An Exact DIARY OF THE Late Expedition OF His Illustrious Highness THE Prince of Orange Now KING of Great Britain From his Palace at the HAGVE To his Landing at TORBAY And from thence To his Arrival at WHITE-HALL Giving a particular ACCOUNT Of all that happened and every Day 's March. By a Minister Chaplain in the ARMY LONDON Printed for Richard Baldwin near the Black Bull in the Old-Baily M DC LXXXIX Licens'd April 23. 1689. JA. FRASER AN Exact Diary of the late Expedition OF HIS ILLUSTRIOUS HIGHNESS THE Prince of Orange INTO ENGLAND TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM Earl of Bedford WILLIAM Earl of Portland HENRY Viscount Sidney of Sheppy AND Sir JOHN MAYNARD One of the Lords Commissioners of the GREAT SEAL My LORDS WHen I seriously reflect upon the stupendious Providence of the Almighty in bringing to pass the late and unpresidented Undertaking of his Highness the Prince of Orange now King of Great Britain I cannot do less than Commemorate those Noble Persons that both favour'd and joyn'd in so good a Work among whom your Honours had a considerable share which made me prefume to lay this short Compendium of that Expedition at your Feet humbly craving your candid Acceptation and Patronage of it tho' not varnish'd with quaintness of Phrase or Elegancy of Wit and Rhetorick but in a lame and plain Stile Your Honours are not insensible how near we were to Ruine nor how his Sacred Majesty King WILLIAM hazarded all that was dear for our good which should oblige the most ungrateful to make some answerable returns of Gratitude and Loyalty Your Honours have fully convinced the World of your uprightness and steadiness in this Cause All that I can say cannot add to but will rather detract from your Honours innate Worth and Goodness I heartily wish this good Work so far already advanced may be fully compleated so that we may have no reason to fear a relapse And that the God of Heaven may preserve our gracious King and Queen and prosper their good Intentions with suitable success and convert all their Enemies or make them fall before them is the daily Prayers of May it please your Honours your Honours most Humble and most Obedient Servant JOHN WHITTLE AN Exact Diary of the late Expedition OF HIS ILLUSTRIOUS HIGHNESS THE Prince of Orange Now KING of Great Britain HIS Illustrious Highness the Prince of Orange who is of a truth another Joshua in his undaunted Spirit and Magnanimity for the Lord's Cause and prosperous Conduct of his People Israel Another good Josiah in doing that which is right in the sight of God destroying Idolatry while he was yet young Another David or man after God's own heart and a zealous Defender of that Faith which is truly Ancient Catholick and Apostolical receiving an account of the exceeding great Cruelty and Barbarity of Roman Catholicks in France towards all them that professed the true Reform'd Religion or the Protestant Faith in that Kingdom and that indeed without any regard to the Hoary head thô found in the way of Righteousness which is a Crown of Honour without any respect to Sex or poor innocent Babes which could not discern between their right and left hands and not only hearing of their unheard-of Cruelty but even beholding daily at the Court and about his own Sacred Person not a few who had sometime been the Objects of their Direfulness and undergone to their great sorrow their Barbarity among many others a pious aged Minister of the Gospel whom for adhering to the Truth and holding fast the profession of his Faith without wavering these Sons of Belial took and bound fast unto a large Spit and turn'd him as a Pig at a great Fire after a direful manner until he was near half roasted alive insomuch that his Eyes were almost ready to drop out of his Head his Bloud in the Veins much dried his Sinews not a little scorch'd and the poor man a meer Cripple at this very day as may be seen by the curious Inquisitors althô God who is faithful did not suffer him to be tempted above what he enabled him to bear and in his appointed time made a way for him to escape their cruel Hands so much embrued in the Bloud of the Saints and in the Bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus And besides this Minister many of both Sexes who had been tormented by their cruel Hands Men who had been bound fast with Cords while their own Wives were most immodestly used and entreated and then assassinated before their sorrowful eyes Women who had been violently held while the tender Bowels of their own dear Husbands were ript out even before their faces running down with tears and the sucking Infant cruelly murdered in the arms of its Mother that bear it to the breaking of many womens hearts Nay so exceeding great was the Cruelty and Barbarity of these Bloud-thirsty Papists towards the Protestants there that no Pen is able to delineate it or any Tongue express it and very few English hearts capable of conceiving it our Nation God be praised being unacquainted with such abominable Practices Now as was said the Prince of Orange hearing and beholding their cursed Facts was exceedingly concern'd for Jerusalem because he had a real love for her and therefore this good Josiah's heart did even melt within him and he harbour'd and succour'd very many of these poor and deplorable Protestants who were under so sore a Tryal How did he long to have these Sons of Satan vanquisht and the Walls of Jerusalem rebuilt and therefore did not count his own Life dear to him that he might cause the true Spouse of Christ to rest securely And verily we may hope that Babylon's fall draws near and that the Kings of the Earth who have committed Fornication