A RELATION IN FORM of JOURNAL OF THE VOIAGE And RESIDENCE Which The most EXCELLENT and most MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLS THE II KING OF GREAT BRITAIN c. Hath made in Holland from the 25 of May to the 2 of June 1660. Rendered into English out of the Original French By Sir WILLIAM LOWER Knight HAGUE Printed by ADRIAN VLACK Anno M. DC LX. with Priviledge of the Estates of Holland and West-Freesland THE PRINTER TO THE READER IF ever was a Relation whose truth might be indubitable it is questionlesse this which I give you at present It was composed on the Publick Acts drawn from the Registers of the Estate and exposed to the eys of those who were ey-witnesses of the things whereof it treateth and made the speeches which are inserted there and which are so faithfully related that except one onely there is none which was not pronounced in the same manner as you see them here written After this one cannot doubt that it may not one day serve advantagiously the History of the time whose mervellous revolution of the affairs of England shall make one of the principal parts It is requisite the world should know the particularities which you shall not find but in this discourse and I think to oblige my Country in publishing the marks of affection and good will which one of the first Kings of Christendom hath left it The Relation is French because the King would use that tongue during the residence whereof you have here the recital though he that composed it hinders it not to be extant in other languages but would that all people of the Universe should know it I confess it would have been more proper to have put it forth as soon as it was made immediately after the Kings departure and I would have given you this satisfaction if the diligence of those men that graved the Plates had answered my desire But I cease not to hope that it will not be ill received and that this production though tardive will have its agreements as well as the fruits which though given by nature but in a late season please notwithstanding and are carefully preserved I confess also that some faults are escaped in the Impression which all the diligent care of the Corrector could not avoid There is not any though that I know which alters the sense and which your discretion may not either correct or excuse Extract out of the Priviledge of the Estates of Holland and West-Freesland THe Estates of Holland and West-Freesland make known that Adrian Vlack dwelling at the Hague having remonstrated to us that he had caused to be printed at his great expense a Book entitled A Relation of the Voyage and Residence which the most Excellent and most Mighty Prince CHARLS THE SECOND King of Great Britain c. Hath made into Holland from the 25 of May to the 2 of June 1660. Enriched with divers fair Plates not only in the French tongue but also in the Dutch and English c. And fearing that some one might counterfeit it to his great Damage We have consented and granted by these Presents that the said Adrian Vlack may cause the said Book to be imprinted with prohibition to all other persons to imprint or distribute in our Province the said Book or part of it in any language or form whatsoever nor counterfeit the said Plates in any kind during the space of ten Years on pain of Confiscation of all the Copies and of three hundred pounds besides A RELATION Of the VOYAGE AND RESIDENCE Which His Most Excellent MAIESTY CHARLS THE II KING OF GREAT BRITAIN c. Hath made in Holland from the 25 of May to the 2 of June 1660. WHen the Parliament began at London the fourth day of May in this present Year 1660. it was no new thing in the noble breast of his Excellence the Lord General Monck Commander in Chief of the English Army in Scotland as sensibly touch'd with the calamities wherewith he saw his poor country so long afflicted to think of the means to establish there the Monarchal government grounded upon the old and primitive Laws of the Estate This could not be a free Parliament and such a one as the whole Kingdom demanded if it were not composed of two Houses viz. the Higher House of Lords or Peers and the Lower House of Commons or Deputies of the Provinces For the same violence which had destroyed the essential form of the estate had so disfigured that illustrious Body in cutting off one of its principal members that being incapable to act for the important affairs which made the convocation of that great assembly to be judged absolutely necessary if it opened not the Higher house which tyranny had shut up it must of necessity find it fit to repeal the Lords who had voice and place there for so many Ages I say many Ages because it may be truly affirmed that this custom is no lesse ancient then Monarchy it self since that from the time that it came out of the hands of the Britans and Saxons to passe into the family of those that possesse it at present the Estates of England never assembled but the Peers were called as well as the Deputies from the towns of the Kingdom The resolution which was taken on this occasion was not so soon executed and scarce had the two Houses began their assemblies to labour in regulating the government which the pass'd disorders had perverted into a miserable Anarchy but there appeared on the twelfth of the same moneth of May at the dore one of the Gentlemen of the King's Bed-chamber named Sir John Greenvil who demanded permission to present Letters to the House from his Majesty That Sacred name which not long since was the aversion of varlets and fanaticks was heard with veneration and inspired into that illustrious assembly such extraordinary and advantagious motions for the King that it was impossible for it to expresse them as we also will not undertake to represent them here upon paper It sufficeth to say that not above three or four months before it had been a crime of high treason to speak in Parliament in behalf of the King but now no sooner is that great name pronounc'd then one sees a general joy in the countenance of all the commons and observes a most high respect for that divine character They caused the Gentleman to enter The Speakers of the two Houses receive the King's Letters from his hand and make the Secretary to read them every one in the meane time with the greatest expressive submission of the world standing bare headed The two Houses compose but one sole Parliament and they are two members of one and the same body so that the King in writing to each of them upon one and the same subject might well make use of one Letter and addresse it not only under divers inscriptions to the two Houses but also to General Monck for the Army to
Admiral Montague for the Fleet and to the Major of London for the Capital town of his Kingdom which were all united with one and the same affection and laboured unanimously to make one and the same design to succeed His Majesty added thereunto an excellent Declaration for the safety and repose of those who tortured in their consciences for having partaken in the rebellion might fear the punishment of it and in that fear might oppose the tranquility of the Estate and the calling in of their lawful Prince It is printed and published as well as the Letter but that shall not hinder me to say that there was never seen a more perfect assemblage of all the most excellent natural qualities and of all the vertues as well Royal as Christian wherewith a great Prince may be endowed then was found in those two wonderfull productions They breath but piety and zeal for the glory of God and for Religion but tendernesse for the afflictions of his people but esteem for the Parliament but firmness for the conversation of the King 's rights an admirable prudence for the regulating of affairs an inexemplar conduct for the re-establishment of the government in its former estate love for the good indulgence for the seduced and a more then Christian clemency for criminals or rather for crime it self for a crime I say so black and so abhominable that as there hath not been an example in history since the creation of the world so it is to be hoped that the goodnesse of his Majesty will not make it serve for example to the following ages Both one and t'other wrought the effect which the King promised to himself from them since they fully gained the hearts which the miseries of the time pass'd had already very much disposed to acknowledge their Prince For the Letter and Declaration were no sooner read but the Parliament declared that the sentiments of the King were good lawful generous and conformable to the fundamental laws of the Estate the government whereof ought to be composed of a King of Lords or Peers and of Commons and judging that the people would be well satisfied in the Declaration which the King had granted them the Parliament ordained at the same time that most humble thanks should be returned to his Majesty for the favourable Letter which he graciously had written to them That to disingage his Majesty from the place where he was and to facilitate his passage they ordered him presently a sum of fifty thousand pounds sterling which was increased with another of ten thousand by the inhabitants of the City of London That the Admiral Montague should go with his Fleet to attend the King's orders on the coast of Holland That the two Houses and City of London should send to beseech him by their Deputies to come forthwith to take possession of the Kingdoms which God and his Right had given him and that in the mean time Sir John Greenvil should be dispatched with the Parliaments answer and should carry to Breda the resolutions and prayers of the two Houses or rather the just impatience which all England had to see again their Soveraign after a sad absence of so many years But that which is most remarkable in these resolutions is that they were not taken after a long contestation nor upon a simple acquiesment of the assembly but by the expresse suffrages and upon the universal and unanimous consent of all the Deputies of the two Houses who laboured in emulation of each other which should give the most proofs of affection The Parliament also permitted General Monck to send Mr. Clarges his brother-in-law accompanied with some Officers of the Army to assure his Majesty of the fidelity and obedience of the Army which had made publick and solemn protestations thereof after the Letter and Declaration was communicated unto them by the General But to the end one may see plainly what the sentiments were of all the English on this occasion I will not fear to report here the very words which the Speaker of the house of Commons said to the Gentleman which had delivered him Letters from his Majesty It is impossible for me said he to expresse the acknowledgment and submission with which the Commons assembled here in Parliament have received the Letter wherewith his Majesty was pleased to honour them The thing speaks it self you have seen it with your eys and heard it with your ears Our Bels our Bonfires and the report of our Artillery have already begun to proclaim the King and to publish our joy We have made known to the People that our King the glory of England is returning unto his Kingdom and have heard resound in our ears these agreeable protestations that they are ready to receive him and their hearts open to lodge him and as well the Parliament as People have already cried aloud together with one voice in their prayers to the King of Kings Long live King Charls the second I have also to tell you continued he that the Parliament not willing that you should return without some mark of acknowledgment to the King your Soveraign and ours hath ordained you the sum of five hundred pounds sterling to buy you a Jewel to make you to remember the honour which his Majesty hath done you in charging you with a Commission of this nature whereof you have so well acquitted your self that the Parliament hath commanded me to give you thanks We must confesse that there is something very extraordinary in this marvellous revolution but it is also certain that there is nothing miraculous in it The King was not surprised thereat God used him in the conduct of this great work He had laboured therein he had observed the dispositions and knew the progresses thereof and in this foresight he departed from Bruxels the last of Mareh to go to Breda And though since in the same month he went sometimes to Bruxels and to Antwerp he was resolved notwithstanding not to remain there but to betake him to the Princess Royal his sister Many considerations obliged him to depart the Territorres under the obedience of the King of Spain in this conjuncture of affairs but the sole convenience which he had at Breda to receive at all times Posts from England which passed and repassed every day and hour and to go from thence unto Holland to expedite the return into his Kingdom might invite him to transfer his Court there for a while He arrived there the 14. of April and was the same day complemented by Mr. Snel old Burgemaster in the name of the Magistrate who would likewise oblige the Town to make a solemn entrance to his Majesty but the Princess Royall hindred it for most considerable reasons The 17 the Lord Mordant arrived there with full assurances of the good will of the Parliament and that it would labour indubitably for the re-establishment of the King as soon as it should be compleat
to the most Christian King and President in his Parliament of Paris ordinary Embassadour of France having about three a clock or a little after obtained the first audience as well for that having demanded it first as for that there was no other Embassadour at the Hage that would come into competency with him he was met in the Court by one of the chief Gentlemen of the Chamber and on the top of the stairs by the Captain of the Life-guards which did on this occasion the functions of introductours As soon as the Embassadour had made his reverences and would begin to speak the King covered himself forthwith and shewed thereby to the Embassadour what he had to do His complement was very well received but his audience was short M rs Otte Krag Lord of Welberg Bayly of Nieburg and Senatour of the Crown of Denmark and Godsche of Bugwaldt Lord of Gieresbeeck Prevost of the Covent of Uttersen and Councellour of Estate to his Majesty Extraordinary Embassadours from the King of Denmark had their audience after the French Embassadour and after they were received and treated in the same manner as the other was the first who is of a most illustrious birth in the Kingdom as his Colleague is also in the Country of Holstein and a personage of a full experience betook himself to speak in these terms That since it had pleased the Almighty God to call again his Majesty into his Kingdoms where his great merit should have established him long ago as well as the right of his birth they would not fail to come to congratulate him and to acquit themselves by this means of the duty which they have as well to the neer affinity which is between his Majesty and the King their Master as because of the streight alliance which is and hath been alwaies between the two Kingdoms of England and Denmark That they had cause to rejoice for this happy change not only because of the glory and felicity which redounded thence to his Majesty but also because of the advantage which the King and Kingdom of Denmark would draw from thence which had not been afflicted and unjustly oppressed so long if that of England had been in condition to hinder it That the King their Master would not fail to witness himself by a solemn Embassage the joy which he received from so surprising and so extraordinary a revolution as soon as he was advertised thereof and that they hoped in this happy conjuncture that his Majesty would continue to live with the King their Master in the amity