“While Pan and Fair Syrinx are Fled from our Shore…”: the Conceptualization of the Character of the Glorious Revolution in Late 17th Century Fiction

The coup of 1688—1689, which went down in history as the Glorious Revolution, entailed a number of discussions, including the discussion about the “lawful” character of the regime change. In the article, such ideas about “legality” are considered through the prism of contemporary fiction. Based on the analysis of political poems, plays and satirical dialogues, the author comes to the conclusion that an appeal to the image of “lawfulness” was inherent in both Williamite and Jacobite authors. Both sides considered it necessary to restore it, but if for the supporters of William III sought to achieve this via the coup d’etat, the Jacobites considered it necessary to return “lawfulness” through the restoration of James II.