tht Attempt And the Prince of Orange observing himself so roughly and unjustly used being reproached as a publick Enemy and exposed to the malice of his implacable Adversaries having his innocent Son and his great Estate ravished from him he thought it high time to defend his Honour and his Life by force of Arms and to engage for Religion and Liberty in the Common quarrel of his Countrey And thereupon he raised an Army in Germany which he sent unto Friz and under his brother Lewis and Adolphus of Nassaw and being met by Count Aremburgh with a considerable Force a battle followed wherein the Nassovians gained a considerable Victory the Spanish Army being totally routed and Arembergh himself with the principal Commanders slain and all their Cannon Baggage and a great summ of Money sent to pay the Souldiers taken This defeat happened in 1568. But Count Lowis enjoyed this Victory very little for the Duke of Alva pursuing him fell upon him just at the time when the Germans were all in a mutiny for their pay who rather chose to be miserably slain than to defend themselves so that six thousand were killed or drowned Adolphus hardly making his escape The Prince nothing discouraged at this misfortune raised another Army of Twenty eight thousand French and Germans and published a Declaration wherein he cleared his Innocence of those crimes objected against him charging the Duke and the Council of Bloud with the Causes of the War and then passing the Rhyne by tying his Horses together to break the force of the River the Foot arrived silently in the night to the other Shore which so surprized that Duke of Alva that he would not believe it at first saying Sure yo do not think them an Army of Birds Arriving thus into Brabant he offered Alva Battel which the other declined so that after 29 several attempts to engage him to a Combate and the City 's not revolting to the Prince as he expected and the Germans being again ready to mutiny for want of Pay it was thought adviseable to dismiss his Army paying part of their Arreas by the sale of his Plate Artillery and Baggage and engaging his Principality of Orange to his chief Officers for the remainder yet before their disbanding he routed eighteen Companies of the Enemies Foot and three hundred Horse of the Spaniards near Cambray most of the Commanders being taken Prisoners and the Duke of Alva's Son slain After this with only 1200 Horse the Prince and his two Brothers went into France to the Assistance of the Protestants against the Duke of Guize and his Partisans where he was very successful in several Encounters and at length by the Advice of the great Admiral Coligni he gave out Commissions to several Persons of Quality Fugitives of the Low Countries to infest the Spaniards by Sea by which means he soon became Master of all Holland and Zealand The Germans being driven out of the Netherlands the D. of Alva as if he had conspired to lose these Countries instantly levied new Taxes even the Tenths of all Goods and Estates which so inraged the People that were already near ruined by the War that upon the Privateers who were sent abroad by the Princes Commission taking the Town of Brill a Port in Zealand eight Cities in Holland and all the Cities in Zealand except Middleburgh declared for the Prince of Orange and Flushing a considerable City being animated by the Priest at Mass on Easter day in the Morning turned out the Spanish Garrisons in such fury that they hang'd Alvarez Kinsman to the Duke of Alva And William Count of Bergen at the same time took several other Towns in Friezeland and which most astonisht Alva Lewis of Nassau by the Assistance of the French took Mons the chief City of Heynault Mean while the Prince of Orange with an Army of 11000 Foot and 6000 Horse marches to Lovain which presented him with 16000 Crowns and was received into Mechlin and from thence comes within fight of Alva's Army which was strongly fortified yet the Prince resolved to force his Intrenchments or oblige him to a Battel which whilst he was consulting he received Advice of the horrid Massacre at Paris whereby he lost the Admiral Chastillon and many other of his dearest Friends together with all hopes of any more Relief from France so that not being able to oblige the Duke to a Battel and doubting the French Commanders manders who were his chief strength should desert him upon News of the bloody Massacre he writ to his Brother Lewis to make Terms for delivering up Mons then besieged by Alva and then with slow Marches retreated to the Rhyne yet with some loss and danger for a Detatchment of Spanish Horse and Foot breaking into his Camp in the night kill'd and burnt all before them as far as his own Tent where he was fast asleep but a little Dog which us'd to lie on his Bed never left barking and scratching his face till he had waked him so that leaping out of his Bed and perceiving the peril he was in he hastened to his Men who were now coming to his Rescue and fell upon the Spaniards so furiously that most of the Party which were about a thousand Horse and Foot were cut off in their retreat After which the Prince dismissed his Army and came into Holland these States with those of Zealand having already acknowledged him for their Governour and taken an Oath to stand by him with their Lives and Fortunes But though the Prince had the full power of the Government in his own hands yet he acted all matters in the name of the States and by his extream dilligence in four months time he had provided a Fleet of 150 Sail well Rigged and Manned in the Port of Flushing who for ten years after did unspeakable damage to the Spaniards and were never but once worsted by them He likewise banished all Romish superstitions out of the Churches that difference in Religion might render them more irreconcileable to their old Adversary But the Duke of Alva having retaken Mons sent his Son to reduce some other Cities in Holland and Guelderland and because the Town of Haerlem had formerly received the Prince of Orange after the Duke had reduced it by Famine whereof near thirteen thousand died he made a dreadful example of this place the Spaniards first hanging the Governour and for several days together hanging and drowning the Ministers Magistrates and People of the City to the number of near two thousand which butcheries made the Hollanders to be still more resolved and obstinate against them so that the other Towns made a more Vigorous defence for fear of falling into the hands of such cruel blood hounds Soon after the Duke of Alva was recalled out of the Netherlands and Lowis Requiesens of a milder temper was sent to succeed him King Philip now finding that Rigor and Barbarity did but inrage the Netherlanders and made them more averse to
