â—o unskilful in Government as the Name they gave them did import 'T is indeed not to be doubted but that the Division made of the Empire by Theodosius between his Two Sons Arcadius and Honorius into the Eastern and Western did very much precipitate the Ruine of it For tho' the former for many Ages after made a Shift to keep up yet it came infinitely short of the Ancient Roman Empire for Power and Splendour and was so harassed by degrees with the Insults of the Neighbouring Nations and diminished by the Conquests of the Bulgarians over one part of it by the Saracens subduing Palestine Syria Egypt and Cilicia by the City of Trebesond and the Neighbouring Countries withdrawing themselves from under the Obedience of it and chusing an Emperor of their own as Greece set up divers petty Princes to govern the different Parts of itâ— That the poor Remains thereof was not only swallowed up at length by the Turks but most of the said conquer'd or revolted Divisions to other very great Acquisitions of their own made both before and after fell under their Dominion also which made them for a Time more formidable in Power than any other single Dominion known to us in those Parts of the World But the Fate of the West Part of that divided Empire came on a pace the same becoming a Prey to the Germans and Goths who about this time came in prodigious Numbers to change their poor Habitations for the pleasant and fertile Provinces of the Romans Britain became a Prey to the Saxons Spain fell to the Share of the West-Goths The Goths Burgundians and Franks made bold with dividing France between them Rhoetia and Noricum were conquered by the Suevians A great part of Pannonia and Illiricum fell into the Hands of the Huns The Vandals fixed their Habitations in Africa And one part of the Goths set up a Kingdom in Italy and did not think Rome once Mistress of the World and the common Mother and Habitation of Mankind a fitting Place for their Kings to reside in The Empire being thus mangled and rent into so many different Pieces the next Thing according to the Course of a corrupted and vain World these Invaders went upon after some tolerable Settlement in their respective Acquisitions was to incroach upon their Neighbours and to endeavour to introduce such a Dominion again upon the Earth as might in Imitation of that glorious Empire which all of them in their several Turns had given an Helping-hand to overthrow over-top all others and merit the Name of a Supream and Universal One But there have hitherto in the Course of Divine Providence such Rubs been laid in the Way of this Design that it could never be accomplish'd tho' divers Princes have attempted it with the greatest Application and some seeming Probability of Success As Islands are not so liable to be invaded as those Kingdoms and States that lie upon the Continent So neither are they on the other hand so proper to make Conquests of others and to enlarge their Territories And if Great Britain has come in any respect short of other Countries in this Particular this is a sufficient Reason for it But there were other Causes and Considerations which we shall a little consider before we go any farther Tho' tho Saxons made an entire Conquest of the best and fruitfullest Part of Britain yet neither the most Northern Parts of the Island possessed by the Picts and Scots nor the Southern known since by the Name of Cornwall much less the ancient Habitation of the Britains wrongfully called Wales could they subdue in a long time nor the first indeed at all entirely Add to this That the Saxons themselves had no less than Seven Dynasties or petty Kingdoms amongst them known all together by the Heptarchy which took them up from their first Landing under Hengist by Alliances and the Power of their Arms not much less than 400 Years to unite them into one Monarchy which happen'd under K. Egbert about the Year 800. But tho' this Conjunction of Seven into One was very considerable and that now some grand Efforts might have been made for reducing the remaining Parts of the Island under one Head the Danes now a very Potent and Sea-faring People in the very same King's Reign invaded Britain Between whom and the English there were continual Wars for the Space of 240 Years and the former so far prevailed that Three of their Kings reigned successively over England for 26 Years when the Government returned again into the Hands of the English But it was so weak and feeble that in a short time it fell into the Hands of Will surnamed the Conqueror and his Normans in whose Son 's Reign Henry I. by Name the Dukedom of Normandy was annexed to the Crown of England This so considerable Accession of Strength upon the Continent came yet short of a Compensation for the still remaining Disjunction of Scotland and Wales from the rest of Britain which the succeeding Kings little minded to effect For tho' Henry II. was the greatest King at this time in our Western World as being besides K. of England and Duke of Normandy by Inheritance Duke of Anjou and by Marriage Duke of Aquitain and Poictou yet he was so far from going through stitch with his intended Conquest of Wales or reducing Scotland that his chief Aim was upon the Conquest of Ireland which tho' a noble Design and in a very great Measure effected yet it was misplaced and should have followed the Reduction of the other two Yet what came to Henry upon the Continent by Right of Inheritance his Son King John and his Grandson Henry III. in a manner totally lost But of all the Kings of England to this Time Edward I. was the only Prince that seemed to have a right Notion of Extending his Dominions and therefore he never gave over till what by fair and foul Means with an Intermixture of Policy he entirely united Wales to the Kingdom of England and made in a manner by the same Methods a perfect Conquest of Scotland which nothing humanely speaking but the Weakness of his Successor obstructed the Consummation of So that henceforward all the Thoughts of our Warlike Kings were the Recovery of that Right they alledged to have to the Kingdom of France whose Conquests there if they had been as wisely secured as they were valiantly made had added a much greater Glory to the English Name than our Annals would otherwise admit of But that which our Kings would not or could not add to their Dominions by Conquest within the Island it self I mean the Scotch Kingdom which always obstructed the Progress of their Arms upon the Continent at length fell in of it self in the Course of Succession So that England Scotland and Ireland were in the Person of King James I. united under one Head In the mean time one of our Neighbour-Nations was arrived to that Pitch of Greatness and another of them in
are too often accompanied I am not ignorant of the frequent Mischiefs wrought in the World by factious Pretences of Religion but were not Religion the most justifiable Cause it would not be made the most specious Pretence And your Majesty has already shewn too interested a Sense of Religion to doubt the just Effects of it on one whose Practices have I hope never given the World cause to censure his real Conviction of it or his backwardness to perform what his Honour and Conscience prompt him to How then can I longer disguise my just Concern for that Religion in which I have been so happily educated which my Judgment truly convinceth me to be the Best and for the Support of which I am so highly interested in my Native Country And is not England now by the most endearing Tye become so Whilst the restless Spirits of the Enemies of the Reformed Religion back'd by the cruel Zeal and prevailing Power of France justly alarm and unite all the Protestant Princes of Christendom and engage them in so vast an Expence for the Support of it Can I act so degenerous and mean a Part to deny my Concurrence to such worthy Endeavours for the disabusing your Majesty by the Re-inforcement of those Laws and Re-establishment of that Government on which alone depends the Well-being of your Majesty and of the Protestant Religion in Europe This Sir is that irresistible and only Cause that could come in Competition with my Duty and Obligation to your Majesty and be able to fear me from you whilst the same affectionate Desire of serving You continues in me Could I secure your Person â— by the hazard of my Life I should think it could not be better employed And would to God these your distracted Kingdoms might yet receive that satisfactory Compliance from your Majesty in all their justifiable Pretensions as might upon the only sure Foundation that of the Love and Interest of your Subjects establish your Government and as strongly unite the Hearts of all your Subjects to You as is that of c. The Lord Churchill left a Letter to the same purpose which runs thus SIR SInce Men are seldom suspected of Sincerity when they act contrary to their Interests and tho' my dutiful Behaviour to Your Majesty in the worst of Times for which I acknowledge my poor Services much over-paid may not be sufficient to incline You to a charitable Interpretation of my Actions yet I hope the great Advantage I enjoy under Your Majesty which I can never expect in any other Change of Government may reasonably convince Your Majesty and the World that I am acted by an higher Principle when I offer that Violence to my Inclination and Interest as to desert Your Majesty at a Time when Your Affairs seem to challenge the strictest Obedience from all Your Subjects much more from one who lies under the greatest Personal Obligations imaginable to Your Majesty This SIR could proceed from nothing but the inviolable Dictates of my Conscience and a necessary Concern for my Religion which no good Man can oppose and with which I am instructed nothing ought to come in Competition Heaven knows with what Partiality my dutiful Opinion of Your Majesty hath hitherto represented those unhappy Designs which Inconsiderate and Self-Interested Men have framed against Your Majesty's true Interest and the Protestant Religion But as I can no longer join with such to give a Pretence by Conquest to bring them to effect so I will always with the hazard of my Life and Fortune so much Your Majesty's due endeavour to preserve Your Royal Person and Lawful Rights with all the tender Concern and dutigâ—l Respect that becomes c. Upon this the Army retreated to Reading and the King very disconsolate returned on the 26th in the Evening to London from whence the Princess Ann of Denmark his second Daughter was gone privately the Night before and if she had not left a Letter behind her to shew the reason of her Retreat the King 's own Guards had in all probability torn all the Popish Party to pieces upon a surmize that they had made her away The Letter she left for the Queen was as follows MADAM I Beg Your Pardon if am so deeply affected with the surprizing News of the Prince's being gone as not to be able to see You but to leave this Paper to express my humble Duty to the King and Your Self and to let You know that I am gone to absent my self to avoid the King's Displeasure which I am not able to bear either against the Prince or my self And I shall stay at so great a Distance as not to return before I hear the happy News of a Reconcilement And as I am confident the Prince did not leave the King with any other Design than to use all possible Means for His Preservation so I hope You will do me the Justice to believe that I am not capable of following him for any other End Never was any one in such an unhappy Condition so divided between Duty and Affection to a Father and an Husband and therefore I know not what to do but to follow one to preserve the other I see the general Falling off of the Nobility and Gentry who avow to have no other End than to prevail with the King to secure their Religion which they saw so much in danger by the violent Counsels of the Priests who to promote their own Religion did not care to what Dangers they exposed the King I am fully persuaded that the Prince of Orange designs the King's Safety and Preservation and hope all Things may be composed without more Blood-shed by the Calling of a Parliament God grant a happy End to these Troubles that the King's Reign may be prosperous and that I may shortly meet You in perfect Peace and Safety Till when let me beg you to continue the same favourable Opinion that You have hitherto had of c. The first thing done upon the King's Return was the turning Sir Edward Hales out from being Lieutenant of the Tower and then to order Writs to be issued out for the sitting of a Parliament the 15th of Jan. but that was too late and the Nation was now in such a Ferment that neither this pace nor a Proclamation of the 30th of Nov. requiring the Elections to be done in a fair and legal manner signified any thing so that the King now began to provide for his Family and first he sent away the Prince of Wales to Portsmouth but my Lord Dartmouth would not suffer him to be carried into France yet the Queen soon after found a way to convey him her self and divers others thither And indeed it was high time for Scotland now was as much alarmed as England and some of the Nobility and Gentry were sent up with a Petition for a free Parliament all the North of England was secured for the Prince Newcastle receiving the Lord Lumâ—ey and declaring
Nephew did not only retain that Dutchy but is generally allowed to have been a Prince that aspired not so much at being Emperor of Germany as Universal Monarch of Europe Yet neither would the Conjuncture of the Times nor the Strength of his Cotemporaries by any means admit of it in his Person And as for the succeeding Princes of the House of Valois tho' H. II. made an Attempt to unite Scotland to France by the Marriage of Mary Queen of Scots to his Son Francis the Dauphine which would have been a great Blow to England yet no Issue coming from that Match they were henceforward so far from doing any Thing memorable as to the Extent of their Dominion and Conquest that the Kingdom fell into an unhappy Civil War which though at first it had its Rise from the Humours and Passions of the Princes of the Blood and the Ministers yet it proved at length to be a Religious War between the Roman Catholicks or the League and the Huguenots which never could be extinguished till H. IV. of the House of Bourbon and by Right K. of France upon the Death of Hen. III. the last Prince of the House of Valois had renounced the Protestant Religion and thereupon was confirmed in the Supream Authority before belonging to him This Prince did anew lay the Foundation of the French Greatness which was carried on in his Son's Reign Lewis XIII tho' of himself no otherwise a wise Prince than by his Steadiness to his Ministers by the wonderful Management of Cardinal Richlieu both by Sea and Land to a very great Heighth by whose wise Conduct Spain long before languishing under a diseased Body was brought lower and lower and what the Emperor Ferdinand II. aimed at in the Reduction of Germany by the War that was begun there being no other than an absolute Sovereignty as well as the Swedes whose best Pretensions under the Brave King Gustavus Adolphus was to rescue the Religion and Liberty of it tho' in the Consequence it appeared to be no other than a Conquest of it redounded in a great Measure to the Advantage of France and the same was confirmed into her by the Westphalian Treaty in 1648. And all this done upon the Continent while we our selves were seemingly enfeebled rather than strengthned by the Conjunction of Scotland tho' in reality it must be attributed to the weak Administration of our Princes which terminated in the cruellest Intestine War that ever befel any Nation and was attended with the saddest Catastrophe And the Government it self after various Commutations of Form and subsequent Revolutions degenerated into Anarchy of which France failed not to make Advantage under the Ministry of Cardinal Mazarine But our Unsettlement at last terminating in the Restoration of our ancient Form of Government in the Person of Charles II. about which time hapned the Death of Mazarine in France who left this Legacy to his Prince That he should Govern himself and not entirely trust to any Favourite tho' Charles quickly discovered that the Remembrance of his adverse and exiled Fortune which usually makes Men wise upon a Change of Condition had been quite effaced by the prosperous State his Restoration brought him to yet Lewis never fail'd to stick close to the Advice of his Minister and what Effects it has had since upon the Affairs of Europe is better past over in silence than raked up in this place However we were weak enough to quit our entire Interest upon the Continent by the Sale of Dunkirk to the French which as it gave an Accession of Strength into that Nation to the Sea-ward as Lorain did to the Land-ward so it weakned both our own and the Spanish Hands as did also the Dutch War that succeeded between us and the Republick of Holland in 1665 neither Nation having gotten any Thing but Blows at Sea while the French by the Irruption they made into Flanders into 1667 got all by Land And tho' they were for a short time coup'd up by the Tripple Alliance of England Sweden and Holland yet they having Artifice enough to disjoin the first from the rest as that also did by the second the third was left single to be invaded by the other in 1672 and that with such a Torrent of Success that nothing but the Providence of God and the Success of the young Prince of Orange now in this Hurry and common Calamity of his Country restored to the Honours and Commands of his Ancestors could have saved that distressed State from falling under the French Dominion But tho' the Blow was suddam and almost unexpected yet the Commonness of the Danger not only awaken'd Spain the Emperor and the Empire to come out of their slow Pace to the Relief of it but the French Progress so alarmed the People of England that the King thought it high time to slink himself out of the French Alliance But instead of falling in with the Weight of the rest of the Confederacy which was the Subjects Desire and his true Interest he was contented to set up his Mediation of Peace between the Contending Parties with the Reception whereof by all that were engaged in the War we shall conclude this Introduction that brings us down to the Year 1676 from whence our present History commences its Original and comprehends a Period of about Two and Twenty Years A Compleat History OF EUROPE From the Beginning of the Treaty of Nimeguen c. year 1676 NIMEGVEN is a City of the Low-Countries seated upon the Side of an Hill which is the last of Germany and stoops upon the River Woal that washeth the lower Part of the Town and divides it from the Betow an Island lying all upon flat low Ground between the Woal and the Old Rhine which is esteemed to be the ancient Seat of those People whom the Romans called Batavians and whom for their Bravery and love of Liberty they took into their Confederacy when they had subjected all the Neighbouring Parts of Gaul and Germany It stands to the South of Arheim and is about two Leagues distant from it six from Vtretch which is on the East of it three from Cleves to the West and twenty from Cologn to the same It was in the Year 1591 taken by Prince Maurice of Orange for the States after it had endured a sharp Siege and in 1672 fell into the Hands of the French amongst the greatest part of the Dutch Towns and Provinces tho' to its Glory it must be said that it was almost the only Place in all those Provinces that fought for its Liberty Here it was this mighty Treaty was set on foot between the most Serene Confederates on the one Hand and the French Monarch on the other by the single Mediation of Charles the II King of Great Britain that of the Pope's after much Delay and many Debates being at last rejected by all the Parties concerned in the Negotiation which Treaty spun out into a great length and of which
whose Cause the whole Body of the Allies interested themselves in so far as to press for an Answer to his Pretensions delivered in by President Canon But the French finding now that their former Exception of his wanting a Minister at the Congress would not do raised another to stave off the foresaid Instances and declared They could give no Answer about Lorrain till the Bishop of Strasburg's Agents were received by the Allies Upon this the Emperor made an invincible Difficulty declaring He would never treat with a Vassal of his own and in these Conferences about Lorrain the French Embassadors began to insinuate to the Mediators That their Master never intended that Matter to be treated as a Principal but only as an Accessary to the Treaty As they did also shew themselves positive in having full Satisfaction and Restitution made to the Swedes before they would conclude the Peace It was believed since it was much discoursed of that there was a new Alliance entred into between those two Crowns at Paris and that it was by Concert between them that this Attenite was given by the Swedes to the Congress Neither was there any Decisive Action in the course of the rest of this Campagne which was ended in Flanders by a successless Attempt made by the Prince of Orange to surprize Charleroy And if on the German side the French thought they had the Advantage by taking of Fribourg in Octob. this Year by a Feint of the Mareschal de Crequi before the Duke of Lorrain could come up to relieve it the City of Stetin's falling into the Hands of the Duke of Brandenburg this same Month after a most vigorous Resistance of its Garrison left the Scales even as they were before between the two Leagues The Campagne being ended as aforesaid the Prince of Orange who had long desired to take a Tour into England and had to that purpose the June before sent Monsieur Bentink over to make way with the King for such a Journey who at length granted him leave tho' with great Indifferency and Difficulty enough did upon the 9th of Octob. Land at Harwich and rid Post from thence to New-Market where the Court then was and where he industriously declined to enter upon any Conferences about the Peace or War as being resolved first to see the Young Princess which made the King to humour him leave that place sooner by some Days than he designed The Prince upon his Arrival in Town had no sooner set sight on that Incomparable Princess our late Sovereign Lady but he was so pleased with her Person and all those Signs of such an Humour as had been before described unto him that he immediately made his Suit both to the King and Duke which was very well received and assented to but upon Condition That the Terms of the Peace abroad might be first agreed on between them which after many Contestations on both sides the Prince would ne'er agree to saying The World would believe he had made that Match for himself at their Costâ— and that he would never sacrifice his Honour to his Love He grew at last to be so sullen upon the matter that he desired a Friend to tell the King That he designed to stay but two Days longer in England if things continued still on the same Foot That it repented him he had ever come over And that the King must choose how they were to live hereafter for he was sure it must be either like the greatest Friends or the greatest Enemies This so wrought upon the King who at the same time expressed the great Opinion he had of the Prince's Honesty that he ordered Sir William Temple the Messenger to go immediately to carry hâ—m the News That he should have his Wife Accordingly the Match was declared that Evening at the Committee before any other in Court knew any thing of it The Marriage was no sooner consummated but they very quickly fell into Debate upon the Terms of the Peace and had various Discourses of the Ambition of France the Necessity of a good Frontier to Flanders and it was at last agreed upon these Terms That all should be restored by France to the Emperor and Empire that had been taken in the War the Dutchy of Lorrain to that Duke and all on both sides between France and Holland and to Spain the Towns of Aeth Oudenard Courtray Tournay Conde Valenciennes St. Gillaine and Bince That the Prince should endeavour to procure the Consent of Spain and the King that of France To this Purpose he was to dispatch away a Person immediately over with the Proposition who should be instructed to enter into no Reasonings upon it but demand a positive Answer in Two Days and then forthwith return and my Lord Duras a Favourite of the Duke's was at last the Person pitched upon and sent But he after the Delivery of his Message was prevailed with to stay longer than his time and after all came away without any positive Answer From which manner of Procedure we may discover foul Prevarication somewhere and so the Business came to be drawn out into so many Messages and Returns from France that at last it dwindled into nothing especially after the Departure of the Prince for Holland who had spirited the Vigour of the whole Resolution which Departure happened to be with his Princess on the 21st of Nov. However the News of the Match had got to Nimeguen some time before and if the Confederates did before this begin to hope more than ever that it would not be long before England declared in their Favours they made no doubt of it now But it had quite another Effect in Holland especially at Amsterdam where the French Emissaries found the Secret of raising Jealousies of the Measures taken between the King and Prince upon this new Alliance as dangerous to the Liberty of their Country and to make it there believed that by the Match the King and Duke had wholly brought over the Prince into their Interest and Sentiments whereas the Prince went indeed away possess'd of having drawn them into his tho' they were all equally mistaken But how different soever their Apprehensions abroad might be of Things the King in England quite receded from his Engagements to the Prince of entring into the War with all the Confederates in case of no direct and immediate Answer from France upon the Terms of the Peace and contented himself to send Mr. Thynne over into Holland with a Draught of an Alliance to be made with the Dutch in order to force France and Spain into a Compliance with the Propositions agreed on year 1678 and to consign the same into the Hands of Mr. Hyde then at the Hague which was done and the Treaty Signed on the 16th of Jan. tho' not without great Difficulties and much Dissatisfaction on the part of the Prince of Orange who was yet covered in it by the private Consent of the Spanish Minister there in behalf of his
induce him to continue in Possession of Lorrain is willing that Prince Charles be restored to it upon one of these two Alternatives of which he gives him his Choice First That he be restored according to the Articles expressed in the Pyrenaean Treaty without any Change or Alteration in any of them Or Secondly That he be restored generally to his whole Estate except the Town of Nancy which his Majesty will retain with Plenary Right of Sovereignty and excepting such a Way as was agreed upon at the Treaty of 1661 to pass from the Frontiers of France into Alsatia and all such Ways as shall be necessary to pass from France to Nancy and from France to Metz Brisac and Franche Compte upon Condition nevertheless that to make him some Compensation for the Town of Nancy his Majesty shall restore to him that of Toul considerable for its Extent and Situation and much more in respect for its Bishoprick His Majesty demands likewise That Long-Wic and its Provostship be quitted to him but offereth withal to recompense the Prince of Lorrain with another Provostship of equal Value of one of three Bishopricks And whereas Marsal having been quitted to his Majesty by a particular Treaty is not at present any part of Lorrain so it is not to be understood to be comprised in this Restitution These are the Terms which may and ought to make the Platform of a General Peace and upon which his Majesty hath long ago declared himself to the King of Great Britain His Majesty desires they may be imparted to the Assembly at Nimeguen and that his own Plenipotentiaries propose them to the Consideration of the rest as containing the lowest Conditions he can admit and upon which his Enemies may make Choice either of War or Peace Given at St. Germains the 9th of Apr. 1678. The Imperialists of all others seemed the least inclinable to yield to the foregoing Conditions and the Strain of requiring full Satisfaction to Sweden was insupportable to the Northern Princes yea the Spaniards and other Confederates looked upon them so hard that they said They would hazard all rather than accept of them Tho' after all those Articles that concerned Holland and Spain having been before privately agreed upon with some Leaders of the principal Towns they proved the Plan of the Peace both for Holland and all the other Confederates engaged in the War Yet when the French Embassadors carried these Conditions to Sir Lionel Jenkins then sole Mediator in order to be communicated by him to the Confederates he made Answer He could not do it as a Mediator but that he would atquaint the Parties with them in Discourse as a matter to which he promised no Answer and this he did because of the other Terms that had been agreed on between England and Holland for forcing of France to a Compliance on the 10th of Jan. foregoing which tho' they proved to be of little use in the Course of this Peace yet they had one good Effect upon the Affairs of Spain and this was That notwithstanding all the French Intriguing in England and Holland the Fears they had that the King at length might be in earnest and punctually perform the Conditions of this League and well knowing that if it came to that they should have occasion for all the Force they could make and perhaps find all little enough they abandoned Messina and all their Conquests in Sicily and that at a time when every body thought the Mareschal de Fevillade had been sent into that Kingdom with fresh Forces upon the Design of some new Enterprize Whereas indeed he went thither to fetch off the French Troops that were there which he did after he had first declared to the Senate the King's Orders and the present Necessity of them and with whom a vast Number of the Messines who dreaded the certain Revenge of the Spaniards took also the Opportunity to retire But that the French might stave off the Blow from England if possible they at length bethought themselves of a Srratagem that had more charming Obligations in it than any other made with the Prince of Orange when in England or with the States-General afterwards and that was an Offer of Money For you must know Mr. Montague the King's Embassador at Paris after a long Conference with M. Louvois by his Master's Orders wherein the Latter represented to him the Measures that had been already concerted for a Peace upon the French Terms in Holland and that since they were agreed there it was hoped his Britannick Majesty would not be against it but that however he had Orders to make him a Tender of a great Sum of Money for his Consent tho' a thing already accepted by the Dutch and wherein his Majesty consequently was not concerned was desired to give the then Lord Treasurer of England an Account hereof by a Packet which Offer tho' very relishing at any time with the Humour of our Court yet the violent Dispositions of the Dutch to run into the Peace at this time whatever came of it and such a fatal and mutual Distrust as there was both in Court and Parliament that it was very difficult to fall into any sound Measures between them made the King look upon it as a very profitable Proposal saying That since the Dutch would have a Peace upon the French Terms and that France offered him Money for his Approbation of that he could not help he knew no Reason why he might not get the Money and so required Sir William Temple to treat with the French Embassador about it But that Gentleman had more Honour and Honesty than to engage in so dishonourable a Thing and did thereupon retire from Court You have heard before that the 10th of May was the time limited by the French Project of Peace for the Allies to accept of the Terms or no and to which they appeared positively engaged but there being a Necessity of somewhat a greater Confidence between the Dutch and French upon this Occasion least such a Sâ—iffneâ—s might produce that Alteration in the Pace of Affairs at the Expiration of the Term that might prove a Disadvantage to one or the other side the Heer Beverning sent secretly to acquaint the French Embassadors That the States did accept of the King's Offer However that he might not by such a Pace allarm the Allies he gave the Count d' Avaux also notice That he was very desirous to discourse with him in private and for that end would fetch a Walk alone upon the Ramparts of the Town about 7 in the Morning where they met accordingly and between whom all Matters were in a manner fully concluded The Consequence thereof was the granting of Ten Days longer for the Dutch to endeavour to perswade their Allies to accept of the Conditions proposed as themselves had done In this time the Estates received a Letter from the French King from his Camp at Deinse wherein he made some further Concessions
