expected. The ruling demagogues, therefore, resolved to join it
with the bill which granted to the Crown a land tax of two
shillings in the pound for the service of the next year, and thus
to place the Upper House under the necessity of either passing
both bills together without the change of a word, or rejecting
both together, and leaving the public creditor unpaid and the
nation defenceless.

There was great indignation among the Peers. They were not indeed
more disposed than the Commons to approve of the manner in which
the Irish forfeitures had been granted away; for the antipathy to
the foreigners, strong as it was in the nation generally, was
strongest in the highest ranks. Old barons were angry at seeing
themselves preceded by new earls from Holland and Guelders.
Garters, gold keys, white staves, rangerships, which had been
considered as peculiarly belonging to the hereditary grandees of
the realm, were now intercepted by aliens. Every English nobleman
felt that his chance of obtaining a share of the favours of the
Crown was seriously diminished by the competition of Bentincks
and Keppels, Auverquerques and Zulesteins. But, though the riches
and dignities heaped on the little knot of Dutch courtiers might
disgust him, the recent proceedings of the Commons could not but
disgust him still more. The authority, the respectability, the
existence of his order were threatened with destruction. Not
only,--such were the just complaints of the Peers,--not only are we to be
deprived of that coordinate legislative power to which we
are, by the constitution of the realm, entitled. We are not to be
allowed even a suspensive veto. We are not to dare to
remonstrate, to suggest an amendment, to offer a reason, to ask
for an explanation. Whenever the other House has passed a bill to