shilling XVIII THe Kingdom of Darkness Or the History of Demons Specters Witches Apparitions Possessions Disturbances and other wonderful and supernatural Delusions Mischievous Feats and Malicious Impostures of the Devil Containing near Fourscore memorable Relations Forreign and Domestick both Antient and Modern Collected from Authentick Records Real Attestations Credible Evidences and asserted by Authors of Undoubted Verity Together with a Preface obviating the common Objections and Allegations of the Sadduces and Atheists of the Age who deny the Being of Spirits Witches c. With Pictures of several memorable Accidents Price One Shilling XIX SUrprizing Miracles of Nature and Art in two parts containing 1. The Miracles of Nature or the wonderful Signs and Prodigies Aspects and Appearances in the Heavens Earth and Sea with an account of the most famous Comets and other prodigies from the Birth of Christ to this time 2. 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Price one shilling XXI MArtyrs in Flames or Popery in its true Colours being a brief Relation of the horrid Cruelties and Persecutions of the Pope and Church of Rome for many hundred years past to this present time in Piedmont Bohemia Germany Poland Lithuania France Italy Spain Portugal Scotland Ireland and England with an Abstract of the cruel Persecutions lately exercised upon the Protestants in France and Savoy in the years 1686. and 1687. Together with a short account of Gods Judgments upon Popish Persecutors Price one shilling Miscellanies XXII DElights for the Ingenious in above Fifty Select and choice Emblems Divine and Moral Ancient and Modern Curiously Ingraven upon Copper Plates with Fifty delightful Poems and Lâ—ts for the more Lively Illustration of each Emblem Whereby Instruction and good Counsel may be promoted and furthered by an honest and pleasant Recreation Collected by R. B. Pr. 2 s. 6 d. 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Ã Sacris Price One Shilling XXVII A Guide to Eternal Glory Or brief directions to all Christian how to attain everlasting Solution To which are added several other small Trâ—sts Price One Shilling XXVIII YOâ—â—ths Divine Pastime containing torty remarkable scripture histories turned into common English Verse with forty Picture proper to eaâ—â— story very delightful for the vertuous imploying the vacant â—ours of young persons and preventing vain and viâ—ions divertisements Together with several scripture hymns upon diverse occasions Price 8d XXIX THE young mans calling or the whole duty of youth in a serious and compassionate addres to all young persons to remember their Creator in the days of their youth Together with remarks upon the lives of several excellent young persons of both Sâ—xes as well ancient as modern who have been famous for virtue and piety in their Generation c. With twelve curious Pictures illustrating the several histories Price 1s 6 d. XXX THE vanity of the life of man represented in the seven several stages thereof with pictures and poems exposing the follies of every Age. Price eight pence XXXI MOunt Sion or a draught of that Church that shall stand for ever together with a view of that World wâ—â—â— shall be broken in pieces and consumed By William Dyer Author of Christs famous Titles and a Believers Golden Chaiâ— Pâ—â—â—e one shilling XXXII DIstâ—â—ssed Sion relieved or the Garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness A Poem Wherein are discovered the grand causes of the Churches trouble and misery under the late dismal dispensation with a compleat history of and lamentation for those renowned Worthies that fell in England by Popish rage and cruelty from the year 1680. By Ben. 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THE HISTORY OF THE House of Orange OR A Brief Relation of the Glorious and Magnanimous Atchievements of His Majesties Renowned Predecessors and likewise of His own Heroick Actions till the Late Wonderful Revolution Together with The HISTORY of William and Mary King and Queen of England Scotland France and Ireland c. Being an Impartial Account of the most Remarkable Passages and Transactions in these Kingdoms from Their Majesties Happy Accession to the Throne to this time By R. B. LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside 1693. TO THE READER I Am very sensible that the greatness of the Subject is a sufficient reason to deter me from adventuring to publish my mean endeavours in Relating the Glorious and Magnanimous Atchievements of His Majesties Renowned Ancestors as well as His own Or of the excellent Conduct of Their Majesties since Their happy Accession to the Throne But because we have such a furious Generation of Murmurers who if they had their desires would ruine both themselves and their Countrey and reduce us to French Popery and Slavery It may seem to be the Interest of every man to strive to undeceive those whom these Miscreants would delude since both our Eternal and Temporal happiness very much depends upon the supporting the present Government against all its Forreign and Domestick Enemies A Government founded upon Law and Justice A Government calculated for the support of the Protestant Interest throughout the World wherein we have a King and Queen of the same excellent Religion with our selves a happiness which we have been deprived of for almost an Age past Princes of such exemplary Virtue and Piety that they discourage Vice and Prophaneness and constantly endeavour to support Goodness and Modesty which seem'd lately designed to be hissed out of the Nation God grant that our ingratitude and impenitence may never deprive us of such inestimable blessings and that we do not fall a Sacrifice to our stupendious folly and discontents THE HISTORY OF THE House of Orange THE Family of Nassau from whom our Gracious Soveraign is descended is not undeservedly accounted one of the most Antient and Honourable in Europe not only for its great Allianceâ— and Branches but also by the Advancement of one of this House to the Empire of Germany Adolphus Nassau by name about the Year 1200 and that there has been a Succession of the Family in a direct Line for above a thousand years past and among them OTHO Count of Nassau who lived about six hundred years since and had two Wives with the first of whom he had the Province of Gueldres and with the other that of Zutphen About three hundred years after a second Count OTHO of Nassau married the Countess of Vranden whereby he became possest of several other Territories in the Netherlands In the Year 1404. Engilbert who was his Grandchild married the Heiress of the Town of Breda and Loeke and was Grandfather to Engilbert 2d Earl of Nassau who in 1491. was by Maximilian King of the Romans going into Hungary made Governour Lieutenant and Captain General of Flanders and afterwards in 1501. Arch-Duke Philip going into Spain constituted him Governour General of the Netherlands an experienced Prince both in War and Peace but dying Childless left his Brother John his large Territories this John had two Sons upon Henry the eldest he bestowed all his Possessions in the Low-Countries and to his youngest Son William he bequeathed all his Inheritance in Germany By the earnest Endeavours of Henry Nassau Charles the 5th was advanced to the Empire against the pretensions of Francis I. the French King and at his Coronation placed the Crown on his Head And yet when upon concluding Peace between these two Monarchs Henry was sent by the Emperor to do Homage to King Francis for the County of Flanders and Artois that Prince forgetting former differences and being fully sensible of his extraordinary Merits married him to Claudia only Sister to Philibert Chalon Prince of Orange by which Marriage his only Son Revens of Orange and Chalons became Prince of Orange William Earl of Nassau Brother to Prince Henry profâ—ssed the Protestant Religion and expell'd Popery out of his Territories and was Father to the great William of Nassau who attained to be Prince of Orange and Lord of all the Possessions of the House of Chalens by the Last Will of Revens de Nassau who died Childless The Emperor Charles the 5th having a favour for the House of Orange and received great services from them was concerned that the young Prince William should be educated in the Reformed Religion and therefore took him with much regret from his Father and endeavoured to instruct him in the Romish Faith but afterward the former Opinions which he had suckt in with his Mothers Milk prevailed upon him so that he became an earnest Professor of Protestantism William Count of Nassau his Father had five Sons and seven Daughters by Juliana Countess of Stolberg WILLIAM the eldest was born in 1533. at the Castle of Dillemberg in the County of Nassau and being taken from his Father by the Emperor Charles as we said he became a great Favourite by his extraordinary Wisdom and Modesty so that the Emperor confest this young Prince often furnisht him with notions and hints he should else never have thought of and upon giving of private Audiences to Ambassadors when the