giving all his Estate to those that would take it promising upon the word of a King and as the Minister of Almighty God That if any would deliver him alive or dead or else take away his Life he would give to him or his Heirs Five thousand Crowns of Gold and the free pardon of all the Crimes that he had been before guilty of and if they were not Noble to make them so and to reward all that shall assist them therein and likewise that all his Adherents should be banisht and their Lives and Estates given for a prey to any that would take them The Prince of Orange made a very smart Apology in answer hereunto wherein he fully vindicates himself from all the Crimes objected against him proving at large That all the Miseries of the Netherlands ought to be imputed to the Council of Spain who endeavoured to reduce those Countreys to absolute Slavery both as to Religion and Civil Liberties and acting more like Mad-men than Politicians and like that foolish King Rehoboam following the silly Advice of a weak Woman and Cardinal Granval the Pope's Creature telling the King That his Father had chastized the People with Whips but the Son ought to whip them with Scorpions and therefore they endeavoured to bring in the Inquisition and the new Bishops which were the occasion of all these commotions And as to his taking Arms against his Soveraign he sheweth that Henry Bastard of Castile the King 's great Grandfather had with his own hands slain the King Don Pedro the Cruel his lawful Brother and possest his Kingdom whose Successor King Philip was and enjoyed it to this day And that there was a Reciprocal Bond between a Prince and a Subject and if the Prince infringes his Oath the Subject is freed from his Allegiance that the King of Spain was admitted to be Duke of Brabant upon certain conditions which he had sworn to maintain and yet had notoriously violated and if the Nobility did not endeavour by Arms since no other means was to be found to preserve and defend their Liberties they ought to be accounted guilty of Perjury Treachery and Rebellion to the States of the Countrey And whereas the King had offered Money to take away his Life he did not doubt of God's protection yet certainly he could never be accounted a Gentleman by Persons of Honour who would be so wicked and infamous to murder a Man for Money except they were such Spaniards who being descended from the Mores and Jews might retain that quality from their Ancestors who offered Money to Judas to betray our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into their hands that they might crucifie him The Prince concluded his Apology by telling the States General That since their peace and quiet seemed to depend upon his death he was willing to lay down his life to free them from the Calamities under which they suffered having already for their sakes lost his Estate his Brethren yea and his own Son and that his Head over which no Prince or Potentate on Earth had any power was yet at their command and that he would be a willing Sacrifice to procure their Tranquillity But if they thought fit still to use his Service he would employ his Life Counsel and all he had in the World for the defence and preservation of the Netherlands In answer to this the States declare That they are fully satisfied that the Crimes and Slanders charged upon the Prince are altogether false and malicious and that all the Honours that had been conferred on him were so far from being sought for or desired by him that he only accepted them at their earnest request and intreaty with the full consent and by the free Election of the Countrey and therefore they humbly intreated him still to continue his Administration and likewise to accept of a Guard for his Person against any villanous attempts upon his Life The States General of he United Provinces perceiving that notwithstanding the Intercession both of the Emperor the French King the Queen of England and other Princes and States of Christendom to King Philip on their behalf yet he still continued obstinately resolved to yield to nothing but what might reduce their Countrey absolutely to Popery and Slavery thereupon in 1581. they publisht an Edict of Renunciation against him wherein they declare That it being acknowledged by all Mankind that a Prince is ordained of God to preserve his Subjects from all Injuries and Violence even as a Shepherd defends his Sheep and that the people were never created to be Bond-men and Slaves to his will and pleasure whether his Commands are right or wrong but that he is advanced to that dignity to govern them by equity and reason and to cherish them as a Father doth his Children even with the peril of his life If a King therefore fail herein and instead of protecting his Subjects shall strive to destroy them and deprive them of their Ancient Laws and Priviledges and endeavour to make them Bond-slaves His Subjects are thereupon discharged from all Subjection and Obedience to such a Soveraign and are to reckon and esteem him a Tyrant and that he is absolutely fallen from his former Dignity and Soveraignty and the Estates of the Countrey may lawfully and freely