King's Foragers which greatly perplexed him So that understanding at last that the main Body of the Tartars commanded by Sultan Nuradin was come near his Camp yet without being able precisely to learn the Place where they were he caused it to be published among the Moldavians That whoever brought him certain Intelligence of them should have the Reward of 200 Crowns Whereupon one that was well acquainted with the Country went into the Enemies Camp and having observed it returned and gave the King an Account that they lay within a Mile of his Army and that a Party of 4000 Tartars was advanced at some distance from the rest The King being thus informed of the Posture the Enemy were in detached the Court-Marshal and the Court-Treasurer about Midnight to attack those advanced Troops and followed himself with the whole Army This Detachment with the Help of the Moldavian who was their Guide came upon the Enemy before they had time to retire to their main Body and after a sharp Dispute entirely routed them taking about 300 Prisoners among whom were several Murza's and other Persons of considerable Note among the Tartars While this was doing the King also advanced and attacked the Serasquier and Sultan who not knowing of the Defeat of their advanced Troops expected they would have fallen upon the Poles in their Rear and Flank and with this Encouragement they put themselves into a Posture to oppose him However they were deceived and after a short fight were routed and forced to flee leaving a great many Slain and Prisoners behind them but not without Loss also on the Poles side there being several Officers and Persons of Quality and particularly the Palatine Podolskie among the Number of the Slain But while these Things were doing by the Polish Army abroad the Country nearer Home was cruelly ravaged by the Garrison of Caminiec who made frequent Incursions into the Polish Territories Which together with the King 's marching homeward after this last Action and demolishing the fore-mentioned Forts in his Return which he had raised as he went onwards made this Expedition to be little thought of and as little Advantage to redound to the Poles from it as they hitherto had reaped by their Alliance with the Moscovites who made a mighty Smoak this Campaign but very little Fire of whom we shall have more Occasion to talk hereafter year 1687 Now we are come to another Year and the Affairs of England fall of Course under our Consideration And as we left off with taking Notice of the King's Kindness to his Roman Catholick Subjects in a more particular Manner in the Letter he wrote to the Parliament of Scotland we are now to tell you of a more general Act of his and that was upon the 12th of February to issue out his Proclamation for a Toleration of Religion unto all Wherein by the by you are to observe that he exerted his Absolute Power which he said his Subjects ought to obey without Reserve But the Toleration he allowed his Roman Catholick Subjects in Scotland he would scarce allow to his Protestant Subjects in Ireland for Tyrconnel so did Talbot merit for reforming the Army was not only made an Earl but Lord-Lieutenant in Ireland to boot in the room of my Lord Clarendon and one Fitton an infamous Person detected for Forgery not only at Westminster but Chester too was brought out of the King 's Bench Prison in England to be Chancellor and Keeper of the King's Conscience in Ireland Sir Charles Porter being turned out to make way for him Now Talbot being thus advanced in Honour and Office began to exert his Authority and his first Proclamation towards the End of Feb. imported a Promise to defend the Laws Liberty and Established Religion but fairly left out the Preservation of the Act of Settlement and Explanation However though at first he only left them out being resolved to out the Protestants first and to let the Irish into their Forfeited Estates yet he did not stop there We told you last Year what Efforts were made to propagate the King's Power in Westminster-Hall and what Instructions the Judges had in their Circuits to dispense with the Penal Laws and Tests against Dissenters from the Church and now these Things being brought pretty well to bear upon the 25th of April out came the King's Declaration for Liberty of Conscience which was conceived in the following Terms His MAJEETY's Gracious DECLARATION to all His Loving Subjects for LIBERTY of CONSCIENCE JAMES R. IT having pleased Almighty God not only to bring Us to the Imperial Crown of these Kingdoms through the greatest Difficulties but to preserve Us by a more than ordinary Providence upon the Throne of Our Royal Ancestors there is nothing now that We so earnestly desire as to Establish our Government on such a Foundation as may make Our Subjects happy and unite them to Us by Inclination as well as Duty which We think can be done by no Means so effectually as by granting to them the free Exercise of their Religion for the Time to come and add that to the perfect Enjoyment of their Property which has never been in any Case invaded by Us since Our coming to the Crown Which being the Two Things Men value most shall ever be preserved in these Kingdoms during our Reign over them as the truest Methods of their Peace and Our Glory We cannot but heartily wish as it will easily be believed that all People of Our Dominions were Members of the Catholick Church yet We humbly thank Almighty God it is and hath of long time been Our constant Sense and Opinion which upon divers Occasions We have declared that Conscience ought not to be constrained nor People forced in Matters of meer Religion It has ever been directly contrary to Our Inclination as We think it is to the Interest of Government which it destroys by spoiling Trade depopulating Countries and discouraging Strangers and finally that it never obtained the End for which it was employed And in this We are the more Confirmed by the Reflections We have made upon the Conduct of the Four last Reigns For after all the frequent and pressing Endeavours that were used in each of them to reduce this Kingdom to an exact Conformity in Religion it is visible the Success has not answered the Design and that the Difficulty is invincible We therefore out of Our Princely Care and Affection unto all Our Loving Subjects that they may live at Ease and Quiet and for the Increase of Trade and Incouragement of Strangers have thought fit by Virtue of Our Royal Prerogative to issue forth this Our Declaration of Indulgence making no doubt of the Concurrence of Our Two Houses of Parliament when we shall think it convenient for them to meet In the first Place We do declare That We will Protect and Maintain Our Archâ—bishops Bishops and Clergy and all other Our Subjects of the Church of England in the free
Superiority Preheminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within the Realm So help me God This Declaration being tendered to the Prince and Princess of Orange and the Conditions being accepted by both they were soon after proclaimed King and Queen of England according to the Tenor of a Proclamation drawn by the Convention for that very purpose and so they took a peaceable Possession of the English Crown the few Soldiers of Dumbarton's Regiment that sometime after revolted being quickly brought to submit and no other Punishment inflicted upon them than to be sent into Holland without any deâ—alcation of their Pay But the King having now done his Work in England 't was his next Thoughts to make sure of Scotland whither he had sent a Body of Men sometime since under the Command of Major General Mâ—ckay and where notwithstanding the Duke of Gourdon still held Edinburgh Castle and that there was a disposition in the Northern Inhabitants of that Kingdom to adhere to the late King a Convention met also and notwithstanding King James writ to them as well as King William yet the formers Letter was so far from having any effect upon them in his Favour that the Throne of Scotland was declared vacant and an Act of Recognition drawn up in the Form following THat whereas James the Seventh being a professed Papist did assume the Regal Power and act as a King without ever taking the Oaths required by Law whereby every King at his Access to the Government was obliged to swear to maintain the Protestant Religion and to Rule the People according to the laudable Laws and by the Advice of wicked Counsellors did invade the Fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdom of Scotland and alter'd it from a Legal limited Monarchy to an Arbitrary and Despotick Power and in a publick Proclamation asserted an Absolute Power to annul and disable all Laws particularly by arraigning the Laws establishing the Protestant Religion and to the Violation of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom By erecting publick Schools and Societies of the Jesuits and not only allowing Mass to be publickly said but also converting Protestant Chapels and Churches to publick Mass-Houses contrary to the express Laws against saying and hearing of Mass By allowing Popish Books to be printed and disposed by a Patent to a Popish Printer designing him Printer to his Majesty's Houshold Colledge and Chappel contrary to Law By taking the Children of Protestant Noblemen and Gentlemen and sending them abroad to be bred Papists and bestowing Pensions on Priests to pervert Protestants from their Religion by Offers of Places of Preferments By disarming Protestants while at the same time he employ'd Papists in Places of the greatest Trust both Civil and Military c. and entrusting the Forces and Magazines in their hands By imposing Oaths contrary to Law By exacting Money without Consent of Parliament or Convention of Estates By levying and keeping up a Standing Army in time of Peace without Consent of Parliament and maintaining them upon free Quarter By employing the Officers of the Army as Judges throughout the Kingdom by whom the Subjects were put to death without legal Trial Jury or Record Bp imposing exorbitant Fines to the value of the Parties Estates exacting extravagant Bail and disposing Fines and Forfeitures before any Process or Conviction By imprisoning Persons without expressing the Reason and delaying to bring them to Trial. By causing several Persons to be prosecuted and their Estates to be forfeited upon Stretches of old and forfeited Laws upon weak and frivolous Pretences and upon lame and defective Proofs as particularly the late Earl of Argyle to the Scandal of the Justice of the Nation By subverting the Rights of the Royal Boroughs the Third Estate of Parliament imposing upon them not only Magistrates but also the whole Town Council and Clerks contrary to their Liberties and express Charters without any pretence of Sentence Surrender or Consent So that the Commissioners to Parliaments being chosen by the Magistrates and Councils the King might in effect as well nominate that entire Estate of Parliament Besides that many of the Magistrates by him put in were Papists and the Boroughs were forced to pay Money for the Letters imposing those illegal Magistrates upon them By sending Letters to the Chief Courts of Justice not only ordering the Judges to stop sine die but also commanding them how to proceed in Cases depending before them contrary to the express Laws and by changing the Nature of the Judges Patents ad vitam or culpam into a Commission de bene placito to dispose them to a Compliance of Arbitrary Courses and turning them out of their Offices if they refus'd to comply By granting personal Protections for Civil Debts contrary to Law All which were Miscarriages of King James utterly and directly contrary to the known Laws Freedoms and Statutes of the Realm of Scotland Upon which Grounds and Reasons the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland did find and declare That K. James the 7th being a profess'd Papist did assume the Regal Power c. as at the beginning whereby he had forfeited the Right of the Crown and the Throne was become vacant Therefore in regard his Royal Highness then Prince of Orange since King of England whom it pleas'd God to make the glorious Instrument of delivering these Kingdoms from Popery and Arbitrary Power by Advice of several Lords and Gentlemen of the Scots Nation then at London did call the Estates of this Kingdom to meet upon the Fourteenth of March last in order to such an Establishment as their Religion Laws and Liberties might not again be in danger of being subverted The said Estates being at that time assembled accordingly in a full and free Representative of the Nation taking into their most serious Consideration the best Means for attainâ—ng the Ends aforesaid did in the first place as their Ancestors in the like Cases had usually done for the Vindicating and Asserting their Ancient Rights and Liberties declare That by the Law of Scotland no Papist could be King or Queen of the Realm nor bear any Office whatever therein nor that any Protestant Successor could exercise the Regal Power till he or they had sworn the Coronation-Oath That all Proclamations asserting an Absolute Power to null and disable Laws in order to erecting Schools and Colledges for Jesuits converting Protestant Churches and Chappels into Mass-Houses and the allowing Mass to be said That the allowing Popish Books to be printed and dispersed was contrary to Law That the taking the Children of Noblemen Gentlemen and others and keeping them abroad to be bred Papists the making Funds and Donations to Popish Schools and Colledges the bestowing Pensions on Priests and the seducing Protestants from their Religion by offers of Places and Preferment was contrary to Law That the disarming of Protestants and the employing Papists in the greatest Places of Trust both Civil and Military c. was contrary to Law That the imposing
an Oath without Authority of Parliament was contrary to Law That the raising of Money without Consent of Parliament or Convention was contrary to Law That the imploying Officers of the Army as Judges c. was contrary to Law That the imposing extraordinary Fines c. was contrary to Law That the imprisoning of Persons without expressing the Reasons c. was the same That the prosecuting and seizing Mens Estates as forfeited upon stretches of the old and obsolete Laws c. was contrary to Law That the nominating and imposing Magistrates c. upon Burroughs contrary to their express Charters was the same That the sending Letters to the Courts of Justice ordaining the Judges to desist from determining of Causes and ordaining them how to proceed in Causes depending before them c. was contrary to Law That the granting of personal Protections c. was the same That the forcing the Subjects to depose against themselves in capital Causes however the Punishment were restricted was contrary to Law That the using Torture without Evidence or in ordinary Crimes was contrary to Law That the sending of an Army in a Hostile manner into any part of the Kingdom in time of Peace and exacting Locality and free Quarter was the same That charging the Subjects with Law-burroughs at the King's Instance and imposing Bonds without Authority of Parliament and the suspending Advocates for not appearing when Bonds were offer'd was contrary to Law That the putting Garrisons into private Mens Houses in time of Peace without Authority of Parliament was illegal That the Opinions of the Lords of the Sessions in the two Cases following were illegal viz. That the concerting the demand of Supply of a forefaulted Person although not given was Treason That Persons refusing to discover their private Thoughts in relation to points of Treason or other Mens Actions are guilty of Treason That the fining Husbands for their Wives withdrawing from Church was illegal The Prelates and Superiority of any Office in the Church above Presbyter is and has been a great and unsupportable burthen to this Nation and contrary to the Inclinations of the generality of the People ever since the Reformation they having reformâ—d Popery by Presbytery and therefore ought to be abolish'd That it is the Right and Privilege of the Subject to protest for remedy of Law to the King and Parliament against Sentences pronounc'd by the Lords of the Sessions provided the same do not stop executions of the said Sentences That it is the Right of the Subject to petition the King and that all Prosecutions and Imprisonments for such petitioning are and were contrary to Law Therefore for the redress of all Grievances and for the amending strengthening and preserving the Laws they claim'd that Parliaments ought to be frequently call'd and allow'd to â—it and freedom of Speech and Debate allow'd the Members And then they farther claim'd and insisted upon all and sundry the Premises as their undoubted Rights and Liberties and that no Declaration or Proceedings to the prejudice of the People in any of the said Premises ought in any wise to be drawn hereafter in Example but that all Forfeitures Fines loss of Offices Imprisonments Banishments Prosecutions Persecutions and rigorous Executions be consider'd and the Parties redress'd To which demand of their Rights and redress of their Grievances they took themselves to be encourag'd by the King of England's Declaration for the Kingdom of Scotland in October last as being the only means for obtaining a full Redress and Remedy therein Therefore Forasmuch as they had an entire Confidence that His Majesty of England would perfect the Deliverance so far advanc'd by him and would still preserve them from the Violation of the Rights which they had asserted and from all other Attempts upon their Religion Laws and Liberties The said Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland had resolv'd That William and Mary King and Queen of England be declared King and Queen of Scotland to hold the Crown and Royal Dignity of the said Kingdom to them the said King and Queen during their Lives and the longest Liver of them and that the sole and full Exercise of the Power be only in and exercis'd by him the said King in the Names of the said King and Queen during their Lives And after their Decease that the said Crown and Royal Dignity of the said Kingdom be to the Heirs of the Body of the said Queen Which failing to the Princess Anne of Denmark and the Heirs of her Body which also failing to the Heirs of the Body of the said William King of England And then withal they pray'd the said King and Queen to accept the same accordingly It was also declar'd by the Instrument That the Oath hereafter mention'd should be taken by all Protestants by whom the Oath of Allegiance or any other Oaths and Declarations might be requir'd by Law instead of it and that the Oath of Allegiance and all other Oaths and Declarations should be abrogated The Oath was but short and conformable to that which was prescrib'd in England I A. B. Do sincerely promise and swear That I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to Their Majesties King William and Queen Mary So help me God This Act being brought to perfection the Earl of Argyle with other Commissioners were dispatch'd away with it for London to present it to the King and Queen and to take their Oath which being done the same day as Their Majesties were Crowned King and Queen of England they were also proclaimed King and Queen of Scotland and May 11th the Earl of Argyle with other Commissioners tender'd the Coronation Oath to their Majesties which was distinctly pronounced word by word by the Earl while their Majesties repeated the Sentences after him holding up their Right-hands all the while according to the Custom of Scotland but when the King came to that Clause in the Oath We shall be careful to root out Hereticks he declared that he did not mean by those words that he was under any obligation to become a Persecutor To which the Commissioners replied That neither the meaning of the Oath nor the Law of Scotland did import it Whereupon the King said That he took the Oath in that sense and called the Commissioners and other 's there present to be Witnesses of his so doing Then the Convention was turn'd into a Parliament who abolish'd Episcopal Church-Government and restor'd the Presbyterian one which with other concurring Causes made things somewhat uneasie in that Kingdom for a time For tho Edenburgh Castle was June 13th surrender'd to Sir John Lamier yet Dundee gathered strength in the North for the late King between whose Party and Mackays past several Actions and the first was July 16th near Blaine in the County of Athol where Mackay with 4000 Foot and 4 Troops of Horse and Dragoons attack'd Dundee who had 6000 Foot and 100 Horse on his side and between whom there was a
to stay Tho' the Emperor as believing himself much stronger thought to delude Henry of his projected Proportion the other grew too cunning for him for being in expectation that Henry would have advanced and so both of them hem in the French Army on each side he sent him Word He would not stir from Bologn and Monstreville till he had made himself Master of them which made Charles recoyl and clap up a Peace then he turned all his Thoughts upon the Reduction of the Protestants and with them the Liberty of Germany wherein tho' he went a great length yet he was at last so baffled by Maurice Elector of Saxony at Inspruck that he was glad to make a Peace with them also So that now being diffident of ever attaining his Ends and wearied with the Toils of Empire and the Infirmity of his Body he resigned up the Empire to his Brother Ferdinando who having been before chosen King of the Romans would not consent it should come to his Son Philip This Philip had at the same time all his Father 's Hereditary Dominions put into his Hands and being a Prince as Politick as Powerful and withal Married to Mary Queen of England had it not been for his Father's Error in dividing the Power of the Austrian Family by separating the Imperial Crown from the Spanish Monarchy I cannot see if we speak after the Manner of Men what could have hindred this Philip II. from attaining to the Dominion of Europe in a short time But besides this other Accidents quickly intervened and as Politick as this Prince seemed to be those very Methods he took to attain still to his desired Ends of Supream Sovereignty by introducing the Inquisition and an Arbitrary Power into the Netherlands and his Attempts to reduce the Kingdom of England under his Power proved to be the very Things that ruined his Empire and gave Rise to that State that for a long time gave an helping hand to bring Spain low but since the Peace of Munster in 1648. has proved the greatest Support of that Remainder of the Monarchy still continuing in the Netherlands against her growing Neighbours of any in the World We might here assign other Reasons for the Cadency of Spain as the bloody Inquisition the Depopulating of the Country by the Discovery of the West-Indies c. But waving this at present we shall enquire a little distinctly into the French Proceedings upon the said Account and take in somewhat of other Nations as they occur to our Purpose before we come to draw the whole into a Conclusion The Ancient Gallia which was of every extensive Bounds but subdivided into divers petty Kingdoms or Dynasties as indeed the State of the Infant World seemed every-where to be so fell under the Yoak of the Roman Empire under the Conduct of Julius Caesar and continued under the said Dominion till that vast Monarchy began to totter and then was one of first of those Countries that felt the Rage of those barbarous Nations the Goths and Huns but most of all the Franks out of Germany who about the Year 424 beginning to break in upon it did by degrees make themselves Masters of the greatest part of it and withal changed the old Name of Gaul into that of France The first Race of their Kings were valiant and brave Princes but some of them being too much taken up with the prevalent Humour of those Times made such a Division of the Kingdom as they had Number of Sons to govern them But being united again this Merovingian Family now at length strangely degenerating from their ancient Valour gave way to the Rise of the Carolovinian Race in the Person of Pepin and was so called from the Famous Charles Martel Mayor of the Palace in the last King's Reign and Father to this Pepin who proved a Warlike Prince and did great Feats in Italy against the Lombards He was succeeded by his Son Charles surnamed the Great who extended the French Monarchy beyond the Bounds even of the ancient Gallia For he made himself in a Manner Lord of all Italy by the entire Conquest he made of the Kingdom of the Lombards and overcame the Saxons and subdued Germany beat the Sclavonians Danes and Huns routed the Saracens and reduced Spain as far as the River Iberus under his Obedience and at Rome was proclaimed Emperor of the West And in Truth he was the greatest Prince that ever was in this Part of the World since the Dissolution of the Roman Empire and had his Successors been as Wise and Valiant as he and pursued the Steps he took I cannot see any Thing that could have hindred them in the Revolution of a few Years from erecting an Empire as extensive and formidable as that of old Rome it self But Charles his Successors falling into the Error of their Predecessors disjoined the Empire of Germany from the Kingdom of France and part of their Dominions being invaded and possest by the Normans and the Royal Authority decaying by degrees this Race also being enfeebled with Age tho' they were not yet 240 Years old made way for Hugh Capet to ascend the Throne This Man thinking to make amends for the Badness of his Title by the Goodness of his Concessions to the Nobles of his Kingdom that had been very Instrumental in his Advancement remitted a great many of the Ancient Royal Prerogatives and gave them the Titles of Dukes and Earls of the Provinces they govern'd upon Condition they should acknowledge themselves his Vassals but yet not to be obliged to depend absolutely upon his Commands Hence arose besides the Dutchy of Normandy on which also depended that of Britany the Dutchies of Burgundy Aquitain and Gascoigny the Earldoms of Flanders Champaign and Thoulouse to which if we add that the Counties of Vienna Provence Savoy and Dauphine belonged to the Kingdom of Arelate which was part of the German Empire we shall find the French Monarchy reduced from those most extensive Bounds it had in the Days of Charlemaign to a very narrow Compass and to reunite those again has been mainly the Struggle and Endeavour of the succeeding Kings of France About some of which they had a long and terrible Contest with the English which yet the French effected in a great measure by the Time of the Reign of our K. Henry VII when Charles VIII married Anne Inheritrix of the Dutchy of Britany tho' she had been solemnly married before to Maximilian K. of the Romans and afterwards Emperor And the Suffering of this to be accomplish'd was a foul Blot in K. H's Politicks and lesned very much the Reputation he had gained of being a Prince of great Wisdom and Foresight But though France thus strengthned her Vital Parts by the Acquisition of Britany which she took Care to retain even by the Marriage of Charles's Successor Lewis XII to this Ann of Bretaigne his Relict in Expectation of Issue though without Success and that notwithstanding this Francis I. Lewis's
Truth and even by the Confession of my Opposers for that OLD CAVSE in which I was from my Youth engaged and for which thou hast often and wonderfully declared thy self Yet notwithstanding all these Points gained there was something to be done before it could be be said That the King was a Despotical â—rince and would make his Will his Law For tho' the City of London was now absolutely dependant upon his Majesty in respect of the Magistracy thereof and that the naming of the other Sheriffs of all the Countles and Shires of the Kingdom belonged unto him yet there were many other Cities in England who still chose their own Sheriffs but something must have been done with these before the Constitution of the Parliament could be subverted which seemed to be the only White in the Butt they had been aiming at all this while For you are to note that the House of Commons consists of 513 Members whereof but 92 only are Knights of the Shires so that near 5 Parts in 6 are Burgesses Citizens and Barons of the Cinque-Ports and the generality of the Corporations which send these Members are poor decay'd Places and so not in a Condition as the City of London was to contest their Charters or if they should there were but little hopes to keep them now London had not been able to hold hers Yet it was considered also that it would cost the Court-Agents a great deal of time to bring Quo Warranto's against above 200 Corporations wherefore all Hands were set on work to induce these poor Inhabitants to surrender up their Rights and mighty Rewards proposed unto those who should shew themselves forward and instrumental therein But because Moneys were scarce there were Bargains made wiâ—h Multitudes of them to have Grants of Fairs for the Surrender of their Charters and those who refused must have Quo Warranto's brought against them However before these things were fully put in Execution it was thought necessary to augment the standing Forces in England who were already too many in time of Peace For some Umbrages were taken that Disturbances might arise before they could be brought to Perfection For tho' the Duke had secur'd Scotland and had 20000 Foot and 2000 Horse and a Years Pay to be assisting upon all Occasions and that greater Liberty than ever was given to the Irish yet all this was not thought enough and therefore Tangier part of Queen Catherine's hopeful Portion which cost the King her Husband above 100000 l. a Year the keeping for 20 Years together must now at last the Mould was near finished be utterly demolished and the Garrison brought over which had been a Nursery of Popish Officers and Soldiers and quartered in the most considerable parts of the Kingdom And in this pittiful State we shall leave England and see what mighty Changes have been made in the Face of Things in other Parts of Europe and more particularly in the Kingdom of Hungary where brake out the cruellest War between the Emperor and the Turks and that has been intermixt with such Variety of Actions and Fortune in the long Course of it as I think no Age nor History can parallel the exact Particulars whereof we shall endeavour to give as they shall fall out in due Series of Time and their proper Order But before we enter immediately upon that mighty Affair it will be necessary to premise somewhat in this place how things stood on this side the Empire towards France and in the Netherlands We have said something before concerning the Re-unions pretended to be made by France after the Treaty of Nimeguen But yet to be a little more particular It was not long after the Conclusion of the said Peace that that Crown possessed her self of Homhurg and Bisstel the only two Places remaining to the Duke of Lorain of all his Dutchy However tho' the Duke who had â—ut little Power of his own was forced tamely to submit to it yet it could not be thought that others would be so willing to do it And therefore First Monsieur Ravaux who had searched all the Monuments of the Parliaments of Metz and the Cities thereabouts endeavoured from thence to prove That in time of old all Alsatia Lorain the Counties of Chiney Arlon Vierton St. Armand all the Country of Luxemburg except the City of that Name divers Villages and Seigniories in Germany Flanders Brabant Hegenow and the Country of Liege did really and of just Right belong to the King of France as Dependences upon the three Bishopricks of Metz Toul and Verdun or upon other Places that had been yielded to them by the Treaty of Nimeguen In pursâ—ance hereof they erected in France 2 Tribunals of Justice or Sovereign Courts one at Metz and the other at Brisac by the Name of The Chambers of Re-unions where the Inhabitants and Lords of all the fore-mentioned Places were gravely cited to appear before the Commissioners Judges and Parties to see themselves condemned to make their Submission to the French King and to receive his Orders thereupon and in case of Refusal to be condemned for Default and Contumacy It was under such Pretensions that Strasburg was seized on by that Crown and by the same pretended Reasons Luxemburg had been blocked up in a manner ever since the Peace and that as it were by way of Reprisal because the Spaniards would not yield up to them several Places in Flanders which they laid claim to Which way of Procedure did at length alarm all the Potentates upon the Continent so that the Emperor Swedeland the States of Holland Franconia and several other Free and Imperial Cities entred into a mutual League of Defence which was called The League of Ausburg and to the Glory of the then Prince of Orange it must be said and is what his Enemies have own'd he was the greatest Instrument to bring it about of any in Europe Good God! What shall we think of England all this while But I have told you already our King had other Fish to fry and 't is very remarkable that he was by this time fallen into such an abject State in the Opinion of all the Neighbouring Princes and States that it does not appear they ever sought as much as his Concurrence in or Approbation of this League though otherwise generally speaking England was the only Kingdom that was wont to keep the Scales even between the contending Parties for many Ages together However whether it were out of the Apprehensions of the impending Storm upon Christendom from the Mahometan Quarters or out of a meer Act of Generosity this is certain that as soon as the French King came to know that the Turk was bending all his Forces against the Empire and to that End had ordered his Army to march towards Belgrade not only with a Design to possess himself of all Hungary but even to invade the Neighbouring Provinces he withdrew his Forces from before Luxemburg though almost ready
and not by the Directions which the others gave them By which it is apparent that they design to render themselves the Absolute Masters of the Lives Honours and Estates of the Subjects of what Rank or Dignity soever they may be and that without having any Regard either to the Equity of the Cause or to the Consciences of the Judges whom they will have to submit in all things to their own VVill and Pleasure hoping by such Ways to intimidate those who are in Employment as also such others as they shall think fit to put in the room of those whom they have turned out and to make them see what they must look for if they should at any time act in the least contrary to their good liking and that no Failings in that kind are pardoned in any Person whatsoever A great deal of Blood has been shed in many Places of the Kingdom by Judges governed by those Evil Counsellors against all the Rules and Forms of Law without so much as suffering the Persons that were accused to plead in their own Defence XII They have also by putting the Administration of Civil Justice in the Hands of Papists brought all the Matters of Civil Justice into great Uncertainties with how much Exactness and Justice soever these Sentences may have been given For since the Laws of the Land do not only exclude Papists from all Places of Judicature but have put them under an Incapacity none are bound to acknowledge or to obey their Judgments and all Sentences given by them are null and void of themselves So that all Persons who have been cast in Trials before such Popish Judges may justly look on their pretended Sentences as having no more Force than the Sentences of any private and unauthorized Person whatsoever So deplorable is the Case of the Subjects who are obliged to answer to such Judges that must in all things stick to the Rules which are set them by those Evil Counsellors who as they raised them up to those Employments so can turn them out at Pleasure and who can never be esteemed lawful Judges so that all their Sentences are in the Construction of the Law of no Force and Efficacy They have likewise disposed of all Military Employments but have in particular provided that they should be disarm'd yet they in contempt of these Laws have not only armed the Papists but have likewise raised them up to the greatest Military Trust both by Sea and Land and that Strangers as well as Natives and Irish as well as English that so by those means having rendred themselves Masters both of the Affairs of the Church of the Government of the Nation and of the Courts of Justice and subjected them all to a Despotick and Arbitrary Power they might be in a capacity to maintain and execute their wicked Designs by the Assistance of the Army and thereby to enslave the Nation XIII The Dismal Effects of this Subversion of the Established Religion Laws and Liberties in England appear more evidently to us by what we see done in Ireland where the whole Government is put in the Hands of Papists and where all the Protestant Inhabitants are under the daily Fears of what may be justly apprehended from the Arbitrary Power which is set up there which has made great numbers of them leave that Kingdom and abandon their Estates in it remembring well that cruel and bloody Massacre which fell out in that Island in the Year 1641. XIV Those Evil Counsellors have also prevailed with the King to declare in Scotland That he is cloathed with Absolute Power and that all the Subjects are bound to Obey him without Reserve Upon which he assumed an Arbitrary Power both over the Religion and Laws of the Kingdom from all which it 's apparent what is to be looked for in England as soon as Matters are duly prepared for it XV. Those great and insufferable Oppressions and the open Contempt of all Law together with the Apprehensions of the sad Consequences that must certainly follow upon it have put the Subjects under great and just Fears and have made them look after Lawful Remedies as are allow'd of in all Nations yet all has been without effect And those Evil Counsellors have endeavoured to make all Men apprehend the Loss of their Lives Liberties Honours and Estates if they should go about to preserve themselves from this Oppression by Petition Representations or other Means Authorized by Law Thus did they proceed with the Archbishop of Canterbury and the other Bishops who having offered a most Humble Petition to the King in Terms full of Respect and not exceeding the Number limited by Law in which they set forth in short the Reasons for which they could not obey that Order which by the Instigation of those Evil Counsellors was sent them requiring them to appoint their Clergy to read in their Churches the Declaration for Liberty of Conscience were sent to Prison and afterwards brought to a Trial as if they had been guilty of some enormous Crime They were not only obliged to defend themselves in that pursuit but to appear before professed Papists who had not taken the Test and by consequence were Men whose Interest led them to condemn them and the Judges that gave their Opinions in their Favours were thereupon turned out XVI And yet it cannot be pretended that any Kings how great soever their Power has been and how Arbitrary and Despotick soever they have been in the Exercise of it have ever reckoned it a Crime for their Subjects to come in all Submission and Respect and in a due number not exceeding the Limits of the Law and represent to them the Reasons that made it impossible for them to obey their Orders Those Evil Counsellors have also treated a Peer of the Realm as a Criminal only because he said That the Subjects were not bound to obey the Orders of a Popish Justice of Peace though it 's Evident that they being by Law rendred incapable of all such Trusts no regard is due to their Orders This being the Security which the People have by the Law for their Lives Liberties and Estates that they are not to be subjected to the Arbitrary Proceedings of Papists that are contrary to Law put into any Employments Civil or Military XVII Both we our selves and our dearest and most entirely Beloved Consort the Princess have endeavoured to signifie in Terms full of Respect to the King the just and deep Regret which all these Proceedings have given us and in Compliance with His Majesty's Desires signified to us We declared both by Word of Mouth to his Envoy and in Writing what our Thoughts were touching the Repealing of the Test and Penal Laws which we did in such a manner that we hop'd we had proposed an Expedient by which the Peace of those Kingdoms and a happy Agreement among the Subjects of all Perswasions might have been settled but those Evil Counsellors have put such ill Constructions on
that no interruption may be given to an happy and lasting Settlement The dangerous Condition of the Protestants in Ireland requiring a large and speedy succour and the present state of things abroad oblige me to tell you that next to the danger of Vnseasonable Divisions amongst our selves nothing can be so fatal as too great a delay in your Consultations The States by whom I have been enabled to rescue this Nation may suddenly feel the ill Effects of it both by being too long deprived of the Service of their Troops which are now here and of your early Assistance against a powerful Enemy who hath declared a War against them And as England is by Treaty already engaged to help them upon such Exigencies so I am consident that their chearful Concurrence to preserve this Kingdom with so much hazard to themselves will meet with all the Returns of Friendship and Assistance which may be expected from you as Protestants and English Men when ever their Condition shall require it Given at St. James's the 22d Day of January 1688. Will. H. P. d' Orange Their first Act was an Address of Thanks to the Prince of Orange for what he had successfully undertaken for the Nation a desire he should continue the Administration of Publick Affairs and take particular Care of the Affairs of Ireland with a promise on their part to dispatch the Affairs that lay under their Consideration with utmost Application to which having received a very kind Answer on the Prince his part both Houses immediately fell to their Work and after 8 days the Commons past the following Vote Resolv'd That King James II. having endeavour'd to subvert the Constitution of this Kingdom by breaking the Original Contract between King and People and by the Advice of Jesuits and other wicked Persons having violated the Fundamental Laws and having withdrawn himself out of this Kingdom hath abdicated the Government and that the Throne is thereby vacant The Declaration of the Commons being sent up to the Lords for their Concurrence that House entered into a Debate upon it and so far agreed with it that they had only by way of amendment put in the word Deserted instead of Abdicated and left out and that the Throne is thereby vacant and sent a Message to the Commons to acquaint them therewith But they were so far from approving of what the Lords had done that they proceeded to give their Reasons against the Amendment alledging that they could not allow the word Deserted instead of Abdicated which their House had made choice of because it did not fully express the Conclusion necessarily inferred from the Premises viz. That K. James II. had endeavoured to subvert the Constitutions of the Kingdom as before in the former part of the Declaration to which their Lordships had agreed seeing Deserted only respected withdrawing whereas Abdicated did respect the whole Neither were the Commons better pleased with the Lords for leaving out the last words And that the Throne is thereby vacant and the Commons did so much the more insist upon it because that if they should admit of the Lord's Amedment that the King had only deserted the Government yet even thence it would follow that the Throne was vacant as to King James II. deserting the Government being in true Construction deserting the Throne Besides the Commons did conceive there was no necessity to prove to their Lordships or any other that the Throne was vacant since the Lords themselves both before and after their meeting in the said Convention had addrest the Prince of Orange to take upon him the Administration of Publick Affairs both Civil and Military and had appointed a Day of publick Thanksgiving to be observed throughout the Kingdom by all which the Commons understood it was their Lordships Opinion that the Throne was vacant and that they signified so much thereby to the People of England To which they added that it was from those who were upon the Throne of England where there was any fault that the People of England ought to receive Protection and to whom for that Cause they owed the Allegiance of Subjects but there being none then from whom they expected Regal Protection and to whom for that cause they owed the Allegiance of Subjects the Commons conceived the Throne vacant The Issue of these Reasons was a Conference held on Feb. 5. between the two Houses who appointed Managers accordingly The Lords insisted hard upon their Amendments and some of them run so far upon the Debate that they did in a manner seem to recede from the Premises which their House had allowed of viz. That the King had endeavoured to subvert the Constitutions of the Kingdom as before but the Commons stood stoutly to their Declaration and to the forementioned Reasons added a great many fine things to back the Argument which 't were pity to curtail any way and I have not room to insert the whole but in conclusion the Conference ended in appearance with less likelihood of Agreement than when it first began Yet though there was some further struggle made in the upper House for the Interest of the late King at length it was by Majority of Voices Feb 7th agreed to by the Lords to send a Message to the Commons that they had agreed to the Vote sent them up Jan. 25th touching which they had had a free Conference the Day before without any alteration So that the next thing that came under Consideration was the form of Government to be establish'd I do not remember that a Commonwealth was mentioned to be set up at all in either House though Father Orleans is pleased to say so in his History of the Revolutions of England the two main things then to be considered was whether to set up a Regency or to continue a Regal Dignity in a new Subject But the former of the two being well known to be attended with many publick Evils it was at last concluded for the latter and that in Favour of the Prince of Orange our Deliverer and her Royal Princess who was immediate Heiress In pursuance of this a Declaration was drawn up in order to such an Establishment as that the Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom might not again be in danger and for vindicating and asserting the Ancient Rights and Liberties of the People in these Words VVHereas the late King James the Second by the Assistance of divers evil Counsellors Judges and Ministers employ'd by him did endeavour to subject and extirpate the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom By assuming and exercising a Power of dispensing with and suspending of Laws and the execution of Laws without Consent of a Parliament By committing and prosecuting divers worthy Prelates for humbly petitioning to be excus'd from concurring to the said assum'd Power By issuing and causing to be executed a Commission under the Great Seal for erecting a Court call'd The Court of Commission for
