of England Party which stood stifly for the Succession The Tide now began to turn and the Popish Party to have a fair Prospect The Duke was called home and His Majesty disbanded Parliament after Parliament in hopes to get a healing one But failing thereof he published a plausible Declaration touching the Causes that moved him to Dissolve the two last Parliaments Which being read in all Churches and Chappels did very much strengthen the Court Party and turned the Hearts of many People against the late Proceedings of the House of Commons as having over-short the Mark. Which House consisting most of Dissenters gave a Jealousy to the House of Lords and indeed to all the Church-Party that under colour of rooting out Popery they design'd nothing less than the Ruin of the Church and so to kill two Birds with one Stone The Dissenters on the other side seeing the Church Party so stiff for the Dukes Right to the Succession tho upon the Grounds of Justice and Equity fail'd not to clamour against them as Abettors of Popery and Papists in Mascarade In short the Fewd grew so great between both Parties row distinguished by the Nicknames of TORIES and WHIGS that had not his Majesty who now bestirred himself in these difficult Times prevented it by his great Care and Wisdem it had certainly broke out into a Flame In the mean time these unhappy Differences gave fair play to the Papists who know best how to fish in troubled Waters The Popish Plot grew now out of date and lost much of its Credit Then up starts another called the Presbyterian Plot which proved fatal to several Persons of Quality and others of a lower Rank The King now exasperated in the highest degree against the Dissenting Party ordered the Penal Laws to be put in execution which made the Breach so much the wider betwixt Them and the Church Party And whilst the poor Dissenters lay under the lash an officious sort of Church of England Ministers made it their business to preach the stupid Doctrine of Non-Resistance with as much Zeal and Fervency as if there had been no Salvation without it Which some were hired for with a Promise of Church-Preferment whilst others did it meerly to shew their Parts but all wonderfully to the purpose of the Roman Catholick Party and to help forward the Designs of the next Reign The City of London which had strongly appeared against the Dukes Interest was now called to an Account and a Writ of Quo Warranto a dreadful piece of Latin before which no Reason could stand issued out against them to take away their Charter which was accordingly done Then other Corporations were prevailed upon fairly to surrender their Charters in expectation of new ones whereby all their Magistrates and Officers were dependant upon the King 's Will. And by the Duke's Interest many false Protestants were got into Places of Trust who upon the push would be ready to join with the Papists and lend them their helping hands Thus all Things were finely prepared against his Majesties Exit to make room for his Brother And which is observable at the very time when the King was resolved to sift out some Miscarriages and much inclined to call a new Parliament an odd kind of Fit seiz'd upon him which in four days time bereav'd him of his Life and Crown Thus died King Charles a Prince who was neither a sound Papist nor a zealous Protestant Admired for his great Sagacity beloved for his Clemency and the fittest Prince in the World to Reign had not his over-Indulgence to Ease and Pleasures made him averse from Business In which unhappy Temper he was too much followed by his Subjects of both Sexes THE HISTORY Of the LATE REVOLUTION PART II. Shewing Our Imminent Ruin in the Reign of the late King James With an Account of the suppos'd Great Belly KING Charles being dead the Lord knows how some wept upon his Tomb for Joy but most for Sorrow The Popish Party were the most concerned in the first and the Protestants whatever he was in the last We were but threatned before with the Danger of a Popish Succession now we had it The Papists had a blessed but doubtful prospect of it and now they were in possession To Secure which the Blood of the deceased King was hardly chilled in his Veins when his next Successor James Duke of York was Proclaimed King at White-hall and in the City in great haste that no Man might pretend Ignorance So that King Charles was scarce gone off the Stage when his Brother to play the last Act enters and ascends the Throne No Prince more courteous more obliging or more promising at first than he was to his new Subjects but particularly to the Church of England Party He came in like a Lamb but reigned like a Lion and followed in all things the Steps of King Lewis Not but that he had innate Vertues of his own but none that could stand proof against the precipitate Suggestions of the Roman Clergy and the irresistible Influence of those hot-brain'd States-men the Jesuites So great was the Opinion of his Justice and Valour when Duke of York that many Protestants durst rely upon his Justice and most promised themselves great Matters from