his Government This new Governour had the fortune at his arrival to be an eye-witness of the deseat of his Masters Fleet by that of the Prince of Orange but yet was more fortunate by Land for Prince Lowis of Nassaw having brought a fourth Army out of Germany of seven thousand Foot and four thousand Horse was defeated by the Spaniards near Nimmeguen the Germans according to their usual custom calling for their pay just as the battle began and thereby were the ruine of themselves as well as of their Generals honour Prince Lowis with his brother Prince Henry and the Count Palatine being all three killed in this fight Upon which Victory the Spaniards besieged Leyden and reduced it to very great extremity so that they were ready to Capitulate But the Prince having an account of their condition by Letters tyed to Pigeons and sent into the Town Resolved to make the utmost effort possible to relieve it and having provided two hundred Flat bottom Boates of fourteen or sixteen Oars and two Guns a piece which he filled with Seamen and Provisions when all things were prepared the Hollanders broke down the Damm that kept out the Sea which thereupon entred with such fury into the Countrey that it was overwhelmed with water and and the Camp of the Spaniards was overflowed so that the City received supplies forty mile off by water and the Spaniards having sunk their Cannon after four months fruitless labour were forced to raise the Seige being pursued by the Dutch in their Boats with long grapling Irons wherewith they drowned and destroyed a great number of their enemies This deliverance from a Barbarous and Inhumane Enemy endeared the Prince of Orange to those of Leyden who to recompence their losses by the inundation erected a University there which he indowed with ample Revenues and Priviledges But to recompence this loss Requesones reduced Zurich-zee but the Spaniards and Germans falling at variance about their pay and Requesones dying at the same time the unruly Souldiers fell upon Mastriccht and Antwerp both which Towns they plundred and ransackt of an immense Treasure rated at above Twenty Millions The Robberies of those Forreign Mutineers caused such an abhorrence and detestation of the Government in the People that those which had hitherto continued obedient to the Spanish Government now declared the Spaniards enemies to their King and Countrey and called in the Prince of Orange to their assistance All the Provinces except Luxemburg entring into an Association and Solemnly Swearing to assist each other in delivering their Countrey from Spanish Slavery This happened in 1576. when King Philip to remedy these disorders sent Don John of Austria to be Governour of the Netherlands who by his Mild and Affable behaviour wheedled the Provinces for a time to desist from their gallant resolution and though the Prince of Orange who saw the bottom of the Spaniards designs continually forewarned them not to be deluded with guilded promises yet Don John having solemnly agreed That the States General should assemble and that the Spaniards and Germans should depart out of the Netherlands several of the Provinces again submitted to King Philip the Prince of Orange with the States of Holland and Zealand protesting against their proceedings especially as to the Articles about Religion But Don John was no sooner setled in his Government being received with much magnificence at Brussels but he quickly made good the Princes Premonitions for he seized upon Namur and Charlemont and sent for the Forreign Troops Whereupon the States finding themselves deluded they resolved to oppose him by Arms and having demolished the Castle of Antwerp they joyned with the Prince of Orange and sent to desire his presence at Brussels where he was received with all kinds of Joy and the Acclamations of the People and declared Governour of Brabant and Super-Intendant of the Revenues of the Provinces The States General having declared Don John of Austria the publick Enemy of their Countrey he thereupon recall'd the Italians and other Forreigners who were banished by the perpetual Edict as it was called and with them defeated the Army of the States at Gemblours though this loss was recompensed by the surrender of the famous City of Amsterdam eight days after which was then united to the Body of Holland In the year 1579. the Prince of Orange laid the Foundation of the Republick of the Low-Countreys by the strict Union he made between the Provinces of Gueldres Zutphen Holland Zealand Friezeland and the Ommelands consisting of 25 Articles the chief whereof was That these Provinces should mutually assist each other against the common Enemy and not treat of War or Peace without general consent This was called The Treaty of Vtrecht because signed in that City and to shew that Union was absolutely necessary for their preservation the States took this for their Motto Concordia