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
giving all his Estate to those that would take it promising upon the word of a King and as the Minister of Almighty God That if any would deliver him alive or dead or else take away his Life he would give to him or his Heirs Five thousand Crowns of Gold and the free pardon of all the Crimes that he had been before guilty of and if they were not Noble to make them so and to reward all that shall assist them therein and likewise that all his Adherents should be banisht and their Lives and Estates given for a prey to any that would take them The Prince of Orange made a very smart Apology in answer hereunto wherein he fully vindicates himself from all the Crimes objected against him proving at large That all the Miseries of the Netherlands ought to be imputed to the Council of Spain who endeavoured to reduce those Countreys to absolute Slavery both as to Religion and Civil Liberties and acting more like Mad-men than Politicians and like that foolish King Rehoboam following the silly Advice of a weak Woman and Cardinal Granval the Pope's Creature telling the King That his Father had chastized the People with Whips but the Son ought to whip them with Scorpions and therefore they endeavoured to bring in the Inquisition and the new Bishops which were the occasion of all these commotions And as to his taking Arms against his Soveraign he sheweth that Henry Bastard of Castile the King 's great Grandfather had with his own hands slain the King Don Pedro the Cruel his lawful Brother and possest his Kingdom whose Successor King Philip was and enjoyed it to this day And that there was a Reciprocal Bond between a Prince and a Subject and if the Prince infringes his Oath the Subject is freed from his Allegiance that the King of Spain was admitted to be Duke of Brabant upon certain conditions which he had sworn to maintain and yet had notoriously violated and if the Nobility did not endeavour by Arms since no other means was to be found to preserve and defend their Liberties they ought to be accounted guilty of Perjury Treachery and Rebellion to the States of the Countrey And whereas the King had offered Money to take away his Life he did not doubt of God's protection yet certainly he could never be accounted a Gentleman by Persons of Honour who would be so wicked and infamous to murder a Man for Money except they were such Spaniards who being descended from the Mores and Jews might retain that quality from their Ancestors who offered Money to Judas to betray our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into their hands that they might crucifie him The Prince concluded his Apology by telling the States General That since their peace and quiet seemed to depend upon his death he was willing to lay down his life to free them from the Calamities under which they suffered having already for their sakes lost his Estate his Brethren yea and his own Son and that his Head over which no Prince or Potentate on Earth had any power was yet at their command and that he would be a willing Sacrifice to procure their Tranquillity But if they thought fit still to use his Service he would employ his Life Counsel and all he had in the World for the defence and preservation of the Netherlands In answer to this the States declare That they are fully satisfied that the Crimes and Slanders charged upon the Prince are altogether false and malicious and that all the Honours that had been conferred on him were so far from being sought for or desired by him that he only accepted them at their earnest request and intreaty with the full consent and by the free Election of the Countrey and therefore they humbly intreated him still to continue his Administration and likewise to accept of a Guard for his Person against any villanous attempts upon his Life The States General of he United Provinces perceiving that notwithstanding the Intercession both of the Emperor the French King the Queen of England and other Princes and States of Christendom to King Philip on their behalf yet he still continued obstinately resolved to yield to nothing but what might reduce their Countrey absolutely to Popery and Slavery thereupon in 1581. they publisht an Edict of Renunciation against him wherein they declare That it being acknowledged by all Mankind that a Prince is ordained of God to preserve his Subjects from all Injuries and Violence even as a Shepherd defends his Sheep and that the people were never created to be Bond-men and Slaves to his will and pleasure whether his Commands are right or wrong but that he is advanced to that dignity to govern them by equity and reason and to cherish them as a Father doth his Children even with the peril of his life If a King therefore fail herein and instead of protecting his Subjects shall strive to destroy them and deprive them of their Ancient Laws and Priviledges and endeavour to make them Bond-slaves His Subjects are thereupon discharged from all Subjection and Obedience to such a Soveraign and are to reckon and esteem him a Tyrant and that he is absolutely fallen from his former Dignity and Soveraignty and the Estates of the Countrey may lawfully and freely abandon him and Elect another Prince to protect and defend them in his place especially when his Subjects neither by Prayers nor Petitions can mollifie his heart nor divert him from his Tyrannical and Arbitrary courses Since they have then no other way to preserve their Ancient Liberties Lives Wives Children and Estates which according to the Laws of God and Nature they are bound to defend and which hath been practisied in divers Countreys especially in those where the King was obliged by Oath to govern according to Law and was admitted to the Soveraignty upon certain conditions and special contracts Now it being apparent to all the World that Philip King of Spain giving ear to certain wicked Counsellors hath in every particular broken all the Oaths and Obligations which he had entred into for the defence of those Provinces and hath determined to enslave ruine and destroy them and all their Interests therein c. We the States General being prest by extream necessities do by a general resolution and consent declare the King of Spain to be fallen from the Government Dominion and Jurisdiction of these Countreys and we are resolved never hereafter to acknowledge him for our Prince and Soveraign Lord but do hereby declare our selves and all the Inhabitants of these Provinces to be for ever discharged from all manner of Oaths and Allegiance to the said King c. In witness whereof we have caused our our Seals to be hereunto annexed July 26. 1581. The Duke of Anjou having been in England to make a Visit to Q. Elizabeth returned again to Antwerp after three months splendid Entertainment in the English Court the Queen at his departure earnestly recommending to him
above two thousand of the French were slain and not above seven hundred of the Dutch His Highness finding the Garison relieved with such a numerous supply drew off his men and retreated to his Quarters After which was held a Council of War of the Principal Officers of the Army which being ended a certain Colonel would needs be impertinently inquisitive of the Prince to know what was his great design against the French at that time His Highness demanded of him whether he would discover to any other what he should declare to him The Colonel said No he would not Then said the Prince my Tongue is also endued from Heaven with the same Grace An answer becoming the wisdom of a Prince and the reservedness of a Great Commander His Highness being with the Army at Mastricht sent out a Party to reduce the strong Castle of Valcheren which was soon surrendred with a great quantity of Wheat and other Provisions During this time the Dake of Luxemburg with fourteen thousand Horse and Foot resolved to Invade the Province of Holland in hope to plunder Leyden and the Hague and marcht from Woerden over the Ice with 3500 of the lightest of the Infantry of whith attempt his Highness having notice marched with all speed toward the French who in the mean time had taken Swamerdam and by the retiring of Colonel Paine Vin from his Post at Niewerbrong had a free passage opened for their retreat who must also have perished in the waters or surrendred by reason of the sudden thaw The Duke himself was like to have been lost by a fall into the thawed water losing in this shippery expedition above six hundred of his best Souldiers The French committed horrid ravages at Swammerdam Ravishing Women Stripping and Wounding the Aged and Decrepit and throwing infants that smiled in their Faces into the fire And now the strong City of Coverden the Key of the Provinces of Frizeland and Groning which in that fatal year 1672. fell into the hands of the Bishop of Munster with great loss of men and a long Seige was retaken in an hour and not above sixty men slain and of the Enemy a hundred and fifty killed and 430 Prisoners It was furnished by the Bishop with a predigious quantity of warlike Ammubition This success highly incouraged the Dutch and so furprized the Enemy that they instantly quitred several other Garrisons and much advanced the Honour of the Prince to whose prudent mannagement of affairs they attributed this happy alteration in the Fortune of their Countrey Which his Highness likewise extended to pacifie the Dissentions between the Old and New Magistrates of Frizeland who acted