willing to assist them in every thing that concerns the Well and Interest of that Kingdom by making what Laws shall be necessary for the Security of their Religion Property and Liberty and to ease them of what may be justly grievous to them After which the Coronation Oath was tendered to Their Majesties which the Earl of Argile spoke word by word distinctly and the King and Queen repeated it after him holding their Right Hands up after the manner of taking Oaths in Scotland The Meeting of the Estates of Scotland did Authorise their Commissioners to represent to his Majesty That that Clause in the Oath in relation to the rooting out of Hereticks did not import the destroying of Hereticks and that by the Law of Scotland no Man was to be Persecuted for his private Opinion and even Obstinate and Convicted Hereticks were only to be Denounced Rebels or Outlawed whereby their Moveable Estates are Confiscated His Majesty at the repeating that Clause in the Oath did declare That he did not mean by these words that he was under any Obligation to become a Persecutor To which the Commissioners made answer That neither the meaning of the Oath or the Law of Scotland did import it Then the King Replyed that he took the Oath in that Sense and called for Witnesses the Commissioners and others present and theâ— both their Majesties Signed the said Coronation Oath After which the Commissioners and several of the Scotch Nobility Kissed their Majesties Hands The Parliament in England proceeded to enact many Laws for the ease of the People and Security of the Kingdom One for taking away the Revenue arising from the Hearth-Money by his Majesties own desire who willingly resigned up his Right therein because it was found grievous to the People though it occasioned a great Diminution to the Revenue of the Crown another Act was passed for exempting their Majesties Protestant Subjects Dissenting from the Church of England from the Penaltier of certain Laws another for Abrogating the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance and appointing other Oaths another for Prohibiting all Trade and Commerce with France with divers more and about the same time the House of Commons presented His Majesty the following Address We your Majesties most Loyal and Dutiful Subjects the Commons in Parliament Assembled most Humbly lay before your Majesty our earnest Desires that your Majesty would be pleased to take into your most Serious Consideration the Destructive Methods taken of late years by the French King against the Trade Quiet and Interest of your Kingdom and particularly the present Invasion of your Kingdom of Ireland and Supporting your Majesty Rebellious Subjects and we not doubting in the least but through your Majesties Wisdom the Alliances already made as well as those that may be hereafter concluded on this occasion by your Majesty may be effectual to Reduce the French King to such a Condition that it may not be in his Power hereafter to violate the Peace of Christendom nor prejudice the Trade and Prosperity of this your Majesties Kingdom To this end we most humbly beseech your Majesty to rest assured upon this our Hearty and Solemn Promise and Ingagement That when your Majesty shall think fit to enter into a War with the French King we will give your Majesty such Assistance in a Parliamentary way as may enable your Majesty under the Protection and Blessing that Almighty God has ever afforded you to support and go through with the same To this Request and Resolution of the House of Commons which was so graceful to the Nation in general his Majesty was pleased to return this Answer Gentlemen I receive this Address as a Mark of the Confidence you have in me which I take very kindly and shall endeavour by all my Actions to Confirm you in it I assure you that my own Ambition shall never be an Argument to incline me to ingage in a War that may expose the Nation either to Danger or Expence but in the present Case I look upon the War so much already declared in effect by France against England that it is not so much an Act of Choice as an inevitable necessity in our own Defence I shall only tell you that as I have ventured my Life and all that is Dear to me to rescue the Nation from what it suffered so I am ready still to do the same in order to the preserving it from all its Enemies and as I doubt not of such an Assistance from you as shall be Suitable to your Advice to me to Declare War against a powerful Enemy so you may Rely upon me that no part of that which you shall give for the carrying it on with Success shall by me be Diverted to any other use Soon after a Declaration of War was published against France and the Reasons thereof Namely The unjust Methods of the French King these late years to gratifie his Ambition by Invading the Territories of the Empire now in Amity with us and in manifest Violation of the Treaties Confirmed by the Guaranty of the Crown of England His Majesty therefore can do no less than joyn with his Allies in Opposing that Kings Designs as the Disturber of the Peace and the Common Enemy of the Christian World Likewise the many Injuries done to his Majesty and his Subjects are a sufficient Justification for their taking Arms since they have called upon his Majesty so to do and though no notice has been taken nor Reparation demanded of late years for Reasons well known to the World yet his Majesty will not pass them over without a publick and just Resentment of such Outrages Also the Incroachments and Invasions of the French on our Trade and Fishing of Newfound Land and their Hostilities upon the Charibbee Islands New York and Hudsons-Bay Seizing the Forts burning the Houses Robbing the English of their Goods imprisoning some inhumanly killing others and driving the rest to Sea in a small Vessel without Food or Necessaries and this even at a time when that King was Negotiating a Treaty in England of Neutrality and good Correspondence in America also his Countenancing the Seizure of English Ships by French Privateers His Disputing the Right of the Flag in the Narrow Seas which in all Ages has been asserted by his Majesties Predecessors and which he is resolved to maintain for the Honour of the Crown and of the English Nation And that which most nearly touches his Majesty is His Unchristian Persecution of many English Protestants in France contrary to the Law of Nations and express Treaties forcing them to abjure their Religion by strange and unusual Cruelties imprisoning some English Masters and Seamen and Condemning other to the Gallies upon pretence of having on Board either the Persons or Goods of some of his own Miserable Protestant Subjects Lastly as he has for some years past endeavoured by Insinuation and Promises of Assistance to overthrow the Government of England so now by Open and Violent Methods
