Parties of Irish and Fortified London-Derry Slego the Isle of Inniskilling and other places which they thought Tenable For now Tyrconnel gave Order for stopping the Ports to prevent any more from going away and made many large and plausible Proposals to induce them to join with him though they had very little effect upon them The Convention at Westminster were still upon serious Debates about the present Condition of the Kingdom and in the mean time it was thought necessary to have the Presence of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Orange in England Whereupon a Squadron of English and Dutch Men of War were Ordered to wait upon her till her Equipage could be got ready and the Wind served to bring over her Highness And after the Lords and Commons had duly weighed the Circumstances of the Kings Departure they at length came to the following Resolution Resolved that King James II. Having endeavoured to Subvert the Constitution of this Kingdom by breaking the Original Contract between King and People and by the Advice of Jesuits and other wicked Persons having Violated the Fundamental Laws and having withdrawn himself out of this Kingdom hath Abdicated the Government and the Throne is thereby Vacant In pursuance of which Resolution the following Declaration was drawn up in Order to such an Establishment as that the Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom might not again be in Danger and for Vindicating the Ancient Rights and Liberties of the People in these words VVHereas the Late King James the Second by the Assistance of divers Evil Councellors Judges and Ministers Employed by him did endeavour to Subvert and Extirpate the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom By Assuming and Exercising a Power of Dispensing with and Suspending of Laws and the Execution of Laws without Consent of Parliament By Committing and Prosecuting divers Worthy Prelates for humbly Petitioning to be Excused from Concurring to the said Assumed Power By Issuing and causing to be Executed a Commission under the Great Seal for Erecting a Court called The Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes By Levying Money for and to the Use of the Crown by Pretence of Prerogative for other Time and in other Manner than the same was Granted by Parliament By raising and keeping a Standing Army within this Kingdom in time of Peace without Consent of Parliament and Quartering Soldiers contrary to Law By Causing several good Subjects being Protestants to be Disarmed at the same time when Papists were both Armed and Employed contrary to Law By Violating the Freedom of Election of Members to serve in Parliament By Prosecutions in the Court of Kings Bench for Matters and Causes cognizable only in Parliament and by divers other Arbitrary Illegal Courses And whereas of late years Partial Corrupt and Urqualified Persous have been Returned and Served on Juaries in Trials and particularly divers Jurors in Trials for High Treason which were not Freeholders And Excessive Bail hath been required of Persons Committed in Criminal Cases to elude the Benefiâ— of the Laws made for the Liberty of the Subjects and Excessive Fines have been imposed And illegal and cruel Punishments inflicted And several Grants and Promises made of Fines and Forfeitures before any Conviction or Judgment against the Persons upon whom the same were to be Levyed All which are utterly and directly contrary to the known Laws and Statutes and Freedom of this Realm And whereas the said late King James the Second having Abdicated the Government and the Throne being thereby Vacant His Highness the Prince of Orange whom it hath pleased Almighty God to make the Glorious Instrument of Delivering this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power did by the Advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and divers Principal Persons of the Commons cause Letters to be written to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being Protestants and other Letters to the several Counties Cities Universities Boroughs and Cinque-Ports for the Choosing of such Persons to represent them as were of right to be sent to Parliament to meet and sit at Westminster upon the Two and twentieth day of January in this Year One thousand six hundred eighty and eight in Order to such an Establishment as that their Religion Laws and Liberties might not again be in danger of being Subverted Upon which Letters Elections having been accordingly made And thereupon the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons pursuant to their respective Letters and Elections being now assembled in a full and free Representative of this Nation taking into their most serious Consideration the best means for attaining the Ends aforesaid Do in the first place as their Ancestors in like Case have usually done for the Vindicating and Asserting their Ancient Rights and Liberties Declare that the pretended Power of Suspending of Laws or the Execution of Laws by Regal Authority without Consent of Parliament is Illegal legal That the pretended Power of Dispensing with Laws or the Execution of Laws by Regal Authority as it hath been assumed and exercised