with her shall partake of her Misery and see her Plagues come in one day Death and Mourning and Famine Without doubt those many thousands of Souls under the Altar which were slain for the Word of God and for the Testimony which they held do cry continually with a loud voice saying How long O Lord holy and true dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud on them that dwell on the earth Nebuchadnezzar the Great may before seven times pass over him be driven to confess saying As I have done to the Saints so God hath requited me and the same measure that my cruel People measured to the Protestants in my Land is now meeted to my Popish Realm But for us of this Kingdom and Nation we may well rejoyce in God that made us in God that redeem'd us in God that sanctified us and all his Elect in God who hath so lately delivered us out of the hands of our implacable Enemies when we were as Sheep appointed to the slaughter We ought to extol him that rideth upon the Heavens by his Name Jah and rejoyce before him And well may our Nation be right joyful in our King and Queen by whom Jerusalem
his Highness the Prince of Orange was inform'd thereof who suddenly gave order for all the smaller Vessels to come into Habour The Men of War weighed their Anchors and sail'd to a far more safe and commodious place for anchorage in case of a Storm for every man saw the Weather was unsetled and the Air very troublesom The second place where they rode at Anchor was between Holland and Zeeland about two or three leagues from the shore or coast In this place they did ride at Anchor certain days but while they were here the Weather grew stormy and one night the Winds were so very high and the Air so tempestuous and stormy shaking the very Houses and People in their Beds insomuch that many judged it to be a Earthquake the whole Fleet was in great peril and after this various false Reports were spread all over the Netherlands without all doubt broach'd by the Enemies to this Expedition who trumpetted it about for to amuse the vulgar People That the Anchors and Cables of the Men of War were broken in the Storm as if they had been a needleful of Thread so that all the Ships were driven here and there some to one shore and some on another Coast and as yet they were not heard of Which Fables did startle the poor ignorant sort and they knew not what to judge or say others who were more discreet and understood better the Holland manner of Ships and the Art of Navigation soon made answer to this Sham of the Papists That there was no question by the blessing of God but that the Men of War were all well and safe because they were able to ride the Storm out having good new Anchors and Cables and if any Anchor or Cable should happen to break these Ships could live well enough in the greatest Tempest provided they have but sufficient Sea-room And such was God's good providence that all the Ships receiv'd very little or no dammage only a certain old Fire-Ship which was soon chang'd for another that being sent to be mended The common thing every morning which was most us'd was first to go and see how the Wind sate and if there were any probability of a change When any person came unto a house in the heart of their City concerning any manner of business the very first Question by all was Sir I pray how is the Wind to day Are we likely to get an Easterly Wind ere long Pray God send it and such like The Ministers themselves pray'd That God would be pleas'd for to grant an East wind Others a favourable Wind that might bring his Illustrious Highness the Prince of Orange with his whole Fleet which now attended him unto the desired Haven for nothing could possibly be more desired than a fair Wind for the Navy by all sorts and conditions of men except Papists There was a Report here that the Jesuits had promised the late K. James that the Westerly Wind should continue until Christmas but this was false every man knows After some time that the Weather had been so tempestuous it began for to settle and God sent us an East Wind to the exceeding great joy of all our hearts in Holland and the Vnited Provinces nay it blew a fresh Gale day by day and continued favourable that quarter of the Moon which caused our people to work day and night that we might be under sail The Prince of Orange order'd every Officer now for to go on board the Ships with their Men and expedited every thing to the Fleet with as much speed as men could make but so many things were to be done it was not possible we could be making sail such great Bodies always moving very slowly according to the Saying Some Regiments were expected down the River and those being come every thing was sent to the Fleet as Provision for one month the Artillery Magazine Powder Ball Match Tents Tent-polls Stocking-axes Spades and all sorts of Utensils convenient in War and then Hay and Provender for the Horses Fresh Water and a hundred things more which do not now occur to my memory The Wind continuing East the Horses began to be shipp'd at Rotterdam which was a sign they were almost ready So his Highness the Prince of Orange was pleased to take his leave of the High and Mighty Lords the States of Holland and West Friezland who most heartily desired that God would preserve him and bless him with Victory over his Enemies and give him joyful Success in his great Undertaking for the good of the Protestant Church in general but more especially those in England Scotland and Ireland The people every-where began to be exceeding sorrowful for the loss of so Vertuous and so Religious a Prince from among them and very many would weep bitterly at the thoughts