his Government This new Governour had the fortune at his arrival to be an eye-witness of the deseat of his Masters Fleet by that of the Prince of Orange but yet was more fortunate by Land for Prince Lowis of Nassaw having brought a fourth Army out of Germany of seven thousand Foot and four thousand Horse was defeated by the Spaniards near Nimmeguen the Germans according to their usual custom calling for their pay just as the battle began and thereby were the ruine of themselves as well as of their Generals honour Prince Lowis with his brother Prince Henry and the Count Palatine being all three killed in this fight Upon which Victory the Spaniards besieged Leyden and reduced it to very great extremity so that they were ready to Capitulate But the Prince having an account of their condition by Letters tyed to Pigeons and sent into the Town Resolved to make the utmost effort possible to relieve it and having provided two hundred Flat bottom Boates of fourteen or sixteen Oars and two Guns a piece which he filled with Seamen and Provisions when all things were prepared the Hollanders broke down the Damm that kept out the Sea which thereupon entred with such fury into the Countrey that it was overwhelmed with water and and the Camp of the Spaniards was overflowed so that the City received supplies forty mile off by water and the Spaniards having sunk their Cannon after four months fruitless labour were forced to raise the Seige being pursued by the Dutch in their Boats with long grapling Irons wherewith they drowned and destroyed a great number of their enemies This deliverance from a Barbarous and Inhumane Enemy endeared the Prince of Orange to those of Leyden who to recompence their losses by the inundation erected a University there which he indowed with ample Revenues and Priviledges But to recompence this loss Requesones reduced Zurich-zee but the Spaniards and Germans falling at variance about their pay and Requesones dying at the same time the unruly Souldiers fell upon Mastriccht and Antwerp both which Towns they plundred and ransackt of an immense Treasure rated at above Twenty Millions The Robberies of those Forreign Mutineers caused such an abhorrence and detestation of the Government in the People that those which had hitherto continued obedient to the Spanish Government now declared the Spaniards enemies to their King and Countrey and called in the Prince of Orange to their assistance All the Provinces except Luxemburg entring into an Association and Solemnly Swearing to assist each other in delivering their Countrey from Spanish Slavery This happened in 1576. when King Philip to remedy these disorders sent Don John of Austria to be Governour of the Netherlands who by his Mild and Affable behaviour wheedled the Provinces for a time to desist from their gallant resolution and though the Prince of Orange who saw the bottom of the Spaniards designs continually forewarned them not to be deluded with guilded promises yet Don John having solemnly agreed That the States General should assemble and that the Spaniards and Germans should depart out of the Netherlands several of the Provinces again submitted to King Philip the Prince of Orange with the States of Holland and Zealand protesting against their proceedings especially as to the Articles about Religion But Don John was no sooner setled in his Government being received with much magnificence at Brussels but he quickly made good the Princes Premonitions for he seized upon Namur and Charlemont and sent for the Forreign Troops Whereupon the States finding themselves deluded they resolved to oppose him by Arms and having demolished the Castle of Antwerp they joyned with the Prince of Orange and sent to desire his presence at Brussels where he was received with all kinds of Joy and the Acclamations of the People and declared Governour of Brabant and Super-Intendant of the Revenues of the Provinces The States General having declared Don John of Austria the publick Enemy of their Countrey he thereupon recall'd the Italians and other Forreigners who were banished by the perpetual Edict as it was called and with them defeated the Army of the States at Gemblours though this loss was recompensed by the surrender of the famous City of Amsterdam eight days after which was then united to the Body of Holland In the year 1579. the Prince of Orange laid the Foundation of the Republick of the Low-Countreys by the strict Union he made between the Provinces of Gueldres Zutphen Holland Zealand Friezeland and the Ommelands consisting of 25 Articles the chief whereof was That these Provinces should mutually assist each other against the common Enemy and not treat of War or Peace without general consent This was called The Treaty of Vtrecht because signed in that City and to shew that Union was absolutely necessary for their preservation the States took this for their Motto Concordia parvae res crescunt By Concord little things grow great But the Prince finding the power of these few Provinces not sufficient to defend themselves against the other Provinces that had reconciled themselves to Spain nor against that potent Crown he thought it adviseable to chuse some Neighbour Prince to be their Protector and judged none more proper than the Duke of Anjou and Alenson the only Brother of Henry III. King of France and Commissioners being sent to him it was soon agreed that these six Provinces of Holland Zealand Brabant Flanders Utrecht and Friezeland should acknowledge him for their Soveraign upon condition That he should maintain them in their present Priviledges and Religion that he should assemble the States General once a year or oftner if they thought fit That he should not dispose of any Offices or Preferments without the consent of the States Lastly That if he should endeavour to infringe or violate this Treaty he should immediately forfeit his Soveraignty and they be fully absolved from any Allegiance to him and be at liberty to chuse another Soveraign This Agreement being made Arch-Duke Matthias Brother to Rodolphus Emperor of Germany who had been sent for some time before by some factious Lords who envied the Virtue and Glory of the Prince of Orange finding that the States sought for a more powerful Protector took his leave and retired into Germany though not without large Acknowledgment and Presents from the States General The Prince of Orange hastened the March of the Duke of Alenson whose presence he knew was very considerable especially since in this year 1580 the King of Spain had published a most bloody Proscription against him Reproaching him with the favours bestowed on him by his Father Charles the V and declaring him to be a Rebel Heretick Hypocrite like to Cain and Judas of an obdurate Conscience a Villain the Head of the Netherland Troubles a Plague to Christendom and an Enemy to all Mankind Declaring further That he did prosecute and banish him out of his Countreys and Estates forbidding any of his Subjects to converse with or relieve him
