On 30th June 1688, the bishops on trial for petitioning
against James' Declaration of Indulgence were acquitted.
On the same day, a small group of both Whigs and
Tories invited William of Orange to come and defend
the liberties of England.
William was the husband of James' Protestant daughter Mary.
As Stadtholder of the Dutch United Provinces, his main concern
was the defence of Holland from France. He could fend off the
French if England was allied with Holland - and had therefore kept a watchful eye on the situation in England. The birth of a son to James in June 1688 meant that Mary would no longer succeed to the English throne - and William therefore welcomed the invitation 'by some men of the best interest' to invade.
