MEMOIRS Of the most Remarkable ENTERPRISES AND ACTIONS OF James Duke of York ALBANY and VLSTER LONDON Printed for Richard Janeway in Queens-Head-Alley in Pater-Noster-Row 1681. MEMOIRS OF The most Remarkable Enterprises and Actions OF James Duke of York ALBANY and VLSTER JAMES Duke of YORK Brother to our Gracious Sovereign Charles the Second King of England c. descending from James the Sixth King of Scotland who bore an unquestionable Title to the Crown of England from James the Fourth King of Scotland who married Margaret Eldest Daughter of Henry the Seventh King of England by whom he had James the Fifth who had one only Child Mary Queen of Scots who had also one only Son James the Sixth who from James the Fourth had undoubted Right to the Kingdom of Scotland and from Margaret King Henry the Sevenths Eldest Daughter the Male Line being quite extinct a certain Title to the Crown of England from whose Line descended our late Sovereign Lord King Charles the First and in the same our present Gracious Sovereign Charles the Second whom God preserve Also out of the aforesaid Royal Lines came James Duke of YORK Brother to our King Omitting any further Discourse of his Birth or Education we proceed to the most memorable Occurrences of his Life in his Manhood In the Time of his Fathers and his Brothers our Gracious Sovereigns late Troubles Anno 1648. on July the 27th when the Parliament having gotten the Fleet but perceiving their own insufficiency rendred themselves to the Prince viz. our present King then made Captain General of his Father's Forces The Parliament having some inkling thereof Commissioned Colonel Rainsborough formerly a Seaman to the Command thereof whom the Marriners of the Kings Party fairly put on Shore having posed him with this Question of Engaging for their Sovereign With this Naval Force the Prince departed from Holland and came into Yarmouth Road where it was deliberated whether he should land and attempt the Relief of Colchester there were then in Company with him at this adverse Season his Brother the DUKE of YORK 1648. On Apr. the 23d The DUKE of YORK in the Time of the late Troubles being disguised in Womens Apparel made his escape from St. James's by Water and landed at Dort in Holland by the help of one Mr. Bamfield who was purposely sent over on that Design by the Queen Also Anno 1652. In the encounter of Estampes in in France the DUKE of YORK then on the Kings side so valiantly behaved himself that the Marshal De Turenne his General gave a very obliging Character of him as highly meriting in that Service which procured him special regard and honour from that Court and all the Grandees of that Nation Anno 1657. The DUKE of YORK commanding a part of the Spanish Army was marching to joyn with other Forces to the Relief of Montmedy Castle in Lorrain besieged by the French Marshal De Ferte while the English Forces joyned with four Regiments of Horse were advancing from Vervins part of them to the number of 300 quartered in a Castle somewhat distant from the Body the DUKE with a Brigade attaqued and thereupon they presently yielded and took up Arms with him In the same year Mardike being taken September 23th and put into English hands the taking whereof was very grievous to the Dunkirkers and Spanish side and therefore it was resolved by Don John to hazard a Scalado and assault by night the DUKE of YORK and the Marquess of Caracene ordered and were present in the business and the King our Soveraign and the Duke of Gloucester had conveyed themselves to Dunkirk to see the management of this Attempt On the 22d of Octob. at night some 4000 English Scotch and Irish and some Spaniards about ten a Clock at night began the Storm with Hand Granadoes and all sorts of Assaulting Engines and were got into the Trenches and mounted their Scaling Ladders but the English within being in readiness and Reynolds Morgan and Lillingstone being at that same time there the Assailants were with great Slaughter repelled and beaten down the great Guns from the English Fleet Riding at the Splinter Firing their Broad-sides being directed by four great Links set up in the Corners of the Fort how to miss it nevertheless about four a Clock the Duke commanded the Assault to be renewed again which was done with greater Fury but to as little Advantage which Event with the approaching Day-light caused a Retreat the dead being most of them carried off in Waggons In the following year 1658 when the Dunkirk Fight was managed chiefly on the Spanish-side by the DUKE of YORK accompanied with the Duke of Gloucester the Military renown of whose Actions was raised in the French Kings Service he did not only maintain the Fight till the irrestible daring Gallantry of the honour seeking Red-Coats made the Spaniard abandon his Punctilio's and mend his Retreating Pace but sustained the Impression upon the Flight and at least saved the day Anno 1660 About the time of his Majesties Restitution the King being entertained at the Hague in Holland and entreated by several Commissioners in the Name of his Majesties People to