within the Year before Petitions be first answered and Grievances redressed And seeing many of the Miseries under which the Nation doth groan arise from displacing such out of the Number of Judges as would not for the promoting Popish and Arbitrary Designs wrest and mis-apply the Laws and from constituting corrupt and mercenary Men in their Rooms on purpose to stretch the Laws beyond the Reason and Intention of them and to declare that for Law which is not we can neither with Silence pass over the mentioning of them nor should we have Peace in our selves if we did not endeavour to prevent the like Mischief in Time to come For by reason of ill Men's being advanced to the Bench and holding their Places only durante bene-placito many Persons have been condemned in exorbitant Fines for no Crimes or for very small ones Many Statutes made for the Safety of the Subject particularly the Habeas Corpus Act have been wickedly eluded to the Oppression of the Innocent and Loyal Men. The Popish Lords that were impeached in Parliament for a most hellish Conspiracy have to the subverting the Rights of the House of Lords been discharged and set free The imposing a May or and Sheriffs upon the City of London by Fraud and Violence have been justified and those who in discharge of their Duty opposed it illegally prosecuted and arbitrarily punished London and other Cities and Corporations have been robbed of their Charters upon unrighteous Judgments of pretended Forfeitures Sir Thomas Armstrong executed without being allowed the Benefit of a Trial. Col. Algernoon Sidney condemned to die upon the Deposition of one scandalous Witness And that Loyal and Excellent Person the late William Lord Russel murthered for alledged Crimes in reference to which if all had been true which was sworn against him yet there was nothing which according to Law could have reached his Life Upon the Consideration aforesaid we further declare that we will have Care taken for the future for debarring ignorant scandalous and mercenary Men from the Administration of Justice and that the Judges shall hold their Places by the ancient Tenure of quamdiu se bene gesserint and to leave it to the Wisdom of a Parliament to settle some Way and Method for the Approbation of such as shall be advanced to the Degree and Dignity of Judges And forasmuch as the Invasion made on the Right of Cities Burroughs and Towns Corporate the Seisure of their Charters whether by Surrender or upon pretence of Borfeiture have been wholly arbitrary and illegal we likewise therefore declare we will to our utmost endeavour to see them re-possessed in what they formerly had and could legally lay claim to and that we do esteem all Judgments given against them and all Surrenders made by a corrupt and perjured Party amongst them null and void in Law and do hold and declare their old Charters notwithstanding the â—ew ones lately granted to be good and valid And accordingly we do invite and encourage all honest Burgesses and Free-men to re-assume the Rights and Privileges which by virtue of the said old Charters belonged to their several and respective Corporations and to deliver themselves from those late Parasites and Instruments of Tyranny set up to oppress them Moreover for the Restoring the Kingdom to its Primitive Condition of Freedom and Safety we will have the Coporation and Militia Acts repealed And all Outlawries of Treason against any Person whatsoever upon the late pretended Protestant Plot reversed and also all other Outlawries Banishments Warrants Judgments Imprisonments and injurious Proceedings against any other persons upon any of the Penal Statutes made against Protestant Dissenters made null and void And we will have new Laws enacted for placing the Election of Sheriffs in the Freeholders of the several Counties for Settling the Militia in the several Shires and for Preventing all Military Standing â—orâ—s except what shall be raised and kept up by Authority and Consent of Parliament And whereas several Gentlemen and others who have been worthy and zealous Assertors of the Protestant Interest and Laws of the Kingdom are now in Custody in divers Places within the Realm upon most unjust Accusations Preâ—ences Proceedings and Judgments we do hereby further declare their said Imprisonments to be illegal and that in case any Violence shall be offered to them or any of them we will revenge it to the utmost upon such of our Enemies as shall fall into our Hands And whereas the said J. D. of Y. in order to the Expediting the Idolatrous and Bloody Designs of the Papists the Gratifying his own boundless Ambition after a Crown and to hinder Enquiry into the Assassination of Arthur Earl of Essex hath poysoned the late King and thereby manifested his Ingratitude as well as Cruelty to the World in murthering a Brother who had almost ruined himself to preserve and protect him from Punishment We do therefore further declare That for the aforesaid villainous and unnatural Crime and other his Crimes before-mentioned and in pursuance of the Resolution of both Houses of Parliament who voted to revenge the King's Death in case he came to an Vntimely End we will prosecute the said J. D. of Y. till we have brought him to suffer what the Law adjudged to be the Punishment of so execrable a Fact And in a more particular Manner His Grace the Duke of Monmouth being sensible of the barbarous and horrid Parricide committed upon his Father doth resolve to pursue the said J. D. of Y. as a mortal and bloody Enemy and will endeavour as well with his own Hand as by the Assistance of his Friends and the Law to have Justice executed upon him And the said James Duke of Monmouth the now Head and Captain-General of the Protestant Forces of this Kingdom assembled for the End aforesaid from the Generousness of his own Nature and the Love he bears to these Nations whose Welfare and Settlement he infinitely prefers to whatsoever concerns himself doth not at present insist upon his Title but leaves the Determination thereof to the Wisdom Justice and Authority of a Parliament legally chosen and acting with Freedom And in the mean time doth profess and declare by all that is â—iacred That he will in Conjunction with the people of England employ all the Abilities bestowed upon him by God and Nature for the Re-establishment and Preservation of the Protestant Reformed Religion in these Kingdoms and for Restoring the Subjects of the same to a free Exercise thereof in opposition to Popery and the Consequences of it Tyranny and Slavery To the Obtaining of which End he doth hereby Promise and Oblige himself to the People of England to consent unto and promote the Passing into Laws all the Methods aforesaid that it may never more be in the Power of any single Person on the Throne to deprive their Subjects of their Rights and to subvert the Fundamental Laws of the Government designed for their Preservation And whereas the Nobility
might remit nothing that might have any probability of tending to promote the Peace they accepted the Truce upon such Conditions as should on both sides be agreed on At length this Procedure and some little Contests ended in Signing a Treaty of Truce the last Day of March at Nimeguen to continue to the 1st of May. The Truce being thus Signed instead of advancing the Negotiation did on the contrary stop the Course thereof during the whole Time it lasted because the French Embassadors sticking immoveable to their Declarations there was no more to be said so that the two Princes who remained still in the War thought it more adviseable to Negotiate the Peace in France and gave their Envoys Mr. Meinder and Mr. de Mayerkron the last whereof had Orders to go thither from Holland without delay their Instructions accordingly but with as little Success as before either there or any where else so that the French Forces that were in the Country of Cleves and Juliers finding the Truce expired were so forward as not to slip any opportunity and therefore were ready on the 1st of May to pass the Rhine year 1679 over which they had made a Bridge at Ordinghen General Spaen who commanded the Troops of Brandenburg made a shew as if he designed to oppose their Passage with the few Soldiers and Trained-Bands he had with him on the other side of that River But finding the French Army had passed it on flying Bridges above and below Augerarts at the Confluence of the Auger and the Rhine he thought fit to Retreat and the Consequence of that was That that General and the Elector's Embassador procured a Conference with Monsieur Colbert to be held at Santhen a little Town 3 Leagues from Wesel Thither Mr. Blaspiet and General Spaen went as did also M. Colbert the 3d of the same Month the last having ordered Calvo who commanded the French Forces to be also present to the End that according to the Success of the Negotiation he might desist or pursue the Enterprize he had had in View Here it was agreed between them that the Truce should be prolonged for 15 Days more to begin the 4th of the Month which lengthened out the Cessation of Arms till the 19th but upon Condition that Wesel and Leipstadt should be put into the French King's Hands to be kept by him until the Peace betwixt his Majesty and his Allies on the one side and his Electoral Highness on the other should be Signed and Ratified which the Elector was so far from making a Difficulty to grant that he offered even to put Skinkenseance into his Power also as thinking perhaps by this extraordinary piece of Confidence to bring the King to be more easie in the Peace of the North and this not long after he also seconded by a Letter to the said Monarch written in so Excellent a Strain that not being willing to attempt to express the Force of it by way of Abstract I shall give the Reader an exact Copy of it POSTDAM May 16. 