alliance and firm confidence in which their Majesties have alwaies lived and which for some years was not interrupted but to their irrepairable prejudice of both one and t'other And so that his Majesty would oppose himself generously to the violence which is done to their King and succour him against the unjust invasion wherewith his Kingdom was afflicted Besides that they thanked his Majesty for the honour he had done them to admit them into his Royal presence and for the particular grace which they received from thence in their persons The King thanked the Embassadours for the affection they had expressed to him and said that he knew very well that not only from long antiquity there was a most streight tie between the Kingdoms of England and Denmark but also that the deceased King his Father had such great obligations to the deceased King of Denmark father of him that reigns now his good Cosen and to the present King himself that one of the chief cares whereunto he would apply himself in entring into his Kingdom should be to renue the ancient amity with him to make known that the interests of the King of Denmark were as dear unto him as those of his own Estates Of which he praied the Lords Embassadours to assure the King their Master and that though he should not naturally have horrour for oppression and injustice he could not but be touched with those which were done him and could not deny them the proofs of affection which they demanded Don Estevan de Gamarra Councellour to the Catholick King in his Councell of Estate and War General Field Martial of his Armies in the Low-countries and his ordinary Embassadour with the Lords the Estates General of the United Provinces saw also the King the same day but it was without demanding audience and without ceremonies his Majesty having given him to understand that the affection which he had had for his interests when he was at Bruxels permitted him to see him every day and at all hours So covered he not himself because the open war which for some years was and is between Spain and England hindred him to make his character appear there whereas the particular devotion which this Lord hath alwaies had for the service of his Majesty obliged him to be continually at the Court and by his person As on the contrary Don Enriques de Souza de Tavares Count of Miranda Governour of the arms of the Senate of the town and castle of Porto and extraordinary Embassadour from the King of Portugal to this Republick could not obtain audience what instance soever he made for it But withall to the end not to reject him altogether the King who is without doubt the best and civillest Prince of the world sent unto him the next day Sir Edward Nicholas Secretary of Estate and of his commands to tell him that if the Lord Embassadour of Portugal had Letters of Credence for his Majesty he would make no difficulty to give him audience but being not in his Kingdom nor in a place where he might treat of affairs of Estate he praied his Excellence to consider how unhandsom it would look if in going out of the country under the obedience of the King of Spain where he had received all kinds of civilities he should give without any necessity audience to his declared Enemy But that he might assure himself that when he should be returned into his Kingdom he should alwaies be ready to give audience to the Ministers of Portugal which should be addressed to him with Letters of Credence After the publick audiences the King received the complements of many persons of quality and at evening went to make a visit to the Queen of Bohemia his Aunt and next to the Princess Royal his sister The Lords the Estates of Holland had a purpose to depute some of their body to accompany his Majesty at supper but for as much as it was made known unto them that the King would be very glad to sup in private and to retire himself in good time after the toil of the two former daies and particularly after the visits and complements which he had been obliged to receive and wherewith he had been almost oppressed that day they would not hinder him to take his repose but resolved to reserve to themselves that honour for another time when they might receive it
without incommodating his Majesty We said before that the King had advertisement the precedent day that Admiral Montagu was arrived with a part of the Fleet in sight of Scheveling which is but a village inhabited by a hundred or six score families of fishermen a good mile from the Hague which was found true For as soon as they understood in the Fleet then at anckor in the Downs which is a rode at the entrance of the channel that separates England from the main Land what passed in Parliament in behalf of the King and the publick Declaration which almost through the whole Kingdom was made it also declared for its lawful Prince and set sail upon the first orders of the Parliament with so favourable a wind that it appeared on the coasts of Holland on Munday morning the 24 of May and it had the same Admiral that dispatched an express to the King to let him know that he was come there with a part of the Fleet to receive his Majesties commands and to pass him into England It was composed at first but of eighteen or nineteen vessels but those that carried the Commissioners of the two Houses of Parliament and of the City of London having not yet joined with it there arrived others every day and hour so that before the King was in condition to embark there were reckoned eight and thirty great ships the most part of them bearing fifty sixty and seventy peeces of brass Cannon That of the Admiral called yet the Naseby carried fourscore where of the fir strank was of eight and forty pound bore the second of two and thirty and of four and twenty and the third of twelve pount bullet all of brass The Commissioners of the two Houses of Parliament and of the City of London arrived the same day but for as much as they were not of the King's train and had no Letters of Credence for the Estate it was resolved that they should not be treated nor lodged by Harbengers Notwithstanding the consideration which was had for the quality of the Commissioners of the House of Lords which were all followed with a great number of Gentlemen and store of servants clad in very fair and rich Liveries as also for some of the Lower House because of their birth or merit it was found good to lodge them by billets They went not a shore till the next day and the Estate was carefull to cause coaches to be sent for them by particulars which brought them at the Hage in the evening but they did not reverence to the King till Wednesday the 26. as we will say hereafter We have said also that the Estates of Holland would not take their audience the day that the King arrived to the end not to oppress him with complements when he had need of rest but they ordained Mr. Beaumont their Secretary to address himself to one of the Gentlemen of the Bed-chamber and to pray him to know of his Majesty the hour of their audience the next day officiating in the mean time under hand by Mr. Beverweert that it would please his Majesty to do them the favour to hear them in private and to make all to depart the Chamber when they entred there except the Lords that were necessary for the service of his person Not that they had to entertain him with secret affairs in a publick audience where they were but to felicitate his Majesty upon the present estate of his Kingdom but because that being assembled in a very great number and having to make their complement in a body all the Deputies could not enter into the Hall nor approach the King if entrance should be allowed to all the world indifferently The reason which obliged them to give order to the Captain of the Regiment of the Guards to forbid that morning entrance into the House of Nassau to all the inhabitants of the country of what condition or quality soever they were They caused a Guard also to be made for them of some Companies from the dore of their apartment in the Palace even to that of the Prince his house and prevented by this means the confusion which they would hardly have avoided without it After then they had given these orders and understood that the King expected them at nine a clock they came about that time to the place of their ordinary assembly and went forth thence in the following order Mr Starenberg Collonel of the Regiment of their Guards marched first and alone bare-headed After him came the Estates of Holland in body two and two the Deputies of the Nobility which are M rs of Wassenaer of Beverweert of Schagen of Wimmenum of Nortwijck of Somelsdijck of Duyvenvoorde vander Mylen to wit Scagen Wimmenum and Merode are politick and as we say of the robe and the others have military charges according to the order of their reception and the other Deputies according to the rank which their towns hold in the assembly with this difference notwithstanding that the Pensionary Councellour who although in the assembly he hath his place at the table of the Nobility cannot as Minister of the Estates pretend rank but after all the other Deputies when the Estates are together in a body and yet takes place immediately after the Nobles because that being to make the speech he could not without disorder make through the press to approach the person of the King Being thus arrived a foot at the gate of the King's lodging they were received there in the same manner as the Estates General had been the day before The Pensionary Councellour made a very quaint discourse which would give without doubt much ornament to our relation if that Minister would have communicated it but it could not be obtained from his modesty which is so much the more incommodious on this occasion as it is wel known that all the productions of that accomplished wit have their perfection and that this little treatise cannot have it without that We must beleeve notwithstanding that he would not have rendred himself so difficult if he would have considered that it is not in his power to take away the knowledge thereof from posterity who will find one day his Speech in the Registers where the Estates would it should be inserted in the same manner as he pronounced it The subject was common to him with all those that had spoken to the King 15 daies before Therefore the answer of his Majesty must also relate to that which he made to the oher complements But that which was particular in this audience was this that his Majesty having given occasion to the Estates to enter into other matters and the Pensionary Counsellor making use thereof to speak of the Estate of the affairs of the North the King declared himself so openly and so favourably for the interests of the King of Denmark that though the Lords the Estates should draw no other advantage from the generosity and vigour with which they
with the Princess Dowager and with the Prince of Orange The same day Mr. Ripperda of Buirse having made report in the same assembly of what passed in the voiage he made with some other Deputies to the King at Breda in order to their resolution of the 14. of this moneth the Deputies were thanked for it And for as much as the Estates General as it was agreed upon with the Estates of Holland should be at all the expence that should be made for the King during the residence which his Majesty should make in the Country except that of his voiage and that from the day that he arrived at the Hage they laid down this day a foundation of three hundred thousand Gilders and they required the Lord Ripperda of Buirse Guldewagen Swanenburg Stavenisse Renswoude Velsen Ripperda and Schulenbourg to attend his Majesty at dinner The Table was doubly furnished at the head of which and in the mid'st sate the King having on his left hand the Princess Royal and on his right the Queen of Bohemia when she dined there At the end of the Table on the same side were the Dukes of York and Glocester and at the other end by the Princess Royal was the Prince of Orange her Son And this order was observed in all the repasts only in the absence of the Prince of Orange the two Princes his Majesties brothers separated and placed themselves at the two ends of the Table By this means one could well serve all those that were there because they were all at a certain distance which permitted the Officers to do their functions as also the Deputies of the Estates left space enough between the King's Table and theirs for the convenience of those which served the meat before the Royal persons putting themselves at the two ends of the skirt before the King who would not that the Deputies Table should be separated from his Most commonly there was a Set of Violins which divertised pleasantly the King during the repast and in the healths that were drunk as the King never failed almost to drink the prosperity of this Estate and very often of each Province in particular the Cannon of the Viverberg thundred from every Battery As soon as they arose from dinner the Commissioners of the Parliament and City of London came to do reverence to his Majesty The Higher House had nominated six viz. The Lord Aubery Veer Earl of Oxford the Lord Leonel Cranfield Earl of Middelsex Foulk Grevil Lord Brook the Lord Charls Rich Earl of Warwick the Lord Leicester Devereux Vicount of Herford and the Lord John Barcley but the Earl of Warwick being sick of the gout when the others embarked was constrained to stay at London The Lower House deputed the Lord Eairfax sometime General of the Parliaments Army who on that consideration drew upon him the curiosity and eys of every one and who would see the King privately to ask him pardon for the pass'd offence with extraordinary submissions The Lord Bruce the Lord Falkland the Lord Castleton the Lord Herbert the Lord Mandevil Sir Horatio Townsend Sir Anthony Ashley Cooper Sir George Booth he that levied an Army a year since for the calling of a Free-Parliament in behalf of the King Denzil Hollis Esquire Sir John Holland and Sir Henry Cholmly The Deputation of the City of London was much more numerous as being composed of twenty persons taken partly out of the Magistracy and partly from amongst the principal inhabitants and from the Militia of the City The chief assembled in the House of the extraordinary Embassadours and the others in the house where the Citizens exercise to shoot at the mark and learn to exercise arms Both one and t'other went forth a foot walking two and two and having before them a very great number of young Gentlemen that marched in the same order Being brought into the King's chamber they made a very low and most submiss reverence The Earl of Oxford spake for the Higher House but those that were there at that action agreed in opinion that never person spake with more affection nor expressed himself in better terms then Mr. Denzil Hollis who was the Orator for the Deputies of the Lower House to whom those of London were joined He insisted chiefly upon the miseries under which that Kingdom had groned for so many years and upon the government of Cromwel who tyrannized the English in their lives in their goods and in their consciences whereas on the contrary they could hope from the goodness of his Majesty but repose but sweetness and a lawful liberty beseeching him to return forthwith into his Kingdom and to take again the Scepter of his Ancestours without any condition which redoubled the joy of this Court though it were already assured thereof by the mouth of Sir John Greenvil The King received them with much goodness as well as the protestations of obedience and fidelity which they made him in the name of the Lords and Commons of England and of the City of London in particular and after the speech they did all reverence to the King in putting one knee to the ground and in kissing his hand After they came forth of the King's appartment they went to the Dukes to whom they also made complements from the Parliament and City they went there also a foot and from thence in the same order to the Queen of Bohemia and to the Princess Royal where they acquitted themselves also of the duty which they had order from the Parliament and City to render unto them After the audiences of the Deputies the King received many persons of quality who in the impatience to see his Majesty had passed the sea voluntarily without any particular commission they all did him reverence in the same manner the Commissioners had done Monsieur Friquet Councellour of Estate to the Emperour and extraordinary Envoy from his Imperial Majesty to the Estates General had also audience of the King and made him his complement in the name of the Emperour his Master whose Predecessour had expressed a most particular affection for the King even in the height of his persecutions In the number of those that came to render their duties to the King that day was the Captain or Master of the Ship which received the King aboard on the coast of England and passed him into France when that Illustrious Maid Mistris Lane saved the fortune of the Kingdom after the unfortunate battel of Worcester at least if one may give that Epithete to an accident which God hath so favourably blessed and who hath so favourably disposed the affairs in the glorious return of the King without any effusion of the blood of his subjects It is not our design to make here an unnecessary digression in making a perfect narrative of all that passed in the miraculous escape of the King after the loss of the battel nor in what manner the King being separated from the Officers that