Ecclesiastical Affairs By levying Money for and to the use of the Crown by pretence of Prerogative for other time and in other manner than the same was granted by Parliament By raising and keeping a standing Army within the Kingdom in time of Peace without Consent of Parliament and Quartering Soldiers contrary to Law By causing several good Subjects being Protestants to be disarmed at the same time when Papists were both arm'd and employ'd contrary to Law By violating the Freedom of Elections of Members to serve in Parliament By Prosecution in the Court of King's-Bench for Matters and Causes cognizable only in Parliament and by divers other Arbitrary and Illegal Courses And whereas of late Years partial corrupt and unqualified Persons have been returned and served on Juries in Trials and particularly divers Jurors in Trials for High-Treason which were not Freeholders And excessive Bail hath been required of Persons committed in Criminal Cases to elude the Benefit of the Laws made for the Liberty of the Subject And excessive Fines have been imposed And illegal and cruel Punishments inflicted And several Grants and Promises made of Fines and Forfeitures before any Conviction or Judgment against the Persons upon whom the same were to be levied All which are utterly and directly contrary to the known Laws and Statutes and Freedom of this Realm And whereas the late King James the Second having abdicated the Government and the Throne being thereby vacant His Highness the Prince of Orange whom it hath pleased Almighty God to make the Glorious Instrument of delivering this Kingdom from Popery and Arbitrary Power did by the Advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and divers principal Persons of the Commons cause Letters to be written to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal being Protestants and other Letters to the several Counties Cities Vniversities Buâ—â—oughs and Cinque-Ports for the chusing of such Persons to represent them as were of right to be sent to Parliament to meet and sit at Westminster Jan. 22d 1688. in order to such an Establishment as that their Religion Laws and Liberties might not again be in danger of being subverted upon which Letters Elections have been accordingly made And thereupon the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons pursuant to their respective Letters and Elections being now assembled in a full and free Representation of this Nation taking into their most serious Consideration the best means for attaining the Ends aforesaid do in the first place as their Ancestors in like Cases have usually done for the vindicating their Ancient Rights and Liberties declare That the pretended Power of suspending Laws or the execution of Laws by Regal Authority without Consent of Parliament is illegal That the pretended Power of dispensing Laws or the executing of Laws by Regal Authority as it hath been assumed and exercised of late is illegal That the Commission for erecting the late Court of Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes and all other Commissions and Courts of the like Nature are illegal and pernitious That levying of Money to or for the use of the Crown by pretence of Prerogative without Grant of Parliament for longer time or in other manner than the same is or shall be granted is illegal That it is the Right of the Subjects to petition the King and all Commitments and Prosecutions for such petitioning are illegal That the raising and keeping a standing Army within the Kingdom in time of Peace unless it be by Consent of Parliament is against Law That the Subjects being Protestants may have Arms for their Defence suitable to their Condition and as allowed by Law That the Election of Members of Parliament ought to be free That the Freedom of Speech or Debates and Proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any Court or Place out of Parliament That excessive Bail ought not to be requir'd nor excessive Fines imposed nor cruel and unusual Punishments inflicted That Jurors ought to be duly impannell'd and return'd and Jurors which pass upon Men in Trials for High-Treason ought to be Freeholders That all Grants and Promises of Fines and Forfeitures of particular Persons before Conviction are illegal and void And that for Redress of all Grievances and for the amending strengthening and preserving of the Laws Parliaments ought to be held frequently And they do claim demand and insist upon all and singular the Premises as their undoubted Rights and Liberties and that no Declarations Judgments Doings or Proceedings to the prejudice of the People in any of the said Premises ought in any wise to be drawn hereafter into Consequence or Example To which demand of their Rights they are particularly encouraged by the Declaration of his Highness the Prince of Orange as being the only means for obtaining a full Redress and Remedy therein Having therefore an intire Confidence that his said Highness the Prince of Orange will perfect the Deliverance so far advanced by him and will still preserve them from the violation of their Rights which they have here asserted and from all other Attempts upon their Religion Rights and Liberties The said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons assembled at Westminster do resolve That WILLIAM and MARY Prince and Princess of Orange be and be declared King and Queen of England France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging to hold the Crown and Royal Dignity of the said Kingdoms and Dominions to them the said Prince and Princess during their Lives and the Life of the Surviâ—or of them and that the sole and full Exercise of the Regal Power be only in and executed by the said Prince of Orange in the Names of the said Prince and Princess during their Lives and after their Deceases the said Crown and Royal Dignity of the said Kingdoms and Dominions to be to the Heirs of the Body of the said Princess and for default of such Issue to the Princess Anne of Denmark and the Heirs of her Body and for default of such Issue to the Heirs of the Body of the said Prince of Orange And the said Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons do pray the said Prince and Princess of Orange to accept the same accordingly And that the Oaths hereafter mentioned be taken by all persons of whom the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy might be required by Law instead of them and that the said Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy be abrogated I A. B. Do sincerely Promise and Swear That I will be Faithful and bear true Allegiance to Their Majesties King WILLIAM and Queen MARY So help me God I A. B. Do Swear That I do from my Heart Abhor Detest and Abjure as Impious and Heretical this damnable Doctrine and Position That Princes Excommunicated or Deprived by the Pope or any Authority of the See of Rome may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do declare That no Foreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power
forth a Declaration of War against the French King which was to this purpose Their Majesties Declaration against the French King WILLIAM R. IT having pleased God to make Us the happy Instrument of Rescuing these Nations from great and imminent Dangers and to place Us upon the Throne of these Kingdoms we think our selves obliged to endeavour to the uttermost to promote the Welfare of our People which can never be effectually secured but by preventing the Miseries that threaten them from abroad When we consider the many unjust Methods the French King hath of late years taken to gratifie his Ambition that he has not only invaded the Territories of the Emperor and of the Empire now in Amity with us laying waste whole Countries and destroying the Inhabitants by his Armies but declared War against our Allies without any Provocation in manifest Violation of the Treaties confirmed by the Guaranty of the Crown of England we can do no less than joyn with our Allies in opposing the Designs of the French King as the Disturber of the Peace and the common Enemy of the Christian World And besides the Obligations we lie under by Treaties with our Allies which are a sufficient Justification of Us for taking up Arms at this time since they have called upon us so to do the many Injuries done to Us aud to our Subjects without any Reparation by the French King are such that however of late years they were not taken notice of for Reasons well known to the World nevertheless we will not pass them over without a publick and just Resentment of such Outrages It is not long since the French took Licences from the English Governour of Newfound-Land to Fish in the Seas upon that Coast and paid a Tribute for such Licences as an Acknowledgment of the sole Right of the Crown of England to that Island and yet of late the Encroachments of the French upon our said Island and our Subjects Trade and Fishery have been more like the Invasions of an Enemy than becoming Friends who enjoy'd the Advantages of that Trade only by Permission But that the French King should invade our Charibbee Islands and possess himself of our Territories of the Province of New-York and of Hudson's Bay in a hostile manner seizing our Forts burning our Subjects Houses and enriching his People with the spoil of their Goods and Merchandizes detaining some of our Subjects under the Hardship of Imprisonment causing others to be inhumanely kill'd and driving the rest to Sea in a small Vessel without Food or Necessaries to support them are Actions not becoming even an Enemy and yet he was so far from declaring himself so that at that very time he was negotiating here in England by his Ministers a Treaty of Neutrality and good Correspondence in America The Proceedings of the French King against our Subjects in Europe are so notorious that we shall not need to enlarge upon them his countenancing the Seizure of English Ships by French Privateers forbidding the Importation of a great part of the Product and Manufactures of our Kingdom and imposing exorbitant Customs upon the rest notwithstanding the vast Advantage he and the French Nation reap by their Commerce with England are sufficient Evidences of his Designs to destroy the Trade and consequently to ruin the Navigation upon which the Wealth and Safety of this Nation very much depends The Right of the Flag inherent in the Crown of England has been disputed by his Orders in Violation of our Sovereignty of the Narrow Seas which in all Ages has been asserted by our Predecessors and we are resolv'd to maintain for the Honour of our Crown and of the English Nation But that which must nearly touch us is his unchristian Prosecution of many of our English Protestant Subjects in France for Matters of Religion contrary to the Law of Nations and express Treaties forcing them to abjure their Religion by strange and unusual Cruelties and imprisoning some of the Masters and Seamen of our Merchants Ships and condemning others to the Gallies upon pretence of having on Board either some of his own miserable Protestant Subjects or their Effects And lastly As he has for some years last past endeavoured by Insinuations and Promises of Assistance to overthrow the Government of England so now by open and violent Methods and the actual Invâ—sion of Our Kingdom of Ireland in support of our Subjects in Arms and in Rebellion against Us he is promoting the utter Extirpation of our good and loyal Subjects in that our Kingdom Being therefore thus necessitated to take up Arms and relying on the help of Almighty God in our just Undertaking We have thought fit to Declare and do hereby Declare War against the French King and that We will in Conjunction with our Allies vigorously prosecute the same by Sea and Land since he hath so unrighteously begun it being assured of the hearty Concurrence and Assistance of our Subjects in support of so good a Cause hereby willing and requiring our General of our Forces our Commissioners for executing the Office of High Admiral our Lieutenants of our several Counties Governours of our Forts and Garisons and all other Officers and Soldiers under them by Sea and Land to do and execute all acts of Hostility in the Prosecution of this War against the French King his Vassals and Subjects and to oppose their Attempts Willing and Requiring all our Subjects to take notice of the same whom we henceforth strictly forbid to hold any Correspondence or Communication with the said French King or his Subjects And because there are remaining in our Kingdoms many of the Subjects of the French King We do Declare and give our Royal Word That all such of the French Nation as shall demean themselves dutifully towards us and not correspond with our Enemies shall be safe in their Persons and Estates and free from all molestation and trouble of any kind Given at our Court at Hampton-Court the 7th day of May. 1689 in the first Year of our Reign God save King William and Queen Mary I shall not meddle with the Declaration nor pretend to defend the Justice of it for I think it carries its own light with it but return to the late King who upon his Arrival in Ireland found himself not mistaken as to the Number of his Party which was indeed very strong and almost all the Country at his Devotion the greatest part of the Protestants having before upon their disappointment of Arms Ammunition Commissions and some Forces from England either deserted it or those that staid behind very unable to make any Resistance However they made some shew of forming an Army but were quickly routed by Lieutenant General Hamilton at a place called Drummore Mar. 15th which gave occasion to the late King and Tirconnel to take away the Arms and Horses of the rest of the Protestants except those that fled to Londonderry and some few that went towards Iniskilling who about
had to Ships there or else that those they had would quickly be swallowed up by the French Fleet which they hourly expected But tho' the Siege was carried on with great Vigour and that in the interiâ— the Irish quitted several small places daily in the Country and Brigadier Levison routed several of their Parties in the County of Kerry and that the Cannon and Bombs did very great Execution upon their Camp and within the Town yet on the 17th of Sept. it was hotly disputed in a Council of War whether they should go on with the Siege or march over the River to destroy all the Enemies Forage in the County of Clare and then make a Blockade and it was so far carried for the latter that an Engineer was ordered to go with a Guard towards Kilmalock and fortifie that Place But before he got out of the Camp he was countermanded and a great many Palisado's brought to Mackay's Fort as if the Army intended to Winter there On the 19th it was resolved to pass the River with a Party either to prosecute the Siege or at least to burn the Forage And that same day a Battery was raised between Ireton's Fort and the old Church to flank the Irish in case of a Sally from St. John's Gate and Four Mortars were brought from the great Battery to Mackay's Fort that place being judged the fittest for bombarding since the whole Town lay in a Line from thence and Orders were given in case of an Allarm from the Irish Troops without that every Regiment should stand to the Posts assign'd them for that end But the Irish declined to hazzard any thing On the 20th most of the heavy Cannon that were not drawn off were now sent on Ship-board and I remember very well upon the News of this in England most intelligent Persons were of Opinion the Town would not be taken this Year tho' the News of Sligo's being surrendred to the Earl of Granard came confirmed at the same time But the General was indefatigable in his business For on the 22d he march'd with most of the Horse and Dragoous over the Bridge of Boats they had laid into the County of Clare leaving Mackay and Talmash to command on this side And all that Morning the Enemy continually fired upon them from several Batteries but without any great Harm In the Afternoon a Party of Colonel Matthews Dragoons was attack'd by a stronger Party of the Enemy till being sustained by a greater Force between whom continued some small firings till about 4 a Clock when the Foot came up which made the Irish retire till they were got under their Cannon Then all the English Granadiers sustained by 4 Regiments of Foot were commanded to advance and attack the Works that covered Thumond-Bridge being one Fort to the Right above a Musket-shot from the Bridge and another to the Left somewhat nearer besides several other natural Fortifications wherein the Enemy had posted a Detachment of about 200 Men between whom and the English there was a hot Dispute at first and their Cannon playing from the King's Castle and 2 or 3 more Batteries as also their small Shot from the Walls made the Attack seem very hazardous and the English were ordered not to approach so nigh the Town as they did However the Irish being now pressed upon by the Granadiers they quitted their first Posts and then were reinforced by another Detachment from the Town But all this could not do their business For the English Granadiers were so forward and despised all Danger to that degree that they put the whole Body to flight and pursued them so close that a French Major who commanded at Thumond-Gate fearing the English would enter the Town with the other ordered the Draw-bridge to be plucked up and left the whole Party to the Mercy of the English who shewed them little for all of them were either killed or taken except about 120 who got into the Town before the Bridge was drawn up There were also many of them drowned Hereupon the English lodged themselves within 10 yards of the Bridge notwithstanding an high Tower that stood near the end of the Bridge next to them and the Irish finding now all Communication cut off between them and their Horse and despairing of the French Succours began to think of giving up the Town whereof the English in general had no great Hopes who however push'd on the Siege next day being the 23d of Sept. with much â—ury and notwithstanding it proved very rainy yet the Guns and Mortars ceased not to play upon the Town nor the Enemy to fire more furiously than they had done for some time before But towards Night the Rain began to cease and both Storms ended together For about 6 the Enemy beat a Parley on both sides the Town and next day in the Morning Lieutenant-General Sarsfield and Major-General Waughup came out to the General and desired a Cessation of Arms might be continued for 3 Days till they could send to their Horse who then were encamped towards Clare in order to their being included in the general Capitulation which they then proposed which was agreed to and thereupon the Prisoners in the Town were released On the 29th Sarsfield and Waughup dined with the General and then it was agreed Hostages should be exchanged in order to a further Treaty which was done accordingly And next day the Irish sent out their Proposals but in such extravagant Terms that the General was so far from granting them that he returned Answer That tho' he was a Stranger to the Laws of England yet he understood that those things they insisted upon were so far contradictory to them and so dishonourable to himself that he could not grant any such thing And thereupon ordered a new Battery immediately to be raised but upon the Request of the Irish he sent them in 12 Articles which proved to be the Sum of the Capitulation for Sarsfield and others came on the 29th to the General and after long Debate agreed upon Articles not only for the Surrender of Limerick but all other Forts and Castles in the Kingdom then in possession of the Irish So that they were signed Oct. 3d by both Parties They consisted of two parts Civil and Military the first being signed by the Lords Justices and General but the latter on our Part only by the General and both here follow I. THE Roman-Catholicks of this Kingdom shall enjoy such Privileges in the Exercise of their Religion as are consistent with the Laws of Ireland or as they did enjoy in the Reign of King Charles the II And their Majesties as soon as their Affairs will permit them to Summon a Parliament in this Kingdom will endeavour to procure the said Roman-Catholicks such farther Security in that Particular as may preserve them from any Disturbance upon the Account of their said Religion II. ALL the Inhabitants or Residents of Limerick or any other Garrison now in Possession of the
the Po which being once effected the French could not think of Bombarding the Place or forcing the Confederates to a Battle But tho' this Treaty was concerted before amidst the Devotions at Loretto where such a Business could be managed without being observed by the Ministers of the Allies yet all the Artifice imaginable was made use of to cover the Matter for a Time To this End Catinat as we have said came from the Mountains of Savoy into the Plains of Turin threatning the Extirpation of the Name of the Piedmontois but stopped on a sudden till he had slipped the Opportunity And when he found he had given the Duke Time enough to fortifie himself and under pretence of strengthening the Army had got his Fortresses clear of the Confederate Troops the Mareschal removed farther off towards Pignerol which occasioned various Speculations And the more Clear-sighted began to suspect there was an Agreement under-hand patched up between the two Parties And there was an Adventure which happen'd much about the same time that sufficiently discovered the Secrecy of the French Court in the Matter as well as the Assurance they had of their Work being done on that side There was a Discourse of some Mis-understanding between the Mareschal de Caâ—inat and the Grand Prior of France while the Army lay at Rivalta For the Grand Prior urging two or three several times that the Mareschal had favourable Opportunities to have gained considerable Advantages over the Confederates and still desiring the Mareschal to make use of the Benefit of of Fortune's Offer the Mareschal as often put him off with Refusals which made the other in the height of his Zeal as believing the Mareschal to be guilty of Negligence or Cowardice to write his Accusations to the French King who could not forbear smiling all the while he read the Letter However he was so kind as to send him an Answer and to let him know that the Mareschal had obeyed his Orders and that he would soon see the Reasons of his pretended Negligence unravelled Not long after this on the 12th of July a Truce was concluded on for a Month the Consequence whereof was the Exchanging of Hostages and at last the final Conclusion of a Peace Which if it had been gained on the Duke's part without any Violation of his Honour was very advantageous to him and the rest of hâ—ly For the French made a Restitution to him of all the new Conquests they had made as also of Pignerol demolished gave him 4000000 of Livres towards the Reparation of the Damages he had sustained during the War engaged to assist him at the Charge of the French King with 8000 Foot and 4000 Horse and because the Knot should be tied fast enough his Daughter was to be married to the Duke of Burgundy without any Portion But I will not curtail the Treaty which was sign'd Aug. 29. and runs as follows THE Most Christian King having all along during this War maintained a sincere desire of procuring the Quiet of Italy and it having pleased Almighty God to inspire his Royal Highness with the same Thoughts his Majesty has given his full Power Commission and Command to the Sieur Rene de Troullay Count de Tesse Knight of the Orders of the King Lieutenant General of his Armies Colonel General of the Dragoons of France Governour of Ipres Lieutenant General for the King in the Provinces of Maine and Perche and at present Commanding for the King in the Countries and Places on the Frontiers of Piedmont His Royal Highness having likewise on his Part given his Power and Commands to the Sieur Charles Victor Marquess de Saint Thomas Minister of State and his said Royal Highness's Principal Secretary of State the said Plenipotentiaries having reciprocally Exchanged the Original of their Commissions by virtue of which they Treat have agreed on these following Articles I. That there shall be from henceforth and for ever a firm and sincere Peace between the King and his Kingdom and his Royal Highness the Duke of Savoy and his Dominions as if the said Peace had been never interrupted and the King resuming the same Sentiments of Bounty he hath heretofore had for his Royal Highness which he desires his Royal Highness to be perswaded of his Royal Highness doth by this present Treaty entirely renounce all Engagements and all Treaties made with the Emperor with the Kings and Princes comprehended under the Name of the League or Confederacy and doth undertake to employ all his Endeavours and to do all that he can in order to obtain of those Sovereign Powers at least of the Emperor and King of Spain a Neutrality for Italy until the General Peace shall be Concluded and to signifie their Consents by a particular Treaty which shall be made to that purpose or for want of such a Treaty by Declarations which the said Emperor and the King of Spain shall make to the Pope and to the Republick of Venice and which shall be at the same time followed by the Retreat and Withdrawing of all the Forces which the Allies have at present in Italy as it shall be hereafter more particularly specified And in case the above-mentioned Princes do not Consent to such a Neutrality in Italy at his Royal Highnesses's Instance to the Emperor and to the King of Spain his Royal Highness doth engage to enter into an Offensive and Defensive League with the King until a General Peace be Concluded acting jointly with his Majesty's and his own proper Forces as becomes good and sincere Allies for the Common Interest and to make War against the State of Milan and against all those who shall oppose this present Treaty's taking effect And as an evident Demonstration of a Return of the King's Amity towards his Royal Highness his Majesty does willingly Consent and doth Promise That the City and Cittadel of Pignerol the Fort of St. Bridgit the Perouse with other Forâ—â— depending on the same shall be Demolished as to the Fortifications only at the King's Charges and after the aforesaid Fortifications are Demolished they shall all be restored to his Royal Highness as well as all the Territories and Dominions comprised under the Name of the Government of Pignerol and which did belong to the House of Savoy before the Cession or Surrender that Victor Amadeus the first Duke of that Name made unto Lewis the XIIIth The which City dismantled Cittadel and demolished Forts and Territories shall be likewise Surrendred to his Royal Highness to be held in Soveraignty and to be by him enjoyed fully and perpetually by him and his Successors from henceforth as things to him of Right belonging By virtue of which present Surrender his Royal Highness doth Engage and Promise as well for himself his Heirs and Successors or others by any ways Claiming neither to Re-build noâ— cause to be Re-built the aforesaid Fortifications nor to cause any new ones to be Built upon and in the Space and Limits of the said Territories Funds
Occasion and that most truly to in their own Justification That they had bore alone the Burthen of the War by keeping of great Fleets and numerous Land-Forces which they had set out at their own Charge for the common Good and notwithstanding so many States and Princes of the Empire they had paid almost alone the Expences of the War all along the Rhine And that Trade not having its ordinary Course all this bore very hard upon them To this may be added the advantageous Conditions of Peace granted them and first to begin with that of the English for whom and himself no Man surely in his Wits will deny but King William made as honourable Terms as could in Reason under the Circumstances of things be expected But a better View hereof will be had by the Articles themselves which follow I. That there be an Universal Perpetual Peace and a Truce and Sincere Friendship between the Most Serene and Mighty Prince William the Third King of Great Britain and the most Serene and Mighty Prince Lewis the Fourteenth the most Christian King their Heirs and Successors and between the Kingdoms States and Subjects of Both and that the same be so Sincerely and Inviolably observed and kept that the one shall promote the Interest Honour and Advantage of the other and that on both sides a faithful Neighbourhood and true Observation of Peace and Friendship may daily Flourish and Encrease II. That all Enmities Hostilities Discords and Wars between the said King of Great Britain and the most Christian King and their Subjects cease and be abolished so that on both sides they forbear and abstain hereafter from all Plundring Depredation Harm-doing Injuries and Infestation whatsoever as well by Land as by Sea and on fresh Waters every where and especially throughout all the Kingdoms Territories Dominions and Places belonging to each other of what Condition soever they be III. That all Offences Injuries Damages which the said King of Great Britain and his Subjects or the said most Christian King and â—his Subjects have suffered from each other during this War shall be forgotten so that neither on Account of them or for any other Cause or Pretence neither Party or the Subjects of either shall hereafter do cause or suffer to be done any Hostility Enmity Molestation or Hindrance to the other by himself or others Secretly or Openly Directly or Indirectly by Colour of Right or Way of Fact IV. And since the most Christian King was never more desirous of any thing than that the Peace be firm and inviolable the said King Promises and Agrees for himself and his Successors That he will on no account whatsoever disturb the said King of Great Britain in the free Possession of the Kingdoms Countries Lands or Dominions which he now Enjoys and therefore Engages his Honour upon the Faith and Word of a King that he will not give or afford any Assistance directly or indirectly to any Enemy or Enemies of the said King of Great Britain And that he will in no manner whatsoever favour the Conspiraces or Plots which any Rebels or ill disposed Persons may in any place Excite or Contrive against the said King And for that end Promises and Engages That he will not assist with Arms Ships Ammunition Provisions or Money or in any other way by Sea or by Land any Person or Persons who shall hereafter under any pretence whatsoever Disturb or Molest the said King of Great Britain in the free and full Possession of his Kingdoms Countries Lands and Dominions The King of Great Britain likewise Promises and Engages for himself and Successors Kings of Great Britain That he will inviolably do and perform the same towards the said most Christian King his Kingdoms Countries Lands and Dominions V. That there be a free use of Navigation and Commerce between the Subjects of both the said Kings as was formerly in the time of Peace and before the Declaration of the late War so that every of them may freely come into the Kingdoms Marts Ports and Rivers of either of the said Kings with their Merchandizes and may there continue and Trade without any Molestation and shall use and enjoy all Liberties Immunities and Priviledges granted by solemn Treaties and ancient Custom VI. That the ordinary Administration of Justice shall be restored and sâ—t open throughout the Kingdoms and Dominions of both Kings so that it shall be free for all the Subjects of either to claim and obtain their Rights Pretensions and Actions according to the Laws Constitutions and Statutes of each Kingdom VII The most Christian King shall Restore to the said King of Great Britain all Countries Islands Forts and Colonies wheresoever Situated which the English did possess before the Declaration of this present War And in like manner the King of Great Britain shall restore to the most Christian King all Countries Islands Forts and Colonies wheresoever Situated which the French did Possess before the said Declaration of War And this Restitution shall be made on both Sides within the Space of Six Months or sooner if it can be done And to that end immediately after the Ratification of this Treaty each of the said Kings shall Deliver or cause to be Delivered to the other or to Commissioners Authorized in his Name for that Purpose all Acts of Concession Instruments and necessary Orders duly made and in proper Form so that they may have their Effect VIII Commissioners shall be appointed on both sides to Examine and Determine the Rights and Pretensions which either of the said Kings hath to the places Situated in Hudsons-Bay But the Possession of those Places which were taken by the French during the Peace that preceded this present War and were retaken by the English during this War shall be left to the French by virtue of the foregoing Article The Capitulation made by the English on the 5th of September 1696. shall be Observed according to its Form and Tenor The Merchandises therein mentioned shall be restored The Governour of the Fort taken there shall be set at Liberty if it be not already done The Differences arisen concerning the Execution of the said Capitulation and the value of the Goods there lost shall be adjudged and determined by the said Commissioners who immediately after the Ratification of the present Treaty shall be Invested with sufficient Authority for settling the Limits and Confines of the Lands to be restored on either side by virtue of the foregoing Article and likewise for exchanging of Lands as may conduce to the mutual Interest and Advantage of both Kings And to this end the Commissioners so appointed shall within the space of 3 Months from the time of the Ratification of the present Treaty meet in the City of London and within six Months to be reckoned from their first Meeting shall Determine all Differences and Disputes which may arise concerning this matter After which the Articles the said Commissioners shall agree to shall be Ratified
both sides and mutually and duly exchanged at the Royal Palace of Ryswick in the Province of Holland within the space of three Weeks to be reckoned from the Day of the Subscription or sooner if it may be In Testimony of all and every the things before mentioned and for their greater Force and to give them all the Vigour and full Authority they ought to have the Underwritten Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries together with the Illustirous and most Excellent the Extraordinary Ambassador Mediator have Signed and Sealed the present Instrument of Peace Done c. Signed by the English and French Ambassadors and by the Metâ—iator Separate Article Besides all that is Concluded and Stipulated by the Treaty of Peace Signed this present Day the 20th of Sptember it is moreover agreed by the present separate Article which shall have the same Force and Effect as if it was inserted word for word in the said Treaty That the most Christian King shall convenant and agree that it shall be free for the Emperor and Empire until the first Day of Novemher next to accept the Conditions of Peace lately proposed by the most Christian King according to the Declaration made on the first Day of this present Month unless in the mean time it shall be otherwise agreed between his Imperial Majesty and the Empire and his most Christian Majesty And in Case his Imperial Majesty does not within the time prefixed accept those Conditions or that it be not otherwise agreed between his Imperial Majesty and the Empire and his most Christian Majesty the said Treaty shall have its full Effect and be duly put in Execution according to its Form and Tenor And it shall not be lawful for the King of Great Britain directly or indirectly on any account or cause whatsoever to act contrary to the said Treaty Having thus premised the English Articles we shall next add those of the Dutch IN the Name of God and of the Holy Trinity Be it known to all present and to come That whereas after a long continuance of the most Bloody War that Europe time out of mind has been afflicted with it hath pleas'd Divine Providence to prepare for Christendom the end of her Miseries by cherishing a fervent Desire of Peace in the Heart of the Most High Most Excellent and Most Potent Prince Lewis XIV by the Grace of God Most Christian King of France and Navarr his Most Christian Majesty moreover not having any other Intention then to render it solid and perpetual by the Equity of the Conditions and the Lords the States General of the United Provinces of the Low-Countries being no less desirous sincerely and as much as in them lies to concur toward the Establishment of the publick Tranquility and return to the ancient Amity and Affection of his Most Christian Majesty have consented in the first place in order to it to acknowledge the Mediation of the Most High Most Excellent and Most Potent Prince Chares XI of Glorious Memory by the Grace of God King of Sweden the Goths and Vandals but a hasty Death having cross'd the Hopes that all Europe had justly conceiv'd of his Counsels and good Offices His Most Christian Majesty and the said Lords the States General persisting in their Resolution to stop as soon as may be the Effusion of so much Christian Blood thought they could not take a better Course than still to acknowledge under the same Character the Most High Most Excellent and Thrice Potent Prince Charles XII King of Sweden his Son and Successor who on his side has also continu'd the same Cares for the Advancement of the Peace between his Most Christian Majesty and the said Lords the States General in the Conferences held for this purpose in the Castle of Ryswick in the Province of Holland between the Extraordinary Embassadors and Plenipotentiaries appointed on both sides that is to say On the behalf of his Most Christian Majesty the Sieur Nicholas Augustus de Harlay Knight Lord of Bonnueil c. the Sieur Lewis de Verjus Knight Count of Crecy c. and the Sieur Francis de Callieres Knight Lord of Callieres c. And on the behalf of the Lords the States General the Sieurs Antony Heinsius Counsellor Pensionary of the States of Holland and West-Friese c. Everard de Weed Lord of Weede Dickvelt Rateles c. and William de Haren Grietman of Bilt c. who having implor'd the Assistance of Heaven and respectively imparted to each other their full Powers Copies of which shall be inserted at the end of this present Treaty and made Exchanges thereof in due form by the Interposition and Mediation of the Sieur Baron de Lillierooâ— Extraordinary Embassador and Plenipotentiary of the King of Sweden who acquitted himself of the Function of Mediator with all requisite Prudence Capacity and Equity agreed to the Glory of God and for the Welfare of Christendom upon the following Conditions I. There shall be for the future between his Most Christian Majesty and his Successors Kings of France and Nâ—varr and his Kingdoms of the one part and the Lords the States General of the United Provinces of the Low-Countriâ—â— on the other a good firm faithful and inviolable Peace in pursuance of which all Acts of Hostility shall cease 〈◊〉 be forborn of what Nature soever they may be betweeâ— the said Lord the King and the said States General as 〈◊〉 by Sea and other Waters as by Land in all their Kingdoms Countries Territories Provinces and Signories and between all their Subjects and Inhabitants of 〈◊〉 Quality or Condition soever they be without any Exception of Places or Persons II. There shall be a general Oblivion and Amnesty of 〈◊〉 that has been done on either side upon occasion of this 〈◊〉 War whether by those who being born Subjects of Fraâ—â—â— and engag'd in the Service of the Most Christian King 〈◊〉 their Employments and Estates which they possess'd 〈◊〉 in the Extent of France enter'd into and remain'd in 〈◊〉 Services of the Lords the States General of the United Provinces or by those who being born Subjects of the 〈◊〉 Lords the States General or engag'd in their Service by the Employments and Estates which they possess'd within the Extent of the United Provinces enter'd into and remain'd in the Service of his Most Christian Majesty and the said Persons of what Quality and Condition soever they may be without any Exception may re-enter and shall re-enter and shall be effectually re-admitted and re-establish'd in the peaceable Possession and Enjoyment of their Estates Honours Dignities Privileges Franchises Rights Exemptions Constitutions and Liberties without ever being prosecuted troubl'd or molested either in general or particular for any Cause or under any Pretence whatever by reason of whatever pass'd since the beginning of the said War and in consequence of the preseâ—â— Treaty and after it shall be ratify'd as well by his Most Christian Majesty as by the said Lords the States General it
were detach'd to go and make themselves Masters of this Booty But as it usually happens in such Hurries the Ammunition took Fire that Day beyond the Bridge as it had done the Night before on this side the Bridge so that a good part of it was consumed with a great quantity of Victuals and other Booty In the Morning a Transilvanian Commissary brought the Grand Seignior's Seal a curious Piece of Workmanship which never happened before in any Battle that had been fought during this War Which confirm'd what the Prisoners and Fugitives reported That the Grand Visier was kill'd because he is bound always to carry the Seal about his Neck In the mean time the Hussars and some other Troops of the Army pursued the Enemy for above 4 or 5 Leagues together from the Place where the Battle was fought who found store of Booty by the way and some lazy Turks whom they took Prisoners The same day Colonel Gleckelsberg was sent out in pursuit of the Infidels with 600 Horse and to pick up what Booty and Prisoners he could He pursued the flying Enemy as far as Aranga within half a Mile of Temeswaer and after his return with a considerable Booty which he met with all along the Road he confirm'd what had been reported of the Grand Seignior's Consternation and of the small number of Foot that was left him As for the Loss which the Turks sustained it augmented every day by new Relations the last of which gave an Account That besides the Grand Visier and the Aga of the Janisaries there were 27 Bassa's slain upon the Spot above 20000 Men killed and about 10 or 12000 drowned in the Theysse 6000 wounded and several taken Prisoners The Booty consisted of 6000 Waggons laden with Ammunition and Provision 6000 Camels 6000 Horses 12000 Oxen and a very great number of other Spoils with 160 Pieces of Cannon among which there were 70 of a larger Size for Artillery 500 Drums and as many Colours 74 Pair of Kettle-Drums the Grand Seignior's Tent valued at about 4000 Florins and a Coach or Chariot with Six Horses wherein were 10 Women of the Sultan's Seraglio It was said that the whole Booty amounted to several Millions This Victory was so much the more Glorious because it was gained with so little Loss to the Imperialists A loss so small that it is a rare thing to read of so great a Battle fought and wun with so little Effusion of Blood on the Victors Side some Regiments not loosing above 1 2 or 3 others not above 14 15 or 29 at most But how Glorious soever this Action was there was this unhappiness that did attend it that it was so late in the Year that the Germans could go upon no considerable Undertaking and follow the Blow So that all they did the remainder of the Campaign was to make an Incursion into Bosnia from whence they returned with a considerable Booty So we shall leave them and being so near will take a step into Poland and see how their Affairs stood there before we return to prosecute the remaining Negotiations of the Peace We have hinted before that the Elector of Saxony was chosen King of Poland as much contrary to most Men's Expectations as the Change of his Religion was thereupon And that for all this the Prince of Conti his Competitor's Expedition thither who was in like manner proclaimed King was at length undertaken However Saxony was by much before-hand with him for besides other Paces made the Baron de Fleming as early as July 13th in his Master's Name signed the Pacta Conventa the same being done also by a great Number of the Senators and Principal of the Nobility The Articles were these I. THE Kingdom of Poland shall be always preserv'd in its Right of Electing a Sovereign King so that it may never become Hereditary II. No King shall be elected who shall not be devoted to the Roman Catholick Church and who shall not take an Oath constantly to persevere in her Communion III. Liberty of Conscience shall be preserv'd inviolably in its full Strength and Vigour and as for the Greek Religion that shall be taken into Consideration after the Coronation IV. No Presents shall be taken from those who shall sue for any Offices or Starâ—sties V. The Queen not to intermeddle with Affairs of Government VI. As to the Administration of the Military Affairs the Presidents of Vladistaus IV. and John 〈◊〉 to be follow'd VII Alliances shall be renew'd VIII Endeavours shall be us'd to recover the Vkraine and to conclude a perpetual Peace with the Muscovites IX The Revenues in Money shall not be employ'd to the particular Benefit of the King nor shall any Money be Coin'd without the Consent of the Republick X. No Foreign Forces shall be brought into the Kingdom without the knowledge of the Republick XI None shall be employ'd in Embassies but Gentlemen of good Fortunes XII No body shall purchase the Right of Naturalization but such as have done the Republick important Services XIII No body shall be admitted to any Preferment in the Royal Houshold unless he have first serv'd the Crown XIV Nor shall any Person by the Connivance of the Senators enjoy any petty Revenues of the Crown without the Consent of the Republick XV. No Person shall enjoy two considerable Offices at one time such as are those of the Mareschal and General but they who now enjoy any Offices shall continue in the Exercise of 'em and enjoy the Revenues of 'em without any Defalcation XVI The accustom'd Order in the Administration of Justice shall be preserv'd without any alteration XVII The King when he has re-taken Caminiec shall cause it to be fortify'd at his own Charges but after that the Republick shall keep the said Fortifications in Repair XVIII The Court and the King's Guards shall consist of the Natives of the Kingdom XIX If the King has a desire to Marry he shall advise with the Senators about the Choice of a Wife and if he takes a Foreigner she shall not have above six Foreigners in her Service at Court XX. Only the Latin and Polish Languages shall be made use of for the King's Letters and Orders XXI The Laws call'd Pacta Henricea shall be observ'd in the Judgments call'd Postcurialia and when any Difficulty shall arise Judgment shall be given with the Counsellors Assessors XXII The Differences which are in the shall be determin'd with all speed that may be XXIII That no new Custom or Novelty shall be admitted in the Order of the King's Table but that the ancient Custom shall be exactly observ'd XXIV Places becoming vacant in the Intervals of Dyets shall be supply'd in six Weeks XXV The Militia shall be so regulated at the Dyet of the Coronation that is to come that there shall be no need of Foreign Troops and Military Discipline shall be exactly observ'd XXVI That the Salt shall be tax'd and shar'd out in all the Palatinates according to the