contrary to each other but upon his Highness appearing in their Assembly all discords vanisht and all things were setled for the defence of the Netherlands by his visiting the Frontier Fortifications of Flushing Sluce Ardenburg where the Keys of the Town were delivered him in a Silver Bason by the Young Virgins of that City deck'd with Garlands of several Flowers and several other strong places In 1673. the Dutch were hetly assailed on the one side by the French King with a puissant Army while Conde and Luxemburg lay at Utrecht with powerful Forces to watch an opportunity to invade the very Centre of their Territories and by Sea the King of England vigorously attackt them with his own and the French Fleet so that the Prince of Orange was obliged not to stir abroad but to observe their designs and prevent the threatned Descent of the English In May the King of France with an Army of 42000 men sate down before Mastricht the Garrison consisted of about 4000 Foot and 900 Horse under Monsieur Farieux a resolute and experienced Commander as appeared by the stout resistance he made against this mighty Force so that though the French gained the place yet it was with such a deluge of Blood no less than 9000 of their bravest Souldiers being Slain in the Seige with an incredible number of his choicest Officers that the purchase was sufficiently dear And after three weeks valiant defence with the loss of half the Garrison by innumerable essaults Batteries and Storming of fresh Assailants night and day The Couragious Governour would still have held it out had not the Petitions of the Magistrates and Ecclesiasticks obliged him to surrender of whose worthy conduct the Prince of Orange was so well satisfied that he instantly preferred him to be Major General of the Army And the French King was so mortified that when he had taken the Town he broke up his Army and returned to Paris sending part of them to Turrenne to inable him to harrass the Countrey of Treves because that Elector had assisted the Emperor against him The French Army being thus disperst and the Engish Fleet since the Ingagement of May 28. wherein both sides claimed the Victory being retired from the Coast of Holland His Highness now more at liberty resolved not to lie still so that calling off his Forces which lay for the defence of Zealand to joyn with the rest of the Army he sate down before Naerden with 20000 Men upon which the Duke of Luxemburg with 10000 and four Reigments of Munster Horse advanced within view of the Princes Intrenchments but not daring to attempt the Relief of the Town the Prince after three hours resistance beat the French from their Works and forced them to retire in great confasion into the City and the next day they furtendred it up The Garrison marching out the Governour made a profound Reverence to the Prince and it is said assured him That he had Reasons sufficient to surrender the Town so soon But it seems the King did not think them so for he was condemned to perpetual imprisonment and had his Sword broken over his head at Utrecht For the Garrison consisted in near Three thousand Men and wanted neither Ammunition nor Provisions and the French had much strengthned the Fortifications yet the Prince took it in four days and lost not above a hundred Men and two hundred wounded And now His Highness to avoid so many Sieges as the Towns they had lost would cost to recover resolved upon a gallant Action the boldness of which amazed all Men but the success extolked the prudence as well as the bravery of it For the King of Spain and the Emperor having joyned in a Confederacy with the States General for mutual defence against the French as the common Enemy of both The Prince that he might perform something remarkable before the approaching Winter marched directly with his Army out of the Netherlands and joyning with the Confederates he resolved to besiege Bonne which had been put into the hands of the French the beginning of the War wherein the Elector of Cologne and the Bishop of Munster had entred joyntly with France It had a Garrison of Two thousand Men and was well furnisht with all provisions and Eighty great Guns mounted on their Walls and Bulwarks
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
to the Estates but before they proceeded to read it they passed an Act that notwithstanding any thing that might be contain'd in the Letter for Dissolving or impeding their Procedure yet they were a Free and Lawful Meeting of the States and would continue undissolved till they had setled the Government which done the Letter was read but the Convention took so little notice of the late Kings Exhortations to declare for him that the Messenger was first secured and then not being thought worthy detaining dismist with a Pass instead of an Answer After this Commissioners were chosen for drawing up the Settlement of the Government out of which the Bishops were lest as having disgusted the Generality of the States by their Prayers at the beginning of the Session That God would have Compassion on King James and restore him and other Passages which discovered their disaffection to their Majesties and the Government then about to be erected The Duke of Gordon who had the Command of Edenburgh Castle after he had for sometime amused the Convention by his delays so soon as he heard the late King was arrived in Ireland set up his Standard to signifie his Resolution to hold out that place and fired all the Cannon without Bullets to the gâ—â—â—â— Terror of those that lay under the Mercy of his great shot Aâ—â— 12. Both Houses of Parliament in England presented an humble Address to the King wherein they declare that being highly sensible of their late great Deliverance from Popery and Arbitrary Power whereof it had pleased God to make his Majesty the glorious Instrument and desiring to the utmost of their abilities to express their Gratitude for so great and generous an Undertaking no less necessary for the support of the Protestant Interest in Europe than for recovering and maintaining the Civil Rights and Liberties of these Nations so notoriously invaded and undermined by Popish Councils and Counsellors and being likewise fully convinced of the restless Spirits and the continued endeavours of their Majesties and the Nations Enemies for the Extirpation of the Protestant Religion and the Subversion of our Laws and Liberties unanimously declared that they would stand by and assist his Majesty with their Lives and Fortunes in supporting His Alliances abroad in reducing Ireland and in desence of the Protestant Religion and of the Kingdom In answer hereto the King assured them of his great esteem and affection for Parliaments especially for this which would be much increased by the kindness they shewed to him and their zeal for the publick good and that he would never abuse the Confidence they put in Him nor give any Parliament cause to distrust Him because he would never expect any thing from them but what it was their Interest to grant that He came hither for the good of the Kingdom and since by their desire he was in that Station he would full pursue the same ends that brought him that God had been pleased to make him instrumental to redeem them from the Ills they feared and it was still his desire as well as his duty to endeavour to preserve their Religion Laws and Liberties which were the only inducements that brought him into England and to those he did ascribe the Blessings that had attended this undertaking he then remainded them of Assisting his Allies especially the Dutch and to consider the Deplorable Condition of Ireland which by the Zeal and Violence of the Popish Party and the Assistance and Incouragement of the French required a considerable force to Reduce it c. and that a Fleet may be likewise provided which in Conjunction with the States might make us entire Masters of the Seas and as they freely offered to Hazard all that is dear to them so he should as freely expose his Life for the Support of the Protestant Religion and the Safety and Honour of the Nation In Scotland the Viscount Dundee having made his escape from Edinburgh went to the North where he stirred up the Highlanders to joyn with him and declare for King James upon which the Convention ordered a number of Horse Foot and Dragoons to march against them and in the mean time the Lord Ross who was sent with a Letter to King William in England returned and brought an answer thereto After which the Estates drew up an Instrument of Government for Setling the Crown upon King William and Queen Mary Wherein they Recapitulate their Grievances and propose Remedies for the same And then declare That King James the 7th being a professed Papist did Assume the Royal Power and acted as King without ever taking the Oath required by Law and hath by Advice of Evil and Wicked Councellers Invaded the Fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdom and altered it from a Legal Limited Monarchy to an Arbitrary Despotick Power and did exercise the same to the Subversion of the Protestant Religion and the Violation of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom inverting all the ends of Government whereby he hath Forefaulted the Right to the Crown and the Throne is become Vacant And they do pray the King and Queen of England to accept the Crown and Royal Dignity of the Kingdom of Scotland c. And an Oath of Allegiance was drawn up to be taken by all Persons to them together with a Coronation Oath and April 11. being the Day of the Coronation of their Majesties at Westminster they were Proclaimed at Edenburgh with universal Joy and Acclamations Commissioners were also Dispatcht for London that is the Earl of Argyle Sir James Mountgomery of Skelmerly and Sir John Dalrymple of Stair younger from the meeting of the Estates with an offer of the Crown of that Kingdom to their Majesties and May 11. 