France Governor who was a Prisoner there but a few days before His Highness the Prince of Denmark with the Duke of Ormond came and joined the Prince of Orange at Sherborn-Castle upon Thursday Novemb. 29. about four of the Clock in the Afternoon The Report of which made the Hearts of all the Country People to rejoice as well as our Army and many Person of Quality flock'd to the Prince to join him From Winncanton the first Line of our Army advanced to Mere and the adjacent Towns and Villages the second Line marched to Winncanton and the third or last came to Sherborn Now the Prince of Orange with Prince George of Denmark the Duke of Ormond and very many Lords Knights and Gentlemen came from Sherborn-Castle unto Winncanton and quartered there This was the place where the first Skirmish pass'd between the two Armies the manner of which I shall impartially relate to the candid and ingenious Reader as I received an Account thereof from the Minister Mr. Bulgin and from Mr. VVebb a Cornet of Horse belonging to the late King James who was shot there between his Back-bones and Reins and lay desperately ill when we marched by A Lieutenant having his Post at this Town with about four and twenty Souldiers belonging to the Regiment of the Honourable Major General Mackay hearing that a party of Horse belonging to the late King James were posting thither he was so magnanimous as to resolve to fight them and in order thereto posted his Men as securely as he could in a small Inclosure at the East end of the Town on the left side there was a good Hedg between them and the Road which was to defend them against the Horse and through which they were to fire upon the Enemy but there was a little Gate at one Corner and a weak dead Hedg In this Field he posted most of his Men and on the other side the way just opposite to this place he posted about six Souldiers in a little Garden who had a thick old Hedg to cover them from the Horse and through which they were to fire the Officer himself with four or five Men keeping the Road The Enemies Horse being now advanced within Musquet-shot the Souldiers would have fired upon them but the Lieutenant whose name was Cambel not knowing what they might be whether Friends or Foes would not permit them and the more because a Regiment of Horse belonging to my Lord Cornbury was come in and joined our Forces and so advancing each towards other our Officer first gave them the World saying Stand stand For who are ye To which the Enemies Officer at the Head of the Party of Horse answered I am for King James Who art thou for To which our Officer replied I am for the Prince of Orange God damn me says the Enemies Officer I will Prince thee Whereupon our Officer said Fire and went bodly up to this Popish Officer and shot him in at his Mouth and through the Brains so he drop'd down dead our Souldiers firing upon them through the Hedges on each side maul'd them desperately and kill'd several of them They carried off their Dead presently being ten to one for the Enemies Party was about one hundred and fifty and our Party but five and twenty They rode to find out a Place to break in upon our Men so some Horse broke in at the upper end of the Croft some at the lower Corner and others got in at the little Gate which as is said was open'd by a Towns-man that stood near the Place so that our Men charged as fast as they could to fire upon them but were now surrounded with the Enemy our Souldiers were divers of them kill'd They defended themselves as well as 't was possible for such a handful against so many and one or two of them being shot in five or six places were offer'd Quarter by the Enemy for their great Courage but they would not accept of it from the Hands of Papists and therefore chose rather to die Now the little Company in the Garden fired divers times and the Officer with his Men kept their Ground awhile and then got into the Garden to their own Party The Towns-people were much alarm'd by this Action and came thronging into the Streets and kind Providence having so ordain'd it for the saving our Men else no doubt they would all have been cut off being so mightily overpowred that a certain Miller came riding in at the other end of the Town and hearing of this Skirmish presently reported that he had overtaken a strong Party of Horse belonging to the Prince of Orange and that he believed they were now entring the Town This was brought to the Enemies Ears very quickly and moreover he call'd to them and said Away for your Lives save your selves the Enemies are at hand Now these Souldiers of the late King James seeing the People of the Town so thick in the Streets running here and there judged that it might be so and hereupon they retreated with all speed galloping away in a confused manner however they left more behind them kill'd on their side than they had kill'd of our Men for 't was the Judgment of all here that this handful of Souldiers appertaining to his Highness the Prince of Orange kill'd more of their Enemies than they themselves were in