Earls of Middleton, Lords of Clermont and of Fettercairn

Charles, Second Earl of Middleton. 143
system of government, and was ever in favour of
moderate counsels. 1
The Earls of Middleton and Sunderland 2 were
present at the king's interview with the Duke of
Monmouth after his capture, when the latter sought
in vain for mercy.
On November 9th, when the Houses met a
second time, the Commons were summoned to
the bar of the Lords, and the king addressed them
in a speech composed by himself. He commenced
by congratulating his subjects on the suppression of
Monmouth's rebellion, but added that the height to
which it had risen, and the time taken to quell it,
proved the inefficiency of the militia. This had
induced him to order that the standing army should
be augmented ; and he hoped that the Commons
would grant him the means of meeting the increased
expenditure.
This was a most distasteful proposal ; but James
went on to displease his subjects still more, by
asserting, in the coolest manner, that he had de-
liberately transgressed against an Act which was
regarded by the nation as one of the chief safeguards
of the Established Church, and that it was his inten-
tion to persist in doing so ! This was the Test Act,
passed in the late reign, which provided that no
1 Commons' Journals ; Bramston's Memoirs.
2 Robert Spencer, Earl of Sunderland, the other Secretary of State.