1689. They accordingly at three of the Clock met at the Council Chamber and from thence were Conducted by Sir Charles Cottrel Master of the Ceremonies attended by most of the Nobility and Gentry of that Kingdom who resided in and about this place to the Banquetring-House where the King and Queen came attended by many Persons of Quality the Sword being carryed before them by the Lord Cardross and their Majesties being placed on the Throne under a rich Canopy they first presented a Letter from the Estates to His Majesty then the Instrument of Government thirdly a Paper containing the Grievances which they desired might be Redressed And lastly An Address to his Majesty for turning the Meeting of the said Estates into a Parliament All which being Signed by his Grace the Duke of Hamilton as President of the Meeting and Read to their Majesties the King returned to the Commissioners the following Answer When I Engaged in this Undertaking I had particular Regard and Consideration for Scotland and therefore I did emit a Declaration in relation to that as well as to this Kingdom which I intend to make good and effectual to them I take it very kindly that Scotland hath expressed so much Confidence in and Affection to Me They shall find me
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
was once Discoursed of it caused an Universal Joy over Edenburgh and the whole Kingdom only the Prelates writ to King James That they looked upon this Enterprize as a Detestable Invasion and after the same manner they behaved themselves to the end some Absenting from the Convention others attending only to Thwart their Proceedings and shew their Disaffection by their publick 〈◊〉 So that some wise Men have affirmed Had thâ—â—â—â—hops of Scotland shew'd the same Constancy 〈◊〉 those of England their Zeal and Virtue had gain'd the Hearts of the Scots and given them opportunity to continue Episcopacy but their ill Conduct during the two last Reigns in their Obstinate Supporting the Roman Catholick Party that had already Invaded all the Liberties of the People annull'd their Priviledges and changed a Government limited by Law into Arbitrary Power rendred them the Abomination of the People who were convinced that their Dignities were the only things they regarded which made them deviate from the Rules of the Gospel looking no farther then their present enjoyments little minding the betraying the Interests of Religion and the Kingdom out of a Treacherous Compliance with the Will and Pleasure of a Popish Court to whom they made themselves Slaves June 15. The Estates of Scotland met after their late Adjournment and the Duke of Hamilton acquainted them that his Majesty had been pleased to send him a Commission to represent his Royal Person and that he had Orders to give his Consent to an Act for the turning the Meeting of the Estates into a Parliament which was done accordingly and soon after they made an Act for Recognizing and Asserting their Majesties Royal Authority and Right to the Crown and another for all Persons to take an Oath of Faith and Allegiance to them and about the same time the English Forces under General Mackay and others being entred that Kingdom the Duke of Gordon who till this time had Possession of the Castle finding no hopes of Relief surrendred it upon Articles to Sir John Lanier and so that important place which so long had been a Terror to the City of Edenburgh was put into safe hands the Duke casting himself upon the Kings Mercy without making any Article for himself and it was reported he said That he had so much respect for all the Princes of King James VI. line as not to make Conditions with them for his own particular Interest after this a Reward of 18000 Marks was by Proclamation promised to those that should apprehend Dundee dead or alive and indeed he survived not long after for July 26. Major General Mackay Marching from St. Johnstown with 4000 Foot and 4 Troops of Horse and Dragoons and coming within two Miles of the Blair of Athol had notice that Dundee advanced toward him with 6000 Foot and 100 Horse the Fight began between four and five of the Clock in the Afternoon and lasted till Night with great Courage and Resolution on both sides but at length Mackay's Forces being over-powered with number he retired toward Sterling with a Body of 1500 men in good Order many were killed on both sides but the Enemies loss was greater by the Death of Viscount Dundee who charging furiously in the Head of the Highlanders to inconrage them was slain with a shot though he had Armour after which a Division happened between the Lord Dumfermling and Colonel Cannon who shall succeed in the Command of the Rebel at which time Major General Mackay hearing that 500 of their Foot and two Troops of Horse were sent to St. Johnstown to surprize the Stores of Provisions there resolved to be revenged for his late loss and Marching out of Sterling with a Party of Horse and Dragoons met the Rebels and gave them a total Rout killing and taking Prisoners the greatest part of them and Captain Hacket their Commander Soon after another Defeat was given to Collonel Cannons men consisting in about 4000 with the Addition of the Countrey by the Earl of Angus his Regiment under Lieuterant Colonel Cieland who after three hours sherp dispute forced the Rebels to fly back with the loss of aboâ—e 300 and not above thirty of the Kings men among whom was the Liâ—utenat Collonel this Defeat put an effectual stop to the Incursions of the Highlanders who lost all their Courage with the Death of their Commander being never able to make any considerable Head afterward and though the Earl of Damfermling pretended to manage them yet several of the Câ—ief Nobility and Gentry came in and craved the Benefit of the Proclamation of Indemnity which the King had Published some time before to all those who before September third should lay down their Arms and swear Fidelity to King William and Queen Mary and Colonel Cannon who only maintained the Interest of the late King retreated with his few Followers to the Isle of Mall doubtful whether to continue longer there or return to Ireland Lieutenant General Mackay having put a Garrison into the Castle of Blair returned to Edenburgh where several Earls that were in Prison had their Liberty giving sufficient Security for their Peaceable Behaviour so that several Troops of the Kings Forces in that Kingdom were embarkt for heland and about the same time the Parliament there pussed several Acts which were touched with the Royal Scepter by the Lord High-Commissioner and among others An Act for abolishing Prelacy purporting That whereas the Estates of the Kingdom by their Claim of Right April 11. last had declared That Prelacy and Supremacy in any Office in the Church above Presbytery had been a grievous burden to the Nation ever since the Reformation That therefore the King and Queens Majesty did abolish Episcopacy c. and would establish that Church Government which was most agreeable to the People And now the Parliament of England having given the King plentiful supplies for the Reduction of Ireland the Army Marcht from all Parts toward Chester and Highlake to imbark under the Duke of Schomberg consisting in near 30000 men with great store of all sorts of Ammunition and Provisions and considerable summs of Money and His Majesty appointed a Camp on Hounslow Heath for the Remainder of the Forces Aug. 14. which continued only two or three days and in the mean time a Declatation of War was Published against France in Scotland and now several English Protestants in the North of Ireland having got Possession of the Isle of Innis-killing and the City of London-Derry they resolved to defend them against King James and his Army of Irish Papists who were Marching from Dublin against them and hearing that Lieutenant General Macarry was abroad with a strong Detachment Plundering and Ravaging the Countrey Lieutenant Collonel Berry fell upon them with such Vigor that it is judged 3000 of the Irish were slain and drown'd in the Lough near Newton-Butler into which they desperately threw themselves to escape the Sword King James arriving at London-Derry imagined the Terror of his Arms would