obtain not such Security When the Prince of Orange was made acquainted with this Procedure of England by Mr. Hyde who went on purpose to Hounslerdike to do it he was no sooner withdrawn but the Prince lift up his Hands two or three times and said to Sir William Temple then present Was ever any Thing so Hot and so Cold as this Court of yours Will the King that is so often at Sea ever learn a Word that I shall never forget since my last Passage When in a great Storm the Captain was crying out to the Man at the Helm all Night Steddy Steddy Steddy If this Dispatch had come 20 Days ago it would have changed the Face of all Things in Christendom and the War might have been carried on till France had Yielded to the Treaty of the Pyrenees and left the World in Quiet for the rest of our Lives but it is my Opinion as it comes now it will have no Effect And indeed the Event proved answerable to the Prince's Judgment It s true all Appearances for the present seemed very different from both the Proceedings of the Dutch and Spaniards too whereof many of the Deputies of the former appear'd so ill satisfied with their Embassadors having Signed the Peace that they inclined to the King's Proposals and framed severral Articles against Monsieur Beverning's Proceedings the five Principal whereof were these First That in the Preface the French King seemed to be the Protector of the States Secondly That the Neutrality to which the States-General were engaged by that Treaty was indefinite and by consequence might be extended beyond the present War Thirdly That he had exceeded his Commission in having obliged the States to warrant the Neutrality of Spain Fourthly That he had omitted an Article of Amnesty and Oblivion which ought mutually to be stipulated in all Treaties of Peace And Lastly That he had forgot to mention the Barrier which the French King granted to Spain in Consideration and for the Security of the States-General As for the Embassadors of the latter notwithstanding the French after several Debates and Conferences did demit in their Pretentions yet they raised new Scruples about the Castellany of Aeth and other Things their Confederates upon the Continent and the daily Transportation of English Forces into Flanders heightning their Stiffness as well as the Expectation they had of the States going on again with the War upon this new Turn of Things But after Matters had continued for about 3 Weeks in this uncertain State France thought the Conjuncture of too much Importance to let it hover so long and therefore first dispatch a Courier to their Embassadors at Nimeguen with leave to satisfie the States as to those Clauses in their Treaty wherein they seem'd justly to except against Beverning's Conduct And therefore to cover the Credit of that Minister who had been so affectionate an Instrument in the Progress of it and so gradually softning their Rigour as to the remaining Points contested by the Spaniards they at last dispatch'd a Courier who brought Letters to Nimeguen on the 8th of Sept. impowering their Embassadors to remit all the Differences that obstructed or retarded the Conclusion of the Treaty between that Crown and Spain to the Determination and Arbitrage of the States themselves which was a piece of Confidence towards them on the part of France that several Towns and Provinces proceeded with a general Concurrence to their Ratifications that they might lie ready in their Embassador's Hands to be exchanged when the Treaty with Spain was Signed which was done on the 17th at the Dutch Embassadors House and wherein Sir Lionel Jenkins the Kings Mediator had no part and so the Designs of the Court of England were once more Eluded and Mr. Hyde had the Mortification to return re infecta This Treaty with Spain is very long and for that Reason I had Thoughts once to leave it quite out but considering the Treatise would have been imperfect without it and that a much better Estimate may be made by it of the present Posture of the Spanish Affairs upon the late Peace than otherwise could be done I have altered my Mind and given my Reader the Particulars The TREATY of PEACE betwixt France and Spain Concluded at Nimeguen Sept. 17. 1678. IN the Name of God the Creator and of the most Holy Trinity To all present and to come be it known That whereas during the Course of the War that arose some Years since betwixt the most High most Excellent and most Mighty Prince Lewis XIV by the Grace of God most Christian King of France and Navar and his Allies on the one part and the most High most Excellent and most Mighty Prince Charles II by the Grace of God Catholick King of Spain and his Allies on the other part their Majesties have desired nothing more vehemently than to see it end in a good Peace And whereas the same desire to put a Stop as far as in them lay to the Ruine of so many Provinces the Tears of so much People and the shedding so much Christian Blood hath induced them to comply with the powerful Offices of the most High most Excellent and most Mighty Prince the King of Great Britain to send their Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries to the Town of Nimeguen So it is come to pass through an Effect of the Divine Goodness that hath been pleased to make use of the intire Confidence that their Majesties have always reposed in the Mediation of the said King of Great Britain that at length the said Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries to wit on the behalf of his most Christian Majesty the Sieur Count D' Estrades Marshal of France and Knight of his Majesty's Orders the Sieur Colbert Knight Marquess of Croissy Councellor in Ordinary in his Council of State and the Sieur De Mesmes Knight Count De Avaux Councellor also in his Majesty's Councils and on the behalf of his Catholick Majesty the Sieur Don Pablo Spinola Doria Marquess de les Balbases Duke of Sesto Lord of Gminossa Casalnosetta and Ponteucrone Councellor in his Council of State and chief Protonotary in his Council of Italy Don Gaspard de Tebes and Cordova Tello Guzman Count de Venazuza Marquess de la Fuente Lord of Lerena of the House of Arrucas of the Isles of Guadalupa and Matalione Perpetual Master de la Victoire Perpetual Major and Recorder of the Town of Sevil Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to his Imperial Majesty one of his chief Council of War and General of his Artillery Don Pedro Ronquillo Knight of the Order of Alcantara Councellor in his Council of Castile and of the Indies and Don John Baptisse Christin Knight Councellor in the high Council of Flanders near to his said Catholick Majesty's Person and one of his Council of State and of his Privy-Council in the Low-Countries by Virtue of Letters and Commissions which they have communicated to one another and the Copies whereof
His Majesty should leave the Magistracy in the State it was in then with all its Rights and Freedom of Election and its Jurisdiction Civil and Criminal This was granted also except in such Causes as should exceed 1000 French Livres Capital in which an Appeal might be made to the Council at Brisac yet so as that the said Appeal should not suspend the Examination of the Judgment given by the Magistrates unless the Question were above 2000 Livres V. That his Majesty should grant to the City all its Revenues Rights Tolls Commerce Money Magazines of Cannon Ammunition Arms Magazines of Corn and Wood and its Records and Publick Papers Granted except what concerned the Cannon Arms Ammunition and Publick Magazines which should be delivered to the King's Officers And for the Arms of Particular Persons they should be brought into the Town-House and be put in a Room of which the Magistrates should have the Keys VI. That the Burghers should be exempted from all Contributions and other Engagements the King leaving to the City all the Ordinary and Extraordinary Imposts VII That his Majesty should leave to the City the free enjoyment of the Bridge over the Rhine with all its Bourgs Villages and Country-Houses VIII That his Majesty should grant an Amnesty for what was past without any Exception and to comprehend therein the Prince Palatine of Valdentz IX That His Majesty should permit them to build Places to Lodge the Troops that are in Garrison And Lastly That the King's Troops should enter the Town at Four in the Afternoon All which was agreed to This sudden and unexpected Business could not but alarm the whole Empire in general as it did the Court of Vienna in particular But as the former were very slow and irresolute in their Deliberations about keeping up a sufficient Standing Force to oppose the Encroachments of France so there was such a terrible Cloud gathering together against the latter as took up in a manner their entire Thoughts how to shelter themselves from it and to obviate the impending Danger But of this we shall have further occasion to speak to in its proper place year 1682 In the mean time we will see what was doing in England this Year which comes to be 1682. and the main Work whereof was the barbarous Prosecution of Protestant Dissenters and how to curb the rest of the Nation so as to truckle entirely under che Court-girdle Herein they made very great Progress in the base Addresses that were procured to be sent from all Quarters But the Ignoramus-Bill of my Lord Shaftsbury stuck deep in their Stomachs and the Fears of being baulked in any such Design for the future made them set their Wits on the Tenter-Hooks how they might take away the Election of Sheriffs out of the Power of the City and no other Expedient could be found but by taking away their Charter which if once effected would not only give the Court the advantage of making Sheriffs but open a Gap to their making a House of Commons too for near 5 Parts in 6 of the House of Commons were Burgesses and Barons of the Cinque-Ports who would not dare to contest their Charter if the City of London could not hold hers So that in Hillary Term this Year a Quo Warranto was brought against the City for two helnous Crimes viz. That they had made an Address to the King for the Parliament to Sit for Redress of Grievances and to settle the Nation yet King Charles I. thought the Parliament's Vote of Non-Addresses to him was Deposing of him and that the City had raised Money towards repairing Cheapside Conduit ruined by the Fire of London We will give you the matter here as entirely and cursorily as we can and thus it was The City pleaded their Right and the King replied upon which there was a Demurrer and here the matter rested for a time the Novelty whereof causing a great Amusement in the Generality of the City and Nation whereto it tended and how it would end In the mean while the Duke of York after having narrowly escaped drowning in his last Voyage to Scotland and then done his Work in that Kingdom was returned to London and his Zeal for promoting the Catholick Cause outgoing his Patience for the Court's Judgment upon the Demurrer to the Quo Warranto there appeared Courtiers of the first Magnitude bare-fac'd for the next Election of Sheriffs and Sir Dudley North and Sir Peter Rich were returned the one by a shameless Trick and the other by open Force And herewith we will end this short Year but pernicious enough to England and to encrease the Misfortune of it was so fatal to Rupert Prince Palatine of the Rhine who died of a Fever and Pleurisie at his House in Spring-Garden in the 63d Year of his Age and who to pass the Errors of his Fiery Youth wherein he was engaged with too much Fury and Ravage in the Party of his Uncle King Charles in our unhappy Civil Wars had of late Years proved a faithful Councellor to the King and a great Patriot to the English Liberty and therefore was towards his latter end neglected by the Court to that degree that nothing passed between him and his great Kindred but Civilities in the Common Forms But though the Court had gained this Point yet they thought it not fit at present to push it farther till the Demurrer to the City-Charter was determined in which such haste was made that only two Arguments were permitted on either side one in Hillary-Term 1683. and the other in Easter-Term following and so Judgment was given in Trinity-Term next after against the City But such a Judgment was never given in any Case as this and if the manner of Electing the last Sheriffs was strange and unwarrantable this was no less so for it was without any Reason given and by two Judges only whereof the one was Sir Francis Withens who had heard but one Argument and perhaps understood but little of that and who afterwards in the Absence of Sir Edward Herbert delivered that for his Opinion which Sir Edward when present disowned and the other was Sir Thomas Jones However if you will believe them they said Justice Raymond was of the same Opinion with them and so was Sanders the Chief Justice though he was past his Senses and had only Understanding enough left to Expostulate with them for then Troubling him when he had lost his Memory But the Cout of King's-Bench was not so ripe for this hasty Judgment as they at Whitehall were for Discovery of Plots against the Government and justice of the Nation of which they set no less than 3 on Foot one was to surprize the Guards Another the Rye-House-Plot to Murther the King and his dear Brother as they were to pass by from New-Market and the Black-Heath Plot wherein the People were to rise upon a Foot-Ball-Match They were sure of the Sheriffs and it was Burton and
Truth and even by the Confession of my Opposers for that OLD CAVSE in which I was from my Youth engaged and for which thou hast often and wonderfully declared thy self Yet notwithstanding all these Points gained there was something to be done before it could be be said That the King was a Despotical â—rince and would make his Will his Law For tho' the City of London was now absolutely dependant upon his Majesty in respect of the Magistracy thereof and that the naming of the other Sheriffs of all the Countles and Shires of the Kingdom belonged unto him yet there were many other Cities in England who still chose their own Sheriffs but something must have been done with these before the Constitution of the Parliament could be subverted which seemed to be the only White in the Butt they had been aiming at all this while For you are to note that the House of Commons consists of 513 Members whereof but 92 only are Knights of the Shires so that near 5 Parts in 6 are Burgesses Citizens and Barons of the Cinque-Ports and the generality of the Corporations which send these Members are poor decay'd Places and so not in a Condition as the City of London was to contest their Charters or if they should there were but little hopes to keep them now London had not been able to hold hers Yet it was considered also that it would cost the Court-Agents a great deal of time to bring Quo Warranto's against above 200 Corporations wherefore all Hands were set on work to induce these poor Inhabitants to surrender up their Rights and mighty Rewards proposed unto those who should shew themselves forward and instrumental therein But because Moneys were scarce there were Bargains made wiâ—h Multitudes of them to have Grants of Fairs for the Surrender of their Charters and those who refused must have Quo Warranto's brought against them However before these things were fully put in Execution it was thought necessary to augment the standing Forces in England who were already too many in time of Peace For some Umbrages were taken that Disturbances might arise before they could be brought to Perfection For tho' the Duke had secur'd Scotland and had 20000 Foot and 2000 Horse and a Years Pay to be assisting upon all Occasions and that greater Liberty than ever was given to the Irish yet all this was not thought enough and therefore Tangier part of Queen Catherine's hopeful Portion which cost the King her Husband above 100000 l. a Year the keeping for 20 Years together must now at last the Mould was near finished be utterly demolished and the Garrison brought over which had been a Nursery of Popish Officers and Soldiers and quartered in the most considerable parts of the Kingdom And in this pittiful State we shall leave England and see what mighty Changes have been made in the Face of Things in other Parts of Europe and more particularly in the Kingdom of Hungary where brake out the cruellest War between the Emperor and the Turks and that has been intermixt with such Variety of Actions and Fortune in the long Course of it as I think no Age nor History can parallel the exact Particulars whereof we shall endeavour to give as they shall fall out in due Series of Time and their proper Order But before we enter immediately upon that mighty Affair it will be necessary to premise somewhat in this place how things stood on this side the Empire towards France and in the Netherlands We have said something before concerning the Re-unions pretended to be made by France after the Treaty of Nimeguen But yet to be a little more particular It was not long after the Conclusion of the said Peace that that Crown possessed her self of Homhurg and Bisstel the only two Places remaining to the Duke of Lorain of all his Dutchy However tho' the Duke who had â—ut little Power of his own was forced tamely to submit to it yet it could not be thought that others would be so willing to do it And therefore First Monsieur Ravaux who had searched all the Monuments of the Parliaments of Metz and the Cities thereabouts endeavoured from thence to prove That in time of old all Alsatia Lorain the Counties of Chiney Arlon Vierton St. Armand all the Country of Luxemburg except the City of that Name divers Villages and Seigniories in Germany Flanders Brabant Hegenow and the Country of Liege did really and of just Right belong to the King of France as Dependences upon the three Bishopricks of Metz Toul and Verdun or upon other Places that had been yielded to them by the Treaty of Nimeguen In pursâ—ance hereof they erected in France 2 Tribunals of Justice or Sovereign Courts one at Metz and the other at Brisac by the Name of The Chambers of Re-unions where the Inhabitants and Lords of all the fore-mentioned Places were gravely cited to appear before the Commissioners Judges and Parties to see themselves condemned to make their Submission to the French King and to receive his Orders thereupon and in case of Refusal to be condemned for Default and Contumacy It was under such Pretensions that Strasburg was seized on by that Crown and by the same pretended Reasons Luxemburg had been blocked up in a manner ever since the Peace and that as it were by way of Reprisal because the Spaniards would not yield up to them several Places in Flanders which they laid claim to Which way of Procedure did at length alarm all the Potentates upon the Continent so that the Emperor Swedeland the States of Holland Franconia and several other Free and Imperial Cities entred into a mutual League of Defence which was called The League of Ausburg and to the Glory of the then Prince of Orange it must be said and is what his Enemies have own'd he was the greatest Instrument to bring it about of any in Europe Good God! What shall we think of England all this while But I have told you already our King had other Fish to fry and 't is very remarkable that he was by this time fallen into such an abject State in the Opinion of all the Neighbouring Princes and States that it does not appear they ever sought as much as his Concurrence in or Approbation of this League though otherwise generally speaking England was the only Kingdom that was wont to keep the Scales even between the contending Parties for many Ages together However whether it were out of the Apprehensions of the impending Storm upon Christendom from the Mahometan Quarters or out of a meer Act of Generosity this is certain that as soon as the French King came to know that the Turk was bending all his Forces against the Empire and to that End had ordered his Army to march towards Belgrade not only with a Design to possess himself of all Hungary but even to invade the Neighbouring Provinces he withdrew his Forces from before Luxemburg though almost ready
Arms was so much the more engaging in that besides 18 Pieces of Cannon 400000 Pounds of Powder and good store of Provisions which they found in the place they took it with the â—oss only of 150 Men after it had been 78 Years in the Possession of the Turks Soâ—â— Thoughts there were after the laking in of Gran to march directly and attack Buda but the Season being far advanced it was not judged adviseable tho' perhaps considering the Consternation the Turks were under on every side that important place might have then been easily carried which proved afterwards the Work of two Campaigns Wherefore after the Army had possessed themselves of some other small Places in the Neighbourhood of Gran and elsewhere they went into their Winter Quarters concluding the Actions of this Year on that side as we do also with all others that have happened within the Circumference of it having nothing remarkable to super-add in this place save that great and memorable Frost which began about the latter end of November and lasted for the space of Ten Weeks year 1684 What was left unfinished before in relation to the Prosecution of the pretended Presbytenian Plot was compleated amongst us this Year And where there could be no colourable Pretence to touch Life and Limb they were sure to be even with the pretended Criminals by Imprisonments and exorbitant Fines there being hardly any County in England wherein some were not severely swinged off for Riots when they were indeed legally standing up in Defence of their Charters and Civil Liberties whilst others did as basely betray them And because His Royal Highness should be as absolute again at Sea as he had shewed himself by Land both in England and Scotland His Majesty was pleased to revoke the Commission for High Admiral and to commit it into his good Brother's Hands again who took Care to require him well for it But give me leave to tell you once again that the Tories of this Time did not so much magnifie His Majesty's Conduct and Government as he was diminutively Little in the Esteem of neighbouring Princes I have given you some time since an Hint of the French Pretensions in relation to the Re-anions and am now to acquaint you that notwithstanding the French Complement to the Emperor last Year upon their quitting the Blockade of Luxemburg That it was done that the Christians might take no Umbrage at such a Conjuncture when the Infidels were threatning the Empire with an Invasion Yet the Year was not expired but that in pursuance to the said Pretensions they surprized Courtray and Dixmude Wherewith the Court of Spain was so incensed that they re-called their Ambassodor ordered the French Minister to retire home and seized all the Effects belonging to the French in their Dominions Yet the Dutch States were not so hot upon the Matter and therefore they proposed the King of England's Mediation herein but the Spaniards would by no means hear of it saying There was but too much Reason to suspect that Prince since iâ— did appear he had more closely linked himself with France than ever Hereupon the French King prepared an Army to invade the Spanish Netherlands while he sent another to infest the Spaniards on the side of Catalonia And if Luxemburg by an odd Circumstance of Time or what shall I call it had the good Luck to escape a Siege last Year she shall be sure to have her Share in this and be attacked in Form The Prince of Orange according to his usual Foresight had proposed pretty early to the States the Levying of 16000 Men and to bring all the Troops of the Country into the Field as a Means to give the French some Umbrage and to prevent their proceeding to an open Rupture But he was still opposed in his Designs by the Artifice of the French Ambassador the Count d'Avaux who put in several Memorials to the States upon account of the Conjuncture Insomuch that at last the City of Amsterdam would not consent to the said Levy but absolutely rejected it Which tho' it utterly broke the Prince's Measures yet it did not his Courage for he took the Field tho' to little purpose Because the French who were too quick to let slip the Opportunity brought a great Army before Luxemburg towards the latter end of May. And tho' the Place in the Circumstasnces it was then made a good Resistance it was on the 10th of June surrender'd upon Articles And now France having got what she desired proposed a Truce afresh for 20 Years to which the States did not seem averse So that they made the matter up quickly both for themselves and Spain as they had been wont to do in a manner upon the French Terms Whereof take the following Abstract wherein you will find the King of England's Name mentioned but mostly for Form sake I. THE States General oblige themselves to employ all sorts of good Offices to induce the King of Spain to accept of the Truce for 20 Years proposed by his most Christian Majesty during which all Hostilities shall cease between the said Kings as well by Sea and Land in all their Countries and Dominions II. The most Christian King shall during the said Truce remain possessed of the City of Luxemburg and the Provostry thereof with the 14 or 15 Villages and Hamblets depending thereon and Beaumount and the 3 or 4 Villages that remain on its Dependance Bouvois which has none and Chimay with the 12 or 14 Villages belonging to it III. If within 6 Weeks from the Date of this Convention the Catholick King shall agree unto and in due Form ratifie the Articles contained therein and shall consent to the said Truce of 20 Years upon the Condition proposed the most Christian King so soon as the Ratifications are exchanged shall restore to the Catholick King Courtray and Dixmuyde after having demolish'd the Fortifications with the Dependencies of those Places IV. His most Christian Majesty shall likewise restore to the Catholick King after the Exchange of the Ratifications all the Places he hath promised himself since Aug. 20 1683. except Luxemburg and the other Places mentioned in the Article And for the rest the most Christian and Catholick Kings shall remain in the Possession during the said Truce of what they held at the raising of the Blockade of Luxemburg and no Pretension shall be moved or Re-union made on the one side or the other on Account of Dependencies or any other Pretence whatever V. After the Exchange of the said Ratifications of Spain all Acts of Hostility shall cease and the most Christian King shall withdraw his Troops out of the Countries of the King of Spain wheresoever situated the King of Spain doing the like on his part VI. If any Contest shall happen concerning the time of Possession or the Extent of any Places that are to remain to either side during the said Truce the Determination thereof shall be referred to the