the Villages about his Quarters at Pieton On the Confederates side the Slain Wounded and Deserters amounted to about 6500 in all It was said that a Letter was intercepted from the Prince of Conde to the French King giving him an account That upon a General review of his Army he found himself but in an ill condition having lost the flower of his Infantry and the best part of his Horse and therefore did not think himself strong enough to venture a second Battel Having likewise lost a great number of Officers and Persons of Quality and several Standards among which was one called the White Standard of France which was afterward hung up with great solemnity in the Church of the Carmelites at Brussels richly imbroidered with Gold and Silver with a Sun in the middle passing through the Zodiack with this Haughty Motto Nilobstabit Eunti Nothing can stop his Course But the principal honour of this Victory ought next under God to be ascribed to his Highness the Prince of Orange of whom General Souches gives the following account in a Letter to the States General I have endeavoured to discharge my Duty in attending his Highness the Prince of Orange during the Bloody and Famous Battle between the Confederate Army and that of the Christian King the happy Issue of which has proved so much to the Glory of the Prince of Orange who shewed upon that occasion the prudence of an Aged Captain the Courage of a Caesar and the Undaunted Bravery of a Marius all which my Lords I speak without flattery as being contrary to my Nature And as the Friends so the Enemies of his Highness agreed to give him equal Glory for this Adventure the Prince of Conde himself declaring That he had done in all things like an old Captain but only in venturing himself too much like a Young man Though this old General had done the same in this days action charging into the thickest Troops like a Young Cavaleer The next day after the fight his Highness marched with his whole Army near Mons and took up his head Quarters at St. Gilaine till they had recovered their disorders in the late battel and then began to think of further action At length it was concluded to beseige Oudenard to draw the Prince of Conde out of his cautious marches to relieve it The Confederates made their approches to the Town and were already Masters of the Counterscarp when Conde decamped from Beumont with his whole Army of Forty thousand men either to relieve or give the Confederates Battel His Highness advised that they should immediately fall upon the enemy weary and tired with a long March but General Souches prevented the execution of this magnanimous resolution for instead of ranging his men in Battalia he crost the River in so much haste that he left some Pieces of Cannon behind him and thereby left a way open for the Prince of Conde to enter the Town with part of his Army who thinking he had done enough in relieving it avoided coming to a Battle So that his Highness finding no more good to be done resolved to march back to Grave where his presence would be more necessary leaving Count Waldeck the command of the Army in his Absence The Seige of this place had been undertaken sometime before by General Rabenhaupt the Garrison consisted of 4000 Foot and 900 Horse of which the Marques of Chamilly a valiant and expert Captain was Governour wherein were 450 pieces of Cannon of which 100 were mounted upon the Bulwarks besides a vast quantity of Powder Corn Granadoes and all manner of Warlike Ammunition for the French had made a Magazine there of all that they had brought away from their deserted Conquests Rabenhaupt sate down before it with about twenty Regiments of Foot and some Horse and was after reinforced by the Troops of the Prince of Courland and the Elector of Brandenbourg who Summoned the City on every side assaulting it with much violence but was as vigorously defended by those within though they were reduced to drink water His Highness arrived there Oct. 9. with 60 Cornets of Horse whose presence revived the Courage of the Besiegers Yet the French held out till the twenty fifth when Chamilly finding such large breaches made in the Fortifications much widened by the fortunate blowing up of a Mine which almost destroyed a Covert way so that it was impossible for him to hold out against the general Storm designed the next day he surrendred the Town upon Honourable Articles The following Winter was spent in preparing for an early Campagne the next year 1675 in the beginning whereof the Hollanders made grateful acknowledgements to His Highness the Prince of Orange for his signal conduct and Services in redeeming them from the Calamities which they had suffered under a Cruel Forreign Enemy offering him the Title of Duke of Guelderland but to convince the World of the sincerity of his intentions and how little ambitious he was to agggrandize himself by the War His Highness refused those Honours but being at the same time offered the command of Governour Hereditary of the same Province he readily accepted it and in the management thereof discovered his excellent prudence in Civil as well as Military Affairs But whilst His Highness was intent to oppose the designs of the French for the ruin of his Countrey he was visited with the Small Pox which struck a great damp to the proggress of Affairs and was the more lamented as having proved satal to his Family in the Persons of his Father Mother and his Uncle the D. of Glocester but it pleased God that by the care and skill of an able Physitian and