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
to hazard a Battel with the Prince after two such great losses for fear of a third insomuch that he suffered Binch to surrender to his Highness at discretion it being a Garrison of 350 men and had great quantities of Provisions even in the sight of his Army But it appeared afterward the Count had positive Orders not to engage the Confederates so that his Highness finding Winter approaching broke up his Army and returned to the Hague The King of France at this time seemed very desirous of Peace his Subjects being wearied and ruined with the charge of the War and several Princes offered to interpose in the matter and the King of England continuing still in the French Interests seemed very zealous therein and took upon him to be a Mediator between that King and his Enemies At length in 1676 a Treaty was begun at Nimegen whither the Pleinpotentiaries from all parts repaired as to the General Rendesvouz But the preparations for War went on as vigorously as ever and his Highness was throughly imployed to get his Army ready early in the Spring considering the formidable Musters the French made under Marshal Crequi near Charleville and Marshal d' Humieres having got together a Body of 15000 Men fell into the Country of Alost and the Spaniards being too weak to resist him put all the Countrey under Contribution Hereupon His Highness marched with all speed to join the D. of Villa Hermosa at Cambron which he did April 26. But before this Marshal Crequi had surrounded the City of Conde with 16000 men and the K. of France and D. of Orleans upon notice thereof joined him with 10000 more who incessantly batter'd the Town four days together with much fury insomuch that they were forced to surrender at Discretion though his Highness was marched as far as Granville for their Relief After this the King of France sent the D. of Orleans to besiege Bouchain with some of his Troops it being a strong Fortress of considerable consequence the K. posting his Army so as to hinder the Prince from relieving it but his Highness strugling through all difficulties of the Season and want of Provisions and Magazines in Flanders marched with his Army in view of the French King facing him several days together and at length was resolved to have attackt him with a Detachment of 12000 Men and to endeavour to have relieved the Town but understanding the place was taken he altered his resolution Nor would his Highness stir till the French K. first decamped leaving to the Prince the honour of having dared the whole Power and Fortune of France so that if the Confederates lost a small Town the French lost the greater Honour of accepting so brave a challenge The K. of France returning home and leaving his Army under the Command of Marshal Schomberg His Highness concluded with the Spaniards and the German Princes of the Lower Rhyne to set down before Mastricht which though strong before yet had been extreamly Fortified since possest by the French and had now a Garrison of 8000 choice men under Calvo a resolute Catalonian To divert this Siege Schomberg sends the Marshal de Humieres with 15000 men to besiege Aire a City in the Province of Artois and strongly incompast on three sides by a Marsh the only way to approach it being defended by a strong Fort with five Bastions and a Mote but the Fort not having men sufficient to defend it against the great numbers of the French who likewise threw Bombs incessantly into the Town and fired the Houses the Townsmen grew so impatient that they beat a Parley and the Articles were soon agreed by the French because they heard the D. of Villa Hermosa was coming to relieve it and the Governour was forced to surrender the Town His Highness continued the Siege of Mastricht all this while with much vigor and the latter end of July the Trenches were opened his Highness assigning to every one their Quarters and among the rest the English under three Collonels Fenwick Widdrington and Ashly consisting in 2500 men besides Reformades and Volunteers who presented a Petition to his Highness wherein they humbly desired That all of their Nation might be assigned a particular Quarter and be commanded apart that if they behaved themselves like Men they might have the honour due to their Courage but if they did ill that they only might bear the disgrace of their Cowardice there being no reason they should suffer for the miscarriages of others The Prince readily granted their request and ordered them a separate Post under Fenwick the Eldest Collonel and they accordingly signaliz'd their valour during the Siege Which was carried on with the utmost Conduct and Resolution his Highness continually animating his Souldiers by his Presence and teaching them by his example to contemn danger Many of the Outworks were taken with great slaughter on either side but were again supplied by the unwearied industry of the Besieged In one of these Assaults his Highness who continually exposed his Person received a Musket Shot in the Arm but to prevent his Men from being discouraged he pluckt off his Hat with the same Arm and waved it about his head But the Confederate Army being weakened both by sickness and the many Attacks against the Town and the Germans not bringing in their promised supplies a Council of War was called in the Princes Camp and there being advice that Monsieur Schomberg was coming with all the French Forces for the relief of the Town it was concluded to raise the Siege and so this Campaign ended without success occasioned by the weakness of the Spaniards and the uncertainty of the German Councils and soon after his Highness finding that Schomberg was satisfied with relieving Mastricht and not to be brought to a Battel He returned back to the Hague where in a General Assembly of the States he gave an account of the Summers Expedition so much to their satisfaction that he received their Congratulations and new returns of thanks for the many toils hardships and dangers to which he had exposed his Person for the preservation of his Country In September following his Highness received an account that the Imperial Army had taken Philipsburg for want of being well provided which was as unexpected as the raising the Siege of Mastricht The following Winter was spent in Treating the Peace at Nimegen which the Common People of Holland were very desirous of the War being a great hindrance to their Trade but the French insisted upon such high Terms that his Highness opposed it to the utmost though K. Charles II. was still very earnest to bring his dear Ally out of his Troubles But still the French pursued the War with their usual application for in February 1677. though it were in the depth of Winter their Forces marched into the Spanish Netherlands and having provided sufficient Magazines they in a manner blockt up Valenciennes Cambray and St. Omers at a distance giving
out they would be Masters of two if not of three places before the Confederates could take the Field The French at the same time broke into Germany on the other side the Rhyne ravaging burning and ruining these Countreys with a barbarity peculiar to the most Christian King Soon after the City of Valenciennes was surrounded with an Army of 40 or 50000 men under the D. of Luxemburg wherein was a Garrison of 2000 Foot and about 1000 Horse and Dragoons and the French King being arrived in the Camp commanded that the Besieged should be kept awake all night by flinging Bombs Granadoes and Fire pots into the Town and the next morning when they were tired with the nights Toil and gone to their repose so that few were left to guard the Works the Assailants carried all before them and turned the great Guns upon the Town which so terrified the Besieged that they presently surrendred at discretion Animated with this success the French King immediately sate down before Cambray a Town of great Trade and had been in the Spaniards hands about 80 years It had a Garrison of 1400 Horse and four Regiments of Foot and after a few days Siege this City was like the other Spanish Towns surrendred upon Articles And at the same time St. Omers was besieged by the Duke of Orleans with a very great Army The news of this sudden progress of the French so alarm'd all the Netherlands that his Highness the Prince of Orange was resolved to take the Field the Dutch having reseived their payments from Spain and concluded to continue the War another Campaign being brought to this resolution by the vigour and courage of his Highness who had begun to prepare his Troops to march upon the first motion of the French But by the usual delays and neglects of the Spaniards though the Prince used the utmost diligence and application yet he could not arrive soon enough to succour Valenciennes and Cambray But was now resolved to venture a Battel to endeavour the relief of St. Omers At Mount Cassal both Armies met where after a sharp encounter wherein his Highness shewed the utmost bravery the French themselves confessing That the Prince that day withstood no less than thirty nine Battalions of Foot and an hundred equadrons of Horse he made such an honourable retreat as wanted little of a Victory which was occasioned by the plain Flight of his men whom he was forced to resist like Enemies Of which the States General were so sensible that in answer to his Letter wherein his Highness gave them an account of what had passed they sent him another returning their unfeigned thanks to his Highness for his indefatigable pains and care not sparing his own Person Of which they besought him to be more tender for the future considering the great importance thereof for the preservation of his Countrey After this followed the Surrender of the Cittadel of Cambray which had held out till now though the Town was taken And likewise St. Omers which after a vigorous resistance wherein the French lost many considerable Officers was surrendred upon Articles After this the French King returned to Paris leaving Crequi to oppose the Duke of Lorrain and Luxemburg to observe the motions of the Prince of Orange who July 23. 