return and resume the Scepter and Government The King preparing to depart before which departure the Dutch magnificently treated him But on Sunday the 20th of May the King heard De Hardy Preach before him the place intended was the Erench-Church after their Sermon but they knowing of it being greedy to see the King would not come out of their Seats so it was done in the Princesses Lodgings here the King touched many of the Evil. In the mean while the DUKE of YORK took the Oath of Allegiance of the Fleet having gone aboard the Naseby where the General treated him which Ship at his departure he called the Charles as afterwards the whole Fleet was new Christened in their way homewards Anno 1662. The Queen sailing for England but through the untowardness of the Wind being protracted of her desires in meeting the King and her Arrival being in England expected every day a fortnight before caused the King to send down his Brother the DUKE of YORK Lord high-Admiral to attend on her upon the Coast and to compliment her in his Name whereupon his Highness hasted to Portsmouth and on the eleventh of May attended by the Duke of Ormond the Earl of Suffolk and Chesterfield the Lord Berkley and other persons of Honour went aboard the stately Yacht with which the City of Amsterdam presented the King to Coast about the Isle of Wight to meet her Majesty On the same day Sir Joseph Douglas making towards Portsmouth with an Express from her Majesty to the King was met by his Highness the DUKE of YORK five Leagues off the Isle of Wight who commanded him back with him to the Fleet. On Sunday Morning about ten a Clock they discovered the Royal James but there was so great a Calm that they could not reach the Royal
Charles till six at Evening No sooner had the General espied his Highness Yacht but he went out in his Barge to meet him the Royal Banner being all the while vailed till he was aboard When his Highness came into the Ship the Soldiers gave three several shouts and all the great Guns in the Royal Charles which from that time to the Queens entrance had been silent proclaimed his Welcome After which several ships of the Fleet paid him their salutes Being conducted to her Majesties Cabbin he was placed in a Chair on her right hand where after several expressions of Joy for her Majesties happy Arrival on the Coast of England and having presented his Majesties high Respects to as exceeding Affection to her his Royal Highness took his leave to retire himself to his Yacht for that night and the next morning Sir Joseph Douglas was agoin dispatcht to the King in the illustrious company of the said Duke of Ormond and the Earls but was forced to Tide it thence and sometimes lay at Anchor and could not reach Portsmouth till the Evening Anno 1663. At the beginning of November the DUKE of YORK Lord High-Admiral of England going towards his Charge at Portsmouth having received a Gracious farwel from his Majesty in a short while after he went aboard and joyned with the Prince Rupert and Earl of Sandwich so that it was no easie thing to unlock the Narrow Seas But the Action beween the English and Dutch Fleets at home being but little the DUKE of YORK finding that the Netherlands had laid up their Ships and that there was no need of keeping so great a Navy abroad with all his Train on the seventh of September arrived at White-hall leaving a considerable number of stout Vessels under the Conduct of the Earl of Sandwich having before his departure by a Speech which he made them inspired the Seamen with Resolution chearfully to obey the commands of their Admiral in whatever Enterprize he should have further Order to prosecute In the same and following year the Hollanders preparations for War being open and publick therefore the King journied from Port to Port to hasten out his Fleet as also by his presence to to encourage the Seamen that by the 25th of March ending the year 1664. The Fleet was magnificently prepared with all necessary Provision being ready to receive their Admiral the DUKE of YORK who some days before went very early in the Morning to his Charge attended with divers eminent and honourable Voluntiers Anno 1665. In the War with Holland the DUKE of YORK impatient of their stay resolved to give 'um a visit upon their own Coasts and accordingly with 114 Sail made for the Texel within five Leagues whereof he came to an Anchor some of the Fleet venturing within two Leagues of the Shore where the DUKE took a full View of the Dutch Ships Some few days after they shewed themselves just before the mouth of the Harbour to the great amazement of the People ashore Nor did the English forsake their Stations for a long Season being now encreased to 120 Sail which made the Hollanders erect Beacons all along the Coast of Holland from the Texel to the Maes to give notice upon any Attempt of Landing The DUKE did stay longer than he intended partly in expectation to draw the Dutch to an Engagement partly by reason of cross winds and harie weather Among many Fogs there happened one for the Hollanders good for the DUKE having