were sworn in on the
second of March; and among them was Seymour. The spirit of the
Jacobites was broken by his defection; and the minority with very
few exceptions followed his example.37

Before the day fixed for the taking of the oaths, the Commons had
begun to discuss a momentous question which admitted of no delay.
During the interregnum, William had, as provisional chief of the
administration, collected the taxes and applied them to the
public service; nor could the propriety of this course be
questioned by any person who approved of the Revolution. But the
Revolution was now over: the vacancy of the throne had been
supplied: the Houses were sitting: the law was in full force; and
it became necessary immediately to decide to what revenue the
Government was entitled.

Nobody denied that all the lands and hereditaments of the Crown
had passed with the Crown to the new Sovereigns. Nobody denied
that all duties which had been granted to the Crown for a fixed
term of years might be constitutionally exacted till that term