Royal Sisters: The Story of the Daughters of James II

William’s lips tightened almost imperceptibly, but Bentinck who knew his beloved friend and master well was aware of the change of expression.

“I shall never be my wife’s gentleman usher!” said William furiously.

“You may rely on me to make that plain.”

So it was Bentinck who attended the meeting on behalf of his master and he made it clear to the assembly that their terms were unacceptable to William.

Danby was furious.

“The only proposition which would be acceptable to my master,” Bentinck explained, “would be a conjunctive sovereignty, and then there would be a condition that he should have sole administration of affairs.”

Danby said there was no point in continuing with the meeting.

But when he received Mary’s reply he was taken aback.

“I am the Prince’s wife,” she wrote, “and would never be other than what should be in conjunction with him; I shall take it extremely unkindly, if any, under pretence of their care for me, should set up a divided interest between me and the Prince.”

Mary sent a copy of this letter to William and when he read it he smiled in triumph. He had known he could rely on her; he had subdued her completely; he had made that shuddering bride into a docile wife.

He showed the letter to Bentinck. “Now I think,” he said, “we can afford to take the strong line and I will see them. Summon them and tell them that I will make my feelings clear to them.”

And when they came he looked at them coldly and there was disdain in his expression for that which they treasured so highly and for which they thought he yearned. He was going to show them the contrary.

“I think it proper to let you know,” he said, “that I will accept no dignity dependent on the life of another. I will not oppose the Princess’s right; I respect her virtues; none knows them better than I do. Crowns to others may have charms, but I will hold no power dependent on the will of a woman. Therefore if your schemes are adopted, I can give you no assistance in the settlement of the nation, but will return to my own country.”

They were dumbfounded. Was this a monstrous piece of bluff? They could not believe he was ready to throw away so much merely because he was not offered the supreme prize. But what would happen if he returned to Holland? Chaos! James’s friends might even ask him to return.

They talked together for a while and they dared not call his bluff because they had seen Mary’s reply to Danby’s suggestion. What if William returned to Holland, would Mary come to England? Would she leave a husband for whom she had such a regard? William of Orange had proved himself to be an astute ruler. He had strengthened his country and made her of importance in the world. England needed Dutch William unless they preferred to be saddled with Catholic James.

“Nobody knows what to do with him,” was the comment, “but nobody knows what to do without him.”

Danby said: “This is a sick man. He cannot live long. Let us give him what he wants. Then when he is dead Mary will be our Sovereign. She will not interfere, for if she is docile to him so will she be to us. This is the answer. A King and a Queen … until he is dead.”

The decision was made. King William III and Mary II should be joint sovereigns of England.

William’s reply was that this was a proposition which he could accept.

“There is one point to be settled,” pointed out Danby. “This concerns the Princess Anne. By right of succession she should be Queen on the death of her sister. This is unacceptable to William. Therefore we must get her consent. She will have to agree that William shall be King in his own right and that she and her heirs will inherit the throne if Mary and William were without heirs of their bodies.

Thus the matter was settled, but for the consent of the Princess Anne.

Sarah shouted in her rage: “The impudence! It would seem to me that Dutch William is coming very well out of this matter—and at whose expense? Yours, Mrs. Morley. King … King in his own right! How can that be when you are next to your sister Mary?”

“I have heard that he refuses to stay here if they do not agree.”

“Then let him go. We can do very well without him in Whitehall. Let him go back to his dykes and canals. He looks like a scarecrow. I am not surprised your sister wept day and night when she heard they were marrying her to that Dutch … abortion!”

“Dear Mrs. Freeman, you will be heard. What if tales were carried to him?”

“Let them be carried! I care not that he should know what I think of him.”

“Do not forget he will be the King.”

“Madam, do you think I care for Kings when I see my friend Mrs. Morley robbed of her rights?”

“But what must I do, dear Mrs. Freeman?”

“Refuse! The Princess Mary should be Queen and Caliban her Consort; and when Mary dies then it should be your turn.”

“It seems that the Parliaments are prepared to give him what he wants.”

“Parliaments! Who cares for Parliaments?”

“Oh, dear,” sighed Anne. “How tiresome life has become.”

There were many separations in the married life of John and