Limerick which was also invested the latter end of August upon which Lieutenant General Sarsfield who was retired to the Mountains with 4000 Horse and Dragoons resolved to return to that City but was met by General Ginkle and a Party of the English who so vigorously charged them that they instantly fled and were pursued to the very Gates of the Town above 600 Irish being slain and 70 Officers taken Prisoners The Besieged seeing themselves shut up within the Walls of one single Town which was now almost battered down about their Ears hopeless of Succour and reduced to the last extremities Oct. 13. Surrendred up Limerick upon Articles whereby all Ireland was wholly reduced to their Majesties Obedience In Flanders Sept. 19. there happened an Ingagement between the French and Confederate Armies in the absence of the King of England who finding he could not oblige the Enemy to a Battle departed to Brussels and from thence to Loo in order to his return for England leaving the Command of the Army to Prince Waldeck who decamping from Leuse to retire to Cambron the Enemy having notice thereof detached about 30. Squadrons who marched all Night and by the favour of a thick mist unexpectedly fell upon 15. Squadrons of the Confederates Rereguard the conflict was very Sharp and though Inferiour in number yet the Allies made a vigorous Defence till several other Regiments came up to their relief which caused the Enemy to retreat The French lost near 700 men with many Officers and the Confederates about the same number after which both Armies went into Winter Quarters The English and Holland Fleets under the command of Admiral Russel had in vain sought to ingage the French this summer at Sea and having lain some time on the Coast of Ireland to prevent the French from sending Forces thither came now into Harbour after a very tempestuous Season and the Holland Fleet separated and safely arrived in their several Ports and the French Fleet returned to Brest His Majesty being returned to England Oct. 19. and the Parliament sitting the King declared himself to them who thereupon unanimously resolved to raise such supplies as should inable him to continue the War with France and in March following His Majesty arrived again in Holland and from thence went to Loe where several Princes met him to concert the Affairs of the next Campaign He having an Army of 30000 English in Flanders this Summer March 26. 1692. The Elector of Bavaria who was made Governour of the Spanish Netherlands during Life arrived at Brussels being received there with much Joy and Solemnity His Majesty having designed to make a Descent upon France this Summer the News so alarm'd the French King that he resolved to land some Forces in England and King James in the Head of them some Jacobites and Discontented People here having given him Assurance of joining with him upon his Landing to which end the French King supplied Ships Troops and Lovis d'ores so that nothing was wanting but to cross the Seas and a Squadron of sixteen Ships and two Bombing Vessels were sitting at Toulon under Count d'Estree to convoy the Transport Ships thither under the Protection of the French Fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Tourvile in the Channel to prevent the joining of the Dutch and English Fleets and to fight all that should oppose their Passage but Providence ordered the Winds and Recks to fight D' Estree he losing two of his largest Ships near Centa on the Coast of Africa and the rest miserably shattered went to Portugal to refit so that instead of being at Brest the beginning of April he did not arrive there till the beginning of July and came a minute too late as he said to join Torville The Q. of England upon notice of the imbarking of so many men gave out all necessary Orders for securing the Coasts and several Horses were seized whose owners designed to have join'd the Enemy upon their Descent which was intended to be about Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight K James with his Irish Forces were come to Cherbourg upon the Ceast of Normandy and Monsieur Torville had great Confidence in the Courage of his French Marriners upon King James assurance that the English would not fight but be Spectators only The English and Dutch Fleets being happily joined without any Obstruction from the Enemy Admiral Russel set sail from St. Hellens and May 19. get sight of the French Fleet near Cape Barfleur Admiral Torville having the Wind hastned up to the English but the Wind slackning the French Vanguard of 15. great men of War could not come up to the English till Eleven next Morning five of the fifteen did their Duty but the other ten kept out of Cannon shot the Dutch were not able to come up the Wind being in their Teeth the fight lasted between them that could ingage about three hours and then the French made all the Sail they could to get away and the Dutch bad much ado to turn their Ships to follow them by Reason of the Calm during which the two main Bodies of the Fleet laâ—oured to the utmost to come up with the Enemy and being happily got up with them ingaged resolutely for four hours and then Torville as his Vanguard had done before retreated with all speed and by the favour of a Mist got out of sight in the Afternoon the English Blew Squadron which could not come up for the Calm fell upon the Blew French Squadron where the most obstinate fight was maintained till the Night and Mists gave opportunity to the Enemy to hasten toward their own Coasts The next day being clear Admiral Russel discovered them two Leagues off but could not come up by Reason of a sudden Mist about eleven at Night the French weighed Anchor by Moon light and the Confederates pursued them who to save themselves ventured among the Rocks of Jersey and Guernsey May 21. The Admiral discovering several men of War upon a Bank near Cape Barfleur detacht Vice Admiral De la Val with eight or nine Vessels and three Fireships to set fire to them which the next day was happily effected the Royal Sun that magnificent Ship commanded by Admiral Torville which was the wonder of the World both for the exquisiteness of her carving and the beauty of her Shape being 20 Years in Building by the most skilful Shipwrights in Europe carrying 110 Guns the Admirable of 102 and the Strong of 80 Guns with two less Frigates and three Transport Ships were all sacrificed to the Flames and the next day 12 more were burnt in a Bay behind the Isle of Aldernay and this without the loss of one English or Dutch Ship the rest of the French Fleet fled to Brest St. Maloes and Other Ports to secure themselves King James was upon a Hill and through a Perspective Glass saw the fight and upon the first firing of the English he declared that it was only a Signal for them to
De Witt an Antient Burgomaster of the Town returning at the same time indisposed from the Fleet and being desired to sign the said Act replied He would never do it nor could all the perswasions of his Friends nor the menaces of the multitude who were ready to break into his house nor the tears of his Wife who was sensible of his danger prevail upon his obstinate temper till she threatned to shew her self to the People and declare her own and Childrens Innocency and abandon him to the fury of the ungoverned Populace which soon after occasioned his Tragical Death for they being fully perswaded that he and his Brother John were real Enemies to the Prince and a certain Surgeon having charged Cornelius that he had made a private Proposal to him to take away His Highness Life he was thereupon imprisoned and upon Trial was sentenced to forfeit all his Dignities and Imployments and to be for ever banished out of the Territories of Holland and Westfriezeland The People who accounted the Prince to be their Protector and Deliverer believed his Judges to be partial in punishing so great a Crime with so easie a Judgment and the Trained Bands at the Hague being in Arms they presently ran to the Prison where while they were got together it happened that John de Witt came in his Coach to fetch his Brother out of Prison Upon which one of the Burgesses cryed out Now the two Traitors are got together and it is our fault if they escape us This had been enough to inflame the multitude but a greater motive happened for while they were all expecting the coming down of the two De Witts an unhappy report was raised that above a thousand Peasants and Fishermen were upon their March to plunder the Hague upon which another Burger cryed out Come Gentlemen let us pull these Traytors out by the Ears do but follow me and I will lead the way These words with their great affection to the Prince and the ruin of their Countrey to both which they accounted the De Witts to be the greatest Enemies compleated their Rage so that they Immediately broke open the Prison doors and sorced down the two Brothers into the Street where they were soon dispatcht by the multitude who after they had laid the Pensionary John De Witt sprawling on the ground cryed out See there the Traytor that has betrayed his Countrey Thus fell John and Cornelius de Witt two violent Enemies to the House of Orange It is said that John was the Contriver of those Acts whereby His Highness was secluded from all the Great Imployments which were due to him from his Predecessors and that a certain Ambassador being in private discourse with him said Most Illustrious Sir I have heard much of your singular prudence and unwearied diligence but far less than what I now observe from whence I dare assuredly pronounce that either you will be the ruin of the Prince or else that one day for his sake you will come to destruction It is likewise reported that when he was a Youth of about eighteen years old a certain Advocate being desired by his Father to examine him gave this account of him That he found in him those great Parts and that ripeness of Wit which was rarely to be seen in others And afterwards when he was made Pensioner of Holland and Dort the same Advocate presaged of him That he would never die a natural death Thus saith a worthy Person ended one of the greatest Lives of any Subject of our Times in the 47th year of his Age after having administred in that State as Pensioner of Holland for about eighteen years with