1679. My Lord IT is impossible but that your Majesty according to the Great Wisdom wherewith God has endowed you does easily perceive the Moderation and Justice of my Pretensions And it being so that you must offer Violence to that Generosity and Greatness of Soul which is natural to your Majesty in forcing me to Conditions of Peace that are not only injurious to me but ignominious also God who is Just seeing the Righteousness of my Cause hath prospered my Arms with the Conquest of all Pomerania and your Majesty makes me give back the greatest part of it which I put into your Hands that I may preserve the rest which is but a small Matter in respect of what I have gained with the Loss of my Blood and the Ruine of my Subjects Is it not just my Lord that since your Majesty obliges me to part from so great and fair Cities and so much of my Enemies Country you should likewise oblige the Swedes to leave me the rest and that your Majesty having so far concerned your self for the Party that had no Right to demand any thing should concern your self also for him who had Right to keep all but yields the greatest part meerly in Consideration of your Majesty I am informed that your Ministers object to me the Interest of your Glory and Honour and know that that is a powerful Motive to animate a Great Soul to Vndertakings But suffer me to put you in mind That Justice is the Source and Rule of Glory And that I having it on my side it is far greater and more solid Glory to Support a just and moderate Pretension than to favour one that is nothing less And could your Majesty but hear the Discourse of all Europe and weigh it with the Reasons that Interests suggest to you from my Enemies I am confident you would instantly decide in my Favour and so prevent the Judgment of disinterested Posterity Withal my Lord I am very sensible that the Match is too unequal betwixt your Majesty's Forces and mine and that I am unable to resist a King who alone hath carried the Burden of a War against the greatest Powers of Europe and hath with so much Glory and Success gone through with it But can your Majesty find any Advantage in the Ruine of a Prince who is so desirous to serve you and who being preserved may contribute to your Service more than a bare willingness Your Majesty will certainly be the first that will regret my Ruine since you cannot easily find in all the World besides one who is more really and with greater Respect and Zeal than my self Your Majesty's c. But for all this the French King seemed to be inexorable and his Forces began already to spread themselves in the Mark of Brandenburg and fresh Troops with Ammunition and Artillery came daily to Wesel to augment the Army which the Mareschal de Crequi was to command which upon the Expiration of the Truce drew near to the Neighbourhood of Minden beginning to streighten that Place where General Spaen pretended to make a vigorous Resistance Hereupon the Mareschal de Crequi ordered Monsieur Calvo to pass the Weser with a Party of Horse and Foot on a Bridge of Boats which he had caused to be made whilst he himself with a Body of Horse went to cross it at a Ford which with some Difficulty he passed over with an intent to make the Country pay the Contributions he had demanded but finding General Spaen was come out of the Town with a Body of about 3000 Men and some Field-Pieces he attack'd them vigorously and the Dispute was very sharp and ended with the loss of a great many Men on both sides and at last General Spain retired into Minden This was the 20th June 1679. and the last Action that put an end to so great a War and if the Negotiation of the Peace which was Signed at St. Germains the Day before
His Majesty should leave the Magistracy in the State it was in then with all its Rights and Freedom of Election and its Jurisdiction Civil and Criminal This was granted also except in such Causes as should exceed 1000 French Livres Capital in which an Appeal might be made to the Council at Brisac yet so as that the said Appeal should not suspend the Examination of the Judgment given by the Magistrates unless the Question were above 2000 Livres V. That his Majesty should grant to the City all its Revenues Rights Tolls Commerce Money Magazines of Cannon Ammunition Arms Magazines of Corn and Wood and its Records and Publick Papers Granted except what concerned the Cannon Arms Ammunition and Publick Magazines which should be delivered to the King's Officers And for the Arms of Particular Persons they should be brought into the Town-House and be put in a Room of which the Magistrates should have the Keys VI. That the Burghers should be exempted from all Contributions and other Engagements the King leaving to the City all the Ordinary and Extraordinary Imposts VII That his Majesty should leave to the City the free enjoyment of the Bridge over the Rhine with all its Bourgs Villages and Country-Houses VIII That his Majesty should grant an Amnesty for what was past without any Exception and to comprehend therein the Prince Palatine of Valdentz IX That His Majesty should permit them to build Places to Lodge the Troops that are in Garrison And Lastly That the King's Troops should enter the Town at Four in the Afternoon All which was agreed to This sudden and unexpected Business could not but alarm the whole Empire in general as it did the Court of Vienna in particular But as the former were very slow and irresolute in their Deliberations about keeping up a sufficient Standing Force to oppose the Encroachments of France so there was such a terrible Cloud gathering together against the latter as took up in a manner their entire Thoughts how to shelter themselves from it and to obviate the impending Danger But of this we shall have further occasion to speak to in its proper place year 1682 In the mean time we will see what was doing in England this Year which comes to be 1682. and the main Work whereof was the barbarous Prosecution of Protestant Dissenters and how to curb the rest of the Nation so as to truckle entirely under che Court-girdle Herein they made very great Progress in the base Addresses that were procured to be sent from all Quarters But the Ignoramus-Bill of my Lord Shaftsbury stuck deep in their Stomachs and the Fears of being baulked in any such Design for the future made them set their Wits on the Tenter-Hooks how they might take away the Election of Sheriffs out of the Power of the City and no other Expedient could be found but by taking away their Charter which if once effected would not only give the Court the advantage of making Sheriffs but open a Gap to their making a House of Commons too for near 5 Parts in 6 of the House of Commons were Burgesses and Barons of the Cinque-Ports who would not dare to contest their Charter if the City of London could not hold hers So that in Hillary Term this Year a Quo Warranto was brought against the City for two helnous Crimes viz. That they had made an Address to the King for the Parliament to Sit for Redress of Grievances and to settle the Nation yet King Charles I. thought the Parliament's Vote of Non-Addresses to him was Deposing of him and that the City had raised Money towards repairing Cheapside Conduit ruined by the Fire of London We will give you the matter here as entirely and cursorily as we can and thus it was The City pleaded their Right and the King replied upon which there was a Demurrer and here the matter rested for a time the Novelty whereof causing a great Amusement in the Generality of the City and Nation whereto it tended and how it would end In the mean while the Duke of York after having narrowly escaped drowning in his last Voyage to Scotland and then done his Work in that Kingdom was returned to London and his Zeal for promoting the Catholick Cause outgoing his Patience for the Court's Judgment upon the Demurrer to the Quo Warranto there appeared Courtiers of the first Magnitude bare-fac'd for the next Election of Sheriffs and Sir Dudley North and Sir Peter Rich were returned the one by a shameless Trick and the other by open Force And herewith we will end this short Year but pernicious enough to England and to encrease the Misfortune of it was so fatal to Rupert Prince Palatine of the Rhine who died of a Fever and Pleurisie at his House in Spring-Garden in the 63d Year of his Age and who to pass the Errors of his Fiery Youth wherein he was engaged with too much Fury and Ravage in the Party of his Uncle King Charles in our unhappy Civil Wars had of late Years proved a faithful Councellor to the King and a great Patriot to the English Liberty and therefore was towards his latter end neglected by the Court to that degree that nothing passed between him and his great Kindred but Civilities in the Common Forms But though the Court had gained this Point yet they thought it not fit at present to push it farther till the Demurrer to the City-Charter was determined in which such haste was made that only two Arguments were permitted on either side one in Hillary-Term 1683. and the other in Easter-Term following and so Judgment was given in Trinity-Term next after against the City But such a Judgment was never given in any Case as this and if the manner of Electing the last Sheriffs was strange and unwarrantable this was no less so for it was without any Reason given and by two Judges only whereof the one was Sir Francis Withens who had heard but one Argument and perhaps understood but little of that and who afterwards in the Absence of Sir Edward Herbert delivered that for his Opinion which Sir Edward when present disowned and the other was Sir Thomas Jones However if you will believe them they said Justice Raymond was of the same Opinion with them and so was Sanders the Chief Justice though he was past his Senses and had only Understanding enough left to Expostulate with them for then Troubling him when he had lost his Memory But the Cout of King's-Bench was not so ripe for this hasty Judgment as they at Whitehall were for Discovery of Plots against the Government and justice of the Nation of which they set no less than 3 on Foot one was to surprize the Guards Another the Rye-House-Plot to Murther the King and his dear Brother as they were to pass by from New-Market and the Black-Heath Plot wherein the People were to rise upon a Foot-Ball-Match They were sure of the Sheriffs and it was Burton and
