thence to Collingburn and so to Littlecot where he came on Saturday Decemb. 8. In the mean time the Lords Commissioners viz. the Marquess of Hallifax the Earl of Nottingham and the Lord Godolphin appointed by the King to treat with the Prince of Orange were come to Hungerford being the Place agreed on for that purpose by the Prince To whom a VVriting subscribed by their Lordships was delivered in these following VVords SIR The King has 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 has already declared was resolved before 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 continued to desire it he hath put forth his Proclamation in order to it and has issued forth his Writ for 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 has therefore sent us to attend your Highness for the Adjusting of all Matters that shall be agreed to necessary for 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 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 In Answer to which these following Proposals were made by the Prince with the Advice of the Lords and Gentlemen Assembled with his Highness 1. That all Papists and such Persons as were not Qualified by Law should be Disarmed Disbanded and Removed from all Imployments Civil and Military 2. That all Proclamations which Reflected upon his Highness or any that was come over to him or had declared for him should be Recalled and if any Persons for so doing had been Committed they should 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 to be at London during the Sitting of the Parliament his Highness might be there also with equal Number of Gards Or if his Majesty should rather chuse to be in any Place from London his Highness might be at a Place of the same Distance 5. That the Respective Armies should Remove 30 Miles from London and no more Foreign Forces should be brought into the Kingdom 6. That for the Security of the City of London and their Trade Tilbury-Fort be put into the hands of the said City 7. That to prevent the Landing of French or other Foreign Troops Portsmouth be put into such hands as by the King and Prince should be agreed upon 8. That some sufficient Part of the Publick Revenue be assigned his Highness for the Maintaining of his Forces till the Meeting of the Parliament The King upon the View of these Proposals Resolved upon a speedy Retreat into France The Prince of Wales so called was sent for before-hand to go thither along with the Queen who accordingly set out December 10. And the next Day early in the Morning the King attended by Sir Edward Hales went away from White-kall Incognito Before his Departure he sent Notice of it to the Earl of Feversham by a Letter framed in these Words 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 my Enemies hands which they must have done if they had staid I am obliged to do the same Thing and to indeavour to Secure my self the best I can 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 relyed on all my Troops I might not have been put to the Extremity I am in and would at least have had one Blow for it But tho I know there are many loyal and brave Men amongst you both Officers and Souldiers yet you know that both your Self and several of the General Officers and others of the Army told me it was no ways advisable for me to venture my self at their Head or think to fight the Prince of Orange with them What remains is only for me to Thank you and all those both Officers and Souldiers who have stuck to Me and been truly Loyal not doubting in the least but that you will still retain the same Fidelity to Me. And tho 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 presses so that I can say no more J. R. The Earl of Feversham upon the Receipt of the Letter immediately dispatched a Messenger to the Prince to let him know That having received a Letter from the King with the Vnfortunate News of his Going out of England and his Majestics Order as he expresses it to make no Opposition against any body he thought himself obliged to acquaint his Highness with it as soon as it was possible to prevent Effusion of Blood To which purpose he had given the last Order to all the Troops that were under his Command Before the King's Departure several Papists foreseeing the Revolution had withdrawn themselves beyond Sea Now the Priests and Jesuites who expected no Quarter began to shift for themselves and run some one Way some another Those among the Protestants who were the most Obnoxious and had so basely comply'd with the Times were also put to their Shifts Some of both sorts were Apprehended but most made their Escape or lay Undiscovered The Lord Chancellor Jeffreys a Mezzo-tinto Protestant as forward as any Papist to Comply with King James's Designs was taken in a Disguise at Wapping Dec. 12. and committed to the Tower where he pined away and died some time after The Earl of Peterborough being secured in Kent as he was making his Escape was also sent to the Tower In the mean time the Disbanded Army dispersed it self up and down the City and Country in an unusual and unwarrantable manner to the great Disturbance of the Publick Peace and Quiet The Mobile on the other side taking an Advantage of this State of Anarchy fell to work by burning pulling down and otherwise defacing several Houses and publick Buildings of the Roman Catholicks rifling and plundering the same And without any Regard to the Character of Embassadours
nor where this Play was to be acted Sometimes the Queen was to lye at Richmond sometimes at Windsor another time at Hampton-Court tho St. James's was the Place appointed And when her Majesty declared she would lye at St. James's on the Saturday at night which was the Night before her pretenâ—ed Travel and Delivery the Warning was so very short that with much ado her Lodgings could be got ready time enough That very night the Queen was late at Cards without any Sign of fore-running Pains of a Woman whose Travel approacheth nor is any pretended to have been in the Night And it does not so much as appear that the usual Instruments of Midwives whereupon they commonly place all Women of Quality in their Time of Travel were got in readiness So that every Thing was carried on and managed by her Majesty as if she chose rather to confirm the general Opinion of the People that this was but a pious Cheat than to be at the trouble of acting all the parts of a VVoman with Child The Time of the Day fixt upon for this Travel and the Room it self wherein it was to be acted are two other unlucky Circumstances that mainly fortify the National Prejudice against this pretended Prince The Travel was contrived to be at Church-time on the Sunday between the hours of nine and ten in the morning that the Business might be over before the Protestant Ladies were come from Church and that the Assistant Matrons might be free to act their Parts as they did In the Room there was a private Door within the Ruel of the Bed leading into an Inner Room from whence a Child might be secretly brought and put unseen into the Bed And by that Privy Door all the Transactions were managed 'T is true some Lords and Ladies were brought into the Bed-Chamber but only to be seen in the Room and that their Names might be published as VVitnesses of the Queen's being Delivered tho they saw nothing that was done For the Queen lay in Bed with all the Curtains round close drawn whilst the Midwife and her Confederates seemed very busy about Her Majesty in the dark none seeing what they did Nor do's it appear that Her Majesty had any of those natural Signs which usually attend a Travel and such as cannot be hidden Her Labour was short and easy far beyond what could be expected from her State of Body debilitated with long lingering Infirmities VVhich might be so contrived lest the Child that was got in the Bed should be stifled by the Closeness of it The Jobb being thus finely over something close covered was by the Midwife delivered to one of the Confederate Matrons and both hastned with it through the Privy Door into the next Room without declaring what it was a Prince or a Princess VVhich looks something odd of the Midwife to quit her Attending and Assulting the Queen when her Attendance and Skill were both so necessary to preserve her Majesties Life if she had really brought forth either a Son or a Daughter Nor was the Child heard to Cry which is the common and most constant natural Sign of the Birth of a living Child Which might be because the Child that was brought in was prepared to sleep to prevent its Crying before it was conveyed into the Bed and slept on till it was gradually awaked The King after some time leaving the Lords of the Council in the Bed-Chamber who had waited all this while to no more purpose than if they had been ten miles off with-drew into the inner Room where the supposed Prince was And soon after the News was brought them that a Prince was born VVhereupon some went away and others staid yet a while to have a sight of this New-born Prince VVho being shewn unto them the King said That he had now a Son a strong and lively Prince VVhich gave occasion for a Joke even amongst the meanest sort of Child-bearing Women That such a Child of about Eight Months was as great a Miracle as the Queens Conception For by their Majesties Reckoning this supposed Prince was but the Product of eight Months and four Days and to see such an untimely Birth so strong and lively especially from so weak a Mother is rare and almost past Belief Nor was the Matter much mended by saying That it was frequent amongst Child-bearing VVomen to Misreâ—kon or by persuading the Queen to declare contrary to her first Reckoning which she kept to several Weeks after her pretended Delivery That she had miscounted the Time of her Conception and that she knew her self to be with Child before her Use of the Bath Strange that Her Majesty should be then with Child and yet have her Monthly Courses as she had in her Journey to the Bath and four Days after the Kings going from thence That knowing her self with Child at that time she should not acquaint her Physicians with it the meanest of whom might have told Her Majesty That her Bathing would probably destroy the Embryo And that Her Majesty should not consider this would spoil the Story of the Miracle of Loretto said to be performed at the King 's Return to Bath These are Things so Inconsistent and altogether so Irreconcilable that they would be hissed at in any Judicious and Impartial Court of Judicature But any Thing will go down with a sort of Men that can digest Contradictions and whose Zeal to their Religion can make them believe at random what they see not and not to believe what they see If the Queen's pretended Conception was Miraculous the Progress of her Great Belly and her Delivery were as Preternatural Nay the very Consequents of her Delivery were no less wonderful so that it was all but one continued Miracle To see a Queen at the best but tender and weak yet free from any Danger of her Life after an Untimely Birth without Feaver or so much as the usual Redundancy of Milk these are such Blessings from Heaven as may pass for Miracles But as the Miracle of the Conception was spoiled by shifting the Reckoning so it is to be feared that the rest was all of a piece From what is said upon very sure Evidence I leave the World to judge what Ground there is to believe the supposed Prince of Wales to be born of the Queen I confess it is something hard to think That a Father should be so Unjust and Unnatural as to put by his own Lawful Children from their Succession to the Crown to make Room for an Interloper a supposititious Child Besides the Affront put 1. Upon the two Princes joined in Wedlock to his Daughters and having thereby a Matrimonial Right to the Crown 2. Upon three Kingdoms by Imposing a strange tho innocent Child upon them to be the next Successor and consequently to receive in time Homage and Allegiance of all the Subjects thereof the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty with all dutiful Submission to his Commands 3. Upon all Foreign
upon the account of their Religion even Papists themselves not excepted so that there might be no more Danger of the Nations falling at any time hereafter under Arbitrary Government He further Declares That to this Parliament he would Refer the Inquiry into the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales and of all Things relating to it or to the Right of Succession And for the Executing of this his just Design He Invites and Requires all Persons whatsoever all the Peers 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 Him against all such as should indeavour to Oppose Him Whereby all those Miseries might be prevented which must needs follow upon the Nations being kept under Arbitrary Government and Slavery and all the Violences and Disorders which had Overturned the whole Constitution of the English Government might be fully Redressed in a Free and Legal Parliament Then He concludes to this purpose That he would take Care as soon as the Nations were brought to a State of Quiet that a Parliament should 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 might live easy and happy and for putting an end to all the Vnjust Violences that had been committed there in a course of so many Years And as for Ireland That he would study to bring that Kingdom to such a State that the Settlement there might be religiously observed and that the Protestant and British Interest there might be secured Finally That He would Indeavour by all possible Means to procure such an Establishment iâ— all the Three Kingdoms that they might all live in a happy Union and Correspondency together and that the Protestant Religion the Peace Honour and Happiness of these Nations might be established upon lasting Foundations This Declaration being Given under His Highnesses Hand and Seal at his Court in the Hague Oct. 10. New-style 1688. was accordingly thus signed William Henry Prince of Orange and by by His Highnesses Command C. Huygens The King having had Notice of the Prince's Design but a Month before his Highness set out from Holland hurried away from Windsor where the Court then was to White-hall and from thence to Chatham to get as much of his Fleet in readiness as could be done in so short a Warning He came to White-hall Sept. 18. and the next Day he went down the River to Chatham the Queen and the Prince of Wales with the whole Couâ—t returning in a great hurry the Day after His Majesty had sometime before signified his Pleasure to Call a Parliament to meet in November next and Writs of Summons were issued out accordingly Upon this Intelligence He did put out a plausible Declaration dated Sept. 21st wherein He declared His Royal Purpose to Indeavour at the next Sessions a Legal Establishment of an Vniversal Liberty of Conscience for all his Subjects together with his Resolution Inviolably to Preserve the Church of England as by Law Established excepting the Penal Clauses And to remove all Fears and Apprehensions that the Legistative Power would be Ingrossed by the Roman Catholicks and turned against Protestants He declared his Willingness that they should remain Incapable to be Members of the House of Commons As for the Election of Members of Parliament His Majesty by this His Declaration gave strict Orders that all Things relating thereto should be done according to Law Immediately after the publishing of the said Declaration the King was pleased to Authorize and Impower the Lords Lieutenants of the several Counties to Grant Deputations to such Gentlemen as had been lately Removed from being Deputy-Lieutenants And His Majesty gave also Directions to the Lord Chancellor to put into the Commission of the Peace such Gentlement as had been laid aside and should be recommended by the said Lords Lieutenants And upon the Attendance of several of the Bishops on the King His Majesty was pleased amongst other Gracious Expressions to let them know That he would signify his Pleasure for taking off the Suspension of the Lord Bishop of London Which was done accordingly Then came out his Proclamation under the Date of Sept. 28th Wherein He first informs his People of a great and sudden Invasion from Holland to be speedily made in a Hostile Manner upon this his Kingdom And then solemnly Conjures all his Subjects heartily to Vnite together in the Defence of Him and their Native Country as the only Way under God to defeat and frustrate the Principal Hope and Design of his and their Enemies But whereas he did intend to have met his Parliament in November next He found it necessary in regard of this strange and unreasonable Attempt from our Neighbouring Country without any manner of Provocation to recall the Writs issued forth with Orders to surcease all further Proceedings thereon Then He proceeds to give the necessary Charge to all Lords Lieutenants and Deputy Lieutenants to use their best and utmost Indeavours to Resist Rebel and Suppress his Enemies who came with such Confidence and great Preparations to Invade and Conquer these his Kingdoms And lastly does most expresly and strictly Injoin and Prohibit all his Subjects from giving any manner of Aid Assistance Countenance or Succour or from holding any Correspondence with these his Enemies or any of their Complices upon Pain of High Treason and being proceeded against with the utmost Severity Within four Days after came out His Majesties most Gracious and General Pardon but with such Intricate Clauses as resolved the Pardon into little or nothing The King upon this having received several Complaints of great Abuses and Irregularities committed in the late Regulaâ—ion of the Corporations Authorized and Required the Lords Lieutenants of the several Counties to Inform themselves of all such Abuses and Irregularities within their Lieutenancies and to make forthwith Report thereof to His Majesty together with what they conceived fit to be done for Redressing the same Whereupon His Majesty would give such farther Orders as should be requisite The next Thing was His Majesties Appointing the Lord Bishop of Winchester as Visior of St. Mary Magdalen in Oxford to Settle that Society Regularly and Statutably Then a Proclamation for Restoring Corporations to their Ancient Charters Liberties Rights and Franchises Followed by an Order from the King and Council under His Majesties Signet and Sign-Manual to Remove Displace and Discharge all manner of Officers and Magistrates of Cities Boroughs and Towns Corporate which had or claimed such Offices or Places by Charter Patent or Grant from the late King or from Him since the Year 1679. Except such Cities and Towns whose Deeds of Surrender were Inrolled or against whom Judgments in Quo Warranto were entred And Oct. 2d the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs with several other Eminent Citizens of London attending the King His Majesty was pleased to tell
