March 25th had Arms and Ammunition brought them by Captain James Hamilton and who demeaned themselves with the greatest Bravery that ever Men did under their forlorn Circumstances It would be too tedious to enter upon the Particulars of the Siege of Derry and how much they baffled the Irish Army almost in all their Encounters with them I shall only observe that Major Baker whom they chose Governour after Colonel Lundy had play'd the Rogue and was turn'd out and Mr. Walker the Minister who was entrusted with the Stores behaved themselves beyond expectation and so did Colonel Mecklenburg who succeeded Governour after Baker's Death and will with the rest of their brave Officers and Soldiers be for ever remembred by all true Englishmen with the greatest deference and respect as they themselves will have occasion while they live with indignation to think of Lundy's baseness in preventing the Relief sent them of two Regiments under Colonel Richards and Colonel Gunningham who returned back out of the Lough of Derry without doing any thing and were both broke for their pains Yet for all this misfortune neither a formidable Enemy without nor a more terrible one that had crept within their Walls viz. Famine which daily swept away multitudes of the Garison could bring them to yield but they outbraved all till the long-delay'd Succors at last under the Command of Major-General Kirk arrived in the Lough But alas they were now in worse plight than before for like Tantalus they had the sight of the desired Fruit but could not reach to eat for whether through the crossness of the Winds as was given out or for some other base ends the Ships lay at least two Months in the Lough before the Dartmouth Frigat at last forced her way and got to the Town which was followed with the raising of the Siege which happened on July 31th This was no small mortification to the Irish who met with as bad Success in another Enterprise of theirs against the Iniskillingers For but the day before about 6000 of them being upon their March under the Command of Major-General Mackarty an experienced Officer among them the Iniskillingers advanced near 20 miles to meet them and at a place called Newton Butler fought and routed them took Mackarty Prisoner and kill'd and drowned nigh 3000 of them though themselves were not above 2000 in all and lost not above 20 Men with about 50 wounded While these things were doing in Ireland the King gave out Commissions in England for raising 18 Regiments of Foot and 5 of Horse for the Irish Service with that Success that the Levies were almost all compleat in 6 weeks and in July most of them were commanded for Chester in order to be shipped off for Ireland On Thursday August 8th being about 10000 Men Horse and Foot and Duke Schomberg for their General they were embarked at Highlake but by contrary Winds were detained there till the 12th when the Wind coming fair the Bonadventure Frigat Captain Hopson Commander and Commodore fired a Gun and put his Light in the Main Top-mast Shrouds as a Signal for sailing They were about 90 Vessels in all of all sorts and were under fail by 6 in the morning steering directly toward Carrigfergus and on the 13th in the Afternoon arrived in that Bay where the Army presently landed and after the General had sent out several Parties to discover the Posture of the Enemy and to scour the Country he marched the Army to Belfast and on Wednesday May 20th and the day following senâ— several Regiments towards Carrigfergus with some Cannon and Mortars which took up their Posts about the Town Upon this the Enemy beat a Parly and sent out their Propositions which the Duke rejected and so order'd the Town to be attack'd Whereupon the Trenches were drawn and the Mortars and Cannons play'd furiously upon the Town and the Half-moon that was to the right of the Castle which made the Besieged on Friday the 23d to desire another Parley but the General would not allow them to march out with the usual Ensigns of Honour and so they broke off and the Siege was carried on with great Vigour Next day Colonel Richards the Engineer being wounded in the Trenches the night before was carried to Belfast when one Mr. Spring making his Escape out of the Town acquainted the Duke that all the Soldiers lay continually on the Walls so that the Bombs only plagued the Protestants in the Town as also that Mackarty Moor and Owen Mackarty were the only 2 that hindred the Surrender of the Town and that they resolved if he stormed the Place to retire into the Castle and had to that end laid up Stores of Provision there but that they were straitned Sunday the 25th and the day following the Siege went on and the Guns had made considerable Breaches which the Irish after other shifts had â—ailed them thought to make good by driving a great number of Cattel on the top of them and which whilst we killed them there with our firing they covered with Earth Stone and other Rubbish so that at last after the refusal of another Parley which they desired of the Duke they hung out a white Flag and sent their Proposals that were finally agreed to and they were to march out with their Arms and some Baggage and to be conducted to the next Irish Garison which was Newry Colonel Wharton at the Parley lay before the Breach with his Regiment and was ready to enter when the Duke sent to command his Men to forbear firing which with some difficulty they agreed to The Articles were scarce agreed on when Mackarty-Moor was got into the Duke's Kitchin in the Camp which made the Duke smile and forbear inviting him to Dinner saying If he had staid like a Soldier with his Men he would have sent to him but if he would go and eat with Servants in a Kitchin let him be doing Sir William Russel a Captain in Colonel Coy's Regiment who was appointed to guard the Irish Garison to Newry had much ado to secure them from the Rage of the Country People whom before they had plundered and things went so far that the Duke himself was forced to ride with his Pistol in his hand among the Irish and Scots to hinder them to murder them But when that was over he march'd the same day which was the 28th to Belfast and 2 days after his own French Regiment of Horse consisting of 500 Men joined the Army which on Saturday the last of August was muster'd being as follows Horse my Lord Devenshire's Regiment my Lord Delamere's Colonel Coy's Duke Schomberg's and Colonel Levison's Dragoons Foot one Batallion of Blew Dutch Carelsoon's White Dâ—tch Colonel Beaumont Colonel Wharton Lord Drogheda Lord Lisburn Lord Meath Lord Râ—scommon Lord Lovelace Lord Kingston Duke of Norfolk Colonel Herbert Sir Edward Deering Sir Thomas Gower Colonel Earl La Millieneir Du Cambon and La Callimot The
pretty flat The King gave order that the Counterscarp should be attackt that Afternoon and had it not been for one Errour which yet could not well be avoided the place had been infallibly carried However to shew you the bravery of our Men upon this occasion we will give you a few particulars About half an Hour after 3 the signal being given by firing 3 Pieces of Cannon and the Granadeers standing in the furthermost Angle of the Trenches they leapt over and ran toward the Counterscarp firing their Pieces and throwing in their Granadoes which gave the Irish the Allarm who had all their Guns ready and discharged great and small Shot upon them as fast as possible who were not behind with them in either so that in less than 2 Minutes there was such a terrible Noise that you would have thought the Skies ready to rent in sunder Captain Carlile of my Lord Drogheda's Regiment ran on with his Granadeers to the Counterscarp and though he was wounded twice between that and the Trenches yet he went bravely on and commanded his Men to throw in their Granadoes but leaping into the dry Ditch under the Counterscarp an Irish Man below shot him dead However the Lieutenant encouraged the Men and they boldly mounted the Counterscarp and all the rest of the Granadeers were as ready as they which so daunted the Irish that they began to throw down their Arms and ran as fast as they could into the Town our Men perceiving this entred the Breach with them pell-mell and above half the Earl of Drogheda's Granadeers with some others were actually within that Place and they had certainly carried it had not the Regiments that were to second the Granadeers upon the Counterscarp stopt there as having no orders to go any farther For the Irish were all running from the Walls quite over the Bridge into the English Town but seeing there were but a few of the English that entred they were with much a-do perswaded to rally And those that were in finding themselves not seconded and their Ammunition spent thought of nothing now but to retreat But some were shot others taken and very few of the rest who came out again but were wounded which so elaâ—ed the Spirits of the Irish that they ventured upon the Breach again and from the Walls and every other where did so pester our Men upon the Counterscarp that after nigh 3 Hours resisting Bullets Stones broken Bottles from the very Women who daringly stood on the Breach and were nearer our Men than their own and whatever else could be thought on to destroy it was at last thought safest to return to the Trenches But this was not our only Loss for while this Work was at the hottest a Brandenburg Regiment who behaved themselves very well being got upon the Black-Battery the Enemies Powder happened to take fire which unhappily blew up a great many of them the Men Faggots Stones and what not flying into the Air with a most terrible Noise and tho' my Lord Cuts who was commanded by the Duke of Wirtemberg to march towards the Spur at the S Gate beat in the Irish that appeared on that side yet he lost several of his Men and was himself wounded For he adventurously approaching within half Musket-shot of the Gate all his Men lay open to the Enemies Shot who lay secure within the Spur and the Walls The Danes demeaned themselves also gallantly at their Post but the mischief on 't was there was but one Breach The Action was very brisk every where and there was one continued fire both of great and small Shot from half an hour after 3 till 7 insomuch that the Smoke which went from the Town reached in one uninterrupted Cloud to the Top of a Mountain at least 6 Miles off The King who stood nigh Cromwel's Fort all the time when the business was over return'd to his Camp very much concerned at the Disappointment as indeed was the whole Army where a mixture of Anger and Sorrow might be seen in every body's Countenance as foreseeing the taking of the Place and the Reduction of the Kingdom would cost the Charge and Fatigue of another Campagne to say nothing of the present Loss which amounted at least to 500 slain upon the Spot besides wounded which were not less than double the number Wherefore the King resolved to raise the Siege and to that purpose after he had constituted the Lord Sidney and Thomas Conningsby Esq since Lord Conningsby Lords Justices of Ireland left the Command of the Army to Count Solms who some time after going for England it was conâ—igned into the Hands of the brave Lieutenant-General Ginkle He embarked with the Prince of Denmark and several other Lords at Duncannon on the 5th of 〈◊〉 arrived the next day in the Evening in Kings-Road near Bristol and on the 9th aâ— Windsor not without a more than ordinary Joy all over the Kingdom leaving the Army in Ireland to march into their Winter-Quarters and so at present we shall leave them and see what was doing in England all this while The Apprehensions of the Disaster that befel us from the French Fleet was no sooner over but the Queen set all hands on work and in a very short time fitted up such a Fleet of Men of War that the Enemy were so far from looking it in the Face upon the Main that they began now to be very apprehensive of their own Coast And indeed it was a general Supposition in England that there were some Designs formed at that time upon France it self and it might for ought I know be contrived so on purpose to amuse such as wished us not well For I remember very particularly that People were somewhat surprized to hear that the Fleet was arrived in Cork-Harbour in Ireland and that my Lord of Malburrough was landed there the 21st of Sept. with the Forces under his Command where on the day following 5 or 600 Seamen and others of the Marine Regiment were imployed to draw the Cannon along and to mount them before the Town which they did with great Cheerfulness and Bravery with the Duke of Graâ—â—on at the Head of them tho' 2 Troops of Dragoons and a Body of Foot appeared without the Town who upon our Mens firing some Field-pieces upon them retired The Eaâ—l was to act upon this Expedition in Concert with some other Troops that were towards that Part of Ireland before and therefore that very Day the Duke of Wirtemberg sent Dean Davis unto him and to Major-General Scravenmore to whom my Lord upon his Arrival had dispatch'd an Express that he would forthwith joyn him to give them an Account that he was upon his March to joyn them with a Detachment of 4000 Foot And because there was a Report that the Duke of Berwick design'd to raise the Siege Major-General Scravenmâ—re sent the Dean back to hasten the Duke's March and the day following ordered a Party of Horse to go and
little that we were in a manner left disconsolate and next to Despair And what could that be alas but the Death of the best of Queens the best of Wives nay the best of Women our most Gracious Sovereign Lady Mary Queen of Great Britain France and Ireland which happen'd on the 28th of December at her Palace of Kensington after she had lain some few Days sick of the Small-Pox To attempt her Character would be Arrogance in me since it has been done so well by so many learned Pens But I cannot omit remarking the Answer as I have heard His Majesty who knew her best was pleased to make the Archbishop of Canterbury when he went to comfort him for his great Loss That he could not chuse but grieve seeing she had been his Wife for 17 Years and yet he never knew her guilty of an Indiscretion And to add what most People are apt to pass over untouched That she was certainly a Princess of real Piety which I should not say if I had not known some Circumstances my self concerning her upon that Account that were evident tokens of it Wherefore I shall end this unhappy Year with the Parliament and Nation 's Condolance of the King upon this great Loss as himself was pleased to express it and their Protestations to stand by him against all Opponents whatsoever both at home and abroad And the Truth of it is if ever Addresses were real and unfeigned they were those made upon this Occasion since it has been obvious to any Man of Observation that that sad Providence did very much heighten Men's Affections to His Majesty's Person which being before as it were divided between him and that beloved Princess were now entirely cemented into one year 1695 But tho' the Nation laboured under this great Sorrow for our unretrievable Loss as we did also from the Badness of our Coin which had been a long growing Evil upon us and began now to be very intolerable yet there was no going back And therefore the Parliament went roundly to work and besides some other useful Bills had by the 11th of Feb. prepared for the Royal Assent An Act for Granting 4 s. in the Pound to His Majesty And for Applying the Yearly Summ of 300000 l. for Five Years out of the Duties of Tunnage and Poundage and other Summs of Mony payable upon Merchandizes Exported and Imported for Carrying on the War against France with Vigour But what Zeal soever the two Houses in general shewed for the common Cause there was such a Brangle at this time among them especially in the Upper House about sending of the Fleet to the Streights that tho' some under the specious Pretence of Good Will towards the Government took upon them to shew the Inconvenience of it Yet the major part of that most honourable Assembly shewed themselves to have far different Sentiments by their Address of Thanks to the King for so ordering it And it happen'd â— little favourably as if it had been a Confirmation of their Lordships Judgments that News came soon after which gave an Account that some Frigats which Admiral Russel had sent out to cruise had taken 2 French Men of War of the bigger Size near Messina So that the other Party was now obliged to acquiesce and the Lovers of the Government to go on with the King's Business But it was the middle of April or thereabout before there were any more Mony-Bills ready when His Majesty signed among divers others An Act for enabling such Persons as had Estates for Life in Annuities payable by several former Acts therein mentioned to purchase and obtain farther and more certain Interests in such Annuities And in Default thereof for Admitting other Persons to purchase or obtain the same for Raising Moneys for Carrying on the War against France An Act for Granting to His Majesty certain Rates and Duties upon Marriages Births and Burials and upon Batchellors and Widowers for the Term of 5 Years for Carrying on the War against France An Act for Granting to His Majesty several Additional Duties upon Coffee Tea Chocolate and Spices towards Satisfaction of the Debts due for Transport-Service for the Reduction of Ireland And then he was pleased to tell them that the season of the Year was so far advanced and the circumstances of affairs so pressing that he very earnestly recommended unto them the speedy dispatching of such business as they thought of most importance for the publick good because he was to make an end of the Sessions in a few Days which was done accordly after the signing of some other Bills which the Parliament had dispatched and among the rest An Act to grant unto the King certain Duties upon Glass-wares Stone and Earthen Bottles Coal and Culm for carrying on the War as before Then it was that he told them the necessity there was for his Presence abroad but that he would take care to have the administration of Affairs during his Absence put into such Persons hands on whose care and fidelity he could entirely depend and that he doubted not but they both Lords and Gentlemen in their several Stations would be assisting to them and that what it was he required of them was to be more than ordinarily vigilant in preserving the publick Peace In pursuance to this His Majesties Resolution he was pleased before his Departure which was on the 12th of May to appoint in Council the Lord Archbishop the Lord Keeper the Earl of Pembrook the Duke of Devonshire the Duke of Shrewsbury the Earl of Dorset and the Lord Godolphin to be Lords Justices of England for the Administration of the Government during his Absence beyond the Seas where as before he was Commander in Chief of all the Confederate Forces which were this Campaign very strong and out-numbred the French 20000 Men which yet was no such odds as to act offensively as they did as the Duke de Villeroy was over the Armies of France in the room of the Duke of Luxemburg who died towards the beginning of this Year There were two Camps formed for the Confederate Army the one was at Arseel to be commanded by the King in Person and under him by the old Prince de Vaudemont to whom His Majesty had given last Winter the Command in chief of his Armies and the other at Ninove under the Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Holstein Ploen The King after his usual Divertion went on the 27th of May from Breda to Ghent where the Inhabitants made great preparations to receive him with demonstrations of Joy suitable to what they owed to so great a King and the Protector of their Country and could not have done more to their own Sovereign the King of Spain had he come among them But though the King ordered the Rendesvouz of his Army in the foresaid place and that the Elector himself advanced towards the Scheld yet it is very likely that at the very beginning of the Campaign His