certain peculiar Remedies sent him by the Duke of Brandenburg his Highness recovered and within 20 days was abroad again and hastned to the General Rendesvouze of his Army at Rosendael in order to the relief of Limburg then besieged by the Marquess of Rochefort the King of France with an Army under the Prince of Conde posting himself advantagiously for covering the Siege But such was the slowness of the Germans and the weakness and disorder of the Spanish Troops that the Besieged having little hopes of relief and unable to oppose the great numbers of the French Troops surrendred sooner than was expected After which having wasted a great part of the adjoining Countrey the King returned to Paris being prevented from doing farther mischief by the diligence of his Highness and the D. de Villa Hermosa Soon after the great General Tureine being kill'd by a Cannon Bullet in Alsatia the Prince of Conde was sent thither as General and the Count de Montmorency was left to command the French Army who though a Captain no less wary than his Predecessor yet his Highness kept him so upon his guard that he could not disturb the Siege of Treves which after the fatal overthrow of Monsieur Crequi fell into the hands of the Imperialists So that Montmorency was unwilling
daily discovered as far as they durst their longing desires for the Arrival of his Highness the Prince of Orange to deliver them from the apparent Mischiefs that impended over the Nation His Highness Preparations for his Expedition went on apace and the Marquess of Albeville King James his Ambassador at the Hague presented a Memorial to the Deputies of the States General upon that Subject but while he expected an Answer the Troops Embarqued and his Highness and the Marshal Schomberg came to the Hague and on Friday Oct. 16. The Fleet consâ—â—â—ing of 635 Men of War Fireships Tenders c. For the carriage of Horse Foot Arms and Ammunition sailed about four Afternoon from the Flats near the Brill with the Wind at S. W. and by S. The Prince Embarqued on a Vessel of between 28 and 30. Guns with Count Solmes Count Stirum the Sieur Bentwick the Sieur Overkirk Marshal Schomberg Count Charles his Son with several others as well English Noblemen as Strangers who were in the Fleet next day they came in sight of Schevelinge but meeting with a very terrible Storm which continued for two days and nights together was forced to put into Harbour again some Ships and small Vessels on which the Horse were aboard suffering some prejudice upon their return the Prince immediately gave an account to the States General of the Condition of the Fleet which was not so much damaged as was published in the English Gazette but rather turned to the Advantage of his Highness as the Affair was managed for to make the English Court more remiss in their Preparations the Haarlem and Amsterdam Gazettes told a most lamentable Story of what had happened As that the Prince was returned with his Fleet so miserably Torn and Shattered that he had lost nine of his Men of War and several lesser Vessels That 1000 of his Horse were utterly lost that a Calenture was got among the Seamen that Dr. Butner and several of the Princes chief Ministers were drowned and that the States had an ill opinion of the Expedition in General so that it was a thing almost impossible that the Prince should be in a Condition to pursue his Design till the next Spring This Stratagem had some effect upon the Court for the Papists hopes hereupon began so to revive that the King Ordered the Restoring the Charters and the Fellows of Magdalen Colled the Vacaring the Ecclesiastical Commission and the other Grants which he had newly made to be suspended till he heard the Prince was again put to Sea and thereby made the whole Nation sensible how little Trust or Credit was to be given to his most solemn Promises and Declarations but all hands being at work the damage that had been sustained was repaired in eight days time so that Nov. 3. about ten in the Morning upon a signal given the whole Fleet once more set Sail about Midnight an Advice Boat brought Intelligence that the English Fleet consisting of thirty three Sail lay to the Westward of the Princes upon which the Prince fired a Gun which caused a great Consternation through the whole Fleet but the small Advice Boats Cruising for more certain Intelligence brought news that instead of the English Fleet which had given the Alarm it was only Admiral Herbert with a part of the Dutch Fleet which had been for some hours separated from the main Body in the Morning the Prince gave a Signal for the Admirals to come aboard of him and soon after the Fleet was got into the North Forelands at what time the Fleet was Orderâ—d to close up in a Body fourteen or fifteen Foot deep his Highness leading the Van in the Ship called the Brill carrying a Flag with English Colours with this Motto The Proteâ—tant Religion and Liberties of England and underneath I will maintain it in the mean time the Council of War sent three small Frigates into the Mouth of the Thames who returning brought news that the English Fleet lay at the Bâ—oy in the Oar about thirty four Sail the Wind centrary at E. N. E. Upon which the Prince gave Order for stretching the whole Fleet between Dover and Calice seventy five deep which extended in breadth within a League of each Place the Flanks and Rear being guarded by Men of War the Trumpet founding and Drums beating at least three hours together after which the Prince giving the Signal for the Eleet to close they sailed that night as far as Beachy and the next Morning came within view of the Isle of Wight and then Order was given to extend the Fleet in a Line as before the next Morning they made directly for Toâ—â—ay upon his Highness Arrival the People flocking in great numbers to the Shoar signified their welcomes in loud Acclamations of Joy soon after the Prince gave two signals for the Admirals to come aboard and then the whole Fleet cast Anchor and Preparation was made for Landing whilst the Admirals stood out to Sea as a Guard and the small Men of War at ended for the Defence of those that Landed besides six men of War that were Ordered to run in and guard the Bay it self It is remarkable that his Highness had a brisk East and North Easterly Wind for two days which brought them directly toward Torbay and the Wind then turning Westerly carried them into the Bay which otherwise might have