Gentry and Commons of Scotland are now in Arms upon the like Motives and Inducements that we are and in Prosecution of Ends agreeable with ours we do therefore approve the Justice of their Cause commend their Zeal and Courage expecting their and promising our Assistance for carrying on that glorious Work we are jointly engaged in being obliged for avoiding Tediousness to omit the Recounting many Oppressions under which that Kingdom hath groaned and the giving a Diduction of the several Steps that have been taken for Introducing of Popery and Tyranny We think fit therefore to signifie both to our Countrymen and Foreigners that we intend a larger Testimony and Remonstrance of the Grievances Persecutions Cruelties and Tyrannies we have â—â—late lain under and therein a more full and particular Account of the unparallell'd Crimes of the D. of Y. And we make our Appeal unto GOD and all Protestant Kings Princes States and People concerning the Justice of our Cause and the Necessity we are reduced unto of having our recourse to Arms. And as we do beseech require and adjure all sincere Protestants and true English Men to be assisting to us against the Enemies of the Gospel Rights of the Nation and Liberties of Mankind so we are confident of obtaining the utmost Aid and Succour which they can yield us with their Prayers Persons and Estates for the Dethroning the said Tyrant c. Nor do we doubt being justified countenanced and assisted by all Protestant Kings Princes and Commonwealths who either regard the Gospel of Jesus Christ or their own Interest And above all our Dependance and Trust is upon the Lord of Hosts in whose Name we go forth and to whom we commit our Cause and refer the Decision betwixt us and our Enemies in the Day of Battel Now let us play the Men for our People and for the Cities of our GOD and the Lord do that which seemeth good unto him When the Prince of Orange heard of the Duke's Landing and that he began to gather Strength and was proclaimed King he thought himself so far concerned that he not only dispatched over the 6 English Regiments in the Dutch Pay but also sent away Monsieur Bentink to the King with Orders to acquaint him That tho' he looked upon the Duke of Monmouth to be a Man of no great Parts yet that he had a Warlike Genius and was better skilled in the Military Art than any the King was to employ against him and that therefore if His Majesty pleased he would not only lend him his Troops but come in Person also to Command his Army But the same Thing in effect having been communicated to Skelton at the Hague he was so maliciously bent against the Prince and his Interest that he used such Diligence as to give the King Notice of his Intentions before Bentink could arrive and that with such evil Interpretation upon the Prince's Offer that the King put off Monsieur Bentink with telling him He should acquaint his Master that their common Interests did require the Prince his staying in Holland and further opened his Mind unto him in such Terms as sufficiently discover'd he did not take his Highness's Zeal for his Service to be at that time seasonable However King James did well enough at this time without such Assistance and he was so far favoured in the Course of Providence that the Duke was utterly Routed at Sedgmore soon after taken and ordered to be brought up to London forthwith with no other Design you may be sure than to have his Head chopt off However not to be wanting to himself under such hard Circumstances he thought fit on the 8th of July to write the following Letter to the King from Ringwood SIR YOUR Majesty may think it is the Misfortune I now lie under makes me make this Application to You But I do assure Your Majesty it is the Remorse I now have in me of the Wrong I have done You in several Things and now in taking up Arms against You. For my taking up Arms It never was in my Thoughts since the King died The Prince and Princess of Orange will be Witness for me of the Assurance I gave them That I would never stir against You. But my Misfortune was such as to meet with some Horrid People that made me believe Things of Your Majesty and gave me so many false Arguments that I was fully led away to believe That it was a Shame and a Sin before God not to do it But SIR I will not trouble Your Majesty at present with many Things I could say for my self that I am sure would move Your Compassion The chief End of this Letter being only to beg of You That I may have that Happiness as to speak to Your Majesty For I have that to say to You SIR that I hope may give You a long and happy Reign I am sure SIR when You hear me You will be convinced of the Zeal I have for Your Preservation and how heartily I repent of what I have done I can say no more to Your Majesty now being this Letter must be seen by those that keep me Therefore SIR I shall make an end in begging of Your Majesty to believe so well of me That I would rather die a Thousand Deaths than excuse any Thing I have done if I did not really think my self the most in the Wrong that ever any Man was and had not from the Bottom of my Heart an Abhorrence for those that put me upon it and for the Action it self I hope SIR God Almighty will strike Your Heart with Mercy and Compassion for me as He has done mine with the Abhorrence of what I have done Therefore I hope SIR I may live to shew You how zealous I shall ever be for Your Service and could I say but one Word in this Letter You would be convinced of it but it is of that Consequence that I dare not do it Therefore SIR I do beg of You once more to let me speak to You for then You will be convinced how much I shall ever be Your Majesty's most Humble and Dutiful MONMOUTH What Impressions this or what afterwards the Duke told him in Private might have upon the King's Heart I know not but the Consequence proved he little regarded it by hastening of the Execution which was done the next Day but one after his arrival upon Tower-Hill July 15 unheard by Virtue of an Attainder past upon him in this Parliament A brave but unhappy Man not only in the Manner of his Death but the Education of his Youth whereby he became too much Tainted with the Vices of the then Court where he could learn no better but it was hoped he did not end as he began for he said himself upon the Scaffold and acknowledged it for a Mercy That for 2 Years before he had led a Better and more Reformed Life than ever And here I can't but take Notice of the Manner
and would gain his Point in favour of Dissenters at leastwise as to the gaining his Prerogative in Westminster-Hall and when he thought he had gone pretty far that way he granted a Commission of Ecclesiastical Affairs which yet was not opened till the 3d of Aug. though it had been Sealed some Months before But at last out it came and whereas I have never yet seen it Printed but once and lest the same should be forgotten I shall insert it in this place and it runs in the following Terms JAMES the Second by the Grace of GOD King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. TO the most Reverend Father in God our Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Councellor William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitan and to our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councellor George Lord Jefferies Lord Chancellor of England and to our Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Councellor Lawrence Earl of Rochester Lord High-Treasurer of England and to our Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Cousin and Councellor Robert Earl of Sunderland President of our Council and our principal Secretary of State and to the Right Reverend Father in God and our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councellor Nathaniel Lord Bishop of Duresme and to the Right Reverend Father in God our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Thomas Lord Bishop of Rochester and to our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councellor Sir Edward Herbert Knight Chief Justice of the Pleas before us to be holden assigned Greeting We for divers good weighty and necessary Causes and Considerations Us hereunto especially moving of our meer Motion and certain Knowledge by Force and Virtue of our Supream Authority and Prerogative Royal do Assign Name and Authorize by these our Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England you the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Chancellor of England Lord High-Treasurer of England Lord President of our Council Lord Bishop of Duresme Lord Bishop of Rochester and our Chief Justice aforesaid or any three or more of you whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one from time to time and at all times during our Pleasure to Exercise Use Occupy and Execute under Us all manner of Jurisdiction Priviledges and Preheminences in any wise touching or concerning any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions within this our Realm of England and Dominion of Wales and to Visit Reform Redress Order Correct and Amend all such Abuses Offences Contempts and Enormities whatsoever which by the Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm can or may lawfully be Reformed Ordered Redressed Corrected Restrained or Amended to the Pleasure of Almighty God and encrease of Vertue and the Conservation of the Peace and Unity of this Realm And we do hereby Give and Grant unto you or any Three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one thus by Us Named Assigned Authorized and Appointed by Force of our Supream Authority and Prerogative Royal full Power and Authority from time to time and at all times during our Pleasure under Us to Exercise Use and Execute all the Premises according to the Tenour and Effect of these our Letters Patents any Matter or Cause to the Contrary in any wise notwithstanding And we do by these Presents give full Power and Authority unto you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the Lord Chancellor to be one by all lawful Ways and Means from time to time hereafter during our Pleasure to enquire of all Offences Contempts Transgressions and Misdemeanors done and committed contrary to the Ecclesiastical Laws