1677 having recruited his own Army and received several Auxiliary supplies from the German Princes marched in the Head of them for the Confederates had all submitted to his Conduct from Aloft to attack the French lying under the Walls of Aeth but finding Luxemburg so advantagiously posted between two Rivers that he could not be forced to a Battel He marched to Charleroy and instantly Beleaguered that Town which had a Garison of 4 or 5000 French under the command of Count Montal who mistrusting the design had furnished it with all manner of Ammunition and Provision and such a number of great Guns that he had sent away a good part of them The D. of Luxemburg hearing his Highness was sate down before the City drained all the Garrisons of the French Conquests and having made up a Body of 40000 men posted himself so strongly having a Wood upon his right Wing and a River before him that there was no forcing his Trenches neither could the Confederates fetch any Forrage from the Countrey beyond the Sambre from whence they used to be supplied All which his Highness considering drew off and marched to Sembreef thereby to preserve his Army wherein consisted the safety of his Country though no man was ever more daring when there was any probability of prevailing His Highness finding the French were resolved not to come to a Battel but to be upon the defensive and secure what they had gotten leaving the Army near Brussels under Count Waldeck returned to the Hague and had the thanks of the States returned him a second time for his wary and prudent Conduct In October this year his Highness went over into England at the invitation of King Charles in hopes that his presence would much contribute to a general Peace between France and the Confederates which the King seemed very sollicitous to have concluded by the instigation as it was thought of the French Court who were willing to put an end to the War for the present The Prince Oct. 19. arrived at Harwich and went Post to Newmarket where the Court then was which in two or three days returned to Whitehall where his Highness having a sight of the Princess was so pleased therewith that he immediately made suit to the King and Duke that she might be his Bride which they seemed well pleased with if a Peace were first concluded But his Highness absolutely resusing that condition the King being very well satisfied of his Highness excellent Merits resolved to grant his request and the next day declared in Council his design of marrying the Prince of Orange with the Princess Mary Upon which the whole Council went in a body to complement the Prince and Princess and the news was received both in City and Countrey with Bells Bonfires and other signs of extraordinary joy and satisfaction and they were married accordingly Nov. 4. 1677. being his Highness Birthday Yet amidst these Nuptial Joys and Caresses his Highness knowing how necessary his presence was in Holland made haste to return So that he departed from London Nov. 29. with his Princess and arriving at Homslaer dyke staid there till they made their publick entry at the Hague which they did in a few days in as magnificent a manner as both the Magistrates and People could express to declare their joy and satisfaction for these happy Nuptials In 1678. even in January the French King made such mighty Preparations for the ensuing Campaign as alarm'd all Europe but more especially the Dutch and their Allies So that the King of England sent the Earl of Feversham with a Project of Peace to the French King consisting of several heads which if should resuse to accept of that
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
and the actual Invasion of Ireland and Supporting the Rebels there he is promoting the utter Extirpation of the Protestants there His Majesty being therefore thus Necessitated to take up Arms and Relying on the help of Almighty God in his just undertaking hath thought fit to declare War against the French King and will in Conjunction with his Allies vigorously prosecute the same by Sea and Land since he hath so unrighteously begun it being assured of the hearty Concurrence and Assistance of his Subjects in Supporting of so good a Cause forbidding all Correspondence or Communication with that King or his Subjects and that all the French Nation in his Majesties Dominions who shall Demean themselves Dutifully and not Correspond with his Enemies shall upon the Kings Royal word be safe in their Persons and Estates and free from all Molestation and Trouble of any Kind About the same time the King of Spain proclaimed War against France and the Emperor of Germany sent a Letter to his Majesty wherein after he has returned thanks to the King for taking care that no Violence should be offered to the Roman Catholicks he promises the same thing in respect to the Protestants His Majesty gave Advice to the Switzers of his Advancement to the Throne So that now King William and Queen Mary were acknowledged for lawful Soveraigns of Great Brittain by all the Protestant and the greatest part of the Roman Catholick Princes and States for besides the Emperor and the King of Spain the Duke of Bavaria the three Ecclesiastical Electors the Duke of Newburg the Elector Palatine and the Bishops of Leige and Munster all Roman Catholicks declared themselves Enemies to France and by this we may observe that the French Polititians were greatly deceived in their Measures for upon notice of the Prince of Oranges Expedition into England it is reported some of them thus Discourst King Lewis Sir said they There is a Civil War kindling in England which will last this two or three years and Disable that Island and the United Provinces from Acting In this time your Majesty will have Conquered all or the greatest part of Germany If King James has the worst we will perswade all the Catholick Princes to Unite and Restore him All this while your Majesty will be Head of the League will preserve your Conquests and King James cannot refuse you Ireland or any other portion of his Kingdom for the Expences of the War This done your Majesty shall fall upon Holland which will be weak and unprovided of Men and Money and shall be able in a little time to oppress the Remainder of the Protestanâ—s and so become Emperor of all Europe But unfortunately for them King James II. too soon forsook his Country and then they cryed Religion is ruined unless all endeavours are used for his Restoration Upon which some would fain know what Religion the French King is of who persecutes and invades Papists as well as Protestants and think that he must be either a Pagan or Mahumetan or else of a Christianity all of his own Contriving to carry on his Perjuries and Usurpations upon his Neighbours May 1. A Squadron of English Men of War under Admiral Herbert Sailing toward the Coast of Ireland to prevent the French from Landing Forces and Provisions there understanding they were got to Sea under favour of the Night they got sight of them lying in the Bay of Bantree in the West of Ireland and resolved to Attack them with Nine Ships in the Harbor they being about 44 Sail in all whereupon the next Morning the Fight began we continued Fattering upon a Stretch till five in the Afternoon when the French Admiral Tackt from us and stood farther into the Bay In this Action Captain Aâ—lmeâ— and 94 Seamen were killed and about 250 wounded but the Enemy were Reported to have 200 Slain and many more Wounded and having Landed some few Men for fear of a second Ingagement Retreated after which our Squadron returned to Portsmouth whither His Majesty came soon after and declared his Royal Intention of Conferring the Title of Earl upon the Admiral and accordingly he was afterward Created Earl of Torrington Baron of Torbay c. and the Captain Shovell and Ashby were Knighted and Ten Shillings a Man was given to those Seamen that had been ingaged against the French King James found himself at this time greatly mistaken in Scotland which he called his Ancient Kingdom where he thought himself absolute Master by making so many Creatures and Friends whereas that Kingdom in general now owned King William and the Rebels whose number is inconsiderable and Discovered and Secured The Lord Dundee only escaped who roam'd about the North parts with some few followers and General Mackay at his Heels Letters about this time were intercepted from the late King and his Secretary Melfort to the Lord Belcarris and others wherein were some Expressions that highly incensed the Scots against them You will ask me without question says Melfort to Claverhouse How we intend to pay our Army but never fear that so long as there are Rebels Estates we will begin with the Great Ones and end with the Little Ones In another Letter to Belcarris says he The Estates of the Rebels will Recompence us Experience hath taught our Illustrious Master that there are a good Number of People that must be made Gibeonites because they are good for nothing else you know there are several Lords that we markt out when we were both together that deserve no better These will serve for Examples to others after the Reading of these Letters the President of the Convention Addressing himself to the Members of the Assembly You hear Gentlemen said he Our Sentence Pronounced and that it behoves us either to Defend our Selves or Dye Upon which the Lords Belcarris and Lochore and Lieutenant Colonel Balfour were Committed to Prison and being thus forewarned they Resolved to keep the Army afoot which they thought of Disbanding As to the Hopes of the Enemies of that Kingdom that the Abolishing of Episcopacy may occasion another Revolution there is no reason to believe it since the late Carriage of the Scotch Bishops has utterly Alienated the Affections of the greater part of the People from them so that if they were Protestants at the bottom of their Souls yet they appeared to be Men of no Policy nor Conduct For they sent an Address to King James wherein they Highly Congratulated the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales they read that Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience in favour of the Papists and for the Abolition of Penal Laws and how could they imagine that when they knew it was a long timebefore they could gain that single Point of the Superiority of Bishops above private Ministers that the Scots would ever endure Popery and Arbitrary Power to Domineer over them Experience shews us that they only wanted a Leader before this time So that when the Prince of Oranges Design
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
