and the actual Invasion of Ireland and Supporting the Rebels there he is promoting the utter Extirpation of the Protestants there His Majesty being therefore thus Necessitated to take up Arms and Relying on the help of Almighty God in his just undertaking hath thought fit to declare War against the French King and will in Conjunction with his Allies vigorously prosecute the same by Sea and Land since he hath so unrighteously begun it being assured of the hearty Concurrence and Assistance of his Subjects in Supporting of so good a Cause forbidding all Correspondence or Communication with that King or his Subjects and that all the French Nation in his Majesties Dominions who shall Demean themselves Dutifully and not Correspond with his Enemies shall upon the Kings Royal word be safe in their Persons and Estates and free from all Molestation and Trouble of any Kind About the same time the King of Spain proclaimed War against France and the Emperor of Germany sent a Letter to his Majesty wherein after he has returned thanks to the King for taking care that no Violence should be offered to the Roman Catholicks he promises the same thing in respect to the Protestants His Majesty gave Advice to the Switzers of his Advancement to the Throne So that now King William and Queen Mary were acknowledged for lawful Soveraigns of Great Brittain by all the Protestant and the greatest part of the Roman Catholick Princes and States for besides the Emperor and the King of Spain the Duke of Bavaria the three Ecclesiastical Electors the Duke of Newburg the Elector Palatine and the Bishops of Leige and Munster all Roman Catholicks declared themselves Enemies to France and by this we may observe that the French Polititians were greatly deceived in their Measures for upon notice of the Prince of Oranges Expedition into England it is reported some of them thus Discourst King Lewis Sir said they There is a Civil War kindling in England which will last this two or three years and Disable that Island and the United Provinces from Acting In this time your Majesty will have Conquered all or the greatest part of Germany If King James has the worst we will perswade all the Catholick Princes to Unite and Restore him All this while your Majesty will be Head of the League will preserve your Conquests and King James cannot refuse you Ireland or any other portion of his Kingdom for the Expences of the War This done your Majesty shall fall upon Holland which will be weak and unprovided of Men and Money and shall be able in a little time to oppress the Remainder of the Protestanâ—s and so become Emperor of all Europe But unfortunately for them King James II. too soon forsook his Country and then they cryed Religion is ruined unless all endeavours are used for his Restoration Upon which some would fain know what Religion the French King is of who persecutes and invades Papists as well as Protestants and think that he must be either a Pagan or Mahumetan or else of a Christianity all of his own Contriving to carry on his Perjuries and Usurpations upon his Neighbours May 1. A Squadron of English Men of War under Admiral Herbert Sailing toward the Coast of Ireland to prevent the French from Landing Forces and Provisions there understanding they were got to Sea under favour of the Night they got sight of them lying in the Bay of Bantree in the West of Ireland and resolved to Attack them with Nine Ships in the Harbor they being about 44 Sail in all whereupon the next Morning the Fight began we continued Fattering upon a Stretch till five in the Afternoon when the French Admiral Tackt from us and stood farther into the Bay In this Action Captain Aâ—lmeâ— and 94 Seamen were killed and about 250 wounded but the Enemy were Reported to have 200 Slain and many more Wounded and having Landed some few Men for fear of a second Ingagement Retreated after which our Squadron returned to Portsmouth whither His Majesty came soon after and declared his Royal Intention of Conferring the Title of Earl upon the Admiral and accordingly he was afterward Created Earl of Torrington Baron of Torbay c. and the Captain Shovell and Ashby were Knighted and Ten Shillings a Man was given to those Seamen that had been ingaged against the French King James found himself at this time greatly mistaken in Scotland which he called his Ancient Kingdom where he thought himself absolute Master by making so many Creatures and Friends whereas that Kingdom in general now owned King William and the Rebels whose number is inconsiderable and Discovered and Secured The Lord Dundee only escaped who roam'd about the North parts with some few followers and General Mackay at his Heels Letters about this time were intercepted from the late King and his Secretary Melfort to the Lord Belcarris and others wherein were some Expressions that highly incensed the Scots against them You will ask me without question says Melfort to Claverhouse How we intend to pay our Army but never fear that so long as there are Rebels Estates we will begin with the Great Ones and end with the Little Ones In another Letter to Belcarris says he The Estates of the Rebels will Recompence us Experience hath taught our Illustrious Master that there are a good Number of People that must be made Gibeonites because they are good for nothing else you know there are several Lords that we markt out when we were both together that deserve no better These will serve for Examples to others after the Reading of these Letters the President of the Convention Addressing himself to the Members of the Assembly You hear Gentlemen said he Our Sentence Pronounced and that it behoves us either to Defend our Selves or Dye Upon which the Lords Belcarris and Lochore and Lieutenant Colonel Balfour were Committed to Prison and being thus forewarned they Resolved to keep the Army afoot which they thought of Disbanding As to the Hopes of the Enemies of that Kingdom that the Abolishing of Episcopacy may occasion another Revolution there is no reason to believe it since the late Carriage of the Scotch Bishops has utterly Alienated the Affections of the greater part of the People from them so that if they were Protestants at the bottom of their Souls yet they appeared to be Men of no Policy nor Conduct For they sent an Address to King James wherein they Highly Congratulated the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales they read that Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience in favour of the Papists and for the Abolition of Penal Laws and how could they imagine that when they knew it was a long timebefore they could gain that single Point of the Superiority of Bishops above private Ministers that the Scots would ever endure Popery and Arbitrary Power to Domineer over them Experience shews us that they only wanted a Leader before this time So that when the Prince of Oranges Design
the Prince mildly replyed that all had been done by the motion of the States themselves the King shaking him by the wrist replyed No not the States but You You You are the Occasion of it Which severe reproach in publick so disgusted the Prince that he suddenly left the King without further Ceremony only wishing him a good Voyage and so left him in the middle of Flushing which he knew had much respect for him And that which increased the Princes indignation against the Spanish Government was that he saw himself deprived of the Government of the Netherlands which his Predecessors always enjoyed and Cardinal Granville his inplacable Adversary put in his place which proceedings of King Philip disobliged both the Nobility and People who hated the pride of Philip as much as they admired the affability of his Father Charles which was much increased when the States who much dreaded the Spanish insolency in a full Assembly at Gaunt desiring the King to withdraw his Forreign Troops out of the Provinces and intrust the Natives with the Fortified places and not advance Forreign Ministers to the Government The King was so far incensed thereat that he ordered his Sister Margaret of Austria to set up the Spanish Inquisition and to make Diverse new Bishops And these were the principal causes of the defection and terrible disorders that followed For the People abhorring the name of the Inquisition and the new Bishops as members of it and the Nobility being highly incensed at the imperious temper of Granville after having long suffered under his Arrogance at length the Prince of Orange Count Horn and Count Egmont sent King Philip word That unless he recalled the Cardinal out of the Low Countries his violent Counsels which were so much abhorred by all would certainly occasion a Revolt in those Provinces This with much regret was done but another worse than he was designed in his room the Bloody Duke of Alva with an Army of Spaniards and Italians which the Prince and Nobility being sensible was to take revenge for the affront to Granville the Prince desired the Governess to be dismissed from his Governments of Holland Zealand Utrecht and Burgundy which the Dutchess refused but desired him to remove his brother Count Lodowick from his Person as being suspected to give him bad Council and likewise to take a new Oath of Allegiance to King Philip both which he denied and as to the last alledged That such an Oath would oblige him to extirpate Hereticks and might compel him to put his own Wife to Death who was a Protestant and that if he should take another Oath it might be thought he had broken the first But the Governess being very zealous for setling the Inquisition and the new Bishops about 400 Gentlemen with Prince Lewis of Nassaw in the head of them and several other Nobles presented a Petition against it and were those who were afterward called Guese or Beggars so Nick-named for their plain apparel by Count Barlemont a Favourite to the Dutchess which though given in scorn did much advance the Confederacy that followed and strengthened he Prince of Oranges Party For their Petition being absolutely rejected these Gentlemen caused Medals to be made with the Kings Piâ—ture on one side and a Beggars Dish and Wallet on the other with this inscription Faithful to God and the King even to the carrying of the Wallet intimating they were better Subjects in the King than Barlemont and his Adherents And the Prince of Orange with the other Lords perceiving their Petition slighted consulted their own safety most of them were for taking Arms to oppose the Landing of the Spaniards in the Neitherlands since by intercepted Letters they plainly discovered the design was to ruine and destroy them But Count Egmont Governour of Flanders and Artois opposed it and being confident of his own good services advised them to rely upon the Kings Clemency and Mercy To which the Prince of Ornge reply'd That the Kings Mercy upon which he trusted would be his ruine and that the Spaniards would make a Bridge of him to come into the Low Countries and then break him At which words imbracing the Count as as if foreseeing they should never meet again they parted with Tears in their Eyes The Prince instantly went with his Family to his Town of Breda only he left his Eldest Son Philip to