of late is Illegal That the Commission for Erecting the late Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes and all other Commissions and Courts of like nature are Illegal and Pernicious That Levying Money for or to the Use of the Crown by protence of Prerogative without Grant of Parliament for longer time or in other manner than the same is or shall be granted is Illegal That it is the Right of the Subjects to Petition the King and all Commitments and Prosecutions for such Petitioning are Illegal That the raising or keeping a standing Army within the Kingdom in time of Peace unless it be with Consent of Parliament is against Law That the Subjects which are Protestants may have Arms for their Defence suitable to their Conditions and as allowed by Law That Election of Members of Parliament ought to be free That the Freedom of Speech and Debates or Proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any Court or Place out of Parliament That Excessive Bail ought not to be required nor Excessive Fines imposed nor cruel and unusual Punishments inflicted That Jurors ought to be duly Impannelled and Returned and Jurors which pass upon Men in Trials for High Treason ought to be Freeholders That all Grants and Promises of Fines and Forfeitures of particular Persons before Conviction are Illegal and Void And that for Redress of all Grievances and for the Amending Strengthening and Preserving of the Laws Parliaments ought to be held frequently And they do Claim Demand and Insist upon all and singular the Premisses as their undoubted Rights and Liberties And that no Declarations Judgments Doings or Proceedings to the Prejudice of the People in any of the said Premisses ought in any wise to be drawn hereafter into Consequence or Example To which Demand of their Right they are particularly Encouraged by the Declaration of his Highness the Prince of Orange as being the only means for obtaining a
who were quartered about Tiverton Culhampton Honyton and other places The Sunday following his Highness went to the Cathedral where his Highness Declaration of the Reasons inducing him to appear in Arms in the Kingdom of England for preserving the Protestant Religion and for restoring the Liberties of England Scotland and Ireland was read by Dr. Burnet before a numerous Auditory the Substance whereof was That ' it was certain and evident to all men that the publick Peace and Happiness of any Kingdom and State could not be preserved where the Laws Liberties and Customs established by the lawful Authority in it were openly transgrest and annull'd more especially where the Alteration of Religion was endeavoured and a Religion contrary to the Law Design'd to be introduced whereas they who were most immediately concerned therein were indispensibly bound to preserve the establisht Laws Liberties and Customs and above all the Religion and Worship of God establisht among them and to take effectual Care that the Inhabitant of such State or Kingdom might neither be deprived of their Religion nor outed of their Civil Rights more especially since the greatness of Kings Royal Families and all in Authority as well as the Happiness of their Subjects and People depended in a more especial manner upon an exact Observation of those their Laws Liberties and Customs upon which ground his Highness further declared That he could no longer forbear to let the World know how apparently he saw with regret that they who had then the chief Credit with the King had overturned the Religion Laws and Liberties of these Realms and subjected them in all things relating to their Consciences Liberties and Properties to Arbitrary Government and that not only by secret and indirect ways but in an open and undisguised manner that those Evil Councellors for advancing and colouring this with some plausible pretences did invent and set on foot the Kings Dispensing Power by virtue of which they pretend that according to Law he can suspend and dispense with the Execution of the Laws that have been enacted by the Authority of King and Parliament for the Security and Happiness of the Subject and to render these Laws of no effect though it is most certain that they cannot be suspended but by the same Authority that made them for though the King may pardon the punishment of a Transgressor in Cases of Treason and Felony yet it cannot with any colour of Reason be thence inferred that he can intirely suspend the Execution of those Laws unless he has such an Arbitrary Power that the Laws Liberties Honours and Estates of the Subjects depend wholly upon his good Will and Pleasure and though they have obtained a Sentence for asserting this Dispensing Power to be a Right depending on the Crown yet it cannot be imagined that it should be put in the Power of twelve Judges to offer up the Laws Rights and Liberties of the whole Nation to the Arbitrary Will of the King especially such as are first advanced and then threatned to be turned out if they do not comply therein and some Papists who are incapable by Law are made Judges That the King though known to be a Papist was yet received and acknowledged by the People to be their King and did solemnly Swear and Promise