Andra gången gillt

Idag är det årsdagen av kung James IIs flykt undan den annalkande holländske invasionsarmén som störtade honom 1688. Flykten blev ett fiasko. Ett par fiskare infångade omgående det flyende majestätet och återbördade honom till London. Ett ögonvittne beskrev spektaklet:

"The nation was already in ferment, and every one upon his guard to secure suspicious persons, especially strangers; at which time the Faversham sailors observinga vessel of about thirty tons burthen lying at Shellness, to take in ballast, resolved to go and board her; accordingly they went in the evening, with three smacks and about forty men, and three files of musqueteers, and in the cabin they seized three persons of quality ---and brought them all three on shore --- and brought to the Queen's Arms, in Faversham, where Capt. Marsh, seeing the king come out of the coach, and knowing his person, told them, to their no small surprise, that they had taken the king prisoner, upon which the gentlemen owned him for their soveraeign; then the king ordered the money taken from him to be distributed among them that took him, and wrote a letter to lord Winchelsea, to come to him, who arrived from Canterbury that night, at whch the king was greatly rejoiced, as having one with him who knew how to respect his person, and awe the rabble and sailors, who had carried themselves very brutish and indecently to him."

De nya makthavarna insåg dock problemet med att ha landets krönte konung hemma - det skulle vara betydligt lättare att avsätta honom om han var frånvarande. Alltså lät man James II fly ånyo - och nu med lyckats resultat.