his Valour Especially when upon his Accession to the Crown he declared to his Council that he would protect and favour the Church of England for her unshaken Loyalty and to his Parliament that he would carry the Glory of England beyond all his Predecessors Upon these Assurances he allayed for some time the Fears of his Protestant Subjects but especially the Church of England which thereupon Addressed him from all Parts of the Kingdom as their Tutelar Angel In short so great on a sudden were the Hopes of this King that Edward III and Henry V. the most glorious Monarchs of England were like upon his Account to be hissed out of our English Chronicles But it was not long before he pulled off the Mask And first to gratifie the Roman Catholick Party he declar'd himself of their Communion and made open Profession of it Which some Protestants lookt upon as a good Omen and the product of a generous Soul above Dissimulation whilst others more clear-sighted lookt upon it as an effect of a wilful Nature that thought it needless to Dissemble now the Power was in his own hands To Establish his Religion here was I confess a difficult Task considering how small the Popish Party was the Protestants then by the best Computation being reckon'd 200 to one But the Advantage of a Crown is a great Bait and has a mighty Influence The Hopes of worldly Preferment and the Dread of Majesty would in all probability draw in a great Party Besides what was expected by way of Persuasion from the Industry and Activity of Popish Emissaries Nor do I doubt but the King promised himself great Matters from the Church of England Party which having ventured so much to secure his
Exception void Then He exclaims upon the Prince's Calling in question the Legitimacy of the Prince of Wales his Son and Heir apparent notwithstanding there were at his Birth so many Witnesses of Vnquestionable Credit And whereas the Prince of Orange had Declared that he would submit all to the Determination of a Free Parliament His Majesty by this his Declaration indeavours to possess his People that a Parliament could not be free so long as there was an Army of Forreigners in the Heart of his Kingdom and declared his Resolution to caâ—l one as soon as his Kingdoms should be delivered from this Invasion with Assurances of Receiving and Redressing all the Just Complaints and Grievances of His good Subjects and of Maintaining them in their Religion Liberties and Properties Vpon which Considerations and the Obligations of their Duty and natural Allegiance He promises Himself that they will readily and heartily Concur and Joyn with him in the intire Suppression and Repelling of those his Enemies and Rebellious Subjects coming to Disturb the Peace of these his Kingdoms The King had hitherto turned every Stone to bring off his People from Joyning with the Prince with daily Retractations Promises and Threats Proclamations and Declarations Nay some few Addresses were procured full of horror and amazement at this intended Invasion as they called it and of the Subscribers Impatience to shew their Zeal for the King's Service by Sacrificing their Lives and Fortunes for the support of his Crown and Dignity Such was the humble Address of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Cumberland subscribed unto by several other Gentlemen of the said County Another from the Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council of Exeter A third from the Mayor Aldermen Bailifs and Citizens of the City of Carlisle And by Sir Thomas Haggerstons Report then Governour of Berwick the People of that Place were so transported with Loyalty to the King and possessed with such a Detestation and abhorrence of this Invasion that they not only Resolved to venture their Lives and Fortunes in the Defence of the King's Person and Government but desired withal that His Majesty would be graciously pleased to send down Commissions for the Raising a Regiment of Inhabitants to be assisting to the King 's standing Forces there as Occasion should offer All this the Gazets took great care to acquaint us with as also to let us know those Noble Peers and others who upon the News of this miscalled Invasion humbly offered their Services to His Majesty Amongst which was his Grace the late Duke of Newcastle to whom the King gave a Commission to raise a Regiment of Foot The King had a gallant Army but most of them were Protestants and not a few true English Men readier to draw the Sword for the Defence of the Protestant Religion and the Liberty of England than for the Maintenance of those two Inseparable Monsters Popery and Slavery The People generally waited for the Princes Coming with great Impatience and could not conceal the Joy which the Expectation of him had diffus'd over and the Kingdom So that if this were an Invasion one could every where read Treason in their Faces and a Man could scarce turn about but he met with a Traytor They that knew not the North from the South or the East from the West fell learning of the Compass to find out how the Wind fat whilst they longed for