The History of England, from the Accession of James II.: Complete Contents of the Five Volumes

In Short

This sweeping narrative traces the turbulent years surrounding the Glorious Revolution of 1688, when England cast off the absolutist ambitions of James II in favor of William of Orange and Mary. It chronicles the unraveling of royal authority, the sectarian strife across Britain and Ireland, and the painstaking assembly of modern parliamentary governance. Driven by a deep interest in political institutions, civic liberties, and party dynamics, the account captures a pivotal transformation in British history. It has endured for its vivid narrative pacing, detailed social portraits, and clear-eyed analysis of how constitutional monarchy emerged from the fires of religious conflict.

The Story

The narrative begins with a long view of the English polity, tracing the gradual fusion of races, the rise of a limited monarchy, and the structural rifts exposed by the Civil War and the Restoration. When James II ascends the throne, his overt attempts to re-establish Roman Catholic dominance and expand the royal prerogative rapidly alienate his Protestant subjects. His defiance of parliamentary constraints, the prosecution of the Seven Bishops for libel, and the birth of a Catholic heir push the political nation past its breaking point.

Secret negotiations lead prominent English statesmen to invite William, Prince of Orange, to intervene. William lands at Torbay, prompting the rapid collapse of James's military support and the King's eventual flight to France. A Convention Parliament meets to declare the throne vacant, establishing a new settlement through the Declaration of Right and crowning William and Mary as joint sovereigns.

Yet the revolution is far from settled. In Ireland, James lands with French assistance to rally Catholic supporters, initiating a devastating war marked by the siege of Londonderry and culminating in William's victory at the Battle of the Boyne and the eventual capitulation of Limerick. In Scotland, the Jacobite resistance flares under Dundee at Killiecrankie before the Highland clans are gradually subdued, a process shadowed by the brutal massacre at Glencoe.

Simultaneously, William faces the daunting task of holding together a complex European coalition against the aggressive expansionism of Louis XIV. The narrative details the grueling campaigns in Flanders, the naval engagements at Beachy Head and La Hogue, and the constant threat of French invasion and Jacobite assassination plots at home.

Domestically, the war effort forces radical financial and administrative innovation. Parliament wrests control of the national purse, leading to the creation of the Bank of England, the origin of the National Debt, and the emancipation of the press. As party politics take firm root, Whigs and Tories battle over standing armies, the re-coinage crisis, and the execution of conspirators like Sir John Fenwick via bills of attainder.

The story closes as the European powers conclude the Treaty of Ryswick, granting a temporary peace. Though James II dies in exile and King William's health declines until his own death, the core outcome remains secure: England has permanently shifted from personal royal rule to a sovereign, parliamentary system.

How It Unfolds

The legacy of the Restoration The early history establishes how the English monarchy, unlike its Continental neighbors, remained bound by medieval checks and balances despite the turbulent reigns of the Stuarts and the bitter memory of the Civil War.

The breach under James II James II pushes his royal prerogative to its absolute limits by suspending laws, quartering troops, and attempting to pack Parliament, provoking widespread alarm that reaches a crescendo during the trial of the Seven Bishops.

The descent of Orange Invited by a coalition of Whig and Tory leaders, William of Orange lands an expeditionary force in the West Country, causing James's support to dissolve and forcing the King into French exile.

War in the sister kingdoms The revolution triggers bloody civil conflicts across the British Isles, as Williamite forces fight to secure Ulster and conquer Ireland at the Boyne, while subduing Highland Jacobites in Scotland.

The continental struggle William manages a double burden, directing battlefield operations against France in the Low Countries while managing persistent parliamentary friction and naval miscarriages in London.

The birth of modern finance To fund the prolonged war against Louis XIV, the English government institutes systemic reforms, founding the Bank of England, establishing public credit, and permitting the licensing laws to expire.

The constitutional settlement Despite constant assassination plots, financial panics, and the death of Queen Mary, Parliament consolidates its supremacy over the crown, culminating in the peace of Ryswick and the formal recognition of the new succession.

The People

• James II: The stubborn, absolutist monarch whose drive to restore Catholicism and claim absolute dispensing power alienates his Anglican subjects, costs him his crown, and sends him into lifelong exile at Saint Germains.
• William III (Prince of Orange): The cold, asthmatic, and brilliant Dutch commander whose lifelong obsession is checking the ambitions of Louis XIV; he accepts the English crown to secure British resources for his European coalition.
• Mary II: The dutiful Protestant daughter of James II and wife of William, whose personal popularity and devotion to her husband help legitimize the new regime until her early death from smallpox.
• The Earl of Danby: A shrewd Tory politician who navigates the dangerous waters of late-Stuart politics, helps organize the invitation to William, and maneuvers to keep a footing in the new government.
• The Earl of Sunderland: A mercurial, highly adaptable courtier who serves James II, converts to Catholicism to retain favor, and later re-emerges as an indispensable political advisor to William III.

In Its Own Voice

Editor's Note "All five large volumes have been completely reproofed and corrected."

Chapter I "The early English Polity often misrepresented, and why?"

Chapter III "Delusion which leads Men to overrate the Happiness of preceding Generations"

What It's Really About

At its core, the work argues that English liberty was saved not by radical revolution, but by a conservative restoration of traditional rights. It examines how a nation balances executive authority against legislative consent, demonstrating that political stability relies on institutional checks rather than the personal whims of a monarch. The narrative continuously weighs the danger of standing armies against the necessity of national defense, while tracing how religious intolerance gradually gave way to practical state-sanctioned toleration. Underneath the account of battles and parliamentary debates lies a persistent interest in how economic systems, public credit, and an independent press fundamentally alter the power dynamic between a government and its citizens.

Why Read It Today

This work remains a masterclass in grand historical narrative, written with an incredible command of political machinery and institutional change. It offers a front-row seat to the birth of modern parliamentary democracy, showing how many of our current assumptions about law, public debt, party politics, and free expression were forged during a single chaotic decade.

Readers should prepare for a massive, multi-volume commitment that moves at an unhurried, highly detailed pace. The text reflects the dense, formal style of nineteenth-century historical writing, complete with extensive top-down breakdowns of administrative, military, and ecclesiastical developments. Its scope can occasionally feel overwhelming, especially during the intricate coverage of Irish campaign maneuvers or technical parliamentary debates over land taxes and currency reform.

Yet for anyone fascinated by power, statecraft, and the messy reality of political compromise, it provides an unparalleled look at how fragile liberties are won and consolidated. It leaves you with a lasting appreciation for the sheer complexity of building a stable constitutional order out of political panic and religious war.