oblige the English to surrender the Town upon his first Appearance and tho' Collonel Lundy and others despaired of holding it against an Army of 40000 men with a Train of Artillery and divers Mortars yet the inraged People resolve to Defend it against the utmost Efforts of the Enemy and having declared Mr. George Walker a Minister and Major Baker their Governours they chose Collonels and other Officers and Regimented their men consisting in the whole of 7020 Souldiers and 341 Officers and rejecting all the Terms of Surrender offered them they fired upon the Enemy and much astonisht King James who was within reach of their Canâ—on and expected they would have opened their Gates to him who thereupon resolved to reduce them by force and within a day or two broke ground and run their Trenches within a Furlong of the Walls where placing a Demiculverin they battered the Town but with little Success unless some small damage to the Market House the Cannon from the Town in the mean time killing many Irish and to prevent their further approach the English made a Salley killing 200 of the Enemy with Mamow the French General and other Officers of Note Several other gallant Sallies were made out of the Town in one of which above 200 were killed and 500 wounded with the loss of three English and 20 wounded June 4. the Besieged made an Attack upon the work near the Wind-Mill and though the Irish came upon them with loud Huzzaes and though the Foot had Faggots and after those fail'd took up dead Bodies to defend themselves and the Horse were mostly in Armour yet they were beaten off and 4000 of them killed and but a few English in some of these Attacks Lieutenant Douglas and Captain Cuningham were taken Prisoners and after Quarter given barbarously killed in the Night the Enemy play'd their Bombs of 273 pound weight which ploughed up the Streets and killed several sick People and in the day time their Cannon play'd incessantly against the Walls insomuch that the Garrison by Sickness more than shot of the Enemy was reduced to 6185 men and began to be distrest but June 15. a Fleet of 30 Sail under Major General Kirk with Men Provisions and Ammunition for their relief came into the Lough and though some Ships attempted to Sail up the River yet the Fire of the Enemy from the Batteries on Shoâ—â— and also a Boom made of Timber Chain and Cable cross the narrowest part of the River prevented their Design however they contrived to give Major General Kirk an account of their Extremity and he sent an Answer assuring them that they should suddenly be supplied with all necessaries which he had aboard in abundance the Enemy being sensible of their exigencies prest on the siege with more vigor under their new Fench Marshal General Rosen who by threats and promises used his utmost efforts to reduce the Town June 30. Major Baker died to the great regret of the besieged and soon after the Garrison was reduced to 4892 Men yet then they made a vigorous Sally to fetch in some Cattel but did not succeed losing a great number of their men this made the Famine Increase in the City so that Horseflesh was sold for 20 d. per Pound the quarter of a Dog for 5 s. and 6 d. a Dogs Head 2 s. 6 d. a Cat 4 s. and 6 d. and other things proportionably as Rats Mice Tallow Greves c. But now when all hope fail'd them July 13. the Montjoy and Phaenix conveyed by the Dartmouth Frigate and other men or War came up to the Town with little loss when they reckoned but upon two days Life having only nine lean Horses left and one Pint of Meal to each man 4200 only being left whereof a fourth part were rendred unserviceable the Enemy perceiving that these Ships had furnished the Besieged with Provisions July 31 they raised the Siege in some Disorder blowing up several Castles with all the Houses down the River and setting the Countrey for ten Miles in a Flame in their Retreat Aug. 13. 1689. the Duke of Schomberg Landed at Carrickfergus with all the Forces under his Command and the Protestants joining with him in great numbers he soon reduced that Town and sent two Regiments to Belfast and the General having made Proclamation That if the Enemy continued to burn as they had begun if any of them fell into his Hands they must expect no Quarter They thereupon quitted Dundalk without any damage after this about 5000 Irish attempted to take Sligo which was in the Hands of the English but the Inniskilling Men with about 1000 Horse Foot and Dragoons charged them with such Celerity and Courage that 700 of them were cut off and 400 taken Prisoners and besides Arms and Ammunition 18000 Head of Cattle were taken from them which they had plundered the Countrey People of in November the English Army decamped from the Plains of Dundalk to Lisne-garvee and Lisburn the Enemy though Superior in number having of late attempted little only one Morning early they had hopes of surprize our advanced Parties at Newry Killing the Out Centinels and getting into the Town but were soon beaten out again by a Party of Colonel Ingoldsby's Regiment and several other Parties beat the Enemy in divers Places and gained great Booties of