Princes that France shall give up to them all that she has taken from them at present and that the rest remain as it was before the War That Lorrain be restored to the Duke of that Name in the State it is in now or if that cannot be done in the State it was when seized by France his Majesty and the States mutually and really obliging themselves to the Observation of this Point I. His said Majesty and the Lords the States-General promise to do their utmost and if it may be to use all sorts of Means to constrain the most Christian King to give Satisfaction in these Terms without being at Liberty to make a Peace with him if he do not give his Consent to them or to some others as shall be agreed on between his Majesty and the States according to the Success of the War II. His Majesty and the States-General do engage themselves further for the obliging France to consent to these Conditions or to such as the Princes concerned shall find convenient and in short for bringing of that Crown to comply with it that his Majesty shall furnish One Third more by Sea and a Third less by Land in the Low-Countries than the Lords the States all by a Provisionary Way till it be otherwise provided by the Allies III. It is also stipulated That if his Majesty of Great Britain and the most Christian King make War upon one another one of the Confederates cannot separate from the other by any particular Treaty without that other's Consent IV. But if the Negotiation of the Peace which is held at Nimeguen comes to be broke up and that the Parties should agree upon any other Place to treat of it or of a Truce that cannot be done without the Consent or Agreement of the other Allies and without at the same time one of the Parties in the Confederacy procure also to the other the necessary Pasports to pass freely and without Danger to the Place appointed for the Treaty where he ought also to communicate to him all that passeth in that Negotiation And in the mean time they shall not have Power to consent to any Peace or Truâ—e but according to the Conditions stipulated by the 1st Article or such other as they shall agree upon and without his Aâ—y be re-established in the full and entire Possession of all the Lands Towns Places and Immunities which he enjoyed at the Signing of this Treaty in Europe if it be not otherwise agreed on between his Majesty and the States V. But if the Peace in Hand terminate happily between the most Christian King on the one Hand and his Catholick Majesty and the States General on the other whether by the Propositions which France hath made her self or by such other as they can agree to his Britannick Majesty and the States will not only be Guarrantee in the best and surest Form that may be but also its free for other Kings and neighbouring Princes who shall have any Interest in the Repose of Christendom and the immutable Tranquility of the Low-Countries to be so 'T is with this View that his said Majesty and the States would agree upon the Troops and Means that are necessary to bring the Party who shall violate the Peace to make Satisfaction for the Damages he shall do another any manner of way VI. These Articles and the full Contents of them are to be Signed and Ratified within 3 Weeks or sooner if it may be and the Ratifications exchanged at the same time Given at the Hague the 26 th of July 1678. Signed W. Van Henkelom de Van Wiugaerden Fagel D. Van Heyden Van Leewen J. de Maregnault Jean Baron de Reed A. ter Borght Temple After the Treaty had been thus concluded and signified to France all the Artifice that could be was used on that side to elude it by drawing the matter into a Treaty or at least a greater length which had succeeded so well in England that they offered to treat upon it at St. Quintin then at Ghent where the French King himself proposed to meet such Embassadors as the Dutch should send into either of them Towns But the States were stanch not to recede from their late Treaty and continued in that Mood till about 5 Days before the Expiration of the time then came one De Cross from England with a Packet for Sir William Temple commanding him to go forth with to Nimeguen and there to endeavour from the King to perswade the Swedish Embassadors to let the French know That for the Repose of Christendom they did not any longer desire the French King to insist upon the Detention of the Towns and consequently hinder the Peace upon the sole Regard and Interest of the Crown of Sweden and to assure them that after the Conclusion of the Peace the King would employ all his Endeavours that the Towns and Countries which their Master had lost in the War should be restored unto them How this Dispatch of Du Cross was gained was never known but 't is sufficient to believe that France had the greatest Hand in it since 't was transacted all one Morning in Portsmouth's Apartment by the intervention and pursuit of Barillon the French Embassador Yet for all this when Sir William Temple arrived at Nimeguen which was but 3 Days before the Expiration of the Term fix'd by the late Treaty between our King and the States either for the French to evacuate the Towns or for carrying on the War conjointly against France there was but little Disposition that the Peace would be Signed but rather the quite contrary appeared by the Stiffness shewed on both sides to adhere firmly to their respective Demands And the Dutch Embassadors remained peremptory That there could be no Deputation for the securing of the future Satisfaction of Sweden as the French demanded before the Term expired and no other Remedy upon that but that the War must go on With this View and Expectation all the Parties seemed to be when the fatal Day came wherein either a suddain Peace or a long and bloody War was to be reckoned on in Christendom on the Morning whereof Monsieur Boreel who had been sent from Amsterdam to the Dutch Embassadors at Nimeguen went to the French Embassadors and after some Conference with them they immediately went to those of Holland and declared they had received Orders from their Master to consent to the Evacuation of the Towns and thereupon to Sign the Peace but that it must be done that Morning At this the Dutch seemed to be surprized but immediately entred into a Conference with them thereupon which lasted for 5 Hours and ended in an Agreement upon all Points both of Peace and Commerce between France and Holland It was certainly thought the French Embassadors had received no Power to Sign the Peace and 't was said Sir William Temple himself did advise those of Holland to press them to it out of a real Belief as well as the
concerns the Exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion and such as profess it enjoying their Goods shall be re-established and maintained in the said Town of Maestricht and its Dependances in the same State and in such Manner as was regulated by the Capitulation made in the Year 1632 and that such as shall have been endowed with any Ecclesiastical Goods Canons Places Parsonages Provostships and other Benefices shall continue settled in them and enjoy them without any Contradiction X. His Majesty restoring to the said Lords the States-General the Town of Maestricht and Countries thereunto belonging may yet take and carry away all the Artillery Powder Bullets Provisions and other Warlike Ammunition that shall be found there at the time of â—ts Restitution and they that his Majesty shall have appointed for this Purpose may if they please make use of the Boats and Carriages of the Country for 2 Months time and shall have free Passage by Water and Land for the Carrying away the said Ammunition And the Governours Commanders Officers and Magistrates of the said Town shall give them all the Facilities they can for the Carriage and Conduct of the said Artillery and Ammunition Also the Officers Soldiers Men of War and others that shall leave the said Place may take thence and carry away all their movable Goods but it shall not be lawful for them to exact any Thing from the Inhabitants of the Town of Maestricht or its Neighbourhood nor to do any hurt to their Houses or carry away any Thing belonging to the said Inhabitants XI All Prisoners of War on both sides shall be delivered without Distinction or Exception and without paying any Ransom XII The raising of Contributions demanded by the Governour of the Town of Maestricht of the Countries subjected shall continue for all that shall become due till the Ratification of the present Treaty and such Arrears as shall remain shall be paid within 3 Months after that at convenient times for which a valuable Caution shall be given in some Town within his Majesty's Dominion XIII The said Lords the States-General have and do promise not only to maintain a perfect Neutrality without being at Liberty to assist directly or indirectly the Enemies of France or its Allies but also to guarrant all such Engagements as Spain shall enter into by the Treaty that is to be betwixt their most Christian and Catholick Majesties and especially that whereby the Catholick King shall be held to the same Neutrality XIV If through Inadvertence or otherwise there happen any want of due Observance of this present Treaty or other Inconvenience relating thereunto on the Part of his said Majesty or of the Lords the States-General and their Successors this Peace and Alliance shall remain in full Force notwithstanding so as no Breach of Friendship or of good Correspondence shall ensue thereupon but such Contraventions shall be speedily repaired if they shall be occasioned by any particular Subjects Faults those Subjects only shall be punished XV. And for the better securing Commerce and Friendship hereafter between the Subjects of the said King and those of the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces of the Low-Countries it is agreed and accorded that in case there shall be in time to come any Interruption of Friendship or that a Breach shall happen between the Crown of France and the said Lords the States-General of the said Vnited-Provinces which God forbid then 6 Months after such Breach shall always be allowed to the Subjects of both Parties to retire with their Effects and transport them whithersoever they think fit which also they shall be permitted to do as likewise to sell or transport their Goods and Movables with all Freedom so as no Hindrance shall be given to them nor any Proceedings to seize their Effects much less to secure their Persons XVI As for the Pretences and Interests that concern the Prince of Orange upon which there has been a separate Treaty and Agreement by an Act this Day Signed the said Writing and all the Contents of it shall be effectual and shall be confirmed fulfilled and executed according to the Form and Tenour thereof neither more nor less than if all its Points in general and every one in particular were Word for Word inserted into this present Treaty XVII And as his Majesty and the Lords the States-General acknowledge the powerful Offices that the King of Great Britain has incessantly employ'd by his Counsels and good Advertisements for the publick Weal and Repose so it is agreed on both sides that his said Majesty of Great Britain and his Kingdoms be comprehended by Name within this present Treaty according to the best Form that may be XVIII Within this present Treaty of Peace and Alliance shall be comprehended on the part of the said most Christian King the King of Sweden the Duke of Holstein the Bishop of Strasburg and Prince William of Furstemburg as interested in the present War And there shall likewise be comprehended if they will themselves the Prince and Crown of Portugal the Duke and Seigniory of Venice the Duke of Savoy the Thirteen Cantons of the Ligue-Switzers and their Allies the Elector of Bavaria Duke John Frederick of Brunswick Hanover and all Kings Potentates Princes and States Towns and particular Persons to whom his most Christian Majesty shall grant at their Request to be comprehended within this Treaty on his part XIX And on the part of the Lords the States-General the King of Spain and all other their Allies that within 6 Weeks to be computed from the Exchange of the Ratifications shall declare their acceptance of the Peace and also the Thirteen laudable Cantons of the Ligue-Switzers and their Allies and Confederates the Town of Embden and moreover all Kings Princes and States Towns and particular Persons to whom they shall grant at their Request to be comprehended on their part XX. The said King and the said Lords the States-General do consent that the King of Great Britain as Mediator and all other Potentates and Princes that shall be willing to enter into the like Engagement may give his Majesty and the said States-General their Promise and tie themselves to guarrant the Performance of all that is contain'd in this present Treaty XXI This present Treaty shall be Ratified and Approved by the said King and the said Lords the States-General and each Parties Letters of Ratification shall be deliver'd in proper due Form within the Term of 6 Weeks or sooner if it may be reckoning from the Day of Signing In Witness whereof We the aforesaid Ambassadors of his Majesty and of the Lords the States-General by Virtue of their respective Powers have on their behalfs Signed these Presents with our ordinary Seals and have set our Coats of Arms to the same At Nimeguen Aug. 10. in the year of our Lord 1678. Le Ma' D'Estrates Colbert De Mesmes H. Beverning W. van Nassaw W. Haren WE liking well the aforesaid Treaty of Peace in all and every the
obtain not such Security When the Prince of Orange was made acquainted with this Procedure of England by Mr. Hyde who went on purpose to Hounslerdike to do it he was no sooner withdrawn but the Prince lift up his Hands two or three times and said to Sir William Temple then present Was ever any Thing so Hot and so Cold as this Court of yours Will the King that is so often at Sea ever learn a Word that I shall never forget since my last Passage When in a great Storm the Captain was crying out to the Man at the Helm all Night Steddy Steddy Steddy If this Dispatch had come 20 Days ago it would have changed the Face of all Things in Christendom and the War might have been carried on till France had Yielded to the Treaty of the Pyrenees and left the World in Quiet for the rest of our Lives but it is my Opinion as it comes now it will have no Effect And indeed the Event proved answerable to the Prince's Judgment It s true all Appearances for the present seemed very different from both the Proceedings of the Dutch and Spaniards too whereof many of the Deputies of the former appear'd so ill satisfied with their Embassadors having Signed the Peace that they inclined to the King's Proposals and framed severral Articles against Monsieur Beverning's Proceedings the five Principal whereof were these First That in the Preface the French King seemed to be the Protector of the States Secondly That the Neutrality to which the States-General were engaged by that Treaty was indefinite and by consequence might be extended beyond the present War Thirdly That he had exceeded his Commission in having obliged the States to warrant the Neutrality of Spain Fourthly That he had omitted an Article of Amnesty and Oblivion which ought mutually to be stipulated in all Treaties of Peace And Lastly That he had forgot to mention the Barrier which the French King granted to Spain in Consideration and for the Security of the States-General As for the Embassadors of the latter notwithstanding the French after several Debates and Conferences did demit in their Pretentions yet they raised new Scruples about the Castellany of Aeth and other Things their Confederates upon the Continent and the daily Transportation of English Forces into Flanders heightning their Stiffness as well as the Expectation they had of the States going on again with the War upon this new Turn of Things But after Matters had continued for about 3 Weeks in this uncertain State France thought the Conjuncture of too much Importance to let it hover so long and therefore first dispatch a Courier to their Embassadors at Nimeguen with leave to satisfie the States as to those Clauses in their Treaty wherein they seem'd justly to except against Beverning's Conduct And therefore to cover the Credit of that Minister who had been so affectionate an Instrument in the Progress of it and so gradually softning their Rigour as to the remaining Points contested by the Spaniards they at last dispatch'd a Courier who brought Letters to Nimeguen on the 8th of Sept. impowering their Embassadors to remit all the Differences that obstructed or retarded the Conclusion of the Treaty between that Crown and Spain to the Determination and Arbitrage of the States themselves which was a piece of Confidence towards them on the part of France that several Towns and Provinces proceeded with a general Concurrence to their Ratifications that they might lie ready in their Embassador's Hands to be exchanged when the Treaty with Spain was Signed which was done on the 17th at the Dutch Embassadors House and wherein Sir Lionel Jenkins the Kings Mediator had no part and so the Designs of the Court of England were once more Eluded and Mr. Hyde had the Mortification to return re infecta This Treaty with Spain is very long and for that Reason I had Thoughts once to leave it quite out but considering the Treatise would have been imperfect without it and that a much better Estimate may be made by it of the present Posture of the Spanish Affairs upon the late Peace than otherwise could be done I have altered my Mind and given my Reader the Particulars The TREATY of PEACE betwixt France and Spain Concluded at Nimeguen Sept. 17. 1678. IN the Name of God the Creator and of the most Holy Trinity To all present and to come be it known That whereas during the Course of the War that arose some Years since betwixt the most High most Excellent and most Mighty Prince Lewis XIV by the Grace of God most Christian King of France and Navar and his Allies on the one part and the most High most Excellent and most Mighty Prince Charles II by the Grace of God Catholick King of Spain and his Allies on the other part their Majesties have desired nothing more vehemently than to see it end in a good Peace And whereas the same desire to put a Stop as far as in them lay to the Ruine of so many Provinces the Tears of so much People and the shedding so much Christian Blood hath induced them to comply with the powerful Offices of the most High most Excellent and most Mighty Prince the King of Great Britain to send their Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries to the Town of Nimeguen So it is come to pass through an Effect of the Divine Goodness that hath been pleased to make use of the intire Confidence that their Majesties have always reposed in the Mediation of the said King of Great Britain that at length the said Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries to wit on the behalf of his most Christian Majesty the Sieur Count D' Estrades Marshal of France and Knight of his Majesty's Orders the Sieur Colbert Knight Marquess of Croissy Councellor in Ordinary in his Council of State and the Sieur De Mesmes Knight Count De Avaux Councellor also in his Majesty's Councils and on the behalf of his Catholick Majesty the Sieur Don Pablo Spinola Doria Marquess de les Balbases Duke of Sesto Lord of Gminossa Casalnosetta and Ponteucrone Councellor in his Council of State and chief Protonotary in his Council of Italy Don Gaspard de Tebes and Cordova Tello Guzman Count de Venazuza Marquess de la Fuente Lord of Lerena of the House of Arrucas of the Isles of Guadalupa and Matalione Perpetual Master de la Victoire Perpetual Major and Recorder of the Town of Sevil Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to his Imperial Majesty one of his chief Council of War and General of his Artillery Don Pedro Ronquillo Knight of the Order of Alcantara Councellor in his Council of Castile and of the Indies and Don John Baptisse Christin Knight Councellor in the high Council of Flanders near to his said Catholick Majesty's Person and one of his Council of State and of his Privy-Council in the Low-Countries by Virtue of Letters and Commissions which they have communicated to one another and the Copies whereof