then King Charles and the States General would unite their Forces to compel him to reason The French rejected the King's Propositions continuing his mighty Warlike Preparations Upon which King Charles recalled his Forces out of the French Service who had often occasioned his gaining many considerable Victories and the Parliament meeting soon after the King acquainted them That he had made an Alliance with Holland to compel the King of France to a reasonable Peace Upon which the Commons gave Money for raising 30000 Land Souldiers and a Fleet of 90 Men of War Though it appeared afterward the Court never intended any War but to have used these Forces to far worse purposes even to the advancing Arbitrary Government and Popery in these Kingdoms of which the Dutch were so sensible that much doubting the sincerity of K. Charles his Negotiations they were at last constrained to make Peace with the French upon disadvantagious Terms to pacifie the Factions and Discontents of the People The French King in March this year came before Gaunt with an Army of 80000 Men and by inceslant Batteries and Stormings took it in nine days time having drawn the Spanish Forces toward Mons under pretence of Besieging it And then fell upon Ipre with such rapid violence that he soon reduced that likewise though with such loss of Officers and Souldiers that he put his Army into Garrisons and then returned to Paris This gave such a mighty Alarm to the Hollanders that all things drove on violently for a Peace Which the French King being sensible of and having now gained his point in Flanders to prevent the English from being in earnest against him He sends an Imperious Project of a Peace declaring he would admit of these conditions and no other which the Dutch were obliged to accept of since they could obtain no better But before the Peace was ratified the French made several Pretensions and Delays in performing even what themselves had agreed to as his Highness the P. of Orange foresaw and foretold they would do insomuch that they blockt up the City of Mons a chief Frontier of Flanders Upon which his Highness resolved to march to the relief of it great preparations being made to that purpose and understanding that the Confederates had joined the Holland and Spanish Forces that lay near the Canal of Brussels he departed by Night from the Hague and marching toward Mons with his Armv being accompanied with the Duke of Monmouth he fell upon the Duke of Luxemburg with such fury that he forced him to retire and animating his Souldiers with his Eyes sparkling like Fire they despised all danger by their gallant Generals example who in the midst of Fire and Smoak and Bullets flying thick as Hail adventured so far that he had been in eminent danger had not Monsieur Overkirk opposed himself against a daring Captain that was just ready to charge the Prince with a full Career laying him dead on the place The Horse all this while were lookers on not being able to advance into the the narrow Passages and steep Descents so that all the weight lay on the Foot and Dragoons Night coming on the Duke of Luxemburg drew off in great silence and confusion leaving to his Highness as certain marks of Victory the Field of Battel his Tents Baggage wounded Men store of Powder and other Ammunition The States General appointed Commissioners to congratulate his Highness for this Victory gained with so much reputation and glory beseeching him withal to be careful of his Illustrious Person considering the Tranquillity of his Countrey and the repose of the Church and Protestant Religion depended so much thereon The very day this memorable Battel was fought the Peace between the Dutch and French was signed at Nimegen of which intelligence was brought to his Highness the next morning who would else have pursued the advantages he had gained to the full relief of the Town having already in spight of so many disadvantages from an Army so suddenly drawn together and so hasty a march as that of the Dutch taken divers Posts fortified with so much skill and industry by the French and attacqued them with a resolution and vigor that at first surprized them and after an obstinate and bloudy Fight so disordered them that though the night prevented the end of the action yet it was verily believed that if the Prince had been at liberty next day to pursue it with 7 or 8000 English which were ready to join his Army he must in all appearance not only have relieved Mous but made such an impression into France as had been often design'd but never attempted since the War began Upon which a French Officer present said That he esteemed this the only Heroick Action that had been done in the whole course and progress of it The Prince having received advice of the Peace sent a Deputy with the News to the Duke of Luxemburg who desired to see the Prince and accordingly met him in the Field in the Head of his Chief Officers where all Civilities passed between them proper for the occasion and the French with great cariosity crowded about this young Prince who had the day before ingaged in such a desperate Action as that of St. Dennis was esteemed to be So that his Highness could not have ended the War with greater Glory nor with greater spight to see such a great occasion wrested out of his hand by the sudden and unexpected signing of the Peace which he had assured himself the States General would not have consented to without the Spaniards Yet upon the certain News of it he drew back his Army returned to the Hague and left the States to pursue their own measures in order to finish the Treaty betwixt France and Spain During which the King of England sent over a Perfon of Honour to the States General to acquaint them how much he was surprized at the news of their signing a particular Treaty with France even without the inclusion of Spain declaring that if they would refuse to ratifie what their Ministers had signed at Nimegen His Majesty would immediately declare War against France and carry it on with all vigour pursuant to the Treaty lately entred into with them All men were much amazed at this sudden Turn of the Court of England and the Prince complained That nothing was ever more hot and cold nor any Councils ever more unsteady than those of England since if this Dispatch had come twenty days before it might have changed the face of Affairs in Christendom and have obliged the French to such Terms of Peace as should have left the World in quiet for many years to come but would now have no effect at all Which happened accordingly for at last it appeared to proceed only from the discovery of the Popish Plot which extreamly alarm'd the People and Parliament who were much disturbed at the Treacherous Designs of our Court in promoting the Popish and French
Interest and thereby forcing the Dutch to comply with that King almost upon his own Terms and therefore to divert the humour King Charles pretended to be in earnest for engaging in a War against France which for some time hinder'd the Ratification of the Treaty and English Forces were daily transported into Flanders as if the War were really to have been carried on which encouraged those that were against the Peace in Holland and occasioned the Spaniards to use their utmost endeavours to prevent the concluding it But the French King being unwilling to lose the great Advantages he had obtained by this Treaty resolved to remove all difficulties and satisfie the States in their demands Yea he dispatched Ambassadors to the Hague with full Authority to remit all the differences about the Treaty with Spain and himself to their Determination which raised in the States such a good Opinion of the sincerity of that Kings proceedings that they quickly adjusted all matters in contest between the two Crowns so that the Treaty was signed September 20. 1678. The other Confederates as the Emperor the King of Denmark the Duke of Brandenburg c. were very much inraged that they were left to treat singly with their potent Enemy who demanded very severe Conditions from them so that the Ratification of the Treaty with Spain being hereby delayed the French King to quicken it sent Marshal de Humieres with a great Army into Fianders plundering and burning all before them and putting these Countries under Contribution with so much fury and insolence that the common people complained heavily of the Calamities and Miseries which they undeservedly suffered by the flowness of the Spanish Conncils so that at length both the Spaniard and Emperor were obliged to comply with the offers of France who else threatned in a few days to make the Terms much higher The other Princes though they very much resented this sudden Conclusion of a Peace at such disadvantage yet knowing their own inability were forced to be contented to make a separate Peace for themselves The King of England observing that he could not hinder it sent his Plenipotentiaries again to Nimegen to sign the General Treaty but in the interval some new pretences arising between the Spaniards and French the States General were very diligent to compose them the Transactions being seldom managed by them but in the presence of His Highness the Prince of Orange whose prudence was still consulted in matters of gre atest difficulty he himself discovering an extraordinary Generosity that while others preferr'd Points of Honour before the publick Peace His Highness quitted his own Interest in post-poning his demands for Reparation of the devastations in his own Estates and Territories so as not to impede the Tranquillity of his Countrey many of his Lands being ruined and destroyed in the Spanish Netherlands and other adjacent parts Of which and several other injustices in seizing upon His large possessions in other places though the Provinces of Guelderland Zealand and Utrecht made loud complaints against the French in his Highness behalf yet could the Prince obtain no satisfaction But the States and their Subjects being quite tired out out with the War the General Peace was signed in January 1678. And the English Mediators were called home by that King who was fully imployed at home about the matter of the Popish Plot which both Houses of Parliament and the generality of the Nation believed to be real though the King and some of the Court credited no more of it than what themselves were concerned in and the Prince of Orange at that time told a publick Minister That He had reason to be confident that the King was a Roman Catholick though he durst not profess it Thus Europe for the present was left in a General Peace though the French King soon after made such shameful pretences to the Dependancies upon his late Conquests both in Flandets and Germany that he gained more after the Peace than by his Arms in the War no Prince nor State being either willing or able to oppose him therein These disputes began in 1681 and continued some years at which time that King likewise began to raise a violent Persecution against his own Protestant Subjects proceeding from the Perfidiousness and ingratitude peculiar to Lewis the XIV For it is well known that for the signal Services which they performed to Henry IV. His Grand-Father in asserting the Rights of the Crown against the Papists who were then in rebellion against him that great Prince in acknowledgment thereof confirmed to them an Edict for the free exercise of their Religion which was called the Edict of Nants whereby they were to enjoy all Liberties and Priviledges both in Religious and Civil matters and to be as capable of all Offices and Imployments as his other Subjects This he declared should be inviolable and it was accordingly confirmed both by his Son Lewis XIII and likewise by the present King upon a very remarkable occasion For he being very Young when he ascended the Throne the Prince of Conde soon after raised a Civil War in the Kingdom against him but the Protestants by their unshaken Loyalty to him defeated the designs of his enemies and setled that Crown upon His Head which he wears this day of which eminent Service he seemed to be so sensible that in 1652. he made a publick Declaration of it at St. Germans and every one endeavoured to exceed in proclaiming the merits of the Protestants the Queen Mother her self acknowledging that they had preserved the State But since by the Maxims of the Roman Religion No Faith is to be kept with Hereticks the Jesuits and Ministers of State endeavoured to instil into the Kings mind this Treacherous Notion That since the Protestants were so potent to advance the King they might likewise upon another occasion remove him again from this infernal reasoning without their having given the least umbrage or suspition of disloyalty it was resolved they must be supprest and ruined Therefore so soon as the Kingdom was setled in Peace the Protestant Towns of Rochel Montauban c. Which had shewed the greatest Zeal for the Kings service were plundred by the Souldiers and otherwise impoverisht Then their Churches and Exercises of Religion were prohibited them under false pretences that they exceeded the Grants allowed them Yea in matters of Law Religion was urg'd by the Advocates at the instigation of the Priests so that they cryed out I plead against a Heretick an enemy to the State and to the Kings Religion whom he would have to be destroyed So that the Judge durst not do them justice for fear of being counted a Favourer of Hereticks and upon complaint they were told You have your remedy in your own hands why do not you turn Catholicks This was succeeded by Processes throughout the Kingdom to inquire what the Protestants had said or done for twenty years past about Religion or other matters and there being no