at his Coronation that he would maintain their Laws and Liberties and the Church of England as it was establisht by Law and though several Laws have been lately made for preserving their Liberties and the Protestant Religion and to prevent all Papists from being put into any Imployment yet these evil Councillors have in effect Annulled and Abolished all those Laws and in direct Opposition thereto have set up as Illegal Commission for Ecclesiastical Affairs in which one of the Kings Ministers who is a Papist sits and Acts though by Law uncapable of any publick Imployment that these Commissioners have suspended the Bishop of London only for refusing to obey an Order to suspend a Worthy Divine without Citation or Process they have turned out the President and Fellows of Hagdalen Colledge without citing them before any Legal Court or Comperent Judge only for refusing to chuse for their President a Person recommended by these Evil Councillors contrary to the Right of Free Election and contrary to Magna Charta That no man shall lose Life or Goods but by the Law of the Land and afterward put the Colledge wholly into the hands of Papists They have cited before them all the Chancellors and Arch-deacons of England to certifie the Names of the Clergy who did not read the Kings Declaration for Liberty of Conscience though the reading of it was not enjoined them by the Bishops who are their Ordinaries These Evil Councillors have procured Orders for building several Popish Churches Chappels Monasteries Colledges of Jesuits for corrupting of youth and raised one to be a Privy Councillor and Minister of State contrary to several express Laws by the Rules of which they evidently shew they are no way restrained and wherein they are served and seconded by these Ecclesiastical Commissioners They have also followed the same Methods in Civil Affairs by procuring Orders to examine all Lord Lieutenants Deputy Lieutenants Sheriffs Justices of Peace and all others that were in any publick Imployment whether they were for taking away the Penal Laws and Tests and those who in Conscience could not comply were turned out and divers unqualified Persons put in their Rooms they have seized upon the Charters of several Towns and procured the surrender of others which Elect Parliament men and placed new Magistrates many of them Papists in divers Corporations They have removed such Judges as would not in all things Conform to their Designs and put in others whose Compliance they disowned beforehand whereby much Blood hath been shed in many places of the Kingdom against all the Forms and Rules of Law without Suffering the Persons accused to plead in their own Defence They have put the Administration of Justice into the Hands of Papists though all their Sentences are Null and Void in Law and have disposed of all Military Imployments in the same manner both by Sea and Land to Strangers as well as Natives and Irish as well as English to maintain and execute their wicked Designs of inslaving the Nation by their Assistance In Ireland the whole Government is put into the Hands of Papists so that the Protestants through terror have in great numbers left that Kingdom and abandoned their Estates in it remembring well that Cruel and Bloody Massacre in 1641. In Scotland the King has declared himself clothed with such an Absolute Power as to be obeyed without Reserve These great Oppressions and open Contempts of all Laws being insufferable have put the Subjects under great Fears and to look out for such Lawful Remedies as are allowed of in all Nations but to deter them from endeavouring to preserve their Lives and Estates by Petition or other means Authorized by Law these
was once Discoursed of it caused an Universal Joy over Edenburgh and the whole Kingdom only the Prelates writ to King James That they looked upon this Enterprize as a Detestable Invasion and after the same manner they behaved themselves to the end some Absenting from the Convention others attending only to Thwart their Proceedings and shew their Disaffection by their publick 〈◊〉 So that some wise Men have affirmed Had thâ—â—â—â—hops of Scotland shew'd the same Constancy 〈◊〉 those of England their Zeal and Virtue had gain'd the Hearts of the Scots and given them opportunity to continue Episcopacy but their ill Conduct during the two last Reigns in their Obstinate Supporting the Roman Catholick Party that had already Invaded all the Liberties of the People annull'd their Priviledges and changed a Government limited by Law into Arbitrary Power rendred them the Abomination of the People who were convinced that their Dignities were the only things they regarded which made them deviate from the Rules of the Gospel looking no farther then their present enjoyments little minding the betraying the Interests of Religion and the Kingdom out of a Treacherous Compliance with the Will and Pleasure of a Popish Court to whom they made themselves Slaves June 15. The Estates of Scotland met after their late Adjournment and the Duke of Hamilton acquainted them that his Majesty had been pleased to send him a Commission to represent his Royal Person and that he had Orders to give his Consent to an Act