Men of War sailed this Day from the Buoy of the Nore to join the Dutch in the Downs and the same Day the Earl of Portland arriv'd from Holland with sive Men of War and two Fireships and brought an Account that the late King James had drawn a Body of Forces at the Hogue to make a Descent upon England but that they were not embarked 15. 5. 1692 The Kingdom being threatned with a powerful Invasion from abroad the late K. James with near 20000 Men being ready to embark at the Hogue and Count Tourville being in the Channel with the French Fleet to protect them the Queen put out a Proclamation requiring the Attendance of both Houses of Parliament on the 24th of this Instant and her Majesty ordered all the Forces of the Kingdom to be drawn together at Petersfield hear Portsmouth under the Command of the Duke of Leinster The Lords Lieutenants of the Counties bordering on the Sea received also Directions to raise the Militia and all other imaginable Precautions were taken to prevent the Design of the Enemy The King being then abroad with the greatest part of the Standing Forces there appeared a great Consternation but the Queen reviv'd the Spirits of the whole Nation by the great Courage and Prudence she expressed in that nice Juncture dit 1696 The King went on board the Elizabeth in Margate-Road and sailed for Holland 16. 6. 1695 The King declared this Day that he had thought fit to appoint Henry Lord Capel to be Lord Deputy of Ireland dit 1694 The King embarked this Day at Margate for Holland being attended by 8 Dutch Men of War 17. 7. 1689 The House of Commons having desired his Majesty to take into Consideration the many Incroachments of France upon Great Britain and our Neighbours and to declare War against the French King assuring him that the House would support him to carry on the same with Vigour a Declaration of War was published this Day And because the French have had the Impudence to say that we declar'd War against them without any Cause I think sit to transcribe the said Declaration   William R.   IT having pleased God Almighty to make us the happy Instruments of rescuing these Nations from great and imminent Dangers and to place us upon the Throne of these Kingdoms we think our selves obliged to endeavour to the uttermost to promote the Welfare of our People which can never be effectually secured but by preventing the Miseries that threaten them from abroad   When we consider the many unjust Methods the French King has of late Years taken to gratify his Ambition that he has not only invaded the Territories of the Emperor and of the Empire now in Amity with us laying waste whole Countries and destroying the Inhabitants by his Armies but declar'd War against our Allies without any Provocation in manifest Violation of the Treaties confirm'd by the Guaranty of the Crown of England We can do no less than join with our Allies in opposing the Designs of the French King as the Disturber of the Peace and the Common Enemy of the Christian World   And besides the Obligations we lay under by Treaties with our Allies which are a sufficient Justification of us for taking up Arms at this time since they have called upon us so to do the many Injuries done to us and to our Subjects without any Reparation by the French King are such that however of late Years they were not taken notice of for Reasons well known to the World nevertheless We will not pass them over without a publick and just Resentment of such Outrages   It is not long since the French took Licences from the English Governour of Newfound-land to fish in the Seas upon that Coast and paid a Tribute for such Licences as an Acknowledgment of the sole Right of the Crown of England to that Island and yet of late the Incroachments of the French upon our said Island and our Subjects Trade and Fishery have been more like the Invasions of an Enemy than becoming Friends who enjoyed the Advantages of that Trade only by Permission   But that the French King should invade our Charibbee Islands and possess himself of our Territories of the Province of New-york and of Hudsons-Bay in a hostile manner seizing our Forts burning our Subjects Houses and inriching his People with the Spoil of their Goods and Merchandises detaining some of our Subjects under the Hardship of Imprisonment causing others to be inhumanely kill'd and driving the rest to Sea in a small Vessel without Food and Necessaries to support them are Actions not becoming even an Enemy and yet he was so far from declaring himself so that at that very time he was negotiating here in England by his Ministers a Treaty of Neutrality and good Correspondence in America   The Proceedings of the French King against our Subjects in Europe are so notorious that we shall not need to enlarge upon them his countenancing the Seisure of English Ships by French Privateers forbidding the Importation of great part of the Product and Manufactures of our Kingdom and imposing exorbitant Customs upon the rest notwithstanding the great Advantages he and the French Nation reap by their Commerce with England are sufficient Evidences of