great Honour to his Countrey and himself It must be remarked that the present War with the States General was commenced in concert between the French King and Charles II. in a time of the greatest peace and security on the Dutch side so that when the English fell upon their Smyrna Fleet no clap of Thunder in a Frosty morning could be more surprizing both to the Hollanders and the rest of Christendom Yea the Court of France it self could scarce believe that we would run so great an Adventure though our Court had obliged themselves thereto And though in the Declaration of War which the King published the Dutch are charged with making abusive Pictures and denying the right of the Flag which was an undoubted Prerogative of the Crown of England yet the Parliament and People were of opinion that this War was made in pursuance of the Instructions of the French King sent over to Dover by the Dutchess of Orleance whereby the destruction of the Common-Wealth of Holland is declared to be the only means to settle Arbitrary Government and Popery in these three Nations Upon our Declaration of War the French King began to march with his Vast Army into the Netherlands which he over-ran with such a rapid motion that the People were astonished and the States knew not what course to take to prevent it which occasioned those Commotions aforementioned But his Highness the Prince of Orange being advanced to the Stadtholdership the face of affairs began to alter and their Courage was revived Monsieur Fagel succeeded De Wit as Pensioner and the Prince presently resolved to be upon action rejecting all the applications made to him by the two Kings of making him Soveraign of the Provinces with such disdain and greatness of Soul as is scarce to be matcht always declaring That he would never betray a Trust that was given him nor ever sell the Liberties of his Countrey that his Ancestors had so long defended In pursuance of this generous Resolution his Highness took the Command of the Army upon him who were more animated at the thoughts of being under the Conduct of so gallant a General So that at Bodegrave an handfull of men twice repulsed above five thousand of the French from the Walls of Ardenburg and besides the slain took five hundred Prisoners with several Commanders and Persons of Quality through the extraordinary valour of no more than two hundred Burgers and one hundred Garrison Souldiers only that they were affisted by the Women and Children the Women filling the Bandilcers and the Children brought Bullets to their Parents Soon after the Seige of Groningen which had been beseigned with near three thousand men by the Bishop of Munster was by the Courage of the Citizens raised with the loss of half the Enemies Army and a prodigious quantity of Ammunition spent in vain in reduceing thereof to which his Highness care in furnishing them with all necessaries for desence was highly contributing About the same time the Prince resolving to dislodge the Outguards of the French gave a strong Alarm to them and without moving from his Saddle all night drove them to their Trenches before Utrecht and cartied several Lords Prisoners to Amsterdam His Highness then resolved to attempt the reducing of Woerden and after a bloody and obstinate Fight wherein
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
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
the English Religion which his Majesty has also resolved to destroy Both which enterprises being so contrary to the Laws of God and Man and particularly of those of the Kingdom of which they threaten the utter Subversion the Prince of Orange instigated by the Motives of his own innate Piety which will not permit him to suffer the ruine of Religion nor the overturning of so fair a Kingdom has resolved to call a Free Parliament c. For which Reasons and because the Design of the King of England is manifestly apparent by the striâ—t Alliance which he has Contracted with the most Christian King who bears no good will to the United Provinces and whose Proceedings are justly therefore by them to be suspected so that if His Britâ—â—niek Majesty should be suffered to become Absolute in his Dominions the United Provinces could no longer be in Security and therefore it being their Interest that the Fundamental Laws of that Kingdom and the English Religion should be preserved they hoped that God would bless the Prince of Orange with Happy Success King James though at first he would not believe that the Vast Preparations in Holland concerned him though the French King had given him notice of them some time before was now fully convinced thereof by this Mâ—nifesto and all of a sudden the Bells 〈◊〉 to ring 〈…〉 at White-Hall and the first Nâ—â—â— we heard of thâ—â—â— disturbance was a Proclamatiâ—n 〈…〉 28 1688 by which it was intimated That the King had received undoubted Intelligence that a great and sudden Invasion from Holland was to be speedily made in an Hostile manner upon this Kingdom under the false pretences of Liberty Prop my and Religion but that an absolute Conquest of his Kingdoms and the subduing him and his Dominions to a Foreign Power c. However relying upon the Ancient Courage Faith and Allegiance of his People as he had formerly ventured his Life for she Honour and Safety of the Nation so he was now resolved to Live and Dye in Defence thereof against all Enemies whatsoever c. After this the King published a Proclamation of General Pardon with some few Exceptions Restored the injured Gentlemen of Oxford and Cambridge to their Rights Dissolved the Ecclesiastical Commissions Vacated the Quo Warranto against the City of London and issued forth a Proclamation for restoring all Corporations to their Ancient Charters Liberties Rights and Franchises In short He undid almost in one day all that he had been doing since his first coming to the Crown Yet such was the Folly of the Romish Party in the midst of this Consternation that the show of the Prince of Wales still went on and Oct. 15 the â—hild was Christned the Pope represented by his Nuncio being God-father and the Queen 〈◊〉 onâ—ger God-mother and two days after the King to secure his Territories commanded his Lord and Deputy-Leiutenants and all other Officers concerned to cause the Coasts to be strictly Guarded and that upon the first approach of the Enemy all the Oxâ—n Horses and Cattel which might be fit for Draught should be driven twenty Miles from the Place where the Enemy should attempt to Land Oct. 22. The King commanded a particular Assâ—mbly of his Privy Council and sent for all such Peers Spiritual and Temporal as were in Town together with the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London the Judges and several of his Council Learned in the Law telling them That he had called them together upon a very extraordinary Occasion but that extraordinary Diseases must have extraordinary Remedies that the Malicious Endeavours of his Adversaries had so poysoned the Minds of some of his Subjects that very many of them did not believe that the Child wherewith God had blest him was his but a supposed Child However he could say that by a particular Providence scarce ever any Prince was born where there were so many Persons present that he had taken time to have the matter heard and examined expecting that the Prince of Orange with the first Easterly Wind would Invade the Kingdom and therefore as he had often ventured his Life for the Nation before he came to the Crown so he thought himself more obliged to do the same being King and did intend to go against him in Person by which in regard he might be exposed to various Accidents he therefore thought it necessary to have this done first to satisfie his Subjects and prevent the Kingdoms being ingaged in Blood and Confusion after his Death After this the Affidavits of several Ladies were produced of which some swore that they saw Milk upon her Majesties Smock for they did not think fit to mince the matter others that they saw the Midwife take the Child out of the Bed another that she stood by the Bedside when her Majesty was delivered of the Prince another swore that having had the Honour to put on her Majesties Smock she saw the Queens Milk another deposed that she saw the Queen in Labour and heard her cry out much another that she saw the Midwife give the Prince three drops of the Blood of the Navel-string mixt with Black Cherry-water with a great deal of other Nauseous stuff Then the Affidavits of the Lords were produced among whom one swore that he saw Mistris Labadie carry the Child into another Room whither he followed her and saw the Child when she first opened it and that it was Black and Reeking another swore that he saw the Child and that it had the Marks of being new Born another that he heard the Queen make three Groans or Squeeks and that at the last of the three the Queen was delivered of a Child the Physicians swore what was proper but not fit to be repeated However the whole was at length published to the shame and scandal of all modest Eyes and Ears And now my Lords said the King after all the the Depositions were read although I did not Question but that every Person here present was satisfied before yet by what you have heard you will be the better able to satisfie others Besides could I and the Queen have been thought so wicked as to impose a Child upon the Nation we saw how impossible it would have been neither could I my self have been imposed upon having constantly been with the Queen during her being with Child and the whole time of her Labour and therefore there is none of you but will easily believe that I who have suffered so much for Conscience-sake cannot be capable of so great a Viliany to the prejudice of my own Children I thank God that those that know me know well that it is my Principle to do as I would be done by and that I would rather die a thousand Deaths than do the least wrong to any of my Children Yet this Zealous Harangue had but little Influence upon the Generality of the People with whom the King by his late Actions had wholly forfeited his Reputation who