been very troublesome and dangerous The Prince now displayed a Red Flag at the Mizen yards Arm while General Mackay with six Regiments of Foot was the first that set Foot on Shoar under the Protection of the little Porpoise which was ordered to run her self aground to secure their Landing this was upon Nov. 5. a day memorable to the English before but now doubly remarkable for a second Deliverance from the Bloody Designs of the Papists But the People were so far from making Opposition that they only stood there to welcome their Guests with all manner of Provisions and Refreshments So that his Highness safely Landed his whole Army consisting in 10692 Foot and 3660 Horse in all 14352. The News of the Princes being Landed was carried to the Earl of Bath at Exeter and Captain Hicks going thither the People flock'd to him in great numbers to List themselves in the Service of the Prince of Orange for which the Mayor of the City would have sent him to Prison but was prevented by the People the next day the Lord Mordaunt with Dr. Burnet came thither with three or four Troops of Horse and commanding the Gates to be opened released the Captain and going to the Mayor askt him if he would wait upon the Prince at his Entrance who pleading his Obligation of an Oath to King James and desiring that his Conscience might not be imposed on he was excused The next day the Prince with his Guards marched into the City and went to the Deans House where he resided during his stay at Exeter after whom followed the whole Body of his Army
surprisingly that they made little Resistance but fled with all imaginable Confusion and being pursued 400 of them were kill'd and the rest totally routed and taken Prisoners with a great quantity of Claret and other Provisions and a great number of Officers were brought to Edenburg and committed to the Tolbooth soon after the remaining Rebels who escaped designed to have surprized the Garrison of Inverness but were happily prevented and deseated by the Earl of Drumlanerig and Major General Mackay In Ireland the King having secured Dublin in safe Hands caused his Army to march toward Limerick where Tyrconnel and Lauzun had drawn together the late Kings broken Forces and having made their approaches against all Opposition His Majesty ordered the Trenches to be opened and planted several Batteries of Cannon which made great breaches in the Walls and a general Assault was expected but Aug. 28. at Night the Rains fell so excessively that the Rivers overflowed and the Garrison being extream strong the King to spare his Men and to avoid the many Inconveniences of the approaching Season was pleased to Order the raising the Seige and refer the reducing the City till a more favourable opportunity after which His Majesty returned for England and was received with all imaginable Expressions of Joy throughout the Kingdom About this time a Fleet was prepared by His Majesties Order consisting in thirty two English and twenty eight Dutch men of War aboard of whom were imbarked eight Regiments of Foot besides the Marine Regiments commanded by the Earl of Marlborough as General and Mr. Trelawny as Major General who Sept. 21. arrived at Cork in Ireland which was obliged to surrender upon Articles and soon after Kingsale ran the same Fate an horrible design of the Irish was now discovered to have set the City of Dublin on Fire but it was happily discovered and prevented In October the Parliament met again at Westminster and Congratulated His Majesties safe return and likewise returned their humble acknowledgments to Her Majesty for Her Goodness Wisdom and Courage manifested in the greatest Dangers even when a powerful Enemy was upon the Coasts the Earl of Torrington was tryed on board the Kent in the River Medway by a Jury of Sea Captains and after a long hearing of the Witnesses and his Defence upon a long debate he was acquitted The Parliament continued to sit and passed many Acts both for supplying His Majesty for the War and setling the Kingdom to whom the King gave an account that the posture of Affairs abroad required his Presence at the Hague and accordingly Jan. 6. His Majesty left White-Hall attended by the great Officers of his Household and divers others of the Nobility and Gentry and soon after arrived in Holland though with some difficulty by reason of the Ice at the Hague His Majesty was received with great Joy which they exprest by erecting several Triumphal Arches redounding to the Glory of his Gallant Achievements since His Majesty left that Countrey And now a Conspiracy was discovered managed by several Persons for introducing our former Bondage and Slavery and the Lord Preston John Ashton and Edmond Eliot were seized as they were designing to go for France with Letters and Papers of Pernicious Consequence and Jan. 17. the Lord Preston was Tryed for High Treason at the Old-Bailey and two days after Mr. Ashton and were both found Guilty and Mr. Ashton was Executed for the same but the Lord Preston was Reprieved together with one Crone formerly Sentenced upon the same account and the Trial of Eliot was deferred after which a Proclamation was issued out for apprehending Dr. Turner late Bishop of Ely William Pen and James Graham Esquires The Duke of Savoy whose Family had for above an hundred years past been trampled on by France and would at this day have been entirely enslaved by that King took this favourable occasion to set himself at Liberty while all Europe almost lends him a helping hand and thereupon some Months since he declared openly against that Crown and Released and gave Liberty to all his Protestant Subjects and entertained them into his Service entering likewise into the Confederacy with the Princes and States of Christendom now in Arms to reduce that Grand Vsurper to Reason and incapacitate him from being any longer dangerous to his Neighbours and in the latter end of 1690. His Highness sent an Envoy to Congratulate their Majesties Accession to the Throne and to express his Passionate desire to unite himself to His Majesties Friendship by an indissoluble Vnion Vpon the Kings Arrival at the Hague several Princes daily came thither as well to have the Honour to wait upon his Majesty as to confer about the state of Affairs March 5. the King accompanied by the Duke of Zell and several of his own Nobility departed for Loo and by the way had news that the French had invested the City of Mons the day