Exception void Then He exclaims upon the Prince's Calling in question the Legitimacy of the Prince of Wales his Son and Heir apparent notwithstanding there were at his Birth so many Witnesses of Vnquestionable Credit And whereas the Prince of Orange had Declared that he would submit all to the Determination of a Free Parliament His Majesty by this his Declaration indeavours to possess his People that a Parliament could not be free so long as there was an Army of Forreigners in the Heart of his Kingdom and declared his Resolution to caâ—l one as soon as his Kingdoms should be delivered from this Invasion with Assurances of Receiving and Redressing all the Just Complaints and Grievances of His good Subjects and of Maintaining them in their Religion Liberties and Properties Vpon which Considerations and the Obligations of their Duty and natural Allegiance He promises Himself that they will readily and heartily Concur and Joyn with him in the intire Suppression and Repelling of those his Enemies and Rebellious Subjects coming to Disturb the Peace of these his Kingdoms The King had hitherto turned every Stone to bring off his People from Joyning with the Prince with daily Retractations Promises and Threats Proclamations and Declarations Nay some few Addresses were procured full of horror and amazement at this intended Invasion as they called it and of the Subscribers Impatience to shew their Zeal for the King's Service by Sacrificing their Lives and Fortunes for the support of his Crown and Dignity Such was the humble Address of the Justices of the Peace for the County of Cumberland subscribed unto by several other Gentlemen of the said County Another from the Mayor Aldermen and Common-Council of Exeter A third from the Mayor Aldermen Bailifs and Citizens of the City of Carlisle And by Sir Thomas Haggerstons Report then Governour of Berwick the People of that Place were so transported with Loyalty to the King and possessed with such a Detestation and abhorrence of this Invasion that they not only Resolved to venture their Lives and Fortunes in the Defence of the King's Person and Government but desired withal that His Majesty would be graciously pleased to send down Commissions for the Raising a Regiment of Inhabitants to be assisting to the King 's standing Forces there as Occasion should offer All this the Gazets took great care to acquaint us with as also to let us know those Noble Peers and others who upon the News of this miscalled Invasion humbly offered their Services to His Majesty Amongst which was his Grace the late Duke of Newcastle to whom the King gave a Commission to raise a Regiment of Foot The King had a gallant Army but most of them were Protestants and not a few true English Men readier to draw the Sword for the Defence of the Protestant Religion and the Liberty of England than for the Maintenance of those two Inseparable Monsters Popery and Slavery The People generally waited for the Princes Coming with great Impatience and could not conceal the Joy which the Expectation of him had diffus'd over and the Kingdom So that if this were an Invasion one could every where read Treason in their Faces and a Man could scarce turn about but he met with a Traytor They that knew not the North from the South or the East from the West fell learning of the Compass to find out how the Wind fat whilst they longed for that Wind which must bring over the Prince So mindful were the People of the late Attempts upon their Religion Laws and Liberties that they look't upon Him as their Saviour whom the Court Party called Invader Such was the state of Things here when the Prince of Orange having long waited for a favourable Wind did at last set out from Holland with His great Fleet which lay in the Flats near the Brill This was October 19. old Style 1688 when his Highness attended by Mareschal de Schomberg as General with many other great Officers and Persons of Quality of several Nations set Sail about four a Clock in the Afternoon Nothing could be more glorious than his Setting out but nothing more dismal than what followed soon after So furious a Tempest did arise in the Night as wholly dispersed that prodigious Fleet and gave great Apprehensions of its Loss VVhen Holland that had seen but the day before the whole Fleet sail together in the greatest Splendour saw now but seattered Ships return into its Harbour not without some Damage Which proved for some time a great Mortification to the Protestant Party whilst the Roman Catholicks lookt upon it as an Indication of God's Anger an ill Omen to the Prince and a terrible Warning to His Highness not to Attempt any Thing against the Church Interest In short they presently concluded his Highness must let fall his Design And 't is observable that upon the News of it here there was a Demurr put upon the Business of Magdalen Colledge which shewed still what they would be at if the Prince had any way failed in his Design But the whole Fleet came at last to several Ports of Holland without so much as one Ship cast away Only one Man and 4 or 500 Horses were lost which were thrown Over-board So that his Highness admiring God's Providential Goodness in so great a Trial resolved to pursue his Heroick Design with the first Opportunity And whatever Application might be made unto him to dissuade him from any further Attempt he declared That his Word was too far ingaged and his Honour lay too much at Stake for any Danger to deter him from the Performance of the first or from Saving the last as far as it lay in his power That as He was satisfied with the Justice of his Undertaking so He was fully convinced of God's merciful Goodness in Saving the whole Fleet from so apparent a Danger which he took as a good Omen Accordingly He ordered all Things to be got in reaâ—iness and a speedy Recruit of Horses to be made About Octob. 30. the Wind turning Easterly and blowing fresh Orders were given to Set out with all Speed And two Days after Nov. 1. about Three in the Afternoon the whole Fleet now increased to a greater Number did set Sail. Which being commanded by Admiral Herbert was divided into three Squadrons the Red White and Blue according to the Colour of their respective Flags The Prince was in the Brill a new Ship of about 3â— Guns Whose Flag was English Colours with this Motto impaled thereon The Protestant Religion and Liberties of England and underneath I Will Maintain It. To the Red Squadron belonged the English and Scotch Forces consisting of six Foot Regiments commanded by Major General Mackay To the VVhiâ—e the Prince's Gards and the Brandenburghers under the Command of Count Solms And the Blue Squadron contained the Dutch and French Forces commanded by Count Nassaw Every Ship had a distinctive Mark whereby it was Known unto what Squadron she belonged And when
at Honiton But finding the Royal Regiment of Horse and several Officers of the Dragoons did more and more suspect him his Lordship marched with the Officers and Dragoons that would follow him towards Honiton Lieutenant Colonel Langston marching before with the Regiment of S. Albans As for the Royal Regiment of Horse and the rest of the Dragoons they marched back towards Bridport being very much wearied by their long Marches and put into some Disorder by so great a Surprize Salisbury Plain was the Place of Rendez-vous for the Kings Army consisting of above 30000 Men with a Great Train of Artillery under the Command of the Earl of Feversham and all the Forces drew that Way in order to a Battle Mean while to bring Things to an Accommodation and prevent Effusion of Blood a Petition for the Calling of a Free Parliament Subscribed by Nineteen Lord both Spiritual and Temporal was presented to the King by the Lords Spiritual viz. the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Arch-Bishop of York Elect the Bishop of Ely and the Bishop of Rochester in these Words May it please your Majesty The Lords Petition for a Parliament We your Majesties most Loyal Subjects in a deep Sense of the Miseries of a War now breaking forth in the Bowels of this your Kingdom and of the Danger to which Your Majesties Sacred Person is thereby like to be exposed and also of the Distractions of your People by reason of their present Grievances Do think our selves bound in Conscience of the ' Duty we ow to God and our Holy Religion to your Majesty and our Country most humbly to offer to your Majesty That in our Opinion the only visible Way to preserve your Majesty and this your Kingdom would be the Calling of a Parliament Regular and Free in all its Circumstances We therefore do most earnestly beseech Your Majesty That You would be Graciously Pleased with all Speed to call such a Parliament VVherein we shall be most ready to promote such Counsels and Resolutions of Peace and Settlement in Church and State as may conduce to Your Majesties Honour and Safety and to the Quieting of the Minds of Your People VVe do likewise humbly beseech Your Majesty in the mean time to use such Means for the preventing the Effusion of Christian Blood as to Your Majesty shall seem most meet And Your Petitioners shall ever Pray c. The King's Answer To which the King gave this Answer My Lords VVhat you ask of Me I most passionately desire And I promise you upon the Faith of a King That I will have a Parliament and such an One as You ask for as soon as ever the Prince of Orange has quitted this Realm For how is it possible a Parliament should be Free in all its Circumstances as you Petition for whilst an Enemy is in the Kingdom and can make a Return of near an hundred Voices This was the King's Pretence for shunning a Parliament Which being Regularly chosen would in all probability call his evil Counsellors to an account whom He thought himself bound in Honour to Protect and strictly Inquire into the Birth of the pretended Prince of VVales the Questioning of which was a Stab at his Heart A Parliament that would probably bind up the Prerogative pull down the Dispensing Power and damn that Beast with Seven Heads the Ecclesiastical Court A Parliament that would prove fatal to his dearly beloved Priests and Jesuits and that would have pulled down all their Schools and Chappels had they not been prevented by the unaccountable Zeal of the Mobile Lastly The King foresaw that the Prince would have demanded some Forts to be put into his Hands and the Parliaments for their Security So that He expected in case of a Free Parliament to be but a Nominal King and an unhappy Instrument of the Ruin of his Child Friends and Religion And rather than do that He chose to Perish On the other side He might flatter himself with hopes 1. That we should never be able to Agree after he had made it impossible for us to have a Legal Parliament 2. That when the Fear and Disorder were over the Church of England Principles would form a great Party for him in the Nation 3. That the French King would Assist him with Forces and Mony and if he should prevail by Force then by a Popish Army he would for ever Insure the Slavery of England The only Advantage we could pretend to have by the Coming over of the Prince of Orange with an Army was to force the King to what he would never have yielded without that Force And had the Prince gone back Re infecta 't is not likely the King would have then granted us what he would not do now Suppose he had called a Parliament what Assurance could we have of their Sitting as long as he should have no Occasion to Fear Then to be sure he would have disbanded the Protestants of his Army and supply'd their rooms with Irish Papists to have at last a Parliament if a Parliament must be had of their making This being at that time the Posture of our Affairs that the Prince referred all to a Parliament and the King would have none before he had quitted the Kingdom all Things seemed disposed to the Decision of a Bettel In order to which his Majesty accompanied by his Highness Prince George of Denmark parted upon Saturday Nov. 17. from VVhite-hall for VVindsor where he lay that Night and the next Day continued his Journy to Salisbury whither he came the 19th About this time appeared a Letter from the Prince to the King's Army in these words Gentlemen and Friends The Prince's Letter to the English Army We have in Our Declaration given you so full and so true an Account of Our Intentions in this Expedition that We cannot doubt but that all true Englishmen will come and concur with Vs in our Destre to Secura these Nations from Popery and Slavery We are come to Preserve your Religion and to Restore and Establish your Liberties and Properties 'T is plain that you are only made use of as Instruments to Inslave the Nation and Ruin the Protestant Religion And when that is done you may judge what your selves ought to expect both from the Cashiering of all the Protestant Officers and Souldiers in Ireland and by the Irish Souldiers being brought over to be put in your places 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 VVord so often should by your means be brought out of those Straits to which they are now reduced VVe hope likewise that you 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
power to order them as he thought most sutable to the present Juncture Therefore it did not any way consist with his Honour to suffer this part of the said Forces to act independently from him in so critical aâ— Time which might have occasioned a general Disturbance and Breach of the Peace the Keeping whereof was the principal Care of his Highness Who clapt his Gards upon the King not out of any Design upon his Person but rather to Secure him from any Attempts of a rude and incensed Rabble I would fain know what Harm befell him from this Change It appears on the contrary by what follows that notwithstanding these Dutch Gards the King might dispose of himself as he pleased 'T is for this the Lord without Doors clamoured and kept a heavy Splutter in his Speech to the House of Lords Wherein under pretence that the King was not gone out of his Territories and that he might be where he would in his own Kingdom he concludes there was no Desertion in the Case But this is perfect Shuffling 'T is well known that if he had staid a Parliament must be had and that he dreaded nothing more than a Parliament that would rake up old Sores and find out who made them 'T is well known that his Heart panted after the Queen and that he had no Business at Feversham The Time and Manner of his Setting out are a plain Demonstration that he was quitting a Kingdom which was now grown Uneasy to him and his Casting the Great Seal into the Thames adds much to the Argument Had he but weathered the Point and got clear off out of the River 't is ten to one that he had not been put to the trouble of a second Flight In order to which seeing now his Case desperate and the Prince at his Heels he went about Noon from White-hall Dec. 18. to Sir Richard Head's nigh Rochester still steering his Course towards France That very Day his Highness parted from Windsor dined at Sion-House and came in the Evening to S. James's Where he received the Compliments of all the Nobility and other Persons of the chiefest Quality in Town And at Night the Streets were filled with Bonesires with Ringing of Bells and other Publick Demonstrations of Joy The next Day Decemb. 19. Their Royal Highnesses Prince George and the Princess Ann of Denmark returned from Oxford to the Cock-pit where They were presently after Visited by his Highness the Prince of Orange Who that Afternoon went also to Visit the Queen Dowager at Somerset-House Decemb. 20. The Lord Mayor Sir John Chapman being indisposed the Aldermen and their Deputies with some of the Common Council of each Ward by Order of the Common Council Waited on the Prince of Orange to Congratulate his Highness on his happy Arrival at S. James's Which was performed by Sir George Treby the Recorder in an Eloquent Speech and very favourably received by his Highness The Speech was thus May it please Your Highness Sir George Treby his Speech from the City to the Prince of Orange The Lord Mayor being Disabled by Sickness Your Highness is attended by the Aldermen and Commons of the Capital City of this Kingdom deputed to congratulate Your Highness upon this great and glorious Occasion In which We cannot but come short in Expression Reviewing our late Danger we remember our Church and State over-run by Popery and Arbitrary Power and even brought to the Point of Destruction by the Conduct of some Men our true Invaders who brake the Sacred Fences of our Laws and which was worst the very Constitution of our Legislature So that there was no Remedy left but the last The only Person under Heaven that could apply this Remedy was Your Highness You are of a Nation whose Alliance in all Times has been agreeable and prosperous to us You are of a Family most Illustrious Benefactors to Mankind To have the Title of Soveraign Prince and Stadtholder and to have worn the Imperial Crown are among their lesser Dignities They have long injoyed a Dignity singular and transcendent viz. To be Champions of Almighty God sent forth in several Ages to Vindicate his Cause against the greatest Opressions To this Divine Commission our Nobles our Gentry and among them our brave English Souldiers rendred themselves and their Arms upon your Appearing GREAT SIR when we look back to the last Month and contemplate the Swiftness and Fulness of our present Deliverance astonished we think it Miraculous Your Highness led by the Hand of Heaven and called by the Voice of the People has preserved our greatest Interests The Protestant Religion which is Primitive Christianity restored Our Laws which are our ancient Title to our Lives Liberties and Estates and without which this World were a Wildâ—rness But what Reâ—ribution can we make to Your Highness Our Thoughts are full charged with Gratitude Your Highness has a lasting Monument in the Hearts in the Prayers in the Praises of all good Men amongst us And late Posterity will celebrate your ever glorious Name till Time shall be no more Decemb. 1. The Prince of Orange published an Order for Returning into the Publick Store the Arms of divers Souldiers that were lost or imbezelled since the Disbanding of the Royal Army At the same time he appointed Quarters for the English Scotch and Irish Forces to which all Officers and Souldiers belonging thereto were ordered forthwith to Repair Decemb. 23. Was the Day when the King notwithstanding his Dutch Gards about him made shift to give them the slip So that he got safe into France where the Queen was arrived before with the supposed Prince of Wales Thus he left us again in an unsetled Condition But Care was taken to secure the Peace In this Condition had the Prince of Orange had any Design to take the Government upon him this was the Time He was now come to the Capital City of the Kingdom through a perpetual Croud of Applauses and Benedictions and had the Hearts of all true English Protestants Being a Prince of the Royal Blood that stood so near to the Immediate Succession and having besides a good Army with him he had nothing to do but what he might easily have done that is to make a Party to support his Interest and withstand all Opposition The Law it self could have afforded him a Claim it being an undoubted Maxim among Lawyers That the Success of a Just War gives a Lawful Title to that which is acquired in the Progress of it And as the Learned Bishop of Salisbury says in his Pastoral Letter if at Common Law an Heir in Remainder has just Cause to Sue him that is in Possession if he makes Wasts on the Inheritance which is his in Reversion much more ought the Heir of the Crown to Interpose when he sees him that is in Possession hurried on blind-fold to subject an Independent Kingdom to a Foreign Jurisdiction and thereby to Rob it of it's Glory and Security