Britain The King answered him that the testimonies of affection which he rendred him on this occasion from the King of Swethen were very acceptable to him and that he should find him alwaies disposed not only to execute with sincerity the ancient treaties which common interest hath caused to be made between England and Swethen but also to confirm them by new and streighter alliances After this his Majesty informed himself of the age of the King of Swethen that reigns now of the place where the Queen lives and causeth the King her son to be brought up at present and of many other things which denoted the great goodness with which his Majesty would receive the Ministers of Princes with whom his Predecessours had alwaies lived in good correspondence After this familiar discourse wherewith the Embassadour came of very well he went to the Dukes of York and of Glocester and afterward saw also the Chancellour of England to whom he spake of the present estate of the affairs of the North and gave him to understand that they were in terms of accommodation between the two Crowns of Denmark and of Swethen After this audience the King gave the rest of the day to the affairs of his Kingdom being in continual conferences with the Commissioners of the Parliament and of the City of London It shall not be from our purpose to say here a word of the manner wherewith the King was served at his ordinary repasts and of the Estate of the expence which was made every day for his Majesty We have spoken of his Table and how the Royal persons that did eat there were seated They served up great Dishes in Oval form at five courses each containing five dishes and twelve trenchers because they changed the dishes twice at every service and every dish was so massive that one shall not be troubled much to represent the expence thereof when he shall know that there was two dozen of Pheasants in one dish and that all the other dishes were furnished accordingly They served besides that five tables for the Lords and one for the Ladies as for the Marquess of Worcester c. all at four courses and almost as full and furnished with the same meats as those of the King's table except one course which was between the pottages and the rost All the sweet meats as well at the King's table as at the Lords and Ladies were pillaged at every meal and exposed to the discretion of the people who were ordinarily there at those hours by the King in crowds And not only they served all sorts of delicious wines at the tables but the sources steamed therewith continually day and night and were never dry as well for the English of what condition soever they were as for all those of the town that came to demand it Every Table was of twelve coverings and had its Steward it s four Butlers as many assistants in the buttery and twelve men that serv'd up the meat and drink But for the King's mouth it was particular there was a Clark of the Kitchin for the pottages another for the courses another for the pastry one more for the rost and one for the meats between the courses every Clark having four Cooks under him for each service There hapned this day a thing which for having made a great noise in the beginning deserves well to be spoken of here with circumstances which might make one beleeve the truth of what was spoken of then A man of a most mean condition French by birth being about 9 a clock in the evening in a remote place towards the Rampart presented himself at the dore of a Millars house wholly affrighted and almost senseless as he appeared out of breath and said unto him that having been enforced to draw off for some necessity of nature he stooped down towards that little rising which serves for entrenchment to the Hage and which we called Rampart where being almost hidden as well because that the place where he put himself was low as because it was neer night he presently saw three men to come whereof two were cloathed in grey and the third in black who said one to another with displeasure as he could judge thereof in bad French as he reported that they failed twice because of the great number of people that were about him and serv'd him for guards but they would so well take their advantage from the two sides of the Coach that he should not escape them That rising upon this the others wholly surprised to see a man in a place where they were come because they thought to find no body there said that they were discovered and must dispatch him that might reveal them That thereupon one of the three shot of a Pistol whose bullet pierced his hat which he shewed wherewith he staggered but that the other thinking the stroak was not mortal shot a second so neer that he burned his hair This had so astonished him the he fell to the ground where having lain a while untill the three men were retired he arose and went streight to the house of that Millar And indeed he gave such an alarm there that the Millar went presently forth with him and taking two of his neighbours with him that armed themselves with stones like him they pursued those three men but to no purpose because they met them not therefore they went to the place where he said he saw them at first and where they found indeed the cloak which he said fear had made him to quit The affair was judged of such importance that the Court of Justice was ordered the next day to make a most strict and most exact inquiry thereof The Informer being questioned herein by Commissioners persisted in his first depositions which were believed at first to be so much the more true as the accuser though incommodated enough in his domestick affairs witnessed to be much uninterested and demanded no recompence Those notwithstanding that staied not much at fair apparences and would that they should proceed to a more exact examination of an affair of this nature spake of it as of a deceit which the laws should either justifie or punish with the severest punishment Howsoever it was it produced this effect that the Estates judging that they could not bring too much care to the conservation of the precious pledge which they had with them caused some troops of horse to advance with all speed which were already commanded and which being arrived kept guard with the standard on the avenues of the Palace where the King was lodged and of which there was alwaies a brigade which followed the Coach wheresoever his Majesty went And for as much as it was known that there was found in the Fleet a man bould enough to have resolved to put fire to the powder when the King should go to see the Vessel where he served in quality of Marriner which obliged Admiral Montague to
seise himself on the key of the powder Magazine and to ordain all the Captains of the other ships of the Fleet to do the like aboard them and to carry alwaies the key with them the King was advised to chuse a guard of fourscore Gentlemen under the charge of the Lord Gerard Captain of his Life-guards and one of the four Gentlemen of his Bed-chamber which served by Brigades so that there was alwaies twenty which marched on both sides the coach having one hand on the supporting staff of the boot and holding a sword drawn out of the belt but in the scabberd in the other But as this posture was some what irregular and offensive in a country where the person of his Majesty was no less dear then in his Kingdom the King considering that to hinder approach to his person was sufficient to secure it would that they should wear their swords by their sides and carry a cane in their hand which assured their countenance and made their quality and charge to be respected The same day the Estates of Holland gave Commission to M rs of Wimmenum Deputy from the Nobility to the Councel of Estate of Holland Halling of Dort Marseveen of Amsterdam and Hoogland of Alcmaer to go to felicitate the Queen of Bohemia the Dukes of York and Glocester the Princess Royal the Princess Dowager of Orange and the Prince of Orange upon the re-establishment of the King of Great Britain They executed this commission immediately after dinner Mr. of Wimmenum made the complement every where and which was most admirable never using twice the same cogitation nor the same words in all his speeches The Estates of Holland gave charge also to Mr. of Wimmenum to know of his Majesty if it pleased him that they should make him a supper where the Estates of Holland might have the honour to treat him in private and if he desired that in this case the Estates should be there in a body to render him the more honour or if he would rather they should send there Deputies Whereupon his Majesty having expressed an acceptance of what they desired and made known that by the deputation of a single person of each member he should be as well satisfied as if the Estates were there in body they fixed on Sunday following for the day being the 30 of the same moneth They prayed Mr. of Wimmenum to take upon him the whole ordering of the Feast and to give necessary orders for it and the Estates named Commissioners which should be there from them viz. Mr. of Wassenaer Lieutenant Admiral of Holland and Mr. of Wimmenum for the Nobility De Wit of Dort Fabricius of Haerlem Graswinckel of Delf Buytevest of Leiden Marseveen of Amsterdam Cant of Tergow Vander Meyde of Rotterdam Vander Colck of Gorcum Vander Eyck of Schiedam Vander Croest of Schoonhoven Vander Berg of the Briel Teylingen of Alckmaer Jager of Horn Romer Cant of Enchuysen Houtuyn of Edam Houting of Munickendam Stellingwerf of Medenblick and Roothooft of Purmerent to whom were added Mr. de Wit Pensionary Councellour and Mr. of Beaumont Secretary to the Estates of the same Province But to the end that nothing might be wanting to the testimonies of affection which the Estates would render to his Majesty those of Holland ordained the same day that all kinds of refreshments should be sent to the Admirals ship to the Vice-Admirals and to the Rear-Admirals to be afterward distributed to the whole Fleet. They communicated hereupon with Mr. of Wassenaer Lieutenant Admiral of Holland and caused so much Wine Victuals Citrons Oranges and other provisions to be bought that the Lord Montagu was constrained to confess that he never saw so much Notwithstanding they sent them not aboard before the King had fixed on the day of his embarkment and the Deputy Councellours who were to execute the orders of the Estates of Holland gave the commission thereof to Mr. of Valquenbourg of the Bosse Captain in the Regiment of the Guards who caused the provisions to be carried aboard the Admiral to whom it was judged fit they should leave the disposing to cause them to be distributed to the other Ships according to his orders The Estates General of their side writ to the Colledge of the Admiralty of Rotterdam that they should provide and furnish such a number of Hoys and other Vessels as the Officers of the King's stable of the Duke of York and of Glocester should judge necessary for the transportation of the horses and of a part of his Majesties baggage and of their Royal Highnesses and order was given that they should be kept and stabled in the town of Rotterdam till they could be embarked and that the ships should be provided of hay of oats and of straw for the time that probably they might be upon the sea Friday the 28 of May the Estates General who knew they should please the King in doing civility to the Parliament deputed the Lords Ripperda of Buirse of the Province of Gelderland and Schulenbourg of Groning to go with a complement to the Commissioners of the two Houses of Parliament and of the City of London upon the present Estate of the affairs of England The Lords Deputies of the Higher House assembled in the House of the Earl of Oxford who was lodged at Mr. Buisero's Griffier or Secretary of the Councel to the Prince of Orange and the Commissioners of the Lower House at the Lord Fairfax's who was lodged in the House of the Baron of Asperen Deputy from the Province of Holland to the Colledge of the Admiralty of Amsterdam and received this civility with much satisfaction The same day the Estates of Holland having deliberated upon the recommendation which the King had made them when they saluted his Majesty in a body of some persons and English Officers which are in the service of this Estate whose affection which they expressed to him in his affliction as well for his interests as for the person of the Princess Royal his sister ordained that the three Regiments of Scots foot which were reformed and reduced to two in the year 1655 should be brought again to their first estate in behalf of Lieutenant Collonel Henderson and that the command of the third should be given unto him with the quality of Collonel I say the quality because that some years since and in consideration of the peace where the Major Officers are without function the Colonels have but the title only with the pay of the Major Estate of Lieutenant Colonel They gave on this very consideration a troop of Horse to Mr. Kerkhoven son to the deceased Lord Heenvliet in his life time great Hunter or as they say Forrester of Holland under the deceased Prince of Orange and Intendant of the Princess Royal her house who would acknowledge the services of the Father and the affection of the Lady Stanhop his Widow whom the King made Countess of Chesterfield in procuring