â—o unskilful in Government as the Name they gave them did import 'T is indeed not to be doubted but that the Division made of the Empire by Theodosius between his Two Sons Arcadius and Honorius into the Eastern and Western did very much precipitate the Ruine of it For tho' the former for many Ages after made a Shift to keep up yet it came infinitely short of the Ancient Roman Empire for Power and Splendour and was so harassed by degrees with the Insults of the Neighbouring Nations and diminished by the Conquests of the Bulgarians over one part of it by the Saracens subduing Palestine Syria Egypt and Cilicia by the City of Trebesond and the Neighbouring Countries withdrawing themselves from under the Obedience of it and chusing an Emperor of their own as Greece set up divers petty Princes to govern the different Parts of itâ— That the poor Remains thereof was not only swallowed up at length by the Turks but most of the said conquer'd or revolted Divisions to other very great Acquisitions of their own made both before and after fell under their Dominion also which made them for a Time more formidable in Power than any other single Dominion known to us in those Parts of the World But the Fate of the West Part of that divided Empire came on a pace the same becoming a Prey to the Germans and Goths who about this time came in prodigious Numbers to change their poor Habitations for the pleasant and fertile Provinces of the Romans Britain became a Prey to the Saxons Spain fell to the Share of the West-Goths The Goths Burgundians and Franks made bold with dividing France between them Rhoetia and Noricum were conquered by the Suevians A great part of Pannonia and Illiricum fell into the Hands of the Huns The Vandals fixed their Habitations in Africa And one part of the Goths set up a Kingdom in Italy and did not think Rome once Mistress of the World and the common Mother and Habitation of Mankind a fitting Place for their Kings to reside in The Empire being thus mangled and rent into so many different Pieces the next Thing according to the Course of a corrupted and vain World these Invaders went upon after some tolerable Settlement in their respective Acquisitions was to incroach upon their Neighbours and to endeavour to introduce such a Dominion again upon the Earth as might in Imitation of that glorious Empire which all of them in their several Turns had given an Helping-hand to overthrow over-top all others and merit the Name of a Supream and Universal One But there have hitherto in the Course of Divine Providence such Rubs been laid in the Way of this Design that it could never be accomplish'd tho' divers Princes have attempted it with the greatest Application and some seeming Probability of Success As Islands are not so liable to be invaded as those Kingdoms and States that lie upon the Continent So neither are they on the other hand so proper to make Conquests of others and to enlarge their Territories And if Great Britain has come in any respect short of other Countries in this Particular this is a sufficient Reason for it But there were other Causes and Considerations which we shall a little consider before we go any farther Tho' tho Saxons made an entire Conquest of the best and fruitfullest Part of Britain yet neither the most Northern Parts of the Island possessed by the Picts and Scots nor the Southern known since by the Name of Cornwall much less the ancient Habitation of the Britains wrongfully called Wales could they subdue in a long time nor the first indeed at all entirely Add to this That the Saxons themselves had no less than Seven Dynasties or petty Kingdoms amongst them known all together by the Heptarchy which took them up from their first Landing under Hengist by Alliances and the Power of their Arms not much less than 400 Years to unite them into one Monarchy which happen'd under K. Egbert about the Year 800. But tho' this Conjunction of Seven into One was very considerable and that now some grand Efforts might have been made for reducing the remaining Parts of the Island under one Head the Danes now a very Potent and Sea-faring People in the very same King's Reign invaded Britain Between whom and the English there were continual Wars for the Space of 240 Years and the former so far prevailed that Three of their Kings reigned successively over England for 26 Years when the Government returned again into the Hands of the English But it was so weak and feeble that in a short time it fell into the Hands of Will surnamed the Conqueror and his Normans in whose Son 's Reign Henry I. by Name the Dukedom of Normandy was annexed to the Crown of England This so considerable Accession of Strength upon the Continent came yet short of a Compensation for the still remaining Disjunction of Scotland and Wales from the rest of Britain which the succeeding Kings little minded to effect For tho' Henry II. was the greatest King at this time in our Western World as being besides K. of England and Duke of Normandy by Inheritance Duke of Anjou and by Marriage Duke of Aquitain and Poictou yet he was so far from going through stitch with his intended Conquest of Wales or reducing Scotland that his chief Aim was upon the Conquest of Ireland which tho' a noble Design and in a very great Measure effected yet it was misplaced and should have followed the Reduction of the other two Yet what came to Henry upon the Continent by Right of Inheritance his Son King John and his Grandson Henry III. in a manner totally lost But of all the Kings of England to this Time Edward I. was the only Prince that seemed to have a right Notion of Extending his Dominions and therefore he never gave over till what by fair and foul Means with an Intermixture of Policy he entirely united Wales to the Kingdom of England and made in a manner by the same Methods a perfect Conquest of Scotland which nothing humanely speaking but the Weakness of his Successor obstructed the Consummation of So that henceforward all the Thoughts of our Warlike Kings were the Recovery of that Right they alledged to have to the Kingdom of France whose Conquests there if they had been as wisely secured as they were valiantly made had added a much greater Glory to the English Name than our Annals would otherwise admit of But that which our Kings would not or could not add to their Dominions by Conquest within the Island it self I mean the Scotch Kingdom which always obstructed the Progress of their Arms upon the Continent at length fell in of it self in the Course of Succession So that England Scotland and Ireland were in the Person of King James I. united under one Head In the mean time one of our Neighbour-Nations was arrived to that Pitch of Greatness and another of them in
so growing a Posture that such a Tripple Conjunction seemed only seasonable upon this Account in that the same tended to our Safety But by what Methods these our Neighbouring-Nations have attained to that Greatness it will be necessary to enquire into And first we shall begin with Spain which upon the Declension of the Roman Empire fell into the Share of the West-Goths and other barbarous Nations who for a Time laboured under the same Inconveniencies of a divided Dominion as the Saxons did in Britain But towards the Year 586 their Empire was arrived to the highest Pitch of Greatness as comprehending not only the Neighbouring-Provinces of France and part of Mauritania in Africa but also all Spain except a small Part possessed yet by the Romans who held not that long neither From thence the Gothick Empire declined apace and all fell into the Hands of the Saracens But their Affairs began to revive again about the Year 726 and one Pelagius who was said to have been descended from the Race of the Gothick Kings prevailed mightily both against the Moors and Saracens as divers of his Successors did also However these turmoiled Times gave Original to several Kingdoms within the Boundaries of Spain For besides the Kingdom of Oviedo or Leon which were all one in Effect there arose also others as those of Navarre Arragon and Castile But all these Kingdoms which also professed Christianity were united in the Person of Sanctus Major II. whereby an Opportunity was given the Christians to root out the Moors now divided amongst themselves and to restore Spain to its ancient State yet Sanctus tho' otherwise a brave Prince had no more Wit than to divide them amongst his Sons and gave each of them the Title of King These not being able to confine themselves to their respective Proportions made War upon one another with various Success as it gave the Moors also some Advantage in their Proceedings till in a manner all was united again under Alphonso VIII who play'd the same Trick of dividing Castile Leon and Gallicia between his 3 Sons so that they and their Successors had so much to do with the Moors within Spain and such mutual Jealousies of one another that they could be able to do little any where else under the Notion of Conquest Things were at length brought to such a pass that Spain to say nothing of Portugal and the Kingdom of the Moors in Granada was reduced into Two Kingdoms only to wit Arragon and Castile and these again were united by the Marriage of Ferdinand the Son of John II. King of Arragon whom his Father had declared King of Sicily to Isabella Sister to Henry IV. King of Castile By this Conjunction Spain became mighty Powerful And Ferdinand after he had set his Affairs in Order began now to entertain great Thoughts And well knowing it would be in vain to undertake any Thing Abroad while he had a powerful Enemy within the Body of Spain it self at his Door he undertook an Expedition against the Moors of Granada which cost him so much Time and Expence to conquer being no less than 10 Years engaged in the Work that he could perhaps have sat down contented herewith at least for a time had not something else fallen in his way But Ferdinand by aiming to make sure of his Conquest deprived his Country in some succeeding time of the Benefit of it for he thereupon banished no less than 170000 Families of Jews and Moors out of Spain and thereby dispoiled his Country not only of vast Riches but a great Number of Inhabitants wherein consists the Power and Support of a Nation But whatever Designs Ferdinand might after a little breathing Time have concerted to have undertaken Abroad now he was freed from the Evil that had hitherto diverted him from any Foreign Expedition the French who now found themselves under the same Circumstances as being rid of the English that had stuck so long and so close upon the Skirts of them as not to be able to move elsewhere thought to be before-hand with Ferdinand in the Reduction of the Kingdom of Naples which the other notwithstanding they gave him up Rousillion in order at least to let them proceed unmolested being not able to brook it came to an open Rupture And after divers Conflicts Ferdinand carried the Day and with it the Kingdom of Naples to which if we add the Discovery of America and the rich Mines there about this time and the Kingdom of Navarre which Ferdinand possest himself of upon the Pope's Excommunicating John d' Albret King of that Country at the other's Instigation we shall find this Monarchy grown to a prodigious Grandeur In this State Ferdinand left it to his Grandson Charles who being as well elected Emperor of Germany as he was Hereditary King of Spain and withal a very active Prince Tho' he did very great Things whilst he held the Rains of Government yet it may still seem a Wonder he had not done much more This was indeed an Age fruitful for several brave Princes and here I cannot but admire the Wisdom of God that this Charles V. who was so vastly Potent should have for his Cotemporaries a Harry VIII in England a Francis I. in France and a Solyman the Magnificent in Turky who were all Men of great Souls as well as Power and especially the last of them not inferior to Charles upon any account However such was the Conjuncture that Charles to his vast Dominions added still more by routing Francis and taking him Prisoner and thereby bringing him to make a Surrender of the Dutchy of Burgundy to renounce the Sovereignty over Artois and Flanders and to quit all his Pretences upon Naples and Milan which last the French had for some time been in Possession of But Francis having got his Liberty disclaimed the Agreement and this occasioned a new War which ended in Francis his being forced to confirm the Main of the said Treaty and left Charles at Liberty to add to the Conquests his Grand-father Ferdinand had made in Africa of Bugia and Tripolis that of Tunis and Goletta to which if we add the Sovereignty of Vtrecht of the Provinces of Over Issel Geldren Zutphen Groninghen c. consigned about this Time into his Hands it must still be allowed a mighty Accession of Strength to that vast Empire Wherefore to compleat as he thought his great Work of attaining to an Universal Monarchy in these Western Parts he cunningly lays aside the Contest about the Divorce between Henry VIII King of England and his Aunt Katharine and entred into a League with the said King of invading France the Emperor by the Way of Champaigne and the King thro' Picardy to compleat the Conquest of that Noble Country In order to which the Emperor advanced as far as Espernay which occasioned such a Terror and Confusion in Paris that the Citizens were for leaving the City if the King by his Presence had not incouraged them
about the latter End of Sept. surrendred up to the Imperial Army for want of Provisions having been blocked up and besieged from the Beginning of June And this indeed happened as much against the common Opinion and Expectation as the contrary Event did in the Siege of Maestricht The Affairs of Denmark and Brandenburg prospered all this while against Sweden who was in Alliance with France and that with much Advantage in most of the Sieges and Encounters that passed between them this Summer and the first part of the succeeding Winter So that the Swedes seemed to be losing apace all that they had been so long in Possession of in Germany But the Imperial Forces tho' joined with those of the several Princes upon the Vpper Rhine had for all that made but little Progress in their designed Conquests there and were forc'd to seek their old Winter-Quarters upon the German side of the River which was no less a true and indisputed Decision of the small Success of this Campagne than it was a powerful Motive to incline some of the Confederates to think more seriously of a Peace and particularly the Dutch who began now to grow very impatient after it especially in that they found France would make no great Difficulty in granting them any thing in Contest between them seeing they privately made Offers by their Emissaries especially at Amsterdam of such a Reglement of Commerce as they themselves could wish for the Restitution of Maestricht and all the Satisfaction imaginable to the Prince of Orange that he could pretend to upon the account of his Losses and their Seisure in the Course of this War year 1677 To return therefore to the Business of the Peace It was about the middle of Feb. 1677. N. S. before the Assembly was compleatly formed the King of England's single Mediation by all Parties accepted and that of the Pope's finally rejected the several Acts signed put into the Hands of the Mediators and by them exchanged among the several Parties And all these Preliminaries of the Treaty being thus dispatch'd the respective Embassadors did also by Agreement put into the same Hands their several Propositions or Pretensions which on the Emperor's part were That the King and Kingdom of France should restore to him and to the Empire and to all his Allies whatever they had taken from them during the Course of this present War make Reparation for all the Damages they had suffered and that a Peace should be established upon the best and surest Grounds that could be devised France in theirs seemed to demand little of the Empire only they said That the King having desired nothing more passionately than the Religious Observation of the Treaties of Westphalia his Majesty would gladly see Germany a second time owe the Re-establishment of its Repose to the Observation of the same Treaties and for that Effect he demanded they might be fully and entirely re-established The Spaniards insisted upon the Restitution of all the Places they had lost and Reparation for all the Damages they had sustained from France since the Year 1665 whether by Sea or Land by demolishing burning or otherwise and that the French King should give compleat Satisfaction to all the Confederates and by three different Articles demanded the same thing of the Swedes Whereas France on the other side said That their King being contrary to Justice and the Obligation of the Treaty of Aix la Chapelle attack'd by the Catholick King his Majesty had reason to pretend that in respect to that Crown all things should remain in the Condition the Fortune of War had put them without Prejudice to the King 's Rights which were to continue still in full Force and Power The Danes insisted That France should give them compleat Satisfaction and reimburse all the Charges of the War and by Four Articles required of the Swedes That betwixt the Two Kings and Two Kingdoms all Things should be restored in the same State they were in before the War that was ended between the Two Nations by the Treaties of Westphalia That the Treaties of Rochilde and Copenhagen should be abolished That all the Provinces which had been dismembred from Denmark and Norway should be restored to the Danes That all that the Swedes possess'd in the Empire should be taken from them That Wismar and the Isle of Rugen should remain in the Possession of the Danes And that for the Security of his Danish Majesty and his Kingdoms they might be allowed to put Garrisons into all the strong Places of Sweden that lay upon the Frontiers of the Two Kingdoms But France on her side proposed That seeing the King had not declared War against the King of Denmark but that his Danish Majesty running contrary to the Treaty of Copenhagen made in the Year 1660 for Performance whereof the King was Guarrantee had attack'd Sweden his most Christian Majesty was willing to desist from all Hostilities on his part provided that the foresaid Treaty and those of Westphalia were re-established As to what concerned France and the States-General tho' in truth Things were as good as agreed between them before the latter demanded that Maestricht Dalen Fangumont with all the Dependancies of the first should be restored to them A Reglement of Commerce with a Renunciation of all Pretensions each Party might have upon the other And as for the greater Damages they had sustained and whereof they might demand Reparation they were willing for the publick Tranquility to sacrifice them all provided Satisfaction might be given to their Allies To this were added Sixteen Articles concerning a full Satisfaction to be made the Prince of Orange in regard to what depended on the Crown of France and particularly the Restauration of the Fortifications of the City of Orange that were ruined in the Year 1660 and of the Castle demolished in 1663 the Rights of Toll upon Salt and other Commodities as well upon the Rhosne as through the Principality of Orange the Prerogative of Coining Money of Laick Patronage for Nomination to the Bishoprick together with the Exemptions Priviledges and other Immunities granted to the Inhabitants of the said Principality and particularly by Lewis XIII And as for Sweden they required no more but that the future Treaty might contain some Regulations for obviating the frequent Inconveniencies that happened concerning Commerce between the Two Nations To which France on her part answered That seeing the Union that had always been between the Crown of France and the States was only interrupted upon account of some Causes of Discontent which were easie in the present Posture of things to be removed and for the future prevented His Majesty was very ready to restore the States to his former Amity and to hearken favourably to all Propositions that might be made to him on their part both in respect to their Demands of Restitution Treaty of Commerce and the Re-establishment of the Prince of Orange tho' the French Embassadors occasionally opposed
all the Sentiments of Respect for his Majesty and of Acknowledgment for the Obligations and considerable Advantages which they have received from his Majesty and the Kings his Predecessors it is at last come to pass that these good Dispositions seconded by the powerful Offices of the most High most Excellent and most mighty Prince the King of Great Britain who during these troublesom Times wherein all Christendom has been in War hath not ceased by his Counsels and good Advertisements to contribute to the Publick Weal and Repose induced as well his most Christian Majesty and the States-General as also all other the Princes and Potentates that are concerned in the Interest of this present War to consent that the Town of Nimeguen should be made Choice of for the Treaty of Peace to which end his most Christian Majesty named for his Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries the Sieur Comte d'Estrades Mareschal of France and Knight of his Orders the Sieur Colbert Knight Marquess of Croissi Counsellor in ordinary in his Council of State and the Sieur Mesmes Knight Comte d'Avaux Counsellor also in his Councils and the said States-General the Heer Hierosme Van Beverning Baron of Teylingen Curator of the University of Leyden late Counsellor and Treasurer-General of the Vnited-Provinces Heer Van Odyle Cortgene and first Noble and Representative of the Nobility in the States and Council of Zealand and the Heer Willem Van Haren Griedtman Van Bildt Deputies in their Assemblies on the behalf of the States of Holland and Zealand c. Which Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries duly instructed with the good Intentions of their Masters were to repair to the said Town of Nimeguen where after a mutual Communication of their Plenary Powers the Copies whereof are inserted Word for Word at the end of this Treaty it was agreed upon Conditions of Peace and Friendship according to this ensuing Tenour viz. I. There shall be for the future betwixt his most Christian Majesty and his Successors Kings of France and Navar and his Kingdoms on the one part and the Lords the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces of the Low-Countries on the other part a good firm faithful and inviolable Peace and all Acts of Hostility of what kind soever shall hereafter cease and be forborn betwixt the said King and the said Lords the States-General as well by Sea and other Waters as by Land in all their Kingdoms Countries Lands Provinces and Seigniories and for all their Subjects and Inhabitants of what Quality or Condition soever without exception of Places or Persons II. And if any Prizes are taken on either side in the Baltick-Sea or the North-Sea from Terneuse to the Channel 's Mouth within the space of 4 Weeks or from the said Mouth of the Channel to the Cape of St. Vincent within the space of Six Weeks and further in the Mediterranean-Sea and as far as the Aequinoctial within the space of 10 Weeks and beyond the Line and in all Parts of the World within the space of 8 Months to be computed from the Day on which the Peace shall be published at Paris and at the Hague the said Prizes and the Dammages that shall happen on either side after the Terms prefix'd shall be brought to Account and whatever shall have been taken shall be restor'd with Recompense for the Damages that shall have happened thereby III. There shall be moreover betwixt the said King and the said Lords the States-General and their Subjects and Inhabitants mutually a sincere firm and perpetual Friendship and good Correspondence by Sea and Land in all Things and in all Places within Europe and without and no resenting of the Offences or Damages that have been received either in Time past or by reason of the said Wars IV. And in Virtue of this Friendship and Correspondence as well his Majesty as the said Lords the States-General shall faithfully procure and further the Good and Prosperity of one another by all Support Aid Counsel and real Assistances upon all Occasions and at all Times and shall not consent for the future to any Treaties or Negotiations that may be to one anothers Damage and shall break them off and give notice of them to one another with Care and Sincerity as soon as ever they come to their Knowledge V. They that have had any of their Goods seized and confiscated by reason of the said War their Heirs or Assigns of what Condition or Religion soever shall enjoy such Goods and take them into Possession of their own private Authority and by Virtue of this present Treaty without standing in need to have recourse to Law and that notwithstanding any Appropriations to the Exchequer Engagements Gifts in Writing Sentences Preparatory or Definitive given by Default or Contumacy in the Parties Absence or without their being heard Treaties Accords and Transactions and any Renunciations that may have been made at such Transactions to exclude the right Owners from any part of such Goods and all and every the Goods and Rights which according to this present Treaty shall or ought to be restor'd on either side to the first Proprietors their Heirs and Assigns may be sold by the said Proprietors without obtaining any particular License so to do And likewise the Proprietors of such Rents as shall be settled by the Exchequer in lieu of Goods sold as also of such Rents and Actions as stand on Charge in the Exchequer may respectively dispose of the Propriety thereof by Sale or otherwise as of their other proper Goods VI. And since the Marquisate of Bergenopzome with all the Rights and Revenues thereunto appertaining and generally all the Lands and Goods of Monsieur le Comte d'Avergne Colonel-General of the Light-Horse of France that were under the Power of the said States-General of the Vnited-Provinces have been seized and confiscated by reason of the War to which the present Treaty ought to put an happy End it is agreed That the said Sieur Comte d'Auvergne shall be restored to the Possession of the said Marquisare of Bergenopzome its Appurtenances and Dependances and also to all the Rights Actions Privileges Usages and Prerogatives that he enjoy'd at the time when the War was declar'd VII Each shall continue seized of and shall actually enjoy the Countries Towns Places Lands Islands and Seignories within Europe and without which they now hold and possess without being disturb'd or molested directly or indirectly in any manner whatsoever VIII But his most Christian Majesty willing to give back to the Lords the States-General his Principal Friendship and to give them a singular Proof thereof upon this Occasion will immediately after the Exchange of the Ratifications put them into Possession of the Town of Maestricht with the Comte of Vronof and the Comtez and Countries of â—auquemond Aalhem and Rolleduc beyond the Maes together with the Villages of Redemption Banc d' St. Servais and whatever is belonging to the said Town IX The said Lords the States-General promise That whatever
concerns the Exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion and such as profess it enjoying their Goods shall be re-established and maintained in the said Town of Maestricht and its Dependances in the same State and in such Manner as was regulated by the Capitulation made in the Year 1632 and that such as shall have been endowed with any Ecclesiastical Goods Canons Places Parsonages Provostships and other Benefices shall continue settled in them and enjoy them without any Contradiction X. His Majesty restoring to the said Lords the States-General the Town of Maestricht and Countries thereunto belonging may yet take and carry away all the Artillery Powder Bullets Provisions and other Warlike Ammunition that shall be found there at the time of â—ts Restitution and they that his Majesty shall have appointed for this Purpose may if they please make use of the Boats and Carriages of the Country for 2 Months time and shall have free Passage by Water and Land for the Carrying away the said Ammunition And the Governours Commanders Officers and Magistrates of the said Town shall give them all the Facilities they can for the Carriage and Conduct of the said Artillery and Ammunition Also the Officers Soldiers Men of War and others that shall leave the said Place may take thence and carry away all their movable Goods but it shall not be lawful for them to exact any Thing from the Inhabitants of the Town of Maestricht or its Neighbourhood nor to do any hurt to their Houses or carry away any Thing belonging to the said Inhabitants XI All Prisoners of War on both sides shall be delivered without Distinction or Exception and without paying any Ransom XII The raising of Contributions demanded by the Governour of the Town of Maestricht of the Countries subjected shall continue for all that shall become due till the Ratification of the present Treaty and such Arrears as shall remain shall be paid within 3 Months after that at convenient times for which a valuable Caution shall be given in some Town within his Majesty's Dominion XIII The said Lords the States-General have and do promise not only to maintain a perfect Neutrality without being at Liberty to assist directly or indirectly the Enemies of France or its Allies but also to guarrant all such Engagements as Spain shall enter into by the Treaty that is to be betwixt their most Christian and Catholick Majesties and especially that whereby the Catholick King shall be held to the same Neutrality XIV If through Inadvertence or otherwise there happen any want of due Observance of this present Treaty or other Inconvenience relating thereunto on the Part of his said Majesty or of the Lords the States-General and their Successors this Peace and Alliance shall remain in full Force notwithstanding so as no Breach of Friendship or of good Correspondence shall ensue thereupon but such Contraventions shall be speedily repaired if they shall be occasioned by any particular Subjects Faults those Subjects only shall be punished XV. And for the better securing Commerce and Friendship hereafter between the Subjects of the said King and those of the States-General of the Vnited-Provinces of the Low-Countries it is agreed and accorded that in case there shall be in time to come any Interruption of Friendship or that a Breach shall happen between the Crown of France and the said Lords the States-General of the said Vnited-Provinces which God forbid then 6 Months after such Breach shall always be allowed to the Subjects of both Parties to retire with their Effects and transport them whithersoever they think fit which also they shall be permitted to do as likewise to sell or transport their Goods and Movables with all Freedom so as no Hindrance shall be given to them nor any Proceedings to seize their Effects much less to secure their Persons XVI As for the Pretences and Interests that concern the Prince of Orange upon which there has been a separate Treaty and Agreement by an Act this Day Signed the said Writing and all the Contents of it shall be effectual and shall be confirmed fulfilled and executed according to the Form and Tenour thereof neither more nor less than if all its Points in general and every one in particular were Word for Word inserted into this present Treaty XVII And as his Majesty and the Lords the States-General acknowledge the powerful Offices that the King of Great Britain has incessantly employ'd by his Counsels and good Advertisements for the publick Weal and Repose so it is agreed on both sides that his said Majesty of Great Britain and his Kingdoms be comprehended by Name within this present Treaty according to the best Form that may be XVIII Within this present Treaty of Peace and Alliance shall be comprehended on the part of the said most Christian King the King of Sweden the Duke of Holstein the Bishop of Strasburg and Prince William of Furstemburg as interested in the present War And there shall likewise be comprehended if they will themselves the Prince and Crown of Portugal the Duke and Seigniory of Venice the Duke of Savoy the Thirteen Cantons of the Ligue-Switzers and their Allies the Elector of Bavaria Duke John Frederick of Brunswick Hanover and all Kings Potentates Princes and States Towns and particular Persons to whom his most Christian Majesty shall grant at their Request to be comprehended within this Treaty on his part XIX And on the part of the Lords the States-General the King of Spain and all other their Allies that within 6 Weeks to be computed from the Exchange of the Ratifications shall declare their acceptance of the Peace and also the Thirteen laudable Cantons of the Ligue-Switzers and their Allies and Confederates the Town of Embden and moreover all Kings Princes and States Towns and particular Persons to whom they shall grant at their Request to be comprehended on their part XX. The said King and the said Lords the States-General do consent that the King of Great Britain as Mediator and all other Potentates and Princes that shall be willing to enter into the like Engagement may give his Majesty and the said States-General their Promise and tie themselves to guarrant the Performance of all that is contain'd in this present Treaty XXI This present Treaty shall be Ratified and Approved by the said King and the said Lords the States-General and each Parties Letters of Ratification shall be deliver'd in proper due Form within the Term of 6 Weeks or sooner if it may be reckoning from the Day of Signing In Witness whereof We the aforesaid Ambassadors of his Majesty and of the Lords the States-General by Virtue of their respective Powers have on their behalfs Signed these Presents with our ordinary Seals and have set our Coats of Arms to the same At Nimeguen Aug. 10. in the year of our Lord 1678. Le Ma' D'Estrates Colbert De Mesmes H. Beverning W. van Nassaw W. Haren WE liking well the aforesaid Treaty of Peace in all and every the
are Word for Word inserted at the End of this Treaty have come to an Agreement and Conclusion upon mutual Condition of Peace and Friendship in manner following viz. I. It is Covenanted and Agreed that from henceforth there shall be a good firm and lasting Peace Confederation and perpetual Alliance and Friendship between the Most Christian and Catholick King their Children born to be born their Heirs Successors and Inheritors their Kingdoms Estates Countries and Subjects so that they shall love one another as good Brethren procuring with all their might one another's Good Honour and Reputation and faithfully preventing as far as they shall be able one another's Damage II. In pursuance of this good Re-union the Cessation of all manner of Hostilities agreed on and Signed the 19th Day of Aug. of this present Year shall continue according to the Tenour thereof betwixt the said Kings their Subjects and Vassals as well by Sea and other Waters as by Land and generally in all places where the War is carried on by their Majesties Arms as well between their Troops and Armies as between the Garrisons of their several places and if any Contravention shall have happened to be committed contrary to the said Cessation by taking of any Place or Places whether by Attack or Surprize or by private Intelligence nay though Prisoners shall have been taken or other Acts of Hostility committed through some accident that could not be foreseen or by such Persons as could not foresee it contrary to the said Cessation of Hostilities such Contravention shall faithfully be repaired on both sides without delay or difficulty by restoring to the full whatever shall have been taken and delivering the Prisoners without Ransom or paying of Charges in such way that all things be restored in such manner to the same condition they were in on the said 19th Day of Aug. when the said Cessation was agreed and Signed the Tenour whereof shall be observed till the Day of the Exchange of the Ratification of this present Treaty III. All Causes of enmity or misunderstanding shall remain for ever extinct and abolished and whatever hath happened or been done by reason of the present War or during the same shall be put into perpetual oblivion so as for the future no inquiry shall be made into the same on either side directly or indirectly by Law or otherwise under any pretence whatsoever nor may their Majesties or their Subjects Servants and Adherents on either side express any manner of resentment of whatever offences may have been committed against them or dammages received by them during the present War IV. In contemplation of the Peace the Most Christian King immediately after the Exchange of the Ratifications of this present Treaty shall put into the Catholick King 's Power the Place and Fortress of Charleroy the Town of Binche the Town and Fortresses of Aeth Oudernard and Courtray with their Provostships and Castellanies Appurtenances and Dependancies in the same manner as his Catholick Majesty possess'd them before the War of the Year 1667. All which Towns and Places the Catholick King yielded to the said Most Christian King at the Treaty Signed at Aix la Chappelle the 2d of May 1668. from which this present Treaty doth expresly derogate for so much as relates to the said Towns and Places their Appurtenances and Dependances In pursuance whereof the said Catholick King shall take Possession of the same and enjoy them to him and his Successors fully and peaceably excepting the Verge of Menin and the Town of Conde which tho' heretofore pretended to by the Most Christian King to be a Member of the Castellany of Aeth shall nevertheless remain to the Crown of France together with all its Dependances by Virtue of this present Treaty as shall be said hereafter V. The said Most Christian King obligeth himself and promiseth to put likewise into the Hands of the said Catholick King immâ—diately upon the said Exchange of the Ratifications the City and Dutchy of Limburg together with all its Dependances the Country of Ontremeuse the City and Cittadel of Ghent with all its Dependances likewise the Fort of Rodenbus and the County of Waes the Town and Place of Leuve in Brabant together with its Dependances the Town and Place of St. Ghilain whose Fortifications nevertheless shall be rased and the â—own of Pucierda in Catalonia in the Condition it now is with their Countries Places Castles Forts Lands Lordships Demesns Bailiffwicks Appurtenances Dependances and Annexations without reserving or detaining any thing therein to be possessed by his Catholick Majesty and his Successors in the same manner he enjoyed them before the present War VI. The said Places Towns and Places of Charleroy Binch Aeth Oudernard and Courtray their Bailifwicks Castellanies Governments Provostships Territories Demesns Lordships Appurtenances and Dependances and all thereunto annexed by what Name soever called with all the Men Vassals Subjects Towns Boroughs Villages Hamlets Forests Rivers Champain Countries and all other things whatsoever thereunto belonging shall remain by Virtue of this present Treaty of Peace to his Catholick Majesty his Heirs Successors and Assigns irrecoverably and for ever together with the same Rights of Sovereignty Propriety Regalities Guardianship and Jurisdiction Nomination Prerogatives and Preheminencies over the Bishopricks Cathedral Churches and Abbies Priories Dignities Curacies and all other Benefices whatsoever situate within the said Countries Places and Bailiffwicks so yielded up to whatsoever Abbies the said Priories do appertain and belong and all other Rights that heretofore belonged to the Most Christian King though not particularly here expressed so as his Catholick Majesty shall not be troubled or molested for the future by any means whatsoever in Right or in Deed by the said Most Christian King his Successors or any Princes of his Family or by any other or upon any Pretence or Occasion that may happen in the said Sovereignty Propriety Jurisdiction Appeal Possession and Enjoyment of all the said Countries Towns Places Castles Lands and Lordships Provostships Demesnes Castellanies and Bailiffwicks together with all the Places and other Things thereon depending And to this end the said Most Christian King as well for himself as for his Heirs Successors and Assigns doth renounce quit-claim yield and transfer as his said Plenipotentiaries in his Name by this present irrevocable Treaty of Peace have renounced quit-claimed yielded and transferred perpetually and for ever in favour and to the behoof of the said Catholick King his Heirs Successors and Assigns all the Rights Actions and Pretensions Rights of Regality Patronage Guardianship Jurisdiction Nomination Prerogatives and Preheminences over the Bishopricks Cathedral-Churches and all other Benefices whatsoever situate within the said Places and Bailiffwicks so yielded up to whatsoever Abbies the said Priories did appertain and belong and generally without any reservation or with-holding all other Rights whatsoever that the said Most Christian King his Heirs and Successors have and challenge or may have and challenge for any Cause or Reason
the Power of the late most Serene Infanta Catherina shall be observed without any hurt or prejudice by this particular Clause to the general Stipulation in this present Article concerning the Performance of the said Pyrenean Treaty and that of Aix la Chappelle XXVII Though their most Christian and Catholick Majesties contribute all their Cares towards the setling a General Peace and that so fair a Way towards it as that of a General Truce gives them Hopes that a Conclusion of whatever may secure the Quiet of Christendom will speedily ensue yet since the said most Christian King doth insist upon it that the Catholick King shall oblige himself not to assist any of the Princes that are now engag'd in War against France and its Allies his Catholick Majesty hath promised and doth promise to observe a perfect Neutrality during the Course of this War without being at Liberty to assist his Allies directly or indirectly against France or its Allies XXVIII And whereas their most Christian and Catholick Majesties do acknowledge the powerful Offices which the King of Great Britain has contributed without intermission by his Counsels and good Advertisements toward the Publick Safety and Repose it is agreed on both sides That his said Majesty of Great Britain and his Kingdoms shall be expresly comprehended in this present Treaty after the best Form that can be XXIX Within this Peace Alliance and Friendship on the part of his most Christian Majesty besides the King of Sweden together with the Duke of Holstein the Bishop of Strusburg and Prince William of Furstemburg as concern'd in the present War shall be comprehended if they please themselves all those that having refused to engage or declare themselves in this present War shall be nominated within 6 Months after the Exchange of the Ratifications XXX And on the one part of his Catholick Majesty shall likewise be comprehended if themselves please all such as having forborn to engage or declare themselves in the present War shall be nominated within 6 Months after the Exchange of the Ratifications and all others that after the said War ended shall likewise be nominated by his said Catholick Majesty XXXI The said most Christian and Catholick Kings do agree That all Potentates and Princes that shall be willing to enter into the like Obligation may give their Majesties their Promises and Engagements of Warranty as to the Execution of whatever is contain'd in this present Treaty XXXII And for the greater Security of this Treaty of Peace and of all the Points and Articles therein contained the said present Treaty shall be published attested and registred in the Court of the Parliament of Paris and in all other Parliaments of the Kingdom of France and in the Chamber of Accounts at Paris And also the said Treaty shall be published attested and registred as well in the Great and other Councils and Chambers of Account of the said Catholick King in the Low-Countries as in the other Councils of the Crowns of Castile and â—â—ragon according to the Form contained in the Pyrenean Treaty of the Year 1659. of which Publications and Enrollment Exemplifications shall be delivered on both sides within 3 Months after the Publication of this present Treaty All which Points and Articles above expressed and the Contents of every of them have been Treated Agreed Passed and Stipulated between the said Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries of the said most Christian and Catholick Kings which Plenipotentiaries by Virtue of their Powers the Copies whereof are inserted at the bottom of this present Treaty have promised and do promise under the Obligation of all and every the Goods and Estates present and to come of the Kings their Masters that they shall inviolably be observed and fulfilled and that they will cause them to be ratified firmly and simply without addition of any thing thereunto and to produce the Ratifications thereof by Letters Authentick and Sealed wherein all this present Treaty shall be inserted verbatim within 6 Weeks to be accompted from the Day of the Date of this present Treaty or sooner if possible And the said Plenipotentiaries have promised and do promise in their said Kings Names that after the producing the said Letters of Ratifications the said Most Christian King as soon as possibly he can shall in the Presence of such Person or Persons as the Catholick King shall be pleased to depute swear solemnly upon the Cross the Gospel and Canons of the Mass and upon his Honour fully really and truly to observe and fulfil all the Articles contained in this present Treaty And the like shall be done as soon as possible by the said Catholick King in the Presence of such Person or Persons as the said Most Christian King shall be pleased to depute In witness or all which the said Plenipotentiaries have subscribed this present Treaty with their own Names and have caused their Seals of Arms to be set thereto Nimeguen the 17th of Sept. 1678. Le M. Dâ— Estrades Colbert De Mesmes D' Avaux Pabla Spâ—nola Doria Conde de Benazuza Marquesse de la Fuente Jean Baptiste Christin Thus you see France was left in Possession of the Peace with Holland and Spain and consequently Master of that of the Empire and of the North upon her own Terms and England left to busie it self about that Popish Fire that was breaking out at home the Stream whereof the Court perhaps designed to have diverted by a Foreign War in Conjunction with the Confederates against France on which they were now as eagerly bent as they seemed at any time before indifferent thereunto however of this we shall say nothing at present but prosecute in as concise a manner as we can the remaining Paces that were made together with the interâ—ening Accidents that happened for putting an End to the rest of the War After tâ—e Peace with Spain was Signed and that with Holland Ratified tho' the Embassadors of the Emperor at Nimeguen were sullen and those of Denmark and Brandenburg enraged yet by the Application of the Dutch Embassadors the Conferences were set on foot between them and the French But how enraged soever the Northern Confederates seemed to be they were now more inclined than ever to consent to a Truce tho' to this the Swedes would not absolutely agree For Pomerania they would willingly accept it because they had reason to fear that the great Losses they had there sustained might be followed by more considerable ones but they were not for it in Schomen where their Affairs were in a better Posture by their taking of Christianstadt which at last after much Difficulty they diadâ—made themselves Masters of However the Losses they sustained in Pomerania were of far greater Concern to them than all they pretended to gain elsewhere And notwithstanding the Death of the Bishop of Munster was a Mortification to the Confederates yet Denmark and Brandenburg go on vigorously with their Preparations against the Isle of Rugen and the Elector