Prince would discreetly offer to withdraw the Emperor mildly remanded him saving Stay Prince and it was admired by the whole Court that a Prince not above twenty years old should be intrusted with all the Secrets of the Empire and carry the Imperial Crown upon his resignation to his Brother Ferdinand though the Prince with some reluctancy seemed to refuse the Imployment by alledging That it was no ways proper for him to carry to another that Crown which his Uncle Henry of Nassau had set upon his Head Yea the Emperor had so much confidence in his Conduct that in the absence of the D. of Savoy his General of the Low Countries though the Prince were not above 22 years old yet contrary to the Advice of all his Council rejecting all other experienc'd Generals he constituted him Generalissimo who managed that great Imploy with such discretion and courage that he caused Philipville and Charlemont to be built in the fight of the French Army which was then commanded by Admiral Castillon that great Captain These Magnanimous actions caused the Emperor to recommend the Prince of Orage to Philip II. his Son but his Virtue and Courage were so emulated by the Spaniards that all his most innocent words and actions were misinterpreted and the opposition that the Provinces made to the Kings Will and Pleasure in defence of their Priviledges were attributed to his contrivance which King Philip made him sensible of when he was imbarking from Flushing for Spain charging him with preventing all his private Intrigues with a furious countenance And when
he lived in great State with the Spanish Governor of the Netherlands at Brussels and was imploy'd by that King to conduct into the Netherlands his Bride and Spouse that was to be the Infanta Isabella to whom K. Philip had given in Dowry the Soveraignty of the 17 Provinces This was a very astonishing Policy to all the Netherlands that the Son of a Prince who was so abhorr'd by the Spaniards should be chosen for this honourable Imployment and caused such a Jealousie in the States of the United Provinces towards him the King of Spain having likewise restored to him all his Estate in the Spanish Low-Countries and the French Comte that they would not allow him to make any Visit much less to reside in any of their Provinces though he was very desirous so to do And though his younger Brother Prince Maurice out of his generous temper surrendred up all the great Estate that belonged to Philip his older Brother as Breda and other places yet to prevent his being suspected by the States General he declined seeing him in Person rendring his Respects to him constantly by Persons deputed thereunto He married Eleonora Burbon Sister to the Prince of Conde and by marching with a Princess of the Blood he was reinstated in his Principality of Orange and died without Children at Brussels in 1618. leaving his Inheritance and Title to his Brother Maurice of Nassaw Prince of Orange Successor to his Father both in Conduct Courage and Success who being but 17 years old at the Death of his Father was yet called to the Government and was no ways discouraged at the great Successes of Alexander Famese Duke of Parma who in a very short time had reduced several Cities and Towns to the Crown of Spain Nor with the insolence of the Earl of Leicester who at the desire of the State General was sent by Q. Elizabeth to be their Governor though by his insupportable Pride and Ambition he more endamaged the Low Countries than the Succours he brought relieved them so that for 4 years together that Commonwealth laboured under dreadful Convulsions occassion'd by the Intrigues of the Earl of Leicester and the Policies of the Spaniards till at length by the fortunate and total destruction of the Nick-named Invincible Spanish Armada designed to have devoured all England the Prince of Parma lost all his reputation at once Prince Maurice about the same time obliging him to his everlasting shame to rise and run away from the Siege of Bergen 〈◊〉 Zoom And for Twenty Years after even till the time of the Truce Fortune was so favourable to the Prince that Victory seemed to attend him insomuch that he recovered near 40 Cities and many more Fortresses and in three pitched Battels defeated the Forces of the K. of Spain besides the Victories his Admirals obtained at Sea upon the Coasts of Flanders and Spain The Stratagem by which he surprized Breda was very remarkable For the Garrison of that Town being Italians and greedy of Fuel in that cold Country they very readily assisted the Boatman to draw his Bark of Turffs over the Ice within the Castle Walls under which the Prince had laid several armed Soldiers who suddenly starting up surprized and soon seiz'd the Guards taking Possession of the Castle with the loss only of one Man though it were an Action of such Danger and Importance Soon after the Town of Gertrudenburg was surrendred to the Prince in View of the Spanish Army consisting of 30000 Men commanded by Count Mansfield an experienced General who could not force the Prince out of his Trenches though he daily provoked him so that Prince Maurice having sent a Trumpeter to the Count he askt him How his Master being a young and fiery Prince could contain himself within his Trenches after such fair Provocations The Trumpeter replied That the Prince of Nassaw was a Young Prince but as old and experienced a General as his Excellency The next Year the Prince took Groning the Capital City of that province also Rhineburg Meurs and Grave and gained great Reputation by the defence of Ostend for the Spaniards having made themselves Masters of it after a Siege of three Years with the loss of Sixty thousand Men and the expence of above a Hundred Millions of Treasure they were possessed of nothing but a heap of Ruins more like a Burying place than a City And the Prince soon after gained Sluce a place of far greater Importance And at the Battle of Newport he had so great Success against far more numerous Forces than his own That the Archduke Albert with several other Persons of Quality were wounded All the Spaniards Cannon with above 100 Cornets and Ensigns falling into the Victor's hands with the slaughter of 6000 of the Enemy upon the place the Prince having before the Fight sent away all the Ships that Transported his Men into Flanders telling them That now there was no way to escape but they must either march over the Bellies of their Enemies or else drink Salt Water After several other successes against the Prince of Parma and other Spanish Generals whereby he raised up the sinking Republick of the United Netherlands he died in 1625. He was never Married and left his Titles and large Possessions to his younger Brother Henry Frederick of Nassaw Prince of Orange Who was third Son to the renowned W. P. of Orange He was born in 1584. and was an excellent General not in the least degenerating from the Courage and Gallantry of that Heroick Family being every way equal in Fame to his Brother Prince Maurice taking the famous Cities of Odousel and Groll in despite of the Spanish General who with a numerous Army was not able to relieve it Nor was he less successful at Sea his Vice Admiral Hein taking a Fleet of the Spaniards near Cuba in the West Indies valued at above twenty Millions After this he took Bois le Duc which had withstood all the attempts of his Brother Maurice and would not be drawn away till he had reduced it though Count Henry of Bergnes the Spanish General made an Incursion into the Province of Utrecht to divert him And afterward happily surprised the City of Wessel where the Magazine of Provisions and all the great Artillery of the Spanish Army were laid up About this time Count John of Nassaw his Kinsman upon some discontent revolting to the Spaniards was defeated by one of the Princes Captains near the Rhyne in the open Field with half his number of men himself being carried Prisoner to Wessel from whence he could not be redeemed without the payment of 18000 Rix Dollars To revenge which dishonour Count John when at liberty endeavoured with a strong Navy of Ships to seize the Town of Williamstadt but was totally defeated by the Hollanders and 4000 Prisoners taken and the rest either kill'd or drowned He himself and the Prince of Brabancon hardly escaping The States General to testifie their gratitude to Henry Prince of Orange