us of an immutable affection for the good of this Republick We render most humble thanks unto your Majesty for them and particularly for the illustrious proof which it pleased you to give us thereof by the glorious visit wherewith you honoured our assembly We shall conserve the memory of it most dearly and make the marks of that goodness to pass to our last posterity to the end you acknowledge it with the same respect with which we have received it The constitution wherein we see your Majesty ready to take horse for the continuation of your voiage forbids us to enlarge our selves upon a subject which would never weary us if we had words conformable to our respectful sentiments But we have no mind to increase the just impatience which your Majesty should have to see your self returned into your Kingdom We pray God SIR that it be quick and happy and that as he hath disposed the hearts and affections of your subjects to acknowledge their lawfull and soveraign Prince it will please him also to command the sea and winds to favour your voiage to the end that after you have received on your own coast the same prayer which we shall reiterate you may enjoy in your royal person and in your posterity forever all the felicity and prosperity which your most humble servants wish unto your Majesty The King thanked the Lords the Estates of Holland for the civilities they had done him during the residence he had made in their Province as also for the affection they had expressed unto him by the prayers they made for the success of his voiage and prosperity of his reign He promised them also that he would not only continue to live with that Republick in a perfect good correspondence but would also take a great pleasure to make a good and most streight alliance with it After this the King who staied but till this complement was ended went forth of his chamber at the same time the Estates of Holland retired He took his way to the Princess Royal her apartment whom he would visit at home before he took horse and seeing that the Lords the Estates conducted him he would not be covered from his house to the chamber of the Princess Royal where being come the Estates retired to take coach when they saw the King to go a horse back The conversation which his Majesty had with the Princess was but a moment for immediately after he went thence and came down into the Court of the Palace where he mounted a horse back with the Princes his brothers and took his way for Scheveling with the report of the great artillery which thundred from the Rampire marching in the mid'st of those two Princes and having before him the Prince of Orange accompanied with Prince William of Nassau Governour of Freesland with Mr of Wassenaer Lieutenant Admiral of the Province and with many other persons of condition The Queen of Bohemia the Princess Royal the Princess Dowager and the Princesses her daughters took coach as well as the Estates of Holland who would accompany him in body even to the place of his embarkment The Embassadours and other Ministers of forraign Princes who sent not there their coaches for the same reason that had dispensed them thereof at the entrance and almost all persons of condition took the avantguard and disposed themselves along the coast where the Citizens the Horse and the Regiment of the Guards stood in Battalia A great part of the inhabitants of the neighbour Towns were there already and those that came not forth of the Hage early in the morning or the nightbefore followed the Royal Persons in so great a multitude that that place which is very populous and could not lodge the people that were come there from all places of the Province was abandoned and converted into a desart in very few hours As soon as they saw the King to appear on the hill which covereth the village of Scheveling on the sea side the Cannon which was transported two daies before from the Viverberg upon the strand saluted him with its whole battry which ceased not to shoot continually untill being drawn off from those coasts could see no longer the honour they indeavoured to render him The Citizens and the Guards answered thereunto with their vollies of Musket shot and the Cavallery with their Carbines and invited thereby the Fleet to make all their artillery to thunder which afving lightened the air filled it with so thick a smoak that those great floating Castles disappeared in a moment to the eys of those that were on the land The King being alighted received the last complement of the Lords the Estates of Holland who had conducted him in body to the very brink of the sea and left him Deputies to conduct him to his ship by the mouth of the Pensionary Councellour His Majesty next took leave of the Duke of Brunswick-Lunenbourg of the Princess Dowager of Orange of the Princess of Nassau and of the young Lady of Orange her daughter and of all the other persons of quality which could not follow him or might trouble him in waiting on him to the Fleet There were none but his nearest relations the Queen of Bohemia the Princess Royal and the Prince of Orange that conducted him aboard the Admiral ship which was to pass him into England The Estates of Holland had caused one of the greatest barks of the place to be fitted for the Royal persons The body of the vessel was garnished with Tapistry its Mast carried the Royal Flag and its yards were loaden with garlands and crowns of verdure and flowers amongst which there was one fastned accompanied with a streamer which carried for Devise Quo fas fata to denote that the King in embarking himself went to the place where the justice of his cause and the providence of God called him and to allude to the ordinary Motto of the Kings of England Dieu mon droict The King entred there with all the Royal Family but seeing a shallop to approach covered glased and tapistred which the Admiral Montague had sent from aboard him as soon as he saw the King to appear on the Strand he entred into her and the Queen of Bohemia followed him This Shallop was accompanied with many others and was rowed with oars by the sea men who seeing themselves in possession of their Soveraign Prince made the whole neigbour shore to resound with their shouts and expressed their joy by all the marks that could be required from persons of that quality some in casting their caps up into the air and others in casting them into the sea to which some likewise abandoned their doublets and wastcoasts The Lord Montague who had changed the Flag of the pretended Republick before he departed from the coast of England and born that of the three Kingdoms whil'st he was in the rode seeing the King to approach caused the Royal Flag to be put to
and that the entrance into it should be made the day that had been named for it From that time forward there passed not a day almost that the King received not some remarkable news upon which he might ground infallible hopes of his re-establishment The 25. of April Sir John Greenvil since Earl of Bath and Sir John Boys brought him intelligence of the defeat of General Lambert he had been prisoner in the Tower of London by vertue of an Ordinance of the Councel of Estate and made an escape thence with design to put himself in the head of those that would oppose Monarchal government but he was beaten and taken by Colonel Ingoldsby and brought back unto his former Prison before he could assemble troops enough to form the body of an Army He received the same day Letters from Admiral Montague which continued to assure him of the good estate of the affairs of the Kingdom and of the sincerity of his intentions of which he had already given proofs many months before when Sir George Booth took up Arms for the King under the name of good Englishmen which demanded the convocation of a Free-Parliament The Prince of Orenge his Nephew was at Breda the 16. of the same moneth and every day some Prince or person of quality came to rejoice with his Majesty for the happy change of his fortune whereof they began to have almost infallible assurances Prince Frederic of Nassau brother to Prince Maurice of whom we shall have occasion to speak hereafter arrived there the 2. of May with the Prncess his wife from his government of Bergen op Zoom and the Duke of Brunswic Lunenburg who resides at Hannover came there four daies after The visit of this Prince which is no lesse considerable through the excellent qualities which he possesseth then through the Extent of his Dominions was so agreeable to his Majesty that he could not forbear to testifie it to him on all occasions and in a most obliging manner insomuch that he would voluntarily sup with his Highness accompanied with the Dukes his brothers and live with him in a confidence which might make him to hope for a very particular good will for the future The 14 of May a day fatal to the most potent Kingdom of Christendom for the death of the two last Kings was that which fully assured the King of the revolution of the affairs of his Kingdom through the advertisement which came to Breda of what was done in Parliament the eleventh of the same month as we have spoken of it before and the next day after the news was brought being the 15 they being of great importance were sent to the Hague by Letters from the Princesse Royal which were seen in the Assembly of the Estates General The Estates of the Province of Holland who were at that time assembled in a body and had by their wisedom foreseen in the disposition of the affairs of England the change which would apparently arrive there had also foreseen by their prudence the advertisement which was given of the Declaration of the Parliament For on thursday the 13 of May before it could be known what passed at London that illustrious Senate making reflection upon the present constitution of affairs and on the apparences of the neer and indubitable re-establishment of the King resolved that Mr. Beverweert Strevelshouck Vlooswijck and Teylingen Deputies at the Assembly from the Nobility and from the Towns of Dort Amsterdam and Alckmaer should depart immediately after they knew the intention of the Parliament to make known to the King of great Britain the affection of this Province for the person of his Majesty and for all the Royall Family to testifie unto him the joy and satisfaction they had to see infallible dispositions almost ready to place him in the Throne of his Ancestors and to assure him of the strong inclination which they had to make with him and with the Kingdoms under his authority a firm and indissolvable alliance for the mutual conservation of the common interests of his Estate and of this Republick But chiefly to make him offers of service and to beseech him to do this Province the honour to reside there as in a place most commodious for communication with his Subjects for his passage into England and to receive there the effects of the most sincere protestations of respect and amity which they caused to be made unto him by their Deputies They had also order to insist particularly upon this last point as on the most important of their commission and to use to this purpose the most civil and most engaging terms that interest of Estate and affection for the good of their country could dictate to them They enjoined also the same Deputies to officiate with the Dukes of York and Glocester the King's brothers and with the Princess Royall his Sister and that instance should be made in the Assembly of the States Generall that the same offices might be made of their part with his Majesty and with all the Royal persons The last point of this Resolution was executed the next day when Mr. de Wit Pentionary Councellor Keeper of the great seal and Lieutenant of the Fiefs of Holland was in the Assembly of the States General where it was resolved that Mr. de Ripperda Lord of Buirse Deputy to the States Generall of the Province of Gelderland Mr. de Merode Lord of Rumme Deputy from the Nobility of Holland to the Assembly of the same States General named to the extraordinary Embassage of Spain and Guldewagen of Holland Vrybergen of Zealand Renswoude of Utrecht Velsen of Frieseland and Isbrants of Groning should go to Breda to congratulate the King for his glorious re-establishment and do with his Majesty with the Dukes of York and Glocester and with the Princesse Royall the same office which the Deputies of the Province of Holland had order to do with him in the name of their Superiours The States of Holland pretended that their Deputation would have no effect until they should have advertisement of the Declaration of the Parliament not that they doubted of its intention but because they judged that it imported the service of the King so to use it whereby not to prevent the Parliament and to do nothing rashly in an affair of this consequence where civility done out of season was both incommodious and unprofitable Notwithstanding forasmuch as it was necessary that his Majesty should know the sentiments of the Estates they ordained that he should have assurance thereof under hand by offices efficacious and capable to express them well and to this purpose they judged it fit that the person of Mr. Lewes of Nassau Lord of Lecque and Beverweert c. Serjeant Major General of the Armies of the United Provinces and Governour of the Bosch should be so much the more proper for that as the devoirs which he was obliged to render to the King
in his particular might serve for pretext to his voiage And indeed the person of this Lord should be extreamly agreeable not only because of the affection which he had witnessed for the affairs of his Majesty during his persecution and because of the alliance which the Lord of Ossery eldest son of the Marquess of Ormond Lord Deputy of Ireland of the illustrious House of Butler and now Lord Steward of England hath taken in his House but also and principally because of the great imploiments which he hath in his country and of the excellent qualities which are found in his person All considerations which obliged him to see the King before he did the functions of publick Minister He arrived at Breda on Saturday morning the 15 of May and executed his Commission so happily that the King reserving but the open declaration of his good will for the Deputies when they should be arrived disposed himself to receive the offers and civilities which they had order to make him with so much the more advantage and glory for this Estate and for Mr. Beverweert in particular as Don John de Monroy who arrived the same day at Breda had prayed his Majesty from the Marquess of Caracene General of the King of Spains Armies in Flanders to take his way through the Provinces under the obedience of his Catholick Majesty and to embark in one of the ports of those quarters to return to his Kingdoms Some report at that time and even those who took pains to observe what passed at Breda during the abode which the King made there as sure that Don John de Monroy had also made known to the King that the arrears due to the troops which the King of Spain entertained for the service of his Majesty were at Bruxels and that he might cause them to be paied as he passed But this appeared not no more then what passed in the conference which the Duke of York had some daies before with the Marquess of Caracene himself in the town of Antwerp by order of the King who would not go there in person though he was pressed thereunto through the consideration of the important affairs which he said he had order to communicate to his Majesty The King defended himself with the same firmness from the civilities which he sent to be made unto him in excusing himself upon the facility which he found for his passage in the place where he was at present I know that two reasons principally obliged the King to render himself at first to the request which Mr. Beverweert made him in the name of the Lords the Estates of Holland The first that having had advertisement that the Parliament and City of London sent a great number of Commissioners he would not they should lose time in going from the Sea to Breda and the other that the Court was already so great and the town so incommodated of provisions that it would be impossible to lodge there and diet the Deputies and their train which were said to be three or four hundred Gentlemen besides other Domesticks We have said that the news of the Parliaments Declaration of the Army and of the City of London was carried to Breda the precedentday by Posts express and that from thence it arrived the next day at the Hage where the estate of affairs being changed since the resolutions of the former daies as well the