during the Life of the said James Duke of York this Act shall be given a Charge at every Assizes and General Sessions of the Peace within the Kingdoms Dominions and Territories aforesaid and also shall be openly Read in every Cathedral Church and Parish Church and Chappels within the aforesaid Kingdoms Dominions and Territories by the respective Parsons Vicars Curates and Readers thereof who are hereby required immediately after Divine Service in the Forenoon to Read the same twice in every Year That is to say on the 25th of Dec. and upon Easter-day during the Life of the said James Duke of York But the Lords Rancounter to the Commons in this Bill tho' they made a Sift upon the others Impeachment to Try and Sentence William Lord Viscount Stafford to Death for the Popish Conspiracy who on the 7th of Dec. was executed accordingly For after the Reading it the First time in the Upper-House the Question being put Whether it should be read the Second time it was resolved in the Negative by above a double Majority of Votes and so this great Affair dropp'd The Commons imployed much of their Time to prosecute and impeach all those that had countenanced the Popish Plot or were Abhorrers of Petitioning the King for the Meeting of the Parliament in the several Prorogations of it and voted That it ever had been the undoubted Right of the Subjects of England to Petition the King for the Calling and Sitting of Parliaments and Redress of Grievances And that to traduce such Petitioning as a Violation of Duty and to represent the same to his Majesty as Tumultuous and Seditious was to betray the Liberty of the Subject and contributed to the Designs of subverting the ancient Legal Constitutions of the Kingdom of England and introducing Arbitrary Power The first that fell under their Lash was Sir Francis Withens since a Judge a Member then of their own House whom they voted to be a Betrayer of the undoubted Rights of the Subjects of England and for that his high Crime expelled him the House receiving first the Sentence at the Bar upon his Marrow-bones Sir George Jefferys was the next then Recorder of London who for the present by Virtue of the House's Address to the King for that End was put out of all publick Offices tho' we have seen him since act the Tyrant in the highest Station the late King his good Master could advance him to but at last being left in the Lurch by him was found in a Seaman's Habit at Wapping and died in the Tower because he had not Courage enough to live a little longer to be hang'd Several others were censured upon the like Account and among the rest the House voted That it was a sufficient Ground for them to proceed against Sir Thomas Jones one of the Judges of the King's Bench and Sir Richard Westone a Baron of the Exchequer for high Crimes and Misdemeanors because they had advised and were assisting to draw up a Proclamation against Petitioning for the Sitting of the Parliament The like was passed against Sir Francis North Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas for the same who for murdering poor Stephen Colledge under Colour of Law at Oxford had the Great Seal of England committed to his Custody and therewith the Care of the King's Conscience who had none at all of his own All this while we hear nothing of the King's Business which was to get Money for the Preservation of Tangier and Perfecting the Alliance made with Spain But the Commons had Three Reasons why they would not comply with his Majesty in his first Demand One was for that the State of the Nation was such at that time that their giving any Money for that End might augment the Strength of the Popish Party and further endanger the Nation 's Safety Another was Seeing there were several Regiments besides Guards in England then in Pay they might be transported to Tangier with little Charge and be maintain'd there as cheap as at Home which Two Reasons they clench'd with this Third That that Garrison was the Nursery of Popish Officers and Soldiers And if Things went ill with the King on this Head he is like to fare no better with the other For the House had as many Reasons for not giving him Money for the Alliance of Mutual Obligations of Succour and Defence which he pretended to have made with Spain For first they seemed to be jealous of the King's Sincerity therein and the more because he had not declared to them what manner of Alliance that was and that it might be more to the Prejudice than Benefit of the Kingdom or if it should have been to the Advantage of it they could have no more Assurance of the Performance than they had of the Triple League That which was made with the Prince of Orange when he was in England Or that between the King and States of Holland by Mr. Hyde on the King's Part which were all broken almost as soon as made Besides it was impossible any great Benefit should arise to England and Spain by such an Alliance For if all Christendom after the separate Peace made by the Dutch at Nimeguen could not uphold Spain and the Spanish Netherlands from falling under the Dominion of France how could the King in the feeble and distracted State of the Nation be in a Condition to support it without them Add to this the Unreasonableness of giving Money upon such an Account For tho' the Kings of England have frequently demanded Supplies for maintaining vast Wars yet never any one of them before demanded Supplies for making Alliances And indeed whatever Alliance the King had made with Spain it will be found before his Reign has spun out that it was very ill performed on his part And if the Commons were not a little mortified at the Proceedings of the Lords and of the Court in respect to the Bill of Exclusion the King could not be well pleased to be sure with the Methods they took to answer his Demands of a present Supply in the ordinary way but was undoubtedly much more nettled at their Resolutions to hinder him from being relieved by extraordinary Methods afterwards For the House considering the weak and dangerous Condition of the Nation as well by the Debt the King had contracted by shutting up of the Exchequer as by his squandering away almost all the ancient Revenues of the Crown did in order to prevent the like upon the Revenue settled upon the King since his Restoration on the 17th of Jan. resolve 1. That whosoever should lend or cause to be lent by way of Advance any Money upon the Branches of the King's Revenue arising by Custom Excise or Hearth-money should be adjudged an Hinderer of the Sitting of Parlaiment and be responsible for the same 2. That whosoever should buy any Tally or Anticipation upon any part of the King's Revenue or whosoever should pay such Tally hereafter to be struck should
for a free Parliament and the Protestant Religion York was in the hands of the associated Lords The Garison of Hull seized the Lord Langdale then Governor a Papist and the Lord Montgomery and disarmed some Popish Forces newly sent thither and then declared as New Castle had done Bristol was seized by the Earl of Shrewsbury and Sir John Guise Plymouth had long before submitted to the Prince of Orange and in short the Popish party was become so contemptible in London that on Thursday Dec. 6th there was an Hue and Cry after Father Petre publickly cried and sold in the Streets of London but this was not the worst neither for about the same time came out this following Declaration in the Name of the Prince of Orange By His Highness WILLIAM HENRY Prince of Orange A Third Declaration VVE have in the Course of our Life more particularly by the apparent Hazards both by Sea and Land to which we have so lately exposed our Person given to the whole World so high and undoubted Proofs of our fervent Zeal for the Protestant Religion that we are fully confident no true English Man and good Protestant can entertain the least Suspicion of our firm Resolution rather to spend our dearest Blood and perish in the Attempt than not to carry on the blessed and glorious Design which by the Favour of Heaven we have so successfully begun to rescue England Scotland and Ireland from Popery and Slavery and in a Free Parliament to Establish the Religion the Laws and the Liberties of these Kingdoms on such a sure and lasting Foundation that it shall not be in the Power of any Prince for the future to introduce Popery and Tyranny Towards the more easie compassing this great Design we have not been hitherto deceived in the just Expectation we had of the Concurrence of the Nobility Gentry and People of England with us for the Security of their Religion and the Restitution of the Laws and the Re-establishment of their Liberties and Properties Great Numbers of all Ranks and Qualities having joined themselves to us and others at great distances from us have taken up Arms and declared for us And which we cannot but particularly mention in that Army which was raised to be the Instrument of Slavery and Popery many by the special Providence of God both Officers and common Soldiers have been touched with such a feeling Sense of Religion and Honour and of true Affection to their Native Country that they have already deserted the illegal Service they were engaged in and have come over to Us and have given us full Assurance from the rest of the Army That they will certainly follow this Example as soon as with our Army we shall approach near enough to receive them without hazard of being prevented or betray'd To which end and that we may the sooner execute this just and necessary Design we are engaged in for the Publick Safety and Deliverance of these Nations We are resolved with all possible Diligence to advance forward that a Free Parliament may be forthwith called and such Preliminaries adjusted with the King and all things first settled upon such a Foot according to Law as may give us and the whole Nation just Reason to believe the King is disposed to make such necessary Condescension on his part as will give entire Satisfaction and Security to all and make both King and People once more Happy And that we may effect all this in the way most agreeable to our Designs if it be possible without the Effusion of any Blood except of those execurable Criminals who have justly forfeited their Lives for betraying the Religion and subverting the Lawes of their Native Country We do think fit to declare That as we will offer no Violence to any but in our own necessary Defence so we will not suffer any Injury to be done to the Person even of any Papist provided he be found in such Place and Condition and Circumstances at the Laws require So we are resolved and do declare That all People who shall be found in open Arms or with Arms in their Houses or about their Persons or in any Office Civil or Military upon any pretence whatsoever contrary to the known Laws of the Land shall be treated by Us and our Forces not as Soldiers and Gentlemen but as Robbers Free-Booters and Banditti they shall be incapable of Quarter and entirely delivered up to the Discretion of our Soldiers And we do further declare That all Persons who shall be found any ways aiding or assisting to them or shall march under their Command or shall join with or submit to them in the Discharge or Execution of their illegal Commission or Authority shall be looked upon as Partakers of their Crimes Enemies to the Laws and to their Country And whereas we are certainly informed That great numbers of Armed Papists have of late resorted to London and Westminster and Parts adjacent where they remain as we have reason to suspect not so much for their own Security as out of a wicked and barbarous Design to make some desperate Attempt upon the said Cities and the Inhabitants by Fire or a sudden Massacre or both or else to be the more ready to join themselves to a Body of French Troops designed if it be possible to land in England procured of the French King by the Interest and Power of the Jesuits in pursuance of the Engagements which at the Instigation of that pestilent Society his most Christian Majesty with one of his Neighbouring Princes of the same Communion has entred into for the utter Extirpation of the Protestant Religion out of Europe Though we hope we have taken suck effectual Care to prevent the onâ— and secure the other that by God's Assistance we cannot doubt but we shall defeat all their wicked Enterprises and Designs We cannot however forbear out of our great and tender Concern we have to preserve the People of England and particularly those great and populous Cities from the cruel Rage and blood Revenge of the Papists to require and expect from all the Lords Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace Lord-Mayors Mayors Sheriffs and other Magistrates and Officers Civil and Military of all Counties Cities and Towns in England especially of the County of Middlesex and Cities of London and Westminster and Parts adjacent that they do immediately disarm and secure as by Law they may and ought within their respective Counties Cities and Jurisdictions all Papists whatsover as Persons at all times but now especially most dangerous to the Peace and Safety of the Government that so not only all Power of doing Mischief may be taken from them but that the Laws which are the greatest and best Security may resume their Force and be strictly executed And we do hereby likewise declare That we will protect and defend all those who shall not be afraid to do their Duty in Obedience to these Laws And that for those Magistrates and others
â—o unskilful in Government as the Name they gave them did import 'T is indeed not to be doubted but that the Division made of the Empire by Theodosius between his Two Sons Arcadius and Honorius into the Eastern and Western did very much precipitate the Ruine of it For tho' the former for many Ages after made a Shift to keep up yet it came infinitely short of the Ancient Roman Empire for Power and Splendour and was so harassed by degrees with the Insults of the Neighbouring Nations and diminished by the Conquests of the Bulgarians over one part of it by the Saracens subduing Palestine Syria Egypt and Cilicia by the City of Trebesond and the Neighbouring Countries withdrawing themselves from under the Obedience of it and chusing an Emperor of their own as Greece set up divers petty Princes to govern the different Parts of itâ— That the poor Remains thereof was not only swallowed up at length by the Turks but most of the said conquer'd or revolted Divisions to other very great Acquisitions of their own made both before and after fell under their Dominion also which made them for a Time more formidable in Power than any other single Dominion known to us in those Parts of the World But the Fate of the West Part of that divided Empire came on a pace the same becoming a Prey to the Germans and Goths who about this time came in prodigious Numbers to change their poor Habitations for the pleasant and fertile Provinces of the Romans Britain became a Prey to the Saxons Spain fell to the Share of the West-Goths The Goths Burgundians and Franks made bold with dividing France between them Rhoetia and Noricum were conquered by the Suevians A great part of Pannonia and Illiricum fell into the Hands of the Huns The Vandals fixed their Habitations in Africa And one part of the Goths set up a Kingdom in Italy and did not think Rome once Mistress of the World and the common Mother and Habitation of Mankind a fitting Place for their Kings to reside in The Empire being thus mangled and rent into so many different Pieces the next Thing according to the Course of a corrupted and vain World these Invaders went upon after some tolerable Settlement in their respective Acquisitions was to incroach upon their Neighbours and to endeavour to introduce such a Dominion again upon the Earth as might in Imitation of that glorious Empire which all of them in their several Turns had given an Helping-hand to overthrow over-top all others and merit the Name of a Supream and Universal One But there have hitherto in the Course of Divine Providence such Rubs been laid in the Way of this Design that it could never be accomplish'd tho' divers Princes have attempted it with the greatest Application and some seeming Probability of Success As Islands are not so liable to be invaded as those Kingdoms and States that lie upon the Continent So neither are they on the other hand so proper to make Conquests of others and to enlarge their Territories And if Great Britain has come in any respect short of other Countries in this Particular this is a sufficient Reason for it But there were other Causes and Considerations which we shall a little consider before we go any farther Tho' tho Saxons made an entire Conquest of the best and fruitfullest Part of Britain yet neither the most Northern Parts of the Island possessed by the Picts and Scots nor the Southern known since by the Name of Cornwall much less the ancient Habitation of the Britains wrongfully called Wales could they subdue in a long time nor the first indeed at all entirely Add to this That the Saxons themselves had no less than Seven Dynasties or petty Kingdoms amongst them known all together by the Heptarchy which took them up from their first Landing under Hengist by Alliances and the Power of their Arms not much less than 400 Years to unite them into one Monarchy which happen'd under K. Egbert about the Year 800. But tho' this Conjunction of Seven into One was very considerable and that now some grand Efforts might have been made for reducing the remaining Parts of the Island under one Head the Danes now a very Potent and Sea-faring People in the very same King's Reign invaded Britain Between whom and the English there were continual Wars for the Space of 240 Years and the former so far prevailed that Three of their Kings reigned successively over England for 26 Years when the Government returned again into the Hands of the English But it was so weak and feeble that in a short time it fell into the Hands of Will surnamed the Conqueror and his Normans in whose Son 's Reign Henry I. by Name the Dukedom of Normandy was annexed to the Crown of England This so considerable Accession of Strength upon the Continent came yet short of a Compensation for the still remaining Disjunction of Scotland and Wales from the rest of Britain which the succeeding Kings little minded to effect For tho' Henry II. was the greatest King at this time in our Western World as being besides K. of England and Duke of Normandy by Inheritance Duke of Anjou and by Marriage Duke of Aquitain and Poictou yet he was so far from going through stitch with his intended Conquest of Wales or reducing Scotland that his chief Aim was upon the Conquest of Ireland which tho' a noble Design and in a very great Measure effected yet it was misplaced and should have followed the Reduction of the other two Yet what came to Henry upon the Continent by Right of Inheritance his Son King John and his Grandson Henry III. in a manner totally lost But of all the Kings of England to this Time Edward I. was the only Prince that seemed to have a right Notion of Extending his Dominions and therefore he never gave over till what by fair and foul Means with an Intermixture of Policy he entirely united Wales to the Kingdom of England and made in a manner by the same Methods a perfect Conquest of Scotland which nothing humanely speaking but the Weakness of his Successor obstructed the Consummation of So that henceforward all the Thoughts of our Warlike Kings were the Recovery of that Right they alledged to have to the Kingdom of France whose Conquests there if they had been as wisely secured as they were valiantly made had added a much greater Glory to the English Name than our Annals would otherwise admit of But that which our Kings would not or could not add to their Dominions by Conquest within the Island it self I mean the Scotch Kingdom which always obstructed the Progress of their Arms upon the Continent at length fell in of it self in the Course of Succession So that England Scotland and Ireland were in the Person of King James I. united under one Head In the mean time one of our Neighbour-Nations was arrived to that Pitch of Greatness and another of them in
Nephew did not only retain that Dutchy but is generally allowed to have been a Prince that aspired not so much at being Emperor of Germany as Universal Monarch of Europe Yet neither would the Conjuncture of the Times nor the Strength of his Cotemporaries by any means admit of it in his Person And as for the succeeding Princes of the House of Valois tho' H. II. made an Attempt to unite Scotland to France by the Marriage of Mary Queen of Scots to his Son Francis the Dauphine which would have been a great Blow to England yet no Issue coming from that Match they were henceforward so far from doing any Thing memorable as to the Extent of their Dominion and Conquest that the Kingdom fell into an unhappy Civil War which though at first it had its Rise from the Humours and Passions of the Princes of the Blood and the Ministers yet it proved at length to be a Religious War between the Roman Catholicks or the League and the Huguenots which never could be extinguished till H. IV. of the House of Bourbon and by Right K. of France upon the Death of Hen. III. the last Prince of the House of Valois had renounced the Protestant Religion and thereupon was confirmed in the Supream Authority before belonging to him This Prince did anew lay the Foundation of the French Greatness which was carried on in his Son's Reign Lewis XIII tho' of himself no otherwise a wise Prince than by his Steadiness to his Ministers by the wonderful Management of Cardinal Richlieu both by Sea and Land to a very great Heighth by whose wise Conduct Spain long before languishing under a diseased Body was brought lower and lower and what the Emperor Ferdinand II. aimed at in the Reduction of Germany by the War that was begun there being no other than an absolute Sovereignty as well as the Swedes whose best Pretensions under the Brave King Gustavus Adolphus was to rescue the Religion and Liberty of it tho' in the Consequence it appeared to be no other than a Conquest of it redounded in a great Measure to the Advantage of France and the same was confirmed into her by the Westphalian Treaty in 1648. And all this done upon the Continent while we our selves were seemingly enfeebled rather than strengthned by the Conjunction of Scotland tho' in reality it must be attributed to the weak Administration of our Princes which terminated in the cruellest Intestine War that ever befel any Nation and was attended with the saddest Catastrophe And the Government it self after various Commutations of Form and subsequent Revolutions degenerated into Anarchy of which France failed not to make Advantage under the Ministry of Cardinal Mazarine But our Unsettlement at last terminating in the Restoration of our ancient Form of Government in the Person of Charles II. about which time hapned the Death of Mazarine in France who left this Legacy to his Prince That he should Govern himself and not entirely trust to any Favourite tho' Charles quickly discovered that the Remembrance of his adverse and exiled Fortune which usually makes Men wise upon a Change of Condition had been quite effaced by the prosperous State his Restoration brought him to yet Lewis never fail'd to stick close to the Advice of his Minister and what Effects it has had since upon the Affairs of Europe is better past over in silence than raked up in this place However we were weak enough to quit our entire Interest upon the Continent by the Sale of Dunkirk to the French which as it gave an Accession of Strength into that Nation to the Sea-ward as Lorain did to the Land-ward so it weakned both our own and the Spanish Hands as did also the Dutch War that succeeded between us and the Republick of Holland in 1665 neither Nation having gotten any Thing but Blows at Sea while the French by the Irruption they made into Flanders into 1667 got all by Land And tho' they were for a short time coup'd up by the Tripple Alliance of England Sweden and Holland yet they having Artifice enough to disjoin the first from the rest as that also did by the second the third was left single to be invaded by the other in 1672 and that with such a Torrent of Success that nothing but the Providence of God and the Success of the young Prince of Orange now in this Hurry and common Calamity of his Country restored to the Honours and Commands of his Ancestors could have saved that distressed State from falling under the French Dominion But tho' the Blow was suddam and almost unexpected yet the Commonness of the Danger not only awaken'd Spain the Emperor and the Empire to come out of their slow Pace to the Relief of it but the French Progress so alarmed the People of England that the King thought it high time to slink himself out of the French Alliance But instead of falling in with the Weight of the rest of the Confederacy which was the Subjects Desire and his true Interest he was contented to set up his Mediation of Peace between the Contending Parties with the Reception whereof by all that were engaged in the War we shall conclude this Introduction that brings us down to the Year 1676 from whence our present History commences its Original and comprehends a Period of about Two and Twenty Years A Compleat History OF EUROPE From the Beginning of the Treaty of Nimeguen c. year 1676 NIMEGVEN is a City of the Low-Countries seated upon the Side of an Hill which is the last of Germany and stoops upon the River Woal that washeth the lower Part of the Town and divides it from the Betow an Island lying all upon flat low Ground between the Woal and the Old Rhine which is esteemed to be the ancient Seat of those People whom the Romans called Batavians and whom for their Bravery and love of Liberty they took into their Confederacy when they had subjected all the Neighbouring Parts of Gaul and Germany It stands to the South of Arheim and is about two Leagues distant from it six from Vtretch which is on the East of it three from Cleves to the West and twenty from Cologn to the same It was in the Year 1591 taken by Prince Maurice of Orange for the States after it had endured a sharp Siege and in 1672 fell into the Hands of the French amongst the greatest part of the Dutch Towns and Provinces tho' to its Glory it must be said that it was almost the only Place in all those Provinces that fought for its Liberty Here it was this mighty Treaty was set on foot between the most Serene Confederates on the one Hand and the French Monarch on the other by the single Mediation of Charles the II King of Great Britain that of the Pope's after much Delay and many Debates being at last rejected by all the Parties concerned in the Negotiation which Treaty spun out into a great length and of which
induce him to continue in Possession of Lorrain is willing that Prince Charles be restored to it upon one of these two Alternatives of which he gives him his Choice First That he be restored according to the Articles expressed in the Pyrenaean Treaty without any Change or Alteration in any of them Or Secondly That he be restored generally to his whole Estate except the Town of Nancy which his Majesty will retain with Plenary Right of Sovereignty and excepting such a Way as was agreed upon at the Treaty of 1661 to pass from the Frontiers of France into Alsatia and all such Ways as shall be necessary to pass from France to Nancy and from France to Metz Brisac and Franche Compte upon Condition nevertheless that to make him some Compensation for the Town of Nancy his Majesty shall restore to him that of Toul considerable for its Extent and Situation and much more in respect for its Bishoprick His Majesty demands likewise That Long-Wic and its Provostship be quitted to him but offereth withal to recompense the Prince of Lorrain with another Provostship of equal Value of one of three Bishopricks And whereas Marsal having been quitted to his Majesty by a particular Treaty is not at present any part of Lorrain so it is not to be understood to be comprised in this Restitution These are the Terms which may and ought to make the Platform of a General Peace and upon which his Majesty hath long ago declared himself to the King of Great Britain His Majesty desires they may be imparted to the Assembly at Nimeguen and that his own Plenipotentiaries propose them to the Consideration of the rest as containing the lowest Conditions he can admit and upon which his Enemies may make Choice either of War or Peace Given at St. Germains the 9th of Apr. 1678. The Imperialists of all others seemed the least inclinable to yield to the foregoing Conditions and the Strain of requiring full Satisfaction to Sweden was insupportable to the Northern Princes yea the Spaniards and other Confederates looked upon them so hard that they said They would hazard all rather than accept of them Tho' after all those Articles that concerned Holland and Spain having been before privately agreed upon with some Leaders of the principal Towns they proved the Plan of the Peace both for Holland and all the other Confederates engaged in the War Yet when the French Embassadors carried these Conditions to Sir Lionel Jenkins then sole Mediator in order to be communicated by him to the Confederates he made Answer He could not do it as a Mediator but that he would atquaint the Parties with them in Discourse as a matter to which he promised no Answer and this he did because of the other Terms that had been agreed on between England and Holland for forcing of France to a Compliance on the 10th of Jan. foregoing which tho' they proved to be of little use in the Course of this Peace yet they had one good Effect upon the Affairs of Spain and this was That notwithstanding all the French Intriguing in England and Holland the Fears they had that the King at length might be in earnest and punctually perform the Conditions of this League and well knowing that if it came to that they should have occasion for all the Force they could make and perhaps find all little enough they abandoned Messina and all their Conquests in Sicily and that at a time when every body thought the Mareschal de Fevillade had been sent into that Kingdom with fresh Forces upon the Design of some new Enterprize Whereas indeed he went thither to fetch off the French Troops that were there which he did after he had first declared to the Senate the King's Orders and the present Necessity of them and with whom a vast Number of the Messines who dreaded the certain Revenge of the Spaniards took also the Opportunity to retire But that the French might stave off the Blow from England if possible they at length bethought themselves of a Srratagem that had more charming Obligations in it than any other made with the Prince of Orange when in England or with the States-General afterwards and that was an Offer of Money For you must know Mr. Montague the King's Embassador at Paris after a long Conference with M. Louvois by his Master's Orders wherein the Latter represented to him the Measures that had been already concerted for a Peace upon the French Terms in Holland and that since they were agreed there it was hoped his Britannick Majesty would not be against it but that however he had Orders to make him a Tender of a great Sum of Money for his Consent tho' a thing already accepted by the Dutch and wherein his Majesty consequently was not concerned was desired to give the then Lord Treasurer of England an Account hereof by a Packet which Offer tho' very relishing at any time with the Humour of our Court yet the violent Dispositions of the Dutch to run into the Peace at this time whatever came of it and such a fatal and mutual Distrust as there was both in Court and Parliament that it was very difficult to fall into any sound Measures between them made the King look upon it as a very profitable Proposal saying That since the Dutch would have a Peace upon the French Terms and that France offered him Money for his Approbation of that he could not help he knew no Reason why he might not get the Money and so required Sir William Temple to treat with the French Embassador about it But that Gentleman had more Honour and Honesty than to engage in so dishonourable a Thing and did thereupon retire from Court You have heard before that the 10th of May was the time limited by the French Project of Peace for the Allies to accept of the Terms or no and to which they appeared positively engaged but there being a Necessity of somewhat a greater Confidence between the Dutch and French upon this Occasion least such a Sâ—iffneâ—s might produce that Alteration in the Pace of Affairs at the Expiration of the Term that might prove a Disadvantage to one or the other side the Heer Beverning sent secretly to acquaint the French Embassadors That the States did accept of the King's Offer However that he might not by such a Pace allarm the Allies he gave the Count d' Avaux also notice That he was very desirous to discourse with him in private and for that end would fetch a Walk alone upon the Ramparts of the Town about 7 in the Morning where they met accordingly and between whom all Matters were in a manner fully concluded The Consequence thereof was the granting of Ten Days longer for the Dutch to endeavour to perswade their Allies to accept of the Conditions proposed as themselves had done In this time the Estates received a Letter from the French King from his Camp at Deinse wherein he made some further Concessions
and invited them to send Deputies to him at Ghent But because the Reader will be better pleased to peruse the Letter it self I shall here insert it DEINSE the 18th of May 1678. Most dear great Friends Allies and Confederates OVT of the sincere Affection which we have always born to the the promoting the Peace of Europe we are very much satisfied to understand by our Plenipotentiaries at Nimeguen the Account given unto them in your Name by one of your Ambassadors concerning your Thoughts upon the Conclusion of so great a Work which you had imparted to them by one of your Embassadors We are glad to understand that the Terms which we proposed at that Assembly appear to you to be reasonable and that you are fully perswaded of the Sincerity of our Mind in a matter of so great Importance And it is with the greater Satisfaction to our selves that we confirm the same unto you by this Letter that notwithstanding those Advantages which we have already acquir'd by our Arms and may justly hope for by the Prosecution of the War yet we place our chiefest Glory in making all the Steps we can towards a Peace But because it appears by the Discourses that have been made to our Plenipotentiaries by your Order that how desirous soever you are to conclude the Peace yet there remains some Scruple with you concerning the 7th Article of the Treaty of Commerce which has been debated at Nimeguen between our Embassadors and yours and Trouble of Mind lest we should make an entire Conquest of the Low-Countries in case Spain should reject the Terms we have offered we are willing to impart our Thoughts unto you upon these two Points We cannot do it more favourably as to the 1st of them than by granting that the 7th Article should be as your selves desire it and in taking such Measures with you upon the 24 Point as may ease you of the Fear you express for the Loss of Flanders And this we will then do when Spain having refused to consent to the Peace there shall be a Treaty concluded between us and you upon such Terms as have been already propos'd with relation to your selves and that you shall have returned to our Alliance and shall oblige your selves to continue Neuters during the War We shall be always reddy for your sake to grant to Spain the same Terms with relation to Flanders which they are at liberty now to accept And we are further willing to assure you that in all that time we will not Attack any one Place in all those Provinces Thus ye shall always find us reddily inclined not only to form that Barrier which you think so necessary for your own Safety but to secure it and to let you enjoy together with the Re-establishment of Commerce whatever other Advantages you can expect from our Friendship And if for the Prosecuting this Negotiation you shall think it necessary to send Deputies to us they will find us near Ghent till the 27th of this Month and in the same Dispositions we have declared to you in this Letter In the mean time we pray God to take you most great dear Friends Allies and Confederates into his Holy Protection Your good Friend Ally and Confederate LOVIS Underneath was Signed Arnauld The States after 4 Days Consultation did on the 25th of the same Month send a Letter in Answer to the King 's by a Trumpeter of their own to his Camp and after having complimented him upon the Honour he had done them by writing to them and rejoiced at the sincere Desire they conceived to be in his Majesty for the Peace of Europe They pray'd he would be pleased to give Credit to the Heer Van Beverning their Extraordinary Embassador whom they would send to him to inform him how desirous they were on their part to give him fresh Assurances of their sincere Intentions also for Peace Beverning attended upon the French King accordingly and concerted Measures so well that he obtained a Cessation of Arms for 6 Weeks in Flanders to the end the Dutch might endeavour to get the Spaniards to enter into the Peace upon the Terms they proposed for them which Truce extended it self to the 15th of Aug. following and upon his return he told his Masters whether really or designedly is a Question That he found the French King as well informed of the Condition of his Enemies and of the Places he might attack as he was of his own Affairs England in the mean time was grown pretty indifferent in the Matter of the Peace and Spain seemed well inclined to accept her part of it But the Emperor King of Denmark and Elector of Brandenburg fell into the highest Declarations and Reproaches against the States that could well be invented ripping up all they had ventured and suffered in a War wherein they had engaged for the sole Preservation of Holland But that now they were abandoned by them under a Pretence of concluding a Peace and that upon imperious and arbitrary Terms for them without then Consent That they were not backward to treat with France and make a Peace upon any safe and equitable Conditions but would never endure to have them imposed as from an absolute Conqueror and would rather venture and expose all than accept them especially those for the Duke of Lorrdin whose Case was the worst treated tho' seemingly the most favoured by the Confederates and the least contested by France Yet for all these Storms from their Allies the States were little moved but held on their Course having little Regard to the Satisfaction of any other than Spain in what concerned the Safety of Flanders and the Necessities of that Crown made them easie tho' as little pleased as the rest Wherefore on June 22. they sent their Embassadors Orders to Sign the Peace with France before the End of the Month And the very same Day wrote to the French King by the Sieur Lanoy one of their Officers who passed thro' the Camp and delivered a Letter from them to the Mareschal de Luxemburg whereby they acquainted him That they had given the foresaid Orders to their Embassadors at Nimeguen about Signing the Peace and at the same time communicated to him the Sence of the Letter they wrote to his Majesty But notwithstanding all this Tendency both in Spain and Holland to give the finishing Stroke yet an unforeseen Accident fell out which had like to have overturned the whole Fabrick and renew the War with greater Vigour and more equal Forces by engaging England in a Share of it in Favour of the Confederates which they had been long practising without any Success and were quite out of Hopes thereof For in the Conditions which the Dutch had made for the French restoring the 6 Towns in Flanders to the Spaniard there was no particular Mention made of the Time of that Restitution the Dutch understanding as well as the Spaniards that it was to be upon
French Embassador at the Hague and the Dutch one at Paris And this being effected the Subjects of their Republick should have alone the Trade in that King's Dominions to the Exclusion of all other Nations This was soon after seconded with a Memorial by the French Embassador concerning an Alliance the King his Master offered to enter into with the States to be founded upon the Foot of the Treaty made An. 1662. which Offers were further enforced by representing unto them as well the Advantage that would accrue to them upon their accepting as the Inconveniencies that might follow upon their refusal of it and telling them that any Delay in the Affair would be looked upon as a Refusal and that his Master would regulate himself accordingly But the States taking some time to deliberate and demurring upon the Matter they received Letters in the mean while from their Embassadors at Paris importing That being sent for by Monsieur Colbert and going to him he had put them in mind of the many Obligations the States had to the King his Master and of the particular Demonstration he had given them of his Affection in offering them a Peace in the midst of his Conquests upon the Terms he did That he had since expected Overtures from them of a nearer Alliance But they having been wanting he had himself for some time since made an Offer of the same by his Embassadors at the Hague That it had been debated in the Assembly of the States of Holland and that the said States had Adjourned themselves without coming to any Resolution therein That the King was much surprized to find them make so small an Account of an Alliance which they themselves had sought for some Years before by an Extraordinary Embassadors now the same was offered them That this Alliance proposed was only Defensive which the States could receive no Prejudice by but much Advantage That his Majesty understood that the King of England did oppose them while he pretended to make himself an Alliance with them and that his Majesty would have great Cause to be dissatisfied with the States if they should refuse the Overtures made by him and instead thereof close with those of the King of England concluding That his Majesty as his Embassador the Count d' Avaux had already told them would take their Delay for a Refusal That however he would keep the Peace with them but would at the same time look upon them as a State that did not deserve to live in good Amity with him and would not favour their Commerce Mr. Henry Sidney the King's Embassadors in Holland as I told you and now Earl of Rumney was no sooner informed of the foresaid Memorial and Proceedings of France but he put in a like Memorial to the States shewing That the King his Master having understood the Proposals that had been made them by the French Embassadors could not believe that the States could so far forget their own and common Interests of Christendom as to accept of them That his Majesty particularly would have Cause after their having refused the Act of Guarranty which he lately offered to enter into with them for securing their present Peace to resent their entring into any new Engagements with France especially since his Majesty might have just Cause to be jealous that the same could have no other end than to enable the French King to shew his Resentments of the Peace his Majesty had made with the States in 1674 and of what his Majesty did afterward in order to the procuring a more advantageous Peace for them and their Allies than that which was made at Nimeguen That such a Resolution in the States would certainly prejudice that strict Union and Friendship that was established between him and them and oblige his Majesty to take other Measures But that his Majesty for his part would not only punctually comply with what was stipulated and agreed in the Defensive Treaty made between England and Holland the 3d of Mar. 1678 if they would reject the French Alliance but also stand by them to the uttermost if they should be attack'd by France Mr. Sidney's Address and Diligence in the Prosecution of this Matter was admirable and succeeded so well that the States determined civilly to refuse the Alliance proposed by France But the French King having declared he was not satisfied therewith his said Embassador made another Effort to divert the States from their intended Resolution shewing That he had received further Orders from the King his Master to acquaint them That his Majesty was extreamly astonished at their manner of Proceedings in the Matter of the Alliance by him proposed and highly resented it That he was commanded to expect some Days longer their final Resolution in that Affair but that afterward he should say no more of it nor accept any Act which they should offer and that then they must expect his Master would take such Measures as he thought necessary for the Good of his Kingdoms and the Advantage of his Subjects in their Commerce That Mons Colbert had told their Embassadors at Paris The King his Master wonder'd extreamly to find all Persons in Holland full of Hopes which their Letters had given them That his Majesty would not depart from the Execution of the Peace and that if they would not enter into that Alliance with him they should only suffer somewhat in their Commerce That the Sense of what he had then told them from the King his Master had been wrong delivered by them and worse interpreted at the Hague That his Majesty did not threaten them with his Indignation but the Dissatisfaction which he had conceived at their Proceedings might perhaps be the Occasion of greater Prejudice to them than the Indignation of others and that they would do well to consider what had happened to them within 8 or 10 Years past the Beginnings whereof had been less considerable than the just Dissatisfaction which their present Conduct gave the King his Master D' Avaux had no sooner ended but Mr. Sidney was ready to oppose who after he had take notice to the States of the great Earnestness of the French to press them into their Alliance he thought fit to repeat his Instances to disswade them from it That the King his Master did not pretend to make use of Threats of which the Memorials of the French â—mbassador were full but would leave them wholly to be guided by the Consideration of their own Interests That his Majesty did perswade himself that after the Assurances of Assistance he had given them in whatever might happen they would not enter into any Engagements which his Majesty should have Cause to look upon as intended against him and that the Instances of the French King which were too sharp and pressing for a Free Republick would not divert them from their true Interests and from that strict Friendship that was between his Majesty and their State and of which his Majesty had