Cattel Colonel Woolsey Defeated the Irish at Cavan though the Duke of Berwick was sent to inforce them so that though the Garrison consisted of 4000 men yet 300 of the Enemy were killed and among them many Officers 200 taken Prisoners and Cavan taken and burnt which the English were constrained to do to get the Soldiers out of the Town to resist the Irish who made a strong Salley out of the Fort. In England her Royal Highness the Princess of Denmark was delivered of a Prince in August who was Christened by the Lord Bishop of London and Named William His Majesty being Godfather and Her Majesty and the Queen of Denmark Godmothers Oct. 19. the Parliament met at Westminster and granted His Majesty two Millions Sterling towards the expence of the next years War in Scotland Colonel Cannon continued still in the Isle of Mull with an inconsiderable Party of Islanders and others some few Rebels appeared about this time under the Land of Lochelly burning and plundring wherever they came about 800 Marched out of Innerlochy thinking to have surprized the Fort of Inverness but were defeated of their Design The Earl of Pembrook upon his return from being Ambassador in Holland to England was made a Privy Councillor some Persons were seized about this time for endeavouring to raise distutbances against the Government Dec. 16. 1689. An Act was passed Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and setling the Succession of the Crown That whereas the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Assembled at Westminster Lawfully Fully and Freely representing all the Estates of the People of this Realm did on Feb. 13. 1688. Present
Limerick which was also invested the latter end of August upon which Lieutenant General Sarsfield who was retired to the Mountains with 4000 Horse and Dragoons resolved to return to that City but was met by General Ginkle and a Party of the English who so vigorously charged them that they instantly fled and were pursued to the very Gates of the Town above 600 Irish being slain and 70 Officers taken Prisoners The Besieged seeing themselves shut up within the Walls of one single Town which was now almost battered down about their Ears hopeless of Succour and reduced to the last extremities Oct. 13. Surrendred up Limerick upon Articles whereby all Ireland was wholly reduced to their Majesties Obedience In Flanders Sept. 19. there happened an Ingagement between the French and Confederate Armies in the absence of the King of England who finding he could not oblige the Enemy to a Battle departed to Brussels and from thence to Loo in order to his return for England leaving the Command of the Army to Prince Waldeck who decamping from Leuse to retire to Cambron the Enemy having notice thereof detached about 30. Squadrons who marched all Night and by the favour of a thick mist unexpectedly fell upon 15. Squadrons of the Confederates Rereguard the conflict was very Sharp and though Inferiour in number yet the Allies made a vigorous Defence till several other Regiments came up to their relief which caused the Enemy to retreat The French lost near 700 men with many Officers and the Confederates about the same number after which both Armies went into Winter Quarters The English and Holland Fleets under the command of Admiral Russel had in vain sought to ingage the French this summer at Sea and having lain some time on the Coast of Ireland to prevent the French from sending Forces thither came now into Harbour after a very tempestuous Season and the Holland Fleet separated and safely arrived in their several Ports and the French Fleet returned to Brest His Majesty being returned to England Oct. 19. and the Parliament sitting the King declared himself to them who thereupon unanimously resolved to raise such supplies as should inable him to continue the War with France and in March following His Majesty arrived again in Holland and from thence went to Loe where several Princes met him to concert the Affairs of the next Campaign He having an Army of 30000 English in Flanders this Summer March 26. 1692. The Elector of Bavaria who was made Governour of the Spanish Netherlands during Life arrived at Brussels being received there with much Joy and Solemnity His Majesty having designed to make a Descent upon France this Summer the News so alarm'd the French King that he resolved to land some Forces in England and King James in the Head of them some Jacobites and Discontented People here having given him Assurance of joining with him upon his Landing to which end the French King supplied Ships Troops and Lovis d'ores so that nothing was wanting but to cross the Seas and a Squadron of sixteen Ships and two Bombing Vessels were sitting at Toulon under Count d'Estree to convoy the Transport Ships thither under the Protection of the French Fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Tourvile in the Channel to prevent the joining of the Dutch and English Fleets and to fight all that should oppose their Passage but Providence ordered the Winds and Recks to fight D' Estree he losing two of his largest Ships near Centa on the Coast of Africa and the rest miserably shattered went to Portugal to refit so that instead of being at Brest the beginning of April he did not arrive there till the beginning of July and came a minute too late as he said to join Torville The Q. of England upon notice of the imbarking of so many men gave out all necessary Orders for securing the Coasts and several Horses were seized whose owners designed to have join'd the Enemy upon their Descent which was intended to be about Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight K James with his Irish Forces were come to Cherbourg upon the Ceast of Normandy and Monsieur Torville had great Confidence in the Courage of his French Marriners upon King James assurance that the English would not fight but be Spectators only The English and Dutch Fleets being happily joined without any Obstruction from the