lay such Motives and Arguments before him as by the Blessing of God might bring him back to the Communion of the Church of England into whose Catholick Faith he had been Baptized Not long after the Lords Spiritual and Temporal presented the King the following Petition VVE your Majesties most Loyal Subjects in a deep Sence of the Miseries of a War now breaking forth in the Bowels of this your Kingdom and of the Danger to which your Majesties Sacred Person is thereby like to be Exposed and also of the Distractions of your People by Reason of their present Grievances do think our selves bound in Conscience of the Duty we owe to God and our Holy Religion to your Majesty and our Countrey most humbly to offer to your Majesty That in our Opinion the only visible way to preserve your Majesty and this your Kingdom would be the Calling of a Parliament Regular and Free in all its Circumstances We therefore do most earnestly beseech your Majesty that you would be graciously pleased with all speed to Call such a Parliament wherein we shall be most ready to promote such Counsels and Resolutions of Peace and Settlement in Church and State as may conduce to your Majesty's Honour and Safety and to the quieting the Minds of your People We do likewise Humbly beseech your Majesty in the mean time to use such means for the preventing the Effusion of Christian Blood as to your Majesty shall seem most meet And your Petitioners shall ever Pray c. W. Cant. Grafton Ormond Dorset Clare Clarendon Burlington Anglesey Rochester Newport Nom. Ebor. W. Asaph Fran. Ely Tho. Roffen Th. Petriburg T. Oxon. Paget Chandois Osulston Presented by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Arch-Bishop of York Elect the Bishop of Ely and the Bishop of Rochester the 17th of November 1688. To which the King returned the following Answer My Lords VVHat You ask of Me I most passionately desire And I Promise You UPON THE FAITH OF A KING That I will have a Parliament and such an One as You ask for as soon as ever the Prince of Orange has Quitted this Realm For How is it possible a Parliament should be Free in all its Circumstances as You Petition for whilst an Enemy is in the Kingdom and can make a Return of near an Hundred Voices His Highness lay some days at Exeter expecting that such Gentlemen as resided nearest his Court should have come to him sooner than those at a Distance but finding something of an unexpected slowness he could not forbear to signifie some little Resentment to some of the Principal Gentlemen of Somersetshire and Devonshire that came to join him Nov. 15. 1688. in the following Speech THo' we know not all your Persons yet we have a Catalogue of your Names and remember the Character of your Worth and Interest in your Countrey You see we are come according to your Invitation and our Promise Our Duty to God obliges us to Protect the Protestant Religion and our Love to Mankind your Liberties and Properties We expected you that dwels so near the Place of our Landing would have join'd us sooner not that it is now too late nor that we want your Military Assistance so much as your Countenance and Presence to justifie our Declar'd Pretensions rather than accomplish our good and gracious Designs Tho' we have brought both a good Fleet and a good Army to render these Kingdoms Happy by Rescuing all Protestants from Popery Slavery and Arbitrary Power by Restoring them to their Rights and Properties Established by Law and by Promoting of Peace and Trade which is the Soul of Government and the very Life-Blood of a Nation yet we rely more on the Goodness of God and the Justice of our Cause than on any Humane Force and Power whatever Yet since God is pleased we shall make use of Humane means and not expect Miracles for our Preservation and Happiness Let us not neglect making use of this Gracious Opportunity but with Prudence and Courage put in Execution our so honourable purposes Therefore Gentlemen Friends and Fellow-Protestants we bid you and all your Followers most heartily Welcome to our Court and Camp Let the whole World now Judge if our Pretentions are not Just Generous Sincere and above Price since we might have even a Bridge of Gold to Return back But it is our Principle and Resolution rather to die in a Good Cause than live in a Bad one well knowing That Virtue and True Honour is its own Reward and the Happiness of Mankind our Great and Only Design But quickly after his Highness found the English Nobility and Gentry no less faithful to him than he had been to them and that His several Declarations had the wished Effect the Lord Wharton and the Lord Colchester with a strong Party marched through Oxford to his Highnesses Camp without Opposition The Lord Lovelace with another Party out of Oxfordshire got as far as Cirencester but were opposed and himself taken Prisoner by the County Militia yet his whole Party except four or five that were slain or maimed in the Skirmish broke there way through and his Lordship was soon after released out of Glocester Prison by a Young Gentleman of that County who took up arms for the Prince and drove out all the Popish Crâ—â—â— that were setled in that City the Lord Delamere having raised a Considerable Force in Cheshire advanced to Nottingham to join the Gentlemen of that County who were ready to receive him And Nov. 22. at the Rendezvous there the following Declaration was publisht VVE the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty of these Northern Counties Assembled together at Nottingham for the defence of the Laws Religion and Properties according to those Free-born Liberties and Priviledges descended to us from our Ancestors as the undoubted Birth-right of the Subjects of this Kingdom of England not doubting but the Infringers and Invaders of our Rights will represent us to the rest of the Nation in the most malicious dress they can put upon us do here unanimously think it our Duty to declare to the rest of our Protestant Fellow-Subjects the Grounds of our present Undertaking We are by innumerable Grievances made sensible that the very Fundamentals of our Religion Liberties and Properties are about to be rooted out by our late Jesuitical Privy-Council as hath been of late too apparent 1. By the Kings Dispensing with all the Establisht Laws at his Pleasure 2. By displacing all Officers out of all Offices of Trust and Advantage and placing others in their room that are known Papists deservedly made incapable by the Establisht Laws of our Land 3. By destroying the Charters of most Corporations in 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 meerly Arbitrary 6. By branding all men with the Name of Rebels that but
Parties of Irish and Fortified London-Derry Slego the Isle of Inniskilling and other places which they thought Tenable For now Tyrconnel gave Order for stopping the Ports to prevent any more from going away and made many large and plausible Proposals to induce them to join with him though they had very little effect upon them The Convention at Westminster were still upon serious Debates about the present Condition of the Kingdom and in the mean time it was thought necessary to have the Presence of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange in England Whereupon a Squadron of English and Dutch Men of War were Ordered to wait upon her till her Equipage could be got ready and the Wind served to bring over her Highness And after the Lords and Commons had duly weighed the Circumstances of the Kings Departure they at length came to the following Resolution Resolved that King James II. Having endeavoured to Subvert the Constitution of this Kingdom by breaking the Original Contract between King and People and by the Advice of Jesuits and other wicked Persons having Violated the Fundamental Laws and having withdrawn himself out of this Kingdom hath Abdicated the Government and the Throne is thereby Vacant In pursuance of which Resolution the following Declaration was drawn up in Order to such an Establishment as that the Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom might not again be in Danger and for Vindicating the Ancient Rights and Liberties of the People in these words VVHereas the Late King James the Second by the Assistance of divers Evil Councellors Judges and Ministers Employed by him did endeavour to Subvert and Extirpate the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom By Assuming and Exercising a Power of Dispensing with and Suspending of Laws and the Execution of Laws without Consent of Parliament By Committing and Prosecuting divers Worthy Prelates for humbly Petitioning to be Excused from Concurring to the said Assumed Power By Issuing and causing to be Executed a Commission under the Great Seal for Erecting a Court called The Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes 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 this 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 Armed and Employed contrary to Law By Violating the Freedom of Election of Members to serve in Parliament By Prosecutions in the Court of Kings Bench for Matters and Causes cognizable only in Parliament and by divers other Arbitrary Illegal Courses And whereas of late years Partial Corrupt and Urqualified Persous have been Returned and Served on Juaries 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 Benefiâ— of the Laws made for the Liberty of the Subjects 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 Levyed All which are utterly and directly contrary to the known Laws and Statutes and Freedom of this Realm