Particulars of it And for Tangier there had been several Attacks made upon it this Year and for some time past and was chargeable enough to the King But of this we shall have Occasion to say something hereafter And as for the King's Sincerity in recommending to them the Prosecution of the Plot That Man that considers the Transactions between the Prorogation of the last Parliament and the Sitting of this with the Methods that were used to stifle the real Plot and to father a Sham one upon innocent Men and yet believes the King to be in Earnest has a large Faith and much Good may do him with it Then for his professing his Readiness to concur with any new Remedies that should be proposed that were consistent with preserving the Succession of the Crown in its due and legal Course of Descent it implied no more than Let the Wolf be Shepherd and let the Sheep make what Laws they please for their Preservation For it was well known the Duke was a Papist whose Maxims are to keep no Faith with Hereticks However the House of Commons entred into Debates about this Matter and there were many Expedients proposed how the Established Government in Church and State could be preserved yet none could be found practicable in case the Duke succeeded So that the Country Party moved that the Court Party should propound their Expedients in the Case but they either could not or else had no Instructions from the Court to warrant such Expedients as might be proposed by them Matters being thus at a stand in respect to the Securing the Protestant Religion the House of Commons at last could think of no other Way to effect it than by bringing in a Bill for the total Exclusion of the Duke of York from the Crown which after several Debates upon it they passed on the 11th of Nov. And of which that you may the better comprehend the Meaning I have here subjoined a Copy WHereas James Duke of York is notoriously known to have been perverted from the Protestant to the Popish Religion whereby not only great Encouragement hath been given to the Popish Party to enter into and carry on most Devilish and Horrid Plots and Conspiracies for the Destruction of his Majesty's Sacred Person and Government and and for the Extirpation of the true Protestant Religion But also if the said Duke should succeed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm nothing is more manifest than that the total Change of Religion within these Kingdoms would ensue For the Preservation thereof be it Enacted by the King 's most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That the said James Duke of York shall be and is by the Authority of this present Parliament Excluded and made for ever uncapable to Inherit Possess or Enjoy the Imperial Crown of this Realm and of the Kingdoms of Ireland and the Dominions and Territories of them or either of them belonging or to Have Exercise or Enjoy any Dominion Power Jurisdiction or Authority in the said Kingdoms Dominions or any of them And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if the said James Duke of York shall at any time hereafter Challenge Claim or Attempt to Possess or Enjoy or shall take upon him to Use or Exercise any Dominion or Power or Authority or Jurisdiction within the said Kingdoms or Dominions or any of them as King or Chief Magistrate of the same that then he the said James Duke of York for every such Offence shall be deemed and adjudged Guilty of High-Treason and shall suffer the Pains Penalties and Forfeitures as in Case of High-Treason And further That if any Person or Persons whatsoever shall assist or maintain abet or willingly adhere unto the said James Duke of York in such Challenge Claim or Attempt or shall of themselves attempt or endeavour to put or bring the said James Duke of York into the Possession or Exercise of any Legal Power Jurisdiction or Authority within the Kingdoms and Dominions aforesaid or shall by Writing or Preaching advisedly Publish Maintain or Declare that he hath any Right Title or Authority to the Office of King or Chief Magistrate of the Kingdoms and Dominions aforesaid that then every such Person shall be Deemed and Adjudged Guilty of High-Treason and that he suffer and undergo the Pains Penalties and Forfeitures aforesaid And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the said James Duke of York shall not at any time from and after the 5th of Nov. 1680 return or come into or within any of the Kingdoms or Dominions aforesaid and then he the said James Duke of York shall be Deemed and Adjudged Guilty of High-Treason and shall suffer the Pains Penalties and Forfeitures as in Case of High-Treason And further That if any Person or Persons whatsoever shall be aiding or assisting unto such Return of the said James Duke of York that then every such Person shall be Deemed and Adjudged Guilty of High-Treason and shall suffer as in Cases of High-Treason And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the said James Duke of York or any other Person being Guilty of any of the Treasons aforesaid shall not be capable of or receive Benefit by any Pardon otherwise than by Act of Parliament wherein they shall be particularly named And that no Noli prosequi or Order to stay Proceedings shall be received or allowed in or upon any Indictment for any of the Offences mentioned in this Act. And be it further Enacted and Declared and it is hereby Enacted and Declared That it shall and may be lawful to and for any Magistrates Officers and other Subjects whatsoever of these Kingdoms and Dominions aforesaid And they are hereby enjoined and required to Apprehend and Secure the said James Duke of York and any other Person offending in any of the Premisses and with him or them in case of Resistance to fight and him or them by force to subdue For all which actings and for so doing they are and shall be by Virtue of this Act saved harmless and indemnified Provided and it is hereby declared That nothing in this Act contained shall be construed deemed or adjudged to disenable any other Person from Inheriting and Enjoying the Imperial Crown of the Realms and Dominions aforesaid other than the said James Duke of York but that in Case the said James Duke of York should survive his now Majesty and the Heirs of his Majesty's Body the said Imperial Crown shall descend to and be enjoyed by such Person or Persons successorily during the Life of the said James Duke of York as should have Inherited and Enjoyed the same in case the said James Duke of York were naturally dead any Thing contained in this Act to the Contrary notwithstanding And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That
during the Life of the said James Duke of York this Act shall be given a Charge at every Assizes and General Sessions of the Peace within the Kingdoms Dominions and Territories aforesaid and also shall be openly Read in every Cathedral Church and Parish Church and Chappels within the aforesaid Kingdoms Dominions and Territories by the respective Parsons Vicars Curates and Readers thereof who are hereby required immediately after Divine Service in the Forenoon to Read the same twice in every Year That is to say on the 25th of Dec. and upon Easter-day during the Life of the said James Duke of York But the Lords Rancounter to the Commons in this Bill tho' they made a Sift upon the others Impeachment to Try and Sentence William Lord Viscount Stafford to Death for the Popish Conspiracy who on the 7th of Dec. was executed accordingly For after the Reading it the First time in the Upper-House the Question being put Whether it should be read the Second time it was resolved in the Negative by above a double Majority of Votes and so this great Affair dropp'd The Commons imployed much of their Time to prosecute and impeach all those that had countenanced the Popish Plot or were Abhorrers of Petitioning the King for the Meeting of the Parliament in the several Prorogations of it and voted That it ever had been the undoubted Right of the Subjects of England to Petition the King for the Calling and Sitting of Parliaments and Redress of Grievances And that to traduce such Petitioning as a Violation of Duty and to represent the same to his Majesty as Tumultuous and Seditious was to betray the Liberty of the Subject and contributed to the Designs of subverting the ancient Legal Constitutions of the Kingdom of England and introducing Arbitrary Power The first that fell under their Lash was Sir Francis Withens since a Judge a Member then of their own House whom they voted to be a Betrayer of the undoubted Rights of the Subjects of England and for that his high Crime expelled him the House receiving first the Sentence at the Bar upon his Marrow-bones Sir George Jefferys was the next then Recorder of London who for the present by Virtue of the House's Address to the King for that End was put out of all publick Offices tho' we have seen him since act the Tyrant in the highest Station the late King his good Master could advance him to but at last being left in the Lurch by him was found in a Seaman's Habit at Wapping and died in the Tower because he had not Courage enough to live a little longer to be hang'd Several others were censured upon the like Account and among the rest the House voted That it was a sufficient Ground for them to proceed against Sir Thomas Jones one of the Judges of the King's Bench and Sir Richard Westone a Baron of the Exchequer for high Crimes and Misdemeanors because they had advised and were assisting to draw up a Proclamation against Petitioning for the Sitting of the Parliament The like was passed against Sir Francis North Chief Justice of the Common-Pleas for the same who for murdering poor Stephen Colledge under Colour of Law at Oxford had the Great Seal of England committed to his Custody and therewith the Care of the King's Conscience who had none at all of his own All this while we hear nothing of the King's Business which was to get Money for the Preservation of Tangier and Perfecting the Alliance made with Spain But the Commons had Three Reasons why they would not comply with his Majesty in his first Demand One was for that the State of the Nation was such at that time that their giving any Money for that End might augment the Strength of the Popish Party and further endanger the Nation 's Safety Another was Seeing there were several Regiments besides Guards in England then in Pay they might be transported to Tangier with little Charge and be maintain'd there as cheap as at Home which Two Reasons they clench'd with this Third That that Garrison was the Nursery of Popish Officers and Soldiers And if Things went ill with the King on this Head he is like to fare no better with the other For the House had as many Reasons for not giving him Money for the Alliance of Mutual Obligations of Succour and Defence which he pretended to have made with Spain For first they seemed to be jealous of the King's Sincerity therein and the more because he had not declared to them what manner of Alliance that was and that it might be more to the Prejudice than Benefit of the Kingdom or if it should have been to the Advantage of it they could have no more Assurance of the Performance than they had of the Triple League That which was made with the Prince of Orange when he was in England Or that between the King and States of Holland by Mr. Hyde on the King's Part which were all broken almost as soon as made Besides it was impossible any great Benefit should arise to England and Spain by such an Alliance For if all Christendom after the separate Peace made by the Dutch at Nimeguen could not uphold Spain and the Spanish Netherlands from falling under the Dominion of France how could the King in the feeble and distracted State of the Nation be in a Condition to support it without them Add to this the Unreasonableness of giving Money upon such an Account For tho' the Kings of England have frequently demanded Supplies for maintaining vast Wars yet never any one of them before demanded Supplies for making Alliances And indeed whatever Alliance the King had made with Spain it will be found before his Reign has spun out that it was very ill performed on his part And if the Commons were not a little mortified at the Proceedings of the Lords and of the Court in respect to the Bill of Exclusion the King could not be well pleased to be sure with the Methods they took to answer his Demands of a present Supply in the ordinary way but was undoubtedly much more nettled at their Resolutions to hinder him from being relieved by extraordinary Methods afterwards For the House considering the weak and dangerous Condition of the Nation as well by the Debt the King had contracted by shutting up of the Exchequer as by his squandering away almost all the ancient Revenues of the Crown did in order to prevent the like upon the Revenue settled upon the King since his Restoration on the 17th of Jan. resolve 1. That whosoever should lend or cause to be lent by way of Advance any Money upon the Branches of the King's Revenue arising by Custom Excise or Hearth-money should be adjudged an Hinderer of the Sitting of Parlaiment and be responsible for the same 2. That whosoever should buy any Tally or Anticipation upon any part of the King's Revenue or whosoever should pay such Tally hereafter to be struck should
be adjudged to hinder the Sittings of Parliaments and be responsible therefore in Parliament Things being brought to this desperate pass between them without any visible Hopes of a better Understanding the Thoughts of the Court now began to think of a Prorogation or Dissolution and the Commons were it seems aware of it For on Monday Jan. the 10th before the Usher of the Black-Rod came into the House to command their Attendance on the King in the House of Lords they had resolved That whosoever advised the King to prorogue this Parliament to any Purpose than in order to the Passing of a Bill for the Exclusion of James Duke of York was a Betrayer of the King the Protestant Religion and of the Kingdom of England a Promoter of the French Interest and a Pensioner to France Which was no sooner done but they were Prorogued to the 20th of Jan. and upon the 18th he Dissolved them And so ended this Sessions of Parliament with which having run out a few Days into the new Year we conclude the Year 1680 only we shall note first two or three Particulars On the 30th of July this Year died at Whitehall the Right and truly Honourable Thomas Earl of Ossory Son and Heir apparent to his Grace the Duke of Ormond after some few Days sickness of a violent Feaver whose Heroick Bravery and forward Zeal to serve his King and Country on all commendable Occasions was manifested by many brave and generous Actions Which as they made him be honoured and esteemed by all while living made him dying to be as generally lamented He was the Father of his Grace the present Duke of Ormond who to his great Glory has been so far from degenerating from him that he hath to the Height express'd his Vertues and Excellencies both in Peace and Way and is a Person that deserves as much and if all Circumstances be considered a great deal more of his Country than any other Nobleman whatsoever Sept. following was remarkable for the Death of Two Electors of the Empire viz. on the 2d John George Duke of Saxony dying at Friburg after a long Indisposition in the 68th Year of his Age leaving only one Son by his Wife Magdaline Sibille of Brandenburg Ansbach John George the Third of that Name who succeeded him in his Dominions and Dignities And but 5 Days after departed also this Life Charles Lovis Count Palatine of the Rhine suddenly in the Way between Manheim and Frankendal after a light Indisposition of 2 or 3 Days he was 63 Years old and left by his Wife Charlotte Daughter of William Landgrave of Hesse one Son Charles then in England and to whom an Express was immediately dispatch'd to give him advice of his Father's Death and a Daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Wife to the now Duke of Orleans And towards the middle of Nov. appeared a Comet with a prodigious Stream of Light in the West The Star from which the Blaze proceeded was but small and when first discovered seemed to be not much above the Horizon but every Night afterward it appeared higher and higher in the Beginning of the Night and consequently setting latter and latter its Magnitude and Lustre also proportionably decaying year 1681 The Nation at the Dissolution of the last Parliament upon the 18th of Jan. as already mentioned were strangely amazed and began now in general to be very doubtful of any good Issue in their common Concerns which the Court was not unaware of and therefore in some measure to allay Things the King summoned another to meet on the 21st of March following at Oxford which was no sooner publickly known but it rather heightned than alleviated the Jealousies of the more intelligent Persons that there might be some hidden Design nourished in the Court that might have dangerous Influences both upon the Nation and Parliament Whereupon several of the Nobility after mature Consideration of the Matter resolved to petition the King against the Meeting of the Parliament at the forementioned Place which Petition was delivered by the Earl of Essex with which he made a short pithy Speech and both which we have hereunto subjoined May it please your Majesty THE Lords here present together with divers others of the Peers of the Realm taking notice that by the late Proclamation Your Majesty has declared an Intention of calling a Parliament at Oxford and observing from History and Records how unfortunate many Assemblies have been when called at a Place remote from the Capital City as particularly the Congress in King Henry the II's Time at Clarendon 3 several Parliaments at Oxford in Henry the III's Time and at Coventry in Henry the VI's Time with divers others which have proved fatal to those Kings and have been followed with great Mischief on the whole Kingdom And considering the present Posture of Affairs the many Jealousies and Discontents that are among the People they have great Cause to apprehend that the Consequences of a Parliament now at Oxford may be as fatal to Your Majesty and the Nation as those others mentioned have been to them Reigning Kings And therefore we do conceive that we cannot answer it to God to Your Majesty or to the People if we being Peers of the Realm should not on so important an Occasion humbly offer our Advice to Your Majesty that if possible Your Majesty may be prevailed with to alter this as we apprehend reasonable Resolution the Grounds and Reasons of our Opinions are contained in this our Petition which we humbly present to Your Majesty TO THE KING'S most Excellent MAJESTY The Humble PETITION and ADVICE of the Lords undernamed Peers of the Realm Humbly Sheweth THAT whereas Your Majesty hath been pleased by divers Speeches and Passages to Your Houses of Parliament rightly to represent to them the Dangers that threatned Your Majesty's Person and the whole Kingdom from the mischievous and wicked Plots of the Papists and the suddain Growth of a Power unto which no Stop or Remedy could be provided unless it were by Parliament and an Union of Your Majesty's Protestant Subjects in one Mind and one Interest And the Lord-Chancellor in pursuance of your Majesty's Commands having more at large demonstrated the said Dangers to be as great as we in the midst of our Fears could imagine them and so pressing that our Liberties Religion Lives and the whole Kingdom would be certainly lost if a speedy Provision were not made against them And Your Majesty on the 21st of Apr. 1679 having called unto Your Council many Honourable and Worthy Persons and declared to them and the whole Kingdom that being sensible of the evil Effects of a Single Ministry or Private Advice or Foreign Committee for the general Direction of Your Affairs Your Majesty would for the future refer all Things unto the Council and by the constant Advice of them together with the frequent Use of Your Great Council the Parliament Your Majesty had hereafter resolved to govern the
Endeavours to extirpate Popery and redress the Grievances of his Subjects But how well he kept his Word in respect to frequent Parliaments or redressing his Peoples Grievances in near 4 Years time he lived after is so notoriously known to the contrary that there needs no Proof of it I 'll say nothing in this place of the Invalidity of his Declaration in it self since the Matter has been contested But the Gentleman whose Name was to it and who thought himself so much injured when it was taken notice of that it bore no other Authority but his would have done well to have made appear to the World that the Broad-Seal was affix'd to it which hitherto he has not done But be this as it will tho' the King did not communicate this Declaration to the Council till Friday the 8th of Apr. yet the foresaid Author Sir W. J. says M. Barillon the French Embassador read it upon the 5th of April before and demanded of a Gentleman there his Opinion of it which M. Barillon might the better remember because of the great Liberty the Gentleman took to ridicule it to his Face But to return to Fitz-Harris whom we left in the Tower the poor Man was kept there for 10 Weeks together so close a Prisoner that neither his Wife nor any other were permitted to come at him whereas the Popish Lords impeached in Parliament had the Liberty of the Tower and for any Man to visit them and then there was an Indictment of High Treason formed against him for contriving a certain Writing called The true English Man and so on the last Day of April he was Arraigned at the King's Bench-Bar But his Wife in the mean time having some Foresight of her Husband's Trial had gone to Council and had a Plea drawn to the Jurisdiction of the Court To which the Attorney General demurred and Fitz-Harris's Council joined in the Demurrer then time was given them to the Saturday following to maintain the said Plea by Argument which was done accordingly and that being ended the Lord Chief Justice declared The Court would take time to consider before they gave in their Judgment which they did on the Wednesday following being the 11th of May when three of the Judges to wit the Chief Justice and the Judges Jones and Raymond were of Opinion That the Plea was sufficient But Justice Dolbin was doubtful And so the Plea was over-ruled and the Prisoner was ordered to plead which he did and the Trial put off till June 9 when he was found Guilty of High-Treason without any Benefit had at all of the Impeachment of the House of Commons But its pitty some of these Judges had not been hanged for their Pains as Tresilian was in the Reign of Richard the Second However to colour the matter yet a little and that the Court might still make a feint which was their last of prosecuting the Popish Plot in the right Course of it Oliver Plunket was June 1 in Trinity Term tried for High-Treason at the Kings Bench Bar for that he was made Primate of Ireland by the Pope at the French King's Recommendation that upon that account he having engaged to do that King all the Service that lay in his Power he had actually levied among his Popish Clergy great Sums of Money therewith to introduce the French Dominion into that Kingdom and exterminate the Protestants for which he was found guilty on the 1st of July following and was together with Edward Fitz-Harris executed at Tyburn And now the sacrificing of this one Man and a Primate of Ireland hath attoned for all the rest of the Sins of the Papists and they are wholly left at liberty to sing a Requiem for themselves and to prosecute their Revenge against those who had in any thing appear'd zealous for the true Interest of their Country and against their evil Machinations The first that felt the Weight of their Indignation was one Stephen Colledge commonly known by the Name of The Protestant Joyner a mean Man but a great Talker against the Popish Plot against whom an Indictment of High-Treason was exhibited to the Grand Jury whereof Mr. Wilmore was Fore-man But this Indictment would not go down For the Grand Jury returned an Ignoramus upon it for which Wilmore was apprehended and examined before the Council Aug. 16 and sent to the Tower and was afterward forced to fly his Country But tho' the Design thus miscarried in London yet the Party would not be discouraged and so they laid a new Scene against Colledge at Oxford where they hoped to find a more plyable Grand Jury And to make sure that the Bill might not miscarry the King's Council had prepared Witnesses at the Aâ—izes to post thither and were themselves privately shut up with the Jury till they had found the Bill which was a most unjustifiable and intolerable Practice But because they would seem to allow the poor Man all the Liberty and Advantage imaginable for his own Defence tho' they kept him as close in the Tower as they did Fitz-Harris yet they allow'd him one West for his Sollicitor but it was only with an intent to betray him For as soon as the Bill was found against him one Murtel a Goaler and Sawel a Messenger were dispatch'd to bring him to his Trial Who after they had taken him out of Prison ran him into an House and by order of the King's Council took from him all his Instructions for his Defence which were carried to them as well to disable him to make his Defence as to inable them how to proceed against him by some way he was not provided for to plead for himself I will not enter into a further detail of this way of Procedure but certainly it was the most barbarous and illegal I think that ever was heard of and the whole was nothing else but a Combination of the Judges whereof Sir Francis North was Chief and the Mouth of the Court King 's Council Jury and Evidence as may be seen at large in Sir John Hawles's Learned Observations upon his Trial Yet after all the Man under these severe Circumstances was not wanting to himself but stoutly made his Defence and perhaps as the said Learned Person observes the best Defence all Circumstances consider'd that ever Man made for his Life But had he defended himself with the Tongue of Men and Angels it had availed him nothing For it was a matter resolved upon and he must die and so he was Aug. 18. found guilty of High-Treason and on the 31st of the same Month executed accordingly The same Designs as against Colledge were formed against my Lord of Shaftsbury and took so far that being taken up at his House in Aldersgate-street July the 2d and brought before the Council at Whitehall whither the King came that day on purpose from Windsor he was committed to the Tower But notwithstanding an Inventory of Rogues they got to swear against him and all their
against it basely or inhumanely but what would well consist with the Christian Religion and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom And I thank God I have examined all my Actions in that matter with so great Care that I can appeal to God Almighty who knows my Heart that I went on sincerely without being moved either by Passion By-Ends or ill Design I have always loved my Countrey much more than my Life and never had any Design of changing the Government which I value and look upon as one of the best Governments in the World and would always have been ready to venture my Life for the preserving it and would suffer any Extremity rather than have consented to any Design of taking away the King's Life Neither had any Man the Impudence to propose so base and barbarous a thing to me And I look upon it as a very unhappy and uneasie part of my present Condition that there should be so much as Mention made of so vile a Fact though nothing in the least was said to prove any such Matter but the contrary by my Lord Howard Neither does any Body I am confident believe the least of it So that I need not I think say more For the King I do sincerely pray for him and wish well to him and to the Nation that they may be happy in one another that he may be indeed the Defender of the Faith that the Protestant Religion and the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom may be preserv'd and flourish under his Government and that himself in his Person may be happy both here and hereafter As for the Share I had in the Prosecution of the Popish Plot I take God to Witness that I proceeded in it in the Sincerity of my Heart being then really convinced as I am still that there was a Conspiracy against the King the Nation and the Protestant Religion And I likewise profess that I never knew any thing directly or indirectly of any Practice with the Witnesses which I look upon as so horrid a thing that I never could have endured it For I thank God Falshood and Cruelty were never in my Nature but always the farthest from it imaginable I did believe and do still that Popery is breaking in upon the Nation and that those that advance it will stop at nothing to carry on their Design I am heartily sorry that so many Protestants give their helping hand to it But I hope God will preserve the Protestant Religion and this Nation though I am afraid it will fall under very great Trials and very sharp Sufferings And indeed the Impiety and Profaneness that abounds and appears so scandalously bare-faced every where gives too just an Occasion to fear the worst thing that can befal a People I pray God prevent it and give those who have shewed a Concern for the publick Good and have appeared hearty for the true Interest of the Nation and the Protestant Religion Grace to live so that they may not cast a Reproach on that which they endeavour to advance which God knows has often given me sad Thoughts And I hope such of my Friends as may think they are touched by this will not take what I say in ill Part but will endeavour to amend their ways and live suitable to the Rules of the true Reformed Religion which is the only thing can administer true Comfort at the latter end and relieve a Man when he comes to die As for my present Condition I bless God I have no reâ—pining in my Heart at it I know for my Sins I have deserved much worse at the Hands of God so that I chearfully submit to so small a Punishment as the being taken off a few Years sooner and the being made a Spectacle to the Worlâ— I do freely forgive all the World particularly those concerned in taking away my Life and I desire and conjure all my Friends to think of no Revenge but to submit to the Holy Will of God into whose Hands I resign my self entirely But to look back a little I cannot but give some touch about the Bill of Exclusion and shew the Reasons of my appearing in that Business which in short is this That I thought the Nation in such Danger of Popery and that the Expectation of a Popish Successor as I have said in Parliament put the King's Life likewise in much Danger that I saw no way so effectual to secure both as such a Bill As to the Limitations that were proposed if they were sincerely offered and had passed into a Law the Duke then should have been excluded from the Power of a King and the Government quite altered and a little more than the Name of a King left So I could not see either Sin or Fault in the one when all People were willing to admit of the other But thought it better to have a King with his Prerogative and the Nation easie and safe under him than a King without it which bred perpetual Jealousies and a continual Struggle All this I say only to Justifie my Sâ—ir and not to enâ—lame others Though I cannot but think my earnestness in that matter has had no small Influence in my present Sufferings But I have now done with this World and am going to a Kingdom which cannot be moved And as to the conspiring to seize the Guards which is the Crime for which I am Condemned and which is made a Constructive Treason for taking away the King's Life to bring it within the Statute of Edw. 3. I shall give this true and clear Account I never was at Mr. Shepheard's with that Company but once and there was no undertaking then of securing or seizing the Guards nor none appointed to view or examine them Some Discourse there was of the feasibleness of in and several times by Accident in general Discourse elsewhere I have heard it mentioned as a thing might easily be done but never consented to as a thing fit to be done And I remember particularly at my Lord Shaftsbury's there being some general Discourse of this kind I immediately flow out and exclaimed against it and asked if the thing succeeded what must be done next but mastering the Guards and killing them in cold Blood which I looked upon as a detestable thing and so like a Popish Practice that I could not but abhor it And at the same time the Duke of Monmouth took me by the Hand and told me very kindly My Lord I see you and I are of a Temper did you ever hear so horrid a thing And I must needs do him Justice to declare that I ever observed in him an Abhorrence of all base things As to my going to Mr. Shepheard's I went with an Intention to taste Sherry For he had promised to reserve for me the next very good Piece he met with when I went out of Town And if he recollects himself he may remember I asked him about it and he went and fetch'd a Bottle but
blasted by both Houses of Parliament if there had been any need of it for it was very well known before that a Papist cannot have a Commission but by the Law is utterly disabled and disarmed Will you exchange your Birth-right of English Laws and Liberty for Martial or Club-Law and help to destroy one another only to be eaten last your selves If I know you well as ye are English Men you hate and scorn these Things and therefore be not unequally yoaked with Idolatrous and Bloody Papists Be valiant for the Truth and shew your selves Men. The same Considerations are likewise humbly offered to all the English Sea-men who have been the Bulwark of this Nation against Popery and Slavery ever since 1588. This Address is so plain as to need no Remark upon it and therefore I shall only tell you before I pass to Foreign Affairs that Colonel Talbot formerly mentioned was doing what he would all this time in Ireland while the King himself had settled Affairs so in Scotland when he was High Commissioner and now Argyle was cut off that he did not question but to carry on his Designs more bare-faced there than he had done in England And therefore tho' he did not call a Parliament in that Kingdom till April this Year yet in his Letter to them he took no notice at all of the Protestant Dissenters but recommended to them his innocent Roman Catholick Subjects who had with their Lives and Fortunes been always assistant to the Crown in the worst Rebellions and Usurpations though they lay under Discouragements hardly to be named These he heartily recommended to their Care to the End that as they had given good Experience of their true Loyalty and peaceable Behaviour so by their Assistance they might have the Protection of his Laws and that Security under his Government which others of his Subjects had not suffering them to lie under Obligations which their Religion could not admit of by doing whereof they would give a Demonstration of the Duty and Affection they had to him and do him most acceptable Service And this Love he expected they would shew to their Brethren as they saw he was an indulgent Father to them all This was very kind indeed on the King's part to those of his own Religion and in this kind Mood we will leave him at present and prosecute a little the mighty Affairs of the Campaigns abroad where their Armies were doing much better Feats than ours in England whose greatest Talent was Cursing and Swearing and Riding the Country as themselves pleased I shall make no Recapitulation in this Place of the Progress of the last Campaign in Hungary nor of the Siege of Buda with the ill Success of it the preceding Year viz. 1684 but come to tell you That the Duke of Lorain having joined the Imperial Army in June marched now again towards Buda and by the 21st in the Morning the Imperialists began their Approaches at about 500 Yards distance from the Walls of the Lower Buda making use upon this Occasion of their old Trenches and continued their Works all that Day and the following Night tho' with considerable Difficulty from the Badness of the Earth and the Enemies firing out of the Town from whence a Pole taken at the Siege of Vienna made his Escape with the Basha's Horse 2 Scymiters and his Commanding-Staff who reported to the General That their coming before Buda was very surprizing that the Garrison was not near so strong as when it was besieged before and that the Turks had Intelligence that the Christians had formed a Design upon Alba Regalis and Erla which was true in Fact for it was not concluded to attempt Buda till the 20th of June at a general Council of War hold at Comorra And 2 Days after the Pole came a Janizary out of the Town also and surrender'd himself upon a Dream he had had the Night before that the Christians would become Masters of the Place and put all the Sword as they had done last Year at Neuheusel and that if he fled to the Christians he might find Merty Adding withal that the Garrison was not above 6000 strong This Intelligence made the Germans re-double their Diligence so that the same Day with a Battery of 6 Pieces of Cannon which they had raised they made a Breach in the Wall of the Lower Town which was 5 Foot thick of about 15 Paces which made the Turks fear an Assault that very Night and they prepared for it accordingly but it was deferred till the Day following when after the Basha's Women and about 10000 Pounds in Money had been taken as going by Water from the Town to Belgrade there were a Party of Granadeers commanded to discover whether the Breach were accessible or not which upon their Report of its being so was stormed at Night with such Confusion that if the Turks had kept their Posts they might have cut off all the Assailants But they were so far from that that they not only retired into the Upper Town and by their Proceedings did not think themselves secure there neither for they made a Fire against the New Port that they might see if the Germans attempted any thing by Petard This the Germans did not do but only contented themselves to make a Lodgment upon the Breach From the 25th to the 29th the Besiegers were busie in raising more Batteries and making a Line of Communication between the Lodgment and the Angle of the Wall looking into St. Paul's Valley which they finished and placed 4 Mortars there notwithstanding the Turks in 2 several brisk Sallies endeavoured to hinder them and in their continual firing from the Town all manner of destructive Instruments upon them yet this did not hinder the Besiegers by the 1st of July to raise a Battery to fire upon the Angle of the Round Tower which looks towards St. Paul's Valley and to carry on their Trenches by the Help of that and another Battery so as to take in a Turkish Mosque from whence they returned with an Angle and Parallel Line with Buda till they came to the Right-hand Way leading to the North Part at which the 3 Lines met by the Favour of a Wall and a deep Road under which the Besiegers were covered who now mounted 4 Mortars more with which they continually played upon the Town Their Cannon also by this time had made a considerable Breach which by their advancing another Line from the Place where the 3 Lines met so as to flank the outermost of them and join the Wall of the old Town looking into St. Paul's Valley where they made a Place of Arms capable to hold about 300 Men they now by the 4th were got within 50 Paces of it where they covered themselves from the Enemies Fire The Brandenburghers the same Day arriving in the Camp they took up their Quarters to the Left of the Germans and advanced 2 Parallel Lines to communicate with the others
Exercise of their Religion as by Law Established and in the Quiet and full Enjoyment of all their Possessions without any Molestation on Disturbance whatsoever We do likewise declare That it is Our Royal Will and Pleasure That from henceforth the Execution of all and all manner of Penal Laws in Matters Ecclesiastical for not coming to Church or not Receiving the Sacrament or for any other Non-conformity to the Religion Established or for or by Reason of the Exercise of Religion in any manner whatsoever be immediately suspended And the further Execution of the said Penal Laws and every of them is hereby suspended And to the End that by the Liberty hereby granted the Peace and Security of Our Government in the Practice thereof may not be indangered We have thought fit and do hereby straitly Charge and Command all our Loving Subjects That as We do freely give them Leave to Meet and Serve God after their own Way and Manner be it in Private Houses or Places purposely Hired or Built for that Use so that they take especial Care that nothing be Preached or Taught amongst them which may any ways tend to Alienate the Hearts of Our People from Us or Our Government And that their Meetings and Assemblies be peaceably openly and publickly held and all Persons freely admitted to them And that they do signifie and make known to some one or more of the next Justices of the Peace what Place or Places they set apart for those Uses And that all Our Subjects may enjoy such their Religious Assemblies with greater Assurance and Protection We have thought it requisite and do hereby Command That no Disturbance of any kind be made or given unto them under Pain of Our Displeasure and to be further proceeded against with the uttermost Severity And forasmuch as We are desirous to have the Benefit of the Service of all Our loving Subjects which by the Law of Nature is inseparably annexed to and inherent in Our Royal Person And that none of Our Subjects may for the future be under any Discouragement or Disability who are otherwise well inclined and fit to serve Us by Reason of some Oaths or Tests that have been usually administred on such Occasions We do hereby further declare That it is Our Royal Will and Pleasure that the Oaths commonly called The Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance and also the several Tests and Declarations mentioned in the Acts of Parliament made in the 25th and 30th Years of the Reign of Our late Royal Brother Charles the Second shall not at any time hereafter be required to be Taken Declared or Subscribed by any Person or Persons whatsoever who is or shall be imployed in any Office or Place of Trust either Civil or Military under Us or in Our Government And We do further declare it to be Our Pleasure and Intention from time to time hereafter to Grant Our Royal Dispensations under Our Great Seal to all Our loving Subjects so to be Imployed who shall not take the said Oaths or subscribe or declare the said Tests or Declarations in the above-mentioned Acts and every of them And to the End that all Our Loving Subjects may receive and enjoy the full Benefit and Advantage of Our gracious Indulgence hereby intended and may be acquitted and discharged from all Pains Penalties Forfeitures and Disabilities by them or any of them incurred or forfeited or which they shall or may at any time hereafter be liable to for or by reason of their Non-conformity or the Exercise of their Religion and from all Suits Troubles or Disturbances for the same We do hereby give Our free and ample Pardon unto all Non-conformists Recusants and other Our Loving Subjects for all Crimes and Things by them committed or done contrary to the Penal Laws formerly made relating to Religion and the Profession or Exercise thereof Hereby declaring That this Our Royal Pardon and Indemnity shall be as good and effectual to all Intents and Purposes as if every individual Person had been therein particularly named or had particular Pardons under Our Great Seal which We do likewise declare shall from time to time be granted unto any Person or Persons desiring the same Willing and Requiring Our Judges Justices and other Officers to take Notice of and Obey Our Royal Will and Pleasure herein before declared And although the Freedom and Assurance We have hereby given in relation to Religion and Property might be sufficient to remove from the Minds of our Loving Subjects all Fears and Jealousies in relation to either yet We have thought fit further to declare That We will Maintain them in all their Properties and Possessions as well of Church and Abby-Lands as in any other their Lands and Properties whatsoever Given at Our Court at Whitehall the Fourth Day of April 1687. In the Third Year of Our Reign The Generality of Protestant Dissenters having for near 7 Years together been so severely treated by the Tory Party were as forward to congratulate the King for his Indulgence in several Addresses as the Tories were in King Charles his Time in their Addresses of Abhorrence to Petition the King to call a Parliament to settle the Grievances of the Nation However this Declaration was drawn up so in sight of every Bird that most part of the Thinking sort of Dissenters did dread and detest it But yet to make it more passable Popish Judges were made in Westminister-Hall and Popish Justices of the Peace and Deputy-Lieutenants all England over while the Privy-Council was filled up with Popish Councellors nay the Savoy was laid open to instruct Youth in the Popish Religion and Popish Principles which gave Occasion to that good Man Dr. Tenison now Archbishop of Canterbury and it ought to be remembred always to his Honour to erect his Free School at St. Martins in opposition to it But this would not stop the Popish Zeal for other Schools to the same End were encouraged in London and all other Places in England and 4 Foreign Popish Bishops as Vicars Apostolical were allowed in Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction all England and Wales over And because his Majesty would not be wanting to pay his Duty as well as other Catholick Princes to the common Father of them all the Pope the Earl of Castlemain was sent Embassador to Rome to tender the King's Obedience to the Holy and Apostolical See with great Hopes of extirpating the Northern pestilent Heresie In return whereof the Pope sent his Nuncio to give the King his Holy Benediction and that without sending before-hand as his Predecessors were wont to do for leave to enter the Kingdom To all this we may add that the Judges in their Circuits had their private Instructions to know how Men stood affected towards the King's Dispensing Power and those who shewed the least Dislike of it were turned out of their Offices and Employments without any more ado And that these Things might be acted with Security Tyrconnel having disbanded the English Army in
