Treaty of Peace they were forced to restore all to the English again but they left St. Christophers in so pittiful a plight by destroying all the Plantations that it seemed in a manner to be as much a Wilderness as when first the English took footing in it About Seven Years after things veer'd about the French joining with the English against the Dutch in a second Dutch War during this Reign and here a late learned Author has observed that as the English were so succesful in the former War against both and the Dane to boot and were never beaten but once and that when the Fleet was divided so in this the English in all the Fights they had which were Four came off with more loss then the Dutch but the truth of it is the French only came out to learn to fight both in the one and the other War for they stood still looking on or firing at a very great distance while the English and Dutch battered one another and Monsieur de Martel for falling on and engaging bravely was recalled check'd and dismissed his imploy in so much that the Parliament who began to smell the French designs moved November the 4th 1673. that the Allyance with France was a Grievance and so a Peace was concluded with the States and our King sets up for a Mediator at Nimeguen between the French and Dutch with their Confederates and in the mean time having got considerable supplies from his Parliament raises Forces for the French King had during this Navall War possessed himself of a great part of Flanders and the Territories of the States but before a Peace was shuffled up or at leastwise before the Prince of Orange knew or would know of its being concluded the Prince not staying for Eight Thousand English that were on their march to join him did with the assistance only of Ten Thousand English under the command of the Duke of Monmouth and Earl of Ossery storm the Duke of Luxemburg's Camp fortified with all Imaginable Art before Monts with that resolution and bravery that he beat him out of it and relieved the place and this was the last act of Hostility between England and France of any kind during this Reign this King afterwards instead of putting a stop to the growing greatness of that Kingdom fell in more and more with the interest of it and the Nation during the latter part of his Reign was almost rent to pieces with the Parties of Whig and Tory which are but too much felt to this day and he himself at last died on the 6th of February 168 4-85 in the Fifty Fifth Year of his Age and the 37th of his Reign computing it from his Father's Death JAMES II. ONly Surviving Brother to Charles II. immediately assumed the English Crown of which notwithstanding the opposition made against him in the preceding Reign he got a peaceable possession but had not been long invested with the regal Dignity when the Earl of Argyle landing in Scotland and the Duke of Monmouth in the West of England put him in no small danger of losing that he had so lately attained but this storm blew over and ended in the Execution of both the aforesaid Chiefs with a multitude of their followers and that in a very barbarous manner which execution as it drew no small emulation upon his Person so the success egged him on with so much violence in the pursuits of his designs for the advancing of the Papal Power in these Kingdoms that it made the Subjects now in danger of the loss both of their Religion and Civil Properties have recourse for relief to that Prince who has since so worthily filled the Abdicated Throne and who then readily embraced their Quarrel and in the most perillous season of the Year with an Army from Holland landed at Torbay Novemb. 5th 1688. a day and year memorable in the Annals of time for the English deliverance and having wished success was the 13th of February following with his Princess Proclaimed King and Queen of England c. King James having sometime before withdrawn himself into France with whom he was so far from having any Wars during his absent four Years Reign that he entred into a stricter Alliance with that Crown but since his present Majesty's ascending of the Throne what traverses of War there have been between England and France by Sea and Land and what the Causes of them were consists in the following Pages WILLIAM III. UPon King James's withdrawing himself out of the Kingdom and retiring into France in consideration the French had committed many Hostilities in the Palatinate on the Rhine and on the Frontiers of Flanders and assisted the Irish in Rebellion with considerable Naval and Land Forces a War was Proclaimed and the King of England entered into a strict confederacy against the French King with Brandenburgh Spain and the United Provinces c. to hinder the Excessive Power and growing Greatness of France from Insulting over the Neighbouring Princes and Forces were sent over under the Command of the Earl of Marlborough and others who gained considerable advantages over the French Parties But as yet the greatest Scene of War on our Part was in Ireland where the Earl of Tyrconnel had declared for King James and put most of the Irish Papists especially in Arms stopping the Ports and hindering the Escape of many English nor was it long e'er King James Landed there with a great many French Officers and