before upon which his Majesty ordered the Dutch Troops to march immediately into Flanders to the general Rendezvous and soon after followed in Person being received in the Camp with extraordinary Joy that they should fight under the Banners of so undaunted a Prince the French King arrived before the Town five days after the Siege began having amassed all his Forces together upon this Enterprize leaving only sufficient to defend their Garrisons so that by their continual firing and attacks and the Folly of the Burghers who would not admit above 6000 men into the Town whereas they ought to have had at least 4000 Horse and 10000 Foot this important Place was taken in eight days time the Governor not being able to make such vigorous Sallys as he might have done because he was willing to spare his men but the Burghers being by this means stronger than the Garrison obliged the Prince of Berghes to a surrender before the Confederates could â—ossibly have leisure to relieve the Town after which the French King returned to Versailles and King William came back to England viewing some part of the Fleet in his return and arrived safe at White-Hall where His Majesty nominated several new Bishops to succeed those that had forfeited their bishopricks by refusing to swear Allegiance to their Majesties he likewise took a view of the Troops that were to go to Flanders and having provided for the Security of the Kingdom and happily settled all affairs in Scoland and Ireland His Majesty declared his Resolution of returning into Flanders and arrived May 2 1691. in the Army Encamped within two Miles of Brussels being about 70000 strong and the French under the Duke of Luxemburg no less numerous And in July Baltimore and Athlone in Ireland were taken by General Giukle and the Prince of Wirtemburg Monsieur St. Ruth the French Kings General being killed in the great Battle at Agram soon after with the loss of 7000 of the Irish and the taking of Galloway which followed with most of the other Forts and Castles and Towns except
to govern the People with mildness and to endeavour to gain their Affections which would be the most durable Foundation that he could lay for the security of his Government The Duke was received at Antwerp with all kind of Magnificence being made Duke of Brabant with much solemnity and having taken an Oath to protect and defend them in all their Rights afterward the Nobility and Gentry swore Allegiance to him as their Prince and Governour Soon after a Plot was laid to kill the Prince of Orange which was thus managed Gaspar de Anastro a Spanish Merchant living in Antwerp finding his Affairs in a very low condition by reason of the many Debts he had contracted and was not able to pay he bethought himself of the great Reward promised by the King of Spain to the Murtherers of the Prince of Orange and being greedy of this prey which he thought might again retrieve his credit he consulted with the Governour of Gravelin how to put this Fact in execution and at length concluded to imploy a wicked Boy he had called Joanille to perpetrate it who no sooner was acquainted with it but he readily undertook it The day appointed for this execrable deed was on a Sunday when the Duke of Anjou making a great Feast the Prince of Orange was present the Boy accordingly came to the house where he was confest by a Jacobin Fyrer and promised the pardon of all his sins the Priest likewise deluding him and saying that he should go invisible having given him some Characters in Papers with Frogs Bones and other Trifles that were found in his pocket Being thus strengthened in his Resolution he drank a Glass or two of Wine and the Ghostly Father having given him his Blessing at the stairs foot left him Joanille comes into the Room where the Prince and several Lords were at Dinner clad like a French-man and was thought a Servant to one of the French Noblemen he endeavoured to come near the Prince having charged his Pistol with two Bullets designing to shoot him behind as he had been instructed but was still hindered The Prince having dined went toward his Withdrawing Room shewing by the way to a Noble-man the Cruelties of the Spaniards in the Netherlands wrought in Tapestry when the Murtherer having placed himself in a Window of the Hall discharged his Pistol against the hinder part of his head but the Prince turning his face at the same instant the Bullet entred in at the throat it being so near that the fire entred with the wound burning his Ruff and his Beard and breaking one of his Teeth the Bullet coming out at the left Cheek near his Nose without hurting his Tongue This terrible blow being given all present were amazed and one of the Halberdiers in a rage thrust the Villain thorow and a Page presently after dispatcht him The Boy was quickly known to belong to Anastro who was imprisoned together with the Monk the first was released but the Fryer together with the Carcass of the Murtherer were both hang'd and after quartered The Princes wound was somewhat dangerous for the bleeding of the Jugular Vein could by no art nor means be stopt till they contrived that for nine days together several persons appointed should hold their Thumbs upon the wound night and day so that at length it closed and the danger was over At first the French were thought to have committed the Fact but the Prince of Orange though weak writing with his own hands to the Magistrates of Antwerp to let them know it was a Spaniard they at length were satisfied The grief of that great City was extraordinary upon the Princes being wounded the Magistrates commanding Fasts to be kept to pray for his Recovery and their Joy was as great when they heard he was out of danger The Prince of Parma Governour of the Spanish Netherlands concluded him dead and sent mild Letters to several Cities to surrender to him After this the Duke of Anjou envying the Power of the Prince of Orange which he thought eclipsed his own and not enduring to be a Soveraign only in name with such a limited Authority by the Advice of some of his young Councillors he resolved to seize upon the principal Places in the Netherlands that is Antwerp Bruges Dunkirk and Dendermond upon pretence that the People of Antwerp had incompassed his Pallace with design to murther him The two last he took possession of but the Citizens of Bruges and Antwerp defended themselves with so much courage that the French were kill'd in such