abandon him and Elect another Prince to protect and defend them in his place especially when his Subjects neither by Prayers nor Petitions can mollifie his heart nor divert him from his Tyrannical and Arbitrary courses Since they have then no other way to preserve their Ancient Liberties Lives Wives Children and Estates which according to the Laws of God and Nature they are bound to defend and which hath been practisied in divers Countreys especially in those where the King was obliged by Oath to govern according to Law and was admitted to the Soveraignty upon certain conditions and special contracts Now it being apparent to all the World that Philip King of Spain giving ear to certain wicked Counsellors hath in every particular broken all the Oaths and Obligations which he had entred into for the defence of those Provinces and hath determined to enslave ruine and destroy them and all their Interests therein c. We the States General being prest by extream necessities do by a general resolution and consent declare the King of Spain to be fallen from the Government Dominion and Jurisdiction of these Countreys and we are resolved never hereafter to acknowledge him for our Prince and Soveraign Lord but do hereby declare our selves and all the Inhabitants of these Provinces to be for ever discharged from all manner of Oaths and Allegiance to the said King c. In witness whereof we have caused our our Seals to be hereunto annexed July 26. 1581. The Duke of Anjou having been in England to make a Visit to Q. Elizabeth returned again to Antwerp after three months splendid Entertainment in the English Court the Queen at his departure earnestly recommending to him
for the great services he had performed About this time by a publick Edict declared That all the Dignities Honours and Employments which he then enjoyed shall descend to his Eldest Son Prince William the Instruments whereof being drawn up and sealed by the States were presented to the young Prince in a Box of Gold After this Prince Henry continued still more successful taking the Towns of Ruâ—emond Veulo and Strall and lastly undertaking the Seige of Mastricht where he surrounded his Trenches with such strong circumvallations that both the Spanish and German Forces were obliged to march away with dishonour and leave him the honour of reducing so important a place Divers other prosperous attempts he made as his retaking the Fort of Skink Scans and regaining the Castle and City of Breda which the Marquess Spinola had been a whole year in taking with vast loss and expence and yet the Prince now reduced it to his Immortal honour in four months and answerable was his Fortune at Sea where Admiral Trump falling upon a numerous Fleet of the Spaniards in the Downs of 67 Men of War destroyed the greatest part of them to the number of 40 Ships sunk wherein above 7000 men were lost and 2000 carried Prisoners into Holland amongst whom was the great Gallion of Portugal called Maria Teresa carrying 800 men whereof not one escaped In 1641. Prince William only Son of the Prince of Orange married the Princess Mary Eldest Daughter to King Charles I. And soon after Prince Henry gained the strong Fort of Hulst in Flanders which the Spaniards were not able to relieve Thus it may be observed That William Prince of Orange laid the Foundations of the Commonwealth of Holland Prince Maurice his Son fixed and strengthned them by his Victories and Henry Frederick the Younger Brother by continuing his Conquests and enlarging their Territories at length compelled the Spaniard to renounce his pretended right over them and to acknowledge them an Independent State treating with them by the title of The High and Mighty States General of the Vnited Provinces So that by the Swords of the Illustrious House of Orange this Potent Republick was first founded which is now arrived to that Grandeur as to send Ambassadors upon equal terms with the most Potent Princes of Christendom even to the K. of Spain himself whose Subjects they were not above 100 years and whose revolt has proved a great advantage to that Crown they having been so many years a Barrier to the Spanish Netherlands against the excessive power and ambition of France which without their assistance had long since swallowed them up Prince Henry Married the Daughter of John Albert Count of Solms who came with the Queen of Bohemia into Holland a Lady of excellent Beauty Modesty and Prudence by whom he had one Son and four Daughters The Eldest named Lovison was Married to Frederick William Prince Elector of Brandenburg by whom he had several Children The second Henrietia was Married to the Count of Nassaw the third Catharina was espoused to John George Duke of Anhalt The fourth was Married to the Duke of Simeren Prince Henry died March 1â— 1647. and was succeeded by William of Nassaw Prince of Orange Who was born in 1626. A Prince of worthy Hopes and Courage but was suddenly taken away by Death in the 24 year of his Age having been Married nine years to the Princess Mary Daughter to K. Charles the First by whom he had Prince William Henry who was born Nov. 4. 