parvae res crescunt By Concord little things grow great But the Prince finding the power of these few Provinces not sufficient to defend themselves against the other Provinces that had reconciled themselves to Spain nor against that potent Crown he thought it adviseable to chuse some Neighbour Prince to be their Protector and judged none more proper than the Duke of Anjou and Alenson the only Brother of Henry III. King of France and Commissioners being sent to him it was soon agreed that these six Provinces of Holland Zealand Brabant Flanders Utrecht and Friezeland should acknowledge him for their Soveraign upon condition That he should maintain them in their present Priviledges and Religion that he should assemble the States General once a year or oftner if they thought fit That he should not dispose of any Offices or Preferments without the consent of the States Lastly That if he should endeavour to infringe or violate this Treaty he should immediately forfeit his Soveraignty and they be fully absolved from any Allegiance to him and be at liberty to chuse another Soveraign This Agreement being made Arch-Duke Matthias Brother to Rodolphus Emperor of Germany who had been sent for some time before by some factious Lords who envied the Virtue and Glory of the Prince of Orange finding that the States sought for a more powerful Protector took his leave and retired into Germany though not without large Acknowledgment and Presents from the States General The Prince of Orange hastened the March of the Duke of Alenson whose presence he knew was very considerable especially since in this year 1580 the King of Spain had published a most bloody Proscription against him Reproaching him with the favours bestowed on him by his Father Charles the V and declaring him to be a Rebel Heretick Hypocrite like to Cain and Judas of an obdurate Conscience a Villain the Head of the Netherland Troubles a Plague to Christendom and an Enemy to all Mankind Declaring further That he did prosecute and banish him out of his Countreys and Estates forbidding any of his Subjects to converse with or relieve him
giving all his Estate to those that would take it promising upon the word of a King and as the Minister of Almighty God That if any would deliver him alive or dead or else take away his Life he would give to him or his Heirs Five thousand Crowns of Gold and the free pardon of all the Crimes that he had been before guilty of and if they were not Noble to make them so and to reward all that shall assist them therein and likewise that all his Adherents should be banisht and their Lives and Estates given for a prey to any that would take them The Prince of Orange made a very smart Apology in answer hereunto wherein he fully vindicates himself from all the Crimes objected against him proving at large That all the Miseries of the Netherlands ought to be imputed to the Council of Spain who endeavoured to reduce those Countreys to absolute Slavery both as to Religion and Civil Liberties and acting more like Mad-men than Politicians and like that foolish King Rehoboam following the silly Advice of a weak Woman and Cardinal Granval the Pope's Creature telling the King That his Father had chastized the People with Whips but the Son ought to whip them with Scorpions and therefore they endeavoured to bring in the Inquisition and the new Bishops which were the occasion of all these commotions And as to his taking Arms against his Soveraign he sheweth that Henry Bastard of Castile the King 's great Grandfather had with his own hands slain the King Don Pedro the Cruel his lawful Brother and possest his Kingdom whose Successor King Philip was and enjoyed it to this day And that there was a Reciprocal Bond between a Prince and a Subject and if the Prince infringes his Oath the Subject is freed from his Allegiance that the King of Spain was admitted to be Duke of Brabant upon certain conditions which he had sworn to maintain and yet had notoriously violated and if the Nobility did not endeavour by Arms since no other means was to be found to preserve and defend their Liberties they ought to be accounted guilty of Perjury Treachery and Rebellion to the States of the Countrey And whereas the King had offered Money to take away his Life he did not doubt of God's protection yet certainly he could never be accounted a Gentleman by Persons of Honour who would be so wicked and infamous to murder a Man for Money except they were such Spaniards who being descended from the Mores and Jews might retain that quality from their Ancestors who offered Money to Judas to betray our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ into their hands that they might crucifie him The Prince concluded his Apology by telling the States General That since their peace and quiet seemed to depend upon his death he was willing to lay down his life to free them from the Calamities