for the turning the Meeting of the Estates into a Parliament which was done accordingly and soon after they made an Act for Recognizing and Asserting their Majesties Royal Authority and Right to the Crown and another for all Persons to take an Oath of Faith and Allegiance to them and about the same time the English Forces under General Mackay and others being entred that Kingdom the Duke of Gordon who till this time had Possession of the Castle finding no hopes of Relief surrendred it upon Articles to Sir John Lanier and so that important place which so long had been a Terror to the City of Edenburgh was put into safe hands the Duke casting himself upon the Kings Mercy without making any Article for himself and it was reported he said That he had so much respect for all the Princes of King James VI. line as not to make Conditions with them for his own particular Interest after this a Reward of 18000 Marks was by Proclamation promised to those that should apprehend Dundee dead or alive and indeed he survived not long after for July 26. Major General Mackay Marching from St. Johnstown with 4000 Foot and 4 Troops of Horse and Dragoons and coming within two Miles of the Blair of Athol had notice that Dundee advanced toward him with 6000 Foot and 100 Horse the Fight began between four and five of the Clock in the Afternoon and lasted till Night with great Courage and Resolution on both sides but at length Mackay's Forces being over-powered with number he retired toward Sterling with a Body of 1500 men in good Order many were killed on both sides but the Enemies loss was greater by the Death of Viscount Dundee who charging furiously in the Head of the Highlanders to inconrage them was slain with a shot though he had Armour after which a Division happened between the Lord Dumfermling and Colonel Cannon who shall succeed in the Command of the Rebel at which time Major General Mackay hearing that 500 of their Foot and two Troops of Horse were sent to St. Johnstown to surprize the Stores of Provisions there resolved to be revenged for his late loss and Marching out of Sterling with a Party of Horse and Dragoons met the Rebels and gave them a total Rout killing and taking Prisoners the greatest part of them and Captain Hacket their Commander Soon after another Defeat was given to Collonel Cannons men consisting in about 4000 with the Addition of the Countrey by the Earl of Angus his Regiment under Lieuterant Colonel Cieland who after three hours sherp dispute forced the Rebels to fly back with the loss of aboâ—e 300 and not above thirty of the Kings men among whom was the Liâ—utenat Collonel this Defeat put an effectual stop to the Incursions of the Highlanders who lost all their Courage with the Death of their Commander being never able to make any considerable Head afterward and though the Earl of Damfermling pretended to manage them yet several of the Câ—ief Nobility and Gentry came in and craved the Benefit of the Proclamation of Indemnity which the King had Published some time before to all those who before September third should lay down their Arms and swear Fidelity to King William and Queen Mary and Colonel Cannon who only maintained the Interest of the late King retreated with his few Followers to the Isle of Mall doubtful whether to continue longer there or return to Ireland Lieutenant General Mackay having put a Garrison into the Castle of Blair returned to Edenburgh where several Earls that were in Prison had their Liberty giving sufficient Security for their Peaceable Behaviour so that several Troops of the Kings Forces in that Kingdom were embarkt for heland and about the same time the Parliament there pussed several Acts which were touched with the Royal Scepter by the Lord High-Commissioner and among others An Act for abolishing Prelacy purporting That whereas the Estates of the Kingdom by their Claim of Right April 11. last had declared That Prelacy and Supremacy in any Office in the Church above Presbytery had been a grievous burden to the Nation ever since the Reformation That therefore the King and Queens Majesty did abolish Episcopacy c. and would establish that Church Government which was most agreeable to the People And now the Parliament of England having given the King plentiful supplies for the Reduction of Ireland the Army Marcht from all Parts toward Chester and Highlake to imbark under the Duke of Schomberg consisting in near 30000 men with great store of all sorts of Ammunition and Provisions and considerable summs of Money and His Majesty appointed a Camp on Hounslow Heath for the Remainder of the Forces Aug. 14. which continued only two or three days and in the mean time a Declatation of War was Published against France in Scotland and now several English Protestants in the North of Ireland having got Possession of the Isle of Innis-killing and the City of London-Derry they resolved to defend them against King James and his Army of Irish Papists who were Marching from Dublin against them and hearing that Lieutenant General Macarry was abroad with a strong Detachment Plundering and Ravaging the Countrey Lieutenant Collonel Berry fell upon them with such Vigor that it is judged 3000 of the Irish were slain and drown'd in the Lough near Newton-Butler into which they desperately threw themselves to escape the Sword King James arriving at London-Derry imagined the Terror of his Arms would