Soldiers so that most of the Principal Places in that Kingdom fell into his Hands A Party of the Iniskilling Men and London-Derry being almost all the Loyal English held in Ireland and these two acted wonders and in fine baffled the Enemies Power for the former gained in several signal advantages in the Field and the latter the Town being commanded in chief by one Mr. Walker a Minister a very valiant Man though enduring the Extremity of Famine that no unclean thing was left uneaten held out a Siege of 105 days Killing a great number of the Enemy in Salleys and from the Wall whose Army against it was at least 40000 so that the Besieged being relieved with Provisions by the way of the River the Besiegers despairing of success drew off and were pursued loosing a great many Men and some Cannon Tents and Ammunition in the Retreat On the 13th of August 1689. the Duke of Schomberg with a fair Army from England Landed at Carickfergus whereupon the Garison of Antrim deserted and Carickfergus after a short Battery surrendred the Garison being only allowed to march out without Baggage to the next Garison and that Winter the Duke Encamped after reducing some other Places on the Plains of Dundalk whose unhealthy Air and Dampness destroyed abundance of our Men yet in that Season Parties were daily out took some Places and got great Advantage over the Enemies Parties in the Field In 1690. The King with a Royal Army set forward and landed the fifteenth
Life as to Forreign Affairs for he died not long after to wit in the Year 1547. the Fifty Sixth of his Life and of his Reign the Eight and Thirtieth The causes of this War with France were partly reasons of State and partly the League which King Henry had made with the Emperor EDWARD VI. BOrn at Hampton Court succeeded his Father King Henry VIII at the Age of nine Years a most excellent Prince and the wonder of the the Age both for Learning and Piety but England did not long enjoy the fruit of the Blessings coutched in his Person his Reign being shortned by an immature Death as it had been in a great measure rendred uneasie through the Feuds of the Nobles during his Life this together with the Reformation carried on at home made the Enemy insult abroad insomuch that the French assumed the boldness in Conjunction with the Scots to attack us in our own Borders for in the second year of this King's Reign on St. Peter's Eve Monsieur Dassey the French General with 10000 French and Germans besides Scots laid siege to Haddington a Town in Scotland but then in the hands of the English the Town made a most vigorous defence and at length came 1300 Horse from Berwick with intent to relieve it but failed in the attempt for most of the Horse being surrounded by the Enemy were either slain or made Prisoners together with Sir Robert Bowes and Sir Thomas Palmer their Commanders but for all this great discouragement and misfortune the Garrison would not flinch but continued making frequent and successfull Sallies upon the Enemy till Aug. 20. when the Earl of Shrewsbury with 16000 Men 4000 whereof were Germans came to succour the Place the Enemy had no sooner intelligence thereof but they marched away with all speed but first highly applauded the bravery of the Garrison the Earl revictualled the place for that time and then returned tho it was thought afterwards convenient to demolish it which was accordingly performed the 20th of September following by the Earl of Rutland The Year following i.e. the 3d. of the Kings reign it came to an open rupture between England and France the French thinking to surprise Jersey and Guernsey came suddenly with many Gallies upon our Fleet there but were received with that Resolution and Bravery that they were forced to flee with great loss both of Men and Shipping News came to the King and Protector Aug. 28th that the French had taken Blackness Hamiltoun and Newhaven near Bulloign by the means of one Sturton as 't was said a natural Son of the Lord Sturton who betrayed this last place into the Hands of the Enemy and took service himself in the French Army hereupon the Captain of Bulloign Bark fearing the consequence after he had conveyed the Stores and Ordinance to the High Town blew up the Fort the French made all possible preparations to attack the Place and for the more vigorous carrying on of the Siege and encouragement of the Soldiers the French King comes before Bulloign in Person where were many famous exploits done both by the Assailants and Defendants but the brave Sir Nicholas Arnold who was Governor began and continued to make so prudent as well as brave resistance that the French were constrained at last to quit their Enterprize and hereupon were made some overtures of Peace which at last was concluded and wherein it was agreed that Bolloign should be delivered up to the French upon condition there should be a reservation of King Edward's Title to the Crown of France and due payment made unto him of 500000 Crowns This King being about Sixteen Years Old died at Greenwich July 6th having reigned Six Years and about Five Months The cause of this War was the King's Minority and Feuds at home whereof the French thought to take advantage MARY ELdest Daughter to King Henry VIII by Q. Katherine of Spain succeeded