Estates General of the United Provinces as those of the Province of Holland pressed their Deputies to depart And those last in particular writ to Mr. Beverweert and gave him order to signifie to the King that they had nominated already some of their body which should be gone forthwith to congratulate his Majesty and in the mean time to dispose him to honour that Province with his presence and abode during the time that his affairs should oblige him to stay in the Country They writ also at the same time to the Magistrates of the towns where the King might passe in his way that they should make necessary preparations to receive his Majesty with all the honour and magnificence that was due to so great a Monarch The devotion of the day of Pentecost which hapned the 16 of May was cause that the Deputies departed not that day but it hindered them not from labouring in the regulation of a most important affair and which was judged by the Province of Holland to be of the greatest consequence This Estate is composed in such manner that notwithstanding the Soveraignity of al the United Provinces in one body every Province ceaseth not to be Soveraign in particular and they are all so jealous of their Soveraignity that they suffer not the Generality to have other advantage in the Provinces then that which is due unto them by vertue of their union and of the perpetual alliance which is in some kind more streight even then that of the Cantons Suizzers So that the Deputies of the Estates General being to meet with those of the Estates of Holland in the place where these pretended to represent the Soveraignity of their Province which acknowledgeth no superiour at home the difficulty was to order the rank between them and to conserve to each that which belongeth to it The Estates of Holland who had caused the King to be prayed in particular to honour their Province with his presence would have him to be received and saluted in their name upon the Fronteer would defray the charges on his way from the time he entred into the Province and till the first day he should arrive at the Hage as making part of his Voiage The Estates General who represent not indeed in general but what every Province possesseth in particular acquiesced therein left to the Province of Holland all the marks of Soveraignity and consented to this that their Deputies after they had congratuled the King and conducted his Majesty to the entrance into Holland should remain without functions conditionally notwithstanding that the Deputies of Holland should do the honour of the House and treating them of the Generallity with civility should give them precedence in the places where they might meet together The Estates General resolved the same day that the King's charges should be defrayed during the whole time he stayed in the United Provinces and ordained likewise that provision should be made for it but at first they met with so many difficulties that it was absolutely impossible to execute this resolution For the Town of Breda being already starved almost because of the great number of persons of quality which came there every day and the hot season permitting not provisions to be brought there from other places there was no body would undertake to treat the King and those that would have undertaken it could not have accomplish'd it so that the Estate would have had the displeasure to see their substance dissipated at the expense of its reputation We think to relate here as a
thing most remarkable that the same day Mr. Moorland chief Commissioner under Mr. Thurlo who was Secretary of Estate unto Oliver Cromwel his chief and most confident Minister of his Tyranny arrived at Breda where he brought divers Letters and Notes of most great importance forasmuch as the King discovered there a part of the intricate plots of the interreign and likewise the perfidiousness of some of those who owed him without doubt the greatest fidelity of the world The King received him perfectly well made him Knight and rendred him this publick testimony that he had received most considerable services from him for some years past The 17. the Deputies of the Estates General whom we have named departed from the Hage about two a clock after dinner and embarked themselves the same day at Rotterdam where the Jachts or Pinnaces which the Estate had caused to be in readiness attended them Those of Holland departed in the morning but they made not the same haste as well because they would not be the first in the place where the Estates were to precede as because they had divers orders to give in the places of their passage The Deputies of the States General arrived at Breda the 18. of May after dinner and were met with neer the village of Terheida by four Cornets of Horse of the Garrison and arriving at the Town they found there 12 Companies of Foot drawn up in battalia which saluted them with their shot whil'st the Artillery thundred from the walls and bulwarks As soon as they were come to the house which was prepared for them they gave notice thereof to his Majesty and next to the Dukes of York and Glocester and to the Princess Royal and towards the evening the King and their Royal Hignesses sent them most civil salutes by Gentlemen of their House They understood that Mr. Clarges brother-in-law to General Monck was arrived there the same day and that he had brought the protestations of fidelity and obedience from the Army and the confirmation of what they had already heard of the Declaration of the Parliament Until then the Major of the Garrison had taken orders from the Princess Royal but the Deputies of the States General being arrived at Breda would transfer that honour to the King who gave the word Amsterdam not so much for that he considered this Town as the most powerfull of all these Provinces but for as much as he could not silence the resentiments which he had for the Magistrate which had given him most illustrious and most agreeable marks of its affection The next day there came a Post to Breda bringing intelligence that the Garrison of Dunkerck declared for the King and had witnessed its joy by the fire of its Cannon and Muskets The King had the goodness to invite the Lord Lockart Governour of the place to express some inclination for his service and to give him an occasion for it by the advance he had made and the assurances he had given him but it could gain nothing upon that spirit prepossessed and tied so by particular interests to the house of Cromwel untill he was constrained to leave himself to be carried away by the general motion of the whole Army and of the Garrison it self The next day being the 19. the Estates General having had advertisement by publick Letters from their Ambassadour at London of what passed in Parliament in behalf of the King redoubled the orders which they had given to their Deputies touching the complement and offices which they were to do to the end to acquit themselves thereof with zeal and affection and certified them by an express that they had sent commissions to Arnham Heusden Bergen op Zoom and Gercum for the Troops of Horse of Prince William of Nassau of the Count Christian of Dona and of M rs de Buat de Wassenaer and de la Lecque son to Mr. Beverweert with order to march with all speed night and day towards high Swaluwe to attend there the King of great Britain and to execute the commands which should be given them by the Deputies of the Estates of Holland The last arrived this day at Breda and the Deputies of the Estates General had their audience The King sent unto them about eleven a clock in the forenoon the Lord Gerard one of the Gentlemen of his bed-chamber whose quality and functions are answerable to those of the chief Gentlemen of the Chamber of the King of France who was to take them at their lodgings with four Coaches each drawn by six white horses and conducted them to the Castle where the King was lodg'd The Marquess of Ormond came to receive them at the top of the stairs and caused them to enter into the King's chamber where they found his Majesty standing in the mid'st of the chamber and covered but as soon as he saw them he uncovered himself and came two or there paces to meet them After they had made most low reverences and were come unto the King Monsieur de Ripperda Lord of Buirse one of the Deputies would begin to speak but his Majesty would oblige them to put on their hats in making semblance that he would be covered They had not the character of Ambassadour and could not have it at home with them therefore would they not be in that condition but remained in their duty and obliged thereby his Majesty who could not overcome their modesty though innocently and against their intention to remain also uncovered whil'st the first Deputy spake The substance of his discourse was that the States General of the United Provinces had understood with an extream joy the chang of the affairs of England That they knew the good God had so well touched the heart of the inhabitants that there was not any Person almost that cried not on the name of the King and wished passionately to see him returned into his Kingdom that upon certain advertiements which the Estates General had had thereof they thought it fit to send their Deputies to this Majesty to witness unto him the part they take to congratulate him in so important an occasion and to wish him and all his Royal Family all the blessings of Heaven and all the prosperity that he might hope from God after so long and such bitter afflictions that the Estates General made those prayers with so much the more ardour as they knew that the repose of this Common-wealth depended in some kind on that of its neighbours and that they would not willingly enjoy the amity of the English but under the Monarchal Government of his Royal House that they pretended to enjoy it still for the future under the happy government of his Majesty and for this purpose they hoped he would have the goodness to renue with the United Provinces the alliance which they alwaies considered here as one of the chief points of Estate and as the foundation of the conservation of the
Majesty and pray him ardently that it will please him to hear the devotions which we shall continue to make incessantly for the prosperity of the voiage and reign of your Majesty The King answered that he thanked the Magistrate and Councel for the affection they expressed to him and should indeavour to acknowledge it on all occasions that should be presented unto him Whereupon the Burgemaster having taken the liberty to reply that since his Majesty had the goodness to accept the affection and zeal which they had for his service he besought him most humbly to remember the grace which he had made them to hope for when he concluded in that place his treaty with the Deputies of Scotland some years since that he would honour the town of Breda and its inhabitants with all the favour which the Laws of his Kingdom would permit him to grant them The King answered that he remembred it very well and that he was obliged to do it for a town where he had received such agreeable news and which had rendred him so many testimonies of respect and affection The King took coach after this audience and came between eleven and twelve a clock at Moervaert He found there some squadrons of Horse in batalia and the Deputies of the Estates of Holland who presented themselves at the boot of his Coach and made him their complement in the name of their Superiours at the entrance of their Province His Majesty staied but to hear the quaint and obliging words of Mr. de Beverweert who spake for all the other Deputies and to answer to that civility After this he persued his way to the end of the Causey or Dike where they had made a bridge from the Dike to the Pinnace to facilitate his embarkment The Estates General to give no jealousie to some persons of quality who have coaches with six horses make use ordinarily for the entrance of Embassadours and for other publick Ceremonies but of the Coach of the Princess Dowager of Orange which represents that of the Estates in those occasions Hence was it they desired that the pinnace or barge of the same Princess which she had lent for the same purpose should have the same honour on this occasion and had enjoined their Deputies to indeavour to make it acceptable to his Majesty But the King after he had considered them all chose another as well because he knew it was very commodious as having used it formerly as because indeed that of the Princess Dowager was not great enough to lodge the King and the Princess Royal who would pass the night by the King her brother with persons necessary for their service That whereinto the King entred was made formerly for the Prince of Orenge but it is now in the Colledge of the Admirality of Rotterdam and was without doubt the greatest of all that little Fleet which was composed besides other Barks almost innumerable of thirty great Barges commonly called Yachts and are a kind of little Frigats whereof persons of condition make use upon the Rivers in passing from one Province unto another for necessity or for divertisement And indeed the King found his Yacht so fit and so well fashioned that he said in discourse with the Deputies that he would cause one to be made of the same manner as soon as he should be arrived in England to serve him upon the Thames above the bridge Mr. de Vlooswick Burgemaster of Amsterdam and one of the Deputies of the Province of Holland taking occasion from thence to render a very considerable service to this country said to the King that lately they had made one in their town of the same bigness at least as commodious every way which he took the liberty to offer to his Majesty beseeching him to grace the Magistrate of the town of Amsterdam to accept it The King accepted it not absolutely but declined not so strongly that upon the advertisement which Mr. de Vlooswick gave to the Magistrate of what passed on this occasion he caused not that Yacht to be bought which the Colledge of the Admiralty had gotten of the East-India Company and put it in condition to serve for the divertisement of this great Prince And to give it the more lustre the Magistrate caused the outside to be richly gilt whil'st some of the best Painters of the country wrought upon the fair Pictures wherewith they have since adorned the inside No person would undertake the commission to distribute the Yachts among the Lords of the Court because it would be impossible to oblige them all equally and to disoblige none Therefore Mr. de Beverweert besought the King to be so gracious as to cause the distribution to be made since the Deputies had no other order but fully to obey the commandments of his Majesty which were absolutely necessary for them on this occasion The King would fain take the pains thereof himself and ordained that the Duke of York should ont his occasion perform the functions of Admiral in distributing the Yachts under his authority and in his presence so that his Royal Highness gave himself the Yacht of the Princess Dowager of Oreng The Duke of Glocester had that of the Estates of Holland The Princess Royal one of the Yachts of the Councel of Estate The Deputies of the Estates General had the other The Deputies of the Estates of Holland went into the Yacht of Mr. Beverweert which received also Don Estévan de Gamarra who went to meet the King at Moordijck not in quality of Embassadour of Spain but as particular servant of his Majesty the Rhinegrave the Lord Craft and many other English Lords The Chancellour of England with his family and Sr. Edward Nicholas principal Secretary of Estate and of the King's commands and one of his most affectionate Ministers embarked themselves in a Pinnace called the Maid of Zealand The Marquess of Ormond Lord Deputy of Ireland of the House of Butler one of the chief and most ancient of that Kingdom had the Pinnace of Captain Brouwer The Marquess of Worcester Edward Sommerset embarked himself with his Family in the Pinnace named the Postillion of Zealand The Lord St. John and Bellasis had that of Mr. Wassenaer Mr. Clarges brother-in-law to General Monck and his company composed of the Deputies of the Army had the Yacht of the town of Dort The Lord Gerard and many other English Lords entred into that of Mr. Noortwick Governour of Sluce and the 13th Yacht which was that of the Prince of Oreng was reserved for the Chamber and Wardrobe of the Princess Royal. Every Yacht had its Steward and all other Officers necessary for the Kitchin and buttery and they which had not the commodity to have their Kitchin aboard themselves were accompanied with other Barks where chimneys were made for the Kitchin and ovens for the pastery and provision of so prodigious a quantity of all sorts of meats of foul of sweet meats of wine that all