heaps before the Gates as prevented those without from enering in to their Relief The Flemmings had some suspitions the Prince was concerned in the attempt which was somewhat occasioned by his fourth Marriage with Lovise de Coligny a French Lady But he perceiving it and that the States party grew every day weaker in the Walloon Provinces retired into Holland where he thought himself more secure and his Life less exposed to the Bigotted Papists and setled at the City of Delph where Henry Frederick Grandfather to our present Gracious Soveraign was born The Duke of Anjous Party being defeated he was obliged to restore those places of which he had made himself Master And returning into France dyed soon after some say of poyson others of meer vexation for this inglorious enterprize The Spaniards thinking they had no greater Enemy in the World than the Prince of Orange and that he being gone they should attain their full purposes for inslaving the Netherlands they used all manner of base and treacherous practices to murder and destroy him which they too succes-fully effected in the manner following In May 1584. A Young man of above twenty seven coming to the Princes Court at Delph delivered him a Letter as he passed along the Prince demanding whence it came the Youth being of a seeming innocent countenance replyed that it was his own Letter and contained matter of concernment for the service of the Countrey It was subscribed Francis Guyon The Prince went away and the next day the fellow desiring a Councellor of the Princes that he might be heard and receive an Auswer of his Letter and that he had several other things of importance to discover both concerning the Countrey and Religion The Prince having notice of it commanded one of his Council to examine him to whom he gave a large account of his pretended adventures and that he had procured several blanks which he produced with Count Mansfields Seal which were given him for the use of Pass-ports for Victualers but might be serviceable to the Prince upon other occasions The Prince recovered the blank Pass-ports intending to try some experiment with them And by this means he became so familiar at Court that the Prince some days after having an account of the death of the Duke of Anjou he sent for this Villain into his chamber to inquire something of him while he was in bed and the wretch afterwards confest in
to say to your Face And may I e're find Credit with your Majesty and Protection from Heaven as what I now do is free from Passion Vanity or Design with which Actions of this Nature 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 always shewn too uninterested a Sence of Religion to doubt the just Effects of it in 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 throughly convinces me to be the best and for the Support of which I am so highly interested in my Native Countrey and is not England now by the most endearing Tye become so Whilest the restless Spirits of the Enemies of the REFORMED RELIGION back'd by the Cruel Zeal 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 as to deny my Concurrence to such worthy Endeavours for disabusing of your Majesty by the Re-inforcement of those Laws and 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 Obligations with your Majesty and be able to tear me from you whilst the same Affectionate Desire of serving you continues in me Could I secure your Person by the Hazard of my Life I should think it could not be better employed And wou'd to God these your distracted Kingdoms might yet receive that satisfactory Complyance from your Majesty in all their justifiable Pretentions 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 Sir Your Majesties most Humble and most Obedient Son and Servant The Lord Churchil's Leâ—ter ran thus Sir 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 so 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 a 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 Thiâ— Sir could proceed from nothing but the inviolable Dictates of my CONSCIENCE and necessary concern for my RELIGION which no good Man can oppose and wiâ—h 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 Majesties true Interest and the Protestant Religion But as I can no longer joyn with such to give a pretence by Conquest to bring them to effect so will I always with the hazard of my Life and Fortune so much Your Majesties due endeavour to preserve Your Royal Person and Lawful Rights with all the tender Concern and dutiful Respect that becomes Sir Your Majesties most dutiful and most obliged Subject and Servant The Princess Ann of Denmark likewise directed the following Letter to the Queen upon her withdrawing Madam I beg your Pardon if I am so deeply affected with the surprizing News of the Princes 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 Kings 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 uncapable of following him for any other End Never was any one in such an unhappy Condition so divided between Duty and Affect on to a Father and a 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 the Nobility and Gentry who avow to have no other end than to prevail with the King to secure their Religion which they saw in so much 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 perswaded that the Prince of Orange designs the King's Safety and Preservation and hope all things may be Compâ—sâ—d without more Bloodshed by the Calling 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 Your most Obedient Daughter and Servant Ann. The King now issued out a Proclamation of Pardon to all his Subjects that had taken up Arms under the Prince if they returned in twenty days but very few or none came back and about the same time a Party of the Princes Men being abroad and advancing beyond their Strength were pursued and charged by Collonel Sarsfield with seventy horse and thirty Dragoons and Granadiers who overtaking them at Wincanton they posted themselves behind the Hedges Whereupon the Kings Party dismounted and marched up to them and they began to Fire â—riskly several being killed and wounded But â—olonel Sarsfield getting into the Field with his Horse and Charging them in the Reer they were most of them killed or taken Prisoners Lieutenant Cambel who commanded them being slain and of the Kings Party four were killed and Cornet Web mortally wounded This slender success was soon damped by an Address from the Fleet for a Free Parliament which now began to grow Cold in his Service and the continual Desertions of his Army So that the King not thinking it Convenient to hazard a Battel with them upon the approach of the Princes Forces with