Truth and even by the Confession of my Opposers for that OLD CAVSE in which I was from my Youth engaged and for which thou hast often and wonderfully declared thy self Yet notwithstanding all these Points gained there was something to be done before it could be be said That the King was a Despotical â—rince and would make his Will his Law For tho' the City of London was now absolutely dependant upon his Majesty in respect of the Magistracy thereof and that the naming of the other Sheriffs of all the Countles and Shires of the Kingdom belonged unto him yet there were many other Cities in England who still chose their own Sheriffs but something must have been done with these before the Constitution of the Parliament could be subverted which seemed to be the only White in the Butt they had been aiming at all this while For you are to note that the House of Commons consists of 513 Members whereof but 92 only are Knights of the Shires so that near 5 Parts in 6 are Burgesses Citizens and Barons of the Cinque-Ports and the generality of the Corporations which send these Members are poor decay'd Places and so not in a Condition as the City of London was to contest their Charters or if they should there were but little hopes to keep them now London had not been able to hold hers Yet it was considered also that it would cost the Court-Agents a great deal of time to bring Quo Warranto's against above 200 Corporations wherefore all Hands were set on work to induce these poor Inhabitants to surrender up their Rights and mighty Rewards proposed unto those who should shew themselves forward and instrumental therein But because Moneys were scarce there were Bargains made wiâ—h Multitudes of them to have Grants of Fairs for the Surrender of their Charters and those who refused must have Quo Warranto's brought against them However before these things were fully put in Execution it was thought necessary to augment the standing Forces in England who were already too many in time of Peace For some Umbrages were taken that Disturbances might arise before they could be brought to Perfection For tho' the Duke had secur'd Scotland and had 20000 Foot and 2000 Horse and a Years Pay to be assisting upon all Occasions and that greater Liberty than ever was given to the Irish yet all this was not thought enough and therefore Tangier part of Queen Catherine's hopeful Portion which cost the King her Husband above 100000 l. a Year the keeping for 20 Years together must now at last the Mould was near finished be utterly demolished and the Garrison brought over which had been a Nursery of Popish Officers and Soldiers and quartered in the most considerable parts of the Kingdom And in this pittiful State we shall leave England and see what mighty Changes have been made in the Face of Things in other Parts of Europe and more particularly in the Kingdom of Hungary where brake out the cruellest War between the Emperor and the Turks and that has been intermixt with such Variety of Actions and Fortune in the long Course of it as I think no Age nor History can parallel the exact Particulars whereof we shall endeavour to give as they shall fall out in due Series of Time and their proper Order But before we enter immediately upon that mighty Affair it will be necessary to premise somewhat in this place how things stood on this side the Empire towards France and in the Netherlands We have said something before concerning the Re-unions pretended to be made by France after the Treaty of Nimeguen But yet to be a little more particular It was not long after the Conclusion of the said Peace that that Crown possessed her self of Homhurg and Bisstel the only two Places remaining to the Duke of Lorain of all his Dutchy However tho' the Duke who had â—ut little Power of his own was forced tamely to submit to it yet it could not be thought that others would be so willing to do it And therefore First Monsieur Ravaux who had searched all the Monuments of the Parliaments of Metz and the Cities thereabouts endeavoured from thence to prove That in time of old all Alsatia Lorain the Counties of Chiney Arlon Vierton St. Armand all the Country of Luxemburg except the City of that Name divers Villages and Seigniories in Germany Flanders Brabant Hegenow and the Country of Liege did really and of just Right belong to the King of France as Dependences upon the three Bishopricks of Metz Toul and Verdun or upon other Places that had been yielded to them by the Treaty of Nimeguen In pursâ—ance hereof they erected in France 2 Tribunals of Justice or Sovereign Courts one at Metz and the other at Brisac by the Name of The Chambers of Re-unions where the Inhabitants and Lords of all the fore-mentioned Places were gravely cited to appear before the Commissioners Judges and Parties to see themselves condemned to make their Submission to the French King and to receive his Orders thereupon and in case of Refusal to be condemned for Default and Contumacy It was under such Pretensions that Strasburg was seized on by that Crown and by the same pretended Reasons Luxemburg had been blocked up in a manner ever since the Peace and that as it were by way of Reprisal because the Spaniards would not yield up to them several Places in Flanders which they laid claim to Which way of Procedure did at length alarm all the Potentates upon the Continent so that the Emperor Swedeland the States of Holland Franconia and several other Free and Imperial Cities entred into a mutual League of Defence which was called The League of Ausburg and to the Glory of the then Prince of Orange it must be said and is what his Enemies have own'd he was the greatest Instrument to bring it about of any in Europe Good God! What shall we think of England all this while But I have told you already our King had other Fish to fry and 't is very remarkable that he was by this time fallen into such an abject State in the Opinion of all the Neighbouring Princes and States that it does not appear they ever sought as much as his Concurrence in or Approbation of this League though otherwise generally speaking England was the only Kingdom that was wont to keep the Scales even between the contending Parties for many Ages together However whether it were out of the Apprehensions of the impending Storm upon Christendom from the Mahometan Quarters or out of a meer Act of Generosity this is certain that as soon as the French King came to know that the Turk was bending all his Forces against the Empire and to that End had ordered his Army to march towards Belgrade not only with a Design to possess himself of all Hungary but even to invade the Neighbouring Provinces he withdrew his Forces from before Luxemburg though almost ready
the Town This gave the Christians an Opportunity not only to advance but to possess themselves of an Hill near the Place And this was succeeded with a Summons from the General to surrender But the Governour Saban Basha who was gone to put himself at the Head of a Body of Turks to observe the Motion of the Christians as not believing they durst undertake the Siege of Prevesa The Officer that commanded in his Absence would not receive the General 's Letter but rudely fired upon the Person that carried it Thereupon they landed 4. Pieces of Cannon and as many Mortars on the 22d and next Day shot above 300 Bombs into the Town which burnt several Houses and before Night dismounted all the Enemies Cannon but one and had all this while but one Man killed and few wounded On the 24th they made a Lodgment in the Ditch and began to Mine under the Great Tower of the Place towards the Terra Firma but they were somewhat disturbed by a Sally of the Turks who yet had no great Success So that the Besiegers the 3 following Days advanced their Works notwithstanding the Enemy plyed them very warmly with their small Shot so far that the Mine being ready by the 28th and a considerable Breach made by the Cannon Orders were given for a general Assault But next Morning the Turks prevented them by hanging out a White Flag and sending 5 Deputies to capitulate who required the same Conditions as had been granted to Sancta Maura But the General would allow them no other save that 30 of the most considerable of the Garrison should march out with their Arms and Baggage and the rest without Arms taking only along with them what they could carry which the Turks were forced to submit to And so they marched out of the Place on the 30th of Sept. leaving 44 Pieces of Cannon 14 whereof were large and would shoot a 50 Pound Ball with a considerable Quantity of Ammunition and Provisions to the Conquering Venetians who after this went to Winter at Corâ—u But their Troops in Dalmatia did not yet do so they and the Morlaques under the Dominion of the Republick had all along the War been very successful not only in several Rencounters with the Turks but in divers Incursions into their Country from whence they always returned with good Booty besides possessing themselves of some Places in those Parts But my Design will not admit me to descend to such Minute Particulars and therefore I shall only observe that before the Expiration of this Year they took in the Isle of Narenta and the Castle of Narini And were thereupon joined by a great many of the Neighbouring Greeks But the advanced Season confined them now to their Winter Quarters as I am also confined to close up the History of this Year without superadding any remarkable Adventure as I have hitherto been â—ted to do There is nothing occurs year 1685 worthy of Consideration this Year before the Death of Charles II. King of England who was seized as they gave out of a violent Fit of an Apoplexy on Monday the 2d of Feb. and on the 7th departed this Life in the 37th Year of his Reign computing it from his Father's Death after he had lived 54 Years 8 Months and 8 Days His Character I will not attempt it has been done so well already by a Learned Pen But for his Religion if we believe his Brother that succeeded him he was however otherwise he appeared outwardly in his Life Heart and Soul a true Roman Catholick not only by his Dying in the Communion of the Church of Rome and other Ceremonies of that Church But the Papers taken out of his Strong Box and which his Brother took Care to Publish to the World plainly proved him to be so in his Judgment However be this as it will he had little Regard to any Thing that favoured of Sincere Religion for he would occasionally in his ordinary Conversation ridicule most Opinions and that Religion most of all wherein it was said he died I know not whether it be to his Praise to say He was a Prince the most fit to Govern of any other and applied himself the least to it which was great pitty since he had such an Insight into Men and Things that no Monarch of his Age could pretend to compare with him besides a mild Disposition which made him at his Death be so universally lamented by all sorts of his Protestant Subjects but more by those that dissented from the Publick Church out of the Fear they had of the Religion and Temper of his Successor than any real Kindness for his Government which of latter Years especially had not been very mild towards them But for my part I think a witty Quaker made a truer Judgment of that Conjuncture than any other for appearing very merry and jovial when all about him discovered all the Marks of Sorrow imaginable for the King's Death and being asked the Reason of it he replied He had no Occasion to grieve but the Contrary for that having two to deal withal before 〈◊〉 God be thanked there was but one And now James Duke of York ascends the English 〈◊〉 and having the same Day of his Brother's Death assembled the Council he declared to them That since it had pleased God to place him in that Station to succeed so good and gracious a King as well as so kind a Brother he thought 〈◊〉 to Declare his Endeavours to follow his Brother's Example more especially in that of his great Clemency and Tenderness to his People and make it his Business to preserve the Government both in Church and State as by Law established Commended the Church of England's Principles and Members and said He knew the Laws of England were sufficient to make the King as great a Monarch as he could wish and therefore as he would never depart from the just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown so he would never invade any Man's Property It was well enough spoke of him and as well acted that he did not dissemble his Religion which was Popish and for which some in his Brother's Reign were severely used for but saying he was so for the very next Sunday after his Brother's Death he went publickly to Mass But his taking the Customs and Excise granted only for the Life of his Brother before they were given him by Parliament did ill Correspond with that part of his Speech that he would never invade any Man's Property and as little did the severe and barbarous Usage of Dr. Oates whom they endeavoured to prove Guilty of Perjury tho' the Contrary has since manifestly appeared by Ben. Hinton's Books agree with his saying He would imitate his Brother in his Clemency and Tenderness to his People But to leave these Things pass His Majesty being solemnly Crowned the 23d of April at Westminster he appointed a Parliament to meet the 22d of May to whom after having
Cast and Executed as much lamented for a Man of his Quality and with such severe Censures from the Generality of People upon the Hardship and Injustice done him as any other in our Age whatsoever And I have heard it said That even King James himself some time after express'd somewhat of Regret concerning it But though Cornish his Case seemed to have been resented more particularly by the People in this Turmoil of the Times yet the violent and rigorous Proceedings of the King and his bloody Agents did not pass unobserved and left such Seeds of Discontent in the Minds of most that though they did not presently bud forth yet other Occasions made them in time appear to purpose All this the Court could not not or would not discern so that they kept on their Pace though yet a little more covertly in England But the Popish Designs appeared by this time bare-faced enough in Ireland for the King was no sooner settled in his Throne but he began to turn out some Officers there who had been most zealous for his Service and deserved better at his Hands meerly because they had been counted firm to the Protestant Religion and English Interest particularly my Lord Shannon Captain Robert Fitz-Gerald Captain Richard Coote Sir George St. George and put into their Places one Kerney a Ruffian that designed to murder Charles II. Anderson an obscure Fellow Sheldon a profest Papist Graham and some more of the Stamp and at the same time sent for the Duke of Ormond very abruptly and divested him of the Government of that Kingdom to make way for Colonel Richard Talbot a Man of all others most hated by the Protestants to model the Army and one who had been named by Oats in his Narrative Years before for this Service So that many who before believed nothing of the Plot gave Credit to it now saying That if Oats were an ill Evidence he was certainly a good Prophet Talbot was no sooner invested with his Office but he prosecuted it in such a manner as might best be expected from a Man of so insolent a Temper exercising at the same time so much Barbarity and Falshood that if the Army had not been the best Principled with Loyalty and Obedience in the World they had Mutiâ—â—ed or at least sent him packing into another World He would take an Officer in the Morning into his Closet and with all the Oaths Curses and Damnations that were never wanting to him profess all Friendship and Kindness to him and promise the Continuance of his Commission to him but when the Afternoon came would casheer him with all the Contempt and Disgrace imaginable Nay perhaps while he was thus caressing him he had actually given away his Commission to another And if he thus Brutishly used the Officers you cannot think he could be kinder and more mannerly towards the Soldiers and Troopers whose way with them was to march them from their usual Quarters to some remote Place where he thought they were least known and would be put to greatest Hardships and there he would strip them the Foot of their Cloaths for which they had paid and the Troopers of their Horses Boots and Accouterments bought with their own Money and set them to walk bare-footed an 100 and an 150 Miles to their Homes or Friends if they had any It s true he would sometimes promise them something for their Horses but then they must go to Dublin for it and if any were so credulous as to go to demand the small Pittance he had promised them or Arrears of Pay he contrived it so that they were obliged to wait till they had spent there as much as they expected though most of them after all got nothing By this mean 2 or 300 English Gentlemen who had laid out all or great Part of their Portions or contracted Debts on Commissions were left not worth any thing and turn'd out without Reason or Consideration and 5 or 6000 Soldiers sent a begging and yet Bishop Tyrrel so early as in July this Year recommended this Talbot to the King as a most fit Person to be Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and in some time he obtained it besides the Dignity of Earl of Tirconnell King James by his wicked Instrument Talbot finding he might do what he would in Ireland thought he had now his great Rival was taken off a clear Field to do the same in England he had found his Parliament last Sessions extraordinarily plyable to his Desire and therefore at their next meeting in Nov. he told them That the Militia so much before depended on was not sufficient for his Occasions and that nothing would do but a standing Force of well disciplin'd Troops to defend him from all such as either at Home or Abroad were disposed to disturb the Nation That therefore the Concern he had both of his own and Subjects Tranquility made him think it necessary to increase the Number as he had done That he owed this as well to the Honour as Security of the Nation whose Reputation had been so infinitely exposed to all its Neighbours by being laid open to the late wretched Attempt that it could not be repaired without keeping such a Body of Men on Foot that none might ever have the Thoughts again of finding them so miserably unprovided That therefore he required a Supply answerable to the Expence and that he could not doubt but what they had begun so much to the Honour and Defence of the Government would be continued by them with all the Cheerfulness and Readiness that was requisite for a Work of so great Importance But then he came to the Nice Point and said That no Man should take Exception that some Officers in the Army were not qualified for their Imployments according to the late Tests for that he must tell them those Gentlemen were most of them well known to him and having formerly served him on several Occasions and always approved the Loyalty of their Principles by their Practice he thought them now fit to be imployed under him and that he would deal plainly with them That after having had the Benefit of their Services in such a time of Need and Danger he would neither expose them to Disgrace nor himself to the Want of them if there should be another Rebellion to make them necessary to him Then he cajol'd them with what Feats he had already done for the Nation and how much more he would do still even to the Hazard of his Life in the Defence and true Interest of the Nation and hoped no groundless Fears and Jealousies should put a Stop thereunto with something more to the same Purpose which I shall not trouble my self nor the Reader with but come to tell him that both Houses entered into a Debate upon the Speech Some of the Lords were against returning his Majesty Thanks for it and spoke pretty smartly to the Matter but the Majority were for it
and would gain his Point in favour of Dissenters at leastwise as to the gaining his Prerogative in Westminster-Hall and when he thought he had gone pretty far that way he granted a Commission of Ecclesiastical Affairs which yet was not opened till the 3d of Aug. though it had been Sealed some Months before But at last out it came and whereas I have never yet seen it Printed but once and lest the same should be forgotten I shall insert it in this place and it runs in the following Terms JAMES the Second by the Grace of GOD King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. TO the most Reverend Father in God our Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Councellor William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitan and to our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councellor George Lord Jefferies Lord Chancellor of England and to our Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Councellor Lawrence Earl of Rochester Lord High-Treasurer of England and to our Right Trusty and Right Well-beloved Cousin and Councellor Robert Earl of Sunderland President of our Council and our principal Secretary of State and to the Right Reverend Father in God and our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councellor Nathaniel Lord Bishop of Duresme and to the Right Reverend Father in God our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Thomas Lord Bishop of Rochester and to our Right Trusty and Well-beloved Councellor Sir Edward Herbert Knight Chief Justice of the Pleas before us to be holden assigned Greeting We for divers good weighty and necessary Causes and Considerations Us hereunto especially moving of our meer Motion and certain Knowledge by Force and Virtue of our Supream Authority and Prerogative Royal do Assign Name and Authorize by these our Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England you the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Chancellor of England Lord High-Treasurer of England Lord President of our Council Lord Bishop of Duresme Lord Bishop of Rochester and our Chief Justice aforesaid or any three or more of you whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one from time to time and at all times during our Pleasure to Exercise Use Occupy and Execute under Us all manner of Jurisdiction Priviledges and Preheminences in any wise touching or concerning any Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions within this our Realm of England and Dominion of Wales and to Visit Reform Redress Order Correct and Amend all such Abuses Offences Contempts and Enormities whatsoever which by the Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm can or may lawfully be Reformed Ordered Redressed Corrected Restrained or Amended to the Pleasure of Almighty God and encrease of Vertue and the Conservation of the Peace and Unity of this Realm And we do hereby Give and Grant unto you or any Three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one thus by Us Named Assigned Authorized and Appointed by Force of our Supream Authority and Prerogative Royal full Power and Authority from time to time and at all times during our Pleasure under Us to Exercise Use and Execute all the Premises according to the Tenour and Effect of these our Letters Patents any Matter or Cause to the Contrary in any wise notwithstanding And we do by these Presents give full Power and Authority unto you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the Lord Chancellor to be one by all lawful Ways and Means from time to time hereafter during our Pleasure to enquire of all Offences Contempts Transgressions and Misdemeanors done and committed contrary to the Ecclesiastical Laws of this our Realm in any County City Borough or other Place or Places exempt or not exempt within this our Realm of England and Dominion of Wales and of all and every of the Offender or Offenders therein and them and every of them to Order Correct Reform and Punish by Censure of the Church And also we do Give and Grant full Power and Authority unto you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one in like manner as is aforesaid from time to time and at all times during our Pleasure to enquire of search out and call before you all and every Ecclesiastical Person or Persons of what Degree or Dignity soever as shall offend in any of these Particulars before-mentioned and them and every of them to Correct and Punish for such their Misbehaviours and Misdemeanours by Suspending or Depriving them from all Promotions Ecclesiastical and from all Functions in the Church and to inflict such other Punishment or Censures upon them according to the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm And further we do give full Power and Authority unto you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one by Virtue hereof and in like Manner and Form as is aforesaid to enquire hear determine and punish all Incest Adulteries Fornications Outrages Misbehaviours and Disorders in Marriage and all other Grievances and great Crimes or Offences which are punishable or reformable by the Ecclesiastical Laws of this our Realm committed or done or hereafter to be committed or done in any Place exempt or not exempt within this our Realm according to the Tenour of the Ecclesiastical Laws in that behalf Granting you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the Lord Chancellor to be one full Power and Authority to order and award such Punishment to every such Offender by Censures of the Church or other lawful Ways as is abovesaid And further We do give full Power and Authority to you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one to call before you or any three or more of you as aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one all and every Offender and Offenders in any of the Premises and also all such as by you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one shall seem to be suspected Persons in any of the Premises which you shall object against them and to proceed against them and every of them as the Nature and Quality of the Offence or Suspicion in that behalf shall require and also to call all such Witnesses or any other Person or Persons that can inform you concerning any of the Premises as you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one and them and every of them to examine upon their Corporal Oaths for the better Tryal and Opening of the Truth of the Premises or any part thereof And if you or any three or more of you as is aforesaid whereof you the said Lord Chancellor to be one shall find any Person or Persons whatsoever obstinate or disobedient in their appearance before you or any three
Designs he proceeded now to shew how Absolute he would be in them and therefore on the 4th of May he passed an Order in Council that his Declaration of Indulgence should be Read in all Churches and Chappels throughout England and Wales in Time of Divine Service and that all the Bishops in their respective Diocesses should take Care to have the same accordingly performed There is no question to be made but they understood the King's Meaning well enough and that under a Shadow of Favour to be intended hereby to Protestant Dissenters all the Good imaginable was meant to the Roman Catholicks and that whatever was intended by it there was no Good meant to them nor their Church and therefore it was their Business to ward off the Blow which 7 of them endeavoured to do in an humble Petition to the King wherein their Reasons were set forth why they could not comply with the Order of Council But they were so cautious in the Matter that after it was drawn up they would let no other see it before it was presented And the same was as also the King's Answer to this Effect TO THE KING'S Most Excellent MAJESTY The Humble PETITION of William Archbishop of Canterbury and divers of the Suffragan Bishops of that Province now present with him in behalf of themselves and others of their absent Brethren and of the Inferior Clergy of their respective Diocesses Humbly Sheweth THAT the great Aversness they find in themselves to the Distributing and Publishing in all their Churches Your Majesty's late Declaration for Liberty of Conscience proceeds neither from any Want of Duty and Obedience to Your Majesty our holy Mother the Church of England being both in her Principles and in her constant Practice unquestionably Loyal and having to her great Honour been more than once publickly acknowledged to be so by Your Gracious Majesty nor yet from any Want of Tenderness to Dissenters in relation to whom we are willing to come to such a Temper as shall be thought fit when the Matter shall be considered and settled in Parliament and Convocation But among many other Considerations from this especially Because that Declaration is founded upon such a Dispencing Power as hath been often declared Illegal in Parliament and particularly in the Years 1662 and 1672 and in the Beginning of Your Majesty's Reign and is a Matter of so great Moment and Consequence to the whole Nation both in Church and State that Your Petitioners cannot in Prudence Honour or Conscience so far make themselves Parties to it as the Distribution of it all over the Nation and the solemn Publication of it once and again even in GOD's House and in the Time of His Divine Service must amount to in common and unreasonable Construction Your Petitioners therefore most humbly and earnestly beseech Your Majesty that You will be pleased not to insist upon their Distributing and Reading Your Majesty's said Declaration And Your Petitioners as in Duty bound shall ever pray c. Will. Cant. Will. Asaph Fr. Ely Jo. Cicestr Tho. Bathon Wellen. Tho. Peterburgen Jonath Bristol His MAJESTY'S ANSWER I Have heard of this before but did not believe it I did not expect this from the Church of England especially from some of you If I change my Mind ye shall hear from me If not I expect my Command shall be obeyed But how unpleasing soever the Petition might be to the King which is sufficiently evinced by his Answer and what Revenge soever he might ruminate within himself to take upon the Bishops for it the Chancellor though he thought his Ecclâ—siastical Commission big enough to suspend the Bishop of London and the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge and to expel the Master and Fellows of Magdalen College in Oxford yet is seems he did not believe it sufficient to suspend these Bishop And therefore it was said he advised the King to Try them upon an Information of High-Treason at the King 's Beneh-Bar In order to this they were committed Prisoner to the Tower and that on the Day before I think the Legendary Birth of the Prince of Wales who came to Town on Sunday Morning the 10th of June that they might not have the Opportunity as it was the Place at least of some of them to be present thereat and make any Inspection into that pious Fraud But though the Nation was mightily alarm'd at their Commitment and more particularly with the Time and Circumstance of it and that this Discontent might have been read in the Faces of almost all Men â—â—ve Romanists yet the Court unconcerned held on their Pace and accordingly the Bishops were Tryed in Trinity Term following at the King 's Beneh-Bar upon an Information of High-Misdemeanor as aforesaid for their Petition to the King But how secure soever the King and his Chancellor thought themselves of the Judges and though Sir Robert Wright who was Chief Justice and Sir Richard Allibone a known Papist were Two of them yet they were not all of a Piece for Mr. Justice Powell both learnedly and stoutly defended the Cause of the Bishops And though I believe the Jury of themselves upon considering the Merit of the Cause were sufficiently disposed to acquit them as they did accordingly yet surely if they had done otherwise I question whether all the King's Guards could have secured them from the Fury of the People who were not a little chafed with these Proceedings and wrought such Seeds of Discontent in the Minds of most Men that afterwards broke forth with a Witness And though it is not to be doubted but the Great Men of our Nation began before this to look about them and to have a watchful Eye upon every Motion of the Court yet this awaken'd them to purpose to seek for a Remedy against the impending Evil by such Methods and from such Persons as were most interested to divert the Course of them But of this we shall more particularly speak hereafter the Course of our History leading us 〈◊〉 to the Prosecution of Foreign Affairs and Campaigns 〈◊〉 ready to begin And first we shall again begin with Hungary We left off last Year with the Surrender of Agria a most pleasing Piece of News to the Imperial Court as was that of the Fortress of Mâ—ngaâ—z early this Spring no less grateful to it Famine and no other Reason was the Occasion of the Surrender of this Place as well as the preceding one The Fortress had been held out by the Princess Ragotzi Count Tecâ—eley's Lady in a manner ever since the Beginning of the War But now dire Necessity constrained that Noble Lady to surrender both it and her self into the Emperor's Hands as it appear'd evidently by her saying when the Capitulation was brought from Count Caraffa to be signed by her Must I Sign my Husband's Death For I am perswaded that as soon as the Turks come to know I have abandoned this Place they will take off his Head The Terms of
steering a Channel Course Westward the Wind at E. N. E. a fresh Gale and on the 5th passing by Dartmouth it being hazy Weather they overshot Torbay where the Prince designed to Land But about 9 a Clock the Weather cleared up and the Wind changed to W. S. W. and the Fleet stood Eastward with a moderate Gale being about 4 or 500 Sail whereof there was 51 Men of War and 18 Fireships This Change of Wind was observed by Dr. Burnet to be of no long Duration but it immediately choped into another Corner when it had executed its Commission While the Prince was landing his Army and advanced to Exeter the King was vainly endeavouring to sooth the People by redressing the Disorders committed by the Soldiers and Promises of a Parliament which several of the Bishops and Nobility petitioned might be a Free Regular one in all its Circumstances wherewith His Majesty to discover his good Disposition did not appear by his Answer to be well-pleased And all Endeavours were used to make the Prince and his Army contemptible in the sight of the People by Printing a List of them and giving out That none of the Nobility and Gentry but only a few Rabble appeared for him and that the Prince's Declaration might be kept close from the Knowledge of the People yet it did not continue so long with the Prince whose Army was considerably augmented by the Junction of divers Persons of good Quality with him Neither could the Court any longer keep the Declaration suppress'd and therefore they suffered the same to be Printed with a Preface and some modest Remarks as the Author pretends on it VVhich Declaration was this that follows The Declaration of His Highness WILLIAM HENRY by the Grace of God Prince of Orange c. of the Reasons inducing him to appear in Arms in the Kingdom of ENGLAND for preserving of the Protestant Religion and for Restoring of the Laws and Liberties of England Scotland and Ireland I. IT is both certain and evident to all Men That the Publick Peace and Happiness of any State or Kingdom cannot be preserved where the Laws Liberties and Customs Established by the Lawful Authority in it are openly transgressed and annulled More especially where the Alteration of Religion is endeavoured and that a Religion which is contrary to Law is endeavoured to be introduced Upon which those who are most immediately concerned in it are indispensably bound to endeavour to maintain and preserve the Established Laws Liberties and Customs and above all the Religion and Worship of God that is Established among them and to take such an Effectual Care that the Inhabitants of the said State or Kingdom may neither be deprived of their Religion nor of their Civil Rights which is so much the more necessary because the Greatness and Security both of Kings Royal Families and of all such as are in Authority as well as the Happiness of their Subjects and People depend in a most especial manner upon the exact Observation and Maintenance of these their Laws Liberties and Customs II. Upon these Grounds it is that we can't any longer forbear to declare That to our great Regret we see that those Counsellors who have now the chief Credit with the King have overturned the Religion Laws and Liberties of these Realms and subjected them in all things relating to their Consciences Liberties and Properties to Arbitrary Government and that not only by secret and indirect VVays but in an open and undisguised Manner III. These Evil Counsellors for the Advancing and Colouring this with some plausible Pretexts did invent and set on Foot the King 's Dispensing Power by Virtue of which they pretend that according to Law he can suspend and dispense with the Execution of the Laws that have been enacted by the Authority of the King and Parliament for the Security and Happiness of the Subject and so have rendred those laws of no effect though there is nothing more certain than that as no Laws can be made but by the joynt Concurrence of the King and Parliament so likewise Laws so Enacted which secure the Publick Peace and Safety of the Nation and the Lives and Liberties of every Subject in it cannot be repealed or suspended but by the same Authority IV. For though the King may pardon the Punishment that a Transgressor has incurred and for which he is condemned as in the Cases of Treason or Felony yet it cannot be with any colour of Reason inferred from thence that the King can entirely suspend the Execution of those Laws relating to Treason or Felony unless it is pretended that he is cloathed with a Despotick and Arbitrary Power and that the Lives Liberties Honours and Estates of the Subjects depend wholly on his Good Will and Pleasure and are entirely subject to him which must infallibly follow on the King 's having a Power to suspend the Execution of the Laws and to dispense with them V. Those Evil Counsellors in order to the giving some Credit to this strange and execrable Maxim have so conducted the Matter that they have obtained a Sentence from the Judges declaring That this Dispensing Power is a Right belonging to the Crown as if it were in the Power of the Twelve Judges to offer up the Laws Rights and Liberties of the whole Nation to the King to de disposed of by him Arbitrarily and at his Pleasure and expresly contrary to Laws Enacted for the Security of the Subjects In order to the obtaining of this Judgment those Evil Counsellors did before-hand examine secretly the Opinion of the Judges and procured such of them as could not in Conscience concur in so pernicious a Sentence to be turned out and others to be substituted in their Rooms till by the Changes that were made in the Courts of Judicature they at last obtained that Judgment And they have raised some to those Trusts who make open Profession of the Popish Religion tho' those are by Law render'd incapable of all such Employments VI. It is also manifest and notorious that as His Majesty was upon his coming to the Crown received and acknowledged by all the Subjects of England Scotland and Ireland as their King without the least Opposition tho' he made then open Profession of the Popish Religion so he did then promise and solemnly swear at his Coronation That he would maintain His Subjects in the free Enjoyment of their Laws and Liberties And in particular That he would maintain the Church of England as it was Established by Law It is likewise certain that there have been at divers and sundry times several Laws Enacted for the Preservation of those Rights and Liberties and of the Protestant Religion And among other Securities it has been Enacted That all Persons whatsoever that are advanced to any Ecclesiastical Dignity or to bear Office in the University as likewise all others that should be put into any Employment Civil or Military should declare that they were not Papists but were
Confession of those Violences of the Government that we have set forth so the Defectiveness of it is no less apparent For they lay down nothing which they may not take up at pleasure and they reserve entire and not so much as mentioned their Claims and Pretences to an Arbitrary and Despotick Power which has been the Root of all their Oppression and of the Total Subversion of the Government And it is plain That there can be no Redress no Remedy offered but in Parliament by a Declaration of the Rights of the Subjects that have been invaded and not by any pretended Acts of Grace to which the Extremity of their Affairs has driven them Therefore it is that we have thought fit to declare That we will Refer all to a Free Assembly of this NATION in a Lawful Parliament Given under Our Hand and Seal at Our Court in the Hague the 24th Day of October in the Year of Our Lord 1688. WILLIAM HENRY Prince of Orange By His Highness's Special Command C. HUYGENS. At the same time an Extract of the States-General's Resolution was privately Printed at London wherein among other Reasons why they had intrusted the Prince of Orange with such a Fleet and Army is this which follows THE King of France hath upon several Occasions shewed himself dissatisfied with this State which gave Cause to fear and apprehend that in case the King of Great Britain should happen to compass within his Kingdom and obtain an Absolute Power over his People that then both Kings out of the Interest of State and Hatred and Zeal against the Protestant Religion would endeavour to bring this State to confusion and if possible quite to subject it There was also Printed about the same Juncture this Letter of the Prince of Orange to the Officers of the Army Gentlemen and Friends WE have given you so full and so true an Account of Our Intentions in this Expedition in Our Declaration that as We can add nothing to it so We are sure you can desire nothing more of Us. We are come to preserve your Religion and to Restore and Establish your Liberties and Properties And therefore We cannot suffer Our Selves to doubt but that all true English Men will come and concur with Us in Our Desire to Secure these Nations from Popery and Slavery You must all plainly see That you are only made use of as Instruments to enslave the Nation and ruine the Protestant Religion and when that is done you may judge what ye your selves ought to expect both from the Cashiering all the Protestant and English Officers and Soldiers in Ireland and by the Irish Soldiers being brought over to be put in your Places and of which you have seen so fresh an Instance that We need not put you in mind of it You know how many of your Fellow-Officers have been used for their standing firm to the Protestant Religion and to the Laws of England And you cannot flatter your selves so far as to expect to be better used if those who have broke their Word so often should by your Means be brought out of those Streights to which they are at present reduced We hope likewise that ye will not suffer your selves to be abused by a false Notion of Honour but that you will in the first place consider what you owe to Almighty God and your Religion to your Country to your Selves to your Posterity which you as Men of Honour ought to prefer to all private Considerations and Engagements whatsoever We do therefore expect That you will consider the Honour that is now set before you of being the Instruments of Serving your Country and Securing your Religion and We shall ever remember the Service you shall do Us upon this Occasion and will promise you that We shall place such particular Marks of Our Favour on every one of you as your Behaviour at this time shall deserve of Us and the Nation in which We shall make a great Distinction of those that shall come seasonably to join their Arms with Ours And you shall find Us to be your Well-wishing and assured Friend W. H. P. O. This Letter was spread under-hand over the whole Kingdom and read by all sorts of Men and the Reason of it being undeniable it had a great Force on the Spirits of the Soldiery so that those who did not presently comply with it yet resolved they would never strike one stroke in this Quarrel till they had a Parliament to secure the Religion Laws and Liberties of England Which the Court on the other side had resolved should not be granted till the Prince of Orange with his Army was expelled out of the Nation and till all those that had submitted to him which were not many then were reduced into their Power to be treated as they thought fit In the mean time the Fleet came about from the Buoy in the Nâ—re to Portsmouth under the Command of the Lord Dartmouth where it arrived on Saturday the 17th of November and on the Monday following the KING entred Salisbury which was then the Head Quarters of the whole Army But on the 16th of the aforesaid Month the Lord Delamere having received certain Intelligence of the Landing of the Prince of Orange in the West and seeing the Irish throng over in Arms under pretence of Assisting the King but in reality to enslave us at Home as they had already reduced our Country-Men in Ireland to the lowest Degree of Danger and Impuissance that they have at any time been in since the Conquest of Ireland in the Reign of King Henry II. He thereupon Assembled Fifty Horse-Men and at the Head of them marched to Manchester and the next Day he went to Bodon-Downes his Forces being then 150 strong declaring his Design was To join with the Prince of Orange This small Party of Men by degrees drew in all the North and could never be suppressed Now before His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange left Exeter there was an Association drawn up and signed by all the Lords and Gentlemen that were with him the Date of which I cannot assign but the Words thereof are as follow VVE whose Names are hereunto subscribed who have now joined with the Prince of Orange for the Defence of the Protestant Religion and for the maintaining the Antient Government and the Laws and Liberties of England Scotland and Ireland do engage to Almighty God to His Highness the Prince of Orange and to one another to stick firm to this Cause and to one another in Defence of it and never to depart from it until our Religion Laws and Liberties are so far secured to us in a Free Parliament that we shall be no more in danger of falling into Popery and Slavery And whereas we are engaged in this Common Cause under the Protection of the Prince of Orange by which means his Person may be exposed to Danger and to the cursed Attempts of Papists and other Bloody Men we do therefore solemnly
a Joy and Concourse of the People which appeared free and unconstrained and all the Bells in the City were rung and Bonfires made in every Street The King continued at Rochester till Dec. 23. and then about 1 or 2 in the Morning he privately withdrew himself and taking only with him Mr. Ra. Sheldon and Mr. Delabady he went towards Dover and embarked in a Vessel laid ready for his Transportation to France The Queen who went hence the 10th arrived at Calais on the 11th and was in great pain not knowing what had happen'd in England for the King whom she expected every Tide But the King before he withdrew the second time wrote and left behind him the following Letter which was afterwards printed by his Order in London His Majesty's Reasons for withdrawing himself from Rochester writ with his own Hand and â—ordered by him to be Published THE World cannot wonder at my withdrawing my Self now this second time I might have expected somewhat better Usage after what I writ to the Prince of Orange by my Lord Feversham and the Instructions I gave him But instead of an Answer such as I might have hoped for what was I to expect after the Usage I received by the making the said Earl a Prisoner against the Practice and Law of Nations The sending his own Guards at 11 at Night to take Possession of the Posts at Whitehall without advertising me in the least manner of it The sending to me at One of the Clock at Mid-night when I was in Bed a kind of Order by three Lords to be gone out of my Palace before Twelve the same Morning After all this How could I hope to be safe so long as I was in the Power of one who had not only done this to me and invaded my Kingdoms without any just Occasion given him for it but that did by his own Declaration lay the greatest Aspersion on me that Malice could invent in that Clause of it which concerns my Son I appeal to all that know me nay even to himself that in their Consciences neither he nor they can believe me in the least capable of so unnatural a Villany nor of so little common Sense to be imposed on in a Thing of such a Nature as that What had I then to expect from one who by all Arts hath taken such pains to make me appear as Black as Hell to my own People as well as to all the World besides What Effect that hath had at home all Mankind hath seen by so general a Defection in my Army as well as in the Nation amongst all sorts of People I was born free and desire to continue so And tho' I have ventured my Life very frankly on several Occasions for the Good and Honour of my Country and am as free to do it again and which I hope I shall yet do as old as I am to redeem it from the Slavery it is like to fall under yet I think it not convenient to expose my self to be so secured as not to be at liberty to effect it and for that Reason to withdraw but so as to be within Call whensoever the Nation 's Eyes shall be opened so as to see how they have been imposed upon by the specious Pretences of Liberty and Property I hope it will please GOD to touch their Hearts out of his infinite Mercy and to make them sensible of the ill Condition they are in and bring them to such a Temper that a Legal Parliament may be called and that amongst other things which may be necessary to be done they will agree to Liberty of Conscience for all Protestant-Dissenters and that those of my own Persuasion may be so far considered and have such a Share of it as they may live peaceably and quietly as English Men and Christians ought to do and not be obliged to transplant themselves which would be very grievous especially to such who love their Country And I appeal to all Men who are considering Men and have had Experience whether any thing can make this Nation so great and flourishing as Liberty of Conscience Some of our Neighbours dread it I could add much more to confirm what I have said but now is not the proper Time Rochester Dec. 22. 1688. The Prince being come to London the Common-Council met and in the Name of the City returned him Thanks and congratulated him upon his great and glorious Expedition Then was there an Association signed at St. James's by near 60 Peers And at the Princes Request the Lords met at Westminster who desired him to take the Publick Administration upon him and agreed a â—onvention should meet on the 22d of January The Prince also put out the following Paper WHereas the Necessity of Affairs does require speedy Advice We do desire all such Persons as have served as Knights Citizens or Burgesses in any of the Parliaments that were held during the Reign of the late King CHARLES the Second to meet Vs at St. James's upon Wednesday the Six and Twentieth of this Instant December by Ten of the Clock in the Morning And We do likewise desire That the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen of the City of London would be present at the same time and that the Common-Council would appoint Fifty of their Number to be there likewise And hereof We desire them not to fail Given at St. James's the Three and twentieth Day of December 1688. W. H. Prince of Orange By His Highness's especial Command G. HUYGENS. The Commons attended accordingly and concurring fully with the Lords the Prince sent out his Circular Letters for the meeting of the said Convention With which we shall conclude the Affairs of this Memorable Year Only I must observe that it proved fatal to one of the most generous and bravest Princes of Europe the Elector of Brandenburgh who died May 10. in the 69th Year of his Age. year 1689 THis Year cannot be begun with any thing more memorable than with the Meeting of the Convention Parliament which was on Jan. 22d and the manner of their Proceedings Upon which Occasion the Prince of Orange directed to them the following Letter My Lords and Gentlemen I Have endeavoured to the utmost of my Power to perform what was desired from me in order to the Publick Peace and Safety and I do not know that any thing hath been omitted which might tend to the preservation of them since the Administration of Affairs was put into my Hands It now lieth upon you to lay the Foundations of a firm security for your Religion your Laws and your Liberties I do not doubt but that by such a full and free Representative of the Nation as is now met the Ends of my Declaration will be attained And since it hath pleased God hitherto to bless my good Intentions with so great success I trust in him that he will compleat his own Work by sending a Spirit of Peace and Union to influence your Counsels