And whereas the said 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 Universities Boroughs and Cinque-Ports for the Choosing of such Persons to represent them as were of right to be sent to Parliament to meet and sit at Westminster upon the Two and twentieth day of January in this Year One thousand six hundred eighty and eight 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 having 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 Representative 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 Case have usually done for the Vindicating and Asserting their Ancient Rights and Liberties Declare that the pretended Power of Suspending of Laws or the Execution of Laws by Regal Authority without Consent of Parliament is Illegal legal That the pretended Power of Dispensing with Laws or the Execution 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 like nature are Illegal and Pernicious That Levying Money for or to the Use of the Crown by protence 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 or keeping a standing Army within the Kingdom in time of Peace unless it be with Consent of Parliament is against Law That the Subjects which are Protestants may have Arms for their Defence suitable to their Conditions and as allowed by Law That Election of Members of Parliament ought to be free That the Freedom of Speech and Debates or 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 required nor Excessive Fines imposed nor cruel and unusual Punishments inflicted That Jurors ought to be duly Impannelled and Returned 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 Premisses 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 Premisses ought in any wise to be drawn hereafter into Consequence or Example To which Demand of their Right they are particularly Encouraged by the Declaration of his Highness the Prince of Orange as being the only means for obtaining a
The Marshal D'Humieres with Seven thousand Horse faced the Leaguer but durst not venture to succour it so that the Confederates having finisht their Batteries and brought three Mines to perfection prepared for a general Storm but willing to save their Men sent a Summons to the Governour to surrender the Town since they were without Relief and if they pleased might send out some to see what Mines were ready to play upon their refusal which would be followed by putting to the Sword all in Arms if taken by Storm This so affrighted them that the next day they capitulated and 1500 French marched out of the Town the rest being either dead or wounded This successful Expedition of His Highness put the French into such a Consternation to see the reverse of their Fortune that they who lately with insulting Pride threatned the ruin of others were now at their wits end to save themselves so that upon the loss of so many Men as had lately died by Sickness and the Sword they were compell'd to abandon all their Conquests in the Netherlands in less time than they gained them retaining only Mastricht and the Grave of all they lately possest belonging to this Republick Woerden was the first that felt their Tyranny and was first evacuated but the Duke of Luxemburg extorted 16000 Livers of them to save the Town from burning by the King's Order Harderwick paid 12000 Livers Creveceur 3000 Pistols Bommel a strong Fortress on which the King of France had bestowed 60000 Livers gave Hostages to pay 36000 Livers to spare their Houses Utrecht was obliged to give an hundred thousand Crowns and the French all departing in one day the Burgomasters absolved each other from their Oaths which they had taken against the Restoration of His Highness the Prince of Orange to whom they sent their Deputies to acknowledge him their Stadtholder in the name of the whole Province of Utrecht Thus His Highness may in some sense seem to have out-done Caesar himself for he vanquisht even where he neither saw nor came but only by the Tertour of his Arms and Victories In consideration of this happy Turn of Affairs occasioned by the prudence and conduct of His Highness the States General in February following published a Decree to declare their Gratitude confirming the charge of Stad tholder of the Province of Holland and West-Friezeland on the Person of His Highness during Life and also on the Heirs Males of his Body as a standing Monument of his surpassing Merits And that very day the States of Zealand likewise conferred the same Dignities upon His Highness and made him withall Hereditary Noble of their Province In the beginning of the year 1674. the Parliament and People of England being weary of the War with Holland which was entred into without their consent or liking were very desirous of a Peace so that the French-Court-party having little hope of wheedling the House of Commons to give any more Money to carry on their black designs against the Religion and Liberties of the Nation under the pretence of this War they were obliged to make a separate Peace with the Dutch exclusive of the French King though to their great regret that they were forced to abandon their dear Ally from whom they had drawn such great sums of Money for secret service upon the strength and heart of this Peace His Highness the Prince of Orange concerted with the German and Spanish Troops to begin an Offensive War and in the head of an Army of 40000 Men to march into France In pursuance hereof the three Armies being joyned arrived at Nivelle the beginning of August 1674. where they continued for some days but finding the Prince of Conde who lay not far off encamped with an Army of Fifty thousand unwilling to come forth and hazard a Battel in the open Field they endeavoured by all ways imaginable to provoke and draw him out of his Trenches but all proving ineffectual they resolved to besiege some place of importance believing that Conde would endeavour to relieve it Whereupon His Highness marched from Seneffe toward Brinch General Souches with the Imperial Forces leading the Van Count Waldeck commanded the main Battel with the Holland Army and Count de Monterey the Reer with the Spaniards the Prince of Orange commanding the whole Confederate Army The Prince of Conde having notice of their movement and being sensible of the difficulty and straitness of the passages put his Men in order and letting the Van-Guard pass and the greatest part of the main Body some Leagues before he then fell in upon the Rere-Guard of the Spanish Horse and Dragoons consifting of Four thousand commanded by the Prince de Vaudemont and broke them with great flaughter and not much resistance taking several Prisoners of Quality with the Baggage which the Prince of Orange having notice of he sent three Battalions of Infantry to their Relief Conde warmed with success drew his whole Army out of their Trenches and fell with much fury upon the Dutch Squadron breaking them to pieces killing or taking all their Commanders and gaining several Standards And here His Highness the Prince of Orange gave particular Testimonies of his undaunted Bravery throwing himself with his Sword in his hand before the daunted Fugitives endeavouring by all means imaginable to stop their flight and by his own example encouraged them to renew the Battel so that he was often in danger either of being slain or taken Prisoner But at length His Highness joyning the rest of the Dutch who stood firm whom he made the Right Wing with the Imperialists and Spaniards in the Left the Fight was renewed with more fury and vigour than ever both Armies being animated with hope of Victory and seeming equally resolved rather to die than be overcome His Highness omitted no pains upon this important occasion so animating his Souldiers that they strove with emulation to outdo one another and both Armies fought till night with an obstinacy on both sides hardly to be parallel'd though the Fields were all strown over with the Bodies of the slain and wounded while the Combatants covered with Blood and Sweat encouraged each other the more by that dismal spectacle Thus the fury of the French which at first carried all before them about Ten a Clock at night began to abate the French Infantry of which they had lost a considerable part drawing off at a distance notwithstanding all the endeavours of the Prince of Conde to have brought them back again who thereupon fearing some farther mischief might befall his Army ordered the Horse also to retire leaving the Victory by this means to His Highness the Prince of Orange who two hours after the Retreat of the French drew off his Army likewise to their appointed Quarters Thus ended this bloody Battle wherein at first the French prevailed but at length lost the Victory having 7000 men slain outright besides the wounded of whom the P. of Conde left above 1500 in
want of perjured Villains to swear what was absolutely false the Judges though sensible of it incouraging them therein the Prisons were soon filled and many innocent and virtuous Persons were whipt and sent to the Gallies for Slaves Next they were deprived of all publick Offices and imployments contrary to an express Article in the Edict of Nants yea were forbid to exercise several Arts and Trades for maintaining their Families This was in 1669. and in 1680. all Lords and Gentlemen were commanded to discharge their Protestant Officers and Servants Nay they would not suffer Protestant Midwives to do their Office but expresly ordained That no Woman should receive any assistance in that condition but from Popish Midwives And to consummate their miseries they were forbid under severe penalties to go out of France to get their bread in other Countreys whereby they were under the horrible necessity of perishing for hunger in their own They laid severe Taxes upon them raising the sum from fourty or fifty Livers to seven or eight hundred and Quartered Dragoons upon them till it was paid Then an Edict was published that Children of seven years old should abjure their Religion forcing their Parents to give them allowances beyond their abilities taking them away and suffering them to see them no more even Persons of the best Quality were thus used Protestant Schoolmasters were prohibited and three Universities supprest though absolutely granted by the Edict of Nants Papists were forbid to marry Protestants or Ministers to hinder People directly or indirectly from turning Papists These and a multitude of other cruel and barbarous oppressions they greaned under when the Elector of Brandenburg being pleased to interceed on their behalf the King assured him He was very well satisfied with the behaviour of his Protestant Subjects and that so long as he lived no wrong should be done them And yet at the same instant with his usual sincerity he gave order for demolishing several of their Churches and shutting up others imprisoning their Ministers and using divers manifest injustices against those he pretended to protect At this time some of the Persecuted People sent their Children to Orange as