to their Majesties then called and known by the Names and Stile of William and Mary Prince and Princess of Orange being present in their proper Persons a certain Declaration in writing made by the said Lords and Commons Of which you have already an account Upon which their said Majesties did accept the Crown and Royal Dignity of these Kingdoms according to the Resolution and desire of the said Lords and Commons contained in the said Declaration and thereupon their Majesties were pleased that the Lords and Commons being the two Houses of Parliament should continue to sit and with their Royal Concurrence to make effectual Provision for the settlement of the Religion Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom so that the same for the Future might not be in danger again of being subverted Now in pursuance of the Premisses the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament Assembled for the Ratifying Confirming and Establishing the said Declaration and the Articles Clauses Matters and Things therein contained by the Force of a Law made in due Form by Authority of Parliament do pray that it may be Declared and Enacted That all and Singular the Rights and Liberties Asserted and Claimed in the said Declaration are the true Ancient and Indubitable Rights and Liberties of the People of this Kingdom and so shall be esteemed allowed adjudged deemed and taken to be and that all and every the particulars aforesaid shall be firmly and strictly holden and observed as they are expressed in the said Declaration and all Officers and Ministers whatsoever shall serve their Majesties and their Successors according to the same in all times to come and do further declare that King James II. having Abdicated the Government and their Majesties having accepted the Crown and Royal Dignity as aforesaid did become were are and of Right ought to be by the Laws of this Realm our Soveraign Leige Lord and Lady King and Queen of England France and Ireland c. And for preventing all Questions and Divisions by Reason of any pretended Titles to the Crown and to preserve a certainty in the Succession the Lords and Commons beseech their Majesties that it may be Enacted Established and Declared that the Crown and Royal Dignity shall be and continue in their Majesties during their Lives and the Life of the Survivor of them and after their Deceases to the Heirs of Her Majesty and in default of Issue to the Princess Ann of Denmark and her Heirs and for default of such Issue to the Heirs of the Body of His Majesty and that the Parhament in the Name of the People will submit themselves and their Heirs and Posterities for ever and stand by Maintain and Defend this Limitation and Succession of the Crown to the utmost of their Powers with their Lives and Estates against all that shall attempt any thing to the contrary and whereas it hath been found by Experience that it is inconsistent with the Safety and Welfare of this Protestant Kingdom to be governed by a Popish Prince or by any King or Queen Marrying a Papist they do further pray that it may be enacted that all Persons that are or shall be reconciled to or hold Communion with the See of Rome or shall profess the Popish Religion or shall Marry a Papist shall be Excluded and be for ever uncapable to possess inherit or enjoy the Crown and Dignity of this Kingdom or Ireland c. And that in all such Cases the People are absolved from their Allegiance and the Crown shall descend to the next Heir being a Protestant as should have inherited and enjoyed the same as if the Person so reconciled or marrying were naturally dead and that every King and Queen that shall succeed hereafter shall on the first day of the meeting of their first Parliament sitting on the Throne in the House of Peers in the Presence of the Lords and Commons or at their Coronation which shall first happen audibly repeat the Declaration in the Statute of the 30 King Charles II. Intituled an Act for the more effectual preserving the Kings Person and Government c. But if such King and Queen shall be under the Age of Twelve years then to perform the same the first Parliament after that Age all which are by their Majesties by and with the Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons declared Enacted and Established to stand remain and be the Law of this Realm for ever About this time the Queen of Spain was Convoyed by a Squadron of English Men of War from Holland to the Groin in Spain Feb. 6. The Parliament was Dissolved and another summoned to appear at Westminster March 20. following who accordingly met and confirmed all the Acts of the Preceding Parliament passing many others both for raising Money for carrying on the present War and for the Benefit of the People in Scotland some attempts were made by the Rebels for in May 1690 the Colonels Bucan and Cannon being with 2000 men which they expected to be 4000 in a few days at their Rendevous at Stratspey Sir Thomas Levingstone upon notice thereof