intimate my Mind otherwise I do hereby require all my Vassals any where and all within my several Jurisdictions with their fensible Men within their Command to go to Arms and to join and concur with us according to the said Declaration as they shall be answerable at their Peril and that they obey the particular Orders they shall receive from me from time to time I need not tell the World the Fate of this brave Man it was generally believed at that time that Sir John Cockram who came over with him betrayed him as some Body else was thought to have done by the Duke of Monmouth but however that Matter was in Reality Thus it happened with the Earl that after several Marches and Countermarches his Men were at length lead into a Boggy sort of a Place on Pretence or with Intention to bring him off from the King's Army then upon the Heels of them where they all lost one another dispersed and shifted for themselves The Earl himself being taken by a Country Man and brought to Edenburgh he there suffered for his former unpardonable Crime in requiring Care should be taken for the Protestant Religion and the Explaining the Test conformable thereunto for the Legality of which he had the Hands of most of the Eminent Lawyers about the City He made a very pious End being beheaded at Edenburgh June 30. But this Business of Argyle was but like Thunder afar off to what happened soon after in the West of England K. James was so apprehensive not only before but even after his Ascension to the Throne of the Duke of Monmouth's Designs against him that he used his utmost Endeavours by his Envoy Mr. Skelton in Holland to get him secured and sent into England which Design could not yet he carried so covertly but that the Prince of Orange came to the Knowledge of it who having more Honour and Goodness in him than to suffer an innocent forelorn Man to fall into the Hands of those who had been the Occasion of his Exile and Misery did not only give the Duke Notice of the Plot against him but gave him Money to go privately to Brussels with a farther Assurance that if he would go to the Campaign in Hungary he would maintain him at his own Charge with an Equipage suitable to his Quality But his Fate led him to return again privately from thence into Holland where having concerted his Measures with such Refugiated English as he found there they embarked on 3 small Vessels and about June 12 lan ded at Lyme in Dorsetshire where the Duke in his own and the rest of his Followers Names put out his Declaration which because the State at that time were so far from thinking fit to publish as they were Argyle's that they made it Criminal to read it and used all their Endeavours to smother it we shall here give you Word for Word The DECLARATION of James Duke of Monmouth and the Noblemen Gentlemen and others now in Arms for the Defence and Vindication of the Protestant Religion and the Laws Rights and Priviledges of ENGLAND AS Government was originally instituted by God and this or that Form of it chosen and submitted to by Men for the Peace Happiness and Security of the Governed and not for the private Interest and personal Greatness of those that rule So that Government hath always been esteemed the best where the Supream Magistrates have been invested with all the Power and Prerogatives that might capacitate them not only to preserve the People from Violence and Oppression but to promote their Prosperity and yet where nothing was to belong to them by the Rules of the Constitution that might enable them to injure and oppress them And it hath been the Glory of England above most other Nations that the Prince had all intrusted with him that was necessary either for the advancing the Welfare of the People or for his own Protection in the Discharge of his Office and withal stood so limited and restrained by the Fundamental Terms of the Constitution that without a Violation of his own Oath as well as the Rules and Measures of the Government he could do them no hurt or exercise any Act of Authority but through the Administration of such Hands as stood obnoxious to be punished in case they transgressed So that according to the primitive Frame of the Government the Prerogatives of the Crown and the Privileges of the Subject are so far from justling one another that the Rights reserved unto the People tended to render the King Honourable and Great and the Prerogatives settled on the Prince were in order to the Subjects Protection and Safety But all Humane Things being subject to Perversion as well as Decay it hath been the Fate of the English Government to be often changed and wrested from what it was in the first Settlement and Institution And we are particularly compelled to say that all the Boundaries of the Government have of late been broken and nothing left unattempted for turning our limited Monarchy into an absolute Tyranny For such hath been the Transaction of Affairs within this Nation for several Years last past that though the Protestant Religion and Liberties of the People were fenced and hedged about by as many Laws as the Wisdom of Man could devise for their Preservation against Popery and Arbitrary Power our Religion hath been all along countermined by Popish Counsels and our Privileges ravished from us by Fraud and Violence And more especially the whole Course and Series of the Life of the D. of Y. hath been but one continued Conspiracy against the Reformed Religion and the Rights of the Nation For whoever considers his contriving the burning of London his instigating a Confederacy with France and a War with Holland his fomenting the Popish Plot and encouraging the Murther of Sir Ed. Godfrey to stifle it his charging Treason against Protestants suborning Witnesses to swear the Patriots of our Religion and Liberties out of their Lives his hiring execrable Villains to assassinate the late Earl of Essex and causing those others to be clandestinely cut off in hopes to conceal it his advising and procuring the Prorogation and Dissolution of Parliaments in order to prevent their looking into his Crimes and that he might escape the Justice of the Nation Such can imagine nothing so black and horrid in it self or so ruinous and destructive to Religion and the Kingdom which we may not expect from him The very Tyrannies which he hath exercised since he snatched the Crown from his Brother's Head do leave none under a Possibility of flattering themselves with Hopes of Safety eithor in their Consciencies Persons or Estates For in defiance of all the Laws and Statutes of the Realm made for the Security of the Reformed Protestant Religion he not only began his Reign with a bare-faced A vowing himself of the Romish Religion but call'd in Multitudes of Priests and Jesâ—its for whom the
Exercise of their Religion as by Law Established and in the Quiet and full Enjoyment of all their Possessions without any Molestation on Disturbance whatsoever We do likewise declare That it is Our Royal Will and Pleasure That from henceforth the Execution of all and all manner of Penal Laws in Matters Ecclesiastical for not coming to Church or not Receiving the Sacrament or for any other Non-conformity to the Religion Established or for or by Reason of the Exercise of Religion in any manner whatsoever be immediately suspended And the further Execution of the said Penal Laws and every of them is hereby suspended And to the End that by the Liberty hereby granted the Peace and Security of Our Government in the Practice thereof may not be indangered We have thought fit and do hereby straitly Charge and Command all our Loving Subjects That as We do freely give them Leave to Meet and Serve God after their own Way and Manner be it in Private Houses or Places purposely Hired or Built for that Use so that they take especial Care that nothing be Preached or Taught amongst them which may any ways tend to Alienate the Hearts of Our People from Us or Our Government And that their Meetings and Assemblies be peaceably openly and publickly held and all Persons freely admitted to them And that they do signifie and make known to some one or more of the next Justices of the Peace what Place or Places they set apart for those Uses And that all Our Subjects may enjoy such their Religious Assemblies with greater Assurance and Protection We have thought it requisite and do hereby Command That no Disturbance of any kind be made or given unto them under Pain of Our Displeasure and to be further proceeded against with the uttermost Severity And forasmuch as We are desirous to have the Benefit of the Service of all Our loving Subjects which by the Law of Nature is inseparably annexed to and inherent in Our Royal Person And that none of Our Subjects may for the future be under any Discouragement or Disability who are otherwise well inclined and fit to serve Us by Reason of some Oaths or Tests that have been usually administred on such Occasions We do hereby further declare That it is Our Royal Will and Pleasure that the Oaths commonly called The Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance and also the several Tests and Declarations mentioned in the Acts of Parliament made in the 25th and 30th Years of the Reign of Our late Royal Brother Charles the Second shall not at any time hereafter be required to be Taken Declared or Subscribed by any Person or Persons whatsoever who is or shall be imployed in any Office or Place of Trust either Civil or Military under Us or in Our Government And We do further declare it to be Our Pleasure and Intention from time to time hereafter to Grant Our Royal Dispensations under Our Great Seal to all Our loving Subjects so to be Imployed who shall not take the said Oaths or subscribe or declare the said Tests or Declarations in the above-mentioned Acts and every of them And to the End that all Our Loving Subjects may receive and enjoy the full Benefit and Advantage of Our gracious Indulgence hereby intended and may be acquitted and discharged from all Pains Penalties Forfeitures and Disabilities by them or any of them incurred or forfeited or which they shall or may at any time hereafter be liable to for or by reason of their Non-conformity or the Exercise of their Religion and from all Suits Troubles or Disturbances for the same We do hereby give Our free and ample Pardon unto all Non-conformists Recusants and other Our Loving Subjects for all Crimes and Things by them committed or done contrary to the Penal Laws formerly made relating to Religion and the Profession or Exercise thereof Hereby declaring That this Our Royal Pardon and Indemnity shall be as good and effectual to all Intents and Purposes as if every individual Person had been therein particularly named or had particular Pardons under Our Great Seal which We do likewise declare shall from time to time be granted unto any Person or Persons desiring the same Willing and Requiring Our Judges Justices and other Officers to take Notice of and Obey Our Royal Will and Pleasure herein before declared And although the Freedom and Assurance We have hereby given in relation to Religion and Property might be sufficient to remove from the Minds of our Loving Subjects all Fears and Jealousies in relation to either yet We have thought fit further to declare That We will Maintain them in all their Properties and Possessions as well of Church and Abby-Lands as in any other their Lands and Properties whatsoever Given at Our Court at Whitehall the Fourth Day of April 1687. In the Third Year of Our Reign The Generality of Protestant Dissenters having for near 7 Years together been so severely treated by the Tory Party were as forward to congratulate the King for his Indulgence in several Addresses as the Tories were in King Charles his Time in their Addresses of Abhorrence to Petition the King to call a Parliament to settle the Grievances of the Nation However this Declaration was drawn up so in sight of every Bird that most part of the Thinking sort of Dissenters did dread and detest it But yet to make it more passable Popish Judges were made in Westminister-Hall and Popish Justices of the Peace and Deputy-Lieutenants all England over while the Privy-Council was filled up with Popish Councellors nay the Savoy was laid open to instruct Youth in the Popish Religion and Popish Principles which gave Occasion to that good Man Dr. Tenison now Archbishop of Canterbury and it ought to be remembred always to his Honour to erect his Free School at St. Martins in opposition to it But this would not stop the Popish Zeal for other Schools to the same End were encouraged in London and all other Places in England and 4 Foreign Popish Bishops as Vicars Apostolical were allowed in Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction all England and Wales over And because his Majesty would not be wanting to pay his Duty as well as other Catholick Princes to the common Father of them all the Pope the Earl of Castlemain was sent Embassador to Rome to tender the King's Obedience to the Holy and Apostolical See with great Hopes of extirpating the Northern pestilent Heresie In return whereof the Pope sent his Nuncio to give the King his Holy Benediction and that without sending before-hand as his Predecessors were wont to do for leave to enter the Kingdom To all this we may add that the Judges in their Circuits had their private Instructions to know how Men stood affected towards the King's Dispensing Power and those who shewed the least Dislike of it were turned out of their Offices and Employments without any more ado And that these Things might be acted with Security Tyrconnel having disbanded the English Army in
Designs he proceeded now to shew how Absolute he would be in them and therefore on the 4th of May he passed an Order in Council that his Declaration of Indulgence should be Read in all Churches and Chappels throughout England and Wales in Time of Divine Service and that all the Bishops in their respective Diocesses should take Care to have the same accordingly performed There is no question to be made but they understood the King's Meaning well enough and that under a Shadow of Favour to be intended hereby to Protestant Dissenters all the Good imaginable was meant to the Roman Catholicks and that whatever was intended by it there was no Good meant to them nor their Church and therefore it was their Business to ward off the Blow which 7 of them endeavoured to do in an humble Petition to the King wherein their Reasons were set forth why they could not comply with the Order of Council But they were so cautious in the Matter that after it was drawn up they would let no other see it before it was presented And the same was as also the King's Answer to this Effect TO THE KING'S Most Excellent MAJESTY The Humble PETITION of William Archbishop of Canterbury and divers of the Suffragan Bishops of that Province now present with him in behalf of themselves and others of their absent Brethren and of the Inferior Clergy of their respective Diocesses Humbly Sheweth THAT the great Aversness they find in themselves to the Distributing and Publishing in all their Churches Your Majesty's late Declaration for Liberty of Conscience proceeds neither from any Want of Duty and Obedience to Your Majesty our holy Mother the Church of England being both in her Principles and in her constant Practice unquestionably Loyal and having to her great Honour been more than once publickly acknowledged to be so by Your Gracious Majesty nor yet from any Want of Tenderness to Dissenters in relation to whom we are willing to come to such a Temper as shall be thought fit when the Matter shall be considered and settled in Parliament and Convocation But among many other Considerations from this especially Because that Declaration is founded upon such a Dispencing Power as hath been often declared Illegal in Parliament and particularly in the Years 1662 and 1672 and in the Beginning of Your Majesty's Reign and is a Matter of so great Moment and Consequence to the whole Nation both in Church and State that Your Petitioners cannot in Prudence Honour or Conscience so far make themselves Parties to it as the Distribution of it all over the Nation and the solemn Publication of it once and again even in GOD's House and in the Time of His Divine Service must amount to in common and unreasonable Construction Your Petitioners therefore most humbly and earnestly beseech Your Majesty that You will be pleased not to insist upon their Distributing and Reading Your Majesty's said Declaration And Your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray c. Will. Cant. Will. Asaph Fr. Ely Jo. Cicestr Tho. Bathon Wellen. Tho. Peterburgen Jonath Bristol His MAJESTY'S ANSWER I Have heard of this before but did not believe it I did not expect this from the Church of England especially from some of you If I change my Mind ye shall hear from me If not I expect my Command shall be obeyed But how unpleasing soever the Petition might be to the King which is sufficiently evinced by his Answer and what Revenge soever he might ruminate within himself to take upon the Bishops for it the Chancellor though he thought his Ecclâ—siastical Commission big enough to suspend the Bishop of London and the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge and to expel the Master and Fellows of Magdalen College in Oxford yet is seems he did not believe it sufficient to suspend these Bishop And therefore it was said he advised the King to Try them upon an Information of High-Treason at the King 's Beneh-Bar In order to this they were committed Prisoner to the Tower and that on the Day before I think the Legendary Birth of the Prince of Wales who came to Town on Sunday Morning the 10th of June that they might not have the Opportunity as it was the Place at least of some of them to be present thereat and make any Inspection into that pious Fraud But though the Nation was mightily alarm'd at their Commitment and more particularly with the Time and Circumstance of it and that this Discontent might have been read in the Faces of almost all Men â—â—ve Romanists yet the Court unconcerned held on their Pace and accordingly the Bishops were Tryed in Trinity Term following at the King 's Beneh-Bar upon an Information of High-Misdemeanor as aforesaid for their Petition to the King But how secure soever the King and his Chancellor thought themselves of the Judges and though Sir Robert Wright who was Chief Justice and Sir Richard Allibone a known Papist were Two of them yet they were not all of a Piece for Mr. Justice Powell both learnedly and stoutly defended the Cause of the Bishops And though I believe the Jury of themselves upon considering the Merit of the Cause were sufficiently disposed to acquit them as they did accordingly yet surely if they had done otherwise I question whether all the King's Guards could have secured them from the Fury of the People who were not a little chafed with these Proceedings and wrought such Seeds of Discontent in the Minds of most Men that afterwards broke forth with a Witness And though it is not to be doubted but the Great Men of our Nation began before this to look about them and to have a watchful Eye upon every Motion of the Court yet this awaken'd them to purpose to seek for a Remedy against the impending Evil by such Methods and from such Persons as were most interested to divert the Course of them But of this we shall more particularly speak hereafter the Course of our History leading us 〈◊〉 to the Prosecution of Foreign Affairs and Campaigns 〈◊〉 ready to begin And first we shall again begin with Hungary We left off last Year with the Surrender of Agria a most pleasing Piece of News to the Imperial Court as was that of the Fortress of Mâ—ngaâ—z early this Spring no less grateful to it Famine and no other Reason was the Occasion of the Surrender of this Place as well as the preceding one The Fortress had been held out by the Princess Ragotzi Count Tecâ—eley's Lady in a manner ever since the Beginning of the War But now dire Necessity constrained that Noble Lady to surrender both it and her self into the Emperor's Hands as it appear'd evidently by her saying when the Capitulation was brought from Count Caraffa to be signed by her Must I Sign my Husband's Death For I am perswaded that as soon as the Turks come to know I have abandoned this Place they will take off his Head The Terms of
President and Fellows of St. Mary Magdalen College in Oxford IV. That your Majesty will graciously be pleased to set aside all Licenses or Faculties already granted by which any persons of the Romish Communion may pretend to be enabled to teach Publick Schools and that no such be granted for the future V. That your Majesty will be graciously pleased to desist from the Exercise of such a Dispensing Power as hath of late been used and to permit that Point to be freely and calmly debated and argued and finally setled in Parliament VI. That your Majesty will be graciously pleased to inhibit the four Foreign Bishops who stile themselves Vicars Apostolical from further invading the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction which is by Law vested in the Bishops of this Church VII That your Majesty will be pleased graciously to fill the vacant Bishopricks and other Ecclesiastical Promotions within your Gift both in England and Ireland with men of Learning and Piety and in particular which I must own to be my pecular boldness for 't is done without the privity of my Brethren That you will be graciously pleased forthwith to fill the Archiepiscopal Chair of York which has so long stood empty and upon which a whole Province depends with some very worthy Person For which pardon me Sir if I am bold to say you have now here before you a very fair Choice VIII That your Majesty will be graciously pleased to supersede all further Prosecution of Quo Warranto's against Corporations and to restore to them their ancient Charters Priviledges and Franchises as we hear God hath put into your Majesties Heart to do for the City of London which we intended to have made otherwise one of our principal Requests IX That if it please your Majesty Writs may be issued out with convenient speed for the calling of a free and regular Parliament in which the Church of England may be secured according to the Acts of Unformity Provision may be made for a due Liberty of Conscience and for securing the Liberties and Properties of all your Subjects and a mutual Confidence and good Vnderstanding may be established between your Majesty and all your People X. Above all That your Majesty will be graciously pleased to permit your Bishops to offer you such Motives and Arguments as we trust may by God's Grace be effectual to perswade your Majesty to return to the Communion of the Church of England into whose most holy Catholick Faith you were baptized and in which you were educated and to which it is our daily earnest Prayer to God that you may be re-united These Sir are the humble Advices which out of Conscience of the Duty we owe to God to your Majesty and to our Country We think fit at this time to offer to your Majesty as suitable to the present State of your Affairs and most conducing to your Service and so to leave them to your Princely Consideration And we heartily beseech Almighty God in whose hand the Hearts of all Kings are so to dispose and govern yours that in all your Thoughts Words and Works you may ever seek his Honour and Glory and study to preserve the People committed to your Charge in Wealth Peace and Godliness to your own both temporal and eternal Happiness Amen We do heartily concur H. London P. Winchester VV. Asaph W. Cant. Fran. Ely Jo. Cicestr Tho. Roffen Tho. Bath VVells Tho. Petriburg And because the King would seemingly remove all Jealousies from the Church of England he on the 5th of Oct. declared that he would dissolve the Commission for Ecclesiacal Causes and gave Directions to the Lord Chancellor accordingly to cause the same to be forthwith done But at the same it was not declared to be illegal which was the only Way to give Satisfaction in respect of it And because Magdalen College in Oxford was no less aggrieved with the High Commission than the Bishops themselves were the King after having Oct. 12th declared his Resolution to preserve the Church of England in all its Rights and Immunities did as an Evidence of it signifie his Pleasure to the Bishop of Winchester as Visitor of the said College to settle the College Regularly and Statutably Who accordingly on the 16th caused a Citation to be fixed on the College Gate to re-call Dr. Hough and the former Fellows of that Society by the 2d of Nov. following and the Bishop went down accordingly to re-instate them and was received with abundance of Joy But pray mind the Temper of this King For an Account coming that very Post that the Dutch Fleet had suffered very much in a Storm on the 16th of the same Month. N. S. and that they would hardly be able to sail till the Spring the Bishop was re-called to London and the Restitution deferred Yet soon after that false News being contradicted the Affection to the Church revived and so the Business of the College was effected on the 24th of the said Month. About this time the Queen-Dowager and others that attended at the Queen's Delivery as also the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London and divers Peers of the Land were ordered to attend to hear what the former could say concerning the Birth of the pretended Prince of WALES But now all Men's Tongues were let loose against the Government And my Lord Sunderland's being dismissed from his Office of prime Minister and Secretary of State made a mighty Noise That my Lord is a person of vast ability is a matter not to be doubted and that how various soever the reports then since have been concerning the cause of his being laid aside I think it 's good manners for us to listen to the account he was pleased to give himself in his Letter of March 23d 1689. which will fall pertinently in this place The Earl of Sunderland's Letter to a Friend in London published March 23d 1689. TO comply with what you desire I will explain some things which we talked of before I left England I have been in a Station of a great noise without Power or Advantage whilst I was in it and to my Ruin now I am out of it I know I cannot Justifie my self by saying though it is true that I thought to have prevented much Mischief for when I found that I could not I ought to have quitted the Service Neither is it an Excuse that I have got none of those things which usually engage men in publick Affairs My Quality is the same it ever was and my Estate much worse even ruin'd tho' I was born to a very considerable one which I am ashamed to have spoiled though not so much as if I had encreased it by indirect Means But to go on to what you expect The Pretence to a Dispensing Power being not only the first thing which was much disliked since the Death of the late King but the Foundation of all the rest I ought to begin with that which I had so little to do with that I
steering a Channel Course Westward the Wind at E. N. E. a fresh Gale and on the 5th passing by Dartmouth it being hazy Weather they overshot Torbay where the Prince designed to Land But about 9 a Clock the Weather cleared up and the Wind changed to W. S. W. and the Fleet stood Eastward with a moderate Gale being about 4 or 500 Sail whereof there was 51 Men of War and 18 Fireships This Change of Wind was observed by Dr. Burnet to be of no long Duration but it immediately choped into another Corner when it had executed its Commission While the Prince was landing his Army and advanced to Exeter the King was vainly endeavouring to sooth the People by redressing the Disorders committed by the Soldiers and Promises of a Parliament which several of the Bishops and Nobility petitioned might be a Free Regular one in all its Circumstances wherewith His Majesty to discover his good Disposition did not appear by his Answer to be well-pleased And all Endeavours were used to make the Prince and his Army contemptible in the sight of the People by Printing a List of them and giving out That none of the Nobility and Gentry but only a few Rabble appeared for him and that the Prince's Declaration might be kept close from the Knowledge of the People yet it did not continue so long with the Prince whose Army was considerably augmented by the Junction of divers Persons of good Quality with him Neither could the Court any longer keep the Declaration suppress'd and therefore they suffered the same to be Printed with a Preface and some modest Remarks as the Author pretends on it VVhich Declaration was this that follows The Declaration of His Highness WILLIAM HENRY by the Grace of God Prince of Orange c. of the Reasons inducing him to appear in Arms in the Kingdom of ENGLAND for preserving of the Protestant Religion and for Restoring of the Laws and Liberties of England Scotland and Ireland I. IT is both certain and evident to all Men That the Publick Peace and Happiness of any State or Kingdom cannot be preserved where the Laws Liberties and Customs Established by the Lawful Authority in it are openly transgressed and annulled More especially where the Alteration of Religion is endeavoured and that a Religion which is contrary to Law is endeavoured to be introduced Upon which those who are most immediately concerned in it are indispensably bound to endeavour to maintain and preserve the Established Laws Liberties and Customs and above all the Religion and Worship of God that is Established among them and to take such an Effectual Care that the Inhabitants of the said State or Kingdom may neither be deprived of their Religion nor of their Civil Rights which is so much the more necessary because the Greatness and Security both of Kings Royal Families and of all such as are in Authority as well as the Happiness of their Subjects and People depend in a most especial manner upon the exact Observation and Maintenance of these their Laws Liberties and Customs II. Upon these Grounds it is that we can't any longer forbear to declare That to our great Regret we see that those Counsellors who have now the chief Credit with the King have overturned the Religion Laws and Liberties of these Realms and subjected them in all things relating to their Consciences Liberties and Properties to Arbitrary Government and that not only by secret and indirect VVays but in an open and undisguised Manner III. These Evil Counsellors for the Advancing and Colouring this with some plausible Pretexts did invent and set on Foot the King 's Dispensing Power by Virtue of which they pretend that according to Law he can suspend and dispense with the Execution of the Laws that have been enacted by the Authority of the King and Parliament for the Security and Happiness of the Subject and so have rendred those laws of no effect though there is nothing more certain than that as no Laws can be made but by the joynt Concurrence of the King and Parliament so likewise Laws so Enacted which secure the Publick Peace and Safety of the Nation and the Lives and Liberties of every Subject in it cannot be repealed or suspended but by the same Authority IV. For though the King may pardon the Punishment that a Transgressor has incurred and for which he is condemned as in the Cases of Treason or Felony yet it cannot be with any colour of Reason inferred from thence that the King can entirely suspend the Execution of those Laws relating to Treason or Felony unless it is pretended that he is cloathed with a Despotick and Arbitrary Power and that the Lives Liberties Honours and Estates of the Subjects depend wholly on his Good Will and Pleasure and are entirely subject to him which must infallibly follow on the King 's having a Power to suspend the Execution of the Laws and to dispense with them V. Those Evil Counsellors in order to the giving some Credit to this strange and execrable Maxim have so conducted the Matter that they have obtained a Sentence from the Judges declaring That this Dispensing Power is a Right belonging to the Crown as if it were in the Power of the Twelve Judges to offer up the Laws Rights and Liberties of the whole Nation to the King to de disposed of by him Arbitrarily and at his Pleasure and expresly contrary to Laws Enacted for the Security of the Subjects In order to the obtaining of this Judgment those Evil Counsellors did before-hand examine secretly the Opinion of the Judges and procured such of them as could not in Conscience concur in so pernicious a Sentence to be turned out and others to be substituted in their Rooms till by the Changes that were made in the Courts of Judicature they at last obtained that Judgment And they have raised some to those Trusts who make open Profession of the Popish Religion tho' those are by Law render'd incapable of all such Employments VI. It is also manifest and notorious that as His Majesty was upon his coming to the Crown received and acknowledged by all the Subjects of England Scotland and Ireland as their King without the least Opposition tho' he made then open Profession of the Popish Religion so he did then promise and solemnly swear at his Coronation That he would maintain His Subjects in the free Enjoyment of their Laws and Liberties And in particular That he would maintain the Church of England as it was Established by Law It is likewise certain that there have been at divers and sundry times several Laws Enacted for the Preservation of those Rights and Liberties and of the Protestant Religion And among other Securities it has been Enacted That all Persons whatsoever that are advanced to any Ecclesiastical Dignity or to bear Office in the University as likewise all others that should be put into any Employment Civil or Military should declare that they were not Papists but were