Study in Lovain and after that to Dillemberg the Ancient seat of the Nassaws Soon after the Duke of Alva with an Army of old Spanish and Italian Souldiers came into the Netherlands and Count Egmont waiting upon him he said aloud Behold the great Lutheran Yet the Count took no notice of it but presented him with two fine Horses The Duke being arrived at Brussels produced his Commission whereby he was made absolute Governour in all Causes whatsoever He then dismist the Assembly of the States and constituted a Court of Twelve Men who were to inspect into the Troubles They soon imprison'd a great number of People of all Degrees and Qualities and 18. Lords and Gentlemen were put to death at Brussels and the Counts Egmont and Horn imprisoned and soon after beheaded in the Market place of that City the first being much pitied by the people for his fond credulity who rejoiced at the safety of the Prince of Orange And Cardinal Granville who was then at Rome hearing of these proceedings asked the Messenger whether the Duke had taken Silence which was a name given to the Prince for secrecy and few words Who replying no Nay says Granville if that Fish has escapt the Net The Duke of Alva's draught is nothing worth The Cruel and Barbarous proceedings of this new Governour caused a great many to leave the Countrey who were summoned to appear before the bloody Council of Twelve at a certain day and upon their refusal all their Estates were Confiscated Among others the Prince of Orange Count Culenburgh and other Lords were cited The Prince refused alledging That being of the Order of the Golden Fleece he could not be judged by any but the King and the Companions of that Order He likewise appealed to the Emperor Maximilian brother to King Philip and other German Princes imploring their aid who approved of his reasons and declared their dislike of the proceedings of the Duke of Alva The time for the Princes appearing being expired his Principalities were all declared to be forfeited a Spanish Garrison was put into Breda and his Eldest Son Philip William was sent to Spain to be educated in the Roman Religion and also for an Hostage for his Father And thus King Philip by these cursed Counsels and the Rigorous usage of his Subjects was himself the occasion of the loss of the United Netherlands who finding all their Priviledges violated and their utter extirpation determined they resolved to throw off this intolerable yoak and afterwards in some of their Ensigns had this Motto We will either recover our Liberties or perish in
the Villages about his Quarters at Pieton On the Confederates side the Slain Wounded and Deserters amounted to about 6500 in all It was said that a Letter was intercepted from the Prince of Conde to the French King giving him an account That upon a General review of his Army he found himself but in an ill condition having lost the flower of his Infantry and the best part of his Horse and therefore did not think himself strong enough to venture a second Battel Having likewise lost a great number of Officers and Persons of Quality and several Standards among which was one called the White Standard of France which was afterward hung up with great solemnity in the Church of the Carmelites at Brussels richly imbroidered with Gold and Silver with a Sun in the middle passing through the Zodiack with this Haughty Motto Nilobstabit Eunti Nothing can stop his Course But the principal honour of this Victory ought next under God to be ascribed to his Highness the Prince of Orange of whom General Souches gives the following account in a Letter to the States General I have endeavoured to discharge my Duty in attending his Highness the Prince of Orange during the Bloody and Famous Battle between the Confederate Army and that of the Christian King the happy Issue of which has proved so much to the Glory of the Prince of Orange who shewed upon that occasion the prudence of an Aged Captain the Courage of a Caesar and the Undaunted Bravery of a Marius all which my Lords I speak without flattery as being contrary to my Nature And as the Friends so the Enemies of his Highness agreed to give him equal Glory for this Adventure the Prince of Conde himself declaring That he had done in all things like an old Captain but only in venturing himself too much like a Young man Though this old General had done the same in this days action charging into the thickest Troops like a Young Cavaleer The next day after the fight his Highness marched with his whole Army near Mons and took up his head Quarters at St. Gilaine till they had recovered their disorders in the late battel and then began to think of further action At length it was concluded to beseige Oudenard to draw the Prince of Conde out of his cautious marches to relieve it The Confederates made their approches to the Town and were already Masters of the Counterscarp when Conde decamped from Beumont with his whole Army of Forty thousand men either to relieve or give the Confederates Battel His Highness advised that they should immediately fall upon the enemy weary and tired with a long March but General Souches prevented the execution of this magnanimous resolution for instead of ranging his men in Battalia he crost the River in so much haste that he left some Pieces of Cannon behind him and thereby left a way open for the Prince of Conde to enter the Town with part of his Army who thinking he had done enough in relieving it avoided coming to a Battle So that his Highness finding no more good to be done resolved to march back to Grave where his presence would be more necessary leaving Count Waldeck the command of the Army in his Absence The Seige of this place had been undertaken sometime before by General Rabenhaupt the Garrison consisted of 4000 Foot and 900 Horse of which the Marques of Chamilly a valiant and expert Captain was Governour wherein were 450 pieces of Cannon of which 100 were mounted upon the Bulwarks besides a vast quantity of Powder Corn Granadoes and all manner of Warlike Ammunition for the French had made a Magazine there of all that they had brought away from their deserted Conquests Rabenhaupt sate down before it with about twenty Regiments of Foot and some Horse and was after reinforced by the Troops of the Prince of Courland and the Elector of Brandenbourg who Summoned the City on every side assaulting it with much violence but was as vigorously defended by those within though they were reduced to drink water His Highness arrived there Oct. 9. with 60 Cornets of Horse whose presence revived the Courage of the Besiegers Yet the French held out till the twenty fifth when Chamilly finding such large breaches made in the Fortifications much widened by the fortunate blowing up of a Mine which almost destroyed a Covert way so that it was impossible for him to hold out against the general Storm designed the next day he surrendred the Town upon Honourable Articles The following Winter was spent in preparing for an early Campagne the next year 1675 in the beginning whereof the Hollanders made grateful acknowledgements to His Highness the Prince of Orange for his signal conduct and Services in redeeming them from the Calamities which they had suffered under a Cruel Forreign Enemy offering him the Title of Duke of Guelderland but to convince the World of the sincerity of his intentions and how little ambitious he was to agggrandize himself by the War His Highness refused those Honours but being at the same time offered the command of Governour Hereditary of the same Province he readily accepted it and in the management thereof discovered his excellent prudence in Civil as well as Military Affairs But whilst His Highness was intent to oppose the designs of the French for the ruin of his Countrey he was visited with the Small Pox which struck a great damp to the proggress of Affairs and was the more lamented as having proved satal to his Family in the Persons of his Father Mother and his Uncle the D. of Glocester but it pleased God that by the care and skill of an able Physitian and certain peculiar Remedies sent him by the Duke of Brandenburg his Highness recovered and within 20 days was abroad again and hastned to the General Rendesvouze of his Army at Rosendael in order to the relief of Limburg then besieged by the Marquess of Rochefort the King of France with an Army under the Prince of Conde posting himself advantagiously for covering the Siege But such was the slowness of the Germans and the weakness and disorder of the Spanish Troops that the Besieged having little hopes of relief and unable to oppose the great numbers of the French Troops surrendred sooner than was expected After which having wasted a great part of the adjoining Countrey the King returned to Paris being prevented from doing farther mischief by the diligence of his Highness and the D. de Villa Hermosa Soon after the great General Tureine being kill'd by a Cannon Bullet in Alsatia the Prince of Conde was sent thither as General and the Count de Montmorency was left to command the French Army who though a Captain no less wary than his Predecessor yet his Highness kept him so upon his guard that he could not disturb the Siege of Treves which after the fatal overthrow of Monsieur Crequi fell into the hands of the Imperialists So that Montmorency was unwilling
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
longer able to suffer the continual Invasions of the French upon his Cities and Towns in Flanders and his cruel Treatment of his Subjects for not paying unjust and unreasonable Contributions he proclaimed War against him both by Sea and Land and ordered all the Effects of the French Merchants in his Dominions to be seized And sent to the States General to assist him in this just defensive War who thereupon concluded to raise a considerable Force both for his aid and their own security and accordingly his Highness gave out several Commissions and sent 8000 men toward Flanders In the mean time the French King according to his usual method having ordered great Detachments to be sent from all the Conquered Places toward Valenciennes in April 1684. he himself accompanied with the Dauphin and Dauphiness came from Paris thither The P. was very desirous to have perfected the new Levies and to have marcht at the Head of them to oppose him but the obstinacy of Amsterdam and some other Towns which refused to allow their Quota for maintaining them prevented his Highness worthy designs The French King having mustred his Army between Conde and Valenciennes he immediately inrested the City of Luxemburg and though the Governor made a very notable defence and the French lost a considerable number of Men yet the greatness of their Army which was posted so as to prevent any relief at length obliged the Town to Capitulate and June 7. following it was surrendred upon Articles and soon after a Trace being made with Spain they were forced to suffer the loss of this City with the same temper as they had done many before And as the French King continued thus Tyrannically to injure his Neighbours so he Treacherously proceeded to exercise horrid cruelties upon his own Protestant Subjects for though he