under which they suffered having already for their sakes lost his Estate his Brethren yea and his own Son and that his Head over which no Prince or Potentate on Earth had any power was yet at their command and that he would be a willing Sacrifice to procure their Tranquillity But if they thought fit still to use his Service he would employ his Life Counsel and all he had in the World for the defence and preservation of the Netherlands In answer to this the States declare That they are fully satisfied that the Crimes and Slanders charged upon the Prince are altogether false and malicious and that all the Honours that had been conferred on him were so far from being sought for or desired by him that he only accepted them at their earnest request and intreaty with the full consent and by the free Election of the Countrey and therefore they humbly intreated him still to continue his Administration and likewise to accept of a Guard for his Person against any villanous attempts upon his Life The States General of he United Provinces perceiving that notwithstanding the Intercession both of the Emperor the French King the Queen of England and other Princes and States of Christendom to King Philip on their behalf yet he still continued obstinately resolved to yield to nothing but what might reduce their Countrey absolutely to Popery and Slavery thereupon in 1581. they publisht an Edict of Renunciation against him wherein they declare That it being acknowledged by all Mankind that a Prince is ordained of God to preserve his Subjects from all Injuries and Violence even as a Shepherd defends his Sheep and that the people were never created to be Bond-men and Slaves to his will and pleasure whether his Commands are right or wrong but that he is advanced to that dignity to govern them by equity and reason and to cherish them as a Father doth his Children even with the peril of his life If a King therefore fail herein and instead of protecting his Subjects shall strive to destroy them and deprive them of their Ancient Laws and Priviledges and endeavour to make them Bond-slaves His Subjects are thereupon discharged from all Subjection and Obedience to such a Soveraign and are to reckon and esteem him a Tyrant and that he is absolutely fallen from his former Dignity and Soveraignty and the Estates of the Countrey may lawfully and freely abandon him and Elect another Prince to protect and defend them in his place especially when his Subjects neither by Prayers nor Petitions can mollifie his heart nor divert him from his Tyrannical and Arbitrary courses Since they have then no other way to preserve their Ancient Liberties Lives Wives Children and Estates which according to the Laws of God and Nature they are bound to defend and which hath been practisied in divers Countreys especially in those where the King was obliged by Oath to govern according to Law and was admitted to the Soveraignty upon certain conditions and special contracts Now it being apparent to all the World that Philip King of Spain giving ear to certain wicked Counsellors hath in every particular broken all the Oaths and Obligations which he had entred into for the defence of those Provinces and hath determined to enslave ruine and destroy them and all their Interests therein c. We the States General being prest by extream necessities do by a general resolution and consent declare the King of Spain to be fallen from the Government Dominion and Jurisdiction of these Countreys and we are resolved never hereafter to acknowledge him for our Prince and Soveraign Lord but do hereby declare our selves and all the Inhabitants of these Provinces to be for ever discharged from all manner of Oaths and Allegiance to the said King c. In witness whereof we have caused our our Seals to be hereunto annexed July 26. 1581. The Duke of Anjou having been in England to make a Visit to Q. Elizabeth returned again to Antwerp after three months splendid Entertainment in the English Court the Queen at his departure earnestly recommending to him
he lived in great State with the Spanish Governor of the Netherlands at Brussels and was imploy'd by that King to conduct into the Netherlands his Bride and Spouse that was to be the Infanta Isabella to whom K. Philip had given in Dowry the Soveraignty of the 17 Provinces This was a very astonishing Policy to all the Netherlands that the Son of a Prince who was so abhorr'd by the Spaniards should be chosen for this honourable Imployment and caused such a Jealousie in the States of the United Provinces towards him the King of Spain having likewise restored to him all his Estate in the Spanish Low-Countries and the French Comte that they would not allow him to make any Visit much less to reside in any of their Provinces though he was very desirous so to do And though his younger Brother Prince Maurice out of his generous temper surrendred up all the