that Wind which must bring over the Prince So mindful were the People of the late Attempts upon their Religion Laws and Liberties that they look't upon Him as their Saviour whom the Court Party called Invader Such was the state of Things here when the Prince of Orange having long waited for a favourable Wind did at last set out from Holland with His great Fleet which lay in the Flats near the Brill This was October 19. old Style 1688 when his Highness attended by Mareschal de Schomberg as General with many other great Officers and Persons of Quality of several Nations set Sail about four a Clock in the Afternoon Nothing could be more glorious than his Setting out but nothing more dismal than what followed soon after So furious a Tempest did arise in the Night as wholly dispersed that prodigious Fleet and gave great Apprehensions of its Loss VVhen Holland that had seen but the day before the whole Fleet sail together in the greatest Splendour saw now but seattered Ships return into its Harbour not without some Damage Which proved for some time a great Mortification to the Protestant Party whilst the Roman Catholicks lookt upon it as an Indication of God's Anger an ill Omen to the Prince and a terrible Warning to His Highness not to Attempt any Thing against the Church Interest In short they presently concluded his Highness must let fall his Design And 't is observable that upon the News of it here there was a Demurr put upon the Business of Magdalen Colledge which shewed still what they would be at if the Prince had any way failed in his Design But the whole Fleet came at last to several Ports of Holland without so much as one Ship cast away Only one Man and 4 or 500 Horses were lost which were thrown Over-board So that his Highness admiring God's Providential Goodness in so great a Trial resolved to pursue his Heroick Design with the first Opportunity And whatever Application might be made unto him to dissuade him from any further Attempt he declared That his Word was too far ingaged and his Honour lay too much at Stake for any Danger to deter him from the Performance of the first or from Saving the last as far as it lay in his power That as He was satisfied with the Justice of his Undertaking so He was fully convinced of God's merciful Goodness in Saving the whole Fleet from so apparent a Danger which he took as a good Omen Accordingly He ordered all Things to be got in reaâ—iness and a speedy Recruit of Horses to be made About Octob. 30. the Wind turning Easterly and blowing fresh Orders were given to Set out with all Speed And two Days after Nov. 1. about Three in the Afternoon the whole Fleet now increased to a greater Number did set Sail. Which being commanded by Admiral Herbert was divided into three Squadrons the Red White and Blue according to the Colour of their respective Flags The Prince was in the Brill a new Ship of about 3â— Guns Whose Flag was English Colours with this Motto impaled thereon The Protestant Religion and Liberties of England and underneath I Will Maintain It. To the Red Squadron belonged the English and Scotch Forces consisting of six Foot Regiments commanded by Major General Mackay To the VVhiâ—e the Prince's Gards and the Brandenburghers under the Command of Count Solms And the Blue Squadron contained the Dutch and French Forces commanded by Count Nassaw Every Ship had a distinctive Mark whereby it was Known unto what Squadron she belonged And when
the Land 4. By Discouraging all Persons that are not Papists preferring such as turn to Popery 5. By Displacing all honest and conscientious Judges unless they would contrary to their Consciences declare that to be Law which was merely Arbitrary 6. By Branding all Men with the Name of Rebels that but offered to justify the Laws in a Legal Course against the Arbitrary Proceedings of the King or any of his corrupt Ministers 7. By Burdening the Nation with an Army to maintain the Violation of the Rights of the Subjects 8. By Discountenancing the Established Reformed Religion 9. By Forbidding the Subjects the Benefit of Petitioning and construing them Libeliers so rendering the Laws a Nose of Wax to serve their Arbitrary Ends. And many more such like too long here to enumerate We being thus made sadly sensible of the Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government that is by the Influence of Jesuitical Counsels coming upon us do Vnanimously Declare That not being willing to deliver our Posterity over to such a Condition of Popery and Slavery as the aforesaid Oppressions inevitably threaten We will to the utmost of our Power Oppose the same by Joyning with the Prince of Orange whom we hope God Almighty has sent to Rescue us from the Oppressions aforesaid and will use our utmost Indeavours for the Recovery of our almost ruined Laws Liberties and Religion Wherein we hope all good Protestant Subj cts will with their Lives and Fortunes be Assistant to us and not be Bug-beared with the Opprobrious Term of Rebels by which they would fright us to become perfect Slaves to their Tyrannical Insolencies and