being a Soveraign Principality to finish the course of their Studies in security But this so displeased the King that He sent a Body of two thousand men under his Lieutenant General in Languedock who positively commanded the Prince of Oranges Magistrates to send away all the Children home again and not to receive any more for the future into their University or Schools which though it appeared very unreasonable yet the magistrates to prevent further mischief complyed therewith and thought they had thereby given full satisfaction to his demands but were strangely surprized to hear that during the Capitulation the Lieutenant General still approached with his forces nearer the City and that he had absolute Orders to demolish their Walls In short he advanced and Quartered eight Companies of Dragoons in the Citizens Houses where they committed many disorders constraining as well the Inhabitants as the other Subjects of His Highness in the Villages round about to assist at the ruine of their own Walls and Towers which were blown up At which the People laboured the more earnestly to be the sooner rid of those Arbitrary Guests who were said to have already vitiated several Virgins The Prince having news hereof represented their Case to the States General as a breach of the last Peace desiring them to signifie their just resentment of these unreasonable proceedings of the French King and to demand reparations for such horrid violations instantly upon concluding a General Peace and without the least provocation given The States accordingly by their Ambassador represented it as an Infraction of the Peace of Nimegen and required satisfaction for the damages which the Prince and his Subjects had so Illegally and contrary to the Faith of Treaties and Leagues sustained But could have only this answer from the French Court That as to the money extorted from the Inhabitants it was done without the Kings Order and he had commanded restitution to be made That upon the submission of the People to his will and pleasure he had withdrawn his Forces out of the Principality and restored free commerce to the Inhabitants according to their desires And for the rest he had reason for what he had done After the Peace was concluded his Highness applyed himself to reform the Government of Utrecht and other Towns and likewise to concert matters with the States General for the future security of his Countrey against the Treacheries and false pretentions of France The Prince being usually present in the Principal Debates of the Assembly both as to Peace and War who always appeared no less prudent and vigilant to prevent disorders at home than to repel Forreign Hostility In July 1681. His Highness came over into England and arriving at Whitehall Dined at Sir Stephen Foxes and then went to Windsor where the Court then was and having continued here about Ten Days returned back to Holland In the Interval of Affairs his Highness retired to Dieren or Soestdyke to divert himself and at other times made progresses to take a review of the Frontier Towns belonging to the State who in 1682. had ordered the Towns of Breda Grave and Naerden to be strongly fortified and it was proposed in the Assembly of the States to raise 16000 men and incorporate them with the Old Regiments and to add a New Squadron of twenty four Men of War both to prevent any sudden Insults of the French upon their Territories and to assist the Spaniards if they should commit any Acts of Hostility which was much to be suspected considering the shameful pretensions that King set up of Dependancies in the Spanish Netherlands In 1682. the Marquess of Grana was made Governour of Flanders of which he gave notice to the States General and the Prince and soon after His Highness had an Interview with the Marquess between Breda and Antwerp where they entred into Conferences about their future managements of Affairs His Highness likwise visiting the Fortified Places in Flanders belonging to the States being accompanied with the Princess who was received with all kind of Respect and Splendor by the Cities of Brussels Antwerp c. About this time the Count de Avaux the French Ambassador arriving at the Hague put in a Memorial to the Assembly of the manner how he expected to receive Audience But the States replyed That the things which he desired were wholly new and never practised before and therefore they can in no wise comply with them Whereupon his Audience was put off till he was willing to receive it upon the former Terms In November this year the Envoy of Moscovy came to wait upon the Prince then at Soestdyke to give an account that the great Czar was dead and that the two Princes now reigning were advanced to the Throne In the end of 1683. The K. of Spain being no
several open violations upon the Laws of the Land and the Properties of his Subjects Some time before his Highness returning from Hounsleyrdike to the Hague gave audience to several Forreign Ministers and parted thence to visit the Garrisons of Maestricht Boisleduck and other Places and in his return was met by the Princess at Loo having in his progress given all necessary Orders for the well governing and strengthning of those Places In December 1687. the Marquess de Albeville Envoy Extraordinary from the King of England had Audience of his Highness and the States of Holland and about the same time the States considering the danger that might arise from the great number of Forreign Popish Priests notwithstanding the intercession of the Envoy of the Emperor of Germany on their behalf they made a Decree commanding them to retire out of the Netherlands and never to return again promising a reward of 100 Ducatoons to any that should make discovery and laying a penalty of 600 Florins upon those that should harbour or conceal any of them for the first offence 1200 for the second and corporeal punishment for the third whereupon many of them went over into England where their hopes and expectations of having their Religion setled daily increased The King of England being unwilling to afford any assistance to the Heretical States against his dear Ally the French King published a Proclamation in March 1687. commanding the return of all Subjects then in the Service of the States General either by Sea or Land with no other Allegation but that the King thought it fit for his service The States raised some dispute with the Marquess de Albeville about this matter refusing to let them return into England insomuch that the Marquess soon after delivered in a Memorial to the States by express Orders from the King signifying That his Master was much surprized to find that their Lordships persisted in their Resolution in refusing leave to his Subjects to return into England and that whereas their Lordships alledged that there was nothing so agreeable to nature as that he who was born free should have the right and liberty to settle himself wherever he should think it most advantageous to him and that it was in his power to be Naturalized and become a Subject to them under whose Soveraignty he submits his Person and that the Government receiving him thereby acquire over him the same Right it has over its own proper and natural Subjects The Marquess replied That this pretended Natural Liberty could not subsist after Obedience and Dominion had been introduced so that the Rights of Soveraignty and Obedience were now only to be considered and that in virtue of those Rights it had been the common opinion in all times that no natural subject could withdraw himself from the Obedience he owed to his Lawful Prince from whence it was that the Kings of Great Britain had in all times prohibited their Subjects to ingage in any Forreign service and had recalled them from it when and as often as they thought fit The Marquess further instanced a Capitulation made between the Earl of Ossory and his Highness the Prince of Orange That in case the King of Great Britain should recal his Subjects in the Service of the States they should be permitted to retire by Virtue of which Capitulation and his Reasons alledged the Marquess demanded their dismission from which the King would never depart neither was he willing to doubt of their Lordships compliance with it But it seems few or none were willing for very few returned judging it may be that they might do more service where they were for the interest of their Countrey than in fighting at home against their own Countreymen and Fellow Protestants and as their unwillingness justified the resolution of the States General so it rendred the endeavours of the Marquess ineflectual For the States having disbanded them the greatest part listed themselves again under their Command as well Officers as Souldiers though the King had ordered the Masters and Captains of Ships and Vessels to give such as would return free passage with promise of advancement when they came to England In May 1688. The Prince Elector of Saxony was splendidly entertained by his Highness the Prince of Orange at Homslaer Dyke and the next day his Highness accompanied him to Scheveling where they went on board a small Vessel that carried them to a squadron of 17 Men of War which arrived from Schonvelt under the command of Vice Admiral Allemond who upon their approach sent two light Frigats and a Shallop to meet them and they were saluted with the Cannon of all the Ships when having dined aboard the Vice-Admiral they returned to Scheveling and from thence his Electoral Highness went to visit Delft Rotterdam Dort Maestricht Leige Aix and Cologne and so returned home by the way of Franckfort About which time the Envoy of Brandenburg acquainted the Prince of Orange and the States with the Death of the Elector his Master a Prince extream firm to the Protestant Interest and whose Death was much regretted by the Protestant Princes and States The Prince and States sending a Gentleman with Complements of Condoleance to his Son and Successor The King of England having obtained the opinion of his Judges for the Dispensing Power soon made use of it For first he employ'd Popish Officers and put them into chief Command the Earl of Clarendon being recalled from the Government of Ireland and the Earl of Tyrconnel a Papist sent to succeed him to the great terror of the Protestants of that Kingdom The Earl of Castlemain was sent Ambassador to Rome An Army was raised and Mustred at Hunslow Heath The Lord Bishop of London was convented before a New and Illegal Court of Judicature for Ecclesiastical Affairs and suspended from his Office for refusing to suspend the Reverend Dr. Sharp under pretence that he had uttered seditious words in his Sermons Then a Declaration is published for Liberty of Conscience and suspending all the Penal Laws in matters of Religion and acquitting all Persons from taking the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy both in England Scotland and Ireland The Popes Nuncio arrived in England being received with much respect by the King and Dined with the King and the Lord Maver at Guild-hall Popish Chappels were erected in several places in London and other Cities and Towns in England The Charters of several Corporations that were yet unseized were now taken away These and divers other Illegal proceedings put the Nation into a ferment and they were inraged at the Authors of them Nay they do not stop here for after this the King again renewed his Declaration for Liberty of Conscience with a peremptory Order to command all the Clergy to read it in their several Churches and Chappels throughout the Kingdom and that the Bishops should distribute them through their several Diocesses But the rigorous proceedings against the Lord Bishop of London the last year