Enemy Admiral Russel set sail from St. Hellens and May 19. get sight of the French Fleet near Cape Barfleur Admiral Torville having the Wind hastned up to the English but the Wind slackning the French Vanguard of 15. great men of War could not come up to the English till Eleven next Morning five of the fifteen did their Duty but the other ten kept out of Cannon shot the Dutch were not able to come up the Wind being in their Teeth the fight lasted between them that could ingage about three hours and then the French made all the Sail they could to get away and the Dutch bad much ado to turn their Ships to follow them by Reason of the Calm during which the two main Bodies of the Fleet laâ—oured to the utmost to come up with the Enemy and being happily got up with them ingaged resolutely for four hours and then Torville as his Vanguard had done before retreated with all speed and by the favour of a Mist got out of sight in the Afternoon the English Blew Squadron which could not come up for the Calm fell upon the Blew French Squadron where the most obstinate fight was maintained till the Night and Mists gave opportunity to the Enemy to hasten toward their own Coasts The next day being clear Admiral Russel discovered them two Leagues off but could not come up by Reason of a sudden Mist about eleven at Night the French weighed Anchor by Moon light and the Confederates pursued them who to save themselves ventured among the Rocks of Jersey and Guernsey May 21. The Admiral discovering several men of War upon a Bank near Cape Barfleur detacht Vice Admiral De la Val with eight or nine Vessels and three Fireships to set fire to them which the next day was happily effected the Royal Sun that magnificent Ship commanded by Admiral Torville which was the wonder of the World both for the exquisiteness of her carving and the beauty of her Shape being 20 Years in Building by the most skilful Shipwrights in Europe carrying 110 Guns the Admirable of 102 and the Strong of 80 Guns with two less Frigates and three Transport Ships were all sacrificed to the Flames and the next day 12 more were burnt in a Bay behind the Isle of Aldernay and this without the loss of one English or Dutch Ship the rest of the French Fleet fled to Brest St. Maloes and Other Ports to secure themselves King James was upon a Hill and through a Perspective Glass saw the fight and upon the first firing of the English he declared that it was only a Signal for them to
De Witt an Antient Burgomaster of the Town returning at the same time indisposed from the Fleet and being desired to sign the said Act replied He would never do it nor could all the perswasions of his Friends nor the menaces of the multitude who were ready to break into his house nor the tears of his Wife who was sensible of his danger prevail upon his obstinate temper till she threatned to shew her self to the People and declare her own and Childrens Innocency and abandon him to the fury of the ungoverned Populace which soon after occasioned his Tragical Death for they being fully perswaded that he and his Brother John were real Enemies to the Prince and a certain Surgeon having charged Cornelius that he had made a private Proposal to him to take away His Highness Life he was thereupon imprisoned and upon Trial was sentenced to forfeit all his Dignities and Imployments and to be for ever banished out of the Territories of Holland and Westfriezeland The People who accounted the Prince to be their Protector and Deliverer believed his Judges to be partial in punishing so great a Crime with so easie a Judgment and the Trained Bands at the Hague being in Arms they presently ran to the Prison where while they were got together it happened that John de Witt came in his Coach to fetch his Brother out of Prison Upon which one of the Burgesses cryed out Now the two Traitors are got together and it is our fault if they escape us This had been enough to inflame the multitude but a greater motive happened for while they were all expecting the coming down of the two De Witts an unhappy report was raised that above a thousand Peasants and Fishermen were upon their March to plunder the Hague upon which another Burger cryed out Come Gentlemen let us pull these Traytors out by the Ears do but follow me and I will lead the way These words with their great affection to the Prince and the ruin of their Countrey to both which they accounted the De Witts to be the greatest Enemies compleated their Rage so that they Immediately broke open the Prison doors and sorced down the two Brothers into the Street where they were soon dispatcht by the multitude who after they had laid the Pensionary John De Witt sprawling on the ground cryed out See there the Traytor that has betrayed his Countrey Thus fell John and Cornelius de Witt two violent Enemies to the House of Orange It is said that John was the Contriver of those Acts whereby His Highness was secluded from all the Great Imployments which were due to him from his Predecessors and that a certain Ambassador being in private discourse with him said Most Illustrious Sir I have heard much of your singular prudence and unwearied diligence but far less than what I now observe from whence I dare assuredly pronounce that either you will be the ruin of the Prince or else that one day for his sake you will come to destruction It is likewise reported that when he was a Youth of about eighteen years old a certain Advocate being desired by his Father to examine him gave this account of him That he found in him those great Parts and that ripeness of Wit which was rarely to be seen in others And afterwards when he was made Pensioner of Holland and Dort the same Advocate presaged of him That he would never die a natural death Thus saith a worthy Person ended one of the greatest Lives of any Subject of our Times in the 47th year of his Age after having administred in that State as Pensioner of Holland for about eighteen years with great Honour to his Countrey