great Estate that belonged to Philip his older Brother as Breda and other places yet to prevent his being suspected by the States General he declined seeing him in Person rendring his Respects to him constantly by Persons deputed thereunto He married Eleonora Burbon Sister to the Prince of Conde and by marching with a Princess of the Blood he was reinstated in his Principality of Orange and died without Children at Brussels in 1618. leaving his Inheritance and Title to his Brother Maurice of Nassaw Prince of Orange Successor to his Father both in Conduct Courage and Success who being but 17 years old at the Death of his Father was yet called to the Government and was no ways discouraged at the great Successes of Alexander Famese Duke of Parma who in a very short time had reduced several Cities and Towns to the Crown of Spain Nor with the insolence of the Earl of Leicester who at the desire of the State General was sent by Q. Elizabeth to be their Governor though by his insupportable Pride and Ambition he more endamaged the Low Countries than the Succours he brought relieved them so that for 4 years together that Commonwealth laboured under dreadful Convulsions occassion'd by the Intrigues of the Earl of Leicester and the Policies of the Spaniards till at length by the fortunate and total destruction of the Nick-named Invincible Spanish Armada designed to have devoured all England the Prince of Parma lost all his reputation at once Prince Maurice about the same time obliging him to his everlasting shame to rise and run away from the Siege of Bergen 〈◊〉 Zoom And for Twenty Years after even till the time of the Truce Fortune was so favourable to the Prince that Victory seemed to attend him insomuch that he recovered near 40 Cities and many more Fortresses and in three pitched Battels defeated the Forces of the K. of Spain besides the Victories his Admirals obtained at Sea upon the Coasts of Flanders and Spain The Stratagem by which he surprized Breda was very remarkable For the Garrison of that Town being Italians and greedy of Fuel in that cold Country they very readily assisted the Boatman to draw his Bark of Turffs over the Ice within the Castle Walls under which the Prince had laid several armed Soldiers who suddenly starting up surprized and soon seiz'd the Guards taking Possession of the Castle with the loss only of one Man though it were an Action of such Danger and Importance Soon after the Town of Gertrudenburg was surrendred to the Prince in View of the Spanish Army consisting of 30000 Men commanded by Count Mansfield an experienced General who could not force the Prince out of his Trenches though he daily provoked him so that Prince Maurice having sent a Trumpeter to the Count he askt him How his Master being a young and fiery Prince could contain himself within his Trenches after such fair Provocations The Trumpeter replied That the Prince of Nassaw was a Young Prince but as old and experienced a General as his Excellency The next Year the Prince took Groning the Capital City of that province also Rhineburg Meurs and Grave and gained great Reputation by the defence of Ostend for the Spaniards having made themselves Masters of it after a Siege of three Years with the loss of Sixty thousand Men and the expence of above a Hundred Millions of Treasure they were possessed of nothing but a heap of Ruins more like a Burying place than a City And the Prince soon after gained Sluce a place of far greater Importance And at the Battle of Newport he had so great Success against far more numerous Forces than his own That the Archduke Albert with several other Persons of Quality were wounded All the Spaniards Cannon with above 100 Cornets and Ensigns falling into the Victor's hands with the slaughter of 6000 of the Enemy upon the place the Prince having before the Fight sent away all the Ships that Transported his Men into Flanders telling them That now there was no way to escape but they must either march over the Bellies of their Enemies or else drink Salt Water After several other successes against the Prince of Parma and other Spanish Generals whereby he raised up the sinking Republick of the United Netherlands he died in 1625. He was never Married and left his Titles and large Possessions to his younger Brother Henry Frederick of Nassaw Prince of Orange Who was third Son to the renowned W. P. of Orange He was born in 1584. and was an excellent General not in the least degenerating from the Courage and Gallantry of that Heroick Family being every way equal in Fame to his Brother Prince Maurice taking the famous Cities of Odousel and Groll in despite of the Spanish General who with a numerous Army was not able to relieve it Nor was he less successful at Sea his Vice Admiral Hein taking a Fleet of the Spaniards near Cuba in the West Indies valued at above twenty Millions After this he took Bois le Duc which had