1650. some few days after his Fathers Death the Lords States General of Holland and Zealand and of the Cities of Deiâ—e Leyden and Amsterdam being his God fathers William Henry of Nassaw Prince of Orange THIS excellent Prince our present Gracious â—overeign 〈◊〉 endowed with all the Noble and Virtuous Qualities of his Ancestors of the Illustrious House of Orange which seem'd designed by Heaven to be the Protectors of Religion and Liberty for several Ages his Majesties glorious Predecessours being the Founders and Establishers and himself the Restorer of the half ruined Batavian Republick as well as the Deliverer of these three Kingdoms from the utmost danger of Popery and Slavery This excellent Prince suffered many affronts by Barnevels Party revived in the Persons of the De Wits expecting with inimitable patience the advancement to those Honours and Dignities which of right belonged to his Family and which by the Decree of a prevailing Faction he was deprived of presently after the Death of his Father But King Lewis his inveterate Enemy did accidentally very much contribute to his Exaltation for having in 1672. like a rapid Torrent over-run the flourishing Batavian Republick he thereby gave opportunity to the Prince to discover to the World the Spirit of his Ancestors in recovering the United Provinces from the ruine which seemed to attend them by the success of that King even beyond his hopes nay almost his wishes which put that People into such a consternation as occasioned them to complain of the unhappy Conduct of Cornelius and John De Wit who had then the sole management of all affairs and to believe that none but the glorious House of Nassaw was capable to support their tottering State in this Age against their Potent French Enemies as they had formerly rescued them from the Tyranny of Spain Neither was the Grandmother of the Prince wanting to engage the favourers of that Family to endeavour to remove that Eclipse under which it had so long sustered which Her Highness managed with a courage and magnanimity above her Sex so that being awakened by Her Remonstrances they began to consider how they themselves had of late been slighted and neglected whilst all the great Imployments of the Common-wealth were bestowed upon the Sons of Burgomasters and being seconded by the rage of the Commonalty who were dreadfully terrified to see a Victorious Army in the very bowels of their Countrey they obliged the States General in the beginning of 1672. to depute Monsieur Beverning John De Wit and Jasper Fagel to invest His Highness the Prince of Orange in the Dignities belonging to his Ancestors of Captain and Admiral General of the United Provinces who having accepted the same and taken his Oath presently went upon action against the French But the Province of Holland still suspected the fidelity of their Magistrates seeing their Frontier Towns and Garrisons fall daily into the hands of their Victorious Enemies and at Dort they raised a dangerous Mutiny and resolved that His Highness should be advanced to the Stadt-Holdership also as judging it absolutely necessary for the publick good Upon which an Act was instantly drawn up and read in the publick Hall by the Secretary wherein the Magistrates declared His Highness the Prince of Orange Stadtholder Captain and Admiral General of all their Forces by Sea and Land with the same Power and Authority that His Ancestors of glorious Memory had formerly enjoyed which occasioned great rejoycing in that City But Cornelius
to their Majesties then called and known by the Names and Stile of William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange being present in their proper Persons a certain Declaration in writing made by the said Lords and Commons Of which you have already an account Upon which their said Majesties did accept the Crown and Royal Dignity of these Kingdoms according to the Resolution and desire of the said Lords and Commons contained in the said Declaration and thereupon their Majesties were pleased that the Lords and Commons being the two Houses of Parliament should continue to sit and with their Royal Concurrence to make effectual Provision for the settlement of the Religion Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom so that the same for the Future might not be in danger again of being subverted Now in pursuance of the Premisses the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament Assembled for the Ratifying Confirming and Establishing the said Declaration and the Articles Clauses Matters and Things therein contained by the Force of a Law made in due Form by Authority of Parliament do pray that it may be Declared and Enacted That all and Singular the Rights and Liberties Asserted and Claimed in the said Declaration are the true Ancient and Indubitable Rights and Liberties of the People of this Kingdom and so shall be esteemed allowed adjudged deemed and taken to be and that all and every the particulars aforesaid shall be firmly and strictly holden and observed as they are expressed in the said Declaration and all Officers and Ministers whatsoever shall serve their Majesties and their Successors