hath been and still is a damnable Hellish Plot contrived and carried on by Recusants for assassinating and murdering the King subverting the Government and rooting out and destroying the Protestant Religion I am not insensible what Artifices have been used to ridicule this Plot in all the Parts of it and particularly so far as it relates to the Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey But there are some Things so particular herein for evincing That that Gentleman fell a Martyr through Popish Cruelty and yet not commonly known that I shall take notice of them in this place There was one Prance a Papist by Religion and a Silversmith by Trade living near Covent-Garden and one that wrought for the Priests and others in Somerset-House who some time after the said Murder being observed to abscond from his House for several Days by his Neighbours some of them represented the same to some Parliament-Men with other circumstantial Suspicions they had of the said Prance and thereupon there was an Order got to seize him and he was referred to the Examination of Sir Richard Everard and Sir Charles Harboard Now before the Murder Le Pair Pritchard and some other Priests had treated with bedlow to be assisting in it which he at first assented to but after relented and did not come But the Monday after the Fact was committed which was Octob. 14. meeting with La Faire in Red-Lyon-Court he charged him with being worse than his Word but engaged him to meet him at 9 a Clock in Somerset-House where he was told by La Faire That though he was not assistant as he promised in killing Sir Edmund yet if he would be helpful to carry him off he should have 2000 l. Reward Hereupon Bedlow desiring to see the Body Le Faire shewed it him and then they advised together about the Disposal of it Bedlow being of Opinion it were best to sink it in the River with Weights which was not agreed to But in seeing the Body Bedlow saw Pranoe in the Company too yet did not know him before This being done Bedlow went to Bristol but finding himself much troubled in Conscience having twice taken the Sacrament to conceal the Business God put it into his Heart that some Murders being past and to prevent greater to come he was convinced it was his Duty to return to London to reveal what he knew which he did and went to the Lobby of the House of Lords in order to it In the mean time Sir Charles Harboard and Sir Richard Everard having examined Prance and the House being set left him to the Care of the Constable of Covent-Garden who brought him to the Lobby of the Lords House where Bedlow seeing him but never before save the foresaid Time in Somerset-House he charged the Guards to seize him for that reason saying He remembred him well he having when they viewed Sir Edmund ' s Body a black Perruke on but now none Hereupon search being made the Perruke was found And hence it was that Prance became an Evidence in this Discovery and on whose Evidence chiefly Green Berry and Hill were convicted and executed I shall not enter into any more Particulars of this Plot as being already sufficiently treated on by divers Authors and not falling directly under under the Course of our present Design but there is one Thing very remarkable attending it and such I think as can hardly be parallel'd in any other Story and that is that there should be so many and such clear Proofs to Murder the King's Person and yet that he should be solâ—ittle apprehensive of it But it may be as Tom. Killigrew was said to have told him He knew more of the Plot than any Body else and his Discovery of it would quickly have satisfied his People But whether it were my Lord Treasurer Danby's Business or the Popish Lords in the Tower or the Affairs of the Plot in general the King having on Monday the 30th of Dec. last Prorogued both Houses to the 4th of Feb. did on the 24th of Jan. Dissolve his once Darling Long-lived but now Expiring Parliament which had been continued by several Prorogations and Adjournments 17 Years 8 Months and 17 Days being first called on the 8th of May 1661. And issued out Writs to call another to Sit at Westminister on the 6th of March following but thought â—it on the 28th of Feb. in the Interim to direct a Letter to the Duke of York his Brother to command him to withdraw beyond Sea to this Effect I Have already given you my Resolves at large why I think it fit that you absent your self for some time beyond the Seas I am truly sorry for the Occasion so may you be sure I shall never desire it longer than it shall be absolutely necessary for your Good and my Service In the mean time I think it proper to give it you under my Hand that I expect this Compliance from you and desire it may be as soon as conveniently you can You may easily perceive with what Trouble I write this to you there being nothing I am more sensible of than the constant Kindness you have ever had for me I hope you are as just to me to be assured that no Absence nor any Thing else can ever change me from being truly and kindly Yours C. R. The Duke with his Dutchess and Family in pursuance to this Command within a few Days withdrew accordingly and for a while retired to the Hague and from thence to Brussels while the King in the mean time that he might let the World see how he was otherways as well as therein become a new Man for the future did upon the 20th of Apr. make a Declaration to this Purpose in Council and in his new Parliament and afterward Published it to the whole Nation How sensible he was of the ill Posture of his Affairs and the great Dissatisfactions and Jealousies of his good Subjects whereby the Crown and Government were become too weak to preserve it self which proceeded from his use of a single Ministry and of private Advices and therefore professed his Resolution to lay them aside for the future and to be advised by those whom he had chosen for his Council in all his weighty and important Affairs together with the frequent Advice of his great Council in Parliament The Members that composed which Council because of the great Worth of most of them we shall give the Reader a List of His Highness Prince Rupert William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Henry Lord Finch Lord-Chancellor of England Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury Lord President of the Council Arthur Earl of Anglesey Lord Privy-Seal Christopher Duke of Albemarle James Duke of Monmouth Master of the Horse Henry Duke of Newcastle John Duke of Lauderdale Secretary of State for Scotland James Earl of Salisbury John Earl of Bridgwater Robert Earl of Sunderland one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State Arthur Earl of Essex First Lord-Commissioner of
the Treasury John Earl of Bath Groom of the Stool Thomas Lord Viscount Falconberg George Lord Viscount Hallifax Henry Lord Bishop of London John Lord Roberts Denzil Lord Hollis William Lord Russel William Lord Cavendish Henry Coventry Esq one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State Sir Francis North Knight Lord Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas Sir Henry Capel Knight of the Bath First Commissioner of the Admiralty Sir John Ernle Knight Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Thomas Chichely Knight Master of the Ordinance Sir William Temple Baronet Edward Seymour Esq Henry Pawle Esq But notwithstanding this Appearance of so mighty a Change in the King and the Profession of his Readiness to give way to any Law that might secure the Protestant Religion so as the Succession were not altered yet the same Temper and same sort of People still remained at Court and they were a very chargeable Crew wherefore Money was craved at that time tho' under pretence of providing a Fleet for our common Security now as Mr. Coke says in time of such a Peace as the French King had granted Christendom after King Charles had taken his Money to join in it and after he had taken the Parliament's Money to enter into an actual War against France and after the Parliament had twice given Money for Disbanding the said Army But this the Parliament however did not appear very forward to give being mightily troubled with the Prophet at the Bleating of that sort of Cattle but more that they could not have the same Answer concerning them from the King as Saul made That he reserved them for a Sacrifice and intended to deliver them up to please his People The Effects of this Procedure was at first a Prorogation of both Houses on the 27th of May to the 14th of Aug. and the Dissolving of them upon the 12th of July and so much the sooner without doubt because they had begun this Sessions to nibble at a Bill for Excluding the Duke of York from inheriting the Imperial Crown of England So that this Parliament proved to be as short-lived as the other had been durable and lasting but another was called to meet the 17th of Oct. While England was in this â—ottering and uncertain Condition Scotland was not a whit the better settled the Feuds between the Episcopal and Presbyterian Party increasing daily which at last on the 3d of May this Year brake out into a very barbarous Act by the Murdering of Dr. Sharp Archbishop of St. Andrews by a Party of Covenanters who besides the severity he used towards them since his exaltation to that Dignity made himself the more obnoxious to their Rage because that having once been a great Zealot for Presbyterian-Church-Government they esteemed him now for no other than a Perjured Apostate Prelate a Villain Persecutor of the Godly and a betrayer of Jesus Christ and his Church This was only a general Accusation but some of that Nation have farther confidently affirm'd That the King having sent down a Pardon to some Offenders and the same falling into Sharp's Hands he villanously concealed it till Execution was done upon them And that the Friends of the deceas'd having not been able to procure Satisfaction from him according to the ordinary Course of Law he by his Interest and Authority being now about it were necessitated to have Recourse to this extraordinary Method But tho' things did begin here they did not end so this Fact proving a Prelude to what followed for upon the 29th of the same Month a Party of about 80 of these Covenanters met at a place called Rugland well Mounted and Armed and when they had first Proclaimed the Covenant they burnt the following Acts viz. The Act concerning the King's Supremacy the Recessory Act whereby all the Laws made during the King's Exile were Repealed the Act for Establishing Episcopacy and the Act appointing the Anniversary of the 29 th of May. On Sunday June the 1st they rendevouz'd about 1500 Men upon Snouden-Hill their Foot being commanded by one Wyer and their Horse by Robert Hambleton one Parron with the Assistance of Balfour and Hackstock which two last were of the Number of those that had Assassinated the Archbishop From hence they proceeded and took the City of Glascow where they published Two Proclamations which were to this Effect WE the Officers of the Covenanted Army do Require and Command you the Inhabitants of the Burgh of Glascow to furnish us with 24 Carts and 60 Horses for removing our Provisions from this Place to our Camp where-ever we shall set down the Same and to abide with us for that End during our Pleasure under Pain of being reputed our Enemies and proceeded against accordingly The other was WE the Officers of the Covenanted Army do Require and Command the Magistrates of Glascow to extend and banish forth thereof all Archbishops Bishops and Curates their Wives Bearns Servants and Families and Persons concerned in the King's Army within 48 Hours after Publishing hereof under highest Pains And they published a long Declaration of their taking up Arms for a free General Assembly and a free Unlimited Parliament to redress the manifold Grievances therein enumerated and humbly requested his Majesty to restore all Things as he found them when God brought him Home to his Crown and Kingdoms In the mean time the Council at Edenburg were not idle but raised an Army and quartered it at a Place called Black-burn to prevent the Covenanters approach to Edenburg and gave the King an Account of all that passed expecting his Majesty's further Orders thereupon Whereupon the King dispatch'd away the Duke of Monmouth into Scotland who with wonderful Celerity having joyned the Army did on the 22th of June approach towards that of the Covenanters who lay in the little Park at Hamilton and thereabouts having chosen very advantageous Ground there being no Passage to it but over a Stone-Bridge called Bothwel-Bridge which they had barricadced and well-lined with Musketeers They had no notice of the Duke's March which was in very good Order and in great Silence but their Guards having at length discovered the lighted Matches they took the Alarm and thereupon put themselves in a fighting Posture Major Oglethorp with the Dragoons had Orders to post himself near the Bridge while the Duke drew up the Army upon the Hill that fronted Hamilton-Park the River being between him and the Enemy about a Mile from the Bridge The Covenanters were drawn up in Two distinct Bodies about a Mile asunder the smallest whereof lay near the Bridge and the other hard by their Camp Being in this Posture on each side the Duke was no sooner come to Oglethorp's Post but there came over to him one David Hume from the Covenanters and presented him with their Declaration together with a Petition signed by Robert Hamilton in the Name of the Covenanted Army then in Arms wherein they prayed that the Terms of their Declaration might be
Particulars of it And for Tangier there had been several Attacks made upon it this Year and for some time past and was chargeable enough to the King But of this we shall have Occasion to say something hereafter And as for the King's Sincerity in recommending to them the Prosecution of the Plot That Man that considers the Transactions between the Prorogation of the last Parliament and the Sitting of this with the Methods that were used to stifle the real Plot and to father a Sham one upon innocent Men and yet believes the King to be in Earnest has a large Faith and much Good may do him with it Then for his professing his Readiness to concur with any new Remedies that should be proposed that were consistent with preserving the Succession of the Crown in its due and legal Course of Descent it implied no more than Let the Wolf be Shepherd and let the Sheep make what Laws they please for their Preservation For it was well known the Duke was a Papist whose Maxims are to keep no Faith with Hereticks However the House of Commons entred into Debates about this Matter and there were many Expedients proposed how the Established Government in Church and State could be preserved yet none could be found practicable in case the Duke succeeded So that the Country Party moved that the Court Party should propound their Expedients in the Case but they either could not or else had no Instructions from the Court to warrant such Expedients as might be proposed by them Matters being thus at a stand in respect to the Securing the Protestant Religion the House of Commons at last could think of no other Way to effect it than by bringing in a Bill for the total Exclusion of the Duke of York from the Crown which after several Debates upon it they passed on the 11th of Nov. And of which that you may the better comprehend the Meaning I have here subjoined a Copy WHereas James Duke of York is notoriously known to have been perverted from the Protestant to the Popish Religion whereby not only great Encouragement hath been given to the Popish Party to enter into and carry on most Devilish and Horrid Plots and Conspiracies for the Destruction of his Majesty's Sacred Person and Government and and for the Extirpation of the true Protestant Religion But also if the said Duke should succeed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm nothing is more manifest than that the total Change of Religion within these Kingdoms would ensue For the Preservation thereof be it Enacted by the King 's most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That the said James Duke of York shall be and is by the Authority of this present Parliament Excluded and made for ever uncapable to Inherit Possess or Enjoy the Imperial Crown of this Realm and of the Kingdoms of Ireland and the Dominions and Territories of them or either of them belonging or to Have Exercise or Enjoy any Dominion Power Jurisdiction or Authority in the said Kingdoms Dominions or any of them And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if the said James Duke of York shall at any time hereafter Challenge Claim or Attempt to Possess or Enjoy or shall take upon him to Use or Exercise any Dominion or Power or Authority or Jurisdiction within the said Kingdoms or Dominions or any of them as King or Chief Magistrate of the same that then he the said James Duke of York for every such Offence shall be deemed and adjudged Guilty of High-Treason and shall suffer the Pains Penalties and Forfeitures as in Case of High-Treason And further That if any Person or Persons whatsoever shall assist or maintain abet or willingly adhere unto the said James Duke of York in such Challenge Claim or Attempt or shall of themselves attempt or endeavour to put or bring the said James Duke of York into the Possession or Exercise of any Legal Power Jurisdiction or Authority within the Kingdoms and Dominions aforesaid or shall by Writing or Preaching advisedly Publish Maintain or Declare that he hath any Right Title or Authority to the Office of King or Chief Magistrate of the Kingdoms and Dominions aforesaid that then every such Person shall be Deemed and Adjudged Guilty of High-Treason and that he suffer and undergo the Pains Penalties and Forfeitures aforesaid And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the said James Duke of York shall not at any time from and after the 5th of Nov. 1680 return or come into or within any of the Kingdoms or Dominions aforesaid and then he the said James Duke of York shall be Deemed and Adjudged Guilty of High-Treason and shall suffer the Pains Penalties and Forfeitures as in Case of High-Treason And further That if any Person or Persons whatsoever shall be aiding or assisting unto such Return of the said James Duke of York that then every such Person shall be Deemed and Adjudged Guilty of High-Treason and shall suffer as in Cases of High-Treason And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the said James Duke of York or any other Person being Guilty of any of the Treasons aforesaid shall not be capable of or receive Benefit by any Pardon otherwise than by Act of Parliament wherein they shall be particularly named And that no Noli prosequi or Order to stay Proceedings shall be received or allowed in or upon any Indictment for any of the Offences mentioned in this Act. And be it further Enacted and Declared and it is hereby Enacted and Declared That it shall and may be lawful to and for any Magistrates Officers and other Subjects whatsoever of these Kingdoms and Dominions aforesaid And they are hereby enjoined and required to Apprehend and Secure the said James Duke of York and any other Person offending in any of the Premisses and with him or them in case of Resistance to fight and him or them by force to subdue For all which actings and for so doing they are and shall be by Virtue of this Act saved harmless and indemnified Provided and it is hereby declared That nothing in this Act contained shall be construed deemed or adjudged to disenable any other Person from Inheriting and Enjoying the Imperial Crown of the Realms and Dominions aforesaid other than the said James Duke of York but that in Case the said James Duke of York should survive his now Majesty and the Heirs of his Majesty's Body the said Imperial Crown shall descend to and be enjoyed by such Person or Persons successorily during the Life of the said James Duke of York as should have Inherited and Enjoyed the same in case the said James Duke of York were naturally dead any Thing contained in this Act to the Contrary notwithstanding And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That