his Designs to destroy the Trade and consequently to ruin the Navigation upon which the Wealth and Safety of this Nation very much depend   The Right of the Flag inherent in the Crown of England has been disputed by his Orders in violation of our Soveraignty of the Narrow Seas which in all Ages has been asserted by our Predecessors and we are resolved to maintain for the Honour of our Crown and of the English Nation   But that which most nearly touches us is his unchristian Persecution of many of our English Protestant Subjects in France for Matters of Religion contrary to the Law of Nations and express Treaties forcing them to abjure their Religion by strange and unusual Cruelties and imprisoning some of the Masters and Seamen of our Merchant-Ships and condemning others to the Gallies upon pretence of having on board either some of his own miserable Protestant Subjects or their Effects And lastly as he has for some Years last past endeavoured by Insinuations and Promises of Assistance to overthrow the Government of England so now by open and violent Methods and the actual Invasion of our Kingdom of Ireland in Support of our Subjects in Arms and in Rebellion against us he is promoting the utter Extirpation of our good and loyal Subjects in that our Kingdom   Being therefore thus necessitated to take up Arms and relying on the Help of Almighty God in our just Undertaking we have thought fit to declare and do hereby declare War against the French King and that we will in conjunction with our Allies vigorously prosecute the same by Sea and Land since he has so unrighteously begun it
being assured of the hearty Concurrence and Assistance of our Subjects in Support of so good a Cause Hereby willing and requiring our General of our Forces our Commissioners for executing the Office of High-Admiral our Lieutenants of our several Counties Governours of our Forts and Garisons and all other Officers and Souldiers under them to do and execute all Acts of Hostility in the prosecution of this War against the French King his Vassals and Subjects and to oppose their Attempts willing and requiring all our Subjects to take notice of the same whom We henceforth strictly forbid to hold any Correspondence or Communication with the said French King or his Subjects and because there are remaining in our Kingdoms many of the Subjects of the French King We do declare and give our Royal Word that all such of the French Nation as shall demean themselves dutifully towards us and not correspond with our Enemies shall be safe in their Persons and Estates and free from all Molestation and Trouble of any kind Given at Hampton Court May the 7th 1689. dit 1694 The King landed at the Hook of Holland over against the Brill having left his Convoy several Leagues at Sea 18. 8. 1694 Their Majesties created the Right Honourable Henry Lord Viscount Sydney Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Master General of the Ordnance an Earl of this Kingdom by the Name and Stile of Earl of Râ—mney in the County of Kent dit 1696 The King being arrived at the Hague the Night before went to the Assembly of the States of Holland and afterwards to that of the States General and made a short Speech in each of them His Majesty was the same Day complimented by the States upon his safe Arrival by the Council of State and the Colleges of the Admiralty and foreign Ambassadors dit 1692 Admiral Russell with his Majesty's Fleet passed this Morning through the Downs and being joined by Admiral Allemond sailed to the Westward in quest of Count Tourville dit 1695 William de Nassan Seigneur de Zuilestein was created Baron of Enfield Viscount Tunbridge and Earl of Rochâ—fort   The same Day the Lord Gray of Wark was created Viscount Glendale and Earl of Tankerville 19. 9. 1691 Dr. Sharp Dean of Canterbury was this day nominated Archbishop of York dit 1689 A Proclamation was published at the Request of the House of Commons commanding all Papists to depart out of the Cities of London and Westminster and ten Miles adjacent dit 1692 A Proclamation came out for apprehending the Earl of Scarfdale the Earl of Litchfield the Lord Griffin the Earl of Newburgh the Earl of Middleton the Earl of Dunmore and a great many disaffected Persons for conspiring to subvert the Government dit 1695 The Duke of Schomberg the Earl of Tankerville and Peregrine Bertie Esq were sworn of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy Council 20. 10. 1692 This Day the Trained-Bands of the City of London consisting of 6 Regiments making about 10000 Men were drawn up in Hide-park under the Command of the Lord Mayor and received by the Queen who was extremely satisfied with the good Order they appeared in and of the great Zeal and Readiness which they expressed for their Majesties Service and their own Security against the Designs of the French who then threatned the Kingdom with a Descent their Fleet having appeared this Day off of Dartmouth dit 1694 The Earl of Stamford and Charles Mountague Esq one of the Commissioners of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer were sworn this Day of their Majesties most Honourable Privy Council 21. 