and himself It must be remarked that the present War with the States General was commenced in concert between the French King and Charles II. in a time of the greatest peace and security on the Dutch side so that when the English fell upon their Smyrna Fleet no clap of Thunder in a Frosty morning could be more surprizing both to the Hollanders and the rest of Christendom Yea the Court of France it self could scarce believe that we would run so great an Adventure though our Court had obliged themselves thereto And though in the Declaration of War which the King published the Dutch are charged with making abusive Pictures and denying the right of the Flag which was an undoubted Prerogative of the Crown of England yet the Parliament and People were of opinion that this War was made in pursuance of the Instructions of the French King sent over to Dover by the Dutchess of Orleance whereby the destruction of the Common-Wealth of Holland is declared to be the only means to settle Arbitrary Government and Popery in these three Nations Upon our Declaration of War the French King began to march with his Vast Army into the Netherlands which he over-ran with such a rapid motion that the People were astonished and the States knew not what course to take to prevent it which occasioned those Commotions aforementioned But his Highness the Prince of Orange being advanced to the Stadtholdership the face of affairs began to alter and their Courage was revived Monsieur Fagel succeeded De Wit as Pensioner and the Prince presently resolved to be upon action rejecting all the applications made to him by the two Kings of making him Soveraign of the Provinces with such disdain and greatness of Soul as is scarce to be matcht always declaring That he would never betray a Trust that was given him nor ever sell the Liberties of his Countrey that his Ancestors had so long defended In pursuance of this generous Resolution his Highness took the Command of the Army upon him who were more animated at the thoughts of being under the Conduct of so gallant a General So that at Bodegrave an handfull of men twice repulsed above five thousand of the French from the Walls of Ardenburg and besides the slain took five hundred Prisoners with several Commanders and Persons of Quality through the extraordinary valour of no more than two hundred Burgers and one hundred Garrison Souldiers only that they were affisted by the Women and Children the Women filling the Bandilcers and the Children brought Bullets to their Parents Soon after the Seige of Groningen which had been beseigned with near three thousand men by the Bishop of Munster was by the Courage of the Citizens raised with the loss of half the Enemies Army and a prodigious quantity of Ammunition spent in vain in reduceing thereof to which his Highness care in furnishing them with all necessaries for desence was highly contributing About the same time the Prince resolving to dislodge the Outguards of the French gave a strong Alarm to them and without moving from his Saddle all night drove them to their Trenches before Utrecht and cartied several Lords Prisoners to Amsterdam His Highness then resolved to attempt the reducing of Woerden and after a bloody and obstinate Fight wherein
Evil Councillors proceeded with all Rigor against those that used those Methods particularly the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and others who humbly offering their Reasons why they could not Order the Declaration of Liberty of Conscience to be read in the Churches were sent to Prison and after Tried as if guilty of some enormous Crime and obliged to appear before profest Papists and those Judges that gave their Opinion in their favour were turned out They have also Treated a Peer of the Realm as a Criminal for saying that the Subjects were not bound to obey the Orders of a Popish Justice of Peace because they are put into Imployments contrary to Law That his Highness and his Dearest and most Beloved Consort the Princess have signified to the King in Terms full of respect the just and deep Regret these Proceedings have given them and in compliance with His desires have declared their Thoughts about Repealing the Penal Laws and Tests whereby they hoped there might have been an happy agreement among the Subjects of all Perswasions which yet these Evil Councillors have so misrepresented as to endeavour to alienate the King more and more from them as if they designed to disturb the Quiet and Happiness of the Kingdom and the last and great Remedy for all these Evils being the calling of a Parliament for securing the Nation against the Practices of these Evil Councillors cannot be easily brought about since by a Parliament duly chosen they doubt to be called to account for all their open Violations of the Laws their Plots and Conspiracies against the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of the Subjects their designing under the specious pretence of Liberty of Conscience to sow Divisions among Protestants and from their mutual quarrels to carry on their own Designs to prevent which the Electors and Elected for Parliament men are to be beforehand ingaged to comply with their wicked Desires and the returns are to be made by Popish Sheriffs and Mayors of Towns so that this only remedy of a Free Parliament is hereby made impracticable And to Crown all There are great and violent Presumptions inducing their Highnesses to believe that these Evil Councillors to gain more time to carry on their ill Designs for incouraging their Complices and discouraging all good Subjects they have published that the Queen hath brought forth a Son though there appeared both during the Queens pretended bigness and in the manner in which the Birth was managed so many just and visible grounds of Suspition that not only their Highnesses but all the good Subjects of this Kingdom vehemently suspect that the pretended Prince of Wales was not born of the Queen and since their Highnesles have