commanded three Frigats out of his own Squadron and four out of the White and Blew to try if they could meet with any Holland Merchant men returning toward the Vly the Fog was so great that only the three first could Sail. Had not this Fog prevented the whole Fleet had fallen into the hands of the English however ten Sail were taken laden with Wine and Brandy only one West-India-ship of good value another from Lisbon and the last English Vessel taken by them before in the Soundings there were afterwards at times fourteen or sixteen more taken and eight or nine run aground which was the fatal account the Hollanders had of their Burdeaux-Fleet this year Anno 1672. Then the DUKE returning from the Fleet to London put an end to all expectations of any considerable Actions at Sea in this aforesaid year Anno 1673. The DUKE met the Dutchess of Modena about the latter end of November in that year the arriving at Dover in order to her intermarriage with his Highness and some few days after coming from Gravesend to London by water was by his Majesty and divers of the Nobility met in Barges upon the River and so conducted to White-Hall where after her Royal Highness had been received in the most obliging and kind manner by her Majesty she was Conducted to St. James's within few days after their Royal Highnesses gave Audience to the French Portugal Swedish and Danish Embassadors as likewise to the Residents of Venice and Newburg who all went to Compliment them upon their late Marriage Since the Discovery of the Popish-Plot his Highness hath resided much in Scotland Further Fitz-Harris going to take his leave of Father Gough an English-Priest at Paris the said Gough affirming in Discourse that the DUKE of YORK was a Catholick Fitz Harris requiring of him how long the DUKE had been a Catholick he Answered the Queen-Mother had made him so Mr. Dugdale in his Information given before the House of Commons relateth that one Francis Evers a Jesuite telling him it might not be long before they might expect good times for that the DUKE of YORK having declared himself a Roman-Catholick had given a good assurance to the Pope besides being a Prince of that Resolution c. that if ever he made any engagement he would never revoke it which gave them great hopes of dispersing the dark Clouds of Heresy as by them called He not only having engaged himself solemnly to them for the establishing of their Religion but also that he would restore them to all their Church-Lands and other priviledges taken from their Church formerly But from several private Gentlemen as well as Priests he gives an account that he heard it debated at several of their private Meetings what the DUKE of YORKS pleasure was that as he had given them an assurance of his part they should not be negligent to do theirs and that they should be in all readiness with all necessaries when the King should dye to assist him against the Protestants Again the aforesaid person relateth that he being in Company with Mr. Evers pressed of him to know the Reason why they should kill Sir Edmundbury Godfrey Mr. Evers told him that the DUKE of YORK had sent a Message to Coleman after he was taken that he should not Confess any thing he returned the DUKE an Answer back that it had been his misfortune to declare all that he knew of the matter to Sir Edmundbury Godfrey and he heard that Sir
Edmundbury Godfrey would come in a Witness against him in regard he had been so diligent in taking Examinations The DUKE returned him Answer back again that bid him be sure not to confess and he should not need to fear Sir Edmund Bury-Godfrey and that there should be care taken or somewhat to that purpose Also Mr. Dangerfield gives Account that about the Months of September or of October 1679. That Mrs. Cellier and himself then waiting of the Lord Peterborough to be introduced to the DUKE of YORK after some Discourse his Lordship took them into the DUKES Closet at White-Hall where having kissed the DUKES hand Mr. Dangerfield gave his Royal-Highness a little Book containing a Scheme and the pretended Discovery he had made in the Presbyterian Plot which the Duke after some short perusal of thanked him for and also for his diligence in the Catholick Cause desired him to go on and wished him good success in all his undertakings adding in these words viz. That the Presbyterian Plot was a thing of most weighty Consequence and if well managed would be conducible to the safety of the Catholick Cause not questioning but the effects of it would Answer their expectations especially in the Northern parts where I am well assured the Major part of the Gentry are his friends and have given sufficient Demonstration of their Affections to him likewise of their intents to prosecute the Presbyterian Plot to the utmost After this his Highness ordered that Mr. Dangerfield and Mrs. Cellier to be careful of what they communicated to the persons who were to be Witnesses in the New Plot lest they should be caught in the subornation and thereby bring a terrible Odium upon the Catholicks and so they be made uncapable