had Success And this is so much the more to be credited since the King himself told Sheriff Cornish That Fitz-Harris had 3 Months before his Apprehension been with â—im and acquainted him he was in pursuit of a Plot which very much related to His Majesty's Person and Government c. And that upon Sir William Waller's acquainting the King with the Particulars he had taken while he was concealed as aforesaid tho' he thanked him for it and commanded Secretary Jenkins to issue out a Warrant for the Apprehension of Fitz-Harris and that Sir William should take Care of the Execution of it Yet he was no sooner gone but Sir William said He was informed by 2 worthy Gentlemen That the King was highly offended with him saying He had broken all his Measures and that he would one Way or other have him taken off Fitz-Harris however was soon after taken and committed to Newgate where being examined by Sir Robert Clayton and Sheriff Cornish he discovered a Disposition and at length a Willingness to discover the whole Design the next Day after But to prevent it in all appearance he was that Day removed into the Tower But while this hopeful Business was thus jumbled up the Time spun out and the 21st of March came when the Parliament met at Oxford and of which the Members of the Commons were generally the same as the last Parliament and those that were not so were of the same Kidney as the others had been so that their Proceedings began where the last Parliament left off They far indeed but 7 Days and of them the Lower House spent the first 3 in choosing their Speaker and confirming him and taking the Oaths as the Laws directed But in that little time they had these 4 Considerations before them 1. The preparing a Bill to prevent the Duke of York's succeeding to the Crown The 2d was to take the Bill of the Repeal of the Act of the 35th of Eliz. out of the House of Lords A 3d was an Enquiry into Fitz-Harris his Business And the 4th was to prosecute the Popish Lords in the Tower But this was more Work by a great deal than the stinted Opportunity of 4 Days would admit a Dispatch of However upon Friday the 25th of Mar. after that the House had been some time upon the Debate of Fitz-Harris's Concern and that one of the Members had reported That he remembred that one Hubert having confess'd he had fired the City of London and that the House then sitting having resolved thereupon to examine him they were prevented by his being hanged next Morning before they met And that there having been also a Design to try the Lords in the Tower by way of Indictment the House had prevented the same by exhibiting general Impeachments against them with that Success that the Lords were never tryed upon Indictments and the Judges had given their Opinion they could not This moved them that same Day to order an Impeachment against Fitz-Harris and appointed Sir Lionel Jenkins to carry it up to the House of Lords who at first refused it saying That his being sent upon that Message reflected upon the King his Master and let them do what they would he would not go But several of the Members having moved thereupon to call him to the Bar of the House and divers others in their Speeches aggravating highly his Offence he at last relented and carried the Impeachment to the House of Lords but the Lords threw it out At which the Commons next Day which was Saturday the 26th were so nettled that they ran very high in their Debates upon it ripping up several sharp Things against the Lords Proceedings herein So that at last it was moved That if any Judge Justice or Jury proceeded upon Fitz-Harris and that he were found guilty that the House would declare them guilty of his Murder and Betrayers of the Rights of the Commons of England To this it was added upon the Motion of Sir William Jones or that any inferiour Court should proceed c. which was passed But what little Notice was taken hereof you may hear by and by The House hereupon adjourned to Monday Morning March 27. when the King coming suddenly and unexpectly into the House of Peers dissolved the Parliament and immediately took Coach and made as hard as he could for Windsor leaving both Houses in a grand Amazement and the City of Oxford in an Hubbub Sir William Jones in his just and modest Vindication of this and the last Parliament at Westminster says The Peers at Oxford were wholly ignorant of the Council and that they never thought of a Dissolution till they heard the same pronounced Yet it is observable that the Dutchess of Mazarine published the News at St. James's many Hours before the same was done But if the Nation as well as the Parliament and City of Oxford were amazed at this Dissolution and the Manner thereof they were no less so with the King's Declaration that followed the Substance whereof was The Dissatisfaction of the King at the Proceedings of the 2 last Westminster Parliaments in giving him no suitable Return to support the Alliances he had made for the general Peace of Christendom nor for the further Examination into the Plot nor yet for the Preservation of Tangier He shewed a mighty Concern at their Votes against any Body's lending him Money upon the Revenues and that the Prosecution of Dissenters was a Grievance to the Subject by which he said They assumed to themselves a Power of suspending Laws But as Mr. Coke observes well the Commons in that did nothing but what they might do as well as in any other Law they found by Experience to be grievous to the Subject and must have done so in order to the Repealing of them And if the Matter had been really so as the Declaration intended the Crime had surely been somewhat the less in the Commons if his Majesty had considered that himself had twice before done the same Thing by his Declarations of Indulgence tho' to a contrary End to what the Commons intended That these Things had caused him to dissolve them and assemble another at Oxford who still pursuing the same Methods in the Business of the Exclusion of the Duke of York which he could by no Means give way to tho' he was willing to admit of any other Expedient whereby the Established Religion might be preserved tho' he never propounded any And the 2 Houses imbroiling themselves in the Business of Fitz-Harris so as they were put out of Capacity of transacting other Affairs had caused him to put an End to that Parliament also But that however notwithstanding the Malice of ill Men to perswade the People that he intended to lay aside the Use of Parliaments he declared That no Irregularity in Parliament should make him out of love with them and that he was resolved to have frequent Parliaments and in the Intervals would use his utmost
against it basely or inhumanely but what would well consist with the Christian Religion and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom And I thank God I have examined all my Actions in that matter with so great Care that I can appeal to God Almighty who knows my Heart that I went on sincerely without being moved either by Passion By-Ends or ill Design I have always loved my Countrey much more than my Life and never had any Design of changing the Government which I value and look upon as one of the best Governments in the World and would always have been ready to venture my Life for the preserving it and would suffer any Extremity rather than have consented to any Design of taking away the King's Life Neither had any Man the Impudence to propose so base and barbarous a thing to me And I look upon it as a very unhappy and uneasie part of my present Condition that there should be so much as Mention made of so vile a Fact though nothing in the least was said to prove any such Matter but the contrary by my Lord Howard Neither does any Body I am confident believe the least of it So that I need not I think say more For the King I do sincerely pray for him and wish well to him and to the Nation that they may be happy in one another that he may be indeed the Defender of the Faith that the Protestant Religion and the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom may be preserv'd and flourish under his Government and that himself in his Person may be happy both here and hereafter As for the Share I had in the Prosecution of the Popish Plot I take God to Witness that I proceeded in it in the Sincerity of my Heart being then really convinced as I am still that there was a Conspiracy against the King the Nation and the Protestant Religion And I likewise profess that I never knew any thing directly or indirectly of any Practice with the Witnesses which I look upon as so horrid a thing that I never could have endured it For I thank God Falshood and Cruelty were never in my Nature but always the farthest from it imaginable I did believe and do still that Popery is breaking in upon the Nation and that those that advance it will stop at nothing to carry on their Design I am heartily sorry that so many Protestants give their helping hand to it But I hope God will preserve the Protestant Religion and this Nation though I am afraid it will fall under very great Trials and very sharp Sufferings And indeed the Impiety and Profaneness that abounds and appears so scandalously bare-faced every where gives too just an Occasion to fear the worst thing that can befal a People I pray God prevent it and give those who have shewed a Concern for the publick Good and have appeared hearty for the true Interest of the Nation and the Protestant Religion Grace to live so that they may not cast a Reproach on that which they endeavour to advance which God knows has often given me sad Thoughts And I hope such of my Friends as may think they are touched by this will not take what I say in ill Part but will endeavour to amend their ways and live suitable to the Rules of the true Reformed Religion which is the only thing can administer true Comfort at the latter end and relieve a Man when he comes to die As for my present Condition I bless God I have no reâ—pining in my Heart at it I know for my Sins I have deserved much worse at the Hands of God so that I chearfully submit to so small a Punishment as the being taken off a few Years sooner and the being made a Spectacle to the Worlâ— I do freely forgive all the World particularly those concerned in taking away my Life and I desire and conjure all my Friends to think of no Revenge but to submit to the Holy Will of God into whose Hands I resign my self entirely But to look back a little I cannot but give some touch about the Bill of Exclusion and shew the Reasons of my appearing in that Business which in short is this That I thought the Nation in such Danger of Popery and that the Expectation of a Popish Successor as I have said in Parliament put the King's Life likewise in much Danger that I saw no way so effectual to secure both as such a Bill As to the Limitations that were proposed if they were sincerely offered and had passed into a Law the Duke then should have been excluded from the Power of a King and the Government quite altered and a little more than the Name of a King left So I could not see either Sin or Fault in the one when all People were willing to admit of the other But thought it better to have a King with his Prerogative and the Nation easie and safe under him than a King without it which bred perpetual Jealousies and a continual Struggle All this I say only to Justifie my Sâ—ir and not to enâ—lame others Though I cannot but think my earnestness in that matter has had no small Influence in my present Sufferings But I have now done with this World and am going to a Kingdom which cannot be moved And as to the conspiring to seize the Guards which is the Crime for which I am Condemned and which is made a Constructive Treason for taking away the King's Life to bring it within the Statute of Edw. 3. I shall give this true and clear Account I never was at Mr. Shepheard's with that Company but once and there was no undertaking then of securing or seizing the Guards nor none appointed to view or examine them Some Discourse there was of the feasibleness of in and several times by Accident in general Discourse elsewhere I have heard it mentioned as a thing might easily be done but never consented to as a thing fit to be done And I remember particularly at my Lord Shaftsbury's there being some general Discourse of this kind I immediately flow out and exclaimed against it and asked if the thing succeeded what must be done next but mastering the Guards and killing them in cold Blood which I looked upon as a detestable thing and so like a Popish Practice that I could not but abhor it And at the same time the Duke of Monmouth took me by the Hand and told me very kindly My Lord I see you and I are of a Temper did you ever hear so horrid a thing And I must needs do him Justice to declare that I ever observed in him an Abhorrence of all base things As to my going to Mr. Shepheard's I went with an Intention to taste Sherry For he had promised to reserve for me the next very good Piece he met with when I went out of Town And if he recollects himself he may remember I asked him about it and he went and fetch'd a Bottle but
when I tasted it I saw it was hot in the Mouth and desired that whenever he met with a choice Piece he would keep it for me which he promised I enlarge the more upon this because Sir George Jefferys insinuated to the Jury as if I had made a Story about going thither but I never said that was the only Reason and I will now truly and plainly add you the rest I was the day before this Meeting come to Town for two or three days as I had done once or twice before having a very near and dear Relation lying in a Languishing and Desperate Condition and the Duke of Monmouth came to me and told me He was extreamly glad I was come to Town for my Lord Shaftsbury and some hot Men would undo us all How so my Lord I said Why answered he they will certainly do some disorderly thing or other if great Care be not taken and therefore for God's Sake use your Endeavour with your Friends to prevent any thing of this kind He told me there would be Company at Mr. Shepheard's that Night and desired me to be at home in the Evening and he would call me which he did And when I came into the Room I saw Mr. Rumsey by the Chimney though he swears he came in after And there were Things said by some with much more Heat than Judgment which I did sufficiently disapprove and yet for these Things I stand Condemned But I thank God my Part was sincere and well meant It is I know Inferred from hence and pressed to me That I was acquainted with these Heats and ill Designs and did not discover them But this is but Misprision of Treason at most so I die innocent of the Crime I stand Condemned for I hope no Body will imagine that so mean a Thought should enter into me as to go about to save my self by accusing others The Part that some have acted lately of that kind has not been such as to invite me to love Life at such a Rate As for the Sentence of Death passed upon me I cannot but think it a very hard one for nothing was sworn against me whether true or false I will not now examine but some Discourses about making some Stirs And this is not levying War against the King which is Treason by the Statute of Edw. 3. and not the Consulting and Discoursing about it which was all that was witnessed against me but by a strange Fetch the Design of seizing the Guards was construed a Design of killing the King and so I was in that Cast And now I have truly and sincerely told what my Part was in that which cannot be more than a bare Misprision and yet I am condemned as guilty of a Design of killing the King I pray God lay not this to the Charge neither of the King's Councel nor Judges nor Sheriffs nor Jury And for the Witnesses I pity them and wish them well I shall not reckon up the Particulars wherein they did me wrong I had rather their own Consciences would do that to which and the Mercies of God I leave them Only I shall aver that what I said of my not hearing Colonel Rumsey deliver any Message from my Lord Shaftsbury was true For I always detested Lying tho' never so much to my Advantage And I hope none will be so unjust and uncharitable as to think I would venture on it in these my last Words for which I am so soon to give an Account to the great God the Searcher of Hearts and Judge of all Things From the Time of choosing Sheriffs I concluded the Heat in that Matter would produce something