to bethink themselves of a new Captain General and this Trust and Honour they unanimously devolved on the serene Doge Morosini who had formerly served the Republick so successfully and which nothing now but his great Age made him seem unwilling to accept of As for the Polish Army I think they made a shift to get into the Field by Sept. and in Oct. to block up Caminiec and 't is well had they done that to purpose for as to any thing else they never went about it And now having run thro' the several Transactions of Europe it 's time to close this Year with a few Particulars About the beginning of the Year died the famous Robert Boyle Esq who was a Philosopher under a particular Character as being addicted to the Study of Natural Philosophy and perhaps never any Man dived so deep into the Knowledge of Nature as himself which yet was so far from being attended in him with that Atheism that is too too usual for such speculative Heads that he was always in his Life time esteemed a very pious Man and sincere Christian of which he gave a most convincing Testimony at his Death by the Legacy he left to have a Monthly Sermon preached against Atheism On the 7th of June hapned a most terrible Earthquake in the Island of Jamaca in the West-Indies which did most prodigious Damage especially at the Town of Port-Royal the best of all the English Plantations and the greatest Mart in that part of the World which was in a manner entirely ruined and not only so but 't was computed no less than 1500 People perished in it And upon the 8th of Sept. following about 2 a Clock we felt an Earthquake also in England and particularly in London the like no Man living knew before but blessed be God it did no harm with us nor upon the Continent where it was felt in the same time and manner On the 24th of Dec. died the most serene Electress of Bavaria at Vienna in the 23d Year of her Age after she had undergone several Discomposures from the 28th of Oct. when she was brought to bed of an Electoral Prince This Year was also fatal to Prince Waldeck Camp-Master-General to his Imperial Majesty and the States and on whom the Emperor conferred the Dignity of a Prince by reason of his Merit for he was a Politick and Able as he was unfortunate and the Services he had done him in Hungary and other places but the same died with him Neither ought we to forget that this Year the Duke of Hanover a Protestant Prince had been advanced to an Elector of the Empire and so a Ninth Electorate constituted thereby year 1693 It may be remembred we left King William in the close of the Campaign going to his Diversions in Holland from whence he returned into England before whose Arrival things were so managed in Ireland by my Lord Sidney Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom that the Parliament there made not only an Act of Recognition of their Majesty's title to that Crown and another to get other Protestants to settle in that Kingdom but one for an additional Duty of Excise upon Beer Ale and other Liquors for the Support of the Government And Scotland seemed very zealous and forward to contribute new Levies or whatever else their Majesties desired And to be sure the Parliament of England that had hitherto on all occasions been ready to promote the King's just designs would not be behind-hand now but took his Majesty's Speech so effectually into their Consideration that before the end of Jan. they passed the Act of Granting to their Majesties an Aid of 4 s. in the Pound for carrying on a vigorous War against France and soon after another that granted certain Rates and Duties of Excise upon Beer Ale or other Liquors for securing Recompences and Advantages in the said Act mentioned to such Persons as should voluntarily advance 1000000 l. for the purposes declared in the Act by paying into the Receipt of his Majesties Exchequer the fore-mentioned Summ before the 1st of May 1693. upon the terms expressly mentioned in the said Act neither did they stop their Handâ— here but proceeded chearfully to other Methods for compleating the necessary Supplies and by the 14th of March the King among others signed two Mony Acts more viz. An Act for Granting to their Majesties certain additional Impositions upon several Goods and Merchandizes for prosecuting the present War with France and an Act for a Review of the Quarterly Pole granted to their Majesties the last Session of Parliament After this the King made a Speech to thank them for what they had done to recommend the Publick Peace to them and Equity in levying what they had so freely given then prorogued the Houses to the 2d of May and in the mean time went himself for Holland But before his Departure did by what Advice I will not determine lay aside Admiral Russel who had beaten the French Fleet last Year and received the Thanks of the House of Commons for it whereof he was then a Member but since made a Peer by the Stile and Title of Earl of Oxford and last Year one of the Lords Justices of England and constituted Henry Killigrew Esq Sir Ralph Delavall and Sir Clovesley Shovel to command the Fleet this Summer The Fleet was numerous and ready pretty early as was also a great Fleet of Merchant-men near 400 Sail in all of English Dutch Hamburgers c. prepared to sail to the Streights under the Convoy of Sir George Rook with a strong Squadron of Men of War with whom the grand Fleet was to keep company till they came to such a Latitude or as was given out in those times by some till they had certain Information where the French Fleet was Which made their Orders discretionary and Sir George who seemed to have some foresight of the Danger exprest himself very loath to part with them But however seeing he could not help it he sailed on and leaving by the way the Vessels bound for Bilboa Lisbon Sr. Tubes and other Ports under Convoy of 2 Men of War which made Sir George have no more with him than 21 now The account of his Expedition as himself sent an Express of it was briefly thus That indeed he had discovered the French Fleet about 20 Leagues short of Cape St. Vincent which made him call a Council of War wherein it was resolved that the Wind being fresh Westerly and giving a fair opportunity to hasten their Passage to Cadiz the Merchants should make the best of their way That upon the Discovery of the Enemies whole Fleet upon the 16th he brought too and stood off with an easie Sail to give what time he could to the heavy Sailors to work away to the Windward sending away the Sheerness to order the small Ships that were under the Shore that they should endeavour to get along the Shore in the Night
good View of it and got out again without any Damage tho' warmly fired at by Camaret-Fort they returned and gave the Lord Berkeley an Account of the Posture of the Bay and the Situation of the Castle which was very advantageously placed to defend the Landing-places against any that should attempt to set Footing on Shore Thereupon it was thought convenient that the Monk of 60 Guns and the Diamaten of equal Force should go in for that purpose But the Marquess who had viewed the Place not believing that those two Men of War would be sufficient to cover the Boats at their Landing from the Shot from the Fort nor to assist the Land-Forces at their Landing by playing upon the Enemy who were better prepared and more numerous than was expected and ready to be seconded upon all Occasions with 14 Squadrons of Horse all regular Troops so far as they could discern by their Habit Therefore upon the 8th after a Consultation of the English and Dutch Flags and the General-Officers of the Land-Forces it was resolved That 6 more Men of War should be added to the 2 former viz. the Greenwich of 54 Guns the Charles-Galley of 32 the Shoreham of 32 the Darkenstein of 44 the Wesep of 30 and the Wolf of 30 Guns All which the Marquess undertook to post so as to bear upon the Castle to the best Advantage and to perform those other Services for which they were designed This was a Work of great Labour Difficulty and Danger for no sooner was the Monk come within reach of the Enemy's Mortars but the Enemy began to fling their Bombs at her from Point des Fillettes and the Western Point of Camaret-Bay insomuch that when she came within 3 Quarters of a Mile of the latter one of the Bombs broke just over her and a great piece of it striking through her Poop and two Decks more flew out again into the Water near one of the Stern-Ports and killed 2 of the Marquess's Marine Company and wounded a third who stood close by him on the Poop So soon as she got into the Bay and came up a-brest with the Western Point Camaret-Fort fired thick and threefold at her and she being forced to stand with her Stern right upon it the Shot from thence raked her fore and aft and did her a great deal of Damage More than this after all the Ships were got pretty well into the Bay they were surprized with three Batteries more all firing upon them which they never perceived till they felt their Shot But notwithstanding all these Difficulties the Marquess made a shift to post the 8 Ships in such a manner as gave great Succour to the Land-Forces and did the Enemy considerable Mischief For these Ships so soon as they had dropped their Anchors in the Bay fired continually upon the Enemy and forced the French to run twice out of Camaret-Fort From these Ships it was easie to perceive the Enemy very advantageously entrenched at every place where there was any possibility of Landing and great Numbers of Foot drawn behind the Trenches On the Other side Lieutenant-General Talmash with a small Number of Well-boats went a-shore in a confused manner under a little Rock on the South-side of the small Bay Nor was there any Prosecution of that regular Way of Landing which the Lord Cutts proposed and had been agreed on Here his Lordship excuses himself for not being able to give an Account of what passed close by the Shore and goes on That when he saw the Boats and small Vessels in which the Land-Forces were embarked had made their Retreat from thence excepting such as stuck fast wherein a great many were killed and taken Prisoners and the Signal given to bring off the Ships he applied himself to undergo the greatest Difficulty he had in all the Action for that all their Rigging was cut in pieces and most of their Sails and Yards disabled The Shoreham not so much disabled as the rest got clear out of Danger with little Assistance But it cost the Marquess a world of Labour and hard Venturing to get off the rest but more especially the Charles-Galley and the Monk that was within half her length of dashing against a Rock as having no other Motion but what the Sea and Tow-boats afforded her But at length he being indefatigable in his Labour and undaunted in his Courage performed what he undertook and brought of all clear but the Tesep a small Dutch Man of War of 30 Guns which he found with 12 Foot Water in her Hold and all the Men killed that were left with the Lieutenant but himself a Drummer and one Man more As for the Loss sustained at Sea his Lordship acknowledges 400 Men lost in the 3 English and 4 Dutch Ships under his Command As for the Loss of the Land-Forces he says he was not acquainted with it But the Report was That the Killed Wounded and Taken amounted to about 700 more But what Error soever that brave Man Lieutenant General Talmash might have committed in his Landing he paid very dear for it with the loss of his Life as did I doubt a much greater number of Men killed and wounded than my Lord talks of in his unfortunate Expedition which for my part I think could not be otherwise than so since the French by such strong Works Batteries and great Forces had taken so much Precaution to defend themselves against this Attempt of which and the place of Landing they had no doubt timely information enough which they could not well be without since it was no secret in England but a Town-talk at this time that Brest was the place we designed to Land at But how unsuccessful soever we proved in this Expedition the King had managed his Affairs so well both at home and abroad this Season that he began now to beard the French and this since the beginning of the War was the first time they seemed to be upon the decline in Flanders Its true the Death of the Bishop and Prince of Liege towards the beginning of this Year gave the French a mighty Prospect to imbroil the Affairs of the Confederates on that side For as the Death of the Elector of Cologn in 1688 and the Contests between the Empire and France in the two Persons of Prince Clement of Bavaria and Cardinal Furstemburg gave the first Occasion to the Flame of this War to break forth in Germany that soon after by divers concurring Accidents spread it self over the Face of almost all Europe So if the French could have got the Cardinall de Bovillon to have been advanced into the Principality of Liege they did not doubt but to have brought the Confederates to be more humble and to have accepted of the Conditions of Peace the French King would allow them but this did not happen neither For notwithstanding all Bovillion's Protestations the major part of the Chapter first made Choice of the Elector of Cologn and the other of the
that I should have been very glad to have had a Horse but never had any And as for being concern'd in any Bloody Affair I never was in my Life but have done my Endeavour to prevent as much as I could on all Occasions and if the Killing the most miserable Creature in the World or greatest Enemy would now save my Life restore the King and make me one of the greatest Men in England I first would chuse to die because against the Law of God If any who are now Sufferers on this Account think I have been too forward and a Promoter of this Design I do now declare it was never my Inclination to do any rash thing However I beg their Pardons and of all the World I have offended either in Thought Word or any Action whatsoever and do freely forgive my Enemies and hope through the Mercy of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have Remission of all my Sins Good God preserve the King Queen Prince and Princess and all that Royal Blood of Stewards and may England never want one of that direct Line to Govern them and make them once more Happy I have had the Honour to serve my Royal Master in several Commissions and the last as Major and strove ever to serve him to the best of my Power and even to be Just to those who I had the Honour to Command Lord Jesus into thy Hands I recommend my Spirit O Jesus receive my Soul Robert Lowick Brigadier ROOKWOOD's Paper HAving committed the Justice of my Cause and recommended my Soul to God on whose Mercies through the Merits of Jesus Christ I wholly cast my self I had once resolved to die in Silence but second Thoughts of my Duty to others chiefly to my True and Liege Soveraign King James moved me to leave this behind me I do therefore with all Truth and Sincerity declare and avow That I never knew saw or heard of any Order or Commission from King James for the Assassinating the Prince of Orange and Attacking his Guards but I am certainly inform'd That he the best of Kings had often rejected Proposals of that Nature when made unto him Nor do I think he knew the least of the particular Design of the Attacking the Guards at his Landing so much talk'd of in which I was engaged as a Soldier by my immediate Commander much against my Judgment but his Soldier I was and as such I was to obey and act according to Command These twelve Years I have served my true King and Master King James and freely now lay down my Life in his Cause I ever abhorr'd Treachery even to an Enemy If it be a guilt to have complied with what I thought and still think to have been my Duty I am guilty No other guilt do I own As I beg all to forgive me so I forgive all from my Heart even the Prince of Orange who as a Soldier ought to have consider'd my Case before he Sign'd the Warrant for my Death I pray God may open his Eyes and render him sensible of the much Blood from all Parts crying out against him so to prevent a heavier Execution hanging over his Head than what he inflicts on me Amb. Rookwood But I confess after all that the Shouting of the People at the Execution of some of these wretched Assassins was cruel and inhumane and two base a Triumphing over Misery which always deserves our Christian Compassion As soon as the News reached Flanders that the King was safe and England happily delivered from the two bloody Tempests that threaten'd her the Generals and it was thought to be the particular Contrivance of Prince Vaudemont bethought themselves of making an extraordinary Bonfire for Joy by burning the French Magazine at Givet To which End after several Orders and Countermands given to the Garrison of Namur the greatest part of them were ordered to march with Provision for six Days and being joined by several other Troops they crossed the Meuse on the 12th of March and were followed the next Day by the Horse under the Conduct of the Earl of Athlone and Major-General Cohorne and having crossed the River Leile the Earl with one part of this Body marched towards Dinant while Cohorne with the rest sate down before Givet And having got all things ready by the 16th in the Morning he began his Work about Seven a Clock with Bombs and Red-hot Bullets which first set fire to the Forage and at the same time a certain Number of Soldiers were commanded to enter the Town with lighted Flambeaux in their Hands who fired the Cazerns and other Edifices where the Magazines of Oats and other Provisions lay So that that vast Magazine was utterly consumed and all this performed with the Loss of not above 9 or 10 Men. But notwithstanding this considerable Advantage to the Confederates the Conspiracy in England and other more than ordinary Affairs before the Parliament had spun out so much Time that the King could not be so early in the Camp this Year as was designed who was himself also unwilling to leave his Kingdoms till the Arrival of the Fleet from Cales under Sir George Rook who had upon occasion of the first breaking out of the Plot Orders sent him to return home and safely came upon the Coast towards the latter end of April to the dissipating of the great Fears we were in lest the French Fleet from Thoulon should overtake and ruine him And indeed they were not far behind for before the Junction of those Men of War we had then in the Downs with some of Sir George's Squadron and that he could get upon the Coast of Brest in order to intercept and fight them they were got safe into that and the other Harbours of France So that the French took the Field before the Confederates to whom they were superiour at first in number till the Junction of the German Troops who ever came late which was at all times a prodigious Disadvantage to the Confederates So that what with these things but most of all for the extream Want of Mony to pay the Army now our Coin was called in the Confederates could not act Offensively as they had done the preceding Year But about the time that the King arrived at the Hague there happen'd something to fall out which began to savour of somewhat else than the Toils and Inconveniences of War for Monsieur Caillieri was come thither from France with Proposals towards concluding a general Peace by setling such Preliminaries as might be a sufficient Basis to ground a Treaty upon I do not know whether there was any real Disposition in the French Court to a general Peace before the Year 1695 but the loss of Namur Casall and other Disadvantages did without all doubt powerfully operate towards it and nothing could have retarded their Motions in order to it but the Plausibility of the Invasion against England and that in such an hazardous Juncture when our Coin was
Arbitrators shall adjudge to her in case they do adjudge any thing at all but if so be they adjudge nothing or less than the said Sum then there shall be a restitution and this compensation allowance or restitution as also the fund and charges of the Process shall be regulated by the Sentence of the Arbitrators But if Madam the Dutchess of Orleans do not give satisfaction to the form of the Compromise either in the Instruction of the Process or in the Answer that shall be produced by the Elector Palatine or if she delays it the course of the said yearly payment shall be interrupted only during that same time the Process going on still according to the form of the Compromise Done at the Palace of Ryswick the 30th of October 1697. 'T is not my Business to answer the foolish Objections some ill-willed Persons have made against the stability of this Peace However I shall observe That tho this Peace with the Empire was not so advantageous to it and the Restitution of Lorrain not in so ample a manner as could have been wished for yet if it be considered that France has given up very considerably on this side and some places she had long been possessed off particularly Brisac which hath appertained to that Crown for very near 60 Years That by the Taking of Casal and the Peace with Savoy she is entirely precluded out of Italy that the same Barrier is left in Catalonia as before And that there is a stronger Frontier in the Low Countries by her Restitution of all she took since the beginning of the War with the Addition of Dinant and Luxemburg If these be put together it 's not likely that Crown will begin another War in hast whatsoever our Male-contents at home or any Enemies we have abroad may â—atter themselves with especially considering the inward weakness of that Kingdom and the strong Union there is between the Crown of England and the Republick of Holland whose Naval Powers are so Formidable and Interests so great in all the Parts of the World Over and above all this we are to note His Most Christian Majesty is now in an advanced Age which is usually attended with an ill Habit of Body and too wise a Prince easily to be brought to engage himself in the Toils and Uncertainties of another War especially in that there was so little gained or I should have rather said so much lost by this To say nothing of that Regard he will undoubtedly have to the Interests of his Posterity as well as his Dominions whose Affairs at his Death he will be very unwilling to leave embroiled with those of their Neighbours It remains therefore now that I take notice that his Majesty King William staid in Holland till all was over and after having very Honourably paid off all the Forreign Troops who by this time were Marching to their respective Homes after the Toyls of this long War He returned to England and upon the 16th of November at the Citizens request made His Publick Entry thro' London being attended by all the Men of Quality in very great State and never I am sure in one Day saw so many People and all of them His own Subjects in all His life-Life-time and in whose Affections He Triumphed as much as ever he had done at any time over His Enemies and may He always do the first and never have occasion for the second but may we long live under the Benign Influence of His Reign who hath Rescued our Religion and Liberties out of the Jaws of Hell and Destruction so intrepidly â—ought our Battles for us and now at length restored unto us the Comforts and Blessing of a Firm and Honourable Peace Having now run thro' all the Transactions both of War and Peace that fell out within the revolution of this Year we shall draw towards a closure of it with the meeting of the English Parliament December the 3d And see how his Majesty was pleased to deliver himself to them upon this Conjuncture and this he did in these Terms My Lords and Gentlemen THE War which I Entred into by the Advice of my People is by the Blessing of God and their Zealous and Affectionate Assistance brought to the End We all proposed an Honourable Peace which I was willing to Conclude not so much to Ease My Self from any Trouble or Hazard as to free the Kingdom from the Continuing Burden of an Expensive War I am heartily sorry My Subjects will not at first find all thâ— Relief from the Peace which I could wish and they may expect but the Funds intended for the last Year's Service have fallen short of Answering the Sums for which they were given so that there remain considerable Deficiencies to be Provided for There 's a Debt upon the Account of the Fleet and the Army The Revenues of the Crown have been anticipated by My Consent for Publick Vses so that I am wholly destitute of means 〈◊〉 support the Civil List and I can never distrust you 'll suffer thâ— to turn to My Disadvantage but will provide for Me during my Life in such a manner as may be for my Honour and for the Honour of the Government Our Naval Force being increased to near double what it was at My Accession to the Crown the Charge of maintaining it wilâ— be proportionably augmented and it is certainly necessary for the Interest and Reputation of England to have always a great Strength at Sea The Circumstances of Affairs Abroad are such that I think My Self obliged to tell you My Opinion that for the present England cannot be safe without a Land Force and I hope We shall not give those who mean us ill the Opportunity of Effecting that under the Notion of a Peace which they could not bring to pass by a War I doubt not but you Gentlemen of the House of Commons wil take these Particulars into your Consideration in such a manner 〈◊〉 to provide the necessary Supplies which I do very earnestly Recoâ—mend to you My Lords and Gentlemen That which I most delight to think of and am best pleased 〈◊〉 own is That I have all the Proofs of My People's Affection th◠〈◊〉 Prince can desire and I take this Occasion to give them the 〈◊〉 Solemn Assurance That as I never had so I never will nor 〈◊〉 have any Interest separate from theirs I Esteem it one of the greatest Advantages of the Peace that I shall now have leisure to rectifie such Corruptions or Abuses as may have crept into any part of the Administration during the Wâ— and effectually to discourage Prophaness and Immorality and I shall employ My Thoughts in Promoting Trade and Advancing 〈◊〉 Happiness and Flourishing Estate of the Kingdom I shall conclude with telling you That as I have with the Hazard of every thing Rescued your Religion Laws and Liberties when they were in the Extreamest Danger so I shall place the Glory of My Reign in preserving them
so growing a Posture that such a Tripple Conjunction seemed only seasonable upon this Account in that the same tended to our Safety But by what Methods these our Neighbouring-Nations have attained to that Greatness it will be necessary to enquire into And first we shall begin with Spain which upon the Declension of the Roman Empire fell into the Share of the West-Goths and other barbarous Nations who for a Time laboured under the same Inconveniencies of a divided Dominion as the Saxons did in Britain But towards the Year 586 their Empire was arrived to the highest Pitch of Greatness as comprehending not only the Neighbouring-Provinces of France and part of Mauritania in Africa but also all Spain except a small Part possessed yet by the Romans who held not that long neither From thence the Gothick Empire declined apace and all fell into the Hands of the Saracens But their Affairs began to revive again about the Year 726 and one Pelagius who was said to have been descended from the Race of the Gothick Kings prevailed mightily both against the Moors and Saracens as divers of his Successors did also However these turmoiled Times gave Original to several Kingdoms within the Boundaries of Spain For besides the Kingdom of Oviedo or Leon which were all one in Effect there arose also others as those of Navarre Arragon and Castile But all these Kingdoms which also professed Christianity were united in the Person of Sanctus Major II. whereby an Opportunity was given the Christians to root out the Moors now divided amongst themselves and to restore Spain to its ancient State yet Sanctus tho' otherwise a brave Prince had no more Wit than to divide them amongst his Sons and gave each of them the Title of King These not being able to confine themselves to their respective Proportions made War upon one another with various Success as it gave the Moors also some Advantage in their Proceedings till in a manner all was united again under Alphonso VIII who play'd the same Trick of dividing Castile Leon and Gallicia between his 3 Sons so that they and their Successors had so much to do with the Moors within Spain and such mutual Jealousies of one another that they could be able to do little any where else under the Notion of Conquest Things were at length brought to such a pass that Spain to say nothing of Portugal and the Kingdom of the Moors in Granada was reduced into Two Kingdoms only to wit Arragon and Castile and these again were united by the Marriage of Ferdinand the Son of John II. King of Arragon whom his Father had declared King of Sicily to Isabella Sister to Henry IV. King of Castile By this Conjunction Spain became mighty Powerful And Ferdinand after he had set his Affairs in Order began now to entertain great Thoughts And well knowing it would be in vain to undertake any Thing Abroad while he had a powerful Enemy within the Body of Spain it self at his Door he undertook an Expedition against the Moors of Granada which cost him so much Time and Expence to conquer being no less than 10 Years engaged in the Work that he could perhaps have sat down contented herewith at least for a time had not something else fallen in his way But Ferdinand by aiming to make sure of his Conquest deprived his Country in some succeeding time of the Benefit of it for he thereupon banished no less than 170000 Families of Jews and Moors out of Spain and thereby dispoiled his Country not only of vast Riches but a great Number of Inhabitants wherein consists the Power and Support of a Nation But whatever Designs Ferdinand might after a little breathing Time have concerted to have undertaken Abroad now he was freed from the Evil that had hitherto diverted him from any Foreign Expedition the French who now found themselves under the same Circumstances as being rid of the English that had stuck so long and so close upon the Skirts of them as not to be able to move elsewhere thought to be before-hand with Ferdinand in the Reduction of the Kingdom of Naples which the other notwithstanding they gave him up Rousillion in order at least to let them proceed unmolested being not able to brook it came to an open Rupture And after divers Conflicts Ferdinand carried the Day and with it the Kingdom of Naples to which if we add the Discovery of America and the rich Mines there about this time and the Kingdom of Navarre which Ferdinand possest himself of upon the Pope's Excommunicating John d' Albret King of that Country at the other's Instigation we shall find this Monarchy grown to a prodigious Grandeur In this State Ferdinand left it to his Grandson Charles who being as well elected Emperor of Germany as he was Hereditary King of Spain and withal a very active Prince Tho' he did very great Things whilst he held the Rains of Government yet it may still seem a Wonder he had not done much more This was indeed an Age fruitful for several brave Princes and here I cannot but admire the Wisdom of God that this Charles V. who was so vastly Potent should have for his Cotemporaries a Harry VIII in England a Francis I. in France and a Solyman the Magnificent in Turky who were all Men of great Souls as well as Power and especially the last of them not inferior to Charles upon any account However such was the Conjuncture that Charles to his vast Dominions added still more by routing Francis and taking him Prisoner and thereby bringing him to make a Surrender of the Dutchy of Burgundy to renounce the Sovereignty over Artois and Flanders and to quit all his Pretences upon Naples and Milan which last the French had for some time been in Possession of But Francis having got his Liberty disclaimed the Agreement and this occasioned a new War which ended in Francis his being forced to confirm the Main of the said Treaty and left Charles at Liberty to add to the Conquests his Grand-father Ferdinand had made in Africa of Bugia and Tripolis that of Tunis and Goletta to which if we add the Sovereignty of Vtrecht of the Provinces of Over Issel Geldren Zutphen Groninghen c. consigned about this Time into his Hands it must still be allowed a mighty Accession of Strength to that vast Empire Wherefore to compleat as he thought his great Work of attaining to an Universal Monarchy in these Western Parts he cunningly lays aside the Contest about the Divorce between Henry VIII King of England and his Aunt Katharine and entred into a League with the said King of invading France the Emperor by the Way of Champaigne and the King thro' Picardy to compleat the Conquest of that Noble Country In order to which the Emperor advanced as far as Espernay which occasioned such a Terror and Confusion in Paris that the Citizens were for leaving the City if the King by his Presence had not incouraged them
to stay Tho' the Emperor as believing himself much stronger thought to delude Henry of his projected Proportion the other grew too cunning for him for being in expectation that Henry would have advanced and so both of them hem in the French Army on each side he sent him Word He would not stir from Bologn and Monstreville till he had made himself Master of them which made Charles recoyl and clap up a Peace then he turned all his Thoughts upon the Reduction of the Protestants and with them the Liberty of Germany wherein tho' he went a great length yet he was at last so baffled by Maurice Elector of Saxony at Inspruck that he was glad to make a Peace with them also So that now being diffident of ever attaining his Ends and wearied with the Toils of Empire and the Infirmity of his Body he resigned up the Empire to his Brother Ferdinando who having been before chosen King of the Romans would not consent it should come to his Son Philip This Philip had at the same time all his Father 's Hereditary Dominions put into his Hands and being a Prince as Politick as Powerful and withal Married to Mary Queen of England had it not been for his Father's Error in dividing the Power of the Austrian Family by separating the Imperial Crown from the Spanish Monarchy I cannot see if we speak after the Manner of Men what could have hindred this Philip II. from attaining to the Dominion of Europe in a short time But besides this other Accidents quickly intervened and as Politick as this Prince seemed to be those very Methods he took to attain still to his desired Ends of Supream Sovereignty by introducing the Inquisition and an Arbitrary Power into the Netherlands and his Attempts to reduce the Kingdom of England under his Power proved to be the very Things that ruined his Empire and gave Rise to that State that for a long time gave an helping hand to bring Spain low but since the Peace of Munster in 1648. has proved the greatest Support of that Remainder of the Monarchy still continuing in the Netherlands against her growing Neighbours of any in the World We might here assign other Reasons for the Cadency of Spain as the bloody Inquisition the Depopulating of the Country by the Discovery of the West-Indies c. But waving this at present we shall enquire a little distinctly into the French Proceedings upon the said Account and take in somewhat of other Nations as they occur to our Purpose before we come to draw the whole into a Conclusion The Ancient Gallia which was of every extensive Bounds but subdivided into divers petty Kingdoms or Dynasties as indeed the State of the Infant World seemed every-where to be so fell under the Yoak of the Roman Empire under the Conduct of Julius Caesar and continued under the said Dominion till that vast Monarchy began to totter and then was one of first of those Countries that felt the Rage of those barbarous Nations the Goths and Huns but most of all the Franks out of Germany who about the Year 424 beginning to break in upon it did by degrees make themselves Masters of the greatest part of it and withal changed the old Name of Gaul into that of France The first Race of their Kings were valiant and brave Princes but some of them being too much taken up with the prevalent Humour of those Times made such a Division of the Kingdom as they had Number of Sons to govern them But being united again this Merovingian Family now at length strangely degenerating from their ancient Valour gave way to the Rise of the Carolovinian Race in the Person of Pepin and was so called from the Famous Charles Martel Mayor of the Palace in the last King's Reign and Father to this Pepin who proved a Warlike Prince and did great Feats in Italy against the Lombards He was succeeded by his Son Charles surnamed the Great who extended the French Monarchy beyond the Bounds even of the ancient Gallia For he made himself in a Manner Lord of all Italy by the entire Conquest he made of the Kingdom of the Lombards and overcame the Saxons and subdued Germany beat the Sclavonians Danes and Huns routed the Saracens and reduced Spain as far as the River Iberus under his Obedience and at Rome was proclaimed Emperor of the West And in Truth he was the greatest Prince that ever was in this Part of the World since the Dissolution of the Roman Empire and had his Successors been as Wise and Valiant as he and pursued the Steps he took I cannot see any Thing that could have hindred them in the Revolution of a few Years from erecting an Empire as extensive and formidable as that of old Rome it self But Charles his Successors falling into the Error of their Predecessors disjoined the Empire of Germany from the Kingdom of France and part of their Dominions being invaded and possest by the Normans and the Royal Authority decaying by degrees this Race also being enfeebled with Age tho' they were not yet 240 Years old made way for Hugh Capet to ascend the Throne This Man thinking to make amends for the Badness of his Title by the Goodness of his Concessions to the Nobles of his Kingdom that had been very Instrumental in his Advancement remitted a great many of the Ancient Royal Prerogatives and gave them the Titles of Dukes and Earls of the Provinces they govern'd upon Condition they should acknowledge themselves his Vassals but yet not to be obliged to depend absolutely upon his Commands Hence arose besides the Dutchy of Normandy on which also depended that of Britany the Dutchies of Burgundy Aquitain and Gascoigny the Earldoms of Flanders Champaign and Thoulouse to which if we add that the Counties of Vienna Provence Savoy and Dauphine belonged to the Kingdom of Arelate which was part of the German Empire we shall find the French Monarchy reduced from those most extensive Bounds it had in the Days of Charlemaign to a very narrow Compass and to reunite those again has been mainly the Struggle and Endeavour of the succeeding Kings of France About some of which they had a long and terrible Contest with the English which yet the French effected in a great measure by the Time of the Reign of our K. Henry VII when Charles VIII married Anne Inheritrix of the Dutchy of Britany tho' she had been solemnly married before to Maximilian K. of the Romans and afterwards Emperor And the Suffering of this to be accomplish'd was a foul Blot in K. H's Politicks and lesned very much the Reputation he had gained of being a Prince of great Wisdom and Foresight But though France thus strengthned her Vital Parts by the Acquisition of Britany which she took Care to retain even by the Marriage of Charles's Successor Lewis XII to this Ann of Bretaigne his Relict in Expectation of Issue though without Success and that notwithstanding this Francis I. Lewis's
Princes that France shall give up to them all that she has taken from them at present and that the rest remain as it was before the War That Lorrain be restored to the Duke of that Name in the State it is in now or if that cannot be done in the State it was when seized by France his Majesty and the States mutually and really obliging themselves to the Observation of this Point I. His said Majesty and the Lords the States-General promise to do their utmost and if it may be to use all sorts of Means to constrain the most Christian King to give Satisfaction in these Terms without being at Liberty to make a Peace with him if he do not give his Consent to them or to some others as shall be agreed on between his Majesty and the States according to the Success of the War II. His Majesty and the States-General do engage themselves further for the obliging France to consent to these Conditions or to such as the Princes concerned shall find convenient and in short for bringing of that Crown to comply with it that his Majesty shall furnish One Third more by Sea and a Third less by Land in the Low-Countries than the Lords the States all by a Provisionary Way till it be otherwise provided by the Allies III. It is also stipulated That if his Majesty of Great Britain and the most Christian King make War upon one another one of the Confederates cannot separate from the other by any particular Treaty without that other's Consent IV. But if the Negotiation of the Peace which is held at Nimeguen comes to be broke up and that the Parties should agree upon any other Place to treat of it or of a Truce that cannot be done without the Consent or Agreement of the other Allies and without at the same time one of the Parties in the Confederacy procure also to the other the necessary Pasports to pass freely and without Danger to the Place appointed for the Treaty where he ought also to communicate to him all that passeth in that Negotiation And in the mean time they shall not have Power to consent to any Peace or Truâ—e but according to the Conditions stipulated by the 1st Article or such other as they shall agree upon and without his Aâ—y be re-established in the full and entire Possession of all the Lands Towns Places and Immunities which he enjoyed at the Signing of this Treaty in Europe if it be not otherwise agreed on between his Majesty and the States V. But if the Peace in Hand terminate happily between the most Christian King on the one Hand and his Catholick Majesty and the States General on the other whether by the Propositions which France hath made her self or by such other as they can agree to his Britannick Majesty and the States will not only be Guarrantee in the best and surest Form that may be but also its free for other Kings and neighbouring Princes who shall have any Interest in the Repose of Christendom and the immutable Tranquility of the Low-Countries to be so 'T is with this View that his said Majesty and the States would agree upon the Troops and Means that are necessary to bring the Party who shall violate the Peace to make Satisfaction for the Damages he shall do another any manner of way VI. These Articles and the full Contents of them are to be Signed and Ratified within 3 Weeks or sooner if it may be and the Ratifications exchanged at the same time Given at the Hague the 26 th of July 1678. Signed W. Van Henkelom de Van Wiugaerden Fagel D. Van Heyden Van Leewen J. de Maregnault Jean Baron de Reed A. ter Borght Temple After the Treaty had been thus concluded and signified to France all the Artifice that could be was used on that side to elude it by drawing the matter into a Treaty or at least a greater length which had succeeded so well in England that they offered to treat upon it at St. Quintin then at Ghent where the French King himself proposed to meet such Embassadors as the Dutch should send into either of them Towns But the States were stanch not to recede from their late Treaty and continued in that Mood till about 5 Days before the Expiration of the time then came one De Cross from England with a Packet for Sir William Temple commanding him to go forth with to Nimeguen and there to endeavour from the King to perswade the Swedish Embassadors to let the French know That for the Repose of Christendom they did not any longer desire the French King to insist upon the Detention of the Towns and consequently hinder the Peace upon the sole Regard and Interest of the Crown of Sweden and to assure them that after the Conclusion of the Peace the King would employ all his Endeavours that the Towns and Countries which their Master had lost in the War should be restored unto them How this Dispatch of Du Cross was gained was never known but 't is sufficient to believe that France had the greatest Hand in it since 't was transacted all one Morning in Portsmouth's Apartment by the intervention and pursuit of Barillon the French Embassador Yet for all this when Sir William Temple arrived at Nimeguen which was but 3 Days before the Expiration of the Term fix'd by the late Treaty between our King and the States either for the French to evacuate the Towns or for carrying on the War conjointly against France there was but little Disposition that the Peace would be Signed but rather the quite contrary appeared by the Stiffness shewed on both sides to adhere firmly to their respective Demands And the Dutch Embassadors remained peremptory That there could be no Deputation for the securing of the future Satisfaction of Sweden as the French demanded before the Term expired and no other Remedy upon that but that the War must go on With this View and Expectation all the Parties seemed to be when the fatal Day came wherein either a suddain Peace or a long and bloody War was to be reckoned on in Christendom on the Morning whereof Monsieur Boreel who had been sent from Amsterdam to the Dutch Embassadors at Nimeguen went to the French Embassadors and after some Conference with them they immediately went to those of Holland and declared they had received Orders from their Master to consent to the Evacuation of the Towns and thereupon to Sign the Peace but that it must be done that Morning At this the Dutch seemed to be surprized but immediately entred into a Conference with them thereupon which lasted for 5 Hours and ended in an Agreement upon all Points both of Peace and Commerce between France and Holland It was certainly thought the French Embassadors had received no Power to Sign the Peace and 't was said Sir William Temple himself did advise those of Holland to press them to it out of a real Belief as well as the