had resolved upon their destruction yet at the same time he declared That he had not the least intention to infringe the Edict of Nants and accordingly in 1684. he absolutely concluded to cancel and make void that Edict and to banish all the Ministers out of the Kingdom and several young Priests were sent about the Country to inflame the Mobile against the Protestants and it was declared in Print That the Catholick Faith must be planted by Fire and Sword alledging the example of a King of Norway who converted the Nobles of his Countrey by threatning them to slay their Children before their Eyes if they would not consent to have them Baptized and to be Baptized themselves The Protestants were very sensible of the mischiefs design'd against them and exposed their grievances to the K. with all humility and submission which produced no other effect upon his Tyrannical Temper than to hasten their destruction by open force and violence in so terrible a manner as is scarce to be parallell'd At first they quartered Troops of bloudy and desperate Dragoons upon them who loudly bellowed That the K. would no longer suffer any Protestants in his Kingdom and that they must resolve to change their Religion or else to suffer the utmost cruelty that could be inflicted upon them To which these innocent Souls replied That they were ready to Sacrifice their Lives and Estates for the Kings Service but their Consciences being Gods they could not in the same manner dispose of them This answer did but inrage their hellish Adversaries so that they first seized their goods and then fell on their Persons inflicting all the Barbarities imaginable to induce them to renounce their Religion They hung up Men and Women by the Hair of the Head or by the Feet within their Chimneys smoaking them with wisps of wet Straw They threw them into great fires pluckt them thence half roasted They tied them on the Rack poured wine down their Throats till the fame had deprived them of their reason and then made them say they would be Catholicks They stript them stark naked larded them all over with Pins from head to foot They kept them from sleeping 7 or 8 days and nights together They tied Parents to Bed posts and ravished their Daughters before their eyes They pluckt off the Nails from the Hands and Toes of others with most intolerable pain and after these and a thousand other horrid indignities if they refused to abjure their Religion they threw them into close dark stinking Dungeons exercising upon them all manner of inhumanity And yet after all these barbarous usages they compelled those wretched People who had not courage and constancy enough to persist in the Faith and therefore turned Catholicks or new Converts as they called them to acknowledge That they had imbraced the Roman Religion of their own accord And had the impudence to declare even against the evidence of Millions of Witnesses That force and violence had no share in the Conversions but that they were soft calm and voluntary and that if there were any Dragoons concerned therein it was because the Protestants themselves desired them that they might have a handsome pretence to change their Religion In the mean time their Houses were demolished their Lands destroyed their Woods cut down and their Wives and Children seized and put into Monasteries and an Edict was published for plucking down all the Protestant Churches in the Kingdom and all for promoting the Catholick Peligion Yea the mischief did not terminate here for the French King being too potent to be resisted by the Duke of Savoy He compell'd that Prince to publish an Edict for prohibiting the poor Waldenses and Vaudois to exercise their Religion upon pain of death and being assisted with a great number of French Troops under Monsieur Catinat the Souldiers committed the like Violences and Barbarities against them as they had done in France His Highness the Prince of Orange highly disapproved of these Proceedings and was a silent Mourner for the miseries of the Protestant Church which now seemed to be threatned more than ever for King Charles II. dying in February 1685. the D. of York succeeded him who instantly declared himself a Roman Catholick And June 10 following the Duke of Monmouth landed with 150 Men at Lime in Dorsetshire declaring That he had taken Arms for the defence and vindication of the Protestant Religion and of the Laws Rights and Priviledges of England from the Invasion made upon them and for delivering the Kingdom from the Tyranny of James Duke of York About the same time the Earl of Argile setting sail from the Vlye in Holland landed in the West of Scotland publishing a Declaration to the same purpose but either by weakness or treachery they were both soon defeated and both beheaded and a multitude of their followers executed For which great success King James published a Proclamation for a Thanksgiving and among other expressions says That nothing now remained which could possibly disturb the future quiet of his Reign In confidence whereof he with the advice of his Popish Counsellors and their Adherents proceeded to commit
was once Discoursed of it caused an Universal Joy over Edenburgh and the whole Kingdom only the Prelates writ to King James That they looked upon this Enterprize as a Detestable Invasion and after the same manner they behaved themselves to the end some Absenting from the Convention others attending only to Thwart their Proceedings and shew their Disaffection by their publick 〈◊〉 So that some wise Men have affirmed Had thâ—â—â—â—hops of Scotland shew'd the same Constancy 〈◊〉 those of England their Zeal and Virtue had gain'd the Hearts of the Scots and given them opportunity to continue Episcopacy but their ill Conduct during the two last Reigns in their Obstinate Supporting the Roman Catholick Party that had already Invaded all the Liberties of the People annull'd their Priviledges and changed a Government limited by Law into Arbitrary Power rendred them the Abomination of the People who were convinced that their Dignities were the only things they regarded which made them deviate from the Rules of the Gospel looking no farther then their present enjoyments little minding the betraying the Interests of Religion and the Kingdom out of a Treacherous Compliance with the Will and Pleasure of a Popish Court to whom they made themselves Slaves June 15. The Estates of Scotland met after their late Adjournment and the Duke of Hamilton acquainted them that his Majesty had been pleased to send him a Commission to represent his Royal Person and that he had Orders to give his Consent to an Act for the turning the Meeting of the Estates into a Parliament which was done accordingly and soon after they made an Act for Recognizing and Asserting their Majesties Royal Authority and Right to the Crown and another for all Persons to take an Oath of Faith and Allegiance to them and about the same time the English Forces under General Mackay and others being entred that Kingdom the Duke of Gordon who till this time had Possession of the Castle finding no hopes of Relief surrendred it upon Articles to Sir John Lanier and so that important place which so long had been a Terror to the City of Edenburgh was put into safe hands the Duke casting himself upon the Kings Mercy without making any Article for himself and it was reported he said That he had so much respect for all the Princes of King James VI. line as not to make Conditions with them for his own particular Interest after this a Reward of 18000 Marks was by Proclamation promised to those that should apprehend Dundee dead or alive and indeed he survived not long after for July 26. Major General Mackay Marching from St. Johnstown with 4000 Foot and 4 Troops of Horse and Dragoons and coming within two Miles of the Blair of Athol had notice that Dundee advanced toward him with 6000 Foot and 100 Horse the Fight began between four and five of the Clock in the Afternoon and lasted till Night with great Courage and Resolution on both sides but at length Mackay's Forces being over-powered with number he retired toward Sterling with a Body of 1500 men in good Order many were killed on both sides but the Enemies loss was greater by the Death of Viscount Dundee who charging furiously in the Head of the Highlanders to inconrage them was slain with a shot though he had Armour after which a Division happened between the Lord Dumfermling and Colonel Cannon who shall succeed in the Command of the Rebel at which time Major General Mackay hearing that 500 of their Foot and two Troops of Horse were sent to St. Johnstown to surprize the Stores of Provisions there resolved to be revenged for his late loss and Marching out of Sterling with a Party of Horse and Dragoons met the Rebels and gave them a total Rout killing and taking Prisoners the greatest part of them and Captain Hacket their Commander Soon after another Defeat was given to Collonel Cannons men consisting in about 4000 with the Addition of the Countrey by the Earl of Angus his Regiment under Lieuterant Colonel Cieland who after three hours sherp dispute forced the Rebels to fly back with the loss of aboâ—e 300 and not above thirty of the Kings men among whom was the Liâ—utenat Collonel this Defeat put an effectual stop to the Incursions of the Highlanders who lost all their Courage with the Death of their Commander being never able to make any considerable Head afterward and though the Earl of Damfermling pretended to manage them yet several of the Câ—ief Nobility and Gentry came in and craved the Benefit of the Proclamation of Indemnity which the King had Published some time before to all those who before September third should lay down their Arms and swear Fidelity to King William and Queen Mary and Colonel Cannon who only maintained the Interest of the late King retreated with his few Followers to the Isle of Mall doubtful whether to continue longer there or return to Ireland Lieutenant General Mackay having put a Garrison into the Castle of Blair returned to Edenburgh where several Earls that were in Prison had their Liberty giving sufficient Security for their Peaceable Behaviour so that several Troops of the Kings Forces in that Kingdom were embarkt for heland and about the same time the Parliament there pussed several Acts which were touched with the Royal Scepter by the Lord High-Commissioner and among others An Act for abolishing Prelacy purporting That whereas the Estates of the Kingdom by their Claim of Right April 11. last had declared That Prelacy and Supremacy in any Office in the Church above Presbytery had been a grievous burden to the Nation ever since the Reformation That therefore the King and Queens Majesty did abolish Episcopacy c. and would establish that Church Government which was most agreeable to the People And now the Parliament of England having given the King plentiful supplies for the Reduction of Ireland the Army Marcht from all Parts toward Chester and Highlake to imbark under the Duke of Schomberg consisting in near 30000 men with great store of all sorts of Ammunition and Provisions and considerable summs of Money and His Majesty appointed a Camp on Hounslow Heath for the Remainder of the Forces Aug. 14. which continued only two or three days and in the mean time a Declatation of War was Published against France in Scotland and now several English Protestants in the North of Ireland having got Possession of the Isle of Innis-killing and the City of London-Derry they resolved to defend them against King James and his Army of Irish Papists who were Marching from Dublin against them and hearing that Lieutenant General Macarry was abroad with a strong Detachment Plundering and Ravaging the Countrey Lieutenant Collonel Berry fell upon them with such Vigor that it is judged 3000 of the Irish were slain and drown'd in the Lough near Newton-Butler into which they desperately threw themselves to escape the Sword King James arriving at London-Derry imagined the Terror of his Arms would