Marched toward them with his Forces and surprizing them in the Night in their Camp killed 400 and took 100 prisoners most Gentlemen and Officers Bucan and Cannon hardly escaping upon which the Castle of Lethindy in which the Enemy had a Garrison under Colonel Bucan's Nephew surrendered at Discretion in which was found store of Arms and Ammunition with 400 Bolls of Meal and the Standard designed to have been set up by the late King James and yet in this whole Action it was very remarkable that the English lost not one man and had only four or five wounded In Ireland Affairs proceeded very successfully for May 11 the strong Garrison of Charlemont surrendered upon Articles the Governor Teage of Regan and the Irish about 800 strong havingal most consumed all their Provisions marched out leaving a good quantity of Ammunition 17 Brass Cannon and two Mortars the King now resolved if possible to make a sudden Feduction of Ireland that it might no longer be a Diversion from his attacking the French vigorously in Flanders and in pursuit of this â—agnanimous design his Majesty concluded to go thither in Person by his Presence and Conduct to facilitate the same and accordingly June 4 1690 with a splendid Equipage parted from Whitehall and coming to Chester Embâ—â—â—ed on the Fleet attending him and June 14 landed at Carickfergus being received by Duke Schomberg the army and all the Protestants with general Joy and loud Acclamations and from thence His Majesty marched with his Forces in two bodies and incamped at Dundalk intending to go for Dublin or else oblige the Enemy to a battle which the late King James was aware of and therefore with his Army which consisted of about thirty-six thousand Irish and French besides 15000 in Garrisons He marched from Dublin towards Drogheda but seemed to distrust his success for to provide for the
for the great services he had performed About this time by a publick Edict declared That all the Dignities Honours and Employments which he then enjoyed shall descend to his Eldest Son Prince William the Instruments whereof being drawn up and sealed by the States were presented to the young Prince in a Box of Gold After this Prince Henry continued still more successful taking the Towns of Ruâ—emond Veulo and Strall and lastly undertaking the Seige of Mastricht where he surrounded his Trenches with such strong circumvallations that both the Spanish and German Forces were obliged to march away with dishonour and leave him the honour of reducing so important a place Divers other prosperous attempts he made as his retaking the Fort of Skink Scans and regaining the Castle and City of Breda which the Marquess Spinola had been a whole year in taking with vast loss and expence and yet the Prince now reduced it to his Immortal honour in four months and answerable was his Fortune at Sea where Admiral Trump falling upon a numerous Fleet of the Spaniards in the Downs of 67 Men of War destroyed the greatest part of them to the number of 40 Ships sunk wherein above 7000 men were lost and 2000 carried Prisoners into Holland amongst whom was the great Gallion of Portugal called Maria Teresa carrying 800 men whereof not one escaped In 1641. Prince William only Son of the Prince of Orange married the Princess Mary Eldest Daughter to King Charles I. And soon after Prince Henry gained the strong Fort of Hulst in Flanders which the Spaniards were not able to relieve Thus it may be observed That William Prince of Orange laid the Foundations of the Commonwealth of Holland Prince Maurice his Son fixed and strengthned them by his Victories and Henry Frederick the Younger Brother by continuing his Conquests and enlarging their Territories at length compelled the Spaniard to renounce his pretended right over them and to acknowledge them an Independent State treating with them by the title of The High and Mighty States General of the Vnited Provinces So that by the Swords of the Illustrious House of Orange this Potent Republick was first founded which is now arrived to that Grandeur as to send Ambassadors upon equal terms with the most Potent Princes of Christendom even to the K. of Spain himself whose Subjects they were not above 100 years and whose revolt has proved a great advantage to that Crown they having been so many years a Barrier to the Spanish Netherlands against the excessive power and ambition of France which without their assistance had long since swallowed them up Prince Henry Married the Daughter of John Albert Count of Solms who came with the Queen of Bohemia into Holland a Lady of excellent Beauty Modesty and Prudence by whom he had one Son and four Daughters The Eldest named Lovison was Married to Frederick William Prince Elector of Brandenburg by whom he had several Children The second Henrietia was Married to the Count of Nassaw the third Catharina was espoused to John George Duke of Anhalt The fourth was Married to the Duke of Simeren Prince Henry died March 1â— 1647. and was succeeded by William of Nassaw Prince of Orange Who was born in 1626. A Prince of worthy Hopes and Courage but was suddenly taken away by Death in the 24 year of his Age having been Married nine years to the Princess Mary Daughter to K. Charles the First by whom he had Prince William Henry who was born Nov. 4. 