of this our Realm in any County City Borough or other Place or Places exempt or not exempt within this our Realm of England and Dominion of Wales and of all and every of the Offender or Offenders therein and them and every of them to Order Correct Reform and Punish by Censure of the Church And also we do Give and Grant full Power and Authority unto you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one in like manner as is aforesaid from time to time and at all times during our Pleasure to enquire of search out and call before you all and every Ecclesiastical Person or Persons of what Degree or Dignity soever as shall offend in any of these Particulars before-mentioned and them and every of them to Correct and Punish for such their Misbehaviours and Misdemeanours by Suspending or Depriving them from all Promotions Ecclesiastical and from all Functions in the Church and to inflict such other Punishment or Censures upon them according to the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm And further we do give full Power and Authority unto you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one by Virtue hereof and in like Manner and Form as is aforesaid to enquire hear determine and punish all Incest Adulteries Fornications Outrages Misbehaviours and Disorders in Marriage and all other Grievances and great Crimes or Offences which are punishable or reformable by the Ecclesiastical Laws of this our Realm committed or done or hereafter to be committed or done in any Place exempt or not exempt within this our Realm according to the Tenour of the Ecclesiastical Laws in that behalf Granting you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the Lord Chancellor to be one full Power and Authority to order and award such Punishment to every such Offender by Censures of the Church or other lawful Ways as is abovesaid And further We do give full Power and Authority to you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one to call before you or any three or more of you as aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one all and every Offender and Offenders in any of the Premises and also all such as by you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one shall seem to be suspected Persons in any of the Premises which you shall object against them and to proceed against them and every of them as the Nature and Quality of the Offence or Suspicion in that behalf shall require and also to call all such Witnesses or any other Person or Persons that can inform you concerning any of the Premises as you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one and them and every of them to examine upon their Corporal Oaths for the better Tryal and Opening of the Truth of the Premises or any part thereof And if you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one shall find any Person or Persons whatsoever obstinate or disobedient in their appearance before you or any three
for a free Parliament and the Protestant Religion York was in the hands of the associated Lords The Garison of Hull seized the Lord Langdale then Governor a Papist and the Lord Montgomery and disarmed some Popish Forces newly sent thither and then declared as New Castle had done Bristol was seized by the Earl of Shrewsbury and Sir John Guise Plymouth had long before submitted to the Prince of Orange and in short the Popish party was become so contemptible in London that on Thursday Dec. 6th there was an Hue and Cry after Father Petre publickly cried and sold in the Streets of London but this was not the worst neither for about the same time came out this following Declaration in the Name of the Prince of Orange By His Highness WILLIAM HENRY Prince of Orange A Third Declaration VVE have in the Course of our Life more particularly by the apparent Hazards both by Sea and Land to which we have so lately exposed our Person given to the whole World so high and undoubted Proofs of our fervent Zeal for the Protestant Religion that we are fully confident no true English Man and good Protestant can entertain the least Suspicion of our firm Resolution rather to spend our dearest Blood and perish in the Attempt than not to carry on the blessed and glorious Design which by the Favour of Heaven we have so successfully begun to rescue England Scotland and Ireland from Popery and Slavery and in a Free Parliament to Establish the Religion the Laws and the Liberties of these Kingdoms on such a sure and lasting Foundation that it shall not be in the Power of any Prince for the future to introduce Popery and Tyranny Towards the more easie compassing this great Design we have not been hitherto deceived in the just Expectation we had of the Concurrence of the Nobility Gentry and People of England with us for the Security of their Religion and the Restitution of the Laws and the Re-establishment of their Liberties and Properties Great Numbers of all Ranks and Qualities having joined themselves to us and others at great distances from us have taken up Arms and declared for us And which we cannot but particularly mention in that Army which was raised to be the Instrument of Slavery and Popery many by the special Providence of God both Officers and common Soldiers have been touched with such a feeling Sense of Religion and Honour and of true Affection to their Native Country that they have already deserted the illegal Service they were engaged in and have come over to Us and have given us full Assurance from the rest of the Army That they will certainly follow this Example as soon as with our Army we shall approach near enough to receive them without hazard of being prevented or betray'd To which end and that we may the sooner execute this just and necessary Design we are engaged in for the Publick Safety and Deliverance of these Nations We are resolved with all possible Diligence to advance forward that a Free Parliament may be forthwith called and such Preliminaries adjusted with the King and all things first settled upon such a Foot according to Law as may give us and the whole Nation just Reason to believe the King is disposed to make such necessary Condescension on his part as will give entire Satisfaction and Security to all and make both King and People once more Happy And that we may effect all this in the way most agreeable to our Designs if it be possible without the Effusion of any Blood except of those execurable Criminals who have justly forfeited their Lives for betraying the Religion and subverting the Lawes of their Native Country We do think fit to declare That as we will offer no Violence to any but in our own necessary Defence so we will not suffer any Injury to be done to the Person even of any Papist provided he be found in such Place and Condition and Circumstances at the Laws require So we are resolved and do declare That all People who shall be found in open Arms or with Arms in their Houses or about their Persons or in any Office Civil or Military upon any pretence whatsoever contrary to the known Laws of the Land shall be treated by Us and our Forces not as Soldiers and Gentlemen but as Robbers Free-Booters and Banditti they shall be incapable of Quarter and entirely delivered up to the Discretion of our Soldiers And we do further declare That all Persons who shall be found any ways aiding or assisting to them or shall march under their Command or shall join with or submit to them in the Discharge or Execution of their illegal Commission or Authority shall be looked upon as Partakers of their Crimes Enemies to the Laws and to their Country And whereas we are certainly informed That great numbers of Armed Papists have of late resorted to London and Westminster and Parts adjacent where they remain as we have reason to suspect not so much for their own Security as out of a wicked and barbarous Design to make some desperate Attempt upon the said Cities and the Inhabitants by Fire or a sudden Massacre or both or else to be the more ready to join themselves to a Body of French Troops designed if it be possible to land in England procured of the French King by the Interest and Power of the Jesuits in pursuance of the Engagements which at the Instigation of that pestilent Society his most Christian Majesty with one of his Neighbouring Princes of the same Communion has entred into for the utter Extirpation of the Protestant Religion out of Europe Though we hope we have taken suck effectual Care to prevent the onâ— and secure the other that by God's Assistance we cannot doubt but we shall defeat all their wicked Enterprises and Designs We cannot however forbear out of our great and tender Concern we have to preserve the People of England and particularly those great and populous Cities from the cruel Rage and blood Revenge of the Papists to require and expect from all the Lords Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace Lord-Mayors Mayors Sheriffs and other Magistrates and Officers Civil and Military of all Counties Cities and Towns in England especially of the County of Middlesex and Cities of London and Westminster and Parts adjacent that they do immediately disarm and secure as by Law they may and ought within their respective Counties Cities and Jurisdictions all Papists whatsover as Persons at all times but now especially most dangerous to the Peace and Safety of the Government that so not only all Power of doing Mischief may be taken from them but that the Laws which are the greatest and best Security may resume their Force and be strictly executed And we do hereby likewise declare That we will protect and defend all those who shall not be afraid to do their Duty in Obedience to these Laws And that for those Magistrates and others