want of perjured Villains to swear what was absolutely false the Judges though sensible of it incouraging them therein the Prisons were soon filled and many innocent and virtuous Persons were whipt and sent to the Gallies for Slaves Next they were deprived of all publick Offices and imployments contrary to an express Article in the Edict of Nants yea were forbid to exercise several Arts and Trades for maintaining their Families This was in 1669. and in 1680. all Lords and Gentlemen were commanded to discharge their Protestant Officers and Servants Nay they would not suffer Protestant Midwives to do their Office but expresly ordained That no Woman should receive any assistance in that condition but from Popish Midwives And to consummate their miseries they were forbid under severe penalties to go out of France to get their bread in other Countreys whereby they were under the horrible necessity of perishing for hunger in their own They laid severe Taxes upon them raising the sum from fourty or fifty Livers to seven or eight hundred and Quartered Dragoons upon them till it was paid Then an Edict was published that Children of seven years old should abjure their Religion forcing their Parents to give them allowances beyond their abilities taking them away and suffering them to see them no more even Persons of the best Quality were thus used Protestant Schoolmasters were prohibited and three Universities supprest though absolutely granted by the Edict of Nants Papists were forbid to marry Protestants or Ministers to hinder People directly or indirectly from turning Papists These and a multitude of other cruel and barbarous oppressions they greaned under when the Elector of Brandenburg being pleased to interceed on their behalf the King assured him He was very well satisfied with the behaviour of his Protestant Subjects and that so long as he lived no wrong should be done them And yet at the same instant with his usual sincerity he gave order for demolishing several of their Churches and shutting up others imprisoning their Ministers and using divers manifest injustices against those he pretended to protect At this time some of the Persecuted People sent their Children to Orange as being a Soveraign Principality to finish the course of their Studies in security But this so displeased the King that He sent a Body of two thousand men under his Lieutenant General in Languedock who positively commanded the Prince of Oranges Magistrates to send away all the Children home again and not to receive any more for the future into their University or Schools which though it appeared very unreasonable yet the magistrates to prevent further mischief complyed therewith and thought they had thereby given full satisfaction to his demands but were strangely surprized to hear that during the Capitulation the Lieutenant General still approached with his forces nearer the City and that he had absolute Orders to demolish their Walls In short he advanced and Quartered eight Companies of Dragoons in the Citizens Houses where they committed many disorders constraining as well the Inhabitants as the other Subjects of His Highness in the Villages round about to assist at the ruine of their own Walls and Towers which were blown up At which the People laboured the more earnestly to be the sooner rid of those Arbitrary Guests who were said to have already vitiated several Virgins The Prince having news hereof represented their Case to the States General as a breach of the last Peace desiring them to signifie their just resentment of these unreasonable proceedings of the French King and to demand reparations for such horrid violations instantly upon concluding a General Peace and without the least provocation given The States accordingly by their Ambassador represented it as an Infraction of the Peace of Nimegen and required satisfaction for the damages which the Prince and his Subjects had so Illegally and contrary to the Faith of Treaties and Leagues sustained But could have only this answer from the French Court That as to the money extorted from the Inhabitants it was done without the Kings Order and he had commanded restitution to be made That upon the submission of the People to his will and pleasure he had withdrawn his Forces out of the Principality and restored free commerce to the Inhabitants according to their desires And for the rest he had reason for what he had done After the Peace was concluded his Highness applyed himself to reform the Government of Utrecht and other Towns and likewise to concert matters with the States General for the future security of his Countrey against the Treacheries and false pretentions of France The Prince being usually present in the Principal Debates of the Assembly both as to Peace and War who always appeared no less prudent and vigilant to prevent disorders at home than to repel Forreign Hostility In July 1681. His Highness came over into England and arriving at Whitehall Dined at Sir Stephen Foxes and then went to Windsor where the Court then was and having continued here about Ten Days returned back to Holland In the Interval of Affairs his Highness retired to Dieren or Soestdyke to divert himself and at other times made progresses to take a review of the Frontier Towns belonging to the State who in 1682. had ordered the Towns of Breda Grave and Naerden to be strongly fortified and it was proposed in the Assembly of the States to raise 16000 men and incorporate them with the Old Regiments and to add a New Squadron of twenty four Men of War both to prevent any sudden Insults of the French upon their Territories and to assist the Spaniards if they should commit any Acts of Hostility which was much to be suspected considering the shameful pretensions that King set up of Dependancies in the Spanish Netherlands In 1682. the Marquess of Grana was made Governour of Flanders of which he gave notice to the States General and the Prince and soon after His Highness had an Interview with the Marquess between Breda and Antwerp where they entred into Conferences about their future managements of Affairs His Highness likwise visiting the Fortified Places in Flanders belonging to the States being accompanied with the Princess who was received with all kind of Respect and Splendor by the Cities of Brussels Antwerp c. About this time the Count de Avaux the French Ambassador arriving at the Hague put in a Memorial to the Assembly of the manner how he expected to receive Audience But the States replyed That the things which he desired were wholly new and never practised before and therefore they can in no wise comply with them Whereupon his Audience was put off till he was willing to receive it upon the former Terms In November this year the Envoy of Moscovy came to wait upon the Prince then at Soestdyke to give an account that the great Czar was dead and that the two Princes now reigning were advanced to the Throne In the end of 1683. The K. of Spain being no
longer able to suffer the continual Invasions of the French upon his Cities and Towns in Flanders and his cruel Treatment of his Subjects for not paying unjust and unreasonable Contributions he proclaimed War against him both by Sea and Land and ordered all the Effects of the French Merchants in his Dominions to be seized And sent to the States General to assist him in this just defensive War who thereupon concluded to raise a considerable Force both for his aid and their own security and accordingly his Highness gave out several Commissions and sent 8000 men toward Flanders In the mean time the French King according to his usual method having ordered great Detachments to be sent from all the Conquered Places toward Valenciennes in April 1684. he himself accompanied with the Dauphin and Dauphiness came from Paris thither The P. was very desirous to have perfected the new Levies and to have marcht at the Head of them to oppose him but the obstinacy of Amsterdam and some other Towns which refused to allow their Quota for maintaining them prevented his Highness worthy designs The French King having mustred his Army between Conde and Valenciennes he immediately inrested the City of Luxemburg and though the Governor made a very notable defence and the French lost a considerable number of Men yet the greatness of their Army which was posted so as to prevent any relief at length obliged the Town to Capitulate and June 7. following it was surrendred upon Articles and soon after a Trace being made with Spain they were forced to suffer the loss of this City with the same temper as they had done many before And as the French King continued thus Tyrannically to injure his Neighbours so he Treacherously proceeded to exercise horrid cruelties upon his own Protestant Subjects for though he had resolved upon their destruction yet at the same time he declared That he had not the least intention to infringe the Edict of Nants and accordingly in 1684. he absolutely concluded to cancel and make void that Edict and to banish all the Ministers out of the Kingdom and several young Priests were sent about the Country to inflame the Mobile against the Protestants and it was declared in Print That the Catholick Faith must be planted by Fire and Sword alledging the example of a King of Norway who converted the Nobles of his Countrey by threatning them to slay their Children before their Eyes if they would not consent to have them Baptized and to be Baptized themselves The Protestants were very sensible of the mischiefs design'd against them and exposed their grievances to the K. with all humility and submission which produced no other effect upon his Tyrannical Temper than to hasten their destruction by open force and violence in so terrible a manner as is scarce to be parallell'd At first they quartered Troops of bloudy and desperate Dragoons upon them