number There were about fifteen tumbled in one Grave together and about eight or nine of our Men the rest being of the Enemies Party Our Officers did most of them visit this Mr. Web Cornet of Horse to hear the manner of this small Action From Mere the first Line of our Army advanced towards Sarum about six or seven miles the second Line advanced to Mere and the third to Wincanton All along the West we dispers'd the Declarations and where we hapned to quarter on Sunday we read it there in the Church as at Beminster Collingburn Kingston and feveral other places Near unto Beminster there lived a Gentleman whose Name I shall forbear but a very rigid Papist and one whom I cannot quite forget because of his unkindness and cursed Intention towards the Army Hearing that some Regiments would pass that way he resolved to give some their last Meat and Drink as his own Neighbours at Beminster informed us when we were there therefore he caused a Beef or two to be kill'd and poison'd the Flesh making it into Pyes and poison'd also a Hogshead or two of Beer and as much of Sider for the hungry Souldiers as he call'd them against they came that way Some of his Neighbours hearing of this cursed Design spread it purposely about the Country to prevent any of the Prince of Orange's Men from being destroyed insomuch that every Regiment was timely warn'd hereof But as in all great Armies there will be some Straglers so there was some in ours tho not many and these not hearing of this Bait accidentally passed that way and as they approached near the
House they concluded 't was their best course to call and drink there because it shew'd well to the Eye and People all along were very kind to the Souldiers and would make them drink and in many Places eat Hereupon these Straglers went to the House and asked for some Beer and the People there made them eat and drink freely saying Their Master had provided for them After they had eat and drank they hastned towards their Regiments lest the Enemies Party should happen to meet them Being come a little more than a quarter of a mile from the House they grew suddenly so weak and faint that they were not able to go any farther so they lay down under a Tree not suspecting what was the matter As they were in this desperate condition by meer Providence there came a Surgeon-Major that way who espying some Souldiers supposed they were some of the Prince of Orange's Men he went to speak with them and seeing them look so fearfully their Eyes being prodigiously swell'd he ask'd presently What was the matter with them or what did ail them they told him they knew not only they had eat and drank at the Gentleman's House behind pointing to the House The Surgeon having heard of their evil Preparations prepared immediately an Antidote and gave directions what they must do whereupon they presently began to vomit and after some time they waxed a little better and made shift to get to the Waggons which carried sick Souldiers and were under the Surgeon-Major's Hands for some time At the very next Town called Yetminster one Souldier died in the Night and none could tell what was the matter with him being very well when he went to bed which Souldier I buried there according to our Liturgy The others that were poisoned were strangely altered their Eyes being swell'd after an odd manner Now the Army being advanced near Sarum and the first Line being in the City the second at Wiltion and the Towns adjacent and the Rear Line at Tevent and Dinton one Line about two or three miles off the City and the other about seven or eight The Prince of Orange with his Highness the Prince of Denmark his Grace the Duke of Ormond Mareschal Schomberg Count Solms Count Nassau Heer Zulustein Heer Benting Heer Overkirk the Earl of Shrewsbury Lord Viscount Mordant the Earl of Macclesfield Lord Wiltshire Lord Cornbury Lord Colchester and sundry other Lords Sir Will. Portman Sir Rowland Gwynn Col. Sidney and many other Knights and Gentlemen rode into the famous City of Salisbury The manner of their Entrance into this City was far more glorious than that of Exeter For here the Mayor and Aldermen met his Highness the Prince of Orange in all their Formalities First of all marched the Regiment of Foot Guards belonging to Count Solms with their Colours flying Drums beating Hoitboys playing the People thronging in the Street and making great Acclamations Next some Troops of Horse with their Kettle-Drums beating Colours flourishing Trumpets sounding the Officers shewing their Courtesy to the People Then came his Highness the Prince of Orange with the Prince of Denmark on his right Hand and the Duke of Ormond on his Left. Never were Windows more crowded with Faces of both Sexes than here never were Bells ringing more melodiously than now at Sarum never were People shouting and ecchoing forth Huzza's in the Air more than now The Bishop's Palace there being the best and most meet place both the Princes rode thither altho afterwards his Highness Prince George went to the Quarters assign'd him The