withstood all the attempts of his Brother Maurice and would not be drawn away till he had reduced it though Count Henry of Bergnes the Spanish General made an Incursion into the Province of Utrecht to divert him And afterward happily surprised the City of Wessel where the Magazine of Provisions and all the great Artillery of the Spanish Army were laid up About this time Count John of Nassaw his Kinsman upon some discontent revolting to the Spaniards was defeated by one of the Princes Captains near the Rhyne in the open Field with half his number of men himself being carried Prisoner to Wessel from whence he could not be redeemed without the payment of 18000 Rix Dollars To revenge which dishonour Count John when at liberty endeavoured with a strong Navy of Ships to seize the Town of Williamstadt but was totally defeated by the Hollanders and 4000 Prisoners taken and the rest either kill'd or drowned He himself and the Prince of Brabancon hardly escaping The States General to testifie their gratitude to Henry Prince of Orange
then King Charles and the States General would unite their Forces to compel him to reason The French rejected the King's Propositions continuing his mighty Warlike Preparations Upon which King Charles recalled his Forces out of the French Service who had often occasioned his gaining many considerable Victories and the Parliament meeting soon after the King acquainted them That he had made an Alliance with Holland to compel the King of France to a reasonable Peace Upon which the Commons gave Money for raising 30000 Land Souldiers and a Fleet of 90 Men of War Though it appeared afterward the Court never intended any War but to have used these Forces to far worse purposes even to the advancing Arbitrary Government and Popery in these Kingdoms of which the Dutch were so sensible that much doubting the sincerity of K. Charles his Negotiations they were at last constrained to make Peace with the French upon disadvantagious Terms to pacifie the Factions and Discontents of the People The French King in March this year came before Gaunt with an Army of 80000 Men and by inceslant Batteries and Stormings took it in nine days time having drawn the Spanish Forces toward Mons under pretence of Besieging it And then fell upon Ipre with such rapid violence that he soon reduced that likewise though with such loss of Officers and Souldiers that he put his Army into Garrisons and then returned to Paris This gave such a mighty Alarm to the Hollanders that all things drove on violently for a Peace Which the French King being sensible of and having now gained his point in Flanders to prevent the English from being in earnest against him He sends an Imperious Project of a Peace declaring he would admit of these conditions and no other which the Dutch were obliged to accept of since they could obtain no better But before the Peace was ratified the French made several Pretensions and Delays in performing even what themselves had agreed to as his Highness the P. of Orange foresaw and foretold they would do insomuch that they blockt up the City of Mons a chief Frontier of Flanders Upon which his Highness resolved to march to the relief of it great preparations being made to that purpose and understanding that the Confederates had joined the Holland and Spanish Forces that lay near the Canal of Brussels he departed by Night from the Hague and marching toward Mons with his Armv being accompanied with the Duke of Monmouth he fell upon the Duke of Luxemburg with such fury that he forced him to retire and animating his Souldiers with his Eyes sparkling like Fire they despised all danger by their gallant Generals example who in the midst of Fire and Smoak and Bullets flying thick as Hail adventured so far that he had been in eminent danger had not Monsieur Overkirk opposed himself against a daring Captain that was just ready to charge the Prince with a full Career laying him dead on the place The Horse all this while were lookers on not being able to advance into the the narrow Passages and steep Descents so that all the weight lay on the Foot and Dragoons Night coming on the Duke of Luxemburg drew off in great silence and confusion leaving to his Highness as certain marks of Victory the Field of Battel his Tents Baggage wounded Men store of Powder and other Ammunition The States General appointed Commissioners to congratulate his Highness for this Victory gained with so much reputation and glory beseeching him withal to be careful of his Illustrious Person considering the Tranquillity of his Countrey and the repose of the Church and Protestant Religion depended so much thereon The very day this memorable Battel was fought the Peace between the Dutch and French was signed at Nimegen of which intelligence was brought to his Highness the next morning who would else have pursued the advantages he had gained to the full relief of the