who were quartered about Tiverton Culhampton Honyton and other places The Sunday following his Highness went to the Cathedral where his Highness Declaration of the Reasons inducing him to appear in Arms in the Kingdom of England for preserving the Protestant Religion and for restoring the Liberties of England Scotland and Ireland was read by Dr. Burnet before a numerous Auditory the Substance whereof was That ' it was certain and evident to all men that the publick Peace and Happiness of any Kingdom and State could not be preserved where the Laws Liberties and Customs established by the lawful Authority in it were openly transgrest and annull'd more especially where the Alteration of Religion was endeavoured and a Religion contrary to the Law Design'd to be introduced whereas they who were most immediately concerned therein were indispensibly bound to preserve the establisht Laws Liberties and Customs and above all the Religion and Worship of God establisht among them and to take effectual Care that the Inhabitant of such State or Kingdom might neither be deprived of their Religion nor outed of their Civil Rights more especially since the greatness of Kings Royal Families and all in Authority as well as the Happiness of their Subjects and People depended in a more especial manner upon an exact Observation of those their Laws Liberties and Customs upon which ground his Highness further declared That he could no longer forbear to let the World know how apparently he saw with regret that they who had then the chief Credit with the King had overturned the Religion Laws and Liberties of these Realms and subjected them in all things relating to their Consciences Liberties and Properties to Arbitrary Government and that not only by secret and indirect ways but in an open and undisguised manner that those Evil Councellors for advancing and colouring this with some plausible pretences did invent and set on foot the Kings Dispensing Power by virtue of which they pretend that according to Law he can suspend and dispense with the Execution of the Laws that have been enacted by the Authority of King and Parliament for the Security and Happiness of the Subject and to render these Laws of no effect though it is most certain that they cannot be suspended but by the same Authority that made them for though the King may pardon the punishment of a Transgressor in Cases of Treason and Felony yet it cannot with any colour of Reason be thence inferred that he can intirely suspend the Execution of those Laws unless he has such an Arbitrary Power that the Laws Liberties Honours and Estates of the Subjects depend wholly upon his good Will and Pleasure and though they have obtained a Sentence for asserting this Dispensing Power to be a Right depending on the Crown yet it cannot be imagined that it should be put in the Power of twelve Judges to offer up the Laws Rights and Liberties of the whole Nation to the Arbitrary Will of the King especially such as are first advanced and then threatned to be turned out if they do not comply therein and some Papists who are incapable by Law are made Judges That the King though known to be a Papist was yet received and acknowledged by the People to be their King and did solemnly Swear and Promise at his Coronation that he would maintain their Laws and Liberties and the Church of England as it was establisht by Law and though several Laws have been lately made for preserving their Liberties and the Protestant Religion and to prevent all Papists from being put into any Imployment yet these evil Councillors have in effect Annulled and Abolished all those Laws and in direct Opposition thereto have set up as Illegal Commission for Ecclesiastical Affairs in which one of the Kings Ministers who is a Papist sits and Acts though by Law uncapable of any publick Imployment that these Commissioners have suspended the Bishop of London only for refusing to obey an Order to suspend a Worthy Divine without Citation or Process they have turned out the President and Fellows of Hagdalen Colledge without citing them before any Legal Court or Comperent Judge only for refusing to chuse for their President a Person recommended by these Evil Councillors contrary to the Right of Free Election and contrary to Magna Charta That no man shall lose Life or Goods but by the Law of the Land and afterward put the Colledge wholly into the hands of Papists They have cited before them all the Chancellors and Arch-deacons of England to certifie the Names of the Clergy who did not read the Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience though the reading of it was not enjoined them by the Bishops who are their Ordinaries These Evil Councillors have procured Orders for building several Popish Churches Chappels Monasteries Colledges of Jesuits for corrupting of youth and raised one to be a Privy Councillor and Minister of State contrary to several express Laws by the Rules of which they evidently shew they are no way restrained and wherein they are served and seconded by these Ecclesiastical Commissioners They have also followed the same Methods in Civil Affairs by procuring Orders to examine all Lord Lieutenants Deputy Lieutenants Sheriffs Justices of Peace and all others that were in any publick Imployment whether they were for taking away the Penal Laws and Tests and those who in Conscience could not comply were turned out and divers unqualified Persons put in their Rooms they have seized upon the Charters of several Towns and procured the surrender of others which Elect Parliament men and placed new Magistrates many of them Papists in divers Corporations They have removed such Judges as would not in all things Conform to their Designs and put in others whose Compliance they disowned beforehand whereby much Blood hath been shed in many places of the Kingdom against all the Forms and Rules of Law without Suffering the Persons accused to plead in their own Defence They have put the Administration of Justice into the Hands of Papists though all their Sentences are Null and Void in Law and have disposed of all Military Imployments in the same manner both by Sea and Land to Strangers as well as Natives and Irish as well as English to maintain and execute their wicked Designs of inslaving the Nation by their Assistance In Ireland the whole Government is put into the Hands of Papists so that the Protestants through terror have in great numbers left that Kingdom and abandoned their Estates in it remembring well that Cruel and Bloody Massacre in 1641. In Scotland the King has declared himself clothed with such an Absolute Power as to be obeyed without Reserve These great Oppressions and open Contempts of all Laws being insufferable have put the Subjects under great Fears and to look out for such Lawful Remedies as are allowed of in all Nations but to deter them from endeavouring to preserve their Lives and Estates by Petition or other means Authorized by Law these
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
rising in divers places demolished the Mass Houses and burnt the Popish Trinkets yea proceeded to several Violences and Disorders which occasioned the Death and Wounding of many Persons even in Edenburg it self of which the Scots Noblemen and Gentlemen in London having notice they resolved to attend his Highness the Prince of Orange and lay before him the willingness of the People of Scotland to submit to his Protection and his Highness having notice of their Intentions caused such of them as were in Town to be advertiz'd to meet him at St. Jameses Jan. 7. to whom he made the following Speech MY Lords and Gentlemen the only Reason that Induced me to undergo so great an undertaking was that I saw the Laws and Liberties of these Kingdoms overturned and the Protestant Religion in imminent Danger and seeing you are so many Noblemen and Gentlemen I have called you together that I may have your Advice what is to be done for the securing of the Protestant Religion and restoring your Laws and Liberties according to my Declaration After which the Lords and Gentlemen went to the Council-Chamber at Whitehall and chusing Duke Hamilton their President they drew up an Address which they presented to the Prince to this Effect That they rendred his Highness their humble Thanks for his pious and generous Undertaking c. Desiring him to take upon him the Administration of Affairs Civil and Military in Scotland till the general Meeting of the Estates which they humbly prayed his Highness to call to be held at Edenburg March 14. following This Address was subscribed by thirty Lords and eighty Gentlemen his Highness assured them that He would do all that they required and the news thereof coming to Edenburgh was received with the utmost Demonstrations of Joy and Satisfaction The Elections for