these our good Intentions that they have endeavoured to alienate the King more and more from us as if we had designed to disturb the Quiet and Happiness of the Kingdom XVIII The last and great Remedy for all these Evils is the Calling of a Parliament for securing the Nation against those evil Practices of those wicked Counsellors but this could not be yet compassed nor can be easily brought about For those Men apprehending that a Lawful Parliament being once Assembled they would be brought to an Account for all their open Violations of Law and for their Plots and Conspiracies against the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of the Subjects they have endeavoured under the specious Pretence of Liberty of Conscience first to sow Divisions among Protestants between those of the Church of England and Dissenters The Design being laid to engage Protestants that are equally concerned to preserve themselves from Popish Oppression into Mutual Quarrellings that so by these some Advantages may be given to them to bring about their Designs and that both in the Election of Members of Parliament and afterwards in the Parliament it self For they see well that if all Protestants could enter into a good understanding one with another and concur together in the preserving of their Religion it would not be possible for them to compass their wicked Ends. They have also required all Persons in the several Counties of England that either were in any Employment or were in any considerable Esteem to declare before-hand that they would concur in the Repeal of the Penal Laws and that they would give their Voices in the Elections to Parliament only for such as would concur in it Such as would not thus preingage themselves were turn'd out of all Employments and others who entred into those Engagements were put in their Places many of them being Papists And contrary to the Charters and Priviledges of those Boroughs that have a Right to send Burgesses to Parliament they have ordered such Regulations to be made as they thought fit and necessary for assuring themselves of all the Members that are to be chosen by those Corporations and by this means they hope to avoid that Punishment which they have deserved tho' it is apparent that all Acts made by Popish Magistrates are null and void of themselves So that no Parliament can be Lawful for which the Elections and Returns are made by Popish Magistrates Sheriffs and Mayors of Towns and therefore as long as the Authority and Magistracy is in such Hands it is not possible to have any Lawful Parliament And tho' according to the Constitution of the English Government and Immemorial Custom all Elections of Parliament-Men ought to be made with an entire Liberty without any sort of Force or the requiring the Electors to chuse such Persons as shall be named to them and the Persons thus freely Elected ought to give their Opinions freely upon all Matters that are brought before them having the Good of the Nation ever before their Eyes and following in all things the Dictates of their Conscience yet now the People of England cannot expect a Remedy from a Free Parliament Legally Called and Chosen But they may perhaps see one Called in which all Elections will be carried by Fraud or Force and which will be composed of such Persons of whom those evil Counsellors hold themselves well assured in which all things will be carried on according to their Direction and Interest without any regard to the Good or Happiness of the Nation Which may appear evidently from this That the same Persons tried the Members of the last Parliament to gain them to consent to the Repeal of the Test and Penal Laws and procured that Parliament to be dissolved when they found that they could not neither by Promises nor Threatnings prevail with the Members to comply with their wicked Design XIX But to Crown all there are great and violent Presumptions inducing us to believe that those Evil Counsellors in order to the carrying on their ill Designs and to the gaining to themselves the more time for the effecting of them for the Encouragement of their Complices and for the discouraging of all good Subjects have publish'd That the Queen hath brought forth a Son tho' there have appeared both during the Queen's pretended Bigness and in the manner in which the Birth was managed so many just and visible Grounds of Suspicion that not only we our selves but all the Good Subjects of this Kingdom do vehemently suspect That the pretended Prince of Wales was not born by the Queen And it was notoriously known to all the World that many both doubted of the Queen's Bigness and of the Birth of the Child and yet there was not any one thing done to satisfie them or put an end to their Doubts XX. And since Our dearest and most entirely Beloved Consort the Princess and likewise We Our Selves have so great an Interest in this Matter and such a Right as all the World knows to the Succession to the Crown Since all the English did in the Year 1672. when the States General of the Vnited Provinces were invaded with a most unjust War use their utmost Endeavours to put an end to that War and that in Opposition to those who were then in the Government and by their so doing they run the hazard of losing both the Favour of the Court and their Employments And since the English Nation has ever testified a most particular Affection and Esteem both to our dearest Consort the Princess and to Our selves We cannot excuse our selves from espousing their Interest in a Matter of such High Consequence And for contributing all that lies in us for the maintaining both of the Protestant Religion and of the Laws and Liberties of those Kingdoms and for the Securing to them the continual Enjoyment of all their just Rights To the doing of which We are most earnestly sollicited by a great many Lords both Sipiritual and Temporal and by many Gentlemen and other Subjects of all Ranks XXI Therefore it is That We have thought fit to go over to England and to carry over with us a Force sufficient by the Blessing of God to defend us from the Violence of those Evil Counsellors And We being desirous that our Intentions in this might be rightly understood have for this end prepared this Declaration in which as We have hitherto given a True Account of the Reasons inducing us to it so we now think fit to declare That this our Expedition is intended for no other Design but to have a Free and Lawful Parliament Assembled as soon as it is possible and that in order to this all the late Charters by which the Elections of Burgesses are limitted contrary to the Ancient Custom shall be considered as null and of no Force And likewise all Magistrates who have been unjustly turned out shall forthwith resume their former Employments as well as all the Boroughs of England shall return
again to their Ancient Prescriptions and Charters And more particularly that the Ancient Charter of the Great and Famous City of London shall again be in Force And that the Writs for the Members of Parliament shall be Addressed to the proper Officers according to Law and Custom That also none be suffered to chuse or to be chosen Members of Parliament but such as are qualified by Law And that the Members of Parliament being thus chosen they shall meet and sit in full Freedom that so the Two Houses may concur in the preparing such Laws as they upon full and free Debate shall judge necessary and convenient both for the Confirming and Executing the Law concerning the Test and such others Laws as are necessary for the Security and Maintenance of the Protestant Religion as likewise for making such Laws as may Establish a good Agreement between the Church of England and all Protestant Dissenters as also for the Covering and Securing of all such who live peaceably under the Government as becomes good Subjects from all Persecution upon the Account of their Religion even Papists themselves not excepted and for the doing of all other things which the Two Houses of Parliament shall find necessary for the Peace Honour and Safety of the Nation so that there may be no more Danger of the Nation 's falling at any time hereafter under Arbitrary Government To this Parliament we will refer the Enquiry into the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales and of all things relating to it and to the Right of Succession XXII And We for our part will concur in every thing that may procure the Peace and Happiness of the Nation which a Free and Lawful Parliament shal determine since we have nothing before our Eyes in this our Undertaking but the Preservation of the Protestant Religion the Covering of all Men from Persecution for their Consciences and the Securing the whole Nation the Free Enjoyment of all their Laws Rights and Liberties under a just and legal Government XXIII This is the Design that We have proposed to our selves in appearing upon this Occasion in Arms in the Conduct of which we will keep the Forces under our Command under all the Strictness of Martial Discipline and take special Care That the People of the Countries through which we must march shal not suffer by their Means and as soon as the State of the Nation will admit of it we promise That we will send back all those Foreign Forces that we have brought along with us XXIV We do therefore hope That all People will judge rightly of us and approve of these our Proceedings But we chiefly rely on the Blessing of God for the Success of this our Undertaking in which we place our whole and only Confidence XXV We do in the last place invite and require all Persons whatsoever all the â—eers of the Realm both Spiritual and Temporal all Lords-Lieutenants Deputy-Lieutenants and all Gentlemen Citizens and other Commons of all Ranks to come and assist Us in order to the Executing of this our Design against all such as shall endeavour to oppose us that so we may prevent all those Miseries which must needs follow upon the Nations being kept under Arbitrary Government and Slavery And that all the Violences and Disorders which have overturned the whole Constitution of the English Government may be fully redressed in a Free and Legal Parliament XXVI And we do likewise resolve That as soon as the Nation is brought to a state of Quiet we will take care that a Parliament shall be called in Scotland for Restoring the Ancient Constitution of that Kingdom and for bringing the Matters of Religion to such a Settlement that the People may live easie and happy and for putting an end to all the unjust Violences that have been in a Course of so many Years committed there We will also study to bring the Kingdom of Ireland to such a State that the Settlement there may be Religiously observed and that the Protestant and British Interest there may be secured And we will endeavour by all possible means to procure such an Establishment in all the Three Kingdoms that they may all live in a happy Union and Correspondence together and that the Protestant Religion and the Peace Honour and Happiness of those NATIONS may be Established upon Lasting Foundations Given under Our Hand and Seal at Our Court in the Hague the 10th Day of October in the Year of Our Lord 1688. WILLIAM HENRY Prince of Orange By His Highness's Special Command C. HUYGENS. To this Declaration the Prince upon further Information of things thought fit to add another to this purpose AFter we had Prepared and Printed this Our Declaration we have understood that the Subverters of the Religion and Laws of these Kingdoms hearing of our Preparations to assist the People against them have began to retract some of the Arbitrary and Despotick Power that they had assumed and to vacate some of their unjust Judgments and Decrees The Sense of their Guilt and the Distrust of their Force have induced them to offer to the City of London some seeming Relief from their great Oppressions hoping thereby to quiet the People and to divert them from demanding a Re-establishment of their Religion and Laws under the shelter of our Arms They do also give out That we do intend to Conquer and Enslave the Nation and therefore it is we have thought fit to add a few Words to our Declaration VVe are confident That no Persons can have such hard Thoughts of us as to imagine we have any other Design in this our Undertaking than to procure a Settlement of the Religion and of the Liberties and Properties of the Subjects upon so sure a Foundation that there may be no Danger of the Nation 's Relapsing into the like Miseries at any time hereafter And as the Forces we have brought along with us are utterly disproportioned to that Wicked Design of Conquering the Nation if we were capable of intending it so the great Numbers of the Principal Nobility and Gentry that are Men of Eminent Quality and Estates and Persons of known Integrity and Zeal both for the Religion and Government of ENGLAND many of them being also distinguished by their Constant Fidelity to the Crown who do both accompany us in this Expedition and have earnestly sollicited us to it will cover us from all such Malicious Insinuations For it is not to be imagined that either those who have invited us or those who are already come to assist us can join in a wicked Attempt of Conquest to make void their own Lawful Titles to their Honours Estates and Interests We are also confident That all Men see how little Weight there is to be laid on all Promises and Engagements that can be now made since there has been so little regard had in the time past to the most solemn Promises And as that imperfect Redress that is now offer'd is a plain
Confession of those Violences of the Government that we have set forth so the Defectiveness of it is no less apparent For they lay down nothing which they may not take up at pleasure and they reserve entire and not so much as mentioned their Claims and Pretences to an Arbitrary and Despotick Power which has been the Root of all their Oppression and of the Total Subversion of the Government And it is plain That there can be no Redress no Remedy offered but in Parliament by a Declaration of the Rights of the Subjects that have been invaded and not by any pretended Acts of Grace to which the Extremity of their Affairs has driven them Therefore it is that we have thought fit to declare That we will Refer all to a Free Assembly of this NATION in a Lawful Parliament Given under Our Hand and Seal at Our Court in the Hague the 24th Day of October in the Year of Our Lord 1688. WILLIAM HENRY Prince of Orange By His Highness's Special Command C. HUYGENS. At the same time an Extract of the States-General's Resolution was privately Printed at London wherein among other Reasons why they had intrusted the Prince of Orange with such a Fleet and Army is this which follows THE King of France hath upon several Occasions shewed himself dissatisfied with this State which gave Cause to fear and apprehend that in case the King of Great Britain should happen to compass within his Kingdom and obtain an Absolute Power over his People that then both Kings out of the Interest of State and Hatred and Zeal against the Protestant Religion would endeavour to bring this State to confusion and if possible quite to subject it There was also Printed about the same Juncture this Letter of the Prince of Orange to the Officers of the Army Gentlemen and Friends WE have given you so full and so true an Account of Our Intentions in this Expedition in Our Declaration that as We can add nothing to it so We are sure you can desire nothing more of Us. We are come to preserve your Religion and to Restore and Establish your Liberties and Properties And therefore We cannot suffer Our Selves to doubt but that all true English Men will come and concur with Us in Our Desire to Secure these Nations from Popery and Slavery You must all plainly see That you are only made use of as Instruments to enslave the Nation and ruine the Protestant Religion and when that is done you may judge what ye your selves ought to expect both from the Cashiering all the Protestant and English Officers and Soldiers in Ireland and by the Irish Soldiers being brought over to be put in your Places and of which you have seen so fresh an Instance that We need not put you in mind of it You know how many of your Fellow-Officers have been used for their standing firm to the Protestant Religion and to the Laws of England And you cannot flatter your selves so far as to expect to be better used if those who have broke their Word so often should by your Means be brought out of those Streights to which they are at present reduced We hope likewise that ye will not suffer your selves to be abused by a false Notion of Honour but that you will in the first place consider what you owe to Almighty God and your Religion to your Country to your Selves to your Posterity which you as Men of Honour ought to prefer to all private Considerations and Engagements whatsoever We do therefore expect That you will consider the Honour that is now set before you of being the Instruments of Serving your Country and Securing your Religion and We shall ever remember the Service you shall do Us upon this Occasion and will promise you that We shall place such particular Marks of Our Favour on every one of you as your Behaviour at this time shall deserve of Us and the Nation in which We shall make a great Distinction of those that shall come seasonably to join their Arms with Ours And you shall find Us to be your Well-wishing and assured Friend W. H. P. O. This Letter was spread under-hand over the whole Kingdom and read by all sorts of Men and the Reason of it being undeniable it had a great Force on the Spirits of the Soldiery so that those who did not presently comply with it yet resolved they would never strike one stroke in this Quarrel till they had a Parliament to secure the Religion Laws and Liberties of England Which the Court on the other side had resolved should not be granted till the Prince of Orange with his Army was expelled out of the Nation and till all those that had submitted to him which were not many then were reduced into their Power to be treated as they thought fit In the mean time the Fleet came about from the Buoy in the Nâ—re to Portsmouth under the Command of the Lord Dartmouth where it arrived on Saturday the 17th of November and on the Monday following the KING entred Salisbury which was then the Head Quarters of the whole Army But on the 16th of the aforesaid Month the Lord Delamere having received certain Intelligence of the Landing of the Prince of Orange in the West and seeing the Irish throng over in Arms under pretence of Assisting the King but in reality to enslave us at Home as they had already reduced our Country-Men in Ireland to the lowest Degree of Danger and Impuissance that they have at any time been in since the Conquest of Ireland in the Reign of King Henry II. He thereupon Assembled Fifty Horse-Men and at the Head of them marched to Manchester and the next Day he went to Bodon-Downes his Forces being then 150 strong declaring his Design was To join with the Prince of Orange This small Party of Men by degrees drew in all the North and could never be suppressed Now before His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange left Exeter there was an Association drawn up and signed by all the Lords and Gentlemen that were with him the Date of which I cannot assign but the Words thereof are as follow VVE whose Names are hereunto subscribed who have now joined with the Prince of Orange for the Defence of the Protestant Religion and for the maintaining the Antient Government and the Laws and Liberties of England Scotland and Ireland do engage to Almighty God to His Highness the Prince of Orange and to one another to stick firm to this Cause and to one another in Defence of it and never to depart from it until our Religion Laws and Liberties are so far secured to us in a Free Parliament that we shall be no more in danger of falling into Popery and Slavery And whereas we are engaged in this Common Cause under the Protection of the Prince of Orange by which means his Person may be exposed to Danger and to the cursed Attempts of Papists and other Bloody Men we do therefore solemnly
for a free Parliament and the Protestant Religion York was in the hands of the associated Lords The Garison of Hull seized the Lord Langdale then Governor a Papist and the Lord Montgomery and disarmed some Popish Forces newly sent thither and then declared as New Castle had done Bristol was seized by the Earl of Shrewsbury and Sir John Guise Plymouth had long before submitted to the Prince of Orange and in short the Popish party was become so contemptible in London that on Thursday Dec. 6th there was an Hue and Cry after Father Petre publickly cried and sold in the Streets of London but this was not the worst neither for about the same time came out this following Declaration in the Name of the Prince of Orange By His Highness WILLIAM HENRY Prince of Orange A Third Declaration VVE have in the Course of our Life more particularly by the apparent Hazards both by Sea and Land to which we have so lately exposed our Person given to the whole World so high and undoubted Proofs of our fervent Zeal for the Protestant Religion that we are fully confident no true English Man and good Protestant can entertain the least Suspicion of our firm Resolution rather to spend our dearest Blood and perish in the Attempt than not to carry on the blessed and glorious Design which by the Favour of Heaven we have so successfully begun to rescue England Scotland and Ireland from Popery and Slavery and in a Free Parliament to Establish the Religion the Laws and the Liberties of these Kingdoms on such a sure and lasting Foundation that it shall not be in the Power of any Prince for the future to introduce Popery and Tyranny Towards the more easie compassing this great Design we have not been hitherto deceived in the just Expectation we had of the Concurrence of the Nobility Gentry and People of England with us for the Security of their Religion and the Restitution of the Laws and the Re-establishment of their Liberties and Properties Great Numbers of all Ranks and Qualities having joined themselves to us and others at great distances from us have taken up Arms and declared for us And which we cannot but particularly mention in that Army which was raised to be the Instrument of Slavery and Popery many by the special Providence of God both Officers and common Soldiers have been touched with such a feeling Sense of Religion and Honour and of true Affection to their Native Country that they have already deserted the illegal Service they were engaged in and have come over to Us and have given us full Assurance from the rest of the Army That they will certainly follow this Example as soon as with our Army we shall approach near enough to receive them without hazard of being prevented or betray'd To which end and that we may the sooner execute this just and necessary Design we are engaged in for the Publick Safety and Deliverance of these Nations We are resolved with all possible Diligence to advance forward that a Free Parliament may be forthwith called and such Preliminaries adjusted with the King and all things first settled upon such a Foot according to Law as may give us and the whole Nation just Reason to believe the King is disposed to make such necessary Condescension on his part as will give entire Satisfaction and Security to all and make both King and People once more Happy And that we may effect all this in the way most agreeable to our Designs if it be possible without the Effusion of any Blood except of those execurable Criminals who have justly forfeited their Lives for betraying the Religion and subverting the Lawes of their Native Country We do think fit to declare That as we will offer no Violence to any but in our own necessary Defence so we will not suffer any Injury to be done to the Person even of any Papist provided he be found in such Place and Condition and Circumstances at the Laws require So we are resolved and do declare That all People who shall be found in open Arms or with Arms in their Houses or about their Persons or in any Office Civil or Military upon any pretence whatsoever contrary to the known Laws of the Land shall be treated by Us and our Forces not as Soldiers and Gentlemen but as Robbers Free-Booters and Banditti they shall be incapable of Quarter and entirely delivered up to the Discretion of our Soldiers And we do further declare That all Persons who shall be found any ways aiding or assisting to them or shall march under their Command or shall join with or submit to them in the Discharge or Execution of their illegal Commission or Authority shall be looked upon as Partakers of their Crimes Enemies to the Laws and to their Country And whereas we are certainly informed That great numbers of Armed Papists have of late resorted to London and Westminster and Parts adjacent where they remain as we have reason to suspect not so much for their own Security as out of a wicked and barbarous Design to make some desperate Attempt upon the said Cities and the Inhabitants by Fire or a sudden Massacre or both or else to be the more ready to join themselves to a Body of French Troops designed if it be possible to land in England procured of the French King by the Interest and Power of the Jesuits in pursuance of the Engagements which at the Instigation of that pestilent Society his most Christian Majesty with one of his Neighbouring Princes of the same Communion has entred into for the utter Extirpation of the Protestant Religion out of Europe Though we hope we have taken suck effectual Care to prevent the onâ— and secure the other that by God's Assistance we cannot doubt but we shall defeat all their wicked Enterprises and Designs We cannot however forbear out of our great and tender Concern we have to preserve the People of England and particularly those great and populous Cities from the cruel Rage and blood Revenge of the Papists to require and expect from all the Lords Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace Lord-Mayors Mayors Sheriffs and other Magistrates and Officers Civil and Military of all Counties Cities and Towns in England especially of the County of Middlesex and Cities of London and Westminster and Parts adjacent that they do immediately disarm and secure as by Law they may and ought within their respective Counties Cities and Jurisdictions all Papists whatsover as Persons at all times but now especially most dangerous to the Peace and Safety of the Government that so not only all Power of doing Mischief may be taken from them but that the Laws which are the greatest and best Security may resume their Force and be strictly executed And we do hereby likewise declare That we will protect and defend all those who shall not be afraid to do their Duty in Obedience to these Laws And that for those Magistrates and others
of what Condition soever they be who shall refuse to assist Us and in Obedience to the Laws to execute vigorously what we required of them and suffer themselves at this juncture to be cajoled or terrified out of their Duty we will esteem them the most Criminal and Infamous Men Betrayers of their Religion the Laws and their Native Country and shall not fail to treat them accordingly resolving to expect and require at their Hands the Life of every single Protestant that shall perish and every House that shall be burnt and destroyed by Treachery and Cowardize Given under Our Hand and Seal at Our Head-Quarters at Sherburn Castle the 28th of Novemb. 1688. WILLIAM HENRY Prince of Orange By His Highness's Special Command C. HUYGENS. This was the boldest Attempt that ever was made by a private Person for it 's certain the Prince knew nothing of it disowned it as soon as he heard thereof but it did him good Service and I have been told that Captain B. boldly carry'd it to my Lord Mayor and charged him with the Execution of it But before this the Marquess of Hallifax my Lord Nottingham and the Lord Godolphin had been sent by the King and Council to treat with the Prince of Orange and to adjust the Preliminaries in order to the holding of a Parliament who Decemb. 8. sent these Proposals to him Proposals sent by the King to the Prince of Orange then at Windsor SIR THE King commanded us to acquaint you That he observeth all the Differences and Causes of Complaint alledged by your Highness seem to be referred to a Free Parliament His Majesty as he hath already declared was resolved before this to call one but thought that in the present state of Affairs it was advisable to defer it till Things were more composed Yet seeing that his People still continue to desire it He hath put forth His Proclamation in order to it and hath issued his Writs for the Calling of it And to prevent any Cause of Interruption in it he will consent to every thing that can be reasonably required for the Security of all those that come to it His Majesty hath therefore sent us to attend your Highness for the adjusting of all Matters that shall be agreed to be necessary to the Freedom of Elections and the Security of Sitting and is ready to enter immediately into a Treaty in order to it His Majesty proposeth That in the mean time the respective Armies may be returned within such Limits and at such distance from London as may prevent the Apprehensions that the Parliament may be in any kind disturbed being desirous that the Meeting may be no longer delayed than it must be by the usual and necessary Forms Hungerford December 8. 1688. Hallifax Nottingham Godolphin To this His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange returned this Answer VVE with the Advice of the Lords and Gentlemen Assembled with Vs have in Answer made these following Proposals I. That all Papists and such Persons as are not qualified by Law be disarmed disbanded and removed from all Employments Civil and Military II. That all Proclamations that reflect upon Vs or at any that have come to Vs be recalled And that if any Persons for having assisted Vs have been Committed that they be forthwith set at Liberty III. That for the Security and Safety of the City of London the Custody and Government of the Tower be immediately put into the Hands of the said City IV. That if His Majesty should think fit to be in London during the Sitting of the Parliament that We may be there also with an equal number of our Guards And if His Majesty shall be pleased to be in any Place from London whatever Distance He thinks fit that We may be at the same Distance and that the respective Armies be from London Forty Miles and that no further Forces be brought into the Kingdom V. And that for the Security of the City of London and their Trade Tilbury-Fort be put into the hands of the City VI. That a sufficient part of the Publick Revenue be assigned Vs for the Support and Maintenance of our Troops until the siting of a Free Parliament VII That to prevent the Landing of the French or other Foâ—eign Troops Portsmouth may be put into such Hands as by His Majesty and Vs shall be agreed on The King was so far from being pleased with this Answer that he resolved to withdraw from London as he did privately aboard a little Smack but he and his Company were seized by the Inhabitants of Fevershâ—m and somewhat roughly handled before they came to be known whence the King came to Rochester but before this he gave the E. of Feversham Directions by Letter to disband the Army Which Letter was to this effect My Lord THings being come to that Extremity that I have been forced to send away the Queen and my Son the Prince of Wales that they might not fall into the Enemy's Hands which they must have done if they had staid I am obliged to do the same thing in hopes it will please God out of his Infinite Mercy to this unhappy Nation to touch their Hearts again with true Loyalty and Honour If I could have relied on all my Troops I might not have been put to the Extremity I now am in and would at least have had one Blow for it But though I know there are many valiant and brave Men among you both Officers and Soldiers yet you know that both you and several of the General Officers and Soldiers and Men of the Army told me It was no ways advisable for me to venture my self at their Head or to think to fight the Prince of Orange with them And now there remains only for me to thank you and all those both Officers and Soldiers who have stuck to me and been truly Loyal I hope you will still retain the same Fidelity to me And though I do not expect you should expose your selves by resisting a Foreign Army and a poisoned Nation yet I hope your former Principles are so inrooted in you that you will keep your selves free from Associations and such pernicious things Time presseth so that I can add no more JAMES Rex The Earl of Feversham presently after the Receipt of this Letter disbanded 4000 Men which was all the Army he had then with him and under his Command After which he sent this Letter to the Prince of Orange SIR HAving received this Morning a Letter from His Majesty with the Vnfortunate News of his Resolution to go out of England I thought my self obliged being at the Head of his Army and having received his Orders to make no Opposition against any Body to let Your Highness know it with the Advice of the Officers here so soon as was possible to hinder the Effusion of Blood I have ordered already to that purpose all the Troops that are under my Command which shall be the last