Order they shall receive from Feversham This was directly a clear and full Abdication or Desertion of the Army which unavoidably necessitated them to submit to the Prince of Orange they having no Body to lead or head them against him And it is not conceivable how they could avoid entring into an Association or Oath of Allegiance to the Prince now the King had left them without exposing themselves by resisting a Foreign Army and a poisoned Nation For neither would the Nation continue long without a Prince nor would any Person who should have succeeded in that Capacity have suffered them to live within his Government without giving him Security by Oath for their Submission and Loyaly to him So that the whole Design of this Letter seems to be the Sowing Division in the Nation that when he left us we might not unite or settle our selves under the other but be divided by our Principles that so we might the more easily reduce us again into the State we are in when the Prince first designed his Expedition against England The King being gone as above-said Decem. 11. in the Morning the Principal Officers of the Army about the Town thereupon met about 10 a Clock at Whitehal and sent an Express to the Prince of Orange to acquaint him with the Departure of the King and to assure him that they would assist the Lord Mayor to keep the City quiet till his Highness came and made the Souldiery to enter into his Service Much about the same time the Lords Spiritual and Temporal about the Town came to Guildhal and sending for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen made the following Declartion The Declaration of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in and about the Cities of London and Westminster Aâ—â—â—mbled at Guild Hall the 14th of December 1688. VVE doubt not but the World believes that in this great and dangerous Conjuncture we are heartily and zealously concerned for the Protestant Religion the Laws of the Land and the Liberties and Properties of the Subject And we did reasonably hope that the King having issued out his Proclamation and Writs for a Free Parliament we might have rested secure under the Expectation of that Meeting But His Majesty having withdrawn himself and as we apprehend in order to his Departurâ— out of this Kingdom by the pernicious Counsels of Persons ill affected to our Nation and Roligion we cannot without being wanting to our Duty be silent under those Calamities wherein the Popish Counsels which so long prevailed have miserably involved these Realms We do therefore unanimously resolve to apply our selves to his Highness the Prince of Orange who with so great Kindness to these Kingdoms so vast Expence and so much Hazard hath undertaken by endeavouring to procure a Free Parliament to rescue us with as little effusion of Christian Blood as possible from the eminent Dangers of Popery and Slavery And we do hereby declare That we will with our utmost Endeavours assist his Highness in the obtaining such a Parliament with all speed wherein our Laws our Liberties and Properties may be secured the Church of England in particular with a due Liberty to Protestant Dissenters and in general the Protestant Religion and Interest over the whole World may be supported and encouraged to the Glory of God the Happiness of the Established Government in these Kingdoms and the Advantage of all Princes and States in Christendom that may be herein concerned In the mean time we will endeavour to preserve as much as in us lies the Peace and Security of these great and popalous Cities of London and Westminster and the parts adjacent by taking care to disarm all Papists and secure all Jesuits and Romish Priests who are in or about the same And if there be any thing more to be performed by Us for promoting his Highnes's Generous Intentions for the Publick Good we shall be ready to do it as occasion requires Signed W. Cant. T. Ebor. Pembrook Dorset Mulgrave Thanet Carlisle Craven Ailesbury Burlington Sussex Berkeley Rochester Newport Weymouth P. Winchester W. Asaph F. Ely Thoâ— Roffen Tho. Petriburg P. Wharton North and Gray Chandois Montague T. Jermâ—n Vaughan Carbery Culpeper Crewe Osulston Whereas His Majesty hath privately this Morning withdrawn himself we the Lords Spiritual and Temporal whose Names are hereunto Subscribed being Assembled in Guild-Hall in London having agreed upon and signed a Declaration of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in and about the Cities of London and Westminster Assembled at Guildhall the 11th of Decemb. 1688. do desire the Right Honourable the Earl of Pembrook the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Weymouth the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Ely and the Right Honourable the Lord Culpeper forthwith to attend His Highness the Prince of ORANGE with the said Declaration and at the same time to acquaint his Highness with what we have further done at this Meeting Dated at Guild-Hall Decemb. 11. 1688. The same Day the Lieutenancy of London signed this following Address to the Prince of Orange at Guild-Hall and sent it by Sir Robert Clayton Kt. Sir Will. Russel Sir Basil Firebrace Kts. and Charles Duncomb Esq May it please your Highness VVE can never sufficiently express the deep Sense we have conceived and shall ever retain in our Hearts that your Highness has exposed your Person to so many Dangers by Sea and Land for the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom without such unparalleled Undertaking we must probably have suffered all the Miseries that Popery and Slavery could have brought upon us We have been greatly concerned that before this Time we had not any reasonable Opportunity to give Your Highness and the World a Real Testimony That it has been our firm Resolution to venture all that is dear to us to attain those Glorious Ends which your Highness has proposed for Restoring and Settling these Distracted Nations We therefore now unanimously present to your Highness our Just and Due Acknowledgments for that happy Relief you have brought to us and that we may not be wanting in this present Conjuncture we have put our selves into such a posture that by the Blessing of GOD we may be capable to prevent all ill Designs and to preserve this City in Peace and Safety till your Highness's happy Arrival We therefore humbly desire that your Highness will please to repair to this City with what convenient speed you can for the perfecting the Great Work which your Highness has so happily begun to the general Joy and Satisfaction of us all The Prince of Orange in the mean time finding the Kings Troops now without Head to commit many Disorders put forth the following Declaration By the Prince of Orange A Declaration VVHereas We are informed That divers Regiments Troops and Companies have been incouraged to disperse themselves in an Vnusual and Vnwarrantable Manner whereby the Publick Peace is very much disturbed We have thought fit hereby
to require all Colonels and Commanders in Chief of such Regiments Troops and Companies by Beat of Drum or otherwise to call together the several Officers and Soldiers belonging to their respective Regiments Troops and Companies in such Places as they shall find most convenient for their Rendezvous and there to keep them in good Order and Discipline And We do likewise direct and require all such Officers and Soldiers forthwith to repair to such Place as shall be appointed for that purpose by the Respective Colonels or Commanders in Chief whereof speedy Notice is to be given unto Vs for our further Orders Given at Our Court at Henly Decemb. 13. 1688. Prince of ORANGE From Henly he advanced by easie Marches towards London being invited thither as already noted by diverse Noblemen and Citizens as the King was also by some Lords to return which he did on Sunday the 16th in the Evening a Sett of Boys following him through the Streets and made some Huzza's while the rest of the People silently looked on But before the King's Return the Privy Council and Peers met and made this Order on the 14th VVE the Peers of this Realm Assembled with some of the Lords of the Privy Council do hereby require all Irish Officers and Soldiers to repair forthwith to the respective Bodies to which they do or did lately belong and do hereby declare that behaving themselves peaceably they shall have Subsistence pay'd them till they shall be otherwise provided for or imployed And the said Officers and Soldiers are to deliver up their Arms to some of the Officers of the Ordnance who are to deposite the same in the Stores in the Tower of London And We do require and command all Justices of the Peace Constables and other Officers whom it may concern that they apprehend and seize all such Soldiers as shall not repair to their respective Bodies and that they be dealt with as Vagabonds Given at the Council Chamber at Whitehal the Fourteenth of Decemb. 1688. Tho. Ebor. Hallifax Dorset Carlisle Craven Nottingham Rochester N. Duresine P. VVinchester North and Gray J. Trevor J. Titus It was high time to put out this Order for on Thursday Dec. 13. about Three in the Morning there was a terrible Allarm That the Irish in a desperate Rage were approaching London putting Man Woman and Child to the Sword which made the People all rise placing Lights in their Windows from top to bottom and every Man guarding his own Door with his Musquet charged with Powder and Ball and all the Traindbands of the City were in Arms so that there was nothing heard but Shooting and Beating of Drums all Night And what is very strange this Allarm spread it self over the face of the whole Kingdom and all that were able to carry Arms vowed the Defence of their Lives Laws Religion and Liberties and stood resolved to destroy all the Irish and Papists in England in case any Injury were offered them but few Papists suffered in their Persons only their Houses were generally rifled under a pretence of searching for Arms and Ammunition The Prince who was now at VVindsor had sent M. Zulestein to the King to desire him to continue at Rochester but missing him the King came to VVhitehal and from thence sent the Lord Feversham with a Letter to the Prince to VVindsor to invite him to St. James's with what number of Troops he should think convenient to bring along with him But the Prince referring the Consideration of the Subject-Matter of the Letter to the Peers about him they concluded that the shortness of the Time could admit of no better Expedient that the King might be desired to remove with a reasonable