steering a Channel Course Westward the Wind at E. N. E. a fresh Gale and on the 5th passing by Dartmouth it being hazy Weather they overshot Torbay where the Prince designed to Land But about 9 a Clock the Weather cleared up and the Wind changed to W. S. W. and the Fleet stood Eastward with a moderate Gale being about 4 or 500 Sail whereof there was 51 Men of War and 18 Fireships This Change of Wind was observed by Dr. Burnet to be of no long Duration but it immediately choped into another Corner when it had executed its Commission While the Prince was landing his Army and advanced to Exeter the King was vainly endeavouring to sooth the People by redressing the Disorders committed by the Soldiers and Promises of a Parliament which several of the Bishops and Nobility petitioned might be a Free Regular one in all its Circumstances wherewith His Majesty to discover his good Disposition did not appear by his Answer to be well-pleased And all Endeavours were used to make the Prince and his Army contemptible in the sight of the People by Printing a List of them and giving out That none of the Nobility and Gentry but only a few Rabble appeared for him and that the Prince's Declaration might be kept close from the Knowledge of the People yet it did not continue so long with the Prince whose Army was considerably augmented by the Junction of divers Persons of good Quality with him Neither could the Court any longer keep the Declaration suppress'd and therefore they suffered the same to be Printed with a Preface and some modest Remarks as the Author pretends on it VVhich Declaration was this that follows The Declaration of His Highness WILLIAM HENRY by the Grace of God Prince of Orange c. of the Reasons inducing him to appear in Arms in the Kingdom of ENGLAND for preserving of the Protestant Religion and for Restoring of the Laws and Liberties of England Scotland and Ireland I. IT is both certain and evident to all Men That the Publick Peace and Happiness of any State or Kingdom cannot be preserved where the Laws Liberties and Customs Established by the Lawful Authority in it are openly transgressed and annulled More especially where the Alteration of Religion is endeavoured and that a Religion which is contrary to Law is endeavoured to be introduced Upon which those who are most immediately concerned in it are indispensably bound to endeavour to maintain and preserve the Established Laws Liberties and Customs and above all the Religion and Worship of God that is Established among them and to take such an Effectual Care that the Inhabitants of the said State or Kingdom may neither be deprived of their Religion nor of their Civil Rights which is so much the more necessary because the Greatness and Security both of Kings Royal Families and of all such as are in Authority as well as the Happiness of their Subjects and People depend in a most especial manner upon the exact Observation and Maintenance of these their Laws Liberties and Customs II. Upon these Grounds it is that we can't any longer forbear to declare That to our great Regret we see that those Counsellors who have now the chief Credit with the King have overturned the Religion Laws and Liberties of these Realms and subjected them in all things relating to their Consciences Liberties and Properties to Arbitrary Government and that not only by secret and indirect VVays but in an open and undisguised Manner III. These Evil Counsellors for the Advancing and Colouring this with some plausible Pretexts did invent and set on Foot the King 's Dispensing Power by Virtue of which they pretend that according to Law he can suspend and dispense with the Execution of the Laws that have been enacted by the Authority of the King and Parliament for the Security and Happiness of the Subject and so have rendred those laws of no effect though there is nothing more certain than that as no Laws can be made but by the joynt Concurrence of the King and Parliament so likewise Laws so Enacted which secure the Publick Peace and Safety of the Nation and the Lives and Liberties of every Subject in it cannot be repealed or suspended but by the same Authority IV. For though the King may pardon the Punishment that a Transgressor has incurred and for which he is condemned as in the Cases of Treason or Felony yet it cannot be with any colour of Reason inferred from thence that the King can entirely suspend the Execution of those Laws relating to Treason or Felony unless it is pretended that he is cloathed with a Despotick and Arbitrary Power and that the Lives Liberties Honours and Estates of the Subjects depend wholly on his Good Will and Pleasure and are entirely subject to him which must infallibly follow on the King 's having a Power to suspend the Execution of the Laws and to dispense with them V. Those Evil Counsellors in order to the giving some Credit to this strange and execrable Maxim have so conducted the Matter that they have obtained a Sentence from the Judges declaring That this Dispensing Power is a Right belonging to the Crown as if it were in the Power of the Twelve Judges to offer up the Laws Rights and Liberties of the whole Nation to the King to de disposed of by him Arbitrarily and at his Pleasure and expresly contrary to Laws Enacted for the Security of the Subjects In order to the obtaining of this Judgment those Evil Counsellors did before-hand examine secretly the Opinion of the Judges and procured such of them as could not in Conscience concur in so pernicious a Sentence to be turned out and others to be substituted in their Rooms till by the Changes that were made in the Courts of Judicature they at last obtained that Judgment And they have raised some to those Trusts who make open Profession of the Popish Religion tho' those are by Law render'd incapable of all such Employments VI. It is also manifest and notorious that as His Majesty was upon his coming to the Crown received and acknowledged by all the Subjects of England Scotland and Ireland as their King without the least Opposition tho' he made then open Profession of the Popish Religion so he did then promise and solemnly swear at his Coronation That he would maintain His Subjects in the free Enjoyment of their Laws and Liberties And in particular That he would maintain the Church of England as it was Established by Law It is likewise certain that there have been at divers and sundry times several Laws Enacted for the Preservation of those Rights and Liberties and of the Protestant Religion And among other Securities it has been Enacted That all Persons whatsoever that are advanced to any Ecclesiastical Dignity or to bear Office in the University as likewise all others that should be put into any Employment Civil or Military should declare that they were not Papists but were
these our good Intentions that they have endeavoured to alienate the King more and more from us as if we had designed to disturb the Quiet and Happiness of the Kingdom XVIII The last and great Remedy for all these Evils is the Calling of a Parliament for securing the Nation against those evil Practices of those wicked Counsellors but this could not be yet compassed nor can be easily brought about For those Men apprehending that a Lawful Parliament being once Assembled they would be brought to an Account for all their open Violations of Law and for their Plots and Conspiracies against the Protestant Religion and the Lives and Liberties of the Subjects they have endeavoured under the specious Pretence of Liberty of Conscience first to sow Divisions among Protestants between those of the Church of England and Dissenters The Design being laid to engage Protestants that are equally concerned to preserve themselves from Popish Oppression into Mutual Quarrellings that so by these some Advantages may be given to them to bring about their Designs and that both in the Election of Members of Parliament and afterwards in the Parliament it self For they see well that if all Protestants could enter into a good understanding one with another and concur together in the preserving of their Religion it would not be possible for them to compass their wicked Ends. They have also required all Persons in the several Counties of England that either were in any Employment or were in any considerable Esteem to declare before-hand that they would concur in the Repeal of the Penal Laws and that they would give their Voices in the Elections to Parliament only for such as would concur in it Such as would not thus preingage themselves were turn'd out of all Employments and others who entred into those Engagements were put in their Places many of them being Papists And contrary to the Charters and Priviledges of those Boroughs that have a Right to send Burgesses to Parliament they have ordered such Regulations to be made as they thought fit and necessary for assuring themselves of all the Members that are to be chosen by those Corporations and by this means they hope to avoid that Punishment which they have deserved tho' it is apparent that all Acts made by Popish Magistrates are null and void of themselves So that no Parliament can be Lawful for which the Elections and Returns are made by Popish Magistrates Sheriffs and Mayors of Towns and therefore as long as the Authority and Magistracy is in such Hands it is not possible to have any Lawful Parliament And tho' according to the Constitution of the English Government and Immemorial Custom all Elections of Parliament-Men ought to be made with an entire Liberty without any sort of Force or the requiring the Electors to chuse such Persons as shall be named to them and the Persons thus freely Elected ought to give their Opinions freely upon all Matters that are brought before them having the Good of the Nation ever before their Eyes and following in all things the Dictates of their Conscience yet now the People of England cannot expect a Remedy from a Free Parliament Legally Called and Chosen But they may perhaps see one Called in which all Elections will be carried by Fraud or Force and which will be composed of such Persons of whom those evil Counsellors hold themselves well assured in which all things will be carried on according to their Direction and Interest without any regard to the Good or Happiness of the Nation Which may appear evidently from this That the same Persons tried the Members of the last Parliament to gain them to consent to the Repeal of the Test and Penal Laws and procured that Parliament to be dissolved when they found that they could not neither by Promises nor Threatnings prevail with the Members to comply with their wicked Design XIX But to Crown all there are great and violent Presumptions inducing us to believe that those Evil Counsellors in order to the carrying on their ill Designs and to the gaining to themselves the more time for the effecting of them for the Encouragement of their Complices and for the discouraging of all good Subjects have publish'd That the Queen hath brought forth a Son tho' there have appeared both during the Queen's pretended Bigness and in the manner in which the Birth was managed so many just and visible Grounds of Suspicion that not only we our selves but all the Good Subjects of this Kingdom do vehemently suspect That the pretended Prince of Wales was not born by the Queen And it was notoriously known to all the World that many both doubted of the Queen's Bigness and of the Birth of the Child and yet there was not any one thing done to satisfie them or put an end to their Doubts XX. And since Our dearest and most entirely Beloved Consort the Princess and likewise We Our Selves have so great an Interest in this Matter and such a Right as all the World knows to the Succession to the Crown Since all the English did in the Year 1672. when the States General of the Vnited Provinces were invaded with a most unjust War use their utmost Endeavours to put an end to that War and that in Opposition to those who were then in the Government and by their so doing they run the hazard of losing both the Favour of the Court and their Employments And since the English Nation has ever testified a most particular Affection and Esteem both to our dearest Consort the Princess and to Our selves We cannot excuse our selves from espousing their Interest in a Matter of such High Consequence And for contributing all that lies in us for the maintaining both of the Protestant Religion and of the Laws and Liberties of those Kingdoms and for the Securing to them the continual Enjoyment of all their just Rights To the doing of which We are most earnestly sollicited by a great many Lords both Sipiritual and Temporal and by many Gentlemen and other Subjects of all Ranks XXI Therefore it is That We have thought fit to go over to England and to carry over with us a Force sufficient by the Blessing of God to defend us from the Violence of those Evil Counsellors And We being desirous that our Intentions in this might be rightly understood have for this end prepared this Declaration in which as We have hitherto given a True Account of the Reasons inducing us to it so we now think fit to declare That this our Expedition is intended for no other Design but to have a Free and Lawful Parliament Assembled as soon as it is possible and that in order to this all the late Charters by which the Elections of Burgesses are limitted contrary to the Ancient Custom shall be considered as null and of no Force And likewise all Magistrates who have been unjustly turned out shall forthwith resume their former Employments as well as all the Boroughs of England shall return
Confession of those Violences of the Government that we have set forth so the Defectiveness of it is no less apparent For they lay down nothing which they may not take up at pleasure and they reserve entire and not so much as mentioned their Claims and Pretences to an Arbitrary and Despotick Power which has been the Root of all their Oppression and of the Total Subversion of the Government And it is plain That there can be no Redress no Remedy offered but in Parliament by a Declaration of the Rights of the Subjects that have been invaded and not by any pretended Acts of Grace to which the Extremity of their Affairs has driven them Therefore it is that we have thought fit to declare That we will Refer all to a Free Assembly of this NATION in a Lawful Parliament Given under Our Hand and Seal at Our Court in the Hague the 24th Day of October in the Year of Our Lord 1688. WILLIAM HENRY Prince of Orange By His Highness's Special Command C. HUYGENS. At the same time an Extract of the States-General's Resolution was privately Printed at London wherein among other Reasons why they had intrusted the Prince of Orange with such a Fleet and Army is this which follows THE King of France hath upon several Occasions shewed himself dissatisfied with this State which gave Cause to fear and apprehend that in case the King of Great Britain should happen to compass within his Kingdom and obtain an Absolute Power over his People that then both Kings out of the Interest of State and Hatred and Zeal against the Protestant Religion would endeavour to bring this State to confusion and if possible quite to subject it There was also Printed about the same Juncture this Letter of the Prince of Orange to the Officers of the Army Gentlemen and Friends WE have given you so full and so true an Account of Our Intentions in this Expedition in Our Declaration that as We can add nothing to it so We are sure you can desire nothing more of Us. We are come to preserve your Religion and to Restore and Establish your Liberties and Properties And therefore We cannot suffer Our Selves to doubt but that all true English Men will come and concur with Us in Our Desire to Secure these Nations from Popery and Slavery You must all plainly see That you are only made use of as Instruments to enslave the Nation and ruine the Protestant Religion and when that is done you may judge what ye your selves ought to expect both from the Cashiering all the Protestant and English Officers and Soldiers in Ireland and by the Irish Soldiers being brought over to be put in your Places and of which you have seen so fresh an Instance that We need not put you in mind of it You know how many of your Fellow-Officers have been used for their standing firm to the Protestant Religion and to the Laws of England And you cannot flatter your selves so far as to expect to be better used if those who have broke their Word so often should by your Means be brought out of those Streights to which they are at present reduced We hope likewise that ye will not suffer your selves to be abused by a false Notion of Honour but that you will in the first place consider what you owe to Almighty God and your Religion to your Country to your Selves to your Posterity which you as Men of Honour ought to prefer to all private Considerations and Engagements whatsoever We do therefore expect That you will consider the Honour that is now set before you of being the Instruments of Serving your Country and Securing your Religion and We shall ever remember the Service you shall do Us upon this Occasion and will promise you that We shall place such particular Marks of Our Favour on every one of you as your Behaviour at this time shall deserve of Us and the Nation in which We shall make a great Distinction of those that shall come seasonably to join their Arms with Ours And you shall find Us to be your Well-wishing and assured Friend W. H. P. O. This Letter was spread under-hand over the whole Kingdom and read by all sorts of Men and the Reason of it being undeniable it had a great Force on the Spirits of the Soldiery so that those who did not presently comply with it yet resolved they would never strike one stroke in this Quarrel till they had a Parliament to secure the Religion Laws and Liberties of England Which the Court on the other side had resolved should not be granted till the Prince of Orange with his Army was expelled out of the Nation and till all those that had submitted to him which were not many then were reduced into their Power to be treated as they thought fit In the mean time the Fleet came about from the Buoy in the Nâ—re to Portsmouth under the Command of the Lord Dartmouth where it arrived on Saturday the 17th of November and on the Monday following the KING entred Salisbury which was then the Head Quarters of the whole Army But on the 16th of the aforesaid Month the Lord Delamere having received certain Intelligence of the Landing of the Prince of Orange in the West and seeing the Irish throng over in Arms under pretence of Assisting the King but in reality to enslave us at Home as they had already reduced our Country-Men in Ireland to the lowest Degree of Danger and Impuissance that they have at any time been in since the Conquest of Ireland in the Reign of King Henry II. He thereupon Assembled Fifty Horse-Men and at the Head of them marched to Manchester and the next Day he went to Bodon-Downes his Forces being then 150 strong declaring his Design was To join with the Prince of Orange This small Party of Men by degrees drew in all the North and could never be suppressed Now before His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange left Exeter there was an Association drawn up and signed by all the Lords and Gentlemen that were with him the Date of which I cannot assign but the Words thereof are as follow VVE whose Names are hereunto subscribed who have now joined with the Prince of Orange for the Defence of the Protestant Religion and for the maintaining the Antient Government and the Laws and Liberties of England Scotland and Ireland do engage to Almighty God to His Highness the Prince of Orange and to one another to stick firm to this Cause and to one another in Defence of it and never to depart from it until our Religion Laws and Liberties are so far secured to us in a Free Parliament that we shall be no more in danger of falling into Popery and Slavery And whereas we are engaged in this Common Cause under the Protection of the Prince of Orange by which means his Person may be exposed to Danger and to the cursed Attempts of Papists and other Bloody Men we do therefore solemnly
Order they shall receive from Feversham This was directly a clear and full Abdication or Desertion of the Army which unavoidably necessitated them to submit to the Prince of Orange they having no Body to lead or head them against him And it is not conceivable how they could avoid entring into an Association or Oath of Allegiance to the Prince now the King had left them without exposing themselves by resisting a Foreign Army and a poisoned Nation For neither would the Nation continue long without a Prince nor would any Person who should have succeeded in that Capacity have suffered them to live within his Government without giving him Security by Oath for their Submission and Loyaly to him So that the whole Design of this Letter seems to be the Sowing Division in the Nation that when he left us we might not unite or settle our selves under the other but be divided by our Principles that so we might the more easily reduce us again into the State we are in when the Prince first designed his Expedition against England The King being gone as above-said Decem. 11. in the Morning the Principal Officers of the Army about the Town thereupon met about 10 a Clock at Whitehal and sent an Express to the Prince of Orange to acquaint him with the Departure of the King and to assure him that they would assist the Lord Mayor to keep the City quiet till his Highness came and made the Souldiery to enter into his Service Much about the same time the Lords Spiritual and Temporal about the Town came to Guildhal and sending for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen made the following Declartion The Declaration of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in and about the Cities of London and Westminster Aâ—â—â—mbled at Guild Hall the 14th of December 1688. VVE doubt not but the World believes that in this great and dangerous Conjuncture we are heartily and zealously concerned for the Protestant Religion the Laws of the Land and the Liberties and Properties of the Subject And we did reasonably hope that the King having issued out his Proclamation and Writs for a Free Parliament we might have rested secure under the Expectation of that Meeting But His Majesty having withdrawn himself and as we apprehend in order to his Departurâ— out of this Kingdom by the pernicious Counsels of Persons ill affected to our Nation and Roligion we cannot without being wanting to our Duty be silent under those Calamities wherein the Popish Counsels which so long prevailed have miserably involved these Realms We do therefore unanimously resolve to apply our selves to his Highness the Prince of Orange who with so great Kindness to these Kingdoms so vast Expence and so much Hazard hath undertaken by endeavouring to procure a Free Parliament to rescue us with as little effusion of Christian Blood as possible from the eminent Dangers of Popery and Slavery And we do hereby declare That we will with our utmost Endeavours assist his Highness in the obtaining such a Parliament with all speed wherein our Laws our Liberties and Properties may be secured the Church of England in particular with a due Liberty to Protestant Dissenters and in general the Protestant Religion and Interest over the whole World may be supported and encouraged to the Glory of God the Happiness of the Established Government in these Kingdoms and the Advantage of all Princes and States in Christendom that may be herein concerned In the mean time we will endeavour to preserve as much as in us lies the Peace and Security of these great and popalous Cities of London and Westminster and the parts adjacent by taking care to disarm all Papists and secure all Jesuits and Romish Priests who are in or about the same And if there be any thing more to be performed by Us for promoting his Highnes's Generous Intentions for the Publick Good we shall be ready to do it as occasion requires Signed W. Cant. T. Ebor. Pembrook Dorset Mulgrave Thanet Carlisle Craven Ailesbury Burlington Sussex Berkeley Rochester Newport Weymouth P. Winchester W. Asaph F. Ely Thoâ— Roffen Tho. Petriburg P. Wharton North and Gray Chandois Montague T. Jermâ—n Vaughan Carbery Culpeper Crewe Osulston Whereas His Majesty hath privately this Morning withdrawn himself we the Lords Spiritual and Temporal whose Names are hereunto Subscribed being Assembled in Guild-Hall in London having agreed upon and signed a Declaration of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in and about the Cities of London and Westminster Assembled at Guildhall the 11th of Decemb. 1688. do desire the Right Honourable the Earl of Pembrook the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount Weymouth the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Ely and the Right Honourable the Lord Culpeper forthwith to attend His Highness the Prince of ORANGE with the said Declaration and at the same time to acquaint his Highness with what we have further done at this Meeting Dated at Guild-Hall Decemb. 11. 1688. The same Day the Lieutenancy of London signed this following Address to the Prince of Orange at Guild-Hall and sent it by Sir Robert Clayton Kt. Sir Will. Russel Sir Basil Firebrace Kts. and Charles Duncomb Esq May it please your Highness VVE can never sufficiently express the deep Sense we have conceived and shall ever retain in our Hearts that your Highness has exposed your Person to so many Dangers by Sea and Land for the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and the Laws and Liberties of this Kingdom without such unparalleled Undertaking we must probably have suffered all the Miseries that Popery and Slavery could have brought upon us We have been greatly concerned that before this Time we had not any reasonable Opportunity to give Your Highness and the World a Real Testimony That it has been our firm Resolution to venture all that is dear to us to attain those Glorious Ends which your Highness has proposed for Restoring and Settling these Distracted Nations We therefore now unanimously present to your Highness our Just and Due Acknowledgments for that happy Relief you have brought to us and that we may not be wanting in this present Conjuncture we have put our selves into such a posture that by the Blessing of GOD we may be capable to prevent all ill Designs and to preserve this City in Peace and Safety till your Highness's happy Arrival We therefore humbly desire that your Highness will please to repair to this City with what convenient speed you can for the perfecting the Great Work which your Highness has so happily begun to the general Joy and Satisfaction of us all The Prince of Orange in the mean time finding the Kings Troops now without Head to commit many Disorders put forth the following Declaration By the Prince of Orange A Declaration VVHereas We are informed That divers Regiments Troops and Companies have been incouraged to disperse themselves in an Vnusual and Vnwarrantable Manner whereby the Publick Peace is very much disturbed We have thought fit hereby
very obstinate Fight which lasted till night But though Mackay lost the Field and retreated that night to Sterling after having lost a great many Men yet the Death of Dundee who was slain in this Battel did more than compensate the other's Loss seeing he was the Life of that Party who dwindled away ever after and were worsted every where and particularly once and again at St. Johnstown in the last Conflict of which the single Regiment of the Earl of Angus under the Command of Lieutenant Colonel Cleeland gave so entire a Defeat to their whole Power which amounted to near 4000 Men that they never appeared in any considerable Body ever after and many of the Chief of them thereupon made their submission though this hapned with the Death of that brave Lieutenant Colonel who if it had pleased God deserved a better Fate But how prosperous soever King William's Affairs went in Britain where still there were a little rascally Conspiracies against him they did not do so in Ireland for there Tirconnel was setting all things in order to secure that Kingdom for the late King with whom Hambleton a profest Papist who by a fatal Mistake was sent over from England to induce him to lay down the Sword traiterously joined in and so the Opportunity for the present was lost and an advantage given to the late King to endeavour that way to regain the rest of his lost Dominions since he was like to receive little Assistance from any other Prince save what the French King might do For the Emperor to whom he wrote his Complaint and whose Assistance he craved was so far from complying with his Desires that though he pittied his Condition yet he reprimanded him for his Folly as you may see by his Letter to him upon the Occasion which was to this purpose The Emperor of Germany's Account of K. James's Misgovernment in joining with the K. of France the common Enemy of Christendom in his Letter to K. James LEOPOLD c. WE have received your Majesties Letter dated from St. Germains the 6th of February last by the Earl of Carlingford the Envoy in our Court by whom we have understood the Condition your Majesty is reduced to and that you being deserted after the landing of the Prince of Orange by your Army and even by the Domestick Servants and by those you most confided in and almost by all your Subjects you have been forced by a sudden flight to provide for your own safety and to seek shelter and protection in France lastly that you desire Assistance from us for the recovering your Kingdoms We do assure your Majesty that assoon as we heard of this severe Turn of Affairs we were moved at it not only with the common sense of humanity but with much deep impressions suitable to the sincere Affection which we have always born to you and we were heartily sorry that at last that was come to pass which though we hoped for better things yet our own sad thoughts had suggested to us would ensue If your Majesty had rather given credit to the friendly Remonstrances that were made you by our late Envoy the Count De Kaunitz in our Name than the deceitful Insinuations of the French whose chief aim was by fomenting continual Divisions between you and your People to gain thereby an opportunity to insult the more securely over the rest of Christendom and if your Majesty had put a stop by Force and Authority to their many infractions of the Peace of which by the Treaty at Nimeguen you are made the Guarantee and to that end entred into Consultations with us and such others as have the like just Sentiments in this matter we are verily perswaded that by these means you should have in a great measure quieted the minds of the People who were so much exasperated through their aversion to our Religion and the publick Peace had been as well preserved in your Kingdoms as here in the Roman Empire but now we refer it even to your Majesty to judge what condition we can be in to afford you any assistance who being not only engaged in a War with the Turks but finding our selves at the same time unjustly and barbarously attack'd by the French contrary to and against the Faith of Treaties they then knowing themselves secure of England and this ought not to be concealed that the greatest Injuries which have been done to our Religion have flowed from no other than from the French themselves who not only esteem'd it lawful for them to make perfidious Vows with the sworn Enemies of the Holy Cross tending to the Destruction both of us and the whole Christian World in order to the checking our endeavours which were undertaken for the Glory of God and to stop those Successes which it hath pleased the Almighty God to give us hitherto but further have heaped one Treachery upon another even within the Empire it self The Cities of the Empire which were surrendred upon Articles signed by the Dauphin himself have been exhausted by excessive Impositions and after their being exhausted have been plundered after plundering have been burned and raced the Palaces of Princes who in all times and even in the most destructive Wars have been preserved are now burnt to the ground the Churches are robb'd and such as submitted themselves to them are in a most barbarous manner carried away as Slaves In short it is become a Diversion unto them to commit all manner of Insolence and Cruelty in many places but chiefly in Catholick Countries exceeding the Cruelties of the Turks themselves who having imposed an absolute necessity upon us to secure our selves and the holy Roman Empire by the best means we can think on and that no less against them than against the Turks we promise our selves from your Justice readily to assent to this that it ought not to be imputed to us if we endeavour to procure by a just War that security to our selves which we could not hitherto obtain by so many Treaties and that in order to the obtaining thereof we take measures for our mutual Defence of Preservation with all those who are equally concerned in the same Design with us It remains that we should beg of God that he would direct all things to his Glory and that he would grant your Majesty true and solid Comforts under this your great Calamity We embrace you with the tender affection of a Brother At Vienna the 9th of April 1689. But though his Imperial Majesty declined to give him any helping hand and that other Catholick Princes in imitation of his Example made it no difficulty to do so too yet he was so elated with an Opinion of the Bravery and Fidelity of the Irish that he embark'd at Brest and landed in that Kingdom March 12th with about 1800 Auxiliary French This pace of the French besides the English Nation 's desire the King's Obligations to his Allies and many other weighty Reasons brought
way towards the introducing the Popish Religion into the Nation they took especial care to prevent the like for the future by Enacting in concurrence with the Royal Authority That the Kings and Queens of England should be obliged at their coming to the Crown to take the Test in the first Parliament that should be called at the beginning of their Reign and in the Bill of Succession added a Clause That if any King or Queen of England should embrace the Roman Catholick Religion or Marry with a Roman Catholick Prince or Princess their Subjects should be absolved from their Oaths of Allegiance They also annull'd the pretended Parliament in Ireland and also ordained That all those who should take up Arms against the King after the 24th of Feb. or should hold Correspondence with his Enemies should be guilty of high Treason And granted the King 2 Shillings in the Pound upon Land with the necessary Clauses and Restrictions and appropriated Part of the Mony for Payment of the Seamen and setting out the Fleet. After this being prorogued to the 12th of Apr. they were by Proclamation dissolved upon the 6th of Febr. and the King by the same Proclamation called a Parliament to meet on the 30th of March to whom he delivered himself to this Effect That being resolved to omit nothing on his Part that might contribute to the Peace and Prosperity of the Nation and to that end believing his Presence absolutely necessary in Ireland for the Reducing of that Kingdom he had called them together to desire their Assistance that he might be in a Capacity to carry on the War there with Speed and Vigour To which purpose he desired them to hasten the settling of the Revenues of the Crown and that he might have a Fund in the mean time settled upon the Credit whereof he might raise Mony for the present Exigences of the Nation Then he recommended to them the passing of an Act of Oblivion such as he had ordered to be drawn up for the preventing the loss of time usually spent in Deliberations of that kind and wherein but few were excepted that his Subjects might see he had no other Intentions but such as were conformable to the Laws of the Land and to leave those without Excuse that should go about to disturb the Government in his Absence And lastly recommended to them the Vnion with Scotland and then informed them That he intended during his Absence to leave the Administration of the Government in the Hands of the Queen and desired them to prepare an Act to that Purpose concluding with an earnest Desire that they would be as speedy in the Dispatch of Business as possibly they could in regard his Expedition into Ireland would not admit of any long Session The Parliament went roundly to work upon this Speech of the King 's yet so that it took up some time before they could bring all their Matters to bear But at length the Act of Oblivion after many Difficulties removed and so long desired by the King was approved and past so was another for putting the Administration of the Government into the Queen's Hands not only during the King's Absence in Ireland but when-ever his Affairs should call him out of the Kingdom They also found out Ways to raise the Subsidies that were granted settled the Revenues and divers Persons did in the mean time advance Money for the King 's present Occasions and that nothing might happen to the Prejudice of the Government while the King was absent the Deputy-Lieutenants of the Counties were authorized to raise the Militia in case of necessity and all Roman Catholicks ordered to repair to their places of Abode and not to stir above 5 Miles from thence without leave and all that held any Imployment in the State tho' never so inconsiderable to swear Fidelity to the King and Queen Thus Matters being brought to a good Conclusion his Majesty after returning them his Thanks Prorogued them to the 17th of June and then hasted for Ireland where he arrived on the 14th of the same Month and where at present we shall leave him and see what was doing nearer home The Rebels in Scotland under the Command of Colonel Cannon tho' not otherwise considerable for their Strength then by the unaccessible Places they possess'd in the Highlands yet continued still in a Body and took their Opportunity to make frequent Incursions into the Low-lands to plunder and spoil more like a Company of Banditti than Regular Troops over whom the Government there however kept a vigilant Eye and detected some Correspondence held between them and other Persons in Edenburg and elsewhere who before pretended to be Friends but it ended in the close Confinement of them Yet notwithstanding all this they could not prevent them from receiving some Succour from without For King James notwithstanding the Delay of the French Succours which did not arrive in Ireland before the 4th of March yet built so very much upon them that tho' he had neither Ammunition nor Provision to spare he caused in the mean time two Frigats to be rigged up at Dublin laden with Cloaths Arms and Ammunition and sent them away to his Friends in Scotland having besides on Board them Colonel Buchan Colonel Wauhup and about 40 Commission-Officers more who had all the good Luck to get safe into the Isle of Mull. With this Reinforcement they were so incouraged that sometime after that they adventured to the number of 1500 to march as far as Strathspag in the County of Murray which Sir Thomas Levingstone no sooner understood and being unwilling to give them any Opportunity for a farther Accession of Strength in being joyned with other Malecontents but he took along with him 800 Foot 6 Troops of Dragoons and 2 Troops of Horse and fell upon them so suddenly that the Horse and Dragoons entring their Camp put them into such an immediate Confusion that they betook themselves to flight leaving between 4 and 500 of their Number slain upon the Spot an 100 taken Prisoners and among them 4 Captains 3 Lieutenants and 2 Ensigns nor had any of them escaped had not a thick Mist fell in the height of the Execution This was no sooner done but Sir Thomas advanced to the Castle of Lethirgdey commanded by Colonel Buchan's Nephew and having lodged a Mine under it quickly brought the Garrison to surrender at Discretion Neither was Major Ferguson less successful in the Isle of Mull where he landed and destroy'd several Places belonging to the Enemy forcing them to desert the Castle of Dewart and betake themselves to the Hills Nor yet was the Blow given them by the Scotch Parliament of less Importance for besides their Passing an Act to restore the Presbyterian Ministers that were thrust from their Churches since the 1st of Jan. 1661. they made another declaring all those Rebels that were actually in Arms against the King and Queen But notwithstanding the ill Success of the Jacobites in
Scotland the whole Party would not seem thereby to be discouraged especially those in England who thought it a very opportune Season while the King was absent to attempt something considerable to the Advantage of their Cause And therefore having timely concerted Matters with their Friends on the other side of the Water it was so agreed That while part of the French Fleet should bear up into the Thames to favour and assist the Designs of those that were in London who were very numerous by the flocking of a great many of the Conspirators from all Parts of the Country thither they were to have made an Insurrection in several Places at once Certain Persons were to have taken upon them the Administration of Affairs till the Return of King James who was to leave the Command of his Army to his Generals and hasten with all Speed into England The other part of the French Fleet having joyned their Gallies was to have landed 8000 Men at Torbay with Arms for a greater Number after which the Gallies and Men of War were to Sail into the Irish Sea to hinder the Return of King William and his Forces Their Party in Scotland was to have revolted at the same time in several Parts of that Kingdom But however the Matter was in reality the whole Contrivance seems to have been founded upon a Presumption if not Assurance of the English Fleet being first beaten by the French of which whether they had any foresight otherwise than from the inequality of the Strength which was considerably at this time to the Advantage of France I am not able to unriddle Yet the Conspiracy by the timous Discovery of it proved a vain Contrivance tho' the Grounds upon which the Formation thereof seemed to depend proved but too successful For all the French Fleet having entred the Channel as before concerted they veered some time upon the English Coast as expecting the Effect of the Conspiracy which was to have broken out the 18th of June of which the Queen had no sooner notice but she sent the Earl of Torrington who was Admiral Orders to fight the Enemy what-ever befel him as knowing they could have no good Design by coming so near us But how dishonourable soever this Action seemed to be to the English Nation yet there was one Circumstance that attended it that was somewhat favourable For the People generally were possess'd with an Opinion of the English Seamens Courage and Bravery above those of the French and many with so high a Conceit of the Admiral that Commanded them that it was some days before they could be brought to be perswaded of the Truth of what had happened And their Concern about it even then was much alleviated by the good News we had of his Majesty's Success in Ireland at the Battle at the Boyne which was fought the day after and of which by and by But we must first return where we left off in Ireland and that was to the Army going from Dundalk into their Winter Quarters and take a short View of the State of things there till the King's Arrival Dundalk Camp was not the only the Place that proved fatal to our Army in Ireland for they died in great numbers both Officers and Souldiers after they got into Quarters and among the former Colonel Langston departed this Life of a Fever at Lisburn and my Lord Hewet and the Lord Roscommon of the same Distemper at Chester So that about the beginning of the new Year several Regiments were broke into others and the Officers continued at half Pay till Provision could be made for them in other Regiments whilst others went over into England for Recruits However Sickness by degrees abating about the beginning of Febr. they found both Men and Horses such as survived in pretty good Heart when the General being informed that the Enemy were drawing down some Forces towards Dundalk and that they had laid in great Store of Corn Hay and other Provisions with a Design from thence to disturb our Frontier Garrisons sent a considerable Body of Horse and Foot that way himself following them on the 11th towards Drummore in order to wait the Enemies Motion But the Irish designs at this time lay another way For while the Duke was upon this Expedition there was Notice given Colonel Woolsâ—ey that they had a Design to fall upon Belturbet which he had taken from them a little before and that to that end a considerable number of them were advanced to Cavan and more to follow who thereupon marched diligently from Belturbet with 700 Foot and 300 Horse and Dragoons in the Evening towards them as thinking to surprize them next Morning ealry they being not above 8 Miles off But he met with so many Difficulties in his March that instead of being before day light at the Place he designed it was not only half an hour after break of day before he came in sight of it but also the Enemy had got notice of his coming So that instead of surprizing them he might well have been surprized himself For the first thing he saw was a Body of the Enemy drawn up in good Order and might consist of about 4000 Men but there being no retreating now either with Honour or Safety the Colonel was resolved to stand stoutly to it and therefore having first told his Men the Advantages of being brave and the inevitable Ruin of the whole Party if they proved otherwise and thereupon finding them very compliant to his Desire he sent a Party of Iniskilling Dragoons towards the Enemy who were presently charged by a great Body of their Horse and beat back past the Front of their own Foot who were so enraged at them that some of Major General Kirk's Men and Colonel Wharton's fired upon them and killed 7 or 8 of the number but some of the Enemies Horse pursued them so far that many of them were killed by our Foot as they endeavoured to get off By this time the Body of the Party was advanced near the Irish who were posted upon the top of a rising Ground not far from the Town and who as our Men advanced up the Hill fired a whole Volley upon them and then set up an Huzza but scarce killed a Man their Shot flying over them Our Men however went on till they came within Pistol-shot and then fired which so galled the Irish that they immediately retired towards the Town and entred into a Fort they had there and from whence they sallied and made a very fierce Attack upon the English who had too speedily fallen to Plunder But Woolsley having 250 Foot and about 80 Horse for a Reserve the Enemy were beat off again their Horse flying quite beyond the Town and the Foot retiring to the Fort again The Soldiers got good store of Shoes and other things in the Place but their Ammunition was blown up and their Provisions destroy'd for the Colonel was forced to set the Town on
Commalin Castle-Durmont and so beyond Carlow from whence he sent forward a Party of Horse under the Command of the Duke of Ormond to take Possession of Kill-kenny and so to secure the Protestants and other Inhabitants of the adjacent Countries from being plundered by the Enemy for by this time some of them begun to look behind them and to return to take along what they had not Time nor Conveniency to carry of at first From Carlow the Army passed on to Kells thence to Loughland-bridge and so to Bennet's Bridge 3 Miles to the N. E. of Killkenny and upon the 19th of July His Majesty dined with the Duke of Ormond at his Castle of Killkenny which had the good Luck to have been preserved by Count Lauzun with all the Goods and Furniture and left in a good Condition not without the Cellar well stored with what they had not time to drink at their going off Munday the 21st the Army encamped at Carruck from whence Major General Kirk with his own Regiment and Colonel Brewers as also a Party of Horse were sent towards Waterford more Forces designing to follow When he came before the Place he sent to summon the Town by a Trumpet who at first refused to surrender there being 2 Regiments then in Garrison However their Refusal was in such civil Terms that their Inclinations were easily understood for soon after they sent out to know what Terms they might have which were the same with Drogâ—eda But not liking those they proposed some of their own which were rejected and the heavy Cannon drawn down that way and some more Forces ordered to march When the Irish understood this they agreed to march out with Arms and Baggage on the 25th and were conducted to Mallow The Fort Dunâ—annon a strong and regular Place and well fortified with Guns was also surrendred into his Majesty's Hands upon the same Terms with Waterford which last place was view'd by the King the day it was given up who took great care that no Persons should be disturbed in their Houses or Goods and here the Lord Dovâ—t was admitted into a more particular Protection from his Majesty as having formerly applied himself when the King was at Hillsborough by Major General Kirk's means to desire a Pass for himself and Family to Flanders July the 27th the King left the Camp at Carrick and went towards Dublin in order for England which occasioned various Speculations and some fears that the Affairs of this Kingdom were in no pleasing Posture He left the Command of the Army to Count Solms lay that Night at Carlow and upon some Advice from England exprest himself doubtful whether to go over or return to the Army However he went on to Chappell Izard and spent there some time to hear divers Complaints and redress several Grievances He publish'd a second Declaration to confirm the former and ordered a weekly Fast But having a further Account from England that several wicked Designs were discovered and prevented the loss at Sea not so considerable and that the French had only burnt one small Village in the West of England and so gone off again he resolved to retuâ—â— to the Army which he did on the 22d of Aug. at Golden-bridge and by the 27th â—eached Carrigallis where Lieutenant General Douglas joined him next day and on which in the Morning early my Lord Portland and Brigadeer Stewart were sent towards Limerick with 700 Horse and Foot who advanced within Cannon-shot of the Town with little Opposition from the Enemy and before whose return the King himself accompanied by the Prince my Lord Overkirk Lieutenant General 〈◊〉 and divers other great Officers with about 300 Horse went very near the Town and drove in a Party of the Enemy's Horse who made a shew of opposing them On the 9th the whole Army made its approach in excellent Order For no sooner had the Pioneers cut the Hedges that were in the way but the Men advanced which made the Enemy draw backwards till they came to a narrow Pass between a Bogs within half a Mile of the Town which was not above 150 Yards and this full of Hedges and other Incumbrances Herein however there were Lanes that led to the Town the middlemost being the broadest where stood the Irish Horse To the right and left of which the Hedges were lined all with â—â—â—squeteers of whom the English Foot were now got within less than 200 Yards The detacht Party of Foot was upon the Advance towards the Center The Horse a little to the right of them the Danes to the left And the blew Dutch with several English Regiments upon the right And all this in such Decorum that though the Hedges were very thick and troublesome yet the Front kept all in a Line except the advanced Party who went always some distance before Whilst these things were going on thus the King ordered 2 Field-pieces to be planted towards the left where they could bear upon the Enemy's Horse and fired from thence with so good Success that the Enemy soon quitted that Post And it is very remarkable our English Foot were so little concerned that tho' they knew the Enemy to be in the next Hedges yet whilst the Pioneers were at work they would sit down and ask one another whether they thought they should have any Bread that day for they began to want their Breakfasts tho' some few of them went into the other World for it while the Danes to the left stood with all the Care and Circumspection in the World and some of them observing the Posture of our Men and hearing what they said they thought they had no mind to fight But they were quickly convinced to the contrary for the Hedges were no sooner down and one Front advancing in a narrow Field and that the Irish fired a whole Volley upon them from the neighbouring Hedges but some of the English cried out aloud Ah you Toads are you there We will be with you presently and so they ran without any more ado along the Field directly towards the Hedges where the Irish were planted who thereupon quitted one Hedge after another So as that the Danes advancing on the left and the blew Dutch with the English on the right and the Horse coming on in the Center the Irish in less than half an hour after the Volley were driven under their very Walls and not a dozen Men lost on our side in all the Action which if the Irish had managed their business well would have cost us a great many more But as soon as they got under their Walls they plyed our Forces with their great Guns that killed several as they marched in which the whole Army did before 5 in the Afternoon and most of them incamp'd within Cannon-short Orders were given forthwith to draw 4 Field-pieces to Cromwell alias Iâ—eton's Fort to play upon the Town and Out-works The Danes according to their Post encamped to the left where