tht Attempt And the Prince of Orange observing himself so roughly and unjustly used being reproached as a publick Enemy and exposed to the malice of his implacable Adversaries having his innocent Son and his great Estate ravished from him he thought it high time to defend his Honour and his Life by force of Arms and to engage for Religion and Liberty in the Common quarrel of his Countrey And thereupon he raised an Army in Germany which he sent unto Friz and under his brother Lewis and Adolphus of Nassaw and being met by Count Aremburgh with a considerable Force a battle followed wherein the Nassovians gained a considerable Victory the Spanish Army being totally routed and Arembergh himself with the principal Commanders slain and all their Cannon Baggage and a great summ of Money sent to pay the Souldiers taken This defeat happened in 1568. But Count Lowis enjoyed this Victory very little for the Duke of Alva pursuing him fell upon him just at the time when the Germans were all in a mutiny for their pay who rather chose to be miserably slain than to defend themselves so that six thousand were killed or drowned Adolphus hardly making his escape The Prince nothing discouraged at this misfortune raised another Army of Twenty eight thousand French and Germans and published a Declaration wherein he cleared his Innocence of those crimes objected against him charging the Duke and the Council of Bloud with the Causes of the War and then passing the Rhyne by tying his Horses together to break the force of the River the Foot arrived silently in the night to the other Shore which so surprized that Duke of Alva that he would not believe it at first saying Sure yo do not think them an Army of Birds Arriving thus into Brabant he offered Alva Battel which the other declined so that after 29 several attempts to engage him to a Combate and the City 's not revolting to the Prince as he expected and the Germans being again ready to mutiny for want of Pay it was thought adviseable to dismiss his Army paying part of their Arreas by the sale of his Plate Artillery and Baggage and engaging his Principality of Orange to his chief Officers for the remainder yet before their disbanding he routed eighteen Companies of the Enemies Foot and three hundred Horse of the Spaniards near Cambray most of the Commanders being taken Prisoners and the Duke of Alva's Son slain After this with only 1200 Horse the Prince and his two Brothers went into France to the Assistance of the Protestants against the Duke of Guize and his Partisans where he was very successful in several Encounters and at length by the Advice of the great Admiral Coligni he gave out Commissions to several Persons of Quality Fugitives of the Low Countries to infest the Spaniards by Sea by which means he soon became Master of all Holland and Zealand The Germans being driven out of the Netherlands the D. of Alva as if he had conspired to lose these Countries instantly levied new Taxes even the Tenths of all Goods and Estates which so inraged the People that were already near ruined by the War that upon the Privateers who were sent abroad by the Princes Commission taking the Town of Brill a Port in Zealand eight Cities in Holland and all the Cities in Zealand except Middleburgh declared for the Prince of Orange and Flushing a considerable City being animated by the Priest at Mass on Easter day in the Morning turned out the Spanish Garrisons in such fury that they hang'd Alvarez Kinsman to the Duke of Alva And William Count of Bergen at the same time took several other Towns in Friezeland and which most astonisht Alva Lewis of Nassau by the Assistance of the French took Mons the chief City of Heynault Mean while the Prince of Orange with an Army of 11000 Foot and 6000 Horse marches to Lovain which presented him with 16000 Crowns and was received into Mechlin and from thence comes within fight of Alva's Army which was strongly fortified yet the Prince resolved to force his Intrenchments or oblige him to a Battel which whilst he was consulting he received Advice of the horrid Massacre at Paris whereby he lost the Admiral Chastillon and many other of his dearest Friends together with all hopes of any more Relief from France so that not being able to oblige the Duke to a Battel and doubting the French Commanders manders who were his chief strength should desert him upon News of the bloody Massacre he writ to his Brother Lewis to make Terms for delivering up Mons then besieged by Alva and then with slow Marches retreated to the Rhyne yet with some loss and danger for a Detatchment of Spanish Horse and Foot breaking into his Camp in the night kill'd and burnt all before them as far as his own Tent where he was fast asleep but a little Dog which us'd to lie on his Bed never left barking and scratching his face till he had waked him so that leaping out of his Bed and perceiving the peril he was in he hastened to his Men who were now coming to his Rescue and fell upon the Spaniards so furiously that most of the Party which were about a thousand Horse and Foot were cut off in their retreat After which the Prince dismissed his Army and came into Holland these States with those of Zealand having already acknowledged him for their Governour and taken an Oath to stand by him with their Lives and Fortunes But though the Prince had the full power of the Government in his own hands yet he acted all matters in the name of the States and by his extream dilligence in four months time he had provided a Fleet of 150 Sail well Rigged and Manned in the Port of Flushing who for ten years after did unspeakable damage to the Spaniards and were never but once worsted by them He likewise banished all Romish superstitions out of the Churches that difference in Religion might render them more irreconcileable to their old Adversary But the Duke of Alva having retaken Mons sent his Son to reduce some other Cities in Holland and Guelderland and because the Town of Haerlem had formerly received the Prince of Orange after the Duke had reduced it by Famine whereof near thirteen thousand died he made a dreadful example of this place the Spaniards first hanging the Governour and for several days together hanging and drowning the Ministers Magistrates and People of the City to the number of near two thousand which butcheries made the Hollanders to be still more resolved and obstinate against them so that the other Towns made a more Vigorous defence for fear of falling into the hands of such cruel blood hounds Soon after the Duke of Alva was recalled out of the Netherlands and Lowis Requiesens of a milder temper was sent to succeed him King Philip now finding that Rigor and Barbarity did but inrage the Netherlanders and made them more averse to
his Government This new Governour had the fortune at his arrival to be an eye-witness of the deseat of his Masters Fleet by that of the Prince of Orange but yet was more fortunate by Land for Prince Lowis of Nassaw having brought a fourth Army out of Germany of seven thousand Foot and four thousand Horse was defeated by the Spaniards near Nimmeguen the Germans according to their usual custom calling for their pay just as the battle began and thereby were the ruine of themselves as well as of their Generals honour Prince Lowis with his brother Prince Henry and the Count Palatine being all three killed in this fight Upon which Victory the Spaniards besieged Leyden and reduced it to very great extremity so that they were ready to Capitulate But the Prince having an account of their condition by Letters tyed to Pigeons and sent into the Town Resolved to make the utmost effort possible to relieve it and having provided two hundred Flat bottom Boates of fourteen or sixteen Oars and two Guns a piece which he filled with Seamen and Provisions when all things were prepared the Hollanders broke down the Damm that kept out the Sea which thereupon entred with such fury into the Countrey that it was overwhelmed with water and and the Camp of the Spaniards was overflowed so that the City received supplies forty mile off by water and the Spaniards having sunk their Cannon after four months fruitless labour were forced to raise the Seige being pursued by the Dutch in their Boats with long grapling Irons wherewith they drowned and destroyed a great number of their enemies This deliverance from a Barbarous and Inhumane Enemy endeared the Prince of Orange to those of Leyden who to recompence their losses by the inundation erected a University there which he indowed with ample Revenues and Priviledges But to recompence this loss Requesones reduced Zurich-zee but the Spaniards and Germans falling at variance about their pay and Requesones dying at the same time the unruly Souldiers fell upon Mastriccht and Antwerp both which Towns they plundred and ransackt of an immense Treasure rated at above Twenty Millions The Robberies of those Forreign Mutineers caused such an abhorrence and detestation of the Government in the People that those which had hitherto continued obedient to the Spanish Government now declared the Spaniards enemies to their King and Countrey and called in the Prince of Orange to their assistance All the Provinces except Luxemburg entring into an Association and Solemnly Swearing to assist each other in delivering their Countrey from Spanish Slavery This happened in 1576. when King Philip to remedy these disorders sent Don John of Austria to be Governour of the Netherlands who by his Mild and Affable behaviour wheedled the Provinces for a time to desist from their gallant resolution and though the Prince of Orange who saw the bottom of the Spaniards designs continually forewarned them not to be deluded with guilded promises yet Don John having solemnly agreed That the States General should assemble and that the Spaniards and Germans should depart out of the Netherlands several of the Provinces again submitted to King Philip the Prince of Orange with the States of Holland and Zealand protesting against their proceedings especially as to the Articles about Religion But Don John was no sooner setled in his Government being received with much magnificence at Brussels but he quickly made good the Princes Premonitions for he seized upon Namur and Charlemont and sent for the Forreign Troops Whereupon the States finding themselves deluded they resolved to