of his departure because all honest good men loved him extraordinarily and now his Health is drank by every Gentleman and Schipper Mate and Boy and his prosperous Voyage The Horses being most of shipped the Guards began to come So upon Friday-night all things were ready on board and the Fleet prepared to sail only it waited for the coming of his Highness The number of our Capital Ships or Men of War was about Fifty which were very well rig'd mann'd and provided with all things requisite the number of our Fire-Ships was about Five and twenty lesser Men of War or Frigats about Six and twenty the number of Merchant Ships Pinks Flyboats and others was about Three hundred and odd so the total number of the Fleet as they sailed from the Brill was about Four hundred and odd Ships But at our setting out the second time at Hellevoot-Sluys there were near an hundred Vessels more which were Schievelingers or Boats which the Fisher-men of Schieveling went to Sea in as we shall shew by and by But to proceed The Prince of Orange having taken his Farewel of the States assembled at the Hague went unto Houslaerdyke where he dined with many of his Lords and after Dinner on Saturday Oct. 19. old stile Oct 29. new stile being unwilling for to lose this fair Easterly Wind which did blow all the week so freshly attended with Mareschal Schomberg Count Nassau Count Solms the Heer Van Zulustein the Heer Bentink the Heer Overkirk the Earl of Shrewsbury Viscount Mordant the Lord Wiltshire Earl of Macclessield Earl of Argyle with many other English and Scotch Dutch and French Lords Knights and Gentlemen he went in a very rich Yacht unto Moseland Sluys Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange came in another attended with her Ladies of Honour Here his Illustrious Highness took his Farewel of his most entirely beloved Consort the Princess who was not a little troubled and grieved for to part with her dearest Lord and Prince which caused the Tears to distil from her precious Eyes like so many Pearls so she return'd with her Maids of Honour unto Houslaerdyke again but the Prince sail'd unto the
memories so deeply The Morning-light approaching we were all much comforted especially when we saw that our Vessels were whole and sound and very little water in her Pump when it was fathom'd Now we long'd for to hear of our great Master how he did after such a terrible Night which had befallen us The Seas continued raging and the Waves roaring and exalting their tops as they would touch the Clouds and we rowl'd about and could not tell what to do or which way to steer after his Highness the Prince of Orange The High and Mighty Lords the States of Holland and West-Friezland now assembled at the Hague thrô their profound sagacity and in their great prudence concluded that the Fleet must needs be dispers'd and scatter'd one Ship from another and much damag'd by such a terrible stormy and tempestuous Night as that was if not destroyed in a manner so they on the morrow morning which was the Lord's day command the Bow or Messenger which appertains to them for to hasten unto the Brill and give order for all the Lotesmen to go out and cruise all the Seas over between Holland and England and bring into the Haven of Hellevoot-sluys all such Ships as they met with or found These which they call Lotesmen are most skilful Pilots living at the Brill and bred up to the Sea being accustom'd to sound all over the Coasts that so they may know the depth and danger of most places they have Ships made by the Order of the States on purpose to endure a storm as indeed they will the greatest And therefore by Nine or Ten of the Clock there were not a few of these Lotesmen crusing up and down the Sea and all the Ships which they found they order'd for to go into Hellevoot-sluys The Prince of Orange seeing the Winds so stormy and and the Seas so very tempestuous return'd unto the Holland Coasts and came into the Haven of Hellevoot-sluys with a considerable number of Men of War and Merchant-men Pinks and Fly-boats and many Men of War more could have come into the Haven but staid out on purpose to secure the Fleet. When we and other Ships had heard that the Prince of Orange was safe in the Harbour we gave thanks to God and were not a little joyful at this good News and made towards Hellevoot-sluys as fast as we could Many Vessels in this storm were driven near the Coasts of England others towards the North some into the Texel and others into Zeeland and every day they came into the Haven from one place or other The Lotesmen did no small service to the Prince of Orange and the States in giving Ships information where to go for many having no Orders knew not what to do whether they should make for the English Coasts or return back to the Coasts of Holland All those Ships which were any way damag'd in the storm were now order'd to be repair'd here so that the Smiths Ship-Carpenters and others were forc'd to work day and night because they should be ready to go out again the first Wind that serv'd for his Highness was fully resolv'd by the blessing of God for to set to Sea again as soon as all the Ships were come in and made ready The Lotesmen having crused sundry days up and down the Seas between Holland England and France inform'd his Highness that they could not hear of any Ships lost thô driven far away and safe in one Habour or another excepting one Fly-boat laden with Men and Horses which having lost her Rudder in the violence of the storm was driven upon the English Coasts and so taken by the English the Men being made prisoners and the Horses sent to the late K. James The taking of this Vessel