the tables were perfectly served therewith and in so great aboundance that the English Stewards though very much accustomed to aboundance were astonished thereat and confessed that they could not comprehend how they could make ready in Boats and agitation twenty or five and twenty great dishes for every Table The intention of the King was to dine at Noon in entring into the Yacht and indeed the Steward who was appointed there by the Estates of Holland had caused the meat to be made ready but the wind was so strong and the water so tossed that the Princess Royal not able to endure the violent motion of the vessel lost her appetite and finding her self incommodated with the sea-sickness was enforced to lie upon the bed Hence was it that the King caused the Captain to be asked if there was means to shelter them somewhat under some rising land or trees to ease the Princess a little but the Captain having answered that there was no rest to be hoped for but at Dort where they might arrive in an hour and a half or there about they went on upon this hope Notwithstanding they came not in sight of Dort till between three and four of the clock in the afternoon The Rampart and Key were bordered with Citizens which were put into arms and with a battery of great Cannon which made many volleys as well as the Muskets whil'st the Fleet passed there during and after the repast which was taken in sight of the town and as long as they could discover the flag of the ship which carried the person of the King with all the Royal family they thundered The Fleet stopped a quarter of a league below the town with design to cast anckor that evening and to stay the whole night following at the mouth of the river of Leck which gives its name to one of the fairest territories of Mr. de Beverweert and which is very well known through the great number of Salmons which are taken there every year But there happened two things which obliged the King to change resolution The first was the return of Sir John Greenvil who arrived from England whil'st the King dined and reported that the Parliament was resolved to beseech his Majesty to come to take possession of the Crown without any condition or reserve and that Admiral Montague was at sea with a good number of ships to come to receive him in Holland to transport him unto his Kingdom The other was the advertisement which his Majesty received almost at the same time by an express that that Fleet appeared in the morning in sight of Scheveling and at nine a clock had cast anckor in the Rode about half a league from the shore The King presently imparted it to Mr. Beverweert as to the chief of the Deputation of Holland and caused the Duke of York to tell him who was in person in the Deputies Yacht which joined side by side with his that it was true he had made accompt not to arrive at Delf till the next day about noon to the end to be able to make his entrance into the Hague at the hour which he had appointed for his reception but that he had received intelligence which obliged him to change his design and to anticipate the hour that was resolved on because it was of the highest importance for him to speak as soon as might be with the Officers of the Fleet and so that he should be constrained to go the whole night to the end to arrive at Delf at the break of day whereof he prayed him to give advertisement to the Lords the Estates immediately and by an express to the end that the Coaches designed for his reception might be there at seven a clock precisely Mr. Beverweert remonstrated to his Royal Highness the difficulties that would accur in the change of the orders which were already given in telling him that the Poste which he was to dispatch could arrive at the Hague but very late and perhaps at an unseasonable hour when it would be almost impossible to make the Estates to assemble and without that they could not change the time which it pleased his Majesty himself to appoint Notwithstanding if the King desired it absolutely the Deputies would not fail to write immediately and to advertise their Superiours therewith since they were there but to obey his Majesty and to serve him The Duke of York replied that it was through an invincible necessity and with an extream regret that the King did thus but that he hoped the Lords the Deputies would consider the estate of his affairs and oblige very much his Majesty in losing no time to dispath their Poste and in contributing by that means to the advancement of his voyage and embarkment in this pressing conjuncture The Letters went away about five a clock in the after-noon the King caused anckor to be weighed and passed at evening before the town of Rotterdam where the contrary wind enforcing the Fleet to board or tack about and by this means to draw neer the haven two or three times gave the town leasure to salute his Majesty by the musket shot of the Burgers who were all in arms with flying colours on the rampart and port and with all the artillery of the town as well as with all the Cannon of the Ships which were there in the rode He passed next to Delfs-haven where they had made a battery of sixteen peeces of Cannon and staied not till he came to Owerschie a village scituate between Delfs-haven and Delf where he would attend the day The Estates of Holland had resolved to cause his Majesty to be received at the powder Magazin upon the channel which serves for line of communication for the two towns Delf and Rotterdam for the town of Delf having been partly ruined by an accident of fire which met with the powder some years since they thought it fit to lodge it without the walls and without cannon shot of the town But the King having caused the Fleet to set sail as soon as the Sun began to appear on the Horizon they were at the suburbs of Delf by five a clock in the morning before the Deputies could give order to make the Fleet to stay at the place designed for the reception All the Citizens of the town were in arms from three a clock in the morning and a part had their poste upon the Key before the port where the King was to dis-imbarck and the Magistrate came there in body to do reverence to the King in the Yacht as soon as he understood he was arrived and to beseech him to do them the honour to repose and refresh in their town whil'st his Majesty should attend the Deputies of the Estates of Holland but the King excused himself on the Estate of his affairs which was so far from permitting him to stay by the way that it had obliged him to prevent the hour which he had taken and
from the Province of Gelders which is the chief Province of the Union because of its quality of Dutchy and as a person most fit for an action of this nature as well because of his handsom presence as of his natural eloquence made the speech and spake word by word in these terms SIR The Estates General of the United Provinces of the Low-countries after having expressed to your Majesty by the Deputies they sent unto you at Breda how they participated in the happy successes which follow your wise conduct and the joy which they have to see you going to your Kingdom of England to take there the Scepter of great Britain come here now in a body to uphold the truth and sincerity thereof by stronger and more solemn declarations It is the same Company SIR which had the honour to present it self to your Majesty in this very place in a sad and mournfull equipage and which with more grief in heart then it could express by words pronounced the lamentable accents of a most bitter sorrow which came then to strike the soul not only of your Majesty but also universally of all the Members of this Estate From the same principle which divided then their affliction SIR proceeds now their rejoicement to wit from that of a most tender and most respectfull affection for the sacred person of your Majesty and from a most submissive zeal for your service and for the good of your affairs The cause thereof is so just and so touching SIR that we hope your Majesty will be easily perswaded of the truth of the protestations which the Estates General of this Republick make thereof here in your Royal presence And we may boldly say that their joy exerciseth it self in its full extent which is so much the more vast as these admirable events arrive in a time when all human apparence seemed to remove them wholly So must it be confessed that they are the marvellous effects of divine providence which hath made the hearts of the children to return to their father that is to say of the subjects to their lawfull King and levelled the waies by which your Majesty walks at present so peaceably and without effusion of bloud upon the magnifick and superb steps of your glorious and triumphant throne The Estates General of these United Provinces wish SIR that these great and important prosperities which surprise us no less them we have wished them may be followed with the constant obedience of your people with the respect of your neighbours and with the love of both and that the Diadem which the great God hath put upon the anointed and sacred head of your Majesty being accompanied with all the favours of heaven may stand there a long train of years with a happy and glorious reign for your sacred person and remain perpetually in your Royal posterity even to the end of the world We will finish this discourse SIR by most humble thanks which we render to your Majesty in that it hath pleased you to chuse this country rather then any other to pass from thence into your Kingdom for which the Estates General will alwaies esteem themselves honoured and obliged with the regret notwithstanding to see that the reception which they cause to be made unto you with so good a heart is not accompanied with all the pomp and magnificence that the Majestical splendour of so great and potent a Monarch deserveth who is so dear and precious to this Estate and of whose gracious favour they shall indeavour to acquit themselves by all the respects and services which your Majesty may desire from your true friends most faithfull allies and most humble servants 'T is observable in this visit that the King made not so much as a shew to be willing to be covered not that his design was to hinder the Estates General who were there in a body to be covered since he did do that honour to their Deputies when they did him reverence at Breda and seeing that he did it since at home in their assembly but without doubt to the end to do something more for them then he could do for an Embassadour Which appeared evidently in the visit he made in person to the Estates General and to the Estates of Holland when he took leave of them of which the sequel of this relation will oblige us to speak hereafter where he would fain be covered to give them the liberty to be covered also and to uncover himself afterward when he began to speak and to remain in this condition whil'st he was in their assembly as we shall say elsewhere The Lords the Estates were conducted in departing from the audience by the same Lords that received them and being returned in the same order to their ordinary Hall they separated themselves The two other Soveraign colledges composed of Deputies of all the Provinces to wit the Councel of Estate and the Reckoning-chamber were at the audience after the Estates General Prince William Frederick of Nassau made the complement for the Councel of Estate as President and Mr. de Cauwer ven-Reigersberg Deputy to the Reckoning-chamber of the United Provinces from the Province of Zealand those who are here from Holland being excused spake for the Chamber the one and t'other with so much applause of those who were present there and with as much satisfaction of the King's side being returned to the assembly they were thanked for it by their Colleagues Some doubted if the Embassadours and Ministers of the Kings Princes and strange Estates which were at the Hague should be received to make their complements to the King without Letters of Credence or if after it were acknowledged that their character legitimated them for that they might be covered since that having no character towards this Monarch they could not be considered but as particular persons to him The difficulties which arose here were taken away by the following considerations They said that Embassadours having a general Commission and not being as they said missi ad hoc they might and ought to do that which their Masters would do if they were there present in person and so being certain that there is no Prince in Europe that would not do civility to the King of England if he should meet him in his passage their Ministers who were in the place could not fail therein also without being wanting to civility and to their duty Notwithstanding since his Majesty was not in his Kingdom he might use them as he pleased yet so that although it was in his choice to admit the Embassadours or not he could not dispense himself of treating them according to the dignity of their character and of making them to be covered after having admitted them since they might and were obliged to make their character appear in all their publick actions in an Estate where every one acknowledgeth them for Embassadours And indeed Mr. de Thou Count of Meslay Privy Councellour