Hopes he had they could not indeed do it But the Length of the Conference did so alarm the Confederates that they were in a Commotion before it was ended and yet-more sensibly touched when they came to know the Peace was concluded on and that it was to be Signed that very Day And what gave them a greater Uneasiness was That they â—ound England now acting in their Favours in the same manner as they had long desired However not to be wanting to themselves thâ— Embassadors of Denmark Brandenburg and Munster that very Day gave in a Protestation to those of the States wherein they represented That finding them the Embassadors of the States-General inclined that Day to Sign a Separate Treaty of Peace with the French King by the Confession now even of one of themselves tho' they had given them no Intimations whereof as they should have done according to their Treaties they were obliged to lay before them how disagreeable this manner of Procedure was to the Solemn Alliances the Staâ—es had contracted with their Masters wherein they had engaged never to enter into a Separate Treaty with their Common Enemy who was ready to destroy their Republick and from whose Hand they could never have escaped had it not been for their Assistances and the Diversion they had given his Arms in several parts of Europe in their Favour They conjured them by all that was solemn and engaging not to precipitate the Treaty but to give them leasure to acquaint their Principals with it which could be no Prejudice to either Party That they could not but promise themselves so much at their Hands especially since there was no apparent Necessity to oblige their High and Mightinesses to Resolutions so contrary to all that had been concerted before after they had exhorted their Allies afresh to the Observation and Execution of their Treaties and after that their Masters had taken vigorous Resolutions thereupon and agreeable to the Desires of the States in sending vast numbers of Troops into the Spanish Netherlands for the Relief of Mons which by the Arms of France was reduced to Extremity and for seconding and putting in Execution other Designs which Spain and the States should resolve upon under the Conduct of his Highness the Prince of Orange for the common Security of the Low-Countries in particular To say nothing of the great Bodies that were on their March towards the Meuse to be employed to the same purpose from whence with the Assistance of God there was room to hope for a good Success in so just a Cause But that in case the Lords the States found themselves under an indispensible Necessity which yet did not appear to them of proceeding with so much Precipitation to a particular Peace with France they did declare hereby That their Masters were ready at the same time to enter upon the said Treaty and in Conjunction with the States to conclude the same with the French King upon just and equitable Conditions which in a short time might be agreed and whereunto they on their part would shew all the Facility imaginable That they could not but promise to themselves the Compliance of the States in this particular and that they could not think they had entertained the least Design of abandoning their good and faithful Friends Neighbours and Allies who had hazarded all that was dear unto them to deliver them from the impending Storm wherewith they had been threatned and for their re-establishment in their ancient Splendor and Liberty at leastwise they hoped for so much from their Justice and Sincerity that they would conclude upon nothing without comprehending the Interest of their Allies which was in a manner their own in it and not concur in the Oppression and Ruine of those who had faithfully assisted them against so powerful an Enemy who with one Hand made all the Semblance imaginable of the sincere Desire he had to give Repose to Christendom but with the other refused to accept the Means that were proper to effect it They added further That such an hasty and precipitate Conduct in them was unworthy of a State that had always governed it self with Reason and Justice and that such an extraordinary Step would be an everlasting Blot upon the Honour and Reputation of the States-General But that if notwithstanding all they were resolved to proceed and enter into a Neutrality so contrary to their Solemn Engagements they protested against that Separate Treaty in the best Form they could and not only so but also against all the Calamities that Christendom in general and the Princes their Masters in particular might suffer by that Separation But notwithstanding the Reasonableness and Solemnity of this Protestation and the Irresolution of Monsieur Van Haren one of the Dutch Plenipotentiaries who did not seem to be so clear in the Point of their Orders yet Directions were presently given to have all-fair writ over with the greatest haste imaginable so as the Treaty might be Signed that Night which was done accordingly between 11 and 12 without the Intervention of the English Mediators who refused to Sign the same or to have their Names made use of as such saying Their Instructions were to mediate a General Peace and therefore by their Orders could not Sign a Particular One. The Treaty follows NIMEGUEN Aug. 10. 1678. LEwis by the Grace of God King of France and Navar to all that shall see these Presents Greeting Since our most dear and well-beloved Cousin the Sieur Comte d'Estrades Mareschal of France and Knight of our Order our faithful and well-beloved the Sieur Colbert Marquis of Croissi Counsellor in Ordinary in our Council of State and our faithful and well-beloved the Sieur De Mesmes Comte d'Avaux Counsellor also in our Councils our Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries by vertue of the Plenary Powers which We had given them have Concluded Agreed and Signed the 10th of this Month at Nimeguen with the Heer Hierosm Van Beverning Baron of Teylingen Curator of the University of Leyden late Counsellor and Treasurer General of the Vnited-Provinces of the Low-Countries the Heer Willem Van Nassaw Heer Van Odyke Cortgene and first Noble and Representative of the Nobility in the States and Council of Zealand and the Heer Willem Van Haren Griedtman Van Bildt Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries of our most Dear and Great Friends the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces of the Low-Countries instructed likewise with full Power the Treaty of Peace according to the Tenour ensuing In the Name of God the Creator To all present and to come be it known that as during the Course of the War that has been stirr'd for some Years betwixt the most High most Excellent and most mighty Prince Lewis XIV by the Grace of God most Christian King of France and Navar and the Lords the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces his Majesty always maintain'd a sincere Desire to give back to the said States his principal Friendship and they
obtain not such Security When the Prince of Orange was made acquainted with this Procedure of England by Mr. Hyde who went on purpose to Hounslerdike to do it he was no sooner withdrawn but the Prince lift up his Hands two or three times and said to Sir William Temple then present Was ever any Thing so Hot and so Cold as this Court of yours Will the King that is so often at Sea ever learn a Word that I shall never forget since my last Passage When in a great Storm the Captain was crying out to the Man at the Helm all Night Steddy Steddy Steddy If this Dispatch had come 20 Days ago it would have changed the Face of all Things in Christendom and the War might have been carried on till France had Yielded to the Treaty of the Pyrenees and left the World in Quiet for the rest of our Lives but it is my Opinion as it comes now it will have no Effect And indeed the Event proved answerable to the Prince's Judgment It s true all Appearances for the present seemed very different from both the Proceedings of the Dutch and Spaniards too whereof many of the Deputies of the former appear'd so ill satisfied with their Embassadors having Signed the Peace that they inclined to the King's Proposals and framed severral Articles against Monsieur Beverning's Proceedings the five Principal whereof were these First That in the Preface the French King seemed to be the Protector of the States Secondly That the Neutrality to which the States-General were engaged by that Treaty was indefinite and by consequence might be extended beyond the present War Thirdly That he had exceeded his Commission in having obliged the States to warrant the Neutrality of Spain Fourthly That he had omitted an Article of Amnesty and Oblivion which ought mutually to be stipulated in all Treaties of Peace And Lastly That he had forgot to mention the Barrier which the French King granted to Spain in Consideration and for the Security of the States-General As for the Embassadors of the latter notwithstanding the French after several Debates and Conferences did demit in their Pretentions yet they raised new Scruples about the Castellany of Aeth and other Things their Confederates upon the Continent and the daily Transportation of English Forces into Flanders heightning their Stiffness as well as the Expectation they had of the States going on again with the War upon this new Turn of Things But after Matters had continued for about 3 Weeks in this uncertain State France thought the Conjuncture of too much Importance to let it hover so long and therefore first dispatch a Courier to their Embassadors at Nimeguen with leave to satisfie the States as to those Clauses in their Treaty wherein they seem'd justly to except against Beverning's Conduct And therefore to cover the Credit of that Minister who had been so affectionate an Instrument in the Progress of it and so gradually softning their Rigour as to the remaining Points contested by the Spaniards they at last dispatch'd a Courier who brought Letters to Nimeguen on the 8th of Sept. impowering their Embassadors to remit all the Differences that obstructed or retarded the Conclusion of the Treaty between that Crown and Spain to the Determination and Arbitrage of the States themselves which was a piece of Confidence towards them on the part of France that several Towns and Provinces proceeded with a general Concurrence to their Ratifications that they might lie ready in their Embassador's Hands to be exchanged when the Treaty with Spain was Signed which was done on the 17th at the Dutch Embassadors House and wherein Sir Lionel Jenkins the Kings Mediator had no part and so the Designs of the Court of England were once more Eluded and Mr. Hyde had the Mortification to return re infecta This Treaty with Spain is very long and for that Reason I had Thoughts once to leave it quite out but considering the Treatise would have been imperfect without it and that a much better Estimate may be made by it of the present Posture of the Spanish Affairs upon the late Peace than otherwise could be done I have altered my Mind and given my Reader the Particulars The TREATY of PEACE betwixt France and Spain Concluded at Nimeguen Sept. 17. 1678. IN the Name of God the Creator and of the most Holy Trinity To all present and to come be it known That whereas during the Course of the War that arose some Years since betwixt the most High most Excellent and most Mighty Prince Lewis XIV by the Grace of God most Christian King of France and Navar and his Allies on the one part and the most High most Excellent and most Mighty Prince Charles II by the Grace of God Catholick King of Spain and his Allies on the other part their Majesties have desired nothing more vehemently than to see it end in a good Peace And whereas the same desire to put a Stop as far as in them lay to the Ruine of so many Provinces the Tears of so much People and the shedding so much Christian Blood hath induced them to comply with the powerful Offices of the most High most Excellent and most Mighty Prince the King of Great Britain to send their Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries to the Town of Nimeguen So it is come to pass through an Effect of the Divine Goodness that hath been pleased to make use of the intire Confidence that their Majesties have always reposed in the Mediation of the said King of Great Britain that at length the said Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries to wit on the behalf of his most Christian Majesty the Sieur Count D' Estrades Marshal of France and Knight of his Majesty's Orders the Sieur Colbert Knight Marquess of Croissy Councellor in Ordinary in his Council of State and the Sieur De Mesmes Knight Count De Avaux Councellor also in his Majesty's Councils and on the behalf of his Catholick Majesty the Sieur Don Pablo Spinola Doria Marquess de les Balbases Duke of Sesto Lord of Gminossa Casalnosetta and Ponteucrone Councellor in his Council of State and chief Protonotary in his Council of Italy Don Gaspard de Tebes and Cordova Tello Guzman Count de Venazuza Marquess de la Fuente Lord of Lerena of the House of Arrucas of the Isles of Guadalupa and Matalione Perpetual Master de la Victoire Perpetual Major and Recorder of the Town of Sevil Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to his Imperial Majesty one of his chief Council of War and General of his Artillery Don Pedro Ronquillo Knight of the Order of Alcantara Councellor in his Council of Castile and of the Indies and Don John Baptisse Christin Knight Councellor in the high Council of Flanders near to his said Catholick Majesty's Person and one of his Council of State and of his Privy-Council in the Low-Countries by Virtue of Letters and Commissions which they have communicated to one another and the Copies whereof
the Power of the late most Serene Infanta Catherina shall be observed without any hurt or prejudice by this particular Clause to the general Stipulation in this present Article concerning the Performance of the said Pyrenean Treaty and that of Aix la Chappelle XXVII Though their most Christian and Catholick Majesties contribute all their Cares towards the setling a General Peace and that so fair a Way towards it as that of a General Truce gives them Hopes that a Conclusion of whatever may secure the Quiet of Christendom will speedily ensue yet since the said most Christian King doth insist upon it that the Catholick King shall oblige himself not to assist any of the Princes that are now engag'd in War against France and its Allies his Catholick Majesty hath promised and doth promise to observe a perfect Neutrality during the Course of this War without being at Liberty to assist his Allies directly or indirectly against France or its Allies XXVIII And whereas their most Christian and Catholick Majesties do acknowledge the powerful Offices which the King of Great Britain has contributed without intermission by his Counsels and good Advertisements toward the Publick Safety and Repose it is agreed on both sides That his said Majesty of Great Britain and his Kingdoms shall be expresly comprehended in this present Treaty after the best Form that can be XXIX Within this Peace Alliance and Friendship on the part of his most Christian Majesty besides the King of Sweden together with the Duke of Holstein the Bishop of Strusburg and Prince William of Furstemburg as concern'd in the present War shall be comprehended if they please themselves all those that having refused to engage or declare themselves in this present War shall be nominated within 6 Months after the Exchange of the Ratifications XXX And on the one part of his Catholick Majesty shall likewise be comprehended if themselves please all such as having forborn to engage or declare themselves in the present War shall be nominated within 6 Months after the Exchange of the Ratifications and all others that after the said War ended shall likewise be nominated by his said Catholick Majesty XXXI The said most Christian and Catholick Kings do agree That all Potentates and Princes that shall be willing to enter into the like Obligation may give their Majesties their Promises and Engagements of Warranty as to the Execution of whatever is contain'd in this present Treaty XXXII And for the greater Security of this Treaty of Peace and of all the Points and Articles therein contained the said present Treaty shall be published attested and registred in the Court of the Parliament of Paris and in all other Parliaments of the Kingdom of France and in the Chamber of Accounts at Paris And also the said Treaty shall be published attested and registred as well in the Great and other Councils and Chambers of Account of the said Catholick King in the Low-Countries as in the other Councils of the Crowns of Castile and â—â—ragon according to the Form contained in the Pyrenean Treaty of the Year 1659. of which Publications and Enrollment Exemplifications shall be delivered on both sides within 3 Months after the Publication of this present Treaty All which Points and Articles above expressed and the Contents of every of them have been Treated Agreed Passed and Stipulated between the said Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries of the said most Christian and Catholick Kings which Plenipotentiaries by Virtue of their Powers the Copies whereof are inserted at the bottom of this present Treaty have promised and do promise under the Obligation of all and every the Goods and Estates present and to come of the Kings their Masters that they shall inviolably be observed and fulfilled and that they will cause them to be ratified firmly and simply without addition of any thing thereunto and to produce the Ratifications thereof by Letters Authentick and Sealed wherein all this present Treaty shall be inserted verbatim within 6 Weeks to be accompted from the Day of the Date of this present Treaty or sooner if possible And the said Plenipotentiaries have promised and do promise in their said Kings Names that after the producing the said Letters of Ratifications the said Most Christian King as soon as possibly he can shall in the Presence of such Person or Persons as the Catholick King shall be pleased to depute swear solemnly upon the Cross the Gospel and Canons of the Mass and upon his Honour fully really and truly to observe and fulfil all the Articles contained in this present Treaty And the like shall be done as soon as possible by the said Catholick King in the Presence of such Person or Persons as the said Most Christian King shall be pleased to depute In witness or all which the said Plenipotentiaries have subscribed this present Treaty with their own Names and have caused their Seals of Arms to be set thereto Nimeguen the 17th of Sept. 1678. Le M. Dâ— Estrades Colbert De Mesmes D' Avaux Pabla Spâ—nola Doria Conde de Benazuza Marquesse de la Fuente Jean Baptiste Christin Thus you see France was left in Possession of the Peace with Holland and Spain and consequently Master of that of the Empire and of the North upon her own Terms and England left to busie it self about that Popish Fire that was breaking out at home the Stream whereof the Court perhaps designed to have diverted by a Foreign War in Conjunction with the Confederates against France on which they were now as eagerly bent as they seemed at any time before indifferent thereunto however of this we shall say nothing at present but prosecute in as concise a manner as we can the remaining Paces that were made together with the interâ—ening Accidents that happened for putting an End to the rest of the War After tâ—e Peace with Spain was Signed and that with Holland Ratified tho' the Embassadors of the Emperor at Nimeguen were sullen and those of Denmark and Brandenburg enraged yet by the Application of the Dutch Embassadors the Conferences were set on foot between them and the French But how enraged soever the Northern Confederates seemed to be they were now more inclined than ever to consent to a Truce tho' to this the Swedes would not absolutely agree For Pomerania they would willingly accept it because they had reason to fear that the great Losses they had there sustained might be followed by more considerable ones but they were not for it in Schomen where their Affairs were in a better Posture by their taking of Christianstadt which at last after much Difficulty they diadâ—made themselves Masters of However the Losses they sustained in Pomerania were of far greater Concern to them than all they pretended to gain elsewhere And notwithstanding the Death of the Bishop of Munster was a Mortification to the Confederates yet Denmark and Brandenburg go on vigorously with their Preparations against the Isle of Rugen and the Elector
hath been and still is a damnable Hellish Plot contrived and carried on by Recusants for assassinating and murdering the King subverting the Government and rooting out and destroying the Protestant Religion I am not insensible what Artifices have been used to ridicule this Plot in all the Parts of it and particularly so far as it relates to the Murder of Sir Edmundbury Godfrey But there are some Things so particular herein for evincing That that Gentleman fell a Martyr through Popish Cruelty and yet not commonly known that I shall take notice of them in this place There was one Prance a Papist by Religion and a Silversmith by Trade living near Covent-Garden and one that wrought for the Priests and others in Somerset-House who some time after the said Murder being observed to abscond from his House for several Days by his Neighbours some of them represented the same to some Parliament-Men with other circumstantial Suspicions they had of the said Prance and thereupon there was an Order got to seize him and he was referred to the Examination of Sir Richard Everard and Sir Charles Harboard Now before the Murder Le Pair Pritchard and some other Priests had treated with bedlow to be assisting in it which he at first assented to but after relented and did not come But the Monday after the Fact was committed which was Octob. 14. meeting with La Faire in Red-Lyon-Court he charged him with being worse than his Word but engaged him to meet him at 9 a Clock in Somerset-House where he was told by La Faire That though he was not assistant as he promised in killing Sir Edmund yet if he would be helpful to carry him off he should have 2000 l. Reward Hereupon Bedlow desiring to see the Body Le Faire shewed it him and then they advised together about the Disposal of it Bedlow being of Opinion it were best to sink it in the River with Weights which was not agreed to But in seeing the Body Bedlow saw Pranoe in the Company too yet did not know him before This being done Bedlow went to Bristol but finding himself much troubled in Conscience having twice taken the Sacrament to conceal the Business God put it into his Heart that some Murders being past and to prevent greater to come he was convinced it was his Duty to return to London to reveal what he knew which he did and went to the Lobby of the House of Lords in order to it In the mean time Sir Charles Harboard and Sir Richard Everard having examined Prance and the House being set left him to the Care of the Constable of Covent-Garden who brought him to the Lobby of the Lords House where Bedlow seeing him but never before save the foresaid Time in Somerset-House he charged the Guards to seize him for that reason saying He remembred him well he having when they viewed Sir Edmund ' s Body a black Perruke on but now none Hereupon search being made the Perruke was found And hence it was that Prance became an Evidence in this Discovery and on whose Evidence chiefly Green Berry and Hill were convicted and executed I shall not enter into any more Particulars of this Plot as being already sufficiently treated on by divers Authors and not falling directly under under the Course of our present Design but there is one Thing very remarkable attending it and such I think as can hardly be parallel'd in any other Story and that is that there should be so many and such clear Proofs to Murder the King's Person and yet that he should be solâ—ittle apprehensive of it But it may be as Tom. Killigrew was said to have told him He knew more of the Plot than any Body else and his Discovery of it would quickly have satisfied his People But whether it were my Lord Treasurer Danby's Business or the Popish Lords in the Tower or the Affairs of the Plot in general the King having on Monday the 30th of Dec. last Prorogued both Houses to the 4th of Feb. did on the 24th of Jan. Dissolve his once Darling Long-lived but now Expiring Parliament which had been continued by several Prorogations and Adjournments 17 Years 8 Months and 17 Days being first called on the 8th of May 1661. And issued out Writs to call another to Sit at Westminister on the 6th of March following but thought â—it on the 28th of Feb. in the Interim to direct a Letter to the Duke of York his Brother to command him to withdraw beyond Sea to this Effect I Have already given you my Resolves at large why I think it fit that you absent your self for some time beyond the Seas I am truly sorry for the Occasion so may you be sure I shall never desire it longer than it shall be absolutely necessary for your Good and my Service In the mean time I think it proper to give it you under my Hand that I expect this Compliance from you and desire it may be as soon as conveniently you can You may easily perceive with what Trouble I write this to you there being nothing I am more sensible of than the constant Kindness you have ever had for me I hope you are as just to me to be assured that no Absence nor any Thing else can ever change me from being truly and kindly Yours C. R. The Duke with his Dutchess and Family in pursuance to this Command within a few Days withdrew accordingly and for a while retired to the Hague and from thence to Brussels while the King in the mean time that he might let the World see how he was otherways as well as therein become a new Man for the future did upon the 20th of Apr. make a Declaration to this Purpose in Council and in his new Parliament and afterward Published it to the whole Nation How sensible he was of the ill Posture of his Affairs and the great Dissatisfactions and Jealousies of his good Subjects whereby the Crown and Government were become too weak to preserve it self which proceeded from his use of a single Ministry and of private Advices and therefore professed his Resolution to lay them aside for the future and to be advised by those whom he had chosen for his Council in all his weighty and important Affairs together with the frequent Advice of his great Council in Parliament The Members that composed which Council because of the great Worth of most of them we shall give the Reader a List of His Highness Prince Rupert William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Henry Lord Finch Lord-Chancellor of England Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury Lord President of the Council Arthur Earl of Anglesey Lord Privy-Seal Christopher Duke of Albemarle James Duke of Monmouth Master of the Horse Henry Duke of Newcastle John Duke of Lauderdale Secretary of State for Scotland James Earl of Salisbury John Earl of Bridgwater Robert Earl of Sunderland one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State Arthur Earl of Essex First Lord-Commissioner of
made good and a safe Conduct to be granted to some of their Number to address themselves to the Duke in that Matter To this the Duke answered That he would not treat with them upon their Declaration but if they would readily lay down their Arms he would receive them into the King's Mercy With which Answer they went back desiring some time to deliberate upon it which the Duke granted But about half an Hour after in return they sent a Paper by a Drummer representing That being informed that his Grace came from England with Terms to be offered to them they desired to know what he had to propose that they might advise whether the Terms were such as they could accept of Whereupon the Duke finding they trifled sent them Word He would receive no more Messages from them While things passed thus between the Duke and them his Cannon with some Horse and Foot were brought down from the Body of the Army and posted not far from the Bridge which he immediately commanded to play and which was no sooner perceived by the Covenanters but they threw themselves upon the Ground to avoid the Shot Those of them that were posted on the Bridge fired at first very briskly but after five or six Shot of Cannon they all ran away they upon the rising-Ground running first The Duke then advanced and his Men seizing upon the Bridge threw their Barricadoes of Stones Cart-wheels and the like into the River took one Piece of Cannon and pursued them up the Hill but the Covenanters perceiving their Numbers to be small they rallied and faced about yet would not venture to come down upon them tho' the Duke's Men retired back to the Bridge In the mean time the Duke passed the Army over the Bridge and drew them up on the rising-Ground which took up some time and upon whom the Covenanters advanced in very good Order before the other had time enough to do so but upon their approach espying the Cannon at the Head of the Duke's Army they immediately sifted their Order and opened in the middle thinking as 't was supposed they were obliged to shoot streight forward yet the Cannon being turned upon them as they then stood and 3 or 4 times discharged they began to run their Commander Robert Hamilton being one of the first and the Dragoons advancing upon them it was a perfect Rout they flying and being pursued all Ways there being between 7 and 800 of them slain but a far greater Number taken Prisoners Thus ended this extravagant Undertaking of the Scots which served only to make their Chains the heavier as doubtless the imploying the Duke of Monmouth to suppress them was intended for no good to him neither his Court-Enemies thinking thereby to render him odious to the Presbyterians and other Dissenters in England but there their Politicks failed them for the Fears of Popery and a Popish Successor at this time had very deeply possessed Men's Minds and the Duke's Person after the King 's was the only visible One they had to rely upon to stave off the dreadful Monster and of this the Popish Faction were mighty jealous and so much the rather because there was a Pamphlet printed and handed about that the King had been married to the Duke of Monmouth's Mother and rumour'd Abroad That Sir Gilbert Gerrard had a black Box wherein the said Marriage was fully proved and made out And indeed the Fears of the Duke of York's succeeding to the Crown were such that the People were willing to lay hold on any Twig and so to be very easie of Belief in the Particulars of this Story But he the Matter as it will the Tories and Popish Party had such an Influence at Court that the King began now to appear Heart and Soul theirs and so made Three Declarations the first in the Presence of W. Cant. H. Finch C. H. Coventry and J. Williamson the 6th of Jan. 1679. wherein he declared That they who should say he was married or contracted to the Duke of Monmouth's Mother were neither his nor the Duke's Friends and declared in the Presence of Almighty God That he never was married nor contracted to any other Woman whatsoever but his Wife Queen Catharine Upon the 3d of March following he caused this Declaration to be entred into the Council-Book being all written and sign'd with his own Hand in a Paper he delivered in at the Board to be kept in the Council-Chest viz. FOR the avoiding of any Dispute which may happen in time to come concerning the Succession of the Crown I do hereby declare in the Presence of Almighty God That I never gave nor made any Contract of Marriage nor was married to any Woman whatsoever but to my present Wife Queen Catharine now living Whitehall March the 3d. 1679. Charles R. And because they might make sure Work of it the same Thing was again repeated on the 2d of June 1680. with Asseverations to the same Purpose wherein he called the Report of his Marriage or Contract with Mrs. Walters alias Barlow the Duke of Monmouth's Mother false and scandalous and charged all his Subjects not to presume to utter or publish any such Thing and all those were published together by his special Order which tho' distant in Time I thought fit to mention together year 1680 to avoid an interrupted Discourse as much as possibly I was able And that the King might further gratifie that Faction as well as he had done the Nation in sending the Duke of York out of it he sent the Duke of Monmouth away also The King towards the latter end of Aug. fell ill at Windsor and his Indisposition in a little time proved to be an Ague I will not deny but Monmouth did at that time double the Guards and shew more Activity than ordinary in the Management of Things and for my part I do think if the King had gone off suddenly the Duke would have bid very fair for the Crown However the King was in no Danger tho' his Brother the Duke of York apprehended himself to be so in that Conjuncture and therefore he had no sooner Notice of the King's Illness which was early enough but he posted to Court with all Expedition and on the 2d of Dec. arrived at Windsor the Consequence whereof was the Duke of Monmouth's Banishment who thereupon retired to Vtretch as his Unkle the Duke of York did in a little time back again to Brussels but this last without any Design to stay For on the 12th of Oct. he with his whole Family arrived at St. James's to the Surprize of most People The other was resolved not to be long behind him for being informed that Banishment is a Punishment which the King cannot inflict upon any Man unless he be convicted of some ill Crime he returned also on the 27th of Nov. at Night to London at which the Citizens express'd a mighty Joy by Bonefires and Ringing of Bells all the
That the Treaty of Nimeguen did confirm that of Westphalia and consequently that the said Towns ought to be restored to the Enjoyment of the Rights and Priviledges which they stipulated for them That for the 5th and 6th Points they likewise directly contravened the said Treaties That as for the 7th they expected further Information on it As for the 8th they could not imagine what Right the French had to fortifie Schlestadt considering the Promises with relation to those Free Towns For the 9th and 10th That the French had acted notoriously contrary to the Westphalian and Nimeguen Treaties For the 11th That Homburg belonged to the Count of Nassaw as appeared by the Treaty of Osnalbrug That as for what concerned Bitsoh they expected further Information And Lastly They hoped the French King would not prejudice Strasburg in its Rights and Priviledges and particularly in that of fortifying Kiel that was so necessary for its Security But for all these Remonstrances the French were 〈◊〉 far from giving the proposed Satisfaction that they began â—ery Day to enlarge their Limits in Alsatia and set up a new Pretension upon Santerburg belonging to the bishoprick of Spire and Monsieur Verjus the French Minister at Ratisbone spake very big upon the Matter which made Things very uneasie on that side at the present And a Paper that was some time after printed and dispersed in those Parts containing several Conditions offered as was pretended by the French King in case the Dauphine were chosen King of the Romans did not lessen you may be sure the Apprehensions they had of Danger from that Quarter the Contents of which Paper were these that follow That the most Christian King and the Dauphine his Son would make good the Imperial Constitutions That the Dauphine would bear all due Respect to the Emperor That Burgundy Lorrain the Lower and Upper Alâ—ace the Bishopricks of Metz Toul and Verdun with other Lands and Places should be restored to the Empire and the City of Friburg to the Emperor That 60000 Men should be maintained in Hungary to be employed against the Turks without any Charge to the Empire which should only maintain a Body of 16000 Men That all the Places which should be taken in Hungary should be put into the Emperor's Hands That a considerable Fleet should be employed against the Turks towards the Dardanello's That Two Universities should be erected in Germany for the Use of the several Religions there And Lastly That the French King would renounce all Pretensions to the Lands possessed by Charles the Great But what Effect soever these Proposals were like to have upon the Empire in general the Elector Palatine felt the Effects of the French Arms about this time in particular for they attacked the Castle of Falkenberg and after some small Resistance made themselves Masters of it All which with a great many more put together made the Emperor and Empire put forth their Complaints in every Court where there was any hopes of Relief And particularly the Emperor's Minister in Holland represented to the States-General That by Order of His Imperial Majesty he was to acquaint them that the Officers of the most Christian King had already seized a great part of the Territories of the Elector Palatine and it was to be feared they would do the like by the rest of his Countries on Pretence of Dependances and other Rights which they took upon them to search Antiquity for even to the Time of King Dagoberte That the Elector of Trier had already suffered the like Treatment And that other Princes of the Empire were exposed to the same Dangers and particularly the City of Strasburg which being directly contrary to the Peace of Nimeguen the Preservation whereof was not only necessary to the Tranquility of Germany but likewise to the Good of that Republick whose Interest was no less to have a good Barrier towards the Rhine than towards Flanders He therefore desired the said States would effectually employ their good Offices at the French Court to the end those Contraventions might for ever cease and be abolished But whether the States thought it to no purpose to sollicite France on this behalf since after all the Caresses of the French King upon their Motion to him of being easie with Spain in respect to the Title of Duke of Burgandy before-mentioned and in his Saying He should always have a very great Regard to what the States should desire of him they met at last with so little Success and Spain was forced to demit her Right or that they thought others more immediately concerned than themselves they took but little Care of it But Germany was not the only Country that thought her self injured by the French Proceedings since the Peace for the new Pretensions that were set up every Day upon some Place or other in Flanders made them very uneasie on that side also and so much the more because they were not in a Condition to hinder it and right themselves For the French in the Spring of this Year not only possessed themselves of the Abbies 〈◊〉 Thiery and St. Gerard with above 40 Villages in the Province of Namur under Colour of their being Dependances upon Charlemont lately yielded to them but also of the Abby 〈◊〉 Molyn and its Dependancies obliging the Inhabitants 〈◊〉 those Places to swear Fealty to France and threatning them 〈◊〉 case of Refusal with Military Execution And the Princes 〈◊〉 Italy however they might take it had no less Reason to be alarm'd at the Extension of the French Dominions on their side than either Flanders or Germany for now it was after sometime of Treaty that the Duke of Mantua's Ratification concerning the giving up of Cassal into the French Hands foâ— 4000000 of Livres arrived and that their Troops marched to take Possession of the Place This was the State of Things abroad when the Parliament in England met which was upon the 21st of Oct. and to whoâ— the King made a Speech importing That the several Prorogations he had made had been very advantageous to our Neighbours and very useful to him For he had imployed that Time in makinâ— an Alliance with Spain suitable to that which he had a little beforâ— made with the States of the United Provinces and they also 〈◊〉 with Spain consisting of Mutual Obligations of Succour and Defence That he desired Money of them for the Relief of Tangler which had already ebâ—hausted his Purse That he would not have them meddle with the Succession of the Crown in the Right Line but proceed in the Discovery of the Plot and to the Trial of the Lords As for the Alliance with Holland I have already given you an Account of it and indeed it was well managed as well as a good Point gained and deserved more Notice should have been taken of it by the Parliament and perhaps they would have done it another time But as for the other with Spain I can give you no
Arms was so much the more engaging in that besides 18 Pieces of Cannon 400000 Pounds of Powder and good store of Provisions which they found in the place they took it with the â—oss only of 150 Men after it had been 78 Years in the Possession of the Turks Soâ—â— Thoughts there were after the laking in of Gran to march directly and attack Buda but the Season being far advanced it was not judged adviseable tho' perhaps considering the Consternation the Turks were under on every side that important place might have then been easily carried which proved afterwards the Work of two Campaigns Wherefore after the Army had possessed themselves of some other small Places in the Neighbourhood of Gran and elsewhere they went into their Winter Quarters concluding the Actions of this Year on that side as we do also with all others that have happened within the Circumference of it having nothing remarkable to super-add in this place save that great and memorable Frost which began about the latter end of November and lasted for the space of Ten Weeks year 1684 What was left unfinished before in relation to the Prosecution of the pretended Presbytenian Plot was compleated amongst us this Year And where there could be no colourable Pretence to touch Life and Limb they were sure to be even with the pretended Criminals by Imprisonments and exorbitant Fines there being hardly any County in England wherein some were not severely swinged off for Riots when they were indeed legally standing up in Defence of their Charters and Civil Liberties whilst others did as basely betray them And because His Royal Highness should be as absolute again at Sea as he had shewed himself by Land both in England and Scotland His Majesty was pleased to revoke the Commission for High Admiral and to commit it into his good Brother's Hands again who took Care to require him well for it But give me leave to tell you once again that the Tories of this Time did not so much magnifie His Majesty's Conduct and Government as he was diminutively Little in the Esteem of neighbouring Princes I have given you some time since an Hint of the French Pretensions in relation to the Re-anions and am now to acquaint you that notwithstanding the French Complement to the Emperor last Year upon their quitting the Blockade of Luxemburg That it was done that the Christians might take no Umbrage at such a Conjuncture when the Infidels were threatning the Empire with an Invasion Yet the Year was not expired but that in pursuance to the said Pretensions they surprized Courtray and Dixmude Wherewith the Court of Spain was so incensed that they re-called their Ambassodor ordered the French Minister to retire home and seized all the Effects belonging to the French in their Dominions Yet the Dutch States were not so hot upon the Matter and therefore they proposed the King of England's Mediation herein but the Spaniards would by no means hear of it saying There was but too much Reason to suspect that Prince since iâ— did appear he had more closely linked himself with France than ever Hereupon the French King prepared an Army to invade the Spanish Netherlands while he sent another to infest the Spaniards on the side of Catalonia And if Luxemburg by an odd Circumstance of Time or what shall I call it had the good Luck to escape a Siege last Year she shall be sure to have her Share in this and be attacked in Form The Prince of Orange according to his usual Foresight had proposed pretty early to the States the Levying of 16000 Men and to bring all the Troops of the Country into the Field as a Means to give the French some Umbrage and to prevent their proceeding to an open Rupture But he was still opposed in his Designs by the Artifice of the French Ambassador the Count d'Avaux who put in several Memorials to the States upon account of the Conjuncture Insomuch that at last the City of Amsterdam would not consent to the said Levy but absolutely rejected it Which tho' it utterly broke the Prince's Measures yet it did not his Courage for he took the Field tho' to little purpose Because the French who were too quick to let slip the Opportunity brought a great Army before Luxemburg towards the latter end of May. And tho' the Place in the Circumstasnces it was then made a good Resistance it was on the 10th of June surrender'd upon Articles And now France having got what she desired proposed a Truce afresh for 20 Years to which the States did not seem averse So that they made the matter up quickly both for themselves and Spain as they had been wont to do in a manner upon the French Terms Whereof take the following Abstract wherein you will find the King of England's Name mentioned but mostly for Form sake I. THE States General oblige themselves to employ all sorts of good Offices to induce the King of Spain to accept of the Truce for 20 Years proposed by his most Christian Majesty during which all Hostilities shall cease between the said Kings as well by Sea and Land in all their Countries and Dominions II. The most Christian King shall during the said Truce remain possessed of the City of Luxemburg and the Provostry thereof with the 14 or 15 Villages and Hamblets depending thereon and Beaumount and the 3 or 4 Villages that remain on its Dependance Bouvois which has none and Chimay with the 12 or 14 Villages belonging to it III. If within 6 Weeks from the Date of this Convention the Catholick King shall agree unto and in due Form ratifie the Articles contained therein and shall consent to the said Truce of 20 Years upon the Condition proposed the most Christian King so soon as the Ratifications are exchanged shall restore to the Catholick King Courtray and Dixmuyde after having demolish'd the Fortifications with the Dependencies of those Places IV. His most Christian Majesty shall likewise restore to the Catholick King after the Exchange of the Ratifications all the Places he hath promised himself since Aug. 20 1683. except Luxemburg and the other Places mentioned in the Article And for the rest the most Christian and Catholick Kings shall remain in the Possession during the said Truce of what they held at the raising of the Blockade of Luxemburg and no Pretension shall be moved or Re-union made on the one side or the other on Account of Dependencies or any other Pretence whatever V. After the Exchange of the said Ratifications of Spain all Acts of Hostility shall cease and the most Christian King shall withdraw his Troops out of the Countries of the King of Spain wheresoever situated the King of Spain doing the like on his part VI. If any Contest shall happen concerning the time of Possession or the Extent of any Places that are to remain to either side during the said Truce the Determination thereof shall be referred to the