we heard made no little noise amongst the Papists in England but especially among the Irish Tories But to return this Hellevoot-sluys is a small Haven or Harbour for the Dutch Ships wherein they keep some of their Men of War and build new Vessels as well as repair old ones Here they keep a good part of their Magazine and Artillery and at Delph Amsterdam and other places there is much more Now this place or Dorp being so very small and every man that could being so exceeding willing to get to shoar after our being so long tumbled and toss'd on the Seas in such a fearful Storm and Tempest was exceedingly throng'd every House in the Dorp being extremely crouded insomuch that Provision grew exceeding scarce and Lodgings could hardly be gotten for Money those that were gotten being excessive dear indeed the people of this place made it their Fair but I must condemn them for imposing and exacting on us all in such a manner after we had been so fateagu'd at Sea certain honourable persons were constrain'd for to seek Lodgings after Night and in the Rain their Servants trying every House insomuch that some worthy Gentlemen resolv'd for to sit up and let these noble persons have their Beds others gave a Duccatoon for sitting up by the Fire all Night and not a few being destitute of Lodgings were forc'd to go into the Villages thereabout Provisions after some days were not to be gotten and that little which was there was very dear therefore many travell'd into the Countrey and bought their Provision at a Boors House that is to say a Countrey-mans House The Weather was tempestuous and the Seas continued very raging however Ships came in daily but people that were on shoar could not get back to their Ships riding now at anchor in the stream before Hellevoot-sluys the Boatsmen durst not adventure to carry them in those little Boats for some had been cast away coming to shoar The Horses were taken out of the Ships and sent here and there unto the Boors houses for to be kept in order to recover them well again and a very great number was taken out of the Ships dead and many died after they were set on shoar others were bruised after a wretched manner so more Horses were sent for from William-Stadt and other places by the Prince of Orange It was order'd here That the Dutch should begin their Prayers in the Church every Morning at Nine of the Clock the English at Ten and the French at Eleven The Dutch begin their Prayers in the Afternoon at Two the English at Three and the French at Four of the Clock which Order was punctually observ'd so long as we were here The Reverend Dr. Burnet now Bishop of Salisbury read the Prayers of of the Church of England according to the Rubrick and daily paraphras'd upon one or two of the Psalms for the day The Dutch they preach'd having divers Chaplains to the Regiments appointed them The French sometimes had a Sermon but generally Prayers Upon Sunday October 28. Old Stile the Reverend Dr. Burnet preach'd in the Morning the Prince being there with Mareschal Schomberg and all the English and Scotch Lords Knights and Gentlemen His Sermon was
much abused the worthy Minister of Tylehurston stripping his Rings off his Fingers with the Skin and Flesh threatning his Wife in Bed and undoubtedly had murder'd the whole Family if so be the Maid had not leap'd out of a Window and call'd the Neighbours speedily to assist them for they broke open the Door with on Iron made for the same purpose which they forgot and left behind them with their Dark Lanthorn both which I saw They swore divers times by St. Patrick they would cut them all into pieces if they would not give them Mony for they must shortly be gone and the late King had not paid them So hearing the Neighbours coming they took their Horses and rode away having above thirty Pounds in Mony Plate and Rings for they took the old Gentlewomans Rings off her Fingers December the 18th his Highness parted from Windsor dined at Sion-House and came that Evening to St. James's amidst the loud Acclamations of a vast number of People of all Sorts and Ranks the Bells every-where ringing the Evening concluded with vast Bonsires and such general Joy as can scarce be parallel'd The next day the late King James seeing the Scene of Affairs altered parted from Whitehal went down the River to Rochester and from thence took Shipping for Brest whither the Queen and supposed Prince of Wales was gone before and himself soon after where I 'le leave him Most of the Nobility congratulated his Highness's safe arrival at St James's and on the 20th the Aldermen and Common Couucil of the City of London attended his Highness upon the same account and the Lord Mayor being disabled by Sickness Sir George Treby Kt. Recorder of the Honourable City of London made an Oration to his Highness to this effect Great Sir WHen we look back to the last Month and contemplate the swiftness and fulness of our present Deliverance astonish'd we think it miraculous Your Highness led by the Hand of Heaven and call'd by the Voice of the People has preserved our dearest Interest the Protestant Religion which is Primitive Christianity restored Our Laws which are our ancient Title to our Lives Liberties and Estates and without which this World were a Wilderness But what Retribution can we make to your Highness Our Thoughts are full charged with Gratitude Your Highness has a lasting Monument in the Hearts in the Prayers in the Praises of all good Men amongst us And late Posterity will celebrate your ever-glorious Name till Time shall be no more December the 25th the Lords Spiritual and Temporal asssembled at the House of Lords Westminster and there