Distance from London and Ham an House belonging to the Dutchess of Lauderdale was pitch'd upon and a Note or Paper dâ—rawn up to that purpose which was ordered to be delivered after the Prince's Guards were in Possession of the Posts about VVhitehall the Substance whereof was as follows WE desire you the Lord Marquess of Hallifax the Earl of Shrewsbury and the Lord Delamere to tell the King That it is thought convenient for the great Quiet of the City and the great Safety of his Person that he do remove to Ham where he shall be attended by his Guards who will be ready to preserve him from any Disturbance Given at VVindsor the Seventeenth Day of December 1688. VV. Prince de Orange The Guards who were commanded by Count Solmes made it 10 a Clock at Night before they could reach London And the Kings Guards then on Duty not being very forward to dislodge it was Twelve before the Lords could deliver the said Paper of which they first sent this Account to Secretary Middleton My Lord THere is a Message to be delivered to his Majesty from the Prince which is of so great Importance that we who are charged with it desire we may be immediately admitted and therefore desire to know where we may find your Lordship that you may introduce My Lord c. Hallifax Shrewsbury Delamere He accordingly presently introduced them the King being by that time in Bed where they made an Apology for coming at so unseasonable a Time and delivering him the Paper the King read it and said He would comply with it Upon this the Lords humbly desired he would remove so early as to be at Ham by Noon to prevent Meeting the Prince in his Way to London where he was to come the same Day His Majesty readily agreed to this too and asked whether he might not appoint what Servants should attend him To which the Lords replied That it was left to him to give Order in that as he pleased and so they took their Leave of him When they were gone as far as the Privy-Chamber the King sent for them again and told them he had forgot to acquaint them with his Resolutions before the Message came to send my Lord Godolphin next Morning to the Prince to propose his going back to Rochester he finding by the Message M. Zulestein was charged with the Prince had no Mind he should be at London and therefore he now desired he might rather return to Rochester than go to any other place The Lords replied That they would immediately send an Account to the Prince of what His Majesty desired and they did not doubt of such an Answer as would be to his Satisfaction Accordingly they sent to him who was then at Sion-House and before 8 next Morning there came a Letter from M. Bentink by the Prince's Order agreeing to the King's Proposals of going to Rochester Hereupon he went the Guards being made ready and Boats prepared that Night to Gravesend in his own Barge attended by the Earl of Arran and some few others The same Day being Dec. 18. about Three in the Afternoon His Highness the Prince of Orange came to St. James's attended by Monsieur Schomberg and a great Number of the Nobility and Gentry and was entertained with
a Joy and Concourse of the People which appeared free and unconstrained and all the Bells in the City were rung and Bonfires made in every Street The King continued at Rochester till Dec. 23. and then about 1 or 2 in the Morning he privately withdrew himself and taking only with him Mr. Ra. Sheldon and Mr. Delabady he went towards Dover and embarked in a Vessel laid ready for his Transportation to France The Queen who went hence the 10th arrived at Calais on the 11th and was in great pain not knowing what had happen'd in England for the King whom she expected every Tide But the King before he withdrew the second time wrote and left behind him the following Letter which was afterwards printed by his Order in London His Majesty's Reasons for withdrawing himself from Rochester writ with his own Hand and â—ordered by him to be Published THE World cannot wonder at my withdrawing my Self now this second time I might have expected somewhat better Usage after what I writ to the Prince of Orange by my Lord Feversham and the Instructions I gave him But instead of an Answer such as I might have hoped for what was I to expect after the Usage I received by the making the said Earl a Prisoner against the Practice and Law of Nations The sending his own Guards at 11 at Night to take Possession of the Posts at Whitehall without advertising me in the least manner of it The sending to me at One of the Clock at Mid-night when I was in Bed a kind of Order by three Lords to be gone out of my Palace before Twelve the same Morning After all this How could I hope to be safe so long as I was in the Power of one who had not only done this to me and invaded my Kingdoms without any just Occasion given him for it but that did by his own Declaration lay the greatest Aspersion on me that Malice could invent in that Clause of it which concerns my Son I appeal to all that know me nay even to himself that in their Consciences neither he nor they can believe me in the least capable of so unnatural a Villany nor of so little common Sense to be imposed on in a Thing of such a Nature as that What had I then to expect from one who by all Arts hath taken such pains to make me appear as Black as Hell to my own People as well as to all the World besides What Effect that hath had at home all Mankind hath seen by so general a Defection in my Army as well as in the Nation amongst all sorts of People I was born free and desire to continue so And tho' I have ventured my Life very frankly on several Occasions for the Good and Honour of my Country and am as free to do it again and which I hope I shall yet do as old as I am to redeem it from the Slavery it is like to fall under yet I think it not convenient to expose my self to be so secured as not to be at liberty to effect it and for that Reason to withdraw but so as to be within Call whensoever the Nation 's Eyes shall be opened so as to see how they have been imposed upon by the specious Pretences of Liberty and Property I hope it will please GOD to touch their Hearts out of his infinite Mercy and to make them sensible of the ill Condition they are in and bring them to such a Temper that a Legal Parliament may be called and that amongst other things which may be necessary to be done they will agree to Liberty of Conscience for all Protestant-Dissenters and that those of my own Persuasion may be so far considered and have such a Share of it as they may live peaceably and quietly as English Men and Christians ought to do and not be obliged to transplant themselves which would be very grievous especially to such who love their Country And I appeal to all Men who are considering Men and have had Experience whether any thing can make this Nation so great and flourishing as Liberty of Conscience Some of our Neighbours dread it I could add much more to confirm what I have said but now is not the proper Time Rochester Dec. 22. 1688. The Prince being come to London the Common-Council met and in the Name of the City returned him Thanks and congratulated him upon his great and glorious Expedition Then was there an Association signed at St. James's by near 60 Peers And at the Princes Request the Lords met at Westminster who desired him to take the Publick Administration upon him and agreed a â—onvention should meet on the 22d of January The Prince also put out the following Paper WHereas the Necessity of Affairs does require speedy Advice We do desire all such Persons as have served as Knights Citizens or Burgesses in any of the Parliaments that were held during the Reign of the late King CHARLES the Second to meet Vs at St. James's upon Wednesday the Six and Twentieth of this Instant December by Ten of the Clock in the Morning And We do likewise desire That the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen of the City of London would be present at the same time and that the Common-Council would appoint Fifty of their Number to be there likewise And hereof We desire them not to fail Given at St. James's the Three and twentieth Day of December 1688. W. H. Prince of Orange By His Highness's especial Command G. HUYGENS. The Commons attended accordingly and concurring fully with the Lords the Prince sent out his Circular Letters for the meeting of the said Convention With which we shall conclude the Affairs of this Memorable Year Only I must observe that it proved fatal to one of the most generous and bravest Princes of Europe the Elector of Brandenburgh who died May 10. in the 69th Year of his Age. year 1689 THis Year cannot be begun with any thing more memorable than with the Meeting of the Convention Parliament which was on Jan. 22d and the manner of their Proceedings Upon which Occasion the Prince of Orange directed to them the following Letter My Lords and Gentlemen I Have endeavoured to the utmost of my Power to perform what was desired from me in order to the Publick Peace and Safety and I do not know that any thing hath been omitted which might tend to the preservation of them since the Administration of Affairs was put into my Hands It now lieth upon you to lay the Foundations of a firm security for your Religion your Laws and your Liberties I do not doubt but that by such a full and free Representative of the Nation as is now met the Ends of my Declaration will be attained And since it hath pleased God hitherto to bless my good Intentions with so great success I trust in him that he will compleat his own Work by sending a Spirit of Peace and Union to influence your Counsels