Town having already in spight of so many disadvantages from an Army so suddenly drawn together and so hasty a march as that of the Dutch taken divers Posts fortified with so much skill and industry by the French and attacqued them with a resolution and vigor that at first surprized them and after an obstinate and bloudy Fight so disordered them that though the night prevented the end of the action yet it was verily believed that if the Prince had been at liberty next day to pursue it with 7 or 8000 English which were ready to join his Army he must in all appearance not only have relieved Mous but made such an impression into France as had been often design'd but never attempted since the War began Upon which a French Officer present said That he esteemed this the only Heroick Action that had been done in the whole course and progress of it The Prince having received advice of the Peace sent a Deputy with the News to the Duke of Luxemburg who desired to see the Prince and accordingly met him in the Field in the Head of his Chief Officers where all Civilities passed between them proper for the occasion and the French with great cariosity crowded about this young Prince who had the day before ingaged in such a desperate Action as that of St. Dennis was esteemed to be So that his Highness could not have ended the War with greater Glory nor with greater spight to see such a great occasion wrested out of his hand by the sudden and unexpected signing of the Peace which he had assured himself the States General would not have consented to without the Spaniards Yet upon the certain News of it he drew back his Army returned to the Hague and left the States to pursue their own measures in order to finish the Treaty betwixt France and Spain During which the King of England sent over a Perfon of Honour to the States General to acquaint them how much he was surprized at the news of their signing a particular Treaty with France even without the inclusion of Spain declaring that if they would refuse to ratifie what their Ministers had signed at Nimegen His Majesty would immediately declare War against France and carry it on with all vigour pursuant to the Treaty lately entred into with them All men were much amazed at this sudden Turn of the Court of England and the Prince complained That nothing was ever more hot and cold nor any Councils ever more unsteady than those of England since if this Dispatch had come twenty days before it might have changed the face of Affairs in Christendom and have obliged the French to such Terms of Peace as should have left the World in quiet for many years to come but would now have no effect at all Which happened accordingly for at last it appeared to proceed only from the discovery of the Popish Plot which extreamly alarm'd the People and Parliament who were much disturbed at the Treacherous Designs of our Court in promoting the Popish and French
and the actual Invasion of Ireland and Supporting the Rebels there he is promoting the utter Extirpation of the Protestants there His Majesty being therefore thus Necessitated to take up Arms and Relying on the help of Almighty God in his just undertaking hath thought fit to declare War against the French King and will in Conjunction with his Allies vigorously prosecute the same by Sea and Land since he hath so unrighteously begun it being assured of the hearty Concurrence and Assistance of his Subjects in Supporting of so good a Cause forbidding all Correspondence or Communication with that King or his Subjects and that all the French Nation in his Majesties Dominions who shall Demean themselves Dutifully and not Correspond with his Enemies shall upon the Kings Royal word be safe in their Persons and Estates and free from all Molestation and Trouble of any Kind About the same time the King of Spain proclaimed War against France and the Emperor of Germany sent a Letter to his Majesty wherein after he has returned thanks to the King for taking care that no Violence should be offered to the Roman Catholicks he promises the same thing in respect to the Protestants His Majesty gave Advice to the Switzers of his Advancement to the Throne So that now King William and Queen Mary were acknowledged for lawful Soveraigns of Great Brittain by all the Protestant and the greatest part of the Roman Catholick Princes and States for besides the Emperor and the King of Spain the Duke of Bavaria the three Ecclesiastical Electors the Duke of Newburg the Elector Palatine and the Bishops of Leige and Munster all Roman Catholicks declared themselves Enemies to France and by this we may observe that the French Polititians were greatly deceived in their Measures for upon notice of the Prince of Oranges Expedition into England it is reported some of them thus Discourst King Lewis Sir said they There is a Civil War kindling in England which will last this two or three years