11. 1689 This Day being appointed for the publick Reception of the Commissioners viz. the Earl of Argyle Sir James Montgomery of Skelmerly and Sir John Dalrymple of Stair younger who were sent by the Meeting of the States of Scotland with an Offer of the Crown of that Kingdom to their Majesties they accordingly at three of the Clock met at the Council-Chamber and from thence were conducted by Sir Charles Cotterel Master of the Ceremonies attended by most of the Nobility and Gentry of that Kingdom who reside in and about London to the Banqueting-House where the King and Queen came attended by many Persons of Quality the Sword being carried before them by the Lord Cardrosse Their Majesties being placed on the Throne under a rich Canopy the Commissioners presented a Letter from the States to his Majesty then the Instrument of the Government Thirdly a Paper containing the Grievances which they desired might be redressed â—nd lastly an Address to his Majesty for turning the Meeting of the said Estates into a Parliament All which being signed by his Grace the Duke of Hamilton as President of the Meeting and read to their Majesties the King return'd to the Commissioners the following Answer   WHEN I ingaged in this Undertaking I had a particular Regard and Consideration for Scotland and therefore I did emit a Declaration in relation to that as well as to this Kingdom which I intend to make good and effectual to them I take it very kindly that Scotland has expressed so much Confidence in and Affection to me they shall find me willing to assist them in every thing that concerns the Weal and Interest of that Kingdom by making what Laws shall be necessary for the Security of their Religion Property and Liberty and to ease them of what may be justly grievous to them   After which the Coronation-Oath was tender'd to their Majesties which the Earl of Argyle spoke word by word and the King and Queen repeated it after holding their right Hands up after the manner of taking Oaths in Scotland but when the Earl came to this part of the said Oath And we shall be careful to root out all Hereticks and Enemies of the true Worship of God that shall be convicted by the true Kirk of God of the aforesaid Crimes out of our Lands and Empire of Scotland the King declared that he did not mean by these Words that he was under any Obligation to become a Persecutor To which the Commissioners being authorized by the States of Scotland made answer That neither the Meaning of the Oath or the Law of Scotland did import it since by the said Law no Man was to be persecuted for his private Opinion and that even obstinate and convicted Hereticks were only to be denounced Reâ—els or out-law'd whereby their moveable Estates were consiscated Whereupon the King declared again that he took the Oath in that Sense and called for Witnesses the Commissioners and others present and then their Majesties signed the Coronation-Oath and the Commissioners and several of the Scotish Nobility were admitted to kiss their Majesties Hands 22. 12. 1689 His Majesty's Ship the Nonsuch of 36 Guns commanded by Captain Roomcoyle ingaged this Day off of Guernsey two French Men of War one of 30 Guns 120 Men and the other of 16 Guns 6 Pattereroes and 120 Men. The Fight lasted above
of Canterbury and the Bishops of London Winchester S. Asaph Ely Chichester Rochester Bath and Wells and Peterborough all in a body waited upon the King where they humbly advised him to put the Management of the Government in the several Counties into the Hands of such Persons as were qualified for it to annul the High Commission for Ecclesiastical Affairs to restore the President and Fellows of Magdalen College in Oxford and that no Person unqualified by Law be preferr'd to any Place in Church or State to set aside all Licences or Faculties already granted whereby the Papists pretended to be enabled to teach publick Schools to desist from the Exercise of the Dispensing Power to inhibit the four foreign Bishops who stiled themselves Vicars Apostolical from further invading the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction vested in the Bishops of the Church of England to fill the vacant Bishopricks both in England and Ireland and especially the Archiepiscopal Chair of York with Men of Learning and Piety to supersede all further Prosecutions of Quo Warranto's against Corporations and to restore to those Corporations their Charters and Privileges as he had done to the City of London to call a Free Parliament to secure the Church of England the Liberties and Properties of all his Subjects and procure a due Liberty of Conscience and Lastly that his Majesty would suffer his Bishops to offer him such Motives and Arguments as may perswade him to return to the Communion of the Church of England in which he was baptized The Papists were inraged at these good Advices and the King was not pleased with such a Representation which set too freely before him his illegal and arbitrary Proceedings dit 1689 The Right Reverend Edward Stillingfleet Bishop