the Convention at Westminster had in some places been generally made without those strivings and hears that are usual upon such Occasions and seemed to be a good Prognostick that their Debates would be calm and tend to a speedy Settlement and accordingly the 〈◊〉 of January being come the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Assembled at Westminster the Lord Marquess of Hallifax Officiated as Speaker in the House of Lords and the Commons chose Henry Poule Esquire to be their Speaker after which a Letter from his Highness the Prince of Orange was read in both Houses on the Occasion of their Meeting wherein his Highness declared That he had endeavoured to the utmost of his Power to perform what was dented of him in Order to the Publick Peace and Safety and that he did not know any thing which had been omitted that might tend to the Preservation of them since the Administration of Affairs was put into his hands and that it now lay upon them to lay the Foundation of a firm Security for their Religion Laws and Liberties That he did not doubt but that by such a full and free Representative of the Nation as was then met the ends of his Declaration would be attained and since it had pleased God hitherto to bless his good Intentions with so great Success He trusted in Him that he would Compleâ—â— his own work by sending a Spirit of Peace and Union to influence their Councils that no interruption might be given to a Happy and lasting Settlement He then represented to them the dangerous Condition of the Protestants in Ireland and the present State of things abroad which required their early Assistance against a Powerful Enemy who had declared War against them and which he did not doubt but without any unseasonable Divisions among themselves they would take that Effectual care about This Letter being read and approved of the Lords and Commons presented an Address to his Highness That being highly sensible of the great Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power and that their Preservation next under God was oweing to his Highness they returned Him their humble Thanks as the glorious Instrument of so great a blessing and did further acknowledg the great care he had taken in the administring the publick Affairs to that time humbly desiring that his Highness would continue the Administration thereof till further Application should be made by them which should be expedited with all convenient speed This Address being presented Jan. 23. 1688. His Highness returned them this Answer MY Lords and Gentlemen I am glad that what I have done hath pleased you and since you desire me to continue the Administration of Affairs I am willing to accept it I must recommend to you the Consideration of Affairs abroad which maketh it fit for you to expedite your business not only for making a Settlement at home upon a good Foundation but for the Safety of all Europe After this the Lords and Commons Ordered a day of publick Thanksgiving to be kept throughout the Kingdom to render Praise to Almighty God for having made his Highness the Prince of Orange the glorious Instrument of the great Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power As to the Condition of Ireland the Earl of Tyrconnel a violent Papist being made Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom by King James as a fit Instrument to carry on his Designs gave the Irish great Hopes of Subduing the English by his first Cashiering the Protestant Officers and Souldiers that were in Arms and then by turning out the Officers and Ministers of Justice and though Complaints were made against his proceedings in the Court of England yet they were not regarded but he rather incouraged in his Enterprizes which occasioned such Dread of future Mischiefs that divers left the Kingdom some going for Holland others for Scotland and England things continued in this Dangerous posture till the News of the intended Enterprize of the Prince of Orange Arrived there upon which Tyrconnel was very active to secure the Roman Catholick Interest in Ireland Imprisoning and Disarming the Protestants and sending over 3000 of the Choicest Irish Souldiers to Assist King James But upon notice of his Flight into France he called his Popish Council together and told them That now was the time for their standing up for their Country to secure it against all their Enemies and as for his part if his Master himself should command him to deliver up the Sword he should think it his Duty to refuse it in this Juncture and thereupon spreading the News all over the Country he caused the Irish every where to Arm themselves with such Weapons as they could get This Tumultuous Rabble Herding together plundred the Protestants Houses drove away their Cattle fired their Stack of Corn and Hay Murthered some and Barbarously used others insomuch that the Protestants being extreamly affrighted many of them fled for their Lives leaving their Estates behind them and though several of the Protestant Nobility and Gentry made Head in the North Yet they found themselves unable to Resist the Fury of their Numerous Adversaries However they Defeated several
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
Dispensing and Suspending Power and the Ecclesiastical Commission to promote his future Designs when he had once baffled the Prince of Orange the Nation saw through the Project and he lost all As for the English in general their Interest Centers in the maintaining the Rights and Franchises of their Kingdom which renders them this Day the freest Nation in Europe A Character so far from supposing them to be like other Nations a People Head-strong and unconstant that it shews them to be the most Considerate and Understanding People in the World in short though the example of a Neighbouring Prince had served for a Platform for other Crowned Heads to enlarge their Power beyond the Limits prescribed by the Constitutions of the Kingdom We see that at the very Moment that the King began to act like his Neighbour they presently put a Sâ—op to his Designs without the least respect to his Dignity They saw how Soveraign Authority Reigned in France as Independent from the Laws as in Turkey They beheld the face of the Kingdom of Sweden and Denmark changed by Introducing Hereditary Succession whereas they were Elective before They viewed the Face of the Kingdom of Hungary heretofore the Seat of Liberty Disfigured by the same Innovation and Poland that boasts to have preserved the Ancient Laws entire has notwithstanding suffered Injurious Alterations In short which way soever we cast our Eyes we shall find Attempts of the same Nature prosper only in England they have failed whence we may conclude that maugre all which has been said of the English Nation they are the Wisest and most Prudent People that we know of under the Sun THE HISTORY OF King William Queen Mary King William and Queen Mary being Proclaimed in all the Counties and chief Cities of England with the general Joy of the People Addresles were daily presented them from several Parts to testifie their extream Satisfaction and Content in their being advanced to the Throne and the Convention being by an Act figned by the King turned into a Parliament in the same manner as the Convention was upon the Restoration of Charles II. 1660. They proceeded to enact several Laws for setling the Government upon its true and ancient Basis and several vacant Offices and Imployments were supplied by their Majesties and Dr. Gilbert Burnet was made Bishop of Salisbury in the room of Dr. Seth Ward Deceased I have been very brief upon the Affairs in England till the Happy Revolution in 1688. because I have lately Published a Book of the same value with this Intituled The History of the two late Kings Charles II. and James II. being an Impartial Account of the most Remarkable Transactions and observable Passages during their Reigns and the secret French and Popish Intrigues managed in those Times Neither shall I inlarge upon the Affairs of Ireland intending suddenly to publish the History of that Kingdom from the first Conquest thereof by King Henry II. to its total Reduction by the Arms of their present Majesties And now both Houses of Parliament present an humble Address to his Majesty about the speedy relief of Ireland in pursuance whereof the King sent over a Proclamation of Pardon to all the Irish Papists that would lay down their Arms and live Peaceably under the Government with the full enjoyment of their Estates and the private Exercise of their Religion which if they refused they were declared Rebels and Traytors to the Crown of England and their Estates to be forfeited and distributed among those that should and and assist in reducing them to Obedience but Tyrconnel endeavoured to hinder the effect thereof by promising them speedy succors from France and that King James would come in Person with a numerous Army to their Assistance and sent several Detachments of his tattered Regiments to seize divers considerable Protestants in their Houses who upon notice escaped into the North and strengthned their Party the Priests stirr'd up these Raseally Vermin that were armed with Pitchforks Bills Staves and other weaponâ— to commit all manner of outrages to the damage of some Papists as well as Protestants and it was reported that at a Consult in the Council wherein some Popish Bishops assisted it was moved that the only way to clear the Countrey of Hereticks