oppose him by Arms and having demolished the Castle of Antwerp they joyned with the Prince of Orange and sent to desire his presence at Brussels where he was received with all kinds of Joy and the Acclamations of the People and declared Governour of Brabant and Super-Intendant of the Revenues of the Provinces The States General having declared Don John of Austria the publick Enemy of their Countrey he thereupon recall'd the Italians and other Forreigners who were banished by the perpetual Edict as it was called and with them defeated the Army of the States at Gemblours though this loss was recompensed by the surrender of the famous City of Amsterdam eight days after which was then united to the Body of Holland In the year 1579. the Prince of Orange laid the Foundation of the Republick of the Low-Countreys by the strict Union he made between the Provinces of Gueldres Zutphen Holland Zealand Friezeland and the Ommelands consisting of 25 Articles the chief whereof was That these Provinces should mutually assist each other against the common Enemy and not treat of War or Peace without general consent This was called The Treaty of Vtrecht because signed in that City and to shew that Union was absolutely necessary for their preservation the States took this for their Motto Concordia parvae res crescunt By Concord little things grow great But the Prince finding the power of these few Provinces not sufficient to defend themselves against the other Provinces that had reconciled themselves to Spain nor against that potent Crown he thought it adviseable to chuse some Neighbour Prince to be their Protector and judged none more proper than the Duke of Anjou and Alenson the only Brother of Henry III. King of France and Commissioners being sent to him it was soon agreed that these six Provinces of Holland Zealand Brabant Flanders Utrecht and Friezeland should acknowledge him for their Soveraign upon condition That he should maintain them in their present Priviledges and Religion that he should assemble the States General once a year or oftner if they thought fit That he should not dispose of any Offices or Preferments without the consent of the States Lastly That if he should endeavour to infringe or violate this Treaty he should immediately forfeit his Soveraignty and they be fully absolved from any Allegiance to him and be at liberty to chuse another Soveraign This Agreement being made Arch-Duke Matthias Brother to Rodolphus Emperor of Germany who had been sent for some time before by some factious Lords who envied the Virtue and Glory of the Prince of Orange finding that the States sought for a more powerful Protector took his leave and retired into Germany though not without large Acknowledgment and Presents from the States General The Prince of Orange hastened the March of the Duke of Alenson whose presence he knew was very considerable especially since in this year 1580 the King of Spain had published a most bloody Proscription against him Reproaching him with the favours bestowed on him by his Father Charles the V and declaring him to be a Rebel Heretick Hypocrite like to Cain and Judas of an obdurate Conscience a Villain the Head of the Netherland Troubles a Plague to Christendom and an Enemy to all Mankind Declaring further That he did prosecute and banish him out of his Countreys and Estates forbidding any of his Subjects to converse with or relieve him
to govern the People with mildness and to endeavour to gain their Affections which would be the most durable Foundation that he could lay for the security of his Government The Duke was received at Antwerp with all kind of Magnificence being made Duke of Brabant with much solemnity and having taken an Oath to protect and defend them in all their Rights afterward the Nobility and Gentry swore Allegiance to him as their Prince and Governour Soon after a Plot was laid to kill the Prince of Orange which was thus managed Gaspar de Anastro a Spanish Merchant living in Antwerp finding his Affairs in a very low condition by reason of the many Debts he had contracted and was not able to pay he bethought himself of the great Reward promised by the King of Spain to the Murtherers of the Prince of Orange and being greedy of this prey which he thought might again retrieve his credit he consulted with the Governour of Gravelin how to put this Fact in execution and at length concluded to imploy a wicked Boy he had called Joanille to perpetrate it who no sooner was acquainted with it but he readily undertook it The day appointed for this execrable deed was on a Sunday when the Duke of Anjou making a great Feast the Prince of Orange was present the Boy accordingly came to the house where he was confest by a Jacobin Fyrer and promised the pardon of all his sins the Priest likewise deluding him and saying that he should go invisible having given him some Characters in Papers with Frogs Bones and other Trifles that were found in his pocket Being thus strengthened in his Resolution he drank a Glass or two of Wine and the Ghostly Father having given him his Blessing at the stairs foot left him Joanille comes into the Room where the Prince and several Lords were at Dinner clad like a French-man and was thought a Servant to one of the French Noblemen he endeavoured to come near the Prince having charged his Pistol with two Bullets designing to shoot him behind as he had been instructed but was still hindered The Prince having dined went toward his Withdrawing Room shewing by the way to a Noble-man the Cruelties of the Spaniards in the Netherlands wrought in Tapestry when the Murtherer having placed himself in a Window of the Hall discharged his Pistol against the hinder part of his head but the Prince turning his face at the same instant the Bullet entred in at the throat it being so near that the fire entred with the wound burning his Ruff and his Beard and breaking one of his Teeth the Bullet coming out at the left Cheek near his Nose without hurting his Tongue This terrible blow being given all present were amazed and one of the Halberdiers in a rage thrust the Villain thorow and a Page presently after dispatcht him The Boy was quickly known to belong to Anastro who was imprisoned together with the Monk the first was released but the Fryer together with the Carcass of the Murtherer were both hang'd and after quartered The Princes wound was somewhat dangerous for the bleeding of the Jugular Vein could by no art nor means be stopt till they contrived that for nine days together several persons appointed should hold their Thumbs upon the wound night and day so that at length it closed and the danger was over At first the French were thought to have committed the Fact but the Prince of Orange though weak writing with his own hands to the Magistrates of Antwerp to let them know it was a Spaniard they at length were satisfied The grief of that great City was extraordinary upon the Princes being wounded the Magistrates commanding Fasts to be kept to pray for his Recovery and their Joy was as great when they heard he was out of danger The Prince of Parma Governour of the Spanish Netherlands concluded him dead and sent mild Letters to several Cities to surrender to him After this the Duke of Anjou envying the Power of the Prince of Orange which he thought eclipsed his own and not enduring to be a Soveraign only in name with such a limited Authority by the Advice of some of his young Councillors he resolved to seize upon the principal Places in the Netherlands that is Antwerp Bruges Dunkirk and Dendermond upon pretence that the People of Antwerp had incompassed his Pallace with design to murther him The two last he took possession of but the Citizens of Bruges and Antwerp defended themselves with so much courage that the French were kill'd in such heaps before the Gates as prevented those without from enering in to their Relief The Flemmings had some suspitions the Prince was concerned in the attempt which was somewhat occasioned by his fourth Marriage with Lovise de Coligny a French Lady But he perceiving it and that the States party grew every day weaker in the Walloon Provinces retired into Holland where he thought himself more secure and his Life less exposed to the Bigotted Papists and setled at the City of Delph where Henry Frederick Grandfather to our present Gracious Soveraign was born The Duke of Anjous Party being defeated he was obliged to restore those places of which he had made himself Master And returning into France dyed soon after some say of poyson others of meer vexation for this inglorious enterprize The Spaniards thinking they had no greater Enemy in the World than the Prince of Orange and that he being gone they should attain their full purposes for inslaving the Netherlands they used all manner of base and treacherous practices to murder and destroy him which they too succes-fully effected in the manner following In May 1584. A Young man of above twenty seven coming to the Princes Court at Delph delivered him a Letter as he passed along the Prince demanding whence it came the Youth being of a seeming innocent countenance replyed that it was his own Letter and contained matter of concernment for the service of the Countrey It was subscribed Francis Guyon The Prince went away and the next day the fellow desiring a Councellor of the Princes that he might be heard and receive an Auswer of his Letter and that he had several other things of importance to discover both concerning the Countrey and Religion The Prince having notice of it commanded one of his Council to examine him to whom he gave a large account of his pretended adventures and that he had procured several blanks which he produced with Count Mansfields Seal which were given him for the use of Pass-ports for Victualers but might be serviceable to the Prince upon other occasions The Prince recovered the blank Pass-ports intending to try some experiment with them And by this means he became so familiar at Court that the Prince some days after having an account of the death of the Duke of Anjou he sent for this Villain into his chamber to inquire something of him while he was in bed and the wretch afterwards confest in
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