him that charge through the intermission of the King after having given him the conduct which his Father had of her affairs The Estates of Holland gave also a company of Walloon Foot with the hope of a troop of horse to Mr Languerack a Gentleman of the Country of the House of Boetselaer who till then had found great obstacles to his advancement They ordained also that M rs of Wimmenum from the Nobility Halling of the town of Dort of Marseveen of Amsterdam and Hooglant of Alcmaer should go to salute from them the Commissioners of the two Houses of Parliament and the Deputies of the City of London and to endear upon the affection with which they procured the King's return and on the zeal wherewith they laboured to re-establish the affairs of the Kingdom in the same estate they were under their last Monarchs being then in the most flourishing estate of the world They found the Commissioners assembled in the same places where the Deputies of the Estates General had met them viz. some at the Earl of Oxford's and the others with the Lord Fairfax and Mr. of Wimmenum said unto them That the Lords the Estates of Holland who had so much cause to rejoice for that great Catastrophe which they saw in England could not be silent in that wonderfull conjuncture and in that publick and universal joy but found themselves obliged to express it with them that contributed the most to it and are the principal Authors thereof That the Parliament of England had this advantage to be as the foundation of the Estate but that those which compose it now had gained this glory to all posterity that they had not only drawn the Kingdom from its greatest calamity to carry it to the highest felicity but also that they had been the first of the three Kingdoms to declare themselves for so glorious an enterprise That the Lords the Estates who in living with England as they lived during the Anarchy and disorder had manifested how dear the amity of the English was to them participated therein as they ought assured the Lords Commissioners of the perseverance of their affection and praied God for the continuation of the prosperity of the affairs of the Kingdom and of their persons in particular with all the fervency that could be expected from an allied Estate and from persons perfectly affectionated to their good and interests The Commissioners answered by the mouth of the Lords whom we have named and after they had thanked the Lords the Estates for the affection which they had for the King and for the Kingdom whereof they have every day such glittering proofs they thanked the Deputies for the pains they would take in coming to give them the greatest assurances thereof in their particular offering to acknowledge both one and t'other by their personal services and by a perpetual and inviolable amity of their Estate with this Republick and conducted the Deputies even to the coach Saturday the 29 of May the Deputy Councellours which make the Councel of Estate of Holland considering the expence which the Province had made for the reception of the King in his voiage from Breda and that which they must make yet as well for the Feast which they prepared against the next day as for the presents which they purposed to offer to his Majesty and to the Princes his brothers represented to the Estates of Holland that it would be requisite to make forthwith a sum of six hundred thousand Gilders The Estates consented thereunto immediately and found it fit to furnish for the King the Bed and the apprutenances which the last deceased Prince of Orange had caused to be made for the lying-in of the Princess Royal and which she never used because of the death of the Prince her husband who deceased eight daies before the birth of the Prince his son This bed is without doubt the fairest and richest that ever was made at Paris and besides the teaster the seats the skreens the hangings and the other peeces necessary to make a furniture compleat the Estates would add thereunto a most perfect fair hanging of the richest tapistery imbossed with gold and silver which they cause to be made of purpose with a great number of excellent pictures as well of Italy as of the countries ancient and modern and whatsoever can compose a chamber worthy to lodge so great a Monarch in his greatest magnificence The same Councel of Estate ordained also that all the fisherbarks of the Villages of Scheveling and of Heyde should be stayed for the service of the Estate to the end to serve the imbarkment of the Court and King's baggage and that for the same purpose the Village of Catwick on the sea should send the next Munday to Scheveling ten and those of Nortwijck Santvoort and Wijck upon the sea each eight barks They also gave order to Captain du Charoy to cause thirty open wagons to be in readiness to bring a part of the baggage to Scheveling Munday following and a like number with forty close wagons to conduct the train Tuesday which was the day that the King had nominated for his departure though it was deferred since till Wednesday the second of June as we shall see hereafter The same day the Duke of York brother to the King accompanied with the Duke of Brunswick Lunenburg and with a great number of English and Dutch Lords and Gentlemen went to Scheveling to take the Marriners oath of fidelity in quality of Admiral of England but the wind being contrary and the sea so moved that the Lord Montagu Vice-Admiral thought it not fit to send boats from aboard him to fetch his Royal Highness and the fishermen of the Village refusing to put him aboard he was enforced to return to the Hage to dinner Monsieur Weiman Councellour in the Councel of Estate of the Elector of Brandenbourg and his Chancellour in the Dutchy of Cleveland had the opportunity to do reverence to the King at Breda where he went about the affairs of the wardship of the Prince of Orange wherewith his Electoral Highness would charge himself in part Therefore he would not press his audience during the first daies after his arrival when his Majesty was burthened with complements But as soon as Prince Maurice of Nassau who with the government of the town of Wesel and charge of Lieutenant General of the Horse in the service of the Estates General of the United Provinces ceaseth not to be Governour of the Dutchy of Cleveland and of the Provinces annexed to it in the name of the Elector of Brandenbourg was arrived they judged fit to make a solemn complement to his Majesty in the name of his Electoral Highness The Prince was there the same Saturday accompanied with Mr. Weiman who notwithstanding the imploiments which he hath elsewhere forbears not to reside some years at the Hage about the affairs of the wardship of the Prince of Orange and with
Mr. Copes ordinary Resident from the Elector to the Lords the Estates The discourse of the Prince was like a Cavaleer so that after the King had answered his complement they spake of indifferent affairs which have nothing of common with this relation The same day Monsieur Vicquefort Knight Resident with the Lords the Estates for the Land-Grave of Hessen made his complement for the Prince his Master which was so much the better received as in his particular he had had an occasion to render most important services to his Majesty as well as to the deceased King his Father of glorious memory He had the honour to do reverence to his Majesty at Breda when in the voiage which he made there some daies before with the Duke of Brunswick Lunenburg the King expressed unto him that he remembred the affection which he had for his service He spake also for the Duke of Courland in such sort that the King who witnessed to be touched with the affliction of that Prince protested that he would not fail to acknowledge the good offices which that Prince rendred to the deceased King and to his own person during the disorders of his Kingdom Monsieur Walter de Raet Councellour in the Court of Holland Zealand and West-Freesland being gone to Bruxels in the beginning of the moneth of March this present year with Mr. Goes his Colleague by vertue of a Commission from the Court to speak to the Princess Royal of the affairs of the Principality of Orange understood that there was notice given that General Monck dissembled in a manner no more the inclination which he had for the King's interests and for the re-establishment of the affairs of England and from thence took the liberty to felicitate the King His Majesty received him so well as also the words which he said unto him when being gone since about the same affairs at Breda where his Majesty betook himself he gave him to understand the occasion which hindred the Lords the Estates at present to complement him on the estate of the affairs of the Kingdom of England that he said unto him that he should never see him but he would remember the good will he expressed to him in this conjuncture And indeed this very day the 29 of May the King remembring those marks of affection sent him his in presenting him by Mr. Oudart Councellour to the Princess Royal and to the Prince of Orange her son with Letters Pattents under the great Seal of England by which he gives to Mr. Raet and to his issue male the quality and rank of Knight Barronet for ever And for as much as those whom the King honours with this title are obliged to maintain thirty foot souldiers for the service of Ireland or to pay into the hands of the Treasurer the sum of a thousand fourscore and fifteen pounds his Majesty caused the first Letters to be accompanied with a second dispensing him of paying that sum and acquitting him in general terms and his posterity after him to perpetuity of the said sum We have said elsewhere that Don Stephen of Gamarra ordinary Embassadour of Spain to the Lords the Estates went to meet the King at Moordike to express there to his Majesty the joy that he had for his re-establishment The residence which the King had made for some years at Bruxels where Don Stephen of Gamarra had the honour to lodge some daies in the house of the two Princes the King's brothers made him to be considered quite otherwise then he could hope from his character in a time when there was open war between Spain and England though against the intention of the two Kings The caresses which the Princes made him on this occasion and the extraordinary civilities which he had received from the King proceeded from a particular affection as well as the goodness wherewith the same Dukes of York and of Glocester prayed to dine with him on thursday the 27 of this moneth The Marquess of Ormond and many other Lords had dined there the day before with the same familiarity wherewith the Lords German Earl of St. Albans and Craft went to dine with the Embassadour of France the day the King arrived at the Hage and upon the recital which these Lords had made to their Royal Highnesses of the great cheer the Embassadour of Spain had made them they resolved to dine there the next day But the King who would dine that day in publick with the Queen of Bohemia the Princess Royal the Prince of Orange and the Deputies of the Estates General having desired that the Princes his brothers might be of the company the Embassadour who had expected their Royal Highnesses gave himself the liberty to complain to the King in raillery for taking away his guests from him His Majesty had the goodness to tell him that he did it of purpose to hinder their dining with him because he would be also of the Party And indeed that very Saturday the King after he had ridden to Scheveling where he saw the Fleet and at his return visited the Queen of Bohemia went in the evening to the house of the Spanish Embassadour where were also the Queen of Bohemia the Dukes of York and Glocester the Princess Royal the Prince of Orange the Marquess of Ormond the Lords Digby Craft and Taff the Lady Stanhop Widow to the Lord Heenvliet to whom the King gave the title of Countess of Chesterfeild and Madam Howard her daughter-in-law Lady of honour to the Princess Royal. The table was covered in the Hall which is one of the fairest and greatest of the whole Hage but it would be very difficult to make a pertinent discription of this feast because that although they served up there but fish and sallats it was without doubt one of the most splendid and stately that ever was seen at a private house There was two great services of fish or rather of Sea-monsters besides the pottages the courses and the inter-meats and there was served up so great a quantity of sweet meats dry and liquid that all the persons of quality which were come in great number to see the order of that supper returned thence all loaden For the Master of the house had given order that they should have enough and that the servants should present Limonada Hypocras and all sorts of delicious wines to all those that should demand it whil'st the Officers of his Majesty and of their Royal Highnesses were magnificently treated in the other apartments of the house The King appeared there in the best humour that ever he was seen to be and expressed so much content in this company which was composed of none almost but of his family and of persons whom he saw every day that he staied there even until one a clock after midnight notwithstanding without the least disorder or confusion that might trouble their conversation and divertisement Every thing there was high and magnificent but that
and who is no less considerable through the prudence wherewith he governeth then through the honour which he hath to be the of same house with the King of Denmark who shall be partly his heir willing to give an extraordinary proof of the respect which he alwaies hath had for the Kings of Great Britain who of their side have from all time much esteemed him dispatched this Gentleman as soon as he understood that the King was to depart from Breda to come into Holland not so much to acquit himself of that duty by a simple complement as to assure his Majesty that the first day he would send to render his respect unto him in his Kingdom by a person who is very near unto him whom he considereth and loveth extreamly The King who is much more sensible of the good he receiveth then of the injuries his enemies have done him would make known by a most civil reception and accompanied with much tenderness and by a most obliging answer which he made to the complement of that Gentleman that if he could forget the ill usage he had received from some of his people he was incapable to lose the remembrance of the obligation which he had to the Count of Oldenbourg We have said before that the Duke of York as Admiral of England would go Saturday last to the Fleet to take there the Oath of Fidelity of the Officers and Marriners and that he was hindred by the contrary wind and the tempest But this day the last of May he embarked himself and was aboard the Admiral The Fleet declared it self for the King when it was yet at anckor in the Downs immediately after it understood the intention of the Parliament upon the Letter and Declaration of his Majesty whereof we have spoken in the beginning of this Relation and it was not lately that the Lord Montague who commands the Fleet now as Vice-Admiral under the authority of the Duke of York had made his good will so wel to appear that not only the King could not doubt thereof but also that he had given some suspition thereof to those of the contrary party But it was necessary to disingage the Officers Souldiers and Marriners of the Oath which they had done to the last Parliament and to be assured there of by a new Oath of Fidelity for the King their Soveraign Lord. Therefore the Duke being arrived at the Admiral 's Ship where he was received by the Lord Montague with extraordinary honour and submissions he caused the Captain of the other ships to come aboard there and took their Oath which the Captains caused to be administred since to the inferiour Officers and to all the rest of the seamen in the other ships The Lord Montague had caused the flag to be changed before he departed from the coast of England and made the arms of the Common-wealth to be raâ—ed out which appeared for some years on the castle of his proud poop but he had reserved the honour for his Royal Higness to change the name of the ship which Cromwel caused to be called the Naesby in memory of the great Battel where the deceased King was defeated and by which the Rebellion gained principally the strenght which made it to subsist even to this last revolution The Duke thinking that he could not give it a name which should be more pleasingly received then that of the King made it to be called The Charls It is certainly one of the handsomest frames that ever sailed upon the sea For although it be of the greatest size that hath been seen after that which they call in England the Soveraign and carries fourscore peeces of brass Cannon amongst which more then twenty are of 48 pound bullet it is notwithstanding one of the best sailers of the whole Ocean She had aboard her above six hundred men as well Souldiers as Sailors and the Chambers and Galleries of the Castle where the King was to lodge and where the Lord Montague lodgeth ordinarily were all wanscotted and gilded and furnished with fair beds of the finest cloth of England fringed with gold and silver and with foot Turcky tapistry for the Royal persons But that which was most remarkable was that in the