intimate my Mind otherwise I do hereby require all my Vassals any where and all within my several Jurisdictions with their fensible Men within their Command to go to Arms and to join and concur with us according to the said Declaration as they shall be answerable at their Peril and that they obey the particular Orders they shall receive from me from time to time I need not tell the World the Fate of this brave Man it was generally believed at that time that Sir John Cockram who came over with him betrayed him as some Body else was thought to have done by the Duke of Monmouth but however that Matter was in Reality Thus it happened with the Earl that after several Marches and Countermarches his Men were at length lead into a Boggy sort of a Place on Pretence or with Intention to bring him off from the King's Army then upon the Heels of them where they all lost one another dispersed and shifted for themselves The Earl himself being taken by a Country Man and brought to Edenburgh he there suffered for his former unpardonable Crime in requiring Care should be taken for the Protestant Religion and the Explaining the Test conformable thereunto for the Legality of which he had the Hands of most of the Eminent Lawyers about the City He made a very pious End being beheaded at Edenburgh June 30. But this Business of Argyle was but like Thunder afar off to what happened soon after in the West of England K. James was so apprehensive not only before but even after his Ascension to the Throne of the Duke of Monmouth's Designs against him that he used his utmost Endeavours by his Envoy Mr. Skelton in Holland to get him secured and sent into England which Design could not yet he carried so covertly but that the Prince of Orange came to the Knowledge of it who having more Honour and Goodness in him than to suffer an innocent forelorn Man to fall into the Hands of those who had been the Occasion of his Exile and Misery did not only give the Duke Notice of the Plot against him but gave him Money to go privately to Brussels with a farther Assurance that if he would go to the Campaign in Hungary he would maintain him at his own Charge with an Equipage suitable to his Quality But his Fate led him to return again privately from thence into Holland where having concerted his Measures with such Refugiated English as he found there they embarked on 3 small Vessels and about June 12 lan ded at Lyme in Dorsetshire where the Duke in his own and the rest of his Followers Names put out his Declaration which because the State at that time were so far from thinking fit to publish as they were Argyle's that they made it Criminal to read it and used all their Endeavours to smother it we shall here give you Word for Word The DECLARATION of James Duke of Monmouth and the Noblemen Gentlemen and others now in Arms for the Defence and Vindication of the Protestant Religion and the Laws Rights and Priviledges of ENGLAND AS Government was originally instituted by God and this or that Form of it chosen and submitted to by Men for the Peace Happiness and Security of the Governed and not for the private Interest and personal Greatness of those that rule So that Government hath always been esteemed the best where the Supream Magistrates have been invested with all the Power and Prerogatives that might capacitate them not only to preserve the People from Violence and Oppression but to promote their Prosperity and yet where nothing was to belong to them by the Rules of the Constitution that might enable them to injure and oppress them And it hath been the Glory of England above most other Nations that the Prince had all intrusted with him that was necessary either for the advancing the Welfare of the People or for his own Protection in the Discharge of his Office and withal stood so limited and restrained by the Fundamental Terms of the Constitution that without a Violation of his own Oath as well as the Rules and Measures of the Government he could do them no hurt or exercise any Act of Authority but through the Administration of such Hands as stood obnoxious to be punished in case they transgressed So that according to the primitive Frame of the Government the Prerogatives of the Crown and the Privileges of the Subject are so far from justling one another that the Rights reserved unto the People tended to render the King Honourable and Great and the Prerogatives settled on the Prince were in order to the Subjects Protection and Safety But all Humane Things being subject to Perversion as well as Decay it hath been the Fate of the English Government to be often changed and wrested from what it was in the first Settlement and Institution And we are particularly compelled to say that all the Boundaries of the Government have of late been broken and nothing left unattempted for turning our limited Monarchy into an absolute Tyranny For such hath been the Transaction of Affairs within this Nation for several Years last past that though the Protestant Religion and Liberties of the People were fenced and hedged about by as many Laws as the Wisdom of Man could devise for their Preservation against Popery and Arbitrary Power our Religion hath been all along countermined by Popish Counsels and our Privileges ravished from us by Fraud and Violence And more especially the whole Course and Series of the Life of the D. of Y. hath been but one continued Conspiracy against the Reformed Religion and the Rights of the Nation For whoever considers his contriving the burning of London his instigating a Confederacy with France and a War with Holland his fomenting the Popish Plot and encouraging the Murther of Sir Ed. Godfrey to stifle it his charging Treason against Protestants suborning Witnesses to swear the Patriots of our Religion and Liberties out of their Lives his hiring execrable Villains to assassinate the late Earl of Essex and causing those others to be clandestinely cut off in hopes to conceal it his advising and procuring the Prorogation and Dissolution of Parliaments in order to prevent their looking into his Crimes and that he might escape the Justice of the Nation Such can imagine nothing so black and horrid in it self or so ruinous and destructive to Religion and the Kingdom which we may not expect from him The very Tyrannies which he hath exercised since he snatched the Crown from his Brother's Head do leave none under a Possibility of flattering themselves with Hopes of Safety eithor in their Consciencies Persons or Estates For in defiance of all the Laws and Statutes of the Realm made for the Security of the Reformed Protestant Religion he not only began his Reign with a bare-faced A vowing himself of the Romish Religion but call'd in Multitudes of Priests and Jesâ—its for whom the
wherewith some of those Divines who were appointed to assist him in the last Moments of his Life treated the poor Gentleman the main of all they said to him being to press him to acknowledge their foppish Doctrine of Non-Resistance which they alledged was such that without it he could not be a Member of the Church of England as he profest himself to be But all they could do could not bring him to it and in Truth it would grieve any Heart but such as was wofully prejudiced with the Bigottry of those Times to find a Man under such Circumstances teazed as he was who by any Thing that appeared to the Contrary was as much discomposed with that Way of Treatment as with the Death he was then ready to undergo It was said a certain Brave old Officer who then came over with him and since with the Prince of Orange offered with a small Party of Horse to have ventured thro' all the Guards and take him from off the Scaffold But they could not be got together His Time was come and Providence designed that our Deliverance should be more Just Peaceable and Wonderful and that the Glory as well as the many Blessings we have since enjoyed should be reserved to our Pious and Renouned Monarch King William whom God grant long to Reign over us But the Issue of Blood did not stop with the Duke's Death and the Executions that followed were as Cruel and Barbarous as happened in any Age or the worst of Tyrant's Reigns I am very loath to enter into any of the Particulars since all that have Travelled in the Western Parts have been Eye-witnesses of it for Years after this It were enough to satisfie some to say that Jefferies the Chief Justice now a Peer of England forsooth by the Title of Lord Jefferies Baron of Wen it had been better of Acheron and the first Chief Justice after Hubert de Burg I think that was made so had a Special Commission of Oyer and Terminer to try the poor Wretches But I 'll give a few Particulars The first that fell under his fiery Rage was Alicia Lisle a Woman of extream Age and Relict of John Lisle one of K. Charles â—'s Judges who was Tryed at Winchester for High-Treason for Comforting and Assisting Rebels the Pretence being that she had Concealed Mr. Hicks the Non-conformist Minister and Richard Nelthrop the latter being a perfect Stranger and the former in no Proclamation which made the Jury bring her in 3 times not Guilty But at last Jefferies Threats so far prevailed that she was brought in Guilty of High-Treason and Beheaded for it Yet the Convention after King William came in were so dissatisfied in her Case that tho' they could not restore her to Life they Reversed the Judgment for her Death From thence Jefferies Posts to Dorchester where understanding there were 30 Persons that had been found by the Grand Inquest to have been Assisting the Duke of Monmouthâ— He contrived this Stratagem to dispatch them for when they came upon their Tryals and before they had Pleaded he told them That whosoever Pleaded Not Guilty and was found so should have little time to live and if any expected Favour they must Plead Guilty But the Prisoners would not trust him tho' it had in a manner been all one to them for of the 30 29 were found Guilty and Executed soon after as were â—o more our of 243 who were deluded to Plead Guilty to their Indictments The same was done at Exeter to near as many who were alike deluded as also at Taunton and Wells where Jefferies finished his Bloody Assizes and in which Two Places he Condemned above 500 Persons whereof 239 were Executed and had their Quarters set up in the principal Places and Roads of those Countries to the Terror of Passengers and the great Annoyance of those Parts But Jefferies was not the only Person that was the King's Agent in this bloody Work for Kirk one of his Majesty's good Officers had after the Duke's Defeat caused 90 wounded Men at Taunton to be hanged not only without permiting their Wives and Children to speak to them but with Pipes playing Drums beating and Trumpets sounding and boiled their Quarters in Pitch to set them up in several Parts of the Town Though Kirk was positive afterwards when he was charg'd with being concern'd in such Barbarity That he had Instructions both from the King and his General to do what he did But what Instructions soever Kirk had for what he did Jefferies took to himself a greater Latitude in Reprieving some who had Money and afterwards procuring Pardons for them and he had the Conscience to take 14500 l. of one Man to save him with which be bought a very fine Estate But those poor Wretches who could not purchase Pardons at my Lord's Rate were fairly sold for Slaves into the American Plantations And when Justice could take place no longer out came a Pardon but so ridiculously Cruel as Mr. Coke expresses it as could scarcely be believed for those who made their Escape were not only excepted but also Girls of 8 or 9 Years old who had made a few Colours and presented them to the Duke of Monmouth while he was at Taunton were excepted by Name and no Pardon could be purchased for this Treason till the Girls Parents had paid more for it than would have provided a Marriage-Portion for them when at Age. By all which Passages you have very pregnant Examples not only of the Avarice of the Ministers but the King's Promise to imitate his Brother's Clemency and Tenderness to his People Neither will any Man think his Majesty's Goodness to come short of the rest in his Severity to Mr. Cornish who in Oct. this Year was taken up as he was freely following his Profession and clapt close Prisoner in Newgate without Pen Ink or Paper or any Body to assist him or as much as suffered to come at him and about a Week after was Tryed upon an Indictment of High-Treason for that in the Year 1682 he had promised to be assisting to James late Duke of Monmouth William Russel Esq Sir Thomas Armstrong c. in their Treasons against Charles I. Surely one should think his Brother had a mighty Respect for his Memory But there was another Snake in the Grass Mr. Cornish when Sheriff of London had been very active against the Popish Conspirators so that now nothing less than a Sacrifice of Humane Blood could appease the offended Ghosts of those that perished for that Plot. The only Witness against this poor Gentleman was Col. Rumsey who had plaid his Part before and was easily believed here also though no honest Man would have hanged a Dog upon his Evidence As for what Dick Goodenough said it was not very material though it seemed to have been malicious enough And I 〈◊〉 heard the Rascal with Impudence enough and many cursed Oaths justifie what he said So that the worthy Citizen was
gave a few Moments breathing to the Attack but the Courage wherewith they fell on afresh made the Besieged see it high time to think of a Capitulation which they made a Sign of by hanging out a White Standard upon the Ramparts whereupon Arms were laid down in order to regulate the Articles But this was only an Artifice of Turkish Perfidy to make a feigned shew of Rendition with a real Design to procure a greater Loss to the Besiegers by a brisk and unexpected Sally which so incensed the Venetians that they took a firmer Resolution than ever to put an end to the Siege which had already continued 49 Days wherefore having first swept the Ramparts with their Shot they bravely mounted the Walls and entred the Town where being heated as they were with the Baseness of the Enemy and the Assault they were now engaged in they made a dreadful Slaughter of all the Inhabitants without distinction either of Age or Sex They found in the Place 128 Pieces of Cannon whereof 66 were Brass besides a great Quantity of Ammunition and Provision This Work being now at last happily accomplished by the Captain-General after he had staid so long at Coron till the Fortifications were so far repaired as to make the Place desensible he resolved to do all he could to encourage the People of the Province of Maina in the Disposition they appear'd to be to cast off the Ottoman Yoak And to that Purpose sent the Mainots who came in to him upon the Taking of Corou with some other Troops to attack Zarnata one of the strongest of the 3 Fortresses built by the Turks since the Candian War to keep those People in awe And some Days after having caused the Army to embark the whole Fleet set sail from Coron and the next Day arrived at Chitie about 5â—Miles from Zarnata where they were joined by the Ships that had on Board the Saxon Troops consisting of 3000 Men and from whence the Fleet sailed towards Calamata near which Place the Forces landed again However all these Motions could not be managed with that Expedition and Secresie but that the Captain Basha having notice thereof he dispatched ashoar what Men he could out of the Turkish Gallies which he left at Napoli di Romania securing the Port with great Chains and being joined by a great Body of Horse and Foot marched towards Calamata to keep the Mainotes from revolting to the Venetians This the Captain-General had no sooner Notice of but he sent an Officer to the Garrison of Zarnata to let them know that if they did not immediately surrender the Place they must expect to be treated in the same Manner they of Coron had been Whereupon the Garrison desired that they might send to the Captain Basha to acquaint him with the Condition they were in which was granted But the Officer not returning at the time appointed they gave up the Place on the 11th of Sept. the Men marching away with Bag and Baggage yet the Aga who commanded them fearing he should be ill treated by the Captain Basha staid in the Venetian Camp towards which the Basha was now advanced at the Head of 10000 Men with a Resolution to fight the Christians which the Captain-General Morosini did not decline on his part For he marched towards the Enemy feigning at the same time to make a Descent to give them a Diversion in some other Place For which Purpose he had caused some Troops to embark and commanded the Fleet to keep along the Coast The Venetians who came up with the Enemy on the 14th were drawn up in Battalia by General Degenfield on an advantageous Ground The Turks on the other side having put themselves into a Posture to receive them their Horse fell immediately upon the Venetians Left Wing while a great Body of their Foot at the same time advanced towards their Right at the Head of which was the Prince of Brunswick but they found so brave a Resistance that they were forced to retire yet they presently after returned and charged a second time with greater Fury than before The Fight was maintained with great Courage and Resolution on both sides for a time till at last the Turks being no longer able to keep their Ground fell into Disorder and soon after dispersed and fled leaving a great Number of their Men slain behind them and the Garrison of Calamata to fire the Magazine and abandon the Place which the Venetians immediately took Possession of as they did soon after of Porto Vitulo which the Mainotes took for them Of Chielifa a strong Fortress not far from the other Place and Passavania whereby the Republick became possess'd of the whole Province of Mayna whereof the Captain-General made Seignior Lorenzo Venier Governour and so gloriously ended this Campaign And I shall end this Year with taking Notice that it was fatal to the Liberty of the Reformed Gallican Church the Edicts of Nants and Nismes being utterly revoked by another of the 22th of Oct. and those made null and finite which were looked upon irrevocable and perpetual the Consequence whereof all the World has seen and heard and therefore I shall say nothing of it in this place year 1686 We have left England last with the King 's Dissolving his Parliament now it is time to see a little how he carried himself His Brother had laid the Foundation of making a Parliament Felo de se by hectoring and making Bargains with Corporations to give up their Charters and take new ones from him wherein he reserved a Power that if they did not return such Members as pleased him he would resume the Charters he granted them and herein he made a great Progress But his Keeper and Attorney-General refused to grant Patents to such poor Corporations as could not pay their Fees at length the Keeper having kickt up his Heels last Year and Jefferies advanced to be Lord Chancellor and the Attorney turned out with another put into his Place that would with greater Charity perform the Office these Remora's to the King's Designs were removed Yet there was another Pace to be made still which was to make the Judges in Westminster-Hall to murder the Common Law as well as the King and his Brother designed to murder the Parliament by it self To this End his good Majesty before he would make any Judges would enter into a Bargain with them that they should declare the King's Power of dispensing with the Penal Laws and Tests made against Recusants out of Parliament However it was said the King stumbled at the Threshold for beginning with Sir Thomas Jones who had deserved so well in Mr. Cornish his Tryal and others he boggl'd very much at it saying plainly he could not do it to which the King answered He would have Twelve Judges of his Opinion and Sir Thomas replied He might have 12 Judges of his Opinion but would scarce find Twelve Lawyers to be so But for all this the King went on
the following Memorial and unravelled the Mystery of Skelton's being recalled and sent Prisoner to the Tower for discovering the King's Secrets My Lords THE sincere Desire the King my Master has to maintain the Tranquility of Europe will not suffer His Majesty to see the great Preparations for War both by Sea and Land made by Your Lordships without taking the Measures that Prudence the continual Companion of all His Actions inspires Him with to prevent the Mischiefs these War-like Preparations will certainly draw after them And although the King perswaded of the Wisdom of Your Counsels would not imagine that a Free State should so easily resolve to take up Arms and to kindle a War which in the present Juncture cannot but be fatal to all Christendom Nevertheless His Majesty cannot believe Your Lordships would engage Your Selves in so great Expences both at home and abroad to entertain in Pay so many Foreign Troops to put to Sea so numerous a Fleet so late in the Year and to prepare so great Magazins if You had not a Design formed answerable to the Greatness of these Preparations All these Circumstances and many others that I may not here produce perswade the King my Master with Reason that this Arming threatens England Wherefore His Majesty hath commanded me to declare to You on His part That the Bands of Friendship and Alliance between him and the King of Great Britain will oblige Him not only to assist him but also to look on the first Act of Hostility that shall be committed by Your Troops or Your Fleet against His Majesty of Great Britain as a manifest Rupture of the Peace and a Breach with His Crown I leave it to Your Lordships Prudence to reflect on the Consequences that such Actions may have His Majesty not having ordered me to make You this Declaration on His Part without His sincere Intention to prevent as I have already had the Honour to tell You all that may trouble the Peace of Europe Given at the Hague Septemb. 9 1688. But for all this Things were in England in the utmost Disorder and Security all that ever the King or Country could do could not keep the Army within any tolerable Bounds And tho' there was so great a Storm gathering in Holland yet so stupid were the Popish Drivers that nothing would serve them but filling the Army with Irish Men who were likely still to be more disorderly and more hated But this was vigorously opposed by Lieutenant-Colonel Beaumont and other Officers in the Duke of Berwick's Regiment The former in the name of the rest making the following speech to the Duke upon the occasion Sir I am desired by these Gentlemen with whose Sense I concur to inform your Grace that we don't think it consistent with our Honours to have Foreigners imposed upon us without being complain'd of that our Companies were weak or Orders to recruit them not doubting but if such Orders had been given us We that first in very ill times raised them Hundreds could easily now have made them according to the Kings Complement We humbly Petition we may have leave to fill up our Companies with such men of our Nation we may judge most suitable for the Kings Service and to support our Honours or that we may be permitted with all imaginable Duty and Respect to lay down our Commissions Of this an Account was forthwith transmitted to the King then at Windsor who immediately ordered a Party of Horse down to Portsmouth to bring them up in Custody and a Court-Marshal was ordered to proceed against them And if the Memorial of the French Ambassador had not come in that very Morning to shew them their Danger they had in all probability lost their Lives for it but now they contented themselves with only casheering of them By this time there was certain Intelligence brought that the Preparations in Holland were designed against England And the King in his Proclamation of the 28th of Sept. gave convincing Proofs that himself believed it and so he ordered new Levies to be made and began to turn Cat in â—an by declaring in Council Octb. 2d that he would restore the Charter of the City of London And the Ministers were by this time become so sensible of their Danger that they procured a General Pardon On Wednesday October the 3d. the Archbishop of Canterbury Ì„Ì„ and the Bishops of London Winchester St. Asaph Ely Chichester Rochester Bath and Wells and Peterborough all in a Body waited upon the King when the Archbishop spoke thus to him May it please Your Sacred Majesty WHen I had lately the Honour to wait upon you you were pleased briefly to acquaint me with what had passed two days before between your Majesty and these my Reverend Brethren by which and by the Account which they themselves gave me I perceived that in truth there passed nothing but in very general Terms and Expressions of your Majesties gracious and favourable Inclinations to the Church of England and of our reciprocal Duty and Loyalty to your Majesty Both which were sufficiently understood and declared before and as one of my Brethren then told you would have been in the same state if the Bishops had not stir'd one foot out of their Diocesses Sir I found it grieved my Lords the Bishops to have come so far and to have done so little and I am assured they came then prepared to have given your Majesty some more particular Instances of their Duty and Zeal for your Service had they not apprehended from some words which fell from your Majesty That you were not then at leisure to receive them It was for this Reason that I then besought your Majesty to command us once more to attend you all together which your Majesty was pleased graciously to allow and encourage We therefore are here now before you with all Humility to beg your Permission that we may suggest to your Majesty such Advices as we think proper at this Season and conducing to your Service and so leave them to your Princely Consideration Which the King being graciously pleased to permit the Archbishop proceeded as followeth I. Our first humble Advice is That your Majesty will be graciously pleased to put the Management of your Government in the several Counties into the Hands of such of the Nobility and Gentry there as are legally qualified for it II. That your Majesty will be graciously pleased to annul your Commission for Ecclesiastical Affairs and that no such Court as that Commission sets up may be erected for the future III. That your Majesty will graciously be pleased That no Dispensation may be granted or continued by Virtue whereof any person not duly qualified by Law hath been or may be put into any Place Office or Preferment in Church or State or in the Vniversities or continued in the same especially such as have Cure of Souls annexed to them and in particular that you will be graciously pleased to restore the
a height as had not been seen They dispersed Libels of me every day told the King that I betrayed him that I ruined him by perswading him to make such shameful Condescentions but most of all by hindring the securing the chief of the disaffected Nobility and Gentry which was proposed as a certain way to break all the Prince's Measures and by advising His Majesty to call a Free-Parliament and to depend upon that rather than upon Foreign Assistance It is true I did give him those Counsels which were called weak to the last Moment he suffered me in his Service then I was accused of holding Correspondence with the Prince and it was every where said amongst them That no better could be expected from a Man so related as I was to the Bedford and Leicester Families and so allied to Duke Hamilton and the Marquess of Halifax After this Accusations of High Treason were brought against me which with some other Reasons relating to Affairs Abroad drew the King's Displeasure upon me so as to turn me out of all without any Consideration and yet I thought I escaped well expecting nothing less than the loss of my Head as my Lord Middleton can tell and I believe none about the Court thought otherwise nor had it been otherwise if my Disgrace had been deferred a day longer all things being prepared for it I was put out the 27th of October the Roman Catholicks having been two Months working the King up to it without Intermission besides the several Attacks they had made upon me before and the unusal Assistance they obtained to do what they thought so necessary for the carrying on their Affairs of which they never had greater hope than at that time as may be remembred by any who were then at London But you desired I would say something to you of Ireland which I will do in very few Words but exactly true My Lord Tyrconnell has been so absolute there that I never had the Credit to make an Ensign er keep one in nor to preserve some of my Friends for whom I was much concern'd from the last Oppression and Injustice tho' I endeavoured it to the utmost of my Power But yet with Care and Diligence being upon the place and he absent I diverted the Calling a Parliament there which was designed to alter the Acts of Settlement Chief Justice Nugent and Baron Rice were sent over with a Draught of an Act for that purpose furnished with all the pressing Arguments could be thought on to persuade the King and I was offered forty thousand pounds for my Concurrence which I told to the King and shewed him at the same time the Injustice of what was proposed to him and the prejudice it would be to that Country with so good success that he resolved not to think of it that Year and perhaps never This I was help'd in by some Friends particularly my Lord Godolphin who knows it to be true and so do the Judges before named and several others I cannot omit saying something of France there having been so much talk of a League between the two Kings I do protest I never knew of any and if there were such a thing it was carried on by other sort of Men last Summer Indeed French Ships were offered to joyn with our Fleet and they were refused since the noise of the Prince's Design more Ships were offered and it was agreed how they should be commanded if ever desired I opposed to Death the accepting of them as well as any Assistance of Men and can say most truly that I was the Principal Means of hindring both by the help of some Lords with whom I consulted every day and they with me to prevent what we thought would be of great prejudice if not ruinous to the Nation If the Report is true of Men Ships and Money intended lately for England out of France it was agreed upon since I was out of Business or without my Knowledge if it had been otherwise I believe no Body thinks my Disgrace would have happened My greatest Misfortune has been to be thought the Promoter of those Things I opposed and detested whilst some I could name have been the Inventors and Contrivers of what they have had the Art to lay upon others and I was often foolishly willing to bear what my Master would have done tho' I used all possible Endeavours against it I lie under many other Misfortunes and Afflictions extream heavy but I hope they have brought me to reflect on the occasion of them the loose negligent unthinking Life I have hitherto led having been perpetually hurried away from all good Thoughts by Pleasure Idleness the Vanity of the Court or by Business I hope I say that I shall overcome all the Disorders my former Life had brought upon me and that I shall spend the remaining part of it in Begging of Almighty God that he will please either to put an end to my Sufferings or to give me Strength to bear them one of which he will certainly grant to such as rely on him which I hope I do with the Submission that becomes a good Christian I would enlarge on this Subject but that I fear you might think something else to be the reason of it besides a true Sense of my Faults and that obliges me to restrain my self at present I believe you will repent in having engaged me to give you this Account but I cannot the doing of what you desire of me What followed next were various Reports concerning the loss the Dutch Fleet had sustained in a Storm which to amuse us was heightned in their own Prints and about the same time a Parcel of the Prince of Orange's Declarations being intercepted in London when that Expression came to be read That the Prince was most earnestly invited hither by divers of the Lords both Spiritual and Temporal and by many Gentlemen and others the King sent for some of the Bishops and required a Paper under their Hands in Abhorrence of the Prince's intended Invasion But they refused to do it as contrary to their Privilege of Peerage and their Profession in promoting War against a Prince so nearly allyed to the Crown and earnestly desired that might be left to a Free Parliament at which the King parted from them with great Indignation The Wind had been now for almost 3 Weeks perpetually West during which time the common Question every Morning was Have we a Protestant Wind yet And a Seaman was observed to curse the Dragon on Bow-Steeple for turning his Head where his Tail should be But in the latter end of Oct. the Wind came Easterly to the great Sorrow of the Roman Catholicks and the Joy of the rest of the Nation And when almost all Men expected the Invasion would have fallen in the North and nothing talked of but Burlington-Bay as a Landing-Place on the 3d of Nov. between 10 and 11 a Clock the Dutch Fleet was discovered about Half-Seas over
of the Protestant Religion and that by their Taking of the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and the Test yet these evil Counsellors have in effect annulled and abolished all those Laws which relate to Ecclesiastical and Civil Employment VII In order to Ecclesiastical Dignities and Offices they have not only without any colour of Law but against most express Laws to the contrary set up a Commission of a certain number of Persons to whom they committed the Cognisance and Direction of all Ecclesiastical Matters in the which Commission there has been and still is one of His Majesty's Ministers of State who makes now publick profession of the Popish Religion and who at the time of his first professing it declared that for a great while before he had believed that to be the only true Religion By all this the deplorable State to which the Protestant Religion is reduced is apparent since the Affairs of the Church of England are now put into the Hands of Persons who have accepted of a Commission that is manifestly illegal and who have executed it contrary to all Law and that now one of their chief Members has abjured the Protestant Religion and declared himself a Papist by which he is become uncapable of holding any Publick Imployment The said Commissioners have hitherto given such Proof of their Submission to the Directions given them that there is no Reason to doubt but they will still continue to promote all such Designs as will be most agreeable to them And those Evil Counsellors take care to raise none to any Ecclesiastical Dignities but Persons that have no Zeal for the Protestant Religion and that hide their unconcernedness for it under the specious pretence of Moderation The said Commissioners have suspended the Bishop of London only because he refused to obey an Order that was sent him to suspend a worthy Divine without so much as citing him before him to make his own Defence or observing the common Forms of Process They have turnd out a President chosen by the Fellows of Magdalen College and afterwards all the Fellows of that College without so much as citing them before any Court that could take legal Cognisance of that Affair or obtaining any Sentence against them by a competent Judge And the only Reason that was given for turning them out was their refusing to chuse for their President a person that was recommended to them by the Instigation of those Evil Counsellors though the Right of a Free Election belonged undoubtedly to them But they were turned out of their Free-Holds contrary to Law and to that express provision in the Magna Charta That no Man shall lose Life or Goods but by the Law of the Land And now these Evil Counsellors have put the said College wholly into the Hands of Papists tho' as is abovesaid they are incapable of all such Employments both by the Law of the Land and the Statutes of the College These Commissioners have also cited before them all the Chancellors and Arch Deacons of England requiring them to certifie to them the Names of all such Clergy-men as have Read the King's Declaration for Liberty of Conscience and of such as have not Read it without considering that the Reading thereof was not enjoyned the Clergy by the Bishops who are their Ordnaries The Illegality and Incompetency of the said Court of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners was so notoriously known and it did so evidently appear that it tended to the Subversion of the Protestant Religion that the Most Reverend Father in God William Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitan of England seeing that it was raised for no other End but to oppress such Persons as were of eminent Vertue Learning and Piety refused to sit or to concur in it VIII And tho' there are many express Laws against all Churches or Chapels for the Exercise of the Popish Religion and also against all Monasteries and Convents and more particularly against the Order of the Jesuites yet those Evil Counsellors have procured Orders for the Building of several Churches and Chapels for the Exercise of that Religion They have also procured divers Monasteries to be Erected and in contempt of the Laws they have not only set up several Colleges of Jesuites in divers places for the corrupting of the Youth but have raised up one of the Order to be a Privy-Counsellor and a Minister of State By all which they do evidently shew that they are restrained by no Rules of Law whatsoever but that they have subjected the Honours and Estates of the Subjects and the Established Religion to a Despotick Power and to Arbitrary Government In all which they are served and seconded by those Ecclesiastical Commissioners IX They have also followed the same Methods with relation to Civil Affairs for they have procured Orders to examine all Lord-Lieutenants Deputy-Lieutenants Sheriffs Justices of Peace and all others that were in any Publick Employment if they would concur with the King in the Repeal of the Test and Penal Laws and all such whose Consciences did not suffer them to comply with their Designs were turned out and others were put in their Places whom they believed would be more compliant to them in their Designs of defeating the Intent and Execution of those Laws which had been made with so much Care and Caution for the Security of the Protestant Religion And in many of these Places they have put professed Protestants tho' the Law has disabled them and warranted the Subjects not to have any Regard to their Orders X. They have also invaded the Privileges and seized on the Charters of most of those Towns that have a Right to be Represented by their Burgesses in Parliament and have procured Surrenders to be made of them by which the Magistrates in them have delivered up all their Rights and Privileges to be disposed of at the Pleasure of those Evil Counsellors who have thereupon placed new Magistrates in those Towns such as they can most entirely confide in and in many of them they put Popish Magistrates notwithstanding the Incapacities under which the Law has put them XI And whereas no Nation whatsoever can subsist without the Administration of good and impartial Justice upon which Mens Lives Liberties Honours and Estates do depend those Evil Counsellors have subjected these to an Arbitrary and Despotick Power In the most important Affairs they have studied to discover before-hand the Opinions of the Judges and have turned out such as they found would not conform themselves to their Intentions and have put others in their Places of whom they were more assured without having any regard to their Abilities And they have not stuck to raise even professed Papists to the Courts of Judicature notwithstanding their Incapacity by Law and that no Regard is due to any Sentences flowing from them They have carried this so far as to deprive such Judges who in common Administration of Justice shewed that they were governed by their Consciences
these our good Intentions that they have endeavoured to alienate the King more and more from us as if we had designed to disturb the Quiet and Happiness of the Kingdom XVIII The last and great Remedy for all these Evils is the Calling of a Parliament for securing the Nation against those evil Practices of those wicked Counsellors but this could not be yet compassed nor can be easily brought about For those Men apprehending that a Lawful Parliament being once Assembled they would be brought to an Account for all their open Violations of Law and for their Plots and Conspiracies against the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of the Subjects they have endeavoured under the specious Pretence of Liberty of Conscience first to sow Divisions among Protestants between those of the Church of England and Dissenters The Design being laid to engage Protestants that are equally concerned to preserve themselves from Popish Oppression into Mutual Quarrellings that so by these some Advantages may be given to them to bring about their Designs and that both in the Election of Members of Parliament and afterwards in the Parliament it self For they see well that if all Protestants could enter into a good understanding one with another and concur together in the preserving of their Religion it would not be possible for them to compass their wicked Ends. They have also required all Persons in the several Counties of England that either were in any Employment or were in any considerable Esteem to declare before-hand that they would concur in the Repeal of the Penal Laws and that they would give their Voices in the Elections to Parliament only for such as would concur in it Such as would not thus preingage themselves were turn'd out of all Employments and others who entred into those Engagements were put in their Places many of them being Papists And contrary to the Charters and Priviledges of those Boroughs that have a Right to send Burgesses to Parliament they have ordered such Regulations to be made as they thought fit and necessary for assuring themselves of all the Members that are to be chosen by those Corporations and by this means they hope to avoid that Punishment which they have deserved tho' it is apparent that all Acts made by Popish Magistrates are null and void of themselves So that no Parliament can be Lawful for which the Elections and Returns are made by Popish Magistrates Sheriffs and Mayors of Towns and therefore as long as the Authority and Magistracy is in such Hands it is not possible to have any Lawful Parliament And tho' according to the Constitution of the English Government and Immemorial Custom all Elections of Parliament-Men ought to be made with an entire Liberty without any sort of Force or the requiring the Electors to chuse such Persons as shall be named to them and the Persons thus freely Elected ought to give their Opinions freely upon all Matters that are brought before them having the Good of the Nation ever before their Eyes and following in all things the Dictates of their Conscience yet now the People of England cannot expect a Remedy from a Free Parliament Legally Called and Chosen But they may perhaps see one Called in which all Elections will be carried by Fraud or Force and which will be composed of such Persons of whom those evil Counsellors hold themselves well assured in which all things will be carried on according to their Direction and Interest without any regard to the Good or Happiness of the Nation Which may appear evidently from this That the same Persons tried the Members of the last Parliament to gain them to consent to the Repeal of the Test and Penal Laws and procured that Parliament to be dissolved when they found that they could not neither by Promises nor Threatnings prevail with the Members to comply with their wicked Design XIX But to Crown all there are great and violent Presumptions inducing us to believe that those Evil Counsellors in order to the carrying on their ill Designs and to the gaining to themselves the more time for the effecting of them for the Encouragement of their Complices and for the discouraging of all good Subjects have publish'd That the Queen hath brought forth a Son tho' there have appeared both during the Queen's pretended Bigness and in the manner in which the Birth was managed so many just and visible Grounds of Suspicion that not only we our selves but all the Good Subjects of this Kingdom do vehemently suspect That the pretended Prince of Wales was not born by the Queen And it was notoriously known to all the World that many both doubted of the Queen's Bigness and of the Birth of the Child and yet there was not any one thing done to satisfie them or put an end to their Doubts XX. And since Our dearest and most entirely Beloved Consort the Princess and likewise We Our Selves have so great an Interest in this Matter and such a Right as all the World knows to the Succession to the Crown Since all the English did in the Year 1672. when the States General of the Vnited Provinces were invaded with a most unjust War use their utmost Endeavours to put an end to that War and that in Opposition to those who were then in the Government and by their so doing they run the hazard of losing both the Favour of the Court and their Employments And since the English Nation has ever testified a most particular Affection and Esteem both to our dearest Consort the Princess and to Our selves We cannot excuse our selves from espousing their Interest in a Matter of such High Consequence And for contributing all that lies in us for the maintaining both of the Protestant Religion and of the Laws and Liberties of those Kingdoms and for the Securing to them the continual Enjoyment of all their just Rights To the doing of which We are most earnestly sollicited by a great many Lords both Sipiritual and Temporal and by many Gentlemen and other Subjects of all Ranks XXI Therefore it is That We have thought fit to go over to England and to carry over with us a Force sufficient by the Blessing of God to defend us from the Violence of those Evil Counsellors And We being desirous that our Intentions in this might be rightly understood have for this end prepared this Declaration in which as We have hitherto given a True Account of the Reasons inducing us to it so we now think fit to declare That this our Expedition is intended for no other Design but to have a Free and Lawful Parliament Assembled as soon as it is possible and that in order to this all the late Charters by which the Elections of Burgesses are limitted contrary to the Ancient Custom shall be considered as null and of no Force And likewise all Magistrates who have been unjustly turned out shall forthwith resume their former Employments as well as all the Boroughs of England shall return