Vsurpations For We assure our selves that no rational and unbiassed Person will judge it Rebellion to Defend our Laws and Religion which all our Princes have Sworn at their Coronation Which Oath how well it has been observed of late We desire a Free Parliament may have the Consideration of We own it Rebellion to Resist a King that Governs by Law But he was always accounted a Tyrant that made his Will the Law and to Resist such a one we justly esteem no Rebellion but a necessary Defence And in this Corsideration We doubt not of all honest Mons Assistance humbly hoping for and imploring the great God's Protection that turns the Hearts of the People as pleases him best For it has been observed that People can never be of one Mind without his Inspiration which has confirmed the Saying Vox Populi Vox Dei The present Restoring of Charters and Reversing the oppressing and unjust Judgment given of Magdalen College Fellows is plain are but to still the People like Plums to Children by deceiving them for a while But if they shall by this Stratagem be fooled tâ—ll the present Storm that threatens the Papists be past as soon as thâ—y shall be Re-settled the former Oppression will be put on with greater Vigour But we hope in vain is the Net spread in the sight of the Birds The Old Rule of Papists is so well known that Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks as they term Protestants tho the Popish Religion is the greatest Heresy 'T is well known how ill Q. Mary observed her Promises to the Suffolk Men that helped her to the Throne And how the Pope Dispenses with the Breach of Oaths Treatises or Promises at his Pleasure when it makes for the Service of the Holy Church as they term it These are such convincing Reasons to hinder Vs from giving Credit to the aforesaid Mock-shews of Redress that We think our selves bound in Conscience to rest on no Security that shall not be approved by a Freely Elected Parliament to whom under God we Refer our Cause To this Declaration the Northern Commonalty sensible of the Justice of it and Influenced besides by the Interest and Example of so many Lords and Gentlemen did readily Subscribe and the Militia was Raised upon it who gave a great Stroke towards the Revolution For the News of it coming to the Kings Ears at Salisbury struck such a Damp upon his Spirits that he began now to think his Case desperate To the same Effect was a Paper delivered from the Nobility and Gentry of the North by the Earl of Devonshire to the Mayor of Darby where his Lordship Quartered the 21 of November that is for the Meeting and Sitting of a Parliament freely and duly Chosen With a declared Resolution therein That in case any Interruption should be given to the Proceeding of a Parliament they the Nobility and Gentry of the Northern Parts of England would to their utmost Defend the Protestant Religion the Laws of the Kingdom and the Rights and Liberties of the Subject In the County of Norfolk the Duke who bears that Title found the Gentry and Common People in the same Disposition Being come to Lyn attended by many of the Principal Men in the County he received an Address in the Market-place presented in these Words to his Grace by the Mayor attended by the Body and many hundreds of the Inhabitants My Lord Address of Lyn to the Duke of Norfolk The Daily Alarms we receive as well from Foreign as Domestick Enemies give us just Apprehensions of the approaching Danger we conceive to be in and make us apply our selves with all earnestness to your Grace as our great Patron that we may be put into such posture by your Directions and Conduct as may make us appear as Zealous as any in the Defence of the Protestant Religion the Laws and Ancient Government of this Kingdom Which is the Desire of many Hundreds who most humbly challenge a Right of your Graces Protection To which his Grace was pleased to Answer thus Mr. Mayor The Duke of Norfolk's Answer I am very much obliged to You and the rest of your Body and all here present for your good Opinion of me and the Confidence you have that I will do what in me lyes to support and defend the Laws Liberties and Protestant Religion in which I will never deceive you And since the Coming of the Prince of Orange has given us an Opportunity to Declare for the Defence of them I can only assure you that no Man will venture his Life and Fortune more freely for the same than I will do especially with all these Gentlemen here present and many more of the same Principles In order to which you shall see all possible Care shall be taken to answer your Expectation Whereupon the Militia was ordered to be raised throughout the County Which being thus put into a posture of Defence his Grace was pleased to deliver himself in these Words to the said Corporation The Duke of Norfolk's second Speech I have indeavoured as you see to put you into the Posture you desired by sending both for Horse and Foot of the Militia and am very glad to see such an Appearance of this Town in so good a Condition I do again renew my former Assurances to you that I will ever stand by