Order they shall receive from Feversham This was directly a clear and full Abdication or Desertion of the Army which unavoidably necessitated them to submit to the Prince of Orange they having no Body to lead or head them against him And it is not conceivable how they could avoid entring into an Association or Oath of Allegiance to the Prince now the King had left them without exposing themselves by resisting a Foreign Army and a poisoned Nation For neither would the Nation continue long without a Prince nor would any Person who should have succeeded in that Capacity have suffered them to live within his Government without giving him Security by Oath for their Submission and Loyaly to him So that the whole Design of this Letter seems to be the Sowing Division in the Nation that when he left us we might not unite or settle our selves under the other but be divided by our Principles that so we might the more easily reduce us again into the State we are in when the Prince first designed his Expedition against England The King being gone as above-said Decem. 11. in the Morning the Principal Officers of the Army about the Town thereupon met about 10 a Clock at Whitehal and sent an Express to the Prince of Orange to acquaint him with the Departure of the King and to assure him that they would assist the Lord Mayor to keep the City quiet till his Highness came and made the Souldiery to enter into his Service Much about the same time the Lords Spiritual and Temporal about the Town came to Guildhal and sending for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen made the following Declartion The Declaration of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in and about the Cities of London and Westminster Aâ—â—â—mbled at Guild Hall the 14th of December 1688. VVE doubt not but the World believes that in this great and dangerous Conjuncture we are heartily and zealously concerned for the Protestant Religion the Laws of the Land and the Liberties and Properties of the Subject And we did reasonably hope that the King having issued out his Proclamation and Writs for a Free Parliament we might have rested secure under the Expectation of that Meeting But His Majesty having withdrawn himself and as we apprehend in order to his Departurâ— out of this Kingdom by the pernicious Counsels of Persons ill affected to our Nation and Roligion we cannot without being wanting to our Duty be silent under those Calamities wherein the Popish Counsels which so long prevailed have miserably involved these Realms We do therefore unanimously resolve to apply our selves to his Highness the Prince of Orange who with so great Kindness to these Kingdoms so vast Expence and so much Hazard hath undertaken by endeavouring to procure a Free Parliament to rescue us with as little effusion of Christian Blood as possible from the eminent Dangers of Popery and Slavery And we do hereby declare That we will with our utmost Endeavours assist his Highness in the obtaining such a Parliament with all speed wherein our Laws our Liberties and Properties may be secured the Church of England in particular with a due Liberty to Protestant Dissenters and in general the Protestant Religion and Interest over the whole World may be supported and encouraged to the Glory of God the Happiness of the Established Government in these Kingdoms and the Advantage of all Princes and States in Christendom that may be herein concerned In the mean time we will endeavour to preserve as much as in us lies the Peace and Security of these great and popalous Cities of London and Westminster and the parts adjacent by taking care to disarm all Papists and secure all Jesuits and Romish Priests who are in or about the same And if there be any thing more to be performed by Us for promoting his Highnes's Generous Intentions for the Publick Good we shall be ready to do it as occasion requires Signed W. Cant. T. Ebor. Pembrook Dorset Mulgrave Thanet Carlisle Craven Ailesbury Burlington Sussex Berkeley Rochester Newport Weymouth P. Winchester W. Asaph F. Ely Thoâ— Roffen Tho. Petriburg P. Wharton North and Gray Chandois Montague T. Jermâ—n Vaughan Carbery Culpeper Crewe Osulston Whereas His Majesty hath privately this Morning withdrawn himself we the Lords Spiritual and Temporal whose Names are hereunto Subscribed being Assembled in Guild-Hall in London having agreed upon and signed a Declaration of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in and about the Cities of London and Westminster Assembled at Guildhall the 11th of Decemb. 1688. do desire the Right Honourable the Earl of Pembrook the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Weymouth the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Ely and the Right Honourable the Lord Culpeper forthwith to attend His Highness the Prince of ORANGE with the said Declaration and at the same time to acquaint his Highness with what we have further done at this Meeting Dated at Guild-Hall Decemb. 11. 1688. The same Day the Lieutenancy of London signed this following Address to the Prince of Orange at Guild-Hall and sent it by Sir Robert Clayton Kt. Sir Will. Russel Sir Basil Firebrace Kts. and Charles Duncomb Esq May it please your Highness VVE can never sufficiently express the deep Sense we have conceived and shall ever retain in our Hearts that your Highness has exposed your Person to so many Dangers by Sea and Land for the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom without such unparalleled Undertaking we must probably have suffered all the Miseries that Popery and Slavery could have brought upon us We have been greatly concerned that before this Time we had not any reasonable Opportunity to give Your Highness and the World a Real Testimony That it has been our firm Resolution to venture all that is dear to us to attain those Glorious Ends which your Highness has proposed for Restoring and Settling these Distracted Nations We therefore now unanimously present to your Highness our Just and Due Acknowledgments for that happy Relief you have brought to us and that we may not be wanting in this present Conjuncture we have put our selves into such a posture that by the Blessing of GOD we may be capable to prevent all ill Designs and to preserve this City in Peace and Safety till your Highness's happy Arrival We therefore humbly desire that your Highness will please to repair to this City with what convenient speed you can for the perfecting the Great Work which your Highness has so happily begun to the general Joy and Satisfaction of us all The Prince of Orange in the mean time finding the Kings Troops now without Head to commit many Disorders put forth the following Declaration By the Prince of Orange A Declaration VVHereas We are informed That divers Regiments Troops and Companies have been incouraged to disperse themselves in an Vnusual and Vnwarrantable Manner whereby the Publick Peace is very much disturbed We have thought fit hereby
to require all Colonels and Commanders in Chief of such Regiments Troops and Companies by Beat of Drum or otherwise to call together the several Officers and Soldiers belonging to their respective Regiments Troops and Companies in such Places as they shall find most convenient for their Rendezvous and there to keep them in good Order and Discipline And We do likewise direct and require all such Officers and Soldiers forthwith to repair to such Place as shall be appointed for that purpose by the Respective Colonels or Commanders in Chief whereof speedy Notice is to be given unto Vs for our further Orders Given at Our Court at Henly Decemb. 13. 1688. Prince of ORANGE From Henly he advanced by easie Marches towards London being invited thither as already noted by diverse Noblemen and Citizens as the King was also by some Lords to return which he did on Sunday the 16th in the Evening a Sett of Boys following him through the Streets and made some Huzza's while the rest of the People silently looked on But before the King's Return the Privy Council and Peers met and made this Order on the 14th VVE the Peers of this Realm Assembled with some of the Lords of the Privy Council do hereby require all Irish Officers and Soldiers to repair forthwith to the respective Bodies to which they do or did lately belong and do hereby declare that behaving themselves peaceably they shall have Subsistence pay'd them till they shall be otherwise provided for or imployed And the said Officers and Soldiers are to deliver up their Arms to some of the Officers of the Ordnance who are to deposite the same in the Stores in the Tower of London And We do require and command all Justices of the Peace Constables and other Officers whom it may concern that they apprehend and seize all such Soldiers as shall not repair to their respective Bodies and that they be dealt with as Vagabonds Given at the Council Chamber at Whitehal the Fourteenth of Decemb. 1688. Tho. Ebor. Hallifax Dorset Carlisle Craven Nottingham Rochester N. Duresine P. VVinchester North and Gray J. Trevor J. Titus It was high time to put out this Order for on Thursday Dec. 13. about Three in the Morning there was a terrible Allarm That the Irish in a desperate Rage were approaching London putting Man Woman and Child to the Sword which made the People all rise placing Lights in their Windows from top to bottom and every Man guarding his own Door with his Musquet charged with Powder and Ball and all the Traindbands of the City were in Arms so that there was nothing heard but Shooting and Beating of Drums all Night And what is very strange this Allarm spread it self over the face of the whole Kingdom and all that were able to carry Arms vowed the Defence of their Lives Laws Religion and Liberties and stood resolved to destroy all the Irish and Papists in England in case any Injury were offered them but few Papists suffered in their Persons only their Houses were generally rifled under a pretence of searching for Arms and Ammunition The Prince who was now at VVindsor had sent M. Zulestein to the King to desire him to continue at Rochester but missing him the King came to VVhitehal and from thence sent the Lord Feversham with a Letter to the Prince to VVindsor to invite him to St. James's with what number of Troops he should think convenient to bring along with him But the Prince referring the Consideration of the Subject-Matter of the Letter to the Peers about him they concluded that the shortness of the Time could admit of no better Expedient that the King might be desired to remove with a reasonable Distance from London and Ham an House belonging to the Dutchess of Lauderdale was pitch'd upon and a Note or Paper dâ—rawn up to that purpose which was ordered to be delivered after the Prince's Guards were in Possession of the Posts about VVhitehall the Substance whereof was as follows WE desire you the Lord Marquess of Hallifax the Earl of Shrewsbury and the Lord Delamere to tell the King That it is thought convenient for the great Quiet of the City and the great Safety of his Person that he do remove to Ham where he shall be attended by his Guards who will be ready to preserve him from any Disturbance Given at VVindsor the Seventeenth Day of December 1688. VV. Prince de Orange The Guards who were commanded by Count Solmes made it 10 a Clock at Night before they could reach London And the Kings Guards then on Duty not being very forward to dislodge it was Twelve before the Lords could deliver the said Paper of which they first sent this Account to Secretary Middleton My Lord THere is a Message to be delivered to his Majesty from the Prince which is of so great Importance that we who are charged with it desire we may be immediately admitted and therefore desire to know where we may find your Lordship that you may introduce My Lord c. Hallifax Shrewsbury Delamere He accordingly presently introduced them the King being by that time in Bed where they made an Apology for coming at so unseasonable a Time and delivering him the Paper the King read it and said He would comply with it Upon this the Lords humbly desired he would remove so early as to be at Ham by Noon to prevent Meeting the Prince in his Way to London where he was to come the same Day His Majesty readily agreed to this too and asked whether he might not appoint what Servants should attend him To which the Lords replied That it was left to him to give Order in that as he pleased and so they took their Leave of him When they were gone as far as the Privy-Chamber the King sent for them again and told them he had forgot to acquaint them with his Resolutions before the Message came to send my Lord Godolphin next Morning to the Prince to propose his going back to Rochester he finding by the Message M. Zulestein was charged with the Prince had no Mind he should be at London and therefore he now desired he might rather return to Rochester than go to any other place The Lords replied That they would immediately send an Account to the Prince of what His Majesty desired and they did not doubt of such an Answer as would be to his Satisfaction Accordingly they sent to him who was then at Sion-House and before 8 next Morning there came a Letter from M. Bentink by the Prince's Order agreeing to the King's Proposals of going to Rochester Hereupon he went the Guards being made ready and Boats prepared that Night to Gravesend in his own Barge attended by the Earl of Arran and some few others The same Day being Dec. 18. about Three in the Afternoon His Highness the Prince of Orange came to St. James's attended by Monsieur Schomberg and a great Number of the Nobility and Gentry and was entertained with
Ecclesiastical Affairs By levying Money for and to the use of the Crown by pretence of Prerogative for other time and in other manner than the same was granted by Parliament By raising and keeping a standing Army within the Kingdom in time of Peace without Consent of Parliament and Quartering Soldiers contrary to Law By causing several good Subjects being Protestants to be disarmed at the same time when Papists were both arm'd and employ'd contrary to Law By violating the Freedom of Elections of Members to serve in Parliament By Prosecution in the Court of King's-Bench for Matters and Causes cognizable only in Parliament and by divers other Arbitrary and Illegal Courses And whereas of late Years partial corrupt and unqualified Persons have been returned and served on Juries in Trials and particularly divers Jurors in Trials for High-Treason which were not Freeholders And excessive Bail hath been required of Persons committed in Criminal Cases to elude the Benefit of the Laws made for the Liberty of the Subject And excessive Fines have been imposed And illegal and cruel Punishments inflicted And several Grants and Promises made of Fines and Forfeitures before any Conviction or Judgment against the Persons upon whom the same were to be levied All which are utterly and directly contrary to the known Laws and Statutes and Freedom of this Realm And whereas the late King James the Second having abdicated the Government and the Throne being thereby vacant His Highness the Prince of Orange whom it hath pleased Almighty God to make the Glorious Instrument of delivering this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power did by the Advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and divers principal Persons of the Commons cause Letters to be written to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being Protestants and other Letters to the several Counties Cities Vniversities Buâ—â—oughs and Cinque-Ports for the chusing of such Persons to represent them as were of right to be sent to Parliament to meet and sit at Westminster Jan. 22d 1688. in order to such an Establishment as that their Religion Laws and Liberties might not again be in danger of being subverted upon which Letters Elections have been accordingly made And thereupon the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons pursuant to their respective Letters and Elections being now assembled in a full and free Representation of this Nation taking into their most serious Consideration the best means for attaining the Ends aforesaid do in the first place as their Ancestors in like Cases have usually done for the vindicating their Ancient Rights and Liberties declare That the pretended Power of suspending Laws or the execution of Laws by Regal Authority without Consent of Parliament is illegal That the pretended Power of dispensing Laws or the executing of Laws by Regal Authority as it hath been assumed and exercised of late is illegal That the Commission for erecting the late Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes and all other Commissions and Courts of the like Nature are illegal and pernitious That levying of Money to or for the use of the Crown by pretence of Prerogative without Grant of Parliament for longer time or in other manner than the same is or shall be granted is illegal That it is the Right of the Subjects to petition the King and all Commitments and Prosecutions for such petitioning are illegal That the raising and keeping a standing Army within the Kingdom in time of Peace unless it be by Consent of Parliament is against Law That the Subjects being Protestants may have Arms for their Defence suitable to their Condition and as allowed by Law That the Election of Members of Parliament ought to be free That the Freedom of Speech or Debates and Proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any Court or Place out of Parliament That excessive Bail ought not to be requir'd nor excessive Fines imposed nor cruel and unusual Punishments inflicted That Jurors ought to be duly impannell'd and return'd and Jurors which pass upon Men in Trials for High-Treason ought to be Freeholders That all Grants and Promises of Fines and Forfeitures of particular Persons before Conviction are illegal and void And that for Redress of all Grievances and for the amending strengthening and preserving of the Laws Parliaments ought to be held frequently And they do claim demand and insist upon all and singular the Premises as their undoubted Rights and Liberties and that no Declarations Judgments Doings or Proceedings to the prejudice of the People in any of the said Premises ought in any wise to be drawn hereafter into Consequence or Example To which demand of their Rights they are particularly encouraged by the Declaration of his Highness the Prince of Orange as being the only means for obtaining a full Redress and Remedy therein Having therefore an intire Confidence that his said Highness the Prince of Orange will perfect the Deliverance so far advanced by him and will still preserve them from the violation of their Rights which they have here asserted and from all other Attempts upon their Religion Rights and Liberties The said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons assembled at Westminster do resolve That WILLIAM and MARY Prince and Princess of Orange be and be declared King and Queen of England France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging to hold the Crown and Royal Dignity of the said Kingdoms and Dominions to them the said Prince and Princess during their Lives and the Life of the Surviâ—or of them and that the sole and full Exercise of the Regal Power be only in and executed by the said Prince of Orange in the Names of the said Prince and Princess during their Lives and after their Deceases the said Crown and Royal Dignity of the said Kingdoms and Dominions to be to the Heirs of the Body of the said Princess and for default of such Issue to the Princess Anne of Denmark and the Heirs of her Body and for default of such Issue to the Heirs of the Body of the said Prince of Orange And the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons do pray the said Prince and Princess of Orange to accept the same accordingly And that the Oaths hereafter mentioned be taken by all persons of whom the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy might be required by Law instead of them and that the said Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy be abrogated I A. B. Do sincerely Promise and Swear That I will be Faithful and bear true Allegiance to Their Majesties King WILLIAM and Queen MARY So help me God I A. B. Do Swear That I do from my Heart Abhor Detest and Abjure as Impious and Heretical this damnable Doctrine and Position That Princes Excommunicated or Deprived by the Pope or any Authority of the See of Rome may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do declare That no Foreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power
very obstinate Fight which lasted till night But though Mackay lost the Field and retreated that night to Sterling after having lost a great many Men yet the Death of Dundee who was slain in this Battel did more than compensate the other's Loss seeing he was the Life of that Party who dwindled away ever after and were worsted every where and particularly once and again at St. Johnstown in the last Conflict of which the single Regiment of the Earl of Angus under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Cleeland gave so entire a Defeat to their whole Power which amounted to near 4000 Men that they never appeared in any considerable Body ever after and many of the Chief of them thereupon made their submission though this hapned with the Death of that brave Lieutenant Colonel who if it had pleased God deserved a better Fate But how prosperous soever King William's Affairs went in Britain where still there were a little rascally Conspiracies against him they did not do so in Ireland for there Tirconnel was setting all things in order to secure that Kingdom for the late King with whom Hambleton a profest Papist who by a fatal Mistake was sent over from England to induce him to lay down the Sword traiterously joined in and so the Opportunity for the present was lost and an advantage given to the late King to endeavour that way to regain the rest of his lost Dominions since he was like to receive little Assistance from any other Prince save what the French King might do For the Emperor to whom he wrote his Complaint and whose Assistance he craved was so far from complying with his Desires that though he pittied his Condition yet he reprimanded him for his Folly as you may see by his Letter to him upon the Occasion which was to this purpose The Emperor of Germany's Account of K. James's Misgovernment in joining with the K. of France the common Enemy of Christendom in his Letter to K. James LEOPOLD c. WE have received your Majesties Letter dated from St. Germains the 6th of February last by the Earl of Carlingford the Envoy in our Court by whom we have understood the Condition your Majesty is reduced to and that you being deserted after the landing of the Prince of Orange by your Army and even by the Domestick Servants and by those you most confided in and almost by all your Subjects you have been forced by a sudden flight to provide for your own safety and to seek shelter and protection in France lastly that you desire Assistance from us for the recovering your Kingdoms We do assure your Majesty that assoon as we heard of this severe Turn of Affairs we were moved at it not only with the common sense of humanity but with much deep impressions suitable to the sincere Affection which we have always born to you and we were heartily sorry that at last that was come to pass which though we hoped for better things yet our own sad thoughts had suggested to us would ensue If your Majesty had rather given credit to the friendly Remonstrances that were made you by our late Envoy the Count De Kaunitz in our Name than the deceitful Insinuations of the French whose chief aim was by fomenting continual Divisions between you and your People to gain thereby an opportunity to insult the more securely over the rest of Christendom and if your Majesty had put a stop by Force and Authority to their many infractions of the Peace of which by the Treaty at Nimeguen you are made the Guarantee and to that end entred into Consultations with us and such others as have the like just Sentiments in this matter we are verily perswaded that by these means you should have in a great measure quieted the minds of the People who were so much exasperated through their aversion to our Religion and the publick Peace had been as well preserved in your Kingdoms as here in the Roman Empire but now we refer it even to your Majesty to judge what condition we can be in to afford you any assistance who being not only engaged in a War with the Turks but finding our selves at the same time unjustly and barbarously attack'd by the French contrary to and against the Faith of Treaties they then knowing themselves secure of England and this ought not to be concealed that the greatest Injuries which have been done to our Religion have flowed from no other than from the French themselves who not only esteem'd it lawful for them to make perfidious Vows with the sworn Enemies of the Holy Cross tending to the Destruction both of us and the whole Christian World in order to the checking our endeavours which were undertaken for the Glory of God and to stop those Successes which it hath pleased the Almighty God to give us hitherto but further have heaped one Treachery upon another even within the Empire it self The Cities of the Empire which were surrendred upon Articles signed by the Dauphin himself have been exhausted by excessive Impositions and after their being exhausted have been plundered after plundering have been burned and raced the Palaces of Princes who in all times and even in the most destructive Wars have been preserved are now burnt to the ground the Churches are robb'd and such as submitted themselves to them are in a most barbarous manner carried away as Slaves In short it is become a Diversion unto them to commit all manner of Insolence and Cruelty in many places but chiefly in Catholick Countries exceeding the Cruelties of the Turks themselves who having imposed an absolute necessity upon us to secure our selves and the holy Roman Empire by the best means we can think on and that no less against them than against the Turks we promise our selves from your Justice readily to assent to this that it ought not to be imputed to us if we endeavour to procure by a just War that security to our selves which we could not hitherto obtain by so many Treaties and that in order to the obtaining thereof we take measures for our mutual Defence of Preservation with all those who are equally concerned in the same Design with us It remains that we should beg of God that he would direct all things to his Glory and that he would grant your Majesty true and solid Comforts under this your great Calamity We embrace you with the tender affection of a Brother At Vienna the 9th of April 1689. But though his Imperial Majesty declined to give him any helping hand and that other Catholick Princes in imitation of his Example made it no difficulty to do so too yet he was so elated with an Opinion of the Bravery and Fidelity of the Irish that he embark'd at Brest and landed in that Kingdom March 12th with about 1800 Auxiliary French This pace of the French besides the English Nation 's desire the King's Obligations to his Allies and many other weighty Reasons brought