above two thousand of the French were slain and not above seven hundred of the Dutch His Highness finding the Garison relieved with such a numerous supply drew off his men and retreated to his Quarters After which was held a Council of War of the Principal Officers of the Army which being ended a certain Colonel would needs be impertinently inquisitive of the Prince to know what was his great design against the French at that time His Highness demanded of him whether he would discover to any other what he should declare to him The Colonel said No he would not Then said the Prince my Tongue is also endued from Heaven with the same Grace An answer becoming the wisdom of a Prince and the reservedness of a Great Commander His Highness being with the Army at Mastricht sent out a Party to reduce the strong Castle of Valcheren which was soon surrendred with a great quantity of Wheat and other Provisions During this time the Dake of Luxemburg with fourteen thousand Horse and Foot resolved to Invade the Province of Holland in hope to plunder Leyden and the Hague and marcht from Woerden over the Ice with 3500 of the lightest of the Infantry of whith attempt his Highness having notice marched with all speed toward the French who in the mean time had taken Swamerdam and by the retiring of Colonel Paine Vin from his Post at Niewerbrong had a free passage opened for their retreat who must also have perished in the waters or surrendred by reason of the sudden thaw The Duke himself was like to have been lost by a fall into the thawed water losing in this shippery expedition above six hundred of his best Souldiers The French committed horrid ravages at Swammerdam Ravishing Women Stripping and Wounding the Aged and Decrepit and throwing infants that smiled in their Faces into the fire And now the strong City of Coverden the Key of the Provinces of Frizeland and Groning which in that fatal year 1672. fell into the hands of the Bishop of Munster with great loss of men and a long Seige was retaken in an hour and not above sixty men slain and of the Enemy a hundred and fifty killed and 430 Prisoners It was furnished by the Bishop with a predigious quantity of warlike Ammubition This success highly incouraged the Dutch and so furprized the Enemy that they instantly quitred several other Garrisons and much advanced the Honour of the Prince to whose prudent mannagement of affairs they attributed this happy alteration in the Fortune of their Countrey Which his Highness likewise extended to pacifie the Dissentions between the Old and New Magistrates of Frizeland who acted contrary to each other but upon his Highness appearing in their Assembly all discords vanisht and all things were setled for the defence of the Netherlands by his visiting the Frontier Fortifications of Flushing Sluce Ardenburg where the Keys of the Town were delivered him in a Silver Bason by the Young Virgins of that City deck'd with Garlands of several Flowers and several other strong places In 1673. the Dutch were hetly assailed on the one side by the French King with a puissant Army while Conde and Luxemburg lay at Utrecht with powerful Forces to watch an opportunity to invade the very Centre of their Territories and by Sea the King of England vigorously attackt them with his own and the French Fleet so that the Prince of Orange was obliged not to stir abroad but to observe their designs and prevent the threatned Descent of the English In May the King of France with an Army of 42000 men sate down before Mastricht the Garrison consisted of about 4000 Foot and 900 Horse under Monsieur Farieux a resolute and experienced Commander as appeared by the stout resistance he made against this mighty Force so that though the French gained the place yet it was with such a deluge of Blood no less than 9000 of their bravest Souldiers being Slain in the Seige with an incredible number of his choicest Officers that the purchase was sufficiently dear And after three weeks valiant defence with the loss of half the Garrison by innumerable essaults Batteries and Storming of fresh Assailants night and day The Couragious Governour would still have held it out had not the Petitions of the Magistrates and Ecclesiasticks obliged him to surrender of whose worthy conduct the Prince of Orange was so well satisfied that he instantly preferred him to be Major General of the Army And the French King was so mortified that when he had taken the Town he broke up his Army and returned to Paris sending part of them to Turrenne to inable him to harrass the Countrey of Treves because that Elector had assisted the Emperor against him The French Army being thus disperst and the Engish Fleet since the Ingagement of May 28. wherein both sides claimed the Victory being retired from the Coast of Holland His Highness now more at liberty resolved not to lie still so that calling off his Forces which lay for the defence of Zealand to joyn with the rest of the Army he sate down before Naerden with 20000 Men upon which the Duke of Luxemburg with 10000 and four Reigments of Munster Horse advanced within view of the Princes Intrenchments but not daring to attempt the Relief of the Town the Prince after three hours resistance beat the French from their Works and forced them to retire in great confasion into the City and the next day they furtendred it up The Garrison marching out the Governour made a profound Reverence to the Prince and it is said assured him That he had Reasons sufficient to surrender the Town so soon But it seems the King did not think them so for he was condemned to perpetual imprisonment and had his Sword broken over his head at Utrecht For the Garrison consisted in near Three thousand Men and wanted neither Ammunition nor Provisions and the French had much strengthned the Fortifications yet the Prince took it in four days and lost not above a hundred Men and two hundred wounded And now His Highness to avoid so many Sieges as the Towns they had lost would cost to recover resolved upon a gallant Action the boldness of which amazed all Men but the success extolked the prudence as well as the bravery of it For the King of Spain and the Emperor having joyned in a Confederacy with the States General for mutual defence against the French as the common Enemy of both The Prince that he might perform something remarkable before the approaching Winter marched directly with his Army out of the Netherlands and joyning with the Confederates he resolved to besiege Bonne which had been put into the hands of the French the beginning of the War wherein the Elector of Cologne and the Bishop of Munster had entred joyntly with France It had a Garrison of Two thousand Men and was well furnisht with all provisions and Eighty great Guns mounted on their Walls and Bulwarks
then King Charles and the States General would unite their Forces to compel him to reason The French rejected the King's Propositions continuing his mighty Warlike Preparations Upon which King Charles recalled his Forces out of the French Service who had often occasioned his gaining many considerable Victories and the Parliament meeting soon after the King acquainted them That he had made an Alliance with Holland to compel the King of France to a reasonable Peace Upon which the Commons gave Money for raising 30000 Land Souldiers and a Fleet of 90 Men of War Though it appeared afterward the Court never intended any War but to have used these Forces to far worse purposes even to the advancing Arbitrary Government and Popery in these Kingdoms of which the Dutch were so sensible that much doubting the sincerity of K. Charles his Negotiations they were at last constrained to make Peace with the French upon disadvantagious Terms to pacifie the Factions and Discontents of the People The French King in March this year came before Gaunt with an Army of 80000 Men and by inceslant Batteries and Stormings took it in nine days time having drawn the Spanish Forces toward Mons under pretence of Besieging it And then fell upon Ipre with such rapid violence that he soon reduced that likewise though with such loss of Officers and Souldiers that he put his Army into Garrisons and then returned to Paris This gave such a mighty Alarm to the Hollanders that all things drove on violently for a Peace Which the French King being sensible of and having now gained his point in Flanders to prevent the English from being in earnest against him He sends an Imperious Project of a Peace declaring he would admit of these conditions and no other which the Dutch were obliged to accept of since they could obtain no better But before the Peace was ratified the French made several Pretensions and Delays in performing even what themselves had agreed to as his Highness the P. of Orange foresaw and foretold they would do insomuch that they blockt up the City of Mons a chief Frontier of Flanders Upon which his Highness resolved to march to the relief of it great preparations being made to that purpose and understanding that the Confederates had joined the Holland and Spanish Forces that lay near the Canal of Brussels he departed by Night from the Hague and marching toward Mons with his Armv being accompanied with the Duke of Monmouth he fell upon the Duke of Luxemburg with such fury that he forced him to retire and animating his Souldiers with his Eyes sparkling like Fire they despised all danger by their gallant Generals example who in the midst of Fire and Smoak and Bullets flying thick as Hail adventured so far that he had been in eminent danger had not Monsieur Overkirk opposed himself against a daring Captain that was just ready to charge the Prince with a full Career laying him dead on the place The Horse all this while were lookers on not being able to advance into the the narrow Passages and steep Descents so that all the weight lay on the Foot and Dragoons Night coming on the Duke of Luxemburg drew off in great silence and confusion leaving to his Highness as certain marks of Victory the Field of Battel his Tents Baggage wounded Men store of Powder and other Ammunition The States General appointed Commissioners to congratulate his Highness for this Victory gained with so much reputation and glory beseeching him withal to be careful of his Illustrious Person considering the Tranquillity of his Countrey and the repose of the Church and Protestant Religion depended so much thereon The very day this memorable Battel was fought the Peace between the Dutch and French was signed at Nimegen of which intelligence was brought to his Highness the next morning who would else have pursued the advantages he had gained to the full relief of the Town having already in spight of so many disadvantages from an Army so suddenly drawn together and so hasty a march as that of the Dutch taken divers Posts fortified with so much skill and industry by the French and attacqued them with a resolution and vigor that at first surprized them and after an obstinate and bloudy Fight so disordered them that though the night prevented the end of the action yet it was verily believed that if the Prince had been at liberty next day to pursue it with 7 or 8000 English which were ready to join his Army he must in all appearance not only have relieved Mous but made such an impression into France as had been often design'd but never attempted since the War began Upon which a French Officer present said That he esteemed this the only Heroick Action that had been done in the whole course and progress of it The Prince having received advice of the Peace sent a Deputy with the News to the Duke of Luxemburg who desired to see the Prince and accordingly met him in the Field in the Head of his Chief Officers where all Civilities passed between them proper for the occasion and the French with great cariosity crowded about this young Prince who had the day before ingaged in such a desperate Action as that of St. Dennis was esteemed to be So that his Highness could not have ended the War with greater Glory nor with greater spight to see such a great occasion wrested out of his hand by the sudden and unexpected signing of the Peace which he had assured himself the States General would not have consented to without the Spaniards Yet upon the certain News of it he drew back his Army returned to the Hague and left the States to pursue their own measures in order to finish the Treaty betwixt France and Spain During which the King of England sent over a Perfon of Honour to the States General to acquaint them how much he was surprized at the news of their signing a particular Treaty with France even without the inclusion of Spain declaring that if they would refuse to ratifie what their Ministers had signed at Nimegen His Majesty would immediately declare War against France and carry it on with all vigour pursuant to the Treaty lately entred into with them All men were much amazed at this sudden Turn of the Court of England and the Prince complained That nothing was ever more hot and cold nor any Councils ever more unsteady than those of England since if this Dispatch had come twenty days before it might have changed the face of Affairs in Christendom and have obliged the French to such Terms of Peace as should have left the World in quiet for many years to come but would now have no effect at all Which happened accordingly for at last it appeared to proceed only from the discovery of the Popish Plot which extreamly alarm'd the People and Parliament who were much disturbed at the Treacherous Designs of our Court in promoting the Popish and French