preserve the Religion and Liberties of the People under the Glory and Greatness of a King But the Experince of King James his Reign shewed us sufficiently how easy it was for a King to break through the â—ence of the Laws and that they were but Cobwebs to a Prince whose Zeal or Ambition could not indure any Bounds What Ways could be found out so to â—ye up his Hands as to Secure his Subjects but such as must make him a meer Titular King which had been a greater Affront put upon Majesty than downright Deposing of him He therefore chose rather to quit the Crown than be turned from the sweet Exercise of an Absolute Power to the State of a Baby King to be turned and wound by his Subjects as they pleased to observe their Dictates and submit to their Motions Some were for making the Princess of Orange Regent Others the Prince Some again were for declaring the Crown forfeited or demised and proclaiming only the Princess of Orange Queen Others for making the Prince of Orange only King But the Plurality carryed it first for having the Government Dissolved then making the Prince and Princess of Orange joyntly King and Queen of England c. The publick Acts to run in the Name of Both but the Executive Power to be solely in the King Thus King James II. for having indeavoured to Subvert the Constitution of the Kingdom by breaking the Original Contract between King and People and by Advice of Jesuites and other wicked Persons Violated the Fundamental Laws and having at last Withdrawn himself out of this Kingdom was Voted by the House of Commons to have Abdicated the Government and the Throne to be Vatant And after several Days Debates about it the House of Lords at last fully Agreed all Things in Dispute So that King James having forfeited by his Male-Administration of the Regal Trust of the Executive Power both in himself and his Heirs Lineal and Collateral the same devolved back to the People Who might lawfully dispose thereof by their Representatives according to their good Will and Pleasure for their future Government and Peace Benefit and Security Which was a clear Assertion of the Peoples Right a firm Evidence of a Contract broken and a sure Precedent to all Ages when after a most solemn Debate the Estates of England declare That the King having Abdicated the Government and the Throne thereby Vacant They think fit to fill it again with One who is not Immediate in the Line Fesides that it will be a Caution to succeeding Kings of what satal Consequence a general Derogation from the Laws may be when they find by this Instance the Exercise of the Kingly Office in danger not only with Reference to Themselves but precarious to their Family And now to fill up the Throne what better Choice could the Convention make than of that very Prince who with so great Expence Hazard conduct Courage and Generosity had so wonderfully Rescued us both from Spiritual and Temporal Slavery and Restored us to our ancient Laws Religion and Properties In Prudence Honour and Gratitude they could do no less than Pray him to Accept the Crown Which was done accordingly But the Nation 's Gratitude and Generosity went further by making the Prince and Princess of Orange King and Queen joyntly it being a Demonstration of the Inestimable Value the People had for Her Highness notwithstanding the Male-Administration of her Unhappy Father Thus the Prince and Princess were made equal in Dignity but not in Authority For the Executive Power was solely lodged in the Prince First because two Persons equal in Authority might differ in Opinion and consequently in Command and it is evident no Man can serve two Masters Secondly because a Man by Nature Education and Experience is generally rendred more capable to Govern than a Woman And as the present State of Europe in general so that of these Kingdoms in particular required a vigorous and masculine Administration To recover what was lost to rescue what was in danger and rectify what was amiss could not be effected but by a Prince consummate in the Art both of Peace and War A Prince of known Honour profound Wisdom undaunted Courage and incomparable Merit naturally inclined to be Just Merciful and Peaceable and to do all publick Acts of Generosity for the good of Societies Therefore as the Convention thought fit out of Generosity to declare the Prince and Princess King and Queen joyntly that they might both equally share the Glory of a Crown and we the Happiness of their Auspicious Reign so out of Prudence they lodged the Executive Power in the Prince only as the fittest Person under Heaven to Govern in this difficult Juncture During these Transactions the Princess of Orange arrived from Holland and Landed at White-Hall on the 12th of February the welcome News whereof was received with all manner of Publick Demonstrations of Joy The next Day the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Assembled at Westminister presented to the Prince and Princess their Declaration by the Marquess of Hallifax Speaker to the House of Lords Which Declaration contained a Sum of the late King James's Trespasses upon the Laws of the Kingdom and the Liberties of the People the Vindication of the Ancient Rights and Liberties of the People by declaring his assumed Power Illegal their Offer of the Crown to Their Highnesies and the new Oaths to be taken according to the late Resolves of the Grand Convention The Offer of the Crown with the Settlement thereof was thus expresied 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 Digâ—ity of the said Kingdoms and Dominions to them the said Prince and Princess during their Lives and the Life of the Surviver 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 joynt 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 Anâ— 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 To which his Highness gave this Gracious Answer My Lords and Gentlemen This is certainly the greatest Proof of the Trust you have in Vs that can be given which is the Thing that makes us Value it the more and we thankfully Accept what you have Offered And as I had no other Intention in coming hither than to preserve your Religion Laws and Liberties so you may be sure that I shall indeavour to support them and shall be willing to concur in any Thing that shall be for the Good of the Kingdom and to do
the King Daclared That he did not mean by these Words that he was under any Obligation to become a Persecutor To which the Commissioners Authorized thereto by the Estates of Scotland made Answer That neither the Meaning of the Oath nor the Law of Scotland did impâ—â—â— it Then the King replied That he took the Oath in that sense and called for Witnesses the Commssioners and others present And then both Their Majesties signed the said Coâ—onation Oath After which the Commissioners and several of the Scottish Nobility kissed Their Majesties Hands Thus WILLIAM and MARY Prince and Princess of Orange were by the Grace and Providence of God for the good of these Kingdoms made King and Queen of Great Britain in Opposition to all Malecontents A Race of Men content in no Condition who in a State of Slavery are eager for Liberty and when set at Liberty are again for Slavery These are the Tools hitherto made use of by King Lewis to distract these Kingdoms under the specious Pretence of Restoring the late King James to the Throne by their dark Plotting here against the Government and their open Rebellion in Scotland Where the Duke of Gourdon Governour of Edenburg Castle held it out for King James till the 13th of June and the Lord of Dundee at the Head of an Army of Rebels was killed in a Field-fight on the 1st of August From which time the Rebels there never thrived but were glad at last to imbrace Their Majesties most Gracious Pardon The greatest Difficulty was to Reduce Ireland then in the hands of Papists fortifyed with a great Army assisted by the French King and influenced by the late King James Who look'd upon ireland as a Back-door for him to return into England with a Crucifix in one hand and a Sword in the other Ireland that had been so often Conquered by the English was now to Conquer England and the Irish did not by their Shouls consider whether it was for King James or King Lewis They were pleased with the Notion of an Infallible Conquest and before they had drawn the Sword they fell forsooth dividing the Spoil amongst themselves Incouraged by King James's Presence now come from France to Dublin about the beginning of the Year 89 nothing was to stand before them London-Derry in the North of Ireland was the only place of Note that stood out for Their Majesties The French and Irish being resolved to reduce it by Fire Sword and Famine sat before it and brought it to that extremity that good part of the Town was by French Bombs reduced into Ashes and above 5000 of the Inhabitants died for want of Provisions Yet under these dismal Circumstances the Town held out under the Conduct of that Martial Clergy-Man the Reverend Dr. Walker till it was Relieved by Major General Kirk July 31. 1689. What happened since all the World knows The famous Battle at the River Boyne fought the next Year after is an eternal Monument of King William's incomparable Valour and Conduct and of God's wonderful Providence over his Royal Person By this Battle wherein he was blessed with a glorious Victory he drove King James with full speed out of Ireland he got possession of the Capital City of Dublin besides Drogheda Wexford Waterford and other places of less note so that two parts in three of Ireland were in a manner Reduced in one Campaign Afterwards Cork and Kingsale were happily Recovered by the Earl of Marlborough And this Years Expedition under the Chief Conduct of that Valiant Fortunate Wise and Skilful General the Baron de Gâ—â—okle will be eternally famous for Compleating so Successfully the Reduction of that Kingdom by the Surrender of Ballymore the Taking of Athlone by Storm the great Victory at Aghâ—im the surrender of Galloway and Slâ—gâ— and at last that of Limerick a Place lookt upon as almâ—st Impregnable So that we see now a Kingdom which besides its own Strength has been power-fully Assisted by the French and Countenanced by the late King James intirely Reduced to their Majesties Obedience at the end of two Campaigns Which I hope may convince the most Obstinate especially after a long Chain of unaccountable and unlookt for Providences that this great Revolution is not only by the Will or Permission of Almighty God but that it is his own Work who is free to dispose of Crowns and Kingdoms to shew Mercy and Judgment upon whom he pleases And if it be so I cannot imagine how Intailed Kings good or bad can be more de Jâ—â—e Divino than our Great King William Thus we see King James II. an Unfortunate Prince who might have been a most glorious Monarch fal'n with the Loss of three Crowns a Sacrifice to Priests and Jesuits and fain to creep under the Shelter of a King who is not like to hold out long himself if he must give an Account to God and Men of the abominable Transactions of his Reign Thus is the Curse of King James I. come upon King James II which he solemnly pronounced upon any of his Posterity that should forsake the Church of England to imbrace that of Rome And yet had it been possible for him to keep within some reasonable Bounds and his Religion to himself without trampling as he did upon the Laws he might have hitherto sat upon the Throne and 't is like the Nation upon his account would have been very Indulgent to the Roman Catholick Party But he would never be advised to Moderation and no Counsellors were welcome to him but such as prompted him to Violence The Issue whereof proved accordingly All Covet all Lose And 't is observable that as great as King James was with King Lewis yet the Court of France was allowed openly to declare his Errors to the World and passed this Verdict upon him That his whole Conduct had been very little Judicious The Emperor on the other side could not forbear in his Letter to him dated April 9. 1689. amongst his tender condoling Expressions to remind him of some of his false Politicks I am heartily sorry for his Fate but it is better so than to see three Kingdoms perish I remember one of his Expressions at his first coming to the Crown that he would carry the Glory of England beyond all his Predecessors which he has made good in some sense For by his Iâ—legal and Arbitrary Methods he has given us an Opportunity after some Years of tiresom Passive Obedience of shâ—wing to the World how loth we are to part with our Laws Religion and Liberties and impatient of that uneasy double Yoak which other Nations groan under Therefore far from deserving the Censure of Mankind we are applauded for it all the World over by all disinterested sensible and rational Men. And after two weak esseminate and inglorious Reigns which had sunk the Reâ—â—tation and Honour of this Nation and made us all over Europe an Object of Scorn and Contempt we have by this way of Reprisal recovered our Credit and
A COMPLETE HISTORY Of the LATE REVOLUTION FROM The first Rise of it to this present Time In Three Parts SHEWING I. The Growth of Popery in England under the Reign of the late King CHARLES By his Connivence French Intrigues c. II. Our Imminent Ruin in his Popish Successor King JAMES his Reign By his Invading of our Laws Religion and Liberties With a Particular and Impartial Narrative of the fictitious Great Belly III. Our Wonderful and Happy Deliverance by the PRINCE of ORANGE Our present King 's famous Expedition over into England With an Account of the late King James's Desertion and Abdication of Their Majesties happy Succession to the Throne of Great Britain and of Their prosperous Reign hitherto by Defeating the Jacobites dark Plots in England by Suppressing their open Rebellion in Scotland and by the Total Reduction of Ireland To Which is Added A Postscript by way of Seasonable Advice to the Jacobite Party LONDON Printed for Samuel Clement at the Lute in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1691. THE HISTORY Of the LATE REVOLUTION PART I. Shewing the Growth of Popery in England under the Reign of the late King Charles TO demonstrate the Growth of Popery in this Kingdom as the first Occasion of all our late Distractions I shall begin at the Head and come up to the Original Cause All the World knows that the Ruin of the Protestants and the Inslaving all Europe have been the two grand Designs of the Reign of Lewis XIV the first influenced by an infused blind Zeal and the last being the product of his own insatiable and boundless Ambition To the first he was prompted by those Spiritual Engineers the Jesuits who ever made it their business to set the World in a Combustion And the last he attempted to please his own Humour and gratifie his excessive Pride The Holy Cabal had resolv'd upon the Extirpation of the Protestant Heresie And such has been the effect of their Inchanting Eloquence and reputed Skill in Politicks that they are in a manner become Companions for Princes and Crowned Heads of the Roman Communion In point of Conscience they are their usual Directors and their Decisions are to them as Laws and Oracles 'T is therefore no wonder that the French King being inspirited by these Men should follow their Directions Whose Confessors being of that Order always indulged him in his Criminal Courses with Assurances of Salvation if he did but apply himself with Zeal and Fervency to so meritorious a Work as the Extinguishing the Protestant Heresie This forsooth would make him the Favourite of Heaven and an Immortal Prince on Earth Infatuated with these Delusions he struck in with the Society subscribed to their Dictates and resolved upon their Project In short he dispos'd all things to purchase Heaven with a Hellish Zeal and to improve his Fame upon Earth with the infamous Character of a Tyrant and Persecutor His Protestant Subjects to whom he owed his Elevation on the Throne he undermined during several years and by degrees weakened their Party till he thought fit at last to pull off the Mask and to fall foul upon them Abroad he had his Agents to inspire other Princes with the same Unchristian Zeal and put them upon the same Methods of Cruelty for promoting of a Religion whose Principles chiefly tend to make the Clergy Great and the Laity Slaves Hungary Bohemia Poland and Piemont not long since have felt the fury of this Spirit of Persecution And England by his means was like but few years ago to feel the same Calamity so near it was to fall a Sacrifice to the ambitious Designs of Popery and with its fall to carry the Ruin of all the Protestant Interest in Europe That the Design was laid in the Reign of King Charles is apparent by the Growth of Popery here whilst he swayed the Scepter And for this we may thank our unhappy Civil Wars in the Reign of King Charles I. when that good King being put to death by a prevailing Party and the Royal Family dispersed thereupon into Popish Countries the Princes of the Royal Blood were easily poysoned with Popish Insinuations that the only Way for their Restauration and to Reign Arbitrarily was to imbrace or at least to favour the Roman Religion Tho' I am not fully satisfyed that King Charles II. was ever actually Reconciled to the Roman Church whatever has been reported to the contrary but rather that he was too clear-sighted to think well of her Principles yet it is plain by the whole Series of his Reign that he made his Government as easy and favourable to the Roman Party as his Circumstances would allow and that he gave 'em all possible Incouragement But as he was a Prince naturally inclined to Clemency and abhorrent from Cruelty so this Proceeding of his was rather look'd upon as an Effect of his good Nature than of any Design upon the Protestant Interest of these Kingdoms If we reflect upon the Course of his Life during his Reign it seems his Aim was to please all Parties that he might injoy himself and Reign in Quietness But still he kept to an outward Profession of the Reformed Religion as by Law established and from time to time soothed up his Parliaments with solemn Protestations of his faithfulness to their Religion and Liberties Such was the Posture of Affairs in his Reign that tho' he would not himself bring in Popery downright yet he made the way smooth for it For whilst he minded his Amours more than the Government the Thieves stole in and grew upon us Who being countenanced by his Brother the Duke of York a Prince more daring and gone over to the Roman Church began now to build all their Hopes upon him The King having no Issue by the Queen and in process of time no hopes of any by her the Duke remained the Heir apparent and was consequently lookt upon as the Rising Sun On whom His Majesty too much given to Ease and Pleasure disburdened himself of the active and troublesom part of the Government which he left in a great measure to his Care Thus his R. H. had a fair Opportunity to gratifie the Roman Party and improve their Interest here whilst the King connived at iâ— And tho' â—e did not openly profess himself a Papist his forsaking at last the Church of England wherein he was bred and born and espousing so much as he did the Popish Interest sufficiently evidenced his being of that Communion The King being a Prince bigotted to no Religion but linked to the French Interest gave him a great Latitude And this was so far improv'd by the French King that in the Interview which happened at Dover Anno 1670 between our King his Brother and their Sister the Dutchess of Orleans a Treaty was there managed by the Dutchess between both Kings whereby the French King did promise King Charles to Subject his Parliament to him and to Establish the Roman Religion in his Kingdom In