of this Kind and I am not much surprized to find it fall upon me and I wish what is done to me may put a Stop and satiate some People's Revenge and that no more innocent Blood be shed for I must and do still look upon mine as such since I know I was guilty of no Treason and therefore I would not betray my Innocency by flight of which I do not I thank God yet repent tho' much pressed to it how fatal soever it may have seemed to have proved to me for I look upon my Death in this manner I thank God with other Eyes than the World does I know I said but little at the Trial and I suppose it looks more like Innocence than Guilt I was also advised not to confess Matter of Fact plainly since that certainly must have brought me within the Guilt of Misprision and being thus restrained from dealing frankly and openly I chose rather to say little than to depart from that Ingenuity that by the Grace of God I had carried along with me in the former part of my Life and so could easier be silent and leave the whole Matter to the Consciences of the Jury than to make the best and solemnest part of my Life so different from the Course of it as the using little Tricks and Evasions must have been nor did I ever pretend to any great Readiness in Speaking I wish those Gentlemen of the Law who have it would make more Conscience in the Use of it and not run Men down and by Strains and Fetches impose on easie and willing Juries to the Ruine of innocent Men. For to kill by Forms and Subtilties of the Law is the worst sort of Murder But I wish the Rage of hot Men and the Partiality of Juries may be stopped with my Blood which I would offer up with so much the more Joy if I thought I should be the last that were to suffer in such a Way Since my Sentence I have had but few Thoughts but Preparatory ones for Death yet the Importunity of my Friends and particularly the best and dearest Wife in the World prevailed with me to sign Petitions and make an Address for my Life to which I was ever averse for I thank God though in all Respects I have lived the happiest and contenteâ—st Man of the World for now very near Fourteen Years yet I am so willing to leave all that it was not without Difficulty that I did any thing for the saving of my Life that was begging but I was willing to let my Friends see what Power they had over me and I was not obstinate nor sullen but would do any thing that an honest Man could do for their Satisfaction which was the only Motive that swayed or had any Weight with me And now to sum up all As I had not any Design against the King's Life or the Life of any Man whatsoever so I never was in any Contrivance of altering the Government What the Heats Passions and Vanities of other Men have occasioned I ought not to be responsible for nor could I help them though I now suffer for them But the Will of the Lord be done into whose Hands I commend my Spirit and trust that Thou O most merciful Father hast forgiven me all my Transgressions the Sins of my Youth
the 12th in the Evening the Troops began to approach towards the Castle and take their Posts to hinder which the Enemy made a vigorous Sally but they were at last repulsed with a greater Loss to them than to the Christians Insomuch that the Latter secured their Posts and opened their Trenches within Musquet-shot of the Walls and began to work on 2 Batteries On the 13th the Turks made a greater Sally with much the same Success and next Day they play furiously with their Cannon and threw a great Quantity of Granadoes and Bombs which did no great Execution no more than did another Sally they-made But a Detachment of the Garrison of Temeswaer which the same Day by the Help of Boats got into the Castle some what heighten'd their Courage but it did not at all daunt the Besiegers who carried on their Works and on the 17th by Break of Day they began to baâ—ter the Walls of the Castle with 6 Pieces of Cannon when they understood by a Deserter that the Enemy were hard at work in their Mines The Workmen of the Besiegers by the 17th carried on the Trenches within 10 Paces of the Ditch tho' not without great Loss of Men and then they began to raise 2 new Batteries The next Day they possessed themselves of a Mosque on the Brink of the Ditch And the Day following they drew 2 Parallel Lines on the Right and Left to compass a greater Space of Ground as well on the side of the Castle as the Town and made 2 Redoubts to support the Heads of them which were performed in spight of all the Opposition made by the Enemy On the 22th the Besiegers having perfected their Works the great Cannon and Mortars arrived from Buda and on the Day following they battered the Castle very furiously made divers Breaches and beat down part of the Fortifications And although the Turks made a Sally with an Intent to attack the Redoubts they were beaten back again with great Loss Now it was that the assured News was brought into the Camp that the Prince of Baden had killed 3000 of the Enemy and that the Turks had set fire to and abandoned Grandisca Debitza and Jesnewitz as also that General Veterani had taken Carensebes and the strong Castle of Salancar The Cannon still played furiously with great Slaughter on both sides when on the 24th a Letter was brought and presented to the Elector of Bavaria from Osman Basha of Aleppo the Tenure whereof together with His Electoral Highness's Answer take as follows Osman Basha's LETTER to the Elector of Bavaria HOnour of Princes believing in Jesus Chosen among the most Noble of the Christian Nation Pattern of Magnificence Possessor of all Splendor Duke of Bavaria and Chief General of the Roman Empire Maximilian whose Ways be prosperous after Salutation be it known unto you That the most Serene Great and Mighty Ottoman Emperor Monarch of the World our Lord having sent with His Serene Letter to the greatest of the Christian Kings the most Serene Emperor one of His Well-deserving Servants Sulficar Effundi Adorned with several High Degrees of Honour whose Praise be increased and the present Drugerman of the Renowned Port a Mirror of the Nobles of the Christian Worship Alexander whose Ways end happy They are arrived here and because they are going to You and according to Ancient and Laudable Custom have need for Themselves and a Hundred Persons of Pass-ports and Safeguards to be sent from Your Army this Our present Letter is Written and Dispatched unto You. After the Receipt whereof We hope that Pass-ports and some People for a Safeguard will be sent hither that the above-mentioned may as They are Commanded repair to you They will upon their coming near GOD willing send again to You to the End a Convoy may come from Your Army to meet and receive them from the Basha sent with some Troops from hence that so the Respect and Safety of Ambassadors observed by all Nations as is fit and necessary may remain in its Ancient Lustre therefore You know how careful both sides ought to be of their safe Passage For the rest Prosperity be to those that shall follow the True Direction Given in Our Army near Nissa Signed Osman Basha of Aleppo To this Letter the Elector of Bavaria after some consulting of the Matter in Council with the Chief Officers of the Army returned this following Answer Maximilian Emanuel c. To Osman Basha Greeting c. WE have received the Letter You sent Us from the Camp near Nissa where You give Us to understand That an Ambassador by Name Sulficar Effundi and the first Drugger-man have Orders from Your Emperor to come to Our Army Now although we being inclin'd to Military Actions might well refuse their coming hither or which none could take amiss in the present Juncture of Affairs might put it off till another time since We do judge their Proposals will little agree with Our present Intentions yet being moved by a Christian Compassion We do grant that They may come to Our Army and We will favourably Hear what Your Emperor has Commanded them to Propose unto Us for which Purpose We have Commanded that a Passport be prepared for their Security and delivered to the Person that brought Us your Letter We have likewise given Order to the Commandant of Semendria that in the Manner directed him and with a sufficient Number of Troops he Conduct them safely to Our Army upon which they may firmly rely Given in Our Camp near Belgrade c. Though some Paces were made on both sides towards a Treaty in pursuance of these Letters and the Passports were sent to the Turkish Ambassadors to come and negotiate the same they did not succeed But this we shall have occasion to mention hereafter and therefore we shall pursue the Siege and observe that the Besiegers on the 25th possess'd themselves of another Mosque of great use to them because of its convenient Situation near into which the Besieged sprung a Mine on the 27th as they did another next Day with a Design to ruine the Christians Works which though it blew up short yet the Blow occasioned great Disorder and this was much encreased by one of the Besieged's Bombs setting Fire to several Quintals of Powder that blew up 7 or 8 Men that were on the Battery On the 29th the Elector sent a Captain with an Interpreter who was a Greek to summon the Governour to surrender who was so enraged with it that he imprisoned the former and hanged the latter so that the Siege went on the 30th and following Days of Sept. with wonderful Vigour shewed on both sides yet so that the Besiegers by plying their Batteries and springing their Mines made such Breaches both in the City and Castle and filled the Ditch to that degree by the Second of Sept. at Night that it was concluded seeing the Besieged obstinarely declined to return an Answer to the forementioned Summons and that the
engage to God and one another that if any such Attempt be made upon him we will pursue not only those who make it but all their Adherents and all that we find in Arms against us with the utmost Severity of a just Revenge to their Ruine and Destruction And that the Execution of any such Attempt which God of his Infinite Mercy forbid shall not divert us from prosecuting this Cause which we do now undertake but that it shall engage us to carry it on with all the Rigour that so barbarous a Practice shall deserve On the 20th of November there happened a Skirmish at Wincanton between a Detachment of 70 Horse and 50 Dragoons and Granadiers commanded by Colonel Sarsfeild and about 30 of the Prince of Orange's Men Commanded by one Cambel where notwithstanding the great Inequality of Numbers yet the latter fought with that desperate Bravery that it struck a Terrour into the Minds of the Army who were otherwise sufficiently averse from Fighting And besides the Action was every where magnified so much above the real Truth that it shewed clearly how much Men wished the Prosperity of the Prince's Arms. On the 22th of November the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty then assembled at Nottingham made this Declaration VVE the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty of these Northern Counties assembled at Nottingham for the Defence of the Laws Religion and Properties according to the Free-born Liberties and Privileges descended to us from our Ancestors as the undoubted Birth-right of the Subjects of this Kingdom of England not doubting but the Iâ—fringers and Invaders of our Rights will represent us to the rest of the Nation in the most malicious Dress they can put upon us do here unanimously think it our Duty to declare to the rest of our Protestant Fellow-Subjects the Grounds of our present Undertaking We are by innumerable Grievances made sensible that the very Fundamentals of our Religion Liberties and Properties are about to be rooted out by our late Jesuitical Privy-Council as has been of late too apparent 1. By the King's dispensing with all the Established Laws at his Pleasure 2. By displacing all Officers out of all Offices of Trust and Advantage and placing others in their room that are known Papists deservedly made incapable by the Established Laws of this Land 3. By destroying the Charters of most Corporations in the Land 4. By discouraging all Persons that are not Papists and preferring such as turn to Popery 5. By displacing all honest and consciencious Judges unless they would contrary to their Consciences declare that to be Law which was merely arbitrary 6. By branding all Men with the Name of Rebels that but offered to justifie the Laws in a Legal Course against the Arbitrary Proceedings of the King or any of his corrupt Ministers 7. By burthening the Nation with an Army to maintain the Violation of the Rights of the Subjects and by discountenancing the Established Religion 8. By forbidding the Subjects the Benefit of Petitioning and construing them Libellers so rendering the Laws a Nose of Wax to serve their Arbitrary Ends. And many more such like too long here to enumerate We being thus made sadly sensible of the Arbitrary and Tyrannical Government that is by the Influence of Jesuitical Counsels coming upon us do unanimously declare That not being willing to deliver our Posterity over to such a Condition of Popery and Slavery as the aforesaid Oppressions do inevitably threaten we will to the utmost of our power oppose the same by joining with the Prince of Orange whom we hope God Almighty hath sent to rescue us from the Oppressions aforesaid and will use our utmost Endeavours for the Recovery of our almost-ruined Laws Liberties and Religion And herein we hope all good Protestant Subjects will with their Lives and Fortunes be assistant to us and not be bugbear'd with the opprobrious Terms of Rebels by which they would affright us to become perfect Slaves to their Tyrannical Insolencies and Usurpatations For we assure our selves that no rational and unbyassed Person will judge it Rebellion to defend our Laws and Religion which all our Princes have at their Coronation sworn to do Which Oath how well it hath been observed of late we desire a Free Parliament may have the Consideration of We own it Rebellion to resist a King that governs by Law But he was always accounted a Tyrant that made his Will the Law and to resist such an one we justly esteem no Rebellion but a necessary Defence And on this Consideration we doubt not of all honest Mens Assistance and humbly hope for and implore the Great GOD's Protection who turneth the Hearts of His People as pleaseth Him best it having been observed that People can never be of one Mind without His Inspiration Which hath in all Ages confirmed that Observation Vox Populi est Vox Dei The present Restoring the Charters and Reversing the oppressing and unjust Judgment given on the Fellows of Magdalen College is plain are but to still the People like Plumbs to Children by deceiving them for a while But if they shall by this Stratagem be fooled till this present Storm that threatens the Papists be past as soon as they shall be re-settled the former Oppression will be put on with greater Vigour But we hope In vain is the Net spread in sight of the Birds For the Papists old Rule is that Faith is not to be kept with Hereticks as they term Protestants tho' the Popish Religion is the greatest Heresie And Queen Mary's so ill observing her Promises to the Suffolk Men that helped her to her Throne And above all the Pope's dispensing with the Breach of Oaths Treaties or Promises at his pleasure when it makes for the Service of Holy Church as they term it These we say are such convincing Reasons to hinder us from giving Credit to the aforesaid Mock-Shews of Redress that we think our selves bound in Conscience to rest on no Security that shall not be approved by a Freely-elected Parliament To whom under GOD we refer our Cause In the mean time the Nobility about the King having used all the Arguments they could invent to persuade him to call a Free Parliament and finding him immovable fix'd iâ— a contrary Resolution and the Army in great Discontent Disorder and Fear and the whole Nation ready to take fire the Duke of Grafton the Lord Churchill and many other Protestant Nobility left him and went over to the Prince of Orange who was then at Sherburn as did also Prince George of Denmark the Duke of Ormond and Sir George Hewet Nov. 25th The Prince at his going away left the following Letter for the King SIR WIth an Heart full of Grief am I forced to write what Prudence will not permit me to say to your Face And may I eâ—er find Credit with Your Majesty and Protection from Heaven as what I now do is free from Passion Vanity or Design with which Actions of this Nature