according to the same in all times to come and do further declare that King James II. having Abdicated the Government and their Majesties having accepted the Crown and Royal Dignity as aforesaid did become were are and of Right ought to be by the Laws of this Realm our Soveraign Leige Lord and Lady King and Queen of England France and Ireland c. And for preventing all Questions and Divisions by Reason of any pretended Titles to the Crown and to preserve a certainty in the Succession the Lords and Commons beseech their Majesties that it may be Enacted Established and Declared that the Crown and Royal Dignity shall be and continue in their Majesties during their Lives and the Life of the Survivor of them and after their Deceases to the Heirs of Her Majesty and in default of Issue to the Princess Ann of Denmark and her Heirs and for default of such Issue to the Heirs of the Body of His Majesty and that the Parhament in the Name of the People will submit themselves and their Heirs and Posterities for ever and stand by Maintain and Defend this Limitation and Succession of the Crown to the utmost of their Powers with their Lives and Estates against all that shall attempt any thing to the contrary and whereas it hath been found by Experience that it is inconsistent with the Safety and Welfare of this Protestant Kingdom to be governed by a Popish Prince or by any King or Queen Marrying a Papist they do further pray that it may be enacted that all Persons that are or shall be reconciled to or hold Communion with the See of Rome or shall profess the Popish Religion or shall Marry a Papist shall be Excluded and be for ever uncapable to possess inherit or enjoy the Crown and Dignity of this Kingdom or Ireland c. And that in all such Cases the People are absolved from their Allegiance and the Crown shall descend to the next Heir being a Protestant as should have inherited and enjoyed the same as if the Person so reconciled or marrying were naturally dead and that every King and Queen that shall succeed hereafter shall on the first day of the meeting of their first Parliament sitting on the Throne in the House of Peers in the Presence of the Lords and Commons or at their Coronation which shall first happen audibly repeat the Declaration in the Statute of the 30 King Charles II. Intituled an Act for the more effectual preserving the Kings Person and Government c. But if such King and Queen shall be under the Age of Twelve years then to perform the same the first Parliament after that Age all which are by their Majesties by and with the Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons declared Enacted and Established to stand remain and be the Law of this Realm for ever About this time the Queen of Spain was Convoyed by a Squadron of English Men of War from Holland to the Groin in Spain Feb. 6. The Parliament was Dissolved and another summoned to appear at Westminster March 20. following who accordingly met and confirmed all the Acts of the Preceding Parliament passing many others both for raising Money for carrying on the present War and for the Benefit of the People in Scotland some attempts were made by the Rebels for in May 1690 the Colonels Bucan and Cannon being with 2000 men which they expected to be 4000 in a few days at their Rendevous at Stratspey Sir Thomas Levingstone upon notice thereof Marched toward them with his Forces and surprizing them in the Night in their Camp killed 400 and took 100 prisoners most Gentlemen and Officers Bucan and Cannon hardly escaping upon which the Castle of Lethindy in which the Enemy had a Garrison under Colonel Bucan's Nephew surrendered at Discretion in which was found store of Arms and Ammunition with 400 Bolls of Meal and the Standard designed to have been set up by the late King James and yet in this whole Action it was very remarkable that the English lost not one man and had only four or five wounded In Ireland Affairs proceeded very successfully for May 11 the strong Garrison of Charlemont surrendered upon Articles the Governor Teage of Regan and the Irish about 800 strong havingal most consumed all their Provisions marched out leaving a good quantity of Ammunition 17 Brass Cannon and two Mortars the King now resolved if possible to make a sudden Feduction of Ireland that it might no longer be a Diversion from his attacking the French vigorously in Flanders and in pursuit of this â—agnanimous design his Majesty concluded to go thither in Person by his Presence and Conduct to facilitate the same and accordingly June 4 1690 with a splendid Equipage parted from Whitehall and coming to Chester Embâ—â—â—ed on the Fleet attending him and June 14 landed at Carickfergus being received by Duke Schomberg the army and all the Protestants with general Joy and loud Acclamations and from thence His Majesty marched with his Forces in two bodies and incamped at Dundalk intending to go for Dublin or else oblige the Enemy to a battle which the late King James was aware of and therefore with his Army which consisted of about thirty-six thousand Irish and French besides 15000 in Garrisons He marched from Dublin towards Drogheda but seemed to distrust his success for to provide for the