daily discovered as far as they durst their longing desires for the Arrival of his Highness the Prince of Orange to deliver them from the apparent Mischiefs that impended over the Nation His Highness Preparations for his Expedition went on apace and the Marquess of Albeville King James his Ambassador at the Hague presented a Memorial to the Deputies of the States General upon that Subject but while he expected an Answer the Troops Embarqued and his Highness and the Marshal Schomberg came to the Hague and on Friday Oct. 16. The Fleet consâ—â—â—ing of 635 Men of War Fireships Tenders c. For the carriage of Horse Foot Arms and Ammunition sailed about four Afternoon from the Flats near the Brill with the Wind at S. W. and by S. The Prince Embarqued on a Vessel of between 28 and 30. Guns with Count Solmes Count Stirum the Sieur Bentwick the Sieur Overkirk Marshal Schomberg Count Charles his Son with several others as well English Noblemen as Strangers who were in the Fleet next day they came in sight of Schevelinge but meeting with a very terrible Storm which continued for two days and nights together was forced to put into Harbour again some Ships and small Vessels on which the Horse were aboard suffering some prejudice upon their return the Prince immediately gave an account to the States General of the Condition of the Fleet which was not so much damaged as was published in the English Gazette but rather turned to the Advantage of his Highness as the Affair was managed for to make the English Court more remiss in their Preparations the Haarlem and Amsterdam Gazettes told a most lamentable Story of what had happened As that the Prince was returned with his Fleet so miserably Torn and Shattered that he had lost nine of his Men of War and several lesser Vessels That 1000 of his Horse were utterly lost that a Calenture was got among the Seamen that Dr. Butner and several of the Princes chief Ministers were drowned and that the States had an ill opinion of the Expedition in General so that it was a thing almost impossible that the Prince should be in a Condition to pursue his Design till the next Spring This Stratagem had some effect upon the Court for the Papists hopes hereupon began so to revive that the King Ordered the Restoring the Charters and the Fellows of Magdalen Colled the Vacaring the Ecclesiastical Commission and the other Grants which he had newly made to be suspended till he heard the Prince was again put to Sea and thereby made the whole Nation sensible how little Trust or Credit was to be given to his most solemn Promises and Declarations but all hands being at work the damage that had been sustained was repaired in eight days time so that Nov. 3. about ten in the Morning upon a signal given the whole Fleet once more set Sail about Midnight an Advice Boat brought Intelligence that the English Fleet consisting of thirty three Sail lay to the Westward of the Princes upon which the Prince fired a Gun which caused a great Consternation through the whole Fleet but the small Advice Boats Cruising for more certain Intelligence brought news that instead of the English Fleet which had given the Alarm it was only Admiral Herbert with a part of the Dutch Fleet which had been for some hours separated from the main Body in the Morning the Prince gave a Signal for the Admirals to come aboard of him and soon after the Fleet was got into the North Forelands at what time the Fleet was Orderâ—d to close up in a Body fourteen or fifteen Foot deep his Highness leading the Van in the Ship called the Brill carrying a Flag with English Colours with this Motto The Proteâ—tant Religion and Liberties of England and underneath I will maintain it in the mean time the Council of War sent three small Frigates into the Mouth of the Thames who returning brought news that the English Fleet lay at the Bâ—oy in the Oar about thirty four Sail the Wind centrary at E. N. E. Upon which the Prince gave Order for stretching the whole Fleet between Dover and Calice seventy five deep which extended in breadth within a League of each Place the Flanks and Rear being guarded by Men of War the Trumpet founding and Drums beating at least three hours together after which the Prince giving the Signal for the Eleet to close they sailed that night as far as Beachy and the next Morning came within view of the Isle of Wight and then Order was given to extend the Fleet in a Line as before the next Morning they made directly for Toâ—â—ay upon his Highness Arrival the People flocking in great numbers to the Shoar signified their welcomes in loud Acclamations of Joy soon after the Prince gave two signals for the Admirals to come aboard and then the whole Fleet cast Anchor and Preparation was made for Landing whilst the Admirals stood out to Sea as a Guard and the small Men of War at ended for the Defence of those that Landed besides six men of War that were Ordered to run in and guard the Bay it self It is remarkable that his Highness had a brisk East and North Easterly Wind for two days which brought them directly toward Torbay and the Wind then turning Westerly carried them into the Bay which otherwise might have been very troublesome and dangerous The Prince now displayed a Red Flag at the Mizen yards Arm while General Mackay with six Regiments of Foot was the first that set Foot on Shoar under the Protection of the little Porpoise which was ordered to run her self aground to secure their Landing this was upon Nov. 5. a day memorable to the English before but now doubly remarkable for a second Deliverance from the Bloody Designs of the Papists But the People were so far from making Opposition that they only stood there to welcome their Guests with all manner of Provisions and Refreshments So that his Highness safely Landed his whole Army consisting in 10692 Foot and 3660 Horse in all 14352. The News of the Princes being Landed was carried to the Earl of Bath at Exeter and Captain Hicks going thither the People flock'd to him in great numbers to List themselves in the Service of the Prince of Orange for which the Mayor of the City would have sent him to Prison but was prevented by the People the next day the Lord Mordaunt with Dr. Burnet came thither with three or four Troops of Horse and commanding the Gates to be opened released the Captain and going to the Mayor askt him if he would wait upon the Prince at his Entrance who pleading his Obligation of an Oath to King James and desiring that his Conscience might not be imposed on he was excused The next day the Prince with his Guards marched into the City and went to the Deans House where he resided during his stay at Exeter after whom followed the whole Body of his Army
surprisingly that they made little Resistance but fled with all imaginable Confusion and being pursued 400 of them were kill'd and the rest totally routed and taken Prisoners with a great quantity of Claret and other Provisions and a great number of Officers were brought to Edenburg and committed to the Tolbooth soon after the remaining Rebels who escaped designed to have surprized the Garrison of Inverness but were happily prevented and deseated by the Earl of Drumlanerig and Major General Mackay In Ireland the King having secured Dublin in safe Hands caused his Army to march toward Limerick where Tyrconnel and Lauzun had drawn together the late Kings broken Forces and having made their approaches against all Opposition His Majesty ordered the Trenches to be opened and planted several Batteries of Cannon which made great breaches in the Walls and a general Assault was expected but Aug. 28. at Night the Rains fell so excessively that the Rivers overflowed and the Garrison being extream strong the King to spare his Men and to avoid the many Inconveniences of the approaching Season was pleased to Order the raising the Seige and refer the reducing the City till a more favourable opportunity after which His Majesty returned for England and was received with all imaginable Expressions of Joy throughout the Kingdom About this time a Fleet was prepared by His Majesties Order consisting in thirty two English and twenty eight Dutch men of War aboard of whom were imbarked eight Regiments of Foot besides the Marine Regiments commanded by the Earl of Marlborough as General and Mr. Trelawny as Major General who Sept. 21. arrived at Cork in Ireland which was obliged to surrender upon Articles and soon after Kingsale ran the same Fate an horrible design of the Irish was now discovered to have set the City of Dublin on Fire but it was happily discovered and prevented In October the Parliament met again at Westminster and Congratulated His Majesties safe return and likewise returned their humble acknowledgments to Her Majesty for Her Goodness Wisdom and Courage manifested in the greatest Dangers even when a powerful Enemy was upon the Coasts the Earl of Torrington was tryed on board the Kent in the River Medway by a Jury of Sea Captains and after a long hearing of the Witnesses and his Defence upon a long debate he was acquitted The Parliament continued to sit and passed many Acts both for supplying His Majesty for the War and setling the Kingdom to whom the King gave an account that the posture of Affairs abroad required his Presence at the Hague and accordingly Jan. 6. His Majesty left White-Hall attended by the great Officers of his Household and divers others of the Nobility and Gentry and soon after arrived in Holland though with some difficulty by reason of the Ice at the Hague His Majesty was received with great Joy which they exprest by erecting several Triumphal Arches redounding to the Glory of his Gallant Achievements since His Majesty left that Countrey And now a Conspiracy was discovered managed by several Persons for introducing our former Bondage and Slavery and the Lord Preston John Ashton and Edmond Eliot were seized as they were designing to go for France with Letters and Papers of Pernicious Consequence and Jan. 17. the Lord Preston was Tryed for High Treason at the Old-Bailey and two days after Mr. Ashton and were both found Guilty and Mr. Ashton was Executed for the same but the Lord Preston was Reprieved together with one Crone formerly Sentenced upon the same account and the Trial of Eliot was deferred