1650. some few days after his Fathers Death the Lords States General of Holland and Zealand and of the Cities of Deiâ—e Leyden and Amsterdam being his God fathers William Henry of Nassaw Prince of Orange THIS excellent Prince our present Gracious â—overeign 〈◊〉 endowed with all the Noble and Virtuous Qualities of his Ancestors of the Illustrious House of Orange which seem'd designed by Heaven to be the Protectors of Religion and Liberty for several Ages his Majesties glorious Predecessours being the Founders and Establishers and himself the Restorer of the half ruined Batavian Republick as well as the Deliverer of these three Kingdoms from the utmost danger of Popery and Slavery This excellent Prince suffered many affronts by Barnevels Party revived in the Persons of the De Wits expecting with inimitable patience the advancement to those Honours and Dignities which of right belonged to his Family and which by the Decree of a prevailing Faction he was deprived of presently after the Death of his Father But King Lewis his inveterate Enemy did accidentally very much contribute to his Exaltation for having in 1672. like a rapid Torrent over-run the flourishing Batavian Republick he thereby gave opportunity to the Prince to discover to the World the Spirit of his Ancestors in recovering the United Provinces from the ruine which seemed to attend them by the success of that King even beyond his hopes nay almost his wishes which put that People into such a consternation as occasioned them to complain of the unhappy Conduct of Cornelius and John De Wit who had then the sole management of all affairs and to believe that none but the glorious House of Nassaw was capable to support their tottering State in this Age against their Potent French Enemies as they had formerly rescued them from the Tyranny of Spain Neither was the Grandmother of the Prince wanting to engage the favourers of that Family to endeavour to remove that Eclipse under which it had so long sustered which Her Highness managed with a courage and magnanimity above her Sex so that being awakened by Her Remonstrances they began to consider how they themselves had of late been slighted and neglected whilst all the great Imployments of the Common-wealth were bestowed upon the Sons of Burgomasters and being seconded by the rage of the Commonalty who were dreadfully terrified to see a Victorious Army in the very bowels of their Countrey they obliged the States General in the beginning of 1672. to depute Monsieur Beverning John De Wit and Jasper Fagel to invest His Highness the Prince of Orange in the Dignities belonging to his Ancestors of Captain and Admiral General of the United Provinces who having accepted the same and taken his Oath presently went upon action against the French But the Province of Holland still suspected the fidelity of their Magistrates seeing their Frontier Towns and Garrisons fall daily into the hands of their Victorious Enemies and at Dort they raised a dangerous Mutiny and resolved that His Highness should be advanced to the Stadt-Holdership also as judging it absolutely necessary for the publick good Upon which an Act was instantly drawn up and read in the publick Hall by the Secretary wherein the Magistrates declared His Highness the Prince of Orange Stadtholder Captain and Admiral General of all their Forces by Sea and Land with the same Power and Authority that His Ancestors of glorious Memory had formerly enjoyed which occasioned great rejoycing in that City But Cornelius
De Witt an Antient Burgomaster of the Town returning at the same time indisposed from the Fleet and being desired to sign the said Act replied He would never do it nor could all the perswasions of his Friends nor the menaces of the multitude who were ready to break into his house nor the tears of his Wife who was sensible of his danger prevail upon his obstinate temper till she threatned to shew her self to the People and declare her own and Childrens Innocency and abandon him to the fury of the ungoverned Populace which soon after occasioned his Tragical Death for they being fully perswaded that he and his Brother John were real Enemies to the Prince and a certain Surgeon having charged Cornelius that he had made a private Proposal to him to take away His Highness Life he was thereupon imprisoned and upon Trial was sentenced to forfeit all his Dignities and Imployments and to be for ever banished out of the Territories of Holland and Westfriezeland The People who accounted the Prince to be their Protector and Deliverer believed his Judges to be partial in punishing so great a Crime with so easie a Judgment and the Trained Bands at the Hague being in Arms they presently ran to the Prison where while they were got together it happened that John de Witt came in his Coach to fetch his Brother out of Prison Upon which one of the Burgesses cryed out Now the two Traitors are got together and it is our fault if they escape us This had been enough to inflame the multitude but a greater motive happened for while they were all expecting the coming down of the two De