THE HISTORY OF THE House of Orange OR A Brief Relation of the Glorious and Magnanimous Atchievements of His Majesties Renowned Predecessors and likewise of His own Heroick Actions till the Late Wonderful Revolution Together with The HISTORY of William and Mary King and Queen of England Scotland France and Ireland c. Being an Impartial Account of the most Remarkable Passages and Transactions in these Kingdoms from Their Majesties Happy Accession to the Throne to this time By R. B. LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside 1693. TO THE READER I Am very sensible that the greatness of the Subject is a sufficient reason to deter me from adventuring to publish my mean endeavours in Relating the Glorious and Magnanimous Atchievements of His Majesties Renowned Ancestors as well as His own Or of the excellent Conduct of Their Majesties since Their happy Accession to the Throne But because we have such a furious Generation of Murmurers who if they had their desires would ruine both themselves and their Countrey and reduce us to French Popery and Slavery It may seem to be the Interest of every man to strive to undeceive those whom these Miscreants would delude since both our Eternal and Temporal happiness very much depends upon the supporting the present Government against all its Forreign and Domestick Enemies A Government founded upon Law and Justice A Government calculated for the support of the Protestant Interest throughout the World wherein we have a King and Queen of the same excellent Religion with our selves a happiness which we have been deprived of for almost an Age past Princes of such exemplary Virtue and Piety that they discourage Vice and Prophaneness and constantly endeavour to support Goodness and Modesty which seem'd lately designed to be hissed out of the Nation God grant that our ingratitude and impenitence may never deprive us of such inestimable blessings and that we do not fall a Sacrifice to our stupendious folly and discontents THE HISTORY OF THE House of Orange THE Family of Nassau from whom our Gracious Soveraign is descended is not undeservedly accounted one of the most Antient and Honourable in Europe not only for its great Allianceâ— and Branches but also by the Advancement of one of this House to the Empire of Germany Adolphus Nassau by name about the Year 1200 and that there has been a Succession of the Family in a direct Line for above a thousand years past and among them OTHO Count of Nassau who lived about six hundred years since and had two Wives with the first of whom he had the Province of Gueldres and with the other that of Zutphen About three hundred years after a second Count OTHO of Nassau married the Countess of Vranden whereby he became possest of several other Territories in the Netherlands In the Year 1404. Engilbert who was his Grandchild married the Heiress of the Town of Breda and Loeke and was Grandfather to Engilbert 2d Earl of Nassau who in 1491. was by Maximilian King of the Romans going into Hungary made Governour Lieutenant and Captain General of Flanders and afterwards in 1501. Arch-Duke Philip going into Spain constituted him Governour General of the Netherlands an experienced Prince both in War and Peace but dying Childless left his Brother John his large Territories this John had two Sons upon Henry the eldest he bestowed all his Possessions in the Low-Countries and to his youngest Son William he bequeathed all his Inheritance in Germany By the earnest Endeavours of Henry Nassau Charles the 5th was advanced to the Empire against the pretensions of Francis I. the French King and at his Coronation placed the Crown on his Head And yet when upon concluding Peace between these two Monarchs Henry was sent by the Emperor to do Homage to King Francis for the County of Flanders and Artois that Prince forgetting former differences and being fully sensible of his extraordinary Merits married him to Claudia only Sister to Philibert Chalon Prince of Orange by which Marriage his only Son Revens of Orange and Chalons became Prince of Orange William Earl of Nassau Brother to Prince Henry profâ—ssed the Protestant Religion and expell'd Popery out of his Territories and was Father to the great William of Nassau who attained to be Prince of Orange and Lord of all the Possessions of the House of Chalens by the Last Will of Revens de Nassau who died Childless The Emperor Charles the 5th having a favour for the House of Orange and received great services from them was concerned that the young Prince William should be educated in the Reformed Religion and therefore took him with much regret from his Father and endeavoured to instruct him in the Romish Faith but afterward the former Opinions which he had suckt in with his Mothers Milk prevailed upon him so that he became an earnest Professor of Protestantism William Count of Nassau his Father had five Sons and seven Daughters by Juliana Countess of Stolberg WILLIAM the eldest was born in 1533. at the Castle of Dillemberg in the County of Nassau and being taken from his Father by the Emperor Charles