order to which the Hollanders must first be brought down and both Kings joyn in Arms to make them incapable of being any longer a Support or Refuge for Protestants Delenda est Carthago In short Anno 72 the Storm broke out upon Holland that Nest of Hereticks And in two Campaigns we saw that Potent State at that time our only Rival upon the Ocean brought by the French King's Land Forces to the last Extremity whilst we harassed them at Sea and fought them but without any great Advantage on our side We had indeed a Frenchy Squadron in conjunction with our Fleet but their business it seems was not to fight All their Care was to be Spectators of our Fights at a convenient distance and to see if the English did their Duty well In the mean time they learnt the Art of our Sea-fights and had the satisfaction to see these two Protestant Nations thus weaken one another which was the French King 's chief Aim This Conduct of the French at Sea with the amazing Progress of their Arms by Land happened to open our Eyes For till then we were possessed of the Justice of the War on our side considering the many Provocations of the States as they were mustered in the King's Declaration We could not imagine that King Charles had any other Design than to curb their Pride and lessen their Power at Sea for the benefit of our Trade and Navigation in order to which a little help tho' from France was not thought amiss The Dover-Treaty lay then under the Rose and we knew not what Snake lay in the Grass The King wanting Mony to prosecute the War convened his Parliament The Danger we were in by the apparent Ruin of a Neighbouring State of the same Religion with us and now become with our help a Prey to the French came soon under Debate The Parliament voted a Peace with the States And the King finding no Mony was to be had without it yielded to their Desire and made a separate Peace This startled King Lewis who from this very time concluded that King Charles was not to be relyed on for the execution of that grand Religious Design he had been so long big withal And to be even with him for his Desertion in this War he caused not long after the Dover Treaty to be published with his Priviledge by the Abbot Primi in his History of the War with Holland whereby he chiefly designed to make the King odious to his People The Duke of York upon this was look'd upon as the fitter Person for the Project in hand who wanting neither Zeal nor Ambition was a Vessel altogether prepared and moulded for his purpose Whereas King Charles was like the Church of Laodicea neither Cold nor Hot and therefore to be spued out The Dutchess of Orleans or rather the French King by her means had sent to King Charles a French Curtain Sollicitor but a true Member of the Holy Church as a Pledge or Memorandum of the Dover Treaty Who for her close and faithful Commerce with the King was made D. of P. The same Care he took of his R. H. to keep him in a right Cue and steady to his Principles but by way of Marriage So that he was both Procurer and Match-maker The Match was Mary the late Duke of Modena's Daughter an Italian Princess of no great Fortune but of an Ancient Family and which was most to the purpose a Princess intirely devoted to the present Interest The Duke had been three Years and a half a Widower And as the Case stood there was a Necessity for his R. H. to venture on a second Match that the Succession to the Crown might be Intailed either by Nature or Art to an Heir Male. The Lady Mary and the Lady Ann his two Daughters by Ann his first Wife were bred and born Protestants and such were not for the present Turn King Charles who was sensible how unacceptable this Match was to his People and fearing some ill Consequences of it upon himself resolved however to dispose of his Royal Nieces and to Marry them to Protestant Princes to allay the Jealousies and Fears from this New Match Which indeed were something the less for the then common Opinion That His Royal Highness was too much Frenchifi'd to get any durable Iâ—ue To the Lady Mary was given in Marriage to the Prince of Orange Anno 1677 and the Lady Ann to Prince George of Denmark in the Year 1683. But few days after the Lady MARY was married to the Prince of ORANGE the Dutchess of YORK was brought to bed of a Son created Duke of Cambridge who dying in four or five days the Popish Faction had but a short Joy of it In the mean time his R. H. being the next Heir to the Crown and the Papists resolved not to lose this Opportunity turned every Stone to make their Party good by Plotting and Conspiring even with Authority against the Government The KING was healthful and of a strong constitution but wanted zeal or boldness to secure their Interest The DUKE was zealous and bold but wanted a sound Body In short according to all humane probability the KING by the strength of Nature was the most likely to live These Considerations were like enough to give Birth to that famous Conspiracy which upon its breaking out made so great a Noise in the World I mean the Popish Plot. And tho I cannot believe it in all its Branches as made out by Dr. Oates yet in the main 't is more than probable that there was a Plot on foot against the Government Mr. Coleman the Dukes Secretary's intercepted Letters are a sufficient Proof of this who kept as appears by those Letters a close Correspondence with Father La Chaise the French King's Confessor for the Extirpating the Protestant Religion in these Kingdoms under the name of the Northern Heresy That to Extirpate imports a violent Act is a thing undeniable So that the Roman Religion was not to come in by fair means or by way of persuasion but by force and violence And 't is like a great deal more of that wicked Design had appeared if amongst Coleman's latest Letters for two years and a half that were brought to White-Hall many had not been there supprest and kept from the sight of the Parliament Yet upon his Trial he openly avowed the Design of Subverting the Protestant Religion wherein he owned himself a subordinate Minister This Plot kept for a while the Papists under Hatches and forced the Duke himself upon the King's Command to withdraw for some time out of the Kingdom so that he went first to Flanders and afterwards to Scotland Mean while the House of Commons who lookt upon him as the great Abettor and Supporter of the Popish Interest went so far as to attempt his Exclusion from the Crown But as vigorously as it was carried on in the House of Commons it was quashed in the House of Lords by the Church
of England Party which stood stifly for the Succession The Tide now began to turn and the Popish Party to have a fair Prospect The Duke was called home and His Majesty disbanded Parliament after Parliament in hopes to get a healing one But failing thereof he published a plausible Declaration touching the Causes that moved him to Dissolve the two last Parliaments Which being read in all Churches and Chappels did very much strengthen the Court Party and turned the Hearts of many People against the late Proceedings of the House of Commons as having over-short the Mark. Which House consisting most of Dissenters gave a Jealousy to the House of Lords and indeed to all the Church-Party that under colour of rooting out Popery they design'd nothing less than the Ruin of the Church and so to kill two Birds with one Stone The Dissenters on the other side seeing the Church Party so stiff for the Dukes Right to the Succession tho upon the Grounds of Justice and Equity fail'd not to clamour against them as Abettors of Popery and Papists in Mascarade In short the Fewd grew so great between both Parties row distinguished by the Nicknames of TORIES and WHIGS that had not his Majesty who now bestirred himself in these difficult Times prevented it by his great Care and Wisdem it had certainly broke out into a Flame In the mean time these unhappy Differences gave fair play to the Papists who know best how to fish in troubled Waters The Popish Plot grew now out of date and lost much of its Credit Then up starts another called the Presbyterian Plot which proved fatal to several Persons of Quality and others of a lower Rank The King now exasperated in the highest degree against the Dissenting Party ordered the Penal Laws to be put in execution which made the Breach so much the wider betwixt Them and the Church Party And whilst the poor Dissenters lay under the lash an officious sort of Church of England Ministers made it their business to preach the stupid Doctrine of Non-Resistance with as much Zeal and Fervency as if there had been no Salvation without it Which some were hired for with a Promise of Church-Preferment whilst others did it meerly to shew their Parts but all wonderfully to the purpose of the Roman Catholick Party and to help forward the Designs of the next Reign The City of London which had strongly appeared against the Dukes Interest was now called to an Account and a Writ of Quo Warranto a dreadful piece of Latin before which no Reason could stand issued out against them to take away their Charter which was accordingly done Then other Corporations were prevailed upon fairly to surrender their Charters in expectation of new ones whereby all their Magistrates and Officers were dependant upon the King 's Will. And by the Duke's Interest many false Protestants were got into Places of Trust who upon the push would be ready to join with the Papists and lend them their helping hands Thus all Things were finely prepared against his Majesties Exit to make room for his Brother And which is observable at the very time when the King was resolved to sift out some Miscarriages and much inclined to call a new Parliament an odd kind of Fit seiz'd upon him which in four days time bereav'd him of his Life and Crown Thus died King Charles a Prince who was neither a sound Papist nor a zealous Protestant Admired for his great Sagacity beloved for his Clemency and the fittest Prince in the World to Reign had not his over-Indulgence to Ease and Pleasures made him averse from Business In which unhappy Temper he was too much followed by his Subjects of both Sexes THE HISTORY Of the LATE REVOLUTION PART II. Shewing Our Imminent Ruin in the Reign of the late King James With an Account of the suppos'd Great Belly KING Charles being dead the Lord knows how some wept upon his Tomb for Joy but most for Sorrow The Popish Party were the most concerned in the first and the Protestants whatever he was in the last We were but threatned before with the Danger of a Popish Succession now we had it The Papists had a blessed but doubtful prospect of it and now they were in possession To Secure which the Blood of the deceased King was hardly chilled in his Veins when his next Successor James Duke of York was Proclaimed King at White-hall and in the City in great haste that no Man might pretend Ignorance So that King Charles was scarce gone off the Stage when his Brother to play the last Act enters and ascends the Throne No Prince more courteous more obliging or more promising at first than he was to his new Subjects but particularly to the Church of England Party He came in like a Lamb but reigned like a Lion and followed in all things the Steps of King Lewis Not but that he had innate Vertues of his own but none that could stand proof against the precipitate Suggestions of the Roman Clergy and the irresistible Influence of those hot-brain'd States-men the Jesuites So great was the Opinion of his Justice and Valour when Duke of York that many Protestants durst rely upon his Justice and most promised themselves great Matters from his Valour Especially when upon his Accession to the Crown he declared to his Council that he would protect and favour the Church of England for her unshaken Loyalty and to his Parliament that he would carry the Glory of England beyond all his Predecessors Upon these Assurances he allayed for some time the Fears of his Protestant Subjects but especially the Church of England which thereupon Addressed him from all Parts of the Kingdom as their Tutelar Angel In short so great on a sudden were the Hopes of this King that Edward III and Henry V. the most glorious Monarchs of England were like upon his Account to be hissed out of our English Chronicles But it was not long before he pulled off the Mask And first to gratifie the Roman Catholick Party he declar'd himself of their Communion and made open Profession of it Which some Protestants lookt upon as a good Omen and the product of a generous Soul above Dissimulation whilst others more clear-sighted lookt upon it as an effect of a wilful Nature that thought it needless to Dissemble now the Power was in his own hands To Establish his Religion here was I confess a difficult Task considering how small the Popish Party was the Protestants then by the best Computation being reckon'd 200 to one But the Advantage of a Crown is a great Bait and has a mighty Influence The Hopes of worldly Preferment and the Dread of Majesty would in all probability draw in a great Party Besides what was expected by way of Persuasion from the Industry and Activity of Popish Emissaries Nor do I doubt but the King promised himself great Matters from the Church of England Party which having ventured so much to secure his
that he could wish for and that his British Majesty wanted nothing but his Protection and the Support of his Arms to settle the Catholick Religion in his Dominions This Speech was published by the French King's Authority and the Translation of it suffered to come over freely into England VVhich lookt something odd and beneath a King of England to be thus expos'd to the VVorld as a Prince to come under the Protection of a King of France over whose Kings and Kingdom his Ancestors had so often Triumphed But nothing it seems was to be thought Inglorious that might serve the Popish Design of Rooting out the Protestant Religion Such was King James his Zeal for Mother Church that according to Father Peter's Relation his Majesty told him in his Chamber That he had rather Reign but one Year to an end tho in Troubles and die with the Conversion of England Scotland and Ireland than to Reign prosperously 30 years and leave them in Heresy as he sound them at his Accession to the Crown A Zeal in some sense like that of Moses who to save the People under his Government was willing to be blotted out of the Book of Life By this Saying and his Proceedings with the French King's Assistance we may guâ—ss what he intended for us To convert us he went about to subvert the Laws and to make us good Christians after his own Way he made his Will the measure of his Government without any regard to his Oaths and Promises to Justice or Equity However to colour what he did with some shew of Justice he set up a new Claim a Thing called the Dispensing Power unknown to former Ages and now suddenly started up as a Branch forsooth of the King's Prerogative By which means he threw aside those two great Stumbling-Blocks the Penal Laws the Tests being all our legal Securities for the Preservation of our Religion and Liberties and so shook the very Foundation thereof that we had no Security lest against his Will and Pleasure 'T is not denyed that in the Cases of Treason and Felony the King of England may by vertue of his Prerogative Pardon the Punishment that a Transgressor has incurred But it cannot be with any colour of Reason inferred from thence that the King can intirely-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 as no Laws can be made but by the joint Concurrence of 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 'T is true the Judges declared this Dispensing Power to be a Right belonging to the Crown But before that pernicious Judgment could be obtained first the Opinion of the Judges was privately examined Such of them as could not in Conscience concur in so pernicious a Sentence were turned out and others substituted till by the Changes which were made in the Courts of Judicature that Judgment was at last obtained to give some Credit to the Cause And amongst those that were raised to these Trusts some were professed Papists and consequently Incapable of all such Imployments However it does not appear how it is in the Power of the Twelve Judges to offer up the Laws Rights and Liberties of the whole Nation to the King to be disposed of by Him at his Will and Pleasure 'T was by vertue of this Imaginary Power which made the King break loose upon the Laws and govern by his Will that He imposed upon his Subjects such Magistrates as he thought fittest for his turn some true Papists and others false Protestants such as would go a great way if not through-stitch to serve his Popish-Designs And tho' they were admitted without taking the Oaths in that Case provided and consequently no lawful Magistrates yet all were threatned vexed and prosecuted who durst but say that they had no lawful Authority By Virtue of the same Power the Kingdoms Military Defence was put into such Hands as by many express Laws were Incapable of them Which justly gave the Protestants sad Apprehensions of imminent Danger seeing themselves put into the Power of Men that publickly professed to be in Union and Communion with the Church of Rome declaring themselves to be mortal Enemies to Protestants and bound upon their Salvation to seek their Ruin and Destruction if they persisted in their Religion Thus an Army of Papists and Mercenaries was maintained and dispersed through the Kingdom in full Peace to the great disquiet and terrour of the Protestants Who contrary to the Ancient Laws of the Kingdom and the express Words of the late Statutes were constrained to receive those Souldiers into their Houses whereby they were deprived of their Peace and Security at home of a free Converse abroad and of the Advantages they might make otherwise in their Ways of living The Church of England was by this time grown out of Favour with the King for her Steaâ—iness to the Laws and strong Zeal against Popery And who should now grow into favour with his Majesty at least in outward appearance but the Dissenting Party the Object of his Resentment and Indignation when he came to the Crown The King knew how to turn the stream of his Kindness and to shift from one Side to another that losing one Party he might make sure of another 'T is true some Leaders amongst the Dissenters made an advantage of this Turn for their private Interest but the thinking Part of them who knew where the Snake lay did not build much upon it Not could the King expect much from them considering how lame and falsify'd were most of the Addresses His Majesty receiv'd from that Party The King to aw the Church erected a Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Affairs whose Commission was to proceed with a Nonâ—bstante that is without and against the Rules of our Laws And to please the Dissenters He put out a Declaration for Liberty of Conscience to all sorts of Persuasions with a secret Intent that none should have it at last but the Papists The First was by Commission so far from any Colour of Law that it was against most express Laws to the Contrary and the extent of the Commission was to take Cognizance and Direction of all Ecclesiastical Matters The Illegality and Incompetency whereof was so notoriously known and the Design of it against our Religion so plain that the late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury being one in the Commission refused to fit or concur in it For the chief Design of this Court was to Raise none to any Church Dignities but such as had no Zeal for the Protestant Religion who cloaked their Unconcernedness for it with the specious Pretence of Moderation and to oppress such of the Clergy as were of eminent Learning Vertue and Piety In this Commission was a Noble