was by a general Massacre but Tyrconnel opposed it In March the late King James took Post from Paris to Brest and soon after landed in Ireland with a numetous Train of Officers but very few Souldiers The Estates of Scotland met the same Month at Edenburgh in pursuance of his Majesties Circulary Letters and King William sent them the following Letter MY Lords and Gentlemen We are very sensible of the kindness and concern which your Nation has evidenced towards us and our undertaking for the Preservation of your Religion and Liberty which were in such imminent danger Neither can we in the least doubt your Confidence in us after having seen how far so many of your Nobility and Gentry have owned our Declaration countenancing and concurring with us in our endeavours and desiring us that we would take upon us the Administration of Affairs Civil and Military and to call a Meeting of the Estates for securing the Protestant Religion and the ancient Laws and Liberties of that Kingdom which accordingly we have done Now it lies on you to enter upon such Consultations as are most proper to settle you on sure and lasting Foundations which we hope you will set about with all convenient speed with regard to the publick good and to the general Interest and Inclinations of the People that after so much Trouble and great Suffering they may live happily and in Peace and that you may lay aside all Animosities and Factions that may impede 10 good a Work we are glad to find that so many of the Nobility and Gentry when here in London were to much inclined to a Union of both Kingdoms and that they did look upon it as the best means for procuring the Happiness of both Nations and setling of a lasting Peace among them which would be advantagious to both they living in the same Island having the same Language and the same common Interest of Religion and Liberty especially at this Juncture when the enemies of both are so ressess in endeavouring to make and increase Jealousies and Divisions which they will be ready to improve to their own advantage and the ruin of Brittain we being to the same oprnion as to the usefulness of this Union and having nothing so much before our eyes as the Glory of God establishing the Reformed Religion and the Peace and Happiness of these Nations are resolved to use our utmost endeavours in advancing every thing that may conduce to the effectuating the same So we bid you heartily Farewell From our Court at Hampton March 7. 1689. This Letter being read Commissioners were named to draw an Answer full of Acknowledgment and Respect the late King James had likewise sent a Letter
worst he sent an order to Waterford to prepare Ships for carrying him off June 31 King William resolving to force the Enemy to Fight or Retreat marched by break of day from his Camp at Ardee toward Drogheda and found the Irish Army encamped along the River Boyne above the Town and according to his usual Conduct with undaunted Resolution he passed the River notwithstanding the utmost Opposition of the Enemy and fell upon them with such fury that in a few hours their whole Army were utterly routed and dispersed about 3000 being killed and divers Prisoners of Note taken most of the Enemies Baggage as Chariots Tents Arms Cannon Ammunition and Provisions and some Money falling into the Hands of our Soldiers the late King James who had stood at a distance to see the fight perceiving the defeat of his Forces fled with all speed toward Dublin with a very few Attendants and having staid there one Night filling the place with Fear and Confusion upon an Alarm that King William was on his way thither accompanied with the Duke of Berwick the Marquis of Powis and some others he left the City and hastened to Waterford where a Ship lay ready for him having neither slept nor eat till he got out to Sea and stood away for France Upon this the Protestants at Dublin who were imprisoned had their Liberty and a few days after the King arrived there to the unspeakable Joy of the People The loss of the English in obtaining this great Victory was not considerable only Duke Schoniberg and Doctor Walker were both slain after this Waterford Wexford and several other places were reduced and upon a Proclamation of Pardon many of the Irish laid down their Arms and returned to their former Places of abode This Glorious success was somewhat clouded nearer home for the French King to favour his design in Ireland had now set forth the greatest Fleet that ever sailed on the Ocean out of France and stood toward our Coast as if they designed to fight our Navy under the Earl of Torrington who June 24 Sailed from St. Hellens toward them they were seen the Night before off of Fresh-water gate in the Isle of Wight but the Wind taking them short the Admiral came to an Anchor off Dunnose five Leagues off the French so that a battle was soon expected which the Enemy did not seem to decline the English Seamen were also full of Courage and desirous to ingage but the French being much stronger both for number and bigness of Ships consisting in 82 Men of War besides Fire Ships and Tenders it was not thought fit to fight in the open Sea so that the Earl of Torrington avoided it till he was came to Bevesire off Beachy which was favourable for his purpose and there he received the Queens Orders not to delay ingaging if the Wind and Weather would permit which was the Reason that we went to seek the Enemy who expected us in Order of Battle and about nine in the Morning the Ingagement began the Dutch that had the Vanguard fought bravely and both sides fired desperately three hours till the French not liking their entertainment bore away with all speed but about one a Clock there happened a Calm which not only prevented the Hollander pursuit but put them into a little disorder the French not being able to get away were constrained to begin the Fight again which lasted till five in the Evening with extraordinary fury as for the English some few fought well but the Admirals unexpected standing away prevented them from seconding the Dutch so that the rest stood Lookers on while the main Body of the French fell into the Rear of the Dutch who having fought from Morning till Night and defended themselves so long against a prodigious number of the Enemy that assailed them on every side they were so much battered that hardly three were capable of making any defence which constrained them to make their way through the French Fleet to the Coast of England The Hollanders lost two Admirals and a Captain and some of their Ships that could not be got off were burnt the English lost two Sea and two Marine Captains Admiral Evertson declared that all the Dutch Officers and Seamen had done their Duties and had ours ingaged Heartily no doubt the French had gone home in a worse Condition than the Spaniards did in 1588. After the Fight the French Fleet sailed Westward and sent their Boats Ashore at Tingmouth a small Village of Fisher Mens Cotts which they set on Fire with two or three small Vessels in the Harbour and stealing a few Sheep after having lain some time on our Coast to little purpose they returned to Brest At the time the French lay off the Coasts of Kent one Godfrey Cross an Innkeeper in that County was seen to go aboard one of their Boats which carried him to the Fleet whereupon at his return he was seized and Treasonable Letters being found about him he was committed Prisoner and soon after tryed for High Treason at the Kings Bench Bar Westminster and being Convict was Hanged and Quartered for the same and care was taken by Her Majesty in whom the Regency resided during the Kings absence to put the Militia of the Counties into such a posture as to defeat any evil designs of the Enemies to the Government and the Militia of London consisting in about ten thousand men made a gallant appearance before her Majesty at Hyde Park and declared their Chearful Resolution to defend their Majesties and the Government against all its Opponents and the whole Militia of England computed to be about one hundred and fifty thousand Horse and Foot shâ—wed he same forwardness Upon Complaint against the Earl of Torrington for the Miscarriage of the Fleet he was committed by the Council to the Tower after the French had quitted our Câ—â—sts and were gone into Harbour the Militia were discharged and all diligence wâ—s uâ—s ed to repair and equip the Fleet to Sea About this time wâ—â—h 〈◊〉 News of the great Success of the English against the French in the West Indies having beaten them out of St. Christophers and many other considerable places and taken great Bâ—â—tieâ— of Cattel Corn and other Stores and Provisions and that we had reduced the Fort in the Island of Statie and two of our Privaters falling in with twelve French Merchant men bound for St. Maloes under the Convoy of a Frigate of 12. Guns took four of them forcing the rest ashoar about Cherbourg where they were all shipwrackt except the Frigat and most of the men drowned The Rebels in Scotland promising themselves great advantages from the French being on our Coasts and being deceived by false reports 1500 of them got together in the County of Murray under Bucan and Cannon threatning the People to burn and destroy their Houses and Goods if they did not join with them but Sir Thomas Levingstone advancing by speedy Marches came upon them so
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
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