again to their Ancient Prescriptions and Charters And more particularly that the Ancient Charter of the Great and Famous City of London shall again be in Force And that the Writs for the Members of Parliament shall be Addressed to the proper Officers according to Law and Custom That also none be suffered to chuse or to be chosen Members of Parliament but such as are qualified by Law And that the Members of Parliament being thus chosen they shall meet and sit in full Freedom that so the Two Houses may concur in the preparing such Laws as they upon full and free Debate shall judge necessary and convenient both for the Confirming and Executing the Law concerning the Test and such others Laws as are necessary for the Security and Maintenance of the Protestant Religion as likewise for making such Laws as may Establish a good Agreement between the Church of England and all Protestant Dissenters as also for the Covering and Securing of all such who live peaceably under the Government as becomes good Subjects from all Persecution upon the Account of their Religion even Papists themselves not excepted and for the doing of all other things which the Two Houses of Parliament shall find necessary for the Peace Honour and Safety of the Nation so that there may be no more Danger of the Nation 's falling at any time hereafter under Arbitrary Government To this Parliament we will refer the Enquiry into the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales and of all things relating to it and to the Right of Succession XXII And We for our part will concur in every thing that may procure the Peace and Happiness of the Nation which a Free and Lawful Parliament shal determine since we have nothing before our Eyes in this our Undertaking but the Preservation of the Protestant Religion the Covering of all Men from Persecution for their Consciences and the Securing the whole Nation the Free Enjoyment of all their Laws Rights and Liberties under a just and legal Government XXIII This is the Design that We have proposed to our selves in appearing upon this Occasion in Arms in the Conduct of which we will keep the Forces under our Command under all the Strictness of Martial Discipline and take special Care That the People of the Countries through which we must march shal not suffer by their Means and as soon as the State of the Nation will admit of it we promise That we will send back all those Foreign Forces that we have brought along with us XXIV We do therefore hope That all People will judge rightly of us and approve of these our Proceedings But we chiefly rely on the Blessing of God for the Success of this our Undertaking in which we place our whole and only Confidence XXV We do in the last place invite and require all Persons whatsoever all the â—eers of the Realm both Spiritual and Temporal all Lords-Lieutenants Deputy-Lieutenants and all Gentlemen Citizens and other Commons of all Ranks to come and assist Us in order to the Executing of this our Design against all such as shall endeavour to oppose us that so we may prevent all those Miseries which must needs follow upon the Nations being kept under Arbitrary Government and Slavery And that all the Violences and Disorders which have overturned the whole Constitution of the English Government may be fully redressed in a Free and Legal Parliament XXVI And we do likewise resolve That as soon as the Nation is brought to a state of Quiet we will take care that a Parliament shall be called in Scotland for Restoring the Ancient Constitution of that Kingdom and for bringing the Matters of Religion to such a Settlement that the People may live easie and happy and for putting an end to all the unjust Violences that have been in a Course of so many Years committed there We will also study to bring the Kingdom of Ireland to such a State that the Settlement there may be Religiously observed and that the Protestant and British Interest there may be secured And we will endeavour by all possible means to procure such an Establishment in all the Three Kingdoms that they may all live in a happy Union and Correspondence together and that the Protestant Religion and the Peace Honour and Happiness of those NATIONS may be Established upon Lasting Foundations Given under Our Hand and Seal at Our Court in the Hague the 10th Day of October in the Year of Our Lord 1688. WILLIAM HENRY Prince of Orange By His Highness's Special Command C. HUYGENS. To this Declaration the Prince upon further Information of things thought fit to add another to this purpose AFter we had Prepared and Printed this Our Declaration we have understood that the Subverters of the Religion and Laws of these Kingdoms hearing of our Preparations to assist the People against them have began to retract some of the Arbitrary and Despotick Power that they had assumed and to vacate some of their unjust Judgments and Decrees The Sense of their Guilt and the Distrust of their Force have induced them to offer to the City of London some seeming Relief from their great Oppressions hoping thereby to quiet the People and to divert them from demanding a Re-establishment of their Religion and Laws under the shelter of our Arms They do also give out That we do intend to Conquer and Enslave the Nation and therefore it is we have thought fit to add a few Words to our Declaration VVe are confident That no Persons can have such hard Thoughts of us as to imagine we have any other Design in this our Undertaking than to procure a Settlement of the Religion and of the Liberties and Properties of the Subjects upon so sure a Foundation that there may be no Danger of the Nation 's Relapsing into the like Miseries at any time hereafter And as the Forces we have brought along with us are utterly disproportioned to that Wicked Design of Conquering the Nation if we were capable of intending it so the great Numbers of the Principal Nobility and Gentry that are Men of Eminent Quality and Estates and Persons of known Integrity and Zeal both for the Religion and Government of ENGLAND many of them being also distinguished by their Constant Fidelity to the Crown who do both accompany us in this Expedition and have earnestly sollicited us to it will cover us from all such Malicious Insinuations For it is not to be imagined that either those who have invited us or those who are already come to assist us can join in a wicked Attempt of Conquest to make void their own Lawful Titles to their Honours Estates and Interests We are also confident That all Men see how little Weight there is to be laid on all Promises and Engagements that can be now made since there has been so little regard had in the time past to the most solemn Promises And as that imperfect Redress that is now offer'd is a plain
forth a Declaration of War against the French King which was to this purpose Their Majesties Declaration against the French King WILLIAM R. IT having pleased God to make Us the happy Instrument of Rescuing these Nations from great and imminent Dangers and to place Us upon the Throne of these Kingdoms we think our selves obliged to endeavour to the uttermost to promote the Welfare of our People which can never be effectually secured but by preventing the Miseries that threaten them from abroad When we consider the many unjust Methods the French King hath of late years taken to gratifie his Ambition that he has not only invaded the Territories of the Emperor and of the Empire now in Amity with us laying waste whole Countries and destroying the Inhabitants by his Armies but declared War against our Allies without any Provocation in manifest Violation of the Treaties confirmed by the Guaranty of the Crown of England we can do no less than joyn with our Allies in opposing the Designs of the French King as the Disturber of the Peace and the common Enemy of the Christian World And besides the Obligations we lie under by Treaties with our Allies which are a sufficient Justification of Us for taking up Arms at this time since they have called upon us so to do the many Injuries done to Us aud to our Subjects without any Reparation by the French King are such that however of late years they were not taken notice of for Reasons well known to the World nevertheless we will not pass them over without a publick and just Resentment of such Outrages It is not long since the French took Licences from the English Governour of Newfound-Land to Fish in the Seas upon that Coast and paid a Tribute for such Licences as an Acknowledgment of the sole Right of the Crown of England to that Island and yet of late the Encroachments of the French upon our said Island and our Subjects Trade and Fishery have been more like the Invasions of an Enemy than becoming Friends who enjoy'd the Advantages of that Trade only by Permission But that the French King should invade our Charibbee Islands and possess himself of our Territories of the Province of New-York and of Hudson's Bay in a hostile manner seizing our Forts burning our Subjects Houses and enriching his People with the spoil of their Goods and Merchandizes detaining some of our Subjects under the Hardship of Imprisonment causing others to be inhumanely kill'd and driving the rest to Sea in a small Vessel without Food or Necessaries to support them are Actions not becoming even an Enemy and yet he was so far from declaring himself so that at that very time he was negotiating here in England by his Ministers a Treaty of Neutrality and good Correspondence in America The Proceedings of the French King against our Subjects in Europe are so notorious that we shall not need to enlarge upon them his countenancing the Seizure of English Ships by French Privateers forbidding the Importation of a great part of the Product and Manufactures of our Kingdom and imposing exorbitant Customs upon the rest notwithstanding the vast Advantage he and the French Nation reap by their Commerce with England are sufficient Evidences of his Designs to destroy the Trade and consequently to ruin the Navigation upon which the Wealth and Safety of this Nation very much depends The Right of the Flag inherent in the Crown of England has been disputed by his Orders in Violation of our Sovereignty of the Narrow Seas which in all Ages has been asserted by our Predecessors and we are resolv'd to maintain for the Honour of our Crown and of the English Nation But that which must nearly touch us is his unchristian Prosecution of many of our English Protestant Subjects in France for Matters of Religion contrary to the Law of Nations and express Treaties forcing them to abjure their Religion by strange and unusual Cruelties and imprisoning some of the Masters and Seamen of our Merchants Ships and condemning others to the Gallies upon pretence of having on Board either some of his own miserable Protestant Subjects or their Effects And lastly As he has for some years last past endeavoured by Insinuations and Promises of Assistance to overthrow the Government of England so now by open and violent Methods and the actual Invâ—sion of Our Kingdom of Ireland in support of our Subjects in Arms and in Rebellion against Us he is promoting the utter Extirpation of our good and loyal Subjects in that our Kingdom Being therefore thus necessitated to take up Arms and relying on the help of Almighty God in our just Undertaking We have thought fit to Declare and do hereby Declare War against the French King and that We will in Conjunction with our 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 our Subjects in support of so good a Cause hereby willing and requiring our General of our Forces our Commissioners for executing the Office of High Admiral our Lieutenants of our several Counties Governours of our Forts and Garisons and all other Officers and Soldiers under them by Sea and Land to do and execute all acts of Hostility in the Prosecution of this War against the French King his Vassals and Subjects and to oppose their Attempts Willing and Requiring all our Subjects to take notice of the same whom we henceforth strictly forbid to hold any Correspondence or Communication with the said French King or his Subjects And because there are remaining in our Kingdoms many of the Subjects of the French King We do Declare and give our Royal Word That all such of the French Nation as shall demean themselves dutifully towards us and not correspond with our Enemies shall be safe in their Persons and Estates and free from all molestation and trouble of any kind Given at our Court at Hampton-Court the 7th day of May. 1689 in the first Year of our Reign God save King William and Queen Mary I shall not meddle with the Declaration nor pretend to defend the Justice of it for I think it carries its own light with it but return to the late King who upon his Arrival in Ireland found himself not mistaken as to the Number of his Party which was indeed very strong and almost all the Country at his Devotion the greatest part of the Protestants having before upon their disappointment of Arms Ammunition Commissions and some Forces from England either deserted it or those that staid behind very unable to make any Resistance However they made some shew of forming an Army but were quickly routed by Lieutenant General Hamilton at a place called Drummore Mar. 15th which gave occasion to the late King and Tirconnel to take away the Arms and Horses of the rest of the Protestants except those that fled to Londonderry and some few that went towards Iniskilling who about
his Boot but did all that the greatest of Captains could do upon this Occasion he chose the Field drew up his Army gave out his general Orders where-ever he was in Person and demeaned himself throughout with that Gallantry Resolution and Presence of Mind so peculiar to himself and was such a Poise for the Inclination of the Battel to his own side that even his very Enemies confess'd That if we changed Kings with them they would fight the Battel over again with us For the late King during most of the time stood with some Squadrons of Horse upon the Hill called Dunmore and when the Officer that commanded saw from thence how ill it went with their Friends below and as it was said moved his Master that they might go down and help them His answer was What will you leave me alone and so march'd off to Duleek and from thence in great haste to Dublin where the first News was That the English General was kill'd and the Prince of Orange as they called him taken Prisoner But of this they were quickly undeceived My Lady Tyrconnell when he got into the Castle asked him what he would have for Supper who told her what a Breakfast he had had which made him have but little Stomach for his Supper And next Morning after having told the Citizens that he was necessitated to yield to Force and some such Stuff and that they were become a Prey to the Conqueror but that he should not cease to labour their Deliverance as long as he liued he posted away for Waterford where he arrived the same day taking care to have the Bridges broken down behind him for fear of being pursued and where he went on board a Vessel called The Count de Isauzun that was ready to receive him But the Sieâ—r Foran Chief of the Squadron meeting him at Sea obliged him to go on board one of his Frigats for his quicker Passage and so he got once more into France In the mean time the English Army rested the next day after the Battel to refresh themselves while 5 Battalions of Foot and 4 Squadrons of Horse were detatch'd under the Command of Mounsieur Melonier to take in Drogheda the Governour whereof received the first Summons very indifferently but at last considering better of it and believing now the Irish Army to have been totally routed he laid hold of the Offers made him and the Garrison march'd out of the place with their Baggage only leaving their Arms behind them King James had no sooner left Dublin but the Protestants took Possession of it and the Duke of Ormâ—nd whom the King sent thither found Captain Farloâ— Governour who but two days before had been Prisoner and the King himself with his Army arrived at Finglass within 2 Miles of the City on the 5th of July from whence he went next day to St. Patrick's Church but returned after Dinner to the Camp where 2 days after he set out his Declaration to the Irish assuring all under such a Quality of his Protection and then divided the Army going himself with the greatest part of it beyond Dublin in order to march Westward sending at the same time Lieutenant General Douglass with 3 Regiments of Horse 2 of Dragoons and 10 of Foot towards Athlone which is 50 Miles N. of Dublin He having sent out a Party while on his March to get Intelligence besides a great Prey of Cattle which they brought from the Enemies Quarters they also took two Spies with Letters from Athlone one of which was to advise one Tute to defend an Island nigh Mullingar in which he had store of Horses and several things of Value And in another which was from an Officer in Athlone to his Father in the Country There was Information given That the Earl of Tyrconnell the Duke of Berwick and several great Officers were come to Limerick with a good Body of Horse and that their Army would be there in 2 or 3 days so that they would make either a Hog or a Dog on 't as he express'd it That the Dauphin was landed in England with a great Army That the French had beat the English and Dutch Fleets That Duke Schomberg was dead and it was said the Prince of Orange was so too That their King was gone for France but it was no great matter said he where he was for they were better without him which shews they had no great Opinion of him And after the Letter was sealed he writ on the out-side Just now we have an Accout by a Gentleman that is come from Dubâ—in That Orange is certainly dead so that all will be well again From Mullingar Douglass conntinued his March and July 17th reached Athlone Incamping within a quarter of a Mile of the Town from whence he sent a Drum to summon it But old Colonel Grace the Governour fired a Pistol at him and sent word Those were the Terms he was for The Place was strong by Nature and Art and our Force not very considerable for that Enterprise however they contrived some Batteries and planted 2 Field-pieces which did the Enemies Guns some Damageâ— and an 150 Men out of each Regiment were ordered to make and carry Fascines And about the 19th they had a Battery of 6 Guns finish'd nigh the Bridge-end which plaid upon the Castle and made a small Breach towards the top But the Train was too small for the Enterprise However the firing continued on both sides but the Misfortune of Mr. Nelson the best Gunner being killed with a small Shot and the News that Sarssield was was advancing with 15000 Men to raise the Siege made the General to send all his sick and wounded Men towards Mullingar and next day in the he Evening called all the Colonels to a Council of War where he told the Necessity of raising the Siege especially since he had but very little Bread all the while and that there was some Reason to believe the Irish Army would cut off his Communication from Dublin So that there were Orders given to be ready to march at 12 that Night when the Baggage was sent away and at break of day the 25th the Army followed having lost about 30 Men before the Town but their number was diminished thro' other Distasters at least 3 or 400. The King in the mean time moving Westward as we informed you reach'd Kill-Kullen-Bridge July 11thâ— and being himself that Morning passing by the Ness and seeing a Soldier robbing a poor Woman he was so much inraged at it that he beat him first with his Cane and gave Orders that he and divers others guilty of the like Disobedienceâ— should be hanged the Munday following But tho' some People were so Audacious as to put an ill Construction upon this Action of the King 's yet it had so good an Effect upon that part of the Army that the Country was secured from any Violence done by the Soldiers during that whole March to
Commalin Castle-Durmont and so beyond Carlow from whence he sent forward a Party of Horse under the Command of the Duke of Ormond to take Possession of Kill-kenny and so to secure the Protestants and other Inhabitants of the adjacent Countries from being plundered by the Enemy for by this time some of them begun to look behind them and to return to take along what they had not Time nor Conveniency to carry of at first From Carlow the Army passed on to Kells thence to Loughland-bridge and so to Bennet's Bridge 3 Miles to the N. E. of Killkenny and upon the 19th of July His Majesty dined with the Duke of Ormond at his Castle of Killkenny which had the good Luck to have been preserved by Count Lauzun with all the Goods and Furniture and left in a good Condition not without the Cellar well stored with what they had not time to drink at their going off Munday the 21st the Army encamped at Carruck from whence Major General Kirk with his own Regiment and Colonel Brewers as also a Party of Horse were sent towards Waterford more Forces designing to follow When he came before the Place he sent to summon the Town by a Trumpet who at first refused to surrender there being 2 Regiments then in Garrison However their Refusal was in such civil Terms that their Inclinations were easily understood for soon after they sent out to know what Terms they might have which were the same with Drogâ—eda But not liking those they proposed some of their own which were rejected and the heavy Cannon drawn down that way and some more Forces ordered to march When the Irish understood this they agreed to march out with Arms and Baggage on the 25th and were conducted to Mallow The Fort Dunâ—annon a strong and regular Place and well fortified with Guns was also surrendred into his Majesty's Hands upon the same Terms with Waterford which last place was view'd by the King the day it was given up who took great care that no Persons should be disturbed in their Houses or Goods and here the Lord Dovâ—t was admitted into a more particular Protection from his Majesty as having formerly applied himself when the King was at Hillsborough by Major General Kirk's means to desire a Pass for himself and Family to Flanders July the 27th the King left the Camp at Carrick and went towards Dublin in order for England which occasioned various Speculations and some fears that the Affairs of this Kingdom were in no pleasing Posture He left the Command of the Army to Count Solms lay that Night at Carlow and upon some Advice from England exprest himself doubtful whether to go over or return to the Army However he went on to Chappell Izard and spent there some time to hear divers Complaints and redress several Grievances He publish'd a second Declaration to confirm the former and ordered a weekly Fast But having a further Account from England that several wicked Designs were discovered and prevented the loss at Sea not so considerable and that the French had only burnt one small Village in the West of England and so gone off again he resolved to retuâ—â— to the Army which he did on the 22d of Aug. at Golden-bridge and by the 27th â—eached Carrigallis where Lieutenant General Douglas joined him next day and on which in the Morning early my Lord Portland and Brigadeer Stewart were sent towards Limerick with 700 Horse and Foot who advanced within Cannon-shot of the Town with little Opposition from the Enemy and before whose return the King himself accompanied by the Prince my Lord Overkirk Lieutenant General 〈◊〉 and divers other great Officers with about 300 Horse went very near the Town and drove in a Party of the Enemy's Horse who made a shew of opposing them On the 9th the whole Army made its approach in excellent Order For no sooner had the Pioneers cut the Hedges that were in the way but the Men advanced which made the Enemy draw backwards till they came to a narrow Pass between a Bogs within half a Mile of the Town which was not above 150 Yards and this full of Hedges and other Incumbrances Herein however there were Lanes that led to the Town the middlemost being the broadest where stood the Irish Horse To the right and left of which the Hedges were lined all with â—â—â—squeteers of whom the English Foot were now got within less than 200 Yards The detacht Party of Foot was upon the Advance towards the Center The Horse a little to the right of them the Danes to the left And the blew Dutch with several English Regiments upon the right And all this in such Decorum that though the Hedges were very thick and troublesome yet the Front kept all in a Line except the advanced Party who went always some distance before Whilst these things were going on thus the King ordered 2 Field-pieces to be planted towards the left where they could bear upon the Enemy's Horse and fired from thence with so good Success that the Enemy soon quitted that Post And it is very remarkable our English Foot were so little concerned that tho' they knew the Enemy to be in the next Hedges yet whilst the Pioneers were at work they would sit down and ask one another whether they thought they should have any Bread that day for they began to want their Breakfasts tho' some few of them went into the other World for it while the Danes to the left stood with all the Care and Circumspection in the World and some of them observing the Posture of our Men and hearing what they said they thought they had no mind to fight But they were quickly convinced to the contrary for the Hedges were no sooner down and one Front advancing in a narrow Field and that the Irish fired a whole Volley upon them from the neighbouring Hedges but some of the English cried out aloud Ah you Toads are you there We will be with you presently and so they ran without any more ado along the Field directly towards the Hedges where the Irish were planted who thereupon quitted one Hedge after another So as that the Danes advancing on the left and the blew Dutch with the English on the right and the Horse coming on in the Center the Irish in less than half an hour after the Volley were driven under their very Walls and not a dozen Men lost on our side in all the Action which if the Irish had managed their business well would have cost us a great many more But as soon as they got under their Walls they plyed our Forces with their great Guns that killed several as they marched in which the whole Army did before 5 in the Afternoon and most of them incamp'd within Cannon-short Orders were given forthwith to draw 4 Field-pieces to Cromwell alias Iâ—eton's Fort to play upon the Town and Out-works The Danes according to their Post encamped to the left where
they found an old Fort built by their Ancestors which they were very proud of and from thence they fired 3 or 4 Field-pieces upon the Irish that lay intrenched between them and the Town As soon as the Army was posted the King ordered a Trumpet to be sent with a Summons to the Town where as was understood since a great many of the Garrison were for Capitulating But Monsieur Boisâ—leau the Governours the Duke of Berwick and Colonel Sarsfiâ—â—d opposed it with a great deal of heat saying There were great Divisions and Insurrections in England that the Dauphin was landed there with 50000 Men and that the Prince of Orange would quickly be obliged to withdraw his Forces thither Hereupon Monsieur Boiselau sent the Trumpeter back with a Letter directed to Sir Robert Southwelâ— Secretary of State for he would not as 't is supposed send directly to the King because of avoiding to give him the Title of Majesty importing That he was surprized at the Summons and that he thought the best way to gain the Prince of Orange ' s good Opinion was by a vigorous Defence of the Town which his Master had entrusted him withal And so the Cannon plaid on from both sides and next Morning early which was Aug. 13th the King sent 8 Squadrons of Horse and Dragoons and 3 Regiments of Foot over the River which they passed though it was very rapid and dangerous and some of them encamped beyond the Ford the rest was ordered thus The King's Camp was on the Right in the 2d Line next him the Horse-guards and blew Duâ—ch then some English and Duâ—ch Regiments then the French and Danes and behind all the Horse tho' after some time they encamped rather conveniently than regularly Neither were the Irish idle but they fell to build Forts between the Besiegers and the Irish Town one to the Sâ—â—gate and the other towards the 〈◊〉 which proved serviceable to them But not so much a disadvantage to us as the surprizing of the Train that was upon the Road to join the Army It was reported a French-man and one of the Gunners ran away the Day before from the Army and got into Limerick and gave the Enemy an account where the English Train lay as also of those Guns and other things that were coming up where the King's Tent stood and divers other things that might be material for them to know and therefore they plaid very briskly upon the Train as also towards the King's Tent which he was prevailed with at last to remove but this was not all For though on Munday one Manus O Brian a substantial Country Gentleman came to the Camp and gave notice that Sarsfield with a Body of Horse had passed the River in the Night and designed something extraordinary yet he was so far from being taken notice of at first that most People looked upon what he said as a Dream and though a great Officer called him aside as though he designed to have some more particular information yet his main business was to interrogate him concerning a Prey of Cattle in such a Place which the Gentleman complained of afterward saying He was sorry to see General Officers mind Cattle more than the King's Honour But after he had met with some acquaintance he was brought to the King who to prevent the worst gave orders that 500 Horse-should be made ready and march to meet the Guns But where-ever the fault lay it was certainly 1 or 2 in the Morning before the Party marched which they did very softly till after they saw a great light in the Air and heard a strange rumbling Noise which some conjectured to be the Train blown up as it really was For our Train having on Munday marched beyond Cullen to a little old ruinous Castle called Ballenedy not 7 Miles from the Camp Sarsfield lurked all that day in the Mountains and having notice where and how our Men lay he had those that guided him through By-ways to the very spot where he fell in among them before they were aware and cut several of them to pieces with a great many of the Waggoners and some Country People that were carrying Provisions to the Camp The Officer commanding in chief when he saw how it was commanded to sound to Horse but those that endeavoured to fetch them up were killed as they went out or else saw it was too late to return The Officers and others made what resistance they could but they were every Man at length obliged to shift for themselves so that there were in all about 60 Persons killed but it did not end here For the Irish got up what Horses they could meet withall belonging either to the Troops or Train some broke the Boats and others drew all the Carriages and Waggons with the Bread Ammunition and as many of the Guns as they could get in so short a time into one heap they filled the Guns with Powder and put their Mouths into the Ground that they might thereby certainly split What they could pick up in an hurry they took away with them and then laid a Train to the rest which being fired at their going off blew up all with an astonishing Noise but for all that 2 of the Guns received no damage The Irish took no Prisoners on this occasion only a Lieutenant of Colonel Earl's being sick in a House hard-by was stript and brought to Sarsfield who used him very civilly and told him if he had not succeeded in that Enterprize he would have gone for France The party of Horse that was sent from the Camp came up after the business was over in sight of the Enemy's Rear But wheeling towards the left to endeavour to intercept the Enemy's Passage over the Shannon they unhappily went another way The News of this Adventure was very unwelcome in the Camp and even the very private Men shewed their concern at it However the Siege went on and the Trenches were opened the 17th and a Battery raised below the Fort to the Right of the Trenches which dismounted some of the Enemy's Cannon and the day following his Majesty himself was in great danger For while the Enemy fired very thick he rid softly up towards Cromwell's Port and as his Horse was directly entring the Gap he was staid by a Gentleman who came to speak to him when in the veâ—â— moment there struck a 24 Pounder in the very Place which would have struck the King and his Horse too to pieces if his usual good Angel had not defended him It struck the Dust all about him however though he took little notice of it but alighting came and laid himself down on the Fort among all the Dust It will be an endless thing to trace every particular of the Attacks and Defences and therefore I shall only observe that on Wednesday the 27th of Aug. after a Breach had been made nigh St. John's Gate over the black Battery of about 12 Yards in length and
pretty flat The King gave order that the Counterscarp should be attackt that Afternoon and had it not been for one Errour which yet could not well be avoided the place had been infallibly carried However to shew you the bravery of our Men upon this occasion we will give you a few particulars About half an Hour after 3 the signal being given by firing 3 Pieces of Cannon and the Granadeers standing in the furthermost Angle of the Trenches they leapt over and ran toward the Counterscarp firing their Pieces and throwing in their Granadoes which gave the Irish the Allarm who had all their Guns ready and discharged great and small Shot upon them as fast as possible who were not behind with them in either so that in less than 2 Minutes there was such a terrible Noise that you would have thought the Skies ready to rent in sunder Captain Carlile of my Lord Drogheda's Regiment ran on with his Granadeers to the Counterscarp and though he was wounded twice between that and the Trenches yet he went bravely on and commanded his Men to throw in their Granadoes but leaping into the dry Ditch under the Counterscarp an Irish Man below shot him dead However the Lieutenant encouraged the Men and they boldly mounted the Counterscarp and all the rest of the Granadeers were as ready as they which so daunted the Irish that they began to throw down their Arms and ran as fast as they could into the Town our Men perceiving this entred the Breach with them pell-mell and above half the Earl of Drogheda's Granadeers with some others were actually within that Place and they had certainly carried it had not the Regiments that were to second the Granadeers upon the Counterscarp stopt there as having no orders to go any farther For the Irish were all running from the Walls quite over the Bridge into the English Town but seeing there were but a few of the English that entred they were with much a-do perswaded to rally And those that were in finding themselves not seconded and their Ammunition spent thought of nothing now but to retreat But some were shot others taken and very few of the rest who came out again but were wounded which so elaâ—ed the Spirits of the Irish that they ventured upon the Breach again and from the Walls and every other where did so pester our Men upon the Counterscarp that after nigh 3 Hours resisting Bullets Stones broken Bottles from the very Women who daringly stood on the Breach and were nearer our Men than their own and whatever else could be thought on to destroy it was at last thought safest to return to the Trenches But this was not our only Loss for while this Work was at the hottest a Brandenburg Regiment who behaved themselves very well being got upon the Black-Battery the Enemies Powder happened to take fire which unhappily blew up a great many of them the Men Faggots Stones and what not flying into the Air with a most terrible Noise and tho' my Lord Cuts who was commanded by the Duke of Wirtemberg to march towards the Spur at the S Gate beat in the Irish that appeared on that side yet he lost several of his Men and was himself wounded For he adventurously approaching within half Musket-shot of the Gate all his Men lay open to the Enemies Shot who lay secure within the Spur and the Walls The Danes demeaned themselves also gallantly at their Post but the mischief on 't was there was but one Breach The Action was very brisk every where and there was one continued fire both of great and small Shot from half an hour after 3 till 7 insomuch that the Smoke which went from the Town reached in one uninterrupted Cloud to the Top of a Mountain at least 6 Miles off The King who stood nigh Cromwel's Fort all the time when the business was over return'd to his Camp very much concerned at the Disappointment as indeed was the whole Army where a mixture of Anger and Sorrow might be seen in every body's Countenance as foreseeing the taking of the Place and the Reduction of the Kingdom would cost the Charge and Fatigue of another Campagne to say nothing of the present Loss which amounted at least to 500 slain upon the Spot besides wounded which were not less than double the number Wherefore the King resolved to raise the Siege and to that purpose after he had constituted the Lord Sidney and Thomas Conningsby Esq since Lord Conningsby Lords Justices of Ireland left the Command of the Army to Count Solms who some time after going for England it was conâ—igned into the Hands of the brave Lieutenant-General Ginkle He embarked with the Prince of Denmark and several other Lords at Duncannon on the 5th of 〈◊〉 arrived the next day in the Evening in Kings-Road near Bristol and on the 9th aâ— Windsor not without a more than ordinary Joy all over the Kingdom leaving the Army in Ireland to march into their Winter-Quarters and so at present we shall leave them and see what was doing in England all this while The Apprehensions of the Disaster that befel us from the French Fleet was no sooner over but the Queen set all hands on work and in a very short time fitted up such a Fleet of Men of War that the Enemy were so far from looking it in the Face upon the Main that they began now to be very apprehensive of their own Coast And indeed it was a general Supposition in England that there were some Designs formed at that time upon France it self and it might for ought I know be contrived so on purpose to amuse such as wished us not well For I remember very particularly that People were somewhat surprized to hear that the Fleet was arrived in Cork-Harbour in Ireland and that my Lord of Malburrough was landed there the 21st of Sept. with the Forces under his Command where on the day following 5 or 600 Seamen and others of the Marine Regiment were imployed to draw the Cannon along and to mount them before the Town which they did with great Cheerfulness and Bravery with the Duke of Graâ—â—on at the Head of them tho' 2 Troops of Dragoons and a Body of Foot appeared without the Town who upon our Mens firing some Field-pieces upon them retired The Eaâ—l was to act upon this Expedition in Concert with some other Troops that were towards that Part of Ireland before and therefore that very Day the Duke of Wirtemberg sent Dean Davis unto him and to Major-General Scravenmore to whom my Lord upon his Arrival had dispatch'd an Express that he would forthwith joyn him to give them an Account that he was upon his March to joyn them with a Detachment of 4000 Foot And because there was a Report that the Duke of Berwick design'd to raise the Siege Major-General Scravenmâ—re sent the Dean back to hasten the Duke's March and the day following ordered a Party of Horse to go and
that day Here after he had given the necessary Orders for the Security of his new Conquests he re-imbark'd the Army with a design to make himself Master of Durazzo but falling sick by the way and the Winds proving contrary he returned again on the 29th of Sept. to Vallona where after 9 days Sickness that brave Man died on the first of Oct. which the Council of Venice was no sooner informed of but they appointed Seignior Mocenigo to succeed him The Venetians did not only prove Victorious by Land this Campaign but they had considerable Success also by Sea For General Delphino having Orders to Convoy the Garrison of Napoli di Malvasia to Cande with the Squadron which was under his Command did upon the 18th of Aug. join with Captain Contarini who had 12 Men of War and 2 Fire-ships with him and on the 29th of the same Month being arrived not far from Andros he understood that the Admiral Basha who had with him 27 Gallies 32 Ships and 6 Galleons was resolved to attack him wherefore he put out to Sea and being on the 7th of Sept. got near to Cape St. Mary he had sight of the Ottoman Fleet which was about 20 Miles from thence In the Night he got the Weather-gage of the Enemy and the next day being the 8th bore directly upon the Enemy who on their part also endeavoured to gain the Wind and to come close up to him Delphino took the Van-guard himself and gave the Rear-guard to Contarini and he was hardly come up in his single Ship with 12 Turks Men of War but they were becalm'd Whereupon the Turkish Gallies fell into the Rear and the Captains of Constantinople Algier Tunis and Tripoli bore up the Van and seemed as if they intended to board the Christians But the Venetian Gallies fired so thick upon them that several of the Enemies Vessels were shot through and through General Delphino had his Hand shot off in the Action which yet did not hinder him to keep in his Station till the Fight was over two other Vessels bearing up at the same time to relieve him The Turks hereupon would needs fall upon the Rear-guard but were so warmly received by Contarini there also that they were forced to fly much damnified to Metelin from whence they made all the sail they could to Focis which General Delphino seeing and being not able to overtake them he steered away for the Morea now entirely conquered by the Venetian Arms and which they took all the Care imaginable the remainder of this Season to secure by fortifying the Isthmus of Corinth the only way there was left to attack them Having run through the several Actions of this Season and in the close of the preceding one told you of the Death of one Pope and the Election of another we are now briefly to acquaint you That the differences about the Franchises and other things done by the French Clergy as was esteemed in Prejudice of the Holy See were this Year amicably composed between the two Courts of France and Rome The French King making in a manner all the Concessions on his Part to effect it and the old Dad to make him some Recompence for it laid a Design to reconcile the Emperor and France The Republick of Venice as well for their own Interest as to please his Holiness joyfully as was said concurring with is Holiness in his pious Project But all his Endeavours could never bring the Emperor to relinquish the Alliances he had so solemnly entred into as well for his own as the rest of Europe's Security And so his Project fell to the Ground And therefore I have no more to do now than to recapitulate with a learned Pen and in his own Words and Order the several Remarkables or at least the most notable of them that have happened within this annual Revolution The preceding Year says he was remarkable for five Considerable Battels fought as it were in a huddle in every one of which there was something worth particular Observation The first in Transilvania where Treachery contributed as much to the Victory as Valour One in Flanders wherein Surprize had a great Share One upon the Sea where only Number got the Advantage One in Ireland where Fortune declared in Favour of true Merit and Prowess And one in Savoy where want of good Intelligence and the small Experience of the Vanquished gave the Fortune of the day to the Victors We are not here to forget the Death of the Elector Palatine in a good old Age nor of the Princess of Portugal of a lingring Sickness which in all probability terminated some Disputes that in time might have arisen concerning the Succession of the Crown of that Kingdom The beginning of this Year is remarkable for the famous Congress of the Confederates that was held at the Hague where besides a greater Number of illustrious Persons that appear'd there more than upon any other Occasion they were adorned with the Presence not only of two Electors and other Foreign Princes of Germany but that of William III. King of England whom the Rigour of the Season and the great Dangers of a tempestuous Sea but a more dangerous Icy Shoar could not hinder from going thither to further the great Deliverance of Europe that he had so gloriously begun and already so far carried on as we have in some measure traced in our foregoing Discourse and where he represented to the Congress That the Imminent Dangers they found themselves in sufficiently discovered the Errors that had been committed so as there was no other Admonition than that necessary for their taking more just and better Measures That it was not a time to deliberate but to act in the Circumstances they were in That the Enemy was Master of all the chief Fortnesses that were the Barrier of the common Liberty And that he would very quickly possess himself of the rest if a Spirit of Division Slowness and particular Interest continued among them That every one ought to remain perswaded that their respective particular Interests were comprized in the general One That the Enemies Forces were very strong and that they would carry things like a Torrent before them And that it was in vain to oppose Complaints and fruitless Clamours or unprofitable Protestations against Vnjustice That it was neither the Resolutions of a Barren Dyet nor the Hopes of some Men of Fortune arising from frivolous Foundations but Soldiers strong Armies and a prompt and sincere Vnion between all the Forces of the Allies that must do and these too must be brought to oppose them without any delay if they would put a stop to the Enemies Conquests and snatch out of his Hands the Liberty of Europe which was already held by him under a heavy Yoke That as for himself he protested to them That he would neither spare his Credit Forces nor Person to concur with them in so just and necessary a Design And
that he would come in the Spring at the Head of his Troops faithfully to make good his Royal Word which he had so solemnly passed unto them But tho' this heartening Speech and generous Resolution in the King brought every one of the Assembly to promise for his own part to furnish as many Troops as he could to oppose the Enemy and to concur unanimously in the Execution of so noble a Design this did not discourage France For the French King thinking the only way he could take to divert the Counsels that had been taken against him was if it were possible to strike a Damp into the Confederates and by some signal Action thro' the Terror of his Name and his Arms to keep back the rest of Europe that was not yet engaged against him he divided his Armies into two formidable Bodies and early even in March the first of them advanced both by Sea and Land and came to the Territories of Savoy with a Resolution to besiege Nice of which we shall give you a short Account before we come to the other Body in Flanders The Army under Monsieur Catinat invested the Place on the 13th of the said Month from whence he sent 3 Batallions to Villa Franca who basely surrendred after the firing of only one Cannon which killed a Captain but the Castle which is seated upon a Rock and environed with good Bastions and a large Moat stood it out yet and so the French invested it on the side of the Sea but could carry on no more than a simple Battery raised of great Barrels Faggots and Sacks of Earth upon which they planted their Mortars and great Guns This the Garrison observing after two days march'd out with all Ensigns of Honour and the disciplined Soldiers were sent by Sea to Final On the 24th the Fort of St. Auspice was also given up without making any Resistance and upon the same Condition as Villa Franca Another Fort called the Montalban did the same thing after they had stood a Battery of one day which now gave the French an Opportuny to attack Nice in earnest wherein they met with a greater facility than they expected For on the 26th the Consuls of the City sent their Deputies to Catinat who agreed with him at a certain Hour and upon certain Signals to receive the French King's Men into the City without the Governour 's Privity of which the other having notice attempted to make himself Master of one of the Gates to prevent the Design But the Citizens being resolved to secure their Houses from the Ravage of the Bombs had taken their Measures and being got to their Arms fired upon the Governour 's Detatchments and then having given their signal the French entred and took possession of the City about Mid-night having promised the Deputies before that the City should enjoy all their Privileges and Immunities as formerly The Governour of the Castle finding how things went endeavoured to fire the City-Magazine but failed and being threatned that if he shot against the City the Garrison should have no Quarter that did not deter him but that he plaid all the 27th day upon the chief Governour 's House and one of the Convents But the French made 3 Attacks upon the Castle which were carried on with great Vigour notwithstanding the badness of the Way and on the 30th one of their Magazines set fire to a Magazine of Powder therein which spread it self in a Moment through all the Castle and blew up not only a good part of it but killed above 600 of the Garrison and about 50 of the Besiegers in their Trenches by the Pieces of Stone and Timber which the Powder carried thither So that the Governour what with this sad Disaster and that the French had made themselves now Masters of the covered Way and second Inclosure thought it high time to capitulate which he did on the 2d of April and after all got honourable Terms But the French did not conceive what was doing in Savoy to be enough and therefore to give the Confederates a convincing Proof of their readiness not only to answer but to attack them in a most sensible Part They invested the strong City of Mons on the 15th of March before which Place the French King notwithstanding all the disswasions as was said of Madam de Maintenon to the contrary arrived the 21st in Person and took a round about the Town being accompanied by the Dauphin the Duke of Orleans and the Duke de Chartres Whereupon next day the Trenches were begun for draining the Morass and other Trenches were begun to divert the Course of the Troville and to force it to run on the other side By the 26th the Trenches were advanced within an 150 Paces on each side and the same day the Mill of Hion was attack'd with the redoubt that covered it and after a double Repulse was carried by the French by main Force with considerable Loss on each side But things did not end here for the French having raised large Batteries with at least 25 Mortars they play'd both from the one and the other incessantly and made terrible havock in the Town and notwithstanding the stout Resistance of the Besieged the French were advanced so far by the 1st of Apr. year 1691 as to be able to fill up the Moat of the Horn-work and attack it which began about 3 in the Afternoon and after the Loss of a great many Men began their lodgement thereupon But when it was almost half done the besieged headed by some of their stoutest Officers attempted to beat them off and in effect constrained the Granadeers and the Guards to give way yet at last the Besiegers with the loss of about 200 Men regained their Post and push'd on the Siege with great Vigour and the rather because they heard the King of England was come to Vilvord with the Confederate Army with an intention when the Forces came up to attempt to relieve Mons though indeed there was little likelihood of it all things being so unprovided as they were and not so much as the necessary Carriages ready for the Expedition which neglect was laid to the Charge of the Marquess de Castinaga Governour of the Spanish Netherlands But the Besiegers had not for all that by the 8th of Apr. and probably could not in several days longer have made such a Progress in the Siege as necessitated the Garrison to capitulate tho' the last beat a Parley that very day But the Truth of the whole Matter was That they could not do well otherwise For first the Monks and Ecclesiasticks who were known to be Friends to France and by their instigation the Burghers of the Town were importunate with the Governour to capitulate and upon his refusal threatned to open the Gates to the Enemy and deliver both him and his Garrison into the Besiegers Hands so that in short notwithstanding all his and Colonel Fagel's efforts to the contrary