her Brother Edward Anno 1553. pursuant to their Father's Will though contrary to her Brothers who left the Lady Jane Grey his Successor and after some small opposition by the foresaid Lady's Party more especially the Duke of Northumberland her Husbands Father got peaceable possession of the Throne and was crowned at Westminster the last of April in great State and Magnificence the former part of her Reign which in all was but short was much taken up in restoring Popery and the papal Power in her Dominions which she effected in a great measure through the shedding of much innocent Blood which has left a bitter stain upon her Memory in the Records of time as well for her Cruelty as Superstition tho Authors generally represent her to be a Princes of her self Compassionate and good natur'd she was married to Phillip King of Spain on St. James day in the second year of her Reign and this marriage engaged her about the fifth year of her Reign in a War with France for King Phillip passing over to Calais and so to Flanders made great preparations against the French King and was assisted therein with a Thousand English Horse Four Thousand Foot and 2000 Pioneers whereof the Earl of Pembrock was General with this reinforcement King Phillip directs his March to St. Quintin and after a sharp Siege takes the place the English of whom the Lord Henry Dudley who first advanced the Standard upon the Wall was here slain doing him mighty service herein which the King generously rewarded with the spoils of the Town but this Action may be truly said to have been fatal to England in regard 't was the principal cause of the loss of Calais for while the greatest part of that Garrison was imployed in the foresaid Siege and before Calais was reinforced having then but 500 men in it the Duke of Guise with a Powerful Army advances towards it entrenches himself at Sand-gate sent one detatchment along the Downs towards Risebank and anotherb to Newnem-Bridge he soon possesses himself of oth for the few Soldiers that guarded them had fled secretly into the Town the next day they raised a Battery from the Hills of Rise-Bank against the Walls of Calais between the Water-gate and the Prison and continuing the same for three days made a small breach by which they could not well enter neither was it so designed for while the English were busie in the defence of this place the French making their way through the Ditch which was full of Water entred the Castle designing thence to pass into the Town but here the brave Sir Anthony Hagar withstood them and stopped their further progress though to the loss of his own life For there was not a man besides killed during the Siege till the Governour the Lord Wenthworth that same Evening which was the fifth of January considering succours far the Enemies nigh approach and the weakness of the Garrison thought fit to capitulate and so it was agreed the Town with the Ammunition and Artillery should be delivered to the French the
of June at Carickfergus where he was Received with great Joy and marched to joyn the other Camp And having put all things in good order fought with the Irish and French headed by K. James on the first of July and having gained the Pass of the River Boyne utterly Defeated them so that K. James flying to Dublin soon after left the Kingdom where King William Arriving settled the Affairs appointing Sheriffs and other Officers and having Reduced many Places passed to the Siege of Limerick which was not Successful this Year However the Important Town of Cork and Kingsale were taken at the Siege of the former The Noble Duke of Grafton was Slain as the Valiant Duke of Schomberg and Dr. Walker had been at the Battle of the Boyne The next Year the King preparing for Flanders The Baron d'Ginkle was appointed to Command the English Forces in Ireland who had the good Success to take Ballymore Athlone Galloway and give a Total Defeat to French and Irish at Agarhim where Monsieur St. Ruth the French General was Killed with a Cannon Shot and then laying a straight Siege to Limerick after a tedious Battery it was Surrendered on advantageous Articles and with it all Ireland submitting to its due Obedience Whilst these things passed in Ireland Scotland had been perplexed with War But the Viscount Dundee who was the Head of the adverse Party being Slain in a Battel with Major General Makâ—y King James's Interest soon declined there the Castle of Dublin Surrendered as sometime after did the Bass and all Scotland was quieted So that now the Scene of War lay on and beyond the Seas For the Earl of Torrington not well prepared as appears to Engage the French Fleet a considerable Loss was sustained particularly on the part of the Dutch who too eager to gain the Windward fell on too soon not staying for the coming up of the English So that most of their Squadron was either Taken Burnt or Sunk Upon this French Insulted our Coast and burnt Tingmouth a little Fishers Village But hearing all the Country was in Arms durst not Advance so with doing little other Damage they returned home But this was Revenged in due time by Admiral Russel with an entire Defeat of their whole Navy Commanded by Monsieur Tourvil whereof 36 great and small were Burnt and Sunk and their Coasts