Papists attributed to the Kings Progress to St. Winifred's Wells others to the Bath but most to the Lady of Loretto who for the sake of a fine Present made forsooth made to her by the Queens Mother the Dutchess of Mâ—dena helped her to conceive a Son A Son it must be by all means for nothing would serve their turn but a Prince of Wales And tho it proved but a Daughter yet most Priests were of Opinion that it would set aside the Princess of Orange's Right to the Succession for which they had no better Argument than that a Daughter born after the King came to the Crown ought to succeed before a Daughter born before he came to it Which argued their Ignorance I grant without reflecting in the least upon the King That this pretended Conception to be real must be done by a Miracle The Queen as is before hinted had laboured a long time under great Infirmities and was so far from giving Life to another that with much a do she kept her self alive Nothing therefore but a Miracle could do that which her weak Condition made her incapable of But upon a strict Inquiry into those various Circumstances that attend a Woman with Child and the Want of them in the Queen 't is more than probable it was a meer Fiction and a Design on Foot to cut off the Princess of Orange from her Right to the Succession And 't is observable that some time before the Report of this unexpected and miraculous Pregnancy of the Queen the Prince and Princess of Orange had been very much pressed in the King's Name to declare themselves for the Abolishing the Penal Laws and the Tests Which his Majesty not being able to gain upon them he was heard to say with much anger that He would trouble himself no more with them but they should Repent it Soon after this the Rumor of the Queen's Conception was spread abroad with great Industry but believed by none but Papists or Persons Popishly affected For amongst others it became a Matter of Laughter and Derision and a Subjest for Poets Lampoons which grew so common that White-hall it self was full of them But the Papists who lookt upon it as a certain Way to procure their Settlement here triumphed nevertheless And the fruth is this was the best VVay they could find to lessen the growing Reputation and Power of Their Highnesses to weaken their Interest and thâ—t of the whole Body of Protestants to incourage the â—â—enâ— King in the Prosecution of his cruel Designs against them to strengthen the English Papist and make our Corrupt and Time-serving Protestants fall in with their Party and lastly to possess many weak Dissenters that their Liberty of Conscience must of necessity be fixt in a Popish Succession The King therefore to give the greater Credit to this pretended Conception ordered a Day of Thanksgiving for it with solemn Prayers to be offered unto God for the Preservation of the Queen and Infant Though he knew well enough that sew People besides his own Party gave any credit to it To come now to the usual Circumstances that attend a Conception the first natural Sign is the Stopping the Monthly Courses By the King's Speech in Council it seems Their Majesties had both thought fit to publish her Conception to have been at the Time of the Present made to the Ladies Image at Loretto upon his Return to the Queen at Bath Now 't is very well known that it was with Her afterward as formerly after the manner of Women and all the Industry used to conceal it proved Ineffectual because it came to the Knowledge of more than were made privy to the Plot. And whereas in four Months time the Breasts of a VVoman with Child begin to swell and yield Milk the Queens Breasts never swelled all the time of her pretended Child-bearing nor produced any Milk whatever one Court Lady affirmed to the contrary If the Queen had any Milk in her Breasts it was so much for her Interest and the Credit of her Cause to convince the VVorld of her real being with Child by giving that signal Demonstration of it that I had rather think her Majesty wanted Milk than so much common Prudence as to make it appear in case she had any And we are very well assured that none of the Ladies proper to be VVitnesses could ever obtain the satisfaction to see a drop of Milk from her Breasts The same Reason we have to disbelieve the Quickening of the Child in her VVomb however industriously it was spread abroad For the feeling of its Motion was never vouchsafed to any competent VVitnesses of it which would have been a main Proof of her Pregnancy had there been any such Thing And therefore 't was expected to give the suspicious Kingdom a Ground to believe the Queen to be really with Child that her Majesty would have made some of the Protestant Ladies of her Bed-Chamber sensible of so great a Proof of her being in the Codition she pretended Another manifest Sign of the true natural Progress of a Great Belly is the Distension of all the Parts of the Body that incompass the Womb. The Queen indeed had her Belly exceedingly copped up and high But as it was observed by skilful Matrons all the outward Parts of her Body that incircle the Womb were of the same proportion that they were at other times And when they minded her Majesty walking and lookt upon her behind and on each side they could see no appearance in her of a Great Bellied Woman Her Bodies were made without alteration And during all the last four Months when she was to change her Linnen She always withdrew from her Chamber with two or three Italian Women and retired into her Closet or some other private Room contrary to her former usual Course and would not suffer any of the Protestant Ladies of the Bed-Chamber to see her shift her self as they had constantly done All these are strong Presumptions that the Queen 's Great Belly was but a false Appearance to delude the Nation But there are other Circumstances that create as great a Prejudice against it In the Preparation for Her Majesties supposed Delivery it was expected that early Notice should be given to the Princess of the Blood of her expected Travel and of the Place of her Residence at such time that proper Noble Matrons and others might prepare themselves and attend there in their behalf who by their Testimonies might have for ever suppressed and silenced all Suspicions of Fraud or Imposture It was hoped at least that the Princess of Denmark would have been present to see what was brought forth But Care was taken to advise her when she wanted astringent Medicines to go to the loosening Waters of the Bath and to keep her 80 miles distant till the supposed Prince should be born To conceal the Time and intended Place for this fictitious Travel such Artifices were used that no body could tell when
States Dominions Powers and Principalities by setting up a Sham-Prince who being upon the Throne must be lookt upon and respected as a great King and a lawful Prince in all their Treaties and Negotiations with him But what is not a blind Zeal capable of To Settle a Popish Successor in these Kingdoms was such a piece of meritorious Service to the Church of Rome that nothing could indear the King more to her than the doing of it What Issue he had then alive were too much dipt in Heresy and nothing could bring them off from it no not so much as to consent to the Repealing of those two Bug-bears the Penal Laws and the Tests But suppose this Prince were really born of the Queen against which there are so many strong Presumptions 't is a Thing unaccountable why the Queen should be so shy all the time of her Child-bearing to give that publick Satisfaction about it which was reasonably expected from her Majesty The Nation was possessed it was all but a Trick It had been therefore but common Prudence in the Queen to Undeceive us as far as it lay in her power even for the Child's sake in her Womb. If her Majesty had Milk in her Breasts what diminution to her Glory had it been to let her Protestant Ladies see but some Drops of it If when the Child stirred in the Womb but two or three true-hearted Protestant Ladies had been admitted to feel those Motions it had gone a great way to silence all Gainsayers and to quicken the very Nation into another Belief When Her Majesty was near the time of her Travel to what purpose was the Place appointed for her Lying In so concealed that no Protestant could tell where to find Her And why must a Room at last be chosen at S. James's with a private Door within the Ruel of the Bed leading into another Room which alone was enough to create a Suspicion To which add a total Neglect and absolute slighting of all the necessary Rules of Law and Justice about needful Witnesses of the Birth of a Prince and Heir to the Crown So that supposing this pretended Prince to be really born of the Queen it must be granted that Things were so managed from the beginning to the end as if the Court intended to make the Thing still more doubtful and the Suspicion the stronger And if that was their Aim they have hit the Nail on the Head Thus the Birth of this supposed Prince not being lawfully Witnessed Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange had no Reason to depart from her Claim of Heiress apparent to the Crown or to Resign it to him But rather to complain to the World of the Wrong done her by suffering a supposed Child to steal upon her Right and assâ—â—me the Name of Prince and Heir apparent to the Crown Nor was it her part to prove him a Counterfeit it being a Rule by the Laws and Customs of all Civil Governments for any one that claims to be the lawful Son of a family to being in legal Proofs for it Her Royal Highness had been hitherto acknowledged to be the Heiress apparent of the Crown and nothing could legally debar her from that Claun but a true born Prince with such Legal Witnesses as would satisfie the Nation that it was so The Want of which in this Case lâ—ft the Princess of Orange in her full Claim to the next Succession To vindicate which Claim and to Secure withal the Protestant Interest in these Kingdoms His Highness the Prince of Orange upon the earnest and humble Application of several of the Lords both Spiritual and Temporal came over from Holland with a competent Force Which leads me to my Third Part. THE HISTORY Of the LATE REVOLUTION PART III. Shewing Our Wonderful Deliverance by our present King William and our Great Happiness therein THings were now brought to an Extremity and nothing but a miraculous Providence could Rescue us from our Enemies To which end it pleased God to raise His Highness the Prince of Orange A Magnanimous Wise and Religious Prince whose Illustrious Family seems to have been appointed by Providence ever since the Reformation for the Preservation of God's Church and a Check to Tyranny This Prince being penetrated with the dismal Account he â—iâ—y Zeaâ—ed of the French Persecution and possessed with a and King 〈◊〉 Sâ—inst the Known Combination of King James the Reformation for the Inslaving all Europe and Rooting out to oppose their Ambâ—â—â—d with God's help in so just a Cause that had been hitherto the 〈◊〉 Idolatrous Designs England King's Greatness was the most likely Instrument of the French 〈…〉 reduced to its proper and natural Course to influence and procure his Fall The Provocations were great on King James's side by his Arbitrary Methods of Government contrary to Law and the Subjects Liberty by his Attempts upon their Religion and by Imposing upon them a Successor justly suspected of being a Stranger to the Royal Blood For the Redressing which Abuses by a Free and Full Parliament His Royal Highness undertook the late famous Expedition which God was pleased to Crown with Glory and Success to the Amazement of all Europe the Joy of all rational Men and the Terrour of Tyranny In order to which suitable Preparations had been made in Holland both by Sea and Land to defend his Highness from the Violence of all such as should oppose Him Which were carried on with that wonderful Secrecy tho' the Secret was dispersed amongst many that the Sagacious Count D' Avaux the French Embassador at the Hague could not sift out the Meaning of it till all Things were in great forwardness and the Prince almost ready to take Shipping Whose Forces consisted of about 13000 Men Horse Foot and Dragoons and which is remarkable a good part of them Papists For the Transporting whereof with all Things necessary there were 300 Fly-boats Pinks and other Vessels under the Convoy of 50 Capital Men of War 26 Smaller and 25 Fire-ships But before his Setting out He published a Declaration to satisfy the World with the Justice of his Undertaking Wherein having fairly shewn the manifest and undeniable Invasion of the Laws and Liberties of England Scotland and Ireland by the Kings The Sum of the Prince of Orange's Declaration Evil Counsellors He Declares That Vpon the most earnest Sollicitations of a great many Lords both Spiritual and Temporal and of many Gentlemen and other Subjects of all Ranks for the Relief of these Three Kingdoms He thought sit to 〈◊〉 over into England with a Force sufficient by the Blaâ—â— intended to defend him from Violence That his Expedâ—â—wful Parliament for no other End but to have a Free Secure to the whole Na-Assembled as soon as possible in Laws Rights and Liberties â—â—â—tion the free Injoyment of â—â—vernment to preserve the Protestant under a Just and 〈◊〉 such as would live peaceably under the Government Religion 〈…〉 as becomes good Subjects from all Persecution