as to offer the Enemy Battel which the other did not decline For upon the 18th Catinat gave the Signal and by 11 in the Morning ordered the Italians to be attack'd by the way of the Morass which he had caused to be sounded before and found firm enough to bear his Men So that the Duke 's Left Wing not expecting to be attack'd in Flank the Morass being to the Left of them made not such a stout Resistance as they might have done had they been forewarned However they killed several of the Enemy but at length the Cavalry began to give way being maul'd both with the firings of a Body of Reserve and with the great Cannon that plaid directly upon them But the Right Wing stood firm till 3 in the Afternoon when being not able to bear the whole brunt of the Enemies fire they were constrained to betake themselves to flight and several of them thinking to facilitate it by taking the Po in their way were drowned The Duke himself retired with part of his Troops to Carignan to compute his Loss which the Enemy affirmed to be 4000 slain out-right 11 great Guns good store of Baggage some Colours and a considerable quantity of Ammunition taken and that themselves had not above an 150 killed and about 100 wounded This Account tho' it be not altogether probable yet the Advantage every way was the French's past all doubt and what was intended to have been saved by the Duke of Savoy in hazarding this Battle was the Consequence of Catinat's Victory who the very next day possessed himself of Salusses as he did soon after of Savillana a large City 15 Miles from the former Villa Franca and divers other Places and then march'd with his Army to Raiconoggi with a Design to set upon the Duke of Savoy's Men that were retired to Carignan after their Defeat or at least to make himself Master of Carmagnoli But the Duke not finding himself in a state to abide his coming retreated to Monclair to recruit his Army and to wait for the German Troops that were coming to his Assistance after he had put 4000 Men into Carignan and secured Carmagnola The Germans or at least part of them some time after joyned the Duke with which Reinforcement besides some Milanese Troops being near 20000 strong he decamp'd on the 16th of Sept. from Monclair and advanced towards Catinat who also having been strengthened with some Regiments from France was not at all startled at his Approach but stood his Ground while Monsieur St. Ruth was reducing Tartantasia and Morienna with all Savoy excepting Montmelian under the Obedience of the French King whose Cities swore Allegiance to him and whereof Monsieur St. Ruth for his good Services was made Governour with an annual Pension as 't was said of 40000 Livres And as the French Forces had in a manner made a compleat Conquest of the Dutchy of Savoy this Season you have already an account how far a Progress they have made in Piedmont the most valuable part of the Duke's Dominions and now you will hear of what was more afflicting to his Royal Highness than any one thing that perhaps befel him since the Rupture Suza is a City very considerable for its Situation as being that which opens a Passage out of the Dauphinate into Piedmont whenever the French should think it requisite For every time the Kings of France design'd a War in Italy they always coveted to be Masters of that Post Now Catinat had had an Eye upon it for some time and made some secret Paces towards accomplishing his Design which yet he could not carry so covertly but that the Duke had notice of it so that he did all he could to prevent the misfortune To this purpose he sent away the Count of Lovigniez with 6 Batallions of Foot and some Horse to secure the Place Of which Monsieur Catinat being advertised he did not take the ordinary Road but hasted towards the Mountains marching his Men with wonderful Application and Celerity for 6 Days together without Intermission This Motion of his when the Duke heard of he mistakingly thought the Siege of Suza had been a feign'd business but that the true Design of the French was to give him Battle and therefore sent Orders to Lovigniez to leave Suza and forthwith to joyn him with all his Forces This was no sooner done but the French immediately begirt the City where there was only 6 or 700 Men in Garrison under the Count de Lande who seeing no likelihood to defend himself in such a weak Post with such an inconsiderable Force against a numerous Army or rather being of a base and dastardly Nature made shew of putting himself first in a Posture of Resistance but presently after surrendred the City upon Terms of marching out with Arms Baggage and 3 Cannon and to be convey'd to the Gates of Turin With this Action the Campaign ended in Italy for Catinat divided his Army thereupon sending one part of them into Winter-Quarters in Savoy and the other into Provence But while the Duke of Savoy was struggling in this manner with his adverse Fortune at home without its having been in the Power of his new Allies the Germans and Spaniards hitherto to bear him up under the Weight that oppress'd him he bethinks himself of making Application to some other oâ— the Confederates and therefore first sends the Count de lâ— Tour his Envoy into Holland who was kindly received by the States and promised some Support tho' this was the first that ever came from a Duke of Savoy to them ever since they had been a State and had Orders from thence to go into England to congratulate the King and Queen's Accession to the Throne having done his main business with the King's Envoy before at the Hague and delivered himself to the King in the following Terms which I am the more inclined to takâ— notice of because of something in consequence and whereâ— you will have an Account in due place that quite contradict what in substance is contained herein SIR HIS Royal Highness congratulates Your Majesties glorious Access to the Crown due to your Birth merited by your Vertue and maintain'd by your Valour Providence ordain'd it for your sacred Head for the Accomplishment of Heavens Designs from all Eternity that Providence which after long forbearance raises up chosen Instruments at length to suppress Violence and protect Justice The wonderful beginnings of your Reign are assured Presages of the Blessings which Heaven is preparing for the Integrity of your Intentions which have no other Aim than to restore this flourishing Kingdom to that Grandeur which it anciently enjoyed and to break off those Chains under the Weight of which all Europe at present groans This magnanimous Design so worthy the Hero of our Age soon fill'd his Royal Highness with unspeakable Joy tho' he were constrain'd to keep it undisclosed for a time in the privacies of his Heart and if afterwards he
the Irish and their Army For freeing the said Lord Lucan of the said Engagement past on the publick Account for Payment of the said Protestants for preventing the Ruin of the said John Brown and for Satisfaction of his Creditors at the instance of the said Lord Lucan and the rest of the Persons aforesaid it is agreed That the said Lords Justices and Lieutenant General Ginckle shall interpose with the King and Parliament to have the Estates secured to Roman-Catholicks by Articles and Capitulations in this Kingdom charged with and equally liable to the Payment of so much of the said Debts as the said Lord Lucan upon stating Accompts with the said John Brown shall certifie under his Hand that the Effects taken from the said John Brown amount unto which Accompts are to be Stated and the Ballance certified by the said L. Lucan in 21 Days after the Date hereof For the true Performance hereof We have hereunto set our Hands Charles Porter Tho. Coningsby Present Bar. De Ginckle Scravenmoae H. Maccay F. Talmash Lucan Gallmoy N. Pursel N. Cusack Theob Butler John Brown Ger. Dillon The other Articles I. THAT all Persons without any Exceptions of what Quality or Condition soever that are willing to leave the Kingdom of Ireland shall have free leave to go beyond the Seas to any Country England and Scotland excepted where they think fit with their Families Household-Stuff Plate and Jewels II. THAT all the General Officers Colonels and generally all other Officers of Horse Dragoons and Foot-Guards Troops Dragoons Souldiers of all kind that are in any Garrison Place or Post now in the Hands of the Irish or encamped in the Counties of Cork Clare or Kerry as also those called Rapparees or Voluntiers that are willing to go beyond Seas as aforesaid shall have free Liberty to imbark themselves wheresoever the Ships are that are appointed to Transport them and to come in whole Bodies as they are now compos'd or in Parties Companies or otherwise without having any Impediment directly or indirectly III. THAT all Persons above-mentioned that are willing to leave Ireland and go into France have leave to declare it at the Places and Times hereafter mentioned viz. The Troops in Limerick on Tuesday next at Limerick the Horse at their Camp on Wednesday and the other Forces that are dispersed in the Counties of Clare Kerry and Cork the 18th day of this Instant and on none other before Monsieur Tumeron the French Intendant and Colonel Withers and after such Declaration so made the Troops that will go into France must remain under the Command and Discipline of their Officers that are to Conduct them thither And Deserters of each side shall be given up and punish'd accordingly IV. THAT all English and Scotch Officers that serve now in Ireland shall be included in this Capitulation as well for the Security of their Estates and Goods in England Scotland and Ireland if they are willing to remain here as for passing freely into France or any other Country to serve V. THAT all the General French Officers the Intendant the Ingeniers the Commissaries at War and other Artillery the Treasurer and other French Officers Strangers and others whatsoever that are in Sligo Ross Clare or in the Army or that do Trade or Commerce or are otherways employed in any kind of Station or Condition shall have leave to pass into France or any other Country and shall have leave to Ship themselves with all their Horses Equipage Plate Papers and all other Effects whatsoever and that General Ginkle will order Pass-ports for them Convoys and Carriages by Land and Water to carry them safe from Lymerick to the Ships where they shall be imbarked without paying any thing for the said Carriages or those that are employed therein with their Horses Carts Boats and Shallops VI. THAT if any of the aforesaid Equipages Merchandize Horses Money Plate or other Moveables or Houshold-Stuff belonging to the said Irish Troops or to the French Officers or other particular Persons whatsoever be robb'd destroy'd or taken away by the Troops of the said General the said General will order it to be restor'd or Payment to be made according to the Value that is given in upon Oath by the Person so Robbed or Plundered And the said Irish Troops to be Transported as aforesaid And all Persons belonging to them are to observe good Orders in their March and Quarters and shall restore whatever they shall take from the Country or make Satisfaction for the same VII THAT to facilitate the Transporting of the Troops the General will furnish 50 Ships and each Ship Burthen 200 Tuns for which the Persons to be Transported shall not be obliged to pay and 20 more if there shall be Occasion without their paying for them and if any of the said Ships shall be lesser Burthen he will furnish more in number to countervail and also give two Men of War to imbark the Principal Officers and serve for a Convoy to the Vessels of Burthen VIII THAT a Commissary shall be immediately sent to Cork to visit the Transport-Ships and what Condition they are in for Sailing and that as soon as they are ready the Troops to be Transported shall March with all convenient Speed the nearest way in order to be imbarked there And if there shall be any more Men to be Transported than can be carried off in the said 50 Ships the rest shall quit the English Town of Lymerick and march to such Quarters as shall be appointed for them convenient for their Transportation where they shall remain till the other 20 Ships are ready which are to be in a Months time and may imbark in any French Ship that may come in the mean time IX THAT the said Ships shall be furnished with Forrage for Horses and all necessary Provisions to subsist the Officers Troops Dragoons and Soldiers and all other Persons that are shipped to be Transported into France which Provisions shall be paid for as soon as all is disimbarked at Brest or Nants on the Coast of Brittany or any other Port in France they can make X. AND to secure the Return of the said Ships the Danger of the Seas excepted and the Payment for the said Provisions sufficient Hostages shall be given XI THAT the Garrisons of Clare-Castle Ross and all other Foot that are in Garrisons in the Counties of Clare Cork and Kerry shall have the Advantage of this Capitulation and such part of the Garrisons that design to go beyond Seas shall march out with their Arms Baggage Drums beating Ball in Mouth Match lighted at both ends Colours flying with all their Provisions and half the Ammunition that is in the said Garrison Towns with the Horse that march to be Transported or if then there 's not Shipping enough the Body of Foot that is to be Transported ne◠after the Horse General Ginckle will order that they 〈◊〉 furnished with Carriages for that purpose and what Provision they shall want
of the River of Limerick to give notice to the Commanders of the English and French Fleets of the present Conjuncture that they may observe the Cessation of Arms accordingly XXVIII THAT for the Security of the Execution of this present Capitulation and of each Article herein contain'd the Besieged shall give the following Hostages And the General shall give XXIX IF before this Capitulation is fully executed there happens any change in the Government or Command of the Army which is now commanded by General Ginckle all those that shall be appointed to command the same shall be obliged to observe and execute what is specified in these Articles or cause it to be executed punctually and shall not act contrary on any Account whatsoever Octob. 91. Baron De Ginckle To say nothing of other things in this Place you see that â—s many of the Irish Army as were willing of themselves to â—e transported into France might freely do it But the General on the 5th of Oct. receiving a Letter from a Lieuâ—enant-Colonel in the Irish Army wherein he complained â—e was imprisoned for denying to go into France he took it â—ery ill and ordered 4 Guns to be carried down immediately and planted upon Bolls-Bridge saying in some Heat He would teach them to play Tricks with him which Sarsfield hearing he came to the English Camp and several sharp Wordâ— passed between the General and him Sarsfield saying aâ— last That he was then in the General 's Power Not so replied the other but you shall go in and do the best you can But at last all things were quiet and the Prisoner enlarged and as many of the Irish as would go were some time after shipped off for France where upon their Arrival they were saluted with a comforting Letter from the late King James directed to Lieutenant-General Sheldon then the Oâ—ficer in Chief with them which was to this Effect JAMES REX HAving been informed of the Capitulation and Surrender 〈◊〉 Limerick and of the other Places which remained to 〈◊〉 in our Kingdom of Ireland and of the Necessities which foâ—â— the Lords Justices and the General Officers of our Forces theâ— unto We will not defer to let you know and the rest of the â—â—â—ficers that come along with you that we are extreamly satisâ— with your and their Conduct and of the Valour of the Soldieâ— during the Siege but most particularly of your and their Decâ—â—ration and Resolution to come and serve where we are And 〈◊〉 assure you and order you to assure both Officers and Soldiers 〈◊〉 are come along with you that we shall never forget this 〈◊〉 Loyalty nor-fail when in a Capacity to give them above othâ—â— particular Marks of our Favour In the mean time you are 〈◊〉 inform them that they are to serve under our Command and 〈◊〉 our Commissions and if we find that a considerable number is 〈◊〉 with the Fleet it will induce us to go personally to see them 〈◊〉 Regiment them Our Brother the King of France hath alreâ—â— given Orders to Cloath them and furnish them with all Necesâ—ries and to give them Quarters of Refreshment So we bid 〈◊〉 heartily farewel Given at our Court at St. Germâ—â— the 27th of November 1691. And thus ended this famous Irish War with so much 〈◊〉 more Glory and Advantage to the English in that the 〈◊〉 were so powerfully supported in it by the French Kiâ—â— who thought it much to his Interest to divert their 〈◊〉 that way whose Ancestors had done such terrible things 〈◊〉 his Country and had sent a good Fleet of Men of War 〈◊〉 Store-Ships to the Relief of this last Town which arriâ—â— in Dingle-Bay but a day or two after the Articles were 〈◊〉 The Scotch Affairs were so inconsiderable this Season thâ— there is nothing worth mentioning from thence neithâ—â— was there any thing extraordinary hapned by Sea tho' the Fleets on each side were very powerful and that one should think the French elated with their last Years Success might have adventured a second Fight now But they knew what they did well enough for they had another-guess Force and Admiral too to deal with now and they had another Game to Play which was to intercept our Turkey Fleet which was exceeding Rich and to that end cruised a long time upon the Irish-Coast But as Providence would have it they had been gone but about 10 days from hovering about Kingsale before the other came having all that time been held back by contrary Winds in their Passage from Cales The English Grand Fleet all this time kept another Course but it was not for want of Zeal or Fidelity in the brave Admiral but of Intelligence Yet as soon as the brave Admiral Russel now Earl of Oxford understood that they were got safe into Kingsale he took all the care imaginable for their being convoy'd safely to their respective Ports whither they were bound and then set sail in quest of the Enemy whom he was inform'd were turn'd to their own Coasts But being come within some Leagues of Brest he understood they lay at Bell-Isle secured in such a manner that it was impossible to attack them and so returned towards the English Shore but met with such tempestuous and stormy Weather that the Coronation a brave Ship and to the best of my Remembrance one or two more Ships of less Consideration were lost and the Admiral himself had much ado to get the rest of the Fleet safe into Harbour where now we leave them and come to see where King William was all the while We have already given you an account of the Congress at the Hague the Progress of the French Arms in the Spring both in Savoy and in Flanders and how the King could not engage them then in the latter and so he went for England where he made no long stay before he returned again into the Netherlands to head the Confederate Army which in Foot was somewhat superiour to that of France but in Horse the latter was stronger But tho' his Majesty did all that Man could do to bring Monsieur Luxemburg to an Engagement by several Marches and Countermarches he made as well as Umbrages he gave him of attacking Maubâ—ge or Mons yet all would not do the other as industriously avoiding fighting and would give no Opportunity for it but upon the greatest Disadvantage so that the King after he had first blown up the Fortifications of Beaumonâ— marched the Army towards Aeth from whence he parted on the 16th of Sept. for Loo leaving the Forces under the Command of Prince Waldeck who continued about the aforesaid Place for some time But moving off about the 17th of Sept. towards Benair Monsieur Luxemburg thought it a good Opportunity to fall upon their Rear with a good Body of Horse and the best in France and continued his design'd March so swiftly that upon the 19th he came up with their Rear-guard as they were marching towards
to bethink themselves of a new Captain General and this Trust and Honour they unanimously devolved on the serene Doge Morosini who had formerly served the Republick so successfully and which nothing now but his great Age made him seem unwilling to accept of As for the Polish Army I think they made a shift to get into the Field by Sept. and in Oct. to block up Caminiec and 't is well had they done that to purpose for as to any thing else they never went about it And now having run thro' the several Transactions of Europe it 's time to close this Year with a few Particulars About the beginning of the Year died the famous Robert Boyle Esq who was a Philosopher under a particular Character as being addicted to the Study of Natural Philosophy and perhaps never any Man dived so deep into the Knowledge of Nature as himself which yet was so far from being attended in him with that Atheism that is too too usual for such speculative Heads that he was always in his Life time esteemed a very pious Man and sincere Christian of which he gave a most convincing Testimony at his Death by the Legacy he left to have a Monthly Sermon preached against Atheism On the 7th of June hapned a most terrible Earthquake in the Island of Jamaca in the West-Indies which did most prodigious Damage especially at the Town of Port-Royal the best of all the English Plantations and the greatest Mart in that part of the World which was in a manner entirely ruined and not only so but 't was computed no less than 1500 People perished in it And upon the 8th of Sept. following about 2 a Clock we felt an Earthquake also in England and particularly in London the like no Man living knew before but blessed be God it did no harm with us nor upon the Continent where it was felt in the same time and manner On the 24th of Dec. died the most serene Electress of Bavaria at Vienna in the 23d Year of her Age after she had undergone several Discomposures from the 28th of Oct. when she was brought to bed of an Electoral Prince This Year was also fatal to Prince Waldeck Camp-Master-General to his Imperial Majesty and the States and on whom the Emperor conferred the Dignity of a Prince by reason of his Merit for he was a Politick and Able as he was unfortunate and the Services he had done him in Hungary and other places but the same died with him Neither ought we to forget that this Year the Duke of Hanover a Protestant Prince had been advanced to an Elector of the Empire and so a Ninth Electorate constituted thereby year 1693 It may be remembred we left King William in the close of the Campaign going to his Diversions in Holland from whence he returned into England before whose Arrival things were so managed in Ireland by my Lord Sidney Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom that the Parliament there made not only an Act of Recognition of their Majesty's title to that Crown and another to get other Protestants to settle in that Kingdom but one for an additional Duty of Excise upon Beer Ale and other Liquors for the Support of the Government And Scotland seemed very zealous and forward to contribute new Levies or whatever else their Majesties desired And to be sure the Parliament of England that had hitherto on all occasions been ready to promote the King's just designs would not be behind-hand now but took his Majesty's Speech so effectually into their Consideration that before the end of Jan. they passed the Act of Granting to their Majesties an Aid of 4 s. in the Pound for carrying on a vigorous War against France and soon after another that granted certain Rates and Duties of Excise upon Beer Ale or other Liquors for securing Recompences and Advantages in the said Act mentioned to such Persons as should voluntarily advance 1000000 l. for the purposes declared in the Act by paying into the Receipt of his Majesties Exchequer the fore-mentioned Summ before the 1st of May 1693. upon the terms expressly mentioned in the said Act neither did they stop their Handâ— here but proceeded chearfully to other Methods for compleating the necessary Supplies and by the 14th of March the King among others signed two Mony Acts more viz. An Act for Granting to their Majesties certain additional Impositions upon several Goods and Merchandizes for prosecuting the present War with France and an Act for a Review of the Quarterly Pole granted to their Majesties the last Session of Parliament After this the King made a Speech to thank them for what they had done to recommend the Publick Peace to them and Equity in levying what they had so freely given then prorogued the Houses to the 2d of May and in the mean time went himself for Holland But before his Departure did by what Advice I will not determine lay aside Admiral Russel who had beaten the French Fleet last Year and received the Thanks of the House of Commons for it whereof he was then a Member but since made a Peer by the Stile and Title of Earl of Oxford and last Year one of the Lords Justices of England and constituted Henry Killigrew Esq Sir Ralph Delavall and Sir Clovesley Shovel to command the Fleet this Summer The Fleet was numerous and ready pretty early as was also a great Fleet of Merchant-men near 400 Sail in all of English Dutch Hamburgers c. prepared to sail to the Streights under the Convoy of Sir George Rook with a strong Squadron of Men of War with whom the grand Fleet was to keep company till they came to such a Latitude or as was given out in those times by some till they had certain Information where the French Fleet was Which made their Orders discretionary and Sir George who seemed to have some foresight of the Danger exprest himself very loath to part with them But however seeing he could not help it he sailed on and leaving by the way the Vessels bound for Bilboa Lisbon Sr. Tubes and other Ports under Convoy of 2 Men of War which made Sir George have no more with him than 21 now The account of his Expedition as himself sent an Express of it was briefly thus That indeed he had discovered the French Fleet about 20 Leagues short of Cape St. Vincent which made him call a Council of War wherein it was resolved that the Wind being fresh Westerly and giving a fair opportunity to hasten their Passage to Cadiz the Merchants should make the best of their way That upon the Discovery of the Enemies whole Fleet upon the 16th he brought too and stood off with an easie Sail to give what time he could to the heavy Sailors to work away to the Windward sending away the Sheerness to order the small Ships that were under the Shore that they should endeavour to get along the Shore in the Night
least as great as ours and 't is only to their Numbers that the Victory is to be attributed We have of their Prisoners Col. Montrevel Quarter Master-General of the Horse the Marquiss de Montmorenci Colonel and other Officers as well as a great many private Soldiers We have likewise taken divers Colours Standards and Kettle-Drums and except in the Left Wing the Victory was on our side to the last The Troops who are most of them again rallied have Orders part of them to stay at Moncalier and the rest to encamp before this City The Enemy have not made any motion since their Victory and are still in their Camp they have only burnt some Houses about Bainasco This Day was brought hither from Villa Franca by the Po the heavy Artillery that was made use of against Pignerol We apprehended the Enemy would have sent a Detachment thither before it was embark'd All the Baggage which was likewise sent from Villa Franca is come to Moncalier As I am closing my Letter I understand that Col. Montaubon is arrived with about 500 Horse which he rallied and brought from Villa Franca along the Po to cover the Artillery I just now mentioned Turin Octob. 5th But while France was thus Triumphing every where over the Confederates she felt a most dangerous Enemy within her own Bowels that swept away a multitude of her Inhabitants which was Famine which for all the Care the King could take made the Face of the Kingdom look with a most ghastly Countenance and which with something else made her pretty early make Proposals of Peace to the Emperor that in themselves were not contemptible But it was impossible to disjoin him from his Allies and therefore finding it would not do that way it was given out then and I am apt to believe it was so or raised with an Intention that it should be so That new Proposals of Peace were made to the King of Spain the Empire King of England and the Duke of Savoy by which it was offered to restore all the Places taken since the Treaty of Nimeguen and withal to surrender some as they were then fortified But whatever there was in it the Event shew'd it came to nothing And now having in a manner done with the Affairs of the Allies and France we 'll see a little how the Emperor and his Confederates have fared with the Turks this Campaign As for the Poles and Venetians they were so far from doing any thing memorable in their respective Stations against the Insidels that the former instead of favouring the Designs of the Imperialists in Hungary and keeping tight to their Obligations seemed inclinable as was supposed by the Instigations of the King of France to clap up a Peace with the Port And to make such a Disingagement the more plausible the Polish Embassador at Vienna made some odd Propositions by way of Complaint to the Emperor the Purport whereof we can no otherwise give than by the Answer his Imperial Majesty made in these Words HIS Sacred Imperial Majesty our most gracious Lord by the Relation humbly made to him has been acquainted with the Proposals made to his Imperial Ministers at the Conference upon the 8th of May last by the most Serene King of Poland's Extraordinary Embassador the Lord Samuel Proski Knight of Malta and Commendador of Posonia and first with a deep Sense of Gratitude he acknowledges the Glorious Inclination of your Royal Majesty to carry on and indefatigably continue this Sacred War and that Succour so seasonably afforded at the Siege of Vienna Which nevertheless in the most prudent Judgment of your Royal Majesty was deemed more advantagious and more necessary than any other Expedition for the Preservation and Security of the Kingdom of Poland it self However his Imperial Majesty considers it as a Kindness solely conferred upon himself and shall to perpetuity recain the Memory of it most ardently wishing that the same Danger may never so nearly threaten the Kingdom of Poland and more especially Craccovia the Metropolis of it yet faithfully engaging himself to be most ready upon all Occasions even with the Hazard and Detriment of his Provinces to repay the same Assistance and Favour according to the Claim of mutual Confederacy as has not only been formerly granted by him in the most desperate Extremities of the Polish Affairs at what time the said City with the Effusion of much Blood was ransom'd to the Kingdom as many are living yet to remember but what he has the Satisfaction to prove not only by the Testimony almost of all the World but of his own Conscience that is to say That in the present War he has not fail'd in any Duty of a Sincere Friend a Neighbour and Confederate Wherefore though that same unexpected and so little deserved yet so plain an Accusation has been laid to his Charge wherein for so many and much greater Acts of Royal Fraternity as the Lord Embassador alledges no reciprocal regard has been had to the Demands of the most Serene King but that he could enumerate many and those not ordinary Specimens of most Cordial Love Friendship and Good Will Nevertheless though such Commemorations diminish rather the Merit of the Benefit than augment the mutual Correspondencies of Friendship his Imperial Majesty setting those aside has commanded several Answers to be given to the rest of the Heads of the Lord Ambassador's Propositions But whether this or somewhat else gave the K. of Poland full Satisfaction or that some other Accident diverted that Crown from proceeding in the separate Negotiation of a Peace with the Turks there was little more heard of it But which way soever things stood with the Imperial Court in relation to their Allies they were not a whit daunted but after having carried the Fortress of Jeno in Vpper Hungary towards the beginning of the Summer they made all things ready to besiege Belgrade The Duke of Croy had the chief Command of the Imperial Army this Year who towards the latter end of July invested the Town but the Trenches were not opened till the 13th of Aug. at Night which were carried on towards the Counterscarp the Besieged the same Day making a numerous Sally as they did also on the 17th but were repulsed both times with considerable Loss as they were also the two following Days upon the same occasion while the General in the mean time ordered a strong Detachment of Horse and Foot to go and lay a Bridge over the Danube and to raise 5 Forts on each side the River to stop the Enemies Fleets On the 21st they began to build the said Bridge from whence as well as from the Imperial Fleet they play'd furiously upon that of the Enemy while they carried on their Trenches within 100 paces of the Counterscarp and finished a great Battery on which they planted 32 Cartouches and some other Pieces of Cannon which being on the 25th reinforced with 10 Mortars they battered the Place next Day with
to be omitted And thus it fell out Sir Francis Wheeler was Admiral of the Squadron of Men of War who with the Fleet of Merchant Ships under his Convoy sailed on the 17th of Febr. from Gibraltar towards the Streights with a good Wind at N. W. But oâ— Sunday about 10 in the Morning there arose such a violent Storm with Thunder and Lightning and great Rain that hardly any Man in the Fleet ever saw the like which continued all that Day and the following Night the Wind blowing at E. and E. N. E. so that upon Monday the 19th about 5 in the Morning Sir Francis Wheeler's own Ship the Sussex was founder'd and all her Men except two Moors were lost and the Admiral 's Body was on the 21st found on a Sand-Bank near Gibraltar in his Shirt and Slippers which made People believe that he seeing himself in such imminent Danger had stripped off his Clothes with a Design to save his Life by swimming But tho' the Loss was already too great it had been well if it had stopped here But alass the Cambridge Lumley-Castle Men of War the Serpent Bomb-Ketch and the Mary Ketch together with the Italian-Merchant the Aleppo-Factor the Great George and the Berkshire bound for Turkey the William for Venice and the Golden-Merchant for Leghorne all English were driven ashoar and lost on the E. side of Gibraltar and most of the Men drowned As were also 3 Dutch Ships of good Value But Reer-Admiral Neville with 2 Dutch Men of War had the good Luck to be blown out of the Streights and put safe into Cadiz as the rest of the Fleet did on the 19th into Gibraltar to repair the Damages they had sustained in the Storm But tho' this Loss was heavy in it self yet God be thanked it did not so affect the Nation but that they went chearfully on still with their Business The finishing of our Men of War upon the Stocks was pushed on with great Diligence And the Parliament lost no Time in their Work neither for besides the new Levies ordered to be made by the 23d of March they had among other Bills passed one To grant to their Majesties certain Rates upon Salt Ale Beer and other Liquors for Securing certain Recompences and Advantages to such Persons as should voluntarily advance the Summ of 1000000 l. toward carrying on the War And then the King having told them how forward the Enemy was and what Necessity there was of their being ready to meet them both by Sea and Land he earnestly recommended to them the Dispatch of those important Affairs they had still under their Deliberations and protested to them he had nothing so much at his Heart as the Ease and Happiness of his People and that it was with great Reluctancy he was forced to ask such large Supplies from them but their present Circumstances made the same unavoidable Neither was it long before His Majesty's Expectations were fully answered for in April the following Acts among others were ready for his Signing viz. An Act for Raising Money by a Poll payable Quarterly for one Year An Act for granting to their Majesties several Rates and Duties upon Tunnage of Ships and Vessels and upon Beer Ale and other Liquors for Securing certain Recompences and Advantages to such Persons as should voluntarily advance the Summ of 1500000 l. towards carrying on the War against France An Act for Granting to their Majesties several Duties upon Vellom Parchment and Paper for 4 Years And also An Act for Licensing and Regulating Hackney and Stage-Coaches This was no sooner done and that the King had thanked them for the great Proofs they had given him of their Affections this Session and his acquainting them with the Necessity there was of his being absent for some time out of the Kingdom but the two Houses were Prorogued to the 18th of Sept. following And so we leave them and his Majesty for the present going to make the Campaign in the Netherlands and see a little what the Consequence was of the mighty Preparations for Sea which we had been making all this Spring But tho' our Fleet was so early out this Year they were neither able to block up that of France in Brest nor to come at them to fight them at Sea than which the English desired nothing more and the French as much declined it so that they would first venture a Caper into the Mediterranean whither they actually went rather than hazard a Battel But the Truth of it is they had concerted such vast Designs against Spain both by Sea and Land this Campaign that had it not been for our Fleet 's going into those Seas I cannot see what could have hindered the French to have made an entire Conquest of Catalonia before the Army went into Winter-Quarters But before Admiral Russâ—â—â— had entirely left the Coast and sailed with the Fleet foâ— Spain he upon Information that there was a Fleet of French Merchant-men in Bertraume-Bay bound to the Eastward detatched Captain Pickard and the Roe-Buck Fire-ship either to take or destroy them Which Orders Captain Pickar executed so successfully that of 55 Sail of them he burâ— or sunk 35 besides the Man of War that was their Coâ—voy which ran among the Rocks and soon after blew up with her two Sloops of between 10 and 15 Guns After this Captain Pickard re-joined the Fleet which we shall noâ— leave making its best way to the Mediterranean and heâ— give you a Relation of the Descent which the English attempted to make upon France and even upon Brest it self Of which take the following Relation as abstracted by a learned Hand from the Account given of it by the Marquess of Carmarthen which has been generally allowed to be the best extant upon that Subject On the 5th of June the Lord Berkeley Admiral of the Blue Squadron parted from Admiral Russell with 29 Sail of Line of Battel Men of War English and Dutch besides small Frigats Fire-ships Well-boats Bomb-vessels c. in order to the Attacking of Brest and upon the 7th he came tâ— an Anchor between Camaret-Bay and the Bay of Bertrauâ—â— by 7 in the Morning tho' as the main Fleet tacked froâ— Shoar to Shoar which they were forced to do to come 〈◊〉 the place where they intended to Anchor they had a World of Bombs thrown at them first from Camaret Western Pointâ— then from a high Castle upon a high Rock in Bertrauâ—â—-Bay then from two Forts on each side of the Isthmus going into Brest-Road the one called Point Minoux the otheâ— Point des Fillettes But neither the one nor the other diâ— any harm tho' they continued throwing Bombs from all the places before-mentioned till 10 at Night While the whole Fleet was thus preparing to come to an Anchor the Lord Cutts and the Marquess of Carmarthen in his own Galley taking several other Persons along with them stood in a considerable way into the Bay and after they had gained a
that I should have been very glad to have had a Horse but never had any And as for being concern'd in any Bloody Affair I never was in my Life but have done my Endeavour to prevent as much as I could on all Occasions and if the Killing the most miserable Creature in the World or greatest Enemy would now save my Life restore the King and make me one of the greatest Men in England I first would chuse to die because against the Law of God If any who are now Sufferers on this Account think I have been too forward and a Promoter of this Design I do now declare it was never my Inclination to do any rash thing However I beg their Pardons and of all the World I have offended either in Thought Word or any Action whatsoever and do freely forgive my Enemies and hope through the Mercy of my Saviour Jesus Christ to have Remission of all my Sins Good God preserve the King Queen Prince and Princess and all that Royal Blood of Stewards and may England never want one of that direct Line to Govern them and make them once more Happy I have had the Honour to serve my Royal Master in several Commissions and the last as Major and strove ever to serve him to the best of my Power and even to be Just to those who I had the Honour to Command Lord Jesus into thy Hands I recommend my Spirit O Jesus receive my Soul Robert Lowick Brigadier ROOKWOOD's Paper HAving committed the Justice of my Cause and recommended my Soul to God on whose Mercies through the Merits of Jesus Christ I wholly cast my self I had once resolved to die in Silence but second Thoughts of my Duty to others chiefly to my True and Liege Soveraign King James moved me to leave this behind me I do therefore with all Truth and Sincerity declare and avow That I never knew saw or heard of any Order or Commission from King James for the Assassinating the Prince of Orange and Attacking his Guards but I am certainly inform'd That he the best of Kings had often rejected Proposals of that Nature when made unto him Nor do I think he knew the least of the particular Design of the Attacking the Guards at his Landing so much talk'd of in which I was engaged as a Soldier by my immediate Commander much against my Judgment but his Soldier I was and as such I was to obey and act according to Command These twelve Years I have served my true King and Master King James and freely now lay down my Life in his Cause I ever abhorr'd Treachery even to an Enemy If it be a guilt to have complied with what I thought and still think to have been my Duty I am guilty No other guilt do I own As I beg all to forgive me so I forgive all from my Heart even the Prince of Orange who as a Soldier ought to have consider'd my Case before he Sign'd the Warrant for my Death I pray God may open his Eyes and render him sensible of the much Blood from all Parts crying out against him so to prevent a heavier Execution hanging over his Head than what he inflicts on me Amb. Rookwood But I confess after all that the Shouting of the People at the Execution of some of these wretched Assassins was cruel and inhumane and two base a Triumphing over Misery which always deserves our Christian Compassion As soon as the News reached Flanders that the King was safe and England happily delivered from the two bloody Tempests that threaten'd her the Generals and it was thought to be the particular Contrivance of Prince Vaudemont bethought themselves of making an extraordinary Bonfire for Joy by burning the French Magazine at Givet To which End after several Orders and Countermands given to the Garrison of Namur the greatest part of them were ordered to march with Provision for six Days and being joined by several other Troops they crossed the Meuse on the 12th of March and were followed the next Day by the Horse under the Conduct of the Earl of Athlone and Major-General Cohorne and having crossed the River Leile the Earl with one part of this Body marched towards Dinant while Cohorne with the rest sate down before Givet And having got all things ready by the 16th in the Morning he began his Work about Seven a Clock with Bombs and Red-hot Bullets which first set fire to the Forage and at the same time a certain Number of Soldiers were commanded to enter the Town with lighted Flambeaux in their Hands who fired the Cazerns and other Edifices where the Magazines of Oats and other Provisions lay So that that vast Magazine was utterly consumed and all this performed with the Loss of not above 9 or 10 Men. But notwithstanding this considerable Advantage to the Confederates the Conspiracy in England and other more than ordinary Affairs before the Parliament had spun out so much Time that the King could not be so early in the Camp this Year as was designed who was himself also unwilling to leave his Kingdoms till the Arrival of the Fleet from Cales under Sir George Rook who had upon occasion of the first breaking out of the Plot Orders sent him to return home and safely came upon the Coast towards the latter end of April to the dissipating of the great Fears we were in lest the French Fleet from Thoulon should overtake and ruine him And indeed they were not far behind for before the Junction of those Men of War we had then in the Downs with some of Sir George's Squadron and that he could get upon the Coast of Brest in order to intercept and fight them they were got safe into that and the other Harbours of France So that the French took the Field before the Confederates to whom they were superiour at first in number till the Junction of the German Troops who ever came late which was at all times a prodigious Disadvantage to the Confederates So that what with these things but most of all for the extream Want of Mony to pay the Army now our Coin was called in the Confederates could not act Offensively as they had done the preceding Year But about the time that the King arrived at the Hague there happen'd something to fall out which began to savour of somewhat else than the Toils and Inconveniences of War for Monsieur Caillieri was come thither from France with Proposals towards concluding a general Peace by setling such Preliminaries as might be a sufficient Basis to ground a Treaty upon I do not know whether there was any real Disposition in the French Court to a general Peace before the Year 1695 but the loss of Namur Casall and other Disadvantages did without all doubt powerfully operate towards it and nothing could have retarded their Motions in order to it but the Plausibility of the Invasion against England and that in such an hazardous Juncture when our Coin was