Princess Ann of Denmark was gone into the North with the Ladys Churchil and Berkley and the R. R. Bishop of London to those Forces there in Arms for the Prince of Orange And hearing that the Army was advanced to Sarum she came unto the City of Oxford where Prince George met her Royal Highness and conducted her safe to London having a Dutch Guard appointed them by the Prince of Orange The late King James's Army was now much broken most of the Protestant Officers and Souldiers come away and join'd his Highness's Forces So 't was apparent to all Men there would be no Field Battel Whilst the Prince of Orange remained in this City there was great resort from all the Country round about to see him who was the Nation 's Joy and the Peoples Delight because he had done so great Things for our Land And such was his exceeding wise Conduct that the the effusion of much Blood was prevented After some stay here the Prince of Orange went to Amsbury attended with the Duke of Ormond and many of the English Nobility and Gentry besides Dutch Scotch and French The first Line was advanced towards the most renowned City of London a considerable way the Roads here being good for marching And as the Regiments marched over the Plains they made pleasant Figures sometimes marching in Battalia and sometimes in a Line The Weather now was very favourable and the way very good And being to march near one of the Wonders of the World called Stonehenge most Regiments made an halt to view this strange Sight none that saw it could render any satisfactory Account concerning it Certain Officers ask'd the Minister of Amsbury what was his Opinion because they presumed 't was within the Bounds of his Parish who told them that he supposed it to be a Trophy or Monument erected in token of some notable Victory which was obtain'd there I must confess this is the general Opinion of the greatest Antiquaries of our Nation The Custom of erecting a Trophy or Monument in token of Victory is of great Antiquity and first began among the Greeks who used in that place where the Enemies were vanquish'd to cut down the Boughs of great Trees and in the Stocks or Bodies of them to hang up Armour or other Spoils taken from the Enemy Others argued strongly that these prodigious Stones were brought out of Ireland by Merlin's Magical Art and so curiously fram'd and put together To corroborate this Opinion they assured us that a piece broken off from these Stones and put into the Wall of any Well or cast into the Water shall for certain kill and destroy all the venemous Creatures therein To proceed the Army moved daily according to the Motion of his Highness who rode from Amsbury unto a certain Gentleman's House near Collingburn The late King James being almost past all hopes sent the Marquess of Hallifax Earl of Nottingham and the Lord Godolphin as Commissioners to treat with the Prince of Orange immediately and a Trumpeter was sent down to know his Highness's pleasure Whether he would admit of them as such And his Highness was pleased to grant them leave The place appointed them was Hungerford His Highness with all his Nobles c. went to Littlecott December 8 and remain'd there the Morrow being the Lord's Day for the Army never march'd on that Day but once in case of Necessity that the Souldiers should
not abide about the Forrest of Windsor because they kill'd the Deer Hence they march'd from Barkham and Arbersield unto Maidenhead December 16 which was the Lord's Day The first Line was now advanced to Newberry the second to Hungerford and the Rear Line to Collingburn Kingstone and the adjacent Villages who on Saturday Night December 8 received an Alarm tho it proved a false One sundry Tradesmen riding home from Hungerford Market late in the Evening were seen by some of our Scouts who presently apprehended them to be a Party of the Enemy's Horse being 't was both late and dark who thereupon speedily made report unto some of the Officers commanding in Chief insomuch that the Souldiers were knock'd up in their Quarters to come presently to their Arms The Country People were thereupon in a great fear not knowing what to do and this Alarm came from one Regiment to another for Colonel Fagell's Regiment sent to advertise the Regiment of Colonel Sidney That they might be ready to receive the Enemy Now they thought this Alarm the rather to be true because they had heard That the late King James's Souldiers were resolv'd to make an Attempt upon those Men with the Artillery and Magazine That if possible they might destroy our great Guns and Ammunition The Souldiers being thus hurried out of their Beds ran here and there to seek the Enemy Thus were they marching to and fro the whole Night in the Rain The Morrow Morning being the Lord's Day divers Officers went to search the Woods near to the place where those Tradesmen were first seen lest they should lie in Ambush till the Regiments were march'd away and then attack the Artillery and Magazine-Forces But none could be found or heard of thereabout only they were now inform'd