had to Ships there or else that those they had would quickly be swallowed up by the French Fleet which they hourly expected But tho' the Siege was carried on with great Vigour and that in the interiâ— the Irish quitted several small places daily in the Country and Brigadier Levison routed several of their Parties in the County of Kerry and that the Cannon and Bombs did very great Execution upon their Camp and within the Town yet on the 17th of Sept. it was hotly disputed in a Council of War whether they should go on with the Siege or march over the River to destroy all the Enemies Forage in the County of Clare and then make a Blockade and it was so far carried for the latter that an Engineer was ordered to go with a Guard towards Kilmalock and fortifie that Place But before he got out of the Camp he was countermanded and a great many Palisado's brought to Mackay's Fort as if the Army intended to Winter there On the 19th it was resolved to pass the River with a Party either to prosecute the Siege or at least to burn the Forage And that same day a Battery was raised between Ireton's Fort and the old Church to flank the Irish in case of a Sally from St. John's Gate and Four Mortars were brought from the great Battery to Mackay's Fort that place being judged the fittest for bombarding since the whole Town lay in a Line from thence and Orders were given in case of an Allarm from the Irish Troops without that every Regiment should stand to the Posts assign'd them for that end But the Irish declined to hazzard any thing On the 20th most of the heavy Cannon that were not drawn off were now sent on Ship-board and I remember very well upon the News of this in England most intelligent Persons were of Opinion the Town would not be taken this Year tho' the News of Sligo's being surrendred to the Earl of Granard came confirmed at the same time But the General was indefatigable in his business For on the 22d he march'd with most of the Horse and Dragoous over the Bridge of Boats they had laid into the County of Clare leaving Mackay and Talmash to command on this side And all that Morning the Enemy continually fired upon them from several Batteries but without any great Harm In the Afternoon a Party of Colonel Matthews Dragoons was attack'd by a stronger Party of the Enemy till being sustained by a greater Force between whom continued some small firings till about 4 a Clock when the Foot came up which made the Irish retire till they were got under their Cannon Then all the English Granadiers sustained by 4 Regiments of Foot were commanded to advance and attack the Works that covered Thumond-Bridge being one Fort to the Right above a Musket-shot from the Bridge and another to the Left somewhat nearer besides several other natural Fortifications wherein the Enemy had posted a Detachment of about 200 Men between whom and the English there was a hot Dispute at first and their Cannon playing from the King's Castle and 2 or 3 more Batteries as also their small Shot from the Walls made the Attack seem very hazardous and the English were ordered not to approach so nigh the Town as they did However the Irish being now pressed upon by the Granadiers they quitted their first Posts and then were reinforced by another Detachment from the Town But all this could not do their business For the English Granadiers were so forward and despised all Danger to that degree that they put the whole Body to flight and pursued them so close that a French Major who commanded at Thumond-Gate fearing the English would enter the Town with the other ordered the Draw-bridge to be plucked up and left the whole Party to the Mercy of the English who shewed them little for all of them were either killed or taken except about 120 who got into the Town before the Bridge was drawn up There were also many of them drowned Hereupon the English lodged themselves within 10 yards of the Bridge notwithstanding an high Tower that stood near the end of the Bridge next to them and the Irish finding now all Communication cut off between them and their Horse and despairing of the French Succours began to think of giving up the Town whereof the English in general had no great Hopes who however push'd on the Siege next day being the 23d of Sept. with much â—ury and notwithstanding it proved very rainy yet the Guns and Mortars ceased not to play upon the Town nor the Enemy to fire more furiously than they had done for some time before But towards Night the Rain began to cease and both Storms ended together For about 6 the Enemy beat a Parley on both sides the Town and next day in the Morning Lieutenant-General Sarsfield and Major-General Waughup came out to the General and desired a Cessation of Arms might be continued for 3 Days till they could send to their Horse who then were encamped towards Clare in order to their being included in the general Capitulation which they then proposed which was agreed to and thereupon the Prisoners in the Town were released On the 29th Sarsfield and Waughup dined with the General and then it was agreed Hostages should be exchanged in order to a further Treaty which was done accordingly And next day the Irish sent out their Proposals but in such extravagant Terms that the General was so far from granting them that he returned Answer That tho' he was a Stranger to the Laws of England yet he understood that those things they insisted upon were so far contradictory to them and so dishonourable to himself that he could not grant any such thing And thereupon ordered a new Battery immediately to be raised but upon the Request of the Irish he sent them in 12 Articles which proved to be the Sum of the Capitulation for Sarsfield and others came on the 29th to the General and after long Debate agreed upon Articles not only for the Surrender of Limerick but all other Forts and Castles in the Kingdom then in possession of the Irish So that they were signed Oct. 3d by both Parties They consisted of two parts Civil and Military the first being signed by the Lords Justices and General but the latter on our Part only by the General and both here follow I. THE Roman-Catholicks of this Kingdom shall enjoy such Privileges in the Exercise of their Religion as are consistent with the Laws of Ireland or as they did enjoy in the Reign of King Charles the II And their Majesties as soon as their Affairs will permit them to Summon a Parliament in this Kingdom will endeavour to procure the said Roman-Catholicks such farther Security in that Particular as may preserve them from any Disturbance upon the Account of their said Religion II. ALL the Inhabitants or Residents of Limerick or any other Garrison now in Possession of the
good Officers but of the Infidels they reckoned no less than 18000 Men to have perished in this Battle and almost all their Officers were killed wounded or taken Prisoners and to compleat this terrible Loss there were found not only the Serasquier and principal Aga of the Janizaries among the slain but even the Grand Visier Cupergli who was the most accomplish'd Person in all the Ottoman Empire And this great Defeat of Mahomet's Followers was so much the more remarkable in that their overthrow has been many Years ago calculated by the Learned Brightman out of the Revelations for the present Year However the Successes that attended this great Victory were not so considerable as might have been expected 't is true General Caprara retook Lippa and the Duke of Croy in Sclavonia after he had possest himself of the Castle of Broda march'd to Grandisca which the Turks abandon'd and fir'd upon his Approach as they had done before by Possega and from thence he went to Bagaros whose Garrison after some small Resistance were made to surrender at Discretion by which means all Sclavonia became entirely reduced under the Emperor's Obedience Yet there was but little Progress made in the Siege of Great Waradin tho' the Imperial Troops attack'd it with much Vigour which after all they were forced to turn into a Blockade With this ended the Campaign in Hungary during which Sir William Hussey the King of England's Embassador at the Ottoman Port was negotiating a Peace between the 2 Empires tho' with but little appearance of Success There being nothing at all either considerable as to the War or otherwise memorable as to the Venetians this Year I shall pass on from them to the Poles whose King at the Head of his Army that were about 20000 strong once more fell into Moldavia with a further design of marching that way into Budziack yet the Poles had not advanced far into the former Country but that they were informed a great Body of Tartars had taken the Field and roam'd about their Camp to snap their Convoys which made the King send Prince Lubomirski Mareschal of the Crown with 1500 Horse to observe their Motions Of this the Tartars having Intelligence they laid an Ambuscase for him which succeeded so well on their part that the Prince found himself quickly invironed on both sides and no possibility of retreating without cutting his way thro' Wherefore he sent to give the King immediate Information of his Condition who judging well there was no time to lose set forwards towards the Tartars with all speed But they retreated so fast that he could but do very little Execution upon them Hereupon the Polish Army advanced to Jassi which the Hospodar had again quitted and who stood still firm to the Turkish Interest for all the King of Poland could do to bring him off of it and of which Place the Poles not only took Possession but also of divers others as Roman Nimick and Novacran and after having provided for the Security of them the King thought it convenient to retreat with the whole Army the Season being too far spent to advance any further so that his principal design which was to fall into Budziack came to just nothing However the Castellan of Chelm after having with a Body of Cossacks routed 4000 Tartars who came to relieve it took the Fortress of Sorock seated upon the Neister and this was all that was done before the Army went into Quarters So that now having run through the Course of the Progress of the several Armies this Season there is nothing more remaining but to observe a few Remarkables this Year On the 1st of February died Alexander VIII Pope of Rome being aged 81 Years after he had sat 15 Months and 21 Days in St. Peter's Chair as they call it being Elected the 16th of October 1689. And after 5 Months and an halfs Dispute Cardinal Pignatelli was on Thursday the 12th of July chosen into his Room being then 76 Years and 4 Months old He took the Name of Innocent XII upon him in remembrance of Innocent XI who had promoted him to the Cardinal Dignity on the 1st of Sept. 1681 and of whose Inclination and Interest he had been a long Observer The 16th of July has been very noted for the Death of Monsieur Louvois chief Minister and Secretary of State in France and tho' without Contradiction one of the ablest Heads in Europe yet the Confederates did not find such an Alteration in the French Politicks upon it as some have expected which clearly shews France is a Country not barren of great Statesmen as well as brave Soldiers to say nothing of his Capacity who is at the head of them all The Death of this great Man was sudden for having dined with the Prince d' Espinoy and Madam de Soubize and found himself ill in the King's Chamber he retired to be let Blood but not finding any ease by bleeding in one Arm and being extremely oppressed he would needs be bled in the other and died at the same time This Year was also fatal to John George Elector of Saxony who having the Command of the Confederate Army upon the Rhine dyed at Tubing on the 22d of Sept. He had by Anna Sophia Daughter of Frederick III. King of Denmark John George IV. that succeeded him who was born on the 17th of Oct. 1668. and Frederick Augustus born on the 12th of May since by the Death of his Brother become Elector of Saxony and now confirmed King of Poland year 1692 Now again in conformity to the method we have all along pursued we shall inspect a little into the Affairs of our own Country in the first place before we look into those abroad In Nov. last Year the Parliament began to sit before whom the King laid the Success of his Arms in the intire Reduction of Ireland hoping it was an earnest of future Successes which their timely Assistance to him might procure to them then he urged to them the necessity of a strong Fleet and lastly recommended to them Dispatch of Business which if neglected an opportunity would be lost which could never be reasonably hoped for again But tho' the Parliament upon this occasion promised the most speedy Supplies that could be yet his Majesty did not think there was hast enough made answerable to his Designs abroad and therefore as early as the 10th of Jan. this Year he was pleased after returning his hearty thanks to the Houses for what they had already done to quicken them in their pace with such cogent Arguments that all Bills were ready for signing by the 5th of March when his Majesty passed several Acts and among others one for raising Mony by a Poll-tax and then having told his Parliament of his Intentions to go beyond Sea the two Houses were given to understand that it was his pleasure they should adjourn to the 12th of April The King in
conformity to his Resolutions went for Holland accordingly where he landed on the 16th of March and after some stay at the Hague went to Loo and thence to the Army but of this more by and by Now you are to understand that the King had no sooner turn'd his back but it was rumoured up and down every where that the late King was ready to land in England with a great Army whither he had sent his Declaration setting forth his Right inviting People to joyn him and threatning all that opposed him with severest punishment and that Party was thereupon as uppish as they had been ever impudent The Queen did hereupon give immediate Orders for hastning out the Fleet having the Militia in a readiness and some Forcesd esigned for Flanders were countermanded which together with other Troops remaining then in the Kingdom did in some time after form a Camp near Portsmouth In short 't is not to be doubted but the late King had real thoughts of throwing off the Abdication at this time having a considerable Army posted on the Coasts of Normandy ready to embark as soon as the French Fleet which was hourly expected up the Channel did appear It was thought also that there had been some bold attempts made about this time to infest the Fleet however it were the Admiral 's address and vigilancy kept them clear and brought the Officers unanimously to sign an Address to her Majesty with utmost assurance of their Loyalty which indeed they failed not to shew upon the occasion that now quickly presented it self unto them Whether it was King James and his Irishmens Impatience to possess the Estates of England or some other Intelligence the French King might have to jog him on I know not but Monsieur Tourville with the Fleet had Orders to make up to the Channel and to fight the English and Dutch tho' he was not yet joined by the Thoulon Squadron under d' Estree But when Tourville came there he met with an Entertainment which perhaps he did not dream of The first Intimations whereof we at London had in a Letter from Admiral Russel to the Earl of Nottingham Secretary of State wherein he said THat upon the 19th of May by Three of the Clock in the Morning Cape Barfleur bearing S. W. and by S. Seven Leagues off his Scouts made the Signal for seeing the Enemy the Wind Westerly That by 11 the French bore down and engaged him at some distance and both Fleets continued sighting till half an hour past 5 in the Evening at which time the Enemy towedt away with all their Boats and the English after them That abou 6 there was a fresh Engagement to the Westward of him which he supposed to be the Blue That he could give no further Account at present but only that the French were beaten and that they were steering away for Conquest-Road having a fresh Gale Easterly but extream foggy But tho' it hapned to be a Calm all that Night and Foggy the next Morning yet about 11 it beginning to clear up a little they saw the French Fleet about 2 Leagues from them very much lessened in their Number not seeming to be above 36 Sail after whom they made all the Sail they could but about 10 it grew calm again and about 3 the two Fleets came to an Anchor but weighed about 11 at Night anchored next Morning sailed on the 31st again against the Enemy the Admiral steering towards Barfleur and the Durck and Blue Squadron towards the Race of Alderney thro' which part of the French Fleet escaped the other thinking it not adviseable to hazard the Men of War in the pursuit of them through that dangerous Road tho' Sir John Ashby was afterwards questioned in Parliament about it But Sir Ralph Delaval Vice-Admiral of the Red had better Success for he on the 21st of May burnt under Cape de Wick near the Shoar the Royal Sun wherein was Count Tourville Admiral of the French Fleet carrying 104 Guns the Admirable 102 the Conquerant 80 with 3 more of a lesser Rate while Admiral Russel himself was no less successful in pursuit of another part of the French who hawled in for la Hogue in which Bay he anchored the 21st and next Day stood in so far as that he saw 13 Ships hawled in close with the Shoar Whereupon on the 22d he sent in Vice-Admiral Rook with several Men of War and Fire-ships with the Boats of the Fleet to endeavour to destroy them But the French had got their Ships so very near Land that not any of the Men of War except the small Frigats could do any Service However that Night 6 of the Men of War were burnt and the next Day the other 7 besides several Transport-ships whereof 6 were Three-deck'd Ships and the other carrying from 60 to 76 Guns only one had but 56 and that Ship was overset and utterly lost The Attempt was very difficult and dangerous but it was made with that Conduct and Resolution and the Seamen in the Boats behaved themselves so bravely that they took possession of several of the Enemies Ships and drave the French with their own Guns from their Platforms on the Shoar This Action was so much the more glorious as well as advantageous to the English since it was done in the sight of the French and Irish Camp ready to invade us and the late King was so mortified with the present Disappointment that he seem'd by his Letter to the French King for ever out of hopes to compass his Designs that way and because some may be curious to read it take it as follows Monsieur my Brother I Have hitherto with something of Constancy and Resolution supported the Weight of all the Misfortunes which it has pleased Heaven to lay upon me so long as my self was the only Sufferer But I must acknowledge this last Disaster utterly over-whelms me and I am altogether Comfortless in reference to what concerns your Majesty through the great Loss that has befallen your Fleets I know too well that my unlucky Star it is that has drawn down this Misfortune upon your Forces always Victorious but when they fought for my Interests And this is that which plainly tells me That I no longer merit the support of so great a Monarch and who is always sure to Vanquish when he fights for himself For which Reason it is that I request your Majesty no longer to concern your self for a Prince so unfortunate as my self but permit me to retire with my Family to some Corner of the World where I may cease to obstruct the usual Course of your Prosperities and Conquests which only my Misfortune could interrupt It is not just that the Potentest Monarch in the World and the most flourishing above all others should share in my Disgrace because you are too Generous 'T is better much that I shall only retire till it shall please Omnipotent Providence to be more propitious
du Mont had been formerly engag'd in the same design by the Marquess of Louvois when he was living propos'd it to him again by the order of the Marquess of Barbesieux the Son of Louvois upon which several Projects were drawn up and several Conferences held to have brought it to pass the last Campaign 1691. But being then disappointed they still went on with their Design Granvale being employed to write to du Mont then retir'd to Hanover and encourage him to a second Attempt this present Campaign Soon after Granvale discover'd his Designs to one Leefdale at Paris who seem'd willingly to comply with him but gave notice of it to his Friends in Holland that they might inform his Majesty as du Mont had done to the Duke of Zell who acquainted the King with it But Granvale knowing nothing of all this departs from Paris with Leefdale gives du Mont a Meeting at Vden in Ravestein having in his way at Brussels imparted his Design to one John d' Amours and coming to Einchoven was there seized and carried to Bois le Duc with his Companions Leefdale being first examined declared all the Circumstances of the Conspiracy Granvale's sending du Mont 200 Pistols the last Winter to keep him steady and 10 Duckets from Brussels by Bill of Exchange John d' Amours depos'd That Granvale told him at Brussels he had a great Business to do and being asked what it was and whether he had any thing to say to the King of England he replied To break his Neck and that being warn'd of the Difficulties of the Attempt he answer'd That he had given his Word to the Marquess of Barbesieux and would do it and that he went into the Jesuits Church at Brussels to say a Pater Noster that God would bless his Undertaking Du Mont upon his Examination own'd the Matter of Fact in every Circumstance adding withal That Madam Maintenon was acquainted with the Design and that he acquainted Monsieur Bedal the King of France's Minister at Hanover with it who told him it would be a good Business if it could be done and lent him 50 Crowns for his Encouragement Granvale was the last examined who finding the Business discovered and his own Letters ready to be produced against him confessed all the Circumstances of the Design Upon this Granvale was carried to the Army and put upon his Tryal upon which the Evidence appeared so clear that Granvale himself confess'd so much without naming the Rack that after the Judges had met several times they at last gave Sentence That whereas Bartholomew de Liniere Sieur de Granvale a Native of Picardy had confessed before the Court Martial without any Constraint And it farther appeareth that the Marquess of Louvois late Secretary to the King of France had agreed with du Mont about the Murder of King William upon which the said du Mont presented the Marquess with a Draught of the manner how it might be done That upon the Death of Louvois his Son and Secretary also to the French King the Marquess of Barbesieux revived the said Conspiracy with du Mont and paid him 30 Pistols which his Father had order'd in his Life-time That the Prisoner came acquainted with du Mont at Monsieur Rebenac's House where Monsieur Paparel saying That du Mont would be a fit Person to carry off the King du Mont replied with Execrations That he would carry off the King alive or dead as he had promised Louvois That du Mont having delivered the same or another Project to Barbesieux the Prisoner to prompt the Design had had several Conferences with Barbesieux and Paparel and being told That he should inform du Mont that the King of Great Britain wore a Coat of Mail with which he acquainted du Mont du Mont reply'd 'T was no matter he would kill him for all that That the Prisoner was engaged with one Parker a Colonel to the late King James to execute the same Design and that the said Parker told him he had laid the same Design with the Marquess of Louvois That the Prisoner with the said Barbesieux Paparel Parker and du Mont did agree upon the manner of executing the Design viz. That he and Parker should meet at the grand Guard of the Duke of Luxemburg who was to furnish him with 1500 Horse that du Mont was to watch when the King of England went to Visit the main Guard and there shoot him and that the Prisoner and Parker was to bring him off with the 1500 Horse and that Barbesieux gave the Prisoner an Order to the Duke of Luxemburg to supply him with such a Detachment as he should think requisite for the design That the Prisoner by Order of Barbesieux received 80 Louidores from Paparel and by Barbesieux's Directions gave du Mont 55 out of the Summ. That Barbesieux promised the Prisoner an Annual Revenue of 20000 Livres and to make him a Knight of the Order of St. Lazarus in case the design took Effect That the Prisoner took some measures in order to the design with Monsieur Chamlays Quarter-Master General to the French King That in the mean time Leefdale came acquainted with the Prisoner by the means of one Sterck and discover'd his design to him toward the latter end of March 1692 and afterwards carried him to Barbesieux and Chamlays who told Leefdale in the Prisoners hearing That he should have a great Reward if the Business succeeded and that Barbesieux and Paparel both knew of the Reward which was promised That the Prisoner together with Leefdale and Parker went to St. Germains April 16. 1692. to speak with the late King James about the design who knew of it before And that the Prisoner spake with the late King the late Queen being present at which time King James told him That Parker had acquainted him with the Business adding this farther If you and the rest do me this Service you shall never want That du Mont's Wife delivered several Letters to Barbesieux which she receiv'd from her Husband at Hanover where the Prisoner continuing his Correspondence with him engaged him by Letters of April 20 25. and 12 of May to meet him at Vden in order to take their final Resolution That the Prisoner with Chamlays and Leefdale agreed upon the manner of perpetrating the Assassination That when the King should pass along the Lines or ride out to take a View or when the Army should decamp that du Mont should lie in Ambush and when the King came within 100 Paces he should fire upon him And that Chamlays should be ready with 3000 Horse to bring him off That the Prisoner and Leefdale left Paris the 17th of April last and arrived at Mons within a few days after where they waited for Chamlays but he not coming they resolved to set forward to the place of the general Meeting after which the Prisoner with Leefdale were apprehended at Einhoven All which being maturely examin'd and
consider'd the Court Martial adjudg'd the Prisoner Guilty and condemned him to be drawn hang'd and quarter'd his Estate to be confiscate and to bear the Costs and Charges of the Tryal Which Sentence was pronounced in the Head Quarters of the Army by the Earl of Athlone President Gen. Van Scravenmore Lieutenant Gen. Talmash the Marquess de la Forrest the Heer Van Weed Count Noyelles and the Heer Zobel Major-Generals the Brigadiers Churchill and Ramsey Cornelius van Won and Richard Elâ—hwair Judge Advocates assisting In pursuance of which Sentence the Criminal was executed in the Camp upon the 13th of Aug. Where all that he said for himself was only to desire the Prayers of those that were present During his Imprisonment he drew up two Petitions to the King with his own Hand wherein he declared That he acted in the Design in obedience to the Orders of M. Barbesieux and Chamlays and being told that Barbesieux would be sure to disown what he said he replied That he had an Original Paper under Barbesieux's own Hand which he had lodged in a Friend's Hand which would make it appear very plain but that his Friend would part with it to no body but himself The Morning before his Execution he wrote to one Madam Jure to go to the Arch-bishop of Rheims with M. Jurduil and let him know that it had cost him his Life for obeying the Orders of M. Barbesieux There being little more this Campaign in the Netherlands save the Action of Sâ—leâ—n where the Governour of Huy surprizing a strong Party of French that came thither from Namur to cut Pallisadoes he made a great Slaughter of them and took near 〈◊〉 Prisoners and the Bombing of Charleroy by the Mareschal de Boufflers We will leave his Majesty to return to his Diversion at Loo and call to mind that when the French was threatning to invade England we mention'd a Camp to be formed near Portsmouth with which the Queen and Council upon the beating of the French Fleet projected to make a Descent upon the French Coast or at least to alarm them on that side in pursuance to which the Men of War and Transports being ready the Forces imbark'd under the Command of the Duke of Leinster Aug. 3d and two days after set Sail with a fair Wind and when they came to such an height of Distance the Commissions were opened according to Custom but Mens Expectations were not so great from this Expedition as their Surprize was that Intilligence came in 4 or 5 Days after That all the Transport Ships were put into St. Hellen's Road. On the 9th a Council of War was held on Board the General where it was resolved they should return for England which they did accordingly and this gave the Queen occasion to send divers Lords of the Council to Portsmouth to confer with the General but whatever was then resolved on the Forces still remained on Board and the Wind proved contrary which the King being informed of he sent Orders they should be transported forthwith into Flanders where they landed Sept. 1st and tho' the Duke of Luxemburg seemed to be aware of it yet they possessed themselves of Dixmude and Furnes which they began to fortifie and by which the King seemed to have some great Design that way but all miscarried for both Places were quitted towards the end of the Year to the Mareschal de Boufflers by Count Horn which the King much resented in him who till now always had a great share in his Esteem and perhaps the same touch'd the Count very near for he did not live long after Thus things went in Flanders with the Spaniards this Campaign who perhaps were the more contented with it because it was but like Thunder a-far off and the mighty Efforts France made this Way gave them the more repose in Catalonia where they had but a small force and where nothing passed of Moment and therefore we shall move to the Vpper Rhine where the Margrave of Bareith and Landgrave of Hess-Cassel commanded the Forces on that side against the Duke de Lorge General of the French Army Between them there passed nothing considerable till Sept. when de Lorge advancing towards the Rhine with all his Forces and 40 Pieces of Cannon the Landgrave and Margrave of Bareith called a Council of War with the rest of the Generals where it was resolved that the two Armies that were separated should re-join which was done accordingly and the Army encamped near Neustadt and in some days after separated again the Landgrave marching to besiege Eberemburgh where he had not been gone long but Bareith sent him an Express That de Lorge was marching up which made the Landgrave send away 4000 Dragoons to the other's Assistance But before they and the Body of the Army could come up the Duke of Wirtemburg who was gone before with a Detachment of about 4000 Horse and posted himself near Edeilsheim with a design to stop the French was by the favour of a thick â—og surprized by the French in his Camp and charged so briskly that the Germans had not time to put themselves in a posture of Defence so that they lost of their number near a 1000 Men and divers Prisoners among whom the Duke of Wirtemburg himself was one who was carried to Paris while the French ravaged his Country for a time at their Pleasure and obliged the Landgrave now weakned by the Detachment he had sent away to the Margrave of Bareith and afterwards by another to secure Heidelburgh to raise the Siege of Eberemburgh But for this the Landgrave was pretty even with the French before the end of the Year for the latter having besieged Rheinfeld which would have been of great Importance to them if they could have carried it the Governour made so brave a Defence and the Landgrave made such haste to relieve it that the French were constrained to raise the Siege with some dishonour since they shewed so much Confidence of Success in it at the first Undertaking and with no less loss from the Germans Fire and the rigorous Season which was much fitter for warm Quarters than cold Sieges Having now run through the Efforts made by France on the Flemish and German side it 's time we should see what was doing in respect to Savoy all this while It 's certain there were fresh Proposals made to the Duke early in the Year by M. Chanley in favour of France but whether in the form that was afterwards made publick is a Mystery however there was a Memoir printed at Paris wherein they set to View all the Proffers that had been made to the Duke tho' the Aim of the Writing seem'd chiefly to insinuate into the Princes of Italy that the Emperor had no other design than to make himself Master of their Territories under â—retence of assisting a Prince that had thrown himself into that Abyss wherein he found him precipitated with a great deal
of the House of Commons that I promise My Self an happy Conclusion of this Session unless you suffer your selves to be mis-led into Heats and Divisions Which being the only Hope Our Enemies have now left I make no Doubt but you will entirely disappoint them by your Prudence and Love to your Country We will leave the Parliament to deliberate upon the mighty Affairs contained in this Speech as we do Admiral Sir George Rook to go into the Streights in the room of Admiral Russel now come home with our great Ships and observe according to our Custom in the Conclusion of the Year what has fallen out that was particularly remarkable in the Course of it that could not well be introduced into the Body of the Story and we find only this that Anselm Francis Frederick de Angelheim Bishop of Mentz departed this Life on the 30th of March being extreamly aged after having held that Bishoprick about 16 Years and was succeeded in the Bishoprick and Electorate by Lothair Francis de Schonborn his Coad jutor and Bishop of Bemberg year 1696 Now we begin with another Year and without the least Recapitulation of what preceded we come to take notice That though our Arms had triumphed abroad in the manner already related yet never was a Nation under such unhappy Circumstances as England at this time where Guineas were at an exorbitant Price and our Silver Coin through the Wickedness of Villanous Men reduced to such a state that nothing but the Wisdom of such a Parliament as then sate and of him that was at the Head of them could possibly have gone through with the Amendment of it But though the matter was managed with admirable Prudence and Celerity so as that an Act was ready and Signed early in Jan. for the remedying the ill State of our Coin Yet it put such a general Stop to Trade and gave such an occasion of Uneasiness to all in general and such an opportunity for the Malecontents to be practising their Villanies against the Government that I dare avow it would have been endured in no other Reign save that of our good and heroick Kingâ— nor so well then neither save something that happened in consequence of it which gave an opportunity to secure all that were suspected to be troublesome and which turned the worst of Mischiefs to the best Effects according to the Disposition of Divine Providence that had always appeared very remarkable in the preservation of that Sacred Life whom we shall never sufficiently value But to give a little Sceach of what was preludious to the Discovery of that damnable Design against His Majesty's Person we are to understand that the French finding themselves considerably upon the losing Hand last Campagne not only made divers new Levies this Winter but divers Troops filed off daily towards the Sea-Coast which gave great Umbrage to the Confederates and especially to Holland as fearing they might be designed to infest the Coasts of Zealand and Flanders But the Design was quickly unravel'd for many Days in February had not been gone but that it was a publick Discourse in France That the Intent was to re-establish the late King upon the Throne and that the Design was so far concerted that nothing more remained but the Winds and the Waves to do their part In order to this the late King on the 18th of February took Post for Calais and immediately upon his Arrival the Troops Artillery and Stores were ordered to be put on Board with the utmost Diligence while News was impatiently expected from England to set Sail And so Cock-sure were they in France of the Success of the Enterprize that the Duke of Orleans in consideration of his near Alliance with the Duke of Savoy and with an assured Prospect of the Overthrow of most of the Confederates sollicited that Prince in a very pressing manner to make his Peace betimes But if they were so mightily alarmed before on the other side of the Water at these Preparations they were much more now when they heard of the late King's Arrival at Calais which made the Duke of Wirtemberg immediately to dispatch one of his Aids de Camp for England to give his Majesty notice of all this The Prince de Vaudemont who was then at Brussels with the Elector of Bavaria both dispatched Expresses also to the King by way of Holland upon the same account But the Duke of Wirtemberg's Messenger going directly by the way of Newport with great Difficulty in escaping the Enemy got to Court first which was on the 22d of Feb. and acquainted his Majesty that the Duke had stopped all the Ships in the Harbor and Canal of Ostend as well as that of Bruges in order to transport the Forces over for his Service And 't was further said he should send word That in case he did not hear quickly from his Majesty he would run the hazard of bringing them over The States of Holland made the like Preparations at Sas van Ghent But notwithstanding all the Expedition used by the Duke of Wirtemberg's Aid de Camp the King had received before some certain Intimations not only of the Invasion but also of the Conspiracy against his Person But because such desperate Designs as these are cannot be thought to be concerted in a Day it will be necessary to look a little back and search into the very beginning of it as far as could be discovered from such Hellish Darkness It was as early as the latter end of 1694. that the Embrio of the Villany was contrived and because some might be brought to engage in such an Assassination who otherwise scrupled it unless they had a Commisssion from the late King for that purpose it was agreed that one Mr. Waugh should go visit his Friends the Jacobites in England and to give those of them he most confided in an Account that their Friends in France thought the killing of King William the most effectual means to restore their old Master Jemmy And in order to assure them of his Concurrence in the Fact they should have a Commission from him to command the doing it and an Order to all his general Officers then in England to be aiding and assisting in it To corroborate this Assurance Major Crosby came at the same time over and affirmed he saw the Commission Signed and under Seal in France that it was sent away before him and if it was not already come he was certain it was upon the Road. But however it came about and that the Project was to cut the King off before he went to Holland blessed be God it took not effect Yet that it was really intended is manifest from the Lady Mary Fenwick's Petition praying a Reprieve for Sir John her Husband delivered afterwards to the House of Lords But though His Majesty got safe and escaped the intended Fatal Stroak the restless Spirits of those wicked Men some whereof were born to be hanged would not let
into England And if they should be Wind-bound he had written to the President Toffe at Calais to furnish them with what they should have Occasion for The rest of the Assassins were Men of desperate Fortunes Hangers-on at the Court of St. Germains or Soldiers taken out of several Regiments whose Character render'd them fit for such an inhumane Enterprize All the Assassins being come to London that were expected from France and their Number compleated by the Addition of others that were in England the Execrable Design was imparted to all the Desperadoes some of which were startled and amazed with Horrour at the first Relation of it But all the Scruples that Conscience could raise were soon extinguished by the Authority of the late King James's Commission and their plentiful Prospects of Wealth and Honour that would attend the Action And therefore All consented to forfeit their Honours and hazard their Lives in it Now several Ways are proposed by the Conspirators to execute their long-designed Attempt against His Majesty's Person Some proposed Seizing His Majesty and carrying him alive into France and to that purpose it was pretended that a Castle on the Sea-side was to be secured to detain the King till a Ship was ready to transport him thither But the Wiser and more wicked among them who understood what was meant by Seizing the King's Person laughed at this as a meer Chimera Others proposed to kill His Majesty at Kensington by attacking his Guards and forcing his Palace in the dead time of the Night But this upon debating of it was also thought wholly impracticable Some were for murthering the King as he came on Saturday to St. James's Chappel And for this purpose 40 Men well armed were to assault His Majesty's Guards which commonly do not exceed 25 while 6 Men on foot should shut Hyde-Park Gates and the rest assassinate His Majesty It was agreed also to kill the Coach-Horses as they were entring into the Park that the Passage being stopped the Guards might not be able to come up till they had done their Work Another Proposal was to murther the King as he returned from Hunting in a narrow Lane by a Wood-side leading to the Thames on the other side of the Water about 150 Paces long wherein there is a Gate which when it is shut hinders Coaches or Horses from passing that way One of the Assassins was sent to view the Ground and another to view the Lane before-mentioned But Sir George Barclay who was to command this infamous Party did not approve of that Lane and the Difficulty that arose in the Debate caused the Project to be rejected At last they fixed upon a Place betwixt Brentford and Turnham-Green in a Bottom where the Ground is Moorish There is a Bridge where divers Roads meet and crâ—ss oen another On the North side there is a Road that goes round Brentford and on the South a Lane that leads to the River so that one may come thither by four several Ways After you have passed the Bridge the Road grows narrow having on one side a Foot-Path and on the other a tall and thick Hedge And this Place was pitched upon for the Execution of their barbarous Villany And truly if Heaven had not discovered their Treasons all Circumstances considered a more unlucky Place and Time could not have been found out for His Majesty very often returned late from Hunting and usually crossed the Water at Queen's-Ferry by Brentford with no greater Attendance than 5 or 6 of his Guards It was also His Majesty's Custom to enter the Ferry-Boat without coming out of his Coach and as soon as he landed on this side the Water the Coach drove on without expecting the rest of the Guards who could not cross the Thames till the Boat returned to Surrey-side to bring them over and so the King must inevitably have fallen into the Hands of his Murtherers before the rest of the Guards could have come up to his Assistance Neither was the Time and Place more cunningly and Devilishly contrived than their Men were disposed of for having secured several Places at Brentford Turnham-Green and in scattered Houses thereabouts to seâ— up their Horses till the King should return from Hunting One of the Conspirators was ordered to wait at Queen's-Perry till the King's Guards appeared in sight on Surrey-side of the Water and then to give speedy Notice to the rest to be ready at their respective Posts while the King was crossing the Thames For this wicked End they were divided into three Parties which was to make their Approaches by three several Ways one of which was to come from Turnham-Greeâ— another from the Lane that leads to the Thames and the Third from the Road that goes round Brentford One 〈◊〉 these Parties were to attack the Guards in the Front and another in the Rear whilst 10 or 12 Men of the bloodieâ— sort were to assassinate His Majesty in his Coach and put 〈◊〉 Perâ—od to that Sacred Life whose Safety and Well-being 〈◊〉 a Defence to the Liberties of Europe as well as the particular Joy Delight and Safety of England When their execrable Design was accomplished the Conspirators resolved to keep in a Body till they came beyond Hammersmith and then to separate and by several Roads to hasten to London and from thence to the Sea-side where the sudden Landing of the French might secure them from the Rage of the Multitude and the Hand of Justice Thus was the Assassination to make way for a French Invasion and the Invasion to shelter the Murtherers of our King and Country Horses were now the only Necessaries wanting and Sir George Barclay complaining that the 800 l. which he brought over was already so far exhausted that he could not out of the Remainder provide so great a Number as 40 they all agreed that he should find but half and the other 20 should be supplied by Sir William Perkins Mr. Porter and Mr. Charnock All things being thus agreed on the Duke of Berwick who was sent into England to countenance the Action posted for France to give his supposed Father an account of it who shewed himself mightily pleased with it and indeed the Villany was now in a manner brought to a Crisis For the Fifteenth Day of February was the Day appointed to Murder the King if kind Heaven had not prevented it and now the Leaders having quartered the Assassines in several parts of the Town to prevent suspition they all lay close and still expecting notice from their Orderly Men of the King 's being gone to Richmond But so it pleased God Almighty that His Majesty did not go Abroad that Day This disappointment and fears of a Discovery made Plouden Kendrick and Sherborn decline the Action and withdraw themselves but Sir George Barclay Sir William Perkins Cap. Porter and Mr. Goodman concluding the Design was not Discovered because they were not taken up by the Government had another Meeting Feb. the 19th and there