way towards the introducing the Popish Religion into the Nation they took especial care to prevent the like for the future by Enacting in concurrence with the Royal Authority That the Kings and Queens of England should be obliged at their coming to the Crown to take the Test in the first Parliament that should be called at the beginning of their Reign and in the Bill of Succession added a Clause That if any King or Queen of England should embrace the Roman Catholick Religion or Marry with a Roman Catholick Prince or Princess their Subjects should be absolved from their Oaths of Allegiance They also annull'd the pretended Parliament in Ireland and also ordained That all those who should take up Arms against the King after the 24th of Feb. or should hold Correspondence with his Enemies should be guilty of high Treason And granted the King 2 Shillings in the Pound upon Land with the necessary Clauses and Restrictions and appropriated Part of the Mony for Payment of the Seamen and setting out the Fleet. After this being prorogued to the 12th of Apr. they were by Proclamation dissolved upon the 6th of Febr. and the King by the same Proclamation called a Parliament to meet on the 30th of March to whom he delivered himself to this Effect That being resolved to omit nothing on his Part that might contribute to the Peace and Prosperity of the Nation and to that end believing his Presence absolutely necessary in Ireland for the Reducing of that Kingdom he had called them together to desire their Assistance that he might be in a Capacity to carry on the War there with Speed and Vigour To which purpose he desired them to hasten the settling of the Revenues of the Crown and that he might have a Fund in the mean time settled upon the Credit whereof he might raise Mony for the present Exigences of the Nation Then he recommended to them the passing of an Act of Oblivion such as he had ordered to be drawn up for the preventing the loss of time usually spent in Deliberations of that kind and wherein but few were excepted that his Subjects might see he had no other Intentions but such as were conformable to the Laws of the Land and to leave those without Excuse that should go about to disturb the Government in his Absence And lastly recommended to them the Vnion with Scotland and then informed them That he intended during his Absence to leave the Administration of the Government in the Hands of the Queen and desired them to prepare an Act to that Purpose concluding with an earnest Desire that they would be as speedy in the Dispatch of Business as possibly they could in regard his Expedition into Ireland would not admit of any long Session The Parliament went roundly to work upon this Speech of the King 's yet so that it took up some time before they could bring all their Matters to bear But at length the Act of Oblivion after many Difficulties removed and so long desired by the King was approved and past so was another for putting the Administration of the Government into the Queen's Hands not only during the King's Absence in Ireland but when-ever his Affairs should call him out of the Kingdom They also found out Ways to raise the Subsidies that were granted settled the Revenues and divers Persons did in the mean time advance Money for the King 's present Occasions and that nothing might happen to the Prejudice of the Government while the King was absent the Deputy-Lieutenants of the Counties were authorized to raise the Militia in case of necessity and all Roman Catholicks ordered to repair to their places of Abode and not to stir above 5 Miles from thence without leave and all that held any Imployment in the State tho' never so inconsiderable to swear Fidelity to the King and Queen Thus Matters being brought to a good Conclusion his Majesty after returning them his Thanks Prorogued them to the 17th of June and then hasted for Ireland where he arrived on the 14th of the same Month and where at present we shall leave him and see what was doing nearer home The Rebels in Scotland under the Command of Colonel Cannon tho' not otherwise considerable for their Strength then by the unaccessible Places they possess'd in the Highlands yet continued still in a Body and took their Opportunity to make frequent Incursions into the Low-lands to plunder and spoil more like a Company of Banditti than Regular Troops over whom the Government there however kept a vigilant Eye and detected some Correspondence held between them and other Persons in Edenburg and elsewhere who before pretended to be Friends but it ended in the close Confinement of them Yet notwithstanding all this they could not prevent them from receiving some Succour from without For King James notwithstanding the Delay of the French Succours which did not arrive in Ireland before the 4th of March yet built so very much upon them that tho' he had neither Ammunition nor Provision to spare he caused in the mean time two Frigats to be rigged up at Dublin laden with Cloaths Arms and Ammunition and sent them away to his Friends in Scotland having besides on Board them Colonel Buchan Colonel Wauhup and about 40 Commission-Officers more who had all the good Luck to get safe into the Isle of Mull. With this Reinforcement they were so incouraged that sometime after that they adventured to the number of 1500 to march as far as Strathspag in the County of Murray which Sir Thomas Levingstone no sooner understood and being unwilling to give them any Opportunity for a farther Accession of Strength in being joyned with other Malecontents but he took along with him 800 Foot 6 Troops of Dragoons and 2 Troops of Horse and fell upon them so suddenly that the Horse and Dragoons entring their Camp put them into such an immediate Confusion that they betook themselves to flight leaving between 4 and 500 of their Number slain upon the Spot an 100 taken Prisoners and among them 4 Captains 3 Lieutenants and 2 Ensigns nor had any of them escaped had not a thick Mist fell in the height of the Execution This was no sooner done but Sir Thomas advanced to the Castle of Lethirgdey commanded by Colonel Buchan's Nephew and having lodged a Mine under it quickly brought the Garrison to surrender at Discretion Neither was Major Ferguson less successful in the Isle of Mull where he landed and destroy'd several Places belonging to the Enemy forcing them to desert the Castle of Dewart and betake themselves to the Hills Nor yet was the Blow given them by the Scotch Parliament of less Importance for besides their Passing an Act to restore the Presbyterian Ministers that were thrust from their Churches since the 1st of Jan. 1661. they made another declaring all those Rebels that were actually in Arms against the King and Queen But notwithstanding the ill Success of the Jacobites in
his Boot but did all that the greatest of Captains could do upon this Occasion he chose the Field drew up his Army gave out his general Orders where-ever he was in Person and demeaned himself throughout with that Gallantry Resolution and Presence of Mind so peculiar to himself and was such a Poise for the Inclination of the Battel to his own side that even his very Enemies confess'd That if we changed Kings with them they would fight the Battel over again with us For the late King during most of the time stood with some Squadrons of Horse upon the Hill called Dunmore and when the Officer that commanded saw from thence how ill it went with their Friends below and as it was said moved his Master that they might go down and help them His answer was What will you leave me alone and so march'd off to Duleek and from thence in great haste to Dublin where the first News was That the English General was kill'd and the Prince of Orange as they called him taken Prisoner But of this they were quickly undeceived My Lady Tyrconnell when he got into the Castle asked him what he would have for Supper who told her what a Breakfast he had had which made him have but little Stomach for his Supper And next Morning after having told the Citizens that he was necessitated to yield to Force and some such Stuff and that they were become a Prey to the Conqueror but that he should not cease to labour their Deliverance as long as he liued he posted away for Waterford where he arrived the same day taking care to have the Bridges broken down behind him for fear of being pursued and where he went on board a Vessel called The Count de Isauzun that was ready to receive him But the Sieâ—r Foran Chief of the Squadron meeting him at Sea obliged him to go on board one of his Frigats for his quicker Passage and so he got once more into France In the mean time the English Army rested the next day after the Battel to refresh themselves while 5 Battalions of Foot and 4 Squadrons of Horse were detatch'd under the Command of Mounsieur Melonier to take in Drogheda the Governour whereof received the first Summons very indifferently but at last considering better of it and believing now the Irish Army to have been totally routed he laid hold of the Offers made him and the Garrison march'd out of the place with their Baggage only leaving their Arms behind them King James had no sooner left Dublin but the Protestants took Possession of it and the Duke of Ormâ—nd whom the King sent thither found Captain Farloâ— Governour who but two days before had been Prisoner and the King himself with his Army arrived at Finglass within 2 Miles of the City on the 5th of July from whence he went next day to St. Patrick's Church but returned after Dinner to the Camp where 2 days after he set out his Declaration to the Irish assuring all under such a Quality of his Protection and then divided the Army going himself with the greatest part of it beyond Dublin in order to march Westward sending at the same time Lieutenant General Douglass with 3 Regiments of Horse 2 of Dragoons and 10 of Foot towards Athlone which is 50 Miles N. of Dublin He having sent out a Party while on his March to get Intelligence besides a great Prey of Cattle which they brought from the Enemies Quarters they also took two Spies with Letters from Athlone one of which was to advise one Tute to defend an Island nigh Mullingar in which he had store of Horses and several things of Value And in another which was from an Officer in Athlone to his Father in the Country There was Information given That the Earl of Tyrconnell the Duke of Berwick and several great Officers were come to Limerick with a good Body of Horse and that their Army would be there in 2 or 3 days so that they would make either a Hog or a Dog on 't as he express'd it That the Dauphin was landed in England with a great Army That the French had beat the English and Dutch Fleets That Duke Schomberg was dead and it was said the Prince of Orange was so too That their King was gone for France but it was no great matter said he where he was for they were better without him which shews they had no great Opinion of him And after the Letter was sealed he writ on the out-side Just now we have an Accout by a Gentleman that is come from Dubâ—in That Orange is certainly dead so that all will be well again From Mullingar Douglass conntinued his March and July 17th reached Athlone Incamping within a quarter of a Mile of the Town from whence he sent a Drum to summon it But old Colonel Grace the Governour fired a Pistol at him and sent word Those were the Terms he was for The Place was strong by Nature and Art and our Force not very considerable for that Enterprise however they contrived some Batteries and planted 2 Field-pieces which did the Enemies Guns some Damageâ— and an 150 Men out of each Regiment were ordered to make and carry Fascines And about the 19th they had a Battery of 6 Guns finish'd nigh the Bridge-end which plaid upon the Castle and made a small Breach towards the top But the Train was too small for the Enterprise However the firing continued on both sides but the Misfortune of Mr. Nelson the best Gunner being killed with a small Shot and the News that Sarssield was was advancing with 15000 Men to raise the Siege made the General to send all his sick and wounded Men towards Mullingar and next day in the he Evening called all the Colonels to a Council of War where he told the Necessity of raising the Siege especially since he had but very little Bread all the while and that there was some Reason to believe the Irish Army would cut off his Communication from Dublin So that there were Orders given to be ready to march at 12 that Night when the Baggage was sent away and at break of day the 25th the Army followed having lost about 30 Men before the Town but their number was diminished thro' other Distasters at least 3 or 400. The King in the mean time moving Westward as we informed you reach'd Kill-Kullen-Bridge July 11thâ— and being himself that Morning passing by the Ness and seeing a Soldier robbing a poor Woman he was so much inraged at it that he beat him first with his Cane and gave Orders that he and divers others guilty of the like Disobedienceâ— should be hanged the Munday following But tho' some People were so Audacious as to put an ill Construction upon this Action of the King 's yet it had so good an Effect upon that part of the Army that the Country was secured from any Violence done by the Soldiers during that whole March to
they found an old Fort built by their Ancestors which they were very proud of and from thence they fired 3 or 4 Field-pieces upon the Irish that lay intrenched between them and the Town As soon as the Army was posted the King ordered a Trumpet to be sent with a Summons to the Town where as was understood since a great many of the Garrison were for Capitulating But Monsieur Boisâ—leau the Governours the Duke of Berwick and Colonel Sarsfiâ—â—d opposed it with a great deal of heat saying There were great Divisions and Insurrections in England that the Dauphin was landed there with 50000 Men and that the Prince of Orange would quickly be obliged to withdraw his Forces thither Hereupon Monsieur Boiselau sent the Trumpeter back with a Letter directed to Sir Robert Southwelâ— Secretary of State for he would not as 't is supposed send directly to the King because of avoiding to give him the Title of Majesty importing That he was surprized at the Summons and that he thought the best way to gain the Prince of Orange ' s good Opinion was by a vigorous Defence of the Town which his Master had entrusted him withal And so the Cannon plaid on from both sides and next Morning early which was Aug. 13th the King sent 8 Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons and 3 Regiments of Foot over the River which they passed though it was very rapid and dangerous and some of them encamped beyond the Ford the rest was ordered thus The King's Camp was on the Right in the 2d Line next him the Horse-guards and blew Duâ—ch then some English and Duâ—ch Regiments then the French and Danes and behind all the Horse tho' after some time they encamped rather conveniently than regularly Neither were the Irish idle but they fell to build Forts between the Besiegers and the Irish Town one to the Sâ—â—gate and the other towards the 〈◊〉 which proved serviceable to them But not so much a disadvantage to us as the surprizing of the Train that was upon the Road to join the Army It was reported a French-man and one of the Gunners ran away the Day before from the Army and got into Limerick and gave the Enemy an account where the English Train lay as also of those Guns and other things that were coming up where the King's Tent stood and divers other things that might be material for them to know and therefore they plaid very briskly upon the Train as also towards the King's Tent which he was prevailed with at last to remove but this was not all For though on Munday one Manus O Brian a substantial Country Gentleman came to the Camp and gave notice that Sarsfield with a Body of Horse had passed the River in the Night and designed something extraordinary yet he was so far from being taken notice of at first that most People looked upon what he said as a Dream and though a great Officer called him aside as though he designed to have some more particular information yet his main business was to interrogate him concerning a Prey of Cattle in such a Place which the Gentleman complained of afterward saying He was sorry to see General Officers mind Cattle more than the King's Honour But after he had met with some acquaintance he was brought to the King who to prevent the worst gave orders that 500 Horse-should be made ready and march to meet the Guns But where-ever the fault lay it was certainly 1 or 2 in the Morning before the Party marched which they did very softly till after they saw a great light in the Air and heard a strange rumbling Noise which some conjectured to be the Train blown up as it really was For our Train having on Munday marched beyond Cullen to a little old ruinous Castle called Ballenedy not 7 Miles from the Camp Sarsfield lurked all that day in the Mountains and having notice where and how our Men lay he had those that guided him through By-ways to the very spot where he fell in among them before they were aware and cut several of them to pieces with a great many of the Waggoners and some Country People that were carrying Provisions to the Camp The Officer commanding in chief when he saw how it was commanded to sound to Horse but those that endeavoured to fetch them up were killed as they went out or else saw it was too late to return The Officers and others made what resistance they could but they were every Man at length obliged to shift for themselves so that there were in all about 60 Persons killed but it did not end here For the Irish got up what Horses they could meet withall belonging either to the Troops or Train some broke the Boats and others drew all the Carriages and Waggons with the Bread Ammunition and as many of the Guns as they could get in so short a time into one heap they filled the Guns with Powder and put their Mouths into the Ground that they might thereby certainly split What they could pick up in an hurry they took away with them and then laid a Train to the rest which being fired at their going off blew up all with an astonishing Noise but for all that 2 of the Guns received no damage The Irish took no Prisoners on this occasion only a Lieutenant of Colonel Earl's being sick in a House hard-by was stript and brought to Sarsfield who used him very civilly and told him if he had not succeeded in that Enterprize he would have gone for France The party of Horse that was sent from the Camp came up after the business was over in sight of the Enemy's Rear But wheeling towards the left to endeavour to intercept the Enemy's Passage over the Shannon they unhappily went another way The News of this Adventure was very unwelcome in the Camp and even the very private Men shewed their concern at it However the Siege went on and the Trenches were opened the 17th and a Battery raised below the Fort to the Right of the Trenches which dismounted some of the Enemy's Cannon and the day following his Majesty himself was in great danger For while the Enemy fired very thick he rid softly up towards Cromwell's Port and as his Horse was directly entring the Gap he was staid by a Gentleman who came to speak to him when in the veâ—â— moment there struck a 24 Pounder in the very Place which would have struck the King and his Horse too to pieces if his usual good Angel had not defended him It struck the Dust all about him however though he took little notice of it but alighting came and laid himself down on the Fort among all the Dust It will be an endless thing to trace every particular of the Attacks and Defences and therefore I shall only observe that on Wednesday the 27th of Aug. after a Breach had been made nigh St. John's Gate over the black Battery of about 12 Yards in length and
pretty flat The King gave order that the Counterscarp should be attackt that Afternoon and had it not been for one Errour which yet could not well be avoided the place had been infallibly carried However to shew you the bravery of our Men upon this occasion we will give you a few particulars About half an Hour after 3 the signal being given by firing 3 Pieces of Cannon and the Granadeers standing in the furthermost Angle of the Trenches they leapt over and ran toward the Counterscarp firing their Pieces and throwing in their Granadoes which gave the Irish the Allarm who had all their Guns ready and discharged great and small Shot upon them as fast as possible who were not behind with them in either so that in less than 2 Minutes there was such a terrible Noise that you would have thought the Skies ready to rent in sunder Captain Carlile of my Lord Drogheda's Regiment ran on with his Granadeers to the Counterscarp and though he was wounded twice between that and the Trenches yet he went bravely on and commanded his Men to throw in their Granadoes but leaping into the dry Ditch under the Counterscarp an Irish Man below shot him dead However the Lieutenant encouraged the Men and they boldly mounted the Counterscarp and all the rest of the Granadeers were as ready as they which so daunted the Irish that they began to throw down their Arms and ran as fast as they could into the Town our Men perceiving this entred the Breach with them pell-mell and above half the Earl of Drogheda's Granadeers with some others were actually within that Place and they had certainly carried it had not the Regiments that were to second the Granadeers upon the Counterscarp stopt there as having no orders to go any farther For the Irish were all running from the Walls quite over the Bridge into the English Town but seeing there were but a few of the English that entred they were with much a-do perswaded to rally And those that were in finding themselves not seconded and their Ammunition spent thought of nothing now but to retreat But some were shot others taken and very few of the rest who came out again but were wounded which so elaâ—ed the Spirits of the Irish that they ventured upon the Breach again and from the Walls and every other where did so pester our Men upon the Counterscarp that after nigh 3 Hours resisting Bullets Stones broken Bottles from the very Women who daringly stood on the Breach and were nearer our Men than their own and whatever else could be thought on to destroy it was at last thought safest to return to the Trenches But this was not our only Loss for while this Work was at the hottest a Brandenburg Regiment who behaved themselves very well being got upon the Black-Battery the Enemies Powder happened to take fire which unhappily blew up a great many of them the Men Faggots Stones and what not flying into the Air with a most terrible Noise and tho' my Lord Cuts who was commanded by the Duke of Wirtemberg to march towards the Spur at the S Gate beat in the Irish that appeared on that side yet he lost several of his Men and was himself wounded For he adventurously approaching within half Musket-shot of the Gate all his Men lay open to the Enemies Shot who lay secure within the Spur and the Walls The Danes demeaned themselves also gallantly at their Post but the mischief on 't was there was but one Breach The Action was very brisk every where and there was one continued fire both of great and small Shot from half an hour after 3 till 7 insomuch that the Smoke which went from the Town reached in one uninterrupted Cloud to the Top of a Mountain at least 6 Miles off The King who stood nigh Cromwel's Fort all the time when the business was over return'd to his Camp very much concerned at the Disappointment as indeed was the whole Army where a mixture of Anger and Sorrow might be seen in every body's Countenance as foreseeing the taking of the Place and the Reduction of the Kingdom would cost the Charge and Fatigue of another Campagne to say nothing of the present Loss which amounted at least to 500 slain upon the Spot besides wounded which were not less than double the number Wherefore the King resolved to raise the Siege and to that purpose after he had constituted the Lord Sidney and Thomas Conningsby Esq since Lord Conningsby Lords Justices of Ireland left the Command of the Army to Count Solms who some time after going for England it was conâ—igned into the Hands of the brave Lieutenant-General Ginkle He embarked with the Prince of Denmark and several other Lords at Duncannon on the 5th of 〈◊〉 arrived the next day in the Evening in Kings-Road near Bristol and on the 9th aâ— Windsor not without a more than ordinary Joy all over the Kingdom leaving the Army in Ireland to march into their Winter-Quarters and so at present we shall leave them and see what was doing in England all this while The Apprehensions of the Disaster that befel us from the French Fleet was no sooner over but the Queen set all hands on work and in a very short time fitted up such a Fleet of Men of War that the Enemy were so far from looking it in the Face upon the Main that they began now to be very apprehensive of their own Coast And indeed it was a general Supposition in England that there were some Designs formed at that time upon France it self and it might for ought I know be contrived so on purpose to amuse such as wished us not well For I remember very particularly that People were somewhat surprized to hear that the Fleet was arrived in Cork-Harbour in Ireland and that my Lord of Malburrough was landed there the 21st of Sept. with the Forces under his Command where on the day following 5 or 600 Seamen and others of the Marine Regiment were imployed to draw the Cannon along and to mount them before the Town which they did with great Cheerfulness and Bravery with the Duke of Graâ—â—on at the Head of them tho' 2 Troops of Dragoons and a Body of Foot appeared without the Town who upon our Mens firing some Field-pieces upon them retired The Eaâ—l was to act upon this Expedition in Concert with some other Troops that were towards that Part of Ireland before and therefore that very Day the Duke of Wirtemberg sent Dean Davis unto him and to Major-General Scravenmore to whom my Lord upon his Arrival had dispatch'd an Express that he would forthwith joyn him to give them an Account that he was upon his March to joyn them with a Detachment of 4000 Foot And because there was a Report that the Duke of Berwick design'd to raise the Siege Major-General Scravenmâ—re sent the Dean back to hasten the Duke's March and the day following ordered a Party of Horse to go and
of the House of Commons that I promise My Self an happy Conclusion of this Session unless you suffer your selves to be mis-led into Heats and Divisions Which being the only Hope Our Enemies have now left I make no Doubt but you will entirely disappoint them by your Prudence and Love to your Country We will leave the Parliament to deliberate upon the mighty Affairs contained in this Speech as we do Admiral Sir George Rook to go into the Streights in the room of Admiral Russel now come home with our great Ships and observe according to our Custom in the Conclusion of the Year what has fallen out that was particularly remarkable in the Course of it that could not well be introduced into the Body of the Story and we find only this that Anselm Francis Frederick de Angelheim Bishop of Mentz departed this Life on the 30th of March being extreamly aged after having held that Bishoprick about 16 Years and was succeeded in the Bishoprick and Electorate by Lothair Francis de Schonborn his Coad jutor and Bishop of Bemberg year 1696 Now we begin with another Year and without the least Recapitulation of what preceded we come to take notice That though our Arms had triumphed abroad in the manner already related yet never was a Nation under such unhappy Circumstances as England at this time where Guineas were at an exorbitant Price and our Silver Coin through the Wickedness of Villanous Men reduced to such a state that nothing but the Wisdom of such a Parliament as then sate and of him that was at the Head of them could possibly have gone through with the Amendment of it But though the matter was managed with admirable Prudence and Celerity so as that an Act was ready and Signed early in Jan. for the remedying the ill State of our Coin Yet it put such a general Stop to Trade and gave such an occasion of Uneasiness to all in general and such an opportunity for the Malecontents to be practising their Villanies against the Government that I dare avow it would have been endured in no other Reign save that of our good and heroick Kingâ— nor so well then neither save something that happened in consequence of it which gave an opportunity to secure all that were suspected to be troublesome and which turned the worst of Mischiefs to the best Effects according to the Disposition of Divine Providence that had always appeared very remarkable in the preservation of that Sacred Life whom we shall never sufficiently value But to give a little Sceach of what was preludious to the Discovery of that damnable Design against His Majesty's Person we are to understand that the French finding themselves considerably upon the losing Hand last Campagne not only made divers new Levies this Winter but divers Troops filed off daily towards the Sea-Coast which gave great Umbrage to the Confederates and especially to Holland as fearing they might be designed to infest the Coasts of Zealand and Flanders But the Design was quickly unravel'd for many Days in February had not been gone but that it was a publick Discourse in France That the Intent was to re-establish the late King upon the Throne and that the Design was so far concerted that nothing more remained but the Winds and the Waves to do their part In order to this the late King on the 18th of February took Post for Calais and immediately upon his Arrival the Troops Artillery and Stores were ordered to be put on Board with the utmost Diligence while News was impatiently expected from England to set Sail And so Cock-sure were they in France of the Success of the Enterprize that the Duke of Orleans in consideration of his near Alliance with the Duke of Savoy and with an assured Prospect of the Overthrow of most of the Confederates sollicited that Prince in a very pressing manner to make his Peace betimes But if they were so mightily alarmed before on the other side of the Water at these Preparations they were much more now when they heard of the late King's Arrival at Calais which made the Duke of Wirtemberg immediately to dispatch one of his Aids de Camp for England to give his Majesty notice of all this The Prince de Vaudemont who was then at Brussels with the Elector of Bavaria both dispatched Expresses also to the King by way of Holland upon the same account But the Duke of Wirtemberg's Messenger going directly by the way of Newport with great Difficulty in escaping the Enemy got to Court first which was on the 22d of Feb. and acquainted his Majesty that the Duke had stopped all the Ships in the Harbor and Canal of Ostend as well as that of Bruges in order to transport the Forces over for his Service And 't was further said he should send word That in case he did not hear quickly from his Majesty he would run the hazard of bringing them over The States of Holland made the like Preparations at Sas van Ghent But notwithstanding all the Expedition used by the Duke of Wirtemberg's Aid de Camp the King had received before some certain Intimations not only of the Invasion but also of the Conspiracy against his Person But because such desperate Designs as these are cannot be thought to be concerted in a Day it will be necessary to look a little back and search into the very beginning of it as far as could be discovered from such Hellish Darkness It was as early as the latter end of 1694. that the Embrio of the Villany was contrived and because some might be brought to engage in such an Assassination who otherwise scrupled it unless they had a Commisssion from the late King for that purpose it was agreed that one Mr. Waugh should go visit his Friends the Jacobites in England and to give those of them he most confided in an Account that their Friends in France thought the killing of King William the most effectual means to restore their old Master Jemmy And in order to assure them of his Concurrence in the Fact they should have a Commission from him to command the doing it and an Order to all his general Officers then in England to be aiding and assisting in it To corroborate this Assurance Major Crosby came at the same time over and affirmed he saw the Commission Signed and under Seal in France that it was sent away before him and if it was not already come he was certain it was upon the Road. But however it came about and that the Project was to cut the King off before he went to Holland blessed be God it took not effect Yet that it was really intended is manifest from the Lady Mary Fenwick's Petition praying a Reprieve for Sir John her Husband delivered afterwards to the House of Lords But though His Majesty got safe and escaped the intended Fatal Stroak the restless Spirits of those wicked Men some whereof were born to be hanged would not let