who loudly bellowed That the K. would no longer suffer any Protestants in his Kingdom and that they must resolve to change their Religion or else to suffer the utmost cruelty that could be inflicted upon them To which these innocent Souls replied That they were ready to Sacrifice their Lives and Estates for the Kings Service but their Consciences being Gods they could not in the same manner dispose of them This answer did but inrage their hellish Adversaries so that they first seized their goods and then fell on their Persons inflicting all the Barbarities imaginable to induce them to renounce their Religion They hung up Men and Women by the Hair of the Head or by the Feet within their Chimneys smoaking them with wisps of wet Straw They threw them into great fires pluckt them thence half roasted They tied them on the Rack poured wine down their Throats till the fame had deprived them of their reason and then made them say they would be Catholicks They stript them stark naked larded them all over with Pins from head to foot They kept them from sleeping 7 or 8 days and nights together They tied Parents to Bed posts and ravished their Daughters before their eyes They pluckt off the Nails from the Hands and Toes of others with most intolerable pain and after these and a thousand other horrid indignities if they refused to abjure their Religion they threw them into close dark stinking Dungeons exercising upon them all manner of inhumanity And yet after all these barbarous usages they compelled those wretched People who had not courage and constancy enough to persist in the Faith and therefore turned Catholicks or new Converts as they called them to acknowledge That they had imbraced the Roman Religion of their own accord And had the impudence to declare even against the evidence of Millions of Witnesses That force and violence had no share in the Conversions but that they were soft calm and voluntary and that if there were any Dragoons concerned therein it was because the Protestants themselves desired them that they might have a handsome pretence to change their Religion In the mean time their Houses were demolished their Lands destroyed their Woods cut down and their Wives and Children seized and put into Monasteries and an Edict was published for plucking down all the Protestant Churches in the Kingdom and all for promoting the Catholick Peligion Yea the mischief did not terminate here for the French King being too potent to be resisted by the Duke of Savoy He compell'd that Prince to publish an Edict for prohibiting the poor Waldenses and Vaudois to exercise their Religion upon pain of death and being assisted with a great number of French Troops under Monsieur Catinat the Souldiers committed the like Violences and Barbarities against them as they had done in France His Highness the Prince of Orange highly disapproved of these Proceedings and was a silent Mourner for the miseries of the Protestant Church which now seemed to be threatned more than ever for King Charles II. dying in February 1685. the D. of York succeeded him who instantly declared himself a Roman Catholick And June 10 following the Duke of Monmouth landed with 150 Men at Lime in Dorsetshire declaring That he had taken Arms for the defence and vindication of the Protestant Religion and of the Laws Rights and Priviledges of England from the Invasion made upon them and for delivering the Kingdom from the Tyranny of James Duke of York About the same time the Earl of Argile setting sail from the Vlye in Holland landed in the West of Scotland publishing a Declaration to the same purpose but either by weakness or treachery they were both soon defeated and both beheaded and a multitude of their followers executed For which great success King James published a Proclamation for a Thanksgiving and among other expressions says That nothing now remained which could possibly disturb the future quiet of his Reign In confidence whereof he with the advice of his Popish Counsellors and their Adherents proceeded to commit
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
had largely promised the Protection of both And at the same time seeing Popery and Arbitrary Power hovering over their Heads and ready to seize on their Liberties and Properties and that both were designed to be perpetuated and enâ—ailed upon them and their Posterity by a succession of Popish Princes Mrs. Cellier having declared in Print before the pretended Birth That it would be a Prince and that the Queen would likewise bring forth a Duke of York and a Duke of Glocester After several consultations whither to fly for succour at length they resolved to apply themselves to His Highness the Prince of Orange to whose Illustrious Family it had been an Inherent Glory for some Ages to relieve the Distressed and support the Protestant Cause His Highness they saw inherited all the surpassing Qualities of his Ancestors Their matchless Prudence Justice Courage their Truth and Magnanimity and besides all these excellent Endowments they were well assured of the fair Title he had to the Crown it self To him therefore the Lords Spiritual and Temporal with a great number of the Chiefest Gentry of the Kingdom make their application and in an humble Memorial represent their Grievances to their Highnesses to this effect That their Highnesses cannot be ignorant that the Protestants of England who continue True to the Government and Religion have been many ways troubled and vexed by many Devices and Machinations of the Papists carried on under pretence of Royal Authority and things required of them unanswerable before God and Man Several Ecclesiastical Benefices of Churches taken from them without any other Reason given than the Kings Pleasure themselves Summoned and Sentenced by Commissioners appointed contrary to express Law deprived of their free choice of Magistrates divers Corporations dissolved The Legal Security of their Religion and Liberty established by King and Parliament abolished and taken away by a pretended Dispensing Power New and unheard of Maxims broached That Subjects have no Right but what is founded and derived from the Kings Will and Pleasure the Militia put into the Hands of Persons unqualified by Law and a Popish Mercenary Army maintained in the Kingdom in times of Peace directly contrary to Law executing of ancient Laws against several Crimes and Misdemeanors obstructed and prohibited and the Statutes against corresponding with the Court of Rome against Papal Jurisdictions and Popish Priests suspended in the Courts of Justice those Judges displaced who acquit any whom the Court would have condemned as happened to the Judges Holloway and Powel for acquitting the seven Bishops the free choice of Members of Parliament wholly taken away notwithstanding all the Care and Provision made by the Law in that behalf by the Quo Warranto's against Charters and proposing ensnaring Questions all things levell'd at the Propagation of Popery for which the Courts of England and France have now for a long time so strenously bestirr'd themselves Endeavours and Practices used to perswade their Highnesses to Consent to the abolishing the Penal Laws and Tests though herein disappointed The Queens being with Child first Proclaimed and Divulged by Popish Priests and in the Sequel thereof a Child produced without any clear Proof or Evidence of sufficient and unsuspected Witnesses besides that it cannot be believed that the said Child was ever born of the Queen by Reason of her known Sickness and Indisposition and many other Arguments as not being confirmed by any certain foregoing Signs of Conception the place of her lying in being often changed and her pretended Delivery Celebrated in the absence of the Princess of Denmark and while the English Ladies were at Church in a Bedstead which was provided with a Convenient Passage in the side of it by which means the Child was conveyed to the Queen by the Ladies L' Abadie and Teurarier that these be matters left to the Discretion of a Free Parliament and that in the Name of your Highnesses and the whole Nation the Queen may be desired to prove the real Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales by a competent number of credible Witnesses of both Sexes or in Case of a failure herein that the reports of any such Birth may be supprest for the time to come That they humbly crave the Protection of their Highnesses in this matter as well as with respect to the Abolition and Suspension of the Laws made to maintain the Protestant Religion their Civil Rights Fundamental Liberties and Free Government and that their Highnesses would be pleased to insist that besides the business of the Child the Government of England according to Law may be restored the Laws against Papal Jurisdiction Priests c. be put in Execution the Suspending and Dispensing Power be declared Null and Void and the Priviledges of the City of London Free Choice of Magistrates and all the other Liberties as well of that as other Corporations be restored and maintained Their Highnesses with no less Willingness than Generosity