had largely promised the Protection of both And at the same time seeing Popery and Arbitrary Power hovering over their Heads and ready to seize on their Liberties and Properties and that both were designed to be perpetuated and enâ—ailed upon them and their Posterity by a succession of Popish Princes Mrs. Cellier having declared in Print before the pretended Birth That it would be a Prince and that the Queen would likewise bring forth a Duke of York and a Duke of Glocester After several consultations whither to fly for succour at length they resolved to apply themselves to His Highness the Prince of Orange to whose Illustrious Family it had been an Inherent Glory for some Ages to relieve the Distressed and support the Protestant Cause His Highness they saw inherited all the surpassing Qualities of his Ancestors Their matchless Prudence Justice Courage their Truth and Magnanimity and besides all these excellent Endowments they were well assured of the fair Title he had to the Crown it self To him therefore the Lords Spiritual and Temporal with a great number of the Chiefest Gentry of the Kingdom make their application and in an humble Memorial represent their Grievances to their Highnesses to this effect That their Highnesses cannot be ignorant that the Protestants of England who continue True to the Government and Religion have been many ways troubled and vexed by many Devices and Machinations of the Papists carried on under pretence of Royal Authority and things required of them unanswerable before God and Man Several Ecclesiastical Benefices of Churches taken from them without any other Reason given than the Kings Pleasure themselves Summoned and Sentenced by Commissioners appointed contrary to express Law deprived of their free choice of Magistrates divers Corporations dissolved The Legal Security of their Religion and Liberty established by King and Parliament abolished and taken away by a pretended Dispensing Power New and unheard of Maxims broached That Subjects have no Right but what is founded and derived from the Kings Will and Pleasure the Militia put into the Hands of Persons unqualified by Law and a Popish Mercenary Army maintained in the Kingdom in times of Peace directly contrary to Law executing of ancient Laws against several Crimes and Misdemeanors obstructed and prohibited and the Statutes against corresponding with the Court of Rome against Papal Jurisdictions and Popish Priests suspended in the Courts of Justice those Judges displaced who acquit any whom the Court would have condemned as happened to the Judges Holloway and Powel for acquitting the seven Bishops the free choice of Members of Parliament wholly taken away notwithstanding all the Care and Provision made by the Law in that behalf by the Quo Warranto's against Charters and proposing ensnaring Questions all things levell'd at the Propagation of Popery for which the Courts of England and France have now for a long time so strenously bestirr'd themselves Endeavours and Practices used to perswade their Highnesses to Consent to the abolishing the Penal Laws and Tests though herein disappointed The Queens being with Child first Proclaimed and Divulged by Popish Priests and in the Sequel thereof a Child produced without any clear Proof or Evidence of sufficient and unsuspected Witnesses besides that it cannot be believed that the said Child was ever born of the Queen by Reason of her known Sickness and Indisposition and many other Arguments as not being confirmed by any certain foregoing Signs of Conception the place of her lying in being often changed and her pretended Delivery Celebrated in the absence of the Princess of Denmark and while the English Ladies were at Church in a Bedstead which was provided with a Convenient Passage in the side of it by which means the Child was conveyed to the Queen by the Ladies L' Abadie and Teurarier that these be matters left to the Discretion of a Free Parliament and that in the Name of your Highnesses and the whole Nation the Queen may be desired to prove the real Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales by a competent number of credible Witnesses of both Sexes or in Case of a failure herein that the reports of any such Birth may be supprest for the time to come That they humbly crave the Protection of their Highnesses in this matter as well as with respect to the Abolition and Suspension of the Laws made to maintain the Protestant Religion their Civil Rights Fundamental Liberties and Free Government and that their Highnesses would be pleased to insist that besides the business of the Child the Government of England according to Law may be restored the Laws against Papal Jurisdiction Priests c. be put in Execution the Suspending and Dispensing Power be declared Null and Void and the Priviledges of the City of London Free Choice of Magistrates and all the other Liberties as well of that as other Corporations be restored and maintained Their Highnesses with no less Willingness than Generosity and out of their Zeal for the Protestant Religion and Compassion of the Oppressed listned to their Complaints And his Highness well weighing the justness of their Requests and the Reality of their Grievances instantly began to take Measures in Order to their Deliverance And soon after his Highness went to meet the Elector of Brandenburgh and some other Princes and Noblemen of Germany at Minden which so alarmed the French King that Monsieur D' Avaux his Ambassadour presented a Memorial to the States General intimating that the King his Master being informed of the Motions and Conferences that were made and held towards the Frontiers of Cologne against the Cardinal of Furstemburgh and the Chapter He was resolved to maintain the Cardinal and their Priviledges against all those who should go about to trouble them but herein the Politicks of King Lewis fail'd him his Highness the Prince of Orange managing his Affairs with such an exact Secrecy that neither that King nor his Sagacious Council could penetrate into the Design till it was upon the Point of Execution and out of danger of being Defeated For upon his Highness return from that Conference to Loe Orders were given for drawing the Forces the States had raised for his Highness Assistance and incamping them upon the Mocker Hyde and the Forces of those other Princes whom his Highness had ingaged to aid him in this Glorious Expedition had Orders to be upon their March as those of Brandenburgh Hesse-Cassel c. And the States General assembled at the Hague where his Highness was present and their Debates and Consultations having been kept very Private for some days at length they published the following Manifesto That the States had resolved with their Ships and Men to assist the Prince of Orange who being invited by the Reiterated Importunities of the Nobility and Gentry of England to oppose that Arbitrary Government which His Britannick Majesty is designing to introduce into that Kingdom has fully determined to go over to that Countrey as well for that Reason as to save
rising in divers places demolished the Mass Houses and burnt the Popish Trinkets yea proceeded to several Violences and Disorders which occasioned the Death and Wounding of many Persons even in Edenburg it self of which the Scots Noblemen and Gentlemen in London having notice they resolved to attend his Highness the Prince of Orange and lay before him the willingness of the People of Scotland to submit to his Protection and his Highness having notice of their Intentions caused such of them as were in Town to be advertiz'd to meet him at St. Jameses Jan. 7. to whom he made the following Speech MY Lords and Gentlemen the only Reason that Induced me to undergo so great an undertaking was that I saw the Laws and Liberties of these Kingdoms overturned and the Protestant Religion in imminent Danger and seeing you are so many Noblemen and Gentlemen I have called you together that I may have your Advice what is to be done for the securing of the Protestant Religion and restoring your Laws and Liberties according to my Declaration After which the Lords and Gentlemen went to the Council-Chamber at Whitehall and chusing Duke Hamilton their President they drew up an Address which they presented to the Prince to this Effect That they rendred his Highness their humble Thanks for his pious and generous Undertaking c. Desiring him to take upon him the Administration of Affairs Civil and Military in Scotland till the general Meeting of the Estates which they humbly prayed his Highness to call to be held at Edenburg March 14. following This Address was subscribed by thirty Lords and eighty Gentlemen his Highness assured them that He would do all that they required and the news thereof coming to Edenburgh was received with the utmost Demonstrations of Joy and Satisfaction The Elections for the Convention at Westminster had in some places been generally made without those strivings and hears that are usual upon such Occasions and seemed to be a good Prognostick that their Debates would be calm and tend to a speedy Settlement and accordingly the 〈◊〉 of January being come the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Assembled at Westminster the Lord Marquess of Hallifax Officiated as Speaker in the House of Lords and the Commons chose Henry Poule Esquire to be their Speaker after which a Letter from his Highness the Prince of Orange was read in both Houses on the Occasion of their Meeting wherein his Highness declared That he had endeavoured to the utmost of his Power to perform what was dented of him in Order to the Publick Peace and Safety and that he did not know any thing which had been omitted that might tend to the Preservation of them since the Administration of Affairs was put into his hands and that it now lay upon them to lay the Foundation of a firm Security for their Religion Laws and Liberties That he did not doubt but that by such a full and free Representative of the Nation as was then met the ends of his Declaration would be attained and since it had pleased God hitherto to bless his good Intentions with so great Success He trusted in Him that he would Compleâ—â— his own work by sending a Spirit of Peace and Union to influence their Councils that no interruption might be given to a Happy and lasting Settlement He then represented to them the dangerous Condition of the Protestants in Ireland and the present State of things abroad which required their early Assistance against a Powerful Enemy who had declared War against them and which he did not doubt but without any unseasonable Divisions among themselves they would take that Effectual care about This Letter being read and approved of the Lords and Commons presented an Address to his Highness That being highly sensible of the great Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power and that their Preservation next under God was oweing to his Highness they returned Him their humble Thanks as the glorious Instrument of so great a blessing and did further acknowledg the great care he had taken in the administring the publick Affairs to that time humbly desiring that his Highness would continue the Administration thereof till further Application should be made by them which should be expedited with all convenient speed This Address being presented Jan. 23. 