as we said he became a great Favourite by his extraordinary Wisdom and Modesty so that the Emperor confest this young Prince often furnisht him with notions and hints he should else never have thought of and upon giving of private Audiences to Ambassadors when the Prince would discreetly offer to withdraw the Emperor mildly remanded him saving Stay Prince and it was admired by the whole Court that a Prince not above twenty years old should be intrusted with all the Secrets of the Empire and carry the Imperial Crown upon his resignation to his Brother Ferdinand though the Prince with some reluctancy seemed to refuse the Imployment by alledging That it was no ways proper for him to carry to another that Crown which his Uncle Henry of Nassau had set upon his Head Yea the Emperor had so much confidence in his Conduct that in the absence of the D. of Savoy his General of the Low Countries though the Prince were not above 22 years old yet contrary to the Advice of all his Council rejecting all other experienc'd Generals he constituted him Generalissimo who managed that great Imploy with such discretion and courage that he caused Philipville and Charlemont to be built in the fight of the French Army which was then commanded by Admiral Castillon that great Captain These Magnanimous actions caused the Emperor to recommend the Prince of Orage to Philip II. his Son but his Virtue and Courage were so emulated by the Spaniards that all his most innocent words and actions were misinterpreted and the opposition that the Provinces made to the Kings Will and Pleasure in defence of their Priviledges were attributed to his contrivance which King Philip made him sensible of when he was imbarking from Flushing for Spain charging him with preventing all his private Intrigues with a furious countenance And when
he lived in great State with the Spanish Governor of the Netherlands at Brussels and was imploy'd by that King to conduct into the Netherlands his Bride and Spouse that was to be the Infanta Isabella to whom K. Philip had given in Dowry the Soveraignty of the 17 Provinces This was a very astonishing Policy to all the Netherlands that the Son of a Prince who was so abhorr'd by the Spaniards should be chosen for this honourable Imployment and caused such a Jealousie in the States of the United Provinces towards him the King of Spain having likewise restored to him all his Estate in the Spanish Low-Countries and the French Comte that they would not allow him to make any Visit much less to reside in any of their Provinces though he was very desirous so to do And though his younger Brother Prince Maurice out of his generous temper surrendred up all the great Estate that belonged to Philip his older Brother as Breda and other places yet to prevent his being suspected by the States General he declined seeing him in Person rendring his Respects to him constantly by Persons deputed thereunto He married Eleonora Burbon Sister to the Prince of Conde and by marching with a Princess of the Blood he was reinstated in his Principality of Orange and died without Children at Brussels in 1618. leaving his Inheritance and Title to his Brother Maurice of Nassaw Prince of Orange Successor to his Father both in Conduct Courage and Success who being but 17 years old at the Death of his Father was yet called to the Government and was no ways discouraged at the great Successes of Alexander Famese Duke of Parma who in a very short time had reduced several Cities and Towns to the Crown of Spain Nor with the insolence of the Earl of Leicester who at the desire of the State General was sent by Q. Elizabeth to be their Governor though by his insupportable Pride and Ambition he more endamaged the Low Countries than the Succours he brought relieved them so that for 4 years together that Commonwealth laboured under dreadful Convulsions occassion'd by the Intrigues of the Earl of Leicester and the Policies of the Spaniards till at length by the fortunate and total destruction of the Nick-named Invincible Spanish Armada designed to have devoured all England the Prince of Parma lost all his reputation at once Prince Maurice about the same time obliging him to his everlasting shame to rise and run away from the Siege of Bergen 〈◊〉 Zoom And for Twenty Years after even till the time of the Truce Fortune was so favourable to the Prince that Victory seemed to attend him insomuch that he recovered near 40 Cities and many more Fortresses and in three pitched Battels defeated the Forces of the K. of Spain besides the Victories his Admirals obtained at Sea upon the Coasts of Flanders and Spain The Stratagem by which he surprized Breda was very remarkable For the Garrison of that Town being Italians and greedy of Fuel in that cold Country they very readily assisted the Boatman to draw his Bark of Turffs over the Ice within the Castle Walls under which the Prince had laid several armed Soldiers who suddenly starting up surprized and soon seiz'd the Guards taking Possession of the Castle with the loss only of one Man though it were an Action of such Danger and Importance Soon after the Town of Gertrudenburg was