which, serious as the crisis was, caused no small merriment. In
consequence of this defection, the motion to agree was carried by
a majority of five. Meanwhile the members of the other House had
been impatiently waiting for news, and had been alternately
elated and depressed by the reports which followed one another in
rapid succession. At first it was confidently expected that the
Peers would yield; and there was general good humour. Then came
intelligence that the majority of the Lords present had voted for
adhering to the amendments. "I believe," so Vernon wrote the next
day, "I believe there was not one man in the House that did not
think the nation ruined." The lobbies were cleared; the back
doors were locked; the keys were laid on the table; the Serjeant
at Arms was directed to take his post at the front door, and to
suffer no member to withdraw. An awful interval followed, during
which the angry passions of the assembly seemed to be subdued by
terror. Some of the leaders of the opposition, men of grave
character and of large property, stood aghast at finding that
they were engaged,--they scarcely knew how,--in a conflict such as
they had not at all expected, in a conflict in which they could
be victorious only at the expense of the peace and order of
society. Even Seymour was sobered by the greatness and nearness
of the danger. Even Howe thought it advisable to hold
conciliatory language. It was no time, he said, for wrangling.
Court party and country party were Englishmen alike. Their duty
was to forget all past grievances, and to cooperate heartily for
the purpose of saving the country.

In a moment all was changed. A message from the Lords was
announced. It was a message which lightened many heavy hearts.
The bill had been passed without amendments.