of these Tradesmen and so they return'd to their Regiments The Commissioners by this time were come to Hungerford and these following Words in Writing were delivered unto the Prince of Orange Sir THE King commanded us to acquaint you That he observeth all the Differences and Causes of Complaint alledged by your Highness seem to be referred to a Free Parliament His Majesty as he hath already declared was resolv'd before this to call One but thought that in the present State of Affairs it was adviseable to defer it till things were more compos'd Yet seeing that his People still continued to desire it He hath put forth his Proclamation in order to it and hath issued forth his Writs for calling of it And to prevent any Cause of Interruption in it he will consent to every thing that can be reasonably required for the Security of all those that shall come to it His Majesty hath therefore sent us to attend Your Highness for the adjusting of all Matters that shall be agreed to necessary to the Freedom of Elections and the Security of Sitting and is ready immediately to enter into a Treaty in order to it His Majesty proposeth that in the mean time the respective Armies may be restrained within such Limits and at such a Distance from London as may prevent the Apprehensions that the Parliament may in any kind be disturbed being desirous that the Meeting of it may be no longer delay'd than it must be by the usual and necessary Forms Hungerford Decemb. 8. 1688. Signed Hallifax Nottingham Godolphin His Highness the Prince of Orange with the advice of his Lords and Gentlemen in answer to the same made these Proposals 1. That all Papists and such Persons as are not qualified by Law be disarmed disbanded and removed from all Employments Civil and Military 2. That all Proclamations which reflect upon Us or any that have come to Us or declared for Us be re-called and that if any Persons for having so assisted have been committed that they be forth with set at Liberty 3. That for the Security and Safety of the City of London the Custody and Government of the Tower be immediately put into the Hands of the said City 4. That if his Majesty shall think fit to be at London during the sitting of the Parliament that We may be there also with equal Number of our Guards Or if his Majesty shall please to be in any place from London at whatever distance he thinks fit that we may be at a place of the same distance And that the Respective Armies do remove from London Thirty Miles and that no more Foreign Forces be brought into the Kingdom 5. That for the Security of the City of London and their Trade Tilbury-Fort be put into the Hands of the said City 6. That to prevent the Landing of French or other Foreign Troops Portsmouth may be put into such Hands as by your Majesty and Us shall be agreed upon 7. That some sufficient part of the Publick Revenue be assigned Us for the Maintaining of our Forces until the Meeting of a Parliament Given at Littlecot Decemb. 9. 1688. W. H. Prince of Orange The late King James perceiving now that he was in an evil Case in relation to sundry Matters thought it high time to secure himself whereupon December 10 he wrote a Letter to the Earl of Feversham now at the Head of his Army signifying his Intention therein And on the Morrow Morning December 11 he withdrew himself in order to his departure out of the Kingdom and being on his Journey near Feversham in Kent was taken in a Disguise and sent back to London The Earl of Feversham having read the Contents of the late K. James his Letter sent another speedily for to advertise his Highness the Prince of Orange that his late Majesty was gone away And that for his own part He would make no Opposition against any and so prevent the Effusion of Blood. The news of the late King James being gone away flew like lightening from East to West and from North to South Our Army was now advanc'd far towards the City of London The first line being March'd from Newberry to Reading Tylehurstone and the adjacent places The second line advanc'd to Newberry and the third line to Hungerford The Prince rode to Henly attended with his Nobility and Gentry sundry Regiments of the first and second Line being marched thither and the Rear Line was come to Newberry Here we received the first positive News of the late King James being gone away As soon as it was certainly known about the City of London that the late King was withdrawn in order to his departure out of the Kingdom the Lords Spiritual and Temporal assembled at Guildhal Decemb. 11. and there agreed upon and signed a Declaration Entituled The Declaration of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in and about the Cities of London and Westminster assembled at Guildhal c. The substance of which being to shew that the late King James was gone away and to declare that they would assist his Highness with their uttermost Endeavours in the obtaining a Free Parliament with all speed and in preserving as much as in them
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