the following Years were hazarded and Insulted with Fire and Sword Diep and Haverdegrace mostly layed in Ruins Calis Dunkirk and St. Maloes Bombarded and a great number of other Ships Burnt Sunk and Taken in the narrow Seas and in the Mediterranean where Admiral Russel with the Royal Navy Insulted and Blocked them up in their own Harbours of Marseiles and Toloun so that we were every where entire Masters of the Sea Whilst things passed thus on the watery Empire War with extended bloody Banners Raged on the Shoar The King having settled Affairs with the Congress of Princes Marched into the Field the Duke of Brandenburg having before taken several Towns from the French as Bon c. And the French layed in Ashes Worms Spires Hydelburg Openheim c. They had also taken Mons and soon after Namur But the Duke of Savoy coming into the Confederacy Diverted part of their Army into Piedmont and the Valleys of Lucern giving free Tolleration to the Vudois who greatly Assisted him in the War So that he took Casel and some other strong Places but being hardly pressed and overthrown in a Battel by Monsieur Catinat wherein the Valiant Young Duke of Schomberg who Commanded the English being Slain he was so disheartned that by the French Artifice Marrying his Daughter to the Dauphin's Eldest Son he was brought over to make a League with France contrary to the Mind of the Confederates The English being now strong in Flanders were mainly Instrumental in stopping and forcing the whole French Army to Retreat at Walcourt where else the Dutch had in all probability been They shewed no less Courage and Bravery at Enghein where the French lost a great many of their best Soldiers and Mentz was taken by the Imperialists The French in the mean while surprized Newport and Bruges and afterward Denyse and Dixmude taken before from them and several small Places were taken and re-taken on each side as Hall Heye c. The King endeavouring to bring the French to a Battel they strongly Encamped behind a Bullwork besides narrow Passes Hedges and Breastworks before them but the undaunted English Danes and some others Encouraged by His Majesty's Heroick Example and Lead on by their Brave Commanders had forced the Pass and in all probability utterly Routed them had they been according to expectation Succoured by other Nations But that neglected a great many Brave Men Officers and Soldiers were Slain as soon after was the Worthy Lieutenant General Talmash attempting to force his Landing at Cameret Bay near Brest The Duke of Bavaria by this time being made Governour of the Spanish Netherlands The Duke of Wirtemberg was sent out with about 25000 Horse and Foot to Force the French Lines which he Successfully did and entering French Flanders put it under Contribution and took great Booty But the Duke of Luxemburg General of the French main Army taking this Advantage knowing our Camp was weakened by this large Detachment bore down upon it near Landen to force the Lines where the Fight at a distance beginning by break of day and so coming on nearer continued exceeding hot till near Sun Set When the French pouring on their great Numbers being double ours forced a Passage into the Camp with the loss of near 20000 of their best Men. The King in this Bloody and long doubtful Fight Signilizing the Conduct and Courage of an Experienced Commander and Valiant Soldier Leading up the Battalions and Squadrons to the Face of the Enemy but necessity at last constrained him and the Duke of Bavaria to Retire which they did in good Order and the Army being Recruited soon took the Field again and forced the French to Retreat to their former Camp And this Year Died the Duke of Luxemburg after which the French did little of Moment rather making in Flanders and on the Rhine a Defensive than Offensive War So that Catinat was recalled from Savoy Namure lost and a great many of their Party 's cut off their Plots and Stratagems likewise mostly failing so that being weary of War they began earnestly to seek for Peace Imploring the King of Sweden to become a Mediator in it and all they have since done as the last faint Stroak was to take Barcelona in Catalonia though it is thought had the Vice-Roy been diligent in Succouring it it could not have fallen into their Hands One part of it lying open and besides this Monsieur Ponti Plundered Cartagena belonging to the Spaniards in the West-Indies and got much Riches having the Luck to Escape our Squadron which was in Quest of him And now Peace being hearken'd to on all Sides the Ambassadors Plenipotentiaries met at the Kings Pallace at Ryswick in Holland and after many Memorials delivered and Debates passing between them came to a Friendly and Amicable Agreement The French King by the Treaty being obliged to deliver up a great many important Places to the Confederates and to comply with many other advantageous Things and particularly to Restore the King of England the Principality of Orange with its Appendancies and Revenues since it has been Seized and unjustly Detained Also what has been taken during the War in the West-Indies c. And so the Articles being Ratified and Peace Proclaimed the King returned and passed through the City of London in a Triumphant manner on the 16th of November 1697. FINIS