Invasion intended by King James upon England and that there was certain Intelligence of it from Abroad I presume every Body was satisfied and to the facilitating of which I own that my Self and some Others did agree upon the Undertaking To Attack the Prince of Orange and his Guards for which I am now to Suffer but I think my Self obliged by all the Tyes imaginable both of Conscience and Honour to declare That as for any Order or Commission of King James's for Assassinating the Prince of Orange I neither saw nor heard of any but have had frequent Assurances of his having rejected such Proposals when they have been offer'd I confess I did hear that there was a Commission arrived for Levying of War and which was natural to believe if the King was in such a readiness to come over as was reported but if there was any such Authority as that I declare I never saw it As to what regards the Body of the Roman Catholicks I must do them the Justice and which I dare to be positive in That they had no manner of Knowledge of this Design nor do I believe it was Communicated to any other Party of such as are reputed the King's Friends but carried on meerly by a small Number without the Advice Consent or Privity of any Parties whatsoever I ask forgiveness of all the World for what Offences or Injuries I have done to them and I am I bless Almighty God in perfect Charity with all Mankind Robert Charnocke Mr. KING's Paper I Am now within a few Moments of Eternity brought to this Place by the Just Hand of God in Punishment of all my Crimes but particularly of that of which I have been lately Arraigned and for which I stand here Condemn'd but I hope that Goodness of God which has given me a Sense of my Wickedness will accept my Repentance and shew Mercy on me which I hope to obtain thro' the Passion and Merits of my Redeemer upon whom I intirely cast my self And that I may find his Mercy I think my self oblig'd to do Justice to my Neighbour that so none may suffer wrongfully on my Account and therefore as I am soon to Answer the Truth of what I say before the Tribunal of God I First declare That I never saw any Order or Commission of King James's promoting the Asâ—â—ssination for which I am Condemned Neither do I know of any such Order or Commission Secondly That this Design was not undertaken with any General Knowledge or Approbation of any Body of Men either Catholick or Protestant Lastly That I did not engage in it on Presumption of any King-killing Principles that cou'd justifie such an Undertaking but was drawn into it by my own Rashness and Passion for which and all other Sins I heartily beseech God to forgive me And I hope that such who think the Misfortune of their Imprisonment or Trouble is deriv'd from my having been engaged in this Enterprize or such to whom it has any ways given scandal that they will admit me to their Pardon as I freely and heartily forgive all Mankind In this Disposition of a sincere Repentance and true Charity I commend my Soul into the Hands of God and hope to find Mercy from him And for this I beg all your Prayers Edward King Mr. KEY 's Paper I Am now going to appear before the Living God I trust in his Mercy that he will forgive all my Sins committed to this last moment of my Life God is just in all his Judgments and I accept of this Death as the Punishment of my Iniquities I forgive all my Enemies and hope through a hearty Repentance and the Merits of my Saviour to obtain Mercy Have Mercy on me O Father of Mercy and through thy only Son forgive me all my Sins Thomas Key The next turn was Sir John Friend's and Sir Will. Perkins both Tried Condemned and Executed in like manner for the same complicated Fact of the Assassination and Invasion which was owned by them also as appears by their own Words the first in these Terms Sir JOHN FREIND's Paper KNowing that I must immediately give an Account to God of all my Actions and that I ought to be especially careful of what I say in these last Hours I do solemnly profess That what I here deliver is from my very Soul with all the Heartiness and Sincerity of a dying Christian The Cause I am brought hither to suffer for I do firmly believe to be the Cause of God and True Religion and to the best and utmost of my Knowledge and Information agreeable to the Laws of the Land which I have evermore heard to require a firm Duty and Allegiance to our Sovereign and that as no Foreign so neither any Domestick Power can alienate our Allegiance For it is altogether new and untelligible to me that the King's Subjects can depose and dethrone him on any account or constitute any that have not an immediate Right in his Place We ought I think not to do this and surely when it is done to assist him in the Recovery of his Right is justifiable and our Duty And howsoever things may seem at present I do believe I am sure I heartily pray That he shall be one day restored to his rightful Throne and Dominions As for any sudden Descent of his Majesty upon these his Dominions in order to the Recovery of them I declare I had no certain knowledge of it nor can I tell what Grounds there was to believe it so little Reason had I to be in a present Preparation for it I suppose it is not expected I should endeavour to clear my self out of the Assassination which was not the thing alledg'd against me however it was mentioned through what means I know not As it was insinuated to my disadvantage I forgive such as were therein instrumental And I do also from the very bottom of my Soul freely forgive and beg of God to do so too suce as were any ways accessary towards the taking away my Life which I really look upon to be their Misfortune more than mine I profess my self and I thank God I am so a Member of the Church of England though God knows a most unworthy and unprofitable part of it of that Church which suffers so much at present for a strict adherence to Loyalty the Law and Christian Principles For this I Suffer and for this I Die Though I have a perfect Charity for People of all Professions and do heartily wish well and would endeavour so to do to all my Fellow-Subjects of what Persuasions soever And indeed I have met with a great deal of Uprightness and Sincerity among some People of very different Opinions in Religious Matters And I hope and desire it may not be taken as an uncharitable Censure or undue Reflection that I objected to the Legality of the Popish Evidence being advised so to do for my better Security upon the Foundation of a Statute-Law Having own'd
my self a Member of the Church of England I must take this Opportunity and I do it for God's Glory to apply my self to you that are Royalists of that Church of the same Faith and Principles with my self and I beg of you for God's sake and the Love of your Souls to be very constant and serious in all Religious Offices and holy Duties of Divine Worship and Service which I have too much neglected as I own to my great Sorrow Let no Excuse no Dangers prevent or hinder you in these most necessary and serious Matters and be I beseech you very careful and circumspect in all your Actions Behaviour and Conversation as I earnestly exhorted all that came to me I have I thank God a great deal of Satisfaction in my present Sufferings and have found it so ever since I have been under them And blessed be God it doth continually increase upon me And I do now lay down my Life with all Chearfulness and Resignation in sure and certain Hope of a Resurrection to Eternal Life through our Lord Jesus Christ through whose Merits alone I hope for the Pardon of my Sins and the Salvation of my Soul And so O Lord into thy Hands I commend my Spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth And I do heartily and humbly beseech thee Almighty God and my most Gracious â—ather to forgive and bless this sinful Nation deliver it from the Guilt of Rebellion Blood and Perjury 〈◊〉 is now on all sides more than ever and from all those other heinous Sins which cry aloud Preserve and bless this Church Comfort our distressed King Restore him to his Right and his mislead Subjects to their Allegiance Bless also his Royal Consort our Gracious Queen Mary his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales That he may grow in Stature and in Favour with God and Man Support and Strengthen all those that suffer in any kind for a good Cause give them Patience under all their Afflictions and a happy Deliverance out of them Forgive all mine Enemies Pardon my former Neglect and remissness in Religious Worship and Holy Duties and all the Sins I have been guilty of to this very moment Consider my Contrition accept my Tears And now Thou art pleased to take me hence take me into thy Favour and grant that my Soul may be without Spot presented unto Thee through the Merits of thy Most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen John Freind Sir WILLIAM PERKYNS's Paper IT hath not been my Custom to use many Words and I shall not be long upon this Occasion having Business of much greater Consequence to employ my Thoughts upon I thank God I am now in a full disposition to Charity and therefore shall make no Complaints either of the Hardships of my Tryal or any other Rigours put upon me However one Circumstance I think my self oblig'd to mention it was Sworn against me by Mr. Porter That I had own'd to him that I had Seen and Read a Commission from the King to Levy War upon the Person of the Prince of Orange Now I must declare That the Tenour of the King's Commission which I saw was General and directed to all his Loving Subjects to Raise and Levy War against the Prince of Orange and his Adherents and to seize all Forts Castles c. which I suppose may be a customary Form of giving Authority to make War but I must confess I am not much acquainted with Matters of that Nature But as for any Commission particularly levelled against the Person of the Prince of Orange I neither saw nor heard of any such It 's true I was privy to the Design upon the Prince but was not to act in it and I am fully satisfied that very few or none knew of it but those who undertook to do it I freely acknowledge and think it for my Honour to say That I was entirely in the Interest of the King being always firmly persuaded of the Justice of his Cause and looked upon it as my Duty both as a Subject and an Englishman to Assist him in the Recovery of his Throne which I believed him to be deprived of contrary to all Right and Justice taking the Laws and Constitution of my Country for my Guide As for my Religion I die in the Communion of the Church of England in which I was Educated And as I freely forgive all the World so who-ever I may any ways have Injured I heartily ask them Pardon April 13. 1696. William Perkyns Here the Bigottry of these poor and wretched Men cannot but be admired and pitied that they should justifie their Treasons to the last Gasp which hot-headed Charnock did not think fit to do But this can be attributed to nothing else save the blind Zeal and rebellious Principles of those Clergy-men that were with them and who fairly if they had had their Desert should have been hang'd for Administring Absolution to them without any precedent Confession in direct Opposition to the Laws of that Church whereof they would be thought Members which thereupon was condemned by 14 Bishops being all that were then in London and assented to by all the rest that were Absent It 's well they liv'd under so mild a Government though they were unworthy of it had they been guilty in the late Reigns of any that had come near the pitch of their Crime they had infallibly swung for it when Julian Johnson was so severely Whipped and barbarously Used for his honest Address to the English Soldiery and Seamen The other 3 that followed viz. Cranborn Rookwood and Lowick all confessed the Crime though in a different manner but the 2 latter who were Roman Catholicks somewhat more modestly than the former tho' a pretended Protestant who called it a righteous Cause for which he suffer'd The Papers they deliver'd were these Major LOWICK's Paper In the Name of the most Holy Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen IN the first place I die in the Religion I was Baptized viz. Roman Catholick and humbly beg the Prayers of all Good People for a happy Resurrection and of all Catholicks for the Good of my Soul As for being ingag'd in this for which I die it was never so positive that I had a Horse from the beginning to the very last nor never see any allotted me or the two Men I was to provide as was sworn against me at my Tryal nor had I any on that Account nor was I at any of their Meetings when they settled any such thing And as for any Order of Commission from King James I never see any since I came last into England which is now above 5 Years and I am confident none that knows King James will believe he would give any such Order Indeed I must confess I believe King James was a coming to assert his own Right and I should if on Shore have done any thing in my Power to have assisted him and in order to
that I should have been very glad to have had a Horse but never had any And as for being concern'd in any Bloody Affair I never was in my Life but have done my Endeavour to prevent as much as I could on all Occasions and if the Killing the most miserable Creature in the World or greatest Enemy would now save my Life restore the King and make me one of the greatest Men in England I first would chuse to die because against the Law of God If any who are now Sufferers on this Account think I have been too forward and a Promoter of this Design I do now declare it was never my Inclination to do any rash thing However I beg their Pardons and of all the World I have offended either in Thought Word or any Action whatsoever and do freely forgive my Enemies and hope through the Mercy of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have Remission of all my Sins Good God preserve the King Queen Prince and Princess and all that Royal Blood of Stewards and may England never want one of that direct Line to Govern them and make them once more Happy I have had the Honour to serve my Royal Master in several Commissions and the last as Major and strove ever to serve him to the best of my Power and even to be Just to those who I had the Honour to Command Lord Jesus into thy Hands I recommend my Spirit O Jesus receive my Soul Robert Lowick Brigadier ROOKWOOD's Paper HAving committed the Justice of my Cause and recommended my Soul to God on whose Mercies through the Merits of Jesus Christ I wholly cast my self I had once resolved to die in Silence but second Thoughts of my Duty to others chiefly to my True and Liege Soveraign King James moved me to leave this behind me I do therefore with all Truth and Sincerity declare and avow That I never knew saw or heard of any Order or Commission from King James for the Assassinating the Prince of Orange and Attacking his Guards but I am certainly inform'd That he the best of Kings had often rejected Proposals of that Nature when made unto him Nor do I think he knew the least of the particular Design of the Attacking the Guards at his Landing so much talk'd of in which I was engaged as a Soldier by my immediate Commander much against my Judgment but his Soldier I was and as such I was to obey and act according to Command These twelve Years I have served my true King and Master King James and freely now lay down my Life in his Cause I ever abhorr'd Treachery even to an Enemy If it be a guilt to have complied with what I thought and still think to have been my Duty I am guilty No other guilt do I own As I beg all to forgive me so I forgive all from my Heart even the Prince of Orange who as a Soldier ought to have consider'd my Case before he Sign'd the Warrant for my Death I pray God may open his Eyes and render him sensible of the much Blood from all Parts crying out against him so to prevent a heavier Execution hanging over his Head than what he inflicts on me Amb. Rookwood But I confess after all that the Shouting of the People at the Execution of some of these wretched Assassins was cruel and inhumane and two base a Triumphing over Misery which always deserves our Christian Compassion As soon as the News reached Flanders that the King was safe and England happily delivered from the two bloody Tempests that threaten'd her the Generals and it was thought to be the particular Contrivance of Prince Vaudemont bethought themselves of making an extraordinary Bonfire for Joy by burning the French Magazine at Givet To which End after several Orders and Countermands given to the Garrison of Namur the greatest part of them were ordered to march with Provision for six Days and being joined by several other Troops they crossed the Meuse on the 12th of March and were followed the next Day by the Horse under the Conduct of the Earl of Athlone and Major-General Cohorne and having crossed the River Leile the Earl with one part of this Body marched towards Dinant while Cohorne with the rest sate down before Givet And having got all things ready by the 16th in the Morning he began his Work about Seven a Clock with Bombs and Red-hot Bullets which first set fire to the Forage and at the same time a certain Number of Soldiers were commanded to enter the Town with lighted Flambeaux in their Hands who fired the Cazerns and other Edifices where the Magazines of Oats and other Provisions lay So that that vast Magazine was utterly consumed and all this performed with the Loss of not above 9 or 10 Men. But notwithstanding this considerable Advantage to the Confederates the Conspiracy in England and other more than ordinary Affairs before the Parliament had spun out so much Time that the King could not be so early in the Camp this Year as was designed who was himself also unwilling to leave his Kingdoms till the Arrival of the Fleet from Cales under Sir George Rook who had upon occasion of the first breaking out of the Plot Orders sent him to return home and safely came upon the Coast towards the latter end of April to the dissipating of the great Fears we were in lest the French Fleet from Thoulon should overtake and ruine him And indeed they were not far behind for before the Junction of those Men of War we had then in the Downs with some of Sir George's Squadron and that he could get upon the Coast of Brest in order to intercept and fight them they were got safe into that and the other Harbours of France So that the French took the Field before the Confederates to whom they were superiour at first in number till the Junction of the German Troops who ever came late which was at all times a prodigious Disadvantage to the Confederates So that what with these things but most of all for the extream Want of Mony to pay the Army now our Coin was called in the Confederates could not act Offensively as they had done the preceding Year But about the time that the King arrived at the Hague there happen'd something to fall out which began to savour of somewhat else than the Toils and Inconveniences of War for Monsieur Caillieri was come thither from France with Proposals towards concluding a general Peace by setling such Preliminaries as might be a sufficient Basis to ground a Treaty upon I do not know whether there was any real Disposition in the French Court to a general Peace before the Year 1695 but the loss of Namur Casall and other Disadvantages did without all doubt powerfully operate towards it and nothing could have retarded their Motions in order to it but the Plausibility of the Invasion against England and that in such an hazardous Juncture when our Coin was
Lawful Sovereign King James the Queen and Prince of Wales and Restore him and his Posterity to this Throne again for the Peace and Prosperity of this Nation which is impossible to prosper till the Government is settled upon a right Foot And now O God I do with all Humble Devotion Commâ—â—â— my Soul into thy Hands the great Maker and Preserver of Meâ— and Lover of Souls beseeching thee That it may be always 〈◊〉 and precious in thy Sight through the Merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ Amen J. FENWICK But to leave this ungrateful Subject the Parliament besides the passing of the usual Land-Tax made an Act â—o Granting to His Majesty several Duties upon Parchment Papâ— and Vellum to encourage the Bringing of Plate and Hammer'â— Mony into the Mint to be Coined As there was also another Act To encourage the Bringing in of Wrought Plate to be Coineâ— There was also Divers Impositions upon Goods and Merchandizâ—â— continued The Deficiencies of Funds made good The Capâ—â— Stock of the Bank of England enlarged And For Raising the Publick Credit Besides which there were Impositions laid upon Leather and Malt A farther Subsidy of Tonnage and Pounâ—age granted and an Act made For Licensing Hawkers 〈◊〉 Pediars But before these Things were compleated in England the Preliminaries of the Peace were agreed on in Holland and signed the 10th of February And they are these that foâ—â—low I. THE French King doth consent and agree that the Treaties of Westphalia and Nimeguen shall be the Basis and Foundation of the Negotiation of the General Peace to be made with all the Allies II. That the City of Strasburgh be restored to the Empire in the State it was when taken by His Majesty III. That the City of Luxemburgh shall be restored to the King of Spain in the Condition it is now But here you are to observe that France made an Offer to the Allies by way of Equivalent for the said Cities IV. The Towns of Mons and Charleroy shall be given up in the Condition they are at present V. That those Places in Catalonia which are in the French King's Hands and which he hath taken since the Peace of Nimeguen shall be restored in the same State as they were taken VI. That the Town and Castle of Dinant shall be given up to the Bishop and Prince of Liege in the State they were taken VII That all the Re-unions which have been made since the Treaty of Nimeguen shall be void VIII Lorrain shall be restored according to the Conditions of the said Treaty But here it was agreed That in case the Concessions made in respect to Lorrain did not please this Article should be referred to the General Treaty with Promises that greater Offers should then be made and that it should be the first Point treated on in the Negotiation It was also farther agreed That upon the Conclusion of the Peace the Most Christian King should acknowledge the Prince of Orange for King of Great Britain without any manner of Difficulty Restriction Condition or Reserve That as for other Princes whether in the Confederacy or not their Pretensions should be reserved to the General Negotiation under the Mediation of the King of Sweden IX The Dutchy of Duux-Ponts to be restored to the King of Sweden with all its Dependancies X. Philipsburgh to be restored to the Bishop of Spire XI The Fort of Kehl and other Fortifications made on the Rhine to be rased XII As also Fort Louis and Hunninghen XIII That Trarbach and Mont-Royal should be given up but first dismantled upon Condition they should never be fortified again XIV The French King agreed to give up to the Elector Palatin not only all the Electorate but also the Dutchies of Simmeren and Lauthern with the Earldom of Shanheim as also all other Places whereof he had been dispossessed to this present Time XV. That Madam the Dutchess of Orleans was to do nothing upon Account of her Pretensions Via Facti but might bring her Action according to the Law in relation to the Electors XVI That the Castle and County of Veldens be restored to their lawful Owner XVII Bisweiler to the Count of Hanau XVIII The Seigniories of March Marmosy and Dagstein and the Counties of Louningue and Dagsbourgh should be delivered up to the Count of Overstein XIX That the Seigniories of Salms and Valkenstein should be given up to the Prince of Salms or to their Proprietors seeing that the same is still in question XX. The Seigniories of Latzensteim and Altheim to their Proprietors XXI Otweiler to the House of Nassau XXII That the City and County of Mompelgard Harcourt Blainont and Chatelette should be put into the Possession of the House of Wirtemburgh XXIII That Germersheim should be also given up to the Elector Palatin notwithstanding any former Treaties to the contrary XXIV That Stadeck and Landsbergue be given to the Count of Veldentz XXV That the Principality of Orange be given up to its Sovereign But for all this some of the Ministers of the Allies after having consulted their Masters hereupon Declared That as to what concerned the first Article they fully agreed to it But for Strasburg they further insisted it should be restored with its Fortifications and Dependances and that no equivalent should be accepted for it They accepted of the Third Fourth and Fifth Articles only they insisted that not only the City but the County of Luxemburg and that of Chinay should be given up As they did that the City and Castle of Dinant should be yielded together with the Dutchy of Bovillion in the same state they were They Declared themselves satisfied as to the Seventh Article touching the Re-unions but not so with the agreement made about Lorrain which they would have restored to the Duke its Sovereign without any manner of restriction In pursuance to the said Preliminaries and Reswick as the Place of Treaty being after many Difficulties and Scruples fully agreed to by all parties concerned The Conferences began about the 9th of May and were not carried on to any considerable length before there was a work of another Nature done in the Field Where the French as having made a Peace with Savoy as we have told you last Year and as being their last Effort were very powerful this Year especially in Flanders and Catalonia In the first whereof they had still the advantage over the Confederates from the remoteness of the German Troops and the slowness of their march and who hardly came into the Camp this Year â—ill the French had done their work in the Reduction of Aeth which tho' it gave some farther Reputation to their Arms and Cause yet it came far short of the Boasts they had made all the Spring of attacking a no less considerable place than Namur But their grand design upon 〈◊〉 His Majesty by his great Prudence Courage and Celerity utterly Disappointed so that their intentions to become sole Masters of the Peace and
Coaequation and that his Pension be reserved to him That for the Sum which he promised to pay some Ensigns out of his own Money the same should be taken out of what should arise from the four Quarters The Artillery was to be paid out of the Revenue of Lipiuski Germoreski and Winosopski till the succeeding Dyet of which the General of the Artillery was to give an account to the succeeding Dyets at hand That the Artillery should be laid up in the Arsenal of Wilna from whence it was not to be taken out but to be employ'd against the Enemies of the Republick That Protection should be granted to the Lithuanian Tartars as well for their Estates as Persons upon Condition that they took forthwith the Oath of Fidelity to the King and the Republick Having thus dispatch'd the Affairs of the North I shall not amuse the Reader in this place with the Naval Fight that hapned between the Venetian and Ottoman Fleets in the Waters of Mitylene on the 20th of September since I cannot with any Certainty assign what Loss was sustained or the Victory to either side so various have the Reports been tho' the former laid a Claim to it but design now to resume the Negotiations of the Peace with the Turks already mentioned but because the same has spun out into the new Year before the final Conclusion of it I shall here according to my Custom briefly touch upon the Remarkables of the last Towards the beginning of February dyed Frederick Casimir Duke of Courland at Mittau the place of his Residence who was succeeded by his Son Frederick Casimir a Child of of about Six Years Old During whose Minority Prince Ferdinand his Uncle who has embrac'd the Popish Religion would have taken the Guardianship and Administration upon him But the States have interposed and the young Prince is to be bred up a Protestant The third of the same Month was also fatal to Ernestus Augustus Elector and Duke of Hanover and Bishop of Osnaburg who departed this Life at Hernhausem He was born November the 10th 1629. being third Son to George Duke of Lunemburg and Anne Eleonora Daughter of Landgrave Lewis of Hesse-Damrstadt He was married in 1659. to the Princess Palatine Sophia Daughter to Frederick Elector Palatine and Elizabeth Stuart Daughter of King James I. and Sister to King Charles I. by whom he had several Children and whereby it appears the present Elector his Son is next in Succession after the Royal Family here by the present Constitution of the Government that no Roman Catholick shall inherit to the Crown of England By the Peace of Westphalia the deceased Elector was designed Bishop of Osnabrug which is a very considerable Country when the Alternative was settled for one time a Roman Catholick and next time a Prince of the House of Lunemburg of which he took Possession in 1668. upon the death of the Cardinal of Wirtemburg the last Roman Catholick Bishop The Emperor was no sooner informed of the Elector's death but that in pursuance to the said Treaty he dispatch'd away a Commissioner to be present at the Election of a new Bishop for which there were divers Candidates and about which the Capitulars were extreamly divided But at length April the 14th they all united in favour of Charles Joseph Ignatius of Lorrain Bishop of Olmutz the Duke of that Name 's Brother who was advanced to that Dignity And now we have mentioned the Death of two Illustrious Persons we shall take notice of as many marriages One was in the North at the Swedish Court between the Duke of Holstein Gottorp and Hedwig Sophia Princess Royal of Sweden which was Consummated at Carelsbourg on the 12th of June without any Solemnity But the other between the present Duke of Lorrain and Elizabeth Charlotte Daughter to the Duke of Orleans the French King's Brother was performed upon the 12th of October at Fontainbleau with so much Pomp and Ceremonious Observances that I have no great Stomach to relate the Particulars and as little to call to mind the death Ferdinand Joseph Electoral Prince of Bavaria who departed this Life February 16th N. S. 1699. not long after as was given out and that very probably the King of Spain had settled the Succession of that Crown upon him and the French King 's Memorial at Madrid upon that Subject was a manifest Confirmation of it And the Truth of it is if there was a Right of Succession any where it must be in the Person of this young Prince by vertue of the Seventeenth Article of the Pyrenean Treaty Which undoubtedly must have stood good in Point of Justice whatever others have said against it in favour of another Person else we must account Don Lewis de Haro one of the wisest Ministers of State that ever Spain bred a â—ool and no Treaties how solemnly soever made of any Validity But now to draw to a Closure we are to remind you that the Plenipotentiaries on either side both Christian and Turk with the Mediators met at Câ—rlâ—â—itz in order to terminate so long and expensive a War by a Peace or at least a Truce for some term of Years It was the â—th of November when the Mediators delivered to the Turkish Plenipotentiaries the Preliminary Articles which mainly in Substance contained That each Party respectively should retain what he had got and the following days till the 12th were spent in preparing Matters upon which they were to enter in Conference that day On the 13th the Imperial and Turkish Plenipotentiaries caused several fair Tents to be set up on the sides of the House appointed for the Conferences and by Nine in the Morning the first arrived at the Mediators Lodgings whither the Turks also repaired at the same time and from thence went altogether to the House of Conference where after mutual Civilities they took their Places in the midst of the Tent which had four Doors two whereof being opposite to one another served for the Entrance of the Mediators and the other two for the Imperial and Turkish Plenipotentiaries The Count of Oâ—â—inghen had the right of the former and Reis Effendi of the latter The Mediators Secretaries and those of the Imperial Embassy were placed behind and the Turkish Secretary who stood up-right before sat down upon the Floor And this was the manner of the opening of the first Conference after pronouncing of these Words God-Grant an happy Pâ—â—ce There was a Table in the midst between the Mediators and Plenipotentiaries And the Conference lasted from half an Hour after Ten till Three in the Afternoon when the Mediators and Plenipotentiaries went out in the same order as they entred But all the while they were within the Emperor's and Turkish Guards besides a great Number of Officers of both Nations environed the Tent. The Conferences were renewed in the same manner the three succeeding days with good Success And among other things they conferred about the Regulation of