of any further Service After this the Duke informed them that in a Month or two's time the Commissions would be ready but ordered them in the mean time to bring their parts to bear with the Commissions and particularly ordered Mr. Dangerfield to find out some persons which were fit to be trusted and that should accept of such Commissions which should be delivered by a person appointed for that purpose but not to be known to them to be any other but a Presbyterian So that when occasion should require they might together with those which Mr. Dangerfield Mrs. Cellier c. had then be ready to swear in the Plot and that the Presbyterians were raising Forces against the King and Government and had given out Commissions to that purpose And in Order to this Mr. Dangerfield in some short time after procured several to accept of such Commissions when they should be ready whose business in the mean time was to spread Reports in the Coffee-houses that the Popish-Plot was a contrivance of the Presbyterians For their encouragement in the prosecution of that Sham-Plot the DUKE promised that he would take care that money should not be wanting but ordered them to use all the expedition the thing would allow to make a Discovery thereof to the King After which the Duke said The Catholick party would be eased of the Charge in regard it would be defrayed some other way The DUKE then made divers Vows and bitter Execrations to stand by them in the thing and engaged on his honour to be their Rewarder Adding that such considerable Heresies were not to be slighted further promising that to whose Lot soever it should happen to be imprisoned according to their fidelity and stedfastness in the Cause so much the more should their Reward be augmented and that all care possible should be used to support and preserve them and particularly desiring Mr. Dangerfield to keep up to the couragious and active Character which his Highness had heard of him All which Mr. Dangerfield promised to do Mr. Dangerfield some time after went to wait on the Lord Peterborough from the Lady Powis to the end that he might move the DUKE to get him with all expedition to the King he then being ready About four days after this my Lord Peterborough sending for Mr. Dangerfield and took him to the DUKE again who was then in his Closset at White-Hall and the DUKE told Mr. Dangerfield that he must prepare himself to wait on the King to give his Majesty a more particular Account of the Presbyterian Plot than what the little Book made mention of which Book the DUKE said he had given to the King And that he had so ordered the matter that Mr. Dangerfield should be furnished with money to enable him in the prosecution thereof But his Highness charged him to consider well his Story before he waited on the King Then the Duke told him that by his diligence he had gained a good Reputation among the Catholicks and that he should by his Service to that Cause highly merrit Adding that in a short time he should see the Catholick Religion flourish in these Kingdoms and Heresie torn up by the Roots and that he had heard of the Proposal which had been made him by the Lords Powis and Arundel about taking off the King and about his Refusal as also what he had accepted touching my Lord Shaftsbury and of all his Transactions in the Presbyterian Plot saying in these very words viz. If you value the Religion you profess and my Interest as you say you do and your own future Happiness take my Advice and depend upon my Honour and Interest for your Advancement For Sir you look like a Man of Courage and Wit therefore less Discourse may serve with you than another So that if you will but move by the Measures that I will give you you shall not only escape with safety but be rewarded according to the greatness of your Actions To which Mr. Dangerfield Replied that he would stand and fall in defence of the Roman Catholick Religion and his Highness Service adding that he was not a little concerned for his refusing to kill the King by whom he was well satisfied by his Ghostly Father stood Condemned as an Heretick But this he did offer that if his Highness would command him to the Attempt he would not fail either to accomplish it or to loose his Life Upon which the DUKE gave him twenty Guinnies and said that if he would be rigorous in what he had already undertaken he would so order it that his Life should not be in the least danger adding we are not to have men taken in such daring Actions but to have them make an effectual dispatch and be gon some time after this when Mr. Dangerfield was ready to convey the Letters into Collonel Mansels Chamber he went to the Lord Peterborough who brought him to the DUKE whom Mr. Dangerfield told that he was ready to fix the Letters in Collonel Mansels Chamber to which his Highness answered that he must make haste that he might be impowered to make a General search of the like Nature for said the DUKE since I saw you last the Lady Powis hath informed me that there are abundance of Letters and Witnesses Ready so that it is now high time to begin FINIS