Ecclesiastical Affairs By levying Money for and to the use of the Crown by pretence of Prerogative for other time and in other manner than the same was granted by Parliament By raising and keeping a standing Army within the Kingdom in time of Peace without Consent of Parliament and Quartering Soldiers contrary to Law By causing several good Subjects being Protestants to be disarmed at the same time when Papists were both arm'd and employ'd contrary to Law By violating the Freedom of Elections of Members to serve in Parliament By Prosecution in the Court of King's-Bench for Matters and Causes cognizable only in Parliament and by divers other Arbitrary and Illegal Courses And whereas of late Years partial corrupt and unqualified Persons have been returned and served on Juries in Trials and particularly divers Jurors in Trials for High-Treason which were not Freeholders And excessive Bail hath been required of Persons committed in Criminal Cases to elude the Benefit of the Laws made for the Liberty of the Subject And excessive Fines have been imposed And illegal and cruel Punishments inflicted And several Grants and Promises made of Fines and Forfeitures before any Conviction or Judgment against the Persons upon whom the same were to be levied All which are utterly and directly contrary to the known Laws and Statutes and Freedom of this Realm And whereas the late King James the Second having abdicated the Government and the Throne being thereby vacant His Highness the Prince of Orange whom it hath pleased Almighty God to make the Glorious Instrument of delivering this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power did by the Advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and divers principal Persons of the Commons cause Letters to be written to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being Protestants and other Letters to the several Counties Cities Vniversities Buâ—â—oughs and Cinque-Ports for the chusing of such Persons to represent them as were of right to be sent to Parliament to meet and sit at Westminster Jan. 22d 1688. in order to such an Establishment as that their Religion Laws and Liberties might not again be in danger of being subverted upon which Letters Elections have been accordingly made And thereupon the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons pursuant to their respective Letters and Elections being now assembled in a full and free Representation of this Nation taking into their most serious Consideration the best means for attaining the Ends aforesaid do in the first place as their Ancestors in like Cases have usually done for the vindicating their Ancient Rights and Liberties declare That the pretended Power of suspending Laws or the execution of Laws by Regal Authority without Consent of Parliament is illegal That the pretended Power of dispensing Laws or the executing of Laws by Regal Authority as it hath been assumed and exercised of late is illegal That the Commission for erecting the late Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes and all other Commissions and Courts of the like Nature are illegal and pernitious That levying of Money to or for the use of the Crown by pretence of Prerogative without Grant of Parliament for longer time or in other manner than the same is or shall be granted is illegal That it is the Right of the Subjects to petition the King and all Commitments and Prosecutions for such petitioning are illegal That the raising and keeping a standing Army within the Kingdom in time of Peace unless it be by Consent of Parliament is against Law That the Subjects being Protestants may have Arms for their Defence suitable to their Condition and as allowed by Law That the Election of Members of Parliament ought to be free That the Freedom of Speech or Debates and Proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any Court or Place out of Parliament That excessive Bail ought not to be requir'd nor excessive Fines imposed nor cruel and unusual Punishments inflicted That Jurors ought to be duly impannell'd and return'd and Jurors which pass upon Men in Trials for High-Treason ought to be Freeholders That all Grants and Promises of Fines and Forfeitures of particular Persons before Conviction are illegal and void And that for Redress of all Grievances and for the amending strengthening and preserving of the Laws Parliaments ought to be held frequently And they do claim demand and insist upon all and singular the Premises as their undoubted Rights and Liberties and that no Declarations Judgments Doings or Proceedings to the prejudice of the People in any of the said Premises ought in any wise to be drawn hereafter into Consequence or Example To which demand of their Rights they are particularly encouraged by the Declaration of his Highness the Prince of Orange as being the only means for obtaining a full Redress and Remedy therein Having therefore an intire Confidence that his said Highness the Prince of Orange will perfect the Deliverance so far advanced by him and will still preserve them from the violation of their Rights which they have here asserted and from all other Attempts upon their Religion Rights and Liberties The said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons assembled at Westminster do resolve That WILLIAM and MARY Prince and Princess of Orange be and be declared King and Queen of England France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging to hold the Crown and Royal Dignity of the said Kingdoms and Dominions to them the said Prince and Princess during their Lives and the Life of the Surviâ—or of them and that the sole and full Exercise of the Regal Power be only in and executed by the said Prince of Orange in the Names of the said Prince and Princess during their Lives and after their Deceases the said Crown and Royal Dignity of the said Kingdoms and Dominions to be to the Heirs of the Body of the said Princess and for default of such Issue to the Princess Anne of Denmark and the Heirs of her Body and for default of such Issue to the Heirs of the Body of the said Prince of Orange And the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons do pray the said Prince and Princess of Orange to accept the same accordingly And that the Oaths hereafter mentioned be taken by all persons of whom the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy might be required by Law instead of them and that the said Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy be abrogated I A. B. Do sincerely Promise and Swear That I will be Faithful and bear true Allegiance to Their Majesties King WILLIAM and Queen MARY So help me God I A. B. Do Swear That I do from my Heart Abhor Detest and Abjure as Impious and Heretical this damnable Doctrine and Position That Princes Excommunicated or Deprived by the Pope or any Authority of the See of Rome may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do declare That no Foreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power
Grand Master of the Tutonick Order to be their Prince and Bishop both which sent to the Emperor and Court of Rome about it and this was as likely to imbroil the Confederates Affairs as any thing that had yet hapned the last named of the Candidates or Princes Elect being no less than Brother-in-Law to the Emperor who we might reasonably suppose would espouse his Cause with all the Interest he had as the other was Brother to the Elector of Bavaria who besides his own Interest that was considerable had 't was generally believed that of the King of England and the States of Holland on his side But while things hung thus in suspence and that particularly both Parties were expecting the Decision of the See of Rome Heaven decided the Contest in an unexpected manner by the Death of the Grand Master of a certain contagious Distemper that had for some time been rise in the City of Liege and so the Elector of Cologn in some time after got the peaceable Possession of the Principality which together with the great Power of the Confederates in Flanders made things look with an ill Aspect upon the Affairs of France For the Confederate Army now under the King's Command encamped at Mont St. Andrew where they all joined amounting in Horse and Dragoons to no less than 31800 Men all very well Mounted and Armed and of the Dragoons more especially it may be said that such a Body either for Number or the good Order they were in has hardly ever been in the Field and in Foot to 51000 besides a Body of about 7000 Men under the Command of Count Thien near Ghendt But tho' the French were not far inferiour in Number yet the Dauphine used all his Endeavours to decline Fighting and the King put him hard to it so that the French Army was in a manner couped up by him for a time under the Walls of their Garrison of Huy and reduced to considerable streights where we shall leave them and the Confederates in their respective Camps and where they continued while the English Fleet in the Channel were Bombing the Maritime-Towns of France to the great Consternation of the poor Inhabitants as well as their utter Ruin And what good Mein soever the French Court put upon it it was a business that made them Heart-sick as afterwards appeared when they came to Bombard Brussells Diep in Normandy was the first Town that felt the Fuâ—â— of the English Bombs before which my Lord Berkley oâ— the 12th of July brought the Fleet as near as possible and sent 6 Ment of War and 9 Bomb Galliots away to take their Stations and from that day at Night till 4 the next Morning they threw into the City 1100 Bombs and Carcasseâ— that set the Houses on Fire in several places so that the Townsmen not knowing whither to run and despairing to quench it took a fright and began to run away in Disorder which made the Marquess of Bearon send 2 Battalions of the Militia of Bretaign to encourage the Inhabitants but the Disorders were so great and the Fire so terrible that the Soldiers fled with the rest So that if the Confederates had known what had passed they might in all probability have possest themselves of the Place however they so ruin'd it that there was hardly a House left unshattered but the greatest part were intirely reduced to Ashes From hence the Fleet allarming all the Coast sailed towards Havre de Grace where on the 26th about 3 in the Afternoon they begaâ— to approach the Town under the Direction of Captain Bembâ— into which between 4 and 5 they began to throw their Bombs which they continued till next Morning when the Wind blowing hard they gave over shooting but tho' Havre de Grace was not entirely ruined as Deâ—p was yet a great part of