is not to be forced in Matters of Religion and so regulate their Actions accordingly But however it may prove with these of the Popish Communion and how rigorously they may be still bent to extripate that which they mis-call by the Name of Heresie and how great soever the Demerit of our Suffering Brethren may be the general and solemn Days of Humiliation and Prayers appointed for their Deliverance by almost the Universal Authority of all the Protestant Princes and States of Europe is one good sign that their Salvation draweth nigh The INDEX A. ABstract of Peace between the Empire and France Page 58 c. between France Sweden and Brandenburgh 66. between France Sweden and Denmark 71 c. Ackmet Sultan of the Turks his Death 534. Aeth besieged and surrender'd to the French 593. Agria surrendred to the Imperialists 235. Aghrim a Relation of the Battle there 429 c. Albania ravaged by the Turks 407. Alba Regalis surrendred by the Imperialists 249. Alexander VIII Pope his Death 456. Allâ—es endeavour to keep Spain out of the Peace 38. Altercations about the Basis of the Reswick Treaty 595 and 599. Ann Princess her Letter to the Queen 289 c. Argyle E. of lands in Scotland 267. his Declaration 268 c. taken and beheaded 269. Articles of Alliance between England and Holland 23 c. of Peace between Holland and France 28 c. between France and Spain 41 c. between Strasburgh and France 113 c. between France and Savoy 565 c. Of Neutrality in Italy 575. Of Peace between England and France 603 c. between Holland and France 609 c. between France and Spain 619 c. between the Empire and France 647 c. of Alliance between France and Sweden 676 c. Assassination discovered 541. Assassins tried and executed 552 c. Association at Exeter for the Prince of Orange 285. Athens submits to the Venetians 242. Athlone besieged in vain by the English 375. besieged again 425. taken 427. Avaux Count de his Memorial at the Hague 259. Ausburg the League there 131. B. BAden P. Lewis of defeats the Turks at Brod 254. made General in Hungary 336. defeats the Turks at Patochin 337 c. At Nissa 333. reduces Transylvania and expels Tekeley 414. beats the Turks at Salankemen 453 c. Barkan the Battle there between the Christians and the Turks 147. taken by the Germans 148. Bavaria Elect. of arrives with his Troops before Buda 158. made General in Hungary 250. his Letter to Osman Basha 252. takes Belgrade by storm 254. Beaumont Lieutenant-Colonel his Speech refuses Irish Soldiers is imprisoned c. 260. Belgrade besieged by the Imperialists 250. taken by Storm 254. besieged again by the Turks 411. taken by Storm 412. besieged again by the Imperialists 489. Siege raised 490. Berghen Prince of his Letter to Villeroy 522. Beverning Dutch Plenipotentiary his Saying of the French 11. of the King of England ib. Acts the Mediator ib. complies with the French 19. Articles against him 40. Bill of Exclusion 91 c. rejected by the Lords 94. Bishops seven their Petition to King James 245 c. imprison'd and acquitted 246 c. Advice to him 261 c. Black Box the story of it 80. Bonne besieged and surrendred to the Elector of Brandenburgh 335 c. Boufflers Mareschal de seized at Namur 530. released 531. Boyle Robert Esq his Death and Character 475. Boyne the Battle there 369 c. Brandenburgh Elector of solicits Peace in France 62. Fails and endeavours to embroil the Peace of the Empire ib. his Letter to the French King 64 c. receives Money of France 67. his Demands of the States ib. his Death 305. this Letter to Elbing 684 c. Brussels bombarded by the French â—22 Buda besieged by the Imperialists 156. the Siege raised 159. besieged a second time 208 Battle there 205. the siege continued 209 taken by storm 211. C. CAlais bomb'd by the English 561. Catamata abandoned by the Turks 195. Cambray surrendred to the French 9. Caminieck relieved by the Tartars 507. Canea besieged by the Venetians in vain 475 c. Canisia surrendred to the Imperialists 408. Carignan the Action there between the French and Confederates 403. Carigfergus besieged by the English and surrendred 324. Carmagnola besieged and taken by the French 449. retaken by the Confederates 451. Casal the siege of it and taken by the Confederates 532. Castle-Nuova besieged by the Venetians 240. surrendred 239. Charlemont Castle surrendred to the English 365. Charleroy besieged by the French and surrendred 482. Charles II. King unconstant to his Engagements to the P. of Orange 13. tempted with Money from France 18. concludes an Alliance with Holland 22. his Letter to the Duke of York 75. constitutes a new Council ib. unconstant 76. disclaims any Marriage with Monmouth's Mother 80 c. his Different Demeanour to the Addressors for Parliaments and Abhorrers of Petitioning 82. his Speech to the Parliament 90 c. petitioned by several Lords for the Sitting of the Parliament at Westminster 97 c. dissolves the Oxford Parliament and his pretended Reasons for it 108. prosecutes Protest-Dissentors 115 his Methods to get Charters surrendred and his design therein 129. demolishes Tangier that cost him so much 130. contemptible abroad 149. his Death and Character 165. Charnock his Paper at his Execution 552 c. Chialafa besieged by the Turks in vain 216. Churchill Lord his Letter to King James 289. Ciclut taken by the Venetians 505. Colledge Stephen tried at Oxford and Executed 110. Congress at the Hague 421. Comet appear'd 97. Commons the House of debate King James's Speech 184. address him to turn out the Popish Officers ib. Conferences about Peace renewed at Nimeguen 55. Coni besieged by the French 449. relieved 450. Conspiracy in the Army in Ireland 328. in England 458. Conti Prince of goes from Poland and his Letter to the Republick 640. returns 641. Corinth abandoned by the Turks 241. Cork besieged and surrendred to the English 384 c. Cornish Mr. tried 181. executed 182. Coron besieged the Battle there 192 c. taken by Storm 194. Coin remedied 540. Courland Duke of his Death 689. Cross du his Message from England to Holland 25. contriv'd in Portsmouth's Lodgings 26. Czar of Muscovy his Travels 682. D. DAngerfield Thomas whipp'd and kill'd 203. Dauphine Married 87. Debates of the Lords and Commons about Abdication 307 c. Declaration for Liberty of Conscience 224. at Nottingham in favour of the Pr. of Orange 286 c. of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal at Guildhal 297. of Right in England 308 c. of Right in Scotlandâ— 312. English Declaration of War against France 320 c. of the Protestant Princes against the 4th Article of Reswick 643 c. Deynse surrendred to the French 520. Delamere Lord rises for the P. of Orange in Cheshire 284. Demands of the Allies at Nimeguen 5 c. Denmark Ambassador of enrag'd at
enters into the Confederacy c. 387 c. His Articles with the Emp. 389 c. with the King of Spain 390 c. invades the Dauphinate 472. His Sickness and recovery 473 c. His Letter to the States of Holland 533. Makes a separate Peace 563. His Envoy's Harangue to the late King James 574 c. Saxony the Elector of his death 96. Another General of the Confederates on the Rhine dies 457. Another's death 507. Fights the Turks 577. Chosen King of Poland 594. His Letter to the Polish Republick 638. His Declaration to his Saxon Subjects 639 c. Schultz General successful in Vpper Hungary 160. Defeats Count Teckley ibid. Schomberg Duke of lands in Ireland 324. Scinta a Battle there 215. Scio taken by the Venetians 506. quitted 536. Scotland an Insurrection there 77. Covenanters murder the Archb. of St. Andrews ib. Their Proclamations 78. Proposals to Monmouth ib. are routed 79. Segedin besieg'd by the Imperialists 214. surrendred 215. Serasquier his Letter to the Duke of Lorrain 189. Shaftsbury the Earl of committed to the Tower 111. Sidney Mr. his Embassy into Holland and for what 83. His Memorial to the States 84. Makes a defensive League with 'em 86. Sidney Col. his Trial 124. Execution and Papers to the Sheriff 125 c. Sign besieged by the Venetians and taken by storm 220. Besieg'd by the Turks and relieved by the Venetians 238. Skelton Mr. discovers the Pr. of Orange's Intention 258. Solyman made Em. of the Turks 238. Spaniards sign the Peace with France 41. Their Ambassador resents the States Answer about Maestricht 70. Prevail in Catalonia 531 c. Staremberg Count Governour of Vienna prepares for its Defence 135. His Letter to the Duke of Lorrain 139. His other Letter to the Duke of Lorrain 141 c. States General their answer to the French King's Letter 20. displease the Confederates ib. Order their Embassador to sign the Peace 21. Exclaimed against by the Northern Confederates 38. their Answer to the Elector of Brandenburgh's demands 68. To the Spaniards for Maestricht 69. A Letter from an unknown hand to them 83. Their resolution as to the Invasion of England 283. Steenkirk the Battle there 462 c. Stetin taken by the Brandenburghers 12. Strasburg how possest by the French 112. Sunderland Earl of his Letter to a Friend 264 c. Syclos taken by the Imperialists 213. T. TAlbot Col. disbands the Protestant Army in Ireland 182 c. Tartars attack the Germans Baggage 133. ravage Poland 415. Teckley Count makes himself P. of Transilvania 409. Themeswaer besieg'd by the Imperialists 576. Tyrconnel Earl of made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 223. His Proceedings ibid. dies at Limmerick 434. Toleration of Religion to Papists in Scotland 205. in England 223. Tour the President de la his Speech to King VVilliam 407. Transilvania revolts from the Emperor 233. reduced 234. Truce signed between France Denmark and Brandenburg 63. expired 64. between France and Spain c. for 20 Years 150 c. Turks advance to Austria 132. waste the Frontiers of Hungary and Austria 134. besiege Vienna 135. beaten from before Vienna 145 c. routed at Barkan 147. beaten at Gran 187. routed at Scinta 215. beaten at Chialafa by the Venetians 216. defeated at Navarino 217. Reasons of their not succeeding against the Germans 504. Turkey the Revolution there 253 c. V. VAlentia besieg'd by the French and Savoyards 575. Vallona besieg'd by the Venetians 418. deserted by the Turks 419. Vaudemont Prince his gallant Retreat 515. Vaudois persecuted 397. rout the French 356. Venetians make Incursions into the Turkish Territories 162. take the Isle of Narenta c. 164. possess themselves of the whole Province of Mayna 195. rout the Turks 241. their Letter to the new Doge and Instructions 255 c. beat the Turks at Sea 419. defeat the Turks at Argos 537. beat the Turks by Sea 580. Verace discovers the P. of Orange's Designs upon England 258. Vicegrade besieged and taken by the Imperialists 154. taken by the Turks 187. Vienna in great Consternation 133. besieged by the Turks 135. a Journal of the Siege 136 c. it siege continued 142 c. relieved 145. Villeroy Marshal de his Letter to the Governour of Brussels 521. fails to relieve Namur 529. Virovitz taken by the Imperialists 159. Vrgel taken by the French 448. W. VVAisen surrendred to the Imperialists 155. Walcour the Action there 329. Waterford surrendred to the English 377. Weesell a Conference there between the Allies 10. Wheeler Sir Francis cast away in a Storm 492. Whitchal burnt 673 c. Widin surrendred to the Imperialists 354. surrendred to the Turks 411. William III. King his Speech to the Parliament 358. lands in Ireland 366. wounded 368. Victorious over the Irish Army at the Boyn 370 c. his Proceedings in Ireland 378 c. goes for England 383. his Speech to the Congress 421. his Speech to the Parliament 457 c. his Speech to the Parliament 491. signs several Bills 493 his Letter to Prince Vaudemont 514 c. his Speech to the Parliament 538 c his Speech in Parliament concerning the Assassination 550. another Speech to the Parliament 582 c. his Speech at the Conclusion of the Peace 670 c. another Speech 674. goes for Holland 675. Y. YOrk Duke of withdraws to Flanders 75. returns 81. sent High Commissioner into Scotland ib. his cruelty to the Earl of Argyle 111. Z. ZEnta the great Battle there 633. FINIS July 1676. Maestricht besieg'd by the Prince of Orange Siege raised Philipsburg surrender'd to the Imperial Army The Demands of the several Princes Valenciennes besieg'd The Battle of Mount-Cassel The Fr. K.'s Letter to K. C. 11. Ghent besieg'd and taken K. Charles II. tempted with Moncy by France The States Answer The Confederates angry with the States The Dutch order their Embassadors to Sign the Peace The Peace obstructed The Treaty of Alliance between England and Holland Du Cross's Message The Peace between France and Holland Signed The Battle of Mons. Mr. Hyde's Memorial to the States Prince of Orange's Censure of the English Court. Articles against Mons Beverning The Conferences renewed Rugen taken Denmark and Brandenburg's Remonstrance to the Imperial Embassadors The Imperial and French Embassadors agree to Sign the Peace The Abstract of the Imperial Articles of Peace The Elector of Brandenburg's Demands of the States The Spaniards demand Maestricht of the Dutch The States Answer The Spaniard rejoinâ— The Spanish Ambassador resents it Popish Plot discovered Godfrey murdered K. Charles II's Letter to the Duke of York K. Charles II chooses a new Council Insurrection in Scotland The Scotch Rebels Proclamation Their Second Proclamation They make Proposals to the Duke of Monmouth The Duke of Monmouth fights and routs the Covenanters The Story of the black Box. K. Charles II. disclaims any Marriage with the Duke of Monmouth's Mother K. Charles II. sick and the Consequence of it Duke of Monmouth
out of favour K. Charles II's different Carriage to the Addressors Mr. Sidney sent Embassador into Holland and for what K. Charles makes a Defensive Alliance with Holland The Dauphine intended to marry Dauphine married to the Princeâ—â— of Bavaria The Emperor's Memorial to the Diet at Ratisbone concerning the French Infractions The Result of the Diet. The Empire complain of France Parliamenâ— met The Bill of Exclusion The Bill thrown out of the House of Lords The Parliament prosecute the Abhorrers of Petitioning The Resolution of the Commons against lending the King Money The Earl of Ossory's Death The Death of the Electors of Saxony and Palatine The Earl of Essex's Speech to the King The Lords Petition to the King Fitz-Harris his Libel The Oxford Parliament dissolved The King's Declaration after the Dissolution of the Parliament Stephen Colledge Try'd The Earl of Argyle's Case Articles granted Strasburg Protestant Dissenters Prosecuted The Charter of London questioned The pretended Presâ—byterian â—ior Earl of Essex's Death Lord 〈…〉 Speech Col. Sidney Try'd Col. Sidney's Paper Methods used to get the Charters of Cities surrender'd The League of Ausburg The Carriage of the French upon the Turks invading Hungary The Emperor prepares against the Turks Newheusel besieged by the Imperialists The Siege raised The Turks advance to Austria The Tartars attack the Germans Great Consternation at Vienna The Turks form the Siege of Vienna A Journal of the Siege from the Beginning to the End Count Staremberg's Letter to the Duke of Lorain The Battel of Barkan Gran besieged by the Germans 〈…〉 K. Charles contemptible abroad Luxemburg besieged by the French and surrender'd The 20 Years Truce Genoa bombarded by the French Fleet. Vicegrade besieged and taken by the Imperialists The Siege of Buda The D. of Lorain's Letter to the Emperor concerning the beating of the Turks Army The Siege of Buda raised Count Lesley routs the Turks in Selavonia and takes Virovitz The Emperor's Forces successful against the Turks in Vpper Hungary 〈…〉 The Campaign in Poland The Venetians take Sancta Maura The Venetians make â—ncursions into the Turkish Territories The Venetians besiege Prevesa Prâ—vesa surrendered The Death of King Charles II. K. James 〈◊〉 Speech to the Council◠〈…〉 K. James II Crownâ—d and his Speech to the Parliament The Parliament gives him a great deal of Money The Earl of Argyle's Declaration Argyle taken and beheaded K. James his Practices against the Duke of Monmouth D. of Monmouth lands in England His Declaration The P. of Orange's Offers to King James rejected The D. of Monmouth's Letter to K. James Monmouth Beheaded The cruel Executions in the Wâ—st Mr. Cornish Try'd Mr. Cornish Executed K. James's Proceedings in respect to Ireland Talbot's Villany K. James's Speech to his Parliament The Lords Voted Thanks for the Speech The Commons debated it and addrest the King to turn our the Popish Officers Parliament dissolved Neuheusel Besieged by the Imperialists The Turks Besiege Gran. The Battel of Gran. Vicegrade taken by the Turks Neuheusel taken by Storm The Serasquier's Letter to the D. of Lorain Esperies besieged by General Schultz Surrendred The Siege and Battel of Coron Coron taken Dr. Hough chosen President of Magdalen Collede The Fellows of Magdalen College turn'd out Dangerfield Sentenced and kill'd Mr. Johnson's Sentence K. James's Letter to the Scotch Parliament Buda besieged The Battel of Buda The Siege continued Buda stormed Buda taken Five Churches besieg'd Surrender'd The besieging and taking of Syclos Darda abandon'd by the Turks The Pr. of Baden burns the Bridge of Esseck Segedin besieg'd The Battel of Scinta Segedin surrender'd to the Imperialists Chialafa besieged by the Turks The Turks beaten and raise the Siege Old Navarino besieged and taken New Navarino besieged New Navarino surrender'd Modon besieged by the Venetians Surrendred Napoli di Romania besieged The Turks defeated Napoli di Romania taken Sign besieged Sign taken The King of Poland invades Moldavia The Hospodar's Message to him and his Answer The King of Poland routs the Turks and Tartars A Proclamation for a Toleration of Religion in Scotland Tyrconnel made Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland and other Proceedings there The Duke of Lorrain towards 〈◊〉 The Battel of Mohatz Transilvania revolts Butschin besieged by the Imperialists Esseck abandoned by the Turks Transylvania reduced by the Imperialists Arch-Duke Joseph crowned K. of Hungary Agria surrender'd to the Imperialists The Revolution of the Turkish Empire ended with the Deposing of Mabomet IV. and advancing his Brother Solyman to the Throne Sign besieged by the Turks and relieved by the Venetians Castlenovo besieged by the Venetians The Turks routed by the Venetians The Turks abandon Patrass Lepanto c. Corinth abandoned by the Turks and several other Places Atâ—ens quitted to the â—enetians 〈…〉 K. James his Declaration of Indulgence commanded to be Read in Churches The Bishops Petition The King's Answer The Bishops sent to the Tower Tryed and Acquitted Alba Regalis surrendred to the Germans Lippa besieged and taken by the Imperialists Illock and Peter-Waradin deserted by the Turks Belgrade besieged by the Imperialists Belgrade taken by Storm The Battel of Brod. The Affairs of Venice and Poland The Bishop of Bath VVells ☞ ☜ The Prince of Orange lands in England P. George's Letter to the King The Princess Ann's Letter to the Queen â—ivers â—â—aces seized for the Use of the Prince of Orange The P. of O's Third Declaration K. J's Proposals to the Pr. of Orange The Prince's Answer K. J's Letter to the E. of Fevâ— rsham The E. of Feversham's Letter to the Pr. of Orange P. of Or. his Declaration The P. of 〈◊〉 Message to the King K. James's Reasons for withdrawing himself The English Declaration of Right P. and P. of Orange proclaimed K. and Q. or England The Scot. Declarat of Right P. and P. proclaimed in Scotland K. and Q. take the Scotch Oath Dundee slain Tyrconnel sent for K. James to Ireland The Emperor's Letter to the late K. James The late K. James lands in Ireland Protestants disarm'd in Ireland The Irish routed by the Iniskillingers and Mackarty made a Prisoner D. Schomberg lands in Ireland Carrigfergus bâ—sieged Carrigfergus surrendred D. Schomberg marched towards Dundaâ—k A Conspiracy discovered among the French in the English Army The Iniskilliners defeat the Irish near Sligo The Irish take Sligo The English at Dundalk die â—pace Keyserwaert besieged by the Duke of Brandenburg â—eiserwater surrendred Mentz besieged by the Confederates Mentz surrendred The French burning and ravaging the Palatinate Bonne besieged by the Elector of Brandenburg Bonne besieged Bonne surrendred to the Confederates Prince Lewis of Baden made General in Hungary The Battel of Patochin French make Peace with the Algerines Baden routs the Tarks near Nissa Nissa taken by the Imperialists Widin surrendred to the Imperiaâ—iâ—ts The Turkish Embassadors press for a Peace Napoli di Malvasia blockaded bâ— the Venetians The Vâ—udois pâ—rsecution at an end The death of Innocent XI Laws made agaiâ—st Popish Succesâ—ors
and other Proceedings of the Parliamentsf The Affairs of Scotland The Jacobites Plot. The Irisâ— Affairs Col. Woolsâ—ey routs the Irish Charlemont Castl blocked up Charlemont surrendred K. William landed in Ireland K. William wounded The Battle of the Boyne L. G. Hambletâ—n hâ—s Character at the Boyne D. Schâ—mberg's Character and Age. The late K. James 〈◊〉 for Fraâ—â—â—e 〈…〉 Athlone besieged in vain by L. G. Dâ—uglass Waterford surrendred The Kings Proceedings in Ireland The Army march to 〈◊〉 2. The first siege of Limerick The English Train surprized by the Irish Thâ— Siege raised and the King goes for England 〈◊〉 besieged and 〈◊〉 Coâ—k surrendred Kingsale beâ—sieg'd Surrendred The Duke of Savoy enters into the Confederacy and the manner of it The Treaty between the Emperour and the Dâ—ke of Saâ—oy The Treaty between the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy The Campagne in Flanders The Battle of Flerus Arch-duke Joseph chosen King of the Romans The death of the D. of Lorrain The Campaign in Germany The Insurrection of the Catalins The Freâ—ch prevail in Catalâ—nia The French repulsed at Carignan The Vaudoâ—â— roâ—t the French Caâ—ours taken by Catinat The Battel of Salusses Suza besieged and taken by the French Canisia surrenâ—red Nissa and Widin besieged by the Turks Teckely possesses himself of Transilvania and routs Heuster Nissa surrendred Widin surrendred Belgrade besieged by the Turks The Turks take Belgrade by storm Esseck besieged by the Turks in vain P. of Baden reduced Transâ—lvania and expels Tekeley The King of Poland tempted to make Peace with the Turks The Tartars harrass Poland The Poles unactive in the Prosecucution of the War Neapli di Malvasia besieged by the Venetians and taken Vallona besieged by the Venetians Vallona deserted by the Turks The Venetians beat the Turks at Sea Attempts made by France for a Peace with the Emperor The Remarkables of this Year The Congress at the Hague The King's Speech to the Congress The Resolution of the Congress Nice besiâ—ged and taken The siege of Mons. Mons surrendred The War in Ireland Baltymore surrendred to the English The English Town of Athlone taken The English pass the Shannon The Irish Town of Athlone taken The Battle of Aghrim Galloway surrendered Limerick besieged K. James's Letter to the Irish The Irish War ended Our Sea-Affairs noted The Campaâ—gâ— in Flanders The Campaign in Catalonia The Campaign on the Upper Rhine Carmagnolae besieged and taken Coni besieged Coni relieved Carmagnola retaken Montmelian Fortress surrendred The Battle of Saâ—ankemen Duke of Croy succesfull in Sclavonia Great Waradin blockaded The King of Poland's Campaign Pope Alexander VIII his Death Monsieur Louvois Death The Elector of Saxony's Death Parliament meets Parliament adjourned Conspiracy in England Admiral Russel's Letter The French Fleet beaten K. James's Letter to the French King Namur surrendred The Battle of Steenkirk The English Forces imbark English Forces 〈◊〉 in Flanders The Campaign on 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Rhine The Siege of Reinfâ—ld The Duke of Savoy invades the Daupbinate and his Progress The Duke of Savoy's Sâ—ckness The Duke recovers Great Waradin besieged Great Waradia surrendered Câ—nea besieged by the 〈◊〉 The Siâ—ge rais'd The Pâ—â—es do little Mr. Boyle's Death Earthquake in Jamaca and England Ninth Electorate The Proceedings of the English Parliament The Smyrna Fleet attach'd ' by the French The Campaign in Flander's Huy taken by the French The Battle of Landen Charleroy besieged and surrendred to the French Roses taken Heidelburg taken and destroyed by the French The Dauphine inclined to attack the Prince of Baden A Letter from Turin to the States General of the United Provinces about the Battle of Marsiglia Belgrade besieg'd by the Imperialists The Siege rais'd The King his Speech to the Parliament The Proceedings of the English Parliament Sir Francis Wheeler lost Acts of Parliament signed Admiral Russell with the Fleet â—ails for Spain The death of the Prince of Liege and Choice of another The Campaign in Flanders Diep and Havâ—e de Grace Bombâ—rdâ—d by the English The Confederates and French in motion towards Flanders The French King his Letter to the Army Huy besieged by the Confederates and taken The French Progress in Catalonia The French Fleet confined to Thoulon The Campagne in Germany The Campagne in Savoy The Affairs of Poland The death of the Elector of Saxony The death of Queen Mary The English Parliament's Proceedings Th◠〈…〉 Flanders Namur Besieg'd by the Confederates 〈◊〉 Fortifications P. Vaudemont's gallant Retreat The King his Letter to Prince Vaudemont The Siege of Namur continued to the Surrender of the Town The Maritime Towns of France Bombarded by the English Dixmude and Deinse Surrendred to the French Brussells Bombarded Villeroy fails to relieve Namur The Fort and Castle of Namur surrendred The Campaign on the Rhine inconsiderable Casall besieged and taken by the Confederates Sultan Ackmet's Death Sultan Mustapha takes Lippa and Titull A Letter concerning the Defeat of General Veteranâ— Scio quited by the Venetians The Battle of Magâ—s Parliament Dissolv'd and another call'd The King's Speech The death of the Elector of Mentz An Act to remedy the ill state of the COin The Assassination discoverâ—d The King's Speech to the Parliament The Parliaments Pâ—ocâ—â—dings there upon The Confederates buru the French Magazine at Givet The Bombing of Calais St. Martins c. The Fight between the French and Spaniards 〈◊〉 Cataâ—onia The Campaign in Germany The separate Peace of Savoy and the Management of it The Envoy of Savoy's Harange to the late K. James Valentia Beâ—ieged by the French and Savoyards The Articles of Neutrality for Italy Themeswaer Besiegâ—d by the Imperialists and quitted The â—attle between the Imperialists and the Turks Liberachi brought over to the Venetian◠〈◊〉 Dulcigno Besieged by the Venetians The Seâ—ge raised Tâ—e Venetians Beat tâ—e Tuâ—ks by Sâ—a The death of the King of Poland The Czar of Moscovy routs the Turks by Sea and takes Asoph The Substance of the King his Speech to the Parliament The death of the Qu. Mother of Spain The Parliaments Proceedings The Preliminary Articles The Treaty at Reswick Aeth taken by the French The Spanish Aâ—bassaâ— râ—present thâ—ir 〈◊〉 The Elector of Saxony chosen King of Poland Alterations about the Basis of the present Treaty Other Altercations about the Bâ—sis of the present Treaty An Extraordinary Congress held The Lord Portland and the Mareschal de Boufflers their Interview and the Consequence thereof The Peace signed between England Spain Holland and France The Articles of Peace between England and France Mr. Ponti's Expedition Takes Carthagena Descryes and Escapes Admiral Neville * A Jurisdiction three Leagues in Compass Eberenburg â—aken by the Germans And a Cessation of Arms. The Battle of Zenta * Is the XLVI †Is the L. * Is the LI. * It is the XLVI The Parliament Addâ—ess the King Whitehall burâ—t Parliament proceedings King's Speech Parl. dissolved another called K goes for Holland The Affairâ— of Spain Articles of Alliance between France and Sweden Overtâ—res of Peace with the Turks The troubled Affairs of Poland The Proposals of the Rocosche The Nuâ—cio his Mediation Brings the Primate to submit The Primare's Speech to the King The Troubles of Lituania A Fight in Lithuania The Czar's Travel 's A Fight between the Poles and Tartars Elbing invested by the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The Electors Letter to Elbing The Articles of Eâ—bing Sapieha defeated The Lithuanian Troubles appeased The death of the Duke of Courland The death of the Duke of Hanover The Dukes of Holstein and Lorrain married Conference of Peace with the Turks Altercations between the Venetians and Turks