there was an Hill to the E. of the Enemy's Camp and N. from the Town he went thither to view their Camp which he found to be all along the River in two lines and where he had a long Discourse with the Prince Duke Scomberg Duke of Ormond Count Solms Major General Scravenmoor my Lord Sidney and other great Officers who were all curious in making their observations upon the Enemy and Scravenmoor said they were Vne pettite Armee for they could not reckon above 46 Regiments that lay incamped but the King answered that they might have a great many Men in the Town that there was also an Hill to the S. W. beyond which part of their Army might lie incamped and that possibly they did not shew all their Numbers however he said he was resolved to see very soon what they were From hence the King rid on to the Pass at the old Bridge and stood upon the side of the Bank within Musket-shot of the Ford there to make his further observations on the Enemy's Posture and Camp and in some time after rid about 200 Paces up the River nigh the West of all the Enemy's Camp Whilst his Army was marching in he alighted and sat him down upon a rising Ground where he refreshed himself for about an hour during which time some of the Irish with long Guns came down and shot at our Dragoons who went down to the River to drink and some of our went down to return the Complement to the former And 't was farther observed that a Party of about 40 Horse advancing very slowly stood upon a plowed Field over-against the King for near half an Hour and brought 2 Field-pieces with them which they dropt by an Hedge on the said Ground as was afterwards known though our Men did not then discover them and one of which when the King was mounted they fired It killed 2 Horses and a Man about a 100 Yards above where the King was which was no sooner done but immediately came a 2d which had almost been fatal to one of the greatest Lives upon Earth for the Ball having first grazed on the Bank of the River did in its first rising slant upon the King's Right-shoulder took out a Piece of his Coat and tore the Skin and Flesh and afterwards broke the Head of a Gentleman's Pistol My Lord Conningsby no sooner saw his Majesty struck but he rid up and clapt his Handkerchief upon the Place but the King himself took little notice and kept on his pace saying only There was no necessity the Bullet should have come nearer though the Enemy continued firing who when they saw their shot somewhat disturb our Horse they set up a most prodigious shout all over the Camp as if the King 's whole Army had been ruin'd and drew down several Squadrons of their Horse upon a Plain towards the River but in such a Place as they knew it was not possible for the English to come at them Yet when our Guns came up which was about 3 that Afternoon and begun to play they withdrew their Squadrons into their Camp The King about 9 at Night having called a Council of War declared he was resolved to pass the River next Day which Duke Scomberg at first opposed but finding the King positive he advised that part of the Army should be sent that Night about 12 towards Slane-bridge and to pass the River thereabouts and so get between the Enemy and the Pass at Duleek but this Advice was not taken Then they fell into a Debate about getting good and trusty Guides when my Lord George Hamilton who was by immediately brought 4 or 5 of his Irish Iniskilling Officers who knew the Fords very well and took upon them to guide the Army next day and here it was concluded how the Army should march and who should command at the different Posts which were ordered in this manner Lieutenant General Douglas was to command the right Wing of Foot and Count Sâ—homberg the Horse who were to march on early toward Slane-bridge and other Fords up the River to flank the Enemy or get between the Enemy's Camp and Drogheda whilst in the mean time a body of Foot forced their way at the Pass at Old-bridge But while this was doing on our side the Enemy were not idâ—e for they also called a Council of War wherein Lieutenant General Hambleton advised to send a Party of Dragoons to a Ford that was below the Town of Drogheda which the English either knew not of or else did not regard and all the rest being 8 Regiments with their whole left Line towards the Bridge of Slane but King James said he would send 50 Dragoons up the River which put Hamilton into a great Amazement considering the Importance of the Place to be defended Towards the close of the Evening the Cannon ceased on both sides and the King gave Orders that every Soldier should be provided with a good Stock of Ammunition and all to be ready at break of day to march at a minute's Warning with every Man a green Bough or Sprig in his Hat to distinguish him from the Enemy who wore pieces of Paper on their Hats The Word that Night being Westminster he rid in Person about 12 at Night with Torches quite through the Army At last Tuesday the 1st of July came which proved to be a very clear Day as if the Sun it self had a mind to see what the Event would be when about 6 in the Morning Lieutenant General Douglas march'd towards the Right with the Foot and Count Scomberg with the Horse which being observed by the Enemy they drew out their Horse and Foot towards the left to oppose us The Right Wing at first were ordered to pass all at Slane but upon better Information several Regiments were ordered to go over at other Fords between the Camp and that place When the Horse approach'd the River they found a Regiment of the Enemies Dragoons posted on the other side who fired upon them and then thought to have retreated to their main Body but before they could do that they were flanked in a Lane and about 70 of their Number slain which was almost all the Opposition they meâ— with in passing the River that way But when they advanced forwards they found the Enemy drawn up in 2 Lines Whereupon the English drew up in 2 Lines also being 24 Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons and but six Batallions of â—oot which being too few Douâ—las sent for more and in the mean time according to my Lord Portland's Advice the Horse and Foot were mix'd Squadron with Batallion for their greater Security However more Foot coming up this Figure was altered and all the Horse drawn to the Right by which they out-flanked the Enemy considerably They found the Ground very difficult to pass by reason of a great Bog and some Ditches that were in the way but the Horse moving to the Right and the Foot taking
cover the Duke's Foot The same Afternoon Major-General Tetteau with a Party of a 1000 Men having drawn down some Cannon to the Fair Hill resolved to attack one or both of the new Forts and new Shannon-Castle But the Enemy no sooner perceived his Men posted in order to that Design then they set fire to the Suburbs between him and them and so deserting both the Forts and Castle retired in haste into the City Which our Men no sooner saw but they possessed themselves of Shannon-Castle planted some Guns thereon and from thence plaid both upon the Fort and Town Major General Scravenmore was come at the same time with his Horse and took up his Quarters at Kill-Abbey On the 26th the Duke of Wirtemberg with his Danes and another Detatchment of Dutch and French Foot came and encamped on the North-side of the Town and the Enemy the day following having deserted their Works at the Cat-fort without a Blow struck our Forces took possession of it and having planted a Battery there they threw both their Bombs into the City and pâ—aid their Guns upon the Fort from the Friars Garden and another Battery above the Fort near the Abbey Having moreover got a Church into our possession Scravenmore ordered a Party of Men into it and laid Boards cross the Beams for them to stand upon who from thence did very good Service in galling the Irish within the Fort All which together with another Battery made by Red-Abbey which plaid against the City-wall and made a Breach therein brought the Besieged to move for a Treaty Whereupon a Truce was granted till next Morning when the Besieged not accepting the Conditions that were proposed the Cannon began to play again very furiously and made a considerable Breach and when any of the Enemy appeared on the Wall near it they were rased off by the small Ordnance from the Cat And lest the Enemy might make their Escape thro' the Marsh there were 40 Men placed the Night before in the Brick-Yard near Kill-Abbey to prevent it On the same Day in the Afternoon the Danes from the N. and 4 Regiments of English from the S. under Brigadier Churchill passed the River up to the Arm-pits into the E. Marsh in order to storm the Breach that was made there in the City-Wall The Granadiers under my Lord Colchester led the Van and march'd forward tho' all the while exposed to the Enemies fire with them march'd also the Duke of Grafton my Lord O Brian Collonel Granville and a great many more as Volunteers The Van immediately posted themselves under the Bank of the Marsh which seemed to be a Counterscarp to the City-Wall In which Approach the Duke of Grafton received a mortal Wound on the point of his Shoulder The Salamander also and another Vessel came up with the Morning-Tide and lay at the end of the Marsh directly before the City-Wall plaid their Cannon at the Breach and threw Bombs likewise into the City All this being hot Work made the Irish beat a Parley and Colonel Makilicut who commanded in the Place sent the Earl of â—yrone and Colonel Ricaut to agree the Capitulation who concluded That the Garrison consisting of about 4000 Men should be all Prisoners of War as well Officers as Soldiers That the Old Fort should be delivered up within an Hour and 2 Gates of the City the next Day That all the Protestant Prisoners should be forthwith released That all the Arms as well of the Soldiers as Inhabitants should be secured and that there should be an exact Account delivered up of the Warlike Ammunitions and Provisions in the Magazines Matters being thus happily terminated in relation to Cork the very same Afternoon a Party of about 500 Hoâ—se was sent under the Command of Brigadier Villars to infâ—st Kingsale upon whose Approach the Irish quitted the Town set it on fire and retired into the Old Fort and on the 1st of Oct. the Earl of Marlborough advanced as far as Five-Mile-Bridge and next day reach'd the Town of Kingsale then in Possession of his own Men who quenched the Fire and that Evening posted his Troops toward the New Fort as Major-General Tettau with 800 Men next Morning early passed the River in Boats and stormed the Fort with very good Success For several Barrels of Powder at the same time accidentally taking fire blew up nigh 40 of the Enemy whereupon the rest flying into an old Castle in the midst of the Fort were a great many of them killed before they could get thither and all that made resistance as the English scaled the Walls were cut to pieces so that of 450 Men in the Fort about 200 were blown up and killed and the rest submitting to Mercy were made Prisoners My Lord having gained the Old Fort resolved to make as quick Work as he could with the new one which was far the more considerable of the two For the Weather was now grown very bad and Provisions scarce and withal the Men began to be sickly which made him judge it the best way to attack the Place briskly However he sent the Governour a Summons to surrender who returned answer It would be time enough to talk of that a Month hence Whereupon the Cannon being planted they began to batter the Place two ways and upon the 9th day of the Month the Men got near the Counterscarp on the 12th in the Morning 6 Pieces of Cannon were mounted at the Danes Attack which was to the Left and 2 Mortars at the English which fired all Day and the Mortars continued all Night and more Guns were planted on the English Battery the two succeeding Days for the Danes on their side had made a pretty large Breach Then they sprung a Mine with very good Success and were preparing for another Being now become Masters of the Counterscarp the Cannon plaid the 15th all the Morning long and every thing was now ready to lay the Galleries over the Ditch when the Enemy beat a Parley about surrendring the Fort which being done the Articles were agreed to and signed By them the middle Bastion was to be delivered up next Morning and the Garrison being above 1200 Men to march out the day after with their Arms and Baggage and to be conducted to Limerick There were about 200 Men killed and wounded in the several Attacks our Men made but there were some Amends made to the Survivors at least some of them For besides a very considerable Magazine there was great Plenty of all kinds of Provisions in the Fort and good Liquor of all sorts With this successful Expedition we shall end the Affairs of Ireland for this Year there being no other Action of considerable Moment performed there but only observe that all Leinster was reduced under the King's Obedience by taking of these two Towns which was no small Advantage to his Interest considering that Province is the most Southern of all Ireland and consequently the nearest to France
of a strong Detachment from the Rhine which some-time after joined him he marched directly that way with this grand Army which as themselves gave out was no less than an 100000 Men and with which they boasted to do the Work effectually and so give Peace to Christendom But herein they were grosly mistaken for besides that Prince Vaudemont in conjunction with the Earl of Athlone was got before them to the strong Camp of Massâ—y the Confederates had also a strong Detachment from the Rhine to join them under the Command of that brave Prince the Landgrave of Hesse Cassel So that the Siege of the Castle went briskly on and the Camp was strongly Fortified at the same time and His Majesty was present in both as there was occasion For as to the former when all things were got ready the Trenches were opened against Cohornâ— Fort the 13th of Aug. at Night with 900 Pioneers and they began to play from no less than 12 Batteries when one 〈◊〉 their Bombs falling upon the Magazine of the Devil's House blew up above 1000 Granadoes charged ruined a great quantity of Arms and killed and wounded several Persons according to the report of Deserters and notice being come on the 14th that all the Horses in the Castle stood ready Sadled and that Monsieur Boufflers had a design to break through the Camp with his Cavalry the King thereupon ordered good Guards to be set at all places where the Sambre could be past the same being done all along the Meuse by General Fleming which prevented the said Enterprize The Trenches were carried on the following days with great Success though the Enemy fired furiously in the Night-time both with their great and small Shot and made Sallies to disturb the Work-men but were still repulsed And now it proved to be very hot Work on both sides and the Besiegers at length ordered their matters so well that they brought no less than 191 Pieces of Cannon and Mortars to play upon the Fort and Castle but the Besieged began now to be more remiss in their Firings However on the 18th they made a Sally with 200 Dragoons mounted and 500 Granadeers whereof an 150 of the latter made their Attack on the right Hand but were repulsed by the Count de Ribera then upon the left where my Lord Cutts had just posted the advanced Guards to secure the Workmen and a 100 Dragoons fell upon Lieutenant Sutton who being posted in the Plain of Salsine with 37 Fuzileers let them come on till they were very near him and then giving them a round Volley retreated to his Body but the Dragoons pressing upon him they fired upon them a second time when the Spanish and Bavarian Horse falling on among them with down-right Blows drove them to the very Gate of the Castle killing some and making others Prisoners But the French Army being in the mean while come as far as Flerus to the Besieged's succour that the latter might believe they were in earnest they gave them a Signal of this Approach by a discharge of 90 Pieces of Cannon which was answered with a great number of Lights and Fugees from the top of the Castle This obliged the King to leave the Care of the Siege to the Elector and the Duke of Holstein Ploen and to repair to the Army with a Resolution to oppose the French who seemed now fully bent to fight him In order to this the Marshal de Villeroy drew out his Army in formal Array and attacked the advanced Guard of the Confederate Horse for the gaining of an advantageous Post which obliged the King to keep the Field from 4 in the Morning till 8 at Night but the Marshal being repulsed by the Hessian Horse and finding it would not do that way he retired without any Noise in the Night and next day was seen moving along the Mehaign extending his Right Wing to Perwys and his Left to Bonefse as the King at the same time advanced with his Army towards Ostin and that way to observe his motion But tho' his Majesty saw them now secure from the Assaults of Villeroy from without yet besides the troublesomeness of such a Neighbour scarcity began to creep into his Camp wherefore upon the 19th of Aug. his Majesty with the Elector of Bavaria Prince Vaudemont and other General Officers concerted a General Assault for next day the disposition and manner whereof was as followeth My Lord Cutts with 3000 English was to attack the Counterscarp and Breach of the Terra Nova and that part of the Line of Communication between the Cohorne and the Terra Nova which was next to the Terra Nova The Count de Rivera was to attack the Breach of the Cohorne and that part of the aforesaid Line of Communication next the Cohorne with 3000 Bavarians and Others Major General la Cave was to attack on the Right of Count Rivera with 2000 Brandenburgers the upper Point of the Cohorne and part of the Cohorne and part of the Communication to the Casotte Major General Swerin was to attack the Casotte with 2000 Dutch and at the same time a Colonel was to attack the Lower Town with 600 Men. The Signal was to be a considerable Quantity of Powder blown up upon the old Battery near the Brussels Port and the Word of Battle given by the Elector of Bavaria was God with Vs. The Directions given by the Elector of Bavaria to the aforesaid General Officers that were to command the respective Attacks in chief were as follows That a certain number of Men should be commanded in each Attack upon the Forlorn Hope another number to sustain them and the rest to be upon the Reserve and as to Particulars he left it to each General Officer Commanding in Chief to do as his own Judgment and the Occasion should direct him only it was ordered that Count Rivera's Attack and those upon the Right of him should begin some Minutes before the English Attack because that was like to be the most difficult The Lord Cutts the Night before the Attack received a Detachment from the King of 1000 chosen Men which were to be part of his 3000 For his Majesty was now at the Head of the Confederate Army and had left my Lord Cutts to command all the English that stayed with the Duke of Bavaria to carry on the Siege It was ordered by the Duke of Bavaria the Night before the Action That all the Troops designed for the several Attacks should march into the Trenches before day there to lie undiscovered till the Hour of Signal The Lord Cutts in pursuance of this Order marched into the Trenches with his Men some Hours before day but there not being room enough to cover all his Men he was forced to place 3 Regiments at the Abby of Salsen which was the nearest Place to the Trenches where they could lie undiscover'd The Disposition which my Lord Cutts made for the English was as follows He commanded 4 Serjeants