Night came upon them all the Ships set out their Lights which made a most glorious Shew upon the Sea the Princes Ship having three Lanthorns the other Men of War two each and each other Ship one All which at a distance appeared like so many Stars moving upon the Water The Wind and VVeather continuing Fair on Saturday Nov. 3. about Noon the Fleet got into the Channel sailing VVestward with all their Colours set out and stretched in a Line betwixt Calais and Dover so that it reached within a League of each Place His Highness led the Van attended by three Men of War one at a distance before his Ship and one on each side The Tenders as Pinks Flyboats and other Vessels of this Kind sailed next with their Decks throng'd with Officers and Souldiers the Flanks and Rear being guarded by the Men of VVar but especially the Rear as being most in danger to be followed by the English Fleet. In this great Splendour and Order the whole Fleet sailed with a Kind of Bravado betwixt England and France Drums beating Colours flying the Trumpets sounding and the Hoboys playing for the space of three hours Great was the Concourse of Spectators on both Shores at 20 miles distance from each other to see this glorious Sight worthy of the greatest Monarch to behold The Men of VVar that sailed nearest to Dover gave the Town and Castle some Guns and those that went on the other side did the same by Calais The English Fleet consisting of about 34 Sail under the Command of the Lord Dartmouth lay then in the Buoy of the Nore but did not think fit to stir with a Number so much inferiour and a parcel of Seamen who were Known to be VVell wishers to the Prince The next Day Nov. 4. being the Lord's Day and the Day of the Prince's happy Birth and Marriage the Fleet being now come as far as the Isle of VVight observed the Duty of the Day and did not Sail but all were driven of the VVaves till about four in the Afternoon VVhen the VVind being still favourable and blowing very fresh every Ship made all the Sail she could bear Torbay in Devonshire was the Place intended for Landing But the next Morning Monday Nov. 5 proving very Hazy and Foggy and full of Rain the Fleet hapned to Sail beyond it About Nine of the Clock it cleared up and as Providence was pleased to order it the VVind then choped about and turned VVest South VVest a moderate Gale Which brought them back to Torbay and having executed it's Commission was immediately in another Corner Then by the Princes Order the Standard was put up the White Flag uppermost signifying his Offer of Peace to all that would live Peaceably and under that the Red or Bloody Flag denouncing War to all such as should offer to oppose his just Designs Of all this great Fleet three Tenders only were intercepted by our Men of War One of them a Fly-boat having on Board four Companies of Foot of Colonel Babington's Regiment commanded by Major Collambine This was taken by Captain Aylmer Commander of the Swallow Frigat The other two being a small Pink and a Fishing Boat with 24 Horse separated from the Fleet were taken below Hole Haven by Captain Hastings Commander of the Woolwich Thus the Fleet landed at Torbay on the fifth of November A memorable Day for the Gun-Powder Treason which seems to have been marked out by Providence that Englands Deliverance in the Reign of James II. might begin the same Day that it was designed for Ruin and Destruction in the Reign of King James I. The Year also is memorable this Deliverance falling out in 88. just a hundred Years after England was delivered from the Spanish Invasion in Queen Elizabeth's Reign when it pleased God to confound and disperse that formidable Armada which for its Greatness was in vain called Invincible The Prince of Orange being come into the Bay with the major part of the Floet Boats were ordered to carry his Highness to Shore with his Gards and the Noblemen that were about his Person Who being Landed marched up the Hill some before the Prince and some after Then the Guns fired from the Fleet with the Beat of the Drums the Sound of Trumpets the Musick of Hoboys and the joyful Huzza's of the Fleet and Army the Ships with all their Colours out and the Colours of the Land-Forces that went out with the Prince flying and flourishing before his Highness And whilst he was viewing the Ground on the Top of the Hill in order to Inâ—ampâ—hâ—s Army all hands in the Fleet were at work to carry the Men and Horses with their Necessaries to Shore So that the whole Army was Landed the next Day being Tuesday by three a Clock in the Afternoon the Horse being Landed first and then the Foot But their Cannon and Carriages c. were sent about for Topsham and from thence brought up by Water to Exeter At the upper end of the Bay was a Fair House belonging to one Mr. Carey a Papist who entertained a Priest in his House This Priest having discovered the Fleet from the Leads of the House with the White Flags on some of the Men of War concluded it to be the French Fleet come to Assist King James against the Prince of Orange Transported with Joy at the Conceit of it he without any more ado ordered all the Family to the Chappel to sing Te Deum for the Arrival of the French But he was soon undeceived and thererupon laughed at for his Religious Mistake This House the Prince of Orange upon his Landing commanded to be Searched for Arms and Horses Some Horses and a few Arms were found and brought from thence but without giving any further Disturbance to the House where both the Searchers and the Searched entertained one another with mutual Civility Near the Sea-side were some Thatched Houses belonging to Fishermen one of whom had the honour to Entertain the Prince at his House till the Wednesday following Which Day the Prince rode from this Place to Sir William Courtney's within a mile of Newton-Abbot the first Market-Town the first Line of the Army being about Newton and the last upon their March thither Here a Divine going before the Army went to the Cross or Town-Hall on the Market-day where he read aloud to the People the Prince's Declaration Which ended with their joyful Acclamations and kind Wishes to the Prince followed soon after by Ringing of Bells and Drinking of the Prince's Health And as his Highness was most kindly received and entertained at Sir VVilliam Courtney's so were the Souldiers generally well treated by the Vulgar Here began the Proviâ—ions to abound which hitherto had been very scarce and as they were honestly paid for so the Army was quickly supplyed with what the Coâ—ntry could afford On Thursday Nov. 8th the Lord Mordant now Earl of Monmouth came to Exeter with three or four Troops of Horse and Dr. Burnet
with him But when they came to one of the Gates it was shut against them Upon which the Lord Mordant commanded the Porter on pain of Death to open the Gate Which being open his Lordship commanded him on the same Pain not to shut it again My Lord and the Doctor went to the Mayor to Know if he would meet the Prince at the Gate and govern the City under Him VVhich he excused telling him he was under the Obligation of an Oath to His Majesty and therefore desired the Prince would lay no Commands on him contrary to his Conscience Thus after some Debate of the Matter they parted whilst the Forces kept coming to Town The next Day being Friday Nov. 9th the Prince came into Exeter attended besides his Gards with a brave Train of Nobles Knights and Gentlemen Upon the Road he met with Multitudes of People who welcomed His Highness with their Shouts and Huzza's The same was done at Exeter where the Streets were thronged on each side the Windows beautified and full of joyful Spectators Being come to the Dean's House where He kept his Court He took some Refreshment and then was pleas'd to go and render Thanks to God in the Cathedral Church for his â—â—se Arrival VVhere being sat in the Bishops Seat then Absent the Quire began and Sung Te Deum and after the Collects were ended Dr. Burnet Read the Prince's Declaration Dr. Lamplugh then Bishop of this Diocess was fled to London upon the Prince's Landing at Torbay VVhere having waited upon the King at White-Hall His Majesty was pleased to reward this piece of his Loyalty by Translating him to the Archbishoprick of York which had been a long time Vacant The main Body of the Army marched in the mean time the Horse to the Neighbouring Parishes and the Foot to Clist-Heath where they Incamped Both Horse and Foot look'd very much Disabled and Weather beaten what with the Sea and what with their March hither through bad Ways and in Rainy Weather Their Hâ—râ—â—s were for the most part to Weak that they could scarce stâ—â—d upon their Legs So that if the K ng's Forces had been read at hanâ— it might have gone very hard in case o a Fight with he Prince's Army But it pleased God so to order it that while the King expected the Prince in the North the Prince gave him the Goâ—by and took his Course a grâ—at way to the West that being upon his Landing at a good distance from His Majesties Forces He might have time to Refresh His own before they could come to Action The Prince therefore thought fit to stay a while at Exeter but this was not the only Reason Not a Person of Quality and Interest in those Parts besides Sir William Courtney had joyned Him hitherto which His Highness did much wonder at Only on the Monday Nov. 12 one Captain Burrington came and offered him his Service who was accordingly very kindly received by His Highness But two Days after several noted Gentlemen of Dorset-Shire and Somersetshire came in to Joyn the Prince and waited on His Highness Thursday Nov. 15 To whom He spoke after this manner Gentlemen The Princes Speech to the Gentry that came to Joyn him at Exeter Tho' We know not all your Persons yet We have a Catalogue of your Names and remember the Character of your Worth and Interest in your Country You see We are come according to your Invitation and our Promise Our Duty to God obliges Vs to Protect the Protestant Religion and Our Love to Mankind your Liberties and Properties We expected you that dwell so near the Place of our Landing would have Joyned us sooner Not that it is now too late nor that we want your Military Assistance so much as your Countenance and Presence to justify our declared Pretensions in order to accomplish our good and gracious Design Tho' We have brought both a good Fleet and a good Army to render these Kingdoms happy by Rescuing all Protestants from Popery Slavery and Arbitrary Power by Restoring them to their Rights and Properties established by Law and by Promoting of Peace and Trade which is the Soul of Government and the Life of the Nation yet we rely more on the goodness of God and the Justice of our Cause than on any humane Force and Power whatever But since God is pleased that we should make use of humane Means and not expect Miracles for our Preservation and Happiness let us not neglect making use of this gracious Opportunity but with Prudence and Courage put in execution our so honourable Purposes Therefore Gentlement Friends and Fellow Protestants We bid you and all your Followers most Heartily Welcome to our Court and Camp Let the whole World now Judge if our Pretensions are not Just Generous Sincere and above Price since We might have even a Bridge of Gold to Return back But it is our Principle and Resolution rather to die in a good Cause than live in a bad one Virtue and true Honour being its own Reward and the Happiness of Mankind our great and only Design Both the Clergy and Gentry of this County were uneasy for fear that King James should prevail and therefore backward to declare for the Prince But the People were forward enough For when the Drums beat for Volunteers they came in apace from all Parts of the County insomuch that many Captains pickt and chose their Souldiers Thousands did list themselves to whom Arms were Given and many more would have done the same who were dismissed upon Mareschal Schombergs Advice that there was no need of them Thus the Citizens Fears of King James's Forces lessening every day they began to talk now more freely and to be more and more inclined towards the Prince The Mayor himself and Aldermen much taken up with their Consultations upon the present Juncture came at last to visit his Highness The Lord Lovelace coming through Cirencester in Glocestershire to joyn the Prince at Exeter with near 70 Horse very well appointed had the Misfortune to be stopt at that Town and seized with thirteen of his Party by the Officers of the Militia Who met however with so sharp a Resistance that several of them were killed and others wounded Amongst the first were Lorege Major of the Regiment and his Son Captain Lee a Deputy Lieutenant of the County and Williams a Lieutenant About the same time viz. on Monday Nov. 12 the Lord Cornbury Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Dragoons marched from Salisbury in order to bring over that Regiment and two more of Horse to the Prince of Orange Which two Regiments of Horse were the Royal Regiment and the Duke of S. Alban's then Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Langston They marched together first to Dorcester where they refreshed themselves and then went on to Bridport and Axmister Upon which several Officers mistrusting his Lordship asked him whither they were going Who answered he had the King's Orders to beat up the Enemies Quarters
your Country to your Selves and to your Posterity which You as Men of Honour ought to prefer to all private Considerations and Ingagements whatsoever VVe 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 will ever Remember the Service you shall do Vs upon this Occasion by placing such particular Marks of our Favour on every one of You as your Behaviour at this time shall deserve of Us in which VVe will make a great Distinction of those that shall come seasonably to joyn their Arms with Ours In short you shall find Us to be Your Well-wishing and Assured Friend William Henry Prince of Orange The Prince's Army began now to be in good heart and one Man was as good as two when they came first to Exeter Every day his Highness went out to view the Country with the Mareschal de Schomberg and went once as far as Autry 12 miles from Exeter In the mean time Mr. Seymour was made Governour and one Major Gibson Deputy-Governour For the managing the Revenue here the Lord Wiltshire Mr. Herbord and Mr. Row were appointed Commissioners The Prince's Court began also to swell For besides those great Persons which had attended his Highness from Holland hither viz. Mareschal Schomberg Count Nassaw Count Solms the Lords Zulestein Bentick and Overkirk of the English Nation the Earls or Shrewebury and Macclesfield Viscount Mordant Lord Wiltshire end Colonel Sidney and of the Scotch the Earl of Argile with several other Persons of Quality here came to his Highness the Lord Cornbury the Earl of Abington and the Lord Colchester besides a great Number of Gentry Who all entred together into an Association to Assist the Prince of Orange in the Defence of the Protestant Religion Laws and Liberties of the People of England Scotland and Ireland in these Words An Ingagement of the Nobility at Exeter to stand by the Prince of Orange We do Ingage to Almighty God and to his Highness the Prince of Orange and with one another to stick firm to this Cause and to one another in the 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 under Popery and Slavery And whereas we are ingaged in the Common Cause under the Protection of the Prince of Orange by which means his Person may be exposed to Danger and to the desperate and cursed Designs of Rapists and other bloody Men We do therefore solemnly Ingage to God and to one another That if any such Attempts be made upon Him We will pursue not only those that made them but all their Adherents and all We find in Arms against Us with the utmost Severity of just Revenge in their Ruin and Destruction and that the Executing any such Attempt which God of his infinite Mercy forbid shall not deprive Us from pursuing the Cause which We do now undertake but that it shall Incourage us to carry it on with all the Vigour that so barbarbous an Approach shall do serve By this strict Association the Prince saw how well these Noble Lords and Gentlemen were disposed towards his Highness and for the promoting the Good of the Common Cause In the mean time he received Intelligence of the first Skirmish that hapned between the two Armies at Wincanton To which Place a small Party of Major General Mackay's Regiment being advanced to provide Carriage Collonel Sarsfield having Notice of it marched thither with a Detachment of 70 Horse and 50 Dragoons and Granadiers in order to cut them off Who hearing of Sarsfield's Approach resolved upon a stout Defence notwithstanding their small Number being but 25. In order to which Cambel their Lieutenant posted them in a small Inclosure at the East end of the Town where there was a good Hedge between them and the Road. Here they made a vigorous Defence and several were killed and wounded on both sides when of a sudden upon a false Alarm of a strong Party of the Prince's Horse coming Sarsfield and his Men retreated with all speed and in some disorder And tho he had little Cause to boast of this Action yet our Gazette did so magnifie it that by it's Account of it 30 of the Prince's Men were killed out of 25 besides 6 taken and 15 that made their escape One would think the King by this time had done with Proclamations His Majesty was two to one at least as to the Number of Forces and yet to Ingross all to himself he put out a Proclamation at Salisbury Nov. 22. to Intice away all the Prince's Army and so leave him by himself By this Proclamation first He Offers and Grants his Pardon to all his Subjects that had taken up Arms with Foreigners and Strangers against Him and their Native Country And next to all such Foreigners as should come over to Him promising either to Entertain them in his Service or Grant them if they should desire it freedom of Passage and liberty to Return to the Respective Countries from whence they came But this Stratagem would not do And his Highness having now received an Account of the Motions and Proceedings in the North for the Support of the Common Cause prepared all Things for his March towards the King's Army The Lords concerned in the North were the Earls of Devonshire Stamford and Damby the Lord Delamere and others who being met at Nottingham with great Numbers of the Gentry and a competent Force of Horsemen well appointed to repel all Opposers unanimously subscribed to this Declaration Nov. 23. the same Day that the King put out his Proclamation The Declaration of the Nobility and Gentry c. at the Rendezvous at Nottingham We the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty of these Northern Counties assembled together at Nottingham for the Defence of our Laws Religion and Liberties according to those Free-born Liberties and Priviledges descended to Vs from our Ancestors as the Vndoubted Birth-right of the Subjects of this Kingdom of England not doubting but the Infringers and Invaders of our Rights will Represent us to the rest of the Nation in the most malicious Dress they can put upon us do here Vnanimously think it our Duty to Declare to the rest of our Protestant Fellow Subjects the Grounds of our present Vndertaking We are by innumerable Grievances made sensible that the very Fundamentals of our Religion Liberties and Properties are about to be Rooted out by our late Jesuitical Privy Council as has been of late too apparent 1. By the King 's Dispensing at his Pleasure with all the Established Laws 2. By Displacing all Officers out of all Offices of Trust and Advantage and Placing others in their Room that are Known Papists deservedly made Incapable by the Estabished Laws of our Land 3. By Destroying the Charters of most Corporations in