and out of their Zeal for the Protestant Religion and Compassion of the Oppressed listned to their Complaints And his Highness well weighing the justness of their Requests and the Reality of their Grievances instantly began to take Measures in Order to their Deliverance And soon after his Highness went to meet the Elector of Brandenburgh and some other Princes and Noblemen of Germany at Minden which so alarmed the French King that Monsieur D' Avaux his Ambassadour presented a Memorial to the States General intimating that the King his Master being informed of the Motions and Conferences that were made and held towards the Frontiers of Cologne against the Cardinal of Furstemburgh and the Chapter He was resolved to maintain the Cardinal and their Priviledges against all those who should go about to trouble them but herein the Politicks of King Lewis fail'd him his Highness the Prince of Orange managing his Affairs with such an exact Secrecy that neither that King nor his Sagacious Council could penetrate into the Design till it was upon the Point of Execution and out of danger of being Defeated For upon his Highness return from that Conference to Loe Orders were given for drawing the Forces the States had raised for his Highness Assistance and incamping them upon the Mocker Hyde and the Forces of those other Princes whom his Highness had ingaged to aid him in this Glorious Expedition had Orders to be upon their March as those of Brandenburgh Hesse-Cassel c. And the States General assembled at the Hague where his Highness was present and their Debates and Consultations having been kept very Private for some days at length they published the following Manifesto That the States had resolved with their Ships and Men to assist the Prince of Orange who being invited by the Reiterated Importunities of the Nobility and Gentry of England to oppose that Arbitrary Government which His Britannick Majesty is designing to introduce into that Kingdom has fully determined to go over to that Countrey as well for that Reason as to save
daily discovered as far as they durst their longing desires for the Arrival of his Highness the Prince of Orange to deliver them from the apparent Mischiefs that impended over the Nation His Highness Preparations for his Expedition went on apace and the Marquess of Albeville King James his Ambassador at the Hague presented a Memorial to the Deputies of the States General upon that Subject but while he expected an Answer the Troops Embarqued and his Highness and the Marshal Schomberg came to the Hague and on Friday Oct. 16. The Fleet consâ—â—â—ing of 635 Men of War Fireships Tenders c. For the carriage of Horse Foot Arms and Ammunition sailed about four Afternoon from the Flats near the Brill with the Wind at S. W. and by S. The Prince Embarqued on a Vessel of between 28 and 30. Guns with Count Solmes Count Stirum the Sieur Bentwick the Sieur Overkirk Marshal Schomberg Count Charles his Son with several others as well English Noblemen as Strangers who were in the Fleet next day they came in sight of Schevelinge but meeting with a very terrible Storm which continued for two days and nights together was forced to put into Harbour again some Ships and small Vessels on which the Horse were aboard suffering some prejudice upon their return the Prince immediately gave an account to the States General of the Condition of the Fleet which was not so much damaged as was published in the English Gazette but rather turned to the Advantage of his Highness as the Affair was managed for to make the English Court more remiss in their Preparations the Haarlem and Amsterdam Gazettes told a most lamentable Story of what had happened As that the Prince was returned with his Fleet so miserably Torn and Shattered that he had lost nine of his Men of War and several lesser Vessels That 1000 of his Horse were utterly lost that a Calenture was got among the Seamen that Dr. Butner and several of the Princes chief Ministers were drowned and that the States had an ill opinion of the Expedition in General so that it was a thing almost impossible that the Prince should be in a Condition to pursue his Design till the next Spring This Stratagem had some effect upon the Court for the Papists hopes hereupon began so to revive that the King Ordered the Restoring the Charters and the Fellows of Magdalen Colled the Vacaring the Ecclesiastical Commission and the other Grants which he had newly made to be suspended till he heard the Prince was again put to Sea and thereby made the whole Nation sensible how little Trust or Credit was to be given to his most solemn Promises and Declarations but all hands being at work the damage that had been sustained was repaired in eight days time so that Nov. 3. about ten in the Morning upon a signal given the whole Fleet once more set Sail about Midnight an Advice Boat brought Intelligence that the English Fleet consisting of thirty three Sail lay to the Westward of the Princes upon which the Prince fired a Gun which caused a great Consternation through the whole Fleet but the small Advice Boats Cruising for more certain Intelligence brought news that instead of the English Fleet which had given the Alarm it was only Admiral Herbert with a part of the Dutch Fleet which had been for some hours separated from the main Body in the Morning the Prince gave a Signal for the Admirals to come aboard of him and soon after the Fleet was got into the North Forelands at what time the Fleet was Orderâ—d to close up in a Body fourteen or fifteen Foot deep his Highness leading the Van in the Ship called the Brill carrying a Flag with English Colours with this Motto The Proteâ—tant Religion and Liberties of England and underneath I will maintain it in the mean time the Council of War sent three small Frigates into the Mouth of the Thames who returning brought news that the English Fleet lay at the Bâ—oy in the Oar about thirty four Sail the Wind centrary at E. N. E. Upon which the Prince gave Order for stretching the whole Fleet between Dover and Calice seventy five deep which extended in breadth within a League of each Place the Flanks and Rear being guarded by Men of War the Trumpet founding and Drums beating at least three hours together after which the Prince giving the Signal for the Eleet to close they sailed that night as far as Beachy and the next Morning came within view of the Isle of Wight and then Order was given to extend the Fleet in a Line as before the next Morning they made directly for Toâ—â—ay upon his Highness Arrival the People flocking in great numbers to the Shoar signified their welcomes in loud Acclamations of Joy soon after the Prince gave two signals for the Admirals to come aboard and then the whole Fleet cast Anchor and Preparation was made for Landing whilst the Admirals stood out to Sea as a Guard and the small Men of War at ended for the Defence of those that Landed besides six men of War that were Ordered to run in and guard the Bay it self It is remarkable that his Highness had a brisk East and North Easterly Wind for two days which brought them directly toward Torbay and the Wind then turning Westerly carried them into the Bay which otherwise might have been very troublesome and dangerous The Prince now displayed a Red Flag at the Mizen yards Arm while General Mackay with six Regiments of Foot was the first that set Foot on Shoar under the Protection of the little Porpoise which was ordered to run her self aground to secure their Landing this was upon Nov. 5. a day memorable to the English before but now doubly remarkable for a second Deliverance from the Bloody Designs of the Papists But the People were so far from making Opposition that they only stood there to welcome their Guests with all manner of Provisions and Refreshments So that his Highness safely Landed his whole Army consisting in 10692 Foot and 3660 Horse in all 14352. The News of the Princes being Landed was carried to the Earl of Bath at Exeter and Captain Hicks going thither the People flock'd to him in great numbers to List themselves in the Service of the Prince of Orange for which the Mayor of the City would have sent him to Prison but was prevented by the People the next day the Lord Mordaunt with Dr. Burnet came thither with three or four Troops of Horse and commanding the Gates to be opened released the Captain and going to the Mayor askt him if he would wait upon the Prince at his Entrance who pleading his Obligation of an Oath to King James and desiring that his Conscience might not be imposed on he was excused The next day the Prince with his Guards marched into the City and went to the Deans House where he resided during his stay at Exeter after whom followed the whole Body of his Army