surrendred to the Prince in View of the Spanish Army consisting of 30000 Men commanded by Count Mansfield an experienced General who could not force the Prince out of his Trenches though he daily provoked him so that Prince Maurice having sent a Trumpeter to the Count he askt him How his Master being a young and fiery Prince could contain himself within his Trenches after such fair Provocations The Trumpeter replied That the Prince of Nassaw was a Young Prince but as old and experienced a General as his Excellency The next Year the Prince took Groning the Capital City of that province also Rhineburg Meurs and Grave and gained great Reputation by the defence of Ostend for the Spaniards having made themselves Masters of it after a Siege of three Years with the loss of Sixty thousand Men and the expence of above a Hundred Millions of Treasure they were possessed of nothing but a heap of Ruins more like a Burying place than a City And the Prince soon after gained Sluce a place of far greater Importance And at the Battle of Newport he had so great Success against far more numerous Forces than his own That the Archduke Albert with several other Persons of Quality were wounded All the Spaniards Cannon with above 100 Cornets and Ensigns falling into the Victor's hands with the slaughter of 6000 of the Enemy upon the place the Prince having before the Fight sent away all the Ships that Transported his Men into Flanders telling them That now there was no way to escape but they must either march over the Bellies of their Enemies or else drink Salt Water After several other successes against the Prince of Parma and other Spanish Generals whereby he raised up the sinking Republick of the United Netherlands he died in 1625. He was never Married and left his Titles and large Possessions to his younger Brother Henry Frederick of Nassaw Prince of Orange Who was third Son to the renowned W. P. of Orange He was born in 1584. and was an excellent General not in the least degenerating from the Courage and Gallantry of that Heroick Family being every way equal in Fame to his Brother Prince Maurice taking the famous Cities of Odousel and Groll in despite of the Spanish General who with a numerous Army was not able to relieve it Nor was he less successful at Sea his Vice Admiral Hein taking a Fleet of the Spaniards near Cuba in the West Indies valued at above twenty Millions After this he took Bois le Duc which had withstood all the attempts of his Brother Maurice and would not be drawn away till he had reduced it though Count Henry of Bergnes the Spanish General made an Incursion into the Province of Utrecht to divert him And afterward happily surprised the City of Wessel where the Magazine of Provisions and all the great Artillery of the Spanish Army were laid up About this time Count John of Nassaw his Kinsman upon some discontent revolting to the Spaniards was defeated by one of the Princes Captains near the Rhyne in the open Field with half his number of men himself being carried Prisoner to Wessel from whence he could not be redeemed without the payment of 18000 Rix Dollars To revenge which dishonour Count John when at liberty endeavoured with a strong Navy of Ships to seize the Town of Williamstadt but was totally defeated by the Hollanders and 4000 Prisoners taken and the rest either kill'd or drowned He himself and the Prince of Brabancon hardly escaping The States General to testifie their gratitude to Henry Prince of Orange
out they would be Masters of two if not of three places before the Confederates could take the Field The French at the same time broke into Germany on the other side the Rhyne ravaging burning and ruining these Countreys with a barbarity peculiar to the most Christian King Soon after the City of Valenciennes was surrounded with an Army of 40 or 50000 men under the D. of Luxemburg wherein was a Garrison of 2000 Foot and about 1000 Horse and Dragoons and the French King being arrived in the Camp commanded that the Besieged should be kept awake all night by flinging Bombs Granadoes and Fire pots into the Town and the next morning when they were tired with the nights Toil and gone to their repose so that few were left to guard the Works the Assailants carried all before them and turned the great Guns upon the Town which so terrified the Besieged that they presently surrendred at discretion Animated with this success the French King immediately sate down before Cambray a Town of great Trade and had been in the Spaniards hands about 80 years It had a Garrison of 1400 Horse and four Regiments of Foot and after a few days Siege this City was like the other Spanish Towns surrendred upon Articles And at the same time St. Omers was besieged by the Duke of Orleans with a very great Army The news of this sudden progress of the French so alarm'd all the Netherlands that his Highness the Prince of Orange was resolved to take the Field the Dutch having reseived their payments from Spain and concluded to continue the War another Campaign being brought to this resolution by the vigour and courage of his Highness who had begun to prepare his Troops to march upon