1688. His Highness returned them this Answer MY Lords and Gentlemen I am glad that what I have done hath pleased you and since you desire me to continue the Administration of Affairs I am willing to accept it I must recommend to you the Consideration of Affairs abroad which maketh it fit for you to expedite your business not only for making a Settlement at home upon a good Foundation but for the Safety of all Europe After this the Lords and Commons Ordered a day of publick Thanksgiving to be kept throughout the Kingdom to render Praise to Almighty God for having made his Highness the Prince of Orange the glorious Instrument of the great Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power As to the Condition of Ireland the Earl of Tyrconnel a violent Papist being made Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom by King James as a fit Instrument to carry on his Designs gave the Irish great Hopes of Subduing the English by his first Cashiering the Protestant Officers and Souldiers that were in Arms and then by turning out the Officers and Ministers of Justice and though Complaints were made against his proceedings in the Court of England yet they were not regarded but he rather incouraged in his Enterprizes which occasioned such Dread of future Mischiefs that divers left the Kingdom some going for Holland others for Scotland and England things continued in this Dangerous posture till the News of the intended Enterprize of the Prince of Orange Arrived there upon which Tyrconnel was very active to secure the Roman Catholick Interest in Ireland Imprisoning and Disarming the Protestants and sending over 3000 of the Choicest Irish Souldiers to Assist King James But upon notice of his Flight into France he called his Popish Council together and told them That now was the time for their standing up for their Country to secure it against all their Enemies and as for his part if his Master himself should command him to deliver up the Sword he should think it his Duty to refuse it in this Juncture and thereupon spreading the News all over the Country he caused the Irish every where to Arm themselves with such Weapons as they could get This Tumultuous Rabble Herding together plundred the Protestants Houses drove away their Cattle fired their Stack of Corn and Hay Murthered some and Barbarously used others insomuch that the Protestants being extreamly affrighted many of them fled for their Lives leaving their Estates behind them and though several of the Protestant Nobility and Gentry made Head in the North Yet they found themselves unable to Resist the Fury of their Numerous Adversaries However they Defeated several
surprisingly that they made little Resistance but fled with all imaginable Confusion and being pursued 400 of them were kill'd and the rest totally routed and taken Prisoners with a great quantity of Claret and other Provisions and a great number of Officers were brought to Edenburg and committed to the Tolbooth soon after the remaining Rebels who escaped designed to have surprized the Garrison of Inverness but were happily prevented and deseated by the Earl of Drumlanerig and Major General Mackay In Ireland the King having secured Dublin in safe Hands caused his Army to march toward Limerick where Tyrconnel and Lauzun had drawn together the late Kings broken Forces and having made their approaches against all Opposition His Majesty ordered the Trenches to be opened and planted several Batteries of Cannon which made great breaches in the Walls and a general Assault was expected but Aug. 28. at Night the Rains fell so excessively that the Rivers overflowed and the Garrison being extream strong the King to spare his Men and to avoid the many Inconveniences of the approaching Season was pleased to Order the raising the Seige and refer the reducing the City till a more favourable opportunity after which His Majesty returned for England and was received with all imaginable Expressions of Joy throughout the Kingdom About this time a Fleet was prepared by His Majesties Order consisting in thirty two English and twenty eight Dutch men of War aboard of whom were imbarked eight Regiments of Foot besides the Marine Regiments commanded by the Earl of Marlborough as General and Mr. Trelawny as Major General who Sept. 21. arrived at Cork in Ireland which was obliged to surrender upon Articles and soon after Kingsale ran the same Fate an horrible design of the Irish was now discovered to have set the City of Dublin on Fire but it was happily discovered and prevented In October the Parliament met again at Westminster and Congratulated His Majesties safe return and likewise returned their humble acknowledgments to Her Majesty for Her Goodness Wisdom and Courage manifested in the greatest Dangers even when a powerful Enemy was upon the Coasts the Earl of Torrington was tryed on board the Kent in the River Medway by a Jury of Sea Captains and after a long hearing of the Witnesses and his Defence upon a long debate he was acquitted The Parliament continued to sit and passed many Acts both for supplying His Majesty for the War and setling the Kingdom to whom the King gave an account that the posture of Affairs abroad required his Presence at the Hague and accordingly Jan. 6. His Majesty left White-Hall attended by the great Officers of his Household and divers others of the Nobility and Gentry and soon after arrived in Holland though with some difficulty by reason of the Ice at the Hague His Majesty was received with great Joy which they exprest by erecting several Triumphal Arches redounding to the Glory of his Gallant Achievements since His Majesty left that Countrey And now a Conspiracy was discovered managed by several Persons for introducing our former Bondage and Slavery and the Lord Preston John Ashton and Edmond Eliot were seized as they were designing to go for France with Letters and Papers of Pernicious Consequence and Jan. 17. the Lord Preston was Tryed for High Treason at the Old-Bailey and two days after Mr. Ashton and were both found Guilty and Mr. Ashton was Executed for the same but the Lord Preston was Reprieved together with one Crone formerly Sentenced upon the same account and the Trial of Eliot was deferred after which a Proclamation was issued out for apprehending Dr. Turner late Bishop of Ely William Pen and James Graham Esquires The Duke of Savoy whose Family had for above an hundred years past been trampled on by France and would at this day have been entirely enslaved by that King took this favourable occasion to set himself at Liberty while all Europe almost lends him a helping hand and thereupon some Months since he declared openly against that Crown and Released and gave Liberty to all his Protestant Subjects and entertained them into his Service entering likewise into the Confederacy with the Princes and States of Christendom now in Arms to reduce that Grand Vsurper to Reason and incapacitate him from being any longer dangerous to his Neighbours and in the latter end of 1690. His Highness sent an Envoy to Congratulate their Majesties Accession to the Throne and to express his Passionate desire to unite himself to His Majesties Friendship by an indissoluble Vnion Vpon the Kings Arrival at the Hague several Princes daily came thither as well to have the Honour to wait upon his Majesty as to confer about the state of Affairs March 5. the King accompanied by the Duke of Zell and several of his own Nobility departed for Loo and by the way had news that the French had invested the City of Mons the day before upon which his Majesty ordered the Dutch Troops to march immediately into Flanders to the general Rendezvous and soon after followed in Person being received in the Camp with extraordinary Joy that they should fight under the Banners of so undaunted a Prince the French King arrived before the Town five days after the Siege began having amassed all his Forces together upon this Enterprize leaving only sufficient to defend their Garrisons so that by their continual firing and attacks and the Folly of the Burghers who would not admit above 6000 men into the Town whereas they ought to have had at least 4000 Horse and 10000 Foot this important Place was taken in eight days time the Governor not being able to make such vigorous Sallys as he might have done because he was willing to spare his men but the Burghers being by this means stronger than the Garrison obliged the Prince of Berghes to a surrender before the Confederates could â—ossibly have leisure to relieve the Town after which the French King returned to Versailles and King William came back to England viewing some part of the Fleet in his return and arrived safe at White-Hall where His Majesty nominated several new Bishops to succeed those that had forfeited their bishopricks by refusing to swear Allegiance to their Majesties he likewise took a view of the Troops that were to go to Flanders and having provided for the Security of the Kingdom and happily settled all affairs in Scoland and Ireland His Majesty declared his Resolution of returning into Flanders and arrived May 2 1691. in the Army Encamped within two Miles of Brussels being about 70000 strong and the French under the Duke of Luxemburg no less numerous And in July Baltimore and Athlone in Ireland were taken by General Giukle and the Prince of Wirtemburg Monsieur St. Ruth the French Kings General being killed in the great Battle at Agram soon after with the loss of 7000 of the Irish and the taking of Galloway which followed with most of the other Forts and Castles and Towns except