Reign of James II (1685-88)

Charles died in 85 and soon his son raised rebellion in the West Country. He had been in self-imposed exile in Holland. The rebellions received little support and his followers were subject to harsh punishments. Monmouth himself was executed in July. A series of trials known as 'The Bloody Assizes' began in Aug and resulted in the executions of hundreds of conspirators.

Finance

P essembled in May 85, dominated by Tories supportive of James due to the continued royal interference in the awarding of borough charters. This P was generous, voted to give £2 million a year to James, giving him independence. Religion

Later in 85 James issued a personal dispensations to allow Catholics to become army officers and announce that he intended to suspend the Test Acts. Whigs and Tories became resistant and voted to restrict James' funding. James adjourned P in Nov and eventually dissolved it. Fear began to spread that without P James would try promote Catholicism through his prerogative powers. 

When the Scot P assembled in 85 James announced that he intended to introduce penal laws against Presbyterians whild advocating toleration for Catholics. 

In 86, Sir Edward Hales (Catholic) was sued by his coachman Arthur Godden for holiding a military command without taking Anglican Communion. It was judged that only the king could decide whether officers should take the Test Act. This had signficant implications as it meant James had legal backing to suspend laws against Catholics.

Godden V. Hales case started a chain of events that would bring James' sympathy for the Catholic Church to focus. 

• Some of the hghest offices in the land were given to Catholics and James received the papal ambassador.

• Apr 87 James used the ruling in the G V. H case to issue a Dec of Indulgence which would have granted toleration to both dissenters and catholics. 

• James' aspiration was to convert England to Catholicism and the Indulgence was seen as the first step toward this. 

• By issuing the Dec of Indulgence, he was attempting to gain support of Protestant dissenters. A group of administrators were appointed to purge borough corporations of anyone unwilling to accept the Dec. 

• Catholics were appointed as magistrates and James expelled the Fellows of Magdalen College, Oxford and replaced them with Catholics.