willing to assist them in every thing that concerns the Well and Interest of that Kingdom by making what Laws shall be necessary for the Security of their Religion Property and Liberty and to ease them of what may be justly grievous to them After which the Coronation Oath was tendered to Their Majesties which the Earl of Argile spoke word by word distinctly and the King and Queen repeated it after him holding their Right Hands up after the manner of taking Oaths in Scotland The Meeting of the Estates of Scotland did Authorise their Commissioners to represent to his Majesty That that Clause in the Oath in relation to the rooting out of Hereticks did not import the destroying of Hereticks and that by the Law of Scotland no Man was to be Persecuted for his private Opinion and even Obstinate and Convicted Hereticks were only to be Denounced Rebels or Outlawed whereby their Moveable Estates are Confiscated His Majesty at the repeating that Clause in the Oath did declare That he did not mean by these words that he was under any Obligation to become a Persecutor To which the Commissioners made answer That neither the meaning of the Oath or the Law of Scotland did import it Then the King Replyed that he took the Oath in that Sense and called for Witnesses the Commissioners and others present and theâ— both their Majesties Signed the said Coronation Oath After which the Commissioners and several of the Scotch Nobility Kissed their Majesties Hands The Parliament in England proceeded to enact many Laws for the ease of the People and Security of the Kingdom One for taking away the Revenue arising from the Hearth-Money by his Majesties own desire who willingly resigned up his Right therein because it was found grievous to the People though it occasioned a great Diminution to the Revenue of the Crown another Act was passed for exempting their Majesties Protestant Subjects Dissenting from the Church of England from the Penaltier of certain Laws another for Abrogating the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance and appointing other Oaths another for Prohibiting all Trade and Commerce with France with divers more and about the same time the House of Commons presented His Majesty the following Address We your Majesties most Loyal and Dutiful Subjects the Commons in Parliament Assembled most Humbly lay before your Majesty our earnest Desires that your Majesty would be pleased to take into your most Serious Consideration the Destructive Methods taken of late years by the French King against the Trade Quiet and Interest of your Kingdom and particularly the present Invasion of your Kingdom of Ireland and Supporting your Majesty Rebellious Subjects and we not doubting in the least but through your Majesties Wisdom the Alliances already made as well as those that may be hereafter concluded on this occasion by your Majesty may be effectual to Reduce the French King to such a Condition that it may not be in his Power hereafter to violate the Peace of Christendom nor prejudice the Trade and Prosperity of this your Majesties Kingdom To this end we most humbly beseech your Majesty to rest assured upon this our Hearty and Solemn Promise and Ingagement That when your Majesty shall think fit to enter into a War with the French King we will give your Majesty such Assistance in a Parliamentary way as may enable your Majesty under the Protection and Blessing that Almighty God has ever afforded you to support and go through with the same To this Request and Resolution of the House of Commons which was so graceful to the Nation in general his Majesty was pleased to return this Answer Gentlemen I receive this Address as a Mark of the Confidence you have in me which I take very kindly and shall endeavour by all my Actions to Confirm you in it I assure you that my own Ambition shall never be an Argument to incline me to ingage in a War that may expose the Nation either to Danger or Expence but in the present Case I look upon the War so much already declared in effect by France against England that it is not so much an Act of Choice as an inevitable necessity in our own Defence I shall only tell you that as I have ventured my Life and all that is Dear to me to rescue the Nation from what it suffered so I am ready still to do the same in order to the preserving it from all its Enemies and as I doubt not of such an Assistance from you as shall be Suitable to your Advice to me to Declare War against a powerful Enemy so you may Rely upon me that no part of that which you shall give for the carrying it on with Success shall by me be Diverted to any other use Soon after a Declaration of War was published against France and the Reasons thereof Namely The unjust Methods of the French King these late years to gratifie his Ambition by Invading the Territories of the Empire now in Amity with us and in manifest Violation of the Treaties Confirmed by the Guaranty of the Crown of England His Majesty therefore can do no less than joyn with his Allies in Opposing that Kings Designs as the Disturber of the Peace and the Common Enemy of the Christian World Likewise the many Injuries done to his Majesty and his Subjects are a sufficient Justification for their taking Arms since they have called upon his Majesty so to do and though no notice has been taken nor Reparation demanded of late years for Reasons well known to the World yet his Majesty will not pass them over without a publick and just Resentment of such Outrages Also the Incroachments and Invasions of the French on our Trade and Fishing of Newfound Land and their Hostilities upon the Charibbee Islands New York and Hudsons-Bay Seizing the Forts burning the Houses Robbing the English of their Goods imprisoning some inhumanly killing others and driving the rest to Sea in a small Vessel without Food or Necessaries and this even at a time when that King was Negotiating a Treaty in England of Neutrality and good Correspondence in America also his Countenancing the Seizure of English Ships by French Privateers His Disputing the Right of the Flag in the Narrow Seas which in all Ages has been asserted by his Majesties Predecessors and which he is resolved to maintain for the Honour of the Crown and of the English Nation And that which most nearly touches his Majesty is His Unchristian Persecution of many English Protestants in France contrary to the Law of Nations and express Treaties forcing them to abjure their Religion by strange and unusual Cruelties imprisoning some English Masters and Seamen and Condemning other to the Gallies upon pretence of having on Board either the Persons or Goods of some of his own Miserable Protestant Subjects Lastly as he has for some years past endeavoured by Insinuation and Promises of Assistance to overthrow the Government of England so now by Open and Violent Methods
and the actual Invasion of Ireland and Supporting the Rebels there he is promoting the utter Extirpation of the Protestants there His Majesty being therefore thus Necessitated to take up Arms and Relying on the help of Almighty God in his just undertaking hath thought fit to declare War against the French King and will in Conjunction with his Allies vigorously prosecute the same by Sea and Land since he hath so unrighteously begun it being assured of the hearty Concurrence and Assistance of his Subjects in Supporting of so good a Cause forbidding all Correspondence or Communication with that King or his Subjects and that all the French Nation in his Majesties Dominions who shall Demean themselves Dutifully and not Correspond with his Enemies shall upon the Kings Royal word be safe in their Persons and Estates and free from all Molestation and Trouble of any Kind About the same time the King of Spain proclaimed War against France and the Emperor of Germany sent a Letter to his Majesty wherein after he has returned thanks to the King for taking care that no Violence should be offered to the Roman Catholicks he promises the same thing in respect to the Protestants His Majesty gave Advice to the Switzers of his Advancement to the Throne So that now King William and Queen Mary were acknowledged for lawful Soveraigns of Great Brittain by all the Protestant and the greatest part of the Roman Catholick Princes and States for besides the Emperor and the King of Spain the Duke of Bavaria the three Ecclesiastical Electors the Duke of Newburg the Elector Palatine and the Bishops of Leige and Munster all Roman Catholicks declared themselves Enemies to France and by this we may observe that the French Polititians were greatly deceived in their Measures for upon notice of the Prince of Oranges Expedition into England it is reported some of them thus Discourst King Lewis Sir said they There is a Civil War kindling in England which will last this two or three years and Disable that Island and the United Provinces from Acting In this time your Majesty will have Conquered all or the greatest part of Germany If King James has the worst we will perswade all the Catholick Princes to Unite and Restore him All this while your Majesty will be Head of the League will preserve your Conquests and King James cannot refuse you Ireland or any other portion of his Kingdom for the Expences of the War This done your Majesty shall fall upon Holland which will be weak and unprovided of Men and Money and shall be able in a little time to oppress the Remainder of the Protestanâ—s and so become Emperor of all