Witts an unhappy report was raised that above a thousand Peasants and Fishermen were upon their March to plunder the Hague upon which another Burger cryed out Come Gentlemen let us pull these Traytors out by the Ears do but follow me and I will lead the way These words with their great affection to the Prince and the ruin of their Countrey to both which they accounted the De Witts to be the greatest Enemies compleated their Rage so that they Immediately broke open the Prison doors and sorced down the two Brothers into the Street where they were soon dispatcht by the multitude who after they had laid the Pensionary John De Witt sprawling on the ground cryed out See there the Traytor that has betrayed his Countrey Thus fell John and Cornelius de Witt two violent Enemies to the House of Orange It is said that John was the Contriver of those Acts whereby His Highness was secluded from all the Great Imployments which were due to him from his Predecessors and that a certain Ambassador being in private discourse with him said Most Illustrious Sir I have heard much of your singular prudence and unwearied diligence but far less than what I now observe from whence I dare assuredly pronounce that either you will be the ruin of the Prince or else that one day for his sake you will come to destruction It is likewise reported that when he was a Youth of about eighteen years old a certain Advocate being desired by his Father to examine him gave this account of him That he found in him those great Parts and that ripeness of Wit which was rarely to be seen in others And afterwards when he was made Pensioner of Holland and Dort the same Advocate presaged of him That he would never die a natural death Thus saith a worthy Person ended one of the greatest Lives of any Subject of our Times in the 47th year of his Age after having administred in that State as Pensioner of Holland for about eighteen years with great Honour to his Countrey and himself It must be remarked that the present War with the States General was commenced in concert between the French King and Charles II. in a time of the greatest peace and security on the Dutch side so that when the English fell upon their Smyrna Fleet no clap of Thunder in a Frosty morning could be more surprizing both to the Hollanders and the rest of Christendom Yea the Court of France it self could scarce believe that we would run so great an Adventure though our Court had obliged themselves thereto And though in the Declaration of War which the King published the Dutch are charged with making abusive Pictures and denying the right of the Flag which was an undoubted Prerogative of the Crown of England yet the Parliament and People were of opinion that this War was made in pursuance of the Instructions of the French King sent over to Dover by the Dutchess of Orleance whereby the destruction of the Common-Wealth of Holland is declared to be the only means to settle Arbitrary Government and Popery in these three Nations Upon our Declaration of War the French King began to march with his Vast Army into the Netherlands which he over-ran with such a rapid motion that the People were astonished and the States knew not what course to take to prevent it which occasioned those Commotions aforementioned But his Highness the Prince of Orange being advanced to the Stadtholdership the face of affairs began to alter and their Courage was revived Monsieur Fagel succeeded De Wit as Pensioner and the Prince presently resolved to be upon action rejecting all the applications made to him by the two Kings of making him Soveraign of the Provinces with such disdain and greatness of Soul as is scarce to be matcht always declaring That he would never betray a Trust that was given him nor ever sell the Liberties of his Countrey that his Ancestors had so long defended In pursuance of this generous Resolution his Highness took the Command of the Army upon him who were more animated at the thoughts of being under the Conduct of so gallant a General So that at Bodegrave an handfull of men twice repulsed above five thousand of the French from the Walls of Ardenburg and besides the slain took five hundred Prisoners with several Commanders and Persons of Quality through the extraordinary valour of no more than two hundred Burgers and one hundred Garrison Souldiers only that they were affisted by the Women and Children the Women filling the Bandilcers and the Children brought Bullets to their Parents Soon after the Seige of Groningen which had been beseigned with near three thousand men by the Bishop of Munster was by the Courage of the Citizens raised with the loss of half the Enemies Army and a prodigious quantity of Ammunition spent in vain in reduceing thereof to which his Highness care in furnishing them with all necessaries for desence was highly contributing About the same time the Prince resolving to dislodge the Outguards of the French gave a strong Alarm to them and without moving from his Saddle all night drove them to their Trenches before Utrecht and cartied several Lords Prisoners to Amsterdam His Highness then resolved to attempt the reducing of Woerden and after a bloody and obstinate Fight wherein