present Treaty by his Majesty or the said Lords the States General and their Successors nevertheless this Peace and Alliance shall remain in its full Force without coming to a Rupture of the Amity and good Correspondence But the said Breaches shall be dresently repair'd and if they proceed from the Misdemeanor of any private Subjects they only shall suffer Punishment XIV And for the better Assurance for the future of the Trade and Amity between the Subjects of the said Lord the King and those of the said Lords the States General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries it is accorded and agreed That if hereafter any Interruption of Friendship or Rupture shall happen between the Crown of France and the said Lords the States General of the United Provinces which God forbid there shall be always nine Months time allowed after the said Rupture for the Subjects of each Party to retire with their Effects and to transport 'em whether they shall think fit Which it shall be lawful for 'em to do as also to sell and transport their Gods and Moveables with all Freedom without any Hindrance or Molestation or Proceeding during the said space of nine Months to any Seizure of their Goods much less to any Arrests of their Persons XV. The Treaty of â—eace between the deceas'd King and the Elector of Brandenburg concluded at St. German enlay the 29th of June 1697. shall be re-establish'd between his Most Christian Majesty and his present Electoral Highness of Brandenburg in all the Points and Articles of it XVI In regard it is of high Concernment to the publick Tranquility that the Peace concluded between his Most Christian Majesty and his Royal Highness the Duke of Savoy August the 9th 1696. should be exactly observ'd it is agreed That the same be confirm'd by this present Treaty XVII And in regard his Majesty and the Lords the States General acknowledge themselves beholding for the effectual good Offices which the King of Sweden has continually contributed by his good Counsels and Admonitions toward the publick Safety and Repose it is agreed on both sides That his said Swedish Majesty with his Kingdoms shall be expresly comprehended in the present Treaty in the most ample Form that may be done XVIII In this present Treaty of Peace and Alliance shall be comprehended on the part of the said Lord the Most Christian King all those that shall be nominated before the Exchange of the Ratifications and within the space of six Months after they shall have been Exchanged XIX And on the part of the Lords the States General the King of Great Britain and the King of Spain and all the rest of the Allies who in the space of six Weeks to reckon from the Exchange of the Ratifications shall declare themselves willing to accept of the Peace as also the Thirteen Laudable Cantons of the Confederate Switzers and their Allies and Confederates and particularly in the best Form and Manner that may be the Evangelick Republicks and Cantons of Zurig Berne Glaris Basle Schasthause and Appenzel with all their Allies and Confederates as also the Republick of Geneva and its Dependencies the City and County of Neufchastelle the Cities of St. Galles Milhause and Bienne also the Confederate Grizons and their Dependancies the Cities of Bremen and Embden and more-over all Kings Princes and States Cities and private Persons to whom the Lords the States General upon request to them made shall grant Liberty to be comprehended therein XX. The said Lord the King and the said Lords the States General consent That the King of Sweden as Mediator and all the rest of the Potentates and Princes who are desirous to enter into the same Engagement may give to his said Majesty and the said Lords the States General their Promises and Obligations of Guarranty for the performance of all that is contain'd in this present Treaty XXI The present Treaty shall be ratify'd and confirm'd by the Lord the King and the Lords the States General and the Letters of Ratification shall be deliver'd within the Term of Three Weeks or sooner if it may be to count from the Day of the Signing XXII And for the greater Security of Peace and of all Clauses and Articles therein contain'd the present Treaty shall be publish'd verify'd and register'd in the Court of Parliament in Paris and in all the other Parliaments of the Kingdom of France and Chamber of Accounts in Paris aforesaid as also in like manner the said Treaty shall be publish'd verify'd and register'd by the Lords the States General in the Courts and other Places where such Publications Verifications and Registers are accustom'd to be made In Faith of which We the Embassadors of his said Majesty and the Lords the States General by virtue of Our respective Powers have in the said Names sign'd these sents with Our usual Subscriptions and put thereto Our several Seals of our Coats of Arms. At Ryswick in Holland September the 20th 1697. The Separate ARTICLE BEsides what has been concluded and determin'd by the Treaty of Peace between the Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries of the Most Christian King and those of the Lords the States General of the United Provinces this 20th of September 1697. It is yet farther agreed by this Separate Article which shall have the same Force and Virtue as if it were Word for Word in the above-mention'd Treaty That his Most Christian Majesty shall consent as he does hereby consent by this present Article That the Emperor and Empire shall be allow'd till the 1st of November next to accept the Conditions of Peace propos'd as the last that are to be made by his said Most Christian Majesty according to his Declaration of the 1st of this present Month of September if his Imperial Majesty and the Empire cannot otherwise agree with his said Most Christian Majesty and in case that within the said time the Emperor and the Empire do not accept the said Conditions or do not otherwise agree with his said Most Christian Majesty the said Treaty of Peace shall have its full and entire Effect and shall be fulfill'd according to its Form and Tenor so that the said Lords the States General shall in no manner oppose it either directly or indirectly under any Pretence whatsoever In Faith of which We the Embassadors of his said Majesty and the States General by vertue of Our respective Powers have in the said Names sign'd this Separate Article with Our usual Subscriptions and seal'd it with Our Coats of Arms at Ryswick in Holland this 20th Day of September 1697. Sign'd L. S. N. A de Harlay Bonueil L. S. Verjus de Crecy L. S. De Callieres L. S. A. Hensius L. S. E. de Weede L. S. W. V. Haren Thus having inserted the English and Dutch Articles at full length nothing less can be expected than that I should do the like by the Spaniards who will be thought not to have fared the worse for the Peace
our Reasons may appear both now and for the future in the Acts of the present Negotiation We the Embassadors and Plenipotentiaries whose Names are underwritten earnestly desire their Excellencies the Embassadors Mediators that this our Remonstrance may be inserted in their Protocol or Register and that they may have an Act given 'em to confirm the presenting it Protesting also at the same time that their Masters are no less Zealous for the Peace then the rest of the Princes of Europe and that it is great Grief to 'em that they cannot sign in their Master's Name by reason of a Difficulty that was no way foreseen The Embassadors and Plenipotentiaries here present have sign'd the present Declaration and thereto fix'd their Seals in the Names of the Electors Princes and States of the Sâ—cred Roman Empire of the Confession of Auspurg who sent us their Deputies to the Treaty of Peace At the Hague 15th October 4 November 1697. In the Name of the Elector of Saxony Christopher Dieteric Bose the Younger Dutchy of Deux Ponts George Frederick de Snoilsky Saxon Gota Adolph Christian Aveman Duke of Brunswick Zell E. Klinggraffe Landtgrave of Hesse-Cassel William Vultesius Elector of Brandenburgh W. de Schmettau N. E. L. B. de Dankâ—lman Duke of Sauon Coburg Henry Richard L. B. de Hagen Margrave of â—â—â—eith E. L. B. de Stein Duke of Brunswick Wolfenbutel John William de Mansberg Dutchy of Holstein Gluckstar Dethlevus Nicholus de Lewencron But to return the Conferences still continued at Ryswick and all things were agreed on by the 30th of Oct. and the Treaty Signed then being Two Days before the time limitted by France to accept of her Offers The Articles were to this purpose IN the Name of the most Holy Trinity Amen Be it known unto All and every One that a cruel War attended with the Effusion of much Christian Blood and the Devastation of several Provinces having been waged for some Years last past between the most Serene and most Puissant Prince and Lord Leopâ—ld elected Emperour of the Romans always August King of Germany Hungary Bohemia of Dalmatia Croatia and Sclavonia Archduke of Austriâ— Duke of Burgundy Brabant Stiria Carinthia and Carniola Marquiss of Moravia Duke of Luxemburg of the Upper and Lower Silesia of Wirtemberg and of Teckay Prince of Suabia Counâ— of Habâ—bourg of Tyrol Kybourg and Goritia Marquiss of the Sacred Roman Empire Burgaw of the Upper and Lower Lusatia Lord of the Sclavonian Marches of Port-Naon and Salins c. and the Sacred Roman Empire on one part and the most Serene and most Puissant Prince and Lord Lewis XIV the most Christian King of France and Navarre on the other part Now his Imperial Majesty and his most Christian Majesty having most seriously apply'd themselves to terminate and put an end as soon as possible to those Mischiefs that daily encreas'd to the Ruine of Christendom by the Divine Assistance and by the Care of the most Serene and most Puissant Prince and Lord Charles XI King of Swedeland Goths and Vandâ—ls Grand Prince of Finland Duke of Scania Esthonia Livonia of Carelia Bremen Perden of Stetin Pomerania Cassubia and Vandalia Prince of Râ—gâ—n and Lord of Ingria and Wismar Count Palatine of the Rhine Duke of Bavaria Juliens Câ—â—ves and Bergues of Illustrious Memory who from the very beginning of these Commotions did not cease effectually to sollicit the Christian Princes to Peace and afterwards having been accepted as Universal Mediator never desisted gloriously to labour even to his dying Day to procure the same with all imaginable speed having to this purpose appointed and settled Conferences in the Palace of â—yswick in Holland and after his Decease the most Serene and most Puissant Prince and Lord Câ—arles XII King of Sweden Goths and Vandâ—ls Grand Prince of 〈◊〉 Duke of Scania Esthonia of Livonia Carelia Bremen of Ferden Stetin Pomerania Cassubia and of Vandalia Prince of Rugen Lord of Ingria and of Wismar Count Palatine of the Rhine Duke of Bavaria Juliers Cleves and Bergues Inheriting from his Royal Father the same longing Desire and Earnestness to procure the publick Tranquility and the Treaties having been brought to their perfection by the foresaid Conferences the Ambassadors and Plenipotentiaries lawfully appointed and established by both Parties being met to this effect at the aforesaid place that is to say on the Emperor's part the most Illustrious and most Excellent Lords the Sieur Dominic Andrew Kaunitz Count of the Holy Roman Empire Hereditary Lord of Austerlitz of Hungarischbord Marischpruss and Orzechan the Great Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece intimate Councellor of State to his Sacred Imperial Majesty Chamberlain and Vice-Chancellour of the Holy Empire the Sieur Henry John Stratman Sieur de Puerbach Count of the Holy Roman Empire Lord of Oâ—th Schmiding Spatenbrun and Carlsberg Imperial Aulique Councellor Chamberlain to his Sacred Imperial Majesty and the Siuer John Frederick free and noble Baron of Seilern Imperial Aâ—lique Councellor to his Sacred Imperial Majesty and one of the Plenipotentiaries in the Imperial Diets And on the part of his Sacred most Christian Majesty the most Illustrious and most Excellent Lords the Sieur Nicholas Augustâ—â— de Harlay Knight Lord of Boneuil Count of Cely Ordinary Councellor to the King in his Council of State The Sieur Lewis Verjus Knight Ordinary Councellor to the King in his Council of State Count de Crecy Marquiss of Freon Baron of Couvay Lord of Boulay of the two Churches of Fort-Isle and other places together with the Sieur Francis de Callieres Lord of Callieres of Rochechellay and Gigny By the Mediation and Intercession of the most Illustrious and most Excellent Lords the Sieur Charles Bonde Count de Biornoo Lord of Hesleby Tyres Toftaholm of Graffteen Gustavusberg and of Rezitza Councellor to his Majesty the King of Sweden and President of the supreme Senate of Dorpat in Livonia and of the Sieuâ— Nicholas free Baron of Lillierooâ— Secretary of State to his Majesty the King of Sweden and Extraordinary Ambassador to their High and Mightinesses the States General of the United Provinces both of them Extraordinary Ambassadors and Plenipotentiaries for confirming and establishing a General Peace who have faithfully discharg'd their Duty of Mediatorship with Integrity Application and Prudence The Plenipotentiaries of the Electors Princes and deputed States of the Holy Roman Empire being Present Approving and Consenting after the Invocation of God's Holy Name and the Exchange of their full Powers made in due manner and form did agree for the Glory of God's Holy Name and the Welfare of Christendom upon Conditions of Peace and Concord the Tenor whereof is as followeth I. THere shall be a Christian Universal Perpetual Peace and a true Amity between his Sacred Imperial Majesty and his Successors the whole Holy Roman Empire and the Kingdoms and Hereditary States their Vassals and Subjects on the one part It shall be faithfully and sincerely maintain'd so that the one shall not undertake
have enjoyed or may have enjoyed conformable to the Peace of Westphalia so that whatsoever the Crown of France hath hitherto pretended to as to this Dutchy in whole or in part by what Title soever may rightfully return to his Swedish Majesty and to his Heirs as being Counts Palatines of the Rhine There shall in like manner be restored all the Acts Documents Instructions concerning the said Dutchy together with the Artillery that was therein at the time when France seized upon it and all other Things agreed upon in the preceding Articles relating to Restitutions X. As to what concerns the Principality of Veldents and what the late Prince Leopold Lewis Count Palatine of the Rhine hath possest by virtue of the said Principality or of that of Lautrec it shall be restor'd in pursuance to the IV Article and to the Inventory or List exhibited by the Ambassadors of France saving only the Rights of each of the Pretenders as well in regard to the Possessor as to the Claimer XI There shall be restored to Prince Francis Lewis Palatine Great Master of the Teutonick Order and Bishop of Wormes all the Commands wholly without exception taken by France from the said Order and which have been assigned to him or which he hath anciently possest together with the Places Revenues and Rights and the said Order shall enjoy by vertue of the said Commands and Estates situate within the Dominion of France as well in respect of Collation as Administration the same Customs Privileges and Exemptions that it enjoyed heretofore according to its Statutes and Laws and which the Order of St. John of Jerusalem were wâ—nt to enjoy likewise all that hath been decreed in relation to Restitutions of Places Contributions and otherwise shall take place in behalf of the Bishop of Wormes and of other Churches of the said Prince XII There shall be restored to the Elector of Cologne in quality of Bishop and Prince of Liege the Castle and City of Dinant in the same Condition they were in when the French possest themselves of them together with all the Rights and Dependencies and all the Artillery and Instructions that were found therein at that time As for the rest whatsoever hath been determined and regulated in the IVth Article in relation to what hath been taken by Unions and Re-unions shall be look'd upon as repeated in particular in favour of the Churches of Cologne and Liege XIII The Family or House of Wirtemberg and particularly Duke George shall be re-establish'd for him and his Successors with respect to the Principality and County of Monbelliard in the same Condition Rights and Prerogatives and particularly the same immediate Dependence upon the Roman Empire it hath heretofore enjoy'd and which the Princes of the Empire did enjoy or ought to have enjoy'd making void and of none effect all Acknowledgment in quality of Vassal made to the Crown of France in 1681. And they the said Princes shall henceforward freely enjoy all the Revenues that depend upon the said Principality and County as well Secular as Ecclesiastick that they enjoyed before the Peace of Nimeguen as likewise all Fiefs that have been opened in favour of them or which they have made over or granted to others during the Detension of France excepting only the Village of Baldenheim together with the Appurtenances which the Most Christian King hath bestowed on the Commander of Chamlay Camp-Master-General to his Armies which said Donation ought still to subsist yet in such a manner notwithstanding that Homage be paid to the foresaid Duke of Wirtemberg and his Successors as to the direct Lord and that he be oblig'd to beg of him to be invested in it In like manner the said Princes shall be reinstated in the full and free Possession as well of their Inheritance possest in Burgundy of Clereval and Possevant as of the Lordships of Granges Herricourt of Blamont Chatelart and of Clermont and others situate and being in Burgundy and in the Principality of Monbelliard with all their Rights and Revenues intire and just in the same manner as they possest them before the Peace of Nimeguen abolishing totally all that has been done and pretended to the contrary under what Pretence at what Time and after what manner soever it may be XIV In like manner the Marquiss of Baden's Family shall enjoy all the Right and Benefit of the present Treaty and consequently of that of Westphalia and Nimeguen and and more particularly of the Fourth and Fifth Articles of the present Treaty XV. The Princes and Counts of Nassaw of Hanaw and of Leininguen and all other States of the Holy Roman Empire who are to be re-instated by the Fourth Article of this Treaty and others shall likewise be re-instated accordingly in all and several their Estates and Dominions in the Rents and Revenues that depend thereon and in all the other Rights and Benefits of what nature soever they may be XVI And because for the better securing and confirming the Peace it hath been judged meet and expedient here and there to exchange some Countries his Imperial Majesty and the Empire do yield up and grant to his Most Christian Majesty and the Kings his Successors the City of Strasburg and all that depends thereon on the left Hand of the Rhine together with the whole Right Propriety and Sovereignty that have belonged or might have belonged to his said Imperial Majesty and to the Roman Empire till this present time and do all and several of them transfer and make over to his Most Christian Majesty and the Kings his Successors in such sort that the said City with all its Appurtenances and Dependancies situate and being on the left Hand of the Rhine without all Exception with the intire Jurisdiction Superiority and Sovereignty from this very time and for ever shall belong and appertain to His Most Christian Majâ—sty and his Successors and are united to and Incorporated with the Crown of France without any Contradiction on the account of the Emperor Empire or of any other whatsoever and for the greater Confirmation of the said Concession and Allenation the Emperor and Empire do expresly disclaim by vertue of this present Transaction the Decrees Constitutions Statutes and Customs of the Roman Empire even tho' confirm'd by Oath or that may hereafter be confirm'd and particularly the Imperial Capitulation inasmuch as it prohibits all manner of Alienation of the Estates and Rights of the Empire all which they do absolutely and expresly renounce discharging and freeing the said City and all its Magistrates Officers Citizens and Subjects from all their Bonds Oaths and Engagements whereby they have been obliged to the Emperor and Empire and permitting it to take an Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance to the Most Christian King and his Successors and by putting the Most Christian King into full and just property possession and Sovereignty from this very time and for ever renouncing all Rights Pretensions and Claims to the same and being willing to