after which a Proclamation was issued out for apprehending Dr. Turner late Bishop of Ely William Pen and James Graham Esquires The Duke of Savoy whose Family had for above an hundred years past been trampled on by France and would at this day have been entirely enslaved by that King took this favourable occasion to set himself at Liberty while all Europe almost lends him a helping hand and thereupon some Months since he declared openly against that Crown and Released and gave Liberty to all his Protestant Subjects and entertained them into his Service entering likewise into the Confederacy with the Princes and States of Christendom now in Arms to reduce that Grand Vsurper to Reason and incapacitate him from being any longer dangerous to his Neighbours and in the latter end of 1690. His Highness sent an Envoy to Congratulate their Majesties Accession to the Throne and to express his Passionate desire to unite himself to His Majesties Friendship by an indissoluble Vnion Vpon the Kings Arrival at the Hague several Princes daily came thither as well to have the Honour to wait upon his Majesty as to confer about the state of Affairs March 5. the King accompanied by the Duke of Zell and several of his own Nobility departed for Loo and by the way had news that the French had invested the City of Mons the day before upon which his Majesty ordered the Dutch Troops to march immediately into Flanders to the general Rendezvous and soon after followed in Person being received in the Camp with extraordinary Joy that they should fight under the Banners of so undaunted a Prince the French King arrived before the Town five days after the Siege began having amassed all his Forces together upon this Enterprize leaving only sufficient to defend their Garrisons so that by their continual firing and attacks and the Folly of the Burghers who would not admit above 6000 men into the Town whereas they ought to have had at least 4000 Horse and 10000 Foot this important Place was taken in eight days time the Governor not being able to make such vigorous Sallys as he might have done because he was willing to spare his men but the Burghers being by this means stronger than the Garrison obliged the Prince of Berghes to a surrender before the Confederates could â—ossibly have leisure to relieve the Town after which the French King returned to Versailles and King William came back to England viewing some part of the Fleet in his return and arrived safe at White-Hall where His Majesty nominated several new Bishops to succeed those that had forfeited their bishopricks by refusing to swear Allegiance to their Majesties he likewise took a view of the Troops that were to go to Flanders and having provided for the Security of the Kingdom and happily settled all affairs in Scoland and Ireland His Majesty declared his Resolution of returning into Flanders and arrived May 2 1691. in the Army Encamped within two Miles of Brussels being about 70000 strong and the French under the Duke of Luxemburg no less numerous And in July Baltimore and Athlone in Ireland were taken by General Giukle and the Prince of Wirtemburg Monsieur St. Ruth the French Kings General being killed in the great Battle at Agram soon after with the loss of 7000 of the Irish and the taking of Galloway which followed with most of the other Forts and Castles and Towns except
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
shilling XVIII THe Kingdom of Darkness Or the History of Demons Specters Witches Apparitions Possessions Disturbances and other wonderful and supernatural Delusions Mischievous Feats and Malicious Impostures of the Devil Containing near Fourscore memorable Relations Forreign and Domestick both Antient and Modern Collected from Authentick Records Real Attestations Credible Evidences and asserted by Authors of Undoubted Verity Together with a Preface obviating the common Objections and Allegations of the Sadduces and Atheists of the Age who deny the Being of Spirits Witches c. With Pictures of several memorable Accidents Price One Shilling XIX SUrprizing Miracles of Nature and Art in two parts containing 1. The Miracles of Nature or the wonderful Signs and Prodigies Aspects and Appearances in the Heavens Earth and Sea with an account of the most famous Comets and other prodigies from the Birth of Christ to this time 2. The Miracles of Art describing the most Magnificent Buildings and other curious Inventions in all Ages as the Seven Wonders of the World and many other excellent Structures and Rarities throughout the Earth Beautified with Pictures Price One Shilling XX. MEmorable Accidents and Unheard of Transactions containing an account of several strange Events and Historical Passages which have happened in several Countries in this last Age. Printed at Brussels in 1691. and Dedicated to His present Majesty William King of England c. Published in English by R. B. Price one shilling XXI MArtyrs in Flames or Popery in its true Colours being a brief Relation of the horrid Cruelties and Persecutions of the Pope and Church of Rome for many hundred years past to this present time in Piedmont Bohemia Germany Poland Lithuania France Italy Spain Portugal Scotland Ireland and England with an Abstract of the cruel Persecutions lately exercised upon the Protestants in France and Savoy in the years 1686. and 1687. Together with a short account of Gods Judgments upon Popish Persecutors Price one shilling Miscellanies XXII DElights for the Ingenious in above Fifty Select and choice Emblems Divine and Moral Ancient and Modern Curiously Ingraven upon Copper Plates with Fifty delightful Poems and Lâ—ts for the more Lively Illustration of each Emblem Whereby Instruction and good Counsel may be promoted and furthered by an honest and pleasant Recreation Collected by R. B. Pr. 2 s. 6 d. XXIII EXcellent Contemplations Divine and Moral Written by the Magnanimous and truly Loyal A. L. Capel Baron of Hadham Together with some Account of his Life and his affectionate Letters to his Lady the day before his Death with his Heroick Behaviour and last Speech at his Suffering Also the Speeches and Carriages of D. Ham. and the E. of Holl. who suffered with him With his pious Advice to his Son Price 1 s. XXIV VVInter Evenings Entertainments in 2 Parts Containing 1. Ten Pleasant Relations of many Rate and Notable Accidents and Occurrences with brief Remarks upon every one 2. Fifty Ingenious Riddles with their Explanations and useful Observations and Morals upon each Enlivened with above 60 Pictures for illustrating every Story and Riddle Excellently Accommodated to the Fancies of Old or Young and useful to chearful Society and Conversation Price One Shilling XXV DElightful Fables in Prose and Verse none of them to be found in Aesop but collected from divers ancient and modern Authors with Pictures and Proper Morals to every Fable Several of them very applicable to the Present times By R. B. Price bound one Shilling Divinity XXVI THE Divine Banquet or Sacramental Devotions consisting of Morning and Evening Prayers Contemplations and Hymns for every day in the Week in order to a more Solemn Preparation for the worthy Receiving of the Holy Communion Representing the several steps and degrees of the Sorrow and sufferings of our blessed Saviour till he gave up the Ghost Together with brief Resolutions to all those Scruples and Objections usually alledged for the omission of this important Duty With Eight curious Sculptures proper to the several parts with Graces Imprimatur Z. Isham R. P. D. Hen. Epis Lond. Ã Sacris Price One Shilling XXVII A Guide to Eternal Glory Or brief directions to all Christian how to attain everlasting Solution To which are added several other small Trâ—sts Price One Shilling XXVIII YOâ—â—ths Divine Pastime containing torty remarkable scripture histories turned into common English Verse with forty Picture proper to eaâ—â— story very delightful for the vertuous imploying the vacant â—ours of young persons and preventing vain and viâ—ions divertisements Together with several scripture hymns upon diverse occasions Price 8d XXIX THE young mans calling or the whole duty of youth in a serious and compassionate addres to all young persons to remember their Creator in the days of their youth Together with remarks upon the lives of several excellent young persons of both Sâ—xes as well ancient as modern who have been famous for virtue and piety in their Generation c. With twelve curious Pictures illustrating the several histories Price 1s 6 d. XXX THE vanity of the life of man represented in the seven several stages thereof with pictures and poems exposing the follies of every Age. Price eight pence XXXI MOunt Sion or a draught of that Church that shall stand for ever together with a view of that World wâ—â—â— shall be broken in pieces and consumed By William Dyer Author of Christs famous Titles and a Believers Golden Chaiâ— Pâ—â—â—e one shilling XXXII DIstâ—â—ssed Sion relieved or the Garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness A Poem Wherein are discovered the grand causes of the Churches trouble and misery under the late dismal dispensation with a compleat history of and lamentation for those renowned Worthies that fell in England by Popish rage and cruelty from the year 1680. By Ben. Keach Price 1s XXXIII ANtichrist stormed or the Church of Rome proved to be mystery Babylon the Great Whore Rev. 17. by many and undeniable arguments answering all the objections of the Papists and all others Together with the Judgment of many ancient and modern Divines and most eminent writers concerning the rise and final ruine of the Beast and Babylon proving it will be in this present Age. By Ben. Keach Price One shilling XXXIV THE Devout Souls daily Exercise in Prayers Contemplations and Praises containing Devotions for Morning Noon and Night for every day in the week with Prayers before and after the Holy Communion And likewise for Persons of all Conditions and upon all occasions With Graces and Thanksgivings before and after meat By R. P. D. D. Price bound six pence XXXV SAcramental Meditations upon diverse select places of Scripture wherein Believers are assisted in preparing their hearts and exciting their affections and graces when they draw nigh to God in that most awful and solemn Ordenance of the Lords Supper By Jo. Flavel Minister of Christ in Devon Price One Shilling XXXVI JAcob wrestling with God and prevailing Or a Treatise concerning the Necessity and Efficacy of Faith in Prayer Wherein divers weighty Questions and Cases of Conscience about praying in Faith are stated and resolved For the comforting and satisfying of weak and scrupulous consciences the conviction of formal Hypocrites awakening of all Saints both weak and strong great and small to this great duty of Prayer By Thomas Taylor formerly at Edmunds-Bury now Pastor to a Congregation in Cambridge Price one shilling All Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey neer Cheapside FINIS