of Worcester Simon Patrick Bishop of Chichester and Gilbert Ironside Bishop of Bristol were this Day consecrated in the Chappel of Fulham by the Bishops of London St. Asaph and Rochester dit 1691 The strong Town of Limerick surrendred this Day to his Majesty's Forces and at the same time the Irish made a General Capitulation for their whole Nation that was still in Arms whereby they were promised all the Liberty as was consistent with the Laws of Ireland and such as were not willing to stay were allowed to go to France Thus ended the Wars of Ireland and the famous Campaign of 1691. the most glorious that was ever performed by a little Army which in about four Months time took three strong Places for besides many Forts Castles and small Towns we gained a great Victory without reckoning the frequent Rencounters that hapned in which they always got the Advantage tho in small Numbers 14. 4. 1678 The French having restored to the Dutch the Town of Mastricht the States General desired the Prince of Orange to name for Magistrates such Persons as he should think fit 15. 5. 1688 The Foreign Advices having convinced King James that the Preparations of the Prince of Orange were designed against him declared this Day in Council that he had thought fit to dissolve the Commission for Causes Ecclesiastical c. and gave Directions to the Lord Chancellor of England to cause the same to be forthwith done This did not however satisfy the People for the said Commission was not declared illegal nor any Promise made that it should never be renewed and every one took this Proceeding of the Court not as an Effect of the King's Justice but of the fear he was in of the Prince of Orange dit 1690 The House of Lords presented an Address to the King to congratulate his Majesty's Victories in Ireland and desire him not to expose his Person so much The Commons did the like and both Houses presented another Address to the Queen to thank her Majesty for her prudent Administration during the King's Absence and in so nice a Juncture as her Majesty had found her self in whilst a powerful Enemy lorded it upon our Coasts and threatned the Kingdom with an Invasion dit 1692 This Day we received the surprizing Advice that the â—â—ke of Savoy had quitted the 16th ultimo the Town of Ambrun having blown up the Fortifications and returned with his Forces towards his own Country France was never in such an Alarm as they were then the Confederate Army being in their Country and they having no Strength to oppose them the Inhabitants of Lyons and Grenoble were removing their Effects and no body doubted but the Allies would improve that fair Opportunity however they contented themselves with the taking of Ambrun and Gap and raising some Contributions and then retired 'T is true the Duke of Savoy fell so sick of the Small Pox at Gap that his Life was thought in danger and some have believed that his Distemper disappointed all the Designs of that Army but others who have more narrowly inquired into that Affair do think that the Corruption and Treachery of the Duke's Council was the true Remora that stopp'd our Forces and that the Small Pox came very seasonably to him as a Varnish over the Infidelity of that Court. 16. 6. 1688 This Day King James was pleased to restore actually to the City of London all their antient Franchises and Privileges as fully as they enjoyed them before the late Judgment upon the Quo Warranto The Lord Chancellor did them the Honour to bring down the Instrument of Restitution and Confirmation under the Great Seal of England and Sir John Chapman was thereby constituted Lord Mayor till the usual time of the Election 17. 7. 1692 This Day the Electoral College at Ratisbonne resolved by Plurality of Voices to declare the Duke of Hanover one of the Princes Electors of the Empire notwithstanding the Opposition of the College of the Princes of Germany The Emperor had invested him first with the Dignity for the great Service of the House of Lunenburgh both to the Empire and to the common Cause against the French 18. 8. 1685 This Day pass'd the Great Seal the French King's Edict for annulling the famous Edict of Nantz the Observation of which had been so solemnly sworn by the French King himself This was the last Blow given to the French Protestant Churches which a barbarous Persecution of 25 Years had not been able to overcome All the remaining Churches were razed to the Ground the Ministers banished upon pain of the Gallies and the rest without any regard to Sex Age Quality or Services were with an unparallel'd piece of Inhumanity delivered up to the Mercy of Priests and Souldiers who burnt some alive stuck others with Pins all over their Bodies hang'd others in Smoak and in short used such Barbarities that Posterity will hardly believe so much Cruelty could ever have been harboured in the Hearts of Men. Many were forced to succumb by those violent Shocks and turn Papists and others fled away and are now dispersed all over the Face of the Earth in a most lamentable Condition worthy of the Commiseration of all Christian and Generous Souls The French