it was Burnt and so considerable Damage done to the Place as was not soon repaired And if the French were thus put to it on the Coast their Army was not a little streightned by that of the Confederates in the Netherlands for though the Dauphine declared he had received Orders from his Father not to budge from his Camp at Vignamont as long as the Confederates continued at theirs at Mont St. Andre yet being not able possibly to subsist there any longer he resolved to decamp first and though he thought to have concealed his design by sending forth several little Bodies of Horse under Pretence of Forraging to reinforce the Marquess of Harcourt's Body on the other side of the Meuse who was to seize the advantageous Post of Picton and by that means get before the Confederates yet the King who was aware of the Design decamped before him on the 8th of Aug. and soon gained the Posts of Picton where there was not Forrage for above 4 days and being informed of the Enemies March moved towards Neville thence to Lessines having sent Orders before for the Baking of Bread at Ghent and Aeth On the 12th the Army posted it self at Chieere from whence that Evening a numerous Detachment of Horse and Foot with some Pieces of Cannon went to possess themselves of a Post upon the Scheld and the Army followed on the 14th with an intention to have passed the River at Pont Espeires But tho' the Confederates made great haste to get thither the French made more to prevent them For on the 15th the Elector of Bavaria having advanced towards Pont de Eschaieâ—â—e with a numerous Detachment in order to attack the Passage of the River he found the French to the number of 30000 Men entrenched on the other side up to their Teeth so as that he did not think it convenient to proceed But that hasty March of the French cost them more Men and Horses than they have been willing to own they had lost in some of their Battles However it must be said it was a business that was worth while to hinder the Confederates to enter into French Flanders where if they had once done so they would in all probability together with some important Conquest have secured some Winter Quarters at least Besides other losses that would almost inevitably have followed And this the French King was so sensible of that he writ a Letter with Orders for the reading it at the Head of the Army wherein he returned thanks in the first place to the Princes of the Blood then to the Mareshal de Luxemburg as having a principal share in the Conduct to the rest of the Marshals of France and all the General Officers and lastly to all the French and Swiss Infantry Regiment by Regiment beginning with that of the Guards and acknowledged how much beholding he was to their Zeal and infinite Diligence for the Preservation of their Country Lives and most inportant Places on the Sea-side and assured them he would acknowledge upon all Occasions that same Testimony of their Affection and desired a continuation of it But
out of favour K. Charles II's different Carriage to the Addressors Mr. Sidney sent Embassador into Holland and for what K. Charles makes a Defensive Alliance with Holland The Dauphine intended to marry Dauphine married to the Princeâ—â— of Bavaria The Emperor's Memorial to the Diet at Ratisbone concerning the French Infractions The Result of the Diet. The Empire complain of France Parliamenâ— met The Bill of Exclusion The Bill thrown out of the House of Lords The Parliament prosecute the Abhorrers of Petitioning The Resolution of the Commons against lending the King Money The Earl of Ossory's Death The Death of the Electors of Saxony and Palatine The Earl of Essex's Speech to the King The Lords Petition to the King Fitz-Harris his Libel The Oxford Parliament dissolved The King's Declaration after the Dissolution of the Parliament Stephen Colledge Try'd The Earl of Argyle's Case Articles granted Strasburg Protestant Dissenters Prosecuted The Charter of London questioned The pretended Presâ—byterian â—ior Earl of Essex's Death Lord 〈…〉 Speech Col. Sidney Try'd Col. Sidney's Paper Methods used to get the Charters of Cities surrender'd The League of Ausburg The Carriage of the French upon the Turks invading Hungary The Emperor prepares against the Turks Newheusel besieged by the Imperialists The Siege raised The Turks advance to Austria The Tartars attack the Germans Great Consternation at Vienna The Turks form the Siege of Vienna A Journal of the Siege from the Beginning to the End Count Staremberg's Letter to the Duke of Lorain The Battel of Barkan Gran besieged by the Germans 〈…〉 K. Charles contemptible abroad Luxemburg besieged by the French and surrender'd The 20 Years Truce Genoa bombarded by the French Fleet. Vicegrade besieged and taken by the Imperialists The Siege of Buda The D. of Lorain's Letter to the Emperor concerning the beating of the Turks Army The Siege of Buda raised Count Lesley routs the Turks in Selavonia and takes Virovitz The Emperor's Forces successful against the Turks in Vpper Hungary 〈…〉 The Campaign in Poland The Venetians take Sancta Maura The Venetians make â—ncursions into the Turkish Territories The Venetians besiege Prevesa Prâ—vesa surrendered The Death of King Charles II. K. James 〈◊〉 Speech to the Council◠〈…〉 K. James II Crownâ—d and his Speech to the Parliament The Parliament gives him a great deal of Money The Earl of Argyle's Declaration Argyle taken and beheaded K. James his Practices against the Duke of Monmouth D. of Monmouth lands in England His Declaration The P. of Orange's Offers to King James rejected The D. of Monmouth's Letter to K. James Monmouth Beheaded The cruel Executions in the Wâ—st Mr. Cornish Try'd Mr. Cornish Executed K. James's Proceedings in respect to Ireland Talbot's Villany K. James's Speech to his Parliament The Lords Voted Thanks for the Speech The Commons debated it and addrest the King to turn our the Popish Officers Parliament dissolved Neuheusel Besieged by the Imperialists The Turks Besiege Gran. The Battel of Gran. Vicegrade taken by the Turks Neuheusel taken by Storm The Serasquier's Letter to the D. of Lorain Esperies besieged by General Schultz Surrendred The Siege and Battel of Coron Coron taken Dr. Hough chosen President of Magdalen Collede The Fellows of Magdalen College turn'd out Dangerfield Sentenced and kill'd Mr. Johnson's Sentence K. James's Letter to the Scotch Parliament Buda besieged The Battel of Buda The Siege continued Buda stormed Buda taken Five Churches besieg'd Surrender'd The besieging and taking of Syclos Darda abandon'd by the Turks The Pr. of Baden burns the Bridge of Esseck Segedin besieg'd The Battel of Scinta Segedin surrender'd to the Imperialists Chialafa besieged by the Turks The Turks beaten and raise the Siege Old Navarino besieged and taken New Navarino besieged New Navarino surrender'd Modon besieged by the Venetians Surrendred Napoli di Romania besieged The Turks defeated Napoli di Romania taken Sign besieged Sign taken The King of Poland invades Moldavia The Hospodar's Message to him and his Answer The King of Poland routs the Turks and Tartars A Proclamation for a Toleration of Religion in Scotland Tyrconnel made Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland and other Proceedings there The Duke of Lorrain towards 〈◊〉 The Battel of Mohatz Transilvania revolts Butschin besieged by the Imperialists Esseck abandoned by the Turks Transylvania reduced by the Imperialists Arch-Duke Joseph crowned K. of Hungary Agria surrender'd to the Imperialists The Revolution of the Turkish Empire ended with the Deposing of Mabomet IV. and advancing his Brother Solyman to the Throne Sign besieged by the Turks and relieved by the Venetians Castlenovo besieged by the Venetians The Turks routed by the Venetians The Turks abandon Patrass Lepanto c. Corinth abandoned by the Turks and several other Places Atâ—ens quitted to the â—enetians 〈…〉 K. James his Declaration of Indulgence commanded to be Read in Churches The Bishops Petition The King's Answer The Bishops sent to the Tower Tryed and Acquitted Alba Regalis surrendred to the Germans Lippa besieged and taken by the Imperialists Illock and Peter-Waradin deserted by the Turks Belgrade besieged by the Imperialists Belgrade taken by Storm The Battel of Brod. The Affairs of Venice and Poland The Bishop of Bath VVells ☞ ☜ The Prince of Orange lands in England P. George's Letter to the King The Princess Ann's Letter to the Queen â—ivers â—â—aces seized for the Use of the Prince of Orange The P. of O's Third Declaration K. J's Proposals to the Pr. of Orange The Prince's Answer K. J's Letter to the E. of Fevâ— rsham The E. of Feversham's Letter to the Pr. of Orange P. of Or. his Declaration The P. of 〈◊〉 Message to the King K. James's Reasons for withdrawing himself The English Declaration of Right P. and P. of Orange proclaimed K. and Q. or England The Scot. Declarat of Right P. and P. proclaimed in Scotland K. and Q. take the Scotch Oath Dundee slain Tyrconnel sent for K. James to Ireland The Emperor's Letter to the late K. James The late K. James lands in Ireland Protestants disarm'd in Ireland The Irish routed by the Iniskillingers and Mackarty made a Prisoner D. Schomberg lands in Ireland Carrigfergus bâ—sieged Carrigfergus surrendred D. Schomberg marched towards Dundaâ—k A Conspiracy discovered among the French in the English Army The Iniskilliners defeat the Irish near Sligo The Irish take Sligo The English at Dundalk die â—pace Keyserwaert besieged by the Duke of Brandenburg â—eiserwater surrendred Mentz besieged by the Confederates Mentz surrendred The French burning and ravaging the Palatinate Bonne besieged by the Elector of Brandenburg Bonne besieged Bonne surrendred to the Confederates Prince Lewis of Baden made General in Hungary The Battel of Patochin French make Peace with the Algerines Baden routs the Tarks near Nissa Nissa taken by the Imperialists Widin surrendred to the Imperiaâ—iâ—ts The Turkish Embassadors press for a Peace Napoli di Malvasia blockaded bâ— the Venetians The Vâ—udois pâ—rsecution at an end The death of Innocent XI Laws made agaiâ—st Popish Succesâ—ors