effectually and sincerely as he hath done in the fore-mentioned Articles all the Engagements which he might have had with the Enemies doth likewise hope that his Majesty will answer thereunto with all the Sentiments which his Royal Highness craves and wishes for and that having the Honour to be so nearly related to the King and of entring into a new and glorious Alliance with him his Majesty doth Grant and Promise to his Royal Highness as he doth demand his powerful Protection as formerly in all its Extent and as his Royal Highness is desirous to maintain a perfect Neutrality with the Kings Princes and Sovereign Powers who are at present his Allies his Majesty doth promise not to put any manner of Restraint on the Inclinations which his Royal Highness hath of continuing and using towards them all the external Measures of Decency and Freedom that are becoming a Sovereign Prince who hath Embassadors and Envoys at the Courts of those Princes and receives and entertains at his own Court Envoys and Embassadors from them and that the King shall in no ways take ill his so doing comprehending under that Word Princes the Emperor Kings and Sovereign Powers of Europe V. His Majesty doth ingage and declare That the ordinary and extraordinary Embassadors of Savoy shall receive at the Court of France all the Honours without Exception and with all the Circumstances and Ceremonies that are paid to the Embassadors of Crowned Heads that is to say they shall be received as Embassadors from Kings and that his Majesty's ordinary as well as extraordinary Embassadors in all the Courts of Europe without Exception and even the King's Embassadors at Rome and Vienna shall likewise treat and use the said ordinary and extraordinary Embassadors and Envoys from Savoy as they do those from Kings and Crowned Heads But in regard that this Addition of Honour as to the Treatment of the Embassadors from Savoy has been never hitherto settled nor raised to that Degree that his Majesty doth now allow it his Royal Highness is sensible and doth acknowledge that it is in Consideration of this Treaty or Contract of Marriage of the Duke of Burgundy with the Princess his Daughter and his Majesty doth promise that this Augmentation of Honour shall take Place from the Day that the aforesaid Treaty of Marriage is Signed VI. That the Trade between France and Italy shall be renewed and maintained in the same manner as it was settled before this War from the time of Charles Emanuel II. his Royal Highness's Father and the same shall be observed and practised in all Points and in all Places between the Kingdom and the several parts of his Majesty's Dominions and those of his Royal Highness's which was used and practised in all things in the Life-time of the said Charles Emanuel II. on the Roads of Suza in Savoy and Pont Beauvoisiâ— and Villefranche every one paying the Duties and Customs on both Sides the French Ships shall continue to pay the ancient Duties at Villefranche as it was wont to be paid in the time of the said Charles Emanuel about which there shall be no Contest or Opposition made any more than used to be done in those Days The Couriers and ordinary Poâ—â—s of France shall pass as formerly through his Royal Highness's Estates and Countries and according to the Regulations there they shall pay the Duties for the Merchandizes wherewith they shall be charged VII His Royal Highness shall cause an Edict to be published by which he shall upon the Penalty of severe corporal Punishments forbid the Inhabitants of the Vallies of Lucern called Vaudois to have any Communication in Matters of Religion with the King's Subjects and his Royal Highness shall engage not to suffer at any time from the Date of this Treaty any of his Majesty's Subjects to make any Settlement in the Protestant Vallies under Colour of Religion of Marriage or for any other Pretence of Settlement Conveniency taking Possession of Inheritances or any other Pretence whatsoever and that no Protestant Minister shall come thence into any of his Majesty's Dominions without incurring the severest corporal Punishments That however his Majesty shall take no Cognizance of his Royal Highness's Usage towards the Vaudois in regard of their Religion yet his Royal Highness shall be bound not to suffer the Exercise of the Reformed Religion in the City of Pigneroâ— nor in the Territories that are restored to his Royal Highness in like manner as his Majesty neither doth nor will allow the Exercise of it in his Kingdom VIII That there shall be on both sides a perpetual Act of Oblivion and Indemnity of all that has been done since the beginning of this War in what Place soever the Acts of Hostility have been committed That in this Act of Grace all those shall be comprehended who have served his Majesty in what Station soever although they were his Royal Highness's Subjects so that no Prosecution shall be made against them neither shall they be molested either in their Persons or Estates by Reprisals Executions or Judicial Processes or upon any pretext whatsoever and the King's Subjects that have served his Royal Highness shall be used in the like manner IX That Ecclesiastical Benefices in such parts of his Royal Highness's Country as hath been conquered by the King having been filled up by his Majesty from time to time as the same became vacant during the time that his Majesty possessed the said Countries it is agreed that the said Collation to Benefices shall be valid and the Persons who have been promoted by the King and invested by Authority of the Pope's Bulls shall remain in full Possession thereof But as to the Promotions to the Livings belonging to the Military Order of St. Maurice or to the Places of Judicature or Magistracy his Royal Highness shall have Liberty to alter the Nominations made by the King and all Grants made by his Royal Highness of Offices in the Law become vacant by the Person 's leaving them during the War shall remain good and valid X. As for Contributions that were imposed on the Lands of his Royal Highness's Dominions altho' they are lawfully imposed and are become due and that they amount to considerable Sums his Majesty does out of his Liberality fully discharge his Royal Highness of them so that from the Day of this Treaty's Ratification the King will not pretend to nor require any of the said Contributions leaving his Royal Highness in full Possession of his Revenues throughout his Dominions as well as in Savoy Nice about Pignerol and Suza his Royal Highness on the other side not demanding any Contributions of the King XI As to the Pretensions of the Dutchess of Nemours on his Royal Highness his Majesty leaves those Controversies to be determined among themselves by due Course of Law without concerning himself further therein XII That it shall be lawful for his Royal Highness to send Intendants and Commissaries into Savoy the Country of Nice the
Marquisate of Suza and Barcellonet into Pignerol and its Dependencies in order to Regulate his Interests Rights and Revenues and to settle his Customs and Excises upon Salt and other things And the said deputed Persons shall be admitted and authorised in their Offices immediately after the Ratification of this present Treaty after which the said Duties shall belong to his Royal Highness without Exception or Contradiction XIII That if the Neutrality for Italy be accepted or that a General Peace be Concluded as in such Cases a great many Troops would become altogether Useless and Chargeable to his Royal Highness and that besides the excessive Charges requisite for the maintaining of them they commonly become an occasion of creating a mis-understanding among Princes when more Troops are kept on Foot than are necessary in a State either for its own Conservation or for the maintaining of the Dignity of a Sovereign Prince his Royal Highness doth therefore oblige himself not to keep in times of Neutrality any more than Six thousand Foot on this side the Alpes and One thousand five hundred on the other side of the Mountains for the Garrisons of Savoy and of the County of Nice and One thousand five hundred Horse or Dragoons and this Obligation is to continue only till the General Peace be Concluded We the above-mentioned Plenipotentiaries have agreed upon and signed these present Articles and we do promise and engage to procure them to be ratified and confirmed by his Majesty and by his Royal Highness promising likewise that they shall be kept secret till the end of September next and if at that time new Articles are made to the same Sense and purpose then these shall be suppressed Dated at Turin the Twenty Ninth of August 1696. Rhene de Froullay and Saint Thomas And because some may be curious to see the French King's Act of Surrender of the Country of Savoy to the Duke it was conceived in these Terms BE it known to all Persons whatsoever That in pursuance of a Treaty of Peace made and signed between his most Christian Majesty Lewis XIV King of France and Navarre on the one part and his Royal Highness Victor Amadeus II. Duke of Savoy Prince of Piedmont King of Cyprus c. on the other Part That his most Christian Majesty hath given Orders to Monsieur Anthony Balthasar Marquiss de Thoy Major General of the Armies of France and Governour of Savoy to restore entirely to his Royal Highness all the Countries Places Castles and Fortresses of all Savoy except Montmilian and to draw out all the Troops that are there pursuant to his Majesty's Letters Patents To this end his Royal Highness hath sent the Marquiss of Thana Captain of his Life Guards Major General of his Army and Governour of Savoy with a Power to receive in his Royal Highness's Name all the said Estates and Places The said Marquiss de Thoy having therefore personally appeared in the Council-Chamber of the Town-Hall of Chambery and having there assembled the Nobility the Syndics and Counsellors of the said City and the said Marquiss of Thana there likewise appearing did then and there receive from the said Marquiss de Thoy an absolute and full Surrender in the Name of his most Christian Majesty of all the Countries and of all the Places of the Dutchy of Savoy Montmelian only excepted according to the Treaty of Peace The said Marquiss de Thoy expressing the same in these following Words viz. My Lord Marquess de Thana in Pursuance of an Order from the King my Master and according to the Power you have also received from his Royal Highness I do hereby make an entire Surrender and Restitution to his Royal Highness in your Person of all the Countries and Places and of all the Dependencies of the Estate of Savoy Montmelian excepted and his Royal Highness may accordingly dispose of the same in like manner as he had done before those Estates were conquered by the King 's Arms. To which the Marquiss of Thana answered That he received in his Royal Highness's Name the aforesaid Countries Places and Dependencies This done the Marquiss de Thoy repeated once more the Words of the said Surrender and then went out of the Town House Of all the aforesaid Transactions both the said Marquesses de Thoy and Thana caused an Act to be made before Publick Notaries which was signed Thoy de Pisâ—en Marquiss de Thana As Witnesses Syndics Favre de Charmettes Perin Cugnet Tonce Syndics I Jasper Chambet Notary and Burgess of Chambery have receiv'd and passed the present Act as required Signed G. Chambet Not. When the News of this procedure came our King was Encamped at Gemblours where Monsieur de la Tour the Duke of Savoy's Envoy notified to him the separate Peace which his Master had made with the French King and that the Forces of the Allies were to depart his Country within such a limitted time or be forced to it by his own Troops in Conjunction with those of France But that it was in the power of the Confederates to make a Neutrality which should include all Italy within the same time I could never learn what Answer his Majesty gave the Envoy but perhaps he was more concerned that the Duke by Letter should excuse the matter to the Emperor King of Spain and Electors of Bavaria and Brandenburg and yet not a line to him than at the thing it self and this procedure of the Dukes makes that Harange of his Envoy the Marquess de Govon to the late King James in Sept. this Year to be the more to be believed the which because so Diametrically opposite to that we have given you in the preceding part of this Book which was made to his present Majesty and our late Queen Mary of Happy Memory and that it is a strange instance of the unconstancy of sublunary things take as follows SIR HIS Royal Highness is at length happily reconciled to his mâ—st Christian Majesty against whom he had rashly taken up Arms tho' he has all along receiv'd sincere Proofs of His Majesty's Protection The strict Leagues his noble Ancestors have heretofore had with France and the more exact Alliance his Royal Highness has contracted by his Marriage have but the more disjoyn'd him from the Interest of that Kingdom This Vnion which ought to have been the most inviolable we have lately seen interrupted by the Artifices of his most Christian Majesty's and your Majesty's Enemies to whom his Royal Highness has been hitherto so weak as to give ear His Royal Highness therefore humbly begs Your Majesty would please to pardon his past Conduct so very contrary to his sincere Desires to re-establish your Majesty upon your Throne The Injustice and Oppression of your Enemies Sir have caused his most Christian Majesty to engage in this War God Almighty has hitherto favour'd his Attempts because they are just and 't is also to be hoped he will lend the like Attention to your Majesty's Petition
Morea save the bringing over of the famous Basha Liberachi to the Interest of the Republick He was a Native of Maina formerly Leuctra where Epinanondas Conquered the Lacedemonians and was said to have been Descended of the Ancient Kings of Sparta He had been long detained in Prison at Constantinople but was afterwards Released by the Sultan who was in hopes that he would have Recovered the Morea from the Venetians and for that reason he Honoured him with several Titles and Dignities Married him to the Widow of the Hospodar of Moldavia and gave him a large extent of Country And certain it is that he had not a little contributed to stop the Progress of the Venetian Arms. However now he was brought over and Conducted to Corinth where the Venetian General received him according to his Merits and presented him with a Cross set with Diamonds But for Dalmatia the Republick thought to have extended their Dominions that way by the Reducing of Dulcigno which was invested by their Forces on the 12th of August but tho' General Delphino carried the Works on with great Application and Routed 5000 Turks that came to Relieve it the Consequences of which was his Taking the Town yet the Castle made a Vigorous Defence which gave the Basha of Scutari opportunity to Attempt the Relief of it a second time and to that purpose fell upon both the Wings of the Venetians with much Fury but being Repulsed with no less Vigour the Morlakes pursued them with great Slaughter and the loss of 12 Colours But notwithstanding this double Rout of the Turks and after all the Efforts of the Venetians to Reduce the Castle they were forced to give over the Enterprize and to content themselves to lay the Country waste round about it many Miles and to destroy above 60000 Olive Trees that brought in a great Revenue to the Enemy Yet they valued themselves very much upon their Fleet 's Beating that of the Turks under Mezzomorto tho according to the Relation themselves have given of it it does not seem to have been proportionably considerable the Fight was briefly thus General Molino setting Sail from the Gulph of Eugenia upon the last of July with the Gallies and Galleasses and having sent away the Men of War to Andros with Orders to make as if they intended to Land and by that means to try whether they could draw the Turkish Fleet to an Engagement received intelligence that Mezzomorto the Turkish Admiral had appeared near Castella Resto not far from Negropont with 36 Men of War two Fire ships and 46 Galliots and long Barks Whereupon the Venetian General upon the 9th of August quitted the Gulph of Eugenia with the Gallies and Galleasses in order to joyn the Men of War and then to meet the Enemy But this Conjunction thro the Badness of the Weather could not be till the 21st at what time the General calling a Council of War it was resolved to fall upon the Enemy and to this purpose to Tow their Men of War with their Gallies because of the Calm But because the Turks caused the Men of War to be Towed in like manner by their Galliots and Long Barks towards the Golden Cape it was 19 of the Clock according to the Italian way of reckoning before the Vanguard of the Venetian Fleet consisting of 8 Men of War could come up with them However tho' they had the Advantage of keeping their Fleet close upon a Line whereas the Body of the Venetian Fleet could not get up because of the Calm Molino engaged the Left Wing of the Turkish Fleet whilst the 8 above-mentioned Vessels and Galleasses fell upon the Right with extraordinary Vigour and Bravery The Fight continued till it was very dark when the Turkish Line was broke and their Fleet began to bear away with all the Sail they could make and got next day into the Port of Scio where they staid two days longer to Refit Three of their Ships being so battered that they were forced to take out their Guns and Three of their Galliots and a Sultana lost in the Fight with 600 Men killed besides several wounded But the Venetians lost never a Vessel and but a very few Men. From thence General Molino sailed back to Andros thence to Fina or Tenos in the Gulph of Evenay but they got safe into Rhodes and Molino had no more to do than to return to Napoli di Romania It cannot be expected there should have been any great Feats done more especially this Year by the Polish Arms since the whole Kingdom wanted an Head to govern it the same being Elective by the Death of its brave King John Sobieski the Third of that Name who departed this Life on the 17th Day of June of an Apoplectick Fit being above 70 Years of Age. His Decease as it usually happens in such Cases was attended with much Confusion which frequently falls out in Elective Kingdoms because of the Competitors making Parties and other Humours that break forth thereupon But of this we shall have Occasion to speak hereafter and therefore leaving at present the Cardinal Primate to take upon him the Administration of the Government we will pass into Moscovy of which Empire we have hitherto had little to say But now you will hear of something to the purpose For whereas we heard nothing all along before but the Marching of their Armies into the Field without any memorable Undertaking it was otherwise this Campaign For the Czar Peter Alexowitz in whom the whole Administration of that Government was now lodged marched in Person at the Head of a most numerous Army and laid Siege to Asoph a Place of great Importance and considerable Strength upon the River Tanais which he carried on with great Vigour and which Place the Tartars who knew the Consequences of it were very desirous to relieve Of this the Muscovites were aware and therefore they ordered nine Gallies and some other Vessels by way of Prevention to lie before the Mouth of the Tanais But the Water being too shallow for the Gallies to stir the Czar no sooner understood that the Turkish Vessels were in sight but he immediately put 2000 Men on board the light Barks who presently met the Turkish Convoy and fell upon them with so much Courage and Resolution that of three Vessels one was sunk and the other two betook themselves to Flight Ten large Saiquies which were about to make their Escape in the same manner were cast upon the Sands by contrary Winds and after a faint Resistance were master'd by the Muscovites the Turks endeavouring to save themselves some by Swimming and others in their Shallops To this Success of the Muscovites if you add the Booty it makes the thing yet the more considerable for they found in the Saiques all the Provisions designed for Asoph Clothes for the whole Garrison a vast Quantity of Powder and a great Number of Pikes and Swords together with a considerable
if he did not to fall under the Censure of the House The Papers being read Sir John was immediately ordered to be brought before them and being interrogated by the Speaker concerning his Inclinations to make a Discovery of the Designs and Practises of the Enemies of the Government with a Promise of Favour if he were Ingenious therein yet finding by all the Answers he made he did nothing but Prevaricate with the House alledging the King knew already what he had discovered and that he could not be safe to tell them any thing without assurance of Security for himself They ordered a Bill to be brought in to Attaint him of High Treason which was carried by a great Majority in the House and Mr. Speaker acquainting them that he had received a Letter from Sir John Fenwicke importing That having received a Copy of the Bill with the House's Order thereupon he desired such Counsel and Sollicitor as he therein named might be allowed him The same was readily agreed to tho' it was said the Sollicitor was a very great Jacobite and insinuated farther that he was suspected to have been concerned in Goodman's Escape The first debate that hapned upon Sir John's being brought to the Bar of the House was concerning the Mace whether it should lie on the Table while he was in the House or whether the Sergeant ought to stand by him with it at the Bar which last was carried and then the Bill was read by the Clerk of the Parliament in these Words WHereas Sir John Fenwicke Bar was upon the Oaths of George Porter Esq and Cardell Goodman Gent. at the Sessions of Oyer and Terminer held for the City of London on the 28th day of May 1696. Indicted of High Treason in Compassing and Imagining the Death and Destruction of His Majesty and adhering to His Majesty's Enemies by Consulting and Agreeing with several Persons whereof some have been already Attainted and others not yet brought to their Tryals for the said Treason at several Meetings to send Robert Charnock since Attainted and Executed for High Treason in Conspiring to Assassinate His Majesty's Sacred Person whom God long preserve to the late King James in France to â—â—cite and Incourage the French King to Invade this Kingdom with an Armed Force by Promising to Join with and Assist him with Men and Arms upon such an Invasion And whereas the said Sir John Fenwicke did obtain His Majesty's Favour to have his Tryal delayed from time to time upon his repeated Promises of making an ingenuous and full Confession of his Knowledge of any Design or Conspiracy against His Majesty's Person or Government and of the Persons therein concerned And whereas he has so far abused His Majesty's great Clemency and Indulgence therein That instead of making such Confession he hath contrived and framed False and Scandalous Papers as his Informations reflecting on the Fidelity of several Noble Peers divers Members of the House of Commons and others only by Hearsay and contriving thereby to Vndermine the Government and create Jealousies between the King and his Subjects and to stifle the real Conspiracy And whereas Cardell Goodman one of the Witnesses against the said Sir John Fenwicke to Prove the said Treason lately and since the several times appointed for the Tryal of the said Sir John Fenwicke at one of which times the said Sir John Fenwicke had been accordingly Tryed had it not been for the Expectation of the said Discoveries so often promised by him is withdrawn so that the said Cardell Goodman cannot be had to give Evidence upon any Tryal Be it Enacted by the King 's most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled and by the Authority of the same That the said Sir John Fenwicke be and is hereby Convicted and Attainted of High Treason and shall suffer the Pains of Death and inâ—â— all Forfeiture as a Person Attainted of High Treason The Bill being read the King's Counsel Sergeant Goulâ— and Sergeant Lovell according to Mr. Speaker's Direction very learnedly especially the former opened the Evidence they had to prove the Suggestions of it and were as learnedly answered by Sir Thomas Powis and Sir Bartholomeâ— Shoar the Prisoner's Counsel who alledged That if the other would only call in Evidence to prove the Suggestions of the Bill they were ready to answer them but if they called in Evidence to prove Sir John Fenwicke Guilty of the Conspiracy by living Witnesses they took upon them not to be ready for that saying They did not know they should be allowed liberty to produce any Witnesses Whereupon they were ordered all to withdraw and the House debated the same a long time not without some Members making large Excursions from the Matter in dispute and after much Contestation as of other things of the proposing of the Question it self at length Mr. Speaker put it thus That the Council in managing of Evidence against Sir John Fenwicke be allowed to produce Evidence touching the Allegations of the Bill and the Treasons for which he was Indicted which was carried in the Affermative and the House it being late Adjourned to Monday the 16th of 〈◊〉 when the House proceeded farther upon it and the Council produced their Evidence which was Captain Porter 〈◊〉 gave a full Account of what he knew concerning Sir Joâ—â— Fenwicke's Guilt and was farther examined notwithstanding the Prisoner's Council stifly opposed it concerning 〈◊〉 being tampered with by one Clancy as to the taking off 〈◊〉 Testimony as to the late Conspiracy And not only so 〈◊〉 the King's Council produced the Record of Clancy's Conviction thereupon and so proceeded to Goodman's Examination taken under the Hand of Mr. Vernon which they prayed might be read but the Prisoner's Council opposed it as a thing unallowable and impracticable the Law requiring Persons to appear and give their Evidence viva voce c. and the House entred into an hot Debate upon it But at length it was carried the said Imformation should be read and next that some of Grand Jury should give an account upon what Evidence they found the Bill of Indictment that was thereupon brought in against Sir John Fenwicke From hence they proceeded to the Record of the Conviction of Mr. Cook and when the Council on both sides had spoke to it and the House debated the same it was moreover agreed That the said Record should be read and the King's Council allowed to examine Witnesses as to what Goodman swore at the Tryal of Cook which being over and some Questions asked concerning the forementioned Letter of Sir John Fenwicke it was agreed the Prisoner's Council if they had any Witnesses to examine on his Behalf might do it that Night but that as to their Observations the House would give them time till next Morning This they having none except a Record to produce accepted of and indeed said as much in Behalf of their
Lorrain to the Duke of that Name in the same manner as it was offered in the Treaty of Nimeguen and the City of Nancy upon certain Conditions With the demolishing of divers Places such as Mont-Royal Trarbacâ— c. As for the Spaniards they offered to give up to them the City and County of Luxemburg and the County of Chinay or in lieu of them some other Places hereafter to be named for which there was at present a Blank left in the Project As to the Re-unions made the same Tender was offered as was to the Empire The City and Castle of â—â—inant to be delivered to the Bishop of Lieggeâ— And for all other Places taken either from the one or the other during the War the same likewise were 〈…〉 restored The Spaniards seemed in the main to have been pretty well satisfied with the French Concessions But the Emperor's Plenipotentiaries made a long and as some thought a some-what extravagant Answer to the Project which the others did not seem to regard so much their main Business being to make up with the rest upon what Terms they were willing to give to them and to save somewhat if possible of their great and long Acquisitions towards the Rhine since there was so little Prospect of saâ—ing any thing elsewhere Wherefore the French King finding much Time spent to little purpose by carrying on the Treaty in Writing and not knowing what Accidents might happen he ordered his Plenipotentiaries to receive no Pretensions nor Answers from the Allies in Writing but to treat viva voce with them And tho' the 10th of Sept. was the utmost Time the French would give to accept of their Offers yet it was observed that they began about this time to demit some-what of their accustomed Rigour Aug. the 16th was the first Day that an extraordinary Congress was held at Reswick which lasted almost the whole Day And next Day the Plenipotentiaries of the Allies were together for the first time in the great Hall of the Royal Palace Not long after this came the News of the Taking of Barcelona by the French after one of the most vigorous Sieges that had happen'd almost in any Age whatever This made the Spaniards very uneasie and very pressing to have the Peace signed upon the Conditions offered by France and more especially since by the Memorial given in to the Mediator on the first Day of Sept. there had been an Offer made of giving up this Place also to them upon a slight Consideration of a few Villages belonging to the Castelline of Aeth to be surrender'd to the French for the Conveniency of the Trade of the Inhabitants of Tournay But by how much the more easie the French seemed to be with the Spaniards they made so much the more bold with the Empire and now insisted positively upon the Detension of Strasburg and that the Emperor should rest contented with the Equivalent which they said would be more considerable to him since he would have the entire Sovereignty of those Towns France quitted whereas Strasburg it restored must have been set at its own Liberty as a Free Imperial City And if the Empire was startled at this new Pace they were not a whit less at the Definite Time fixed by France for their Answer which was the 20th of Sept. after which time they would be no longer obliged to those Offers And this was still the more mortifying since they began now to be superiour in Force to the French there and to act Offensively And to this that the Imperialists began also by this time to be a a little Jealous lest some of the Allies should sign a Separate Peace and leave them out and this occasioned some Heats between the Confederates which terminated in Conferences about the Subject Matter lying before them And tho' the Silence of the Allies concerning the Treaty did about this amaze the French Plenipotentiaries yet the Interview between my Lord Portland and the Mareschal de Boufflers at the Request of the latter occasioned various Speculations and was as a Dagger to the Hearts of our Jacks in England who still poor Fools flattered themselves against all common Sense and Reason that tho' a Treaty of Peace was held at the King 's own Palace yet he must be left out of it And if this and the succeeding Interviews that were between those two great Favourites of their Masters was so surprizing to most Men in general my Lord Portland who went from thence to the Hague his declaring by the King's Order to the Congress That as for what concerned His Majesty and his Kingdoms he was well satisfied that all Matters were so adjusted with France that his Concerns would occasion no delay in the General Peace and therefore he earnestly pressed the other Allies and particularly the Emperor to contribute all that in them lay towards concluding so great a Work was no less so At last the 20th of September came when either an happy Peace or a long and bloody War was like to determine the Fate of Europe when the English Spanish and Dutch Plenipotentiaries after a long Conference with those of France and having adjusted all Matters remaining in Difference between any of them mutually signed the Peace a â—ittle after Midnight and then complemented each other upon the finishing of that important Negotiation The Emperor and the Empire 's Plenipotentiaries were in the Hall the greatest part if not all the Time but they did not give their Consent to what was done nor in the least assisted iâ— bringing the Matter to a Period But on the contrary some of the Ministers of the Electors and other Princes of the Empire that were present required the Mediator to enter 〈◊〉 Protestation That this was the second time that a Separate Peace had been concluded with France meaning that of Nimeguen for one wherein the Emperor and Empire had been excluded And that the States of the Empire who as they said had been cheated through an Over-credulity would not for the future be so easily brought to make Alliances But the Spanish Plenipotentiaries and especially Don Beâ—nardo de Quiros excusing themselves replied That he haâ— for a long time been made acquainted with his Prince's Pleasure and that he had Orders for delaying the matter 〈◊〉 longer but to sign the Treaty which had been agreed on before And that if he had signed the same some time sooner according to his Master's Orders the French would not have taken Barcelona But that having been over-perswaded to it by the Imperial Ministers he had deferred the Execution of it and thereby not a little lessen'd his Master's Favour towards him I believe also the Spaniards perceived that the English and Dutch could have saved Barcelona this Year if they had pleased but that they rather declined it with an Intention to bring the Spaniards the more readily to comply with the Offers of the French and so much the rather since they said upon this
present Treaty by his Majesty or the said Lords the States General and their Successors nevertheless this Peace and Alliance shall remain in its full Force without coming to a Rupture of the Amity and good Correspondence But the said Breaches shall be dresently repair'd and if they proceed from the Misdemeanor of any private Subjects they only shall suffer Punishment XIV And for the better Assurance for the future of the Trade and Amity between the Subjects of the said Lord the King and those of the said Lords the States General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries it is accorded and agreed That if hereafter any Interruption of Friendship or Rupture shall happen between the Crown of France and the said Lords the States General of the United Provinces which God forbid there shall be always nine Months time allowed after the said Rupture for the Subjects of each Party to retire with their Effects and to transport 'em whether they shall think fit Which it shall be lawful for 'em to do as also to sell and transport their Gods and Moveables with all Freedom without any Hindrance or Molestation or Proceeding during the said space of nine Months to any Seizure of their Goods much less to any Arrests of their Persons XV. The Treaty of â—eace between the deceas'd King and the Elector of Brandenburg concluded at St. German enlay the 29th of June 1697. shall be re-establish'd between his Most Christian Majesty and his present Electoral Highness of Brandenburg in all the Points and Articles of it XVI In regard it is of high Concernment to the publick Tranquility that the Peace concluded between his Most Christian Majesty and his Royal Highness the Duke of Savoy August the 9th 1696. should be exactly observ'd it is agreed That the same be confirm'd by this present Treaty XVII And in regard his Majesty and the Lords the States General acknowledge themselves beholding for the effectual good Offices which the King of Sweden has continually contributed by his good Counsels and Admonitions toward the publick Safety and Repose it is agreed on both sides That his said Swedish Majesty with his Kingdoms shall be expresly comprehended in the present Treaty in the most ample Form that may be done XVIII In this present Treaty of Peace and Alliance shall be comprehended on the part of the said Lord the Most Christian King all those that shall be nominated before the Exchange of the Ratifications and within the space of six Months after they shall have been Exchanged XIX And on the part of the Lords the States General the King of Great Britain and the King of Spain and all the rest of the Allies who in the space of six Weeks to reckon from the Exchange of the Ratifications shall declare themselves willing to accept of the Peace as also the Thirteen Laudable Cantons of the Confederate Switzers and their Allies and Confederates and particularly in the best Form and Manner that may be the Evangelick Republicks and Cantons of Zurig Berne Glaris Basle Schasthause and Appenzel with all their Allies and Confederates as also the Republick of Geneva and its Dependencies the City and County of Neufchastelle the Cities of St. Galles Milhause and Bienne also the Confederate Grizons and their Dependancies the Cities of Bremen and Embden and more-over all Kings Princes and States Cities and private Persons to whom the Lords the States General upon request to them made shall grant Liberty to be comprehended therein XX. The said Lord the King and the said Lords the States General consent That the King of Sweden as Mediator and all the rest of the Potentates and Princes who are desirous to enter into the same Engagement may give to his said Majesty and the said Lords the States General their Promises and Obligations of Guarranty for the performance of all that is contain'd in this present Treaty XXI The present Treaty shall be ratify'd and confirm'd by the Lord the King and the Lords the States General and the Letters of Ratification shall be deliver'd within the Term of Three Weeks or sooner if it may be to count from the Day of the Signing XXII And for the greater Security of Peace and of all Clauses and Articles therein contain'd the present Treaty shall be publish'd verify'd and register'd in the Court of Parliament in Paris and in all the other Parliaments of the Kingdom of France and Chamber of Accounts in Paris aforesaid as also in like manner the said Treaty shall be publish'd verify'd and register'd by the Lords the States General in the Courts and other Places where such Publications Verifications and Registers are accustom'd to be made In Faith of which We the Embassadors of his said Majesty and the Lords the States General by virtue of Our respective Powers have in the said Names sign'd these sents with Our usual Subscriptions and put thereto Our several Seals of our Coats of Arms. At Ryswick in Holland September the 20th 1697. The Separate ARTICLE BEsides what has been concluded and determin'd by the Treaty of Peace between the Embassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries of the Most Christian King and those of the Lords the States General of the United Provinces this 20th of September 1697. It is yet farther agreed by this Separate Article which shall have the same Force and Virtue as if it were Word for Word in the above-mention'd Treaty That his Most Christian Majesty shall consent as he does hereby consent by this present Article That the Emperor and Empire shall be allow'd till the 1st of November next to accept the Conditions of Peace propos'd as the last that are to be made by his said Most Christian Majesty according to his Declaration of the 1st of this present Month of September if his Imperial Majesty and the Empire cannot otherwise agree with his said Most Christian Majesty and in case that within the said time the Emperor and the Empire do not accept the said Conditions or do not otherwise agree with his said Most Christian Majesty the said Treaty of Peace shall have its full and entire Effect and shall be fulfill'd according to its Form and Tenor so that the said Lords the States General shall in no manner oppose it either directly or indirectly under any Pretence whatsoever In Faith of which We the Embassadors of his said Majesty and the States General by vertue of Our respective Powers have in the said Names sign'd this Separate Article with Our usual Subscriptions and seal'd it with Our Coats of Arms at Ryswick in Holland this 20th Day of September 1697. Sign'd L. S. N. A de Harlay Bonueil L. S. Verjus de Crecy L. S. De Callieres L. S. A. Hensius L. S. E. de Weede L. S. W. V. Haren Thus having inserted the English and Dutch Articles at full length nothing less can be expected than that I should do the like by the Spaniards who will be thought not to have fared the worse for the Peace
the Hearts of the Most High Most Excellent and Most Potent Prince Lewis XIV by the Grace of God Most Christian King of France and Navarre and the Most High Most Excellent and Most Potent Prince Charles II. Catholick King of Spain who desiring cordially and as much as in them lies to concurr toward the Re-establishment of the Publick Tranquility and more-over not having any other Design than to render it solid and perpetual by the Equity of the Conditions their said Majesties unanimously consented to submit for that purpose to the Mediation of the Most High Most Excellent and Most potent Prince of Glorious Memory Charles XI by the Grace of God King of Sweden the Goths and Vandals c. but sudden Death having cross'd the Hope which all Europe had conceiv'd of the happy Issue of his Counsels and his good Offices their said Majesties persisting still in a Resolution as soon as might be to stop the Effusion of so much Christian Blood believed they could not do better than still to acknowledge in the same Quality the Most High the Most Excellent and Most potent Prince Charles XII King of Sweden his Son and Successor who on his part has continu'd the same Cares for the advancing of the Peace between their Most Christian and Catholick Majesties in the Conferences that have been held at the Castle of Ryswick in the Province of Holland between the Extraordinary Embassadors and Plenipotentiaries appointed on both sides That is to say on the part of his Most Christian Majesty the Sieur Nicholas Augustus de Harlay Knight Lord of Bonneuil Count de Cely the King's Counsellor in Ordinary in his Council of State the Sieur Lewis Chevalier Verjus Count de Crecy the King's Counsellor in Ordinary in his Council of State Marquiss de Freon Baron of Cauvay Lord of Boulay the two Churches of Fort Isle du Muillet and other Places and the Sieur Francis de Callieres Knight Lord of Callieres de la Rochellay and Gigny and on the part of his Catholick Majesty Senior Don Francisco Bernardo de Quiros Knight of the Order of St. James the King's Counsellor in his Royal and Supream Council of Castille and the Sieur Lewis Alexander de Stockart Count of Tirlemont Baron de Gaesbeke Counsellor in the Supream Council of State for the Low Countries at Madrid in the Councils of State and Privy-Council within the said Countries who having first implor'd the Assistance of Heaven and respectively imparted their full Powers Copies of which shall be inserted Word for Word at the end of this present Treaty and duly exchang'd 'em by the Interposition and Mediation of the Sieur Nicholas Baron de Lilienrâ—â— Embassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of his Majesty the King of Sweden who has discharg'd his Office of Mediator with all requisite Prudence Capacity and Equity they agreed for the Glory of God and the Good of Christendom upon the Conditions following I. It is agreed and consented That for the future there shall be a good firm and lasting Peace Confederacy and perpetual Alliance and Amity between the Most Christian and Catholick Kings their Children born and to be born Inheritors Heirs and Successors their Kingdoms States Countries and Subjects that they shall reciprocally love each other like Brothers procuring to the utmost of their Power the Good Honour and Reputation of each other sincerely and as much as in them lies avoiding what-ever may cause the Damage either of the one or the other II. In pursuance of this Peace and good Union all Acts of Hostilities shall cease between the said Kings their Subjects and Vassals as well by Sea and other Waters as by Land and generally in all Places where the War has been carry'd on by their Majesties Arms as well between their Armies as between the Garrisons of their Strong Holds and if it were transgress'd by the taking of one or several Places either by Attack by Surprize or by Correspondence or if any Prisoners were taken or if any other Acts of Hostility were committed by Chance or otherwise the Breach shall be sincerely repair'd on both sides without scruple or delay restoring without Dimunition what shall have been possess'd and delivering the Prisoners without Ransom or Payment of Charges III. All Causes of Enmity or Misunderstanding shall be extinguish'd and abolish'd for ever There shall be on both sides a perpetual Oblivion and Amnesty of what-ever has been done during this present War or by reason thereof so that there may be no Prosecutions on either side directly nor indirectly upon any Pretence what-ever nor shall their said Majesties their Subjects Servants nor Adherents testifie any Resentment nor pretend to any sort of Reparation IV. The Strong Holds Gironne Roses and Belver shall be restor'd and left in Possession Demesne and Soveraignty of his Catholick Majesty as they were when taken with the Artillery which was found there at the same time and in general all the other Cities Strong Holds Forts Places and Castlewicks which have been possess'd during this War by his Most Christian Majesty's Arms and since the Treaty of Nimeguen within the Principality of Catalogna or other where in Spain their Appurtenances Dependencies and Annexes shall be restor'd in the Condition as now they are without retaining reserving weak'ning or impairing any thing Also the City of Barcelona Fort and Fortifications thereupon depending with all the Artillery shall be surrender'd back into the Power Demesne and Soveraignty of his Catholick Majesty in the Condition wherein the whole was found at the Day of taking thereof with all Appurtenances Dependencies and Annexes V. The City and Fortress of Luxemburg in the Condition as it is now without demolishing changing or weak'ning any thing or impairing the Works Forts or Fortifications thereof together with all the Artillery that was there at the time of taking as also the Province and Dutchy of Luxemburg and County of Chiny in all their Consistencies and all that they comprehend with their Appurtenances Dependencies and Annexes shall be sincerely and faithfully restor'd and surrender'd back into the Power Demesne Soveraignty and Possession of the Catholick King for the said King to enjoy as he did or might do then and before the Treaty of Nimeguen without detaining or reserving any thing but what was yielded up to his Most Christian Majesty by the preceding Treaty VI. The Fortress of Charleroy shall be likewise surrender'd back into the Power and under the Soveraignty of his Catholick Majesty with its Dependencies in the Condition it now is without breaking demolishing weak'ning or impairing any thing as also the Artillery that was at the time when it was taken VII Also the City of Mons the Capital of the Province of Hainault with the Works and Fortifications belonging to it shall be restor'd to the Soveraignty Demesne and Possession of his Catholick Majesty in the Condition as they are now without breaking demolishing weak'ning or impairing any thing together with the Artillery which was there