both so great an Interest in this matter and such a Right as all the World knows to the Succession of the Crown and since the English Nation had ever testified a most particular Affection and Esteem to them both their Highnesses cannot excuse themselves from espousing their Interests in a matter of such high consequence and from contributing all that in them lies for the maintaining both of the Protestant Religion and of the Laws and Liberties of those Kingdoms and for securing to them the continual Enjoyment of all their just Rights To the doing of which his Highness is most earnestly sollicited by a great many Lords both Spiritual and Temporal and by many Gentlemen and other Subjects of all Ranks Therefore it is that his Highness hath thought fit to go over into England and to carry over a Force sufficient by the Blessing of God to defend him from the Violence of those Evil Councillors His Highness declaring that this Expedition is intended for â—o other design but to have a Free and Lawful Parliament Assembled as soon as is possible and that in Order thereto all the late Charters limiting of Elections contrary to Ancient Custom shall be considered as null and of no force and all Magistrates to return to their former Imployments and particularly the Ancient Charter of London to be again in force and none to be suffered to chuse or be chosen Parliament men but those qualified by Law and that the Members of Parliament so chosen shall sit in full Freedom for making Laws to secure the Protestant Religion and to establish a good Agreement between the Church of England and all Protestant Dissenters as also for the securing and covering of Papists and all others who will live peaceably from all Persecution for Religion and for doing all other things which the two Houses of Parliament shall find necessary for the Peace Honour and Safety of the Nation so that there may be no more danger of the Nations falling at any time hereafter under Arbutrary Government to which Parliament his Highness will also refer the Inquiry into the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales and of all things relating to it and to the Right of Succession And his Highness declares That for his Part be will concur in every thing that may produce the Peace and Happiness of the Nation which a Free and Lawful Parliament shall determine since his Highness hath nothing before his Eyes in this His Undertaking but the Preservation of the Protestant Religion the covering of all men from Persecution 〈◊〉 their Consciences and the securing to the whole Natâ—on the Free Enjoyment of all their Laws Rights anâ— Liberties under a Just and Legal Government His Highness further declares that this is the Design he has proposed in appearing upon this occasion in Arms in the Conduct of which his Highneâ— would keep the Forces under his Command undeâ— all the strictness of Martial Discipline and take a special care that the People of the Countreys througâ— which He shall March shall not suffer by their meanâ— and as soon as the State of the Nation will permit iâ— his Highness promises that he will send back all thoâ— Foreign Troops that He hath brought along witâ— him his Highness does therefore hope that all People will judge rightly of his Proceedings though 〈◊〉 does chiefly rely on the Blessing of God for the sâ—â—cess of this his Undertaking in which he places 〈◊〉 whole and only Confidence Lastly his Highness doth invite and require all Perâ—ons whatsoever all the Peers of the Realm both Spâ—ritual and Temporal all Lords Lieutenants Depâ—â— Lieutenants and all Gentlemen Citizens and otheâ— Commons of all Ranks to come and assist him in Order to the executing of this His Design against all suâ—â— as shall endeavour to oppose Him that so all thoâ—â— Miseries which must needs follow upon the Nation being kept under Arbitrary Government and Slaveâ— may be prevented and that all the Violences anâ— Disorders which have overturned the whole Cons tâ—tution of the English Government may be fully Redressed in a Free and Legal Parliament his Highness likewise Resolving that as soon as the Nations are brought to a State of Quiet He will take care that a Parliament shall be called in Scotland
Dispensing and Suspending Power and the Ecclesiastical Commission to promote his future Designs when he had once baffled the Prince of Orange the Nation saw through the Project and he lost all As for the English in general their Interest Centers in the maintaining the Rights and Franchises of their Kingdom which renders them this Day the freest Nation in Europe A Character so far from supposing them to be like other Nations a People Head-strong and unconstant that it shews them to be the most Considerate and Understanding People in the World in short though the example of a Neighbouring Prince had served for a Platform for other Crowned Heads to enlarge their Power beyond the Limits prescribed by the Constitutions of the Kingdom We see that at the very Moment that the King began to act like his Neighbour they presently put a Sâ—op to his Designs without the least respect to his Dignity They saw how Soveraign Authority Reigned in France as Independent from the Laws as in Turkey They beheld the face of the Kingdom of Sweden and Denmark changed by Introducing Hereditary Succession whereas they were Elective before They viewed the Face of the Kingdom of Hungary heretofore the Seat of Liberty Disfigured by the same Innovation and Poland that boasts to have preserved the Ancient Laws entire has notwithstanding suffered Injurious Alterations In short which way soever we cast our Eyes we shall find Attempts of the same Nature prosper only in England they have failed whence we may conclude that maugre all which has been said of the English Nation they are the Wisest and most Prudent People that we know of under the Sun THE HISTORY OF King William Queen Mary King William and Queen Mary being Proclaimed in all the Counties and chief Cities of