whom now were a great part of the Nobility He recalled his Remainder of them with the Train of Artillery and upon his return to White Hall he appointed Colonel Beril Skelton to be Lieutenant of the Tower in the place of Sir Edward Hales and in pursuance of the Advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Ordered the Chancellor Jefferies to issue out writs for summoning a Parliament to sit Jan. 15. following the Bishop of Exeter who left that City upon the approach of the Prince was likewise nominated Arch-Bishop of York which had been vacant for some time and was thought to have been designed for Father Peters if things had gone on But the King Affairs growing daily more desperate and the Prince of Orange marching forward with his Army and being advanced to Hungerford after a Consultation with the Queen and the Jesuits it was resolved to send the following Proposals of Accommodation to his Highness which were soon after published with the Princes Answer thereto VVHEREAS on the 8th of December 1688. at Hungerford a PAPER Signed by the Marquess of Hallifax the Earl of Nottingham and the Lord Godolphin Commissioners sent unto US from his Majesty was Delivered to US in these Words following viz. SIR The King Commandeth 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 adviseable to defer it till things were more Compos'd Yet seeing that His People still continue to desire it He hath put forth His Proclamation in order to it and hath Issued forth 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 shall 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 immediately to enter into a Treaty in Order to it His Majesty proposeth that in the mean time the Respective Armies may be Restrained within such Limits and at such a Distance from London as may prevent the Apprehensions that the Parliament may in any kind be disturbed being desirous that the Meeting of it may be no longer delay'd than it must be by the usual and necessary Forms Signed Hallifax Nottingham Godolphin WE with the Advice of the Lords and Gentlemen Assembled with US have in Answer to the same made those following PROPOSALS 1. That all Papists and such Persons as are not qualified by Law be Disarmed Disbanded and Removed from all Employments Civil and Military 2. That all Proclamations which Reflect upon Us or any that have come to Us or declared for Us be recalled and that if any Persons for having so Assisted have been committed that they be forthwith set at Liberty 3. 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 4. That if His Majesty shall think fit to be at London during the Sitting of the Parliament that we may be there also with an equal Number of Our Guards Or if his Majesty shall please to be in any place from London at what-ever distance he thinks fits that We may be at a place of the same distance And that the respective Armies do remove from London Thirty Miles and that no more Foreign Forces be brought into the Kingdom 5. That for the Security of the City of London and their Trade Tilbury Fort be put into the hands of the said City 6. That to prevent the Landing of French or other Foreign Troops Port mouth may be put into such hands as by Your Majesty and Us shall be agreed upon 7. That some sufficient part of the Publick Revenue be Assigned Us for the Maintaining of our Forces until the Meeting of a Free Parliament But these Proposals of the Prince proving of too hard Digestion at White-Hall the Offer of Accommodation was thought to be Designed only to gain time and the Romish Councellors perceiving that this would not obtain began to think of other measures So that the Child being sent for back from Portsmouth to White-Hall in great haste the Queen having made up her Equipage Dec. 10. took her Solemn Leave of the King and with the pretended Prince of Wales and her Attendants whereof it is said Father Peters was one but it was thought with a large proportion of Treasure and Jewels She Crossed the Water at Lambeth where three Coaches with Six Horses awaited them and with a Strong Guard went to Greenwich and so to Graves-End where she and her Retinue Imbarked in a Yatch for France and Landed the next Day about four a Clock in the Afternoon the Queen and several Courtiers being gone the Popish Priests began to shift for themselves and the same Night the King called an Extraordinary Council and sent for the Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London Charging them to preserve the Peace and Quiet of the City as much as in them lay after which they were Dismist But the Council continued their Debates upon the present Exigency of Affairs a great while longer and were ordered to meet again the next Morning when to the Surprize of the City and Kingdom About three a Clock in the Morning the King took Barge at the Privy Stairs with a small Equipage and went down the River without being so much as known to many of the Officers of his Houshold who were then in waâ—ing whose sudden Departure may be supposed to be occasioned by the News that Alarm'd the Court the Day before that the Princes Forces had made their way through Beading and gain'd the Pass of Twyford-Bridg without any Considerable Resistance for about 1500 Horse and three Troops of Dragoons being Quartered in the Town of Reading they had notice that a Detatchment of the Princes Army were Marching up towards them which put them into such a Consternation that not finding themselves strong enough to maintain the Town the Officers upon Consultation Concluded to draw off and make good their Post at Twyford-Bridge out their Scouts coming in with News that the Roads were clear the Commander ordered a Scoten Regiment of Horse and the Irish Dragoons to march back and Repossess themselves of Reading which they did and were placed in the Market-place and other Posts continuing on Horseback most part of the Night to prevent Surprize yet hearing no more of the Princes Advanced Party their Officers ordered them to alight and refresh themselves and their Horses But about ten in the Morning the Trumpet Sounded to Horse the Princes Forces being at the Towns-end almost before they were Discovered and thereupon sharp Firing began on both