ageeed upon and signed an Address wherein they humbly desired his Highness in this Conjuncture to take upon him the Administration of Publick Affairs both Civil and Military and the Disposal of the Publick Revenue for the preservation of our Religion Rights Laws Liberties and Properties and of the Peace of the Nation and that his Highness would take into his Care the Condition of Ireland and endeavour by the most speedy and effectual Means to prevent the Dangers threatning that Kingdom All which the Lords Spiritual and Temporal make their Requests to his Highness to undertake and exercise till the Meeting of the intended Convention Jan 22. next Moreover the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled at Westminster in this Extraordinary Conjuncture did humbly desire his Highness to cause Letters to be written subscribed by Himself to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being Protestants and to the several Counties Universities Cities Boroughs and Cinque-Ports of England Wales and Town of Berwick Upon Tweed containing Directions for the choosing in all such Counties Cities Universities Boroughs and Cinque-Ports within Ten days after the receipt of the said respective Letters such a number of Persons to represent them as are of right to be sent to Parliament And the Persons so chosen to Meet and Sit at Westminster on the Two and Twentieth day of January Both which were signed by all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal then Assembled and presented to his Highness the Prince of Orange the same day at St James's All which his Highness was pleased to Do according to their Desires Now the Lords and Commons being Met at Westminster the Two and Twentieth of January 1688 According to the Direction of his Highness's Letters They agreed upon and Ordered That the Thanks of both Houses should be returned to his Highness in the behalf of the whole Nation for his Highness happy Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery Slavery and Despotick Power and for the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and the Laws Rights Priviledges and Customs of our Land c. And moreover to beseech his Highness to continue the Administration of publick Affairs Civil and Military and the Disposal of the publick Revenue until such time as farther Application be made to his Highness All which his Highness was pleased to do and exercise according to their desire And with all expedition on the 12th of February the Lords and Commons consulted about the Settlement of our Government And agreed that the late King James the Second having endeavour'd to subvert and extirpate the Protestant Religion c. and having abdicated the Government the Throne was thereby become Vacant They did resolve that William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange be and be declared King and Queen of England France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging c. On the 12th of February Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange arrived at Whitehall the welcome news whereof was received with Ringing of Bells Bonfires and other publick Demonstrations of Joy. The next day the Lords and Commons assembled at Westminster attended their Highnesses at the Banqueting-house with their Resolve and received their Consent thereto and about 11 of the Clock proclaimed William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange King and Queen of England France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging After that their Majesties were Proclaim'd before Whitehall And the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the Famous City of London together with the Sheriffs met the Lords and Heralds at Arms at Temple-Bar and there Proclaimed their Majesties King William and Queen Mary c. And so proceeded to the Royal Exchange where the same was done a third time The day concluding with Ringing of Bells and Bonfires to the General Satisfaction of all After their most excellent Majesties were proclaimed all over England there was great preparation made in order to their Majesties Coronation The Day being come viz. April 11 1689. Their Majesties came from Whitehall to Westminster and the Nobility being put in Order by the Heralds They came down in State into Westminster-Hall where the Swords and Spurs were presented to them Their Majesties being at Westminster-Abby the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Sarum preached the Sermon his Text being 2 Sam. 23 3 4. And after the Ceremonies of the Coronation were finished about four of the Clock the Crowns were put upon their Royal Heads by the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of London assisted by several other Bishops At the sight whereof the People shouted the Drums and Trumpets sounded the great Guns at the Tower c. were discharged and the Peers and Peeresses put on their Coronets Their Majesties being Crowned returned to Westminster-Hall And Dinner being ended and the whole Solemnity perform'd with great Splendour and Magnificence about Eight in the evening their Majesties return'd to White-Hall Where I most humbly leave them heartily beseeching Almighty God to bless and preserve their most excellent Majesties that they may long Live and Flourish together To the advancement of his Glory the Good of his Church the Safety Honour and Welfare of their Majesties Kingdoms and the exceeding Joy and Comfort of all Good Protestants As for all their Enemies let then O God be daily discover'd and brought to Shame and Confusion But upon their Sacred and Royal Heads let the Crowns of England Scotland France and Ireland long Flourish FINIS