Europe But unfortunately for them King James II. too soon forsook his Country and then they cryed Religion is ruined unless all endeavours are used for his Restoration Upon which some would fain know what Religion the French King is of who persecutes and invades Papists as well as Protestants and think that he must be either a Pagan or Mahumetan or else of a Christianity all of his own Contriving to carry on his Perjuries and Usurpations upon his Neighbours May 1. A Squadron of English Men of War under Admiral Herbert Sailing toward the Coast of Ireland to prevent the French from Landing Forces and Provisions there understanding they were got to Sea under favour of the Night they got sight of them lying in the Bay of Bantree in the West of Ireland and resolved to Attack them with Nine Ships in the Harbor they being about 44 Sail in all whereupon the next Morning the Fight began we continued Fattering upon a Stretch till five in the Afternoon when the French Admiral Tackt from us and stood farther into the Bay In this Action Captain Aâ—lmeâ— and 94 Seamen were killed and about 250 wounded but the Enemy were Reported to have 200 Slain and many more Wounded and having Landed some few Men for fear of a second Ingagement Retreated after which our Squadron returned to Portsmouth whither His Majesty came soon after and declared his Royal Intention of Conferring the Title of Earl upon the Admiral and accordingly he was afterward Created Earl of Torrington Baron of Torbay c. and the Captain Shovell and Ashby were Knighted and Ten Shillings a Man was given to those Seamen that had been ingaged against the French King James found himself at this time greatly mistaken in Scotland which he called his Ancient Kingdom where he thought himself absolute Master by making so many Creatures and Friends whereas that Kingdom in general now owned King William and the Rebels whose number is inconsiderable and Discovered and Secured The Lord Dundee only escaped who roam'd about the North parts with some few followers and General Mackay at his Heels Letters about this time were intercepted from the late King and his Secretary Melfort to the Lord Belcarris and others wherein were some Expressions that highly incensed the Scots against them You will ask me without question says Melfort to Claverhouse How we intend to pay our Army but never fear that so long as there are Rebels Estates we will begin with the Great Ones and end with the Little Ones In another Letter to Belcarris says he The Estates of the Rebels will Recompence us Experience hath taught our Illustrious Master that there are a good Number of People that must be made Gibeonites because they are good for nothing else you know there are several Lords that we markt out when we were both together that deserve no better These will serve for Examples to others after the Reading of these Letters the President of the Convention Addressing himself to the Members of the Assembly You hear Gentlemen said he Our Sentence Pronounced and that it behoves us either to Defend our Selves or Dye Upon which the Lords Belcarris and Lochore and Lieutenant Colonel Balfour were Committed to Prison and being thus forewarned they Resolved to keep the Army afoot which they thought of Disbanding As to the Hopes of the Enemies of that Kingdom that the Abolishing of Episcopacy may occasion another Revolution there is no reason to believe it since the late Carriage of the Scotch Bishops has utterly Alienated the Affections of the greater part of the People from them so that if they were Protestants at the bottom of their Souls yet they appeared to be Men of no Policy nor Conduct For they sent an Address to King James wherein they Highly Congratulated the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales they read that Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience in favour of the Papists and for the Abolition of Penal Laws and how could they imagine that when they knew it was a long timebefore they could gain that single Point of the Superiority of Bishops above private Ministers that the Scots would ever endure Popery and Arbitrary Power to Domineer over them Experience shews us that they only wanted a Leader before this time So that when the Prince of Oranges Design
oblige the English to surrender the Town upon his first Appearance and tho' Collonel Lundy and others despaired of holding it against an Army of 40000 men with a Train of Artillery and divers Mortars yet the inraged People resolve to Defend it against the utmost Efforts of the Enemy and having declared Mr. George Walker a Minister and Major Baker their Governours they chose Collonels and other Officers and Regimented their men consisting in the whole of 7020 Souldiers and 341 Officers and rejecting all the Terms of Surrender offered them they fired upon the Enemy and much astonisht King James who was within reach of their Canâ—on and expected they would have opened their Gates to him who thereupon resolved to reduce them by force and within a day or two broke ground and run their Trenches within a Furlong of the Walls where placing a Demiculverin they battered the Town but with little Success unless some small damage to the Market House the Cannon from the Town in the mean time killing many Irish and to prevent their further approach the English made a Salley killing 200 of the Enemy with Mamow the French General and other Officers of Note Several other gallant Sallies were made out of the Town in one of which above 200 were killed and 500 wounded with the loss of three English and 20 wounded June 4. the Besieged made an Attack upon the work near the Wind-Mill and though the Irish came upon them with loud Huzzaes and though the Foot had Faggots and after those fail'd took up dead Bodies to defend themselves and the Horse were mostly in Armour yet they were beaten off and 4000 of them killed and but a few English in some of these Attacks Lieutenant Douglas and Captain Cuningham were taken Prisoners and after Quarter given barbarously killed in the Night the Enemy play'd their Bombs of 273 pound weight which ploughed up the Streets and killed several sick People and in the day time their Cannon play'd incessantly against the Walls insomuch that the Garrison by Sickness more than shot of the Enemy was reduced to 6185 men and began to be distrest but June 15. a Fleet of 30 Sail under Major General Kirk with Men Provisions and Ammunition for their relief came into the Lough and though some Ships attempted to Sail up the River yet the Fire of the Enemy from the Batteries on Shoâ—â— and also a Boom made of Timber Chain and Cable cross the narrowest part of the River prevented their Design however they contrived to give Major General Kirk an account of their Extremity and he sent an Answer assuring them that they should suddenly be supplied with all necessaries which he had aboard in abundance the Enemy being sensible of their exigencies prest on the siege with more vigor under their new Fench Marshal General Rosen who by threats and promises used his utmost efforts to reduce the Town June 30. Major Baker died to the great regret of the besieged and soon after the Garrison was reduced to 4892 Men yet then they made a vigorous Sally to fetch in some Cattel but did not succeed losing a great number of their men this made the Famine Increase in the City so that Horseflesh was sold for 20 d. per Pound the quarter of a Dog for 5 s. and 6 d. a Dogs Head 2 s. 6 d. a Cat 4 s. and 6 d. and other things proportionably as Rats Mice Tallow Greves c. But now when all hope fail'd them July 13. the Montjoy and Phaenix conveyed by the Dartmouth Frigate and other men or War came up to the Town with little loss when they reckoned but upon two days Life having only nine lean Horses left and one Pint of Meal to each man 4200 only being left whereof a fourth part were rendred unserviceable the Enemy perceiving that these Ships had furnished the Besieged with Provisions July 31 they raised the Siege in some Disorder blowing up several Castles with all the Houses down the River and setting the Countrey for ten Miles in a Flame in their Retreat Aug. 13. 