Admirals Kitchin there were six Clarks that laboured but for the mouth and that his table was better served on the sea then those of many Princes are in their Dominions The plate which was all of silver was of so prodigious a greatness that they were seen to be loaden with peeces of rost beef whereof the English have reason to make one of their delicates which weighed neer a hundred pounds and the other dishes of plate which accompanied that were without comparison massier then the greatest washing basons that are ordinarily used and so loaden with meat that it seemed the whole Fleet was to be fed with the remains of that table though they were intended but for the attendants of my Lord the Duke He dined there at the ordinary of the Vice-Admiral which might pass for a great feast and in going thence he was saluted with the artillery of the whole Fleet which did him the same honour when he came aboard The same day the King received Letters from a certain kind of people which are called in England Quakers because that in the ordinary hours when they make their devotions or prayers there takes themselves a certain trembling in all parts of the body which they say to be a violent motion caused by the spirit of God wherewith they would make men be-believe that they are possessed It would be very hard to say whether these people are fanatick or hyponchondriack that is mad or melancholy but it must needs be that so great a disorder of spirit as that which is observed in all their actions proceedeth from an ill disposition of the body They have not only lost the respect they ow unto Princes and Magistrates but they fail also in the duties which are inseparable from the civil life And they are so far from humility which is a vertue not known but since the birth of Christianity that hitherto there was never seen an animal so impudent and so proud The Letter was ridiculous and impertiment throughout but particularly in most places it pronounced the threatnings of Gods judgment against the King if he protected not that Sect and entred not into those thoughts The King having made known the day before to Mr. the Veth Deputy from the Province of Zealand to the Estates General and President that week for his Province that his design was to render them a visit the next morning in their assembly as we have said it was resolved that they would receive this honour with all imaginable respect and to that purpose would dispose of all things in such manner that his Majesty should carry away from his visit the satisfaction which he might lawfully promise to himself from thence And indeed Tuesday morning
of the Estate and for that of the Province of Holland in particular And as for the Prince of Orange that the merit of his Ancestours was still so present to their memory that there was no doubt but the desires of his Majesty should be fulfilled of that side After that the King retired in the same manner and order as he came the Estates of Holland following him in body with design to conduct him even to his house But the King being descended into the Court by the same way he went took that towards the Princess Royal her apartment which is in the same Palace and the Estates having conducted him even to the first story took leave of him and returned through the gallery to the Hall of their Assembly Every one was extreamly surprised with so obliging and so gallant a manner of proceeding but this joy was in some kind moderated because the place being so vast that notwithstanding the cutting off the most part of the Deputies lost either the sense or words of the King's discourse The Pensionary Councellour who answered thereto said unto those that ask'd it him in writing that he had perfectly well comprehended the intention of the King but that he would not undertake to relate word by word what his Majesty said concerning the Princess Royal and the Prince of Orange which was that they most desired to know The King being advertised of the displeasure of the Estates of Holland had the goodness to call for pen ink and paper in the Princess Royal her Chamber and to send to the Pensionary Councellour this following note written and signed with his hand Sirs whereas I leave here in your hands the Princess my Sister and the Prince of Orange my Nephew two persons which are extreamly dear unto me I pray you Sirs to take their intersts to heart and to make them to resent the effects of your favour in the occasions which the Princess my Sister shall request you either for her self or for the Prince her son assuring you that all the effect of your good will towards them shall be acknowledged of me as if I had received them in my own person and was signed CHARLS R. The Pensionary Councellour answered thereunto by a formal discourse and most elegant the substance whereof we shall only declare and so it imported no other thing but that this note whereof a copy was sent to the Estates General was inserted in the Registers of the resolutions of the Generality and of the Province of Holland Mr de Thou Count of Meslay Embassadour of France took this day his audience of leave with the same ceremonies he took the first Mr. Otte Krag and Mr. Gotsche of Bugwald Extraordinary Embassadours from the King of Denmark took theirs also and added to the complement they made his Majesty upon his happy voiage a most humble prayer that being upon his return into England it would please him to remember his good Cosen and Ally the King of Denmark their Master and the estate of his affairs as the King their Master of his side would acknowledge as lnog as he lived the good Offices which his Majesty should render him on so pressing an occasion The King after he had thanked the Embassadours for their complement upon the subject of his voiage said that he could not be ignorant that it was partly for his sake that the King of Denmark suffered and that he should be no sooner returned into his Kingdom then he would imploy all possible means to declare the part he took in the interests of that Prince his neer Cosen chiefly in a cause the justness whereof was so evident and wherein he was interested in his particular And that he hoped that the peace not being so far advanced as they were made to believe he should have leisure to give him proofs of his good will After that the Embassadours retired to go visit the Earl of Oxford chief of the Deputies of the Higher House of Parliament The Embassadours had caused the King to be sounded if he were pleased that they should see the Commissioners of the two Houses whereas his Majesty expressed to them that they should do him a pleasure therein they had often caused audience to be asked both of one and t'other but their continual imploiments upon the King's person joined to the difficulty that was to assemble persons that diverted themselves in a place where occasions were not wanting to them and in a time when all the world rejoiced opposed alwaies their satisfaction untill that the Earl of Oxford who indeavoured what he could to make the Commissioners of the Higher House to assemble but to no purpose They prayed at last the 31 day of May audience of the Lower House with the Lord Fairfax who had assembled some of them in the house of the Baron of Asperen where he was lodged and the next day which was Tuesday the Earl of Oxford did as much in receiving them at home with him in the house of Mr. Buysero Griffeer or Secretary of the Councel of the Prince of Orange Coming from the audience of the King both one and t'other treated the Embassadours with much honour and respect but they talked of the affairs of the North as of a thing whereof the King should have for the future the disposition since that in entring into the Kingdom he should have solely the whole conduct of the affairs of the Estate We have said elsewhere that the Embassadour of Spain saw not the King but as his particular servant and that he of Portugal saw him not when his Majesty arrived Hence was it that there were no other forraign Ministers that would trouble him with their complements upon his voiage after having officiated with him upon his coming to the Crown There was but Prince Maurice of Nassau who having had the honour to lodge the King in his house which is without doubt the only one in the Hage capable to receive so great a Monarch as well because of its seat being scituated in the fairest place of the Town and chief avenue of the Palace to which the Viver serves for Mote as because of the decoration of its apartments in one of which he caused to be represented the Princes of his House one of the most ancient and most illustrious of all Germany which would chuse there an Emperour in a time when there was none to be found in the other families There was but that Prince Isay who willing to acknowledge the honour he had received at home and at the same time to officiate with his Majesty for his Electoral Highness of Brandenburg made him also a complement upon his voiage His Majesty received him perfectly well did him civility in his particular speaking very advantagiously of the merit of his person and thanking him for the affection which he would express unto him but it was with an extraordinary resentment that the King spake of that which the Duke of Brandenbourg
the main mast and to the Castle of the poop and received his Majesty with the greatest submission that could be rendred to a Prince at the top of the ladder by which one goes up unto the ship The King rendred him all the testimonies of goodness and affection which he could expect from a Soveraign who acknowledged perfectly the important services he had done him as having been one of the most powerful instruments of his re-establishment whereof he had given him assurances long before and a most certain proof when he departed from the Sound upon the King's orders to favour the design of Sir George Booth who had taken arms for the service of his Majesty under pretence of demanding the convocation of a free Parliament It was past eleven a clock when the King arrived at the Fleet so that as soon as his Majesty was never so little disingaged of a part of those that would follow him to the ship he put himself at table in the gallery of the poop with the other Royal Persons and caused some persons of condition and the most confident of his Majesty to be entertained in the other apartments the Lord Montague making as fair an expence at this repast and at all the others following as at this passage of the King which was but of two daies he imploied more then two thousand Jacobusses though the Lords the Estates had provided his ship and the rest of the Fleet with all kinds of provisions and refreshments necessary beyond what needed for so little a passage After dinner the King received again the last complements of some particular persons express'd great civility to the Deputies of the Estates of Holland for whom Mr of Wassenaer Lieutenant Admiral of the Province uttered the speech and sent them away with new protestations of affection and amity The Sea was calm and the Heaven so cleer that the King had a desire to discover once again a Country where he had received so many testimonies of respect and love to this purpose he went up on the top of the poop and seeing that the people with which he had left the Downs covered remained there still he could not chuse but say that he must confess it was impossible that his own subjects could have more tenderness for him then those people on whose affections he saw that he reigned no less then he was going to reign on the wils of the English After this he embraced the Prince of Orange with the same tenderness as he could have had for his own Son and gave him his blessing and took leave of the Queen of Bohemia But when he was to depart from the Princess Royal his Sister that Princess who had with so much courage and without grief almost look'd all pass'd misfortunes in the face and who had vertue enough to fortifie that of her brothers had need of all his constancy to resolve her self to suffer this separation which she had wished with so much impatience and whose consequences were to be so glorious both to one and t'other The King himself who had had resolution enough to witness no weakness in his greatest misfortunes cannot resist the tears of a Sister whom many other considerations as strong as those of birth render extreamly dear unto him She would have been inconsolable but for the hope she had to see again shortly the King her brother in his Kingdom and they would have been troubled to disingage her from the arms of his Majesty if Admiral Montague had not caused the ankors to be weighed and given signal to the other ships to set sail The Admiral ship was already under sail for England when the Queen of Bohemia the Princess Royal and the Prince of Orange descended into the Bark which was to bring them back again to the land All the artillery of the Fleet saluted those Royal Persons and the Battry of the Downs answered it with the small shot of the Citizens and Guards It was about four a clock in the after-noon that the Fleet did set sail and about six a clock it was gotten so far of that the people which stir'd not from the Downs having lost sight of it retired themselves whil'st the King continued his way towards his Kingdoms with the same prosperity which was seen lately to accompany all his affairs FINIS THE DEPUTIES OF THE ESTATES of Holland complement the King at Delf Pag. 30. WHat 's this we see presented to the ey In such a neat and handsom Symetry Let us survey the Peece in every part And then pass sentence on the Graver's art Behold a Town here which is known to be Famous of old for many things which we VVould instance largely here if we had room But being tied to an Epitom VVe can but touch surely the site is sweet The buildings well compos'd in every street And regular its priviledges great And which is more it is the ancient Seat Of the Auranian Princes t' is their Tomb Their Monument where they must sleep till doom 'T is called Delf and if you think it fit VVe 'll add the Fair as its just Epithet Here did th' Estates first in most Princely wise Receive the King by their chief Deputies Here you may see their humble postures and Their lowly reverence when they kiss his hand And from their Body thank him for the grace They did receive to see him in that place And next at home where to conduct him they VVere come express on this their Holy-Day All this and more is with the Graver's knife Carv'd as in colours done unto the life The Steel and Pencil have not differ'd here If one draws smooth the other cuts as cleer Now give your censures and your judgments right Can any thing exceed this black and white WILL. LOWER A POETICAL DESCRIPTION Of the Batavian Court Pag. 34. BEhold a Royal Prospect here 's a Wood Fair Palaces and in the mid'st a Flood Now call'd the Crowned Viver since the beams Of Majesty so richly gilt its streams The Graver hath done wonders let us stand First on the Place and view that peece of land Adjoining to 't that sweet and Princely Grove The Viverberg or rather Walk of Love Where our scorch'd Gallants to avoid the Sun When the Dog reigns under its shadows come To cool their heats and pittifully meet With fiercer flames which from the windows creep Into their souls on either side the Stream First the Court ey and then the Country beam Make massacres of miserable hearts Which from all quarters feel those flaming darts And fall as bleeding Victims do But we Stay too long here what is that house we see So fair is 't not the Doel that stately Inn Where Gamesters come with an intent to win And to be rich but oft go beggar'd thence A place indeed of a brave vast expence Where the Town meets and sometimes quaff a health Unto the Prince th' Estate and Common-wealth Let 's proceed further and observe that