and Disable that Island and the United Provinces from Acting In this time your Majesty will have Conquered all or the greatest part of Germany If King James has the worst we will perswade all the Catholick Princes to Unite and Restore him All this while your Majesty will be Head of the League will preserve your Conquests and King James cannot refuse you Ireland or any other portion of his Kingdom for the Expences of the War This done your Majesty shall fall upon Holland which will be weak and unprovided of Men and Money and shall be able in a little time to oppress the Remainder of the Protestanâ—s and so become Emperor of all Europe But unfortunately for them King James II. too soon forsook his Country and then they cryed Religion is ruined unless all endeavours are used for his Restoration Upon which some would fain know what Religion the French King is of who persecutes and invades Papists as well as Protestants and think that he must be either a Pagan or Mahumetan or else of a Christianity all of his own Contriving to carry on his Perjuries and Usurpations upon his Neighbours May 1. A Squadron of English Men of War under Admiral Herbert Sailing toward the Coast of Ireland to prevent the French from Landing Forces and Provisions there understanding they were got to Sea under favour of the Night they got sight of them lying in the Bay of Bantree in the West of Ireland and resolved to Attack them with Nine Ships in the Harbor they being about 44 Sail in all whereupon the next Morning the Fight began we continued Fattering upon a Stretch till five in the Afternoon when the French Admiral Tackt from us and stood farther into the Bay In this Action Captain Aâ—lmeâ— and 94 Seamen were killed and about 250 wounded but the Enemy were Reported to have 200 Slain and many more Wounded and having Landed some few Men for fear of a second Ingagement Retreated after which our Squadron returned to Portsmouth whither His Majesty came soon after and declared his Royal Intention of Conferring the Title of Earl upon the Admiral and accordingly he was afterward Created Earl of Torrington Baron of Torbay c. and the Captain Shovell and Ashby were Knighted and Ten Shillings a Man was given to those Seamen that had been ingaged against the French King James found himself at this time greatly mistaken in Scotland which he called his Ancient Kingdom where he thought himself absolute Master by making so many Creatures and Friends whereas that Kingdom in general now owned King William and the Rebels whose number is inconsiderable and Discovered and Secured The Lord Dundee only escaped who roam'd about the North parts with some few followers and General Mackay at his Heels Letters about this time were intercepted from the late King and his Secretary Melfort to the Lord Belcarris and others wherein were some Expressions that highly incensed the Scots against them You will ask me without question says Melfort to Claverhouse How we intend to pay our Army but never fear that so long as there are Rebels Estates we will begin with the Great Ones and end with the Little Ones In another Letter to Belcarris says he The Estates of the Rebels will Recompence us Experience hath taught our Illustrious Master that there are a good Number of People that must be made Gibeonites because they are good for nothing else you know there are several Lords that we markt out when we were both together that deserve no better These will serve for Examples to others after the Reading of these Letters the President of the Convention Addressing himself to the Members of the Assembly You hear Gentlemen said he Our Sentence Pronounced and that it behoves us either to Defend our Selves or Dye Upon which the Lords Belcarris and Lochore and Lieutenant Colonel Balfour were Committed to Prison and being thus forewarned they Resolved to keep the Army afoot which they thought of Disbanding As to the Hopes of the Enemies of that Kingdom that the Abolishing of Episcopacy may occasion another Revolution there is no reason to believe it since the late Carriage of the Scotch Bishops has utterly Alienated the Affections of the greater part of the People from them so that if they were Protestants at the bottom of their Souls yet they appeared to be Men of no Policy nor Conduct For they sent an Address to King James wherein they Highly Congratulated the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales they read that Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience in favour of the Papists and for the Abolition of Penal Laws and how could they imagine that when they knew it was a long timebefore they could gain that single Point of the Superiority of Bishops above private Ministers that the Scots would ever endure Popery and Arbitrary Power to Domineer over them Experience shews us that they only wanted a Leader before this time So that when the Prince of Oranges Design