Coaequation and that his Pension be reserved to him That for the Sum which he promised to pay some Ensigns out of his own Money the same should be taken out of what should arise from the four Quarters The Artillery was to be paid out of the Revenue of Lipiuski Germoreski and Winosopski till the succeeding Dyet of which the General of the Artillery was to give an account to the succeeding Dyets at hand That the Artillery should be laid up in the Arsenal of Wilna from whence it was not to be taken out but to be employ'd against the Enemies of the Republick That Protection should be granted to the Lithuanian Tartars as well for their Estates as Persons upon Condition that they took forthwith the Oath of Fidelity to the King and the Republick Having thus dispatch'd the Affairs of the North I shall not amuse the Reader in this place with the Naval Fight that hapned between the Venetian and Ottoman Fleets in the Waters of Mitylene on the 20th of September since I cannot with any Certainty assign what Loss was sustained or the Victory to either side so various have the Reports been tho' the former laid a Claim to it but design now to resume the Negotiations of the Peace with the Turks already mentioned but because the same has spun out into the new Year before the final Conclusion of it I shall here according to my Custom briefly touch upon the Remarkables of the last Towards the beginning of February dyed Frederick Casimir Duke of Courland at Mittau the place of his Residence who was succeeded by his Son Frederick Casimir a Child of of about Six Years Old During whose Minority Prince Ferdinand his Uncle who has embrac'd the Popish Religion would have taken the Guardianship and Administration upon him But the States have interposed and the young Prince is to be bred up a Protestant The third of the same Month was also fatal to Ernestus Augustus Elector and Duke of Hanover and Bishop of Osnaburg who departed this Life at Hernhausem He was born November the 10th 1629. being third Son to George Duke of Lunemburg and Anne Eleonora Daughter of Landgrave Lewis of Hesse-Damrstadt He was married in 1659. to the Princess Palatine Sophia Daughter to Frederick Elector Palatine and Elizabeth Stuart Daughter of King James I. and Sister to King Charles I. by whom he had several Children and whereby it appears the present Elector his Son is next in Succession after the Royal Family here by the present Constitution of the Government that no Roman Catholick shall inherit to the Crown of England By the Peace of Westphalia the deceased Elector was designed Bishop of Osnabrug which is a very considerable Country when the Alternative was settled for one time a Roman Catholick and next time a Prince of the House of Lunemburg of which he took Possession in 1668. upon the death of the Cardinal of Wirtemburg the last Roman Catholick Bishop The Emperor was no sooner informed of the Elector's death but that in pursuance to the said Treaty he dispatch'd away a Commissioner to be present at the Election of a new Bishop for which there were divers Candidates and about which the Capitulars were extreamly divided But at length April the 14th they all united in favour of Charles Joseph Ignatius of Lorrain Bishop of Olmutz the Duke of that Name 's Brother who was advanced to that Dignity And now we have mentioned the Death of two Illustrious Persons we shall take notice of as many marriages One was in the North at the Swedish Court between the Duke of Holstein Gottorp and Hedwig Sophia Princess Royal of Sweden which was Consummated at Carelsbourg on the 12th of June without any Solemnity But the other between the present Duke of Lorrain and Elizabeth Charlotte Daughter to the Duke of Orleans the French King's Brother was performed upon the 12th of October at Fontainbleau with so much Pomp and Ceremonious Observances that I have no great Stomach to relate the Particulars and as little to call to mind the death Ferdinand Joseph Electoral Prince of Bavaria who departed this Life February 16th N. S. 1699. not long after as was given out and that very probably the King of Spain had settled the Succession of that Crown upon him and the French King 's Memorial at Madrid upon that Subject was a manifest Confirmation of it And the Truth of it is if there was a Right of Succession any where it must be in the Person of this young Prince by vertue of the Seventeenth Article of the Pyrenean Treaty Which undoubtedly must have stood good in Point of Justice whatever others have said against it in favour of another Person else we must account Don Lewis de Haro one of the wisest Ministers of State that ever Spain bred a â—ool and no Treaties how solemnly soever made of any Validity But now to draw to a Closure we are to remind you that the Plenipotentiaries on either side both Christian and Turk with the Mediators met at Câ—rlâ—â—itz in order to terminate so long and expensive a War by a Peace or at least a Truce for some term of Years It was the â—th of November when the Mediators delivered to the Turkish Plenipotentiaries the Preliminary Articles which mainly in Substance contained That each Party respectively should retain what he had got and the following days till the 12th were spent in preparing Matters upon which they were to enter in Conference that day On the 13th the Imperial and Turkish Plenipotentiaries caused several fair Tents to be set up on the sides of the House appointed for the Conferences and by Nine in the Morning the first arrived at the Mediators Lodgings whither the Turks also repaired at the same time and from thence went altogether to the House of Conference where after mutual Civilities they took their Places in the midst of the Tent which had four Doors two whereof being opposite to one another served for the Entrance of the Mediators and the other two for the Imperial and Turkish Plenipotentiaries The Count of Oâ—â—inghen had the right of the former and Reis Effendi of the latter The Mediators Secretaries and those of the Imperial Embassy were placed behind and the Turkish Secretary who stood up-right before sat down upon the Floor And this was the manner of the opening of the first Conference after pronouncing of these Words God-Grant an happy Pâ—â—ce There was a Table in the midst between the Mediators and Plenipotentiaries And the Conference lasted from half an Hour after Ten till Three in the Afternoon when the Mediators and Plenipotentiaries went out in the same order as they entred But all the while they were within the Emperor's and Turkish Guards besides a great Number of Officers of both Nations environed the Tent. The Conferences were renewed in the same manner the three succeeding days with good Success And among other things they conferred about the Regulation of
out of favour K. Charles II's different Carriage to the Addressors Mr. Sidney sent Embassador into Holland and for what K. Charles makes a Defensive Alliance with Holland The Dauphine intended to marry Dauphine married to the Princeâ—â— of Bavaria The Emperor's Memorial to the Diet at Ratisbone concerning the French Infractions The Result of the Diet. The Empire complain of France Parliamenâ— met The Bill of Exclusion The Bill thrown out of the House of Lords The Parliament prosecute the Abhorrers of Petitioning The Resolution of the Commons against lending the King Money The Earl of Ossory's Death The Death of the Electors of Saxony and Palatine The Earl of Essex's Speech to the King The Lords Petition to the King Fitz-Harris his Libel The Oxford Parliament dissolved The King's Declaration after the Dissolution of the Parliament Stephen Colledge Try'd The Earl of Argyle's Case Articles granted Strasburg Protestant Dissenters Prosecuted The Charter of London questioned The pretended Presâ—byterian â—ior Earl of Essex's Death Lord 〈…〉 Speech Col. Sidney Try'd Col. Sidney's Paper Methods used to get the Charters of Cities surrender'd The League of Ausburg The Carriage of the French upon the Turks invading Hungary The Emperor prepares against the Turks Newheusel besieged by the Imperialists The Siege raised The Turks advance to Austria The Tartars attack the Germans Great Consternation at Vienna The Turks form the Siege of Vienna A Journal of the Siege from the Beginning to the End Count Staremberg's Letter to the Duke of Lorain The Battel of Barkan Gran besieged by the Germans 〈…〉 K. Charles contemptible abroad Luxemburg besieged by the French and surrender'd The 20 Years Truce Genoa bombarded by the French Fleet. Vicegrade besieged and taken by the Imperialists The Siege of Buda The D. of Lorain's Letter to the Emperor concerning the beating of the Turks Army The Siege of Buda raised Count Lesley routs the Turks in Selavonia and takes Virovitz The Emperor's Forces successful against the Turks in Vpper Hungary 〈…〉 The Campaign in Poland The Venetians take Sancta Maura The Venetians make â—ncursions into the Turkish Territories The Venetians besiege Prevesa Prâ—vesa surrendered The Death of King Charles II. K. James 〈◊〉 Speech to the Council◠〈…〉 K. James II Crownâ—d and his Speech to the Parliament The Parliament gives him a great deal of Money The Earl of Argyle's Declaration Argyle taken and beheaded K. James his Practices against the Duke of Monmouth D. of Monmouth lands in England His Declaration The P. of Orange's Offers to King James rejected The D. of Monmouth's Letter to K. James Monmouth Beheaded The cruel Executions in the Wâ—st Mr. Cornish Try'd Mr. Cornish Executed K. James's Proceedings in respect to Ireland Talbot's Villany K. James's Speech to his Parliament The Lords Voted Thanks for the Speech The Commons debated it and addrest the King to turn our the Popish Officers Parliament dissolved Neuheusel Besieged by the Imperialists The Turks Besiege Gran. The Battel of Gran. Vicegrade taken by the Turks Neuheusel taken by Storm The Serasquier's Letter to the D. of Lorain Esperies besieged by General Schultz Surrendred The Siege and Battel of Coron Coron taken Dr. Hough chosen President of Magdalen Collede The Fellows of Magdalen College turn'd out Dangerfield Sentenced and kill'd Mr. Johnson's Sentence K. James's Letter to the Scotch Parliament Buda besieged The Battel of Buda The Siege continued Buda stormed Buda taken Five Churches besieg'd Surrender'd The besieging and taking of Syclos Darda abandon'd by the Turks The Pr. of Baden burns the Bridge of Esseck Segedin besieg'd The Battel of Scinta Segedin surrender'd to the Imperialists Chialafa besieged by the Turks The Turks beaten and raise the Siege Old Navarino besieged and taken New Navarino besieged New Navarino surrender'd Modon besieged by the Venetians Surrendred Napoli di Romania besieged The Turks defeated Napoli di Romania taken Sign besieged Sign taken The King of Poland invades Moldavia The Hospodar's Message to him and his Answer The King of Poland routs the Turks and Tartars A Proclamation for a Toleration of Religion in Scotland Tyrconnel made Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland and other Proceedings there The Duke of Lorrain towards 〈◊〉 The Battel of Mohatz Transilvania revolts Butschin besieged by the Imperialists Esseck abandoned by the Turks Transylvania reduced by the Imperialists Arch-Duke Joseph crowned K. of Hungary Agria surrender'd to the Imperialists The Revolution of the Turkish Empire ended with the Deposing of Mabomet IV. and advancing his Brother Solyman to the Throne Sign besieged by the Turks and relieved by the Venetians Castlenovo besieged by the Venetians The Turks routed by the Venetians The Turks abandon Patrass Lepanto c. Corinth abandoned by the Turks and several other Places Atâ—ens quitted to the â—enetians 〈…〉 K. James his Declaration of Indulgence commanded to be Read in Churches The Bishops Petition The King's Answer The Bishops sent to the Tower Tryed and Acquitted Alba Regalis surrendred to the Germans Lippa besieged and taken by the Imperialists Illock and Peter-Waradin deserted by the Turks Belgrade besieged by the Imperialists Belgrade taken by Storm The Battel of Brod. The Affairs of Venice and Poland The Bishop of Bath VVells ☞ ☜ The Prince of Orange lands in England P. George's Letter to the King The Princess Ann's Letter to the Queen â—ivers â—â—aces seized for the Use of the Prince of Orange The P. of O's Third Declaration K. J's Proposals to the Pr. of Orange The Prince's Answer K. J's Letter to the E. of Fevâ— rsham The E. of Feversham's Letter to the Pr. of Orange P. of Or. his Declaration The P. of 〈◊〉 Message to the King K. James's Reasons for withdrawing himself The English Declaration of Right P. and P. of Orange proclaimed K. and Q. or England The Scot. Declarat of Right P. and P. proclaimed in Scotland K. and Q. take the Scotch Oath Dundee slain Tyrconnel sent for K. James to Ireland The Emperor's Letter to the late K. James The late K. James lands in Ireland Protestants disarm'd in Ireland The Irish routed by the Iniskillingers and Mackarty made a Prisoner D. Schomberg lands in Ireland Carrigfergus bâ—sieged Carrigfergus surrendred D. Schomberg marched towards Dundaâ—k A Conspiracy discovered among the French in the English Army The Iniskilliners defeat the Irish near Sligo The Irish take Sligo The English at Dundalk die â—pace Keyserwaert besieged by the Duke of Brandenburg â—eiserwater surrendred Mentz besieged by the Confederates Mentz surrendred The French burning and ravaging the Palatinate Bonne besieged by the Elector of Brandenburg Bonne besieged Bonne surrendred to the Confederates Prince Lewis of Baden made General in Hungary The Battel of Patochin French make Peace with the Algerines Baden routs the Tarks near Nissa Nissa taken by the Imperialists Widin surrendred to the Imperiaâ—iâ—ts The Turkish Embassadors press for a Peace Napoli di Malvasia blockaded bâ— the Venetians The Vâ—udois pâ—rsecution at an end The death of Innocent XI Laws made agaiâ—st Popish Succesâ—ors
and other Proceedings of the Parliamentsf The Affairs of Scotland The Jacobites Plot. The Irisâ— Affairs Col. Woolsâ—ey routs the Irish Charlemont Castl blocked up Charlemont surrendred K. William landed in Ireland K. William wounded The Battle of the Boyne L. G. Hambletâ—n hâ—s Character at the Boyne D. Schâ—mberg's Character and Age. The late K. James 〈◊〉 for Fraâ—â—â—e 〈…〉 Athlone besieged in vain by L. G. Dâ—uglass Waterford surrendred The Kings Proceedings in Ireland The Army march to 〈◊〉 2. The first siege of Limerick The English Train surprized by the Irish Thâ— Siege raised and the King goes for England 〈◊〉 besieged and 〈◊〉 Coâ—k surrendred Kingsale beâ—sieg'd Surrendred The Duke of Savoy enters into the Confederacy and the manner of it The Treaty between the Emperour and the Dâ—ke of Saâ—oy The Treaty between the King of Spain and the Duke of Savoy The Campagne in Flanders The Battle of Flerus Arch-duke Joseph chosen King of the Romans The death of the D. of Lorrain The Campaign in Germany The Insurrection of the Catalins The Freâ—ch prevail in Catalâ—nia The French repulsed at Carignan The Vaudoâ—â— roâ—t the French Caâ—ours taken by Catinat The Battel of Salusses Suza besieged and taken by the French Canisia surrenâ—red Nissa and Widin besieged by the Turks Teckely possesses himself of Transilvania and routs Heuster Nissa surrendred Widin surrendred Belgrade besieged by the Turks The Turks take Belgrade by storm Esseck besieged by the Turks in vain P. of Baden reduced Transâ—lvania and expels Tekeley The King of Poland tempted to make Peace with the Turks The Tartars harrass Poland The Poles unactive in the Prosecucution of the War Neapli di Malvasia besieged by the Venetians and taken Vallona besieged by the Venetians Vallona deserted by the Turks The Venetians beat the Turks at Sea Attempts made by France for a Peace with the Emperor The Remarkables of this Year The Congress at the Hague The King's Speech to the Congress The Resolution of the Congress Nice besiâ—ged and taken The siege of Mons. Mons surrendred The War in Ireland Baltymore surrendred to the English The English Town of Athlone taken The English pass the Shannon The Irish Town of Athlone taken The Battle of Aghrim Galloway surrendered Limerick besieged K. James's Letter to the Irish The Irish War ended Our Sea-Affairs noted The Campaâ—gâ— in Flanders The Campaign in Catalonia The Campaign on the Upper Rhine Carmagnolae besieged and taken Coni besieged Coni relieved Carmagnola retaken Montmelian Fortress surrendred The Battle of Saâ—ankemen Duke of Croy succesfull in Sclavonia Great Waradin blockaded The King of Poland's Campaign Pope Alexander VIII his Death Monsieur Louvois Death The Elector of Saxony's Death Parliament meets Parliament adjourned Conspiracy in England Admiral Russel's Letter The French Fleet beaten K. James's Letter to the French King Namur surrendred The Battle of Steenkirk The English Forces imbark English Forces 〈◊〉 in Flanders The Campaign on 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Rhine The Siege of Reinfâ—ld The Duke of Savoy invades the Daupbinate and his Progress The Duke of Savoy's Sâ—ckness The Duke recovers Great Waradin besieged Great Waradia surrendered Câ—nea besieged by the 〈◊〉 The Siâ—ge rais'd The Pâ—â—es do little Mr. Boyle's Death Earthquake in Jamaca and England Ninth Electorate The Proceedings of the English Parliament The Smyrna Fleet attach'd ' by the French The Campaign in Flander's Huy taken by the French The Battle of Landen Charleroy besieged and surrendred to the French Roses taken Heidelburg taken and destroyed by the French The Dauphine inclined to attack the Prince of Baden A Letter from Turin to the States General of the United Provinces about the Battle of Marsiglia Belgrade besieg'd by the Imperialists The Siege rais'd The King his Speech to the Parliament The Proceedings of the English Parliament Sir Francis Wheeler lost Acts of Parliament signed Admiral Russell with the Fleet â—ails for Spain The death of the Prince of Liege and Choice of another The Campaign in Flanders Diep and Havâ—e de Grace Bombâ—rdâ—d by the English The Confederates and French in motion towards Flanders The French King his Letter to the Army Huy besieged by the Confederates and taken The French Progress in Catalonia The French Fleet confined to Thoulon The Campagne in Germany The Campagne in Savoy The Affairs of Poland The death of the Elector of Saxony The death of Queen Mary The English Parliament's Proceedings Th◠〈…〉 Flanders Namur Besieg'd by the Confederates 〈◊〉 Fortifications P. Vaudemont's gallant Retreat The King his Letter to Prince Vaudemont The Siege of Namur continued to the Surrender of the Town The Maritime Towns of France Bombarded by the English Dixmude and Deinse Surrendred to the French Brussells Bombarded Villeroy fails to relieve Namur The Fort and Castle of Namur surrendred The Campaign on the Rhine inconsiderable Casall besieged and taken by the Confederates Sultan Ackmet's Death Sultan Mustapha takes Lippa and Titull A Letter concerning the Defeat of General Veteranâ— Scio quited by the Venetians The Battle of Magâ—s Parliament Dissolv'd and another call'd The King's Speech The death of the Elector of Mentz An Act to remedy the ill state of the COin The Assassination discoverâ—d The King's Speech to the Parliament The Parliaments Pâ—ocâ—â—dings there upon The Confederates buru the French Magazine at Givet The Bombing of Calais St. Martins c. The Fight between the French and Spaniards 〈◊〉 Cataâ—onia The Campaign in Germany The separate Peace of Savoy and the Management of it The Envoy of Savoy's Harange to the late K. James Valentia Beâ—ieged by the French and Savoyards The Articles of Neutrality for Italy Themeswaer Besiegâ—d by the Imperialists and quitted The â—attle between the Imperialists and the Turks Liberachi brought over to the Venetian◠〈◊〉 Dulcigno Besieged by the Venetians The Seâ—ge raised Tâ—e Venetians Beat tâ—e Tuâ—ks by Sâ—a The death of the King of Poland The Czar of Moscovy routs the Turks by Sea and takes Asoph The Substance of the King his Speech to the Parliament The death of the Qu. Mother of Spain The Parliaments Proceedings The Preliminary Articles The Treaty at Reswick Aeth taken by the French The Spanish Aâ—bassaâ— râ—present thâ—ir 〈◊〉 The Elector of Saxony chosen King of Poland Alterations about the Basis of the present Treaty Other Altercations about the Bâ—sis of the present Treaty An Extraordinary Congress held The Lord Portland and the Mareschal de Boufflers their Interview and the Consequence thereof The Peace signed between England Spain Holland and France The Articles of Peace between England and France Mr. Ponti's Expedition Takes Carthagena Descryes and Escapes Admiral Neville * A Jurisdiction three Leagues in Compass Eberenburg â—aken by the Germans And a Cessation of Arms. The Battle of Zenta * Is the XLVI †Is the L. * Is the LI. * It is the XLVI The Parliament Addâ—ess the King Whitehall burâ—t Parliament proceedings King's Speech Parl. dissolved another called K goes for Holland The Affairâ— of Spain Articles of Alliance between France and Sweden Overtâ—res of Peace with the Turks The troubled Affairs of Poland The Proposals of the Rocosche The Nuâ—cio his Mediation Brings the Primate to submit The Primare's Speech to the King The Troubles of Lituania A Fight in Lithuania The Czar's Travel 's A Fight between the Poles and Tartars Elbing invested by the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 The Electors Letter to Elbing The Articles of Eâ—bing Sapieha defeated The Lithuanian Troubles appeased The death of the Duke of Courland The death of the Duke of Hanover The Dukes of Holstein and Lorrain married Conference of Peace with the Turks Altercations between the Venetians and Turks
Grand-Seignior should never more claim any right therein 2. That Moldavia Walachia and the Republick of Ragusa which had put themselves under the Emperor's Protection should be comprized in the Treaty of Peace and not to be disturbed by the Turks in any manner whatsoever 3. That all the Tartars should depart the Countries 4. That the Port should pay 6000000 towards the Expences of the War immediately after the Conclusion of the Peace and 2000000 every Year for free Passage to Constantinople 5. That all the Christians that had been taken during the War which were above 1000000 should be set at liberty lastly that Tekeley and all his Adherents should be delivered up to the Emperor The King of Poland demanded the restitution of Caminiec and 4000000 in Silver And for the Venetians they required 1. The restitution of all the Islands that formerly belonged to them and particularly the Island of Negrâ—pont 2. The restitution of the Dukedom of Athens 3. The Exchange of Lepanto for Tragusa 4. The restitution of Dulâ—igno and Mahona 5. A Regulation of the Limits of the conquered Cities and Countries And lastly that the Grand-Seignior should pay to the Republick 400000 Ducats But these Propositions seemed so unreasonable to the Embassadors that they tore their Beards upon it However they delivered a Letter to the Imperial Commissioners which the Grand-Seignior had written to the Emperour Within which it was thought some Offers and Proposals tending to a Peace might be met with But they were surprized to find nothing but Complements and the Imperial Court was so incensed at it that they sent Orders for the Ottoman Embassadors to be gone but while they were preparing for their departure word was sent them that they might stay till the Return of the Couriers from Poland and Venice to know the final Resolutions of those two Republicks At last depart they did but stopped at Commorra and after a long stay there got leave at length to return leaving the Peace that way desperate and the War to be prosecuted with as great fury as ever But how high soever the Demands of the Venetians were in their Proposals of Peace they must have proceeded from another Motive whatever it were than the Operations of this Compagne which proved very unsuccessful to them as the last had done For the Siege of Napoli di Malvasia a City in the Morea which their Forces undertook did not go forward with that Success that was desired their Army being only worn out before it and a great Number of brave Officers lost And therefore being reduced to this bad plight and the Garrison obstinately refusing to hearken to a Surrender tho' the Place was very much ruined by the Bombs they resolved at length to change the Siege into a Blockade To this end they put 2000 Men in Garrison into the two Forts which they had raised on the Land-side and left some Frigates at Sea to endeavour the prevention of any Relief that way Which being effected they drew off the rest of the Army to Napoli di Romania to take up their Winter-Quarters Neither did their Affairs in Dalmatia meet with any better Success than those in the Morea For Seignior Mclino Proveditor-General of that Countrey having advanced towards Narenta to make himself Master of la Gabella and some other Posts met the Turkish Horse near the Bridge that leads to that Place The Vanguard composed of Morlaques was charged so vigorously that they were forced to give Ground However Molino stood firm with 600 Horse and his Infantry but finding the Turks were reinforced he was not willing to engage in a Fight the Success whereof was so much the more doubtful by how much his Men had been somewhat discouraged by the Defeat of the Morlaques wherefore he retreated in good Order and with the Loss of no great number of Soldiers The rest of Italy was hitherto pretty quiet save for the Troubles of the poor Vaudois whose Persecution is now at an end and with which doth a Cloud gather that in a little time shall overcast a great part of this Countrey But of this we shall have occasion to speak in the succeeding Years and take notice here that this as it hath been remarkable upon many other Accounts so upon that of the Death of one of the greatest Popes that lived since Gregory the Great 's Days the famous and renowned Odeschalchi by Name and Innocenâ— XI upon his Assumpsion of the Papacy who departed this Life upon the 12th of Aug. between 3 and 4 in the Afternoon He was born at Como in Italy in the State of Milan was made Clerk of the Chamber under the Pontificate of Vrban VIII and of Innocent X. by whom he was made a Cardinal in 1645. after which he was preferred to be Legate of Bologna and Bishop of Novarra and Clement X. dying the 22d of July 1676. he was advanced to the Pontifical Chair the 22d of Sept. following Some have called him the Protestant Pope for what Reason I know not unless it be that when France was exercising her Severities upon her Reformed Subjects they were highly opposed by him at the same time upon another Account and that some said that he in one of his Letters exprest a Dislike not only at the one but the other of their Proceedings at least-wise as to the manner of it But be it as it will he was certainly a very great Man for all the Satyrs that were made upon him in France and it cannot be taken ill by the Publick if with a judicious Person I encounter all their Calumnies with what an Impartial Author wrote of him when he was yet but a Cardinal saying Odeschalchi is most certainly a very great Man and a Person of Worth and Integrity not to be corrupted Exemplary Charitable Disinterested Disingaged from the World without Pride without Vanity without Pomp Zealous with Moderation Austere only to himself His Kindred are Persons of Worth his Brother died at Como some Years since Canonized by the People for his signal Works of Piety and Charity there is nothing to be blamed in his Conduct and of all the Colledge he is the most fit to be Pope for his Honesty and Vertue But whether the vacant See was supplied with a Person worthy to succeed so great a Man may appear hereafter we shall only here note That Peter Ottoboni a Venetian by Birth and Bishop of Porro was on the 6th of Oct. following promoted to the Papal Dignity being aged 80 Years within a few Months year 1690 The Affairs abroad being terminated as we have above related for the Year 1689. we shall enter upon this with the Affairs of Britain The Parliament of England happily ended their most important Affairs towards the beginning of it and in regard they had found the Aim and Drift of the preceding Reigns to have been absolutely to annihilate the Authority of Parliaments and that King James in particular had gone a great
way towards the introducing the Popish Religion into the Nation they took especial care to prevent the like for the future by Enacting in concurrence with the Royal Authority That the Kings and Queens of England should be obliged at their coming to the Crown to take the Test in the first Parliament that should be called at the beginning of their Reign and in the Bill of Succession added a Clause That if any King or Queen of England should embrace the Roman Catholick Religion or Marry with a Roman Catholick Prince or Princess their Subjects should be absolved from their Oaths of Allegiance They also annull'd the pretended Parliament in Ireland and also ordained That all those who should take up Arms against the King after the 24th of Feb. or should hold Correspondence with his Enemies should be guilty of high Treason And granted the King 2 Shillings in the Pound upon Land with the necessary Clauses and Restrictions and appropriated Part of the Mony for Payment of the Seamen and setting out the Fleet. After this being prorogued to the 12th of Apr. they were by Proclamation dissolved upon the 6th of Febr. and the King by the same Proclamation called a Parliament to meet on the 30th of March to whom he delivered himself to this Effect That being resolved to omit nothing on his Part that might contribute to the Peace and Prosperity of the Nation and to that end believing his Presence absolutely necessary in Ireland for the Reducing of that Kingdom he had called them together to desire their Assistance that he might be in a Capacity to carry on the War there with Speed and Vigour To which purpose he desired them to hasten the settling of the Revenues of the Crown and that he might have a Fund in the mean time settled upon the Credit whereof he might raise Mony for the present Exigences of the Nation Then he recommended to them the passing of an Act of Oblivion such as he had ordered to be drawn up for the preventing the loss of time usually spent in Deliberations of that kind and wherein but few were excepted that his Subjects might see he had no other Intentions but such as were conformable to the Laws of the Land and to leave those without Excuse that should go about to disturb the Government in his Absence And lastly recommended to them the Vnion with Scotland and then informed them That he intended during his Absence to leave the Administration of the Government in the Hands of the Queen and desired them to prepare an Act to that Purpose concluding with an earnest Desire that they would be as speedy in the Dispatch of Business as possibly they could in regard his Expedition into Ireland would not admit of any long Session The Parliament went roundly to work upon this Speech of the King 's yet so that it took up some time before they could bring all their Matters to bear But at length the Act of Oblivion after many Difficulties removed and so long desired by the King was approved and past so was another for putting the Administration of the Government into the Queen's Hands not only during the King's Absence in Ireland but when-ever his Affairs should call him out of the Kingdom They also found out Ways to raise the Subsidies that were granted settled the Revenues and divers Persons did in the mean time advance Money for the King 's present Occasions and that nothing might happen to the Prejudice of the Government while the King was absent the Deputy-Lieutenants of the Counties were authorized to raise the Militia in case of necessity and all Roman Catholicks ordered to repair to their places of Abode and not to stir above 5 Miles from thence without leave and all that held any Imployment in the State tho' never so inconsiderable to swear Fidelity to the King and Queen Thus Matters being brought to a good Conclusion his Majesty after returning them his Thanks Prorogued them to the 17th of June and then hasted for Ireland where he arrived on the 14th of the same Month and where at present we shall leave him and see what was doing nearer home The Rebels in Scotland under the Command of Colonel Cannon tho' not otherwise considerable for their Strength then by the unaccessible Places they possess'd in the Highlands yet continued still in a Body and took their Opportunity to make frequent Incursions into the Low-lands to plunder and spoil more like a Company of Banditti than Regular Troops over whom the Government there however kept a vigilant Eye and detected some Correspondence held between them and other Persons in Edenburg and elsewhere who before pretended to be Friends but it ended in the close Confinement of them Yet notwithstanding all this they could not prevent them from receiving some Succour from without For King James notwithstanding the Delay of the French Succours which did not arrive in Ireland before the 4th of March yet built so very much upon them that tho' he had neither Ammunition nor Provision to spare he caused in the mean time two Frigats to be rigged up at Dublin laden with Cloaths Arms and Ammunition and sent them away to his Friends in Scotland having besides on Board them Colonel Buchan Colonel Wauhup and about 40 Commission-Officers more who had all the good Luck to get safe into the Isle of Mull. With this Reinforcement they were so incouraged that sometime after that they adventured to the number of 1500 to march as far as Strathspag in the County of Murray which Sir Thomas Levingstone no sooner understood and being unwilling to give them any Opportunity for a farther Accession of Strength in being joyned with other Malecontents but he took along with him 800 Foot 6 Troops of Dragoons and 2 Troops of Horse and fell upon them so suddenly that the Horse and Dragoons entring their Camp put them into such an immediate Confusion that they betook themselves to flight leaving between 4 and 500 of their Number slain upon the Spot an 100 taken Prisoners and among them 4 Captains 3 Lieutenants and 2 Ensigns nor had any of them escaped had not a thick Mist fell in the height of the Execution This was no sooner done but Sir Thomas advanced to the Castle of Lethirgdey commanded by Colonel Buchan's Nephew and having lodged a Mine under it quickly brought the Garrison to surrender at Discretion Neither was Major Ferguson less successful in the Isle of Mull where he landed and destroy'd several Places belonging to the Enemy forcing them to desert the Castle of Dewart and betake themselves to the Hills Nor yet was the Blow given them by the Scotch Parliament of less Importance for besides their Passing an Act to restore the Presbyterian Ministers that were thrust from their Churches since the 1st of Jan. 1661. they made another declaring all those Rebels that were actually in Arms against the King and Queen But notwithstanding the ill Success of the Jacobites in
a Line of Battle passing by Dover-Castle from whence he was saluted by the Earl of Rumney with his Guns and standing over directly for the Coast of Calais and Dunkirk more to the Terror and Amazement of the Enemy than the sudden News of their design was to us And here again I cannot but remark the wonderful Providence of Almighty God for our outward-bound Merchant-ships and their Convoys together with the Squadron design'd for the Streights had been a long time detained by contrary Winds which was very afflicting to our Merchants and all were sorry Sir George Rook could not for this Reason be so soon reinforced as was necessary to enable him to defend the Passage of the Streights against the Naval Preparations that were made at Thoulon But at the same time that they appeared so much concerned at the Obstinacy of these Westerly Winds that had now been fix'd for 2 Months God who sees all things and even the most secret Machinations and Designs of Men provided them for our safety and made that wholsome Physick for us which we imagined to be Poison Thy Way O God! is in the Sea and thy Paths in the great Waters and thy foot-steps are not known In the mean time while these things were doing upon the Sea and that the Admiral was bearding of the French upon their own Coast who durst not now as much as peep out of their lurking Holes The King thought fit to acquaint the two Houses of Parliament with the Conspiracy and what he had done in order to obviate the same and this he did in the following Speech My Lords and Gentlemen I Came hither this Day upon an extraordinary Occasion which might have proved fatal if it had not been disappointed by the singular Mercy and Goodness of God and may now by the Continuance of the same Providence and Our own prudent Endeavours be so improved as to become a sufficient Warning to Vs to provide for our Security against the pernicious Practises and Attempts of Our Enemies I have received several concurring Informations of a Design to assassinate Me And that Our Enemies at the same time are very forward in their Preparations for a sudden Invasion of this Kingdom I have therefore thought it necessary to lose no Time in acquainting My Parliament with these Things in which the Safety of the Kingdom and the Publick Welfare are so nearly concerned that I assure My Self nothing will be omitted on your Part which may be thought proper for Our present or future Security I have not been wanting to give the necessary Orders for the Fleet and I hope We have such a Strength of Ships and in such a Readiness as will be sufficient to disappoint the Inventions of Our Enemies I have also dispatched Orders for bringing home such a Number of Our Troops as may secure us from any Attempt Some of the Conspirators against My Person are already in Custody and Care is taken to apprehend as many of the rest as are discovered And such other Orders are given as the present Emergency of Affairs do absolutely require at this time for the Publick Safety My Lords and Gentlemen Having now acquainted You with the Danger which hath attended Vs I cannot doubt of Your Readiness and Zeal to do every thing which you shall judge proper for Our common Safety And I perswade my self We must be all sensible now necessary it is in Our present Circumstances that all possible Dispatch should be given to the Business before You. The Parliament were so far from being backward to congratulate His Majesty upon the Deliverance that they lost no time in going upon such Methods as might secure him against the like Villanous Attempts for the future To which end they did on the 25th of February enter into an Association to defend his Person and revenge his Death And to that of the Commons the King was pleased to give this Answer That he took it as a most convincing and acceptable Evidence of their Affection and as they had freely associated themselves for their common Safety he did himself heartily enter into the same Association and would be always ready with them and the rest of his good Subjects to venture his Life against all those who should endeavour to subvert the Religion Laws and Liberties of England But because they thought this was not sufficient they proceeded to make other Laws more binding for the King 's and Our Security And First That such as should refuse to take the Oaths of Fidelity to His Majesty should be subject to the Forfeitures and Penalties of Popish Recusants Convict Secondly To inflict Penalties on all that by Writing or otherwise declared that King William was not lawful and rightful King of England Thirdly To ratifie and confirm the Association to disable any from being capable of any Office of Profit and Trust that should not Sign the Association and that whenever it should please God to afflict these Nations by the Death of his present Majesty that the Parliament then in being should not be dissolved thereby but should continue till the next Heir to the Crown in Succession should dissolve them Which last was undoubtedly as great a Stroak to our Enemies abroad as any thing that has fallen out since the Revolution For it cannot be thought the late King should ever flatter himself to that degree of being restored by a Free Parliament But while we were thus securing our selves within the Parliament was not unmindful of raising the necessary Supplies to carry on the War abroad and therefore there were several good Bills prepared for that purpose and signed at several times by his Majesty before the end of April While in the mean time divers of the Assassins were Tried And first Robert Charnock Edward King and Thomas Keys came to their Tryals on the 11th of March and upon a full Hearing and Evidence were all found Guilty of High Treason and having received Sentence of Death accordingly they were upon the 18th of the said Month executed at Tyburn But before they were turned off each of them delivered a Paper to the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex wherein every one of them respectively confess'd himself Guilty of the Crime he was accused of But for the fuller Satisfaction of the Reader and in pursuance to the Design of this Treatise we 'll give you their Papers delivered by them to the Sheriffs of London and Middlesex at the Place of Execution March the 18th Mr. CHARNOCKE's Paper THAT I might avoid Distractions and be Composed as much as possible at the time of my Execution I thought it much more proper to Communicate This to the Sheriffs than to give my self the Uneasiness of speaking leaving it to them to publish if they think convenient for the Satisfaction of the World and in what I have to say I have taken as much care as I could to be short that I might not lose time in my greatest Concern As concerning an
Invasion intended by King James upon England and that there was certain Intelligence of it from Abroad I presume every Body was satisfied and to the facilitating of which I own that my Self and some Others did agree upon the Undertaking To Attack the Prince of Orange and his Guards for which I am now to Suffer but I think my Self obliged by all the Tyes imaginable both of Conscience and Honour to declare That as for any Order or Commission of King James's for Assassinating the Prince of Orange I neither saw nor heard of any but have had frequent Assurances of his having rejected such Proposals when they have been offer'd I confess I did hear that there was a Commission arrived for Levying of War and which was natural to believe if the King was in such a readiness to come over as was reported but if there was any such Authority as that I declare I never saw it As to what regards the Body of the Roman Catholicks I must do them the Justice and which I dare to be positive in That they had no manner of Knowledge of this Design nor do I believe it was Communicated to any other Party of such as are reputed the King's Friends but carried on meerly by a small Number without the Advice Consent or Privity of any Parties whatsoever I ask forgiveness of all the World for what Offences or Injuries I have done to them and I am I bless Almighty God in perfect Charity with all Mankind Robert Charnocke Mr. KING's Paper I Am now within a few Moments of Eternity brought to this Place by the Just Hand of God in Punishment of all my Crimes but particularly of that of which I have been lately Arraigned and for which I stand here Condemn'd but I hope that Goodness of God which has given me a Sense of my Wickedness will accept my Repentance and shew Mercy on me which I hope to obtain thro' the Passion and Merits of my Redeemer upon whom I intirely cast my self And that I may find his Mercy I think my self oblig'd to do Justice to my Neighbour that so none may suffer wrongfully on my Account and therefore as I am soon to Answer the Truth of what I say before the Tribunal of God I First declare That I never saw any Order or Commission of King James's promoting the Asâ—â—ssination for which I am Condemned Neither do I know of any such Order or Commission Secondly That this Design was not undertaken with any General Knowledge or Approbation of any Body of Men either Catholick or Protestant Lastly That I did not engage in it on Presumption of any King-killing Principles that cou'd justifie such an Undertaking but was drawn into it by my own Rashness and Passion for which and all other Sins I heartily beseech God to forgive me And I hope that such who think the Misfortune of their Imprisonment or Trouble is deriv'd from my having been engaged in this Enterprize or such to whom it has any ways given scandal that they will admit me to their Pardon as I freely and heartily forgive all Mankind In this Disposition of a sincere Repentance and true Charity I commend my Soul into the Hands of God and hope to find Mercy from him And for this I beg all your Prayers Edward King Mr. KEY 's Paper I Am now going to appear before the Living God I trust in his Mercy that he will forgive all my Sins committed to this last moment of my Life God is just in all his Judgments and I accept of this Death as the Punishment of my Iniquities I forgive all my Enemies and hope through a hearty Repentance and the Merits of my Saviour to obtain Mercy Have Mercy on me O Father of Mercy and through thy only Son forgive me all my Sins Thomas Key The next turn was Sir John Friend's and Sir Will. Perkins both Tried Condemned and Executed in like manner for the same complicated Fact of the Assassination and Invasion which was owned by them also as appears by their own Words the first in these Terms Sir JOHN FREIND's Paper KNowing that I must immediately give an Account to God of all my Actions and that I ought to be especially careful of what I say in these last Hours I do solemnly profess That what I here deliver is from my very Soul with all the Heartiness and Sincerity of a dying Christian The Cause I am brought hither to suffer for I do firmly believe to be the Cause of God and True Religion and to the best and utmost of my Knowledge and Information agreeable to the Laws of the Land which I have evermore heard to require a firm Duty and Allegiance to our Sovereign and that as no Foreign so neither any Domestick Power can alienate our Allegiance For it is altogether new and untelligible to me that the King's Subjects can depose and dethrone him on any account or constitute any that have not an immediate Right in his Place We ought I think not to do this and surely when it is done to assist him in the Recovery of his Right is justifiable and our Duty And howsoever things may seem at present I do believe I am sure I heartily pray That he shall be one day restored to his rightful Throne and Dominions As for any sudden Descent of his Majesty upon these his Dominions in order to the Recovery of them I declare I had no certain knowledge of it nor can I tell what Grounds there was to believe it so little Reason had I to be in a present Preparation for it I suppose it is not expected I should endeavour to clear my self out of the Assassination which was not the thing alledg'd against me however it was mentioned through what means I know not As it was insinuated to my disadvantage I forgive such as were therein instrumental And I do also from the very bottom of my Soul freely forgive and beg of God to do so too suce as were any ways accessary towards the taking away my Life which I really look upon to be their Misfortune more than mine I profess my self and I thank God I am so a Member of the Church of England though God knows a most unworthy and unprofitable part of it of that Church which suffers so much at present for a strict adherence to Loyalty the Law and Christian Principles For this I Suffer and for this I Die Though I have a perfect Charity for People of all Professions and do heartily wish well and would endeavour so to do to all my Fellow-Subjects of what Persuasions soever And indeed I have met with a great deal of Uprightness and Sincerity among some People of very different Opinions in Religious Matters And I hope and desire it may not be taken as an uncharitable Censure or undue Reflection that I objected to the Legality of the Popish Evidence being advised so to do for my better Security upon the Foundation of a Statute-Law Having own'd