you to defend the Laws Liberties and the Protestant Religion and to procure a Settlement in Church and State in concurrence with the Lords and Gentlemen in the North and pursuant to the Declaration of the Prince of Orange And so God Save the King In short the Genius of the whole Nation if you except the Papists and some false Protestants did run that Way and there was no stopping of so strong a Current Which his Highness the Prince of Orange was no sooner satisfied in but he marched from Exeter forward with his Army the Fort of Plimouth being already Surrendred to his Highness by the Earl of Bath At Exeter he only left a new raised Regiment to keep the City under the Command of Sir John Guyes then made Governour thereof The Army marching in three Lines and the Prince in the second Line his Highness marched out from Exoter Nov. 22. and came to Crook-horn on Saturday 24. Then the Gentlemen of the West came in apace and joined him almost at every Stage From Crook horn where he staid the 25th he came the next Day to Sherborn and lodged at the Castle where the Duke of Grafton and the Lord Churchill amongst others joyned him from the King's Army Whereupon the Lord Churchill who lay under particular Obligations to the King wrote a Letter to his Majesty in these following Terms SIR The Lord Churchills Letter to the King Since Men are seldom suspected of Sincerity when they act contrary to their Interests and though 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 injoy 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 lyes 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 has hitherto represented those Vnhappy 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 indeavour 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 CHURCHILL By this Desertion the King grew more and more sensible how little he was to depend upon an Army which daily mouldred away Not for want of natural Affection to his Majesty but only to bring him off from his evil Counsellors and into a necessity of Complying with the general Desire of the Nation to have all Things Rectified by a Free and Legal Parliament Before the King left Salisbury there hapned such a sudden Gust of Wind as hurried down the Crown which had stood many Years upon the top of a Spire of the Cathedral This was lookt upon as an ill Omen to the King And so was his Majesties violent Bleeding at the Nose that could not be stopt for a long time any manner of way The Vangards of both Armies being now near each other a Party of the Prince's appeared not far from Salisbury Upon which King James and his Army thinking the Prince's whole Force were coming upon them took the Alarm so that his Majesty in the midst of his Bleeding ordered his Coach forthwith to be made ready and drive away to Windsor Upon whose Departure his Forces in great haste and disorder marched some one way some another The King being come to Andover which was his first Stage homeward his Royal Highness Prince George of Denmark accompanied by his Grace the Duke of Ormond and the Lord Drumlangrig withdrew from his Majesty in the Night in order to joyn the Prince of Orange at Sherborn which they did the 29th From whence Prince George sent a most tender Letter to the King in these following Terms SIR Prince George his Letter to the King With a Heart full of Grief I am forced to write what Prudence would not permit me to say to your Face And way I ever find Credit with your Majesty and Protection from Heaven as what I now do it free from Passion Vanity or Design 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 shews too Vninterested a Sense 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 I can therefore no longer disguise my just Concern for that Religion in which I have been so happily Educated which my Judgment throughly convinces me to be best and for the Support of which I am so highly interested both in my Native Country and in this your Kingdom Whilst the restless Spirits of the Enemies of the Reformed Religion backed by the cruel Zeal and the prevailing Power of France justly alarm and unite all the Protestant Princes of Christendom and ingage 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 Indeavours to disabuse Your Majesty by the Reinforcement of those Laws and Establishing 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 to 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 imploy'd 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 at strongly Vnite the Hearts of all your Subjects to You as is that of SIR Your Majesties most Humble and most Obedient Son and Servant This
was a strange Time for Flight For whilst the King fled from Salisbury and the Prince of Denmark from the King the Princess also took her Flight from the Cock-pit Her Royal Highness then big of the Duke of Glocester not being able to bear the King's Displeasure upon the Princes account or her own withdrew her self Nov. 26. early in the Morning and went with the Ladies Churchill and Berkley and the Lord Bishop of London to the North where the Forces were in Arms for the Prince of Orange Upon which her Royal Highness left a Letter for the Queen in these following Words MADAM The Princess of Denmark her Letter to the Queen I beg Your Pardon that I am so deeply affected with the surprizing News of the Prince's being gone as not to be able to see Your Majesty However I 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 intending to stay at so great a Distance as not to Return before I hear the happy News of a Reconcilen ent And as I am confident the Prince did not leave the King with any other Design than to use all possible Means for his Majesties 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 to a Father and Affection to a Husband that 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 cared not to what Dangers they exposed his Majesty I am fully persuaded that the Prince of Orange designs the King's Safety and Preservation and hop all Things may be composed without more Blood-shed by the Calling a Parliament God grant a happy End to these Troubles that the King's Reign may be prosperoâ—s and that I may shortly meet You in perfect Peace and Safety Till when let me beg of You the Continuance of that favourable Opinion you have hitherto had of Your Majesties most obedient Daughter and Servant ANNE The same Day the Princess went the King returned to Whitehall from Salisbury Who seeing how Things went first turned Sir Edward Hales out of his Government of the Tower who being a Papist had threatned to Bomb the City and made Colonel Bevile Skelton Lieutenant of the Tower who had been a Prisoner there but a few Days before Then his Majesty gave Order to the Lord Chancellour to Issue out Writs for summoning a Parliament to meet at Westminster the 15th day of January next Which was a great Step towards a Reconcilement if so be the King had really intended it But it proved a meer Amusement For his Heart did beat for Versailles and the Pretence of a Parliament was only to posses the People with an Opinion that he was resolved to be Reconciled with them at any Rate and in the mean time to Prepare himself under hand for a Retreat Nov. 30. He signed the Proclamation for the speedy Calling of a Parliament and ordered it with all speed to be Published Never was false Coin better plated than this Proclamation was worded to amuse the People These are the VVords JAMES R. We have thought fit as the best and most proper Means to Establish a lasting Peace to this Our Kingdom to Call a Parliament The King's Proclamation for the speedy Calling of a Parliament and have therefore Ordered our Chancellour to cause Writs to be Issued forth for Summoning a Parliament to Meet at Westminster upon the 15th day of January next ensuing the Date of this Our Royal Proclamation And that nothing may be wanting on Our part towards the Freedom of Elections as We have already Restored all Cities Towns Corporate and Boroughs throughout Our Kingdom to their ancient Charters Rights and Priviledges so we Require and Command all Persons whatsoever that they presume not by Menace or any other undue Means to Influence Elections or Procure the Vote of any Flector And We do also strictly Require and Command all Sheriffs Mavors Bailiffs and other Officers to whom the Execution or Return of any Writ Summons Warrant or Precept for Members to the insuing Parliament shall belong that they cause such Writ Summons Warrant and Precept to be duly Published and Executed and Returns thereupon to be fairly made according to the true Merits of such Elections And for the Security of all Persons both in their Election and Service in Parliament We do hereby Publish and Declare That all Our Subjects shall have free Liberty to Elect and all Our Peers and such as shall be Elected Members of Our House of Commons shall have full Liberty and Freedom to Serve in Parliament Notwithstanding they have taken up Arms or committed any Act of Hostility or been any way Aiding or Assisting therein And for the better Assurance hereof We have Graciously directed a General Pardon to all Our Subjects to be forthwith prepared to pass Our Great Seal And for the Reconciling all Publick Breaches and Obliterating the very Memory of all past Miscarriages We do hereby Exhort and Kindly Admonish all Our Subjects to dispose themselves to Elect such Persons for their Representatives in Parliament as may not be Biassed by Prejudice or Passion but Qualified with Parts Experience and Prudence proper for this Conjuncture and agreeable to the Ends and Purposes of this Our Gracious Proclamation His Highness the Prince of Orange having staid some Days at Sherborn moved towards Salisbury by the VVay of Mere. At his Entrance into Salisbury which was in great State he was met by the Mayor and Aldermen in all their Formalities the Bells ringing the People shouting and the whole City in a Transport of Joy at the sight of their Deliverer His Highness rode into the City with the Prince of Denmark at his right hand and the Duke of Ormond on his left and took up his Quarters at the Bishop's Palace Here his Highness made a Halt for some Days VVhich the Princess of Denmark having notice of she came to Oxford attended by a select Troop of Country Gentlemen well Armed where Prince George went to meet her Royal Highness All the way the Army marched Care was taken to disperse the Prince's Declaration and where they hapned to Quarter upon Sundays there it was read in the Churches By this time the King's Army was much broken most of the Protestant Officers and Souldiers come away and Joyned his Highnesses Forces So that there was no Prospect of a Field-Battel After some Stay here the Prince came away and marched to Amsbury from
they pulled down and plundered the Spanish Embassadors House whose Damages were afterwards abundantly made up by the Government Thus King James lest his Party to the Mercy of the Rabble whose unaccountable Outrages and Violences could not be prevented in that critical Time Yet their Rage fell much short of what the Papists expected considering their former Provocations for I could not hear of any Hurt they did to their Persons Whereas the major Part of them expected nothing less than Death and Destruction as it had been our Fate had our Case been their own Which piece of Moderation from a loose provoked and mighty Rabble without the Restraint of any Government is not to be parallel'd in History As for the false Alarm which hapned upon it of the desperate Irish Forces Burning and Plundering and putting to the Sword all they met in their Way as Improbable as the Thing was in it self yet it got such Credit all over the Kingdom that the whole Nation was in a ferment upon it and all the Militia in Arms to oppose the pretended Fury of a sort of Men which the Sound of a Horn had newly put to Flight at Reading and that of an old Barrel at Maidenhead But however the Alarm was given it was not without some Design and whatever was in the Top one might easily guess that Policy was in the Bottom For to imagine that four or five thousand Irish should all of a sudden be grown so Desperate as to think to Post away this Nation with Fire and Sword when the very sight of a less Number of resolute Men might have made them shew their Heels was a Thing fitter to laugh at than to be concerned for One Thing is Observable in the King's Desertion viz. the Great Seals being cast into the Thames as it was found out afterwards Which lookt like a wilful Desertion of the Government and an intire Abdication thereof At least he seemed thereby to imply that in case he should Return he was resolved not to Rule by Law of which the Great Seal seems always to carry some Prints King James being thus gone not able to bear the brunt of a Parliament and the Writs prepared for it being stopt made his Way by Water for France with all speed till he hapned to be stopt at Feversham in Kent as we shall see afterwards Upon the News of his being Gone there was a Meeting that very Day at Guild-hall of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in and about the Cities of London and Westminster to the Number of nine and twenty who agreed upon and signed a Declaration In which having first expressed their Zealous Concern for the Nation in this dangerous Conjuncture upon the King 's having Withdrawn himself in order to his Departure out of this Kingdom they Unanimously Declared their Resolution to apply themselves to His Highness the Prince of Orange and to Assist him with their utmost Indeavours in the speedy Obtaining of a Parliament whereby our Laws Liberties and Properties might 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 might be Supported and Incouraged They further Declared That in the mean time they would Indeavour to Preserve to the utmost of their Power the Peace and Security of London and Westminster and the Parts adjacent And if any Thing more could be performed by Them for promoting His Highnesses generous Intentions for the Publick Good that they would be ready to do it as Occasion should require With which Declaration four of their Body Viz. the Earl of Pembroke the Lord Viscount Weymouth the Bishop of Ely and the Lord Culpeper were desired to attend His Highness Which they did accordingly The same day two Addresses were Agreed upon one from the Lord Mayor Aldermen and the Commons of the City of London in the Common Council Assembled and another from the Lieutenancy of London which were both presented to his Highness at Henly in Oxfordshire Dec. 13. with the Lords Declaration Which Addresses in short contained Their humble Acknowledgment of His Highnesses fervent Zeal for the Protestant Religion and of his Vnparalled Generosity in Exposing his Person to so many Dangers both by Sea and Land to Rescue these Nations from Slavery and Popery With a Declaration that they presumed to make his Highness their Refuge and therefore begged his Protection And at last humbly beseeching his Highness to Repair with all convenient Speed to the Capital City for the perfecting the great Work He had so happily begun The Prince having now a certain Account of the King 's being gone away did put out a Declaration Requiring all colonels and Commanders in Chief of the Regiments Troops and Companies of the Royal Army that had Dispersed themselves to call together by Beat of Drum or otherwise the several Officers and Souldiers belonging to their respective Regiments Troops and Companies in such Places as they should find most convenient for their Rendez-vous and there to keep them in good Order and Discipline And all such Officers and Souldiers forthwith to Repair to such Places as should be appointed for that purpose by their respective Colonels and Commanders in Chief whereof His Highness required speedy Notice to be given unto Him for his further Orders The King in the mean time who was supposed to be near the Coast of France was unluckily stopt in a Smack nigh Feversham by some sturdy Fellows then Jesuite-hunting and was Secured for One till he came to be Known Then he was prevailed upon to Return to White-hall which he did on the 16th Where being Informed of divers Outrages and Disorders that had been committed in his Absence He was pleased that very Night in Council to give Orders for the preventing all such Outrages and Disorders for the future Which proved the last Publick Act of his Regal Power His Highness the Prince of Orange was now come to Windsor where he arived on Friday Dec. 14. From whence he had sent the Sieur de Zulestein to the King who likewise sent the Earl of Feversham to his Highness to Invite him to S. James's But his Lordship was secured in the Castle by the Prince's Order for his late Irregular Disbanding of the King's Forces Decemb. 17. In the Night the King's Gards were changed by the Prince's then arrived at S. James's Park Which Proceeding the Jacobites do exclaim against as a great piece of Iniquity and look upon as unaccountable But as the Case stood the Thing was unavoidable and as I am apt to think the King's Invitation was none of the more Cordial so I presume this Proceeding of the Prince was not free from Reluctancy Upon the King's Going off the Lords Assembled at Guild hall and the City had put themselves under the Prince's Protection as being left in a State of Anarchy and his Highness had now the Command of the King's Forces so that it was in his
Especially when 't is plain this must occasion the greatest Ruin and Miseries possible to that Kingdom and when a pretended Heir was set up in such a manner that the whole Kingdom believed it Spurious In such a Case it cannot be denied even according to the highest Principles of Passive Obedience that another Sovereign Prince might make War on a King so abusing his Power and that this was the Case in Fact will not be called in question by any Protestant Therefore King James having so far sunk in the War that he both abandoned his People and deserted the Government all his Right and Title did accrue to the Prince in the Right of a conquest over him So that if he had then assumed the Crown the Opinion of all Lawyers must have been on his side And which Way soever King James's Deserting the Government be turned this Argument has much Weight For if he was forced to it then here was a Conquest and if it was voluntary it was a wilful Dâ—sertion But whatever Prospect His Highness might have of a Crown either by the Sword or the Law or both Ways together He chose rather to leave the Matter to the Determination of the Peers and People of England chosen and Assembled together with all possible Freedom Mean while the Lords Spiritual and Temporal Assembled December 25. in the House of Lords at Westminster and at the same time the Members of the Parliaments that had served during the Reign of King Charles 2d met in the House of Commons together with the Court of Aldermen and Common-Council of London Who unanimously Agreed upon a general Convention of the Lords and Commons to Meet on the 22. of Jan. next and pray'd his Highness in the mean time to take upon him the Administration of Publick Affairs both Civil and Military and the disposal of the Publick Revenues till the Meeting of the said Convention In Order to which Meeting He sent at their Request and according to their Directions His Letters throughout the Kingdom Then came out two Dâ—clarations from His Highness One for Authorising Sheriffs Justices of the Peace and other Officers and Ministers not Papists that were in Office upon the first day of December to Act in their respective Places Another for the better Collecting the Publick Revenue Besides an Order for carrying on the Elections for the intended Convention with greater Freedom and without any Colour of Force or Restraint His Highness also took a convenient Care to Restrain the Licentiousness of the Press within the bounds of the Law Then He put forth a Declaration for the better Quartering of the Forces Another to Incourage the Sea-men of the Fleet then labouring under Discontents and absenting themselves upon several untrue and groundless Reports Maliciously spread among them and to warn them at their Peril to return to their Duty A third to the same purpose for the Land Forces Jaruary 22. being the day appointed for the Convention to meet at Wes tminster there they met accordingly Where the two Speakers being chosen viz. the Lord Marquis of Halliface for the House of Lords and Henry Powle Esq for the Commons a Letter from the Prince of Orange was read in both Houses to this effect That he had endeavoured to perform what was desired from Him for the Publick Peace and safety during his Administration