the first motion of the French But by the usual delays and neglects of the Spaniards though the Prince used the utmost diligence and application yet he could not arrive soon enough to succour Valenciennes and Cambray But was now resolved to venture a Battel to endeavour the relief of St. Omers At Mount Cassal both Armies met where after a sharp encounter wherein his Highness shewed the utmost bravery the French themselves confessing That the Prince that day withstood no less than thirty nine Battalions of Foot and an hundred equadrons of Horse he made such an honourable retreat as wanted little of a Victory which was occasioned by the plain Flight of his men whom he was forced to resist like Enemies Of which the States General were so sensible that in answer to his Letter wherein his Highness gave them an account of what had passed they sent him another returning their unfeigned thanks to his Highness for his indefatigable pains and care not sparing his own Person Of which they besought him to be more tender for the future considering the great importance thereof for the preservation of his Countrey After this followed the Surrender of the Cittadel of Cambray which had held out till now though the Town was taken And likewise St. Omers which after a vigorous resistance wherein the French lost many considerable Officers was surrendred upon Articles After this the French King returned to Paris leaving Crequi to oppose the Duke of Lorrain and Luxemburg to observe the motions of the Prince of Orange who July 23. 1677 having recruited his own Army and received several Auxiliary supplies from the German Princes marched in the Head of them for the Confederates had all submitted to his Conduct from Aloft to attack the French lying under the Walls of Aeth but finding Luxemburg so advantagiously posted between two Rivers that he could not be forced to a Battel He marched to Charleroy and instantly Beleaguered that Town which had a Garison of 4 or 5000 French under the command of Count Montal who mistrusting the design had furnished it with all manner of Ammunition and Provision and such a number of great Guns that he had sent away a good part of them The D. of Luxemburg hearing his Highness was sate down before the City drained all the Garrisons of the French Conquests and having made up a Body of 40000 men posted himself so strongly having a Wood upon his right Wing and a River before him that there was no forcing his Trenches neither could the Confederates fetch any Forrage from the Countrey beyond the Sambre from whence they used to be supplied All which his Highness considering drew off and marched to Sembreef thereby to preserve his Army wherein consisted the safety of his Country though no man was ever more daring when there was any probability of prevailing His Highness finding the French were resolved not to come to a Battel but to be upon the defensive and secure what they had gotten leaving the Army near Brussels under Count Waldeck returned to the Hague and had the thanks of the States returned him a second time for his wary and prudent Conduct In October this year his Highness went over into England at the invitation of King Charles in hopes that his presence would much contribute to a general Peace between France and the Confederates which the King seemed very sollicitous to have concluded by the instigation as it was thought of the French Court who were willing to put an end to the War for the present The Prince Oct. 19. arrived at Harwich and went Post to Newmarket where the Court then was which in two or three days returned to Whitehall where his Highness having a sight of the Princess was so pleased therewith that he immediately made suit to the King and Duke that she might be his Bride which they seemed well pleased with if a Peace were first concluded But his Highness absolutely resusing that condition the King being very well satisfied of his Highness excellent Merits resolved to grant his request and the next day declared in Council his design of marrying the Prince of Orange with the Princess Mary Upon which the whole Council went in a body to complement the Prince and Princess and the news was received both in City and Countrey with Bells Bonfires and other signs of extraordinary joy and satisfaction and they were married accordingly Nov. 4. 1677. being his Highness Birthday Yet amidst these Nuptial Joys and Caresses his Highness knowing how necessary his presence was in Holland made haste to return So that he departed from London Nov. 29. with his Princess and arriving at Homslaer dyke staid there till they made their publick entry at the Hague which they did in a few days in as magnificent a manner as both the Magistrates and People could express to declare their joy and satisfaction for these happy Nuptials In 1678. even in January the French King made such mighty Preparations for the ensuing Campaign as alarm'd all Europe but more especially the Dutch and their Allies So that the King of England sent the Earl of Feversham with a Project of Peace to the French King consisting of several heads which if should resuse to accept of that