England with the general Joy of the People Addresles were daily presented them from several Parts to testifie their extream Satisfaction and Content in their being advanced to the Throne and the Convention being by an Act figned by the King turned into a Parliament in the same manner as the Convention was upon the Restoration of Charles II. 1660. They proceeded to enact several Laws for setling the Government upon its true and ancient Basis and several vacant Offices and Imployments were supplied by their Majesties and Dr. Gilbert Burnet was made Bishop of Salisbury in the room of Dr. Seth Ward Deceased I have been very brief upon the Affairs in England till the Happy Revolution in 1688. because I have lately Published a Book of the same value with this Intituled The History of the two late Kings Charles II. and James II. being an Impartial Account of the most Remarkable Transactions and observable Passages during their Reigns and the secret French and Popish Intrigues managed in those Times Neither shall I inlarge upon the Affairs of Ireland intending suddenly to publish the History of that Kingdom from the first Conquest thereof by King Henry II. to its total Reduction by the Arms of their present Majesties And now both Houses of Parliament present an humble Address to his Majesty about the speedy relief of Ireland in pursuance whereof the King sent over a Proclamation of Pardon to all the Irish Papists that would lay down their Arms and live Peaceably under the Government with the full enjoyment of their Estates and the private Exercise of their Religion which if they refused they were declared Rebels and Traytors to the Crown of England and their Estates to be forfeited and distributed among those that should and and assist in reducing them to Obedience but Tyrconnel endeavoured to hinder the effect thereof by promising them speedy succors from France and that King James would come in Person with a numerous Army to their Assistance and sent several Detachments of his tattered Regiments to seize divers considerable Protestants in their Houses who upon notice escaped into the North and strengthned their Party the Priests stirr'd up these Raseally Vermin that were armed with Pitchforks Bills Staves and other weaponâ— to commit all manner of outrages to the damage of some Papists as well as Protestants and it was reported that at a Consult in the Council wherein some Popish Bishops assisted it was moved that the only way to clear the Countrey of Hereticks was by a general Massacre but Tyrconnel opposed it In March the late King James took Post from Paris to Brest and soon after landed in Ireland with a numetous Train of Officers but very few Souldiers The Estates of Scotland met the same Month at Edenburgh in pursuance of his Majesties Circulary Letters and King William sent them the following Letter MY Lords and Gentlemen We are very sensible of the kindness and concern which your Nation has evidenced towards us and our undertaking for the Preservation of your Religion and Liberty which were in such imminent danger Neither can we in the least doubt your Confidence in us after having seen how far so many of your Nobility and Gentry have owned our Declaration countenancing and concurring with us in our endeavours and desiring us that we would take upon us the Administration of Affairs Civil and Military and to call a Meeting of the Estates for securing the Protestant Religion and the ancient Laws and Liberties of that Kingdom which accordingly we have done Now it lies on you to enter upon such Consultations as are most proper to settle you on sure and lasting Foundations which we hope you will set about with all convenient speed with regard to the publick good and to the general Interest and Inclinations of the People that after so much Trouble and great Suffering they may live happily and in Peace and that you may lay aside all Animosities and Factions that may impede 10 good a Work we are glad to find that so many of the Nobility and Gentry when here in London were to much inclined to a Union of both Kingdoms and that they did look upon it as the best means for procuring the Happiness of both Nations and setling of a lasting Peace among them which would be advantagious to both they living in the same Island having the same Language and the same common Interest of Religion and Liberty especially at this Juncture when the enemies of both are so ressess in endeavouring to make and increase Jealousies and Divisions which they will be ready to improve to their own advantage and the ruin of Brittain we being to the same oprnion as to the usefulness of this Union and having nothing so much before our eyes as the Glory of God establishing the Reformed Religion and the Peace and Happiness of these Nations are resolved to use our utmost endeavours in advancing every thing that may conduce to the effectuating the same So we bid you heartily Farewell From our Court at Hampton March 7. 1689. This Letter being read Commissioners were named to draw an Answer full of Acknowledgment and Respect the late King James had likewise sent a Letter