1689. the Duke of Schomberg Landed at Carrickfergus with all the Forces under his Command and the Protestants joining with him in great numbers he soon reduced that Town and sent two Regiments to Belfast and the General having made Proclamation That if the Enemy continued to burn as they had begun if any of them fell into his Hands they must expect no Quarter They thereupon quitted Dundalk without any damage after this about 5000 Irish attempted to take Sligo which was in the Hands of the English but the Inniskilling Men with about 1000 Horse Foot and Dragoons charged them with such Celerity and Courage that 700 of them were cut off and 400 taken Prisoners and besides Arms and Ammunition 18000 Head of Cattle were taken from them which they had plundered the Countrey People of in November the English Army decamped from the Plains of Dundalk to Lisne-garvee and Lisburn the Enemy though Superior in number having of late attempted little only one Morning early they had hopes of surprize our advanced Parties at Newry Killing the Out Centinels and getting into the Town but were soon beaten out again by a Party of Colonel Ingoldsby's Regiment and several other Parties beat the Enemy in divers Places and gained great Booties of Cattel Colonel Woolsey Defeated the Irish at Cavan though the Duke of Berwick was sent to inforce them so that though the Garrison consisted of 4000 men yet 300 of the Enemy were killed and among them many Officers 200 taken Prisoners and Cavan taken and burnt which the English were constrained to do to get the Soldiers out of the Town to resist the Irish who made a strong Salley out of the Fort. In England her Royal Highness the Princess of Denmark was delivered of a Prince in August who was Christened by the Lord Bishop of London and Named William His Majesty being Godfather and Her Majesty and the Queen of Denmark Godmothers Oct. 19. the Parliament met at Westminster and granted His Majesty two Millions Sterling towards the expence of the next years War in Scotland Colonel Cannon continued still in the Isle of Mull with an inconsiderable Party of Islanders and others some few Rebels appeared about this time under the Land of Lochelly burning and plundring wherever they came about 800 Marched out of Innerlochy thinking to have surprized the Fort of Inverness but were defeated of their Design The Earl of Pembrook upon his return from being Ambassador in Holland to England was made a Privy Councillor some Persons were seized about this time for endeavouring to raise distutbances against the Government Dec. 16. 1689. An Act was passed Declaring the Rights and Liberties of the Subject and setling the Succession of the Crown That whereas the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Assembled at Westminster Lawfully Fully and Freely representing all the Estates of the People of this Realm did on Feb. 13. 1688. Present
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
and against the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge and the Follows of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford this year were such evident breaches of his Indulgence to Tender Consciences that it gave still greater dissatisfaction to the Nation and portended some sudden alteration The Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge being deprived of his Office and suspended of his Headship or refusing to admit one Alban Francis a Benedictine Monk to be Master of Arts without taking the Oaths by virtue of the Dispensing power though contrary to the Statutes which he was sworn to maintain And the fellows of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford being 26 in number for refusing to admit one Farmer a scandalous Popish Priest to the Presidentship of that Colledge and Electing Dr. Hough were pronourced guilty of disobedience to his Majesties Commands and deprived and expelled from their respective Fellowships And the Bishops judging that their distributing the Declaration would be an owning and asserting the Kings assumed Dispensing Power and foreseeing the pernicious consequences thereof the Archbishop of Canterbury and six others drew up a Petition in behalf of themselves and their Brethren setting forth the Reasons why they could not comply therewith This was so ill resented by the King and his Popish Councellors that the Petition was judged Tumultuary and all the seven Bishops were committed Prisoners to the Tower And now the Jesnits acted their Master piece of Policy as they imagined though it proved very fural to them For knowing that the King grew old and that on his life the hopes of Restoring their Religion depended since the Heir Apparent was a Protestant who would soon ruin all their Machinations They resolved if possible to advance a Popish Successor and thereby ensure Popery and Slavery to the Nation Hereupon they raised a report sometime before that the Queen was with Child though the People did not believe it and several Lampoons were made upon that Subject And the Bishops being now secured this was thought the proper time for the Queen to fall in Labour and accordingly June 10. 1683. It was published that she was Delivered of a Frince for which the King ordered all signs of rejoicing to be made and a day of Thanksgiving was appointed as being a thing of mighty consequence for advancing the Catholick Cause though the joy was somewhat abated by the Acquittal of the seven Bishops five days after who being Tried at the Kings Bench Bar were brought in Not Guilty at which the People yea the Kings own Army at Hounslow Heath shouted for joy to the severe mortification of the Court. The King having declared that he intended to call a Parliament to turn his Declaration of Liberty of Conscience into a Law and likewise to abrogate all the Penal Laws and Tests both against the Dissenters and the Roman Catholicks the Jesuits had a great desire to sound the intentions and thoughts of their Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Orange upon that Subject To which purpose Mr. James Steward undertook to write a Letter to Pensionary Fagell not without the knowledge and approbation of the King which occasioned Minheer Fagels answer to this effect That Their Highnesses had often declared as they did more particularly to the Marquess Albeville His Majesties Envoy Extraordinary to the States That it is their Opinion that no Christian ought to be persecuted for his Conscience or be ill used because he dissers from the Publick and Established Religion and therefore they could be content that even the Papists in England Scotland and Ireland might be suffered to continue to their Religion with as much Liberty as is allowed the by the States of the United Provinces And as for the Protestant Dissenters Their Highnesses did not only consent but heartily approve of their having an Intire Liberty for the full exercise of their Religion without any trouble or hindrance That Their Highnesses were ready in case His Majesty of England should desire it to declare their willingness to concur in the setling and confirming this Liberty as far as it lay in them and were ready if desired to concur in Repealing the Laws provided always that those Laws remain still in their full force and vigor whereby the Roman Catholicks are excluded out of both Houses of Parliament and out of all publick Imployments Ecclesiastical Civil and Military as likewise all those other Laws which confirm the Protestant Religion and which secure it against all the attempts of the Roman Catholicks But that Their Highnesses could not agree to the Repealing of the Tests or those Penal Laws that tend to the security of the Protestant Religion since the Roman Catholicks receive no other prejudice from these than the being excluded from Parliaments or from Publick Imployments and that by them the Protestant Religion is covered from all the designs of the Roman Catholicks against it or against the publick safety and neither the Tests nor those other Laws can be said to carry in them any severity against the Roman Catholicks upon account of their Consciences they being only Provisions Qualifying men to be Members of Parliament or to be capable of bearing Offices by which they must declare before God and Men that they are for the Protestant Religion so that all this amounts to no more than a securing the Protestant Religion from any prejudice that it may receive from the Roman Catholicks That Their Highnesses have thought and do still think that more than this ought not be asked nor expected from them since by this means the Roman Catholicks and their Posterity would be for ever secured from all Troubles in their Persons and Estates or in the Exercise of their Religion and that the Roman Catholicks ought to be satisfied with this and not to disquiet the Kingdom because they cannot be admitted to sit in Parliament or to be in imployment or because those Laws wherein the security of the Protestant Religion chiefly consists are not repealed by which they may be in a condition to overturn it That their Highnesses also believed that the Dissenters would be for ever satisfied when they should be for ever covered from all danger of being disturbed or punished for the free Exercise of their Religion upon any pretence whatsoever This was the substance of the Letter written by that Great Minister of State as discovering the just sentiments of Their Highnesses which did no ways please the Papists who had high expectations of carrying all before them and therefore Mr. Steward in his second Letter to the Pensioner a while after says That the Court was quite beyond it and had taken other measures And what they were soon after appeared namely to defeat their Royal Highnesses of their just Interest and Right to the Succession of the Crown by pretending that the Queen was delivered of a Prince of Wales But the Nobility and Gentry of England beholding the deplorable State of the Nation and foreseeing the subversion of their Ancient Laws and Established Religion to be designed by him who