and that it now lay on them to lay a Foundation of a firm Security for their Religion Laws and Liberties That he did not doubt but by such a full and Fret Representative of the Nation the Ends of his Declaration would be attained He recommended to them the dangerous Condition of Ireland and also the States of Holland both which required large and speeâ—ly Succours And toâ—d them that since it had pleased God hitherto to bless his good Liteâ—tions with so great Success be trâ—sled in him that he would complete his own Work by sending a Spirit of Peace and Vnion to inflâ—ence their Courseâ—s that so no Iâ—terruption might be given to a happy and lasting Settlement Whereupon the Lords and Commons unanimously resolved upon an Address to be presented to his Highness of â—hanks for what he had done and humblâ— to desire him to continue the Administration of Publick Affairs till farther Application were made by them to his Highness A Day of Publick Thanksgiving to Almighty God was likewise appointed by both Houses for having made his Highness the Prince of Orange a Glorious Instrument of the great Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power And then the Lords and Commons went in a Body to St. James's to present the fore-mentioned Address to his Highness The State we were in required a speedy Settling of the Government on sure and lafting Foundations and consequently that such Person or Persons should be immediately placed in the Throne in whom the Nation had most reason to repose an intire Confidence It therefore now lay upon the Convention to Make so Judicious a Choice as in all probability might render us a happy People and give our Posterity cause to Rejoyce when they shall read the Proceedings of this Wise and Grand Convention 'T is observed that before the Theocracy of the Jews ceased even in the time of extraordinary Revelations the manner of the Divine Designation of their Judges was by God's giving the People some Deliverance by the Hand of the Person to whose Government they were appointed to submit Thus Othniel Gideon Jephthab Samson and others were invested by Heaven with the supream Authority And tho' Joshâ—a had an immediate Command from God to succeed Moses and an Anointing for that purpose by the laying on of Moses hands yet the Foundation of the Peoples Submission to him was laid in Joraâ—n Now what History can give an Instance since that Theocracy ceased of a Designation of any Person to any Government more visibly Divine than this was To see a Nation of so various Opinions Interests and Factions fall suddenly from a turbulent and fluctuating State into a serene Calm and their Minds so strangely united on a sudden it shews from whence the Nation was Influenced And whoever considers how the Posture of Foreign Affairs which no humane Wisdom or Power could have brought about made way for this Expedition how the Prince's Counsels were all along directed and crowned with Success amongst so many Dangers and Difficulties and that in so little time and with so little Effusion of Blood must needs see plainly the Finger of God in all this pointing out to us what choice we were to make Yet various were the Projects amongst the Members of the Convention Some were for Sending to the King and Treating with him to Return but under such Restraints as they thought should disable him from Invading our Laws Religion and Liberties But what restraint could be put upon a King who was under a Vow of Restoring Popery The Kingly Power one would think was sufficiently limited by the Law so as to
all that is in my power to advance the Welfare of the Glory of the Nation Whereupon the Prince and Princess of Orange were that very Day being the 13th of February 1688 9. Proclaimed at White-Hall and in the City King and Queen of England France and Ireland by the Name of WILLIAM and MARY each Proclamation being Ecchoed with Universal Acclamations of Joy by the Multitudes of People which crowded the Streets Windows and Balconies and the Streets lined all the Way from Temple-Bar to the Royal-Exchange with four Regiments of the City Militia The Night was concluded with Bonfires Ringing of Bells and all other Expressions of Duty and Affection to Their Majesties KING WILLIAM and QVEEN MARY with hearty Wishes for Their long and happy Reign April 11th Being appointed for their Coronation Their Majesties were accordingly Crowned that Day at Westminster with great Pomp and Solemnity by the Lord Bishop of London and the Day kept with great Ceremony in most of the chief Towns of England The Coronation Oath was tendred by the Bishop to the King and Queen in these several Articles Their Majesties giving a distinct Answer to each of them Bishop Will you solemnly Premise and Swear to Govern the People of this Kingdom of England and the Dominions thereto belonging according to the Statutes agreed on in Parliament and the Laws and Customs of the same King and Queen I solemnly promise so to do Bishop Will you to your power cause Law and Justice in Mercy to be executed in all Your Judgments King and Queen I will Bishop Will You to the utmost of your power Maintain the Laws of God the true Profession of the Gospel and the Protestant Reformed Religion established by Law And will you Preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of this Realm and to the Churches committed to their Charge all such Rights and Priviledges as by Law do or shall appertain unto them or any of them King and Queen All this I promise to do After this the King and Queen laying his and her Hand upon the Holy Gospels said The Things which I have here before Promised I will Perform and Keep So help me God Then the King and Queen kissed the Book In Scotland the same Course was taken for Settling the Government there by a Convention which met at Edenburg upon the 14th of March according to the Direction of the Prince of Orange now King and the Advice of several Lords and Gentlemen of Stotland then at London Which Convention voted also King James by his Misgovernment to have forfeited the Right to the Crown and the Throne to be Vacant For the filling up whereof they conferred the Crown upon WILLIAM and MARY King and Queen of England c. and fetled the Succession in the same manner as our Convention had done with a new Oath of Allegiance to Their Majesties Accordingly on the 11th of April 1689. being their Coronation-day at Westminster Their Majesties were proclaimed at Edenburg King and Queen of Scotland The 1â—th of May next ensuing being the Day appointed for the publick Reception of the Commissioners sent up by the Estates of Scotland viz. the Earl of Argyle Sir James Montgomery and Sir John Dalrymple to Offer the Crown of that Kingdom to their Majesties and tender unto Them the Scottish Coronation Oath they accordingly met at the Council Chamber at Three a Clock in the Afternoon and were from thence conducted by Sir Charles Cotterel Master of the Ceremonies to the Banqueting-House being attended by most of the Nobility and Gentry of that Kingdom then residing here The King and Queen went thither attended by many Persons of Quality the Sword being carried before them by the Lord Cardrosse And Their Majesties being placed on the Throne under a rich Canopy the Commissioners first presented a Letter from the Estates to the King then the Instrument of Government after that a Paper containing the Grievances to be Redressed and lastly an Address to his Majesty for turning the Meeting of the said Estates into a Parliament All which being Signed by his Grace the Duke of Hamilton as President of the Meeting and Read to Their Majesties the King returned to the Commissioners the following Answer When I Ingaged in this Vndertaking I had particular Regard and Consideration for Scotland and therefore I did omit a Declaration in relation to That as well as to This Kingdom which I intend to make good and effectual to them I take it very kindly that Scotland has expressed so much Confidence in and Affection to Me. They shall find Me willing to assist Them in every Thing that concerns the Weal and Interest of that Kingdom by making what Laws shall be necessary for the Security of their Religion Property and Liberty and to ease them of what may be justly Grievous to them This done the Coronation Oath was tendered to Their Majesties which the Earl of Argile spoke word by word distinctly and the King and Queen repeated it after him holding their right Hands up after the manner of taking Oaths in Scotland The Oath was thus We William and Mary King and Queen of Scotland faithfully Promise and Swear by this our solemn Oath in presence of the Eternal God That during the whole Course of our Life we will serve the same Eternal God to the uttermost of our Power according as he has requited in his most Holy Word revealed and contained in the New and Old Testament and according to the same Word shall Maintain the true Religion of Christ Jesus the Preaching of his Holy Word and the due and right Ministration of the Sacraments now Received and Preached within the Realm of Scotland and shall Abolish and Gainstand all false Religion contrary to the same and shall Rule the People committed to our Charge according to the Will und Command of God revealed in his aforesaid Word and according to the laudable Laws and Constitutions received in this Realm no ways repâ—gnant to the said Word of the Eternal God and shall procure to the utmost of our Power to the Kirk of God and whole Christian People true and perfect Peace in all time coming That we shall preserve and keep inviolated the Rights and Rents with all â—â—â—st Priviledges of the Crown of Scotland neither shall We Transfer nor Alienate the same That We shall forbid and repress in all Estates and Degrees Reis Oppression and alâ— kind of iâ—â—rong and We shall command and procure that Justice and Equity in all Judgments be keeped to all Persons without exception as the Lord and Father of Mercies shall be merciful to us That We shall be careful to Root out all Hereticks and Enemies to the true Worship of God that shall be Convilled by the true Kirk of God of the aforesaid Crimes out of Our Lands and Empire of Scotland And We saithfully Affirm the Things above-written by Our Solemn Oath But at the Repeating that Clause in thâ— Oath which relates to the Rooting out of Hereticks
are now able by the Grace of God to lift up our Heads beyond their expectation But if you inquire into the Causes of this sudden Change a Nameless Author will bring you in a parcel of Jesuits a sort of hair-brain'd Statesmen and yet bred up in a Cloyster who being unacquainted both with the English Temper and Constitution hoped to have carried two such things as Popery and Arbitrary Power both at once upon so Jealous a Nation as the English is which hates them above any other People in the World And yet these are the Men that bore the greatest sway in King James's Counsels I confess says he a Nation of less Sense might have been Imposed upon of less bravery and Valour might have been Frighted of a more servile Temper might have neglected its Liberties till it had been too late to have recovered them These Jesuits Manage with the Dissenters of one side and the Church of England Party on the other shews how shallow-brain'd they were One would think the cruel Slaughter they had caused to be made by the Course of Justice of the poor Wretches that were taken after the Defeat of Monmouth's Army near Bridgewater should have made them for ever despair of gaining any Credit with the Dissenters who rarely forgive but never forget any ill Treatment But on the contrary they had so little sense as to build all their hopes on them for having procured unto them a Liberty of Conscience Arbitrarily and Illegally granted and consequently Revocable at the Will of the Granter Thus these little Politico's rely'd upon the Dissenters Gratitude and pretended Insensibility as if for an uncertain Liberty of Conscience they would have sold themselves to everlasting Slavery On the other side if we look upon their Carriage towards the Church of England Party it will appear how little they were to be trusted by the whole Protestant Party First they pursued both Clergy and Laity with the utmost obloquy hatred oppression and contempt But when they sound the Dutch Storm coming upon them who but the Church of England Men Then the Bishops were presently sent for and all Places Presses and flying Papers fill'd with the Encomiums of the Church of England's Loyalty who but few days before were represented as Malecontents if not Rebels and Traytors for Opposing the King's Dispensing Power and the Ecclesâ—astical Commission To Compleat their Folly and Madness they perswaded King James to Throw up the Government and Retire into France For they pretended we should never be able to agree amongst our selves but would in a short time be forced to recall him and fairly yield to his Will and Pleasure or be compell'd to it by the Succours he might gain in France Had France been now in Peace there might have been says my Author some Colour for this But when all Europe was under a Necessity to Unite against him for its own Preservation then to perswade King James to desert his Throne and fly to France for Succour this was so silly a Project that there seems to have been something of a Divine Infatuation in it The Prince of Orange might have taught them cunctari who would not stir from Holland till he saw France and Germany irrevocably Ingaged in War as it happened by the Siege of Philipsburg Thus all Things considered either King James should have staid here and made as good Terms as he could with the Prince of Orange and his own Subjects Or if he would Abandon his Kingdoms he ought to have despaired of any Restitution and betaken himself to a private Life as Queen Christina did THE POSTSCRIPT By Way of Advice to the Jacobite Party NOw Ireland is Reduced and the Scotch Rebellions Suppressed 't is high Time for you Gentlemen to Capitulate Providence has declared it self against you your Idol the French King's Oracles are ceased and he has now at last most basely left you in the lurch In short there is no hopes or prospect of Relief You have done enough in Conscience and more than enough for King James You have out-done not only your Ancestors but Primitive Christianity it self in your fond Scruple of Conscience about the Oaths and have evidenced to the World how Impossible it is to serve two Masters Only some of you went too far and made shift for King James's Service to swear themselves true Subjects to King William and Queen Mary too To bring back King James with Popery Triumphant you have stuck at nothing and have over come even Nature it self by putting your selves under a King's Protection who ever was an Enemy to this Crown and Nation I mean the great King Lewis whose Quarrel you espoused whose Greatness you admired whose Successes you applauded too A Most Christian King in League with Turks and Tartars now become your Confederates against the Prefessors of the Name of Christ A Prince who has a great Account to give to God and Men of his infinite Extortions Rapines Violences Breach of Faith Bloodshed and Persecutions With this great Tyrant Usurper and Persecutor you have indeavoured to Overthrow the present Government by dark Plots and Conspiracies by bold Speeches and virulent Libels by filling the Nation with Fears and Jealousies But that which I chiefly admire you for is your Withstanding all Temptations of Plenty Ease and Liberty to become miserable Slaves even for Conscience sake Your being proof against the strongest Arguments of the best Pens of the Nation which could never make the least Impression upon you To which add your fervent but ineffectual Prayers and Supplications to God for a Blessing upon your â—â—â—â—al Indeavours and if they have not prospered 't is not your Fault In a Word so transcendent and meritorious has been your Loyalty to the late King James that no Age can parallel it So great that like Solomon's Wisdom never was the like before it nor I hope will ever be after So desperate that it made you willing to Sacrifice your Lives and Fortunes your Liberty Nation Posterity and some of you their Religion only to have the Satisfaction to sing Allelujah at the Return of King James All this was well enough according to your Principles as long as Limerick held out But now the Case is altered and it is time to Desist King James his Back-door is shut and the Great King having now withdrawn his powerful Arm t is in vain for you to hold out I advise you therefore to Surrender while it is time to Their Majesties Mercy and to become Their true and faithful Subjects under whose easy Scepter you may live happily Thus you will be no more lookt upon as you have been hitherto with Pity Scorn and Indignation With Pity as being Misguided by an erroneous Principle With Score for the greatest Infatuation that Men were ever guilty of to stand for Slavery when you are Free as you wished for Deliverance when you were in Captivity With Indignation as being the Bane of the Government under whose Protection you live When all is done you cannot but grant that the King is none of those frightful Princes that you took him to be from the Lords Speech without Doors and others of his Kidney Nor have we felt in the space of almost three Years any of those direful Influences of his Reign which those unlucky Fortune-tellers did once threaten us with He is a merciful King You have experienced it A Wise and Warlike Prince France it self does own it So great is his Fame and Interest abroad that He is in a manner the Oracle of most Christian Princes and the most likely King we have had since Henry Vâ—to make this Nation both Glorious and Happy As he is a Pattern for Princes in point of Government so in the Course of a Christian Life he is a Pattern for Subjects being both Good and Great and therefore the fittest Monarch to make this Nation so After so many esseminate and inglorious Reigns what greater Blessing could Heavens bestow upon us than a Prince so well qualified to Reign in these Kingdoms This is not all It has pleased God to redouble our Happiness by setting over us in Conjunction with his Majesty a Queen who is the Glory of her Sex and a Princess alone worthy of so great a Prince Let us therefore be Unanimous and say with one Voice God Save and Prosper King William and Queen Mary An Advertisement of some Books sold by Samuel Clement at the Lute in Paul's-Church-Yard 1. GOd's Revenge against Murther and Adultery expressed in Thirty several Tragical Histories The Third Edition By Thomas Wright M. A. of St. Peters College in Cambrâ—dge 2. The English Grammar setting sorth the Grounds of the English Tongue By Guy Miege Gent. The Second Edition 3. The Delightful History of Don Quixot the most Renowned Baron of Mancha With the Comical Humours of Sancho Panca The Second Edition