come over to the French but he soon found himself deceived and that it was Admiral Russell he had to do withal and that the Intriagues of his Jacobites had not succeeded Thus it pleased Heaven to Crown their Majesties Navy with a Glorious Victory and to preserve us from the Chains prepared for us by the two dear Allies for notwithstanding the specious Declaration published by King James upon his Assurance of being restored yet we have all the Reason in the World to believe his Pardon would not have secured the Nation from Popish Vengeance but that we should have all felt the utmost effects of his Rage and Fury as well as the Honourable and Worthy Persons following whom he excluded from all hopes of Mercy that is the Duke of Ormond the Marquis of Winchester the Earls of Sunderland Bath Danby and Nottingham the Lords Newport Delamere Wiltshire Colchester â—â—â—â—bury Dumblane and Churchill the bishops of St. Asaph and London Dr. Tillotson and Dr. Burnet Knights Sir Ro. Howard Sir J. Worden Sir S. Grimston Sir S. Fox Sir George Treby Sir Baâ—il Dixwel and Sir John Oxenden Esquires F. Russel R. Levison J. Trenchard C. Duncomb Citizens of London Edwards Napleton and Hunt Fishermen with all others that offered Indignities to him at Feversham with Ashton and Crosses Judges and Jurymen also all Spies and those that have betrayed his councils in his absence May 15 1692. The French Army after having made many Marches and Countermarches invested the strong Fortress of Namur being incouraged thereto by the treacherous Baron de Bersey who being born a Subject of Spain and having received some disgust from that Court was corrupted by the French and making his escape out of the Town informed the Enemy of the Condition thereof which he had got full Information of by his Intimacy with the Governour the Prince of Brabancon so as to inform them of the best places for the attack which was strong and which weak so that the Town was surrendered in five days and awhile after Williams Fort and the Castle were likewise delivered up It is very well known that the King of England took all the pains imaginable to get his Army of several Nations together before the Siege and that the Duke of Luxemburg who lay with a strong Detachment to cover the Besiegers used all manner of Caution to avoid a Battle by Incamping in places where he could not be assaulted being sufficiently acquainted with the temper of King William to whom it was natural to despise danger and who pushed onthe relief of the Place to the utmost for as soon as be came to Mehaine he instantly caused Bridges to be built in the Night to cross the River next Morning and to attack Duke Luxemburg in the Morasses which he had certainly done if a very extraordinary Rain had not fallen and if all the Generals had not unanimously dissuaded him from it because of the impossibility of forming a Line of Battel in a place so full of Water after the surrender of Namur the King being informed that the Duke of Luxemburg was upon his March from Enguien resolved to advance with all speed to the same place but the French got there before him and posted themselves between that place and Steinkerken among Hedges and Woods however King William resolved to attack him there which much surprized Luxemburg who upon view of the advantageous Seituation of his Camp had said That none but an Alexander or a Caesar durst attack him in that place but it was William the Great who performed that part and marching silently all Night fell upon the French with such fury next Morning that in a few hours above 7000 of the Enemy were slain with a great number of Nobility and Officers and afterwards retreated at leisure the French not having the Courage to follow them So that the attack and retreat were equally Glorious the King having exposed himself amidst the Cannon and Muskets shots where the fight was hottest riding continually from one end to the other to give necessary Orders so that it was next to a Miracle that his Sacred Person was preserved among so many imminent dangers Thus His Majesty gloriously ended this Campaign by a Signal Victory over the French at Sea and by having several times braved his Enemies by land harassing them by his continual Marches and attacking them in their Retrenchments seeking only an opportunity of putting an end to the War by a General Battle and so to procure to Europe a solid and durable Peace On the Contrary the French King dares never to appear in the Head of his Troops but endeavours to make himself renowned by Treachery and Violation of Oaths These are his Fortress and Assassinations and Poisonings are Crimes which in that Court are not prohibited Witness the Valet de Chambre who poisoned the Duke of Lorrain the French Cook who at the Instigation of the French Ambassador poisoned Mr. Harbord at Belgrade for being vigorous in procuring a Peace betwixt the Emperor and the Turks and lastly the Sieur de Granval who with some others was hired by the Marquess of Barbesieux Secretary to the French King to Murder King William being also incouraged hereto by K. James and his Queen who told him If you and the rest do me this service you shall never want but this horrid Villany being happily discovered Granval was about this time deservedly executed for the same In October His Majesty returned again to England and the Parliament being met he made a Gracious Speech to them after which they unanimously Voted a supply of near five Millions for carrying on a vigorous War against France Having thus given a brief account of the most considerable Transactions in these Kingdoms till the beginning of the year 1693. and the fifth of their Majesties Happy Reign I shall here conclude and that they may continue to Reâ—gn long and prosperously over us ought to be the Prayer of every good Protestant throughout these three Nations FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed for N. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside History I. ENglands Monarch Or A Compendious Relation of the most remarkable Transactions from Julius Caesar to this present adorned with Poems and the Picture of every Monarch from King William the Conquerer to the third year of K. William and Q. Mary With a List of the Nobility the Knights of the Garter the number of the Lords and Commons who have Votes in both Houses of Parliament and many other useful particulars Price One Shilling II. THE Wars in England Scotland and Ireland containing a particular and Impartial Account of all the Battels Sieges and other Remarkable Transactions Revolutions and Accidents which happened from the beginning of the Reign of K. Charles I. 1625. to His Majesties happy Restauration The illegal Tryal of K. Charles I. at large with his last Speech at his suffering and the most considerable matters till 1660 with Pictures of several accidents