carry away the moveable Goods that belong to 'em nor shall they be permitted to exact any thing of the Inhabitants of the said Places or of the Flat Countries nor to endamage the Houses nor to carry away any thing belonging to the Inhabitants XIV The Prisoners of what Nature or Condition soever shall be set at Liberty on both sides and without Ransom presently after the Exchange of the Ratifications paying what they have call'd for and what they may otherwise justly owe. And if any have been sent to the Gallies of their said Majesties by Reason or by the Misfortune of the said Wars only they shall be forthwith releas'd and set at Liberty without any scruple or delay upon any account whatever nor shall any thing be demanded for their Ransom or Expences XV By virtue of this Peace and strict Amity the Subjects of both sides whatever they be observing the Law Usages and Customs of Countries may go come reside traffick and return to their several Countries like good Merchants and as they shall think convenient as well by Land as by Sea and other Waters and may Treat and Negotiate together and shall be supported protected and defended as the proper Subjects of either Prince paying the reasonable Duties in all accustom'd Places and such others as shall be impos'd by the said Kings or their Successors XVI All Papers Letters Documents that concern the Countries Territories and Signories which shall be restor'd and surrender'd back to the said Kings by the present Treaty of Peace shall be produc'd and sincerely deliver'd on both sides within Three Months after the Ratifications of the present Treaty shall be exchang'd in whatever Places the said Papers and Documents shall be found even those that were taken out of the Cittadel of Gaunt and the Chamber of Accompts at Lisle XVII The Contributions settl'd or demanded on both sides Reprisals Convoys of Forrage Corn Wood Cattle Utensils and other sorts of Impositions upon the Countries of either Sovereign shall cease immediately after the Ratification of the present Treaty and all Arrearages or Portions of Arrears that may be due shall not be exacted on either side upon any Claim or Pretence whatever XVIII All Subjects on both sides as well Ecclesiastick as Secular Bodies Corporations Societies Universities and Colleges shall be restor'd as well to the Enjoyment of the Honours Dignities and Benefices with which they were provided before the War as to the Enjoyment of all and every one of their Rights Moveable and Immoveable Goods Rents Hereditary or Annunities seiz'd and possess'd since the said time either by occasion of the War or for siding with the contrary Party together with all their Rights Actions and Successions them befalling even since the beginning of the War yet so that no Demands shall be made of the Incomes Fruits or Revenues receiv'd or forfeited during this War from the seizing of the said Rents Immoveable Goods and Benefices to the Day of the Publication of this present Treaty XIX Neither shall any thing be demanded or pretended to of Debts Effects and Moveables which have been confiscated before the said Day nor shall the Creditors of such Debts or Trustees of such Effects their Heirs or any other pretending Right thereto commence any Prosecutions or pretend to recover the same Which Re-establishments and and Restorations in Form aforesaid shall extend in Favour of those who shall have sided with the contrary Party so that by virtue of this Treaty they shall be restor'd to the Favour of their King and Soveraign Prince as also to their Estates such as they shall find 'em at the Conclusion and Signing of this present Treaty XX. The said Re-establishment of the Subjects of both sides shall be made according to the 21st and 22d Articles of the Treaty of Nimeghen notwithstanding all Donations Concessions Declarations Confiscations Forfeitures Preparatory or Definitive Sentences pronounc'd by reason of the Contumacy or Absence of the Parties and they unheard Which Sentences and their Judgments shall be null and of no effect as if never given or pronounc'd with full and absolute Liberty for the said Parties to return from the Countries whither they were withdrawn personally to enjoy their Estates and Moveables Rents and Revenues or to settle their Hâ—bitations out of the said Countries in such Place as they shall think convenient it being at their own Choice and Election so that they shall be free from all Constraint in that respect And in case they rather choose to abide in any other Place they may depute or entrust such Persons as lie under no Suspicion whom they shall think fit for the Government and Possession of their Estates but not in respect of Benefices requiring Residence which shall be personally administred and serv'd XXI The 24th and 25th Articles of the said Treaty of Nimeghen concerning Benefices shall be observ'd and consequently they who were provided with Benefices by either of the Two Kings who at the Time of the Collation possess'd the Cities and Countries wherein the said Benefices were situated shall be maintain'd in the Possession and Enjoyment of the said Benefices XXII The Subjects on both sides shall have Liberty and full Power to Sell Exchange Alienate or otherwise dispose of as well by Deeds between the Living as by their last Testaments the Estates and Effects Moveable and Immoveable which they have or shall have under the Dominion of the other Soveraign and any one may buy 'em Subject or not Subject without any necessity of any Licence for the said Sail or Purchace or any other Permission then this present Treaty XXIII In regard there are some Rents which belong to the Generality of certain Provinces of which one part is possess'd by his Most Christian Majesty and the other by the Catholick King it is covenanted and agreed That each shall pay his Share and Commissioners shall be appointed to receive what each of the said Kings shall pay for their particular Shares XXIV The Rents legally settl'd or due upon the Demesnes by the preceding Treaties and of which the Payment shall be made appear in the Accompts given in to the Chambers of Accompts by the Receivers of their Most Christian and Catholick Majesties before the said Cessions or Surrenders shall be pay'd by their said Majesties to the Creditors of the said Rents under whose Dominion soever they may be French or Spanish or any other Nation without distinction XXV And in regard that by the present Treaty there is a good and lasting Peace made as well by Sea as Land between the said Kings in all their Kingdoms Countries Lands Provinces and Signiories and that all Hostilities ought to cease for the Future it is stipulated That if any Prizes are taken on either side in the Baltick or North Seas from Terneuse in Norway to the end of the Channel within the space of 4 Weeks from the end of the said Channel to Cape St. Vincent within Six Weeks and from thence in the
Mediterranean Sea and as far as the Line within the space of Ten Weeks and beyond the Line and in all the other Parts of the World within the space of Eight Months to reckon from the Day of the Publication of this present Treaty the said Prizes which shall be taken of either side after the Terms prefix'd shall be restor'd with Reparation for Damages sustain'd XXVI In case of a Rupture which God forbid there shall be allow'd the Term of Six Months that so the Subjects of either Part may have time to remove and transport their Effects and Goods whither they shall think most convenient and it shall be lawful for 'em to do it with all Freedom without any Molestation or Obstruction or Seizure of the said Effects during the said Term much less shall any stop be put to their Persons XXVII The Soldiers on both sides shall immediately after the Ratification of this present Treaty return to the Territories and Countries of their proper Sovereigns and into the strong Holds and Places which are to remain and belong to their Majesties respectively after or according to this present Treaty not being to stay upon any Pretence whatever in the Territories of either Sovereign nor in the Places which are in like manner to appertain to him and there shall be also after the Signing of the same Treaty a Cessation of Arms and Hostilities in the Dominions of the said Kings as well by Sea and other Waters as by Land XXVIII It is also agreed That the Receipt of Duties of which the said Most Christian King is in Possession upon all the Countries which he surrenders back or restores to the said Catholick King shall be continu'd till the actual Restitution of the Places of which the said Countries are Dependancies and that what shall remain due at the time of the said Restitution shall be faithfully pay'd to those who have taken the Farms of the same as also that at the same time the Proprietors of Woods Confiscated within the Dependencies of the said Places which are to be restor'd to his Catholick Majesty shall re-enter into the Possession of their Estates and of all the Woods that are upon the Place it being to be understood that from the Day of the Signing this present Treaty all Cutting down of Woods shall cease on both sides XXIX The Treaty of Nimeghen and the preceding Treaties shall be observ'd and put in Execution according to their Form and Tenor except in the Points and Articles from which there shall have been any thing formerly derogated or any Alteration made by this present Treaty XXX All Proceedings and all Judgments given between private Persons by the Judges or particular Officers of this Most Christian Majesty settl'd as well in the Cities and Places which he enjoy'd by virtue of the Treaty of 〈◊〉 Chapelle and which he has since restor'd to his Catholick Majesty as in those which appertain to his Most Christian Majesty by the Treaty of Nimeguen or of which he was in Possession after the said Treaty and likewise the Decrees of the Parliament of Tournay pronounc'd by reason of Differences and Suits prosecuted by the Inhabitants of the said Cities and their Dependencies during the time they were under his Most Christian Majesty's Obedience shall take Place and have their full and entire Effect as if the said King were Lord and Possessor of the said Countries nor shall the said Decrees or Judgments be call'd in Question or made void nor shall the Execution of 'em be in any other manner hinder'd or delay'd But it shall be lawful for the said Parties to provide for themselves by review of the Cause and according to the Order and Disposal of the Laws and Ordinances the Judgments still remaining in full Force and Virtue without prejudice to what is stipulated to this Effect in the 21st Article of the aforesaid Treaty of Nimeghen XXXI The City and Castle of Dinant shall be restor'd by his Most Christian Majesty to the Bishop and Prince of Liege in the Condition they were at what time they were possess'd by his Majesty's Arms. XXXII His Most Christian Majesty having testify'd his Desire That the Island of Ponza in the Mediterranean Sea shall be restor'd to Monsieur the Duke of Parma his Catholick Majesty in consideration of the good Offices of his Most Christian Majesty is pleas'd to declare That he will withdraw the Soldiers which he has there and return that Island into the Power and Possession of Monsieur the Duke of Parma presently after the Ratification of this present Treaty XXXIII In regard it is of high Concernment to the publick Tranquility that the Peace concluded at Turin the 29th of August 1696. between his Most Christian Majesty and his Roval Highness of Savoy should be also exactly observ'd it is thought convenient to confirm and comprehend it in this present Treaty and in all its Points such as are contain'd in the Copy sign'd and seal'd by the Plenipotentiaries of Savoy and which shall be annex'd to the present Treaty for the due observance of which and the present Treaty their said Majesties do give his Royal Highness their Guarranty XXXIV Their said Majesties in acknowledgment of the good Offices and Cares which the Most Serene King of Sweden has continually employ'd toward the Re-establishment of Peace are agree'd That his Swedish Majesty his Kingdoms and States shall be nominally comprehended in this present Treaty in the best Form and Manner that may be XXXV In his Peace Alliance and Amity shall be comprehended all those that shall be nam'd on either Part by common Consent before the Exchange of the Ratifications or within the space of Six Months after they shall be exchang'd XXXVI The said Most Christian and Catholick Kings consent That his Swedish Majesty in the Quality of Mediator and all other Kings Princes and Republicks who are desirous to enter into the said Engagement may give their Majesties their Promises and Obligations of Guarranty for the performance of all that is contain'd in this present Treaty XXXVII And for the greater security of this Treaty of Peace and all the Points and Articles therein contain'd this Treaty shall be publish'd verify'd and register'd as well in the Grand Council and other Councils and Chambers of Accompts of the Catholick King in the Low-Countries as in the other Councils of the Crowns of Castille and Aragon the whole according and in the Form contain'd in the Treaty of Nimeghen in the Year 1678. As also the said Treaty shall be publish'd verify'd and register'd in the Court of Parliament of Paris and in all other Parliaments of the Kingdom of France and Chamber of Accounts of Paris aforesaid Of which Publications and Inregistrings Copies shall be return'd and deliver'd on both sides within the space of Three Months after publication of the said Treaty XXXVIII All which Points and Articles above-declar'd and express'd together with the Contents of every one of them were negotiated
ancient Custom XXVII That all Gentlemen shall have the Freedom of the Salt Mines XXVIII The ancient Privileges of the Palatinates shall remain inviolable XXX All the Privileges which belong to the Universities of Cracow and other Cities as well Ecclesiastick as Secular as also all the Articles which were promis'd upon Oath at the Coronations of the Kings Henry Stephen Sigismond Vladistaus John Casimir and others shall be renew'd at this Election which if it be not done or any thing endeavour'd to the contrary of these Articles then the Inhabitants of Poland and Lithuania to be free and disingag'd from their Obedience This being over the new King advanced towards Poland and upon the Frontiers was harangued by the Embassy sent to him by the Republick or at least a Party of it And having himself Swore to the Pacta Conventa and given sufficient Testimony of his being reconciled to the Romish Church he deliver'd himself to the Nobility that attended him in the following manner MY Dear and Good Friends You have chosen Me to be Your King You are come to offer Me the Crown and You have brought Me hither I am come and have quitted my Territories and my Country for Love of You. 'T is not with a Design to be a Burthen to You but to bring abundance along with Me my Wealth my Forces and all that belongs to Me to augment as much as in Me lies the Glory and Honour of Your Nation by fighting against the Enemies of the Kingdom more-especially those of Christendom Be assur'd that my Heart shall be always constant and sincere towards my Faithful Subjects and that my Sword shall only be employ'd in the Defence of Your Liberty and the Authority with which You have invested Me. From Piccari the King continued his March towards Cracow And tho' all Circumstances consider'd he had by far the Advantage over his Adversary yet there were still innumerable Difficulties not only to struggle with in Poland but Saxony it self was also to be taken care of wherefore least the sudden Change of his Religion should occasion any Innovations there he caused the following Declaration to be affixed upon the Gates of Dresden FRederick Augustus by the Grace of God King of Poland c. Elector of Saxony c. We notifie and make known That having long since by Divine Inspiration resolv'd to return to the Bosom of the Roman Church wherein our Ancestors liv'd and whereas for that purpose without any Allurement of Interest or Profit but only having God before our Eyes we have embrac'd the Catholick Apostolick and Roman Religion and that in the mean while it has pleased his Divine Majesty to advance our Person to the Throne of Poland for which reason we find our selves oblig'd by Affairs of so great Importance to absent our selves for some time from our Dear Country the Electorate of Saxony and seeing that for these Reasons and because of our Change the States of our said Country and our Dear Subjects may believe that we have a Design to abolish their ancient Priviledges we have thought fit to declare That we have not any the least Thought to over-charge 'em in any manner whatsoever contrary to their aforesaid ancient Priviledges but rather graciously to maintain our said States and Subjects in all their Liberties assuring 'em that as we promis'd 'em when we enter'd into Possession of our Estates and were settl'd in the Government and now that we have embrac'd the Roman Religion that we will maintain and protect our Dear States and Subjects in their Ausburg Confession in their ancient Possession of Liberty of Conscience of Churches of Religious Worship of Religious Exercise of Universities of Schools and of all other Priviledges which they now enjoy that in pursuance of this we will not constrain any Person to embrace our present Catholick Religion but will leave every Body free in his own Conscience as we assure 'em upon our Royal and Electoral Word assuring our selves in the mean time that our Dear States and Subjects will continue their just Affection Love Esteem and Fidelity which they have hitherto testify'd to our Person as their Lawful Elector and Sovereign and that they will live in Peace in Repose and in Union during our Absence for a while so that the Blessing of God and all manner of Happiness may more and more increase to which purpose we will assist our People with all our Power and at all times give 'em Demonstrations of our Royal and Electoral Affection And to the end that our present Assurance and Promise may be known to all our States and Subjects of our Electorate and other Countries we ordain that being Printed it be affix'd in all Places of our Electorate and Country and that Copies of it be every where distributed and dispers'd And for the greater Confirmation of what is above written we have Sign'd this present Act and Promise with our Hand and Seal'd it with our Seal At Lobsow August 6. 1697. â— AVGVSTVS K. of Poland and E. of Saxony The Prince of Conti in the mean time being buoy'd up by the Primate and his Party September the 6th left France and on the 25th arrived before Danzick but while that City refused his Men the liberty of Landing and adher'd firmly to the Interest of the Elector this last was solemnly crowned King at Cracow September 15. This undoubtedly must be a great Mortification to the Prince of Conti However not to be totally discouraged and in assurance that the Lithuanian Army would not submit to the new crown'd King with an Intention farther still to embroil Matters he wrote the following Letter and his Party were very sedulous to disperse Copies of it FRancis Lewis de Bourbon Prince of Conti and by the Grace of God and the Affection of the Polish Nation Elect King of Poland and the Dutchy of Lithuania made no haste to come sooner in order to testifie his Acknowledgment that he might not do any Prejudice to the Customs of the Kingdom For the same Reason it is that he still remains on Board his Ship and that he has brought no Men along with him He does not apprehend that the Coronation of the Elector of Saxony can any way Prejudice his Right according to the Maxim That whatever is originally invalid can never be of any force in the Consequences that attend it Hence it comes to pass besides the Irregularities of His Electoral Highness's Coronation that there is an indispensible Necessity according to the Pacta Conventa that the Electress should embrace the Roman Catholick Religion before the Elector can be crown'd He puts all his Confidence in the Poles having a Design to avoid Effusion of Blood But in case of Necessity he Promises as many Forces as shall be necessary and continues still dispos'd to spend his Estate and to expose his own Person for the Polish Religion and Liberty But tho' this Stratagem had not the desired Effect the new King did not defer the
the Army of the Crown 5. That he shall employ his own Soldiers in the Siege of Caminiec and for the Recovery of Podolia which shall afterwards be re-united and incorporated in the Crown 6. That then he shall send back his Soldiers into Saxony and repair the Damages done by his Saxon Soldiers 7. That he shall revoke the Concessions of Crown-Lands and take 'em away from those on whom he has bestow'd 'em and that the Revenues thereof shall be employ'd toward the Subsistance of his Houshold 8. That he shall revoke and disannul all the Protestations which he made against the Primate and the Heads of the Rocosche 9. That he shall confer no Employments Benefices c. but upon Polanders who shall profess the Roman Catholick Religion and that the Members of the Rocosche shall be preferr'd before others in the Distribution of publick Employments 10. That the River Pisca shall be made Navigable at the King's Expences 11. That after the Expedition to Caminiec is ended a General Dyet of Pacification shall be call'd and that in the mean time his Majesty shall by his Circulatory Letters give notice of the Treaty of Agreement to all the Palatinates of the Kingdom 12. That the Tribunals shall remain suspended till the King be again confirm'd in the Possession of the Crown This being over the Cardinal went in great State to wait upon the King who received him in the Marble Chamber and according to Custom advanced some few Paces to receive him and to whom his Eminency made the following Speech in French SIR IF I have the Misfortune to present my self among the last to pay my most humble Respects to Your Majesty I have the Satisfaction to bring You the Fruits of a long Expectation the Hearts of Your Subjects and the Repose of Your Kingdom It was not for a Person of my Character to appear without these two Guides which in regard they are to be the chief Ornaments of Your Reign I place 'em at the Feet of Your Throne wishing that whatever eterniz'd the Renown of the Great Augustus may be accomplish'd in Your Majesty's Sacred Person to whom I have consecrated my Devotion and my solid and inviolable Adherence But tho' this Agreement we find thus to be at length happily accomplish'd in Poland yet things in Lithuania continu'd all this while in utmost confusion the Party of the Great General Sapieha and that of Oginski's the Great Standard Bearer with whom sided the major part of the Nobility seeming to remain Irreconcilable and the demands of the latter were so exorbitant as if they seemed to be made on purpose to prevent an Accommodation However dire Necessity having no Law and the King being eager to go into the Field he signed the Articles proposed by them wherein among other Things the inseparable Union and Coaequation of the Rights and Priviledges of the Grand-Dutchy of Lithuania with the Crown of Poland were agreed on and both sides bound by Oath to the observance of this Coaequation That the Imployments of the Great General Mareschal and Treasurer should still remain but with no other Priviledges than those allowed to the same Officers of Poland that the Army should not exceed 9000 Men That as for the Treasurers paying the Army no longer unless it were in the Presence of the Palatines that Point should be referred to the Approbation of the General Diet That Injuries and Damages sustained on either side should be forgotten and any new Differences that might arise should be left to the Arbitration of the next Diet But so unhappily it fell out that while they were labouring to bring this Accommodation to bear a Bloody Fight happened between Oginski's Forces and those of the Great General commanded by his Son wherein the former was defeated lost four Field-pieces and his Baggage had part of his Men Killed part Drowned in the Mimnell while the rest fled one and another way the Great Ensign himself making an hard shift to Escape into Ducall Prussia But neither this nor the daily Brangles and Skirmishes that happened between the Poles and Saxons could hinder his Majesty to prepare for the Field in order to which he arrived Aug. 15th at Leopold from whence the Czar and Princes of Muscovy who were got thither before went to meet him as far as Rava where they staid together for some Days and after all the Demonstrations of a Reciprocal Satisfaction accompanied with rich Presents on both sides they parted The Czar began his Travels last Year first into Brandenburg and thence into Holland to see his Brittanick Majesty for whose heroick Vertues he had always profest a very high Esteem From Holland he went for England and having staid here most part of the Winter went over for the Court of Vienna from whence he designed to go for Italy where there were great Preparations made and particularly at Venice for his Reception but the unhappy News of a Conspiracy having been formed against him in his own Country made him post thither where he quickly brought things into good Order and his Armies this Year had some Brushes with the Crim Tartars to the disadvantage of the latter Whatever the matter was 't was observed he had a perfect aversion to the French and notwithstanding as was said a very kind Invitation from that Monarch nothing would induce him to go thither which perhaps was no small Mortification to that Court The Czar was observed to be wonderfully inquisitive especially in Maritime Affairs and very Ingenious and nothing but the Ignorance of the Customs and Barbarousness of his Country could make any think him otherwise But to leave him and return to his Polish Majesty at Leopold he held divers Councils of War about the Operations of the Campaign concerning which the Generals were of very divided Opinions the formal Siege of Caminiec was the thing which the King aimed at But while neither that the Bombarding of it nor any thing else could be fully resolved on the Tartars gave him a sharp Check for the Polish Army being upon their march to joyn that of the Crown upon the Road of Caminiec Commanded by the Duke of Wirtemburg the Tartars being informed of the smallness of their Number in comparison of theirs on the 8th of Sept. met them under the Command of Sultan Suos Gerey near Podaiza which upon the 9th obliged the Poles to put themselves in order of Battle by break of Day About Noon the Tartars attack'd their Vanguard then fell upon the Right and Left Wings of the Poles both sides Fighting obstinately for a time at length the Poles gave Ground and thereby gave the Enemy an Opportunity to penetrate as far as the Generals Tent but there they were so vigorously received that the Polanders had time to rally and repel the Enemy who were forced to retreat The Fight lasted 8 Hours and was Bloody on both sides The Tartars at first defeated two Companies of Wallachians under Prince
cover the Duke's Foot The same Afternoon Major-General Tetteau with a Party of a 1000 Men having drawn down some Cannon to the Fair Hill resolved to attack one or both of the new Forts and new Shannon-Castle But the Enemy no sooner perceived his Men posted in order to that Design then they set fire to the Suburbs between him and them and so deserting both the Forts and Castle retired in haste into the City Which our Men no sooner saw but they possessed themselves of Shannon-Castle planted some Guns thereon and from thence plaid both upon the Fort and Town Major General Scravenmore was come at the same time with his Horse and took up his Quarters at Kill-Abbey On the 26th the Duke of Wirtemberg with his Danes and another Detatchment of Dutch and French Foot came and encamped on the North-side of the Town and the Enemy the day following having deserted their Works at the Cat-fort without a Blow struck our Forces took possession of it and having planted a Battery there they threw both their Bombs into the City and pâ—aid their Guns upon the Fort from the Friars Garden and another Battery above the Fort near the Abbey Having moreover got a Church into our possession Scravenmore ordered a Party of Men into it and laid Boards cross the Beams for them to stand upon who from thence did very good Service in galling the Irish within the Fort All which together with another Battery made by Red-Abbey which plaid against the City-wall and made a Breach therein brought the Besieged to move for a Treaty Whereupon a Truce was granted till next Morning when the Besieged not accepting the Conditions that were proposed the Cannon began to play again very furiously and made a considerable Breach and when any of the Enemy appeared on the Wall near it they were rased off by the small Ordnance from the Cat And lest the Enemy might make their Escape thro' the Marsh there were 40 Men placed the Night before in the Brick-Yard near Kill-Abbey to prevent it On the same Day in the Afternoon the Danes from the N. and 4 Regiments of English from the S. under Brigadier Churchill passed the River up to the Arm-pits into the E. Marsh in order to storm the Breach that was made there in the City-Wall The Granadiers under my Lord Colchester led the Van and march'd forward tho' all the while exposed to the Enemies fire with them march'd also the Duke of Grafton my Lord O Brian Collonel Granville and a great many more as Volunteers The Van immediately posted themselves under the Bank of the Marsh which seemed to be a Counterscarp to the City-Wall In which Approach the Duke of Grafton received a mortal Wound on the point of his Shoulder The Salamander also and another Vessel came up with the Morning-Tide and lay at the end of the Marsh directly before the City-Wall plaid their Cannon at the Breach and threw Bombs likewise into the City All this being hot Work made the Irish beat a Parley and Colonel Makilicut who commanded in the Place sent the Earl of â—yrone and Colonel Ricaut to agree the Capitulation who concluded That the Garrison consisting of about 4000 Men should be all Prisoners of War as well Officers as Soldiers That the Old Fort should be delivered up within an Hour and 2 Gates of the City the next Day That all the Protestant Prisoners should be forthwith released That all the Arms as well of the Soldiers as Inhabitants should be secured and that there should be an exact Account delivered up of the Warlike Ammunitions and Provisions in the Magazines Matters being thus happily terminated in relation to Cork the very same Afternoon a Party of about 500 Hoâ—se was sent under the Command of Brigadier Villars to infâ—st Kingsale upon whose Approach the Irish quitted the Town set it on fire and retired into the Old Fort and on the 1st of Oct. the Earl of Marlborough advanced as far as Five-Mile-Bridge and next day reach'd the Town of Kingsale then in Possession of his own Men who quenched the Fire and that Evening posted his Troops toward the New Fort as Major-General Tettau with 800 Men next Morning early passed the River in Boats and stormed the Fort with very good Success For several Barrels of Powder at the same time accidentally taking fire blew up nigh 40 of the Enemy whereupon the rest flying into an old Castle in the midst of the Fort were a great many of them killed before they could get thither and all that made resistance as the English scaled the Walls were cut to pieces so that of 450 Men in the Fort about 200 were blown up and killed and the rest submitting to Mercy were made Prisoners My Lord having gained the Old Fort resolved to make as quick Work as he could with the new one which was far the more considerable of the two For the Weather was now grown very bad and Provisions scarce and withal the Men began to be sickly which made him judge it the best way to attack the Place briskly However he sent the Governour a Summons to surrender who returned answer It would be time enough to talk of that a Month hence Whereupon the Cannon being planted they began to batter the Place two ways and upon the 9th day of the Month the Men got near the Counterscarp on the 12th in the Morning 6 Pieces of Cannon were mounted at the Danes Attack which was to the Left and 2 Mortars at the English which fired all Day and the Mortars continued all Night and more Guns were planted on the English Battery the two succeeding Days for the Danes on their side had made a pretty large Breach Then they sprung a Mine with very good Success and were preparing for another Being now become Masters of the Counterscarp the Cannon plaid the 15th all the Morning long and every thing was now ready to lay the Galleries over the Ditch when the Enemy beat a Parley about surrendring the Fort which being done the Articles were agreed to and signed By them the middle Bastion was to be delivered up next Morning and the Garrison being above 1200 Men to march out the day after with their Arms and Baggage and to be conducted to Limerick There were about 200 Men killed and wounded in the several Attacks our Men made but there were some Amends made to the Survivors at least some of them For besides a very considerable Magazine there was great Plenty of all kinds of Provisions in the Fort and good Liquor of all sorts With this successful Expedition we shall end the Affairs of Ireland for this Year there being no other Action of considerable Moment performed there but only observe that all Leinster was reduced under the King's Obedience by taking of these two Towns which was no small Advantage to his Interest considering that Province is the most Southern of all Ireland and consequently the nearest to France
and not only so but as it has the most convenient Ports in all that Kingdom and perhaps in the World so there the French King generally landed all his Supplies for that Countrey and was therefore afterwards forced to fetch a great Compass to do it which did not a little impede his Affairs And now we are at leisure to look a little how things have gone on the Continent How considerable soever the weight of the Confederacy seemed already to be it was this year further augmented by the Addition of another Prince who tho' he were in himself as light as a Feather yet the Situation of his Country was such as to make both Parties court him with utmost Application tho' in a different manner and with different Success The Duke of Savoy had all along since the Commencement of the War profess'd to stand Neutral which perhaps did not very well please neither Party concern'd in it tho' the French who one should think had most reason to be content of any first appear'd to be most dissatisfied For not pleas'd to have before put the Duke upon Imprisoning Exiling and destroying his Protestant Subjects the poor Vaudois they declare themselves now not satisfied with the pretended Neutrality which was no other than a meer Chimera and therefore demanded he should put the Cittadels of Verceil and Turin into their Hands for the Security of his Word which were hard Lines However the Duke put as good a meen upon the matter as he could and some time was spent if not gained by the Duke in sending of Couriers to the King upon the Subject and receiving others from him which tho' it did for a while yet a new Accident happened that made the French much more pressing and peremptory for a positive Answer For being inform'd that the Emperor had at last granted what the Duke of Savoy had so long desired that is to say to be acknowledged King of Cyprus and to be address'd to under the Title of His Royal Hâ—ghness which the Emperor had formerly refused upon good Considerations offered him by the Duke they became somewhat more than suspicious of the Duke's Fidelity and his declaring thereupon to the French King by his Minister That he had no design to abandon the Friendship of France or to do any thing contrary to the Treaties that were between that Crown and him were look'd upon as Terms so general and of so comprehensive a Latitute that they would not pass for current Coin in the French Court Wherefore Mounsieur Catinat who was to Command the French Troops on that side did before Summer was well begun pass the Mountains and arrived at Turin leaving an Army of about 18000 Men to rendezvous in the Dauphinate and so to follow him into the Duke's Territories which they soon did and for a time demeaned themselves without committing any Hostility For the Duke himself did not only offer to observe an exact Neutrality and for Security of Performance to furnish the King with 2000 Foot and a 1000 Horse But the Pope's Nuncio at Turin also thrust himself in to Patch up the Accommodation tho' without being able to find any Medium For Catinat not satisfied with any Offers that were made positively demanded Verceil for a place of Arms protesting that he could not listen to any Accord but upon those Conditions And the Duke had as little reason to be pleased with him or his Master upon this Head But tho' it is manifest he had by this time made Choice of his side yet all the Artifice imaginable was used to spin out a little more time because otherwise he would very much endanger his Country since the Spaniards from the Milâ—nese were not in a Condition to succour him And this was attended with new Propositions from France which in substance contained That the King was willing to refer his Concerns to the Pope and Republick of Venice upon Condition the Duke would put Verceil Carmagnole and Suza into the Pope's Hands till the End of the War But the Duke being no longer willing to mince a Matter that was already but too much suspected and must necessarily be known declared That he had now made Choice of his Party and that he was engaged with the Emperor and could not go from his Word However in regard the Alliance which he had made with his Imperial Majesty tended no further than to oppose the unjust Designs of his Most Christian Majesty to defend himself from Oppression and secure the Repose of all Italy If his Majesty would put Cazal and Pignerol into the Hands of the Republick of Venice till the End of the War and that all Differences between them were decided he would lay down his Arms and for some time put into the Pope's Hands one of his Towns as a Pledge for the Observation of his Word But France neither absolutely nor for any time had a mind to hearken to such Conditions and so came to an open Rupture the Consequence whereof was the immediate Liberty of the Vaudois and Incouragement to arm themselves against France the publick avowing of the Duke's Treaties first with the Emperor and afterward with Spain each of which we shall give you the Particulars of partly as being congruous to the Design of our Work but more in relation to what afterward has followed touching the infringements of them and first take that with the Emperor His Imperial Majesty sensibly touched with the re-iterated Menaces with which the King of France for some time since has threatned the Duke of Savoy which visibly tend to his Oppression because of the inviolable Adherence of his Royal Highness to his Imperial Majesty and moreover understanding that his Most Christian Majesty has with an Army invaded the Dominions of the said Duke on purpose to constrain him to surrender into his Hands his two Principal Fortresses and withal to furnish him with 2000 Foot and 2 Regiments of Dragoons to assist him to invade the States of Milan His Imperial Majesty judg'd himself oblig'd to succour a Prince who has always testified his Affection to the Emperor for which Reason he has sent the Sieur Abbot Vincent Grimani with all necessary Orders and full Power to Negotiate Treat and agree with his Royal Highness an Alliance for the Establishment of such things as concern his Imperial Majesty and to procure the Security of his Royal Highness To which end his Serene Highness Victor Amadeus II. Duke of Savoy and the aforesaid Abbot Grimanâ— have concluded the Articles following 1. HIS Royal Highness engages not to enter into any Treaty of Alliance with the Most Christian King without consent of the Emperor but to adhere firmly to the Emperor as a faithful Prince to the Empire 2. That he shall Act by joint Consent with the Emperor and the rest of the Confederate Princes 3. That he shall employ his Forces jointly with those of the Emperor and his Confederates against France and her Adherents
by both Kings and shall have the same Force and Vigour as if they were inserted Word for Word in the present Treaty IX All Letters as well of Reprisal as of Marque and Counter-Marque which hitherto have for any cause been granted on either side shall be and remain null and void Nor shall any the like Letters be hereafter granted by either of the said Kings against the Subjects of the other unless it be first made manifest that Right hath been denied And it shall not be taken for a denial of Right unless the Petition of the Person who desires Letters of Reprisal to be granted to him be first shewn to the Minister residing there on the part of the King against whose Subjects those Letters are desired That within the space of 4 Months or sooner he may inquire into the contrary or procure that satisfaction be made with all speed from the Party offending to the Complainant But if the King against whose Subjects Reprisals are demanded have no Minister residing there Letters of Reprisal shall not be granted till after the space of 4 Months to be reckoned from the Day on which his Petition was made and presented to the King against whose Subjects Reprisals are desired or to his Privy Council X. For cutting off all matter of Dispute and Contention which may arise concerning the Restitution of Ships Merchandises and other moveable Goods which either Party may complain to be taken and detained from the other in Countries and on Coasts far distant after the Peace is concluded and before it be notified there All Ships Merchandises and other moveable Goods which shall be taken by either side after the Signing and Publication of the present Treaty within the space of Twelve Days in the British and North Seas as far as the Cape St. Vincent Within the space of Ten Weeks beyond the said Cape and on this side of the Equinoctial Line or Equator as well in the Ocean and Mediterranean Sea as elsewhere Lastly within the space of six Months beyond the said Line throughout the whole World shall belong and remain unto the Possessors without any Exception or further Distinction of Time or Place or any consideration to be had of Restitution or Compensation XI But if it happens through Inadvertency or Imprudence or any other Cause whatever that any Subject of either of the said two Kings shall do or commit any thing by Land or Sea or on fresh Water any where contrary to the present Treaty or that any Particular Article thereof is not fulfilled this Peace and good Correspondence between the said two Kings shall not on that account be Interrupted or Infringed but shall remain in its former Force Strength and Vigour and the said Subject only shall answer for his own Fact and undergo the Punishment to be Inflicted according to the Custom and Law of Nations XII But if which God forbid the Differences now Composed between the said Kings should at any time be renewed and break out into open War the Ships Merchandises and all kind of moveable Goods of either Party which shall be found to be and remain in the Ports and Dominions of the adverse Party shall not be Confiscated or brought under any Inconveniency but the whole space of six Months shall be allowed to the Subject of both of the said Kings that they may carry away and transport the aforesaid Goods and any thing else that is theirs whither they shall think fit without any Molestation XIII For what concerns the Principality of Orange and other Lands and Dominions belonging to the said King of Great Britain the separate Article of the Treaty of Nimeguen concluded between the most Christian King and the States General of the United Provinces the 10th Day of August 1678. shall according to its Form and Tenor have full effect and all things that have been Innovated and Altered shall be restored as they were before All Decrees Edicts and other Acts of what kind soever they be without Exception which are in a manner contrary to the said Treaty or were made after the conclusion thereof shall be held to be null and void without any revival or consequence for the future And all things shall be restored to the said King in the same state and in the same manner as he held and enjoyed them before he was dispossessed thereof in the time of the War which was ended by the said Treaty of Nimeguen or which he ought to have held and enjoyed according to the said Treaty And that an end may be put to all Trouble Differences Processes and Questions which may arise concerning the same both the said Kings will name Commissioners who with full and summary Power may compose and settle all these matters And forasmuch as by the Authority of the most Christian King the King of Great Britain was hindred from enjoying the Revenues Rights and Profits as well of his Principality of Orange as of other his Dominions which after the conclusion of the Treaty of Nimeguen until the Declaration of the present War were under the power of the said most Christian King the said most Christian King will restore and cause to be restored in reality with Effect and with the Interest due all those Revenues Rights and Profits according to the Declarations and Verifications that shall be made before the said Commissioners XIV That Treaty of Peace concluded between the most Christian King and the late Elector of Brandenburg at St. Germains in Laye the 29 June 1679. shall be restored in its Articles and remain in its former Vigour between his Sacred Most Christian Majesty and his Electoral Highness of Brandenburg XV. Whereas 't will greatly conduce to the publick Tranquility that the Treaty be observed which was concluded between his Sacred most Christian Majesty and his Royal Highness of Savoy on the Ninth of Aug. 1696. 't is agreed that the said Treaty shall be confirmed by this Article XVI Under this present Treaty of Peace shall be comprehended those who shall be named by either Party with common consent before the Exchange of Ratifications or within six Months after But in the mean time the most Serene and Mighty Prince William King of Great Britain and the most Serene and Mighty Prince â—ewis the most Christian King gratefully acknowledging the sincere Offices and Indefatigable Endeavours which have been employed by the most Serene and Mighty Prince Charles King of Sweden by the inter position of his Mediation in bringing this happy work of the Peace with the Divine Assistance to the desired Conclusion and to shew the like Affection to him 't is by consent of all Parties stipulated and agreed That his said Sacred Royal Majesty of Sweden shall with all his Kingdoms Countries Provinces and Rights be included in this Treaty and comprehended in the best manner in the present Pacification XVII Lastly The Solemn Ratifications of this present agreement and alliance made in due Form shall be delivered on