is not to be forced in Matters of Religion and so regulate their Actions accordingly But however it may prove with these of the Popish Communion and how rigorously they may be still bent to extripate that which they mis-call by the Name of Heresie and how great soever the Demerit of our Suffering Brethren may be the general and solemn Days of Humiliation and Prayers appointed for their Deliverance by almost the Universal Authority of all the Protestant Princes and States of Europe is one good sign that their Salvation draweth nigh The INDEX A. ABstract of Peace between the Empire and France Page 58 c. between France Sweden and Brandenburgh 66. between France Sweden and Denmark 71 c. Ackmet Sultan of the Turks his Death 534. Aeth besieged and surrender'd to the French 593. Agria surrendred to the Imperialists 235. Aghrim a Relation of the Battle there 429 c. Albania ravaged by the Turks 407. Alba Regalis surrendred by the Imperialists 249. Alexander VIII Pope his Death 456. Allâ—es endeavour to keep Spain out of the Peace 38. Altercations about the Basis of the Reswick Treaty 595 and 599. Ann Princess her Letter to the Queen 289 c. Argyle E. of lands in Scotland 267. his Declaration 268 c. taken and beheaded 269. Articles of Alliance between England and Holland 23 c. of Peace between Holland and France 28 c. between France and Spain 41 c. between Strasburgh and France 113 c. between France and Savoy 565 c. Of Neutrality in Italy 575. Of Peace between England and France 603 c. between Holland and France 609 c. between France and Spain 619 c. between the Empire and France 647 c. of Alliance between France and Sweden 676 c. Assassination discovered 541. Assassins tried and executed 552 c. Association at Exeter for the Prince of Orange 285. Athens submits to the Venetians 242. Athlone besieged in vain by the English 375. besieged again 425. taken 427. Avaux Count de his Memorial at the Hague 259. Ausburg the League there 131. B. BAden P. Lewis of defeats the Turks at Brod 254. made General in Hungary 336. defeats the Turks at Patochin 337 c. At Nissa 333. reduces Transylvania and expels Tekeley 414. beats the Turks at Salankemen 453 c. Barkan the Battle there between the Christians and the Turks 147. taken by the Germans 148. Bavaria Elect. of arrives with his Troops before Buda 158. made General in Hungary 250. his Letter to Osman Basha 252. takes Belgrade by storm 254. Beaumont Lieutenant-Colonel his Speech refuses Irish Soldiers is imprisoned c. 260. Belgrade besieged by the Imperialists 250. taken by Storm 254. besieged again by the Turks 411. taken by Storm 412. besieged again by the Imperialists 489. Siege raised 490. Berghen Prince of his Letter to Villeroy 522. Beverning Dutch Plenipotentiary his Saying of the French 11. of the King of England ib. Acts the Mediator ib. complies with the French 19. Articles against him 40. Bill of Exclusion 91 c. rejected by the Lords 94. Bishops seven their Petition to King James 245 c. imprison'd and acquitted 246 c. Advice to him 261 c. Black Box the story of it 80. Bonne besieged and surrendred to the Elector of Brandenburgh 335 c. Boufflers Mareschal de seized at Namur 530. released 531. Boyle Robert Esq his Death and Character 475. Boyne the Battle there 369 c. Brandenburgh Elector of solicits Peace in France 62. Fails and endeavours to embroil the Peace of the Empire ib. his Letter to the French King 64 c. receives Money of France 67. his Demands of the States ib. his Death 305. this Letter to Elbing 684 c. Brussels bombarded by the French â—22 Buda besieged by the Imperialists 156. the Siege raised 159. besieged a second time 208 Battle there 205. the siege continued 209 taken by storm 211. C. CAlais bomb'd by the English 561. Catamata abandoned by the Turks 195. Cambray surrendred to the French 9. Caminieck relieved by the Tartars 507. Canea besieged by the Venetians in vain 475 c. Canisia surrendred to the Imperialists 408. Carignan the Action there between the French and Confederates 403. Carigfergus besieged by the English and surrendred 324. Carmagnola besieged and taken by the French 449. retaken by the Confederates 451. Casal the siege of it and taken by the Confederates 532. Castle-Nuova besieged by the Venetians 240. surrendred 239. Charlemont Castle surrendred to the English 365. Charleroy besieged by the French and surrendred 482. Charles II. King unconstant to his Engagements to the P. of Orange 13. tempted with Money from France 18. concludes an Alliance with Holland 22. his Letter to the Duke of York 75. constitutes a new Council ib. unconstant 76. disclaims any Marriage with Monmouth's Mother 80 c. his Different Demeanour to the Addressors for Parliaments and Abhorrers of Petitioning 82. his Speech to the Parliament 90 c. petitioned by several Lords for the Sitting of the Parliament at Westminster 97 c. dissolves the Oxford Parliament and his pretended Reasons for it 108. prosecutes Protest-Dissentors 115 his Methods to get Charters surrendred and his design therein 129. demolishes Tangier that cost him so much 130. contemptible abroad 149. his Death and Character 165. Charnock his Paper at his Execution 552 c. Chialafa besieged by the Turks in vain 216. Churchill Lord his Letter to King James 289. Ciclut taken by the Venetians 505. Colledge Stephen tried at Oxford and Executed 110. Congress at the Hague 421. Comet appear'd 97. Commons the House of debate King James's Speech 184. address him to turn out the Popish Officers ib. Conferences about Peace renewed at Nimeguen 55. Coni besieged by the French 449. relieved 450. Conspiracy in the Army in Ireland 328. in England 458. Conti Prince of goes from Poland and his Letter to the Republick 640. returns 641. Corinth abandoned by the Turks 241. Cork besieged and surrendred to the English 384 c. Cornish Mr. tried 181. executed 182. Coron besieged the Battle there 192 c. taken by Storm 194. Coin remedied 540. Courland Duke of his Death 689. Cross du his Message from England to Holland 25. contriv'd in Portsmouth's Lodgings 26. Czar of Muscovy his Travels 682. D. DAngerfield Thomas whipp'd and kill'd 203. Dauphine Married 87. Debates of the Lords and Commons about Abdication 307 c. Declaration for Liberty of Conscience 224. at Nottingham in favour of the Pr. of Orange 286 c. of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal at Guildhal 297. of Right in England 308 c. of Right in Scotlandâ— 312. English Declaration of War against France 320 c. of the Protestant Princes against the 4th Article of Reswick 643 c. Deynse surrendred to the French 520. Delamere Lord rises for the P. of Orange in Cheshire 284. Demands of the Allies at Nimeguen 5 c. Denmark Ambassador of enrag'd at
the Peace with the Emperor 61. sollicites Peace in France with little success ib. Derry the Siege of it 323. Diepe bombarded by the English 498. Diet of Ratisbonne's Result on the Emperor's Memorial 88. Dixmude surrendered to the Fr. 520. Doge of Venice his Death 255. Dulcigno besieged by the Venetians in vain 580. Dundee slain 317. Dutch at Nimeguen inclinable to a Peace 8. E. EBeremberg taken by the Germans 631. Electorate the Ninth 476. Elbing invested by the E. of Brandenburgh 684. Articles of Surrendry 685 c. Eleanor Queen her death 673. Embassadors Turkish press for a Peace 357. Emp-prepares against the Turks 131. gives the Command to the Duke of Lorrain 132. retires from Vienna to Lintz 133. returns to Vienna 146. his Letter to the late K. James 318 c. his Proposal of Peace to the Turks 357. his Answer to the Polish Envoy's Complaint 488 c. Empire's Complaint of the French Incroachments 89. English die-a-pace at Dundalk Camp 328. their Attempt upon Brest 495. Esperies besieged by the Germans in vain 160. besieged a second time ib. surrendred 191. Esseck the Town taken and the Bridge burnt by the Imperialists 190. abandoned by the Turks 234. besieged by 'em in vain 412 c. Essex the Earl of his Speech to K. Charles II 97. his Murther in the Tower 116. Extract of the Peace between the Muscovites and Turks 692. between the Poles and the Turks 693 c. between the Emperor and the Turks 695 c. between the Venetians and the Turks 699 c. F. FEnwick Sir John the Bill of Attainder against him 585. Parliaments Proceedings upon it 586 c. his Paper at his Execution 589 c. Feversham E. of his Letter to the P. of Orange 296. Fitz-Harris Edw. his Libel 102 c. concerned in the Meal tub Plot 106. discovers the Sham 107. impeached by the Commons to prevent his trial ib. tryed condemn'd and executed 109 c. Five Churches besieged and taken by the Imperialists 213. Fleet French beaten and burnt by the English c. 458 c. Flerus the Battle there 394 c. French make Devastations in Germany 8. take Valenciennes 9. comply with the Spaniards 41. invade Juliers 56. invade it again 65. propose odd Conditions to the Court of Bavaria 86. enlarge their Limits in Alsatia 89. their Encroachments in Flanders 90. their Carriage upon the Turks invading Hungary 131. begin the War upon the Rhine 257. burn and ravage the Palatinate 333. beat the Confederate Fleet at Sea 361. prevail in Catalonia 400. attempt a separate Peace with the Emperor 420. opprest with Famine offer Peace to the Confederates 488. fight the Spaniards in Catalonia 562. attack the Smyrna Fleet 477. Friend Sir John his Paper at his Execution 554 c. G. GAlloway surrendred to the English 433. Genoa bombarded by the Fr. 152. submits 153. George Prince his Letter to King James 288. Germans march toward Buda and rout the Turks 155. Ghent besieged and surrendred to the French 14. Givet the Magazine burnt 560. Godfrey Sir Edmundbury Murdered 73. the Discovery of it ib. c. Gran besieged by the Imperialists 148. taken ib. besieged by the Turks 186. relieved and the Battle there 187. Grandval the Sieur de his Trial and Execution 467. Great Waradin blockaded by the Imperialists 455. besieged and surrendred 476. H. HAlliwell Baron worsted and slain by the Turks 154 c. Hanover Elector of his death 689. Havre de Grace bomb'd by the English 498. Heidelburg taken and destroyed by the French 483. Heusler General beaten and made Prisoner in Transylvania 409. Holland Preparations there for England 258. Holstein Gottorp Duke of restored to his Territories 72. Hough Dr. chosen President of Magdalen Colledge 202. Huy taken by the French 479. besieged and taken by the Confederates 500. I. JAmaica an Earth quake there c. 473. James II. King his Speech to the Council 165. Crown'd and his Speech to the Parliament ib. his Practises against the Duke of Monmouth 169. his proceedings in respect to Ireland 182. his Speech to the Parliament about the Popish Officers 183. thanked for it by the Lords 184. his proceedings in respect to Charters 196. sets up the Ecclesiastical Commission ib. his Usage of the Fellows of Magdalen Colledge 202. his Letter to the Scotch Parliament 205. grants toleration of Religion 223. instructs the Judges going the Circuits â—b c. commands the Declaration of Indulgence to be read in Churches 245. the Bishops petition to him upon it ib. his Answer 246. restores London Charter 260. dissolves the Ecclesiastical Commimission c. 263 c. enters Salisbury 284. forsaken by divers of the Nobility 288. returns to London 289. issues Writs to call a Parliament 290 his Proposals to the P. of Orange 294. his Letter to the E. of Feversham 295. withdraws ib. returns to London 301. withdraws into France 303. his Reasons for withdrawing ib. c. abdicates the Throne 306. lands in Ireland c. 319. flees for France 375. his Letter to the Irish Troops arrived in France 446. his Letter to the Fr. King 459 c. Jefferies Chief Justice his proceedings and cruelties in the West 180. takes Money 181. made Lord Chancellor 196. Jenkins Sir Lionel refuses to sign the separate Peace with Spain 41. Imperialists successful in Vpper Hungary 191. Innocent XI his Death and Character 357. Johnson Samuel whip'd 203. his Address to the English Soldiers 204 c. Joseph Archduke crowned King of Hungary 235. chosen K. of the Romans 397 c. Ireland entirely reduc'd 323. Irish routed by the Iniskilliners 446. defeated again near Sligo which they took 327. routed by Woolsly 362. K. KEys his Paper at his Execution 554. Keyserwaert besieged and surrendred to the Elector of Brandenburg 330 c. King of France's Letter to K. Ch. II. and Message 10. his project of Peace 14. c. refused by the Mediator 17. his Letter to the States General 19. ratifies the Peace with Holland 36. prefixes time and condions of Peace to Denmark and Brandenburg 62. his Letter to his Army 499 c. King his Paper at his Execution 553 c. Kingsale besieged and surrendred to the English 386 c. Kirk Major General his cruelty in the West 181. L. LAnden the great Battle there 481. Lepanto abandoned by the Turks 241 Lesley Count routs the Turks in Sclavonia 159. takes the Town of Esseck 190. Letter to the States General from Turin 533. of General Veterani's defeat 535 c. Liberachi Basha embraces the Venetian Interest 579. Liege the Pr. of dies 497. Limerick besieged in vain by the English 379 c. besieged a second time 434 c. surrendred and the Articles 436 c. Lippa taken by the Imperialists 249. retaken by the Turks 535. Lithuania Troubles there 682. appeased and the Articles 688. London the Charter of it question'd 116. taken away 115. the Bishop of it suspended and the Reason of the Courts displeasure against
Artillery Horses were most of them yet at Chester and therefore the Duke ordered the greatest part of the Train to be shipt and the Fleet to sail with them and all other Necessaries to Carlingford Bay while in the mean time the Duke marched the Army beyond Lisburn and so onwards through Hilsborough and encamped at Drummore where Hamilton had routed the Northern Protestants The day following they continued their March to Lougbbrilane where the Iniskilling Horse and Dragoons joined and were ordered to be an Advance Guard to the Army But before they could reach Newry the Irish Troops had deserted and burnt it yet the General finding an old square Tower in it left standing he garrison'd it with 50 Men and from hence they advanced to Dundalk and encamp'd about a mile North of the Town in a low moist ground having the Town and the River towards the W. between them and the Enemy the Sea towards the S. the Newry Mountains to the E. and to the N. Hills and Bogs intermixt The bad Weather constant Marches and scarcity of Provisions made our Men already begin to faint but here they met with some refreshment of Mutton and were on the 8th joined by Major General Kirk's Sir John Hanmor's and Brigadier Stuart's Regiments But the Fleet with the Train c. failing to come up to Carlingford-Bay as directed was a great Discouragement as well as Disappointment to them for several days and so much the more that the General had intelligence by an Engineer that deserted the Enemy that their Army consisting of about 20000 Men was at Drogheda but 16 Miles from Dundalk where the Duke halted and whereof when the General de Rosne heard he said he was sure the Duke wanted something and therefore advised them to make what haste they could to get their Forces in a readiness some part of which in a day or 2 after moved towards Ardee a small Town between Drogheda and Dundalk They continued somewhat in an uncertain Posture till the 20th when in the morning the General had an Account that the Enemy advanced towards him and that a Party of 2000 Foot and 1500 Horse were gone beyond the Mountains to attack the Pass at Newry and fall into their Rear but tho' a Party of the Enemies Horse appear'd in the sight of their Camp and that they had several Battalions of Foot drawn up in order near to theirs yet they retired upon the advancing of a Party of Horse against them and the other Detachment hearing my Lord Hewet's Horse and Sir Henry Inglesby's Foot were marching to the Camp and then in Newry they wheeled off towards Sligo But the day following the Enemy display'd their Standard Royal and all drew out both Horse and Foot having along with them a very handsome Train of Artillery and a great Body of their Horse advanced towards our Armies Out-works Several of the English Officers were for fighting and would have the Duke send for the Horse home that were a forraging but his Answer was Let them alone we will see what they will do and notwithstanding he saw them advance within Cannon-shot of his Trenches yet he said still he saw no sign of their designing to fight only once when he saw them draw their Army into two Lines he sent Lieutenant-General Douglas to the Camp to order all the Foot to stand to their Arms and sent to the Horse that upon firing 3 Pieces of Cannon they should return to the Camp but till then go on with their foraging and in the mean time alighted off of his Horse and sat him down on a little Hill seeming as if he sleeped but no doubt his Thoughts were wakeful enough and busie about the present Posture of his Affairs Douglas had no sooner given the Orders but the Soldiers with the greatest chearfulness in the world stood to their Arms and several that had not stirred out of their Tents for a week together now readily handled their Muskets being glad to think they had an opportunity to beat the Enemy for they never supposed otherwise and so to march towards them from that sad place which was already very uneasie to them but in some time the Enemy drew off and so the matter ended much to the dissatisfaction of the English Soldiers In a day or two after this there was a dangerous Conspiracy discovered among some of the French Regiments and first 4 Soldiers and a Drummer then 16 more were apprehended about some of whom several Letters were found as one to Monsieur d' Avaux and as was said one to the late King written by one duâ— Plessey now a private Soldier in M. Gambon's Regiment but formerly a Captain of Horse in France from whence he fled for Murther and by which it did appear he had for some time corresponded with the Enemy And a further Enquiry being made into the Matter there was about 200 Men all Papists out of the 3 French Regiments that were secured disarmed and sent for England under a Guard and 6 only of the principal Conspirators of whom dâ—Plessey was one were hanged upon a pair of Gallows erected near the Camp But though the Duke was very wary of engaging the Irish Army because of their Strength and Numbers it was not so with the Iniskilliners for on Friday the 27th came News into the Camp that Colonel Lloyd with about 1000 Iniskillingers had defeated a Body of the Irish that were marching towards Sligo consisting of about 5000 Men killing 700 of them and taking O Kelly their Commander and 40 other Officers Prisoners besides a great Booty of 8000 head of Cattle with the inconsiderable loss of 14 Men. With this News the General was so taken that he ordered all the Iniskillin Horse and Foot in the Camp to draw out and complemented them so far as to ride all along their Line with his Hat off then ordered the Dutch Guards and the Iniskillin Foot to draw into a Line to the Right of the Works at the West-End of the Town where they made 3 running Firings which were answered by the Iniskillin Horse from their Camp and by the great Guns upon the Works as also from the Ships that lay at the Mouth of the River But this success was some time after much abated by the loss of Sligo and James's Town to the Irish for Colonel Sarsfield marching with a considerable Body of Men that way those of James's Town not thinking it tenable quitted it and marched to Sligo losing some of their Party and killing some of the Irish in their Retreat Next day Sarsfield with his Army came before Sligo which made Colonel Russel retreat to Ballishannon and to advise the Foot also to quit the place But for all this a French Captain with a detach'd Party of Granadiers that had been sent from the main Army and Colonel Lloyd with the Iniskilliners staid in the Town and from thence retreated to the two Forts at the end of it Lloyd